Tailgate MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class 2015 W166 User Guide

Tailgate reversing feature
On vehicles with tailgate remote closing fea-
ture, the tailgate is equipped with automatic
obstacle recognition with a reversing feature. If a solid object blocks or restricts the tailgate
when automatically opening or closing, this
procedure is stopped. If the tailgate is stop-
ped during the closing procedure, it will open
again automatically. The automatic obstacle
recognition with reversing function is only an aid. It is not a substitute for your attentive-
ness when opening and closing the tailgate. G
WARNING
The reversing feature does not react:
R to soft, light and thin objects, e.g. small fin-
gers
R over the last 1/3 in (8 mm) of the closing
movement
This means that the reversing feature cannot
prevent someone being trapped in these sit-
uations. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure that no body parts are in close
proximity during the closing procedure.
If somebody becomes trapped:
R press the 0054button on the SmartKey, or
R press the remote operating switch on the
driver’s door, or
R press the closing or locking button on the
tailgate, or
R pull the handle on the tailgate Opening and closing manually from
outside
Opening X
Press the 0036button on the SmartKey.
X Pull handle 0043.
X Raise the tailgate.
Vehicles with the EASY-PACK tailgate: if
you pull handle 0043and then release it, the
tailgate opens automatically.
Closing X
Pull the tailgate down using recess 0043.
X Allow the tailgate to drop into the lock.
X Lock the vehicle if necessary with the 0037
button on the SmartKey or with KEYLESS-
GO.
i If a KEYLESS-GO key is detected in the
cargo compartment, the tailgate will not
lock. 90
Cargo compartmentOpening and closing

Opening/closing automatically from
outside
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Parts of the body could become trapped dur-
ing automatic closing of the tailgate. More-
over, people, e.g. children, may be standing in the closing area or may enter the closing area
during the closing process. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the closing area during the closing process.
Use one of the following options to stop the
closing process:
R press the 0054button on the SmartKey.
R press the remote operating switch on the
driver's door.
R press the closing or locking button on the
tailgate.
R pull the handle on the tailgate. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. If the tailgate is open when the engine is running, particu-
larly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust fumes
could enter the passenger compartment.
There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the tail-
gate. Never drive with the tailgate open.
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the
rear when opened. Therefore, make sure
that there is sufficient clearance above and behind the tailgate.
i Tailgate opening dimensions
(Y page 456).
i Notes on the reversing feature for the tail-
gate (Y page 90). Opening the tailgate automatically You can open the tailgate automatically with
the SmartKey or the handle in the tailgate.
X Press and hold the 0054button on the
SmartKey until the tailgate opens.
or X If the tailgate is unlocked, pull the handle
and let it go again immediately.
Closing the tailgate automatically G
WARNING
Parts of the body could become trapped dur-
ing automatic closing of the tailgate. More-
over, people, e.g. children, may be standing in the closing area or may enter the closing area
during the closing process. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the closing area during the closing process.
Use one of the following options to stop the
closing process:
R press the 0054button on the SmartKey.
R press the remote operating switch on the
driver's door.
R press the closing or locking button on the
tailgate.
R pull the handle on the tailgate. Closing and locking button (example: vehicle with
EASY-PACK tailgate and KEYLESS-GO) Cargo compartment
91Opening and closing Z

X
To close: press closing button 0043on the
tailgate.
or X Press and hold the 0054button on the
SmartKey until the tailgate closes.
Vehicles with the EASY-PACK tailgate and
KEYLESS-GO: you can simultaneously close
and lock the tailgate. X Press locking button 0044on the tailgate.
If a KEYLESS-GO key is detected outside
the vehicle, the tailgate closes and locks.
All the doors must be shut and the Smart-
Key located in the vicinity of the tailgate.
i The tailgate cannot be opened and closed
with the SmartKey if there is a SmartKey in
the ignition.
If the tailgate touches an object while clos-
ing, the closing procedure is interrupted
and the tailgate reopens.
i If a KEYLESS-GO key is detected in the
cargo compartment, the tailgate will not
lock. Opening/closing automatically from
inside
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Parts of the body could become trapped dur-
ing automatic closing of the tailgate. More-
over, people, e.g. children, may be standing in the closing area or may enter the closing area
during the closing process. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the closing area during the closing process.
Use one of the following options to stop the
closing process:
R press the 0054button on the SmartKey.
R press the remote operating switch on the
driver's door. R
press the closing or locking button on the
tailgate.
R pull the handle on the tailgate. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. If the tailgate is open when the engine is running, particu-
larly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust fumes
could enter the passenger compartment.
There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the tail-
gate. Never drive with the tailgate open.
! The tailgate swings upwards and to the
rear when opened. Therefore, make sure
that there is sufficient clearance above and behind the tailgate.
i Tailgate opening dimensions
(Y page 456).
i Notes on the reversing feature for the tail-
gate (Y page 90).
Opening and closing You can open and close the tailgate from the
driver's seat when the vehicle is stationary
and unlocked.
X To open: pull remote operating switch 0043
for the tailgate until the tailgate opens.
X To close: turn the SmartKey to position 1
or 2in the ignition lock.
X Press remote operating switch for tail-
gate 0043until the tailgate is closed. 92
Cargo compartmentOpening and closing

Limiting the opening angle of the tail-
gate
Important safety notes !
Make sure there is sufficient clearance to
open the tailgate fully when setting the
opening angle. The tailgate could otherwise be damaged. Ideally, set the opening angleoutside.
Activating You can limit the opening angle of the tail-
gate. This is possible in the top half of its
opening range, up to approximately 4 in
(10 cm) before the stop.
Th is could be useful, for example, if there is
insufficient space above the tailgate.
X To open the tailgate: pull the handle on
the tailgate.
X To stop the opening procedure at the
desired position: press the closing button
(Y page 91) in the tailgate or pull the handle
on the outside of the tailgate again.
X To store the position: press and hold the
closing button in the tailgate until you hear a short tone.
The opening angle limiter is activated. The
tailgate will now stop in the stored positionwhen opening.
Deactivating X
Press and hold the closing button
(Y page 91) in the tailgate until you hear
two short tones. Tailgate emergency release
Important safety notes !
The tailgate swings upwards and to the
rear when opened. Therefore, make sure
that there is sufficient clearance above and behind the tailgate. i
Tailgate opening dimensions
(Y page 456).
If the tailgate can no longer be opened from
outside the vehicle, use the emergency
release on the inside of the tailgate.
Opening X
Take the mechanical key out of the Smart-
Key (Y page 82).
X Insert mechanical key 0044into the opening
in paneling 0043.
X Turn mechanical key 004490° clockwise.
X Push mechanical key 0044in the direction of
the arrow and open the tailgate.
X Insert the mechanical key into the Smart-
Key.
i When you lock the vehicle (Y
page 88),
the cargo compartment is also locked. Side windows
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
While opening the side windows, body parts
could become trapped between the side win- dow and the door frame as the side window
moves. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody touches the side win-
dow during the opening procedure. If some-
body becomes trapped, release the switch or pull the switch to close the side window again. Side windows
93Opening and closing Z

!
Intermittent wiping with rain sensor: due
to optical influences and the windshield
becoming dirty in dry weather conditions,
the windshield wipers may be activated
inadvertently. This could then damage the
windshield wiper blades or scratch the
windshield.
For this reason, you should always switch
off the windshield wipers in dry weather. Combination switch
0047
003F Windshield wiper off
0048 0062 Intermittent wipe, low (rain sensor
set to low sensitivity)
0049 0063 Intermittent wipe, high (rain sensor
set to high sensitivity)
004A 00AA Continuous wipe, slow
004B 00A9 Continuous wipe, fast
0084 00D3 Single wipe
006B 00D4 To wipe with washer fluid
X Switch on the ignition.
X Turn the combination switch to the corre-
sponding position.
In the 0062or0063 position, the appropriate
wiping frequency is set automatically accord- ing to the intensity of the rain. In the 0063
position, the rain sensor is more sensitive
than in the 0062position, causing the wind-
shield wipers to wipe more frequently.
If the wiper blades are worn, the windshield
will no longer be wiped properly. This could
prevent you from observing the traffic condi-
tions. Switching the rear window wiper on/
off Combination switch
0043
00C5 Rear window wiper switch
0048 008E To wipe with washer fluid
0049 ITo switch on intermittent wiping
004A 0To switch off intermittent wiping
004B 00E2 To wipe with washer fluid
X Turn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 157).
X Turn switch 0043on the combination switch
to the corresponding position.
When the rear window wiper is switched on,
the icon appears in the instrument cluster. Replacing the wiper blades
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the windshield wipers begin to move while
you are changing the wiper blades, you could be trapped by the wiper arm. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
ignition before changing the wiper blades.
! Never open the hood/tailgate if a wiper
arm has been folded away from the wind-
shield/rear window.
Never fold a windshield wiper arm without a
wiper blade back onto the windshield/rear window. Windshield wipers
133Lights and windshield wipers Z

Driving off-road increases the likelihood of
damage to the vehicle, which, in turn, can lead to failure of the mechanical assembly or sys-
tems. Adapt your driving style to suit the ter- rain conditions. Drive carefully. Have damage
to the vehicle rectified immediately at a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Do not switch to transmission position N
when driving off-road. You could lose control
of the vehicle if you attempt to brake using
the service brake. If the gradient is too steep, drive backwards in reverse gear.
General notes Read this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road. Practice by driving over more gentle off-road terrain first.
Familiarize yourself with the characteristics
of your vehicle and the gear shift operation
before driving through difficult terrain.
The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R Off-road program 1 and 2 (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (Y page 251)
R LOW RANGE off-road gear (vehicles with
the ON&OFFROAD package)
(Y page 253)
R Differential lock (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package) (Y page 252)
R Off-road ABS (Y page 68)
R Off-road 4ETS (Y page 73)
R AIRMATIC package (vehicle level)
(Y page 211)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Y page 250)
Observe the following notes:
R Stop the vehicle before starting to drive
along an off-road route.
R For vehicles with the AIRMATIC pack-
age: select a vehicle level that is suitable
for the off-road terrain. To avoid damaging
the vehicle, make sure there is always suf-
ficient ground clearance. R
Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 339).
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Acti-
vate DSR (Y page 250).
R Always keep the doors, tailgate, windows
and sliding sunroof closed while driving.
R Adapt your speed to the terrain. The
rougher, steeper or more ruts on the ter-
rain, the slower your speed should be.
R Drive slowly and at an even speed through
the water. Ensure that a bow wave does not
form as you drive.
R Drive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
R Look out for obstacles, such as rocks,
holes, tree stumps and furrows.
R Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R When fording, do not stop and do not
switch off the engine.
R On sand, drive quickly to overcome the roll-
ing resistance. Otherwise the vehicle's
wheels could become stuck in loose
ground.
R Do not jump with the vehicle as this will
interrupt the vehicle's propulsion.
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a slope.
R Do not shift the automatic transmission to
transmission position N.
i Do not use the HOLD function when driv-
ing off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gra-
dients or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle on
such surfaces.
Checklist before driving off-road !
If the engine oil warning lamp lights up
while the vehicle is in motion, stop the vehi-
cle in a safe place as soon as possible. 192
Driving
tipsDriving an d parking

the
Park Assist Finished
Park Assist Finished message
appears in the multifunction display. You will
then have to steer and merge into traffic on
your own. PARKTRONIC is still available. You
can take over the steering, before the vehicle has exited the parking space completely. This
is useful, for example when you recognize
that it is already possible to pull out of the
parking space.
Canceling Active Parking Assist X
Stop the movement of the multifunction
steering wheel or steer yourself.
Active Parking Assist will be canceled at
once. The Park Assist Canceled
Park Assist Canceled mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
or X Press the PARKTRONIC button on the cen-
ter console (Y page 219).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediately canceled.
The Park Assist Canceled Park Assist Canceled message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is canceled automati-
cally if: R the electric parking brake is engaged
R transmission position Pis selected
R parking using Active Parking Assist is no
longer possible
R you are driving faster than 6 mph (10 km/h)
R a wheel spins, ESP ®
intervenes or fails. The
00E5 warning lamp lights up in the instru-
ment cluster.
A warning tone sounds. The parking symbol
goes out and the Park Assist Canceled
Park Assist Canceled
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
If Active Parking Assist is canceled, you must
steer again yourself.
Towing a trailer For vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the min-
imum length for parking spaces is slightly
increased. If you have attached a trailer to your vehicle,
you should not use Active Parking Assist.
Once the electrical connection is established
between your vehicle and the trailer, Active
Parking Assist is no longer available. PARK-
TRONIC is deactivated for the rear area. Rear view camera
General notes Rear view camera
0043is in the handle on the
tailgate.
Rear view camera 0043is an optical parking and
maneuvering aid. It shows the area behind
your vehicle with guide lines in the COMAND display.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear view mirror.
i The text of messages shown in the
COMAND display depends on the language
setting. The following are examples of rear view camera messages in the COMAND
display.
Important safety notes The rear view camera is only an aid. It is not a
replacement for your attention to your imme- diate surroundings. You are always responsi-
ble for safe maneuvering and parking. When
maneuvering or parking, make sure that there are no persons, animals or objects in the area
in which you are maneuvering. 224
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

Under the following circumstances, the rear
view camera will not function, or will function
in a limited manner:
R if the tailgate is open
R in heavy rain, snow or fog
R at night or in very dark places
R if the camera is exposed to very bright light
R if the area is lit by fluorescent bulbs or LED
lighting (the display may flicker)
R if there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in
winter
R if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In this
event, have the camera position and setting checked at a qualified specialist workshop
The field of vision and other functions of the
rear view camera may be restricted due to
additional accessories on the rear of the vehi-
cle (e.g. license plate holder, bicycle rack).
Activating/deactivating the rear view
camera X
To activate: make sure that the SmartKey
is in position 2in the ignition lock.
X Make sure that the function "show rear
view camera display" is selected in
COMAND.
X Engage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND display with guide lines.
X To change the function mode for vehi-
cles with trailer tow hitch: using theCOMAND controller, select symbol
0043for
the "Reverse parking" function or sym-
bol 0044for "Coupling up a trailer" (see the
separate COMAND operating instructions). The symbol of the selected function is high- lighted.
To deactivate: the rear view camera deacti-
vates if you shift the transmission to Por after
driving forwards a short distance.
Displays in the COMAND display The rear view camera may show a distorted
view of obstacles, show them incorrectly or
not at all. The rear view camera does not show
objects in the following positions:
R very close to the rear bumper
R under the rear bumper
R in the area immediately above the tailgate
handle
! Objects not at ground level may appear to
be further away than they actually are, e.g.:
R the bumper of a parked vehicle
R the drawbar of a trailer
R the ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch
R the rear section of an HGV
R a slanted post
Use the guidelines only for orientation.
Approach objects no further than the bot-
tom-most guideline. Driving systems
225Driving and parking Z

R
if the tailgate is open
R in heavy rain, snow or fog
R at night or in very dark places
R if the cameras are exposed to very bright
light
R if the area is lit by fluorescent bulbs or LED
lighting (the display may flicker)
R if there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in
winter
R if the camera lenses are dirty or covered
R if the vehicle components in which the
cameras are installed are damaged. In this
event, have the camera position and setting
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not use the 360° camera in this case. You
can otherwise injure others or cause damage to objects or the vehicle.
Activation conditions The 360° camera image can be displayed if:
R your vehicle is equipped with a 360° cam-
era
R COMAND is switched on, see the separate
COMAND operating instructions
R the 360° Camera
360° Camera function is activated
Activating the 360° camera using the
SYS button X
Press and hold the 0066button for longer
than 2 seconds, see the separate COMAND
operating instructions.
Depending on whether position Dor Ris
engaged, the following is shown:
R full screen display with the image from
the front camera
R full screen display with the image from
the rear view camera Activating the 360° camera with
COMAND X
Press the 0066button, see the separate
COMAND operating instructions.
X Select System System by turning 00790052007Athe
COMAND controller and press 0098to con-
firm.
X Select 360° camera 360° camera and press0098to con-
firm.
Depending on whether position Dor Ris
engaged, the following is shown:
R a split screen with top view and the
image from the front camera or
R a split screen with top view and the
image from the rear view camera
For further information about the COMAND
controller, see the separate COMAND oper-
ating instructions.
Activating the 360° camera using
reverse gear The 360° camera images can be automati-
cally displayed by engaging reverse gear.
X Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.
X Make sure that the Activation by R Activation by R
gear
gear function is selected in COMAND, see
the separate COMAND operating instruc-
tions.
X To show the 360° camera image: engage
reverse gear.
The COMAND display shows the area
behind the vehicle in split screen:
R vehicle with guide lines
R top view of the vehicle
Selecting the split-screen and full
screen displays X
To switch between split screen views:
switch to the line with the vehicle icons by
sliding 00970052the COMAND controller.
X Turn 00790052007A the COMAND controller and
select one of the vehicle symbols. 230
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

of the towing vehicle, as the latter is equip-
ped with an anti-lock brake system. Doing
so will result in a loss of function of the
brake systems of both the vehicle and the
trailer.
X Make sure that the automatic transmission
is set to position P.
X Apply the vehicle's electric parking brake.
X Start the engine.
X Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
select highway level.
X Vehicles with ADS: set ADS toAUTOor
COMF.
X Switch off the engine.
X Close all doors and the tailgate.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish all electrical connections.
X Check that the trailer lighting system is
working.
i Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
with a trailer attached, the vehicle will
always remain at highway level. When cou-
pling up a trailer, please observe the fol-
lowing:
R Unless highway level has been set man-
ually, the vehicle is automatically low-
ered to highway level. This is the case if a
speed of 5 mph (8 km/h) is reached.
R High-speed level is not available.
These restrictions apply to all accessories
powered through a connection to the trailer power socket of your vehicle, e.g. a bicycle
carrier.
Observe the maximum permissible trailer
dimensions (width and length).
Most U.S. states and all Canadian provinces
require by law:
R Safety chains between the towing vehicle
and the trailer. The chains should be cross-
wound under the trailer drawbar. They must be fastened to the vehicle's trailer cou-
pling, not to the bumper or the axle. Leave enough play in the chains to make
tight cornering possible.
R A separate brake system for certain types
of trailer.
R A safety switch for braked trailers. Check
the specific legal requirements applicable
to your state.
If the trailer detaches from the towing vehi- cle, the safety switch applies the trailer's
brakes. Towing a trailer
There are numerous legal requirements con-
cerning the towing of a trailer, e.g. speed
restrictions. Make sure that your car/trailer
combination complies with the local regula-
tions: R in your place of residence
R in the location to which you are driving
The police and local authorities can provide
reliable information.
Observe the following when towing a trailer:
R To gain driving experience and to become
accustomed to the new handling charac-
teristics, you should practice the following
in a traffic-free location:
- cornering
- stopping
- backing up
R Before driving, check:
- trailer tow hitch
- safety switch for braked trailers
- safety chains
- electrical connections
- lights
- wheels
R Adjust the exterior mirrors to provide an
unobstructed view of the rear section of the trailer.
R If the trailer has electronically controlled
brakes, pull away carefully. Brake manually 260
Towing a trailerDriving and parking