2013 MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS FAMILY TOURER warning

View through the camera
G
WARNING
The rea rview camera is only an aid and may
display obstacles
R fro madistorted perspective
R inaccurately
R may not display obstacles at all
The rear view camera does not relieve you of
the responsibility to be cautious. Take care
and pay careful attention. The rear view
camera may not show objects which are
R very close to the rear bumper
R under the rear bumper
R above the tailgate handle
You are responsible for safety at all times and
must continue to pay attention to the
immediate surroundings when parking and
maneuvering. This includes the area behind,
in fron tof, and beside the vehicle. Otherwise
you could endange ryourself and/or others. G
WARNING
The rear view camera will not function or will
not fully function if:
R the tailgate is open
R it is raining or snowing strongly or if it is
foggy
R it is night or if you are parking/
maneuvering your vehicle in a very dark
area
R a very bright white light is affecting the
camera
R the immediate vicinity is illuminated with
fluorescent light (the display can flicker)
R temperature changes abruptly, for example
if you drive out of the cold into a heated
garage (condensation on the lens)
R the camera lens is dirty or covered
R the rear of your vehicle is damaged
In this case, have the position and the
setting of the camera checked at a
specialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz recommends that you consult a Mercedes-
Benz Center for this purpose.
Do not use the rear view camera in these
situations. You could otherwise injure
yourself and other people and/or cause
damage -including damage to your vehicle -
while parking/maneuvering.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear view mirror.
Activating the rear view camera X
Make sure thatt he SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.
X Make sure that the rear view camera
function is selected in COMAND (see the
separate operating instructions for
COMAND).
X Engage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND display with guide lines.
Guide lines in the COMAND display G
WARNING
Use of rear view camera can be dangerous if
you are color-blind or have impaired color
vision.
Only use rear view camera if you can see and
distinguish all colored guidelines shown by
rear view camera on the COMAND system
display. G
WARNING
Please note that objects that do not touch the
ground may appear to be further away than
they actually are, for example:
R the bumper of a vehicle parked behind you
R the trailer drawbar
R the ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch
R the rear end of a truck
R a slanted post
In such cases, you should not use the guide
lines to judge the distance. You may misjudge 190
Driving systemsDriving and parking

the distance, which increase
sthe risk of
impacting the objects.
Even if the object you approach is directly on
the ground, do not approach the object any
closer than the red guide line. Example: information in the COMAND display
Guide lines
;and =show the approximate
distance to the rear area. Yellow guide
line ;approx. 3 ft (1 m) and red guide line
= approx. 10 in (0.25 m). The distances only
apply to objects that are at ground level. Blue
guide lines :depict the width required for
the vehicle. They are used to align the vehicle
with the edge of the road, e.g. the curb. Blind Spot Assist
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Blind Spot Assist is only an aid designed to
assist driving. It may fail to detect some
vehicles and is no substitute for attentive
driving.
Blind Spot Assist cannot detect road and
traffic conditions. It may fail to detect narrow
vehicles, such as motorcycles or bicycles, or
may only detect them too late.
Monitoring may be affected by dirty sensors,
strong spray or poor visibility caused by snow,
rain or mist, for example. In this case, vehicles
are detected late or not at all.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
General notes i
USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC
as a “Vehicular RadarS ystem”.The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removal, tampering, or
altering of the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor system
to monitor the areas on both sides of your
vehicle. It supports you from a speed of
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). A warning
display in the exterio rmirrors draws your
attention to vehicles detected in the
monitored area. If you then switch on the
corresponding tur nsignal to change lane, you
will also receive an optical and audible
collision warning. Blind Spot Assist uses
sensors in the rear bumper for monitoring
purposes.
For Blind Spot Assist to assist you when
driving, the radar sensor system must be
activated (Y page 209) and operational.
Monitoring range of the sensors G
WARNING
Blind Spot Assist monitors certain areas in the
immediate vicinity of your vehicle. Vehicles
that approach and drive past at high speeds
are not detected. There is no display and no
warning.
If the lanes are very wide, it may not be
possible to monitor the complete width of the
neighboring lane. For this reason, vehicles in
the nex tlane may no tbe detected, especially
if they are driving in a staggered formation. Driving systems
191Driving and parking
Z

This may be the case if vehicles are driving at
that edge of their lane which is furthest away
from your vehicle.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
Blind Spot Assist monitors the area up to
10 ft (3m) behind your vehicle and directly
next to your vehicle, as shown in the diagram.
If the lanes are narrow, vehicles driving in the
lane beyond the lane next to your vehicle may
be indicated, especially if the vehicles are not
driving in the middle of their lane. This may
be the case if there are vehicles driving at the
inner edge of their lanes.
Due to the nature of the system:
R
warnings may be issued in error when
driving close to crash barriers or similar
solid lane borders.
R warnings may be interrupted when driving
alongside long vehicles, for example
trucks, for a prolonged time.
The two radar sensors for Blind Spot Assist
are integrated into the sides of the rear
bumper. Make sure that the bumper is free
from dirt, ice or slush around the sensors. The
sensors must not be covered, for example by
cycle racks or overhanging loads. Following a severe impact or in the event of damage to
the bumpers, have the function of the sensors
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Blind Spot Assist may otherwise not work
properly.
Indicator and warning display
:
Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp
When Blind Spot Assist is activated, indicator
lamp :in the exterior mirrors lights up
yellow at speeds of up to 20 mph (30k m/h).
At speeds above 20 mph (30 km/h) the
indicator lamp goes out and Blind Spot Assist
is operational.
If a vehicle is detected withi nthe monitoring
range of Blind Spot Assist at speeds above
20 mph (30km/h), warning lamp :on the
corresponding side lights up red. This warning
is always emitted when a vehicle enters the
blind spot monitoring range from behind or
from the side. When you overtake a vehicle,
the warning only occurs if the difference in
speed is less than 7mph (12km/h).
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reverse
gear is engaged. In this event, Blind Spot
Assist is no longer active.
The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.
Collision warning If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range
of Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the
corresponding turn signal, a double warning192
Driving systemsDriving and parking

tone sounds. Red warning lamp
:flashes. If
the tur nsignal remains on, detected vehicles
are indicated by the flashing of red warning
lamp :.There are no further warning tones.
Switching on Blind Spot Assist X
Make sure that the radar sensor system
(Y page 209) and Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 211) are activated in the on-board
computer.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
Warning lamps :in the exterior mirrors
light up red for approximately
1.5 seconds and then turn yellow.
Towing atrailer When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical
connection. This ca
nbe accomplished by
checking the trailer lighting. In this event,
Blind Spot Assist is deactivated. The indicator
lamp in the exterior mirrors lights up yellow,
and the Blind Spot Assist Currently Unavailable See Operator's Manual
message appears in the multifunction
display.
i
You can deactivate the indicator lamps in
the exterior mirrors.
To do so, switch off Blind Spot Assist when:
R the SmartKey is in position 2in the
ignition lock.
R the engine is not running.
R the electrical connection to the trailer
has been established. Towing
atrailer Notes on towing
atrailer
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you install a ball coupling other tha nthe one
delivered with the vehicle, the trailer tow hitch
and the rear axle may be overloaded. This
applies especially if the ball coupling in
question is longer or angled differently. This
could seriously impair the driving
characteristics and the trailer can come
loose. There is a risk of an accident.
Only install the ball coupling delivered with
the vehicle or a ball coupling that is designed
to meet your trailer towing requirements. Do
not modify the ball coupling or the trailer tow
hitch. G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed correctly or
not secured with the bolt provided and the
corresponding spring cotter, the trailer may
come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
Always install and secure the ball coupling as
described. Before every journey, ensure that
the ball coupling is secured with the bolt and
the corresponding spring cotter. 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.N ever
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time. G
WARNING
When the vehicle/trailer combination begins
to lurch, you could lose control of it. The
vehicle/trailer combination could even
rollover. There is a risk of an accident. Towing
atrailer
193Driving an d parking
Z

On no account should you attempt to
straighten up the vehicle/trailer combination
by increasing the speed. Reduce vehicle
speed and do not countersteer. Apply the
brake as necessary.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
Please observe the manufacturer's operating
instructions for the trailer coupling if a
detachable trailer coupling is used.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully.If
you do no tcouple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
The applicable permissible values, which
must not be exceeded, can be found:
R in the vehicle documents
R on the identification plates of the trailer tow
hitch, the trailer and the vehicle
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
with when driving without atrailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and
gradient-climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R has a larger turning radius This could impair the handling
characteristics.
When towing a trailer, always adjust your
speed to the current road and weather
conditions. Do not exceed the maximum
permissible speed for yourv
ehicle/trailer
combination.
General notes R
Only install an approved trailer coupling on
your vehicle.
Further information on availability and on
installation is available from any authorized
Mercedes-BenzC enter.
R The bumpers of your vehicle are not
suitable for installing detachable trailer
couplings.
R Do not install hired trailer couplings or
other detachable trailer couplings on the
bumpers of your vehicle.
R To reduce the risk of damage to the ball
coupling, remove it from the ball coupling
recess when not in use. Coupling up a trailer
G
WARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with the overrun
brake engaged, you could trap your hand
between the vehicle and the trailer drawbar.
There is a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer if the overrun brake
is engaged.
! Do not connectt he trailer's brake system
(if featured) to the hydraulic brake system
of the towing vehicle, as the latter is
equipped with an anti-lock brake system.
Doing so will result in a loss of function of
the brake systems of both the vehicle and
the trailer.
X Make sure that the automatic transmission
is set to position P.
X Apply the vehicle's parking brake. 194
Towing
atrailerDriving an d parking

R
Bea rinm ind that the handling will be less
stable when towing a trailer than when
driving without one .Avoid sudden steering
movements.
R The vehicle/trailer combination is heavier,
accelerates more slowly, has a decreased
gradient climbing capability and a longer
braking distance.
It is more susceptible to side winds and
requires more careful steering.
R If possible, avoid abrupt braking. Depress
the brake pedal moderately at first, so that
the trailer can activate its own brakes .Then
increase the pressure on the brake pedal.
R If the automatic transmission continues to
shift back and forth between two gears
when driving up or downhill, restrict the
shift range. Select shift range 4, 3, 2,or1.
Al ower gear and lower speed reduce the
risk of engine failure.
R When driving downhill, shift to a lower gear
to utilize the engine's braking effect.
Avoid continuous brake application as this
may overheat the vehicle brakes and, if
installed, the trailer brakes.
R If the coolant temperature increases
dramatically while the air-conditioning
system is switched on, switch off the air-
conditioning system.
Coolant heat can additionally be dissipated
by opening the windows and by setting the
blower fan and the interior temperature to
maximum.
R When overtaking, pay particular attention
to the extended length of your vehicle/
trailer combination.
Due to the length of your vehicle/trailer
combination, you will have to travel an
additional distance beyond the vehicle you
are overtaking before returning to the
previous lane. Decoupling
atrailer G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control:
The vehicle is lowered as soon as you
disconnect the trailer cable. This could result
in your limbs or those of other people thata re
between the vehicle body and tires or
underneath the vehicle being trapped. There
is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel housings or under the
vehicle when you disconnect the trailer cable.
X Make sure that the automatic transmission
is set to position P.
X Apply the vehicle's parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Close all doors and the tailgate.
X Apply the trailer's parking brake.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
X Switch off the engine. Permissible trailer loads and drawbar
loads
Weight specifications Permissible gross vehicle weight rating
The gross trailer weight is calculated by
adding the weight of the trailer to the weight
of the load and equipment on the trailer.
Maximu
mpermissible gross vehicle weight:
3,500 lbs (1,588 kg).
Permissible noseweight
The maximum permissible trailer drawbar
noseweight is the maximum weight with
which the trailer drawbar can be loaded:
350 lbs (158 kg).
Limit for Mercedes-Benz-approved trailer
couplings. 196
Towing
atrailerDriving an d parking

Useful information
............................200
Important safety notes ....................200
Displays and operation ....................200
Menus and submenus ......................202
Display messages ............................. 214
Warning and indicator lamps in the
instrument cluster ............................238 199On-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 24).Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The driver's concentration must always be
directed primarily at road traffic.
For your safety and the safety of others,
selecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions permit
it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers
a distance of 44 feet (approximately 14 m) per
second. G
WARNING
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see
information about your driving conditions,
such as
R speed
R outside temperature
R warning/indicato rlamps
R malfunction/warning messages
R failure of any systems
Driving characteristics may be impaired. If you must continue to drive, do so with added
caution
.Contactana uthorized Mercedes-
Ben zCenter as soon as possible. G
WARNING
Malfunction and warning messages are only
displayed for certain systems and are
intentionally not very detailed. The
malfunction and warning messages are
simply a reminder with respect to the
operation of certain systems. They do not
replace the owner's and/or driver's
responsibility to maintain the vehicle's
operating safety. Have all required
maintenance services and safety checks
performed on the vehicle. Bring the vehicle to
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center to
address the malfunction and warning
messages. G
WARNING
All categories of messages contain important
information which should be taken note of
and, where a malfunction is indicated,
addressed as soon as possible at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Failure to repair the condition noted may
cause damage not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz Limited Warranty, or result in property
damage or personal injury.
For an illustration of the instrument cluster,
see (Y page 31). Displays and operation
Instrument lighting
The buttons for controlling the brightness are
at the top of the instrument cluster
(Y page 31).
Instrument cluster: if the light switch is set
to Ã, TorL, brightness control
takes ambient light into account. 200
Displays and operationOn-board computer and displays