Lowering
........................................ 338
Maintenance .................................... 22
Parking for a long period ................ 168
Pulling away ................................... 151
Raising ........................................... 336
Reporting problems .........................25
Securing from rolling away ............335
Towing away .................................. 306
Transporting .................................. 308
Unlocking (in an emergency) ...........84
Unlocking (SmartKey) ......................77
Vehicle data ................................... 357
Vehicle battery
see Battery (vehicle)
Vehicle data ....................................... 357
Vehicle dimensions ...........................357
Vehicle emergency locking ................84
Vehicle identification number see VIN
Vehicle identification plate ..............349
Vehicle level (display message) .......228
Vehicle tool kit .................................. 298
Video Operating the DVD ......................... 205
VIN ...................................................... 349W
Warning and indicator lamps ABS ................................................ 239
Brakes ........................................... 239
Check Engine ................................. 245
Distance warning ........................... 246
ESP ®
.............................................. 241
ESP ®
OFF ....................................... 242
Fuel tank ........................................ 245
Overview .......................................... 32
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp .................................. 46
Reserve fuel ................................... 245
Seat belt. ....................................... 238
SRS ................................................ 244
Tire pressure monitor ....................247
Warranty ............................................ 348
Washer fluid Display message ............................ 236
Wheel bol ttightening torque ...........338
Wheel chock ...................................... 335Wheels
Changing awheel .......................... 334
Checking ........................................ 313
Cleaning ......................................... 292
Cleaning (warning) .........................335
Emergency spare wheel .................342
Important safety notes ..................312
Interchanging/changing ................334
Mounting anew wheel ................... 338
Mounting awheel .......................... 335
Overview ........................................ 312
Removing awheel .......................... 337
Storing ........................................... 335
Tightening torque ........................... 338
Whee lsize/tir esize ....................... 339
Window curtain air bag ....................... 46
Windows see Side windows
Windshield
Defrosting ...................................... 142
Infrared reflective .......................... 281
Windshiel dwasher fluid
see Windshield washer system
Windshield washer system
Adding washer fluid .......................288
Filling capacity ............................... 356
Notes ............................................. 356
Windshiel dwipers
Problem (malfunction) ...................132
Rea rwindow wiper ........................ 131
Replacing the wiper blades ............131
Switching on/off ........................... 130
Winte rdriving
Slippery roa dsurface s................... 172
Snow chains .................................. 315
Winter operation
General notes ................................ 314
Overview ........................................ 314
Radiator cover ............................... 285
Winter tires
M+S tires ....................................... 314
Wiper blades
Cleaning ......................................... 292
Important safety notes ..................131
Replacing ....................................... 131
Replacing (rea rwindow) ................ 132
Replacing (windshield). ..................131 Index
19
Air bags
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Air bags are designed to reduce the incidence
of injuries and fatalities in certain situations:
R frontal impacts (driver's and front-
passenger fron tair bags)
R side impacts (side impact air bags and
window curtain air bags)
R rollover (window curtain air bags)
However, no system available today can
completely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
When the air bags are deployed, a small
amount of powder is released .The powder
generally does not constitute a health hazard
and does not indicate that there is a fire in the
vehicle. In order to prevent potential
breathing difficulties, you should leave the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you
have any breathing difficulty but cannot get
out of the vehicle after the air bag inflates,
then get fresh air by opening a window or
door. G
WARNING
In order to reduce the potential danger of
injuries caused during the deployment of the
front air bags, the driver and front passenger
must always be correctly seated and wear
their seat belts.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision, you must always be in the normal
seat position with your back against the
backrest. Fasten your seat belt and make sure
that it is correctly positioned on your body. As the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating position
and correct positioning of the hands on the
steering wheel will help to keep you at a safe
distance from the air bag. Occupants who are
not wearing their seat belt, are not seated
properly or are too close to the air bag can be
seriously injured or killed by an air bag, as it
inflates with great force instantaneously:
R
sit with the seat belt fastened correctly and
in a position that is as upright as possible
with your back against the backrest.
R move the driver's seat as far back as
possible, still permitting proper operation
of vehicle controls. The distance from the
center of the driver's chest to the center of
the air bag cover on the steering wheel
must be at least 10 inches (25 cm). You
should be able to accomplish this by
adjusting the seat and steering wheel. If
you have any difficulties, please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Ben zCenter.
R do not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
R only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
Placing hands and arms inside the rim can
increase the risk and potential severity of
hand/arm injury if the driver front air bag
inflates.
R adjust the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible from the dashboard when the
seat is occupied.
R occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their heads
in the area of the door where the side
impact air bag inflates .This could result in
serious or fatal injuries should the side
impact air bag be deployed. Always sit as
upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized
infant restraint, toddler restraint or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight
of the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injuries to you or other occupants. Occupant safety
43Safety
Z
If you sell yourv
ehicle, it is important that you
make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator's Manual. G
WARNING
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children in an automobile is in a rear seat.
As ide impact air bag related injury may occur
if occupants, especially children, are not
properly seated or restraine dwhen next to a
side impact air bag which needs to deploy
rapidly in a side impact in order to do its job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1) Always sit as upright as possible and use the seat belts properly.
Make sure that children 12 years
old and under use an appropriately
sized child restraint, infant
restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and
weight of the child.
(2) Always wear seat belts properly.
If the air bags are deployed, you will hear a
bang, and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The +SRS warning lamp
lights up.
The air bags are deployed if the air bag control
unit detects the need for deployment.O nly in
the event of such a situatio nwill the air bags
provide their supplemental protection.
If the drive rand front passenge rdo not wear
their seat belts, it is not possible for the air
bags to provide their supplemental
protection.
In the event of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, the air bags will not deploy. The
driver and passengers will then be protected
to the extentp ossible by a properly fastened
seat belt. Aproperly fastened seat belti s alsoneeded to provide the best possible
protection in a rollover.
Air bags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for seat belts.
All vehicle occupants must fasten their seat
belts regardless of whether your vehicle is
equipped with air bags or not.
It is important for your safety and that of your
passengers to have deployed air bags
replaced and to have any malfunctioning air
bags repaired. This will help to make sure the
air bags continue to perform their protective
function for the vehicle occupants in the
event of a crash.
Front air bags
Driver's air bag
:deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front air
bag ;deploys in front of and above the glove
box.
The front air bags increase protection for the
driver's and front-passenger's head and
chest.
They are deployed:
R in the event of certain frontal impacts
R if the system determines that air bag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R depending on whether the seat belt is being
used
R independently of other air bags in the
vehicle
If the vehicle overturns, the front air bags are
generally not deployed. If the system detects 44
Occupant safetySafety
ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
sectio n(Ypage 67). G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further
driving safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! Only operate the vehicle for a maximum
of ten seconds on a brake test
dynamometer. Switch off the ignition.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may
otherwise destroy 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.
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up
continuously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and the å
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 241) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 215).
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified to
keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP ®
assists the driver when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize the vehicle during braking. If ESP
®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any
circumstances.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) Traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels
individually if they spin. This enables you to
pull away and accelerate on slippery surfaces,
for example if the road surface is slippery on
one side. In addition, more drive torque is
transferred to the wheel or wheels with
traction.
Traction control remains active if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer
stabilizes the vehicle. There is an increased
risk of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations
described in the following.
! Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain. Driving safety systems
69Safety Z
settings using the memory function
(Y
page 116). Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The seats can still be adjusted when there is
no key in the ignition lock. For this reason,
children should never be left unsupervised in
the vehicle. They could otherwise become
trapped when adjusting the seat. G
WARNING
Make sure that the back of your head is
supported at eye level by the central area of
the head restraint. If your head is not
supported correctly by the head restraint, you
could suffer a severe neck injury in the event
of an accident. Never drive if the head
restraints are not engaged and set correctly. G
WARNING
In order to avoid possible loss of vehicle
control, all seat, head restraint, steering
wheel and rear view mirror adjustments, as
well as fastening of seat belts, must be done
before setting the vehicle in motion. G
WARNING
Do not adjust the driver's seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never travel in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide under
the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under
it, the seat belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. This could cause serious or
fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat belts
provide the best restraint when the wearer is
in a position that is as upright as possible and
seat belts are properly positioned on the
body. G
WARNING
Your seat belt must be adjusted so that you
can correctly fasten your seat belt.
Observe the following points:
R adjust the seat backrest until your arms are
slightly angled when holding the steering
wheel.
R adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely.T he
position should be as far back as possible
with the driver still able to operate the
controls properly.
R adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the center
of the head restraint supports the back of
the head at eye level.
R never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being
adjusted.
Failure to do so could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than on the front-passenger seat. Thus,
we strongly recommend that children be
placed in the rear seat whenever possible.
Regardless of seating position, children 12
years old and under must be seated and
properly secured in an appropriately sized
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. For additional information, see the
"Children in the vehicle" section.
Ac hild's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint. G
WARNING
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints. Seats
101Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z
when you store the settin
gwith the memory
function (Y page 116).
Crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature If the crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is
triggered in an accident, the steering column
will move upwards when the driver's door is
opened. This occurs irrespective of the
position of the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
This makes it easier to exit the vehicle and
rescue the occupants.
The crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is
only operational if the EASY-EXIT/ENTRY
feature is activated in the on-board computer
(Y
page 210). Mirrors
Rear-view mirror
X
Anti-glare mode: flick anti-glare lever :
forwards or back. Exterior mirrors
Adjusting the exterior mirrors G
WARNING
The exterior mirrors reduce the size of the
image. Objects are actually closer than they
appear. You could misjudge the distance from
vehicles driving behind and cause an
accident, e.g. when changing lane. For this
reason, make sure of the actual distance from the vehicle driving behind by glancing over
your shoulder.
X
Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
1or 2in the ignition lock.
X Press button :for the left-hand exterior
mirror or button ;for the right-hand
exterior mirror.
The indicator lamp in the corresponding
button lights up in red.
The indicator lamp goes out again after
some time. You can adjust the selected
mirror using adjustment button =as long
as the indicator lamp is lit.
X Press adjustmen tbutton =up, down, or
to the left or right until you have adjusted
the exterior mirror to the correct position.
You should have a good overview of traffic
conditions.
The convex exterio rmirrors provide a larger
field of vision.
The exterior mirrors are heated automatically
if the rear window defroster is switched on
and the outside temperature is low. 114
MirrorsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
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).Stowage areas
Loading guidelines
G
WARNING
Always faste nitems being carried as securely
as possible. Use cargo tie-down rings and
fastening materials appropriate for the weight
and size of the load.
In an accident, durin ghard braking or sudden
maneuvers, loose items will be thrown around
inside the vehicle .This can cause injury to
vehicle occupants unless the items are
securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a collision
or sudden maneuver, exercise care when
transporting cargo. Do not pile luggage or
cargo higher than the seat backrests.
The cargo compartmentist he preferred place
to carry objects. Always use cargo tie-down
rings, and if so equipped, always use the cargo
net when transporting cargo.
Never drive a vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
The gross vehicle weight (GVW) is the vehicle
weight including fuel, vehicle tool kit, spare
wheel, installed accessories, vehicle
occupants and luggage/cargo. The gross load limit and the gross vehicle
weight rating (GVWR) for your vehicle must
never be exceeded. The load limit and GVWR
are given on the vehicle identification plate
found on the B-pillar of the driver's door
(Y
page 323).
The load must also be distributed so that the
weight on each axle never exceeds the gross
axle weight rating (GAWR) for the front and
rear axles. The relevant GVWR and GAWR
information can be found on the vehicle
identification plate on the B-pillar of the
driver's side (Y page 323).
You will find further information in the
"Loading the vehicle" section (Y page 323).
The handling characteristics of a laden
vehicle are dependent on the distribution of
the load within the vehicle. For this reason,
you should observe the following notes when
transporting a load:
R when transporting a load, never exceed the
maximum permissible gross vehicle weight
or the gross axle weight rating of the
vehicle (including occupants).
R position heavy loads as far forwards as
possible and as low down in the cargo
compartmenta s possible.
R the load must not protrude above the upper
edge of the seat backrests.
R always place the load against the rear or
front seat backrests. Make sure that the
seat backrests are securely locked into
place.
R hook in the cargo net when loading.
R always place the load behind unoccupied
seats if possible.
R secure the load with sufficiently strong and
wear-resistant tie-downs. Pad sharp edges
for protection. 250
Stowage areasStowage and features
In addition to the vehicle load, the driving
distance possible depends upon:
R
Speed
R Road condition
R Outside temperature
The driving distance possible in run-flat mode
may be reduced by extreme driving
conditions/maneuvers, or it can be increased
through a moderate style of driving.
The maximum permissible distance which
can be driven in run-flat mode is counted from
the moment the tire pressure loss warning
appears in the multifunction display.
You must not exceed a maximum speed of
50 mph (80 km/h).
i When changing or replacing one or all of
the tires, note the label "MOExtended".
Take note also of the size specified for the
vehicle.
i Vehicles equipped with MOExtended tires
are not equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the
factory. It is therefore recommended that
you additionally equip yourv ehicle with a
TIREFIT kit if you mount tires that do not
feature run-flat properties, e.g. winter tires.
A TIREFIT kit may be obtained from a
qualified specialist workshop. Battery (vehicle)
Important safety notes
Special tools and expert knowledge are
required when working on the battery, e.g.
removal and installing. You should therefore
have all work involving the battery carried out
at a qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Work carried out incorrectly on the battery
can, for example, lead to a short circuit and
damage your vehicle's electronic system. This
can disrupt driving safety systems such as
ABS (anti-lock braking system) or ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program). R
If ABS malfunctions, the wheels can lock
during braking. This limits the steerability
of the vehicle when braking and the braking
distance may increase. There is a risk of
accident.
R If ESP ®
malfunctions, the vehicle will not be
stabilised if it starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin. There is a risk of accident.
You should therefore have all work involving
the battery carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop. G
WARNING
Comply with safety precautions and take
protective measures when handling batteries. Risk of explosion
Fire, open flames and
smoking are prohibited
when handling the battery.
Avoid creating sparks.
Battery acid is caustic.
Avoid contact with the skin,
eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective
clothing, in particular
gloves, an apron and a face
mask.
Immediately rinse acid
splashes off with clean
water. Consult a doctor if
necessary.
Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Operator's
Manual. Battery (vehicle)
301Breakdown assistance Z