2020 MERCEDES-BENZ METRIS tow

Child restraint system
The use of seat belts and child restraint sys-
tems is required by law in: R all 50 states
R the US territories
R the District of Columbia
R all Canadian provinces
You can obtain further information about the
correct child restraint system from a
Mercedes-Benz Commercial Van Center. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is installed
incorrectly on a suitable seat, it cannot pro-
tect as intended. The child cannot then be
restrained in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction.
There is an increased risk of injury, possibly
even fatal.
Make sure that you observe the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
instructions and the notes on use. Please
ensure, that the base of the child restraint
system is always resting completely on the
seat cushion. Never place objects, e.g. cush-
ions, under or behind the child restraint sys-
tem. Only use child restraint systems with
the original cover designed for them. Only
replace damaged covers with genuine cov-
ers. G
WARNING
If a rearward facing child restraint system is
installed in the direction of travel by mis-
take, it cannot protect as intended. This is
the case if, for instance, you install a rear-
ward-facing child restraint system on a rear
seat opposite to the direction of travel. In
the event of an accident, a child might not
be restrained correctly. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Always install the rear seat in the direction
of travel before you install the rearward
facing child restraint system. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is installed
incorrectly or is not secured, it can come
loose in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or a sudden change in direction. The
child restraint system could be thrown
about, striking vehicle occupants. There is
an increased risk of injury, possibly even
fatal.
Always install child restraint systems prop-
erly, even if they are not being used. Make
sure that you observe the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instructions.
You will find further information on securely
stowing objects, luggage and loads under
"Loading guidelines"
(Y page 242). G
WARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems which have been damaged or subjec-
ted to a load in an accident can no longer
protect as intended. The child cannot then
be restrained in the event of an accident,
heavy braking or sudden changes of direc-
tion. There is an increased risk of injury,
possibly even fatal.
Replace child restraint systems which have
been damaged or subjected to a load in an
accident as soon as possible. Have the
securing systems on the child restraint sys-
tem checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop, before you install a child restraint sys-
tem again.
Securing systems for child restraint systems
are: R the seat belt system
R the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings
R the Top Tether anchorage points
If it is absolutely necessary to carry a child on
the front-passenger seat, always observe the
notes on the "Occupant classification system"
(OCS) ( Y page

54). Information on disabling
the front passenger airbag can also be found
there. 62
Children in the vehicle
Safety

G
WARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjec-
ted to prolonged exposure to extreme heat
or cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly
even fatal. Never leave children unattended
in the vehicle.
You can open a locked door from the inside at
any time. For the sliding doors, the child-proof
locks must be deactivated. Centrally locking and unlocking the
vehicle from the inside
You can centrally lock and unlock the whole
vehicle from the inside using the central lock-
ing buttons on the driver's door. X
To unlock: press the % button.
X To lock: press the & button.
If the driver's or co-driver's door is open, the
open door is not locked.
All other doors and the tailgate/rear-end
doors are locked.
If a sliding door or the tailgate/rear-end door
is open, only the driver's and co-driver's door
are locked.
You cannot unlock the vehicle centrally from
the inside if the vehicle has been locked with
the key.
If the vehicle has been locked using the lock-
ing button for the central locking and a door is
opened from the inside, only the door that has
been opened is unlocked.
If the vehicle has previously been locked with
the key, opening a door from the inside will
trigger the anti-theft alarm system. Switch off
the alarm
(Y page 70). Automatic locking
X
To switch on: press and hold the % but-
ton until an acoustic tone sounds.
X To switch on : press and hold the & but-
ton until an acoustic tone sounds.
When the ignition is switched on, the vehicle
will lock automatically from a speed of approx-
imately

9 mph (15 km/h).
You could therefore be locked out if:
R the vehicle is being pushed.
R the vehicle is being towed.
R the vehicle is being tested on a roller dyna-
mometer.
If the vehicle has been automatically locked
and a front door is opened from the interior
while the vehicle is stationary, the vehicle
unlocks centrally. Driver's door and co-driver's door
Door handle (example driver's door)
You can open the driver's or co-driver's door
from the inside at any time, even if it is locked. 76
Driver's door and co-driver's door
Opening and closing

!
To prevent damage to the seats and the
seat heating, observe the following notes:
R Do not spill liquids onto the seats. Dry the
seats as soon as possible if liquid does
get spilled on the seats.
R If the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. Also, do not
use the seat heating to dry the seats.
R Clean the seat covers as recommended;
see the "Interior care" section.
R Do not transport heavy loads on the
seats. Do not place pointed objects on
the seat cushions such as knives, nails or
tools. Where possible, use the seats only
for carrying passengers.
R When operating the seat heating, do not
cover the seats with insulating materials,
e.g. blankets, coats, bags, protective cov-
ers, child seats or booster seats.
R When the seat heating is switched on, the
seat surface can be damaged as a result
of objects being placed on the seats, for
example, seat cushions, child seats and
protective covers not approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Your seat must be adjusted in such a way that
you can wear the seat belt correctly.
Observe the following points:
R Position the backrest in an almost vertical
position so that you are sitting virtually
upright. Do not drive with the backrest
reclined too far back.
R Your arms should be slightly bent when you
are holding the steering wheel.
R Avoid seat positions that prevent the seat
belt from being correctly routed. The shoul-
der section of the belt must be routed over
the middle of your shoulder and be pulled
tight against your upper body. The lap belt
must always pass across your lap as low
down as possible, i.e. over your hip joints.
R Adjust the head restraint so that it supports
the back of the head at eye level.
R The distance from the pedals should be
such that you can depress them fully.
Please also observe the important safety notes
on "Air bags"
(Y page 51), "Seat belts"
(Y page 48) and "Child restraint systems" ( Y page 62). Adjusting the seat manually
:
Seat fore-and-aft adjustment
; Seat cushion angle adjustment
= Seat height adjustment
? Seat backrest adjustment
X To adjust the seat fore-and-aft position:
pull lever
: up.
X Slide the seat forward or back until you can
depress the pedals.
X Release lever :.
X Slide the seat forward or back until you hear
it engage.
X To adjust the seat height: press or pull
lever = repeatedly until you have reached
the desired seat height.
X To adjust the backrest: turn handwheel ?
towards the front.
The seat backrest moves to a vertical posi-
tion.
X Turn handwheel ? towards the rear.
The seat backrest tilts towards the rear.
X To adjust the seat angle: turn hand-
wheel ; towards the front.
The front of the seat cushion tilts down.
X Turn handwheel ; towards the rear.
The front of the seat cushion tilts up.
Adjusting the seat electrically G
WARNING
Children could become trapped if they
adjust the seats, particularly when unatten-
ded. There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. 88
Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

Key positions
g
To insert/remove the key, to lock the
steering wheel
1 To unlock the steering wheel, power sup-
ply for some consumers (e.g. the radio)
2 To switch on the ignition, power supply for
all consumers, preglow and drive position
3 To start the engine
i If the key does not belong to the vehicle, it
can still be turned in the ignition lock. How-
ever, the ignition will not be switched on.
The engine cannot be started. Preparing for a journey
Visual check of the vehicle exterior X
In particular, check the following compo-
nents on the vehicle, and on the trailer as
necessary:
R
license plates, vehicle lighting, turn sig-
nals, brake lamps and wiper blades for
dirt and damage
R tires and wheels for firm seating, correct
tire pressure and general condition
R trailer tow hitch for play and security
The trailer coupling is one of the most
important vehicle parts with regard to
road safety. Observe the notes on opera-
tion, care and maintenance of the trailer
tow hitch (see the manufacturer's operat-
ing instructions).
X Rectify any noticeable defects before com-
mencing the journey. Checks in the vehicle Emergency equipment/first-aid kit
X Check the equipment to make sure that it is
accessible, complete and ready for use.
The first aid and breakdown assistance equip-
ment is located:
R in the front door stowage compartments
R in the seat base of the left front seat
R in the rear stowage compartment on the
right-hand side of the vehicle
(Y page 270)
Vehicle lighting
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Check the lighting system with the aid of a
second person.
X Replace defective bulbs (Y page
105). Before driving off
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell may restrict
the clearance around the pedals or block a
depressed pedal. This jeopardizes the oper-
ating and road safety of the vehicle. There is
a risk of an accident.
Stow all objects securely in the vehicle so
that they do not get into the driver's foot-
well. When using floormats or carpets, make
sure that they are properly secured so that
they do not slip or obstruct the pedals. Do
not place several floormats or carpets on
top of one another. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct
usage of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals. Driving
127
Driving and parking Z

X
Stow luggage items securely. Secure the
load as per the loading guidelines
(Y page
242).
X Make sure that the floormats and carpets
are properly secured so that they cannot
slip and obstruct the pedals.
X Close all doors. Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
DANGER
Combustion engines emit poisonous
exhaust gases such as carbon monoxide.
Inhaling these exhaust gases is hazardous to
health and can result in poisoning. There is a
risk of fatal injury. Therefore, never leave the
engine running an enclosed space without
adequate ventilation.
! Do not depress the accelerator when start-
ing the engine.
X Before starting the engine, ensure the fol-
lowing:
R all the doors are closed.
R all the vehicle occupants are wearing their
seat belts correctly.
R the parking brake is applied.
i If you depress the brake pedal before
starting the engine, the pedal travel may be
shorter and pedal resistance higher.
If you depress the brake pedal again after
starting the engine, pedal travel and resist-
ance will be back to normal again.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position j
(Y page
131).
The transmission position indicator in the
display shows j.
You can also start the engine in neutral posi-
tion i. Starting the engine X
Turn the key to position 3 in the ignition
lock
(Y page 127) and release it as soon as
the engine is running. Driving off
Automatic transmission G
WARNING
The vehicle can suddenly accelerate if the
engine speed is above the engine idling
speed and you then select transmission
position h or k. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
When engaging transmission position h or
k at a standstill, always keep the brake
pedal depressed firmly and do not depress
the accelerator pedal at the same time.
! Only shift into reverse gear when the vehi-
cle is stationary k. Otherwise, you could
damage the transmission.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position h or k.
On vehicles with a reverse warning feature,
when reverse gear k is engaged a warning
tone sounds to alert other road users
(Y page

129).
X Release the parking brake (Y page
138).
The F (only USA) or J (only Canada)
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
goes out.
X Release the brake pedal.
Hill start assist automatically maintains the
brake pressure for about another two sec-
onds after the brake pedal is released. This
makes it possible to pull away without the
vehicle immediately rolling back
(Y page

129).
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position j to the desired transmis-
sion position if you depress the brake pedal.
If the brake pedal is not depressed, the
DIRECT SELECT lever can still be moved but
the j position remains engaged. 128
Driving
Driving and parking

G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position N when you switch off the
engine. The vehicle may roll away. There is a
risk of an accident.
Before switching off the engine, always
switch to parking position P. Prevent the
parked vehicle from rolling away by applying
the parking brake.
! When the engine is switched off, rolling in
idle i can damage the power transmission
and result in transmission damage.
Always observe the instructions and safety
notes under "Tow starting and towing away"
( Y page
274).
Bear in mind that power transmission between
the engine and the transmission is interrupted
when the engine is switched off. For this rea-
son, shift the automatic transmission to trans-
mission position j before switching off the
engine when the vehicle is stationary. Apply
the parking brake to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away. DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of the transmission shift
system j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns to its
original position. The display in the instrument cluster shows the current transmission posi-
tion j, k, i or h (Y page

132).
Selecting transmission positions !
If the engine speed is too high or the vehi-
cle is coasting, do not shift the automatic
transmission directly from h to k, from
k to h or directly to j. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission may be damaged.
! Only move the automatic transmission to
k when the vehicle is stationary.
X If park position j is selected, depress the
brake pedal to change the transmission
position.
X Drive position h: push the DIRECT
SELECT lever down beyond the 1st point of
resistance.
X Reverse gear k: push the DIRECT SELECT
lever upwards beyond the 1st point of
resistance.
X Neutral i: push the DIRECT SELECT lever
up or down as far as the 1st point of resist-
ance.
i When you switch off the engine, the auto-
matic transmission automatically shifts into
neutral i.
X Park position j: push the button of the
DIRECT SELECT lever in the direction of the
arrow j.
Park position j is engaged automatically in
the following situations:
R if you pull out the key.
R if you open the driver's door when the vehi-
cle is stationary or when driving at a very
low speed and the transmission is in posi-
tion h or k.
To maneuver with an open driver's door, open
the driver's door while stationary and engage
transmission position h or k again.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral i after you switch off the
engine, you must leave the key in the ignition
lock. Automatic transmission
131
Driving and parking Z

Transmission positions
B Park position
This prevents the vehicle from roll-
ing away when stopped. Only shift
the transmission to
j when the
vehicle is stationary.
The automatic transmission shifts
to j automatically in the following
situations:
R if you pull out the key.
R if you open the driver's door
when the vehicle is stationary or
when driving at a very low speed
and the transmission is in posi-
tion h or k.
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. C Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
k
when the vehicle is stationary. A Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels. Releas-
ing the brakes will allow you to
move the vehicle freely, e.g. by
pushing or towing.
If ESP
®
is deactivated or faulty: shift
the transmission to position i if
the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
e.g. on icy roads.
When you switch off the engine, the
automatic transmission automati-
cally shifts into neutral i.
! When the engine is switched
off, rolling in idle i can damage
the power transmission and
result in transmission damage. 7 Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear itself. All forward
gears are available.
You can influence gearshifts with
your choice of drive program. You
can also restrict the shift range. Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
:
Drive program
; Current transmission position or
current gear in drive program M
= Shift range, if restricted
The transmission positions and current drive
program : are shown at the bottom of the
instrument cluster display. The current trans-
mission position is highlighted.
In drive program M, the transmission position
indicator shows the current gear in position D
( Y page
135).
If you restrict the shift range, the transmission
position indicator shows the current transmis-
sion position plus restricted shift range =,
e.g. D2 ( Y page 133).
The arrows in the transmission position display
show how and into which transmission posi-
tions you can change using the DIRECT
SELECT lever. Changing gear
The automatic transmission adapts to your
individual driving style by continuously adjust-
ing its shift points. These shift point adjust-
ments take into account the current operating
and driving conditions. If the operating or driv-
ing conditions change, the automatic transmis-
sion reacts by adjusting the gearshift program.
When the automatic transmission is in trans-
mission position h, it shifts the individual
gears automatically.
This depends on the following factors:
R the drive program selected ( Y page 134)
R any restriction in the shift range
(Y page

133)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed
You can also change gear manually if you
select drive program M (Y page 135).132
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to the
next gear down, depending on the engine
speed.
X Ease off on the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts up again.
Rocking the vehicle free At speeds up to 5 mph (9 km/h) you can
switch back and forth between drive position
h and reverse gear
k without applying the
brakes. This helps when rocking the vehicle
out of snow or slush.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever alternately
up and down beyond the first point of resist-
ance.
Towing a trailer X
Depending on the downhill gradient, limit
the shift range
(Y page 133) or shift man-
ually into a lower gear (Y page 135) in which the engine will operate in the middle
of the engine speed range. This also applies
if cruise control is activated. Manual gearshifting
General notes If you select drive program
M, automatic gear-
shifting is deactivated and manual gearshifting
is automatically activated. You must then per-
manently change gear yourself for as long as
the drive program is selected.
Permanent manual gearshifting is deactivated
automatically when you switch from drive pro-
gram M to another drive program. The auto-
matic transmission then shifts gears automati-
cally. The display shows the selected drive
program and transmission position h again. Shifting gears
:
To shift down
; To shift up
The drive program display shows M and the
transmission position indicator shows the
selected gear.
X To shift up: briefly pull right-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter ;.
If the engine speed is sufficient, the auto-
matic transmission shifts up to the next
gear.
If the maximum engine speed is reached in
the currently engaged gear and you con-
tinue to accelerate, the automatic transmis-
sion will not shift up automatically. Always
make sure that the engine speed does not
reach the red area of the tachometer.
Observe the gearshift recommendation in
the display

(Y page 136). When the engine
reaches its maximum speed, the fuel supply
is cut to prevent the engine from overrev-
ving.
X To shift down: pull briefly on left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter :.
Provided that the engine will not exceed its
maximum speed when shifting down, the
automatic transmission shifts down to the
next gear.
or
X Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter until the automatic transmission
selects the optimum gear for the current
speed.
i When coasting, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts down automatically. Automatic transmission
135
Driving and parking Z