Adaptive Air Suspension
Air suspension and damping
Description
App lies to vehicles: with Adapt ive Air S uspe nsio n
Air suspension and damping con be adjusted
separately.
Adaptive A ir Suspension is an electronically
controlled springing and damping system.
This chassis system makes it easier on the
driver by adapt ing to the particular situation
through imperceptible control processes.
The
Adaptive Air Suspension component reg
ulates ground clearance depending on vehicle
speed and driver input. It functions independ
ently from the load condition . Accelerating to
a speed above a predetermined limit will make the vehicle lower itself. On the other
hand, driving more slowly results in the vehi
cle raising again at specific speeds.
The
damping component provides individual
control of the damping forces . For example,
w ith damping characterist ics set to provide
greater comfort, damping is set somewhat
harder for a br ief per iod only as required, for
example, when go ing aro und a curve or when
braking.
Settings
Adapt ive Air Suspension prov ides the driver
with the opportun ity to set the chassis charac
ter istics also to their individual preference.
W ith the driving modes
Comfort, Automatic
and Dynamic the driver has three chassis set
tings available, ranging from comfort to spor
ty. The
Offrood mode can be selected for driv
ing on poor quality stretches of road. In addi
tion,
Lift provides a fifth mode, which can be
selected when exceptionally high ground
clearance is needed
c::;, page 155, Chassis con
trols .
The modes are set in MMI <::;,page 157.
Adaptive A ir Suspension 155
A WARNING
The height of the parked vehicle can
change due to temperature fluctuations or
changes in load .
@ Note
- Whenever you park your vehicle, a lways
make sure there is adequate clearance
above and below the vehicle. The he ight
of the parked vehicle can change as the
result of temperature fluctuations,
changes in load condition and changes in
the driving mode (ground clearance).
- If the vehicle is being transported (e.g .
by tow truck, train, ship, etc.), mount the
tie-down chains/cables over the running
surface (circumference) o f the tires. Nev
er secure the vehicle by the axle, the sus
pension struts or the front or rear tow
line eye . For technica l reasons, the pres
sure in the suspens ion struts may change
during the transport, which could result
in the vehicle no longer being secured
properly .
- If you are going to tow a trailer with a
trailer hitch that was
not installed ac
cording to factory specif ications, you
must activate the traile r operation mode
man ually
<::;,page 159.
(D Tips
-Before you can raise your vehicle using
the vehicle jack (for example, when
chang ing a flat tire) or a vehicle lift, yo u
must activate the jacking mode
c::;, page 159.
- On some models, the vehicle can reach
its maximum speed only in the
Automat
ic
and Dynamic modes.
Chassis controls
App lies to vehicles : wit h Adaptive A ir Suspensio n
Five different driving modes can be set by the
driver.
T he automatic control processes are speed
and t ime-dependent. For example, it is not
Displaying the vehicle level
The current vehicle level is shown with seg
ments filled out in the segment display @. If
only the bottom segment is filled out, the ve
hicle is at highway level. If all segments are
filled out, the vehicle is at high level 2 and has
the greatest amount of ground clearance pos
sible.
While the vehicle is being raised or lowered,
the target level is indicated by an arrow @
¢
fig. 188 or a white border @¢ fig. 189. The
arrow/border disappears again when the vehi
cle is at the target level.
Jacking mode when changing a flat tire
Applies to vehicles: with Adaptive Air Suspension
This mode must be activated in the MMI be
fore raising the vehicle with a jack or on a ve
hicle lift.
.,. Select: ICARI function button> !SETUP I func
tion button >
Jacking mode. Or
.,. Select:
I CARI function button > Car systems*
control button > Servicing & checks> Air
susp.: tire change.
The vehicle jack mode must be activated be
fore changing a wheel so that the automatic
control processes for the air suspension do not make lifting with the vehicle jack more dif
ficult.
The check lamp
II in the instrument cluster
display illuminates in vehicle jack mode.
0) Tips
The vehicle jack mode is switched off auto
matically at speeds above 9 mph (15 km/
h).
Towing a trailer
Appl ies to vehicles: with towing hitch and Adaptive Air
Suspension
Automatic lowering is not desirable when
towing a trailer.
.,. Select: ICAR I function button> !SETUP I func
tion button >
Towing mode. Or
Adaptive Air Suspension 159
.,. Select: !CAR I function button > Car systems*
control button > Vehicle settings > Air
susp.: towing.
As long as towing mode is activated, a vehicle
with a trailer appears in the
adaptive air sus
pension
main menu.
Level Adjustment when towing a trailer
- Before hitching up the trailer and before ad
justing the tongue weight at the trailer, the
automatic or comfort mode
must be select
ed so that the vehicle can be at normal level
¢page 157, MMI settings.
-If driving in dynamic mode is desired, this
mode
must be selected before hitching up
the trailer and before adjusting the tongue
weight. However, note that your vehicle is lowered and ground clearance is reduced.
- If you have to drive under difficult road con
ditions, you can select offroad or lift mode,
after hitching up the trailer or after adjust
ing the tongue weight.
- If the vehicle is at
normal level, and you se
lect offroad mode while traveling at speeds
higher than 22 mph (35 km/h), the vehicle
will not be raised. Offroad mode will appear as the active mode in the MMI Display.
- If the vehicle is in offroad mode at
high level
1 ,
it automatically lowers to normal level
when the vehicle is traveling at speeds ex
ceeding approximately 31 mph (SO km/h) .
The vehicle is automatically raised to
high
level 1
again when the traveling speed falls
below approximately 25 mph (40 km/h).
Restrictions when operating with a trailer
When operating with a trailer, the lift mode
can only be selected up to about 12 mph (20
km/h). Lift mode is automatically canceled
again when a speed of about 25 mph (40 km/
h) is exceeded.
If the vehicle is in automatic, comfort, offroad
or lift mode before the trailer towing mode is
activated, the dynamic mode cannot be acti
vated .
If the vehicle is in dynamic mode before tow-
ing operation is activated, it can be driven in
IJI,-
A
Accessories
Adaptive A ir Suspension . .. .. .. .. .. .. .
Cargo mode in the MMI .. .. .. .. .. .. . 318
155
160
Controls ... ............. .. .. .. .. . 155
Description .............. .... .. ... 155
H igh level . ................. ... ... 155
Highway level ..................... 155
Instrument cluster display . . . . . . . . . . 158
Jacking mode when changing a flat tire 159
Low level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Normal level ............. .... .. ... 155
Segment display .............. .... 157
Sett ing the driving modes .. .. .. .. .. . 157
Trailer towing mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Using switch for cargo mode .. .. .. .. . 160
Warning/indicator lights . .. .. .. .. .. .. 17
Adaptive cruise control ............. .. 113
Changing speed ..... ..... .. .. .. .. . 117
C leaning the sensor ....... .. .. .. .. . 245
Driver information ........ .. .. .. .. . 120
Driver intervention prompt . .. .. .. .. .
Driving in traffic ................ .. .
Driving program ................ .. .
Error messages .................. .
Open road .. ............. .... .. .. .
Override 124
114
124
122 114
114
Request for driver to assume control . . 114
Save speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Sett ing distance ..... ..... .. .. .. .. . 118
Settings . .. ............. .... .. .. . 124
Sett ing t ime interval ...... .. .. .. .. . 118
Specia l dr iv ing s ituations .. .. .. .. .. . 125
Status messages ................. . 122
Switching on and
off ......... ... .. . 116
System limits ................ .... . 125
Temporarily turning
off .... .. .. .. .. . 118
warning/indicator lights ... .. .. .. .. . 121
Adaptive light ................ ... .... 59
defective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 7
AdBlue .. .. .. ................. .. ... 254
Filling 255
Messages in the instrument cluster dis-
p lay ... .. .. .. ................ .... 254
Index 321
Adding
E . l ngine coo ant ..... ............... 266
Engine oil ..... .. .. ............... 263
Windshie ld washer fluid .......... .. 272
Additional accessor ies
Additives Engine oil
Adjusting 318
263
Instrument cluster illumination .. .. .. . 13
Steering column electrically ..... .. .. 103
Steering column manually .......... 103
Adjusting front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Airbag Warning/ind icator lights ........ .. .. . 16
Airbag system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183, 200
Advanced Airbag System .. ... ... .. .. 187
Advanced Airbag System components . 190
Care ........ .. .. ................. 197
Children .. .. .. .. .... ........... .. 205
Child restraints ... .. ............... 206
Components (front airbags) ......... 190
Danger of fitting a chi ld safety seat on
the front passenger seat ........ .. .. 185
Disposal .. .. .. .. .... ........... .. 197
Front airbags .. .. ............ 187,188
How do the front airbags work? ...... 192
How many airbags does my vehicle
have? ....... ... .. ............... 190
How the Advanced Airbag System com-
ponents work together ......... .... 191
Important things to know .......... . 183
Indicator light ..... ............... 194
Monitor ing . ..... ................. 194
PASS ENGER AIR BAG OFF light ... .. .. 194
Repairs ... .. .. .. .... ........... .. 197
Safety instructions ................. 196
Side airbags ..... .. ..... .......... 198
Side curtain airbags .. .. .. ... ... .... 201
Weight-sensing mat .. ... ... ... .. .. 205
When must the system be inspected? . 194
Air conditioning
refer to Climate controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Air distribution Climate controls .. ................. . 95
Four- zone automatic comfort air condi-
tioning . .. .. .. .. .. ............... 100
Air pollutants filter Climate controls .... .............. .. 92
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