wheel MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS 2007 Owner's Guide

100 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsWhen you switch off the ESP
®


the ESP
® does not stabilize the vehicle


the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and
thus cut into surfaces for better grip


the 4-ETS will still apply the brake to a
spinning wheel


the ESP
® continues to operate when
you are braking


you cannot activate the cruise control
or the Distronic* system


the cruise control or the Distronic*
system switch off if currently activatedThe ESP
® switch is located on the upper
part of the center console.
1ESP® switch

With the engine running, press ESP
®
switch1.
The ESP
®warning lampv in the
instrument cluster comes on.
The ESP® is deactivated.Switching on the ESP
®

Press ESP
® switch1.
The ESP
® warning lampv in the
instrument cluster goes out.
You are now again in normal driving
mode.
!
Switch on the ESP
® immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not apply
anymore.
i
When the ESP
® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP
®
warning lampv in the instrument cluster
flashes. However, the ESP
® will then not
stabilize the vehicle.
Warning!
G
When the ESP
® warning lampv is
illuminated continuously, the ESP
® is
switched off or is not operational due to a
malfunction.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP
®.
!
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an ex-
tended period of time with the ESP
® switched
off. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
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101 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(page 413).
Off-road – ESP
®
With the off-road driving program switched
on (
page 268), the ESP
® designed for
off-road use is automatically activated. At
speeds below 27 mph (45 km/h), the
ESP
® assists in over-/understeering, thus
improving vehicle traction.
ESP® Trailer Stabilization
If the trailer you are towing should begin to
sway, the rig can only be stabilized by
immediately applying the brakes hard.
Steering during this maneuver will not help
to stabilize the rig.
ESP® will assist you in such situations.
ESP® recognizes when the trailer starts
swaying and will apply the brakes to re-
duce the vehicle speed to a non-critical
speed that allows the vehicle-trailer combi-
nation to stabilize.The ESP
® Trailer Stabilization is functional
at vehicle speeds above approximately
40 mph (65 km/h) when the ESP
® is
switched on.
EBP
The EBP enhances braking effectiveness
by allowing the rear brakes to supply a
greater proportion of the braking effort
without a loss of vehicle stability.
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 416) and
(
page 448).
Warning
G
The system will not be able to assist when
the trailer jackknifes

on wet or icy roads


on roads with slippery surface


in sand or gravel
Trailers with a high center of gravity may tip
over before the system recognizes swaying
of the trailer.
i
If the ESP
® has switched off due to a mal-
function, ESP® cannot stabilize the rig.
Warning!
G
If the EBP is malfunctioning, the brake sys-
tem is still functioning. However, the rear
wheels may lock during hard braking, caus-
ing you to lose control over the vehicle and
possibly causing an accident. Adjust your
driving style to the non-operating status of
the EBP.
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102 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systems4-ETS
The 4-Electronic Traction System (4-ETS)
improves the vehicle’s ability to utilize
available traction, especially under
slippery road conditions. The brakes are
applied to the spinning wheel and power is
transferred to the wheel(s) with traction.
The ESP
® warning lampv in the instru-
ment cluster, starts to flash at any vehicle
speed, as soon as a tire loses traction and
the wheel begins to spin.
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 414) and
(
page 428).
Off-road - 4-ETS
With the off-road driving program switched
on (page 268), the 4-ETS designed for
off-road use is automatically activated.
i
If conditions require, switch on off-road
driving program (
page 268).
Warning!
G
When you see ESP
® warning lampv
flashing in the instrument cluster, then pro-
ceed as follows:


While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.


While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.


Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The 4-ETS cannot prevent accidents resul-
ting from excessive speed.
!
Operational or performance test must only
be conducted on a two-axle dynanometer. If
such tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake system or
the transfer case which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!
Because the ESP
® operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0 or1 or
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button in
position0or1) when testing the brakes on a
brake test dynamometer and such testing should
be no longer than 10 seconds.
Active braking action through the ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
i
If the yellow ESP
® warning lampv
comes on while driving, the 4-ETS is being
switched off temporarily to prevent overheating
of the drive wheel brakes. In addition, the
message
ESP inoperative See Operator’s
Manual appears in the multifunction display.
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126 Controls in detailLocking and unlockingIf the tailgate comes into contact with an
object while closing (e.g. luggage that has
been piled too high), the closing procedure
is stopped and the tailgate reopens.Automatic central locking
The doors and the tailgate lock automati-
cally when the ignition is switched on and
the wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of
approximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.For information on towing the vehicle, see
“Towing the vehicle” (
page 518).
You can deactivate the automatic locking
mode using the control system
(
page 176).
Locking and unlocking from the inside
You can lock or unlock the doors and the
tailgate from inside using the central lock-
ing or unlocking switch. This can be useful,
for example, if you want to lock the vehicle
before starting to drive.
The fuel filler flap cannot be locked or un-
locked with the central locking or unlock-
ing switch.
i
To prevent a possible inadvertent lockout,
the tailgate will open automatically if a SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* is recognized inside the
vehicle.
i
The doors unlock automatically after an
accident if the force of the impact exceeds a
preset threshold.
The vehicle automatically locks when the ignition
is switched on and the wheels are turning at
vehicle speeds of approximately 9 mph
(15 km/h) or more. You could therefore lock
yourself out when the vehicle


is pushed or towed


is on a test stand
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. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

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134 Controls in detailMemory function*Prior to operating the vehicle, the driver
should check and adjust the seat height,
seat position fore and aft, and seat back-
rest angle if necessary, to ensure adequate
control, reach and comfort. The head
restraint should also be adjusted for
proper height. See also the section on
air bags (
page 71) for proper seat posi-
tioning.
In addition, adjust the steering wheel to
ensure adequate control, reach, operation
and comfort. Both the interior and exterior
rear view mirrors should be adjusted for
adequate rear vision.
Fasten seat belts. Infants and small chil-
dren should be seated in a properly se-
cured restraint system that complies with
U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dard 213 and 225 and Canadian Motor Ve-
hicle Safety Standards 213 and 210.2.With the memory function you can store up
to three different settings for each front
seat.
The following settings are saved for each
stored position on the entry side of the
driver’s seat:


Driver’s seat, head restraint height and
backrest position


Steering wheel position


Driver’s side exterior rear view mirror
position


Passenger-side exterior rear view
mirror position
The following settings are saved for each
stored position on the entry side of the
front passenger seat:


Front passenger seat, head restraint
height and backrest position
Warning!
G
Do not activate the memory function while
driving. Activating the memory function
while driving could cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle.
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135 Controls in detail
Memory function*
The memory button and stored position
buttons are located on the entry side of
each front seat base.
MMemory button
1, 2, 3Stored position buttons
Switch on the ignition (
page 40).
or

Open the respective door.
Storing positions into memory
Adjust the seats (
page 43).

On the driver’s side, additionally adjust
the steering wheel (
page 48) and ex-
terior rear view mirrors (page 49) to
the desired positions.

Press memory buttonM.

Release memory buttonM and press
stored position1,2 or3 within
3 seconds.
All settings are stored to the selected
position.
Recalling positions from memory
Press and hold stored position
button1,2 or3 until the seat, steering
wheel and exterior rear view mirrors
have fully moved to the stored posi-
tions.
!
Do not operate the power seats using
memory buttonM if the seat backrest is in an
excessively reclined position. Doing so could
cause damage to front or rear seats.
Move seat backrest to an upright position first.
i
Releasing the stored position button stops
movement to the stored positions immediately.
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141 Controls in detail
Lighting
Driving forward
Switching on corner-illuminating front
fog lamps
Switch on the left or right turn signal
(page 60), depending on whether
you are turning left or right.
The respective front fog lamp comes on
and illuminates the area in the direc-
tion into which you are turning.
or

Turn steering wheel in desired direc-
tion.
The front fog lamp on the side of your
steering direction comes on.Switching off corner-illuminating front
fog lamps
The combination switch for the turn signal
resets automatically after major steering
wheel movements. This will switch off the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps if they
were activated by switching on the left or
right turn signal.
If the turn signal should stay on after
making the turn, the turn signal and the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps can be
switched off by returning the combination
switch to its original position.Driving rearward
Switching on corner-illuminating front
fog lamps

Shift the automatic transmission to
reverse gearR (
page 187).
The corner-illuminating front fog lamp
opposite to your steering direction
comes on.
Switching off corner-illuminating front
fog lamps

Shift the automatic transmission to a
gear other than reverse gearR
(page 187).
The respective corner-illuminating
front fog lamp goes out.
i
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps
temporarily come on on both sides of the vehicle
if you turn the steering wheel in one direction
and then again in the other direction shortly
thereafter.
i
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps will
come on automatically depending on the steer-
ing angle and vehicle speed, even if you did not
switch on either turn signal. If the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps came on
automatically, they will also go out automatically
depending on the steering angle and vehicle
speed.
i
There may be a brief delay before the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps switch off.
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146 Controls in detailInstrument clusterResetting trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip odome-
ter display (
page 147).

If it is not displayed, press buttonè
orÿ on the multifunction steering
wheel (
page 148) repeatedly until
the trip odometer appears in the multi-
function display.

Press and hold reset button2 in the
instrument cluster (
page 145) until
the trip odometer is reset.
Tachometer
The red marking on the tachometer
(page 26) denotes excessive engine
speed.To help protect the engine, the fuel supply
is interrupted if the engine is operated
within the red marking.
Outside temperature indicator
The outside temperature is displayed in
the multifunction display (
page 147).The temperature sensor is located in the
front bumper area. Due to its location, the
sensor can be affected by road or engine
heat during idling or slow driving. This
means that the accuracy of the displayed
temperature can only be verified by com-
parison to a thermometer placed next to
the sensor, not by comparison to external
displays (e.g. bank signs etc.).
When moving the vehicle into colder ambi-
ent temperatures (e.g. when leaving your
garage), you will notice a delay before the
lower temperature is displayed.
A delay also occurs when ambient temper-
atures rise. This prevents inaccurate tem-
perature indications caused by heat
radiated from the engine during idling or
slow driving.
!
Avoid driving at excessive engine speeds, as
it may result in serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
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147 Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as
the SmartKey in the starter switch is
turned to position1 (
page 40) or as
soon as the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton* is in position1 (page 42). The con-
trol system enables you to


call up information about your vehicle


change vehicle settings
For example, you can use the control sys-
tem to find out when your vehicle is next
due for maintenance service, to set the
language for messages in the instrument
cluster display, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1Trip odometer
2Main odometer
3Transmission position indicator
4Current transmission program mode
1
5Status indicator (outside temperature
or digital speedometer)
For more information on menus displayed
in the multifunction display, see “Menus”
(page 150).
i
The displays for the audio systems (radio,
CD player) will appear in English, regardless of
the language selected.
Warning!
G
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others, se-
lecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions per-
mit it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.
1AMG vehicles only.
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148 Controls in detailControl systemMultifunction steering wheel
The displays in the multifunction display
and the settings in the control system are
controlled by the buttons on the multifunc-
tion steering wheel.
Depending on the selected menu
(
page 150), pressing the buttons on the
multifunction steering wheel will alter what
is shown in the multifunction display.
The information available in the multifunc-
tion display is arranged in menus, each
containing a number of functions or sub-
menus.
The individual functions are then found
within the relevant menu (radio or
CD operations under
Audio
, for example).
These functions serve to call up relevant
information or to customize the settings
for your vehicle.
1
Multifunction displayOperating the control system
2
Telephone*:
Press buttonsto take a call
to dial
to redialtto end a call
to reject an incoming call
3
Selecting the submenu or setting
the volume:
Press buttonæup/to increaseçdown/to decrease
4
Voice Control*
1
1Vehicles without Voice Control: Button without
function.5
Moving within a menu:
Press buttonjfor next displaykfor previous display
6
Voice Control*
1
7
Menu systems:
Press buttonèfor next menuÿfor previous menu
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