2011 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS SUV automatic transmission

R
The automatic transmission select sthe
automatic drive program for asporty
driving style.
R The sporty accelerator pedal curve is
selected. This mean sthat the accelera-
tor pedal does not need to be depressed
as fa rwhen accelerati ng.
R The sport ysteering curve is selected.
Thi sm eans that mor eeffort is required
when steering.
i Youc annot select the SPORT program if
LOW RANGE has been selected .The
Driv eprogram SPORT Not in LOW RANGE message appears in th
emultifunc-
tion display.
Snow program Select the snow program when driving in
snow or with snow chains. X
Selector wheel : engaged:
briefly press
selector wheel :.
Selector wheel :extends.
X To select: turn selector wheel :until indi-
cator lamp ;comes on.
Snow indicator =appears in the multi-
function display. R
Highway level is set.
R AD S(Adaptive Damp ingS ystem) adjusts
the comfort damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving condi-
tions.
R 4ETS and the differential lock are adap-
ted for driving on snow-covered roads.
R The automatic transmission selects the
automatic drive progra mforac omforta-
ble and efficien tdriving style.
R Th es mooth accelerato rpedal curve is
selected. This mean sthat the accelera-
tor pedal needs to be depressed much
further when accelerating.
R The optimal gear for pulling away is
engaged.
Trailer program Select the trailer program when towing a
trailer. X
Selector wheel : engaged:
brieflypress
selecto rwheel :.
Selector wheel :extends.
X To select: turnselector wheel :until indi-
cator lamp ;comes on.
Trailer indicator =appear sint he multi-
func tion display. Driving systems
219Drivingand parking Z

R
Hig hway level is set.
R ADS (Adaptive Damping System) adjusts
the comfort damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving condi-
tions.
R The automatic transmission selects the
automatic drive progra mforac omforta-
ble and efficien tdriving style ,and the
shift points are optimally adjusted.
R The differential lock is engaged when
pulling away. Off-road driving systems
4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Togethe rwith ESP ®
and
4ETS, it improves the trac tion of your vehicle
whenever adrive whee lspins due to insuffi-
cient grip. G
WARNING
4MATI Ccannot reduce the risk of an accident
if you drive too fast.
If ad rive whee lspins due to insufficien tgrip:
R onl ydepress the accelerator peda lasfar as
necessary when pulling away.
R accelerate less when driving.
R adapt you rdriving style to su itroa dand
traffic conditions.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. Thi smay damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz implied warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tyres (M+S tyres), with snow
chains if necessary. !
Functio norperformanc etests ma yonly
be performed on a2-axle dynamometer. If
you wis htooperatethe vehicle on such a
dynamometer, pleas econsult aMercedes-
Benz Service Centr ebeforehand. You could
otherwise damage th edrive train or the
bra kesystem.
Fo rinformation abou tdriving off-roa d, see
( Y page 166). DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
Important safety notes DSR assists you when driv
ingd ownhill .It
keeps the spee doftravel at th espeed set on
the on-board comp uter. Th esteeper the
downhil lgradient ,the greate rthe DS Rbrak-
ing effect on th evehicle. When driving on flat
stretches of road or on an uphill gradient, the
DSR braking effect is minima lornon-existent. G
WARNING
DSR is only an aid designe dtoassist you when
driving downhill. You ar eresponsible for keep-
ing control of the vehicle and for assessing
whether the downhill gradien tcan be man-
aged.
When activating DSR the vehicle may brake
suddenly due to DSR intervening. This is
dependent on the downhill gradient and the
difference between the current spee dand the
speed set. DSR may not always be able to
keep to the set speed, depending on road sur-
face and tyre conditions .You coul dlose con-
trol of the vehicle and cause an accident.
Selec taset speed suitable for the prevailing
conditions and when necessary, apply the
brakes manually.
DSR con trols the set speed when it is active
and the automatic transmission is in the D,
R or Nposition. By accelerating or braking,
you can always drive at ahigher or alower
speed than that set on the on-boar dcom-
puter. 220
Off-road driving systemsDriving and parking

up
: for ahigher set speed or down ;for
al ower set speed.
The set spee dappear sinm ultifunction dis-
play ?and is shown in status indicator
=.
i If you press the cruise con trol lever
beyon dthe pressur epoint, th eset speed
also changes in 1km/ hincrements. Off-road program (ve
hicles without
th eO N&O FFROAD package)
The off-road program assists you in driving
off-road. The engine’s performance charac-
teristics and th egearshifting chara cteristics
of th eautomatic transmission are adapted for
this purpose. ABS, ESP ®
and 4ETS programs
especially adapted to off-road driving are acti-
vated. Agentle accelera torp edal curve is also
selected, i.e. the accelera torp edal must be
depressed muc hfurther in order to acceler-
ate.
Do not use the off-road program on roads that
are snow-covered or icy or if you have fitted
your vehicle with snow chains.
For information about driving off-road, see
(Y page 166). X
To engage: press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The Çoff-
road indicator appears in the multifunction
display. X
To deactivate: press button:.
Indicator lamp ;and the Çoff-road
indicator go out in the multifunction dis-
play. Off-road program (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package)
General notes The off-road programs assis
tyou in driving
off -road. The engine’s performanc echarac-
teristics and the gearshifting characteristics
of the automatic transmission ar eadapted for
this purpose. ABS, ESP ®
and 4ETS programs
especially adapted to off -road drivin gare acti-
vated. An accelerator peda lcurve suitable for
the terrain is selected, i.e. the accelerator
pedal must be depressed further to acceler-
ate.
Do not use the off-road programs on roads
that are snow-covered or icy or if you have
fitted your vehicle with snow chains.
For information about driving off-road, see
(Y page 166).
The following program messages remain in
the multifunction display until the corre-
spondin gvehicle level has been set. Up to off-
road level 2, you can hide the program mes-
sages using the %ora button on the
multifunction steering wheel.
Off-road progra m1 Select off-road program
1for gentle off -road
ter rain, e.g. for gravel or sand surfaces or
tracks. The engine's torque is restricted to a
limited degree and the drive wheels can spin,
i.e. the spinning of the wheels results in a
cutting action ,for better traction.
You can only activate off -road program 1
when driving at speeds below 100 km/ h.The
Driv eprogram OFFROAD 1Max. speed 100 km/h message appears in th
emultifunc-
tion display. 222
Off-road driving systemsDrivin
gand parking

For information abou
tdriving off-road, see
(Y page 166). Yo uwillf ind information about
driving safety systems in conjunction with
LOW RANGE in the "Saf ety" section
(Y pag e60).
Shift ranges HIGH RANGE
Roa
dposition for all nor-
ma ldriving situations LO
WR ANGE Off-road position for driv-
ing off-road and fording
The transmission ratio
between the engine and
wheels is only approx-
imatel yone third of that in
the HIGH RANGE road
pos ition. The drive torque
is correspondingly higher
as aresult.
Do not use LOW RANGE:
R on slippery road surfa-
ces, e.g. in the case of
slush
R on snow or ice-covered
roads
R if you have snow chains
on your vehicle G
WARNING
Always wait for the gear change process from
HIGH RANGE to LOW RANGE –and from LOW
RANGE to HIGH RANGE –tocomple te.Don ot
tur no ff the engine while changi nggear and
do not switc hthe automatic transmission to
anot hergear.
If you do not wait for the gear change process
to complete, it may not be cor rectly imple-
mented. Th etransfer cas emay then be in
neutral and the connection between the
engine and the drive axles may be disen-
gaged .The vehicle coul dthen mov efreely,
eve nifa gear is engaged, and coul dinadver-
tently start moving, particularly if it is on a
slope. Observe the following description in "Mes-
sages in the multifunction display". From HIGH RANG
EtoLOW RAN GE
! Only carr yout the gear change process if:
R the engine is running
R the transmission is in position N
R you are not driving above 40 km/h
X Press LOW RANGE button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes.
If the gear change process has taken place,
indicator lamp ;lights up. The LOW
RANGE display appears in multifunction
display ?and in status indicator =.
While indicator lamp ;is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressing LOW
RANGE button :again.
i You cannot switch LOW RANGE on if the
SPORT on-road program is activated; the
LO WR ANGE Not in drive program SPORT message then appears in th
emulti-
function display. 224
Off-road driving systemsDrivin
gand parking

pling
atrailer. Th evehicle level could change
and you could endanger yourself or others.
Never press the ADS button or operate the
leve lcontrol while you are coupling up or
decoupling atrailer.
Steel-spring vehicles X
Make sure that th etransmission is in posi-
tion P.
X Engag ethe electric parkin gbrake.
X Positio nthe trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Coupl eupthe trailer.
X Establish the electrical con nection
betwee nthe vehicle and the trailer.
X Chec kthat the trailer lighting system is
working.
Vehicles wit hthe AIRMATIC package X
Make sure that th etransmission is in posi-
tion P.
X Engag ethe electric parkin gbrake.
X Start th eengine.
X Set the vehicl etohighway level
(Y page 189).
X Set the Adaptive Dampin gSystem (ADS )to
AUTO orCOMF(Y page 188).
X Switch off the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection
betwee nthe vehicle and the trailer.
X Chec kthat the trailer lighting system is
working.
i If you hav ecoupled atrailer, th evehicle
will remain at highway level.
The vehicle automatically lowers to high-
way level if you driv efaster than 30 km/h
with atrailer. Th evehicle is not lowered to
high-speed level even if you are travelling
at higher speeds. This also applies when using accessories
that are plugged into the socket of the
trailer tow hitch (e.g. abicycle rack). Decoupling
atrailer
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Do not disconnect atrailer with an engaged
overru nbrake .Otherwise, you rhand could
becom etrapped between th ebumpe rand
drawbar. G
WARNING
As soo nasyou raise the trailer drawbar, the
unladen vehicle rises slightly .The vehicle then
lower stod riving level.
Make sure that nobod yisinthe vicinit yofthe
wheel arch or the underbody. You coul doth-
erwise trap yoursel forothers. G
WARNING
Th ev ehicle is lowered as soo nasyou discon-
nec tthe trailer cable. Make sur ethat nobody
is in the vicinit yofthe wheel arch or the
underbody. You coul dotherwis etrap yourse lf
or othe rs.
As soon as you decoupl ethe trailer ,the unla-
den vehicle rise sslightly. Make sure that you
or others are not injured in the process.
! Do not disconnect atrailer wit han
engaged overrun brake. Otherwise, your
vehicle could be damage dbythe rebound-
ing of the overru nbrake.
Steel-spring vehic les X
Ma ke sure that the transmission is in posi-
tion P.
X Engag ethe electric parkin gbrake.
X Secure th etrailer agains trollin gaway.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer. Towing
atrailer
229Driving andparki ng Z

Displa
ymessages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
!
Pa
rkingb rake See Owner'
sManual Th
ey ellow !warning lamp lights up.
The electric parkin gbrak eism alfunctioning.
To apply:
X Switc hoffthe ignition.
X Press the electric parking brake handle fo ratleast 10 seconds.
X Shif tthe transmission to P.
X Consult aqualified specialist worksho p. The yellow
!warnin glamp and the red !indicator lamp
are lit.
The electric parking brake is malfunctioning.
To release:
X Switch off the ignitio nand turn it back on.
X Releas ethe electric parkin gbrake manu ally.
or
X Release the electric parkin gbrake automatically (Y page 161).
If the yellow !warning lamp remains lit or continues to flash:
X Do not drive on.
X Consult aqualified specialist worksho p. The red
!indicator lam pflashes and the yellow !warning
lamp is lit.
The electric parkin gbrake is malfunctioning.
To rel ease:
X Switch off the ignitio nand turn it back on.
X Releas ethe electric parkin gbrake manu ally.
To apply:
X Switch off the ignitio nand turn it back on.
X Appl ythe electric parkin gbrake manu ally.
If the red !indicator lamp continues to flash:
X Do not drive on.
X Secur ethe vehicle against rolling away (Y page 338).
X Shif tthe transmission to P.
X Tur nthe front wheels towards the kerb.
X Consult aqualified specialist worksho p. Display messages
257On-boardcomputer and displays Z

Displa
ymessages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The yellow
!warning lamp lights up. The red !indicator
lamp flashes fo rabout 10 seconds after the electric parkin gbrake
ha sb een applied or released. It then goes out or remains lit.
The electric parkin gbrake is malfunctioning.
X Switch off th eignition and tur nitback on.
X Apply the electric parkin gbrake.
If it is not poss ible to apply the electric parkin gbrake:
X Shift th etransmission to P.
X Vis itaq uali fieds pecialist workshop.
If it is not possible to release the electric parkin gbrake:
X Releas ethe elec tricp arkin gbrake automaticall y(Ypage 16 1).
If th eelectric parkin gbrake can stil lnot be released:
X Consult aqualified specialist workshop. The yellow
!warning lamp lights up. If you manually apply or
release the electric parkin gbrake ,the red !indicator lamp
fla shes.
The electric parking brak eismalfunctioning. It is not poss ible to
apply the electric parking brake manu ally.
X Shift the transmission to P.
X Visit aquali fieds pecialist workshop. !
Pk
gb rake inopera‐ tive Th
ey ellow !warning lam plights up. The red !indicator
lamp flashes for about 10 seconds after the electric parkin gbrake
ha sb een applied or released. It then goes out or remains lit.
The electric parkin gbrake is malfunctioning ,e.g. because of over-
voltag eorundervoltage.
X Remove the cause for the overvoltage or undervoltage ,e.g. by
charging the battery or restarting the engine.
X Appl yorr elease the electric parkin gbrake.
If it remains impossibl etoapply or release the electric parking
brake:
X Swit choff the ignition and tur nitback on.
X Apply or release the electric parkin gbrake.
If th eelectric parkin gbrake can stil lnot be released:
X Consult aqualified specialist workshop. 258
Display messagesOn-board computer and displays

Displa
ymessages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
8
Di
fferent. locking
sys
.c oolin gdown Please wait Th
ed ifferential loc kistoo hot and has been disengaged.
X Drive on carefully.
X Allow the differential lock to cool down.
The differential lock reengages as soon as it has cooled down. LO
WR ANGE Stop Apply parking brake Ag
earshif tprocess ha sbeen can celled. LOW RANGE is in the
neutral position. There is no connection between the engine and
the driv ewheels.
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to roa dand traffic conditions.
X Appl ythe electric parkin gbrake .Don ot con tinue driving under
any circumstances.
X Repe atthe gearshift process. LOW RANGE Malfunc‐
tion To park,
apply parking brake LO
WR ANGE is malfunctioning.
X Do not excee damaximum spee dof80k m/h.
X Apply th eelectric parkin gbrake to park.
X Have th evehicle checked at aqualified specialist workshop. LO
WR ANGE Max. speed 40 km/h Yo
uh ave exceeded the maximum spee dfor the gearshift process.
X Drive slower.
The gear change is made. LO
WR ANGE Max. speed 70 km/h Yo
uh ave exceeded the maximum spee dfor the gearshift process.
X Drive slower.
The gear change is made. LOW RANGE Shift to
position
Nbriefly Yo
uh ave reduced the vehicle speed, but the automatic transmis-
sion is not in position N.
X Briefly shift the automatic transmission to position N.LOW RANGE Shifting
cancelle
dPlease reactivate Th
eg earshif tprocess ha sbeen cancelled.
X Repeat the gearshif tprocess. Ã
inoperative DSR (Downhil
lSpeed Regulation) is deactivated due to afault.
X Hav eDSRchecked at aqualified specialist workshop. Display messages
271On-boar dcomp uter and displa ys Z