If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
six weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as
a resultofl
ack of use.
X Visi taqualified specialist workshop and
seek advice. Driving tips
General driving tips
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Always remembe rthat you must concentrate
primarily on driving the vehicle. The driver's
concentration must always be directed
primarily at road traffic. For your own safety
and that of others, we recommend that you
stop the vehicle at a safe place and in
accordance with the traffic conditions before
making or accepting a phone call.
Comply with all legal requirements if you use
the telephone while driving. Use the hands-
free system and only use the telephone when
road, weather and traffic conditions permit. In
some jurisdictions, it is forbidden for drivers
to use mobile phones while driving.
Only operate COMAND (Cockpit Management
and Data System) in compliance with all legal
requirements and when the road, weather and
traffic conditions permit. You may otherwise
not be able to observe the traffic conditions,
endangering yourself and others.
Remember that your vehicle covers a distance
of 44 ft (approximately 14 m)a second when
it is traveling at only 30 mph (approximately
50 km/h).
Drive sensibly –save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel:
X
The tires should always be inflated to the
recommended tire pressure.
X Remove unnecessary loads.
X Remove roof racks whe nthey are not
needed. X
Warm up the engine at low engine speeds.
X Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
X Have all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or by the service
interval display.
Fuel consumption also increases when
driving in cold weather, in stop-and-go traffic
and in mountainous terrain.
Drinking and driving G
WARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and
driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and
judgment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal
accident are greatly increased when you drink
or take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
Pedals G
WARNING
Make sure absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedals' range of movement.
Keep the driver's footwell clear of all
obstacles. If there are any floormats or
carpets in the footwell, make sure that the
pedals still have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers,
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.
Rolling with the engine switched off G
WARNING
There is no power assistance for the steering
and the brake when the engine is not running. 330
Driving tipsDriving and parking
R
the electrical syste minthe engine
compartment, the battery or the fuses are
tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
If you leave the vehicle or park it, deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away. AIRMATIC
Vehicle level Important safety notes
Your vehicle regulates its height
automatically
.All-round level control ensures
the best possible suspension and constant
ground clearance, even with a laden vehicle.
When you drive fast, the vehicle is lowered
automatically to improve driving safety and to
reduce fuel consumption.
The following vehicle levels are possible on
vehicles without 4MATIC:
R Normal
R raised: the vehicle is raised by about 1in
(25 mm) when compared with the normal
level
R lowered: the vehicle is lowered by about
0.60 in (15 mm) when compared with the
normal level
The following vehicle levels are possible on
vehicles with 4MATIC:
R normal: in Comfor tmode, the vehicle is
raised by about 0.40i n (10mm) when
compared with Sport mode
R raised: in Comfort mode, the vehicle is
raised by about 0.60 in (15 mm) and in
Sport mode by about 1 in (25 mm) when
compared with normal level
R lowered: the vehicle is lowered by about
0.40 in (10mm) when compared with the
normal level
The "Normal" and "Raised" vehicle levels can
be set manually. The "Lowered” vehicle level is set
automatically:
R
in vehicles withou t4MATIC at speeds
above 60 mph (100 km/h)
R in vehicles with 4MATIC at speeds above
50 mph (80 km/h).
Setting the vehicle level
Select the "Normal" setting for normal road
surfaces and "Raised" for driving with snow
chains or on particularly poor road surfaces.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock. G
WARNING
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands and
feet away from wheel housing area, and stay
away from under the vehicle when lowering
the vehicle chassis. Setting raised level
X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 0003is not lit:
X Press button 0002.
Indicator lamp 0003lights up. The vehicle
height is adjusted to raised level.
The Vehicle Rising message appears in
the display.
The "Raised level" setting is canceled if you:
R drive at speeds above 75 mph (120 km/h)
R drive for about three minutes at speeds
above 50 mph (80 km/h).
The "Raised level" remains active whe nyou
are not driving within these speed ranges. Driving systems
347Driving and parking Z
Setting the normal level
X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 0003is lit:
X Press button 0002.
Indicator lamp 0003goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to normal level.
Suspension tuning General notes
The Adaptive Damping System (ADS)
automatically controls the calibration of the
dampers and springs.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition ,e.g. bumps
R your individual selection, i.e .sports or
comfort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock. Sports tuning
The firmer suspension tunin
ginSport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
X If indicator lamp 0003 is not lit:
press
button 0002.
Indicator lamp 0003lights up. Sports
suspension tuning is selected.
The AIRMATIC SPORT message appears in
the multifunction display. Comfort tuning
In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable.
Therefore, select this mode if you favor a
more comfortable driving style. Select
comfort mode also when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. on straight stretches of
freeway.
X
If indicator lamp 0003 is lit:
press
button 0002.
Indicator lamp 0003goes out. Comfort tuning
is selected.
The AIRMATIC COMFORT message appears
in the multifunction display. Active Body Control (ABC)
Vehicle level Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to improve driving safety and reduce
fuel consumption.
Depending on the vehicle height that has
been set, the vehicle automatically adjusts its
height dependen
tonthe current speed. As
speed increases, the vehicle is lowered by up
to 0.6 in (15 mm). As the speed is reduced,
the vehicle is raised up to the set vehicle
height. G
WARNING
The vehicle is lowered when the engine is
switched off. Therefore, make sure that
nobody is in the vicinity of the wheel housing
or under the vehicle when you switch off the
engine. Otherwise, limbs could become
trapped.
! The vehicle is lowered when the engine is
switched off. When parking, position your
vehicle so that it does not make contact
with the curb as the vehicle is lowered. Your
vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
i For AMG vehicles: when the engine is
switched off, the vehicle is lowered by
approx. 0.4 in (10 mm). 348
Driving systemsDriving and parking
vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle until
the engine has cooled down.
The coolant temperature gauge is in the
instrument cluster on the left-hand side.
Under normal operating conditions and with
the specified coolant level, the coolant
temperature may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
! Adisplay message is shown if the coolant
temperature is too high.
If the coolant temperature is over
248 ‡(120 †), do not continue driving. The
engine will otherwise be damaged. Tachometer
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
! Do not drive in the overrevving range, as
this could damage the engine.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached. Outside temperature display
The outside temperature display is in the
multifunction display (Y page 376).G
WARNING
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
Changes in the outside temperature are
displayed after a shor tdelay. Operating the on-board computer
The on-board computer is activated as soon
as you turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock. You can control the multifunction display and
the settings in the on-board computer using
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel.
0002
Multifunction display
0003
001F
Rejects or ends a call
Exits phone book/redial memory
0027
Makes or accepts a call
Switches to the redial memory
000F0010
Adjusts the volume or operates the
RACETIMER in AMG vehicles
0029
Mute
0026
001B
Switches on the Voice Control
System; see the separate operating
instructions Displays and operation
375On-board computer and displays Z
Trip menu
Standard display X
Press and hold the 0001button on the
steering wheel until the Trip menu with
odometer 0002and trip odometer 0003is
shown.
Trip computer "From Start" or "From
Reset" The values in the
From Start submenu are
calculated fro mthe start of a journey, while
the values in the From Reset submenu are
calculated from the last time the submenu
was reset (Y page 379).
X Press the 0009or000C button on the
steering wheel to select the Trip menu.
X Press the 000Aor000B button to select
After start or
After reset .
Example: trip computer "From start"
0002
Distance
0003 Time
0026 Average speed
0025 Average fuel consumption
The From Start trip computer is reset
automatically when: R
the ignition has been switched off for more
than four hours.
R 999 hours have been exceeded.
R 9999 miles have been exceeded.
When 9,999 hours or 99,999 miles have been
exceeded, the trip computer is automatically
reset From Reset .
Displaying the range and current fuel
consumption X
Press the 0009or000C button on the
steering wheel to select the Trip menu.
X Press the 000Aor000B button to select
Range .
You can see the current fuel consumption
(except for AMG vehicles) and the
approximate range. The approximate range that can be covered
depends on the fuel level and your current
driving style. If there is only a small amount
of fuel left in the fuel tank, the display shows
a vehicle being refueled
0009instead of the
range.
Digital speedometer X
Press the 0009or000C button on the
steering wheel to select the Trip menu.
X Press 000Aor000B to select the digital
speedometer. 378
Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays
Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
0004 Solutions
000A The battery is no
tbeing charged.
Possible causes are:
R a defective alternator
R a torn poly-V-belt
R a malfunction in the electronics
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely and switch off the engine,
paying attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Open the hood.
X Check whether the poly-V-belt is torn.
If the poly-V-belt is torn:
! Do not continue driving. The engine could otherwise overheat.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
If the poly-V-belt is not damaged:
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 0011
Check Engine Oil
at Next Refueling Vehicles with an oil dipstick
:the oil level has dropped to the
minimum level.
X Check the oil level when next refueling, at the latest
(Y page 464).
X If necessary, add engine oil (Y page 466).
X Have the engine checked at a qualified specialist workshop if
engine oil needs to be added more often than usual.
! Avoid long journeys with too little engine oil. The engine will
otherwise be damaged.
Information on approved engine oils can be obtained from any
qualified specialist workshop or on the Internet at http://
www.mbusa.com (USA only). 0011
Check Engine Oil
Level (Add 1
quart) (USA only)
Check Engine Oil Level (Add 1
Liter) (Canada only) Vehicles without an oil dipstick: the engine oil level is too low.
X
Check the oil level when next refueling, at the latest
(Y page 464).
X If necessary, add engine oil (Y page 466).
X Have the engine checked at a qualified specialist workshop if
engine oil needs to be added more often than usual.
! Avoid long journeys with too little engine oil. The engine will
otherwise be damaged.
Information on approved engine oils can be obtained from any
qualified specialist workshop or on the Internet at http://
www.mbusa.com (USA only). 410
Display messagesOn-board computer and displays
Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
0004 Solutions
0011
Engine Oil Level
Low Stop Vehicle
Turn Engine Off Vehicles without an oil dipstick
:the engine oil level is too low.
There is a risk of engine damage.
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely and switch off the engine,
paying attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Apply the parking brake.
X Add engine oil (Y page 466) and check the oil level
(Y page 463). 0011
Engine Oil Level
Too High Vehicles without an oil dipstick: you have added too much engine
oil. There is a risk of damage to the engine or to the catalytic
converter.
X
Have the excess oil siphoned off at a qualified specialist
workshop. Observe the legal requirements. 0011
Engine Oil Level
Cannot measure
eng. oil level Vehicles without an oil dipstick: the measuring system is
defective.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 000F
Reserve fuel level The fuel level has dropped into the reserve range.
X
Refuel at the nearest gas station. 0009 There is only a very small amount of fuel in the fuel tank.
X
Refuel at the nearest gas station without fail. 000F
Fuel filler cap
open The fuel system pressure is too low. The fuel filler cap is not closed
correctly or the fuel system is leaking.
X
Check that the fuel filler cap is correctly closed.
If the fuel filler cap is not correctly closed:
X Close the fuel filler cap.
If the fuel filler cap is correctly closed:
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 000F
Ultra Low-sulfur
Diesel Fuel Only Vehicles with a diesel engine: the fuel level has fallen below the
reserve range.
X Refuel at the nearest gas station.
X Only use commercially available vehicular ULTRA-LOW SULFUR
HIGHWAY DIESEL FUEL (ULSD, 15ppm SULFUR MAXIMUM). 00060005
Replace air
cleaner element Vehicles with a diesel engine: the engine air filter is dirty and must
be replaced.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Display messages
411On-board computer and displays Z
Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
0004 Solutions
0001
Clean fuel filter Vehicles with a diesel engine: there is water in the fuel filter. The
water mus
tbe drained off.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 0001
Check
additive See
Operator's Manual The DEF tank is empty.
X
Have the DEFt ank filled as soon as possible at aqualified
specialist workshop (Y page 325).0001
Remaining starts:
16 The DE
Flevel has fallen to a minimum.
X Have the DEFt ank filled immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop (Y page 325). Driving systems
Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
0004 Solutions
0004
Attention Assist:
Drowsiness
detected Based on specific criteria, ATTENTION ASSIST
20
has determined
that the driver is tired or paying less attention. Awarning tone also
sounds.
X If necessary, take a break.
During long journeys, take regular breaks in good time so you get
enough rest. 0004
Attention Assist
Inoperative ATTENTION ASSIST
20
has failed.
X Visi taqualified specialist workshop. 0003
Night View Assist
Inoperative Night View Assist Plus is defective.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 0003
Night View Assist
Currently
Unavailable The temperature of the camera is too high.
X
Wait until you see the Night View Assist Available Again display message.
You can also:
X Fold the camera cover down (Y page 475).
X Adjust the air distribution of the automatic air conditioning
upwards. 20
Not available on hybrid vehicles. 412
Display messagesOn-board computer and displays