Problems with the transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsThe transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist
workshop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into second
gear and reverse gear.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position D or R.
If D
is selected, the transmission shifts into second gear; if R is
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist
workshop immediately. Transfer case
! Performance tests may only be carried
out on a 2-axle dynamometer. The brake
system
or transfer case could otherwise be
damaged. Contact a qualified specialist
workshop for a performance test.
! To prevent ESP ®
from intervening, the
ignition must be switched off (SmartKey or
the Start/Stop button in position 0 or 1) if:
R the parking brake is being tested on a
brake dynamometer.
R the vehicle is being towed with only one
axle raised (not permitted for vehicles
with 4MATIC).
The brake system could otherwise be
damaged.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
This section is only valid for vehicles with 4-
wheel drive (4MATIC). Power is always
transmitted to both axles. Refueling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Gasoline and diesel fuels are highly flammable
and poisonous. They burn violently and can
cause serious injury.
Never allow sparks, flames or smoking
materials near gasoline or diesel fuel!
Turn off the engine before refueling.
Whenever you are around gasoline or diesel
fuel, avoid inhaling fumes and any skin or
clothing contact. Extinguish all smoking
materials.
Direct skin contact with fuels and the
inhalation of fuel vapors are damaging your
health. G
WARNING
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create
pressure in the system which could cause a
gas discharge. This could cause the gasoline
to spray back out when removing the fuel Refueling
169
Driving and parking
Z
Short journey
! Vehicles with a diesel particle filter: if
the
vehicle is predominantly used to travel
short distances, this can lead to
malfunctions in the automatic cleaning of
the diesel particle filter. This can result in
fuel collecting in the engine oil and causing
engine failure. Therefore, if you frequently
drive short distances, make sure to drive
on highways or country roads for 20
minutes at least every 310 miles (500km). Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients !
On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting
early
to a lower gear. This allows you to take
advantage of the engine braking effect and
helps avoid overheating and excessive
wear of the brakes.
When you take advantage of the engine
braking effect, a drive wheel may not turn
for some time, e.g. on a slippery road
surface. This could cause damage to the
drive train. This type of damage is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving,
the braking system can overheat. This
increases the stopping distance and can even cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never
use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the
airflow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed
reaction
from the brakes when braking for the
first time. This may also occur after the
vehicle has been washed or driven through
deep water.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the
vehicle washed, brake firmly while paying
attention to the traffic conditions. This will
warm up the brake discs, thereby drying them
more quickly and protecting them against
corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance.
R
Brake
occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.180
Driving tips
Driving and parking
multifunction display. Immediately depress
the
brake firmly until the warning message in
the multifunction display goes out. RACE START
Important safety notes G
WARNING
RACE START is only available when SPORT
handling mode is activated. SPORT handling
mode only stabilizes the vehicle to a limited
extent in the event of swerving or wheelspin.
RACE
START should only be used on specially
designated roads. Always adapt your speed
and driving style to the prevailing road and
weather conditions.
i RACE START is only available in AMG
vehicles.
RACE START enables optimal acceleration
from a standing start. The precondition for
this is a suitable high-grip road surface.
Conditions for activation You can activate RACE START if:
R
the doors are closed.
R the
engine is running and it has reached an
operating temperature of approximately
176 ‡ (80 †). This is the case when the
engine oil temperature in the multifunction
display stops flashing.
R SPORT handling mode is activated.
(Y page 70)
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position.
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake
pedal is depressed (left foot).
R the transmission is in position D. Activating RACE START X
Depress the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep it depressed.
X Turn the drive program selector clockwise
(Y page 165) until the RS lamp lights up.
The RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP
Cancel: Paddle DOWN message appears
in the multifunction display.
i If the activation conditions are no longer
fulfilled, RACE START is canceled. The
RACE START Canceled message appears
in the multifunction display.
X To cancel: pull the left steering wheel
paddle shifter
(Y page 166).
or
X To confirm: pull the right steering wheel
paddle shifter
(Y page 166).
The RACE START Available Depress
gas pedal message appears in the
multifunction display.
i If you do not depress the accelerator
pedal fully within two seconds, RACE
START
is canceled. The RACE START Not
Possible See Operator's Manual
message appears in the multifunction
display.
X Fully depress the accelerator pedal.
The engine speed rises to approximately
3500 rpm.
The RACE START Release brake to
start message appears in the
multifunction display.
i If you do not release the brake pedal
within five seconds, RACE START is
canceled. The RACE START Canceled
message appears in the multifunction
display.
X Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum
acceleration.
The RACE
START Active message appears
in the multifunction display. 198
Driving systems
Driving and parking
X
Press the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Sett. menu.
X Press the : or 9 button to select the
Convenience submenu.
X Press a to confirm.
X Press : or 9 to select the Auto.
Mirror Folding function.
If the Auto. Mirror Folding function is
activated, the vehicle's exterior mirror is
displayed in red in the multifunction
display.
X Press the a button to save the setting. :
To fold the exterior mirrors in or out
If you have switched on the Auto. Mirror
Folding
function and you fold in the exterior
mirrors by pressing button :, the exterior
mirrors will not fold out automatically
(Y page 114).
You can then only fold out the exterior mirrors
using button :.
Restoring the factory settings X
Press the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Sett. menu.
X Press the :
or 9 button to select the
Factory Setting submenu.
X Press a to confirm.
The Reset All Settings? message
appears. X
Press the : or 9 button to select
No or Yes.
X Press a to confirm the selection.
If
you have selected Yes, the multifunction
display shows a confirmation message.
For safety reasons, the Daytime Running
Lights function in the Lights submenu is
only reset if the vehicle is stationary. AMG menu in AMG vehicles
AMG displays :
Digital speedometer
; Gear indicator
= Upshift indicator
? Engine oil temperature
A Coolant temperature
B ECO start/stop function status indicator
(Y page 157)
X Press the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the AMG menu.
Upshift indicator UP= indicates that the
engine has reached the overrevving range
when in the manual gearshift program.
Upshift indicator UP= fades out other
messages until you have shifted up.
When the engine oil temperature is below
176 ‡
(80 †) the oil temperature is shown in
blue. Avoid driving at full engine output during
this time. 242
Menus and submenus
On-board computer and displays
Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions# The battery is not being charged.
A warning tone also sounds.
Possible causes are:
R
a defective alternator
R a torn poly-V-belt
R a malfunction in the electronics
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely and switch off the engine,
paying attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away ( Y page 175).
X Open the hood.
X Check whether the poly-V-belt is torn.
If the poly-V-belt is torn:
! Do
not continue driving. The engine could otherwise overheat.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
If the poly-V-belt is not damaged:
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 4
Check Engine Oil
At Next Refueling The engine oil level has dropped to the minimum level.
A warning tone also sounds.
X
Check the oil level when next refueling, at the latest
(Y page 330).
X If necessary, add engine oil ( Y page 330).
X Have the engine checked at a qualified specialist workshop if
engine oil needs to be added more often than usual.
! Avoid long journeys with too little engine oil. The engine will
otherwise be damaged.
Information on approved engine oils can be obtained from any
qualified specialist workshop or on the Internet at http://
www.mbusa.com (USA only). Display messages
259
On-board computer and displays Z
Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions4
Check
Eng.Oil Level AMG vehicles: the engine oil level is too low.
X
Check the oil level when next refueling, at the latest
(Y page 330).
X If necessary, add engine oil ( Y page 330).
X Have the engine checked at a qualified specialist workshop if
engine oil needs to be added more often than usual.
! Avoid long journeys with too little engine oil. The engine will
otherwise be damaged.
Information on approved engine oils can be obtained from any
qualified specialist workshop or on the Internet at http://
www.mbusa.com (USA only). 8
Fuel Level Low The fuel level has dropped into the reserve range.
X
Refuel at the nearest gas station. C There is only a very small amount of fuel in the fuel tank.
X
Refuel at the nearest gas station without fail. 8
Gas Cap Loose The fuel system pressure is too low. The fuel filler cap is not closed
correctly or the fuel system is leaking.
X
Check that the fuel filler cap is correctly closed.
If the fuel filler cap is not correctly closed:
X Close the fuel filler cap.
If the fuel filler cap is correctly closed:
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 8
Ultra Low-sulfur
Diesel Fuel Only Vehicles with a diesel engine: the fuel level has fallen below the
reserve range.
X
Refuel at the nearest gas station.
X Only use commercially available vehicular ULTRA-LOW SULFUR
HIGHWAY DIESEL FUEL (ULSD,
15ppm SULFUR MAXIMUM).¸
Replace Air Filter Vehicles with a diesel engine: the engine air filter is dirty and must
be replaced.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. !
Check Fuel Filter Vehicles with a diesel engine: there is water in the fuel filter. The
water must be drained off.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop.260
Display messages
On-board computer and displays
Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible.
Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Read the information on qualified
specialist workshops: ( Y page 25).Engine compartment
Hood
Opening the hood G
WARNING
Do not pull the release lever while the vehicle
is in motion. Otherwise, the hood could be
forced open by passing air flow.
This
could cause the hood to come loose and
injure you and/or others. G
WARNING
Hybrid vehicles: be sure to read the "HYBRID"
supplement. Otherwise, you could fail to
recognize dangers. G
WARNING
Do not open the hood when the engine is
overheated. You could be seriously injured.
Observe the coolant temperature gauge to
determine whether the engine may be
overheated. If you see flames or smoke
coming from the engine compartment, move
away from the vehicle. Wait until the engine
has cooled. If necessary, call the fire
department. G
WARNING
There is a risk of injury if the hood is open,
even if the engine is not running. Some engine components can become very
hot.
To avoid the risk of burns, only touch those
components described in the Operator's
Manual
and observe the relevant safety notes. G
WARNING
To avoid injury, stay clear of moving parts
when the hood is open and the engine is
running.
The radiator fan may continue to run for
approximately 30seconds
or may even restart
after the engine has been switched off. For
this reason, you must not reach into the fan
rotation area. G
WARNING
Vehicles with gasoline engine:
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components
(ignition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnostic
socket) of the ignition system
R with the engine running
R while starting the engine
R when the ignition is switched on and the
engine is turned manually G
WARNING
Vehicles with diesel engine:
The engine is equipped with a high-voltage
electronic control unit for the injection
system. Because of the high voltage it is
dangerous to touch any components of the
injection system (injectors, electrical wires)
R with the engine running
R while starting the engine
R when the ignition is switched on G
WARNING
The windshield wipers and wiper linkage
could be set in motion.
When the hood is open, you or others could
be injured by the wiper linkage. 328
Engine compartment
Maintenance and care
Make sure that the windshield wipers are
switched off. Remove the SmartKey or make
sure that no ignition position has been
selected with KEYLESS-GO. All indicator
lamps must be off in the instrument panel.
! Make
sure that the windshield wipers are
not folded away from the windshield. You
could otherwise damage the windshield
wipers or the hood. X
Make sure that the windshield wipers are
turned off.
X Pull release lever : on the hood.
The hood is released. X
Reach into the gap, pull hood catch
handle ; up and lift the hood.
If you lift the hood approximately
15 inches
(40 cm), the hood is opened and
held open automatically by the gas-filled
struts. Closing the hood G
WARNING
When closing the hood, use extreme caution
not to catch hands or fingers. Be careful that
you do not close the hood on anyone.
Make sure the hood is securely engaged
before driving off. Do not continue driving if
the hood can no longer engage after an
accident, for example. The hood could
otherwise come loose while the vehicle is in
motion and injure you and/or others.
X Lower the hood and let it fall from a height
of approximately
8 inches (20cm).
X Check that the hood has engaged properly.
If the hood can be raised slightly, it is not
properly engaged. Open it again and close
it with a little more force. Radiator
Vehicles
with a diesel engine: do not cover
the radiator, for example with a winter front
or bug cover. The readings of the on-board-
diagnostic system may otherwise be
inaccurate. Some of these readings are
required by law and must be accurate at all
times. Engine oil
General notes G
WARNING
Hybrid vehicles: be sure to read the "HYBRID"
supplement. Otherwise, you could fail to
recognize dangers.
Depending on the driving style, the vehicle
consumes up to 0.9 US qt
(0.8 liters) of oil
over a distance of 600 miles (1,000 km). The
oil consumption may be higher than this when
the vehicle is new or if you frequently drive at
high engine speeds. Engine compartment
329
Maintenance and care Z