MERCEDES-BENZ R500 2006 W251 Workshop Manual

50 Getting startedDrivingFastening the seat beltsWarning!
G
Do not lay any objects in the driver’s foot-
well. Be careful that floor mats or carpets in
the driver’s footwell have sufficient clear-
ance for the pedals.
During sudden driving or braking maneu-
vers, the objects could get caught between
the pedals. You could then no longer brake
or accelerate.Warning!
G
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure your passengers are
properly restrained, even those sitting in the
rear and pregnant women.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and po-
sition your seat belt greatly increases your
risk of injuries and their likely severity in an
accident. You and your passengers should
always wear seat belts.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
can be considerably more severe without
your seat belt properly buckled. Without
your seat belt buckled, you are much more
likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are wearing your
seat belt. The airbags can only provide the
protection they were designed to afford if
the occupants are using their seat belts
(page 77).
Warning!
G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing position. Thus, we strongly recommend
that children be placed in the rear seats. Re-
gardless of seating position, children 12
years old and under must be seated and
properly secured in an appropriate infant or
toddler restraint, or booster seat recom-
mended for the size and weight of the child.
For additional information, see “Children in
the vehicle” (
page 82).
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.

51 Getting started
Driving
1Seat belt outlet
2Latch plate
3Buckle
4Release button
Warning!
G
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position
as this can be dangerous. You could slide
under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the belt would apply force at the ab-
domen or neck. That could cause serious or
even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and
seat belt provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a nearly upright position and the
belt is properly positioned on the body.
Warning!
G
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are seat belts available. Make
sure everyone riding in the vehicle is cor-
rectly restrained with a separate seat belt.
Never use a seat belt for more than one per-
son at a time.Warning!
G
Read and observe the additional warning no-
tices printed in the “Safety and Security”
section (
page 74) and (
page 77).

52 Getting startedDriving
With a smooth motion, pull the belt out
of seat belt outlet1.

Place the shoulder portion of the belt
across the top of your shoulder and the
lap portion across your hips.

Push latch plate2 into buckle3
(page 51) until it clicks.

If necessary, tighten the lap portion to
a snug fit by pulling shoulder portion
up.
Seat belt height adjustment
1Release button

Press release button1 and move the
seat belt height adjuster upward or
downward.
Proper use of seat belts


Do not twist the belt when fastening.


Adjust seat belt so that the shoulder
portion is located as close as possible
to the middle of the shoulder (it should
not touch the neck). Never pass the
shoulder portion of the belt under your
arm. For this purpose, you can adjust
the height of the belt outlet
(page 52).


Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips (over hip joint) and not
across the abdomen.


Place the seat backrest in a nearly
upright position.


Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time.


Do not fasten a seat belt around a per-
son and another object at the same
time. When using a seat belt to secure
infant or toddler restraints or children
in booster seats, always follow the
child seat manufacturer’s instructions.


Check your seat belt periodically
during travel to make sure that it is
properly positioned.


Make sure the seat belt is always fitted
snugly. Take special care of this when
wearing loose clothing.

53 Getting started
Driving
Starting the engine Automatic transmission
Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmissionPPark position
RReverse gear
NNeutral
DDrive position
For more information on how to operate
the gear selector lever, see “Automatic
transmission” (
page 197).
Warning!
G
Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to
seat belts. This could impair the effective-
ness of the belts.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash, they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.
Warning!
G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide, and inhaling it can cause uncon-
sciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while driving,
have the cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one win-
dow fully open.

54 Getting startedDrivingStarting with the SmartKey
Make sure the automatic transmission
is set toP.
The gear position indicator in the multi-
function display should be on
P.

Do not depress the accelerator.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position3 (
page 38) and hold until
the engine starts.
For information on turning off the engine
with the SmartKey, see “Turning off the en-
gine” (
page 66).Starting with KEYLESS-GO*
You can start your vehicle without the
SmartKey in the starter switch using the
KEYLESS-GO start / stop button in the
starter switch.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be
located in the vehicle.
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button1USA only
2Canada only
Make sure KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button 1 is inserted in the starter
switch (
page 40).

Make sure the automatic transmission
is set toP.
The gear position indicator in the multi-
function display should be on
P.

Depress the brake pedal during the
starting procedure.

Do not depress the accelerator.
iYou can also use the “touch-start”
function. Turn the SmartKey to
position3 and release it again immedi-
ately. The engine then starts automati-
cally.
Warning!
G
As long as the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
is in your vehicle, the vehicle can be started.
Therefore, never leave children unattended
in the vehicle, as they could otherwise acci-
dentally start the engine.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO with you and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle.

55 Getting started
Driving

Press KEYLESS-GO start / stop
button1 once.
The engine starts if the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO is in the vehicle.
For information on turning off the engine
with KEYLESS-GO, see “Turning off with
KEYLESS-GO*” (
page 66).Starting difficulties
If the engine does not start as described,
carry out the following steps:

If you are starting the engine with the
SmartKey, turn SmartKey in starter
switch to position0 and repeat starting
procedure.

If you are starting the engine with
KEYLESS-GO*: Close any doors that
may be open to allow for better detec-
tion of the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO.
Or:

Remove KEYLESS-GO start / stop
button from starter switch.

Start the engine with the SmartKey as
radio signals from another source may
be interfering with the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*.

Repeat the starting procedure
(page 54). Remember that extended
starting attempts can drain the battery.

Get a jump start (
page 496).
If the engine does not start after several
starting attempts, there could be a mal-
function in the engine electronics or in the
fuel supply system.

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.
iIf you wish to start the vehicle using the
SmartKey instead of the KEYLESS-GO
feature, remove the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button from the starter
switch (
page 40).

56 Getting startedDrivingParking brake
1Parking brake pedal
2Release handle

Release the parking brake by pulling on
release handle2.
The warning lamp; (USA only) or
3(Canada only) in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Driving
Depress the brake pedal.
The gear selector lever can now be
used.

Shift automatic transmission toD orR
(page 198).

Release the brake pedal.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Children could release the
parking brake, which could result in an acci-
dent and/or serious injury.
iWait for the gear selection process to
complete before setting the vehicle in
motion.iShifting from gear positionP to posi-
tion R, N, orD is only possible with the
brake pedal depressed. Without the
brake pedal depressed, the gear selec-
tor lever can be moved, but the parking
pawl remains engaged, not allowing
shifting to occur.

57 Getting started
Driving

Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.
Once the vehicle is in motion, the auto-
matic central locking system engages
and the locking knobs drop down.After a cold start, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts at a higher engine revolution.
This allows the catalytic converter to reach
its operating temperature earlier.
For more information, see “Driving instruc-
tions” (
page 331).
iThe automatic door lock feature can be
deactivated (
page 188).
iYou can open a locked door from the
inside. Open door only when conditions
are safe to do so.!If you hear a warning signal and the
message
Release parking brake

appears in the multifunction display
when driving off, you have forgotten to
release the parking brake.
Release the parking brake.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.Warning!
G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector
lever out ofP orN if the engine speed is
higher than idle speed. If your foot is not
firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
!Shift the automatic transmission to
positionP orR only when the vehicle is
stopped in order to avoid damaging the
transmission.!Do not run cold engine at high engine
speeds. Running a cold engine at high
engine speeds may shorten the service
life of the engine.!Simultaneously depressing the acceler-
ator pedal and applying the brake re-
duces engine performance and causes
premature brake and drivetrain wear.

58 Getting startedDrivingSwitching on headlamps
For more information on headlamps, see
“Lighting” (
page 147).
Low beam headlamps
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.
Exterior lamp switch1 Off
2Low beam headlamps on
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB.
The low beam headlamps come on.High beam
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.
Combination switch1High beam
2High beam flasher
Push the combination switch in direc-
tion of arrow1.
The high beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
comes on (
page 24).
For more information on headlamps, see
“Combination switch” (
page 151).
Turn signals
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.Combination switch1Turn signals, right
2Turn signals, left
Press combination switch in direction
of arrow1 or2.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lampLorK in the instrument
cluster flashes.

59 Getting started
Driving
The combination switch resets automati-
cally after major steering wheel move-
ment.
Windshield wipers
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.Combination switch1Single wipe
Wiping with windshield washer fluid
2Switching on windshield wipers
Switch on the ignition (
page 38).Switching on windshield wipers

Turn the combination switch to the de-
sired position depending on the inten-
sity of the rain.
0Windshield wipers off
IIntermittent wiping
IINormal wiper speed
IIIFast wiper speed
iTo signal minor directional changes,
move combination switch to point of
resistance and release. The corre-
sponding turn signal flashes three
times.
!Do not operate the windshield wipers
when the windshield is dry. Dust that
accumulates on a windshield might
scratch the glass and/or damage the
wiper blades when wiping occurs on a
dry windshield. If it is necessary to op-
erate the windshield wipers in dry
weather conditions, always operate the
windshield wipers with windshield
washer fluid (
page 60).