1, 2, 3 ...
4ETSsee ETS/4ETS (Electronic Trac-
tion System)
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel
drive) .................................................. 141
12 V socket
see Sockets
360° camera
Cleaning ........................................ .217
Function/notes ............................ .146
A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Display message ............................ 166
Function/notes ................................ 66
Important safety notes .................... 66
Warning lamp ................................. 179
Accident
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................. 60
Activating/deactivating cooling
with air dehumidification ................. 111
Activating/deactivating Night
View Assist Plus
With spotlight function ................... 152
Active Blind Spot Assist
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 164
Display message ............................ 165
Function/informatio n.................... 153
Active Body Control (ABC)
Function/note s............................. 140
Active Lane Keeping Assist
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 164
Display message ............................ 165
Function/information .................... 155
Active multicontour seat .................... 98
Active Parking Assist
Display message ............................ 165
Function/note s............................. 143
Important safety notes .................. 143
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ................................. 73
Adaptive Brake Assist
Function/note s................................ 70 Adaptive Highbeam Assist
Display message ............................ 165
Adaptive Highbeam Assist PLUS
Function/note s............................. 104
Switching on/of f........................... 105
Additives (engine oil) ........................ 278
Address book
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ual .................................................. 188
Air bags
Deployment ..................................... 57
Display message ............................ 172
Front air bag (driver, front
passenger) ....................................... 50
Important safety notes .................... 48
Introduction ..................................... 48
Knee bag .......................................... 50
PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator
lamps ............................................... 43
Side impact air ba g.......................... 50
Window curtain air ba g.................... 51
Air vents
Setting ........................................... 111
Air-conditioning system
see Climate control
AIRMATIC
Function/note s............................. 140
Alarm
ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system )......... 76
Switching off (ATA) .......................... 76
Switching the function on/off
(ATA) ................................................ 76
Alarm system
see ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Anti-lock braking system
see ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Anti-Theft Alarm system
see ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Ashtray ............................................... 198
Assistance display (on-board com- puter) .................................................. 164
ASSYST PLUS
Displaying a service message ........ 216
Hiding a service message .............. 216
Notes ............................................. 216
Resetting the service interval dis-
play ................................................ 216
Service message ............................ 216
4Index
Vehicle level
Setting the raised vehicle level
It is possible to choose between the "Normal"
and "Raised" vehicle levels. Select the "Nor-
mal" setting for normal road surfaces and
"Raised" for driving with snow chains or on
particularly poor road surfaces. Your selec-
tion remains stored even if you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is not lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The vehicle is
raised by 1.0 in (25 mm) compared to the
normal level. The
Vehicle Risingmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
iThe message disappears after ten sec-
onds, irrespective of the level reached. If
necessary, the vehicle is raised further.
The "Raised level" setting is canceled if you:
R drive at a speed over approximately 75 mph
(120 km/h)
R drive for approximately three minutes at a
speed over 50 mph (80 km/h)
Setting the normal vehicle level X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to normal level.
Suspension tuning
In the Digital Operator's Manual you can find
information about:
R General notes
R Sports tuning
R Comfort tuning
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle when-
ever a drive wheel spins due to insufficient
grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot
take account of road, weather and traffic con- ditions. 4MATIC is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in your lane.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R Accelerate less when driving.
!Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground or be fully raised. Observe the instructions for
towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
iIn wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary.
Driving systems141
Driving and parking
Z
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Checking the tire pressures
Important safety notes
Observe the notes on tire pressure ( Y page 243).
Information on air pressure for the tires on
your vehicle can be found:
R on the vehicle's Tire and Loading Informa-
tion placard on the B-pillar
R on the tire pressure label on the fuel fillerflap
R in the "Tire pressure" section
Checking tire pressures manually
To determine and set the correct tire pres-
sure, proceed as follows:
X Remove the valve cap of the tire that is to
be checked.
X Press the tire pressure gauge securely onto
the valve.
X Read the tire pressure and compare it with
the recommended value on the Tire and
Loading Information placard ( Ypage 243).
X If the tire pressure is too low, increase it to
the recommended value.
X If the tire pressure is too high, release air by
pressing down the metal pin in the valve.
Use the tip of a pen, for example. Then,
check the tire pressure again using the tire
pressure gauge.
X Screw the valve cap onto the valve.
X Repeat these steps for the other tires.
Tire pressure monitor
General notes
If a tire pressure monitor is installed, the vehi-
cle's wheels have sensors that monitor the tire pressures in all four tires. The tire pres-
sure monitor warns you if the pressure drops
in one or more of the tires. The tire pressure
monitor only functions if the corresponding
sensors are installed in all wheels.
Information on tire pressures is displayed in
the multifunction display. After a few minutes of driving, the current tire pressure of each
tire is shown in the
Servicemenu of the mul-
tifunction display; see illustration (example).
For information on the message display, refer to the "Checking the tire pressure electroni-
cally" section ( Ypage 248).
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked at least once every two
weeks when cold and inflated to the pressure
recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
on the Tire and Loading Information placard
on the driver's door B-pillar or the tire pres-
sure label on the inside of the fuel filler flap. If
your vehicle has tires of a different size than
the size indicated on the Tire and Loading
Information placard or, if available, the tire
pressure label, you should determine the
proper tire pressure for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres-
sure telltale when one or more of your tires
are significantly underinflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressure telltale lights up,
you should stop and check your tires as soon
246Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
uation on the Tire and Loading Information
placard on the driver's side
B-pillar ( Ypage 243).
Additional tire pressure values for different loads can also be found on the tire pressure
table on the inside of the fuel filler flap( Y page 243).
X Make sure that the tire pressure is correct
on all four wheels.
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.
X Use ò on the steering wheel to call up
the list of menus.
X Press the 9or: button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the
Servicemenu.
X Press the abutton.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Tire Pressure.
X Press the abutton.
The multifunction display shows the cur-
rent tire pressure for the individual tires or
the
Tirepressurewillbedisplayed
after driving a few minutesmes-
sage.
X Press the :button.
The
Use Current Pressures as New
Reference Valuesmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
If you wish to confirm the restart: X Press the abutton.
The
Tire Press. Monitor Restarted
message appears in the multifunction dis- play.
After driving for a few minutes, the system checks whether the current tire pressures
are within the specified range. The new tire
pressures are then accepted as reference
values and monitored.
If you wish to cancel the restart: X Press the %button.
The tire pressure values stored at the last
restart will continue to be monitored.
Radio type approval for the tire pres-
sure monitor
In certain countries, a radio type approval for
the tire pressure monitor may be required.
The radio type approval number for the tire
pressure monitor can be found in the "Wheels
and tires" section of the Digital Operator's
Manual.
Loading the vehicle
Instruction labels for tires and loads
GWARNING
Overloaded tires can overheat, causing a
blowout. Overloaded tires can also impair the steering and driving characteristics and lead
to brake failure. There is a risk of accident.
Observe the load rating of the tires. The load
rating must be at least half of the GAWR of
your vehicle. Never overload the tires by
exceeding the maximum load.
Two instruction labels on your vehicle show
the maximum possible load.
(1) The Tire and Loading Information placard is on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The
Tire and Loading Information placard
shows the maximum permissible number
of occupants and the maximum permis-
sible vehicle load. It also contains details
of the tire sizes and corresponding pres-
sures for tires mounted at the factory.
(2) The vehicle identification plate is on the B-pillar on the driver's side. The vehicle
identification plate informs you of the
gross vehicle weight rating. It is made up
of the vehicle weight, all vehicle occu-
pants, the fuel and the cargo. You can
also find information about the maximum gross axle weight rating on the front and
rear axle.
The maximum gross axle weight rating is the maximum weight that can be carried
by one axle (front or rear axle). Never
exceed the maximum load or the maxi-
Loading the vehicle249
Wheels and ti res
Z
All about wheels and tires
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Stand-
ards
Overview of Tire Quality Grading Stand- ards
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards are
U.S. government specifications. Their pur-
pose is to provide drivers with uniform relia-
ble information on tire performance data. Tire
manufacturers have to grade tires using three
performance factors: :tread wear grade, ;
traction grade and =temperature grade.
These regulations do not apply to Canada.
Nevertheless, all tires sold in North America
are provided with the corresponding quality
grading markings on the sidewall of the tire.
Quality grades can be found, where applica-
ble, on the tire sidewall between the tread
shoulder and maximum tire width.
Example:
R Treadwear grade: 200
R Traction grade: AA
R Temperature grade: A
All passenger car tires must conform to the
statutory safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
U.S. government course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government course as a
tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, how-
ever, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, ser-
vice practices and differences in road char-
acteristics and climate conditions.
Traction
GWARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cor- nering, hydroplaning, or peak traction char-
acteristics.
!Avoid wheelspin. This can lead to damage
to the drive train.
The traction grades – from highest to lowest –
are AA, A, B and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance.
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or icy road is always lower than on dry road surfa-
ces.
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around freez-
ing point.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a minimum
tread depth of ãin (4 mm) on all four winter
tires. Observe the legally required minimum
tire tread depth ( Ypage 241). Winter tires can
reduce the braking distance on snow-covered surfaces in comparison with summer tires.
The braking distance is still much further than
254All about wheels and tires
Wheels and ti res
Load index
In addition to the load-bearing index, load
index:may also be imprinted on the side-
wall of the tire. You will find this after the let-
ter that identifies the speed rating( Y page 255).
R If no specification is given: no text (as in the
example above), represents a standard
load (SL) tire
R XL or Extra Load: represents a reinforced
tire
R Light Load: represents a light load tire
R C, D, E: represents a load range that
depends on the maximum load that the tire
can carry at a certain pressure
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Maximum load rating
Maximum tire load :is the maximum per-
missible weight for which the tire is approved.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit. The maximum permissi- ble load can be found on the vehicle's Tire and
Loading Information placard on the B-pillar on the driver's side ( Ypage 249).
iThe actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
DOT, Tire Identification Number (TIN)
US tire regulations stipulate that every tire
manufacturer or retreader must imprint a TIN in or on the sidewall of each tire produced.
The TIN is a unique identification number. The
TIN enables the tire manufacturers or retread- ers to inform purchasers of recalls and other
safety-relevant matters. It makes it possible
for the purchaser to easily identify the affec-
ted tires.
The TIN is made up of manufacturer identifi-
cation code ;, tire size =, tire type code ?
and manufacturing date A.
DOT (Department of Transportation): tire
symbol :marks that the tire complies with
the requirements of the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
Manufacturer identification code: manu-
facturer identification code ;provides
details on the tire manufacturer. New tires
have a code with two symbols. Retreaded
tires have a code with four symbols.
Tire size: identifier=describes the tire size.
Tire type code: tire type code?can be used
by the manufacturer as a code to describe
specific characteristics of the tire.
258All about wheels and tires
Wheels and tires
Date of manufacture:date of manufacture
A provides information about the age of a
tire. The first and second positions represent
the week of manufacture, starting with "01"
for the first calendar week. Positions three
and four represent the year of manufacture.
For example, a tire that is marked with
"3208", was manufactured in week 32 in
2008.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Tire characteristics
This information describes the type of tire
cord and the number of layers in sidewall :
and under tire tread ;.
iTire data is vehicle-specific and may devi-
ate from the data in the example.
Definition of terms for tires and loading
Tire ply composition and material used
Describes the number of plies or the number
of layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire
tread and sidewall. These are made of steel,
nylon, polyester and other materials.
Bar
Metric unit for tire pressure. 14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi) and 100 kilopascals
(kPa) are the equivalent of 1 bar. DOT (Department of Transportation)
DOT-marked tires fulfill the requirements of
the U S Department of Transportation.
Normal occupant weight
The number of occupants for which the vehi-
cle is designed multiplied by 68 kilograms
(150 lbs).
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
A uniform standard to grade the quality of
tires with regards to tread quality, tire traction
and temperature characteristics. The quality
grading assessment is made by the manufac-
turer following specifications from the U.S.
government. The ratings are molded into the
sidewall of the tire.
Recommended tire pressures
The recommended tire pressure applies to
the tires mounted at the factory.
The Tire and Loading Information placard con- tains the recommended tire pressures for
cold tires on a fully loaded vehicle and for the
maximum permissible vehicle speed.
The tire pressure table contains the recom-
mended pressures for cold tires for various
operating conditions, i.e. differing load and
speed conditions.
Increased vehicle weight due to optional
equipment
The combined weight of all standard and
optional equipment available for the vehicle,
regardless of whether it is actually installed
on the vehicle or not.
Rim
This is the part of the wheel on which the tire
is mounted.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The GAWR is the maximum gross axle weight rating. The actual load on an axle must never
exceed the gross axle weight rating. The
gross axle weight rating can be found on the
vehicle identification plate on the B-pillar on
the driver's side.
All about wheels and ti res259
Wheels and tires
Z