tailgate MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS MPV 2008 User Guide

Opening and closing
73EASY-PACK tailgate*
On vehicles with the EASY-PACK tailgate*,
the tailgate opens and closes automatically.
You can stop the automatic opening and clos-
ing procedure at any time:
R by pulling or pressing the remote operating
button at the driver's seat
R by pressing the ibutton on the key
R by pulling the handle on the tailgate
R by pressing the closing button in the tail-
gate
You may also hear a warning tone when open-
ing or closing the tailgate. G
Risk of poisoning
Exhaust fumes could enter the vehicle inte-
rior if the engine is running and the tailgate
is open. This could poison you. You should
therefore make sure that the tailgate is
always closed when the engine is running.
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the
rear when opened. Therefore, make sure
that there is sufficient clearance above and
behind the tailgate. Opening from the outside You can only open the tailgate after unlocking
it first.
X
To unlock centrally: press thekbut-
ton on the key. 1
Handle
X Pull handle 1.
The tailgate opens automatically.
Opening from the outside using the key X
Press and hold the ibutton on the key
until the tailgate opens. Closing from the outside using the key X
Press and hold the ibutton on the key
until the tailgate closes.
Closing from the outside (without KEY-
LESS GO*) You can close the tailgate from the outside
using the closing button in the tailgate.
G
Risk of injury
Monitor the tailgate closing procedure to
make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped. Press the closing button in the tailgate
again or press the ibutton on the key
to halt the closing procedure.
i Do not leave the key in the luggage com-
partment. You could otherwise lock your-
self out. Controls
* optional
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Opening and closing
741
Closing button
X Press closing button 1.
The tailgate closes automatically.
Closing from the outside and locking
centrally (with KEYLESS GO*) You can close the tailgate from the outside
using the closing button in the tailgate, or you
can close and centrally lock the vehicle simul-
taneously with the KEYLESS GO button*. G
Risk of injury
Monitor the tailgate closing procedure to
make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped. Press the closing button in the tailgate
again or press the ibutton on the key
to halt the closing procedure. i
Do not leave the key in the luggage com-
partment. You could otherwise lock your-
self out. 1
Closing button
2 KEYLESS GO button*
X To close: press closing button 1.
X To close and lock centrally: press KEY-
LESS GO button* 2.
i If you leave a KEYLESS GO key* in the
luggage compartment, the tailgate will not
lock.
If a KEYLESS GO key has not been recog-
nised, the closing procedure that has
already started is cancelled. Opening and closing from inside the
vehicle You can open/close the tailgate from the
driver's seat when the vehicle is stationary.
G
Risk of injury
Monitor the tailgate closing procedure to
make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped. Press the remote operating switch
again to stop the closing procedure. 1
Remote operating button Controls
* optional
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Opening and closing
75
X
To open: pull remote operating button 1
until the boot lid opens.
X To close: turn the key to position 1or 2in
the ignition lock.
X Press remote operating button 1until the
tailgate closes.
Limiting the opening angle of the tail-
gate You can limit the opening angle of the tailgate
in the top half of its opening range. This could
be useful, for example, when there is insuffi-
cient space above the tailgate.
Activating
X
To open the tailgate: pull the handle or
press the ibutton on the key.
X To stop the opening procedure: when the
desired position is reached, pull the handle
again or press the ibutton on the key.
Alternatively, you can also press the closing
button in the tailgate.
X Press and hold the closing button in the
tailgate until you hear a tone.
The opening angle limiter is activated. The
tailgate will now stop in the stored position
when opening. Deactivating
X
Press and hold the closing button in the
tailgate until you hear two short tones.
Opening from the inside You can unlock and open the tailgate from the
inside (Y
page 72). Automatic locking feature
The vehicle will lock automatically once you
have pulled away.
You can switch off the automatic locking
function via the on-board computer
(Y page 134).
i The vehicle is locked automatically when
the ignition is switched on and the wheels
begin to turn. There is therefore a risk of
being locked out when the vehicle is being
pushed or tested on a dynamometer. Locking/unlocking the vehicle from
the inside
You can centrally lock or unlock the vehicle
from the inside. This feature may be useful if,
for example, you wish to unlock the
passenger door from the inside or lock the
vehicle before you pull away.
i You cannot unlock the vehicle centrally
from the inside if the vehicle has been
locked with the key or the KEYLESS GO
key*.
i It is only possible to lock the vehicle cen-
trally if the front-passenger door is closed. 1
Unlocking button
2 Locking button Controls
* optional
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Driving sys
tems 158 G
Risk of accident
The reversing camera is only an aid and may
display obstacles in a distorted manner,
incorrectly or even not display them at all.
The reversing camera does not relieve you
of the responsibility to pay attention. The
camera cannot show objects:
R that are very close to the rear bumper.
R that are underneath the rear bumper.
R above the tailgate handle.
You are always responsible for safety and
must continue to pay attention to your
immediate surroundings when parking and
manoeuvring. This applies to the areas
behind, in front of and next to the vehicle.
You could otherwise endanger yourself and
others. G
Risk of accident
Under the following circumstances, the
reversing camera will not function, or func-
tion in a limited manner:
R if the tailgate is open.
R in heavy rain, snow or fog.
R at night or in very dark places.
R if the camera is exposed to very bright
white light.
R if the area is lit by fluorescent light (the
display may flicker).
R if there is a sudden change in tempera-
ture, e.g. when driving into a heated
garage in winter. R
if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed.
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged.
Have the camera position and setting
checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop in this case. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you use a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre for this purpose.
Do not use the reversing camera in these
types of situation. You could otherwise
injure others or damage objects and your
vehicle while you are parking.
Activating the reversing camera X
Make sure that the key is in position 2in
the ignition lock.
X Engage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND APS display. Controls
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Loading and stowing
186 roof load of 100 kg. Always adapt your driv-
ing style to the prevailing road, traffic and
weather conditions and drive with particu-
lar care if the roof is laden.
! Mercedes-Benz recommends that you
only use roof rack systems which have
been tested and approved for Mercedes-
Benz vehicles. This helps to prevent dam-
age to the vehicle.
Position the load on the roof rack in such a
way that the vehicle will not sustain dam-
age even when it is in motion.
Depending on the vehicle's equipment,
make sure that you can:
R raise the sliding/tilting sunroof* fully
R open the panorama sliding sunroof* fully
R open the tailgate fully 1
Covers
X Fold covers 1upwards.
X Only secure the roof rack to the anchorage
points under covers 1.
Observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions. Luggage net
G
Risk of injury
Only place lightweight objects in the lug-
gage net. Do not use it to transport heavy,
sharp-edged or fragile objects. The luggage
net cannot secure the objects sufficiently
in the event of an accident.
Luggage net in the front-passenger
footwell 1
Luggage net Controls
* optional
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Loading and stowing
187
Luggage net behind the front seats
1
Luggage net Loading guidelines
G
Risk of injury
Secure and position the load as described
in the loading guidelines.
Otherwise, vehicle occupants could
be injured by the load being thrown around
in the event of sharp braking, a sudden
change in direction or an accident. This also
applies to seats which have been removed.
You will find further information in the
"Securing a load" section. Even if you follow all the loading guidelines,
the load will increase the risk of injury in the
event of an accident.
G
Risk of poisoning
Keep the tailgate closed when the engine is
running. Otherwise, you could be poisoned
by exhaust fumes entering the vehicle.
The handling characteristics of a laden vehi-
cle are dependent on the distribution of the
load within the vehicle. You should therefore
load your vehicle as shown in the illustrations. Load distribution
Observe the following notes when transport-
ing a load:
R
When transporting a load, never exceed the
maximum permissible gross vehicle weight Controls
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Loading and stowing
190 Enlarging the luggage compartment
To enlarge the luggage compartment, the rear
bench seats of the 2nd and 3rd rows of seats
can be folded forwards separately. You can
enlarge the luggage compartment partially
(Y page 190) or fully ( Ypage 191). G
Risk of injury
Do not carry heavy or hard objects inside
the vehicle or in the luggage compartment
unless they are secured.
Otherwise, you and other vehicle occu-
pants could be injured by objects being
thrown around the vehicle in the event of
sharp braking, a sudden change in direction
or an accident.
When using the luggage compartment
enlargement feature, you must always fully
fold down the respective backrests and
attach the safety net. G
Risk of poisoning
Always drive with the tailgate closed.
Exhaust fumes could otherwise enter the
vehicle interior.
! If you want to fold the outer seats down
in the 2nd row of seats, the front seats must
not be in the rearmost position. Otherwise, you could damage the front seats and the
2nd row outer seats.
! Close the cup holder* before folding
down the 2nd row of seats. You could oth-
erwise damage the seats or cup holder.
Enlarging the luggage compartment
partially Folding the seats in the 3rd row forwards
X
Move the head restraint of the correspond-
ing seat down fully ( Ypage 83). 1
Backrest release handle
2 Retainer for the seat belt
3 Backrest X
Clamp the seat belt behind retainer 2.
X Pull release handle 1of backrest 3
upwards in the direction of the arrow.
Backrest 3is released.
X Fold backrest 3slowly forwards.
Seat cushion 1is released and moves
automatically to a vertical position. 1
Seat cushion
2 Loop
3 Backrest
i Loop 2can be used to pull the backrests
of the 3rd row of seats upright when the
seats are moved into the original position
(Y page 81). Controls
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Features
215
X
Use æ orç on the multi-function
steering wheel to select the Vehiclesub-
menu.
X Keep pressing jork until the Com-
pass setting Zone message appears.
The selection marker highlights the current
setting. X
Use æ orç to set the geographical
location.
Calibrating the compass You will only see this function if Audio 20 is
installed in your vehicle.
In order to calibrate the compass correctly,
observe the following points:
R find a suitable place where you can drive
the vehicle a full circle.
R calibrate the compass in the open and not
in the vicinity of steel constructions or high-
voltage transmission lines. R
switch off electric consumers, e.g.
Thermati c/multi-zone Thermotronic*,
windscreen wipers or rear window heating.
R close all doors and the tailgate.
X Start the engine.
X Use æ orç on the multi-function
steering wheel to select the Vehiclesub-
menu.
X Keep pressing jork until the Com-
pass calibration message appears.
The selection marker highlights switched
off . X
Use æ orç to select Start.
In the multi-function display, you will see
the Compass calibration active
Please drive a full circle message.
X Drive the vehicle a full circle at approxi-
mately 5 – 10 km/h.
When calibration is completed, you will see
the following message in the multi-function display:
Compass calibration Comple-
ted successfully
If you do not see the Compass calibration
Completed successfully message in the
multi-function display, drive another full cir-
cle. If calibration is not successful within
three minutes of it starting, the Compass
calibration message will appear in the
multi-function display again. This means that
compass calibration is impossible because of
external interference. Repeat calibration at
another location. Floormat* on the driver's side
G
Risk of accident
Make sure that there is sufficient clearance
around the pedals when floormats are
used, and that the floormats are properly
secured.
The floormats must be secured at all times
using retainers and studs.
Before you drive off, make sure that the
floormats are secure and rectify if neces-
sary. A floormat which is not properly
secured can slip and thereby interfere with
the movement of the pedals. Controls
* optional
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Trailer towing*
238
Vehicles with rear axle level control* G
Risk of injury
Never lock, unlock, open or close a vehicle
door or tailgate when coupling up or decou-
pling a trailer. The vehicle level could
change and you could endanger yourself or
others.
Never press the ADS button* or operate the
level control* while you are coupling up or
decoupling a trailer.
X Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection
between the vehicle and the trailer.
X Start the engine.
Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package* G
Risk of injury
Never lock, unlock, open or close a vehicle
door or tailgate when coupling up or decou-
pling a trailer. The vehicle level could
change and you could endanger yourself or
others. Never press the ADS button* or operate the
level control* while you are coupling up or
decoupling a trailer.
X Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Set the vehicle to highway level
(Y page 152).
X Switch off the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection
between the vehicle and the trailer.
i If you have coupled a trailer, the vehicle
will remain at highway level.
The vehicle automatically lowers to high-
way level if you drive faster than 8 km/h
with a trailer. The vehicle is not lowered to
the high-speed level even if you are travel-
ling at higher speeds.
This also applies when using accessories
that are plugged into the socket of the
trailer coupling (e.g. a bicycle rack). Decoupling a trailer G
Risk of injury
Do not connect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your hand could
become trapped between the bumper and
drawbar.
! Do not uncouple a trailer with overrun
brake between the bumper and drawbar,
otherwise your vehicle could be damaged
by the spring action of the overrun brake.
Steel-spring vehicles
X Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
Vehicles with rear axle level control*
X Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away.
X Remove the trailer cable. Operation
* optional
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Trailer towing*
239G
Risk of injury
As soon as you raise the trailer drawbar, the
unladen vehicle rises slightly. The vehicle
then lowers to driving level.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of
the wheel arch or the underbody. You could
otherwise trap yourself or others.
X Lift up the trailer drawbar and decouple the
trailer.
X Switch off the engine.
Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package*
X Make sure the selector lever is set to P.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Close the doors and tailgate.
X Secure the trailer against rolling away. G
Risk of injury
The vehicle is lowered as soon as you dis-
connect the trailer cable. Make sure that
nobody is in the vicinity of the wheel arch
or the underbody. You could otherwise trap
yourself or others.
As soon as you decouple the trailer, the
unladen vehicle rises slightly. Make sure that you or others are not injured in the
process.
X Remove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
X Switch off the engine. Notes on towing a trailer
G
Risk of accident
When reversing the vehicle towards the
trailer, make sure there is nobody between
the trailer and the vehicle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer could become
detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R The permitted trailer drawbar nose-
weight
R The permitted trailer load R
The permitted rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R The maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
You will find the applicable permissible val-
ues which must not be exceeded in the
vehicle documents.
You will find the values approved by the
manufacturer on the vehicle identification
plates and those for the towing vehicle in
the "Technical data" section.
You will find installation dimensions and loads
in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 354).
The maximum permissible trailer drawbar
noseweight on the ball coupling is 85 kg.
However, the actual noseweight must not
exceed the value given on the trailer coupling
and trailer identification plates. The lowest
weight applies.
! Use a noseweight as close as possible to
the maximum permissible noseweight. Do
not use a noseweight of less than 50 kg,
otherwise the trailer may come loose. Operation
* optional
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