2013 MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS FAMILY TOURER automatic transmission

Problems with the transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The 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
secondgear 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 Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
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.
! If the parking brake is being tested on a
brake dynamometer, the ignition must be
switched off (SmartKey or Start/Stop
button in position 0or 1), as ESP ®
will
otherwise automatically intervene. The test
must last a maximum of 10 seconds. 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.
The vehicle has permanent 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 160
RefuelingDriving and parking

X
Replace DE Fcover :as shown and turn it
clockwise as far as it will go.
X Stow lug wrench ;and ratchet wrench
= again.
X Fold the cargo compartment floor down.
X Close the tailgate.
X Drive faster than 10 mph (16 km/h).
The Check Additive See Operator's Manual message goes out after
approximately one minute.
i If the Check Additive See Operator's Manual message continues
to be shown in the multifunction display,
add an additional bottle of DEF.
For further information on DEF, see
(Y page 353). Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If flammable materials such as leaves, grass
or twigs are exposed to prolonged contact to
parts of the exhaust system that heat up, they
could ignite. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable
materials come into contact with parts of the
vehicle which are hot. Take particular care not
to park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields. G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect.Y ou will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, they could set it in motion by, for
example:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
the parking position P
R starting the engine.
They could also operate the vehicle's
equipment. There is a risk of an accident and
injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
! Am oving vehicle can lead to damage to
the vehicle or damage to the drive train.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be applied.
R the transmission must be in position Pand
the SmartKey must be removed from the
ignition lock.
R on steep uphill or downhill gradients, turn
the front wheels towards the curb.
R on steep uphill or downhill gradients, the
front axle of an empty vehicle must be
secured, for example with awheel chock.
R on steep uphill or downhill gradients, the
rear axle of a laden vehicle must be
additionally secured, for example with a
wheel chock. 166
ParkingDriving and parking

Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to
neutral position Nwhen you switch off the
engine. The vehicle may roll away.T here is a
risk of an accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked
vehicle from rolling away by applying the
parking brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the parking brake firmly.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
Using the SmartKey
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the
ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
i If you turn off the engine with the
SmartKey and then remove it from the
ignition lock or open a front door, the
automatic transmission shifts to P
automatically.
Using KEYLESS-GO
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 149).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrumentc lustergo out.
i When the driver's door is closed, this
corresponds to SmartKey position 1.When
the driver's door is open, it corresponds to
SmartKey position 0or "SmartKey
removed".
i If the engine cannot be switched off as
described here, see "Emergency engine
cutoff" (Y page 310).
i If you use the Start/Stop button to switch
off the engine, the automatic transmission
shifts to Nautomatically.Ify ou then open
one of the front doors, the automatic
transmission shifts to P. i
If necessary, the engine can be switched
off while the vehicle is in motion by
pressing and holding the Start/Stop button
for around 3seconds. Parking brake
G
WARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the braking distanc eis considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Only use the parking brake to brake the
vehicle when the service brake is faulty. Do
not apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again. G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, they could set it in motion by, for
example:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
the parking position P
R starting the engine.
They could also operate the vehicle's
equipment. There is a risk of an accident and
injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. If you brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the brake lamps will not light up. Parking
167Driving and parking Z

All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried ou
tata
qualified specialist workshop. Consult a
qualified specialist workshop to arrange this.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subjectto
moderate loads, you should test the
functionality of yourb rakes at regular
intervals. To do so, press firmly on the brake
pedal when driving at a high speed. This
improves the grip of the brake pads.
You can find a description of Brake Assist
(BAS) on ( Ypage 68).
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
have brake pads/linings installed on your
vehicle which have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which correspond
to an equivalent quality standard .Brake
pads/linings which have not been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which are not
of an equivalent quality could affect your
vehicle's operating safety.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
use brake fluid that has been specially
approved for yourv ehicle by Mercedes-Benz,
or which corresponds to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake fluid which has not been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which is not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
Parking brake G
WARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the braking distanc eis considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Only use the parking brake to brake the
vehicle when the service brake is faulty. Do
not apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again.
If you brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the brake lamps will not light up. If you drive on wet roads or dirt-covered
surfaces, road salt and/or dirt could get into
the parking brake.
In order to prevent corrosion and a reduction
in the braking power of the parking brake,
observe the following:
R
Gently depress the parking brake from time
to time before beginning the journey.
R Drive a distance of approximately 110 yds
(100 m) at a maximum speed of 12 mph
(20 km/h). Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
R
you drive at low speeds.
R the tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or
in conditions in which hydroplaning may
occur, you must drive in the following
manner:
R lower your speed.
R avoid ruts.
R brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads !
Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving
through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic
components in the engine or the automatic
transmission. Water can also be drawn in
by the engine's air suction nozzles and this
can cause engine damage. Driving tips
171Driving and parking Z

Activation conditions
To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions mus
tbe fulfilled:
R the parking brake must be released.
R you are driving faster than 20mph
(30 km/h).
R ESP ®
must be active, but not intervening.
R the transmission must be in position D.
Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed Storing and maintaining the speed
X
Accelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ;.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle
automatically maintains the stored speed.
You can accept the curren tspeed if you are
driving faster than 20 mph (30km/h).
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise controlm aintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by
automatically applying the brakes.
Storing or calling up thes peedG
WARNING
The set speed stored in memory should only
be set againifp revailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Possible
acceleration or deceleratio ndifferences
arising fro mreturning to the preset speed
could cause an acciden tand/o rserious injury
to you and others. X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the curren tspeed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously
stored speed.
Setting aspeed G
WARNING
Keep in mind tha titmay take a brie fmoment
until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration
of the vehicle could cause an accident and/
or serious injury to you and others.
X Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ;for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph
increments (1 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up :or down ;the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph
increments (10 km/h increments):
press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;to beyond the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up :or down ;the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For
example, if you accelerate briefly to
overtake, cruise control adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking. 174
Driving systemsDriving and parking

G
WARNING
DISTRONIC must never be operated,
activated or deactivated by a passenger or
from outside the vehicle.
You can activate DISTRONIC in the following
circumstances:
R if the engine has been started and you have
been driving for up to two minutes
R while driving, except if you brake
R the parking brake is released
R if ESP ®
is activated
R if the transmission is in position D
Activating while driving
X Briefly pull the cruise control leve rtowards
you ?or press it up :or down ;to the
pressure point.
DISTRONIC is activated.
X Press the cruise control lever repeatedly
up : or down ;until the desired speed
is set.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
You can also activate DISTRONIC when
driving at speeds below 20 mph (30 km/h)
but only if the vehicle in front has been
detected and is shown in the multifunction
display .Ifthe vehicle in front is no longer
detected and displayed, DISTRONIC switches
off and you will hear a tone.
i You can use the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the control on the
cruise control lever to set the specified
minimum distance (Y page 179).
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC Override message
appears in the multifunction display. The
set distance to a slower-moving vehicle in
front will then not be maintained. You will
be driving at the speed you determine by
the position of the accelerator pedal. Driving
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
operates in the same way as cruise control.
If DISTRONIC detects that the vehicle in front
has slowed down, it brakes your vehicle. In
this way, the distance you have selected is
maintained.
If DISTRONIC detects that the vehicle in front
is driving faster, it accelerates your vehicle,
but only up to the stored speed.
Stopping
If DISTRONIC detects that the vehicle in front
is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it is
stationary.
i
Depending on the specified minimum
distance, your vehicle will come to a
standstill at a sufficient distance behind the
vehicle in front.T he specified minimum
distance is set using the control on the
cruise control lever.
DISTRONIC is deactivated automatically
when stopping:
R on flat stretches of road or on downhill
gradients when the vehicle is stationary
R while the vehicle is still moving on uphill
gradients, to prevent the vehicle from
unexpectedly rolling back when
DISTRONIC is deactivated
If DISTRONIC is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone.
X To prevent the vehicle from rolling away,
depress the brake pedal or engage the
parking brake.
Setting aspeed G
WARNING
Keep in mind tha titmay take a brie fmoment
until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration 178
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Display when DISTRONIC is activated
:
DISTRONIC activated
; Stored speed
Whe nactivating DISTRONIC and when setting
the speed, stored speed ;appears for
around five seconds.
After approximately five seconds, current
stored speed ;is shown in the multifunction
display status indicator DTR XXX Miles .
Deactivating DISTRONIC There are several ways to deactivate
DISTRONIC:
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever
forwards :.
or
X Brake.
i The last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
DISTRONIC is automatically deactivated if:
R you engage the parking brake.
R you are driving slowe rthan 20 mph
(25 km/h) and there is no vehicle in front,
or if the vehicle in front is no longer
detected. R
ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
.
R you shift the transmission to P,Ror N.
If DISTRONIC is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the DISTRONIC Off message in the multifunction display for
approximately five seconds.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The DISTRONIC works to maintain the speed
selected by the driver unless a moving
obstacle proceeding directly ahead of it in the
same travel direction is detected (e.g.
following another vehicle ahead of you at your
set distance).
This means that:
R Your vehicle can pass another vehicle after
you have changed lanes.
R While in a sharp turn or if the preceding
vehicle is in a sharp turn, the DISTRONIC
could lose sight of the preceding vehicle.
Your vehicle could then accelerate to the
previously selected speed.
The DISTRONIC regulates only the distance
between your vehicle and those directly
ahead of it, but does not register stationary
objects in the road, e.g.:
R a stopped vehicle in a traffic jam
R a disabled vehicle
R an oncoming vehicle
The driver must always be alert, observe all
traffic and intercede as required by means of
steering or braking the vehicle. G
WARNING
The DISTRONIC should not be used in snowy
or icy road conditions.
The following contains descriptions of certain
road and traffic conditions in which you must
be particularly attentive. In such situations,
brake if necessary. DISTRONIC PLUS is then
deactivated. Driving systems
181Driving 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