Problems with the transmission
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer shifts into all of
the gears.
Reverse gear can no
longer be engaged. The transmission is in emergency mode.
X Stop.
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 D.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before refuelling. G
WARNING
Fuels are poisonous and hazardous to health. There is a danger of injury.
Do not swallow fuel or let it come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale fuel
vapours. Keep fuels out of the reach of chil-
dren.
If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
R Wash the fuel off any affected areas of skin
with water and soap immediately.
R If you get fuel in your eyes, rinse them thor-
oughly with clean water immediately. Seek immediate medical attention. R
If fuel is swallowed, seek immediate medi-
cal attention. Do not induce vomiting.
R Change any clothing that has come into
contact with fuel immediately. G
WARNING
Electrostatic charge can cause sparks and
thereby ignite fuel vapours. There is a risk of
fire and explosion.
Always touch the vehicle body before opening the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. This discharges any electrostatic
charge that may have built up. G
WARNING
Vehicles with a diesel engine:
If you mix diesel fuel with petrol, the flash
point of this fuel mixture is lower than that of pure diesel fuel. When the engine is running,
components in the exhaust system may over-
heat unnoticed. There is a risk of fire.
Never refuel with petrol. Never add petrol to
diesel fuel.
! Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
petrol engine. Do not switch on the ignition if you accidentally refuel with the wrong Refuelling
177Driving and parking Z
fuel. Otherwise, the fuel will enter the fuel
system. Even small amounts of the wrong
fuel can result in damage to the fuel system
and the engine. Notify a qualified specialist workshop and have the fuel tank and fuel
lines drained completely.
! Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Do not switch on the ignition if you accidentally refuel with the wrong
fuel. Otherwise, fuel can enter the fuel sys-tem. Even small amounts of the wrong fuel
could result in damage to the fuel system
and the engine. The repair costs are high.
Notify a qualified specialist workshop and
have the fuel tank and fuel lines drained
completely.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
! Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
! Use a filter when adding fuel from a fuel
can. The fuel lines and/or the diesel injec-
tion system could otherwise be blocked by
particles from the fuel can.
Do not get into the vehicle again during the
refuelling process. Otherwise, electrostatic
charge could build up again.
If you overfill the fuel tank, some fuel may
spray out when you remove the fuel pump
nozzle.
Further information on fuel and fuel quality
(Y page 386). Refuelling
General notes The fuel filler flap is unlocked or locked auto-
matically when you unlock or lock the vehicle
with the key.
The position of the fuel filler cap is displayed
æ in the instrument cluster. The arrow
next to the filling pump indicates the side of
the vehicle. Opening the fuel filler flap
:
To open the fuel filler flap
; Tyre pressure table
= To insert the fuel filler cap
? Instruction label for fuel type to be refu-
elled
X Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: remove
the key from the ignition lock.
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start-func-
tion or KEYLESS-GO: open the driver's
door.
The on-board electronics now have status
0. This is the same as the key having been
removed.
X Press the fuel filler flap in the direction of
arrow :.
The fuel filler flap swings up.
X Turn the fuel filler cap anti-clockwise and
remove it.
X Insert the fuel filler cap into the holder on
the inside of fuel filler flap =.
X Completely insert the filler neck of the fuel
pump nozzle into the tank, hook in place
and refuel.
X Only fill the tank until the pump nozzle
switches off.
Vehicles with a diesel engine: the filler neck is
designed for refuelling at diesel filling pumps.
Do not add any more fuel after the pump
stops filling for the first time. Otherwise, fuel
may leak out. 178
RefuellingDriving and parking
Closing the fuel filler flap
X
Replace the cap on the filler neck and turn
clockwise until it engages audibly.
X Close the fuel filler flap.
Close the fuel filler flap before locking the
vehicle. Refuelling
179Driving and parking Z
Problems with the fuel and fuel tank
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle. The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
G WARNING
There is a risk of fire or explosion. X Turn the key to position 0immediately and remove it
(Y page 159).
X Do not restart the engine under any circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. The fuel tank of a vehicle with a diesel engine has been run com-
pletely dry.
X Refuel the vehicle with at least 5 litres of diesel.
X Turn the ignition on for approximately ten seconds
(Y page 159).
X Start the engine continuously for a maximum of ten seconds
until it runs smoothly.
If the engine does not start:
X Turn the ignition on again a maximum of ten seconds
(Y page 159).
X Start the engine again continuously for a maximum of ten sec-
onds until it runs smoothly.
If the engine does not start after three attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The fuel filler flap can-
not be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
X Unlock the vehicle (Y page 87). The key battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
X Unlock the vehicle using the emergency key element
(Y page 89). The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam-
med.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. 180
RefuellingDriving and parking
The electric parking brake of your vehicle is
released automatically when all of the follow- ing conditions are fulfilled:
R the engine is running
R the transmission is in position Dor R
R the seat belt is fastened
R you depress the accelerator pedal
If the transmission is in position R, the tailgate
must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
R the driver's door is closed
R you have shifted out of transmission posi-
tion Por you have previously driven faster
than 3 km/h
Ensure that you do not depress the acceler-
ator pedal unintentionally. Otherwise, the
parking brake will be released and the vehicle
will start to move.
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency by using the electric parking
brake.
X While driving, push handle :of the electric
parking brake (Y page 182).
The vehicle is braked as long as you keep
handle :of the electric parking brake
pressed. The longer the electric parking
brake handle :is depressed, the greater
the braking force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds
R the Release park. brake
Release park. brake message
appears
R the red !indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand-
still, the electric parking brake is applied. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than four weeks, the battery may be damaged
by exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than six weeks, it may suffer from lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop. Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes 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. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
Drive sensibly – save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel:
R The tyres should always be inflated to the
recommended tyre pressure.
R Remove unnecessary loads.
R Remove roof racks when they are not nee-
ded.
R Warm up the engine at low engine speeds.
R Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
R Have all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the
Service Booklet or by the service interval
display. 184
Driving tipsDriving and parking
Fuel consumption also increases when driv-
ing in cold weather, in stop-start traffic, on
short journeys and in hilly terrain. ECO display
The ECO display provides feedback on how
economical your driving characteristics are.
The ECO display assists you in achieving the
most economical driving style for the selec-
ted settings and prevailing conditions. Con-
sumption can be significantly influenced by
your driving style.
The ECO display consists of three bars:
R Acceleration
Acceleration
R Constant Constant
R Coasting
Coasting
The percentage count is the mean value of the three bar values. The three bars and the mean
value begin at the value of 50%. A higher per- centage count indicates a more economical
driving style.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual
fuel consumption. A fixed percentage count
in the ECO display does not indicate a fixed
consumption.
In addition to driving style, the consumption is
affected by many other factors, such as:
R load
R tyre pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R the use of electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style takes the following three categories into consideration: R
Acceleration
Acceleration (evaluation of all accelera-
tion processes):
- the bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- the bar empties: sporty acceleration
R Constant Constant (assessment of driving behav-
iour at all times)
- the bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
- the bar empties: fluctuations in speed
R Coasting Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes)
- the bar fills up: anticipatory driving, keep-
ing your distance and early release of the
accelerator. The vehicle can coast with-
out use of the brakes.
- the bar empties: frequent braking
An economical driving style involves driving at a moderate engine speed.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration Acceleration andConstant
Constant :
R observe the gearshift recommendation
R drive the vehicle in drive program E(vehi-
cles with automatic transmission)
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g. on the motorway, only the bar for Constant
Constantwill
change.
The ECO display summarises the driving char-
acteristics from the start of the journey to its completion. Therefore, there are dynamic
changes in the bars at the start of a journey.
During a prolonged driving time, these
changes are smaller. For more dynamic
changes, perform a manual reset.
Further information on the ECO display
(Y page 236). Driving tips
185Driving and parking Z
R
do not exceed the maximum permissible
noseweight
R do not use a noseweight lower than the
minimum noseweight
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
The applicable permissible values, which
must not be exceeded, can be found:
R in your vehicle documents
R on the identification plates of the trailer tow
hitch and the trailer
R on the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
You will find the values approved by the man-
ufacturer on the vehicle identification plates
and those for the towing vehicle under "Tech- nical data" (Y page 396). G
WARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage correctly when folding in, it will swing out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that the ball coupling engages when folding in.
When reversing the vehicle towards the
trailer, make sure there is nobody between
the trailer and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison to when driving without a trailer. The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R has a larger turning circle
This can impair the vehicle's handling char-
acteristics. Adapt your driving style accord-
ingly. Maintain a safe distance. Drive care-
fully.
When towing a trailer, always adjust your
speed to the current road and weather con-
ditions. Do not exceed the maximum permis-
sible speed for your vehicle/trailer combina-
tion. Notes on towing a trailer
General notes The B 180 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Edition model
cannot be used to tow a trailer.
When towing a trailer, set the tyre pressure on
the rear axle of the towing vehicle for the
maximum load. Further information on the
tyre pressure table in the fuel filler flap
(Y page 356).
Please note that when towing a trailer, the
following driving systems have limited avail-
ability or are not available at all.
R PARKTRONIC (Y page 203)
R Blind Spot Assist (Y page 221)
The height of the ball coupling changes with
the load of the vehicle. If necessary, use a
trailer with a height-adjustable drawbar.
You will find fitting dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Y page 394).
Driving tips Observe the notes on ESP
®
trailer stabilisa-
tion (Y page 79). Towing a trailer
225Driving and parking Z
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check
the trailer's documents to see what the max- imum permitted speed is. Observe the legally
prescribed maximum speed in the relevant
country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the max-
imum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. See the "Technical
data" section to find out whether this applies to your vehicle. If you utilise any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer, the vehicle/trailer combination may not
exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/h for
reasons concerning the operating permit.
This also applies in countries in which the
permissible maximum speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations is above 100 km/h.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. For vehicles
with automatic transmission, you need to
have selected manual drive program M
(Y page 175).
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, SPEEDTRONIC or DISTRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you
need additional braking, depress the brake
pedal repeatedly rather than continuously.
Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal on
downhill gradients while the manual drive
program Mis temporarily activated (vehicles
with automatic transmission): the automatic
transmission may switch back to the last
active automatic drive program Eor S. The
automatic transmission may shift to a higher
gear. This can reduce the engine's braking
effect. Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake if necessary.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle in
front than when driving without a trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently at first to allow the trailer to run on.
Then, increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea
level. When driving in mountainous areas,
note that the power output of the engine,
and consequently the vehicle's gradient-
climbing capability, decrease with increas-
ing altitude. Folding out the ball coupling
G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly engaged,
the trailer can detach. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always engage the ball coupling as described. G
WARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage correctly when folding in, it will swing out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that the ball coupling engages when folding in.
Before you can tow a trailer with your vehicle, you must fold out the ball coupling.
The release wheel is located behind the left-
hand side trim panel in the boot. 226
Towing a trailerDriving and parking