2017 MERCEDES-BENZ METRIS trailer

Important safety notes
GWARNING
If th eengin eis switched off automatically and
you exit th evehicle, th eengin eis restarte d
automatically. The vehicl emay begi nmoving .
Ther eis aris kof acciden tand injury.
If you wish to exit th evehicle, always tur noff
th eignition and secure th evehicl eagainst
rollin gaway.
Automatic engine switch-off
Gene ral notes
The ECO start/sto pfunction is operational
when th eè ECO symbol is shown in th esta-
tus bar of th edisplay.
Fo rthis to happen, various conditions, includin g
th efollowing, must be met :
RtheECO start/sto pfunction is switched on .
The indicator lamp in th eè ECO butto nis
lit (
Ypage 125).
Rtheoutside temperature is abov e32 ‡(0 †).
Rthe engine has reached its operating temper-
ature.
Rthe set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached.
Rthe condition of charge of the starter battery
is sufficient.
Rthe system detects that the windshield is not
fogged up when the air-conditioning system
or automatic climate control is switched on.
Rthe hood is closed.
Rthe driver's seat belt is fastened.
Rthe driver's door is closed.
Rthere is no danger of immediately rolling
backwards, e.g. when stopped on a steep gra-dient.
If a trailer is attached and/or a rear carrier
system is installed and connected electri-
cally, this danger is detected on less steep
gradients.
Only if all the conditions for automatic engine
switch-off are fulfilled, does the display show
the è ECO symbol.
All of the vehicle's systems remain active when
the engine is switched off automatically.
The engine can be switched off automatically a
maximum of four times (initial stop, then three subsequent stops) in succession. After that, the
display hides the èECO symbol. Automatic
engine switch-off is not possible again until the
è ECO symbol is shown again.
If you open the hood after an a
utomatic engine
switch-off, the automatic engine start is deacti-
vated. Once the hood is closed, you have to start
the engine manually.
If the vehicle is stopped in Dor N, the ECO start/
stop function switches off the engine automat-
ically once the vehicle is stationary.
Automatic engine start
General notes
The engine is started automatically if:
Ryou switch off the ECO start/stop function by
pressing the èECO button The indicator
lamp in the èECO button then goes out.
(
Ypage 125)
Ryou depress the accelerator pedal.
Ryou engage reverse gear R.
Ryou unfasten your seat belt.
Ryou open the driver's door.
Rthe vehicle begins to roll away.
Rthe brake system requires this.
Rthe temperature in the vehicle interior
increasingly deviates from the set value.
Rthe system detects moisture on the wind-
shield when the air-conditioning system is
switched on.
Rthe battery's condition of charge is too low.
The engine is started automatically if you:
Rswitch to drive program M(Ypage 129)
Rrelease the brake pedal when in transmission
position Dor N
Rswitch to transmission position P
After shifting from transmission position Rto D,
the ECO start/stop function is not available until
the è ECO symbol is shown in the display.
124Driving
Driving and parking

Rincreased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for exam-
ple.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up sooner.
The vehicle thus maintains lower engine
speeds.
Drive program E
Drive programEcohas the following character-
istics:
Rthe vehicle exhibits particularly economical
handling characteristics.
Rthe maximum available engine torque is
reduced.
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting down signifi-
cantly later and up significantly sooner, even
at full-load operation.
No shift point adjustment for adapting to indi-
vidual, dynamic driving styles.
In kickdown, the automatic transmission
automatically shifts to drive program C.
Rincreased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for exam-
ple.
Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
Rlittle throttle: early upshifts
Rlots of throttle: later upshifts
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
XDepress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to the next
gear down, depending on the engine speed.
XEase off on the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts up again.
Rocking the vehicle free
At speeds up to 5 mph (9 km/h) you can switch
back and forth between drive position Dand
reverse gear Rwithout applying the brakes. This
helps when rocking the vehicle out of snow or
slush.
XPush the DIRECT SELECT lever alternately up
and down beyond the first point of resistance.
Towing a trailer
XDepending on the downhill gradient, limit the
shift range (Ypage 128) or shift manually into
a lower gear (Ypage 130) in which the engine
will operate in the middle of the engine speed
range. This also applies if cruise control is
activated.
Manual gearshifting
General notes
If you select drive program M, automatic gear-
shifting is deactivated and manual gearshifting
is automatically activated. You must then per-
manently change gear yourself for as long as the
drive program is selected.
Permanent manual gearshifting is deactivated
automatically when you switch from drive pro-
gram Mto another drive program. The auto-
matic transmission then shifts gears automati-
cally. The display shows the selected drive pro-
gram and transmission position Dagain.
Shifting gears
:To shift down
;To shift up
130Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the
maximum permissible speed programed at a
Mercedes-Benz Commercial Van Center.
Before overtaking, take into consideration that
the engine speed limiter prevents the speed
increasing beyond the programmed permissible
maximum speed.
Driving abroad
Service
An extensive network of authorized Mercedes-
Benz Centers is also at your disposal when you
are traveling abroad. Nevertheless, please bear
in mind that service facilities or replacement
parts may not always be immediately available.
The relevant workshop directories are available
from any Mercedes-Benz Commercial Van Cen-
ter.
Fuel
In some countries, only fuels with a higher sulfur
content are available.
Unsuitable fuel can cause engine damage. You
will find information about fuel under "Service
products and capacities" (
Ypage 305).
Low-beam headlamps
General notes
When driving in countries in which traffic drives
on the opposite side of the road to the country
where the vehicle is registered, you must switch
the headlamps to symmetrical low beam. This
prevents oncoming traffic from being blinded.
Symmetrical low beam does not illuminate as
large an area of the edge of the road.
Vehicles with halogen headlamps
The headlamps do not need to be switched to
symmetrical low beam. The legal requirements
of countries in which traffic drives on the oppo-
site side of the road to the country where the
vehicle is registered are met without the need to
convert the headlamps.
Transport by rail
Transporting your vehicle by rail may be subject
to certain restrictions or require special meas- ures to be taken in some countries due to vary-
ing tunnel heights and loading standards.
You can obtain information on this from any
Mercedes-Benz Commercial Van Center.
Braking
Important safety notes
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.
Downhill gradients
!Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
This also applies to automatic braking if you
have activated cruise control.
On long and steep downhill gradients, you
should change down to shift range 2or1 in
good time (
Ypage 128).
This should be observed in particular when driv-
ing with a laden vehicle and when towing a
trailer.
You thereby make use of the braking effect of
the engine and do not have to brake as often to
maintain the speed. This relieves the load on the
service brake and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly.
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.
Driving tips137
Driving and parking
Z

drive over obstacles, have the front
passenger direct you.
iWe recommend that you additionally carry a
shovel and a recovery rope with shackle in the
vehicle.
REnsure that loads and items of luggage are
securely stowed or lashed down
(
Ypage 242).
RBefore driving off-road, stop the vehicle and
shift to a low gear.
RIf the surface requires, temporarily deactivate
ESP®when pulling away (Ypage 66).
ROnly drive off-road with the engine running
and a gear engaged.
RDrive slowly and smoothly. Walking pace is
necessary in many situations.
RAvoid spinning the drive wheels.
RMake sure that the wheels always remain in
contact with the ground.
RDrive with extreme care over unknown terrain
where you can only see for a short distance.
As a precaution, get out of the vehicle to take
a look at the route to be taken in advance.
RCheck the water depth before fording.
RWatch out for obstacles (e.g. rocks, holes,
tree stumps and ruts).
RAvoid edges where the surface could crumble
or break away.
Checklist after driving off-road
!If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Off-road driving places a higher demand on your
vehicle than normal road operation. Check your
vehicle after driving on rough terrain. By doing
so you will notice any damage in good time and
reduce the risk of an accident for yourself and
other road users. Clean your vehicle thoroughly
before driving on public roads.
Observe the following points after driving off-
road, on construction sites and before driving on
public roads:
XActivate ESP®(Ypage 66).
XClean the headlamps and tail lamps and
check them for damage.
XClean the front and rear license plates.
XClean the windshield, windows and exterior
mirrors.
XClean the steps, door sills and grab handles.
This increases safety of footing.
XClean the wheels/tires, wheel housings and
the underbody of the vehicle with a water jet. This increases road grip, especially on wet
road surfaces.
XCheck the wheels/tires and wheel housings
for trapped foreign objects and remove them.
Trapped foreign objects can damage the
wheels/tires and may be flung out from the
vehicle when you continue driving.
XCheck the underbody for trapped branches or
other parts of plants and remove them.
Trapped branches or other parts of plants
increase the risk of fire and can cause dam-
age to fuel lines, brake hoses and the rubber
bellows of axle joints and drive shafts.
XClean the brake disks, brake pads and axle
joints, particularly after operation in sand,
mud, grit/gravel, water or similarly dirty con-
ditions.
XCheck the entire floor assembly, the tires,
wheels, bodywork structure, brakes, steering,
chassis and exhaust system for any damage.
XCheck the service brake for operating safety,
e.g. carry out a brake test.
XIf you notice strong vibrations after driving off-
road, check the wheels and drive train for for- eign objects again. Remove any foreign
objects which can lead to imbalances and
thus cause vibrations.
Driving in mountainous areas
When driving in mountainous areas, note that
the power output of the engine, and with it its
gradient climbing capability, decrease with
increasing altitude. Please take note of this par-
ticularly when driving with a trailer in mountain-ous areas.
The maximum permissible trailer loads are valid
for journeys at altitudes up to 1100 yds
(1000 m) above sea level with gradients up to
12%.
Information on maximum permissible trailer
loads can be found in your vehicle registration
papers and on the vehicle identification plate
(
Ypage 303) or under "Trailer loads"
(Ypage 314).
Driving tips141
Driving and parking
Z

Warning display
Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds below
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). Vehicles in
the monitoring range are then not indicated.
If a vehicle is detected within the monitoring
range of Blind Spot Assist at speeds above
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h), warning
lamp:lights up red in the exterior mirror on
the corresponding side. Warning lamp :
always lights up when a vehicle enters the blind
spot monitoring range from behind or from the
side. When you overtake a vehicle, the warning
only occurs if the difference in speed is less than
7 mph (11 km/h).
If you select reverse gear, Blind Spot Assist is
inactive.
The intensity of warning lamps :depends on
the brightness of the ambient light and is con-
trolled automatically.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range of
Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the corre-
sponding turn signal, a double warning tone
sounds once. The warning lamp in the corre-
sponding exterior mirror flashes. If the turn sig-
nal remains on, detected vehicles are indicated
by the flashing of the warning lamp in the exte-
rior mirror. There are no further warning tones.
Activating Blind Spot Assist
XMake sure that Blind Spot Assist is activated
in the on-board computer (Ypage 185).
XTurn the key to position 2in the ignition lock.
The warning lamps in the exterior mirrors light
up for approximately 1.5 seconds.
Status indicators in the status overview submenu
If Blind Spot Assist is activated, the display
shows symbol :in the StatusOverviewsub-
menu of the on-board computer (Ypage 184). If
you are driving faster than 20 mph (30 km/h),
the symbol also shows radar waves ;between
the two vehicles. Blind Spot Assist is then ready
for use.
Towing a trailer
If you attach a trailer, make sure that you have
correctly established the electrical connection.
This can be accomplished by checking the trailer
lighting. Blind Spot Assist is then deactivated
and the Blind Spot Assist Currently
Unavail. See Operator's Manualmessage
appears in the display.
Lane Keeping Assist
General notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in front of
your vehicle by means of camera :which is
mounted at the top of the windshield. Lane
Keeping Assist detects lane markings on the
road and can warn you before you leave your
lane unintentionally.
This function is available in the range between
40 mph (60 km/h) and 125 mph (200 km/h).
A warning may be given if a front wheel touches a lane marking. It will warn you by means of
148Driving systems
Driving and parking

parking and pulling away. Make sure that there
are no persons, animals or objects in the maneu-
vering area while maneuvering and parking in/
leaving parking spaces.
!Pay particular attention to obstacles above
or below the sensors when parking, such as
flower pots or trailer towbars. PARKTRONIC
does not recognize such objects when they
are in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle.
You could damage the vehicle or objects.
PARKTRONIC can suffer interference from:
Rultrasonic sources such as a truck's
compressed-air brakes, an automatic car
wash or a pneumatic drill
Rattachments to the vehicle, e.g. rear moun-
ted racks
Rnumber plates (vehicle license plates) that
are not affixed flat against the bumper
Rdirty or icy sensors
Remove a detachable trailer coupling if it is no
longer required. PARKTRONIC measures the
minimum detection range to an obstacle from
the bumper, not the ball coupling.
Range of the sensors
PARKTRONIC does not account for obstacles
that are:
Rbeneath its detection range, e.g. persons, ani-
mals or objects
Rabove its detection range, e.g. overhanging
loads, overhangs or truck loading ramps
The sensors must be free of dirt, ice or slush.
Otherwise, they cannot function correctly.
Clean the sensors regularly, taking care not to
scratch or damage them (
Ypage 266).
Front sensors
CenterApprox. 39 in
(100 cm)
CornersApprox. 24 in (60 cm)
Rear sensors
CenterApprox. 47 in
(120 cm)
CornersApprox. 31 in (80 cm)
Minimum distance
CenterApprox. 8 in (20 cm)
CornersApprox. 8 in (20 cm)
If an obstacle is within this range, the corre-
sponding segments of the warning displays light
up and you hear a warning tone. If the distance
falls below the minimum, the distance from an
obstacle may no longer be shown.
152Driving systems
Driving and parking

Towing a trailer
PARKTRONIC detects a coupled trailer if your
vehicle is equipped with the corresponding elec-
trical installations for trailer towing.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connectionbetween your vehicle and a trailer. If you use an
adapter for the socket, remove it from the
socket after detaching the trailer. Otherwise,
PARKTRONIC remains deactivated for the rear
area.
Problems with PARKTRONIC
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and
MSolutions
Only the red segments in
the PARKTRONIC warn-
ing displays are lit.
In addition, a warning
tone sounds for approx.
two seconds
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated.
The indicator lamp of the
f button lights up
and the red segments in
the PARKTRONIC warn-
ing display go out.PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched itself off.
XIf problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified spe- cialist workshop.
The PARKTRONIC warn-
ing displays implausible
distances.
For example, all the seg-
ments may be lit even
though there is no obsta-
cle present.The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or iced up.
XClean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Ypage 266).
XTurn the key to position 2in the ignition lock.
The license plate or other parts attached near the sensors may not be
secured correctly.
XCheck the license plate and attachment parts near the sensors for
correct seating.
An external radio or ultrasonic source may be causing interference.
XCheck PARKTRONIC functions in a different location.
Active Parking Assist
General notes
Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking
aid. The system uses ultrasound sensors to
measure the road on both sides of the vehicle
and indicates suitable parking spaces. It can
then actively steer and brake the vehicle to help
you to park and exit the parking space.
Active Parking Assist includes the PARKTRONIC
parking aid which indicates visually and audibly the distance between your vehicle and an
object. To do this, PARKTRONIC uses the ultra- sonic sensors of the Active Parking Assist
(
Ypage 151).
Important safety notes
Active Parking Assist is only an aid. It is not a
substitute for your attention to the immediate
surroundings. You are responsible for safe
maneuvering, parking and pulling away. Make
sure that no persons, animals or objects are in
the maneuvering range.
When you deactivate PARKTRONIC, Active Park-
ing Assist will also be deactivated.
154Driving system
s
Driving an d parking

For vehicles with a trailer coupling installed, the
minimum length for parking spaces will be
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
then deactivated for the rear area.
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 obsta-
cles such as curbs slowly and not at a sharp
angle. Otherwise, you may damage the
wheels or tires.
Active Parking Assist may also display spaces
not suitable for parking, e.g.:
Rin a zone where parking or stopping is pro-
hibited
Rin front of driveways or entrances and exits
Ron unsuitable surfaces
Parking tips:
Ron narrow roads, drive as closely as possible
past the parking space.
Rparking spaces that are littered or overgrown
might be identified or measured incorrectly.
Rparking spaces that are partially occupied by
trailer drawbars might not be identified as
such or be measured incorrectly.
Rsnowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
Rwhen transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you should not use Active
Parking Assist.
Rnever use Active Parking Assist when snow
chains are installed.
Ralways ensure that the tire pressure is cor-
rect. This has a direct influence on the parking
characteristics of the vehicle.
Rif you mount w heels with a different wheel
size, this will have a direct influence on the
parking result.
Rif you mount tires from another manufacturer,
this may have an influence on the parking
result.
Rif you drive slowly past the parking space, a
better parking result is achieved.
Rpay attention to the PARKTRONIC warning
messages (Ypage 153) during the parking
procedure.
Ryou can intervene in the steering procedure to
correct it at any time. Parking assistance will
then be canceled and Active Parking Assist
stopped.
Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces
that are:
Rparallel or at right angles to the direction of
travel.
Ron straight roads, not bends.
Ron the same level as the road, e.g. not on the
pavement.
Detecting parking spaces
GWARNING
If there are objects above the detection range:
RActive Park Assist may steer too early
Rthe vehicle may not stop in front of these
objects
You may cause a collision as a result. There is
a risk of an accident.
If objects are located above the detection
range, stop and deactivate Active Parking
Assist.
Objects located above the height range of Active
Parking Assist will not be detected when the
parking space is measured. These are not taken
into account when the parking procedure is cal-
culated, e.g. overhanging loads, overhangs or
truck loading ramps.
For further information on the detection range
(
Ypage 152).
Driving systems155
Driving and parking
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