Page 129 of 350

Problems with the rear window
defroster
If the indicator lamp in the
ªrear window
defroster button flashes, the on-board volt-
age is too low. The rear window defroster has
deactivated prematurely or cannot be activa-
ted.
X Switch off any consumers that are not
required, e.g. reading lamps or interior
lighting.
When the battery is sufficiently charged,
the rear window defroster is activated
again automatically. Activating/deactivating air-recircula-
tion mode
If you switch on air-recirculation mode, the
windows can fog up more quickly, in particu-
lar at low temperatures. Only use air-recircu-
lation mode briefly to prevent the windows
from fogging up.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock (Y page 133).
X To activate: press thedbutton.
The indicator lamp in the dbutton lights
up.
i Air-recirculation mode is automatically
activated at high levels of pollution or at
high outside temperatures. When air-recir-
culation mode is activated automatically,
the indicator lamp in the dbutton is not
lit.
Outside air is added after approximately
30 minutes. X
To deactivate: press thedbutton.
The indicator lamp in the dbutton goes
out.
i Air-recirculation mode switches off auto-
matically:
R after approximately five minutes at out-
side temperatures below approximately
41 ‡
R after approximately five minutes if cool-
ing with air dehumidification is deactiva- ted
R after approximately 30 minutes at out-
side temperatures above approximately
41 ‡ (5 †) Activating/deactivating the residual
heat function
The "residual heat" function is only available
in Canada.
It is possible to make use of the residual heat
of the engine to continue heating the station- ary vehicle for up to 30 minutes after the
engine has been switched off. The heating
time depends on the coolant temperature and
on the interior temperature that has been set.
i The blower will run at a low speed regard-
less of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the residual heat function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated.
X Turn the SmartKey to position
0(Y page 133) in the ignition lock or
remove it.
X To activate: press theÁbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ábutton lights
up. Operating the climate control systems
127Climate control Z
Page 130 of 350

X
To deactivate: press theÁbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ábutton goes
out.
i Residual heat is deactivated automati-
cally:
R after approximately 30 minutes
R when the ignition is switched on
R if the battery voltage drops
R if the coolant temperature is too low Setting the air vents
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Very hot or very cold air can flow from the air vents. This could result in burns or frostbite in the immediate vicinity of the air vents. There
is a risk of injury.
Make sure that all vehicle occupants always
maintain a sufficient distance to the air out-
lets. If necessary, redirect the airflow to
another area of the vehicle interior. General notes
In order to ensure the direct flow of fresh air
through the air vents into the vehicle interior,
please observe the following notes:
R keep the air intake grill on the hood free of
blockages, such as ice, snow or leaves.
R never cover the air vents or air intake grilles
in the vehicle interior.
i For virtually draft-free ventilation, adjust
the sliders of the air vents to the center
position.
i If the automatic climate control con-
stantly differs from the set temperature or
if undesired drafts are noticeable, proceed
as follows:
XOpen the side air vents
X Open the center air vents X
Open the rear air vents
X Set the temperature to 72 ‡ (22 †).
The automatic climate control adjusts
to the set temperature. Setting the center air vents
Center air vents
:
Center air vent, left
; Center air vent, right
= Center vent thumbwheel, right
? Center vent thumbwheel, left
X To open/close: turn thumbwheels =
and ?to the right or left. Setting the side air vents
Side air vents
:
Side air vent
; Swiveling side air vent
= Control for side air vent
X To open/close: turn thumbwheel =to the
left or right. 128
Setting the air ventsClimate control
Page 131 of 350
Setting the rear-compartment air
vents X
To open/close: turn thumbwheel :up or
down.
X To set the air direction: move slider;for
the corresponding rear-compartment air
vent to the left, right, up or down. Setting the air vents
129Climate control Z
Page 132 of 350
Page 133 of 350
Useful information
............................132
Notes on breaking-in a new vehicle ............................................................. 132
Driving ............................................... 132
Automatic transmission ...................139
Refueling ............................................ 147
Parking ............................................... 150
Driving tips ........................................ 152
Driving systems ................................ 162
Off-road driving systems ..................186
Towing a trailer ................................. 191 131Driving and parking
Page 134 of 350

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip- ment 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 special-
ist workshops: (Y page 24). Notes on breaking-in a new vehicle
Important safety notes
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after sev-
eral hundred kilometers of driving. Compen-
sate for this by applying greater force to the
brake pedal. The first 1000 miles (1500 km)
The more you look after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its
performance in the future.
R You should therefore drive at varying vehi-
cle and engine speeds for the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
R Avoid heavy loads, e.g. driving at full throt-
tle, during this period.
R Change gear in good time, before the tach-
ometer needle is Ôof the way to the red
area of the tachometer.
R Do not manually shift to a lower gear to
brake the vehicle.
R If possible, do not depress the accelerator
pedal past the point of resistance (kick-
down).
R Only select shift ranges 3,2or 1when driv-
ing slowly, e.g. in mountainous terrain. After 1,000 miles (1,500 km), you can
increase the engine speed gradually and bring
the vehicle to full speed.
Additional breaking-in notes for AMG vehi-
cles:
R Do not drive faster than 85 mph
(140 km/ h)for the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
R Only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
R Change gear in good time.
R Avoid driving off-road before the differen-
tial oil change at 2,000 miles (3,000 km).
R Ideally, for the first 1,000 miles (1,500 km),
drive in program C.
i You should also observe these breaking-
in notes if the engine or parts of the drive
train on your vehicle have been replaced.
i Always observe the respective speed lim-
its. AMG vehicles with rear axle locking
differential
Change the oil after a breaking-in period of
2,000 miles (3,000 km) to improve protection of the differential. This oil change will
lengthen the service life of the differential.
Have the oil change carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you use an authorized Mercedes- Benz Center for this purpose. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle is
jeopardized. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter 132
DrivingDriving and parking
Page 135 of 350

the driver's footwell. Install the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficient clearance for the pedals. Do not use loose floormats and do not place floormats ontop of one another. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals. 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. G
WARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
R overheat and cause a fire
R lose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to
the desired drive position when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train. !
Avoid high engine speeds when the
engine is cold. The engine's service life
could otherwise be significantly shortened.
Do not use the engine's full performance
until it has reached operating temperature.
! AMG vehicles:
at low engine oil temper-
atures below 68 ‡ (+20 †), the maximum
engine speed is restricted in order to pro-
tect the engine. To protect the engine and
maintain smooth engine operation, avoid
driving at full throttle when the engine is
cold. Key positions
g
To remove the SmartKey
1 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers
2 Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
3 To start the engine
As soon as the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light up. If an indicator lamp does not go out after
starting the engine or lights up while driving,
see (Y page 236).
If the SmartKey is in position 0in the ignition
lock for an extended period of time, it can no
longer be turned in the ignition lock. The
steering is then locked. To unlock, remove the SmartKey and reinsert it into the ignition lock.
The steering is locked when you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Driving
133Driving an d parking Z
Page 136 of 350

X
Remove the SmartKey when the engine is
switched off.
The starter battery could otherwise be dis-
charged.
If you cannot turn the SmartKey in the ignition
lock, the starter battery may not be charged
sufficiently.
X Check the starter battery and charge it if
necessary (Y page 295).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 296).
i You can only remove the SmartKey if:
R the SmartKey is in position 0in the igni-
tion lock.
R the automatic transmission selector
lever is in P. Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation. G
WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
! Do not depress the accelerator when
starting the engine. Starting procedure X
Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
The transmission position display in the
multifunction display shows P.
i For further information about the auto-
matic transmission, see (Y page 139).
i If you depress the brake when starting the
engine, pedal travel is unusually long and
there is less pedal resistance.
X Make sure that the parking brake is
applied.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 3in the igni-
tion lock (Y page 133) and release it as
soon as the engine is running.
i You can also use the touch-start function.
To do this, turn the SmartKey to position 3
(Y page 133) and release it immediately.
The engine then starts automatically. Pulling away
Automatic transmission G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate.
! Only shift the automatic transmission to
reverse gear Ror park position Pwhen the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be damaged.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
while depressing the brake pedal. This
impairs engine performance and results in
premature wear on the brake system and
drivetrain. 134
DrivingDriving and pa
rking