Sam MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class 2014 W166 Owner's Manual

Protection of the environment
General notes
H
Environmental note
Daimler's declared policy is one of
comprehensive environmental protection.
The objectives are for the natural resources
that form the basis of our existence on this
planet to be used sparingly and in a manner
that takes the requirements of both nature
and humanity into account.
You too can help to protect the environment
by operating your vehicle in an
environmentally responsible manner.
Fuel consumption and the rate of engine,
transmission, brake and tire wear are affected
by these factors:
R operating conditions of your vehicle
R your personal driving style
You can influence both factors. You should
bear the following in mind:
Operating conditions:
R avoid short trips as these increase fuel
consumption.
R always make sure that the tire pressures
are correct.
R do not carry any unnecessary weight.
R remove roof racks once you no longer need
them.
R a regularly serviced vehicle will contribute
to environmental protection. You should
therefore adhere to the service intervals.
R always have service work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Personal driving style:
R do not depress the accelerator pedal when
starting the engine.
R do not warm up the engine when the vehicle
is stationary.
R drive carefully and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front.
R avoid frequent, sudden acceleration and
braking. R
change gear in good time and use each gear
only up to 0001of its maximum engine speed.
R switch off the engine in stationary traffic.
R keep an eye on the vehicle's fuel
consumption. Environmental concerns and
recommendations
Wherever the operating instructions require
you to dispose of materials, first try to
regenerate or re-use them. Observe the
relevant environmental rules and regulations
when disposing of materials. In this way you
will help to protect the environment. Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
H
Environmental note
Daimler AG also supplies reconditioned major
assemblies and parts which are of the same
quality as new parts. They are covered by the
same Limited Warranty entitlements as new
parts.
! Air bags and Emergency Tensioning
Devices, as well as control units and
sensors for these restraint systems, may be
installed in the following areas of your
vehicle:
R doors
R door pillars
R door sills
R seats
R cockpit
R instrument cluster
R center console
Do not install accessories such as audio
systems in these areas. Do not carry out
repairs or welding. You could impair the
operating efficiency of the restraint
systems. Introduction
23 Z

Information for customers in
California
Under California law you may be entitled to a
replacemen tofyour vehicle or a refund of the
purchase price or lease price, if after a
reasonable number of repair attempts
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC and/or its
authorized repair or service facilities fail to fix
one or more substantial defects or
malfunctions in the vehicle that are covered
by its express warranty. During the period of
18 months from original delivery of the
vehicle or the accumulation of 18,000 miles
(approximately 29,000 km) on the odometer
of the vehicle, whichever occurs first, a
reasonable number of repair attempts is
presumed for a retail buyer or lessee if one or
more of the following occurs:
(1) the same substantial defect or malfunction results in a condition that is
likely to cause death or serious bodily
injury if the vehicle is driven, that defect
or malfunction has been subject to repair
two or more times, and you have directly
notified Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC in
writing of the need for its repair,
(2) the same substantial defect or malfunction of a less serious nature than
category (1) has been subject to repair
four or more times and you have directly
notified us in writing of the need for its
repair, or
(3) the vehicle is out of service by reason of repair of the same or different substantial
defects or malfunctions for a cumulative
total of more than 30 calendar days.
Please send your written notice to:
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Customer Assistance Center
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350 Maintenance
The Service and Warranty Booklet describes
all the necessary maintenance work which
should be done at regular intervals.
Always have the Service and Warranty
Booklet with you when you bring the vehicle
to an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. The
service advisor will record every service for
you in the Service and Warranty Booklet. Roadside Assistance
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program offers technical help in the event of
a breakdown. Calls to the toll-free Roadside
Assistance Hotline are answered by our
agents 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(1-800-367-6372)
(USA)
1-800-387-0100 (Canada)
For additional information, refer to the
Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program brochure (USA) or the "Roadside
Assistance" section in the Service and
Warranty booklet (Canada) .You will find both
in your vehicle literature portfolio. Change of address or change of
ownership
In the event of a change of address, please
send us the "Notification of Address Change"
in the Service and Guarantee booklet or
simply call the Mercedes-Benz Customer
Assistance Center (USA) at the hotline
number
1-800-FOR-MERCedes(1-800-367-6372) or
Customer Service Center (Canada) at
1-800-387-0100. This will assist us in
contacting you in a timely manner should the
need arise.
If you sell your Mercedes, please leave the
entire literature in the vehicle so that it is
available to the next owner. Introduction
25 Z

tha
tcould result in serious injuries in the
event of an accident.
R Each occupant should wear their seat belt
at all times, because seat belts help reduce
the likelihood of and potential severity of
injuries in accidents, including rollovers.
The integrated restraint system includes
SRS (driver front air bag, driver's side knee
bag, front-passenger front air bag, side
impact air bags, window curtain air bags for
the side windows), Emergency Tensioning
Devices, seat belt force limiters, and front
seat knee bolsters.
The system is designed to enhance the
protection offered to properly belted
occupants in certain frontal (front air bags,
driver's side knee bag and ETDs) and side
(side impact air bags, window curtain air
bags, and ETDs) impacts which exceed
preset deployment thresholds and in
certain rollovers (window curtain air bags
and ETDs).
R Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, across your neck or off your shoulder.
In a frontal crash, your body would move
too far forward. That would increase the
chance of head and neck injuries. The seat
belt would also apply too much force to the
ribs or abdomen, which could severely
injure internal organs such as your liver or
spleen.
Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
section is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder. It should not
touch the neck.N ever pass the shoulder
portion of the seat belt under your arm. For
this purpose, you can adjust the height of
the seat belt outlet.
R Position the lap belt as low as possible on
your hips and not across the abdomen. If
the lap belt is positioned across your
abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in
a crash.
R Never wear seat belts over rigid or
breakable objects in or on your clothing, such as eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as
these might cause injuries.
R Make sure the seat belt is always fitted
snugly. Take special care of this when
wearing loose clothing.
R Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat belt
around a person and another person or
other objects at the same time.
R Seat belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you would not have the full width of
the seat belt to distribut eimpact forces.
The twisted seat belt against yourb ody
could cause injuries.
R Pregnant women should also always use a
lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible on
the hips to avoid any possible pressure on
the abdomen.
R Place the seat backrest in a position that is
as upright as possible.
R Check your seat belt during travel to make
sure it is properly positioned.
R Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
R When using a seat belt to secure infant
restraints, toddler restraints, or children in
booster seats, always follow the child seat
manufacturer's instructions. G
WARNING
Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the seat belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the seat belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to seat
belts. This could impair the effectiveness of
the seat belts. 56
Occupant safetySafety

seconds until the battery check lamp
flashes twice (Y
page 83).
i If the setting of the locking system is
changed within the signal range of the
vehicle, pressing the 000Bor000C button:
R locks or
R unlocks the vehicle
The SmartKey now functions as follows:
X To unlock the driver's door: press the
000C button once.
X To unlock centrally: press the000C
button twice.
X To lock centrally: press the000Bbutton.
The KEYLESS-GO function is changed as
follows:
X To unlock the driver's door: touch the
inner surface of the door handle on the
driver's door.
X To unlock centrally: touch the inner
surface of the door handle on the front-
passenger door or the rear door.
X To lock centrally: touch the outer sensor
surface on one of the door handles
(Y page 81).
X To restore the factory settings: press
and hold down the 000Cand000B buttons
simultaneously for approximately six
seconds until the battery check lamp
flashes twice (Y page 83). Mechanical key
General notes If the vehicle can no longer be locked or
unlocked with the SmartKey, use the
mechanical key.
If you use the mechanical key to unlock and
open the driver's door, the anti-theft alarm
system will be triggered (Y
page 76).There are several ways to turn off the alarm:
X
To turn the alarm off with the
SmartKey: press the000Cor000B button
on the SmartKey.
or
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
or
X To deactivate the alarm with KEYLESS-
GO: press the Start/Stop button in the
ignition lock. The SmartKey must be in the
vehicle.
or
X Lock or unlock the vehicle using KEYLESS-
GO. The SmartKey must be outside the
vehicle.
If you unlock the vehicle using the mechanical
key, the fuel filler flap will not be unlocked
automatically.
X To unlock the fuel filler flap: insert the
SmartKey into the ignition lock.
Removing the mechanical key 0002
Release catch
0003 Mechanical key
X Push release catch 0002in the direction of
the arrow and at the same time remove
mechanical key 0003from the SmartKey.
For further information about:
R unlocking the driver's door (Y page 88)
R unlocking the cargo compartment
(Y page 93)
R locking the vehicle (Y page 88)82
SmartKeyOpening and closing

i
The side windows cannot be operated
from the rear when the override feature for
the side windows is activated (Y page 66).Convenience opening
General notes You can ventilate the vehicle before you start
driving. To do this, the SmartKey is used to
carry out the following functions
simultaneously:
R unlock the vehicle
R open the side windows
R open the sliding sunroof or the panorama
roof with power tilt/sliding panel and the
roller sunblinds
R switch on the seat ventilation for the
driver's seat
i The convenience opening feature can
only be operated using the SmartKey. The
SmartKey must be close to the vehicle. For
vehicles without KEYLESS-GO, the
SmartKey must be near the driver's door
handle.
Convenience opening X
Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: point the
tip of the SmartKey at the door handle on
the driver's door.
X Press and hold the 000Cbutton until the
side windows and the sliding sunroof or the
panorama roof with power tilt/sliding
panel are in the desired position.
If the roller sunblinds of the panorama roof
with power tilt/sliding panel are closed, the
roller sunblinds are opened first.
X Press and hold the 000Cbutton again until
the panorama roof with power tilt/sliding
panel is in the desired position.
X To interrupt convenience opening:
release the 000Cbutton. Convenience closing feature
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When the convenience closing feature is
operating, parts of the body could become
trapped in the closing area of the side window
and the sliding sunroof. There is a risk of
injury.
Observe the complete closing procedure
when the convenience closing feature is
operating. Make sure that no body parts are
in close proximity during the closing
procedure.
When you lock the vehicle, you can
simultaneously:
R close the side windows
R close the sliding sunroof or the panorama
roof with power tilt/sliding panel
On vehicles with a panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel, you can then close the
roller sunblinds.
Proceed as follows if someone is trapped:
R Release the 000Bbutton to interrupt the
closing procedure.
R Press and hold the 000Cbutton to open.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO:
R Release the sensor surfaces on the exterior
door handle to interrupt the closing
procedure.
R To open, pull the same door handle
immediately and hold it firmly. The door
windows and the sliding sunroof will open
for as long as the door handle is held but
the door is not opened.
i Notes on the automatic reversing feature
for:
R the side window (Y page 94)
R the sliding sunroof (Y page 98) Side windows
95Opening and closing Z

Crash-responsive emergency lighting
The interio rlighting is activated automatically
if the vehicle is involved in an accident.
X To switch off the crash-responsive
emergency lighting: press the hazard
warning lamp button.
or
X Loc kand then unlock the vehicle using the
SmartKey. Replacing bulbs
Important safety notes
G
DANGER
Xeno nbulbs carry a high voltage. You can get
an electric shock if you remove the cover of
the Xenon bulb and touch the electrical
contacts. There is a risk of fatal injury.
Never touch the parts or the electrical
contacts of the Xenon bulb. Always have work
on the Xenon bulbs carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop.
If your vehicle is equipped with Xenon bulbs,
you can recognize this by the following: the
cone of light from the Xenon bulbs moves
from the top to the bottom and back again
when you start the engine. For this to be
observed, the lights must be switched on
before starting the engine. G
WARNING
Bulbs, lamps and connectors can get very hot
when operating. If you change a bulb, you
could burn yourself on these components.
There is a ris kofinjury.
Allow these components to cool down before
changing a bulb.
Do not use a bulb tha thas been dropped or if
its glass tube has been scratched.
The bulb may explode if:
R you touch it
R it is hot R
you drop it
R you scratch it
Only operate bulbs in enclosed lamps
designed for that purpose. Only install spare
bulbs of the same type and the specified
voltage.
Marks on the glass tube reduce the service
life of the bulbs. Do no ttouch the glass tube
with your bare hands. If necessary, clean the
glass tube when cold with alcohol or spirit and
rub it off with a lint-free cloth.
Protec tbulbs from moisture during
operation .Do not allow bulbs to come into
contact with liquids.
There are bulbs other than the Xenon bulbs
that you cannot replace. Replace only the
bulbs listed (Y page 129). Have the bulbs that
you cannot replace yourself changed at a
qualified specialist workshop.
If you require assistance changing bulbs,
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
If the new bulb still does not light up, consult
a qualified specialist workshop.
Bulbs and lamps are an important aspect of
vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure
that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly. Overview: changing bulbs/bulb types
You can change the following bulbs. The bulb
type can be found in the legend. Replacing bulbs
129Lights and windshiel dwipers Z

Problems with the rear window defroster
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
The rear window
defroster has
deactivated
prematurely or cannot
be activated. The battery has not been sufficiently charged.
X
Switch off any consumers that are not required, e.g. reading
lamps, interior lighting or the seat heating.
When the battery is sufficiently charged, the rear window
defroster can be activated again. Activating/deactivating air-
recirculation mode
General notes You can deactivate the flow of fresh air if
unpleasant odors are enteringt he vehicle
from outside. The air already inside the
vehicle will then be recirculated.
If you switch on air-recirculation mode, the
windows can fog up more quickly, in
particular at low temperatures. Only use air-
recirculation mode briefly to prevent the
windows from fogging up.
Activating/deactivating The operation of air-recirculation mode is the
same for all control panels.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 157).
X To activate: press the0016button.
The indicator lamp in the 0016button lights
up.
i In the event of high pollution levels (3-
zone automatic climate control only) or at high outside temperatures, air-
recirculation mode is automatically
activated. When air-recirculation mode is
activated automatically, the indicator lamp
in the
0016button is not lit.
Outside air is added after about
30 minutes.
X To deactivate: press the0016button.
The indicator lamp in the 0016button goes
out.
i Air-recirculation mode deactivates
automatically:
R after approximately five minutes at
outside temperatures below
approximately 41 ‡ (5 †)
R after approximately five minutes if
cooling with air dehumidification is
deactivated
R after approximately 30 minutes at
outside temperatures above
approximately 41 ‡(5†) if the "Cooling
with air dehumidification" function is
activated Activating/deactivating the residual
heat function
The "residual heat" function is only available
in Canada. Operating the climate control systems
151Climate control

i
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the highway, only the bar for Constantwill change.
i The ECO display summaries the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey
to its completion. For this reason, the bars
change dynamically at the beginning of the
journey. On longer journeys, there are
fewer changes. For more dynamic changes,
carry out a manual reset.
Further information on the ECO display
(Y page 267). Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients !
On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting
early to a lower gear. This allows you to take
advantage of the engine braking effect and
helps avoid overheating and excessive
wear of the brakes.
When you take advantage of the engine
braking effect, a drive wheel may not turn
for some time, e.g. on a slippery road
surface. This could cause damage to the
drive train. This type of damage is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Do not depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. causing the
brakes to rub by constantly applying light
pressure to the pedal.T his results in
excessive and premature wear to the brake
pads. Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This
increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest.N ever
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately.
Drive on for a short while. This allows the
airflow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed
reaction from the brakes when braking for the
first time. This may also occur after the
vehicle has been washed or driven through
deep water.
You then have to depress the brake pedal
more firmly. Maintain a greater distance from
the vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the
vehicle washed, brake firmly while paying
attention to the traffic conditions. This will
warm up the brake discs, thereby drying them
more quickly and protecting them against
corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance.184
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever
forwards 0002.
or
X Brake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you engage the electric parking brake.
R you are driving at less than 20 mph
(30 km/h).
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
.
R you activate DSR.
R you shift the transmissio nto position N
while driving.
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the CruiseControl Off message in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
i When you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared. DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the
distance to the vehicle detected in front.
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so
that the set speed is not exceeded.
You must select a lower gear in good time on
long and steep downhill gradients, especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. By
doing so, you will make use of the braking
effect of the engine. This relieves the load on
the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a slower-moving
vehicle in front, your vehicle is braked in order
to maintain the preset distance to the vehicle
in front.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot
prevent a collision without your intervention.
An intermittent warning tone will then sound
and the distance warning lamp will light up in
the instrument cluster. Brake immediately in
order to increase the distance to the vehicle
in front or take evasive action provided it is
safe to do so.
For DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you when
driving, the radar sensor system must be:
R activated(Y page 276)
R operational
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between 20 mph
(Canada: 30 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h). If a vehicle is driving in front of
you, it operates in the speed range between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DISTRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves,
it can resemble the radar detectors of the
responsible authorities. You can refer to the
relevant chapter in the Operator's Manual if
questions are asked about this.
i USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC
as a "Vehicular RadarS ystem". The radar
sensor is intended fo ruse in an automotive
radar system only. Removing, tampering
with, or altering the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the 194
Driving systemsDriving and parking

X
If you want to pull away with
DISTRONIC PLUS: remove your foot from
the brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control leve rtowards
you 0003or press it up 0002or down 0023.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle
in front has slowed down, it brakes your
vehicle. In this way, the distance you have
selected is maintained.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a faster-moving
vehicle in front, it increases the driving speed.
However, the vehicle is only accelerated up
to the speed you have stored.
If you depress the brake, DISTRONIC PLUS is
deactivated unless your vehicle is stationary.
Changing lanes
If you change to the passing lane, DISTRONIC
PLUS supports you when:
R you are driving faster than 40 mph
(60 km/h)
R DISTRONIC PLUS is maintaining the
distance to a vehicle in front
R you switch on the appropriate turn signal
R DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger
of collision
If these conditions are fulfilled, your vehicle
is accelerated. Acceleration will be
interrupted if changing lanes takes too long
or if the distance between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front becomes too small.
i When changing lanes, DISTRONIC PLUS
monitors the left lane on left-hand drive
vehicles and the right lane on right-hand
drive vehicles. Stopping G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R DISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a
vehicle occupant or from outside the
vehicle.
R the electrical system in the engine
compartment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
R the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle
in front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until
it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.
Depending on the specified minimum
distance, your vehicle will come to a standstill
at a sufficient distance behind the vehicle in
front.T he specified minimum distance is set
using the control on the cruise control lever.
The electric parking brake automatically
secures the vehicle if DISTRONIC PLUS is
activated and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is
automatically switched off by the ECO
start/stop function. 198
Driving systemsDriving and parking