Driving and operating125
An Autostop is indicated by the
needle at the AUTOSTOP position in
the tachometer.
During an Autostop, the heating, power steering and brake
performance will be maintained.
Air conditioning system may or may
not inhibit the stop-start system
according to the cooling performance.
Caution
The steering assist can be
reduced during an Autostop.
Conditions for an Autostop
The stop-start system checks if each
of the following conditions is fulfilled.
■ The stop-start system is not manually deactivated
■ the bonnet is fully closed
■ the driver's door is closed or the driver's seat belt is fastened
■ the vehicle battery is sufficiently charged and in good condition
■ the engine is warmed up
■ the engine coolant temperature is not too high or low
■ the engine exhaust temperature is not too high, e.g. after driving with
high engine load
■ the ambient temperature is not too low
■ the defrosting function is not activated
■ the climate control system does not
inhibit an engine stop
■ the brake vacuum is sufficient■ the self-cleaning function of the diesel particle filter is not active
■ the vehicle has moved since the last Autostop
Otherwise an Autostop will be
inhibited.
Certain settings of the climate control
system may inhibit an Autostop. See
Climate control chapter for more
details 3 116.
Immediately after motorway driving
an Autostop may be inhibited.
New vehicle running-in 3 122.
Vehicle battery discharge protection
To ensure reliable engine restarts, several vehicle battery discharge
protection features are implemented
as part of the stop-start system.
Restart of the engine by the
driver
Depress the clutch pedal to restart the
engine.
The engine start is indicated by the
needle at the idle speed position in
the tachometer.
134Driving and operating
Towing the vehicle 3 188.
Driving through water
Do not exceed the maximum wading
depth 3 204.
Check the depth of water: choose the
lowest entry and departure angles
before entering. Maintain a steady
engine speed, to help prevent water
from entering the exhaust system, but do not exceed 3 mph, to avoid
splashing the water.
Drive with the flow wherever possible,
not against it. If you have to drive
against the flow, try to drive at an
angle to it, so that the leading corner
of the vehicle will help deflect water
from the engine compartment. Avoid
splashing the water - if the ignition
system becomes wet, the engine may
stall.
Avoid water entering the air intake
system. If water enters the air intake
system, engine seizure with severe
costly damage may result.
Test the brakes after leaving the
water - wet brakes are less effective
than dry ones. Perform the serviceoperations for wading , involving
checks for water contamination, at
the earliest opportunity.
Service checks after wading
Check for the ingress of water into the following:
■ Brake fluid reservoir
■ Air cleaner element
■ Engine
■ Transmission
■ Axles
■ Interior of vehicle
Renew any lubricating oil or hydraulic
fluid that has a milky appearance,
indicating contamination with water.
Cleaning
Clean the vehicle thoroughly and as
soon as possible after driving off-
road.
Do not let mud remain dry on any part
of the vehicle as it becomes abrasive
and can damage paint, glass, seals,
bearings and brake components. If
left to build up, mud can seriously
affect the airflow through and overmechanical components and cause
localised overheating and failure of
parts, especially in the engine
compartment.
Ensure the radiator core and the area between the radiator and intercooler/
oil cooler (where installed) is cleaned, to maintain proper cooling air flow.
Check the radiator and cooler cores
for blockage (sand, silt etc.).
Check the tyre treads.
Clean and check the mechanical
parts of the vehicle, particularly the following areas:
■ Driveshafts, including sealing bellows
■ Front brake calipers, pads and discs
■ Front suspension
■ Clutch fork sealing bellows
■ Rear brake calipers, pads and discs
■ Rear suspension
■ Fuel tank and underguard
■ Breathers, axles and fuel tank
■ Load sensing valve
Driving and operating135
■ Transfer box and underguard
■ Engine oil pan and underguard
Observe the following: ■ Do not spray high-pressure water directly at the vehicle seals
■ The wheels must be removed to clean all mud and stones from the
brake calipers and to check brake
pad wear
■ The areas on the upper side of the underguards must be cleared of
stones, to prevent damage to the
engine oil pan and the fuel tankBrakes
The brake system comprises two
independent brake circuits.
If a brake circuit fails, the vehicle can
still be braked using the other brake
circuit. However, braking effect is
achieved only when the brake pedal
is depressed firmly. Considerably
more force is needed for this. The
braking distance is extended. Seek the assistance of a workshop before
continuing your journey.
When the engine is not running, the
support of the brake servo unit
disappears once the brake pedal has been depressed once or twice.
Braking effect is not reduced, but
braking requires significantly greater
force. It is especially important to bear this in mind when being towed.
Control indicator R 3 84.
Antilock brake system
Antilock brake system (ABS)
prevents the wheels from locking.ABS starts to regulate brake pressure as soon as a wheel shows a tendency to lock. The vehicle remains
steerable, even during hard braking.
ABS control is made apparent
through a pulse in the brake pedal
and the noise of the regulation
process.
For optimum braking, keep the brake
pedal fully depressed throughout the
braking process, despite the fact that
the pedal is pulsating. Do not reduce
the pressure on the pedal.
After starting off, the system performs a self-test which may be audible.
Control indicator u 3 85.
Fault9 Warning
If there is a fault in the ABS, the
wheels may be liable to lock due
to braking that is heavier than
normal. The advantages of ABS are no longer available. During
136Driving and operatinghard braking, the vehicle can nolonger be steered and may
swerve.
You can continue driving, provided
you drive with care and anticipation.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Parking brake Electrical parking brake
Applying when vehicle is stationary
Pull switch m, the electrical parking
brake operates automatically with
adequate force. For maximum force,
e.g. parking with a trailer or on
inclines, pull switch m twice.
The electrical parking brake can
always be activated, even if the
ignition is off.
Do not operate electrical parking
brake system too often without
engine running as this will discharge
the battery.
Before leaving the vehicle, check the
electrical parking brake status.
Control indicator m 3 85.
Releasing
Switch on ignition. Keep foot brake
depressed and then push switch m.
If the foot brake is not depressed
when attempting to release electrical
parking brake, a warning chime will
sound and control indicator -
illuminates in the instrument cluster
3 89.Drive away function
With the engine running, selecting a
forward gear (manual transmission)
or engaging D (automatic
transmission) and then depressing the accelerator pedal automatically
releases the electrical parking brake.
This is not possible when the switch
m is pulled at the same time.
This function also helps driving away
on inclines.
Aggressive drive away may reduce
life time of wear parts.
Dynamic braking when vehicle is
moving
When the vehicle is moving and the
switch m is kept pulled, a warning
chime will sound and the electrical
parking brake system will decelerate
the vehicle, but will not apply
statically.
As soon as the switch m is released,
dynamic braking will be stopped.
146Driving and operatingTrailer hitch
General information
The coupling ball bar is kept in a bag,
fastened with a strap and is stowed
below the floor cover in the load
compartment.
Only use towing equipment that has
been approved for your vehicle.
Entrust retrofitting of towing
equipment to a workshop. It may be
necessary to make changes that
affect the cooling system, heat
shields or other equipment.
Control indicator á illuminates in the
instrument cluster when a trailer is
connected to the vehicle 3 90.
Driving characteristics and
towing tips In the case of trailers with brakes,
attach the break-away stopping cable
to the eye - not to the coupling ball
bar.If no eye is available, loop cable
around coupling ball bar. Ensure
cable is crossed under the vertical
coupling socket to ensure the trailer
nose cannot drop to the ground if it
becomes separated from the trailer
hitch. Do not allow the cable to drag
along the ground and always allow
enough slack to permit full turning.
Follow the instructions supplied with
the towing equipment.
Before attaching a trailer, lubricate
the coupling ball. However, do not do
so if a stabiliser, which acts on the coupling ball, is being used to reduce snaking movements. For trailers with
low driving stability, the use of a
friction-type stabiliser is strongly
recommended.
Do not drive faster than 50 mph, even
in countries where higher speeds are
permitted. When driving uphill, do not drive faster than 20 mph in 1st gear,
or 30 mph in 2nd gear.
If the trailer starts snaking, drive more slowly, do not attempt to correct the
steering and brake sharply if
necessary.When driving downhill, drive in the
same gear as if driving uphill and
drive at a similar speed.
Adjust tyre pressure to the value
specified for full load 3 207.
Trailer towing Trailer loads
The permissible trailer loads are
vehicle-dependent and engine-
dependent maximum values which
must not be exceeded. The actual
trailer load is the difference between
the actual gross weight of the trailer
and the actual coupling socket load
with the trailer coupled.
When the trailer load is being
checked, therefore, only the trailer
wheels - and not the jockey wheel -
must be standing on the weighing
apparatus.
The permissible trailer loads are
specified in the vehicle documents. In general, they are valid for gradients
up to max. 12 %.
150Vehicle careVehicle careGeneral Information...................150
Vehicle checks ........................... 151
Bulb replacement .......................159
Electrical system ........................165
Vehicle tools .............................. 173
Wheels and tyres .......................175
Jump starting ............................. 187
Towing ....................................... 188
Appearance care .......................190General Information
Accessories and vehicle
modifications
We recommend the use of genuine parts and accessories and factory
approved parts specific for your
vehicle type. We cannot assess or
guarantee reliability of other products
- even if they have a regulatory or
otherwise granted approval.
Do not make any modifications to the electrical system, e.g. changes of
electronic control units (chip tuning).Caution
When transporting the vehicle on
a train or on a recovery vehicle, the
mud flaps might be damaged.
Vehicle storage
Storage for a long period of time
If the vehicle is to be stored for several months:
■ Wash and wax the vehicle.
■ Have the wax in the engine compartment and underbody
checked.
■ Clean and preserve the rubber seals.
■ Change the engine oil.
■ Drain the washer fluid reservoir.
■ Check the coolant antifreeze and corrosion protection.
■ Adjust tyre pressure to the value specified for full load.
■ Park the vehicle in a dry, well ventilated place. Engage first orreverse gear or move selector lever
to P. Prevent the vehicle from
rolling.
■ Do not apply the electrical parking brake.
Vehicle care151
■ Open the bonnet, close all doorsand lock the vehicle.
■ Disconnect the clamp from the negative terminal of the vehicle
battery. Beware that all systems are
not functional, e.g. anti-theft alarm
system.
Putting back into operation
When the vehicle is to be put back into
operation:
■ Connect the clamp to the negative terminal of the vehicle battery.
Activate the electronics of the
power windows.
■ Check tyre pressure.
■ Fill up the washer fluid reservoir.
■ Check the engine oil level.
■ Check the coolant level.
■ Fit the number plate if necessary.End-of-life vehicle
recovery
Information on end-of-life vehicle
recovery centres and the recycling of
end-of-life vehicles is available on our website, where legally required. Only
entrust this work to an authorised
recycling centre.Vehicle checks
Performing work9 Warning
Only perform engine compartment
checks when the ignition is off.
The cooling fan may start
operating even if the ignition is off.
9 Danger
The ignition system and Xenon
headlights use extremely high
voltage. Do not touch.
152Vehicle careBonnetOpening
Pull the release lever and return it to
its original position.
Locate the safety catch, found slightly left of centre on the underside of the
bonnet, push the catch upwards and
lift the bonnet gently.
The bonnet is held open
automatically.
If the bonnet is opened during an Autostop, the engine will be restarted automatically for safety reasons.
Air intake 3 120.
Closing
Lower the bonnet and let it fall into the latch from a low height (20-25 cm).
Check that the bonnet is engaged.
Caution
Do not press the bonnet into the
latch to avoid dents.
Engine oil
Check the engine oil level manually on a regular basis to prevent damage
to the engine.
Ensure that the correct specification
of oil is used. Recommended fluids
and lubricants 3 195.
Check with the vehicle on a level
surface. The engine must be at
operating temperature and switched
off for at least 5 minutes.
Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, insert it to the stop on the handle, pull
out and read the engine oil level.
Caution
It is the owner's responsibility to
maintain the proper level of an
appropriate quality oil in the
engine.