Familiarize yourself with the characteristics of
your vehicle and the gear shift operation before
driving through difficult terrain.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R The Off-road drive program (vehicles without
Off-Road Engineering package)
(Y page 215)
R Off-road andOff-road Plus drive programs
(vehicles with Off-Road Engineering package) (Y page 216)
R LOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with the
Off-Road Engineering package)
(Y page 217)
R Differential lock (vehicles with the Off-Road
Engineering package) (Y page 217)
R Off-road ABS (Y page 67)
R Off-road 4ETS (Y page 70)
R Off-road ESP ®
(Y page 72)
R AIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(Y page 183)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Y page 214)
Observe the following notes:
R Stop the vehicle before starting to drive along
an off-road route. If necessary, select the off- road program (Y page 216) or shift to the
LOW RANGE off-road gear (Y page 217).
R Select a vehicle level that is suitable for the
terrain. To avoid damaging the vehicle, make
sure there is always sufficient ground clear-
ance.
R Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 299).
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Activate
DSR (Y page 214).
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving down an incline.
R Adapt your speed to the terrain. The rougher,
steeper or more ruts on the terrain, the slower your speed should be.
R Do not jump with the vehicle as this will inter-
rupt the vehicle's propulsion.
R Drive 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. R
Look out for obstacles, such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows.
R Take care when turning on an uphill or down-
hill slope or when driving across a slope. The
vehicle could otherwise tip over.
R Always keep the doors, the tailgate, the side
windows and the sliding sunroof closed while
the vehicle is in motion.
R Do not shift the automatic transmission to
position 005C.
R Observe the notes on off-road fording
(Y page 164).
i Information about retrofitting special all-ter-
rain tires is available from any qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
i Do 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 !
If the engine oil warning lamp lights up while
the vehicle is in motion, stop the vehicle in a
safe place as soon as possible. Check the
engine oil level. The engine oil warning lamp
warning must not be ignored. Continuing the
journey while the symbol is displayed could
lead to engine damage.
X Engine 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.
X DEF tank (BlueTEC vehicles): check the
level and add if necessary (Y page 153).
X Tire-changing tool kit: check that the jack is
working and make sure you have the lug
wrench, a robust tow cable and a folding
spade in the vehicle.
X Wheels and tires: check the tread depth and
pressure of the tires.
X Check for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the wheels/
tires.
X Replace any missing valve caps.
X Replace dented or damaged wheels.
X Rims: dented or bent rims can result in a loss
of tire pressure and damage the tire bead. 166
Driving tipsDriving and parking
R
Make sure that the positive terminal of a
connected battery does not come into con-
tact with vehicle parts.
R Never place metal objects or tools on a bat-
tery.
R It is important that you observe the descri-
bed order of the battery terminals when
connecting and disconnecting a battery.
R When jump-starting, make sure that the
battery poles with identical polarity are
connected.
R It is particularly important to observe the
described order when connecting and dis-
connecting the jumper cables.
R Never connect or disconnect the battery
terminals while the engine is running. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Do
not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over
the battery. Keep children away from batter-
ies. Wash away battery acid immediately with
plenty of clean water and seek medical atten- tion. H
Environmental note Batteries contain dangerous
substances. It is against the
law to dispose of them with
the household rubbish. They
must be collected separately
and recycled to protect the
environment. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally friendly
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or a special
collection point for used bat-
teries.
! Have the battery regularly checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
For more information, please contact a quali- fied specialist workshop. !
Always have work on batteries carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop.
Should it, in exceptional circumstances, be
absolutely necessary to disconnect the 12-
volt battery yourself, please observe the fol-
lowing:
R Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
R Switch off the ignition.
R Disconnect the negative terminal first and
then the positive terminal.
The transmission is locked in position 005D
after disconnecting the battery.
After the work has been done, install the bat-
tery and replace the cover of the positive ter- minal clamp firmly.
Comply with safety precautions and take pro-
tective measures when handling batteries. Risk of explosion.
Fire, open flames and smoking are
prohibited when handling the bat-
tery. Avoid creating sparks.
Battery acid is caustic. Avoid contact
with skin, eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective clothing,
especially gloves, apron and face-
guard.
Rinse any acid spills immediately
with clear water. Contact a physician if necessary. Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Operator's Manual.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use batteries which have
been tested and approved for your vehicle by
Mercedes-Benz. These batteries provide
increased impact protection to prevent vehicle Battery (vehicle)
341Breakdown assistance Z
Replacing the 12 V battery
Observe the notes on the 12 V battery.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the
12 V battery replaced at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If you want to replace the battery yourself,
observe the following notes:
R Always replace a defective battery with a bat-
tery which meets the specific requirements of
the vehicle.
The vehicle is equipped with an AGM (Absorb-
ent Glass Mat) technology battery. Full vehi-
cle functionality is only guaranteed with an AGM battery. For safety reasons, Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you only use batteries
which have been tested and approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
R Use detachable parts such as breather hoses,
angled connecting pieces or terminal covers
from the battery which is to be replaced.
R Make sure that the vent hose is always con-
nected to the original opening on the battery
side.
Install any existing or supplied stop plugs.
Otherwise, gases or battery acid could
escape.
R Make sure that the detachable parts are con-
nected again in the same way. Jump-starting
Plug-in hybrid: be sure to read the separate Operator's Manual. You could otherwise fail to rec-
ognize dangers, e.g. due to high voltage.
For the jump-starting procedure, use only the jump-starting connection point in the engine com-
partment, consisting of a positive terminal and a ground point. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over the
battery. Keep children away from batteries. Wash away battery acid immediately with plenty of
clean water and seek medical attention. G
WARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, open flames, creating sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient ven-
tilation while charging and jump-starting. Do not lean over a battery. G
WARNING
During the charging process, a battery produces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or sparks
are created, the hydrogen gas can ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
R Make sure that the positive terminal of a connected battery does not come into contact with
vehicle parts.
R Never place metal objects or tools on a battery.
R It is important that you observe the described order of the battery terminals when connecting
and disconnecting a battery.
R When jump-starting, make sure that the battery poles with identical polarity are connected.
R It is particularly important to observe the described order when connecting and disconnecting
the jumper cables.
R Never connect or disconnect the battery terminals while the engine is running. Jump-starting
343Breakdown assistance Z
G
WARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures below freezing point. When jump-starting the
vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before charging it or jump-starting.
! Vehicles with a gasoline engine:
avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, the
catalytic converter could be damaged by non-combusted fuel.
If the indicator/warning lamps do not light up at low temperatures, it is very likely that the dis-
charged battery has frozen. In this case you may neither jump-start the vehicle nor charge the
battery. The service life of a thawed-out battery may be shorter. The starting characteristics can be
impaired, particularly at low temperatures. Have the thawed-out battery checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Do not start the vehicle using a rapid charging device. If your vehicle's battery is discharged, the
engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a donor battery using jumper cables.
Observe the following points:
R The battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible, jump-
start the vehicle using a donor battery or a jump-starting device.
R Vehicles with a gasoline engine: only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust
system are cold.
R Do not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
R Only jump-start from batteries with a 12 V voltage rating.
R Only use jumper cables which have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
R If the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected for
a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the battery slightly.
R Make sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
R The jumper cables are not damaged.
R Bare parts of the terminal clamp do not come into contact with other metal parts while the jumper
cables are connected to the battery.
R The jumper cables cannot come into contact with parts that can move when the engine is running,
such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
X Secure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position 005D.
X Make sure that the ignition is switched off. All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster must be
off. When using the SmartKey, turn the SmartKey to position 0092in the ignition lock and remove it
(Y page 135).
X Switch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window defroster, lighting, etc.
X Open the hood.
i Right-hand-drive vehicle:
the jump-starting connection points may be located on the other
side of the vehicle. 344
Jump-startingBreakdown assistance
Position number
0084identifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-starting
device.
X Slide cover 0043of positive terminal 0044in the direction of the arrow.
X Connect positive terminal 0044on your vehicle to positive terminal 0087of donor battery 0084using the
jumper cable, always begin with positive terminal 0044on your own vehicle first.
X Start the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
X Connect negative terminal 0085of donor battery 0084to ground point 0083of your vehicle using the
jumper cable, beginning with donor battery 0084first.
X Start the engine.
X Before disconnecting the jumper cables, let the engine run for several minutes.
X First, remove the jumper cables from ground point 0083and negative terminal 0085, then from pos-
itive terminal 0044and positive terminal 0087. Begin each time at the contacts on your own vehicle
first.
X Close cover 0043of positive terminal 0044after removing the jumper cables.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
i Jumper cables and further information regarding jump-starting can be obtained at any qualified
specialist workshop. Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
Plug-in hybrid: be sure to read the separate
Operator's Manual. You could otherwise fail to
recognize dangers, e.g. due to high voltage. G
WARNING
Functions relevant to safety are restricted or
no longer available if:
R the engine is not running.
R the brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
R there is a malfunction in the voltage supply
or the vehicle's electrical system. Towing and tow-starting
345Breakdown assistance
Z
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed away
with both axles on the ground or be loaded up
and transported.
If the vehicle's transmission, front, or rear axle is damaged, have the vehicle transported on a
truck or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical sys-
tem: if the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position 005D. To
shift the automatic transmission to position 005C,
you must provide power to the vehicle's on-
board electrical system in the same way as
when jump-starting (Y page 343).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter or
trailer. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Vehicles with automatic transmission must
not be tow-started. You could otherwise dam-
age the automatic transmission.
You can find information on "Jump-starting"
under (Y page 343). Fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you manipulate or bridge a faulty fuse or if
you replace it with a fuse with a higher amper- age, the electric cables could be overloaded.
This could result in a fire. There is a risk of an
accident and injury.
Always replace faulty fuses with the specified
new fuses having the correct amperage.
! For the fuse boxes in the engine compart-
ment and under the rear bench seat, only use fuses with the suffix "S". Otherwise, compo-
nents or systems could be damaged.
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it is
lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture seep-
ing in or dirt could otherwise impair the oper- ation of the fuses. The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the compo-
nents on the circuit and their functions stop
operating.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of the
same rating, which you can recognize by the
color and value. The fuse ratings are listed in the fuse allocation chart.
The fuse allocation chart is located in the fuse
box under the rear bench seat (Y page 350).
If a newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified special- ist workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Before changing a fuse
Observe the important safety notes
(Y page 349)
X Switch off the engine.
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Or, on vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start function
or KEYLESS‑GO:
X Open the driver's door.
The vehicle electronics are now in key posi-
tion 0092. This is the same as the SmartKey
having been removed.
The driver’s door can be closed again.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 156).
All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
must be off.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes:
R Fuse box on the front-passenger side of the
dashboard
R Fuse box in the engine compartment on the
right-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed in
the direction of travel
R Fuse box under the rear bench seat Dashboard fuse box
! Do not use a pointed object such as a screw-
driver to open the cover in the dashboard. You could damage the dashboard or the cover.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have this
work performed at a qualified specialist work- Fuses
349Breakdown assistance Z