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
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
This enables you to utilize the engine's braking
effect and you do not need to brake so heavily to
keep the correct speed. This relieves the load on
the brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you needto brake additionally, to not depress the brake
pedal constantly, but periodically.
Observe the notes on ESP
®trailer stabilization
(Ypage 67).
Driving tips
If the trailer begins to swing from side to side:
XDo not accelerate.
XDo not counter-steer.
XBrake if necessary.
iYou can reduce the risk of the trailer swing-
ing and rocking by retrofitting anti-roll bars or trailer stability programs. Further information
is available at your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Van Dealer.
RMaintain a greater distance than you would
when driving without towing a trailer.
RAvoid sudden braking. Apply the brakes gen-
tly at first to allow the trailer brake to overrun.
Then, increase the brake force quickly.
RThe figures for the gradient climbing capabil-
ities from a standstill refer to sea level. When
driving in mountainous areas, note that the
power output of the engine, and with it its
gradient climbing capability, decrease with
increasing altitude.
Coupling up a trailer
Trailer coupled ready for use
XMake sure that the selector lever of the auto-
matic transmission is in position P.
XOn vehicles with an automatic transmission,
ensure that the transmission is in position P.
XEngage the vehicle's parking brake.
XClose all doors.
XPosition the trailer horizontally behind your
vehicle.
iThe height of the ball neck changes accord-
ing to the load on the vehicle. In this case, use
a trailer with a height-adjustable trailer draw-
bar.
XCouple the trailer.
XEstablish all electrical and other connections to the trailer. When doing so, hook the break-
away cable of the trailer into the eyelet on the
ball coupling.
XRemove the objects that are preventing the
trailer from rolling, e.g. wheel chocks.
XRelease the trailer parking brake.
iThe subharness of the vehicle has a cable
connection to the brake lamp indicator lamp.
Observe the maximum permissible trailer
dimensions (width and length).
Most federal states and all Canadian provinces
require by law:
Rsafety chains between the towing vehicle and the trailer. The chains should be cross-wound
under the trailer drawbar. They must be fas-
Towing a trailer165
Driving and parking
Z
tened to the vehicle's trailer coupling, not to
the bumper or the axle.
Leave enough slack in the chains. This allows
you to drive round tight corners.
Ra separate brake system for certain types of
trailer.
Ra safety shut-off for braked trailers. Find out
the specific requirements according to the
applicable laws.
If the trailer becomes detached from the tow-
ing vehicle, the safety shut-off applies the
trailer brakes.
Towing a trailer
There are numerous legal requirements con-
cerning the towing of a trailer, e.g. speed restric-
tions. Many states require a separate functional
braking system for your trailer once a certain
weight limit is exceeded. For reasons of safety,
it is recommended that all trailers use a sepa-
rate functional braking system. Make sure yourvehicle/trailer combination complies with local
laws. This not only means where you live, but
also anywhere you are driving to. Information on
this can be obtained from the police and local
authorities.
Observe the following when towing a trailer:
RPractice driving around bends, stopping and
backing up at a place where there is no traffic.
This enables you to gain experience and get
used to the new handling characteristics.
RBefore driving, check:
-that the trailer tow hitch and ball coupling
are secure
-that the safety switch for a braked trailer is
functioning properly
-that the safety chains are secure and not
damaged
-that the electrical connections are secure
-that the lights are working
-that the wheels are in good order and the
tire pressure is correct
RAdjust the exterior mirrors to provide an
unobstructed view of the rear section of the
trailer.
RIf the trailer is equipped with a separate func-
tional braking system, check before each
journey whether the brakes are functioning
correctly.
RSecure the load on the trailer according to the
applicable specifications and current stand-
ards on securing loads (
Ypage 244).
RWhen driving with a trailer, check at regular
intervals that the load is secured and that the
brakes and lights are working.
RBear in mind that the handling will be less
stable when towing a trailer than when driving
without one. Avoid sudden steering move-
ments.
RThe vehicle/trailer combination is heavier,
accelerates more slowly and has a decreased
gradient climbing capability and a longer
braking distance.
It is more susceptible to crosswinds and
requires cautious steering.
RIf possible, do not brake suddenly, but rather
moderately at first so that the trailer can acti-
vate its brakes. Then increase the force on the
brake pedal.
RIf the automatic transmission repeatedly
shifts between gears when driving on inclines,
restrict the shift range. Select shift range
4,3 ,
2 o
r 1.
Driving in a low gear and at a low speed
reduces the risk of damaging the engine.
RWhen driving on a downhill gradient, shift to a
low gear and take advantage of the engine's
braking effect.
Avoid continuous brake application as this
may overheat the vehicle brakes and, if instal-
led, the trailer brakes.
RIf the coolant temperature increases dramat-
ically while the air-conditioning system is
switched on, switch off the air-conditioning
system.
Coolant heat can also be dissipated by
switching the airflow and the temperature of
the air conditioning to the maximum level.
Open the windows if necessary.
RWhen overtaking, pay particular attention to
the extended length of your vehicle/trailer
combination.
Due to the length of your vehicle/trailer com- bination you need an additional distance
before you can return to your original lane.
166Towing a trailer
Driving an d parking
On vehicles with steering wheel buttons, the
light sensor in the instrument cluster automati-
cally controls the brightness of the display light-
ing.
While the lights are on, the brightness is depend-
ent upon the brightness of the ambient light.
You can also adjust the brightness of the instru-
ment lighting and the display lighting
Rby pressing thefand gbuttons on the
instrument cluster on vehicles without steer-
ing wheel buttons (not in the Settings
menu)
Rby turning brightness control knob :on vehi-
cles with steering wheel buttons
Speedometer
If you change the wheel size on your vehicle,
make sure it is assigned to the correct wheel
size category (
Ypage 277). If you change wheel
size category without recoding the control unit,
the speedometer indication will be inaccurate.
The current vehicle speed may then be higher
than the speed displayed in the speedometer.
The speed can also be shown in the display in
the form of a digital speedometer:
Ron vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Ypage 173)
Ron vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Ypage 179)
iIn some countries, a warning sounds and/or
the display shows a message when the vehi-
cle reaches the maximum legally permissible speed limit, e.g. at 75 mph (120 km/h).
Tachometer
!
Do not drive in the overrevving range, as this
could damage the engine.
HEnvironmental note
Avoid driving at high engine speeds. This
unnecessarily increases the fuel consumption
of your vehicle and harms the environment as
a result of increased emissions.
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
To protect the engine, the fuel supply is inter-
rupted when the red band is reached.
Outside temperature display
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
Please bear in mind that the outside tempera-
ture display shows the air temperature meas-
ured and not the road temperature.
The display shows the outside temperature in
the header:
Ron vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Ypage 171)
Ron vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Ypage 177)
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Coolant temperature gauge
GWARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is over-
heated or when there is a fire in the engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There is a risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department.
On vehicles without steering wheel buttons, you
can have the coolant temperature shown in the
display (
Ypage 173).
On vehicles with steering wheel buttons, an ana-
log coolant temperature gage is located in the
tachometer in the instrument cluster
(
Ypage 39).
Under normal operating conditions and with the
specified coolant level, the gauge may rise to
248 ‡ (120 †).
170Display and operation
On-board computer and displays
Use the buttons in the instrument cluster.
XTo display:pressÈto select the trip com-
puter display.
The values displayed relate to those meas-
ured since the trip computer was last reset.
XTo reset values: press and hold3until all
values are reset.
The trip computer is automatically reset if the
value exceeds 9,999 hours or 99,999 miles.
You can set the unit of measurement for con-
sumption and distance in the Distance Unit:
submenu (Ypage 175).
Range menu
Use the buttons in the instrument cluster.
XPressÈto select the Rangedisplay.
The approximate range that can be covered is calculated according to your current driving
style and the amount of fuel in the tank. If
there is only a small amount of fuel left in the
fuel tank, the display shows a vehicle being
refueled Ïinstead of the approximate
range.
You can set the unit of measurement for dis-
tance in the Distance Unit:
submenu
(Ypage 175).
Current fuel consumption menu
:Recuperation display
;Range Use the buttons in the instrument cluster.
XPress
Èto select the fuel consumption bar
display.
Recuperation display :shows whether, and, if
so, how much kinetic energy is being trans-
formed into electric current whilst the vehicle is
coasting. The recuperated energy is then stored in the starter battery. Recuperation display :is
dependent on the engine installed and is there-
fore not available in all vehicles.
You can set the unit of measurement for con-
sumption in the Distance Unit:
submenu
(Ypage 175).
Digital speedometer menu
Use the buttons in the instrument cluster.
XPress Èto select the speed display.
You can set the unit for the digital speedometer
in the Distance
Unit:submenu (Ypage 175).
Coolant temperature menu
GWARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is over-
heated or when there is a fire in the engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There is a risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department.
Use the buttons in the instrument cluster.
XPress Èto select the ?coolant temper-
ature bar display.
Under normal operating conditions and with the
specified coolant level, the gauge may rise to
248 ‡ (120 †).
On-board computer (vehicles without steering wheel buttons)173
On-board computer and displays
Z
Engine
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
#An additional warning tone sounds. The battery is not being charged.
Possible causes:
Rfaulty alternator
Rtorn poly-V-belt
Ra malfunction in the electronics
XStop the vehicle immediately, paying attention to road and traffic
conditions, and switch off the engine.
!Do not continue driving. The engine could otherwise overheat.
XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling away (Ypage 133).
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
?
Stop Vehicle TurnEng. Off
An additional warning tone sounds. The coolant is too hot.
GWARNING
Never drive with an overheated engine. Driving when the engine is
overheated can cause fluids which may have leaked into the engine
compartment to catch fire.
In addition, steam from an overheated engine can cause serious
burns, which can occur just by opening the hood.
There is a risk of injury.
XStop the vehicle immediately, paying attention to road and traffic
conditions, and switch off the engine.
XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling away (Ypage 133).
XWait until the engine has cooled down.
XMake sure that the air supply to the radiator is not obstructed, by
frozen slush for example.
XDo not start the engine again until the display message goes out and
the coolant temperature is below the maximum value specified. The
engine could otherwise be damaged.
XPay attention to the coolant temperature gage (Ypage 173).
XIf the temperature increases again, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately.
Under normal operating conditions and with the specified coolant
level, the coolant temperature gage may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
?The fan motor is faulty.
XCheck the coolant temperature (Ypage 173).
XIf the coolant temperature is below the maximum value specified
below, you can continue driving to the nearest qualified specialist
workshop.
Avoid heavy loads on the engine, e.g. driving in mountainous terrain,
and stop-and-go traffic.
Under normal operating conditions and with the specified coolant
level, the coolant temperature gage may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
198Display messages (vehicles without steering wheel buttons)
On-board computer and displays
Engine
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
#An additional warning tone sounds. The battery is not being charged.
Possible causes:
Rfaulty alternator
Rtorn poly-V-belt
Ra malfunction in the electronics
XStop the vehicle immediately, paying attention to road and traffic
conditions, and switch off the engine.
!Do not continue driving. The engine could otherwise overheat.
XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling away (Ypage 133).
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
?
Coolant Too Hot:Stop Vehicle TurnEngine Off
An additional warning tone sounds. The coolant is too hot.
GWARNING
Never drive with an overheated engine. Driving when the engine is
overheated can cause fluids which may have leaked into the engine
compartment to catch fire.
In addition, steam from an overheated engine can cause serious
burns, which can occur just by opening the hood.
There is a risk of injury.
XStop the vehicle immediately, paying attention to road and traffic
conditions, and switch off the engine.
XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling away (Ypage 133).
XWait until the engine has cooled down.
XMake sure that the air supply to the radiator is not obstructed, by
frozen slush for example.
XDo not start the engine again until the display message goes out and
the coolant temperature is below the maximum value specified. The
engine could otherwise be damaged.
XMonitor the ?coolant temperature gage in the instrument clus-
ter.
XIf the temperature increases again, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately.
Under normal operating conditions and with the specified coolant
level, the ?gage may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
212Display messages (vehicles with steering wheel buttons)
On-board computer and displays