Basic illustration
XPress release button:, hold belt tongue;
firmly and guide it back towards belt outlet
=.
Belt warning for drivers and front pas-
sengers
The 7 seat belt warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster is a reminder that all vehicle occu-
pants must wear their seat belts. It may light up
continuously or flash. In addition, there may be
a warning tone.
Regardless of whether the driver's seat belt has
already been fastened, the 7seat belt warn-
ing lamp lights up for 6 seconds after each time
the ignition is switched on. After the engine has
been started, it goes out once the driver has
fastened the seat belt.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened after the
engine is started, an additional warning tone will
sound. This warning tone stops after a maximum
of six seconds or once the driver's seat belt is
fastened.
If the vehicle speed exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h)
and the driver's seat belt is not fastened, a
warning tone sounds again. The warning tone
sounds for 60 seconds or until the driver's seat
belt is fastened.
If the driver unfastens the seat belt while the
vehicle is in motion, the belt warning automati-
cally reactivates.
iFurther information on the 7seat belt
warning lamp; see "Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster"
(
Ypage 203).
Air bags
Introduction
The air bag installation location is identified by
the label SRS/AIR BAG or AIR BAG.
An air bag supplements a correctly fastened
seat belt. However, it is not intended as a sub-
stitute for the seat belt. Air bags provide addi-
tional protection in the event of an accident.
Not all air bags are deployed in an accident. The
various air bag systems work independently of
each other (
Ypage 45).
There is, however, no system available today
that can completely rule out injury or death.
It is also not possible to rule out a risk of injury
caused by an air bag due to the high speed at
which the air bag must be deployed.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you do not sit in the correct seat position,
the air bag cannot protect as intended and
could even cause additional injury when
deployed. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
To avoid hazardous situations, always make
sure that all of the vehicle's occupants:
Rhave fastened their seat belts correctly,
including pregnant women
Rare sitting correctly and maintain the great-
est possible distance to the air bags
Rfollow the following instructions
Always make sure that there are no objects
between the air bag and the vehicle's occu-
pants.
RCorrectly adjust the seats before driving off.
Always make sure the seat backrests are
positioned as close to the vertical as possible.
The center of the head restraints should sup-
port the back of the head at about eye level.
RMove the driver's and front-passenger seat as
far back as possible. The driver's seat position
Occupant safety43
Safety
Z
For this reason, deactivate ASR only briefly
and when absolutely necessary.
When ESP®is intervening and thedwarning
lamp in the instrument cluster is flashing, leave
ASR on. In this case, only depress the acceler-
ator pedal as far as required when pulling away.
XPress the àbutton.
If ASR is deactivated, the dwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up.
ASR is automatically activated when the engine
is started.
It may be best to deactivate ASR briefly in the
following situations:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
If you deactivate ASR:
Rengine torque is not limited and the drive
wheels are able to spin. The spinning wheels
will then achieve a cutting effect for better
traction.
Rtraction control remains active through brake
intervention. If a drive wheel attains its tire
traction limit because one side of the road is
slippery, for example, that wheel is braked.
The traction is then increased in this situation.
Ractive brake intervention by ESP®to increase
driving stability remains active. The d
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes when ESP
®is intervening.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
GWARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
Vehicles without steering wheel buttons: if the
BAS driving safety system is malfunctioning,
the : warning lamp lights up while the
engine is running (
Ypage 195).
BAS operates in emergency braking situations.
If you depress the brake quickly, BAS automat-
ically increases the brake pressure, thereby
reducing the stopping distance.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated.
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
GWARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the
risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
EBD monitors and controls the brake pressure
to the rear wheels. This enables EBD to improve
handling during braking.
Observe the information on warning and indica-
tor lamps (
Ypage 195).
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If ESP
®is malfunctioning it will not provide
any vehicle stabilization. There is an increased
risk of skidding or of an accident.
Exercise caution when continuing to drive.
Have ESP
®checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
!Do not run the vehicle on a roller dynamom-
eter (e.g. for performance tests). If you must
operate the vehicle on a roller dynamometer,
54Driving safety systems
Safety
XTo set the steering wheel:swing lever=
down until it engages.
The steering wheel is unlocked.
XMove the steering wheel to the desired posi-
tion.
XPull lever =up to the stop.
The steering wheel is locked again.
Mirrors
Rear-view mirror
XAnti-glare mode: push anti-glare lever :in
the direction of the arrow.
Exterior mirrors
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The additional mirrors in the exterior mirrors
reduce the size of the image. Objects visible in
the mirrors are closer than they appear. You
could misjudge the distance from road users
driving behind you when changing lanes, for
instance. There is a risk of an accident.
You should therefore always determine the
actual distance from road users driving
behind you, e.g.:
Rby looking over your shoulder
Rby looking in the main mirror in the exterior
mirror.
Adjusting manually
XBefore starting off, manually adjust the exte-
rior mirrors in such a way that you can get a
good overview of road and traffic conditions.
Adjusting electrically
Adjustment buttons and switches for setting the
mirrors
XBefore pulling away, turn the key to position 2
in the ignition lock (Ypage 119).
XPress switch ;to position 1for the left-hand
exterior mirror or to position 2for the right-
hand exterior mirror.
XPress adjustment button :at the top, bot-
tom, right or left.
Adjust the exterior mirrors in such a way that
you can get a good overview of road and traf- fic conditions.
iThe exterior mirrors are automatically
heated at low outside temperatures.
78Mirrors
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Useful information
This Operator's Manual describes all models as
well as standard and optional equipment of your
vehicle that were available at the time of going
to print. Country-specific variations are possi-
ble. Note that your vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the described functions. This also
applies to systems and functions relevant to
safety.
Read the information on qualified specialist
workshops (
Ypage 26).
Exterior lighting
Important safety notes
For reasons of safety, we recommend that you
drive with the lights switched on even during the
daytime. There may be differences in operation
due to legal requirements and voluntary recom-
mendations in some countries.
Bulb failure indicator
The bulb failure indicator is only an aid. You are
responsible for the proper functioning of the
vehicle lighting. Insufficient or non-functioning
vehicle lighting puts the operating safety of the
vehicle at risk.
For this reason, check the condition and func-
tion of your vehicle's lighting system and, if nec-
essary, that of the trailer before each journey.
The bulb failure indicator monitors all of the
exterior lighting lamps, except the perimeter
lamp and the trailer lighting. If a bulb fails, either
the b(
Ypage 33) indicator lamp lights up, or
you will see a corresponding message in the
display (
Ypage 185).
iDepending on the equipment, the bulb fail-
ure indicator can fail for all lamps with the
exception of the turn signal lamps.
Light switch
Operation
1 ÃAutomatic headlamp mode/daytime
running lamps
2$Lights off
3TParking lamps, license plate and
instrument lighting
4LLow-beam/high-beam headlamps
5NFog lamps
6RRear fog lamp
If you hear a warning tone when you leave the
vehicle, the lights may still be switched on.
XTurn the light switch to $orÃ.
or
XIf the rear fog lamp is switched on: press the
light switch in to the stop.
The turn signals, high-beam headlamps and the
high-beam flasher are operated using the com-
bination switch (
Ypage 81).
Low-beam headlamps
XTo switch on: turn the key to position 2in the
ignition lock or start the engine.
XTurn the light switch to position L.
The L indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
Daytime running lamps
You can activate/deactivate the daytime run-
ning lamps function using the on-board com-
puter.
This is not possible in countries where daytime
running lamps are a legal requirement.
Exterior lighting79
Lights and windshield wipers
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The engine does not
start.
The starter motor cannot
be heard.The on-board voltage is too low. The battery is too weak or discharged.
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 242).
If the engine cannot be jump-started, the starter motor is faulty.
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine does not
start.
The starter motor cannot
be heard.The battery is discharged or faulty.
XCheck the battery for damage.
XCharge the battery (Ypage 232).
Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is
a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate.
!Vehicles with automatic transmission may
roll only briefly in the neutral position N. Pro-
longed rolling of the wheels, e.g. when being
towed, will result in transmission damage.
Towing (
Ypage 243)
Selector lever
jPark position with parking lock
kReverse gear
iNeutral
hDrive
The display in the instrument cluster shows the
present selector lever position or the current
shift range:
Ron vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Ypage 167)
Ron vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Ypage 163)
Selector lever positions
BPark position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped. Only move the
selector lever to Pif the vehicle is
stationary.
You can only remove the key when
the selector lever is in this position.
The selector lever is locked in posi-
tion Pif the key is removed.
The parking lock should not be used
as a brake when parking. Always
apply the parking brake as well once
you have parked the vehicle.
CReverse gear
Only move the selector lever to R
when the vehicle is stationary.
124Automatic transmission
Driving and parking
Problems with the transmission
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The transmission mal-
functions when shifting
gear.The transmission is losing oil.
XHave the transmission checked immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
The acceleration charac-
teristics have deteriora-
ted noticeably.
The transmission does
not shift.The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into second gear or reverse gear R.
XStop the vehicle.
XDepress the brake pedal.
XMove the selector lever to positionP.
XSwitch off the engine.
XWait at least 10 seconds before restarting the engine.
XDepress the brake pedal.
XMove the selector lever to positionDor R.
In position D, the transmission shifts into second gear; in position R,
the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
XHave the transmission checked immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Releasing the parking lock manually
In the event of a malfunction, it is possible to
manually release the selector lever from the
lock in parking position P, e.g. to have the vehi-
cle towed away.
XApply the parking brake.
XRemove cover :.
XSlide implement ;as far as it will go into the
opening.
XPush the implement in and simultaneously
move the selector lever out of position P.
The selector lever lock is released. You can
now move the selector lever freely again until
it is returned to position P.
XRemove implement;.
XRe-install cover:.
iThe screwdriver from the vehicle tool kit
could function as the implement, for instance
(
Ypage 240).
Refueling
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. Improper handling of
fuel creates a risk of fire and explosion.
Avoid fire, open flames, smoking and creating
sparks under all circumstances. Switch off the
engine and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating
before refueling.
GWARNING
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
Refueling127
Driving and parking
Z
Always park your vehicle safely and according to
legal requirements and secure it against rolling
away.
To ensure that the vehicle is properly secured
against rolling away unintentionally:
Rthe parking brake must be firmly applied
Rthe selector lever must be in positionPand
the key must be removed from the ignition
lock
Ron steep uphill or downhill gradients, the front
wheels must be turned towards the curb
Rthe rear axle must be secured, e.g. with a
wheel chock, on steep uphill or downhill gra-
dients
Use the wheel chock (
Ypage 132) to do so.
If you leave the vehicle parked for more than
three weeks:
Rconnect the batteries to a trickle charger or
Rdisconnect the vehicle's starter battery or
Rswitch off the electrical system using the bat-
tery main switch (Ypage 118) and
Rdisconnect the vehicle's auxiliary battery
Otherwise, you need to check the battery's con-
dition of charge every three weeks, since
standby power consumption can drain the bat-
tery. If the battery voltage is lower than 12.2 V,
the battery must be charged. Otherwise, the
battery may be damaged by exhaustive dis-
charging.
Be sure to observe the notes on disconnecting
and chargi ng th
e batteries under "Bat-
tery“ (Ypage 227). You can obtain information
about trickle chargers from a qualified specialist
workshop.
Parking brake
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
Rstart the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. 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 unsupervised in the vehicle.
GWARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi-
cle when the service brake is faulty. Do not
apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again.
The brake lamps are not illuminated when you
brake the vehicle using the parking brake.
As a rule, you may only apply the parking brake
when the vehicle is stationary.
XTo apply the parking brake: pull brake
lever :up as far as the last possible detent.
The c warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running.
iOn vehicles with a folding brake lever, you
can then press lever :down to the stop.
XTo release the parking brake: on vehicles
with a folding brake lever, first pull brake
lever :up to the stop.
XRaise brake lever :slightly and press
release knob ;.
XGuide brake lever :down to the stop.
The c indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Parking131
Driving an d parking
Z
Exceptionally, if the service brake fails, the park-
ing brake can be used to brake the vehicle in an
emergency.
XEmergency braking: press and hold release
button ;and carefully apply brake lever :.
Switching off the engine
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
!If the coolant temperature is very high, e.g.
after driving on hilly roads, leave the engine
running at idle speed for about two minutes
before turning it off.
This allows the coolant temperature to return
to normal.
XStop the vehicle.
XShift the automatic transmission to position
P .
XApply the parking brake.
XTurn the key to position 0in the ignition lock
and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away (Ypage 130).
Wheel chock
Use the wheel chock or a similar object to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling away, e.g. when
parking or changing a wheel.
Wheel chock in the load/passenger compartment
XTo remove the wheel chock on Cargo
Vans/Passenger Vans: pull restraining
cable :down a little and remove it from
retainer ;.
XRemove the chock.
iWhen stowing the wheel chock, make sure
that restraining cable :is holding it securely
in retainer ;.
Wheel chock to the rear of the chassis on the left
side of the vehicle (example)
XTo remove the wheel chock on Cab Chas-
sis:pull the locking springs down and remove
the wheel chock.
iWhen stowing the wheel chock, make sure
that it is secured in the retainer with the lock-
ing springs.
Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you park your vehicle for longer than
three weeks:
Rconnect the batteries to a trickle charger or
Rdisconnect the vehicle's starter battery or
132Parking
Driving an d parking