2011 MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class ECO mode

! Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP®
system operates automatically, the engine
and the ignition must be switched off
(SmartKey in position 0 or 1 in the ignition
lock or Start/Stop button in position 0 or
1 ) while the parking brake is being tested
on a brake dynamometer (maximum 10
seconds).
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake
system.
If your brake system is only subjected to
moderate loads, you should regularly test
your brake system's function by forcefully
depressing the brake pedal when driving at
high speed. This also improves the brake
pads' friction.GWarning
Make sure that you do not endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
You can find a description of Brake Assist
(BAS) on ( Y page 66).
High-performance brake system for
AMG vehicles
The high-performance brake system is only
installed on the ML 63 AMG.
GWarning
New vehicle brake pads and discs, and
replacement brake pads and discs may take
several hundred miles of driving until they
provide optimum braking efficiency. Until that
time, you may need to use increased brake
pedal pressure while braking. Please be aware
of this and adjust your driving and braking
accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive high-demand braking will cause
correspondingly high brake wear. Please be
attentive to the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and brake condition
messages in the multifunction display.
Especially for high performance driving, it is
important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.
The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. This may lead to
noise when braking. This will depend on:
R speed
R braking force
R environmental conditions, such as
temperature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings
or brake discs, depends on the individual
driving style and operating conditions.
Parking brake
If you drive on wet roads or dirt-covered
surfaces, road salt and/or dirt could get into
the parking brake.
In order to prevent corrosion and a reduction
in the braking power of the parking brake,
observe the following:
R gently depress the parking brake from time
to time before beginning the journey.
R drive approximately 110 yd (100 m)
without exceeding a speed of 12 mph
(20 km/h).
GWarning!
While performing this procedure please
assure that the vehicle is stopped before
applying the parking brake. Otherwise the
rear wheels could lock up. You could lose
control of the vehicle and cause an accident.
In addition, the vehicle’s brake lights do not
light up when the parking brake is engaged.
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when you engage the parking brake.
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
R you drive at low speeds
R the tires have adequate tread depth
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iVehicles with a diesel engine: do not
cover the radiator, e.g. with a protective
cover. The measuring function of the
Onboard Diagnosis System may otherwise
provide inaccurate values. Some of these
values are required by law and must
therefore always be accurate.
Winter tires
Use winter tires at temperatures below
45 ‡ (7 †) and on snow or ice-covered roads.
Only winter tires also bearing the i
snowflake symbol next to the M+S marking
provide the best-possible grip in wintry road
conditions. Only these tires will allow the ABS
and ESP ®
driving systems to function
optimally in winter, as these tires have been
designed specifically for driving on snow.
Use M+S tires of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling
characteristics.
GWarning
M+S tires with a tread depth of less than 1
/ 6
inch (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you have
installed.
Once you have installed the winter tires:
XCheck the tire pressures ( Y page 329).XRestart the tire pressure monitor
( Y page 331).GWarning
If you use your spare wheel when M+S tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may very
well impair turning stability and that overall
driving stability may be reduced. Adapt your
driving style accordingly.
Have the spare wheel replaced by a regular
road wheel with an M+S tire at the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Snow chains
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you only use snow chains
which have been specially approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz, or are of a
corresponding standard of quality.
! Vehicles with the Adaptive Damping
System (ADS): do not drive in ADS SPORT
mode if snow chains have been mounted.
The vehicle may otherwise be damaged.
! There is not enough space for snow
chains on some wheel sizes. Observe the
information under "Tires and wheels" in the
"Technical Data" section to avoid damage
to the vehicle or the wheels.
R Only use snow chains when driving on an
area completely covered by snow. Do not
exceed the maximum permissible speed of
30 mph (50 km/h). Remove the snow
chains as soon as possible when you are no
longer driving on snow-covered roads.
R Local regulations may restrict the use of
snow chains. Applicable regulations must
be observed if you wish to mount snow
chains.
R Snow chains must not be mounted on
emergency spare wheels.
If you intend to mount snow chains, please
bear the following points in mind:
R you may not attach snow chains to all
wheel-tire combinations; see the "Tires and
wheels" section in the "Technical data"
chapter.
R mount snow chains only in pairs and only
on the rear wheels. Observe the
manufacturer's installation instructions.
! If snow chains are mounted on the front
wheels, the snow chains could grind
against the bodywork or components of the
chassis. This could result in damage to the
vehicle or the tires.
! Vehicles with steel wheels
If you wish to mount snow chains to steel
wheels, make sure that you remove the
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yellow segments showing operational
readiness = light up.
The selected transmission position
determines which warning display is active
when the engine is running.Transmission
positionWarning displayDFront area activatedR or NRear and front areas
activatedPNo areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R sixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for
approximately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two
seconds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
All models except ML 450 HYBRID (example)
:To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC;Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp ; lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated.
Towing a trailer
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer.
! Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC
measures the minimum detection range to
an obstacle from the bumper, not the ball
coupling.
! Vehicles with an exterior spare wheel:
Remove the detachable ball coupling if the
trailer tow hitch is not required.
PARKTRONIC measures the minimum
detection range to an obstacle from the
bumper, not the ball coupling.
186Driving systemsDriving and parking
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Automatic mode
Use automatic mode ; for all driving
situations, including driving off-road or when
fording.
In automatic mode, the differential locks are
engaged and disengaged according to driving
requirements. This guarantees sufficient
traction for most driving situations with
unrestricted vehicle steerability.
XStart the engine.
The differential locks are in automatic
mode. The indicator lamp in selector
wheel : lights up above symbol for
automatic mode ;.
Engaging manually
GWarning!
Never drive on a paved surface with the center
and rear axle differential locks manually
engaged. Ability to steer the vehicle is greatly
reduced when the differential locks are
manually engaged, increasing the risk of an
accident.
For safety reasons, the locks are
automatically released at a vehicle speed
above 31 mph (50 km/h). Nevertheless, you
should only manually lock the differential if
absolutely necessary because engaged locks
will restrict the vehicle drivetrain while
cornering and cause the vehicle to chatter.
This could cause you to lose control of the
vehicle and cause an accident.
! The differential locks must not be
activated when the vehicle is being towed
or while the wheels are spinning.
Only engage the differential locks manually if
traction in automatic mode is insufficient.
At speeds of up to 19 mph (30 km/h), you
can engage the differential locks manually.XStart the engine.XTurn selector wheel : to desired position
= or ?.
The indicator lamp in selector wheel :
lights up at the corresponding symbol.
The engaged differential appears in the
multifunction display:
AThe differential lock for the transfer case
is locked.
If you have not previously selected the off-
road menu ( Y page 213) in the on-board
computer, the message disappears after
about five seconds.
The differential locks are not controlled
automatically. The steerability of the vehicle
is restricted considerably. Drive carefully and
accelerate gently for optimum traction.
! If the differential locks are activated
manually, the wheels scuff on the road
when cornering since the rotation
difference between the wheels is no longer
balanced out.
You can switch back to automatic mode at
any time. For safety reasons, the differential
locks disengage automatically at speeds
above 31 mph (50 km/h). If you stop the
vehicle and switch off the ignition for longer
than ten seconds, the differential locks
switch back to automatic mode.
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XPress V or U on the steering wheel
to select the Settings menu.XPress & to call up the selection of
submenus.XPress the W or X button to select the
Lighting submenu.XPress & to select Surround Lighting
Function .XPress the W or X button to activate
or deactivate the Surround Lighting
function.XWhen leaving the vehicle, turn the light
switch to position Ã.
The surround lighting is activated.XPress the &, V or U button to
select a different display.
Setting the ambient lighting
This function is only available in the "Grand
Edition" model.
XPress V or U on the steering wheel
to select the Settings menu.XPress & to call up the selection of
submenus.XPress the W or X button to select the
Lighting submenu.XPress the & button to select Ambient
Light .XPress W or X to adjust the
brightness to any level from Level 0 (off)
to Level 5 (bright).XPress the &, V or U button to
select a different display.
Activating/deactivating the exterior
lighting delayed switch-off
When you activate the Headlamp Delayed
Shut-off function and the light switch is set
to à , the exterior lighting remains on for
another 15 seconds after closing the doors
when it is dark.
If the engine is switched off and then none of
the doors are opened, or if an open door is
not closed, the exterior lighting goes out after
60 seconds.
If you have activated the delayed switch-off
function, the light switch is set to à and
you switch off the engine, the following
remain lit:
R the parking lamps
R the license plate lamp
R the tail lamps
R the fog lamps 35
R the low-beam headlamps 36
R the side marker lampsXPress V or U on the steering wheel
to select the Settings menu.XPress & to call up the selection of
submenus.XPress the W or X button to select the
Lighting submenu.XPress the & button to select Headlamp
Delayed Shut-off .XPress the W or X button to activate
or deactivate the Headlamp Delayed
Shut-off function.XBefore switching off the engine, turn the
light switch to position Ã.
The exterior lighting delayed shut-off is
activated.XPress the &, V or U button to
select a different display.
To deactivate the delayed shut-off
temporarily:
XBefore leaving the vehicle, turn the
SmartKey to position 0 in the ignition lock.XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock and back to position 0.
The delayed shut-off is deactivated.
The delayed shut-off is reactivated the next
time you start the engine.
35 Only for vehicles with front fog lamps.
36 Only for vehicles without front fog lamps.216Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays
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COMAND is muted.
Once a connection has been established, the
Call Connected message appears in the
multifunction display.
All important information on the emergency
is compiled, for example:
R current location of the vehicle (as
determined by the GPS system)
R vehicle model
R vehicle color
R vehicle identification number
A voice connection between the Response
Center and the occupants of the vehicle will
be established automatically soon after the
emergency call has been initiated. If the
vehicle occupants are able to respond, the
Response Center will attempt to obtain more
detailed information on the emergency.
i If no vehicle occupant answers, an
ambulance is immediately sent to the
vehicle.GWarning
If the indicator lamp in the SOS button is
flashing continuously and there was no voice
connection to the Response Center
established, then the mbrace system could
not initiate an emergency call (e.g. the
relevant cellular phone network is not
available).
The message Call Failed appears in the
multifunction display for approximately
10 seconds.
Should this occur, assistance must be
summoned by other means.
Making an emergency callXTo initiate an emergency call
manually: press cover : briefly to open.XPress SOS button ; briefly.
The indicator lamp in SOS button ;
flashes until the emergency call is ended.XWait for the voice connection with the
Response Center.XAfter the emergency call is ended, close
cover :.GWarning
If you feel at any way in jeopardy when in the
vehicle (e.g. smoke or fire in the vehicle,
vehicle in a dangerous road location), please
do not wait for voice contact after you have
pressed the SOS button. Carefully leave the
vehicle and move to a safe location. The
Response Center will automatically contact
local emergency officials with the vehicle's
approximate location if they receive an
automatic SOS signal and cannot make voice
contact with the vehicle occupants.
Roadside Assistance call button
XOpen the stowage compartment under the
armrest ( Y page 257).272FeaturesLoading, stowing and features
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XPress and hold Roadside Assistance
button : for more than two seconds.
A call to a Mercedes-Benz Roadside
Assistance Representative is initiated. The
indicator lamp in Roadside Assistance
button : flashes while the call is active.
The Connecting Call message appears in
the multifunction display and COMAND is
muted.
If a connection can be established, the Call
Connected message appears in the
multifunction display.
If a mobile phone network is available and
there is sufficient GPS reception, the mbrace
system transmits data to the Response
Center, for example:
R current location of the vehicle
R vehicle identification number
R vehicle model
R vehicle color
i The COMAND display shows that an
mbrace call is active. You can switch to the
navigation menu by pressing the NAVI
button on COMAND during the call. Spoken
commands are not available.
A voice connection is established between
the Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Representative and the vehicle occupants.
XDescribe the type of assistance needed.
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Representative either sends a qualified
Mercedes-Benz technician or organizes for
your vehicle to be transported to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. You may
be charged for services such as repair work
and/or towing. Further details are available
in your mbrace manual.
i If the indicator lamp in MB info call
button : flashes continuously and it was
not possible to establish a voice
connection to the Response Center, then
the mbrace system has failed to initiate a
Roadside Assistance call (e.g. the
corresponding cellular phone network is
not available). The Call Failed message
appears in the multifunction display.XTo end a call: press the ~ button on the
multifunction steering wheel.
or
XPress the corresponding button for ending
a phone call on COMAND.
i Sign and Drive services 41
: you are not
charged for services such as jump-starting,
providing a few gallons of fuel for a fuel tank
that has been run dry or changing a flat tire
with the vehicle's own spare tire.
MB Info call button
XThe stowage compartment under the
armrest ( Y page 257).41
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XPress and hold MB info call button : for
more than two seconds.
A call to the Response Center is initiated.
MB info call button indicator lamp :
flashes while the connection is being
established. The Connecting Call
message appears in the multifunction
display and COMAND is muted.
If a connection can be established, the Call
Connected message appears in the
multifunction display.
If a mobile phone network is available and
there is sufficient GPS reception, the mbrace
system transmits data to the Response
Center, for example:
R current location of the vehicle
R vehicle identification number
R vehicle model
R vehicle color
i The COMAND display shows that an
mbrace call is active. You can switch to the
navigation menu by pressing the NAVI
button on COMAND during the call. Spoken
commands are not available.
A voice connection between the Response
Center and the vehicle occupants is
established. You can obtain information on
how to operate your vehicle's systems, on the
location of the nearest authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center, and on further products and
services offered by Mercedes-Benz USA.
Further details on the mbrace system can be
found under http://www.mbusa.com 42
.
Log in under "Owners Online".
i If the indicator lamp in MB info call
button : flashes continuously and no
voice connection to the Response Center
has been established, then the mbrace
system has failed to initiate an MB info call
(e.g. the corresponding mobile phone
network is not available). The Call
Failed message appears in the
multifunction display.
XTo end a call: press the ~ button on the
multifunction steering wheel.
or
XPress the corresponding button for ending
a phone call on COMAND.
Call priority
An emergency call can still be initiated even
if a service call is currently active, e.g. the
Roadside Assistance call or the MB info call.
In this case, an emergency call will take
priority and override all other active calls.
The indicator lamp of the respective button
flashes until the call is ended. An emergency
call can only be ended by the Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Center. All other calls
can be ended by pressing the ~ button on
the multifunction steering wheel or the
corresponding button for ending a telephone
call on COMAND.
i When an mbrace call has been initiated,
COMAND is muted. The cellular phone is no
longer connected to COMAND. If you must
use your mobile phone, we recommend
that you do this only when the vehicle is
stationary and in a safe location.
Downloading destinations in COMAND
i Information on the components and
operating principles of COMAND can be
found in the separate COMAND operating
instructions.
Destination Download gives you access to a
database with over 10 million points of
interest (POIs) which can be downloaded onto
the navigation system of your vehicle. If you
know the destination, you can download the
address or obtain the location of points of
interest (POIs) or important destinations in
the surrounding area.
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