2013 MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS FAMILY TOURER Owners Manual

Cornering, going into and coming out of a
bend
The ability of DISTRONIC to detect vehicles
when cornering is limited. Your vehicle may
brake unexpectedly or late.
Vehicles traveling on
adifferent line DISTRONIC may not detectv
ehicles traveling
on a differen tline. The distance to the vehicle
in front will be too short.
Other vehicles changing lanes DISTRONIC has not detected the vehicle
cutting in yet. The distance to this vehicle will
be too short.
Narrow vehicles
DISTRONIC has not yet detected the vehicle
in front on the edge of the road, because of
its narrow width
.The distance to the vehicle
in front will be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles DISTRONIC does not brake for obstructions
or stationary vehicles. If, for example, the
detected vehicle turns a corner and reveals
an obstacle or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC
will not brake for these.182
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Crossing vehicles
DISTRONIC may detect vehicles that are
crossing your lane by mistake. Activating
DISTRONIC at, for example, a traffic light with
crossing traffic, could cause your vehicle to
pull away at the wrong time.
Rea
raxle level control
Rear axle level control regulates the vehicle
level at the rear axle. The benefit of this is that
the vehicle level at the rear axle is kept
constant regardless of the load.
Observe the notes on driving with a trailer
(Y page 193). AIRMATIC package
General notes AIRMATIC enables a suspension tuning
setting to be selected and regulates the
damping behavior and level of your vehicle.
The system comprises two components:
These are ADS (Y
page 183) and the level
control (Y page 183).
Observe the notes on driving with a trailer
(Y page 193).
ADS (Adaptive Damping System) ADS is continuously electronically-controlled.
It adapts the damping characteristics to suit
the current operating conditions. The
damping is controlled for each wheel individually. This improves driving safety and
tire comfort.
This depends on:
R
your driving style
R the road surface conditions
R the ADS setting
R the vehicle level setting
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock. X
Start the engine.
X Press button :repeatedly until the
desired setting is selected.
You can choose between the following ADS
settings:
R AUTO for normal driving situations;
indicator lamps ;and =are off.
R SPORT for sporty driving; indicator
lamp ;is on.
R COMF for a more comfortable ride;
indicator lamp =is on.
Level control Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Make sure no one is near the wheel housing
or under the vehicle when you lower the
vehicle while it is standing still. Limbs could
become wedged into or under the vehicle.
For safety reasons, the vehicle can only be
lowered with all doors and the tailgate closed.
Lowering is interrupted if a door or the tailgate Driving systems
183Driving and parking
Z

is opened and will continue after the door is
closed again.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
selec tahigh vehicle level in good time.
Make sure there is always sufficient ground
clearance. You will otherwise damage the
vehicle.
! When you raise the vehicle in such a way
that not all wheels have contact with the
ground, remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock.
General notes
Level control adapts the vehicle level
automatically to the current operating and
driving situation. This results in reduced fuel
consumption and improved handling.
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle
to adjust to the new level as quickly as
possible.
The vehicle level may change visibly if you
park the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the
vehicle level is lower; with an increase in
temperature, the vehicle level rises.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load
discrepancies while still parked. However, for
significant level changes, such as after the
vehicle has been stationary for a long period,
the engine must be on. For safety reasons,
the vehicle is only lowered when the doors are
closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door is
opened, and it continues once the door has
been closed.
Basic settings
Select raised level for very poor road
conditions or highway level for normal road
conditions. The vehicle is automatically lowered to high-
speed level when you:
R
drive faster than 70 mph (112 km/h)
R drive between 60 mph (96 km/h) and
70 mph (112 km/h) for approximately
20 seconds
The individual vehicle levels differ from
highway level as follows:
R raised level: +1.97 in (+50 mm)
R highway level: +/–0 in (+/–0 mm)
R high-speed level: –0.47 in (–12 mm)
i The high-speed level is not available if you
are towing a trailer. Observe the notes on
driving with a trailer (Y page 193).
i Observe the speed limitations. Drive
carefully at an appropriate speed.
Raised level X
Start the engine.
Indicator lamp ;is not lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes. The vehicle rises
to raised level. Example: vehicles with the AIRMATIC package and
compass184
Driving systemsDriving and parking

During the adjustment, the
Rising message,
for example, appears in the multifunction
display.
If you press the V,U,*or&
button on the multifunctio nsteering wheel,
the message will disappear.
Once the vehicle has reache draised level,
indicator lamp ;remains lit .The Raised Level message appears for approximately
five seconds in the multifunction display.
If you select raised level at a speed above
25 mph (40 km/h), the Level SelectionNot Permitted message appears in the
multifunction display.
The vehicle is automatically lowered to
highway level if you drive faster than
25 mph (40 km/h) at raised level.
Only select raised level when this is
appropriate for the road conditions.
Otherwise, fuel consumption may increase
and handling may be affected.
Highway level
! Make sure that there is enough ground
clearance when the vehicle is being
lowered. It could otherwise hit the ground,
damaging the underbody. X
Make sure that the doors are closed.
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes. The vehicle is
lowered to highway level. Example: vehicles with the AIRMATIC package and
compass
During the adjustment, the
Being Lowered message, for example, appears in the
multifunction display.
If you press the
V,U,*or&
button on the multifunction steering wheel,
the message will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached,
indicator lamp ;goes out. The AIRMATIC message appears for approximately five
seconds in the multifunction display.
The vehicle is automatically lowered to
highway level if you drive faster than
25 mph (40 km/h) at raised level. It is
automatically raised to highway level if you
drive slower than 40 mph
(64 km/h) at high-
speed level. 4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
G
WARNING
If a drive wheel is spinning due to insufficient
traction:
R While driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R While driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R Adap tyour speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
4MATIC cannot prevent accidents resulting
from excessive speed.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the Driving systems
185Driving and parking Z

Mercedes-Benz Limited 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.
! When testing the parking brake, operate
the vehicle only briefly (for a maximum of
ten seconds) on a brake test dynamometer.
When doing this, turn the SmartKey to
position 0or 1in the ignition. Failure to do
this can cause damage to the drive train or
the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on atwo-axle
dynamometer. Before you operate the
vehicle on such a dynamometer, please
consult a qualified workshop .You could
otherwise damage the drive train or the
brake system.
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are
permanently driven. Together with ESP ®
and
4ETS, it improves the traction of your vehicle
whenever a drive wheel spins due to
insufficien tgrip.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The PARKTRONIC is a supplemental system.
It is not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always remains with the driver. G
WARNING
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering .Otherwise, they could be
injured. PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasoni
csensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror N
R release the parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the fron tbumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper. :
Example: sensors in the front bumper,
left-hand side
Range of the sensors General notes
!
When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does no tdetec tsuch objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damag ethe vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction. 186
Driving systemsDriving and parking

PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
Side view
Top view
The sensors must be free of dirt, ice and
slush. Otherwise, they may not function
correctly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(Y
page 293).
Front sensors Center approximately 40in
(approximately 100cm)
Corners approximately 24in
(approximately 60cm)
Rear sensors
Center approximately 48in
(approximately 120cm)
Corners approximately 32in
(approximately 80cm) Minimum distance
Center approximately 8in
(approximately 20cm)
Corners approximately 6in
(approximately 15cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant warning displays light up and a
warning tone sounds. If the distance falls
below the minimum, the distance may no
longer be shown.
Warning displays
Warning display for the fron
tarea
: Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
; Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
= Segments showing operational readiness
The warning displays show the distance
betwee nthe sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located
on the dashboard above the center air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is in the
roof lamp in the rear compartment.
The warning display for each side of the
vehicle is divided into five yellow and two red
segments. PARKTRONIC is operational if
yellow segments showing operational
readiness =light up.
The selected transmission position
determines which warning display is active
when the engine is running. Driving systems
187Driving and parking Z

Transmission
position Warning display
D
Front area activated
R
or N Rear and front areas
activated
P
No 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 hea ran
intermittent warning ton efor
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 :
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
; Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp ;lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2
in the ignition lock.
Towing atrailer !
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.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rea rarea
when you establish an electrical connection
between yourv ehicle and a trailer.188
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately five
seconds, and the
indicator lamp in the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
X
If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately five
seconds. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X
Cleant he PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 293).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
X
See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Rear view camera
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Make sure that no persons or animals are in
the maneuvering range. Otherwise, they
could be injured. General notes :
Rear view camera
Rear view camera :is an optical parking aid.
It shows the area behind your vehicle in the
COMAND display.
Rear view camera :is located in the handle
strip of the tailgate. Driving systems
189Driving and parking Z