Activating/deactivating air-recircula-
tion mode
You can deactivate the flo woffresh air if
unpleasant odours are entering the vehicle
from outside. The air already inside the vehi-
cle will then be recirculated.
The operation of air-recirculation mode is the
same for all control panels. G
WARNING
Only switch over to air-recirculation mode
briefly at low outside temperatures. Other-
wise, the windows could mist up, thus impair-
ing visibility and endangering yourself and
others. This may prevent you from observing
the traffic conditions, thereby causing an
accident.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X To activate: press thegbutton.
The indicator lamp above the gbutton
lights up.
i In the event of high pollution levels 20
or at
high outside temperatures, air-recircula-
tion mode is automatically activated. When
air-recirculation mode is activated auto-
matically, the indicator lamp above the
g button does not light up.
Outside air is added after about
30 minutes.
X To switch off: press thegbutton.
The indicator lamp above the gbutton
goes out.
i Air-recirculation mode deactivates auto-
matically:
R after approximately five minutes at out-
side temperatures below approx. 5†
R after approximately five minutes if cool-
ing with air dehumidification is deactiva-
ted
R after approximately 30 minutes at out-
side temperatures above aroun d5† Convenience opening/closing using
the air-recirculation button G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
between the side window and the door frame
as the side windows are opened and closed.
Make sure that all object sand body parts are
clear of the side windows when they are being
opened or closed .You or the objects could be
drawn in or become trapped between the side
window and the door frame as the window
moves. If there is arisk of entrapment, oper-
ate the Wswitch to move the side window
in the opposite direction.
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
as the sliding sunroof/panorama sliding sun-
roof is opened and closed. If there is a risk of
entrapment, operate the 3switch to move
the sliding sunroof/panorama sliding sunroof
in the opposite direction.
X Convenience closing feature: press and
hold the gbutton until the side win-
dows and the sliding sunroof/panorama
sliding sunroof are closed.
The indicator lamp above the gbutton
lights up. Air-recirculatio nmode is activa-
ted.
X Convenience opening feature: press and
hold the gbutton until the side win-
dows and the sliding sunroof/panorama
sliding sunroof are opened. The side win-
dows and the sliding sunroof/panorama
sliding sunroof move back to their original
position.
The indicator lamp above the gbutton
goes out. Air-recirculation mode is deacti-
vated.
i If you open the side windows or the sliding
sunroof/panorama sliding sunroof man-
ually after closing them with the conveni-
ence closing feature, they will remain in this
position when opened using the conveni-
ence opening feature.
20 THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control only. 144
Operating the climate control systemClimate control
Tyre traction
G
WARNING
Whereas the vehicle can be fully controlled at
a certain speed on dry roads, you must reduce
your speed on we toricy roads to achieve the
same road safety .You could otherwise cause
an accident.
Pay particular attention to the road conditions
at temperatures around freezing point.
If ice has formed on the road surface (e.g.
from fog), a thin film of water rapidly forms on
the ice when you brake, considerably reduc-
ing tyre traction. Drive with particular care in
such weather conditions. Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R
you are driving at low speeds.
R the tyres have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, do not drive in tyre ruts, and
brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R the maximum permissible still water depth
is 25 cm.
R you should drive no faster than at walking
pace.
! Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all
circumstances. You could otherwise dam-
age the engine, the electronics or the trans-
mission. Winter driving
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the vehicle becomes trapped in snow,
ensure that snow is kept away from the
exhaust pipe and from around the vehicle as
long as the engine is running. Otherwise, poi-
sonous carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the
vehicle, resulting in loss of consciousness and
even death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, open
a window slightly on the side of the vehicle
not facing the wind.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Driving with summer tyres Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y
page 364).
Slippery road surfaces G
WARNING
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
i For more information on driving with
snow chains, see (Y page 365).180
Driving tipsDriving and parking
Example: side view (Saloon)
Example: top view (Saloon)
Front sensors
Centre approximately 100 cm
Corners approximately 60 cm
Rea
rsensors Centre approximately 12
0cm Corners approximately 80 cm
!
When parking, pay particula rattention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars. PARK-
TRONIC does not detect such objects when
they are in the immediate vicinity of the
vehicle. You could damage the vehicle or
the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and
objects which absorb ultrasonic sources.
Ultrasonic sources, such as an automatic
car wash, a lorry's compressed-air brakes
or a pneumati cdrill, coul dcause PARK-
TRONIC to malfunction. PARKTRONIC may no
tfunction correctly on
uneven terrain.
Minimum distance Centre approximately 20 cm
Corners approximately 15 cm
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevan
twarning displays light up and a warn-
ing tone sounds. If th edistance falls below
the minimum, the distanc emay no longer be
shown.
Warning displays The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and th
eobstacle. The
warning display for the fron tarea is located
on the dashboard above the centre air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is loca-
ted on the roof lining in the rear compart-
ment. Warning display for the front area
:
Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
; Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
= Segments showing operational readiness
The warning display for each side of the vehi-
cle is divided into five yellow and two red seg-
ments. PARKTRONIC is operational if yellow
segments showing operational readiness =
light up.
The gearl ever position or the transmission
position of the automatic transmission deter- Driving systems
201Driving and parking Z
Front stowage compartments
Glove compartment
i
The glove compartmen tcan be ventilated
(Y page 150). X
To open: pull handle :and open glove
compartment flap ;.
X To close: fold glove compartmen tflap ;
upwards until it engages.
The glove compartmen tcan only be locked
and unlocked using the emergency key ele-
ment. X
To lock: insert the emergency key element
into the lock and turn it 90° clockwise to
position 2.
X To unlock: insert the emergency key ele-
ment into the lock and turn it 90° anti-
clockwise to position 1.
Spectacles compartment
There is a compartmen tto stow spectacles in
the roof lining on the driver's side. X
To open: pull down spectacles compart-
ment :by the handle.
Stowage compartment in the centre con-
sole Illustration: vehicles with DIRECT SELECT lever
X
To open: slide cover :forwards until it
engages.
X To close: briefly press cover :at the
front.
Cover :moves back. Stowage areas
291Stowing and features Z
by handle
:until it reaches the desired
position and engages in side ?.
X To close: disengage the EASY-PACK fold-
ing luggage-compartment floor and pull it
back.
X Press the EASY-PACK folding luggage-com-
partment floor down ;until it engages.
Fitting and removing the folding lug-
gage-compartment floor X
Remove the combined luggage cover and
net (Y page 300). 120
˚position
X To remove: move EASY-PACK folding lug-
gage-compartment floor :into the 120˚
position and lift it upwards.
X To install: push EASY-PACK folding lug-
gage-compartment floor :to the stop,
move it into the 120˚ position and make
sure it engages audibly.
X Pull EASY-PACK folding luggage-compart-
ment floor :forwards. EASY-PACK rear sill protector (Estate)
The EASY-PACK rear sill protector is attached
to the underside of the EASY-PACK folding
luggage-compartmen tfloor by means of mag-
nets. It is designed to prevent clothing
becoming stained and the paintwork being
scratched when loading.
X Open the EASY-PACK folding luggage-com-
partment floor (Y page 305). X
Use tab ;to detach EASY-PACK rear sill
protector :from the magnets and place
it over the loading sill.
X Close the EASY-PACK folding luggage-com-
partment floor.
! Before closing the tailgate, refaste nthe
EASY-PACK loading sill protector on the
underside of the EASY-PACK folding lug-
gage-compartmen tfloor.
The EASY-PACK loading sill protector could
otherwise be damaged. Roof carrier
Important safety notes G
WARNING
An incorrectly secured roof carrier, ski rack or
load could become detached fro mthe vehi-
cle. These objects might then be thrown
around, and could injure you or others or
cause an accident. Follow the roof carrier/ski
rack manufacturer's installation instructions
and special instructions for use.
The roof load raises the vehicle's centre of
gravity, thereby affecting vehicle handling.
You must always observe the maximum roof
load of 100 kg. Always adapt your driving style
to the prevailing road, traffic and weather
conditions and drive with particular care if the
roof is laden.
! Mercedes-Ben zrecommends that you
only use roof carriers that have been tested
and approved for Mercedes-Benzv ehicles.306
Stowage areasStowing and features
This helps to prevent damage to the vehi-
cle.
Position the load on the roof carrier in such
a way that the vehicle will not sustain dam-
age even when it is in motion.
Make sure that if the roof carrier is fitted:
R the sliding sunroof/panorama sliding
sunroof can be fully raised, depending on
the vehicle's equipment.
R the boot lid/ tailgate can be fully opened.
R the aerial on the roof does not touch the
roof carrier.
! To avoid damaging or scratching the cov-
ers, do not use metallic or hard objects to
open them.
Attaching the roof carrier (Saloon) Vehicles with a steel roof or sliding sunroof (illus-
tration) Vehicles with a panorama sliding sunroof
X
Open covers :carefully in the direction of
the arrow.
X Fold covers :upwards. X
Only secure the roof carrier to the anchor-
age points under covers :.
X Observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
Attaching the roof carrier (Estate) X
Secure the roof carrier to the roof rails.
X Observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions. Features
Cup holders
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Keep the cup holder closed while the vehicle
is in motion .Otherwise, vehicle occupants
could be injured by objects being thrown
around if you:
R brake sharply
R change directio nsuddenly
R are involved in an accident
Only use the cup holders for containers of a
suitable size and which have lids. The drinks
could otherwise spill.
Cup holders should no tbe used for hot drinks.
You may otherwise scald yourself.
Cup holder in the front centre console You can remove the cup holder to clean it.
Clean the cup holder with clean, lukewarm
water only. Features
307Stowing and features Z
Care of the exterior
Automatic car wash G
WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle .This could cause an accident. For
this reason, following a car wash, drive with
particular care until the brakes are dry. G
WARNING
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Therefore,
deactivate the HOLD function and DISTRONIC
PLUS before the vehicle is washed in an auto-
matic car wash.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
Wash off excess dirt before cleaning the vehi-
cle in an automatic car wash.
! In car washes with a towing mechanism,
make sure that the automatic transmission
is in transmission position N; otherwise,
the vehicle could be damaged.
R Vehicles with DIRECT SELECT lever and
key:
do not remove the key from the ignition
lock. Do not open the driver's door or
front-passenger door when the engine is
switched off. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission selects park position P
automatically and locks the wheels. You
can prevent this by shifting the auto-
matic transmission to Nbeforehand.
R Vehicles with DIRECT SELECT lever and
KEYLESS-GO:
do not open the driver's door or front-
passenger door when the engine is
switched off. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission selects park position P
automatically and locks the wheels.
Observe the following to make sure that the
automatic transmission on vehicles with
DIRECT SELECT stays in position N:X
Make sure the vehicle is stationary and the
ignition is switched off.
X Turn the key to position 2(Ypage 155) in
the ignition lock.
Use the key instead of the Start/Stop but-
ton on vehicles with KEYLESS-GO.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in
the ignition lock.
! Make sure that:
R the side windows and sliding sunroof are
closed completely.
R the blower for the ventilation/heating is
switched off (OFF button is depressed).
R the windscreen wiper switch is at posi-
tion 0.
The vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax from the windscreen and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the wind-
screen.
Washing by hand In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements for each indi-
vidual country.
X
Do not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
X Use a soft sponge to clean.
X Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a
gentle jet of water.
X Do not point the water jet directly towards
the air inlet.
X Use plenty of water and rinse out the
sponge frequently. Care
327Maintenance and care Z
X
Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
X Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the
paintwork.
Whe nusing the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible.
High-pressure cleaning equipment G
WARNING
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with circu-
lar-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean your
vehicle, in particular the tyres. You could oth-
erwise damage the tyres and cause an acci-
dent.
! Always maintain a distance of at least
30 cm between the vehicle and the high-
pressure cleaner nozzle. Information about
the correct distance is available from the
equipment manufacturer.
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tyres
R door gaps, roof gaps, joints etc.
R electrical components
R battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
R trim elements
R ventilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to leaks or failures.
Cleaning the wheels !
Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products
to remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components.
! Do not park up the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked up.
Cleaning the paintwork Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
X
Remove impurities immediately,w here
possible, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard.
X Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
X Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
off the treated areas afterwards.
X Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin,
oils, fuels and greases by rubbing gently
with a cloth soaked in petroleum ether or
lighter fluid.
X Use tar remover to remove tar stains.
X Use silicone remover to remove wax.
! Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Care and treatment of matt paintwork If your vehicle has a clear matt finish, observe
the following instructions in order to avoid
damage to the paintwork due to incorrect
care.
These notes also apply to light-alloy wheels
with a clear matt finish.
!
Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy
wheels. Polishing makes the paintwork
shiny. 328
CareMaintenance and care