Drivingtips
General notes
Important safet ynotes
GWARNING
If you switch of fth eignition whil edriving,
safety-relevant function sare only available
wit hlimitations, or no tat all. Thi scould affect,
fo rexample, th epowe rsteerin gand th ebrake
boostin geffect .You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake .There is aris k
of an accident.
Do no tswitch of fth eignition whil edriving.
GWARNING
If you operat emobile communication equip -
men twhen driving, you may be distracted
from th etraffic situation .You could also los e
contro lof th evehicle. There is aris kof an
accident.
Only operat ethis equipmen twhen th evehicle
is stationary.
Observ eth elega lrequirements fo rth ecountry
in whic hyou are driving. Some jurisdiction spro -
hibi tth edriver from usin g amobile phone whil e
drivin g avehicle.
If you mak e acallwhil edriving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operat eth etelephon e
when th etraffic situation permits. If you are
unsure ,pull over to asaf elocation and stop
befor eoperatin gth etelephone.
Bear in min dthat at aspeed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), th evehicle cover s a
distanc eof 44 ft (approximately 14 m)per sec-
ond.
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Observe the following tips to save fuel:
RThe tires should always be inflated to the rec-
ommended tire pressure.
RRemove unnecessary loads.
RRemove roof racks when they are not needed.
RWarm up the engine at low engine speeds.
RAvoid frequent acceleration or braking.
RHave all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the Main- tenance Booklet or by the service interval dis-
play.
Fuel consumption also increases when driving in cold weather, in stop-start traffic and in hilly ter-
rain.
Drinking and driving
GWARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and judg-
ment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-
dent is greatly increased when you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or tak-
ing drugs.
Emission control
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.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous components in exhaust
fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work at peak efficiency if
they are serviced exactly in accordance with the
manufacturer's specifications. Always have
work on the engine carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you use an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center for this purpose. In particular, work
relevant to safety or on safety-related systems
must be carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop.
The engine settings must not be changed under any circumstances. Furthermore, all specific
service work must be carried out at regular
intervals and in accordance with the Mercedes-
Benz service requirements. Details can be found in the Maintenance Booklet.
146Driving tips
Driving and parking
In addition to driving style, the actual consump-
tion is affected by other factors, such as:
RLoad
RTire pressure
RCold start
RChoice of route
RActive electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
An economical driving style specially requires
driving at moderate engine speeds.
Achieving a higher value in the categories
"Acceleration" and "Constant":
Robserve the gearshift recommendations.
Rdrive the vehicle in drive program Cor E
(vehicles with a DYNAMIC SELECT button).
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g. on the
highway, only the outer area for "constant" will
change.
The ECO display summarizes the driving style
from the start of the journey to its completion.
Therefore, there are more marked changes in
the outer areas at the start of a journey. On lon- ger journeys, there are fewer changes. For more
marked changes, perform a manual rest
(
Ypage 190).
For more information on the ECO display, see
(
Ypage 189).
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
!On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting to a
lower gear in good time. This allows you to
take advantage of engine braking. For this you
must first activate manual gearshifting. This helps you to avoid overheating the brakes and
wearing them out excessively.
When you take advantage of engine braking, it
is possible that a drive wheel will not rotate for
some time, e.g. on a slippery road surface.
This could cause damage to the drive train.
This type of damage is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal on
downhill gradients while the manual drive pro-
gram Mis temporarily activated: the automatic
transmission may switch to the last active auto-
matic drive program Eor S. The automatic trans-
mission may shift to a higher gear. This can
reduce the engine's braking effect.
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.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately. Drive
on for a short while. This allows the airflow to
cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first
time. This may also occur after the vehicle has
been washed or driven through deep water.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehicle
washed, brake firmly while paying attention to
the traffic conditions. This will warm up the
brake discs, thereby drying them more quickly
and protecting them against corrosion.
148Driving tips
Driving and parking
checked in a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible. Adapt your driving style to the
different braking characteristics.
Driving off-road increases the likelihood of dam-
age to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead to
failure of the mechanical assembly or systems.
Adapt your driving style to suit the terrain con-
ditions. Drive carefully. Have damage to the
vehicle rectified immediately at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Do not shift into transmission position iwhen
driving off-road. You could lose control of the
vehicle if you attempt to brake the vehicle using
the service brake. If the gradient is too steep for
your vehicle, drive back down in reverse gear.
General notes
HEnvironmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
Read this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road.
Off-road driving is only possible with the
ON&OFFROAD package.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted for driving over easily negotiable off-
road terrain:
ROff-road program (Ypage 167)
ROff-road ABS (Ypage 60)
ROff-road 4ETS (Ypage 64)
ROff-road ESP®(Ypage 66)
RDSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Ypage 166)
Observe the following notes:
RStop the vehicle before starting to drive along
an off-road route. If necessary, activate the
off-road program (
Ypage 130).
RTo avoid damaging the vehicle, make sure
there is always sufficient ground clearance.
RCheck that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(
Ypage 252).
RAlways keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Activate
DSR (
Ypage 166).
RDrive slowly and evenly, if necessary at a
walking pace.
REnsure that the wheels are in contact with the
ground at all times.
RDrive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-road
routes where visibility is poor. For safety rea-
sons, get out of the vehicle first and survey
the off-road route.
RCheck the depth of water before fording rivers
and streams.
RWatch out for obstacles.
RTake care when turning on an uphill or down-
hill slope or when driving across a slope. The
vehicle could otherwise tip over.
RAlways keep the side windows and the pano-
rama roof with power tilt/sliding panel closed
during the journey.
RDo not deviate from marked routes.
RDo not use the HOLD function when driving
off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gradients
or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD
function cannot hold the vehicle on such sur-
faces.
Checklist before driving off-road
XEngine oil level: check the engine oil level
and add oil if necessary.
When driving on steep gradients, the engine
oil level must be sufficiently high to ensure a
correct oil supply in the vehicle.
XWheels and tires: check the tire tread depth
and tire pressure.
XCheck for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the wheels/
tires.
XReplace any missing valve caps.
XReplace dented or damaged wheels.
XRims: dented or bent rims can result in a loss
of tire pressure and damage the tire bead.
Before driving off-road, check the wheels and
replace them if necessary.
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.
XDeactivate off-road program (Ypage 130).
XDeactivate DSR (Ypage 166).
XClean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
152Driving tips
Driving and parking
Parking tips:
ROn narrow roads, drive as close to the parkingspace as possible.
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.
RPay attention to the warning messages of
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC during the park-
ing procedure (
Ypage 170).
RYou can intervene to correct the steering pro-
cedure at any time. Parking Pilot will then be
canceled.
RWhen transporting a load that protrudes from
your vehicle, you must not use Parking Pilot.
RNever use Parking Pilot when snow chains are
mounted.
RMake sure that the tire pressures are always
correct. This has a direct influence on the
parking characteristics of the vehicle.
Use Parking Pilot for parking spaces that are:
Rthat are parallel or at right-angles to the direc- tion of travel
Ron straight roads, not bends
Ron the same level as the road, e.g. not on the
pavement
Detecting parking spaces
Objects located above the detection range of
Parking Pilot will not be detected when the park-
ing space is measured. These are not taken into
account when the parking procedure is calcula-ted, e.g. overhanging loads, truck overhangs or
loading ramps. Parking Pilot may therefore
guide you into the parking space too early.
Parking Pilot does not assist you parking in
spaces perpendicular to the direction of travel if:
Rtwo parking spaces are located directly next
to one another
Rthe parking space is directly next to a low
obstacle such as a low curb
Ryou forward-park Parking Pilot does not assist you parking in
spaces parallel or perpendicular to the direction
of travel if:
Rthe parking space is on a curb
Rthe system reads the parking space as being
blocked, for example by foliage or grass pav-
ing blocks
Rthe area is too small for the vehicle to maneu-
ver into
Rthe parking space is bordered by an obstacle,
e.g. a tree, a post or a trailer
For further information on the detection range
(
Ypage 169).
GWARNING
If there are objects above the detection range:
RParking Pilot may steer in 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 Parking Pilot.
:Detected parking space on the left
;Parking symbol
=Detected parking space on the right
Parking Pilot is activated automatically when
driving forward. The system is operational at
speeds of up to approximately 22 mph
(35 km/h). While in operation, the system inde-
pendently locates and measures parking spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
Parking Pilot will only detect parking spaces:
Rthat are parallel or at right-angles to the direc-tion of travel
Rthat are parallel to the direction of travel and
at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
172Driving systems
Driving and parking
Tires
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
CheckTirePressureSoonCanada only:
The tire pressure loss warning system has detected a significant loss
in pressure.
A warning tone also sounds.
Possible causes:
Ryou have changed the positions of the wheels and tires or installed
new wheels and tires
Rthe tire pressure in one or more tires has dropped
GWARNING
Tire pressures that are too low pose the following hazards:
Rthey may burst, especially as the load and vehicle speed increase.
Rthey may wear excessively and/or unevenly, which may greatly
impair tire traction.
Rthe driving characteristics, as well as steering and braking, may be
greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
XStop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
XSecure the vehicle against rolling away (Ypage 143).
XCheck the tires and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a flat
tire (Ypage 284).
XCheck the tire pressures and, if necessary, correct the tire pressure.
XRestart the tire pressure loss warning system when the tire pres-
sure is correct (Ypage 306).
CheckTirePressureThen Restart RunFlat Indicator
Canada only:
The tire pressure loss warning system generated a display message
and has not been restarted since.
XSet the correct tire pressure in all four tires.
XRestart the tire pressure loss warning system (Ypage 306).
Run Flat IndicatorInoperativeCanada only:
The tire pressure loss warning system is faulty.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.
PleaseCorrectTirePressureUSA only:
The tire pressure is too low in at least one of the tires, or the tire
pressure difference between the wheels is too great.
XCheck the tire pressures at the next opportunity (Ypage 306).
XIf necessary, correct the tire pressure.
XRestart the tire pressure monitor (Ypage 309).
220Displa y messages
On-board computer and displays
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
Check TiresUSAonly:
The tire pressur ein on eor mor etires has dropped significantly. The
whee lposition appear sin th emultifunction display.
A warning tone also sounds.
GWARNIN G
Tir epressures that are to olow pos eth efollowin ghazards :
Rthey may burst, especially as th eload and vehicl espeed increase.
Rthey may wear excessivel yand/o runevenly, whic hmay greatl y
impair tire traction .
Rthedrivin gcharacteristics ,as well as steering and braking ,may be
greatl yimpaired.
There is aris kof an accident.
XStop th evehicl ewithout making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers .Pay attention to th etraffic condition sas you do so.
XSecur eth evehicl eagainst rollin gaway (Ypage 143).
XCheckth etires and ,if necessary, follow th einstruction sfor aflat
tire (Ypage 284).
XChec kth etire pressur e (Ypage 306).
XIf necessary, correc tth etire pressure.
Warnin gTir eMal ‐functionUSAonly:
The tire pressur ein on eor mor etires has dropped suddenly. The whee l
position appear sin th emultifunction display.
GWARNIN G
Drivin gwit h a flat tire poses aris kof th efollowin ghazards :
Raflat tire affects th eabilit yto steer or brak eth evehicl e
Ryou could lose control of th evehicl e
Rcontinued drivin gwit h a flat tire will caus eexcessive heat build-up
and possibl y afire
There is aris kof an accident.
XStop th evehicl ewithout making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers .Pay attention to th etraffic condition sas you do so.
XSecur eth evehicl eagainst rollin gaway (Ypage 143).
XCheckth etires and ,if necessary, follow th einstruction sfor aflat
tire (Ypage 284).
TirePress.Monito rCurrently Unavaila‐ble
USAonly:
Becaus ethere is interferenc efrom astron gsource of radi owaves, no
signals from th etire pressur esensor sare detected. The tire pressur e
monitor is temporarily malfunctioning .
XDrive on.
The tire pressur emonitor restarts automatically as soo nas th e
problem has been resolved.
Display messages22 1
On-board computer and displays
Z
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
TirePress.Sen ‐sor(s) Missin gUSAonly:
There is no signal from th etire pressur esensor of on eor several tires .
The pressur eof th eaffecte dtire does no tappear in th emultifunction
display.
XHav eth efault ytire pressur esensor replace dat aqualified special -
ist workshop .
TirePressure Moni‐tor Inoperative NoWheel Sensor s
USAonly:
The wheels mounte ddo no thav e a suitable tire pressur esensor .The
tire pressur emonitor is deactivated.
XMoun twheels wit hsuitable tire pressur esensors.
The tire pressur emonitor is activated automatically after drivin gfor
a few minutes.
Tir ePress.Monito rInoperativeUSAonly:
The tire pressur emonitor is faulty.
XVisit aqualified specialist workshop .
Vehicle
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and MSolutions
DepressBrake toStart EngineYou hav eattempte dto start th eengin ewit hth etransmission in posi-
tion iwithout depressing th ebrak epedal .
XDepress th ebrak epedal .
ToDeselectPorN,Depres sBrake andStart Engine
You hav eattempte dto shift th etransmission to position korh
without starting th eengine.
XStart th eengine.
XDepress th ebrak epedal .
iIt is only possibl eto shift th etransmission from position Pto th e
desire dposition if you depress th ebrak epedal .Only then can th e
parking loc kbe deactivated. If you do no tdepress th ebrak epedal ,
th eDIRECT SELECT lever can still be moved but th eparking loc k
remain sengaged.
iAt transmission fluid temperatures belo wÒ4 ‡ ( Ò20†) you can
only shift out of position Pint oanother transmission position when
th eengin eis running.
Apply Brake toShift fro m'P'You attempte dto shift th etransmission to position k,iorh
without depressing th ebrak epedal .
XDepress th ebrak epedal .
222Display messages
On-board computer and displays
Tires
Warning/
indicator
lampNSignal type
Possible causes/consequences and M
Solutions
hNThe yellow tire pressure monitor warning lamp (pressure loss/malfunction) is lit.
The tire pressure monitor has detected a loss of pressure in at least one of the tires.
GWARNING
Tire pressures that are too low pose the following hazards:
Rthey may burst, especially as the load and vehicle speed increase
Rthey may wear excessively and/or unevenly, which may greatly impair tire trac-
tion.
Rthe driving characteristics, as well as steering and braking, may be greatly
impaired
There is a risk of an accident.
XStop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking maneuvers. Pay
attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
XSecure the vehicle against rolling away (Ypage 143).
XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction display.
XCheck the tires and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a flat tire
(Ypage 284).
XCheck the tire pressure (Ypage 306).
XIf necessary, correct the tire pressure.
hN The yellow tire pressure monitor warning lamp (pressure loss/malfunction)
flashes for approximately one minute and then remains lit.
The tire pressure monitor is faulty.
GWARNING
The system is possibly unable to recognize or register low tire pressure.
There is a risk of an accident.
XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction display.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop immediately.
238Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
On-board computer and displays