Problems with the transmission
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. Transfer case
! Performance tests may only be carried
out on a 2-axle dynamometer. The brake
system or transfer case could otherwise be
damaged. Contact a qualified specialist
workshop for a performance test.
! 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
electric parking brake is being tested on a
brake dynamometer (maximum
10 seconds).
Braking triggered automatically by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
This section is only valid for vehicles with 4-
wheel drive (4MATIC). Power is always trans- mitted to both axles. Refueling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before refueling. G
WARNING
Fuel is poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a risk of injury.
You must make sure that fuel does not come into contact with your skin, eyes or clothing
and that it is not swallowed. Do not inhale fuel
vapors. Keep fuel away from children. Refueling
177Driving and parking
Z
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a quali-
fied specialist workshop at the onset of win-
ter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road
surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and braking maneuvers. Do not use the cruise
control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the transmission to position N.
Vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package:
if driving in snow or with snow chains, select
the snow program (Y page 248) with the off-
road program selector wheel in the center
console.
i Vehicles with a diesel engine:
do not
cover the radiator, e.g. with a protective
cover. The measuring function of the
onboard diagnosis system may otherwise
provide inaccurate values. Some of these
values are required by law and must there-
fore always be accurate.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay. Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges. You
should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around the
freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (Y page 403).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (Y page 402).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 402). Off-road driving
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is a risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle. G
WARNING
If the vehicle level is high, the vehicle center of gravity is raised. This could cause the vehicleto tip over more easily on uphill or downhill
gradients. There is a risk of an accident.
Select the lowest possible vehicle level.
When driving off-road, sand, mud and water,
possibly mixed with oil, for example, could get
into the brakes. This could result in a reduced braking effect or in total brake failure and also
in increased wear and tear. The braking char- acteristics change depending on the materialingressing the brakes. Clean the brakes after
driving off-road. If you detect a reduced brak- ing effect or grinding noises, have the brake
system checked in a qualified specialist work-shop as soon as possible. Adapt your driving
style to the different braking characteristics. Driving
tips
191Driving an d parking Z
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 251)
R LOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with
the ON&OFFROAD package)
(Y page 253)
R Differential lock (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (Y page 252)
R Off-road ABS (Y page 68)
R Off-road 4ETS (Y page 73)
R AIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(Y page 211)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Y page 250)
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 339).
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Acti-
vate DSR (Y page 250).
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. 192
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 180).
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 251).
X Deactivate the LOW RANGE off-road gear
(Y page 253).
X Deactivate DSR (Y page 250).
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 251).
R Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
select a raised vehicle level.
R Avoid high engine speeds. Driving tips
193Driving and pa rking Z
Restoring the factory settings
X
Press the 0059or0065 button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Sett.
Sett.menu.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select the
Factory Setting
Factory Setting submenu.
X Press 0076to confirm.
The Reset All Settings?
Reset All Settings? message
appears.
X Press the 0064or0063 button to select No
No
or Yes
Yes.
X Press 0076to confirm the selection.
If you select Yes
Yes, the multifunction display
shows a confirmation message.
For safety reasons, the Daytime Running
Daytime Running
Lights
Lights function in the Lights
Lightssubmenu is
only reset if the vehicle is stationary. ON&OFFROAD menu
Example: multifunction display
X Press the 0059or0065 button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the ON&OFFROAD
ON&OFFROADmenu.
You can set the current settings to appear in
the ON&OFFROAD ON&OFFROAD menu:
R On-road program (Y page 247)
R Off-road program (Y page 251) AMG menu in AMG vehicles
AMG displays 0043
Digital speedometer
0044 Gear indicator
0087 Upshift indicator
0085 Engine oil temperature
0083 Coolant temperature
0084 Transmission fluid temperature
X Press 0059or0065 on the steering wheel
to select the AMG
AMGmenu.
Upshift indicator UP
UP0087 indicates that the
engine has reached the overrevving range
when in the manual gearshift program.
Upshift indicator UP UP0087 fades out other mes-
sages until you have shifted up.
If the engine oil temperature is below 176 ‡
(80 †), oil temperature 0085is shown in blue.
Avoid driving at full engine output during this time.
If the transmission fluid temperature is below
122 ‡(50 †), oil temperature 0084is shown in
blue. Avoid driving at full engine output during
this time.
SETUP 0043
Drive program (C C/SS/MM)
0044 ESP ®
mode (ON ON/OFFOFF)
0087 Suspension tuning (COMFORT COMFORT/SPORT SPORT/
SPORT+
SPORT+ ) Menus and submenus
281On-board computer and displays 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 182).
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 367).
X If necessary, add engine oil (Y page 368).
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 367).
X If necessary, add engine oil (Y page 368).
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. 302
Display messagesOn-board computer and displays
!
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
367Maintenance and care Z
Example: vehicles with a gasoline engine
Example: vehicles with a diesel engine
X Pull oil dipstick 0043out of the dipstick guide
tube.
X Wipe off oil dipstick 0043.
X Slowly slide oil dipstick 0043into the guide
tube to the stop, and take it out again.
If the level is between MIN mark 0087and
MAX mark 0044, the oil level is correct.
X If the oil level has dropped to MIN mark 0087
or below, add 1.1 US qt (1.0 liter) engine oil.
Adding engine oil 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
If engine oil comes into contact with hot com- ponents in the engine compartment, it may
ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Make sure that engine oil is not spilled next to
the filler neck. Let the engine cool down and
thoroughly clean the engine oil off the com-
ponents before starting the engine. H
Environmental note
When adding oil, take care not to spill any. If
oil enters the soil or waterways, it is harmful to the environment.
! Only use engine oils and oil filters that
have been approved for vehicles with a ser-
vice system. You can obtain a list of the
engine oils and oil filters tested and
approved in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service
Products at any Mercedes-Benz Service
center.
Damage to the engine or exhaust system is caused by the following:
R using engine oils and oil filters that have
not been specifically approved for the
service system
R replacing engine oil and oil filters after
the interval for replacement specified by
the service system has been exceeded
R using engine oil additives.
! Do not add too much oil. adding too much
engine oil can result in damage to the
engine or to the catalytic converter. Have
excess engine oil siphoned off. 368
Engine compartmentMaintenance and care