Driving
Swit
ching on po wer supply or ignition with
the start/s top button &
WARNING Risk of accident and inju ry
due tochildren left unat tended in the
ve hicle
If ch ildren are left unat tended in theve hicle,
th ey could:
R Open doo rs,th ereby endangering other
persons or road users.
R Get out and be stru ck byoncoming traf‐
fi c.
R Ope rate ve hicle equipment and become
trapped, forex ample.
In addition, thech ildren could also set the
ve hicle in motion, forex ample by:
R Releasing the parking brake.
R Changing the transmission position.
R Starting theve hicle. #
Never lea vechildren unat tended in the
ve hicle. #
When leaving theve hicle, alw aysta ke
th eke y with you and lock theve hicle. #
Keep theve hicle key out of reach of
ch ildren. &
DANG ER Risk of death caused by
ex haust gases
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
ga ses such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
th ese exhaust gases is hazardous tohealth
and leads topoisoning. #
Never lea vethe engine or, if present,
th e auxiliary heating running in an
enclosed space wi thout suf ficient venti‐
lation. &
WARNING Risk offire due toflammable
material in the engine compartment or
th eex haust sy stem
Flammable materials brought in byeither ani‐
mals or environmen tal influences may ignite if
th ey come into contact wi thhot parts of the
engine or exhaust sy stem. #
Therefore, check regularly that there are
no flammable materials in the engine
compartment or on theex haust sy stem. Re
quirements:
R The key is in de tection range of the antenna
(/ page 46) and theke y bat tery is not dis‐
ch arge d. #
Toswitch on the po wer suppl y:press but‐
to n1 once.
Yo u can now activate the windshield wipers,
fo rex ample.
The po wer supp lyis switched off again when one
of thefo llowing conditions is me t:
R The driver's door is open.
R You press button 1twice. #
Toswitch on the ignition: press button 1
twice.
The indicator lamps appear in the instrument
clus ter.
The ignition is switched off again when one of the
fo llowing conditions is me t:
R You do not start theve hicle within
15 minutes.
R You press button 1once. Driving and parking
109
St
arting the engine St
arting theve hicle with thest art/s top but‐
ton &
WARNING Risk of accident and inju ry
due tochildren left unat tended in the
ve hicle
If ch ildren are left unat tended in theve hicle,
th ey could:
R open doo rs,th ereby endangering other
persons or road users.
R get out of theve hicle and be hit by
oncoming traf fic.
R operate ve hicle equipment and become
trapped, forex ample.
In addition, children could also set theve hicle
in motion, forex ample, by:
R releasing the parking brake.
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position 005D.
R starting the engine #
Never lea vechildren and animals unat‐
te nded in theve hicle. #
When leaving theve hicle, alw aysta ke
th e SmartK eywith you and lock the
ve hicle. #
Keep the SmartK eyout of there ach of
ch ildren. Re
quirements:
R The key is in de tection range of the antenna
(/ page 46) and theke y bat tery is not dis‐
ch arge d. #
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission toposition 005Dor005C. #
Depress the brake pedal and press button 1
once. #
Ifth eve hicle does not star t:switch off unnec‐
essary consumers and press button 1once. #
Ifth eve hicle still does not start and the
Place the Key in the Marked Space See Oper-
ator's Manual display message appears in the
multifunction display: start theve hicle in
emergency operation mode.
St arting theve hicle in emer gency operation
mode &
WARNING Risk of accident and injury
due tochildren left unat tended in the
ve hicle
If ch ildren are left unat tended in theve hicle,
th ey could:
R Open doo rs,th ereby endangering other
persons or road users.
R Get out and be stru ck byoncoming traf‐
fi c.
R Ope rate ve hicle equipment and become
trapped, forex ample.
In addition, thech ildren could also set the
ve hicle in motion, forex ample by:
R Releasing the parking brake.
R Changing the transmission position.
R Starting theve hicle. #
Never lea vechildren unat tended in the
ve hicle. #
When leaving theve hicle, alw aysta ke
th eke y with you and lock theve hicle. #
Keep theve hicle key out of reach of
ch ildren. If
th eve hicle does not start and thePlace Key in
Marked Space See Operator's Manual display
message appears in the multifunction displa y,
yo u can start theve hicle in emergency operation
mode. 11 0
Driving and pa rking
#
Remo vekey1 from your keyring. #
Inse rtkey1 into the slot.
The vehicle is star ted af ter a brief time. #
Leavetheke y inser ted during the entire jour‐
ne y. #
Ifyo u pull key1 out of the slot, the engine
continues torun. #
Have key1 checked at a qualified specialist
wo rkshop.
If th eve hicle does not star t: #
Leavekey1 inthe slot. #
Depress the brake pedal. #
Start theve hicle with thest art/ stop button.
% Yo
u can also swit chon the po wer supp lyor
th e ignition with thest art/ stop button. Breaking-in no
tes Pr
otect the engine during thefirs t1, 000 miles
(1,500 km) by:
R Driving at varying road and engine speeds.
R Shifting tothe next gear up when or before
th eta ch ome ter needle is 00C3ofthewa yto the
re d area.
R Avoiding stre ss on theve hicle such as driving
at full thro ttle.
R Not shi fting manually toa lo werge ar to
brake.
R After1, 000 miles (1,500 km), gradually
increasing the engine speed and accelera te
th eve hicle up tofull speed.
R Vehicles with automatic transmission: not
depressing the accelera tor pedal be yond the
pressure point (kickdown). This also applies if
the engine or parts of the driv‐
et ra in ha vebeen replaced.
Also obser vethefo llowing breaking-in no tes:
R The sensors of the ESP ®
driving saf ety sy stem
adjust automatically while a cer tain dis tance
is being driven af terth eve hicle has been
delivered or af terre pairs. Full sy stem ef fec‐
tiveness is not reached until the end of this
te ach-in process.
R New or exchanged brakepads, brake discs
and tires only pr ovide optimal braking and
bonding af ter se veral hundred kilom eters.
Un tilthen, compensate forth ere duced brak‐
ing ef fect by applying greater pressure tothe
brake pedal. Driving tips
Note
s on driving &
WARNING Risk of accident due to
objects in the driver's foot we ll
Objects in the driver's foot we ll may impede
pedal tr avel or block a depressed pedal.
This jeopardizes the operating and road
saf ety of theve hicle. #
Stow all objects in theve hicle securely
so that they cannot getinto the driver's
fo ot we ll. #
Ensure floor mats and carpets cannot
slip and pr ovide suf ficient room forthe
pedals. #
Do not lay multiple floor mats or carpets
on top of one ano ther. &
WARNING Risk of accident due to
unsuitable foot we ar
Operation of the pedals may be restricted due
to unsuitable foot we ar such as:
R Shoes with plat form soles
R Shoes with high heels
R Slippers #
When driving alw ayswe ar suitable
shoes in order tobe able tooperate the
pedals safel y. Driving and pa
rking 111
&
WARNING Risk of accident when switch‐
ing off the ignition when driving
If yo u swit choff the ignition while driving,
saf ety functions are restricted or no longer
av ailable. This may af fect the po werst eering
sy stem and the brake forc e boosting, for
ex ample.
Yo u will then need touse considerably more
fo rc eto steer and brake. #
Do not switch off the ignition while driv‐
ing. &
DANG ER Risk of death caused by
ex haust gases
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
ga ses such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
th ese exhaust gases is hazardous tohealth
and leads topoisoning. #
Never lea vethe engine or, if present,
th e auxiliary heating running in an
enclosed space wi thout suf ficient venti‐
lation. &
DANG ER Risk of fata l injury due topoi‐
sonous exhaust gases
If th eta ilpipe is bloc ked or suf ficient ventila‐
tion is not possible, poisonous exhaust gases
such as carbon monoxide may enter theve hi‐
cle. This is the case when theve hicle
becomes stuck in sn ow,fo rex ample. #
Keep theta ilpipe and the area around
th eve hicle free from snow when the
engine or thest ationary heater are run‐
ning. #
Open a window on the side of theve hi‐
cle facing away from the wind toensure
an adequate supply of fresh air. &
WARNING Risk of accident and inju ry
due tobeing under the influence of alco‐
hol and drugs while driving
Driving when under the influence of alcohol
and/or drugs is an extreme lydangerous com‐
bination. Even small quantities of alcohol or
drugs may af fect your reflexe s, perception
and judgment.
The probability of a serious or evenfa ta l acci‐
dent greatly inc reases if you drive when
under the influence of alcohol or drugs. #
Do not drink alcohol or take drugs while
driving, and do not allow an yone todrive
who has been drinking alcohol or taking
drugs. &
WARNING Risk of accident and injury
from ope rating mobile communications
equipment
If yo u operate mobile communication equip‐
ment when driving, you will be distracted
from the traf fic situation. This could also
cause youto lose control of theve hicle.
The probability of a serious or evenfa ta l acci‐
dent inc reases greatly if you operate mobile
communication equipment when driving. #
Only operate mobile communication
equipment when theve hicle is station‐
ar y. Fo
ryo ur ow n sa fety, al ways obser vethefo llowing
points when operating mobile communications
equipmen t:
R Obser vethe legal requ irements forth e coun‐
try in which you are driving.
R While driving, on lyoperate mobile communi‐
cations equipment when the tra ffic conditions
permit it. You may otherwise be distracted
from the traf fic conditions and cause an acci‐
dent, inju ring yourself and others. &
WARNING Risk of accident due toove r‐
heated brake sy stem
If yo ure st your foot on the brake pedal during
while driving, the brake sy stem may overheat.
This increases the braking dis tance and the
brake sy stem may evenfa il. #
Never use the brake pedal as a foot re st. #
Do not press the brake pedal and accel‐
erator pedal simultaneously while driv‐
ing. On long and
steep downhill gradients, you should
ch ange down toa lo werge ar in good time. Take
particular no teofthis when driving a laden vehi‐
cle. By doing so, you will make use of the
engine's braking ef fect. This will take some of the
st ra in off the brake sy stem and pr eventthe
brakes from overheating and wearing tooqu ickl y. 11 2
Driving and pa rking
*
NO
TEWearing out the brake linings by
continuously dep ressing the brake pedal #
Do not depress the brake pedal continu‐
ously whilst driving. #
Touse the braking ef fect of the engine,
shift toa lo werge ar in good time. *
NO
TEDama getothe driv etra in and
engine when pulling away #
Do not warm upthe engine while the
ve hicle is stationar y.Pull away immedi‐
atel y. #
Avoid high engine speeds and driving at
full thro ttle until the engine has reached
its operating temp erature. *
NO
TEDama getothe catalytic con verter
due tonon-combu sted fuel The engine is not
running smo othly and is
misfiring.
Non-combus ted fuel may getinto the cata‐
lytic con verter. #
Only depress the accelera tor pedal
slightly. #
Have the cause rectified immedia tely at
a qualified speciali st workshop. Exhaust emission monitoring
Specific engine sy
stems are designed tokeep
poisonous components of exhaust emissions
within legal limits.
These sy stems only workoptimally if they are
main tained exactly according tomanufacturer's
specifications. It is forth is reason that all work
on the engine should only be per form ed byquali‐
fi ed and authorized Mercedes-Benz Center tech‐
nicians.
Under no circum stances should engine settings
be changed. In addition, all specific main tenance
wo rkmust be per form ed at regular inter vals and
in compliance with the service regulations of the
dealer named in the imprint. Referto the Mainte‐
nance Booklet for de tails.
Note s on short-distance trips
If th eve hicle is predominantly used for short-dis‐
ta nce driving, fuel may accumulate in the engine
oil and cause engine damage.
If yo u main lydrive short dis tances, you should
drive on a free way or go for a country drive for 20 minutes
every480 km (300 miles). This facili‐
ta testh ere ge neration of the diesel particulate fil‐
te r.
Note s onthe speed limit &
WARNING Risk of inju rythro ugh exceed‐
ing the specified tire load rating or the
permissible speed rating
Exceeding the specified tire load rating or the
permissible speed rating may lead totire
dama geand tothe tires bur sting. #
Therefore, only use tire types and sizes
appr ovedfo ryo ur vehicle model. #
Obser vethe tire load rating and speed
ra ting requ ired foryo ur vehicle. As
the driver, you must find out about the maxi‐
mum permissible speed forth e tires (tire and tire
pressure). In particular, obser vethe legal requ ire‐
ments for tires forth e count ryyou are in.
Yo u can permanently limit the speed of your vehi‐
cle.
Mercedes-Benz recommends a qualified special‐
ist workshop for programming the speed limit.
No tethat you cannot exceed a programmed limit
speed when overtaking.
On downhill gradients, the speed limit may be
exc eeded. Apply the brakes if necessar y.
Displ aymessages indica tethat you are approach‐
ing the limit speed.
% Fo
r buses, the speed is limited at thefa ctory
to 100 km/h. When overtaking, bear in mind
th at the limit speed cann otbe exc eeded.
Information about driving abroad
Service
An extensive Mercedes-Benz service is also avail‐
able abroad. Ne vertheless, please remember that
services facilities or spa reparts may not be avail‐
able immediatel y.The releva nt wo rkshop directo‐
ri es are available from an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
Fu el
In some countries, only fuels with an inc reased
sulfur con tent are available.
Mercedes-Benz recommends ins talling a fuel fil‐
te r with a water sepa rato rfo r countries with an
increased water content in diesel. Driving and parking
11 3
Uns
uitable fuel can cause engine damage. In for‐
mation about fuel can be found in the "Fuel" sec‐
tion (/ page 341).
Information about transport byrail
Tr ansporting your vehicle byrail may be subject
to cer tain restrictions or require special meas‐
ures tobe take n in some countries due tovarying
tunnel heights and loading standards.
Yo u can obtain information about this from any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Note s on brakes &
WARNING Risk of skidding and of an
accident due toshifting down on slippery
ro ad sur faces
If yo u shift down on slippery road sur faces to
inc rease the engine braking ef fect, the drive
wheels may lose traction. #
Do not shift down on slippery road sur‐
fa ces toinc rease the engine braking
ef fect. &
WARNING Risk of accident due tothe
brake sy stem overheating
If yo u lea veyour foot on the brake pedal
when driving, the brake sy stem may overheat.
This increases the braking dis tance and the
brake sy stem may evenfa il. #
Never use the brake pedal as a foot re st. #
Do not depress the brake pedal and the
accelerator pedal at the same time
while driving. Downhill
gradients
On long and steep downhill gradients you should
obse rveth efo llowing instructions:
R Invehicles with an automatic transmission,
shift down toshift ranges 2or 1in good time
so that the engine is running at a medium to
high engine speed (/ page124).
% Cha
nge the shift range in good time when
cruise control is acti vated. Obser vethe driv‐
ing tips (/ page111).
Yo uth ereby make use of the braking ef fect of the
engine and do not ha vetobrake as of tento main‐
tai nth e speed. This relie vesth e load on the
service brake and pr events the brakes from over‐
heating and wearing tooqu ickl y. Heavy and light loads
If
th e brakes ha vebeen subjected toa heavy
load, do not stop theve hicle immediatel y.Drive
on for a short while. The brakes cool down more
qu ickly in the air flow.
If th e brakes ha vebeen used only moderately,
yo u should occasionally test their ef fectiveness.
To do this, brake more firm ly from a higher speed
while pa ying attention tothe traf fic conditions.
The brakes will grip better as a result.
We tro ad sur faces
If yo u ha vebeen driving for a long time in heavy
ra in without braking, there may be a dela yed
re sponse when youfirs t apply the brakes. This
may also occur af ter driving thro ugh a car wash
or deep water.Yo u must depress the brake pedal
more firm ly. Maintain a grea ter dis tance tothe
ve hicle in front.
While paying attention tothe traf fic conditions,
yo u should brake theve hicle firm lyafte r driving
on a wetro ad sur face or thro ugh a car wash. This
heats the brake discs so that they dry more
qu ickl y,which pr otects them against cor rosion.
Limited braking ef fect on salt-trea tedro ads:
R A layer of salt on the brake discs or brake‐
pads can increase braking dis tances consid‐
erably, or braking may happen on only one
side
R Maintain an especially large safe dis tance to
th eve hicle in front
To remo vethe la yer of salt:
R Apply the brakes from time totime, paying
attention totraf fic conditions
R Carefully depress the brake pedal at the end
of a journey and af terth est art of a new jour‐
ney
Checking the brakepad thickness
In addition tomonitoring using the brakepad wear
sensor, regular lymonitor and check all of the
brakepads byper form ing a visual inspection to
look for pad material wear.
If yo u are unable tocheck the brakepad wear on
th e inside of the wheels, remo vethe wheels if
yo u possess there qu ired skills, or visit a qualified
specialist workshop.
If th e brakepad material thickness is less than
0. 12 in (3 mm), ha vethe brakepads checked and
re placed at a qualified specialist workshop, if
necessar y.
Do not solely rely on the brakepad wear sensor. 11 4
Driving and pa rking
It is also
strongly recommended that you ha ve
th e brakepads checked at a qualified specialist
wo rkshop, not only at everyservice displa yedby
th e maintenance inter val displa y,but also prior to
long journe ysand when ever the wheels are
re mo ved.
Ne w brake discs and brakepads
New brakepads and brake discs on lyreach their
optimal braking ef fect af ter appro ximately
10 0 miles (100 kilome ters).
Unti lth en, compensate forth ere duced braking
ef fect by applying greater pressure tothe brake
pedal. For saf etyre asons, Mercedes-Benz recom‐
mends that you only ha vebrakepads and brake
discs which are appr ovedby Mercedes-Benz
ins talled on your vehicle.
Other brake discs or brakepads may compromise
th e saf ety of your vehicle.
Alw aysre place all brake discs and brakepads on
an axle at the same time. Alw ays ins tall new
brakepads when replacing brake discs.
Pa rking brake &
WARNING Risk of skidding or an acci‐
dent bybraking with the parking brake
If yo u ha vetobrake your vehicle with the
parking brake, the braking dis tance is consid‐
erab lylonger and the wheels may loc k.There
is an increased risk of skidding and/or acci‐
dent. #
Only brake theve hicle with the parking
brake if the service brake has failed. #
Inthis case, do not apply the parking
brake with too much forc e. #
Ifth e wheels loc k,immediately release
th e parking brake as much as required
fo rth e wheels toturn again. Ve
hicles with a manual parking brake
When driving on wetro ads or dirt-co vered sur fa‐
ces, road salt or dirt may getinto the parking
brake. This causes cor rosion and a reduction of
braking forc e.
In order topreve ntthis, drive with the parking
brake lightly applied from time totime.
When doing so, drive for a dis tance of appr ox‐
imately 300 ftat a maximum speed of 13mph
(20 km/h).
The brake lights do not light up when you brake
th eve hicle with the parking brake. Information about driving on
wetroads
Hydroplaning &
WARNING Risk of aquaplaning because
tire tread is too low
Depending on the dep thofthewate r onthe
ro adw ay, aquaplaning can occur despite suf fi‐
cient tire tread dep thand low speed. #
Avoid tire ruts and brake carefully. The
refore , in heavy rain or other conditions in
which hydroplaning can occur, drive as follo ws:
R Reduce your speed
R Avoid tire ruts
R Brake carefully
Driving on flooded roads
Bear in mind that vehicles tr aveling in front or in
th e opposite direction create waves. This may
cause the maximum permissible dep thofwater
to be exc eeded. These no tes must be obser ved
under all circum stances. Otherwise, you can
damage the engine, electrics and transmission.
If yo u ha vetodrive on stre tches of road on which
wate r has collected, please bear in mind thefo l‐
lowing:
R The wate r level of standing water may not be
abo vethe lo wer edge of the front bumper.
R You may drive no fasterthan walking pace.
Obser vethe no tes on ford ing while off- road for
all-wheel drive vehicles (/ page116).
Infor mation about driving in winter &
DANG ER Risk of fata l injury due topoi‐
sonous exhaust gases
If th eta ilpipe is bloc ked or suf ficient ventila‐
tion is not possible, poisonous exhaust gases
such as carbon monoxide may enter theve hi‐
cle. This is the case when theve hicle
becomes stuck in sn ow,fo rex ample. #
Keep theta ilpipe and the area around
th eve hicle free from snow when the
engine or thest ationary heater are run‐
ning. #
Open a window on the side of theve hi‐
cle facing away from the wind toensure
an adequate supply of fresh air. Driving and parking
11 5
*
NO
TEDama getotheve hicle af ter driving
off-road When driving off-road or on unpa
ved sur fa‐
ces, fore ign bodies such as stones and
branches could become trapped on theve hi‐
cle underside, on wheels and tires, causing
damage totheve hicle.
Fo reign bodies could cause thefo llowing
damage:
R Damage the suspension, the fuel tank or
th e brake sy stem.
R Disturb the balance and cause vibrations. #
Regular lyremo veany trapped fore ign
bodies, e.g. stones and branches. #
After driving off-road, check carefully
whe ther there is any damage tothe
ve hicle. #
Ifth ere is damage, ha vetheve hicle
ch ecked at a qualified specialist work‐
shop. When driving off-road or on unpa
ved sur faces,
ch eck theve hicle underside, wheels and tires
re gularly at regular inter vals. In particular,
re mo veany trapped fore ign bodies, such as
st ones and branches.
Obser vethefo llowing no tesre ga rding fore ign
bodies of this kind:
R They may damage the suspension, the fuel
ta nk or the brake sy stem.
R They may disturb the balance and cause
vibrations.
R They may be flung out from theve hicle when
yo u continue driving.
If th ere is any damage, inform a qualified special‐
ist workshop.
When driving off-road on steep inclines, you must
make sure that the DEF tank is su fficiently filled.
Therefore, ensure a le vel of at least ten li ters
before off-road driving.
When driving off-road and on con stru ction sites,
sand, mud and water,also mixed with oil, can get
into the brakes. This may lead toare duction in
braking ef fect or total brake failure, also as a
re sult of increased wear. The braking characteris‐
tics will vary depending on the material that has
got into the sy stem. Clean the brakes af ter driv‐
ing off-road. If youth en notice a reduced braking
ef fect or hear scraping noises, ha vethe brake sy
stem checked immediately at a qualified spe‐
cialist workshop. Adjust your driving style to the
ch anged braking characteristics.
Driving off- road or on con stru ction sites increa‐
ses the possibility of vehicle damage which may
in turn lead tothefa ilure of cer tain major assem‐
blies and sy stems. Adapt your driving style to the
off-road driving conditions. Drive carefull y.Ha ve
any vehicle damage rectified at a qualified spe‐
cialist workshop as soon as possible.
When driving on rough cross-country terrain, do
not shift the transmission toneutral and do not
disengage the clutch. You could lose control
when attem pting tobrake theve hicle with the
service brake. If your vehicle cannot manage an
uphill incline, drive back down in reve rsege ar.
When loading your vehicle for off-road driving or
on a construction site, keep theve hicle's center
of gr avity as low as possible.
Checklist before off-road driving R Check the fuel and DEF le vels (/ page175)
and refill if necessary (/ page133).
R Engine: check the oil le vel and add oil if nec‐
essary (/ page 281). Before driving up or
down extreme inclines or slopes, fill th e oil to
th e maximum le vel.
% If
yo u drive up or down extreme inclines or
slopes, the00B2 symbol may appear in the
multifunction displa y.The engine operating
saf ety is not put at risk if you ha vefilled the
engine oil tothe maximum le vel before the
jou rney.
R Vehicle tool kit: check that the jack is work‐
ing (/ page 327).
R Make sure that a lug wrench (/ page 327), a
wo oden underlay forth e jac k,aro bust tow
ro pe, a folding spade and a wheel chock
(depending on equipment) are car ried in the
ve hicle.
R Tire s and wheels: check the tire tread dep th
( / page 308) and the tire pressure
(/ page 316).
Ru les for off-road driving
Alw ays be aware of the ground clearance of the
ve hicle and avoid obs tacles such as deep tire
ru ts. Driving and pa
rking 117