Driving tips
Running-in
It is of decisive importance for the operating life, reliability and economy of the vehicle that the engine is not subjected to its full rated load during the running-in period.
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Run the vehicle in carefully. Drive at varying road and engine speeds.
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Avoid heavy loads (driving at full throttle) and high engine speeds. Do not exceed 3/ 4 of the maximum speed available for each gear.
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Change gear in good time.
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Do not change down a gear manually in order to brake.
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Avoid depressing the accelerator pedal beyond the pressure point on vehicles with an automatic transmission (kickdown), and only engage gear 4, 3, 2 or 1 while driving slowly.
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Observe these instructions even when the engine, the transmission or the rear axle differential of your vehicle were replaced.
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Driving abroad
An extensive network of Mercedes-Benz Service Centres is also at your disposal when you are travelling abroad. The workshop directories are available from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
In some countries, only fuels with a lower octane rating or a higher sulphur content are available.
You will find information about fuel in the "Service products" section more.
Mercedes-Benz recommends fitting a fuel filter with a water separator if the vehicle is mainly operated in countries with high water content in the diesel fuel.
If you are travelling in countries where vehicles are driven on the opposite side of the road to that in which the vehicle is registered, you must have the headlamps:
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Masking the headlamps incorrectly can impair your visibility when driving with the headlamps switched on. You could also impede other road users. Oncoming traffic may be dazzled.
Always have the headlamps masked/switched over at a qualified specialist workshop which has the necessary specialist knowledge and tools to carry out the work required.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this purpose. All work relevant to safety or on safety-related systems must be carried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
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Driving off-road
Make sure that traction between the drive wheels and ground is maintained when you are driving, especially when driving off-road.
Avoid spinning the drive wheels (damage to differential).
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Always observe the ground clearance of the vehicle and avoid obstructions where possible. Obstructions such as deep ruts could damage, for example:
For this reason, you should always drive slowly when driving off-road. If you have to drive over obstructions, the co-driver should direct you.
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If you drive too fast off-road, you could fail to identify obstacles in good time or you could misjudge the nature of the terrain. Always drive slowly off-road to avoid damage to the vehicle.
The vehicle could skid sideways and tip over. Never drive along a slope at an angle but always in a straight line. Do not turn your vehicle. If it cannot manage a hill, drive backwards in reverse gear.
You could lose control of your vehicle if you shift the transmission to neutral or disengage the clutch on an incline and then try to brake the vehicle using only the service brake. Never let the vehicle roll.
Overloading the vehicle will increase the risk of the vehicle tipping over. Do not exceed the maximum permissible axle loads under any circumstances. When loading the vehicle, keep its centre of gravity as low as possible.
If the vehicle is frequently or mainly operated on muddy or marshy terrain, substances that impair braking efficiency, such as sand or oil mixed with water, could get into the brake system. This may lead to excessive wear and a reduction in braking efficiency. There is a risk that you would not have full braking power at your disposal in the event of an emergency.
Carry out a short brake test after each time you drive off-road. If you detect a reduced braking effect or hear grinding noises, have the brake system checked at a qualified specialist workshop, for example, at a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
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When driving off-road, your body is subject to accelerating forces in all directions due to the uneven condition of the ground. There is a risk that you will slide off the seat and injure yourself. Always wear a seat belt when driving off-road.
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Rules for driving off-road
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When driving over obstacles or driving in ruts, the steering wheel can jolt back. This can cause injury to your thumbs. Always maintain a firm hold on the steering wheel rim with both hands. When driving over obstacles, expect brief increases in steering forces.
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Before driving off-road, stop the vehicle and shift to a low gear.
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Only drive off-road with the engine running and a gear engaged.
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Drive slowly and smoothly. Walking pace is necessary in many situations.
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Always ensure that the wheels remain in contact with the ground.
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Exercise the utmost caution when driving across unfamiliar, unpredictable terrain. For reasons of safety, get out first and inspect the passage through the terrain.
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Check the water depth before fording.
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Watch out for obstacles (e.g. rocks, holes, tree stumps and ruts).
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Avoid edges where the surface could crumble or break away.
Before driving off-road
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Switch off acceleration skid control (ASR) more.
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Safely stow or secure any items of luggage or loads more.
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The vehicle should also be equipped with the following:
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After driving off-road
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Damage to the vehicle caused by driving off-road could cause consequential damage, the failure of the drive assembly or lead to accidents. Clean and check the vehicle after every off-road use. Repair damage before driving again.
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Activate the acceleration skid control system (ASR) more.
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Clean the vehicle more.
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Check the vehicle for damage.
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Transport by rail
Transporting your vehicle by rail may be subject to certain restrictions or require special measures to be taken in some countries due to varying tunnel heights and loading standards.
You may obtain information about this from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Fuel consumption
Fuel consumption depends on:
Observe the advice in the "Protection of the environment" section to keep fuel consumption low more.
The following vehicle version factors also affect fuel consumption:
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Tyre sizes, tyre tread, tyre pressure, tyre condition
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Body
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Drive unit transmission ratios
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Additional equipment (e. g. air-conditioning system, auxiliary heating system)
For these reasons, the actual consumption figures for your vehicle may differ from those determined in accordance with version 2004/3/EC of EC Directive 80/ 1268/ EEC more.
Information on fuel consumption can be called up on the on-board computer with the steering wheel buttons in the Trip computer menu or more.
Engine oil consumption
Depending on how it is driven, the vehicle consumes a maximum of 1.0 l oil per 1,000 km.
It may consume more engine oil if:
Regular maintenance is a precondition for advantageous consumption figures.
You can only estimate the engine oil consumption after you have driven a considerable distance.
Check the engine oil level on a regular basis, e.g. weekly or each time you refuel.
Speed limiter
You can permanently limit the maximum speed of your vehicle to 90 km/h, 100 km/h or 120 km/h.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the maximum speed programmed at a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. This has the necessary specialist knowledge and tools to carry out the required work.
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Exceeding the permissible maximum
speed can cause tyre damage, which could lead to loss of control of the
vehicle.
As the driver, you
must find out about the maximum speed of the vehicle and the resulting
permissible maximum speed of the tyres (tyre and tyre pressure).
You must not exceed the limiting
speed for the tyres in the tyre pressure tables.
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You will find information about tyre pressure in the “Technical data” section more.
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Reverse warning device
On vehicles with a reverse warning feature, a warning signal sounds when reverse gear is engaged to alert other road users. The volume of this warning signal can be reduced for night-time driving.
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Other road users could fail to hear or could ignore the reverse warning feature warning signal. For this reason, the reverse warning feature cannot guarantee that there are no people or objects behind your vehicle.
The reverse warning feature is a system designed to assist you in ensuring the safety of other road users. It does not however relieve you of your responsibility to make sure that there are no persons or objects behind your vehicle while you are manoeuvring.
For this reason, always observe the road and traffic conditions with due caution. To avoid damage and injury, make sure that there are no persons or objects behind the vehicle while you are manoeuvring. Have a second person assist you when manoeuvring if necessary.
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To set the warning signal to quiet: engage the reverse gear twice in brief succession.
The volume of the warning signal is reduced.
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The warning signal sounds at normal volume by default and will need to be reduced in volume each time reverse gear is engaged.
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