
In theÄorÅ position, the appropriate
wiping frequency is set automatically accord-
ing to the intensity of the rain. In the Å
position, the rain sensor is more sensitive
than in the Äposition, causing the wind-
shield wiper to wipe more frequently.
If the wiper blades are worn, the windshield
will no longer be wiped properly. This could
prevent you from observing the traffic condi-
tions.
Switching the rear window wiper on/
off
Combination switch
:
è Rear window wiper switch
2bWipes with washer fluid
3ISwitches on intermittent wiping
40 Switches off intermittent wiping
5ô Wipes with washer fluid
XTurn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock (
Ypage 165).
XTurn switch :on the combination switch
to the corresponding position.
When the rear window wiper is switched on,
the icon appears in the instrument cluster.
Replacing the wiper blades
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the windshield wipers begin to move while
you are changing the wiper blades, you could
be trapped by the wiper arm. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
ignition before changing the wiper blades.
!To avoid damaging the wiper blades,
make sure that you touch only the wiper
arm of the wiper.
!Never open the hood/tailgate if a wiper
arm has been folded away from the wind-
shield/rear window.
Never fold a windshield wiper arm without a
wiper blade back onto the windshield/rear
window.
Hold the windshield wiper arm firmly when
you change the wiper blade. If you release
the wiper arm without a wiper blade and it
falls onto the windshield/rear window, the
windshield/rear window may be damaged
by the force of the impact.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the wiper blades changed at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Changing the windshield wiper blades
Removing the wiper blades
XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
XFold the wiper arm away from the wind-
shield.
XFirmly press release knob :and pull wiper
blade ;upwards from the wiper arm in the
direction of the arrow.
140Windshield wipers
Lights and windshield wipers

It is only possible to switch between KEY-
LESS-GO mode and SmartKey operation
when the transmission is in positionP.
XRemove Start/Stop button:from ignition
lock ;.
You do not have to remove the Start/Stop
button from the ignition lock when you leave
the vehicle. You should, however, always take
the SmartKey with you when leaving the vehi-
cle. As long as the SmartKey is in the vehicle:
Rthe vehicle can be started using the Start/
Stop button
Rthe electrically powered equipment can be
operated
Starting the engine
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
RStart the engine.
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 or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or
parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
!Do not depress the accelerator when
starting the engine.
General notes
Vehicles with a gasoline engine: the cata-
lytic converter is preheated for up 30 seconds
after a cold start. The sound of the engine may
change during this time.
Automatic transmission
XShift the transmission to position P
(
Ypage 174).
The transmission position display in the
multifunction display shows
P (
Ypage 174).
iYou can start the engine in transmission
position Pand N.
Starting procedure with the SmartKey
XTo start a diesel engine : turn the Smart-
Key to position 2in the ignition lock
(
Ypage 165).
The % preglow indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 3in the igni-
tion lock and release it as soon as the
engine is running (
Ypage 165).
iVehicles with a diesel engine: you can
start the engine without preglow if the
engine is warm.
Driving167
Driving and parking
Z

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.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately.
Drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first
time. This may also occur after the vehicle has
been washed or driven through deep water.
You then have to depress the brake pedal
more firmly. Maintain a greater distance from
the vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm up
the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance.
RBrake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
!If the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and you hear a warn-
ing tone while the engine is running, the
brake fluid level may be too low. Observe
additional warning messages in the multi-
function display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immedi-
ately. This work should be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
!A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a 2-axle dynamom-
eter. If you are planning to have the vehicle tested on such a dynamometer, contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center to
obtain further information first. Otherwise,
you could damage the drive train or the
brake system.
!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.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a quali-
fied specialist workshop. Consult a qualified
specialist workshop to arrange this.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
Driving tips195
Driving and parking
Z

specialist workshop as soon as possible.
Adapt your driving style to the different brak-
ing characteristics.
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 positionN
when driving off-road. If you try to brake the
vehicle using the service brake, you could
lose control of the vehicle. If the gradient is
too steep for your vehicle, drive back down 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:
ROff-road program 1 and 2 (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (
Ypage 258)
RLOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with
the ON&OFFROAD package)
(
Ypage 259)
RDifferential lock (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (
Ypage 259)
ROff-road ABS (Ypage 69)
ROff-road 4ETS (Ypage 73)
RAIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(
Ypage 218)
RDSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(
Ypage 257)
Observe the following notes:
RStop the vehicle before starting to drive
along an off-road route.
RSelect a vehicle level that is suitable for the
terrain. To avoid damaging the vehicle, make sure there is always sufficient ground
clearance.
RCheck that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(
Ypage 345).
RAlways keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Acti-
vate DSR (
Ypage 257).
RAlways keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a slope.
RAdapt your speed to the terrain. The
rougher, steeper or more ruts on the ter-
rain, the slower your speed should be.
RDo not jump with the vehicle as this will
interrupt the vehicle's propulsion.
RDrive 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.
RLook out for obstacles, such as rocks,
holes, tree stumps and furrows.
RAlways keep the doors, the tailgate, the
side windows and the sliding sunroof
closed while the vehicle is in motion.
RDo not shift the automatic transmission to
transmission position N.
RObserve the notes on off-road fording
(
Ypage 197).
iDo 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.
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.
XEngine oil level: check the engine oil level
and add oil if necessary.
Driving tips199
Driving and parking
Z

Indicator lamps=for the desired off-road
level flash:
ROff-road level 1: the lower indicator lamp
flashes
ROff-road level 2: the lower and center indi-
cator lamps flash
ROff-road level 3: all three indicator lamps
flash
The vehicle adjusts to the off-road level selec- ted. As soon as an off-road level is reached,
the corresponding indicator lamp stops flash-
ing and lights up constantly.
Raising the vehicle
During the adjustment, the Vehicle Rising
message, for example, appears in the multi-
function display.
The vehicle rises from highway level to off-
road level 1.
If you press the%ora button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message
will disappear.
iUp to off-road level 2, you can hide the
messages using the %ora button
on the multifunction steering wheel.
Once off-road level 2 has been reached, the
lower and center indicator lamps of the selec-
tor wheel are on.
While the adjustment from off-road level 2 to
off-road level 3 is taking place, you will see a
message such as the following in the multi-
function display: Vehicle Rising Max.
Speed 12 mph (20 km/h). The
Max. Speed 12 mph (20 km/h)
mes-
sage draws your attention to the maximum
speed permitted for off-road level 3.
Once off-road level 3 has been reached, you
will see a message shown in white in the mul-
tifunction display, for example: Max.
Speed
12 mph (20 km/h).
If you drive above 20 km/h at off-road level 3,
you will see the following message shown in
red in the multifunction display: Vehicle
LoweringMax.Speed12mph (20km/h).
iYou cannot clear these messages.
You also hear a warning. The vehicle is low-
ered and off-road level 3 is canceled.
If you continue to increase your speed, the
red message continues to be shown in the
multifunction display. The newly set level is
not displayed until the vehicle has been set to
a level suitable for the current speed.
Lowering the vehicle
If you maintain or reduce your speed, you will
see a message in white in the display while
the vehicle is being lowered, such as the fol-
lowing: Lowering Max. Speed 12 mph
(20 km/h).
The vehicle is lowered to off-road level 2.
If you select an off-road level when driving at
too high a speed, the Drive More Slowly
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
216Driving systems
Driving and parking

Sports tuning
Example: vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package
:
Suspension tuning button
;Indicator lamp for sports tuning
=Indicator lamp for comfort tuning
XStart the engine.
XPress button:.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. Sports suspen-
sion tuning is selected. The vehicle is low-
ered by 0.6 in (15 mm).
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
Comfort tuning
Example: vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package
:
Suspension tuning button
;Indicator lamp for sports tuning
=Indicator lamp for comfort tuning
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp =lights up. Comfort tuning
is selected. The vehicle is raised by 0.6 in
(15 mm).
In comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. There-
fore, select this mode if you favor a more
comfortable driving style. Select comfort
mode also when driving fast on straight roads,
e.g. on straight stretches of highway.
Active Curve System
The Active Curve System uses active stabil-
izers to optimize both driving comfort and
vehicle agility. Depending on the ADS mode
selected (
Ypage 218), the Active Curve Sys-
tem also changes the setting.
If you select ADS comfort mode:
Rrolling movement is reduced in the event of
changing surface undulations
Rthe roll angle when cornering is reduced
Rthe driving style is agile
If you select ADS sport mode:
Rthe roll angle is reduced significantly
Rthe driving style is even more agile
Level control
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or
in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered.
GWARNING
When you drive with the vehicle raised, the
driving characteristics could be impaired by
the vehicle's raised center of gravity. The vehi-
Driving systems219
Driving and parking
Z

Problems with PARKTRONIC
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is deacti-
vated after approx-
imately five seconds,
and the indicator lamp
in the PARKTRONIC
button lights up.PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
XIf problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is deacti-
vated after approx-
imately five seconds.The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
XClean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Ypage 380).
XSwitch the ignition back on.
The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
XSee if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location.
Active Parking Assist
General notes
Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking
aid with ultrasound. It measures the road on
both sides of the vehicle. A parking symbol
indicates a suitable parking space. Active
steering intervention can assist you during
parking. You may also use PARKTRONIC
(
Ypage 224).
Important safety notes
Active Parking Assist is merely an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. Make sure that
no persons, animals or objects are in the
maneuvering range.
When PARKTRONIC is switched off, Active
Parking Assist is also unavailable.
GWARNING
While parking or pulling out of a parking
space, the vehicle swings out and can drive
onto areas of the oncoming lane. This could
result in a collision with another road user.
There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users. Stop the
vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active Park- ing Assist parking procedure.
!If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at a
sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
Active Parking Assist may possibly indicate
parking spaces which are not suitable for
parking, for example:
Rwhere parking or stopping is prohibited
Rin front of driveways or entrances and exits
Ron unsuitable surfaces
Driving systems227
Driving and parking
Z

Canceling Active Parking Assist
XStop the movement of the multifunction
steering wheel or steer yourself.
Active Parking Assist will be canceled at
once. ThePark Assist Canceled
mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
or
XPress the PARKTRONIC button on the cen-
ter console (
Ypage 226).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediately canceled.
The Park Assist Canceled
message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is canceled automati-
cally if:
Rthe electric parking brake is engaged
Rtransmission position Pis selected
Rparking using Active Parking Assist is no
longer possible
Ryou are driving faster than 6 mph (10 km/h)
Ra wheel spins, ESP®intervenes or fails. The
÷ warning lamp lights up in the instru-
ment cluster.
A warning tone sounds. The parking symbol
goes out and the Park Assist Canceled
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
If Active Parking Assist is canceled, you must
steer again yourself.
Towing a trailer
For vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the min-
imum length for parking spaces is slightly
increased.
If you have attached a trailer to your vehicle,
you should not use Active Parking Assist.
Once the electrical connection is established
between your vehicle and the trailer, Active
Parking Assist is no longer available.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area.
Rear view camera
General notes
Rear view camera :is in the handle on the
tailgate.
Rear view camera :is an optical parking and
maneuvering aid. It shows the area behind
your vehicle with guide lines in the COMAND
display.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear view mirror.
iThe text of messages shown in the
COMAND display depends on the language
setting. The following are examples of rear
view camera messages in the COMAND
display.
Important safety notes
The rear view camera is only an aid. It is not a
replacement for your attention to your imme- diate surroundings. You are always responsi-
ble for safe maneuvering and parking. When
maneuvering or parking, make sure that there
are no persons, animals or objects in the area
in which you are maneuvering.
Under the following circumstances, the rear
view camera will not function, or will function
in a limited manner:
Rif the tailgate is open
Rin heavy rain, snow or fog
Rat night or in very dark places
Rif the camera is exposed to very bright light
Rif the area is lit by fluorescent bulbs or LED
lighting (the display may flicker)
Driving systems231
Driving and parking
Z