Driving off-road increases the likelihood of
damage to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead to failure of the mechanical assembly or sys-
tems. Adapt your driving style to suit the ter- rain conditions. Drive carefully. Have damage
to the vehicle rectified immediately at a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Do not switch to transmission position N
when driving off-road. You could lose control
of the vehicle if you attempt to brake using
the service brake. If the gradient is too steep, drive backwards in reverse gear.
General notes Read this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road. Practice by driving over more gentle off-road terrain first.
Familiarize yourself with the characteristics
of your vehicle and the gear shift operation
before driving through difficult terrain.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R Off-road program 1 and 2 (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (Y page 259)
R LOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with
the ON&OFFROAD package)
(Y page 261)
R Differential lock (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (Y page 260)
R Off-road ABS (Y page 69)
R Off-road 4ETS (Y page 73)
R AIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(Y page 219)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Y page 258)
Observe the following notes:
R Stop the vehicle before starting to drive
along an off-road route.
R For vehicles with the AIRMATIC pack-
age: select a vehicle level that is suitable
for the off-road terrain. To avoid damaging
the vehicle, make sure there is always suf-
ficient ground clearance. R
Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 347).
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Acti-
vate DSR (Y page 258).
R Always keep the doors, tailgate, windows
and sliding sunroof closed while driving.
R Adapt your speed to the terrain. The
rougher, steeper or more ruts on the ter-
rain, the slower your speed should be.
R Drive slowly and at an even speed through
the water. Ensure that a bow wave does not
form as you drive.
R Drive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
R Look out for obstacles, such as rocks,
holes, tree stumps and furrows.
R Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R When fording, do not stop and do not
switch off the engine.
R On sand, drive quickly to overcome the roll-
ing resistance. Otherwise the vehicle's
wheels could become stuck in loose
ground.
R Do not jump with the vehicle as this will
interrupt the vehicle's propulsion.
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a slope.
R Do not shift the automatic transmission to
transmission position N.
i Do not use the HOLD function when driv-
ing off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gra-
dients or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle on
such surfaces.
Checklist before driving off-road !
If the engine oil warning lamp lights up
while the vehicle is in motion, stop the vehi-
cle in a safe place as soon as possible. 200
Driving
tipsDriving an d parking
Check the engine oil level. The engine oil
warning lamp warning must not be ignored. Continuing the journey while the symbol is
displayed could lead to engine damage.
X Engine oil level: check the engine oil level
and add oil if necessary.
When driving on steep gradients, the
engine oil level must be sufficiently high to
ensure a correct oil supply in the vehicle.
X DEF tank (BlueTEC vehicles): check the
level and top up if necessary (Y page 188).
X Tire-changing tool kit: check that the jack
is working and make sure you have the lug
wrench, a robust tow cable and a folding
spade in the vehicle.
X Wheels and tires: check the tire tread
depth and tire pressure.
X Check for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the
wheels/tires.
X Replace any missing valve caps.
X Replace dented or damaged wheels.
X Rims: dented or bent rims can result in a
loss of tire pressure and damage the tire
bead. Therefore, check your rims before
driving off-road and replace them as
required.
Checklist after driving off-road !
If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
X Vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD pack-
age: activate the on-road program
(Y page 259).
X Deactivate the LOW RANGE off-road gear
(Y page 261).
X Deactivate DSR (Y page 258).
X Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
lower the vehicle to a ride height suitable
for the road conditions, e.g. to the high-
way/high-speed level. X
Clean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
X Clean the front and rear license plates.
X Clean the wheels/tires with a water jet and
remove any foreign objects.
X Clean the wheels, wheel housings and the
vehicle underside with a water jet; check
for any foreign objects and damage.
X Check whether twigs or other parts of
plants have become trapped. These
increase the risk of fire and can damage
fuel pipes, brake hoses or the rubber bel-
lows of the axle joints and propeller shafts.
X After the trip, examine without fail the
entire undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes,
bodywork structure, steering, chassis and
exhaust system for damage.
X After driving for extended periods across
sand, mud, gravel, water or in similarly dirty
conditions, have the brake discs, wheels,
brake pads/linings and axle joints checked
and cleaned.
X If you detect strong vibrations after off-road
travel, check for foreign objects in the
wheels and drive train and remove them if
necessary. Foreign objects can disturb the
balance and cause vibrations.
Driving over rough terrain places greater
demands on your vehicle than driving on nor-
mal roads. After driving off-road, check the
vehicle. This allows you to detect damage
promptly and reduce the risk of an accident to
yourself and other road users.
Driving on sand Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
R Vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD pack-
age: select off-road program 1
(Y page 259).
R Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
select a raised vehicle level.
R Avoid high engine speeds. Driving tips
201Driving and pa rking Z
Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions 003D
Stop Vehicle See Stop Vehicle See
Operator's Manual Operator's Manual The battery is no longer being charged and the battery charge level
is too low.
A warning tone also sounds.
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely and switch off the engine,
paying attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 190).
X Observe the instructions in the display message 003DSee See
Operator's Manual
Operator's Manual .
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. 00B2
Check Engine Oil Check Engine Oil
At Next Refueling At Next Refueling The engine oil level has dropped to the minimum level.
A warning tone also sounds.
X Check the oil level when next refueling, at the latest
(Y page 373).
X If necessary, add engine oil (Y page 374).
X Have the engine checked at a qualified specialist workshop if the
engine oil needs topping up more often than usual.
! Avoid long journeys with too little engine oil. The engine will
otherwise be damaged.
Information on approved engine oils can be obtained from any
qualified specialist workshop or on the Internet at http://
bevo.mercedes-benz.co m.00B2
Check Engine Oil Check Engine Oil
Level Level
(Add
(Add1
1quart)
quart) AMG vehicles: the engine oil level is too low.
X Check the oil level when next refueling, at the latest
(Y page 373).
X If necessary, add engine oil (Y page 374).
X Have the engine checked at a qualified specialist workshop if the
engine oil needs topping up more often than usual.
! Avoid long journeys with too little engine oil. The engine will
otherwise be damaged.
Information on approved engine oils can be obtained from any
qualified specialist workshop or on the Internet at http://
bevo.mercedes-benz.com. 00B6
Fuel Level Low Fuel Level Low The fuel level has dropped into the reserve range.
X Refuel at the nearest gas station. 00A8 There is only a very small amount of fuel in the fuel tank.
X Refuel at the nearest gas station without fail. 310
Display messagesOn-board computer and displays
i
If the anti-theft alarm system is activated
for longer than 30 seconds, the Mercedes-
Benz Customer Assistance Center is auto-
matically notified.
Vehicle remote malfunction diagnosis With the vehicle remote malfunction diagno-
sis (Vehicle Health Check), the Customer
Assistance center can provide improved sup- port for problems with your vehicle. During anexisting call, vehicle data is transferred to the
Customer Assistance center. The customer
service representative can use the received
data to decide what kind of assistance is
required. You are then, for example, guided to the nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter or a recovery vehicle is called.
If vehicle data needs to be transferred during
an MB Info call or a Roadside Assistance call, this is initiated by the Customer Assistance
center. You will see the Roadside Assis‐
Roadside Assis‐
tance Connected
tance Connected message in the COMAND
display. If the vehicle remote malfunction
diagnosis can be started, the Request for Request for
vehicle diagnosis received. Start
vehicle diagnosis received. Start
vehicle diagnosis?
vehicle diagnosis? message appears in
the display.
X Confirm the message with Yes
Yes.
X When the Vehicle Diagnosis Please
Vehicle Diagnosis Please
start ignition
start ignition message appears, turn
the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 167).
X When the Please
Pleasefollow
followthe
theinstruc‐
instruc‐
tions received by phone and move
tions received by phone and move
your vehicle to a safe position. your vehicle to a safe position.
message appears, follow the customer ser-
vice representative's instructions.
The message in the display disappears.
If you select Cancel
Cancel, the vehicle remote
malfunction diagnosis is canceled com-
pletely.
The vehicle operating state check begins.
You will see the Vehicle diagnosis Vehicle diagnosis
activated.
activated. message. When the diagnosis is completed, the
Send Send
vehicle diagnostics data//(Voice vehicle diagnostics data//(Voice
connection may be//interrupted dur‐ connection may be//interrupted dur‐
ing ing data
data transfer)
transfer) message appears. The
vehicle data can now be sent to the Customer Assistance center.
X Press OK
OK to confirm the message.
The voice connection with the Customer
Assistance center is terminated.
You will see the Vehicle Diagnosis: Vehicle Diagnosis:
Transferring data... Transferring data... message.
The vehicle data is sent to the Customer
Assistance center.
Depending on what the customer service rep-
resentative agreed with you, the voice con-
nection is re-established after the transfer is
complete. If necessary, you will be contacted at a later time by another means, e.g. by e-
mail or phone.
Further functions of the vehicle remote mal-
function diagnosis include, for example:
R transfer of service data to the Customer
Assistance center. If a service is overdue,
the COMAND display shows a message
about various special offers at your work-
shop.
R monthly status information e-mail on oil
level, air pressure, maintenance, brakes,
etc. If applicable, you will receive informa-
tion 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 30).
Information on Roadside Assistance
(Y page 26).
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 364
FeaturesStowage and features
!
Make sure that the windshield wipers are
not folded away from the windshield. You
could otherwise damage the windshield
wipers or the hood. X
Make sure that the windshield wipers are
turned off.
X Pull release lever 0043on the hood.
The hood is released. X
Reach into the gap, pull hood catch han-
dle 0044up and lift the hood.
If you lift the hood by approximately 15 in
(40 cm), the hood is opened and held open automatically by the gas-filled strut.
Closing the hood X
Lower the hood and let it fall from a height
of approximately 8 in (20 cm).
X Check that the hood has engaged properly.
If the hood can be raised slightly, it is not
properly engaged. Open it again and close
it with a little more force. Radiator
Vehicles with a diesel engine: do not cover
the radiator, for example with a winter front or bug cover. The readings of the on-board-diag-
nostic system may otherwise be inaccurate.
Some of these readings are required by law
and must be accurate at all times. Engine oil
General notes Depending on your driving style, the vehicle
consumes up to 0.9 US qt (0.8 liters) of oil per
600 miles (1,000 km). The oil consumption
may be higher than this when the vehicle is
new or if you frequently drive at high engine
speeds.
Depending on the engine, the oil dipstick may be in a different location.
When checking the oil level:
R park the vehicle on a level surface.
R the engine should be switched off for
approximately five minutes if the engine is
at normal operating temperature.
R if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature, e.g. if the engine was only
started briefly, wait about 30 minutes
before carrying out the measurement.
Checking the oil level using the oil dip-
stick G
WARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, 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. Engine compartment
373Maintenance and care Z
Example: engine oil cap
X Turn cap 0043counter-clockwise and remove
it.
X Add engine oil.
If the oil level is at or below the MIN mark on
the oil dipstick, add 1.1 US qt (1.0 l)of
engine oil.
X Replace cap 0043on the filler neck and turn
clockwise.
Ensure that the cap locks into place
securely.
X Check the oil level again with the oil dip-
stick (Y page 373).
Further information on engine oil
(Y page 451). Additional service products
Checking coolant level G
WARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, 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
The engine cooling system is pressurized, par- ticularly when the engine is warm. When
opening the cap, you could be scalded by hotcoolant spraying out. There is a risk of injury. Let the engine cool down before opening the
cap. Wear eye and hand protection when
opening the cap. Open the cap slowly half a
turn to allow pressure to escape.
X
Park the vehicle on a level surface.
Only check the coolant level when the vehi-
cle is on a level surface and the engine has
cooled down.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock (Y page 167).
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the
Start/Stop button twice (Y page 167).
X Check the coolant temperature gauge in
the multifunction display.
The coolant temperature must be below
158 ‡ (70 †).
X Turn the SmartKey to position
0(Y page 167) in the ignition lock.
X Slowly turn cap 0043half a turn counter-
clockwise to allow excess pressure to
escape.
X Turn cap 0043further counter-clockwise and
remove it.
If the coolant is at the level of marker bar 0087
in the filler neck when cold, there is enough coolant in coolant expansion tank 0044.
If the coolant level is approximately 0.6 in
(1.5 cm) above marker bar 0087in the filler
neck when warm, there is enough coolant
in expansion tank 0044.
X If necessary, add coolant that has been tes-
ted and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Replace cap 0043and turn it clockwise as far
as it will go. Engine compartment
375Maintenance and care Z
time during which the battery is disconnec-
ted.
Maintaining the time-dependent service
schedule:
X Note down the service due date displayed
in the multifunction display before discon-
necting the battery.
or X After reconnecting the battery, subtract
the battery disconnection periods from the service date shown on the display. Hiding a service message
X Press the 0038or0076 button on the steer-
ing wheel. Displaying service messages
X Switch on the ignition.
X Press the 0059or0065 button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Serv. Serv.menu.
X Press the 0063or0064 button to select the
ASSYST PLUS
ASSYST PLUS submenu and confirm by
pressing the 0076button.
The service due date appears in the multi-
function display. Information about Service
Resetting the ASSYST PLUS service
interval display !
If the ASSYST PLUS service interval dis-
play has been inadvertently reset, this set-
ting can be corrected at a qualified special-
ist workshop.
Have service work carried out as described in the Maintenance Booklet. This may oth-
erwise lead to increased wear and damage
to the major assemblies or the vehicle.
A qualified specialist workshop, e.g. an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center, will reset
the ASSYST PLUS service interval display after the service work has been carried out.
You can also obtain further information on
maintenance work, for example.
Special service requirements The specified maintenance interval takes only
the normal operation of the vehicle into
account. Under arduous operating conditions
or increased load on the vehicle, mainte-
nance work must be carried out more fre-
quently, for example:
R regular city driving with frequent intermedi-
ate stops
R if the vehicle is primarily used to travel
short distances
R use in mountainous terrain or on poor road
surfaces
R if the engine is often left idling for long peri-
ods
Under these or similar conditions, have, for
example, the air filter, engine oil and oil filter
replaced or changed more frequently. Under
arduous operating conditions, the tires must
be checked more often. Further information
can be obtained at a qualified specialist work- shop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
Driving abroad An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network
is also available in other countries. You can
obtain further information from any author-
ized Mercedes-Benz Center. Care
General notes
H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible man- ner. Care
377Maintenance and care Z
!
Please note the care instructions in the
trailer coupling manufacturer's operating
instructions. The ball coupling must be cleaned if it
becomes dirty or corroded.
X Remove rust on the ball of the ball coupling,
e.g. with a wire brush.
X Remove dirt with a clean, lint-free cloth or a
brush.
X After cleaning, lightly oil or grease ball cou-
pling 0043.
X Check that the vehicle's trailer tow hitch is
working properly.
i You can also have the maintenance work
on the ball coupling and the trailer tow hitch
carried out by a qualified specialist work-
shop. Interior care
Cleaning the display !
For cleaning, do not use any of the fol-
lowing:
R alcohol-based thinner or gasoline
R abrasive cleaning agents
R commercially-available household clean-
ing agents
These may damage the display surface. Do not put pressure on the display surface
when cleaning. This could lead to irrepara-
ble damage to the display. X
Before cleaning the display, make sure that
it is switched off and has cooled down.
X Clean the display surface using a commer-
cially available microfiber cloth and
TFT/LCD display cleaner.
X Dry the display surface using a dry micro-
fiber cloth.
Cleaning Night View Assist Plus !
Never clean the camera lens. When clean-
ing the field of vision of the driving systems, make sure that you do not spray glass
cleaner on the camera lens. If the camera
lens is dirty, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop. X
Fold down the camera cover by recess 0043. X
Use a soft cloth to clean the windshield in
front of camera 0044. Care
383Maintenance and care Z