2014 MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class maintenance

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 28).Overview of climate control systems
Important safety notes
Observe the settings recommended on the
following pages. The windows could
otherwise fog up.
To preven tthe windows from fogging up:
R switch off climate control only briefly
R switch on air-recirculation mode only
briefly
R switch on the cooling with air
dehumidification function
R switch on the defrost windshield function
briefly, if required
Climate control regulates the temperature
and the humidity in the vehicle interior and
filters undesirable substances out of the air.
Climate control can only be operated when
the engine is running. Optimum operation is
only achieved with the side windows and roof
closed.
The residual heat function can only be
activated or deactivated with the ignition
switched off (Y page 151).
i Ventilate the vehicle for a brief period
during warm weather, e.g. using the
convenience opening feature (Y page 95).
This will speed up the cooling process and
the desired vehicle interior temperature
will be reached more quickly. i
The integrated filter can filter out most
particles of dust, and completely filters out
pollen. Aclogged filter reduces the amount
of air supplied to the vehicle interior .For
this reason, you should always observe the
interval for replacing the filter, which is
specified in the Maintenance Booklet .As it
depends on environmental conditions, e.g.
heavy air pollution, the interval may be
shorter than stated in the Maintenance
Booklet.
i It is possible that the dehumidification
function of the climate control system may
be activated automatically an hour after the
SmartKey has been removed. The vehicle
is then ventilated for 30 minutes. 138
Overview of climate control systemsClimate control

Parking the vehicle for
along period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
X Connecting a trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist
workshop.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
six weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as
a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice. Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignitio nwhile 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 operate mobile communication
equipment while driving, you will be
distracted from traffic conditions. You could
also lose control of the vehicle. There is a risk
of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicle
is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the
country in which you are driving. Some
jurisdictions prohibit the driver from using a
mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h) the vehicle covers
a distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) per
second.
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 carriers 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-start traffic
and in hilly 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 is 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.
Emission control G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling 182
Driving tipsDriving and parking

these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces
withou tsufficient ventilation.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous components in exhaust
fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work at peak efficiency if
they are serviced exactly in accordance with
the manufacturer's specifications. For this
reason, all work on th eengine must be carried
ou tb y qualified and authorized Mercedes-
Benz technicians.
The engine settings mus tnot be changed
under any circumstances. Furthermore, all
specific service work must be carried out at
regular intervals and in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz service requirements. Details
can be found in the Maintenance Booklet. ECO display
Example: ECO display
The ECO display gives you information on how
economical your driving style is. The ECO
display assists you in achieving the optimum
driving style in terms of consumption, taking
the actual and selected conditions into
consideration. Your driving style can
significantly influence the vehicle's
consumption.
The ECO display consists of three bars:
R Acceleration R
Constant R
Coasting The percent value is the average value of the
three bars. The three bars and the mean value
begin at the value of 50%. Ahigher percentage indicates a mor
eeconomical
driving style.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual
fuel consumption and a fixed percentage
count in the ECO display does not indicate a
fixed consumption figure.
Apart from driving style, consumption is
dependent on many factors such as, e.g.:
R load
R tire pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R electrical consumers switched on
These factors are not taken into
consideration by the ECO display.
The evaluation of your driving style is carried
ou tu sing the following three categories:
R Acceleration (evaluation of all
acceleration processes):
- The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- The bar empties: sporty acceleration
R Constant (assessment of driving behavior
at all times):
- The bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
- The bar empties: fluctuations in speed
R Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes):
- The bar fills up: anticipatory driving,
keeping your distance and early release
of the accelerator. The vehicle can coast
without use of the brakes.
- The bar empties: frequent braking
i An economical driving style specially
requires driving at moderate engine
speeds.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration and
Constant , observe the
gearshift recommendations. Driving tips
183Driving and parking Z

R
Brake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger othe rroad users when doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes !
If the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and you hear a
warning tone while the engine is running,
the brake fluid level may be too low.
Observe additional warning messages in
the multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked
immediately. This work should be carried
out at a qualified specialist workshop.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a2-axle
dynamometer. If you are planning to have
the vehicle tested on such a dynamometer,
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center to obtain further information first.
Otherwise, you could damage the drive
train or the brake system.
! Because ESP ®
is an automatic system,
the engine and ignition must be switched
off (SmartKey in position 0or 1or Start/
Stop button in position 0or 1) when the
electri cparking brake is being tested on a
brake dynamomete r(maximum
10 seconds).
Braking triggered automatically by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a
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 subject to
moderate loads, you should test the
functionality of your brakes 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 (Y
page 67) or of BAS PLUS on
(Y page 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 your vehicle 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.
High-performance brake system for
AMG vehicles The high-performance brake system is
installed only on the ML 63 AMG.
The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. This may lead to
noise when braking. This will depend on:
R
Speed
R Braking force
R Environmental conditions, such as
temperature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings
or brake discs, depends on the individual
driving style and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a
mileage that will be valid under all
circumstances. An aggressive driving style Driving tips
185Driving and parking Z

X
Press the 000Bbutton.
The curren tselection is displayed.
X To activate/deactivate: press the000B
button again.
When PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is deactivated, the
assistance graphic shows the 0001symbol in
the multifunction display.
For more information on PRE-SAFE ®
Brake,
see (Y page 74).
Activating/deactivating ATTENTION
ASSIST X
Press the 0002or0005 button on the
steering wheel to select the DriveAssistmenu.
X Press the 0003or0004 button to select
ATTENTION ASSIST .
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The curren tselection is displayed.
X To activate/deactivate: press the000B
button again.
When ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated, the
0003 symbol appears in the multifunction
display in the assistance graphics display.
For further information about ATTENTION
ASSIST, see (Y page 229).
Activating/deactivating Blind Spot
Assist X
Press 0002or0005 on the steering wheel
to select the DriveAssist menu.
X Press the 0003or0004 button to select
Blind Spot Assist .
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The curren tselection is displayed.
X To activate/deactivate: press the000B
button again.
For further information about Blind Spot
Assist, see (Y page 233).
For further information about Active Blind
Spot Assist, see (Y page 237). Activating/deactivating Lane Keeping
Assist X
Press 0002or0005 on the steering wheel
to select the DriveAssist menu.
X Press 0003or0004 to select Lane Keeping Assist .
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The curren tselection is displayed.
X Press 000Bto confirm.
X Press the 0004or0003 button to set Off ,
Standard or
Adaptive .
X Press the 000Bbutton to save the setting.
For further information about Lane Keeping
Assist, see (Y page 235).
For further information about Active Lane
Keeping Assist, see (Y page 241). Maintenance menu
In the
Service menu, you have the following
options:
R Calling up display messages in message
memory (Y page 282)
R Restarting the tire pressure loss warning
system (Y page 406)
R Checking the tire pressure electronically
(Y page 406)
R Calling up the service due date
(Y page 369) Menus and submenus
273On-board computer and displays Z

about various special offers at your
workshop.
R monthly status informatio ne-mail on oil
level, ai rpressure, maintenance, brakes,
etc. If applicable, you will receive
information on special offers in the e-mail.
USA only: this information can also be
called up under "Owners Online" at http://
www.mbusa.com.
Information on the data stored in the vehicle
(Y page 29).
Information on Roadside Assistance
(Y page 25).
Downloading routes Downloading routes allows you to transfer
and save predefined routes in the navigation
system. To do this, an SD memory card must
be inserted into the COMAND system. If no
SD memory card is inserted, you must insert
the card into the card slot on the COMAND
system before saving.
Ar
oute can be prepared and sent either by a
customer service representative or via the
mbrace portal on the Internet.
Each route can include up to 20 way points.
Once a route has been received by the
navigation system, you will see the has been saved to memory card.
Do you want to start route
guidance? message in the COMAND display.
The route is saved to the SD memory card.
X To start route guidance: selectYes .
An overview of the route is shown in the
display.
i If you select No , the saved route can be
called up later via the navigation menu.
X Select Start .
Route guidance is started.
i Downloaded and saved data can be called
up again in COMAND.
You can find further information in the
separate COMAND Operating Instructions. Speed alert You can define the upper speed limit, which
must not be exceeded by the vehicle.
If this selected speed is exceeded by the
vehicle, a message will be sent to the
Customer Assistance center. The Customer
Assistance center then forwards this
information to you.
You can select the way in which you receive
this information beforehand. Possible options
include text message, e-mail or an automated
call.
The data you receive contains the following
information:
R
the location where the speed limit was
exceeded
R the time at which the speed limit was
exceeded
R the selected speed limit which was
exceeded
Geo fencing Geo fencing allows you to select areas which
the vehicle should not enter or leave. You will
be informed if the vehicle crosses the
boundaries of the selected areas. You can
select the way in which you receive this
information beforehand. Possible options
include text message, e-mail or an automated
call.
The area can be determined as either a circle
or a polygon with a maximum of ten corners.
You can specify up to ten areas
simultaneously. Different settings are
possible for each area.
USA only: these settings can be called up
under "Owners Online" at http://
www.mbusa.com.
Alternatively, you can trigger an MB Info call
and inform the customer service
representative that you wish to activate geo
fencing.
Currently inactive areas can be activated by
text message. 358
FeaturesStowage and features

Useful information
............................364
Engine compartment ........................364
Maintenance ...................................... 368
Care .................................................... 370 363Maintenance and care

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 28).Engine compartment
Hood
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the hood is unlatched, it may open up when
the vehicle is in motion and block your view.
There is a risk of an accident.
Never unlatch the hood while driving. G
WARNING
When opening and closing the hood, it may
suddenly fall into the closed position .There is
a risk of injury to persons within range of
movement of the hood.
Open and close the hood only when no one is
within its range of movement. G
WARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is
overheated or when there is a fire in the
engine compartmentc ould expose you to hot
gases or other service products. There is a
risk of injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department. G
WARNING
The engine compartment contains moving
components. Certain components, such as
the radiator fan, may continue to run or start
again suddenly when the ignition is off. There
is a risk of injury.
If you need to do any work inside the engine
compartment,
R switch off the ignition
R never reach into the area where there is a
risk of danger from moving components,
such as the fan rotation area
R keep clothing away from moving parts G
WARNING
The ignition system and the fuel injection
system work under high voltage. If you touch
components which are under voltage, you
could get an electric shock. There is a risk of
injury.
Never touch components of the ignition
system or fuel injection system when the
ignition is switched on.
Opening the hood G
WARNING
Certain components in the engine
compartment, such as the engine, radiator
and parts of the exhaust system, can become
very hot. Working in the engine compartment
poses a risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down and
touch only the components described in the
following. G
WARNING
When the hood is open and the windshield
wipers are set in motion ,you can be injured
by the wiper linkage. There is a risk of injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before opening the hood.
! Make sure that the windshield wipers are
not folded away from the windshield. You 364
Engine compartmentMaintenance and care