MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class 2013 W166 Owner's Manual

AIRMATIC package
General notes AIRMATIC regulates the level of your vehicle.
As well as level control ( Ypage 210), your
vehicle can be equipped with AD S(Adaptive
Damping System) (Y page 209) and ACTIVE
CURVE SYSTEM (Y page 209).
Observe the notes on driving with a trailer
(Y page 253).
ADS (Adaptive Damping System) General notes
ADS adapts the damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving situation.
This depends on:
R your driving style
R the road surface conditions
R the ADS setting
R the vehicle level setting
Your selection remains stored eve nifyou
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning Example: vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package
0002 Suspension tuning button
0003 Indicator lamp for sports tuning
001F Indicator lamp for comfort tuning
X Start the engine. X
Press button 0002.
Indicator lamp 0003lights up. Sports
suspension tuning is selected. The vehicle
is lowered by 0.6 in (15 mm).
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
Comfort tuning Example: vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package
0002
Suspension tuning button
0003 Indicator lamp for sports tuning
001F Indicator lamp for comfort tuning
X Press button 0002.
Indicator lamp 001Flights up. Comfort tuning
is selected. The vehicle is raised by 0.6 in
(15 mm).
In comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable.
Therefore, select this mode if you favor a
more comfortable driving style. Select
comfor tmode also when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. on straight stretches of
freeway.
Active Curve System The Active Curve System uses active
stabilizers to optimize both driving comfort
and vehicle agility. Depending on the ADS
mode selected (Y
page 209), the Active Curve
System also changes the setting. Driving systems
209Driving and parking Z

If you select ADS comfort mode:
R
rolling movement is reduced in the event of
changing surface undulations
R the roll angle when cornering is reduced
R the driving style is agile
If you select ADS sport mode:
R the roll angle is reduced significantly
R the driving style is even more agile
Level control Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
betwee nthe vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle
or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel
arches when the vehicle is being lowered. G
WARNING
When you drive with the vehicle raised, the
driving characteristics could be impaired by
the vehicle's raised center of gravity. The
vehicle could rollover more easily, for
example on a bend. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always select as low a vehicle level as
possible and adjust your driving style. G
WARNING
When you drive with the chassis lowered or
raised, the vehicle's braking and driving
characteristics can be significantly impaired.
You could also exceed the permissible vehicle
height if the chassis is raised. There is a risk
of an accident.
Adjust the vehicle level before pulling away. G
WARNING
Due to the high center of gravity, the vehicle
may start to skid and roll over in the event of
an abrupt steering maneuver and/or when the vehicle's speed is not adapted to the road
conditions. There is a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your speed and driving style to
the vehicle's driving characteristics and to the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time.
Make sure there is always sufficient ground
clearance. You will otherwise damage the
vehicle.
! When you raise the vehicle in such a way
that not all wheels have contact with the
ground, remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock.
R Utility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
R In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should
always wear your seat belts.
General notes
Further information about "Driving off-road"
(Y page 187).
Level control adapts the vehicle level
automatically to the current operating and
driving situation. This results in reduced fuel
consumption and improved handling.
If you select ADS comfort mode
(Y page 209), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level as the speed increases. As the
vehicle speed decreases, the vehicle is raised
back up to highway level.
If you select ADS sport mode (Y page 209),
the vehicle skips highway level and lowers
directly to high-speed level depending on the
basic setting (Y page 211).
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle
to adjust to the new level as quickly as
possible. 210
Driving systemsDriving and parking

The vehicle level may change visibly if you
park the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the
vehicle level is lower; with an increase in
temperature, the vehicle level rises.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load
discrepancies while still parked. However, for
significant level changes, such as after the
vehicle has been stationary for a long period,
the engine must be on. For safety reasons,
the vehicle is only lowered when the doors are
closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door is
opened, and it continues once the door has
been closed.
Basic settings
The exten tto which the vehicle is raised or
lowered depends on the basic setting
selected. Select raised level for off-road
driving or highway/high-speed level for
normal roads.
The individual vehicle levels differ from
highway level as follows:
R highway level: +/–0 in (+/–0 mm)
R high-speed level: –0.6 in (–15 mm)
R raised level: +2.3 in (+60 mm)
Raised level Only select raised level if this is appropriate
for the road conditions. Otherwise, fuel
consumption may increase and handling may
be affected.
X Start the engine. If indicator lamp
0003is not lit:
X Press button 0002.
Indicator lamp 0003flashes. The vehicle rises
to raised level. During the adjustment, the
Vehicle rising message, for example, appears in the
multifunction display.
If you press the 0007or000B button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message
will disappear.
Once the vehicle has reached raised level,
indicator lamp 0003remains lit. The Vehicle rising message disappears from the
multifunction display.
If you try to select raised level at a speed
above 40 mph (64 km/h), the Drive More Slowly message appears in the multifunction
display.
Highway/high-speed level
! Make sure that there is enough ground
clearance when the vehicle is being
lowered. It could otherwise hit the ground,
damaging the underbody. Driving systems
211Driving and parking Z

0002
Level control button
0003 Level control indicator lamp
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 0003is lit:
X Press button 0002.
Indicator lamp 0003flashes. The vehicle is
adjusting to highway/high-speed level. During the adjustment, the
Loweringmessage, for example, appears in the
multifunction display.
If you press the
0007or000B button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message
will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached,
indicator lamp 0003goes out. The Lowering message disappears from the multifunction
display. The vehicle automatically adjusts to highway
level when you:
R
drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) or
R drive between 40 mph (64 km/h) and
50 mph (80 km/h) for approximately
20 seconds
Depending on the ADS mode selected
(Y page 209), the vehicle is lowered to high-
speed level at high speeds. AMG adaptive sport suspension
system
Rear axle level control The vehicle automatically sets the vehicle
level at the rear axle. Reara
xle level control
ensures the best possible suspension and
that the ground clearance remains constant
eve nw hen the vehicle is loaded. This
improves driving safety and fuel
consumption.
Suspension tuning General notes
The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously.T
his improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition,e .g. bumps
R your individual selection of Sport, Spor t+
or Comfort
If you select Sport or Sport + mode and
restart the engine, the suspension setting
reverts to Comfort mode. 212
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Sport mode
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
X Press the 0002button once.
Indicator lamp 0003lights up. You have
selected Sport mode.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT message appears in the multifunction
display.
Sport + mode
The very firm setting of the suspension tuning
in Sport +mode ensures the best possible
contact with the road. Select this mode only
when driving on race circuits.
If indicator lamps 001Fand 0003are off:
X Press button 0002twice.
Indicator lamps 001Fand 0003light up. You
have selected Sport +mode.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT + message appears in the multifunction
display.
If indicator lamp 0003lights up:
X Press the 0002button once.
Second indicator lamp 001Flights up. You
have selected Sport +mode.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT + message appears in the multifunction
display. Comfort mode
In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable.
Therefore, select this mode if you favor a
more comfortable driving style. Select
comfor
tmode also when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. on straight stretches of
freeway.
X Press button 0002repeatedly until indicator
lamps 001Fand 0003go out.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG Suspension System COMFORT message appears in the multifunction
display. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a
replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. When
maneuvering, parking or pulling out of a
parking space, make sure that there are no
persons, animals or object
sinthe area in
which you are maneuvering.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction. Driving systems
213Driving and parking Z

PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror N
R release the electric parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the frontb umper
and four sensors in the rear bumper. 0002
Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand
side (example)
Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does no
ttake objects into
consideratio nthat are:
R below the detection range, e.g. people,
animals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g.
overhanging loads, truck overhangs or
loading ramps. Side view
Top view
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or
slush. They can otherwise not function
correctly. Cleant
he sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(Y page 373).
Front sensors Center Approx. 40in (approx.
100cm)
Corners Approx. 24in (approx.
60cm)
Rear sensors
Center Approx. 48in (approx.
120cm)
Corners Approx. 32in (approx.
80cm)
Minimum distance
Center Approx. 8in (approx. 20cm)
Corners Approx. 6in (approx. 15cm)214
Driving systemsDriving and parking

If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant warning displays lightu p and a
warning tone sounds. If the distance falls
below the minimum, the distance may no
longer be shown.
Warning displays Warning display for the fron
tarea
0002 Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
0003 Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
001F Segments showing operational readiness
The warning displays show the distance
betwee nthe sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located
on the dashboard above the center air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is in the
roof lamp in the rear compartment.
The warning display for each side of the
vehicle is divided into five yellow and two red
segments. PARKTRONIC is operational if
yellow segments showing operational
readiness 001Flight up.
The selected transmission position and the
direction in which the vehicle is rolling
determine which warning display is active
when the engine is running. Transmission
position Warning display
D
Front area activated
R,
Nor the vehicle
is rolling
backwards Rear and front areas
activated P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R
sixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for
approximately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two
seconds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC 0002
Indicator lamp
0003 Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
If indicator lamp 0002lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Park Assist is then also
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2
in the ignition lock. Driving systems
215Driving and parking Z

Towing
atrailer !
Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required .PARKTRONIC
measures the minimu mdetection range to
an obstacle from the bumper, not the ball
coupling.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer. 216
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately five
seconds, and the
indicator lamp in the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
X
If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately five
seconds. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X
Cleant he PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 373).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
X See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Active Parking Assist
Important safety notes Active Parking Assist is merely an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. When
maneuvering, parking or pulling out of a
parking space, make sure that there are no
persons, animals or objectsint he area in
which you are maneuvering. G
WARNING
The vehicle swings out when parking and in
doing so could cross into the opposite lane.
This could result in a collision with another
road user. There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users when
parking. Stop the vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active Parking Assist parking
procedure.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at
a sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
Active Parking Assist may possibly indicate
parking spaces which are not suitable for
parking, for example:
R where parking or stopping is prohibited
R in front of driveways or entrances and exits
R on unsuitable surfaces Driving systems
217Driving and parking Z

Parking tips:
R
On narrow roads, drive as close to the
parking space as possible.
R Parking spaces that are littered, overgrown
or partially occupied by trailer drawbars
might be identified incorrectly or not at all.
R Snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R Pay attention to the PARKTRONIC
(Y page 215) warning messages during the
parking procedure.
R When transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you should not use
Active Parking Assist.
R Never use Active Parking Assist when snow
chains are installed.
R Make sure that the tire pressures are
always correct. This has adirec tinfluence
on the parking characteristics of the
vehicle.
General notes Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking
aid with ultrasound. Ultrasound is used to
measure the road on both sides of the vehicle.
As
uitable parking space is indicated by the
parking symbol. Active steering intervention
can assis tyou during parking.
You may also use PARKTRONIC
(Y page 213). When PARKTRONIC is switched
off, Active Parking Assist is also unavailable.
Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are on straight roads, not bends
R that are on the same level as the road, e.g.
not on the pavement
Detecting parking spaces G
WARNING
If there are objects above the detection range,
Active Parking Assist may turn prematurely.
You may cause a collision as a result. There is
a risk of an accident. If there are objects above the detection range,
stop and deactivate Active Parking Assist.
Objects located above the height range of
Active Parking Assist will not be detected
when the parking space is measured. These
are not taken into account when the parking
procedure is calculated, e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods
vehicles. In some circumstances, Active
Parking Assist may therefore guide you into
the parking space too early. 0002
Detected parking space on the left
0003 Parking symbol
001F Detected parking space on the right
Active Parking Assist is switched on
automatically when driving forwards. The
system is operational at speeds of up to
approximately 22 mph (35 km/h) .While in
operation, the system independently locates
and measures parking spaces on both sides
of the vehicle. When driving at speeds below
19 mph (30 km/h), you will see the parking
symbol as a status indicator in the instrument
cluster. By default, Active Parking Assist only
displays parking spaces on the front-
passenger side. Parking spaces on the
driver's side are displayed as soon as the turn
signal on the driver's side is activated. To park
on the driver's side, you must leave the
driver's side turn signal switched on. This
must remain switched on until you
acknowledge the use of Active Parking Assist
by pressing the 000Bbutton on the
multifunction steering wheel.
When a parking space has been detected, an
arrow towards the right or the left also
appears. 218
Driving systemsDriving and parking