
The ionization of the interior air is odorless and
cannot be perceived directly in the vehicle inte- rior.
You can switch ionization on and off via the mul-
timedia system (see the Digital Operator's Man-
ual).
Ionization can only be operated when the auto-
matic climate control is switched on. The side air vent on the driver's side must be open. Setting the air vents
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Very hot or very cold air can flow from the air vents. This could result in burns or frostbite in the immediate vicinity of the air vents. There
is a risk of injury.
Make sure that all vehicle occupants always
maintain a sufficient distance to the air out-
lets. If necessary, redirect the airflow to
another area of the vehicle interior.
In order to ensure the direct flow of fresh air
through the air vents into the vehicle interior,
please observe the following notes:
R keep the air inlet grille on the hood and in the
engine compartment on the front-passenger
side free of blockages, such as ice, snow or
leaves.
R never cover the air vents or air intake grilles in
the vehicle interior.
i For virtually draft-free ventilation, adjust the
sliders of the air vents to the center position. Setting the center air vents
0043
Center air vent, left
0044 Center air vent, right
0087 Center vent thumbwheel, right
0085 Center vent thumbwheel, left
X To open or close: turn thumbwheels0087
and 0085to the left or right. Setting the side air vents
Example
0043
Side window defroster vent
0044 Side air vent, left
0087 Thumbwheel for side air vent
X To open or close: turn thumbwheel0087up or
down. Setting the glove box air vent
! Close the air vent when heating the vehicle.
At high outside temperatures, open the air
vent and activate the "cooling with air dehu-
midification" function. Otherwise, tempera-
ture-sensitive items stored in the glove box
could be damaged. 132
Setting the air ventsClimate control

You can execute a maximum of two consecutive
starting attempts via your smartphone. If you
insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock, you
can carry out two more starting attempts.
Once you have started the engine, you can
switch the engine off via your smartphone at any time.
You can only start the engine via your smart-
phone if:
R the SmartKey is in the ignition lock
R park position 005Dis selected
R the accelerator pedal is not depressed
R the anti-theft alarm system is not activated
R the panic alarm is not activated
R the hazard warning lamps are switched off
R the hood is closed
R the doors are closed and locked
R the windows and sliding sunroof are closed
Also make sure that:
R the fuel tank is sufficiently filled
R the starter battery has been sufficiently
charged G
WARNING
Limbs could be crushed or trapped if the
engine is started unintentionally during ser-
vice or maintenance work. There is a risk of
injury.
Always secure the engine against uninten-
tional starting before carrying out mainte-
nance or repair work.
Make sure that the engine cannot be started via
your smartphone before carrying out mainte-
nance or repairs. You can prevent an engine
start via your smartphone if you:
R switch on the hazard warning lamps
R do not lock the doors
R open the hood Pulling away
General notes G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position 003A or
0046, the vehicle could pull away sud-
denly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position 003Aor
0046, always firmly depress the brake pedal
and do not simultaneously accelerate.
Depress the accelerator carefully when pulling
away.
The vehicle locks centrally once you have pulled away. 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 (Y page 240).
It is possible to shift the transmission from posi-
tion 005Dto the desired position only if you
depress the brake pedal. Only then is the park-
ing lock released. If you do not depress the
brake pedal, the DIRECT SELECT lever can still
be moved but the parking lock remains
engaged.
i Upshifts take place at higher engine speeds
after a cold start. This helps the catalytic con- verter to reach its operating temperature
more quickly.
Information on the automatic release of the
electric parking brake (Y page 158).
Pulling away with a trailer To ensure that you do not roll backwards when
pulling away on an uphill slope, engage the elec-
tric parking brake.
X Press and hold handle 0043.
The electric parking brake continues to brake
and prevent the vehicle from rolling back-
wards. 138
DrivingDriving and parking

Off-road fording
!
Under no circumstances should you accel-
erate before entering the water. The bow
wave could cause water to enter and damage
the engine and other assemblies.
! Do not open any of the vehicle's doors while
fording. Otherwise, water could get into the
vehicle interior and damage the vehicle's
electronics and interior equipment.
R Establish how deep the water is and the char-
acteristics of the body of water before ford-
ing.
R Select the highest possible vehicle level.
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Enter and exit the water at a flat place and at
a steady walking pace.
R Drive slowly and at an even speed through the
water.
R Ensure that a bow wave does not form as you
drive.
R Do not stop and do not switch off the engine.
Water offers a high degree of resistance, and the ground is slippery and in some cases
unstable. Therefore, it is difficult and danger-
ous to pull away in the water.
R Clean any mud from the tire tread after ford-
ing.
R Apply the brakes to dry them after fording.
Always observe the fording depth values
(Y page 392). Winter driving
G
WARNING
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. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the
vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
! When scraping ice off the rear window, take
care not to damage the rear-window seal or
trim.
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road sur- faces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise control or
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the transmission to position 005C.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control using
corrective steering.
When driving in snow with or without snow
chains, select driving program Slippery
(Y page 142).
i Vehicles with a diesel engine:
do not
cover the radiator, e.g. with a protective
cover. The measuring function of the on-
board diagnosis system may otherwise pro-
vide inaccurate values. Some of these values
are required by law and must therefore always be accurate.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in wooded areas or on bridges. You should pay
special attention to road conditions when tem-
peratures are around the freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (Y page 353).164
Driving tipsDriving and parking

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

Most U.S. states and all Canadian provinces
require by law:
R Safety chains between the towing vehicle and
the trailer. The chains should be cross-woundunder the trailer drawbar. They must be fas-
tened to the vehicle's trailer coupling, not to
the bumper or the axle.
Leave enough play in the chains to make tight
cornering possible.
R A separate brake system for certain types of
trailer.
R Safety switch for braked trailers. Check the
specific legal requirements applicable to your
state.
If the trailer becomes detached from the tow-
ing vehicle, the safety feature triggers the
trailer brakes. Towing a trailer
There are numerous legal requirements con-
cerning the towing of a trailer, e.g. speed restric-
tions. Make sure that your car/trailer combina- tion complies with the local regulations:
R in your place of residence
R in the location to which you are driving
The police and local authorities can provide reli-
able information.
Observe the following when towing a trailer:
R To gain driving experience and to become
accustomed to the new handling characteris-
tics, you should practice the following in a
traffic-free location:
- cornering
- stopping
- backing up
R Before driving, check:
- trailer tow hitch
- safety switch for braked trailers
- safety chains
- electrical connections
- lights
- wheels
R Adjust the exterior mirrors to provide an
unobstructed view of the rear section of the
trailer.
R If the trailer has electronically controlled
brakes, pull away carefully. Brake manually using the brake controller and check whether
the brakes function correctly.
R Secure any objects on the trailer to prevent
the cargo from slipping when the vehicle is in
motion.
R When you couple up a trailer, check at regular
intervals that the load is firmly secured. If the trailer is equipped with trailer lights and
brakes, check the trailer to ensure that these
are working.
R Bear in mind that the handling will be less
stable when towing a trailer than when driving
without one. Avoid sudden steering move-
ments.
R The vehicle/trailer combination is heavier,
accelerates more slowly, has a decreased
gradient climbing capability and a longer
braking distance.
It is more susceptible to side winds and
requires more careful steering.
R If possible, do not brake suddenly, but instead
depress the brake pedal moderately at first sothat the trailer can activate its brakes. Then
increase the pressure on the brake pedal.
R If the automatic transmission repeatedly
shifts between gears on uphill or downhill gra-
dients, shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter.
A lower gear and lower speed reduce the risk of engine failure.
R When driving downhill, shift to a lower gear to
utilize the engine's braking effect.
Avoid continuous brake application as this
may overheat the vehicle brakes and, if instal- led, the trailer brakes.
R If 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 open-
ing the windows and switching the ventilation blower and the interior temperature to the
highest level.
R When overtaking, pay particular attention to
the extended length of your vehicle/trailer
combination.
Due to the length of the vehicle/trailer com-
bination, you require additional road space in
relation to the vehicle you are overtaking
before you can change back to the original
lane. 224
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

X
Press the 0061or0076 button to start dialing.
or
X To exit the redial memory: press the0076
or 0038 button. Assistance menu
Introduction Depending on the equipment installed in the
vehicle, you have the following options in the
DriveAssist
DriveAssist menu:
R Displaying the assistance graphic
(Y page 237)
R Activating/deactivating the Traffic Sign
Assist display (Y page 237)
R Activating or deactivating Active Steering
Assist (Y page 237)
R Activating/deactivating Active Brake Assist
(Y page 238)
R Activating/deactivating Active Brake Assist
with cross-traffic function (Y page 238)
R Activating/deactivating ATTENTION ASSIST
(Y page 238)
R Activating/deactivating Blind Spot Assist or
Active Blind Spot Assist (Y page 238)
R Activating/deactivating Lane Keeping Assist
or Active Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 238)
Displaying the assistance graphic X
Press the 0059or0065 button on the steering
wheel to select the DriveAssist
DriveAssist menu.
X Press 0063or0064 to select Assistance
Assistance
Graphic Graphic.
X Confirm by pressing 0076on the steering
wheel.
The multifunction display shows the Active
Distance Assist DISTRONIC distance display
on the assistant display.
The assistance graphic displays the status of
and information from the following driving
systems or driving safety systems: R
Traffic Sign Assist (Y page 205)
R Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
(Y page 171)
R Active Brake Assist (Y page 67)
R Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic func-
tion (Y page 73)
R ATTENTION ASSIST (Y page 203)
R Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 207) or Active
Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 211)
R DSR (Y page 214)
R Off-road program (vehicles with Off-Road
Engineering package) (Y page 216)
R Rear window wipers (Y page 118)
X Press 0064to display the ATTENTION ASSIST
assessment.
Traffic Sign Assist You can switch the Traffic Sign Assist message
function on or off in the
Traffic TrafficSign
SignAssist
Assist
menu. When the function is activated, detected traffic signs and information appear in the mul-
tifunction display for five seconds.
X Press the 0059or0065 button on the steering
wheel to select the DriveAssist DriveAssistmenu.
X Press the 0063or0064 button to select
Traffic Sign Assist
Traffic Sign Assist.
X Confirm by pressing 0076on the steering
wheel.
The current selection appears.
X To activate/deactivate the message func-
tion: press the 0076button again.
For further information about Traffic Sign Assist, see (Y page 205).
Activating or deactivating Active Steer- ing Assist X
Press the 0059or0065 button on the steering
wheel to select the DriveAssist DriveAssistmenu.
X Press the 0063or0064 button to select
Active Steering Assist
Active Steering Assist.
X Confirm by pressing 0076on the steering
wheel.
The current selection appears.
X To activate/deactivate: press the0076but-
ton again.
When Active Steering Assist is activated, the
multifunction display shows the Active Active
Steering Assist
Steering Assist On
Onmessage. Menus and submenus
237On-board computer and displays Z

Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions 0075
Rear Left Malfunc‐ Rear Left Malfunc‐
tion Service tion Service
Required Required
orRear
Rear
Right Malfunction
Right Malfunction
Service Required Service Required The rear left-hand or right-hand restraint system is malfunctioning.
The 0075 warning lamp also lights up in the instrument cluster.
G WARNING
The air bags or Emergency Tensioning Devices may either be triggered unintentionally or, in the event of an accident, may not be triggered.
There is an increased risk of injury.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. 0075
Rear Rear
Center
Center Malfunc‐
Malfunc‐
tion Service
tion Service
Required Required The rear center restraint system is malfunctioning. The
0075warning
lamp also lights up in the instrument cluster.
G WARNING
The air bags or Emergency Tensioning Devices may either be triggered unintentionally or, in the event of an accident, may not be triggered.
There is an increased risk of injury.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. 0075
Left Side Curtain Left Side Curtain
Airbag Malfunction Airbag Malfunction
Service Required Service Required
or
Right Side Curtain
Right Side Curtain
Airbag Malfunction Airbag Malfunction
Service Required Service Required The left-hand or right-hand window curtain air bag is malfunctioning.
The 0075 warning lamp also lights up in the instrument cluster.
G WARNING
The left or right window curtain air bag may either be triggered unin-
tentionally or, in the event of an accident, may not be triggered.
There is an increased risk of injury.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. Display
messages
253On-board computer and displays Z

There are four cargo tie-down rings
0043in the
cargo compartment.
The parcel net must be pushed down before
using the cargo tie-down rings on the front right- hand side of the cargo compartment.
Bag hook G
WARNING
The bag hooks cannot restrain heavy objects
or items of luggage. Objects or items of lug-
gage could be flung around and thereby hit
vehicle occupants when braking or abruptly
changing directions. There is a risk of injury.
Only hang light objects on the bag hooks.
Never hang hard, sharp-edged or fragile
objects on the bag hooks.
! The bag hook can bear a maximum load of
6.6lbs (3kg) and should not be used to secure
a load. There is a bag hook in the cargo compartment
on the left-hand side.
X
Press bag hook marking 0043.
X Turn bag hook 0043until it engages. Securing hooks
There is a securing hook
0043on each side of the
cargo compartment.
Only secure lightweight luggage items on the
securing hooks (maximum 9 lbs (4 kg)). Cargo compartment cover
Important safety notes G
WARNING
On its own, the cargo compartment cover
cannot secure or restrain heavy objects,
items of luggage and heavy loads. You could
be hit by an unsecured load during sudden
changes in direction, braking or in the event of an accident. There is an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
Always store objects so that they cannot be
flung around. Secure objects, luggage or
loads against slipping or tipping over, e.g. by
using tie downs, even if you are using the
cargo compartment cover.
! When loading the vehicle, make sure that
you do not stack the load in the cargo com-
partment higher than the lower edge of the
side windows. Do not place heavy objects on top of the cargo compartment cover.
A cargo compartment cover or a combined
cargo cover and net (cargo compartment cover
with cargo net) is installed, depending on equip-
ment, behind the rear bench seat backrest. 300
Stowage areasStowage and features