XHold test gaugeAvertically on brake
disc :and slide measuring pin ;onto
brake disc :.
XCheck which color field ?the arrow on
measuring pin ;is pointing to.
Green: the brake pad/lining thickness is
sufficient.
Red : the brake pad/lining thickness is not
sufficient. Have the brake pads/lining
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
iTo avoid an inaccurate measurement:
Rmake sure you position the wheels suit-
ably
Rdo not put the measuring pin on a recess
in the brake disc
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
Ryou drive at low speeds.
Rthe tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or in
conditions in which hydroplaning may occur,
you must drive in the following manner:
Rlower your speed.
Ravoid ruts.
Ravoid sudden steering movements.
Rbrake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads
!Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic compo-
nents in the engine or the automatic trans-
mission. Water can also be drawn in by the
engine's air suction nozzles and this can
cause engine damage.
Winter driving
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
GDANGER
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, steeringand 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.
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. The
vehicle could skid if you fail to adapt your
driving style. Always adapt your driving style
Driving tips179
Driving and parking
Z
and drive at a speed to suit the prevailing
weather conditions.
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around freez-
ing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (
Ypage 571).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (
Ypage 570).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (
Ypage 570).
Driving systems
Cruise Control
General notes
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select a lower gear
in good time. By doing so, you will make use of
the braking effect of the engine. This relieves
the load on the brake system and prevents
the brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise
control cannot take into account the road,
traffic and weather conditions. Cruise control
is only an aid. You are responsible for the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed,
for braking in good time and for staying in
lane. Do not use cruise control:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rwhen there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever
Cruis econtrol leve r
:
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
;To store the current speed or call up the
last stored speed
=To store the current speed or a lower
speed
?To deactivate cruise control
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the status indicator of the
multifunction display:
RUSA only: e.g. CRUISE 55 Miles
RCanada only: e.g. ¯90 Km/h
180Driving systems
Driving and parking
XTo adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments):briefly
press the cruise control lever up :to the
pressure point for a higher speed or
down ;for a lower speed.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up or down, the last speed stored
is increased or reduced.
XTo adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (10 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up :past
the pressure point for a higher speed or
down ;for a lower speed.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up or down, the last speed stored
is increased or reduced.
iCruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For exam-
ple, if you accelerate briefly to overtake,
cruise control adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the last speed stored after you have fin- ished overtaking.
Deactivating cruise control
Cruise control lever
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or
XBrake. Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
Ryou engage the electric parking brake
Ryou are driving at less than 20 mph
(30 km/h)
RESP®intervenes or you deactivate ESP®
Ryou shift the transmission to position
N
while driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise Con‐
trol Offmessage in the multifunction dis-
play for approximately five seconds.
iWhen you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared.
DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes
DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front.
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so
that the set speed is not exceeded.
On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden, you must select a
lower gear in good time. By doing so, you will
make use of the braking effect of the engine.
This relieves the load on the brake system and prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle. It
maintains the preset distance to the vehicle in
front.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot pre-
vent a collision without your intervention. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and
the distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument cluster. Brake immediately in
order to increase the distance to the vehicle
in front or take evasive action provided it is
safe to do so.
182Driving systems
Driving an d parking
Example of operation
In the instructions, operating sequences are
described as follows:
XPress the$button.
Radio mode is activated.
XSelect Radioby sliding VÆand turning
cVd the COMAND controller and press W
to confirm.
XConfirm Station Listby pressing W.
The station list appears.
Buttons on the COMAND controller
Overview
:Back button (Ypage 295)
;Clear button (Ypage 295)
=Seat function button (Ypage 316)
?Favorites button (Ypage 311)
If your vehicle does not have the seat function
button, it will have two Favorites buttons.
For AMG vehicles: the COMAND controller is
configured with the :and ;buttons.
Back button
You can use the kbutton to exit a menu or
to call up the basic display of the current
operating mode.
XTo exit the menu: briefly press thek
back button.
COMAND changes to the next higher menu
level in the current operating mode.
XTo call up the basic display: press and
hold the kback button.
COMAND changes to the basic display of
the current operating mode.
Clear button
XTo delete individual characters: briefly
press the 2clear button.
XTo delete an entire entry: press and hold
the 2 clear button.
Seat function button
You can use the Tbutton to call up the
following seat functions:
RMulticontour seat (with 4-way lumbar sup-
port)
RActive multicontour seat (dynamic seat and
massage function)
RBalance (seat heating distribution)
More information on the seat functions
(
Ypage 316).
Favorites button
You can assign predefined functions to
the ; favorites button and call them up by
pressing the button (
Ypage 311).
At a glance295
COMAND
Z
XSelect the seat (Ypage 316).
XSelectSeat Sidesby turning cVdthe
COMAND controller and press Wto con-
firm.
A scale appears.
XTurn cVd or slide ZVÆthe COMAND con-
troller and press Wto confirm.
XTo exit the menu: press thekback
button.
Balance
The availability of this function depends on
the vehicle model series.
The Balance function controls the distribution
of heat on the seat backrest and cushion.
The Balance function influences the currently
set heating level of the seat heating; see the
separate vehicle Operator's Manual.
XSelect the seat (Ypage 316).
XSelect Balanceby turning cVdthe
COMAND controller and press Wto con-
firm.
A scale appears and shows the current set-
ting. Positive values indicate the heat out-
put for the seat backrest, negative values
indicate the heat output for the seat cush-
ion. The intensity is indicated by an orange
bar in the stylized seat above the scale. The values stand for:
R0- backrest and seat cushion are heated
equally to the maximum level
R1to 3- the heat output to the seat cush-
ion is reduced in one-third increments
R-1to -3- the heat output to the backrest
is reduced in one-third increments
XTurn cVd or slide XVYthe COMAND con-
troller and press Wto confirm.
XTo exit the menu: press thekback
button.
Massage function
The availability of this function depends on
the type of seat and the vehicle model series.
Example display (M-Class or GL-Class)
XSelect the seat (Ypage 316).
XSelect Massageby turning cVdthe
COMAND controller and press Wto con-
firm.
A list appears.
You can select different types of massage
function:
R0: Off
R1: Slow and Gentle
R2: Slow and Vigorous
R3: Fast and Gentle
R4: Fast and Vigorous
318Vehicle functions
COMAND
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
TheNavigation
Unavailablemessage
appears.
COMAND has an integrated hard drive on which the digital map is
stored.
To protect the integrated hard drive against damage, COMAND
deactivates it at very high and low temperatures. The navigation
system will then be temporarily unavailable.
XLet the vehicle and COMAND cool down.
XTo hide the message: switch COMAND off and then on again.
If an area of the hard disk has a malfunction, COMAND can no
longer access the map data in this area. This may occur when
calculating a route, for example.
XTo hide the message:switch COMAND off and then on again.
The navigation system will be operational again until it has to
access the faulty area of the hard drive once more. The message
will then reappear.
XConsult an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and MSolutions
You see a message
informing you that the
DVD containing the dig-
ital map is incompatible
with the system soft-
ware.The DVD containing the digital map cannot be used for the update.
XTo confirm the message:pressWthe COMAND controller.
XEject the DVD.
XHave the system database checked at an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and MSolutions
The map software
update has failed.The DVD is dirty.
XClean the DVD.
XRestart the update.
The DVD is scratched.
XConsult an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
There is overheating due to excessive temperatures in the vehicle
interior.
XWait until the vehicle interior has cooled down.
XRestart the update.
COMAND's integrated hard disk is defective.
XConsult an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
380Navigation
COMAND
Glare from the side
XFold down sun visor:.
XPull sun visor:out of retainer ;.
XSwing sun visor :to the side.
XSlide sun visor :horizontally as required.
Ashtray
XTo open: open stowage compartment :
(
Ypage 515).
XTo remove the insert: pull insert;up in
the direction of the arrow, out of the cup
holder.
XTo re-install the insert: push insert;on
the left-hand side into the cup holder.
iOnly re-install insert ;on the left-hand
side of the cup holder.
Cigarette lighter
GWARNING
You can burn yourself if you touch the hot
heating element or the socket of the cigarette lighter.
In addition, flammable materials can ignite if:
Rthe hot cigarette lighter falls
Ra child holds the hot cigarette lighter to
objects, for example
There is a risk of fire and injury.
Always hold the cigarette lighter by the knob.
Always make sure that the cigarette lighter is
out of reach of children. Never leave children
unsupervised in the vehicle.
Your attention must always be focused on the
traffic conditions. Only use the cigarette
lighter when road and traffic conditions per-
mit.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock (
Ypage 151).
XTo open: open stowage compartment :
under the armrest (
Ypage 515).
XPress in cigarette lighter ;.
Cigarette lighter ;will pop out automati-
cally when the heating element is red-hot.
12 V sockets
General notes
XTurn the SmartKey to position 1in the igni-
tion lock (
Ypage 151).
520Features
Stowage and features
are unsure as to whether the trim pieces
are chrome-plated or not, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
XWipe the wooden trim and trim pieces with
a damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfiber
cloth.
XHeavy soiling:use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the seat covers
General notes
!Do not use microfiber cloths to clean gen-
uine leather, artificial leather or DINAMICA
covers. If used often, these can damage the cover.
iNote that regular care is essential to
ensure that the appearance and comfort of
the covers is retained over time.
Genuine leather seat covers
!To retain the natural appearance of the
leather, observe the following cleaning
instructions:
RClean genuine leather covers carefully
with a damp cloth and then wipe the cov-
ers down with a dry cloth.
RMake sure that the leather does not
become soaked. It may otherwise
become rough and cracked.
ROnly use leather care agents that have
been tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz. You can obtain these from a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Leather is a natural product.
It exhibits natural surface characteristics, for
example:
Rdifferences in the texture
Rmarks caused by growth and injury
Rslight nuances of color
These are characteristics of leather and not
material defects. Seat covers of other materials
!Observe the following when cleaning:
Rclean artificial leather covers with a cloth
moistened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. dish washing liquid).
Rclean cloth covers with a microfiber cloth
moistened with
a solution c
ontaining 1%
detergent (e.g. dish washing liquid). Rub
carefully and always wipe entire seat sec-
tions to avoid leaving visible lines. Leave
the seat to dry afterwards. Cleaning
results depend on the type of dirt and
how long it has been there.
Rclean DINAMICA covers with a damp
cloth. Make sure that you wipe entire
seat sections to avoid leaving visible
lines.
Cleaning the seat belts
GWARNING
Seat belts can become severely weakened if
bleached or dyed. This could cause the seat
belts to tear or fail, for instance, in the event of an accident. This poses an increased risk of
injury or fatal injury.
Never bleach or dye the seat belts.
!Do not clean the seat belts using chemical
cleaning agents. Do not dry the seat belts
by heating at temperatures above 176 ‡
(80 †) or in direct sunlight.
XUse clean, lukewarm water and soap solu-
tion.
Cleaning the headliner and carpets
XHeadliner: if it is very dirty, use a soft brush
or dry shampoo.
XCarpets: use the carpet and textile clean-
ing agents recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
548Care
Maintenance and care