tow MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class 2013 W166 User Guide

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Mercedes-Ben zCanada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9 Sports Utilit
yVehicle G
WARNING
This Sport Utility Vehicle is designed for both
on-road and off-road use. It can go places and
perform tasks for which conventional 2-wheel
drive passenger cars are not intended. This
vehicle will handle and maneuver differently
from conventional passenger cars in driving
conditions which may occur on streets,
highways and off-road use.
This vehicle has a highe rground clearance
and a higher center of gravity than many
passenger cars. As with other vehicles of this
type, if you make sharp turns at excessive
speeds or abrupt maneuvers, the vehicle may
roll over or may go out of control and crash.
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
resul tinana ccident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
Before you star tto drive this vehicle, read the
Operator's Manual. Take time to become
familiar with the driving characteristics of this
vehicle. Be sure you are familiar with all
vehicle controls. Learn how your vehicle
handles on different road surfaces. Do not
attempt sharp turns at excessive speeds or
abrupt maneuvers or other unsafe driving
actions that can cause loss of vehicle control.
When driving off-road or working the vehicle
hard, do not overload it. And, always wear
your seat belts at all times. In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
Operating safety
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Work improperly carried out on electronic
components and associated software could
cause them to cease functioning. Because the
vehicle's electronic components are
interconnected, any modifications made may
produce an undesired effect on other
systems. Electronic malfunctions could
seriously impair the operating safety of your
vehicle.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for repairs or modifications to electronic
components.
Other improper work or modifications on the
vehicle could also have a negative impact on
the operating safety of the vehicle.
Some safety systems only function when the
engine is running. You should therefore never
turn off the engine while driving. G
WARNING
Heavy blows against the vehicle underbody or
tires/wheels may cause serious damage and
impair the operating safety of your vehicle.
Such blows can be caused, for example, by
running over an obstacle, road debris or a
pothole.
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that damage
to your vehicle has occurred:
R turn on your hazard warning flashers.
R slow down carefully.
R drive with caution to an area which is a safe
distance from the road.
Inspect the vehicle underbody and tires/
wheels for possible damage. If the vehicle
appears unsafe, have it towed to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or other 26
Introduction

Center console, lower section
i
Vehicles with ON&OFFROAD menu Function Page
0014
Cup holders 343
Ashtray 346
Cigarette lighter 346
Power socket 347
0015
COMAND controller; see
the separate operating
instructions
0016
0009
ON&OFFROAD menu
button 252
0017
0011
LOW RANGE off-road
gear 250 Function Page
0018
0002
Level control 204
0019
0001
DSR (Downhill Speed
Regulation) 246
001A
0010
Manual drive program 171
001B
Selector wheel for on-road
programs
243
Selector wheel for off-road
programs
248
0021
Stowage compartment 334Center console
37At a glance

i
Vehicles without ON&OFFROAD menu
and AMG vehicles Function Page
0014
Cup holders 343
Ashtray 346
Cigarette lighter 346
Power socket 347
0015
COMAND controller; see
the separate operating
instructions
0016
0006
Selects off-road
program (vehicles with
AIRMATIC package) 248
0004
Selects the drive
program 169
Selects the drive program
(AMG vehicles)
169 Function Page
0017
0001
DSR (Downhill Speed
Regulation) 246
0018
0002
Level control
(vehicles with AIRMATIC
package) 210
0019
000A
Adaptive Damping
System (vehicles with
AIRMATIC package) 209
000B
Adjusts AMG
adaptive damping system
(AMG vehicles) 212
001A
Stowage compartment 33438
Center consoleAt a glance

X
Slide the belt sash guide downwards.
X Release belt sash guide release 0002and
make sure tha tthe belt sash guide has
engaged.
Releasing seat belts !
Make sure that the seat belt is fully rolled
up. Otherwise, the seat belt or belt tongue
will be trapped in the door or in the seat
mechanism. This could damage the door,
the door trim panel and the seat belt.
Damaged seat belts can no longer fulfill
their protective function and must be
replaced. Visit a qualified specialist
workshop. 0002
Belt sash guide
0003 Seat belt tongue
001F Buckle
001E Release button
X Press release button 001Eand guide belt
tongue 0003back towards belt sash
guide 0002.
Belt warning for the driver and front
passenger Regardless of whether the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts have already been
fastened, the
0020seat belt warning lamp lights up for six seconds each time the engine
is started. It then goes out if the driver and
the front passenger have fastened their seat
belts.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened when
the engine is started, an additional warning
tone will sound. The warning tone goes out
after approximately six seconds or once the
driver's seat belt is fastened.
If after six seconds the driver or front
passenger have not fastened their seat belts
and the doors are closed, the 0020seat belt
warning lamp lights up:
R until the driver's or front passenger's seat
belt is fastened
R if a vehicle speed of 15 mph (25 km/h) is
exceeded, a warning tone also sounds with
increasing intensity for a maximum of
60 seconds or until the driver or front
passenger have fastened their seat belts.
If the driver/front passenger unfasten their
seat belt while the vehicle is in motion, the
0020 seat belt warning lamp lights up and a
warning tone sounds again.
The warning tone ceases even if the driver or
front passenger have still not fastened their
seat belt after 60 seconds. The 0020seat belt
warning lamp stops flashing but remains
illuminated.
After the vehicle comes to a standstill, the
warning tone is reactivated and the 0020seat
belt warning lamp flashes again if the vehicle
speed again exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h).
The 0020 seat belt warning lamp only goes
out if:
R both the driver and the front passenger
have fastened their seat belts.
or
R the vehicle is stationary and a door is open.
i For more information on the 0020seat
belt warning lamp, see "Warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
seat belts" (Y page 317).58
Occupant safetySafety

Emergency Tensioning Devices, seat
belt force limiter
G
WARNING
Pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning Devices
that have been deployed must be renewed.
For your safety, when disposing of Emergency
Tensioning Devices, always observe the
safety instructions. These are available from
any authorized Mercedes-Ben zCenter.
The PRE-SAFE ®
system has electrically
operated reversible pre-tensioners that do
not require replacement after activation.
! If the front-passenger seat is not
occupied, do not engage the seat belt
tongue in the buckle on the front-
passenger seat. Otherwise, the Emergency
Tensioning Device could be triggered in the
event of an accident.
X In order to ensure that the pyrotechnic
Emergency Tensioning Devices have not
been triggered, always have the seat belts
checked after an accident.
If the Emergency Tensioning Devices have
been triggered, they must be replaced.
The fron tseat belts and the outer seat belts
in the rear are equipped with Emergency
Tensioning Devices and belt force limiters.
The ETDs on the driver's and front-passenger
seat consist of pyrotechnic belt buckle
tensioners and belt anchor tensioners that
are triggered together. The belt buckle
tensioner is mounted on the B-pillar and the
belt anchor installing is mounted on the side
of the seat. After deploying, both tensioners
must always be replaced.
The ETDs tighten the seat belts in an accident,
pulling them close against the body.
The ETDs do not correct incorrect seat
positions or incorrectly fastened seat belts.
The ETDs do not pull vehicle occupants back
towards the backrest.
When triggered, seat belt force limiters help
to reduce the peak forc eexerted by the seat
belt on the vehicle occupant. The belt force limiters for the front seats are
synchronized with the front ai
rbags, which
take on a part of the deceleration force. This
results in the force exerted on the occupant
being distributed ove ragreater area.
The ETDs can only be activated when:
R the ignition is switched on.
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp" (Y page 43).
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the lap-shoulder belts in the front.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied and
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the front-passenger side
The ETDs on the outside seats in the rear
compartment are triggered independently of
the lock status of the seat belts.
The ETDs are triggered depending on the type
and severity of an accident:
R if, in the event of a head-on or rear-end
collision, the vehicle decelerates or
accelerates rapidly in a longitudinal
direction during the initial stages of the
impact
R if, in the event of a side impact, on the side
opposite the impact the vehicle
decelerates or accelerates rapidly in a
lateral direction
R if, in certain situations where the vehicle
overturns, the system determines that it
can provide additional protection
If the ETDs are deployed, you will hear a bang,
and a small amount of powder may also be
released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The 001FSRS warning lamp
lights up. Occupant safety
59Safety Z

in direction, the child may not be held
securely. The child could thus be seriously or
even fatally injured. For this reason, when
fitting a child restraint system, observe the
manufacturer's installation instructions and
the correct use of the child restraint system.
Child restraint systems should preferably be
fitted on the rear seats .The child is generally
better protected there.
The entire base of the child restraint system
must always rest on the seat cushion.
Therefore, never place objects, e.g. a cushion,
under the child restraint system.
Only use child restraint systems with the
original cover designed for them. Only replace
damaged covers with genuine covers.
We recommend that you use the child
restraint systems which have been
recommended for Mercedes-Benz. G
WARNING
Infants and small children should never share
a seat belt with another occupant. In the event
of an accident, they could be crushed
between the occupant and seat belt.
Ac hild's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
Children that are too large for a child restraint
must travel in seats using normal seat belts.
Position the shoulder belt across the chest
and shoulder, not face or neck.Ab ooster seat
may be necessary to achieve proper seat belt
positioning for children over 41 lb (18 kg) until
they reach a height where a lap-shoulder belt
fits properly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use, remove
it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat
belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an
accident. G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Achild's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could:
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts. G
WARNING
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment or cargo
compartmentu nless they are firmly secured
in place.
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child's risk of injury in the event
of
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident
Further informatio nonsecure stowage of
loads can be found under "Loading
guidelines". Children in the vehicle
61Safety Z

If the vehicle has been locked using the
locking button for the central locking, or has
been locked automatically, and a door is
opened from the inside:
R
the vehicle will be fully unlocked if it had
previously been fully unlocked
R only the door which has been opened form
the inside is unlocked if only the driver's
door had been previously unlocked Automatic locking feature
0002
To deactivate
0003 To activate
X To deactivate: press and hold button 0002
for aboutf ive seconds until a tone sounds.
X To activate: press and hold button 0003for
about five seconds until a tone sounds.
i If you press one of the two buttons and
do not hear a tone, the relevant setting has
already been selected.
The vehicle is locked automatically when the
ignition is switched on and the wheels are
turning.
You could therefore be locked out if:
R the vehicle is being pushed.
R the vehicle is being towed.
R the vehicle is on a roller dynamometer.
You can also switch the automatic locking
function on and off using the on-board
computer (Y page 276). Power closing feature
Power closing pulls the doors and trunk lid
into their locks automatically even if they are
only partly closed.
X To power-close adoor: push the door into
the lock up to the first detent position.
Power closing will pull the door fully closed.
X To power-close the tailgate: lightly press
the tailgate downwards.
Power closing will pull the tailgate fully
closed. Unlocking the driver's door
(mechanical key)
If the vehicle can no longer be unlocked with
the SmartKey, use the mechanical key.
If you use the mechanical key to unloc kand
open the driver's door, the anti-thef talarm
system will be triggered ( Ypage 75).
X Take the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Y page 80).
X Insert the mechanical key into the lock of
the driver's door as far as it will go. 0005
To unlock
X Turn the mechanical key counter-clockwise
to position 0005.
The door is unlocked.
X Turn the mechanical key back and remove
it.
X Insert the mechanical key into the
SmartKey. 86
DoorsOpening and closing

Useful information
............................156
Notes on breaking-in anew vehicle 156
Driving ............................................... 156
Automatic transmission ...................165
Refueling ............................................ 173
Parking ............................................... 179
Driving tips ........................................ 182
Driving systems ................................ 192
Towing atrailer ................................. 253 155Driving and parking

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Read the information on qualified
specialist workshops: (Y page 27).Notes on breaking-in
anew vehicle Important safety notes
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after
several hundred kilometers of driving.
Compensate for this by applying greater force
to the brake pedal. The first 1,000miles (1,500 km)
The more you look after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its
performance in the future.
R You should therefore drive at varying
vehicle and engine speeds for the first
1,000 miles (1,500 km).
R Avoid heavy loads, e.g .driving at full
throttle, during this period.
R Change gearing ood time, before the
tachometer needle is 0001of the way to the
red area of the tachometer.
R Do not manually shift to a lower gear to
brake the vehicle.
R If possible, do not depress the accelerator
pedal past the point of resistance
(kickdown).
R Only select shift ranges 3,2or 1when
driving slowly, e.g. in mountainous terrain. After 1,000 miles (1,500 km), you can
increase the engine speed gradually and
accelerate the vehicle to full speed.
Additional breaking-in notes for AMG
vehicles:
R
do not drive faster than 85 mph
(140 km/h) for the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
R only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
R change gear in good time.
R ideally, drive for the first 1,000 miles
(1,500km) in drive program C.
i You should also observe these notes on
running in if the engine or parts of the drive
train on your vehicle have been replaced.
i Always observe the respective speed
limits. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restric tthe
pedal travel or obstruct adepressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle
is jeopardized. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Install the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficien tclearance for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinde rcorrect usage
of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident. 156
DrivingDriving and parking

P
Park position with parking lock
R Reverse gear
N Neutral
D Drive
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the
direction of arrow P.
i The automatic transmission shifts into
park position Pautomatically:
R if you open the driver's door while the
vehicle is stationary in transmission
position Dor R
R if you open the door while traveling at
very low speeds in transmission position
D or R
Engaging parkp osition P automaticallyPark position
Pis automatically engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the
SmartKey and remove the SmartKey
R you switch off the engine using the Start/
Stop button and open one of the fron tdoors
R the HOLD (Y page 207) or DISTRONIC
PLUS (Y page 194) function brake your
vehicle until it is stationary and at least one
of the following conditions is fulfilled:
- there is a system malfunction.
- the vehicle is on a steep uphill or downhill
gradient. The electric parking brake is
then also applied. Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R when the vehicle is stationary.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
Shifting to neutral N G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of
parking position P.
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
to the first point of resistance.
If the engine has been switched off, the
automatic transmission automatically shifts
to N.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the
vehicle cleaned in an automatic car wash with
a towing system, observe the following notes: 166
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking