Gearshift pattern
j
Park position with parking lock
kReverse gear
iNeutral
hDrive
XMove the selector lever to positionP.
The display in the instrument cluster shows P:
Ron vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Ypage 164)
Ron vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Ypage 160)
iYou can also start the engine in neutral N.
XTurn the key to position 2in the ignition lock.
The % preglow indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up briefly.
XOnce the %preglow indicator lamp goes
out, turn the key to position 3in the ignition
lock and release it as soon as the engine is
running.
iYou can start the engine without preglow
when the engine is warm.
The preglow system is malfunctioning if the
% preglow indicator lamp lights up for
approximately 1 minute:
Rafter the ignition is switched on
Rwhile the engine is running
At extremely low outside temperatures you
may then no longer be able to start the
engine. Have the malfunction rectified at a
qualified specialist workshop.
iDepending on the equipment installed, the
vehicle either automatically locks centrally
after switching on the ignition or after pulling
away. The locking knobs in the doors drop
down.
You can open the doors from the inside at any
time. Automatic door locking can be deactivated
(
Ypage 64).
Driving off
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 selector lever lock is released.
XMove the selector lever to position Dor R.
On vehicles with a reverse warning feature,
when reverse gear is engaged a warning tone
sounds to alert other road users
(
Ypage 119).
XRelease the parking brake (Ypage 128).
The c indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XCarefully depress the accelerator pedal.
iAfter pulling away or switching on the igni-
tion, the vehicle automatically locks centrally.
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 64).
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.
Driving119
Driving and parking
Z
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The vehicle cannot be
driven at a speed
exceeding 5 mph
(8 km/h).
The yellow;Check
Engine lamp and the yel-
low å DEF indicator
lamp
2light up.
The exhaust gas aftertreatment system is defective or an emissions-
relevant malfunction has occurred.
This malfunction or defect can damage the exhaust gas aftertreat-
ment.
XObserve the messages in the display:
Ron vehicles without steering-wheel buttons (Ypage 175)
Ron vehicles with steering wheel buttons (Ypage 184).
The engine does not
start.
The starter motor cannot
be heard.The battery isolating switch is switched off.
XSwitch on the power supply (Ypage 116).
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 238).
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 228).
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 239)
Selector lever
jPark position with parking lock
kReverse gear
iNeutral
hDrive
2Only vehicles without steering-wheel buttons.
Automatic transmission121
Driving and parking
Z
The display in the instrument cluster shows the
present selector lever position or the current
shift range:
Ron vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Ypage 164)
Ron vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Ypage 160)
Selector lever positions
BPark position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped. Only move the
selector lever toPif 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.
ANeutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels. Releasing
the brakes will allow you to move the
vehicle freely, e.g. by pushing.
Do not move the selector lever to N
while driving. The automatic trans-
mission could otherwise be dam-
aged.
If ASR is deactivated or ESP
®has
malfunctioned: only move the selec-
tor lever to Nif the vehicle is in dan-
ger of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
7Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear itself. All forward gears are avail-
able.
You can influence the gearshifts and
shift gears yourself or limit the shift
range.
Changing gear
The 5-speed automatic transmission adapts to
your individual driving style by continuously
adjusting its shift points. These shift point
adjustments take into account the current oper-
ating and driving conditions. If the operating or
driving conditions change, the automatic trans-
mission reacts by adjusting the gearshift pro-
gram.
When the selector lever is in position D, the
automatic transmission selects the individual
gears automatically. This depends on:
Rany restriction in the shift range
(Ypage 123)
Rthe position of the accelerator pedal
Rthe road speed
Touchshift
When the selector lever is in position D, you can
perform gearshifts yourself.
XTo shift down: press the selector lever to the
left towards D–.
The automatic transmission shifts to the next gear down, depending on the gear currently
engaged. The shift range is also restricted.
iThe automatic transmission does not shift
down if you press the selector lever towards
D– while traveling at too high a speed. This
protects the engine from overrevving.
XTo shift up: briefly press the selector lever to
the right towards D+.
The automatic transmission shifts to the next
gear up, depending on the current gearshift
program. This also extends the shift range.
XTo derestrict the shift range: press and hold
the selector lever towards D+until D
appears
in the display again.
The automatic transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D.
XTo select the optimum shift range: press
and hold the selector lever to the left towards
D–.
The automatic transmission will shift to a
range which allows easy acceleration and
deceleration. To do this, the automatic trans-
mission will shift down one or more gears.
122Automatic transmission
Driving and parking
Shift ranges
When the selector lever is in positionDyou can
restrict or derestrict the shift range for the auto- matic transmission.
XTo extend and restrict the shift range:
press the selector lever briefly to the right
towards D+or left towards D–.
The display shows the selected shift range.
The automatic transmission shifts only as far
as the relevant gear.
iIf the maximum engine speed for the restric-
ted shift range is reached and you depress the
accelerator pedal, the automatic transmis-
sion will not shift up.
Driving situations
5Use the braking effect of the engine
on steep downhill gradients and for
driving:
Ron steep mountain roads
Rin mountainous terrain
Rin arduous conditions
4Use the braking effect of the engine
on extremely steep downhill gradi-
ents and long downhill stretches.
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.
Maneuvering
Maneuvering in a tight space:
XControl the vehicle's speed by braking care-
fully.
XDepress the accelerator pedal slightly and
evenly.
iYou can shift back and forth between drive
position Dand reverse gear Rat low speeds
without applying the brakes. This can help
you, for example when rapidly maneuvering
the vehicle or rocking it out of snow or slush.
Towing a trailer
XDrive at moderate engine speeds on steep
uphill gradients.
XDepending on the uphill or downhill gradient,
shift down to a shift range adapted to the
driving situation (
Ypage 123), even if cruise
control is activated.
Automatic transmission123
Driving and parking
Z
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 236).
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
124Refueling
Driving and parking
Lockable filler cap
Example: DEF filler cap in the engine compartment
XTo open:switch off the ignition.
XOpen the hood (Ypage 214).
XRemove tool ?for unlocking tank filler
cap :from the footwell on the front-
passenger side (
Ypage 236).
XPull cover =up, turn 90° and release.
XInsert tool ?into hole ;of tank filler cap :.
XTurn filler cap:counter-clockwise and
remove it. Make sure that tool ?remains in
tank filler cap :while doing so.
XTo close: replace filler cap :and turn it
clockwise until closed.
XPull tool ?out of tank filler cap :and stow
with the vehicle tool kit in the footwell on the
front-passenger side.
XPull cover =up over hole ;of tank filler
cap :, turn and release.
XTurn tank filler cap :.
If tank filler cap :turns freely, the DEF tank
is closed.
Parking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi-
cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields.
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 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.
!A moving vehicle can lead to damage to the
vehicle or damage to the drive train.
!When the vehicle is parked, always remove
the key to prevent the battery from becoming
discharged.
On vehicles with a battery isolating switch,
switch off the power supply if the vehicle is to
be out of use for a longer period of time.
Parking127
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 129) 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 116) 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 223). 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.
128Parking
Driving an d parking
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 127).
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
Parking129
Driving an d parking
Z