Brake fluid
Display message ............................ 238
Notes ............................................. 377
Brake lamps
Display message ............................ 244
Brakes
ABS .................................................. 68
BAS .................................................. 69
BAS PLUS ........................................ 69
Brake fluid (notes) ......................... 377
Display message ............................ 236
Important safety notes .................. 172
Maintenance .................................. 172
Parking brake ........................ 169, 173
Riding tips ...................................... 172
Warning lamp ................................. 262
Breakdown
see Flat tire
see Towing away/tow-starting
Brightness control knob (instru-
ment cluster lighting, multifunc-
tion steering wheel with 12 but-
tons) ..................................................... 33
Bulbs see Replacing bulbs C
California Important notice for retail cus-
tomers and lessees .......................... 24
Calling up a malfunction
see Display messages
Car
see Vehicle
Care
Carpets .......................................... 312
Car wash ........................................ 306
Displa y........................................... 310
Exterior lights ................................ 309
Gear or selector lever .................... 311
Interior ........................................... 310
Matte finish ................................... 307
Notes ............................................. 305
Paint .............................................. 307
Plastic trim .................................... 310
Power washe r................................ 306
Rear view camera .......................... 309 Roof lining ...................................... 312
Seat belt ........................................ 312
Seat cover ..................................... 311
Sensors ......................................... 309
Steering wheel ............................... 311
Tail pipe
s....................................... 309
Trim pieces .................................... 311
Washing by hand ........................... 306
Wheels ........................................... 307
Windows ........................................ 308
Wiper blades .................................. 308
Wooden trim .................................. 311
Cargo compartment cover
Important safety notes .................. 278
Cargo compartment enlarge-
ment ................................................... 276
Cargo compartment floor Opening/closing ............................ 281
Stowage well (under )..................... 281
Cargo net
Attaching ....................................... 280
Important safety information ......... 279
Cargo tie down rings ......................... 277
CD player/CD changer (on-board
computer) .......................................... 226
Center console Lower section .................................. 37
Upper section .................................. 36
Central locking
Automatic locking (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 232
Locking/unlocking (SmartKey )........ 78
Changing bulbs
Cornering light function ................. 124
High-beam headlamp s................... 124
Low-beam headlamp s.................... 124
Parking lamps ................................ 124
Reversing lamps ............................ 125
Standing lamps (front) ................... 124
Turn signals (front) ......................... 124
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes .................... 66
Rear doors ....................................... 67
Children
In the vehicle ................................... 61
Restraint systems ............................ 61
Special seat belt retractor ............... 64 6
Index
the Service and Guarantee booklet or simply
call the Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center (USA) at the hotline number
1-800-FOR-MERCede s(1-800-367-6372 )or
Customer Service (Canada) at
1-800-387-0100. Vehicle operation outside the USA
and Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in foreign
countries, please be aware that:
R service facilities or replacement parts may
not be readily available.
R unleaded fuel for vehicles with a catalytic
converter may not be available. Leaded fuel may cause damage to the catalytic con-
verter.
R the fuel may have a considerably lower
octane rating. Unsuitable fuel can cause
engine damage.
Some Mercedes-Benz models are available
for delivery in Europe through our European
Delivery Program. For details, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or write to
one of the following addresses.
In the USA
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9 Sports Utility Vehicle
G
WARNING
Due to the high center of gravity, the vehicle
may start to skid and roll over in the event of
an abrupt steering maneuver and/or when the vehicle's speed is not adapted to the road
conditions. There is a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your speed and driving style to
the vehicle's driving characteristics and to theprevailing road and weather conditions.
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher roll-
over rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is sig- nificantly more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should always
wear your seat belts. Operating safety
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you do not have the prescribed service/
maintenance work or any required repairs
carried out, this can result in malfunctions or system failures. There is a risk of an accident.
Always have the prescribed service/mainte-
nance work as well as any required repairs
carried out at a qualified specialist workshop. 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
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system. There is a risk of fire. Introduction
25 Z
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. SmartKey positions
SmartKey 005A
To remove the SmartKey
(shift the transmission to position P)0047
Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers
0048 Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
0049 To start the engine
The steering is locked when you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
i The SmartKey can be turned in the igni-
tion lock even if it is not the correct Smart- Key for the vehicle. The ignition is not
switched on. The engine cannot be started.
KEYLESS-GO General notes
R Do not keep the KEYLESS-GO key:
- with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile
phone or another SmartKey
- with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal
foil
- inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
This can impair the functionality of the KEY-
LESS-GO key.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO are equipped with
a SmartKey featuring an integrated KEYLESS- GO function and a detachable Start/Stop but-
ton.
The Start/Stop button must be inserted in the ignition lock and the SmartKey must be in the
vehicle.
Pressing the Start/Stop button several times
in succession corresponds to the different
SmartKey positions in the ignition lock. This is only the case if you are not depressing the
brake pedal.
If you depress the brake pedal and press the
Start/Stop button, the engine starts immedi-
ately.
The Start/Stop button can be removed from
the ignition lock. Then, you can insert the
SmartKey into the ignition lock.
i You do not have to remove the Start/Stop
button from the ignition lock when you
leave the vehicle. You should, however, Driving
149Driving and parking Z
X
Replace DEF cover 0043as shown and turn it
clockwise as far as it will go.
X Fold the cargo compartment floor down.
X Close the tailgate.
X Drive faster than 10 mph (16 km/h).
The Check Additive See Operator's Check Additive See Operator's
Manual Manual message goes out after approx-
imately one minute.
i If the
Check Additive See Opera‐
Check Additive See Opera‐
tor's Manual
tor's Manual message is still shown in
the multifunction display, add an additional bottle of DEF.
For further information on DEF, see
(Y page 376). Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi- cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields. 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 you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
R start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly
against rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle
or its drivetrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be applied.
R the transmission must be in position Pand
the SmartKey must be removed from the
ignition lock.
R the front wheels must be turned towards
the curb on steep uphill or downhill gradi-
ents. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake. 168
ParkingDriving and parking
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice. Driving tips
General driving tips
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. G
WARNING
If you operate mobile communication equip-
ment while driving, you will be distracted from traffic conditions. You could also lose controlof the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicleis stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the coun- try in which you are driving. Some jurisdic-
tions 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 racks when they are not nee-
ded.
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 driv-
ing 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 judg-
ment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-
dent 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 tak-
ing drugs.
Emission control 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.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous components in exhaust fumes within legal limits. 170
Driving tipsDriving and parking
Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions 00CC
Power Power
Steering
Steering Mal‐
Mal‐
function See Oper‐
function See Oper‐
ator's Manual ator's Manual The power steering is malfunctioning.
A warning tone also sounds.
G WARNING
You will need to use more force to steer.
There is a risk of an accident. X Check whether you are able to apply the extra force required.
X If you are able to steer safely: carefully drive on to a qualified
specialist workshop.
X If you are unable to steer safely: do not drive on. Contact the
nearest qualified specialist workshop. Phone No Service Phone No Service Your vehicle is outside the network provider's transmitter/
receiver range.
X Wait until the mobile phone operational readiness symbol
appears in the multifunction display. 00B2
Top Top
up
upwasher
washer fluid
fluid The washer fluid level in the washer fluid reservoir has dropped
below the minimum.
X Add washer fluid (Y page 303). SmartKey
Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
0050 0050Solutions 00AF
Key Does Not Key Does Not
Belong to Vehicle Belong to Vehicle You have put the wrong SmartKey in the ignition lock.
X Use the correct SmartKey. 00AF
Take Take
Your
YourKey
Keyfrom
from
Ignition
Ignition The SmartKey is in the ignition lock.
X Remove the SmartKey. 00AF
Obtain a New Key Obtain a New Key The SmartKey needs to be replaced.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 00AF
Replace Replace
Key
KeyBattery
Battery The batteries of the KEYLESS-GO key are discharged.
X Change the batteries (Y page 81). Display
messages
259On-board computer and displays Z
X
First, remove the jumper cables from ground point 0083and negative terminal 0085, then from
positive clamp 0044and positive terminal 0087. Begin each time at the contacts on your own
vehicle first.
X Close cover 0043of positive terminal 0044after removing the jumper cables.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
i Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
i Jumper cables and further information regarding jump-starting can be obtained at any
qualified specialist workshop. Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
You can no longer steer the vehicle if the
steering wheel lock has been engaged. There is a risk of an accident.
Always switch off the ignition when towing the
vehicle with a tow cable or a tow bar. G
WARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible gross weight of your vehicle, the:
R the towing eye could detach itself
R the vehicle/trailer combination could roll-
over.
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per- missible gross weight of your vehicle.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle
weight of your vehicle can be found on the
vehicle identification plate (Y page 372).
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash !
The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of
30 mph (50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the entire vehicle must be
raised and transported.
! Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could
be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eyes for recovery
purposes as this could damage the vehicle.
If in doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
! On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the
SmartKey instead of the Start/Stop but-
ton. Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock and shift the automatic trans- mission to N. Then, turn the SmartKey back
to 0and leave it in the ignition lock.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
The automatic transmission must be in posi-
tion Nwhen the vehicle is being towed. Towing and tow-starting
325Breakdown assistance Z
Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 325).
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 119).
i When towing with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usual to signal a change of direc- tion. In this case, only the indicator lamps
for the direction of travel flash. After reset- ting the combination switch, the hazard
warning lamp starts flashing again.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake. Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
Only possible for vehicles without
4MATIC.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is important that you observe the
safety instructions (Y page 325).
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system.
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 119). X
Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
X When leaving the vehicle, take the Smart-
Key or the KEYLESS-GO key with you. Transporting the vehicle
The towing eyes or trailer tow hitch can be
used to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or trans- porter if you wish to transport it.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
X Secure the vehicle.
! You may only secure the vehicle by the
wheels, not by parts of the vehicle such as
axle or steering components. Otherwise,
the vehicle could be damaged. Notes on 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised, as doing so will damage the transmission.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it trans-
ported on a transporter or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical
system
If the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position P. To
shift the automatic transmission to position
N, you must provide power to the vehicle's Towing and tow-starting
327Breakdown assistance Z