affect your reflexes, perceptions and judg-
ment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-dent are 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.
Pedals
GWARNING
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
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 on
top of one another.
Emission control
GWARNING
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your
health. All exhaust gas contains carbon mon-
oxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause uncon-
sciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas (such as a garage) which are not properly ventilated.
If you think that exhaust gas fumes are enter-
ing the vehicle while driving, have the cause
determined and corrected immediately. If you
must drive under these conditions, drive only
with at least one window fully open at all
times.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous components in exhaust
fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work at peak efficiency if
they are serviced exactly in accordance with the
manufacturer's specifications. For this reason,
all work on the engine should only be carried out by qualified and authorized Mercedes-Benz
technicians.
The engine settings must not be changed under
any circumstances. Furthermore, all specific
service work must be carried out at regular
intervals and in accordance with the Mercedes-
Benz service requirements. Details can be found
in the Maintenance Booklet.
Braking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you activate the LOW off-road gear while
driving on a slippery road surface, the wheels
may lose traction:
Rif you remove your foot from the accelera-
tor pedal when driving
Rif off road ABS intervenes when braking
If the wheels lose traction. the vehicle can no
longer be steered. There is an increased dan- ger of skidding and accidents.
Never activate the LOW off-road gear while
driving on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients
!On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting early
to a lower gear. This allows you to take
advantage of the engine braking effect and
helps avoid overheating and excessive wear
of the brakes.
When you take advantage of the engine brak-
ing effect, a drive wheel may not turn for some
time, e.g. on a slippery road surface. This
could cause damage to the drive train. This
type of damage is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Driving tips133
Driving and parking
Z
GWARNING
If you activate the LOW off-road gear while
driving on a slippery road surface, the wheels
may lose traction:
Rif you remove your foot from the accelera-
tor pedal when driving
Rif off road ABS intervenes when braking
If the wheels lose traction. the vehicle can no
longer be steered. There is an increased dan- ger of skidding and accidents.
Never activate the LOW off-road gear while
driving on a slippery road surface.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road sur-
faces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise control.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position N.
XTry to bring the vehicle under control using
corrective steering.
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 freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on bridges. You should pay
special attention to road conditions when tem-
peratures are around the freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (
Ypage 264).
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Do not load items on the basic carrier bars. It
may cause instability during some maneuvers
which could result in an accident.
Drive slowly in unknown terrain. This will
make it easier to recognize unexpected obsta-
cles and avoid damage to the vehicle.
To help avoid the vehicle rolling over, never
turn it around on steep inclines. If the vehicle cannot complete the attempted climb, back it
down in reverse gear.
Do not drive along the side of a slope. The
vehicle might otherwise rollover. If in doing so
the vehicle begins to show a tendency to roll,immediately steer into a line of gravity
(straight up or downhill).
Never let the vehicle roll backwards in idle.
You may lose control of the vehicle if you use
only the service brake. For information on
driving downhill, see "Driving downhill".
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 charac-
teristics change depending on the material
ingressing the brakes. Clean the brakes after
driving off-road. If you detect a reduced braking
effect or grinding noises, have the brake system checked in a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible. Adapt your driving style to the
different braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the likelihood of dam-
age to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead to
failure of the mechanical assembly or systems.
Adapt your driving style to suit the terrain con-
ditions. Drive carefully. Have damage to the
vehicle rectified immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
General notes
HEnvironmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
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.
Driving tips137
Driving and parking
Z
XTo activate:make sure that the SmartKey is
in position 2in the ignition lock.
XMake sure that the "rear view camera" func-
tion is selected in COMAND (see the separate
operating instructions for COMAND).
XEngage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND display.
To deactivate: the rear view camera is deacti-
vated if you:
Rshift the transmission to position P
Rdrive forward ten meters
Rshift the transmission fromRto another posi-
tion after 15 seconds
Rdrive forwards at a speed of over 5 mph
(10 km/h)
Off-road driving systems
Transfer case
General notes
The vehicle has permanent all-wheel drive.
Power is always transmitted to both axles.
For further information on driving off-road, see
(
Ypage 137).
Shift ranges
GWARNING
If you do not wait for the transfer case gear
change process to complete, the transfer
case could remain in the neutral position. The power transmission to the driven wheels is
then interrupted. There is a danger of the
vehicle rolling away unintentionally. There is a
risk of an accident.
Wait until the transfer case shift process is
completed.
Do not switch off the engine while changing gear
and do not shift the automatic transmission to
another gear.
HIGH
RANGEPosition for all normal on-
road driving conditions
LOW RANGELow-range position for driving
off-road.
Also for use on steep uphill or
downhill gradients, especially
when towing a trailer.
The vehicle travels around
half the speed of on-road driv-
ing range HIGH RANGE . The
tractive power is correspond-
ingly higher.
Shifting the transfer case
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When the transfer case is in the neutral posi-
tion, power transmission to the driven wheels
is interrupted. As a result, the vehicle could
roll away. There is a risk of an accident.
Secure the vehicle with the parking brake, and
on uphill or downhill gradients, also secure it
with a device such as a wheel chock.
Always wait for the gear change process from
HIGH RANGE toLOW RANGE and fromLOW
RANGE toHIGH RANGE to complete. Do not
switch off the engine while changing gear and do
not shift the automatic transmission to another
gear.
General notes
:Current shift range
162Off-road driving systems
Driving an d parking
:Indicator lamp
;LOW RANGE button
Switching on the off-road gear ratio
!Only carry out the gear selection if:
Rthe engine is running.
Rthe vehicle is rolling.
Rthe automatic transmission is in selector
lever positionN.
Ryou are driving no faster than 25 mph
(40 km/h).
You could otherwise damage the transfer
case.
XMake sure the ECO start/stop function is
switched off (Ypage 114).
XPress LOW RANGE button ;.
When the shift procedure is complete, the
LOW RANGE
transfer case position appears in
the multifunction display.
Indicator lamp :lights up.
XShift the transmission to position D.
Switching off the off-road gear ratio
GWARNING
When the transfer case is in the neutral posi-
tion, power transmission to the driven wheels
is interrupted. As a result, the vehicle could
roll away. There is a risk of an accident.
Secure the vehicle with the parking brake, and
on uphill or downhill gradients, also secure it
with a device such as a wheel chock.
!Only carry out the gear selection if:
Rthe engine is running.
Rthe vehicle is rolling.
Rthe automatic transmission is in selector
lever position N.
Ryou are driving no faster than 43 mph
(70 km/h).
You could otherwise damage the transfer
case.
XPress button ;.
When the shift procedure is complete, the
HIGH
RANGEtransfer case position appears in
the multifunction display.
Indicator lamp :goes out.
If the gear change is not completed, the follow-
ing messages could appear in the display:
RTC Shift Conditions Not Fulfilled
You have not met one or more shift condi-
tions.
RTC NEUTRAL On
The transfer case has canceled the gear
change process and is in N. Transfer case
position N
appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
RTC Shift Canceled
The transfer case has canceled the gear
change process.
XCarry out the gear change process again.
Make sure to meet all conditions for changing gears.
RTC Malfunction Visit Workshop
There is a malfunction in the transfer case.
XDo not shift the transfer case.
XHave the vehicle checked as soon as possible
at a qualified specialist workshop.
Shifting to neutral
GWARNING
When the transfer case is in the neutral posi-
tion, power transmission to the driven wheels
Off-road driving systems163
Driving and parking
Z
is interrupted. As a result, the vehicle could
roll away. There is a risk of an accident.
Secure the vehicle with the parking brake, and
on uphill or downhill gradients, also secure it
with a device such as a wheel chock.
XTurn the SmartKey to position2in the ignition
lock (Ypage 112).
XApply the parking brake.
XDepress the brake pedal.
XMove the selector lever to position N
(Ypage 119).
XPress and hold LOW RANGE button ;for
approximately ten seconds.
When the shift procedure is complete, the TC
In Neutralmessage appears in the multi-
function display for five seconds.
If the gear change is not completed, the follow-
ing messages could appear in the display
(
Ypage 195).
iIf the transfer case is in neutral, the key is in
the ignition lock and you open the driver's
door, the TC
InNeutralmessage appears in
the multifunction display. If you then release
the parking brake, a warning tone will sound.
Differential locks
General notes
GWARNING
When the differential locks are engaged, ABS, 4ETS, ESP
®and BAS are deactivated. As a
result, the wheels could lock when braking
and the braking distance is increased. There is
a risk of an accident.
Disengage the differential locks immediately
on firm surfaces with good grip.
!In order to avoid damage to the transfer
case, you must operate the vehicle on a dyna-
mometer (1-axle dynamometer) only if:
Rthe axle not driven on is jacked up
or
Rthe corresponding propeller shaft is dis-
connected and the transfer case differen-
tial lock is engaged.
Otherwise, the transfer case can be damaged. Differential locks improve the traction of the
vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with a differential lock
each for:
Rthe transfer case: this controls the balance
between the front and rear axles.
Rthe rear axle: this controls the balance
between the wheels on the rear axle.
Rthe front axle: this controls the balance
between the wheels on the front axle.
Information on differential gear system
and differential lock
When the vehicle drives around a curve, the
wheels on the outside of the curve must cover a
greater distance. Therefore, the wheels turn
more rapidly than on the inside. The differential,
a gear system in the drive train, allows for dif-
fering rotational speeds and facilitates corner-
ing.
The disadvantage of a differential is that the
wheels that have the least grip, get the most
drive. An example: a wheel of a driven axle is on
a snow-covered surface and therefore does not
have any traction. The differential sends most of
the drive force to this wheel because the force
takes the route of the lowest resistance. The
opposite wheel on this axle, however, which
stands on firm ground and could therefore allow
propulsion, receives no driving power. 4ETS
compensates for this disadvantage. 4ETS pro-
vides good steerability by automatically braking
the spinning wheel. 4ETS provides the wheel on
the firm surface with more drive force, which in
turn provides propulsion.
ESP
®and 4ETS are traction systems that are
ideal for road driving and suitable for light off-
road driving. The LOW RANGEoff-road gear
also improves off-road capability.
More challenging off-road conditions require
additional measures such as locking one or
more differential. Your vehicle is equipped with
three differential locks:
Ra central differential lock for the transfer case
Ra differential lock for the front axle and
Ra differential lock for the rear axle
Each differential lock can be engaged with the
corresponding switch on the center console. If
the differential in the transfer case is locked, the
front and rear wheels rotate at the same speed.
If t
he differential for the rear axle is locked, both
164Off-road driving systems
Driving and parking
XSwitch on COMAND (see the separate oper-
ating instructions).
XPress the=or; button on the steering
wheel to select the Navimenu.
Route guidance not active
:Direction of travel
;Current road
Route guidance active
No change of direction announced
:Distance to destination
;Distance to the next change of direction
=Current road
?"Follow the road's course" symbol
Change of direction announced without a
lane recommendation
:Road into which the change of direction
leads
;Distance to change of direction and visual
distance display
=Change-of-direction symbol
When a change of direction is announced, you
will see symbol =for the change of direction
and distance graphic ;. The distance indicator shortens towards the top of the display as you
approach the point of the announced change of
direction.
Change of direction announced with a
lane recommendation
:Road into which the change of direction
leads
;Distance to change of direction and visual
distance display
=Lane recommendation
?New lane during a change of direction
AUninterrupted lane
BChange-of-direction symbol
On multilane roads, the system can display lane recommendation =for the next change of
direction. During the change of direction, addi-
tional lanes may be displayed.
Lane recommendations are only displayed if the
relevant data is available on the digital map.
Other status indicators of the naviga-
tion system
RO: you have reached the destination or an
intermediate destination.
RNew Route...or Calculating Route: cal-
culating a new route
ROff Mapor Off Mapped Road: the vehicle
position is outside the area of the digital map
(off-map position)
RNoRoute: no route could be calculated to the
selected destination
Menus and submenus175
On-board computer and displays
Z
Useful information
i
This Operator's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment of
your vehicle available at the time of publica-
tion of the Operator's Manual. Country-spe-
cific 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.
iRead the information on qualified specialist
workshops: (Ypage 23).
Loading guidelines
GWARNING
If objects, luggage or loads are not secured or
not secured sufficiently, they could slip, tip
over or be flung around and thereby hit vehicle
occupants. There is a risk of injury, particu-
larly in the event of sudden braking or a sud-
den change in direction.
Always store objects so that they cannot be
flung around. Secure objects, luggage or
loads against slipping or tipping before the
journey.
GWARNING
If you distribute the load unevenly in the vehi- cle, the handling as well as the steering and
braking characteristics are severely affected.
There is a risk of an accident.
Distribute the load evenly in the vehicle.
Secure the load to prevent it from slipping.
GWARNING
The exhaust tail pipe and tail pipe trim can
become very hot. If you come into contact
with these parts of the vehicle, you could burn
yourself. There is a risk of injury.
Always be particularly careful around the
exhaust tail pipe and the tail pipe trim. Allow
these components to cool down before touch-
ing them.
GWARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. If the rear
door is open when the engine is running, par-
ticularly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust
fumes could enter the passenger compart-
ment. There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the rear
door. Never drive with the rear door open.
Driving, braking and steering characteristics
change depending on:
Rtype of load
Rweight
Rthe center of gravity of the load
You should therefore load your vehicle as shown
in the illustrations.
The gross vehicle weight (GVW) is the vehicle
weight including fuel, vehicle tool kit, spare
wheel, accessories installed, vehicle occupants
and luggage/load.
Do not exceed the load limit or permitted gross
vehicle weight rating (GVWR) for your vehicle.
The gross load limit and the GVWR are specified
on the vehicle identification plate on the B-pillar
of the driver's door (
Ypage 288).
Furthermore, the load must be distributed in
such a way that the weight on each axle never
exceeds the gross axle weight rating (GAWR) for
the front and rear axles. The specifications for
GVWR and GAWR are on the vehicle identifica-
tion plate on the B-pillar of the driver's door
(
Ypage 288).
Further information can be found in the "Loading
the vehicle" section (
Ypage 271).
214Loading guidelines
Stowage and features
If a connection can be made, theCall Con‐nectedmessage appears in the multifunction
display.
If a mobile phone network is available and there
is sufficient GPS reception, the mbrace system
transmits data to the Response Center, for
example:
Rcurrent location of the vehicle
Rvehicle identification number
Rvehicle model
Rvehicle color
iThe COMAND display shows that an mbrace
call is active. You can change to the naviga-
tion menu by pressing the NAVI button on
COMAND during the call. Voice output is not
available.
A voice connection is established between the
Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance Represen- tative and the vehicle occupants.
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance Rep-
resentative either sends a qualified Mercedes-
Benz technician or makes arrangements for
your vehicle to be transported to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. You may be
charged for services such as repair work and/or
towing. Further details are available in your
mbrace manual.
XDescribe the type of assistance needed.
iIf the indicator lamp in Roadside Assistance
button :is flashing continuously and no
voice connection with the Response center
has been established, then the mbrace sys-
tem has not been able to initiate a Roadside
Assistance call (e.g. the relevant mobile
phone network is not available). The Call
Failedmessage appears in the multifunction
display.
XTo end a call: press the~button on the
multifunction steering wheel.
or
XPress the corresponding COMAND button to
end a phone call.
iSign and drive services1: you are not
charged for services such as jump-starting,
providing a few gallons of fuel for a fuel tank
that has been run dry or changing a faulty tire
with the vehicle's own spare wheel.
MB Info call button
XOpen the stowage compartment under the
armrest (Ypage 216).
XPress Roadside Assistance button :for
more than two seconds.
A call to a Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assis-
tance Representative is initiated. Indicator
lamp ;in Roadside Assistance button :
flashes while the call is active. The Connect‐
ing Callmessage appears in the multifunc-
tion display and COMAND is muted.
If a connection can be made, the Call Con‐
nectedmessage appears in the multifunction
display.
If a mobile phone network is available and there
is sufficient GPS reception, the mbrace system
transmits data to the Response Center, for
example:
Rcurrent location of the vehicle
Rvehicle identification number
Rvehicle model
Rvehicle color
iThe COMAND display shows that an mbrace
call is active. You can change to the naviga-
tion menu by pressing the NAVI button on
COMAND during the call. Voice output is not
available.
A voice connection between the Response Cen- ter and the vehicle occupants is established.
You can obtain information on how to operate
your vehicle's systems, on the location of the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Center, and
on further products and services offered by
Mercedes-Benz USA.
1USA only.
Features227
Stowage and features
Z