2020 MERCEDES-BENZ METRIS roof rack

that takes the requirements of both nature
and humanity into account.
You too can help to protect the environment
by operating your vehicle in an environmen-
tally responsible manner.
Fuel consumption and the rate of engine,
transmission, brake and tire wear are affec-
ted by these factors:
R operating conditions of your vehicle
R your personal driving style
You can influence both factors. You should
bear the following in mind:
Operating conditions:
R avoid short trips as these increase fuel
consumption.
R always make sure that the tire pressures
are correct.
R do not carry any unnecessary weight.
R remove roof racks once you no longer
need them.
R a regularly serviced vehicle will contribute
to environmental protection. You should
therefore adhere to the service intervals.
R always have service work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Personal driving style:
R do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
R do not warm up the engine when the vehi-
cle is stationary.
R drive carefully and maintain a safe dis-
tance from the vehicle in front.
R avoid frequent, sudden acceleration and
braking.
R change gear in good time and use each
gear only up to Ô of its maximum engine
speed.
R switch off the engine in stationary traffic.
R keep an eye on the vehicle's fuel con-
sumption. Environmental issues and recom-
mendations
When prompted by this Operator's Manual to
dispose of materials, please try to regenerate
and recycle these materials. Observe all rele-
vant environmental guidelines and regulations
when disposing of materials. This helps to pro-
tect the environment. Operating safety and vehicle
approval
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you do not have the prescribed service/
maintenance work or any required repairs
carried out, this can result in malfunctions
or system failures. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always have the prescribed service/mainte-
nance work as well as any required repairs
carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Airbags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tension-
ing Devices contain perchlorate material,
which may require special handling or environ-
mental protection measures. National guide-
lines must be observed during disposal.
For California, you will find further information
online at: http://www.dtsc.ca.gov Notes on driving
Damage to the vehicle may occur in the follow-
ing cases:
R The vehicle becomes grounded, e.g. on a
high curb or an unpaved road.
R You drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
curb, a speed bump or a pothole in the road.
R A heavy object strikes the underbody or
chassis components.
In such situations, the body, frame, under-
body, chassis parts, wheels or tires could be
damaged without the damage being visible.
Components damaged in this way can unex-
pectedly fail or, in the case of an accident, no 30
Introduction

replaced. If you use load securing aids or tie
downs which are worn out, the load may not
be sufficiently secured and could cause dam-
age to property.
In the event of an accident, have a damaged
cargo compartment floor or loading area, the
cargo tie-down rings and the tie down checked
at a specialist workshop. Otherwise, the load
may not be correctly secured the next time
anything is stowed.
Even if you follow all loading guidelines, the
load increases the risk of injury in the event of
an accident. Observe the information in the
"Securing a load"
(Y page 244) and "Load dis-
tribution" (Y page 243) sections.
You will find information about the maximum
roof load under "Cargo tie-down points and
carrier systems" (Y page 313). You will find
information about roof carriers under "Carrier
systems" (Y page 249). Before loading
! The anti-slip mats cannot be used for
securing goods and must be replaced when
they show signs of:
R Permanent deformation and crushing
R Crack formation
R Cuts
X Tire pressure: check the tire pressure and
correct if necessary
(Y page 282).
X Cargo compartment floor: clean the cargo
compartment floor.
The cargo compartment floor must be free
from oil and dust, dry and swept clean to
prevent the load from slipping.
X Place non-slip mats (anti-slip mats) on the
cargo compartment floor if necessary. During loading
X Observe the gross axle weight rating and
permissible gross vehicle weight for your
vehicle.
Take into account that your vehicle's curb
weight is increased if accessories or optional equipment are installed. The maxi-
mum payload is thus reduced.
X Observe the notes on load distribution
(Y page

243).
The overall center of gravity of the load
should always be as low as possible, cen-
tered and between the axles near the rear
axle.
X Secure the load (Y page
244).
Observe the legal requirements of the coun-
try in which you are currently driving. Checks after loading
G
DANGER
Combustion engines emit poisonous
exhaust gases, such as carbon monoxide.
Exhaust gases can enter the vehicle interior
if the tailgate/rear-end door is open when
the engine is running, especially if the vehi-
cle is in motion. There is a risk of poisoning.
Always switch off the engine before opening
the tailgate/rear-end door. Never drive the
vehicle when the tailgate/rear-end door is
open.
X Securing luggage/loads: make sure that
the luggage and/or load is secure before
every journey and at regular intervals during
a long journey, and correct it if necessary.
X Doors/tailgate: close the sliding doors and
tailgate/door.
X Tire pressure: adjust the tire pressure
according to the vehicle load
(Y page 282).
X Driving style: adapt your driving style
according to the vehicle load. Load distribution
General notes
! Excessive loads on individual points of the
cargo floor or on the load surface impair
vehicle handling characteristics and could
cause damage to the floor covering.
The overall center of gravity of the load should
always be as low as possible, centered and
between the axles near the rear axle. Load distribution
243
Transporting loads Z

Installing
X Clip the load protection net into upper
retainers : in such a way that tensioning
straps = face the rear of the vehicle.
X Pull tensioning straps = of the load protec-
tion net tightly.
X Clip hook ? on tensioning straps = into
cargo tie-down rings A.
X Fold tensioning element ; up.
X Pull the loose ends of tensioning straps =
down in the direction of the arrow until ten-
sioning straps = are tight.
X Fold tensioning element ; down to achieve
the final tension on the straps.
X After traveling a short distance, check that
the load protection net is taut.
X Retighten, if necessary.
Removing X Fold tensioning element ; up.
Tensioning straps = are slack.
X Unclip hook ? of tensioning straps = from
cargo tie-down rings A at the bottom.
X Unclip the load protection net from upper
retainers :.
X Roll up the load protection net and fasten it,
still rolled up, using the Velcro fasteners.
Adjusting the front seat with the load pro-
tection net installed
X Fold tensioning element ; on straps =
upwards.
The load protection net slackens.
X Correctly adjust the front seat.
X Re-tension the load protection net. Carrier systems
G
WARNING
When you load the roof, the center of gravity
of the vehicle rises and the usual driving
characteristics, as well as steering and brak-
ing, change. The vehicle tilts more severely
when cornering and may react more slug-
gishly to steering input.
If you exceed the maximum roof load, the
driving characteristics, as well as the steer- ing and braking, will be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust your driving style and never exceed
the maximum roof load.
You will find information about the maximum
roof load under "Cargo tie-down points and
carrier systems"
(Y page 313).
! Make sure that:
R the screws of the roof carrier are tight-
ened to a maximum torque of 7.4 lb-ft
(10 Nm) in the threaded holes provided
and
R there is a minimum bolt penetration of
4 turns.
Only install roof carriers and rear racks that
have been approved or recommended for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles. This will help avoid
damage to the vehicle.
You can install a roof carrier on the roof and,
for example, a rear-mounted cycle rack on the
tailgate.
Install the protective caps on the securing
threads after you have removed the roof car-
rier.
If you have installed a rear rack on the tailgate,
the additional weight reduces the assistance
provided by the gas pressure springs when the
tailgate is opened. You will then need more
force to open the tailgate. At low outside tem-
peratures below freezing you will need to pro-
vide extra support for the tailgate to prevent it
from sinking unintentionally. Carrier systems
249
Transporting loads Z

Tire tread
The part of the tire that comes into contact
with the road.
Tire bead
The tire bead ensures that the tire sits
securely on the wheel. There are several steel
wires in the bead to prevent the tire from com-
ing loose from the wheel rim.
SidewallThe part of the tire between the tread and the
tire bead.
Weight of optional extras The combined weight of those optional extras
that weigh more than the replaced standard
parts and more than 2.3 kg
(5 lbs). These
optional extras, such as high-performance
brakes, a roof rack or a high-performance bat-
tery, are not included in the curb weight and
the weight of the accessories.
TIN (Tire Identification Number) A unique identification number which can be
used by a tire manufacturer to identify tires,
for example for a product recall, and thus iden-
tify the purchasers. The TIN is composed of
the manufacturer identification code, tire size,
tire model code and manufacturing date.
Load bearing index
The load bearing index (also load index) is a
code that contains the maximum load bearing
capacity of a tire.
Traction
Traction is the result of friction between the
tires and the road surface.
TWR (permissible trailer drawbar load)
The TWR is the maximum permissible weight
that may act on the ball coupling of the trailer
tow hitch.
Wear indicator Narrow bars (tread wear bars) that are distrib-
uted over the tire tread. If the tire tread is level
with the bars, the wear limit of á in (1.6 mm)
has been reached. Distribution of the vehicle occupants
The distribution of vehicle occupants over des-
ignated seat positions in a vehicle.
Maximum permissible payload weightNominal load and goods/luggage load plus
68 kg (150 lbs) multiplied by the number of
seats in the vehicle. Changing wheels
Rotating the wheels
! On vehicles equipped with a tire pressure
monitor, electronic components are located
in the wheel.
Tire-mounting tools should not be used near
the valve. This could damage the electronic
components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Always observe the instructions and safety
notes under "Mounting a wheel"
(Y page

298).
The wear patterns on the front and rear tires
differ, depending on the operating conditions.
Rotate the wheels before a clear wear pattern
has formed on the tires. Front tires typically
wear more on the shoulders and the rear tires
in the center.
If your vehicle's tire configuration allows, you
can rotate the tires according to the intervals
in the tire manufacturer's warranty book in
your vehicle documents. If no warranty book is
available, the tires should be rotated every
3,000 to 6,000 miles (5,000 to 10,000 km) or
earlier if tire wear requires. Do not change the
direction of rotation.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is rotated. Avoid oily or greasy cleaning
agents.
Check the tire pressure and reactivate the tire
pressure monitor if necessary. Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation have
additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk of
hydroplaning. You will only gain these benefits
if the correct direction of rotation is observed. Changing wheels
297
Wheels and tires Z