
Note
s on aquaplaning
Aq uaplaning can take place once a cer tain
amount of water has accumulated on thero ad
sur face.
Obser vethefo llowing no tes during heavy precip‐
itation or in conditions in which aquaplaning may
occur:
R reduce speed
R avoid tyre ruts
R avoid sudden steering mo vements
R brake carefully
% Also obser vethe no tes on regular lych ecking
wheels and tyres (/ page370).
Note s on driving through water on the road
sur face
Wa ter which has entered into theve hicle can
damage the engine, electrics and transmission.
Wa ter can also enter the air intake of the engine
and cause engine damage. Obser
vethefo llowing if you must drive thro ugh
wate r:
R Obser vethe maximum permissible ford ing
dep th (/ page 404).
R Drive at a maximum speed of 10km/h;
wa ter can otherwise enter theve hicle interior
or engine compartment.
R Vehicles tr avelling in front, or oncoming vehi‐
cles, can create waves which may exceed the
maximum permissible dep thofthewa ter.
The braking ef fect of the brakes is reduced af ter
fo rd ing. Brake carefully while paying attention to
th e traf fic conditions until braking po wer has
been fully restored. Note
s on off-road driving &
WARNING Risk of accident if you do not
ke ep toline of fall on inclines
If yo u drive at an angle or turn on an incline,
th eve hicle could slip side ways, tip and roll‐
ove r. #
Alw ays drive on inclines in the line of
fa ll (straight up or down) and do not
turn. &
WARNING Risk offire due toflammable
materials on hot parts of theex haust
sy stem
Flammable material such as lea ves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact
wi th hot parts of theex haust sy stem. #
When driving on unpa vedro ads or off-
ro ad, regular lych eck theve hicle under‐
side. #
Remo vetrapped plants or other flam‐
mable material, in particular. #
Ifth ere is damage, consult a qualified
specialist workshop immediately. When driving off-road, sand, mud and
water or
wate r mixed with oil may getinto the brakes.
This may lead toare duction in braking ef fect or
tot al brake failure as a result of increased wear.
The braking characteristics will vary depending
on the material that has entered the sy stem. 17 0
Driving and pa rking

Clean
the brakes af ter driving off-road. If you
th en notice reduced braking ef fect or hear
scraping noises, ha vethe brake sy stem checked
at a qualified specialist workshop. Adapt your
driving style to thech anged braking characteris‐
tics.
* NO
TEDama gecaused bydriving over
obs tacles The
vehicle can be damaged by:
R driving onto high kerbs or unpa vedro ads.
R quickly driving over obs tacles su chas
ke rbs, speed bumps or po tholes.
R heavy objects hitting the underbody or
ch assis components. #
Do not drive over obs tacles that could
damage theve hicle. #
Check theve hicle regular lyfor dama ge
during off-road driving. #
Adjust theve hicle speed tosuit the
ro ad sur face conditions. #
Ifth ere is damage, consult a qualified
specialist workshop immediately. +
ENVIRONMENTAL
NOTEEnvironmental
dama gedue tonon-obser vance of pro‐
hibition signs Environmental pr
otection has priority. Treat
nature with respect. #
Be sure toobser veprohibition signs. Checklist before driving off-road
Check
thefo llowing points before driving off-
ro ad:
R Fuel le vel
R Vehicles with a diesel engine: AdBlue ®
le vel
R Engine oil le vel:fill engine oil tothe maxi‐
mum le velto ensure full gradeability
(/ page 336).
R Tyre-change tool kit and spare wheel
R Tyres and wheels %
Further information about special all-ter rain
tyres forre trofitting can be ob tained from a
qu alified specialist workshop.
Off-road driving
Re ad this section before driving your vehicle off-
ro ad. Practise bydriving over more gentle off-
ro ad terrain firs t.
R Obse rveth e no tes on the cross-country ABS
(/ page 200).
R If necessar y,select theF (/page 178)
drive program befo redriving off-road.
R Select a vehicle le vel suitable for off-road ter‐
ra in (/ page 239). Toavo id damaging the
ve hicle, make sure there is alw ays suf ficient
ground clearance.
R Alw ayske ep the engine running and in gear
when driving on downhill gradients and
slopes. Obse rveth e no tes on driving in
mountainous terrain.
R Do not drive on unknown terrain that is not
easily visible and stay on mar kedro utes.
R Alw ayske ep the doors and windo wsclosed
while theve hicle is in motion. Driving and parking
171

*
NO
TEDama gecaused bythe wrong fuel Ve
hicles with a diesel engine:
Even small amounts of the wrong fuel could
re sult in damage tothe fuel sy stem, the
engine and the emission control sy stem. #
Only refuel using sulphur- free diesel
fuel that con form sto European stand‐
ard EN 590, or an equivalent specifica‐
tion.
In countries without sulphur-fre e diesel
fuel, refuel using only lo w-sulphur diesel
fuel with a sulphur content less than
50 ppm.
Ne verre fuel using any of thefo llowing fuels:
R petrol
R marine diesel
R heating oil
R pure bio-diesel fuel or vege table oil
R paraf fin or kerosene
If yo u accidentally refuel with the wrong fuel: #
Do not switch the ignition on. #
Consult a qualified specialist workshop. *
NO
TEDo not use diesel torefuel vehi‐
cles with a petrol engine If
yo u ha veacciden tally refuelled with the
wrong fuel:
R do not swit chthe ignition on. Otherwise
fuel can enter the engine.
Even small amounts of the wrong fuel
could result in damage tothe fuel sy stem
and the engine. The repair costs are high. #
Consult a qualified specialist workshop. #
Have the fuel tank and fuel lines
drained compl etely. *
NO
TEDo not use petrol torefuel vehi‐
cles with a diesel engine If
yo u ha veacciden tally refuelled with the
wrong fuel:
R do not swit chthe ignition on. Otherwise,
fuel can enter the fuel sy stem.
Even small amounts of the wrong fuel
could result in damage tothe fuel sy stem
and the engine. The repair costs are high. #
Consult a qualified specialist workshop. #
Have the fuel tank and fuel lines
drained compl etely. *
NO
TEDama getothe fuel sy stem caused
by ove rfilled fuel tanks #
Only fill th e fuel tank until the pump
nozzle switches off.
If yo u ha veadded too much fuel because of a
defective filling pump, for ins tance: #
Do not switch the ignition on. Driving and parking
187

fi
ed based on the actual operating conditions
and/or loads.
Examples of arduous operating conditions:
R Regular city driving with frequent intermedi‐
ate stops
R Mainly short-dis tance driving
R Frequent operation in mountainous terrain or
on poor road sur faces
R When the engine is of ten le ftidling for long
periods
R Operation in particula rly dusty conditions
and/or if air-recirculation mode is frequently
used
In these or similar operating conditions, ha vethe
interior air filter, air filter, engine oil and oil filter,
fo rex ample, changed more frequent ly. The tyres
must be checked more frequently if theve hicle
is operated under increased loads. Further infor‐
mation can be obtained at a qualified specialist
wo rkshop. Battery disconnection periods
The ASS
YST PLUS service inter val display can
calculate the service due date only when the
battery is connec ted. #
Notedown the service due date displa yed on
th e instrument display before disconnecting
th e battery (/ page 333). Engine compartment
Opening and closing
the bonnet &
WARNING Risk of accident due todriv‐
ing with the bonn etunlo cked
The bonn etmay open and block your vie w. #
Neverre lease the bonn etwhen driving. #
Before every trip, ensure that the
engine bonn etis loc ked. &
WARNING Risk of accident and inju ry
when opening and closing the bonn et
The bonnet may suddenly drop into the end
position. There is a
risk of injury for an yone in the
engine bonn et's range of mo vement. #
Do not open or close the bonn etifth ere
is a person in the bonn et's range of
mo vement. &
WARNING Risk of burn s when opening
th e bonn et
If yo u open the bonn etwhen the engine has
ove rheated or when there is a fire inthe
engine compartment, thefo llowing situations
may occur:
R You could come into contact with hot
ga ses.
R You could come into contact with other
hot, escaping operating fluids. #
Before opening the bonn et, allow the
engine tocool down. #
Intheeve nt of a fire inthe engine com‐
partment, keep the bonn etclosed and
call thefire service. 334
Maintenance and care

&
WARNING Risk of injury duetomoving
parts
Components in the engine compartment may
continue running or start up sudden ly,even if
th e ignition is switched off.
Make sure of thefo llowing before per form ing
ta sks in the engine compartmen t:#
Switch the ignition off. #
Neverre ach into the danger zone sur‐
ro unding moving co mponents, e.g. the
ro tation area of thefa n. #
Remo vejewe llery and watches. #
Keep items of clo thing and hair away
from moving parts. &
WARNING Risk of injury fromtouching
co mp onents under voltage
The ignition sy stem and the fuel injection
sy stem workunder high voltage. You could
re cei vean electric shoc k. #
Neverto uch co mponents of the ignition
sy stem or the fuel injection sy stem
when the ignition is switched on. The live components include
thefo llowing, for
ex ample:
R ignition coils
R fuel injectors
R electric lines tothe ignition coils or the fuel
injec tors &
WARNING Risk of burn s from hot com‐
ponent parts in the engine compartment
Cer tain component parts in the engine com‐
partment can be very hot, e.g. the engine,
th e cooler and parts of theex haust sy stem. #
Allow the engine tocool down and only
to uch co mponent parts described in
th efo llowing. &
WARNING Risk of injury from usingthe
windscreen wipers while the engine bon‐
net is open
When the engine bonn etis open, and the
windscreen wipers are set in motion, you can
be trapped bythe wiper linkage. #
Alw ays switch off the windscreen wip‐
ers and ignition before opening the
engine bonn et. *
NO
TEPlug-in hybrid #
Obser vethe no tes in the Supplement.
Yo u could otherwise failto recognise
dangers. Maintenance and care
335

Opening
the bonnet #
Torelease the bonn et, pull on handle 1. #
Push handle 1ofthe bonn etcatch up wards
and lift the bonn etuntil it opens automati‐
call y.
Closing the bonnet
* NO
TEDama getothe bonn et If
th e bonn etis closed manuall y,there is a
ri sk of dents. #
Do not close the bonn etmanually. #
Lowe rth e bonn etto a height of around
20 cm and then allow it tofall, applying a lit‐
tle forc e as you let it go. #
Ifth e bonn etcan still be lif ted slightl y,open
th e bonn etagain and close it with a little
more forc e until it engages cor rectly. Engine oil
Che
cking the engine oil le vel using the on-
board compu ter
Re quirements:
R The engine has been warmed up.
R The vehicle is par ked on a le vel sur face.
R The engine is running at idle speed.
R The bonnet is closed.
The engine oil le vel is de term ined during driving.
De term ining the engine oil le vel can take up to
30 minutes with a normal driving style and even
longer with an active driving style. 336
Maintenance and care

On-board computer:
4 Service 5
Engine oil level
One of thefo llowing messages will appear on
th e multifunction display:
R Engine oil level Measuring now : measure‐
ment of the oil le vel is not yet possible. #
Repeat there qu est af ter a maximum of
30 minutes' driving.
R Engine oil level OK andthe bar display for
indicating the oil le vel on the multifunction
display is green and is between "min" and
"max": the oil le vel is cor rect.
R Engine oil level Add 1,0 l andthe bar display
fo r indicating the oil le vel on the multifunc‐
tion display is orange and is below "min": #
Add 1 l of engine oil.
R Reduce engine oil level andthe bar display
fo r indicating the oil le vel on the multifunc‐
tion display is orange and is abo ve"max": #
Drain off any excess engine oil that has been
added. Todo so, consult a qualified specialist
wo rkshop.
R For engine oil level turn on ignition #
Switch on the ignition tocheck the engine oil
le ve l.
R Engine oil level System inoperative : The oil
le ve l sensor is defective or not connecte d. #
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
R Engine oil level System currently unavail. #
Close the bonn et.
To pping up engine oil &
WARNING Risk of burn s from hot com‐
ponent parts in the engine compartment
Cer tain component parts in the engine com‐
partment can be very hot, e.g. the engine,
th e cooler and parts of theex haust sy stem. #
Allow the engine tocool down and only
to uch co mponent parts described in
th efo llowing. &
WARNING Risk offire and injury from
engine oil
If engine oil comes into con tact with hot
component parts in the engine compart‐
ment, it may ignite. #
Make sure that no engine oil is spilled
next tothefiller opening. #
Allow the engine tocool off and thor‐
oughly clean the engine oil from compo‐
nent parts before starting theve hicle. *
NO
TEEngine damage causedbyan
incor rect oil filter, incor rect oil or addi‐
tives #
Do not use engine oils or oil filters
which do not cor respond tothe specifi‐
cations explicitly prescribed forthe
service inter vals. #
Follow the instructions on the service
inter val display forch anging the engine
oil and obser vethe prescribed change
inter vals. Maintenance and care
337

#
Do not use additives. *
NO
TEDama gecaused bytopping up too
much engine oil To
o much engine oil can damage the engine
or the catalytic con verter. #
Have excess engine oil remo ved at a
qu alified specialist workshop. %
Depending on driving style, theve hicle con‐
sumes up to0.8 litr e of oil pe r10 00 km. The
oil consum ption may be higher than this
when theve hicle is new or if you frequently
drive at high engine speeds.
% Depending on the engine, the cap may be
ins talled in the engine compartment in dif‐
fe re nt locations. #
Turn cap 1anti-clockwise and remo veit. #
Top up the engine oil. #
Replace cap 1and turn it clockwise until it
engages. #
Check the oil le vel again (/ page 336). Checking
the coolant le vel &
WARNING Risk of burn s from hot com‐
ponent parts in the engine compartment
Cer tain component parts in the engine com‐
partment can be very hot, e.g. the engine,
th e cooler and parts of theex haust sy stem. #
Allow the engine tocool down and only
to uch co mponent parts described in
th efo llowing. &
WARNING Risk of scalding from hot
coolant
If yo u open the cap, you could be scalded. #
Let the mo tor cool down before opening
th e cap. #
When opening the cap, wear pr otective
gl ove s and saf etygl asses. #
Open the cap slowly torelease pres‐
sure. 338
Maintenance and care