Proper use
Observe the following information when oper-
ating your vehicle:
Rthe safety notes in these operating instruc-
tions
Rthe technical data in these Operating Instruc-
tions
Rtraffic laws and regulations
Rmotor vehicle laws and safety standards
There are various warning stickers affixed to the
vehicle. If you remove warning stickers, you and
others may fail to recognize the dangers. Leave
the warning stickers in their original position.
GWARNING
Modifications to electronic components, their software as well as wiring can impair their
function and/or the function of other net-
worked components. In particular, systems
relevant to safety could also be affected. As a
result, these may no longer function as inten-
ded and/or jeopardize the operating safety of
the vehicle. There is an increased risk of an
accident and injury.
Never tamper with the wiring as well as elec-
tronic components or their software. You
should have all work to electrical and elec-
tronic equipment carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.
The general operating permit for your vehicle
could be rendered invalid if you carry out mod-
ifications to electronic components, their soft-
ware as well as wiring.
GWARNING
Gases and fluids from substances that con-
stitute a health hazard or react aggressively
can escape even from securely closed con-
tainers. When transporting such substances
in the vehicle interior, your ability to concen-
trate or your health could be affected during
the journey. Malfunctions, short circuits or
electrical component system failures may
also result. There is a risk of an accident and
fire.
Do not store or transport any substances in
the vehicle interior which are hazardous to
health or react aggressively.
These instructions must also be observed for
vehicles where the cargo compartment is not
fully separated from the driver's cab.
Partition with door/window: always keep the
door/window in the partition closed during
transport.
Examples of substances that are hazardous to
health and/or react aggressively:
RSolvents
RFuel
ROil and grease
RCleaning agents
RAcids
Protection of the environment
Economic and environmentally aware
driving
HEnvironmental note
Daimler's declared policy is one of compre-
hensive environmental protection.
The objectives are for the natural resources
that form the basis of our existence on this
planet to be used sparingly and in a manner
that takes the requirements of both nature
and humanity into account.
You too can help to protect the environment
by operating your vehicle in an environmen-
tally responsible manner.
Fuel consumption and the rate of engine,
transmission, brake and tire wear are affected
by these factors:
Roperating conditions of your vehicle
Ryour personal driving style
You can influence both factors. You should
bear the following in mind:
Introduction29
Z
sive role in the deployment of an air bag. Nor do
they provide an indication of air bag deploy-
ment.
The vehicle can be deformed considerably, with-
out an air bag being deployed. This is the case if only parts which are relatively easily deformed
are affected and the rate of deceleration is not
high. Conversely, air bags may be deployed even
though the vehicle suffers only minor deforma-
tion. This is the case if, for example, very rigid
vehicle parts such as longitudinal body mem-
bers are hit, and sufficient deceleration occurs
as a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a side
impact or if the vehicle rolls over, the applicable
components of the restraint system are activa-
ted independently of each other depending on
the apparent type of accident.
RSide impact air bag and pelvis air bag on the
side on which an impact occurs, independent
from the Emergency Tensioning Device and
seat belt usage
The side impact air bag on the front-
passenger side deploys under the following
conditions:
-the OCS system detects that the front-
passenger seat is occupied or
-the seat belt buckle tongue is engaged in
the belt buckle of the front-passenger seat
RWindow curtain air bag on the side of impact,independently of the use of the seat belt and
independently of whether the front-
passenger seat is occupied
REmergency Tensioning Devices, if the system
determines that deployment can offer addi-
tional protection in this situation
RWindow curtain air bags on the driver's and
front-passenger side in certain situations
when the vehicle rolls over, if the system
determines that deployment can offer addi-
tional protection to that provided by the seat
belt
iNot all air bags are deployed in an accident.
The different air bag systems work independ- ently of each other.
How the air bag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration and the apparent type of accident:
RFrontal collision
RSide impact
RRollover
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent
Immediately after an accident, the following
measures are implemented, depending on the
type and severity of the impact:
Rthe hazard warning lamps are activated
Rthe emergency lighting in the interior is acti-
vated
Rthe vehicle doors are unlocked
Rthe front side windows are lowered
Rair-recirculation mode is activated
Rclimate control is switched off
Rthe engine is switched off and the fuel supply
is cut off
Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
Accident statistics show that children secured
in the rear seats are safer than children secured
in the front-passenger seat. For this reason,
Mercedes-Benz strongly advises that you install
a child restraint system on a rear seat. Children
are generally better protected there.
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 5 ft (1.50 m) in height is traveling in the
vehicle:
Ralways secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The child restraint system must be appropri-
ate to the age, weight and size of the child
Rbe sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes in this section in addition to the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
instructions
Rbe sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant classification system
(OCS)" (
Ypage 52)
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.
58Children in the vehicle
Safety
correctly routed from the vehicle belt outlet to
the shoulder belt guide on the child restraint
system. The shoulder belt strap must be routed
forward and down from the vehicle belt outlet. If
necessary, adjust the vehicle belt outlet and the
front-passenger seat accordingly.
Always observe the child restraint system man-
ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-
tions.
Override features/Child-proof locks
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are traveling in the vehicle, they
could:
Ropen doors, thus endangering other people
or road users
Rexit the vehicle and be caught by oncoming
traffic
Roperate vehicle equipment and become
trapped
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Always activate the child-proof locks and
override feature if children are traveling in the vehicle. When leaving the vehicle, always take
the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unattended in the vehicle.
Child-proof lock/override feature for:
RSliding doors (Ypage 63)
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 persons, particularly children are subjected to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro- tect it with a blanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been exposed to direct
sunlight, let it cool down before securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
Child-proof lock for sliding door
Sliding door (example: left side of the vehicle)
:
Child safety bolt
2Sliding door released
3Sliding door secured – then make sure that
the child-proof locks are working properly.
You can secure each sliding door individually
with the child-proof locks on the sliding doors.
A secured sliding door cannot be opened from
inside the vehicle. When the vehicle is unlocked, the sliding door can be opened from the outside.
If the electric sliding door is secured, only the
sliding door rear controls are deactivated. If the
electric sliding door is unlocked, you can open
Children in the vehicle63
Safety
Z
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 31).
Key
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 key:
Rwith electronic devices, e.g. a mobile phone
or another key
Rwith metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal foil
Rin metallic objects, e.g. metal cases
This can affect the key's functionality.
Key functions
:Battery check lamp
;& To lock the vehicle centrally
=5To unlock the sliding doors and the
tailgate or rear door or to unlock and open or
close the electric sliding door
?Mechanical key
A% To unlock the vehicle centrally or
unlock the front door(s) only
The vehicle's equipment includes two keys.
There is a mechanical key in each key.
The key can be used to unlock the vehicle from
some distance. To prevent theft, only use the
key in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle.
Change the batteries immediately if battery
check lamp :does not light up briefly with
every press of a button (
Ypage 72).
XTo unlock centrally: press the%button.
The turn signals flash once.
Key69
Opening and closing
Z
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The SmartKey is faulty.
XLock the vehicle with the mechanical key (Ypage 71).
XHave the SmartKey checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine cannot be
started using the Smart-
Key.The on-board voltage is too low.
XSwitch off all non-essential consumers, such as interior lighting, and
try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
XCheck the starter battery and charge it if necessary (Ypage 262).
or
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 272).
or
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
You have lost a Smart-
Key.XHave the SmartKey deactivated at a qualified specialist workshop.
XReport the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
XIf necessary, have the mechanical locks replaced.
You have lost the
mechanical key.XReport the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
XIf necessary, have the mechanical locks replaced.
Central locking
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 persons, particularly children are subjected to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
You can open a locked door from the inside at
any time. For the sliding doors, the child-proof
locks must be deactivated.
Centrally locking and unlocking the
vehicle from the inside
You can centrally lock and unlock the whole
vehicle from the inside using the central locking
buttons on the driver's door.
Central locking73
Opening and closing
Z
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 31).
Breaking-in notes
Important safety notes
In certain driving and driving safety systems, the
sensors adjust automatically while a certain dis-
tance is being driven after the vehicle has been
delivered or after repairs. Full system effective- ness is not reached until the end of this teach-in
procedure.
New or replaced brake pads and brake discs
only reach their optimal braking effect after a
few hundred kilometers of driving. Until then,
compensate for this by applying greater force to
the brake pedal.
The first 1000 miles (1500 km)
For the service life and economy of your vehicle
it is crucial that you break in the engine with due
care.
RTherefore, protect the engine for the first
1000 miles (1500 km) by driving at varying
vehicle and engine speeds.
RAvoid overstraining the vehicle and high
engine speeds during this period, e.g. driving
at full throttle. Do not exceed Øof the per-
missible maximum speed for each gear.
RDo not change down a gear manually in order to brake.
RTry to avoid depressing the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown).
After 1000 miles (1500 km), you can increase
the engine speed gradually and accelerate the
vehicle to full speed.
iYou should also observe these notes on
breaking-in if the engine or parts of the drive
train on your vehicle have been replaced.
Driving
Important safety notes
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.
GWARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
GWARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
Roverheat and cause a fire
Rlose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
!Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use the
engine's full performance until it has reached
operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to the
desired drive position when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery roads.
You could otherwise damage the drive train.
120Driving
Driving and parking
XStow luggage items securely. Secure the load
as per the loading guidelines (Ypage 242).
XMake sure that the floormats and carpets are
properly secured so that they cannot slip and
obstruct the pedals.
XClose all doors.
Starting the engine
Important safety notes
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.
!Do not depress the accelerator when start-
ing the engine.
XBefore starting the engine, make sure that:
Rall the doors are closed.
Rall the vehicle occupants are wearing their
seat belts correctly.
Rthe parking brake is applied.
iIf you depress the brake pedal before start-
ing the engine, the pedal travel may be shorter
and pedal resistance higher.
If you depress the brake pedal again after
starting the engine, pedal travel and resist-
ance will be back to normal again.
Automatic transmission
XShift the transmission to position P
(Ypage 127).
The transmission position indicator in the dis-
play shows P.
You can also start the engine in neutral N.
Starting the engine
XTurn the key to position3in the ignition lock
(Ypage 121) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
Driving off
Automatic transmission
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.
!Only shift into reverse gear Rwhen the vehi-
cle is stationary. Otherwise, you could dam-
age the transmission.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
The parking lock is released.
XShift the transmission to position Dor R.
On vehicles with a reverse warning feature, a
warning signal sounds when reverse gear Ris
engaged to alert other road users
(
Ypage 123).
XRelease the parking brake (Ypage 134).
The F (only USA) or J(only Canada)
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster goes
out.
XRelease the brake pedal.
Hill start assist automatically maintains the
brake pressure for about another two sec-
onds after the brake pedal is released. This
makes it possible to pull away without the
vehicle immediately rolling back
(
Ypage 123).
XCarefully depress the accelerator pedal.
It is only possible to shift the transmission from
position Pto the desired position if you depress
the brake p
edal. Only then is the parking lock
released. If the brake pedal is not depressed, the
DIRECT SELECT lever can still be moved but the
parking lock remains engaged.
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 74).
122Driving
Driving and parking
Hill start assist
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away for-
wards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. Hill
start assist automatically maintains the brake
pressure for about another second, after you
have taken your foot off the brake pedal. This
gives you enough time to move your foot from
the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and
depress it before the vehicle begins to roll.
GWARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no lon-
ger brake your vehicle and it could roll away.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist is not active if:
Ryou are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient
Rthe transmission is in position N
Rthe parking brake is applied
RESP®is malfunctioning
Reverse warning device
GWARNING
Other road users may ignore or fail to hear the warning tone of the reverse warning feature.
There is a risk of injury if you fail to ensure that
the area in which you are maneuvering is
clear.
Make sure that there are no persons or
objects in the area in which you are maneu-
vering. It may be necessary to enlist the help
of a second person when maneuvering.
The reverse warning feature is a system
designed to assist you in ensuring the safety of
other road users.
A warning signal sounds to alert other road
users when reverse gear is engaged. The volume
of the warning tone can be reduced for night-
time driving.
XTo reduce the volume of the warning tone:
engage reverse gear twice in quick succes-
sion.
The warning tone is now quieter.
iThe warning tone sounds at a normal vol-
ume by default. The volume of the warning
tone has to be reduced each time you engage
reverse gear if necessary.
ECO start/stop function
General notes
When the ECO start/stop function is opera-
tional, it switches the engine off automatically if
the vehicle is slowed to a stop under certain
conditions.
When pulling away again, it starts the engine
automatically. The ECO start/stop function
thereby helps you to reduce the fuel consump-
tion and emissions of your vehicle.
The stop/start function is automatically activa-
ted each time you start the engine with the key.
In drive program Mthe ECO start/stop function
is automatically deactivated. You can manually
activate the ECO start/stop function if required.
Display (example for vehicles without steering
wheel buttons)
Display (example for vehicles with steering wheel
buttons)
If the display shows èECO symbol :in the
status area or in the footer, the ECO start/stop
function will switch the engine off automatically
when the vehicle comes to a stop.
Driving123
Driving and parking
Z