
SmartKey
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
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey could be uninten-
tionally turned in the ignition lock. This could
cause the engine to be switched off. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings before
inserting the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
!Keep the SmartKey away from strong mag-
netic fields. Otherwise, the remote control
function could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the vicin-
ity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not keep the SmartKey:
Rwith electronic devices, e.g. a mobile phone
or another SmartKey.
Rwith metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal foil.
Rinside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case.
This can affect the functionality of the Smart- Key. Do not keep the KEYLESS-GO or KEYLESS-GO
Start function key in the temperature-controlled
cup holder. Otherwise, the KEYLESS-GO or KEY-
LESS-GO Start function key will not be detected.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start function:
do
not keep the SmartKey in the cargo compart-
ment. Otherwise, the SmartKey may not be
detected, e.g. when starting the engine using
the Start/Stop button.
SmartKey functions
:& To lock the vehicle
;FTo open/close the tailgate
=%To unlock the vehicle
XTo unlock centrally: press the%button.
If you do not open the vehicle within approx-
imately 40 seconds of unlocking:
Rthe vehicle is locked again.
Ranti-theft protection is reactivated.
XTo lock centrally: press the&button.
The SmartKey centrally locks and unlocks the
following components:
Rthe doors
Rthe tailgate
Rthe fuel filler flap
The turn signals flash once when unlocking and
three times when locking.
You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked. The audible
signal can be activated and deactivated using
the on-board computer (
Ypage 233).
You will receive visual and acoustic locking con-
firmation if all components were able to be
locked.
74SmartKey
Opening and closing

KEYLESS-GOstart function
Gene ral notes
Bear in min dthat th eengin ecan be started by
any of th evehicl eoccupant sif there is aSmart -
Key in th evehicl e (
Ypage 134).
Changing the settings ofthe locking
system
You can chang eth esetting sof th elocking sys-
tem. This mean sthat only th edriver's door and
th efuel filler flap are unlocke dwhen th evehicl e
is unlocked. This is useful if you frequentl ytravel
alone.
XTo change th esetting: press and hold down
th e% and& buttons simultaneousl y
for about six seconds until th ebattery indica-
to rlamp flashes twice (
Ypage 77).
If th esetting of th elocking system is changed
within th esignal range of th evehicle, pressing
th e& or% button:
Rlocks or
Runlocks th evehicl e
The SmartKey no wfunction sas follows :
XTo unlock: press the% buttononce .
XTo unlock centrally: press the% button
twice .
XTo lock centrally: press the& button.
The KEYLESS-GO function is changed as fol -
lows :
XTo unlock th edriver's door :touch th einner
surfac eof th edoor handle on th edriver's
door .
XTo unlock centrally: touch theinner surfac e
of th edoor handle on th efront-passenger
door or th erear door .
XTo lock centrally: touch theouter sensor
surfac eon on eof th edoor handles
(
Ypage 75) .
XTo restor eth efactory settings: press and
hold down th e% and& buttons simul-
taneously for approximately six seconds until
th ebattery chec klamp flashes twice
(
Ypage 77) .
Mechanical key
Gene ral notes
If th evehicl ecan no longer be locke dor
unlocke dwit hth eSmartKey or wit hKEYLESS -
GO, use th emechanical key.
If you use th emechanical ke yto unloc kand
open th edriver's door ,th eanti-thef talarm sys-
te m will be triggered .Switc hoff th ealarm
(
Ypage 72) .
If you unloc kth evehicl eusin gth emechanical
key, th efuel filler flap will no tbe unlocke dauto -
matically.
XTo unlock th efuel filler flap: insert the
SmartKey int oth eignition lock.
Removing the mechanical key
XPush release catch :in th edirection of th e
arrow and at th esam etime remove mechan -
ical ke y; from th eSmartKey.
Fo rfurther information about :
Runlocking thedriver's door (Ypage 81)
Runlocking thecargo compartmen t
(Ypage 85)
Rlocking th evehicl e (Ypage 81)
Inserting the mechanical key
XPush mechanical ke y; completely int oth e
SmartKey until it engage sand release
catch :is bac kin it sbasic position .
76SmartKey
Opening and closing

Automa tic locking featu re
XTo deactivate:press and hold butto n: for
about fiv eseconds until atone sounds.
XTo activate: press and hold butto n; for
about fiv eseconds until atone sounds.
If you press on eof th etwo buttons and do no t
hear atone ,th erelevan tsetting has already
been selected.
The vehicl eis locke dautomatically when th e
ignition is switched on and th ewheels are turn-
ing .
You could therefor ebe locke dout if:
Rth evehicl eis bein gpushed.
Rth evehicl eis bein gtowed.
Rth evehicl eis on aroller dynamometer.
You can also switch th eautomatic locking func-
tion on and off usin gth eon-board computer
(
Ypage 233).
Power closing
Powe rclosin gpulls th edoor sand tailgat eint o
their locks automatically eve nif they are no t
completely closed.
XTo power close adoor :push th edoor int o
th eloc kup to th efirst deten tposition .
Powe rclosin gwill pull th edoor fully closed.
XTo power close th etailgate: lightlypress
th etailgat edownwards.
Powe rclosin gwill pull th etailgat efully
closed.
Unlocking/locking the driver's door
using the mechanical key
i
If you want to centrally loc kth evehicl eusin g
th emechanical key, begi nby pressing th e
locking butto nfor th einterior locking mech-
anism while th edriver's door is open .The n
loc kth edriver's door usin gth emechanical
key.
XInser tth emechanical ke yint oth eloc kof th e
driver's door as far as it will go.
XTo unlock: turnth emechanical ke ycounter-
clockwise to position 1.
XTo lock:turnth emechanical ke yclockwise as
far as it will go to position 1.
If you use th emechanical ke yto unloc kand
open th edriver's door ,th eanti-thef talarm sys-
te m will be triggered .Switc hoff th ealarm
(
Ypage 72).
If you loc kth evehicl eas described above, th e
fuel filler flap is no tlocked. The anti-thef talarm
system is no tarmed.
Cargo compa rtment
Import ant safety notes
GWARNIN G
Combustion engines emi tpoisonous exhaust
gase ssuc has carbon monoxide. If th etailgat e
is open when th eengin eis running, particu-
larly if th evehicl eis moving ,exhaust fumes
could ente rth epassenger compartment.
There is aris kof poisoning .
Turn off th eengin ebefore opening th etail-
gate. Never drive wit hth etailgat eopen .
Cargo compartment81
Opening and closing
Z

Once you have started the engine, you can
switch the engine off via your smartphone at any
time.
You can only start the engine via your smart-
phone if:
Rthe SmartKey is in the ignition lock
Rpark positionPis selected
Rthe accelerator pedal is not depressed
Rthe anti-theft alarm system is not activated
Rthe panic alarm is not activated
Rthe hazard warning lamps are switched off
Rthe hood is closed.
Rthe doors are closed and locked
Rthe windows and sliding sunroof are closed
Also make sure that:
Rthe fuel tank is sufficiently filled
Rthe starter battery is sufficiently charged
GWARNING
Limbs could be crushed or trapped if the
engine is started unintentionally during ser-
vice or maintenance work. There is a risk of
injury.
Always secure the engine against uninten-
tional starting before carrying out mainte-
nance or repair work.
Make sure that the engine cannot be started via
your smartphone before carrying out mainte-
nance or repairs. You can prevent an engine
start via your smartphone, for example, if you:
Rswitch on the hazard warning lamps
Rdo not lock the doors
Ropen the hood
Pulling away
General 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. Depress the accelerator carefully when pulling
away.
The vehicle locks centrally once you have pulled
away. The locking knobs in the doors drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at any
time.
You can also deactivate the automatic locking
feature (
Ypage 233).
It is only possible to shift the transmission from
position Pto the desired position if you depress
the brake pedal. Only then is the parking lock
released. If you do not depress the brake pedal,
the DIRECT SELECT lever can still be moved but the parking lock remains engaged.
iUpshifts take place at higher engine speeds
after a cold start. This helps the catalytic con-
verter to reach its operating temperature
more quickly.
Information on the automatic release of the
electric parking brake (
Ypage 155).
Pulling away with a trailer
To ensure that you do not roll backwards when
pulling away on an uphill slope, engage the elec-
tric parking brake.
XPress and hold handle :.
The electric parking brake continues to brake
and prevent the vehicle from rolling back-
wards.
The red F(USA only) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster remains on.
XDepress the accelerator pedal.
XAs soon as the vehicle/trailer combination isheld by the driving force of the engine, release
lever :.
the electric parking brake is released.
Driving135
Driving and parking
Z

Preparing to refuel
XSwitch off the engine.
XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
or, on vehicles with KEYLESS‑GO:
XOpen the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status 0.
This is the same as the SmartKey having been
removed.
The driver’s door can be closed again.
Opening the fuel filler flap
:To open the fuel filler flap
;To insert the fuel filler cap
=Instruction label for fuel type to be refueled
?Tire pressure table
XPress the fuel filler flap in the direction of
arrow :.
The fuel filler flap swings up.
XTurn the fuel filler cap counterclockwise and
remove it.
XInsert the fuel filler cap into the holder on the
inside of the fuel filler flap.
XCompletely insert the filler neck of the fuel
pump nozzle into the tank, hook in place and
refuel.
XOnly fill the tank until the pump nozzle
switches off.
Do not add any more fuel after the pump stops filling for the first time. Otherwise, fuel may
leak out.
Vehicles with a diesel engine: the filler neck is
designed for refueling at diesel filling pumps.
Closing the fuel filler flap
XReplace the cap on the filler neck and turn
clockwise until it engages audibly.
XClose the fuel filler flap.
Close the fuel filler flap before locking the vehi-
cle.
If you drive at speeds above 1 mph (2 km/h)
with the fuel filler flap open, the Fuel Filler
Flap Openmessage is shown in the multifunc-
tion display.
If you are driving with the fuel filler cap open, the
8 reserve fuel warning lamp flashes. A mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display
(
Ypage 253).
In addition, the ;Check Engine warning
lamp may light up (
Ypage 277).
iFor further information on warning and indi-
cator lamps in the instrument cluster, see
(
Ypage 277).
Refueling149
Driving and parking
Z

Problems with fuel and the fuel tank
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle.GWARNING
The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
Risk of explosion or fire.
XApply the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the engine.
XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
or, in vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start-function or KEYLESS ‑GO
XOpen the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status0. This is the same as the
SmartKey having been removed.
XDo not restart the engine under any circumstances.
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine does not
start.The fuel tank of a vehicle with a diesel engine has been run completely
dry.
XRefuel the vehicle with at least 5.3 US qt (5 liters) of diesel.
XTurn the ignition on for approximately ten seconds (Ypage 132).
XStart the engine continuously for up to ten seconds until it runs
smoothly.
If the engine does not start:
XTurn the ignition on again for approximately ten seconds
(Ypage 132).
XStart the engine again continuously for up to ten seconds until it
runs smoothly.
If the engine does not start after three attempts:
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The fuel filler flap cannot
be opened.The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
XUnlock the vehicle (Ypage 74).
The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
XUnlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Ypage 76).
The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jammed.
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
DEF (BlueTEC vehicles only)
General notes
To function properly, BlueTEC exhaust gas after-
treatment must be operated with the reducing
agent DEF. Adding DEF is one of the tasks per-
formed during maintenance. Under normal operating conditions, a tank of DEF lasts until
the next service due date.
When the supply of DEF is almost used up, the
Check Additive See Operator's Manualmessage is shown in the multifunction display.
If you drive the vehicle faster than 10 mph
(16 km/h), the
Check Additive See Opera‐
150Refueling
Driving and parking

When Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is deactivated
or not available, Steering Pilot is deactivated
automatically.
Level control (vehicles with the Off-
road Engineering package)
Important safety notes
Level control adapts the vehicle level automati-
cally to the current operating and driving situa-
tion. This results in reduced fuel consumption
and improved handling.
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle to
adjust to the new level as quickly as possible.
The vehicle level may change visibly if you park
the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the vehicle
level is lower; with an increase in temperature,
the vehicle level rises.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load discrep-
ancies while still parked. However, for signifi-
cant level changes, such as after the vehicle has
been stationary for a long period, the engine
must be on. For safety reasons, the vehicle is
only lowered when the doors are closed. Low-
ering is interrupted if a door is opened, and it
continues once the door has been closed.
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(
Ypage 162).
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-
cle could rollover more easily, for example on
a bend. There is a risk of an accident.
Always select as low a vehicle level as possi-
ble and adjust your driving style.
GWARNING
When you drive with the chassis lowered or
raised, the vehicle's braking and driving char-
acteristics can be significantly impaired. You
could also exceed the permissible vehicle
height if the chassis is raised. There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the vehicle level before pulling away.
GWARNING
Due to the high center of gravity, the vehicle
may start to skid and roll over in the event of
an abrupt steering maneuver and/or when
the vehicle's speed is not adapted to the road
conditions. There is a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your speed and driving style to
the vehicle's driving characteristics and to the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
!When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time. Make
sure there is always sufficient ground clear-
ance. You will otherwise damage the vehicle.
RUtility vehicles have a significantly higher roll- over rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
RIn a rollover crash, an unbelted person is sig-
nificantly more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should always
wear your seat belts.
Basic settings
The extent to which the vehicle is raised or low-
ered depends on the basic setting selected.
Select:
Rthe Comfort orSport drive program for driv-
ing on normal roads
Rthe Offroad drive program for driving on eas-
ily negotiable off-road terrain
Rthe Offroad Plus drive program for off-road
driving
176Driving systems
Driving and parking

When the HOLD function is activated, the trans-
mission is shifted automatically to positionPif:
Rthe driver's door is open and the driver's seat
belt is unfastened.
Rthe engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function.
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activated
when the vehicle is stationary and:
Ra system malfunction occurs.
Rthe power supply is not sufficient.
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there is
a malfunction, the transmission may also be
automatically shifted into position P.
AIRMATIC package
General notes
AIRMATIC is an air suspension system with var-
iable damping for improved driving comfort.
Level control ensures the best possible suspen-
sion and constant ground clearance, even with a
laden vehicle. When you drive fast, the vehicle is
lowered automatically to improve driving safety
and to reduce fuel consumption. There is also
the option to manually adjust the vehicle level.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): AIRMATIC consists of:
Rlevel settings
Rlevel control and
RADS (Adaptive Damping System)
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: AIRMATIC consists
of:
Rlevel settings
Rlevel control and
RADS PLUS (Adaptive Damping System)
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): your vehicle may also be equipped with
the ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM (
Ypage 182).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: your vehicle is equip-
ped with the ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM.
(
Ypage 182).
Observe the notes on driving with a trailer
(
Ypage 216).
The vehicle level can be set using the DYNAMIC
SELECT controller (
Ypage 139) or the level but- ton (
Ypage 182). The setting always corre-
sponds to the last selected function.
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.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load discrep-
ancies while still parked. However, for signifi-
cant level changes, such as after the vehicle has
been stationary for a long period, the engine
must be on. For safety reasons, the vehicle is
only lowered when the doors are closed. Low-
ering is interrupted if a door is opened, and it
continues once the door has been closed.
ADS and ADS PLUS (Adaptive Damping
System)
General notes
The Adaptive Damping System automatically
controls the calibration of the dampers. The
damping characteristics adapt to the current
operating and driving situation.
The damping is tuned individually to each wheel
and depends on:
Ryour driving style, e.g. sporty
Rthe road surface conditions
Rthe drive program selected
Rthe vehicle level setting
180Driving systems
Driving and parking