
Vehicle equipment
This Operator's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment of
your vehicle available at the time of going to
print. 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. The equipment
in your vehicle
may therefore differ from some of the
descriptions or illustrations.
The original purchase agreement lists all
systems installed in your vehicle.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
if you have any questions about equipment or
operation.
The Operator's Manual and the Maintenance
Booklet are important documents and should
be kept in the vehicle. Service and vehicle operation
Service and literature
Your vehicle is covered
under the terms of the
warranties printed in the Service and
Warranty Information booklet. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
exchange or repair any defective parts
originally installed in the vehicle in
accordance with the terms of the following
warranties:
R New Vehicle Limited Warranty
R Emission Systems Warranty
R Emission Performance Warranty
R California, Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island and Vermont Emission
Control Systems Warranty
R State warranty enforcement laws (lemon
laws) Information for customers in
California
In California, you have the right to exchange
a vehicle or receive a refund of the purchase
or leasing price if Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
and/or an authorized workshop or
maintenance facility cannot, after several
authorized repairs, rectify considerable
damage to or malfunctions
of the vehicle that
are covered by the contractual warranty.
During the period of 18 months from original
delivery of the vehicle or the accumulation of
18,000 miles (approximately 29,000 km) on
the odometer of the vehicle, whichever
occurs first, a reasonable number of repair
attempts is presumed for a retail buyer or
lessee if one or more of the following occurs:
(1) the serious defect or damage can result in deadly or serious injury to the vehicle
occupants while driving AND this defect
has already been repaired at least twice
AND Mercedes-Benz, LLC has been
informed in writing of the necessity of a
repair.
(2) the defect or damage, though less serious than (1) above,
has already been
repaired at least four times AND
Mercedes-Benz has been informed in
writing of the necessity of a repair.
(3) the vehicle cannot be used for longer than 30 calendar days because of repair
work resulting from this or other serious
defects or damage.
Please send your written notice to:
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Customer Assistance Center
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350 Maintenance
The Service and Warranty Booklet describes
all the necessary maintenance work which
should be done at regular intervals. Introduction
21 Z

Always have the Service and Warranty
Booklet with you when you bring the vehicle
to an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. The
service advisor will record every service for
you in the Service and Warranty Booklet.
Roadside Assistance
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program offers technical help in the event of
a breakdown. Calls to the toll-free Roadside
Assistance Hotline are answered by our
agents 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(1-800-367-6372)
(USA)
1-800-387-0100 (Canada)
For additional information, refer to the
Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program brochure (USA) or the "Roadside
Assistance" section in the Service and
Warranty
booklet (Canada). You will find both
in your vehicle literature portfolio. Change of address or change of
ownership
In the event of a change of address, please
send us the "Notification
of Address Change"
in the Service and Guarantee booklet or
simply call the Mercedes-Benz Customer
Assistance Center (USA) at the hotline
number
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(1-800-367-6372) or
Customer Service Center (Canada) at
1-800-387-0100. This will assist us in
contacting you in a timely manner should the
need arise.
If you sell your Mercedes, please leave the
entire literature in the vehicle so that it is
available to the next owner.
If you have purchased a used car, please send
us the "Notification of Used Car Purchase" in
the Service and Guarantee booklet or simply
call the Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center (USA) at the hotline number
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(1-800-367-6372) or Customer Service (Canada) at
1-800-387-0100.
Vehicle operation outside the USA
and Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in foreign
countries, please be aware that:
R service facilities or replacement
parts may
not be readily available.
R unleaded fuel for vehicles with a catalytic
converter may not be available. Leaded fuel
may cause damage to the catalytic
converter.
R the fuel may have a considerably lower
octane rating. Unsuitable fuel can cause
engine damage.
Some Mercedes-Benz models are available
for delivery in Europe through our European
Delivery Program. For details, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or write to
one of the following addresses.
In the USA
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9 Sports Utility Vehicle
G
WARNING
This Sport Utility Vehicle is designed for both
on-road and off-road use.
It can go places and
perform tasks for which conventional 2-wheel
drive passenger cars are not intended. This
vehicle will handle and maneuver differently
from conventional passenger cars in driving 22
Introduction

conditions which may occur on streets,
highways and off-road use.
This vehicle has a higher ground clearance
and a higher center of gravity than many
passenger cars. As
with
other vehicles of this
type, if you make sharp turns at excessive
speeds or abrupt maneuvers, the vehicle may
roll over or may go out of control and crash.
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
Before you start to drive this vehicle, read the
Operator's Manual. Take time to become
familiar with the driving characteristics of this
vehicle. Be sure you are familiar with all
vehicle controls. Learn how your vehicle
handles on different road surfaces. Do not
attempt sharp turns at excessive speeds or
abrupt maneuvers or other unsafe driving
actions that can cause loss of vehicle control.
When driving off-road or working the vehicle
hard, do not overload it. And, always wear
your seat belts at all times. In a rollover crash,
an unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a seat belt. Operating safety
Declarations of conformity
Vehicle components which receive
and/or transmit radio waves USA: "The wireless devices of this vehicle
comply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: 1) These devices may not cause
harmful interference, and 2) These devices
must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause
undesired operation. Changes or
modifications not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance could void
the user’s authority to operate the
equipment." Canada:
"The wireless devices of this vehicle
comply with Industry
Canada license-exempt
RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) These devices
may not cause interference, and (2) These
devices must accept any interference,
including interference that may cause
undesired operation of the device." Qualified specialist workshop
An authorized Mercedes-Benz Center is a
qualified specialist workshop. It has the
necessary specialist knowledge, tools and
qualifications to correctly carry out the work
required on your vehicle.
This is especially the
case for work relevant to safety.
Observe the notes in the Maintenance
Booklet.
Always have the following work carried out at
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center:
R work relevant to safety
R service and maintenance work
R repair work
R alterations, installation work and
modifications
R work on electronic components Correct use
G
WARNING
There are various warning stickers affixed to
your vehicle. Their purpose
is to alert you and
others to various dangers. Therefore, do not
remove any warning stickers unless the
sticker clearly states that you may do so.
If you remove any warning stickers, you or
others could fail to recognize certain dangers
and be injured.
When driving your vehicle observe the
following information:
R the safety notes in this manual
R the Technical Data section in this manual Introduction
23 Z

R
on the instruction of prosecuting
authorities
R for use in arbitration of disputes that
involve Daimler AG, its
affiliates or its sales
and service organizations
R as otherwise required or permitted by law.
Please check your mbrace (Canada: TELE
AID) purchase agreement to find out more
about data that can be recorded and
transmitted by this system. Information on copyright
Registered trademarks
Registered trademarks:
R Bluetooth ®
is a registered trademark of
Bluetooth SIG Inc.
R DTS is a registered trademark of DTS, Inc.
R Dolby and MLP are registered trademarks
of DOLBY Laboratories.
R BabySmart™, ESP ®
and PRE-SAFE ®
are
registered trademarks of Daimler AG.
R HomeLink ®
is a registered trademark of
Prince.
R iPod ®
and iTunes ®
are registered
trademarks of Apple Inc.
R Logic7 ®
is a registered trademark of
Harman International Industries.
R Microsoft ®
and Windows media ®
are
registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
R SIRIUS is a registered trademark of Sirius
XM radio Inc.
R HD Radio is a registered trademark of
iBiquity Digital Corporation.
R Gracenote ®
is a registered trademark of
Gracenote, Inc.
R ZAGATSurvey ®
and related brands are
registered trademarks of ZagatSurvey,
LLC. FreeType
Portions of this software
are copyright ©
2005
The FreeType Project (www.freetype.org). All
rights reserved. ©
1996-2000 by David
Turner, Robert Wilhelm, and Werner Lemberg. Gnu compiler
Copyright ©
1982, 1986 Regents of the
University of California. All rights reserved.
The Berkeley software License Agreement
specifies the terms and conditions for
redistribution. Redistributions and use in
source and binary forms, with or without
modification, are permitted provided
that the
following conditions are met:
1. Redistribution of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of
conditions and the following disclaimer.
2. Redistribution in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice,
this list of conditions and the following
disclaimer in the documentation and/or
other materials provided with the
distribution.
3. All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this software must
display the following acknowledgment:
This product includes software
developed
by the University of California, Berkeley
and its contributors.
4. Neither the name of the University nor the names of its contributors
may be used to
endorse or promote products derived
from this software without specific prior
written permission.
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE
REGENTS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND
ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.
IN
NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS OR
CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, Introduction
25 Z

INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL,
EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, PROCUREMENT OF
SUBSTITUTE
GOODS
OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR
PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION)
HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING
NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN
ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. 26
Introduction

In the event that the engine cannot be
started when the starter battery is fully
charged, the immobilizer may be faulty.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call
1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(in the
USA) or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada). ATA (anti-theft alarm system)
X
To arm: lock the vehicle with the
SmartKey.
Indicator lamp 0043 flashes. The alarm
system is armed after approximately
15 seconds.
X To deactivate: unlock the vehicle
with the
SmartKey.
i If you then do
not open a door or the rear
door, the alarm system switches back on
again after approximately 40 seconds.
X To stop the alarm: insert the SmartKey
into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Press the 0036 or 0037 button on the
SmartKey.
The alarm is switched off.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open:
R a door
R a door using the mechanical key
R the rear door
R the hood The alarm is also triggered if:
R
the position of the vehicle is changed.
R a window is smashed.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you
close the open door that has triggered it,
for example.
i If the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, the Tele Aid system
automatically initiates a call to the
Customer Assistance center. The mbrace
emergency call system initiates the call if:
R you have subscribed to the Tele Aid
service.
R the Tele Aid service has been activated
properly.
R the required mobile phone,
power supply
and GPS are available. Theft deterrent locking system
65
Safety Z

Bulbs and lamps are an important aspect of
vehicle safety. You
must
therefore make sure
that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly.
Other bulbs G
WARNING
Bulbs and lamps can become very hot. For
this reason, allow them to cool down before
changing them. Otherwise, you could burn
yourself when you touch them.
Keep bulbs out of the reach of children.
Otherwise, they could, for example, damage
the bulbs and injure themselves.
Never use a bulb which has been dropped.
Such a bulb may explode and injure you.
Halogen bulbs are pressurized and could
explode when you change them, especially if
they are very hot. You should therefore wear
eye protection and gloves when you are
changing them.
There are bulbs other than the Xenon bulbs
that you cannot replace. Replace only the
bulbs listed ( Y
page 109). Have the bulbs that
you cannot replace yourself changed at a
qualified specialist workshop.
If you require assistance changing bulbs,
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not touch the glass tube of new bulbs with
your bare hands. Even minor contamination
can burn into the glass surface and reduce
the service life of the bulbs. Always use a lint-
free cloth or only touch the base of the bulb
when installing.
Only use bulbs of the correct type.
If the new bulb still does not light up, consult
a qualified specialist workshop.
Bulbs and lamps are an important aspect of
vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure
that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly. Before changing bulbs Have the following bulbs changed at a
qualified specialist workshop:
R
Additional turn signals in the exterior
mirrors
R High-mounted brake lamp
R High-beam/low-beam headlamps (Xenon
bulbs)
R Daytime running lamps
R Parking lamp/standing lamp
R License plate lamp
i Individual segments of the license plate
lamp LEDs may fail without a display
message appearing in the multifunction
display. Regularly check the license plate
lamp. If necessary, visit a qualified
specialist workshop.
You can replace the following bulbs:
R Fog lamp/cornering light with fog lamp
function
R Turn signal lamp (front)
R Brake/tail lamp
R Turn signal lamp (rear)
R Tail lamp/standing lamp
R Backup lamp
R Rear fog lamp
R Side marker lamps Overview: changing bulbs/bulb types
Front lamps You can change the following bulbs. The bulb
type can be found in the legend. Replacing bulbs
109
Lights and windshield wipers Z

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 23).Breaking-in notes
Important safety notes
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after
several hundred kilometers of driving.
Compensate for this by
applying greater force
to the brake pedal. The first 1,000 miles (1,500 km)
The more you look
after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its
performance in the future.
R You should therefore drive at varying
vehicle and engine speeds for the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
R Avoid heavy loads, e.g. driving at full
throttle, during this period.
R Change gear in good time, before the
tachometer needle is 00C3 of the way to the
red area of the tachometer.
R Do not manually shift to a lower gear to
brake the vehicle.
R If possible, do not depress the accelerator
pedal past the point of resistance
(kickdown).
R Only select shift ranges 3, 2 or 1 when
driving slowly, e.g. in mountainous terrain. After 1,000 miles (1,500 km), you can
increase the engine
speed
gradually and bring
the vehicle up to full speed.
Additional breaking-in notes for AMG
vehicles:
R Do not drive faster than 85 mph
(140 km/h for the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km)
R Only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
R Change gear in good time.
R Avoid driving off-road before the
differential oil change at 2,000 miles
(3,000 km).
R Ideally, drive for the first
1,000 miles(1,500 km) in drive program C.
i You should also observe these breaking-
in notes if the engine or parts of the drive
train on your vehicle have been replaced.
i Always observe the respective speed
limits. AMG vehicles with rear axle locking
differential
To improve the protection of the differential,
change the oil after a break-in distance of
2,000 miles (3,000 km). This oil change will
lengthen the service life of the differential.
Have the oil change
carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you use an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for this purpose. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the
pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle
is jeopardized. There is a risk of an accident. 138
Driving
Driving and parking