MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS SUV 2011 Owners Manual
Manufacturer: MERCEDES-BENZ, Model Year: 2011, Model line: M-CLASS SUV, Model: MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS SUV 2011Pages: 389, PDF Size: 9.22 MB
Page 221 of 389
On-roa
dprogram (vehicle swith the
ON&OFFROAD package)
Genera lnotes The on-road program
ssupport you when driv-
ing on roads and the off-road programs sup-
port you when driving off-road (Y page 222).
The following program messages remain in
the multifunction display until the corre-
spondin gvehicle level has been set. Up to off-
road level 2, you can hide the program mes-
sages using the %ora button on the
multifunction steering wheel.
AUTO program Selec
tthe AUTO program for amore com-
for table ride under all normal driving condi-
tions.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. X
Selecto rwheel : engaged:
brieflypress
selector wheel :.
Selector wheel :extends.
X To select: turn selector wheel :unti lindi-
cator lamp ;comes on.
AUTO indicator =appears in the multi-
function display. R
Highway level is set.
R AD S(Adaptive Damp ingS ystem) adjusts
the comfort damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving condi-
tions.
R The automatic transmission selects the
automatic drive progra mforac omforta-
ble and efficien tdriving style.
SPORT program Select th
eSPORT program for sport ydriving
dynamics.
Your selection remains store deven if you
remove th ekey from the ignition lock. X
Selector wheel : engaged:
briefly press
selector wheel :.
Selec torw heel :extends.
X To select: turnthe selector wheel :until
indicator lamp ;goes on.
SPOR Tindicator =appears in the multi-
function display.
R High-speed level ,-15 mm compared to
highway level ,isset.
R AD S(Adaptive Damp ingS ystem) adjusts
the sporty damping characteristics to the
current operating and driving conditions. 218
Driving systemsDriving and
parking
Page 222 of 389
R
The automatic transmission select sthe
automatic drive program for asporty
driving style.
R The sporty accelerator pedal curve is
selected. This mean sthat the accelera-
tor pedal does not need to be depressed
as fa rwhen accelerati ng.
R The sport ysteering curve is selected.
Thi sm eans that mor eeffort is required
when steering.
i Youc annot select the SPORT program if
LOW RANGE has been selected .The
Driv eprogram SPORT Not in LOW RANGE message appears in th
emultifunc-
tion display.
Snow program Select the snow program when driving in
snow or with snow chains. X
Selector wheel : engaged:
briefly press
selector wheel :.
Selector wheel :extends.
X To select: turn selector wheel :until indi-
cator lamp ;comes on.
Snow indicator =appears in the multi-
function display. R
Highway level is set.
R AD S(Adaptive Damp ingS ystem) adjusts
the comfort damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving condi-
tions.
R 4ETS and the differential lock are adap-
ted for driving on snow-covered roads.
R The automatic transmission selects the
automatic drive progra mforac omforta-
ble and efficien tdriving style.
R Th es mooth accelerato rpedal curve is
selected. This mean sthat the accelera-
tor pedal needs to be depressed much
further when accelerating.
R The optimal gear for pulling away is
engaged.
Trailer program Select the trailer program when towing a
trailer. X
Selector wheel : engaged:
brieflypress
selecto rwheel :.
Selector wheel :extends.
X To select: turnselector wheel :until indi-
cator lamp ;comes on.
Trailer indicator =appear sint he multi-
func tion display. Driving systems
219Drivingand parking Z
Page 223 of 389
R
Hig hway level is set.
R ADS (Adaptive Damping System) adjusts
the comfort damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving condi-
tions.
R The automatic transmission selects the
automatic drive progra mforac omforta-
ble and efficien tdriving style ,and the
shift points are optimally adjusted.
R The differential lock is engaged when
pulling away. Off-road driving systems
4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Togethe rwith ESP ®
and
4ETS, it improves the trac tion of your vehicle
whenever adrive whee lspins due to insuffi-
cient grip. G
WARNING
4MATI Ccannot reduce the risk of an accident
if you drive too fast.
If ad rive whee lspins due to insufficien tgrip:
R onl ydepress the accelerator peda lasfar as
necessary when pulling away.
R accelerate less when driving.
R adapt you rdriving style to su itroa dand
traffic conditions.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. Thi smay damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz implied warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tyres (M+S tyres), with snow
chains if necessary. !
Functio norperformanc etests ma yonly
be performed on a2-axle dynamometer. If
you wis htooperatethe vehicle on such a
dynamometer, pleas econsult aMercedes-
Benz Service Centr ebeforehand. You could
otherwise damage th edrive train or the
bra kesystem.
Fo rinformation abou tdriving off-roa d, see
( Y page 166). DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
Important safety notes DSR assists you when driv
ingd ownhill .It
keeps the spee doftravel at th espeed set on
the on-board comp uter. Th esteeper the
downhil lgradient ,the greate rthe DS Rbrak-
ing effect on th evehicle. When driving on flat
stretches of road or on an uphill gradient, the
DSR braking effect is minima lornon-existent. G
WARNING
DSR is only an aid designe dtoassist you when
driving downhill. You ar eresponsible for keep-
ing control of the vehicle and for assessing
whether the downhill gradien tcan be man-
aged.
When activating DSR the vehicle may brake
suddenly due to DSR intervening. This is
dependent on the downhill gradient and the
difference between the current spee dand the
speed set. DSR may not always be able to
keep to the set speed, depending on road sur-
face and tyre conditions .You coul dlose con-
trol of the vehicle and cause an accident.
Selec taset speed suitable for the prevailing
conditions and when necessary, apply the
brakes manually.
DSR con trols the set speed when it is active
and the automatic transmission is in the D,
R or Nposition. By accelerating or braking,
you can always drive at ahigher or alower
speed than that set on the on-boar dcom-
puter. 220
Off-road driving systemsDriving and parking
Page 224 of 389
G
WARNING
If you depress the accelerato rpeda lwith DSR
activated, then the set spee dcan be excee-
ded. Drive downhill with special care and
alway skeep in min dthat DSR brakes the vehi-
cle as soon as you remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. The vehicle may brake sud-
denly due to DSR intervening, depending on
the downhill gradient and the difference
between the current speed and the set speed.
You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident.
For information about driving off-road, see
(Y page 166).
Activating/deactivating DSR Activating
You can only activate DSR when driving at
speeds below 40 km/h. Example: vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up.
The following messages appear in the multi-
func tion display and in the status indicator,
for example: If the curren
tvehicle speed is too high, the
DSR symbol appear sint he multifunc tion dis-
play with the Max. speed 40 km/h message.
i You can notactivate DSR if the SPORT on-
road program is activated. Th eDSR symbol
and the Not in drive progra mSPORT message then appear in th
emultifunction
display.
Deactivating
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;goes out.
The DSR symbol appears in the multifunc-
tion display with the off message.
DSR switches off automatically if you drive
faster than 45 km/h. The DSR symbol
appears in the multifunction display with the
off message. Status indicator
=goes out.
You also hear awarning tone. On vehicles
with the ON&OFFROAD package, if you select
ad ifferent on-road/off- road program, DSR is
also deactivated. Status indicator =goes
out.
Changing the set speed When DSR is activated, you can change the
set spee dtoavalue between 2km/h and
18 km/h. X
To in crease or reduce the set speed in
1k m/h increments: briefly press the
cruise control lever to the pressure point, Off-road drivin
gsystems
221Drivingand park ing Z
Page 225 of 389
up
: for ahigher set speed or down ;for
al ower set speed.
The set spee dappear sinm ultifunction dis-
play ?and is shown in status indicator
=.
i If you press the cruise con trol lever
beyon dthe pressur epoint, th eset speed
also changes in 1km/ hincrements. Off-road program (ve
hicles without
th eO N&O FFROAD package)
The off-road program assists you in driving
off-road. The engine’s performance charac-
teristics and th egearshifting chara cteristics
of th eautomatic transmission are adapted for
this purpose. ABS, ESP ®
and 4ETS programs
especially adapted to off-road driving are acti-
vated. Agentle accelera torp edal curve is also
selected, i.e. the accelera torp edal must be
depressed muc hfurther in order to acceler-
ate.
Do not use the off-road program on roads that
are snow-covered or icy or if you have fitted
your vehicle with snow chains.
For information about driving off-road, see
(Y page 166). X
To engage: press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The Çoff-
road indicator appears in the multifunction
display. X
To deactivate: press button:.
Indicator lamp ;and the Çoff-road
indicator go out in the multifunction dis-
play. Off-road program (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package)
General notes The off-road programs assis
tyou in driving
off -road. The engine’s performanc echarac-
teristics and the gearshifting characteristics
of the automatic transmission ar eadapted for
this purpose. ABS, ESP ®
and 4ETS programs
especially adapted to off -road drivin gare acti-
vated. An accelerator peda lcurve suitable for
the terrain is selected, i.e. the accelerator
pedal must be depressed further to acceler-
ate.
Do not use the off-road programs on roads
that are snow-covered or icy or if you have
fitted your vehicle with snow chains.
For information about driving off-road, see
(Y page 166).
The following program messages remain in
the multifunction display until the corre-
spondin gvehicle level has been set. Up to off-
road level 2, you can hide the program mes-
sages using the %ora button on the
multifunction steering wheel.
Off-road progra m1 Select off-road program
1for gentle off -road
ter rain, e.g. for gravel or sand surfaces or
tracks. The engine's torque is restricted to a
limited degree and the drive wheels can spin,
i.e. the spinning of the wheels results in a
cutting action ,for better traction.
You can only activate off -road program 1
when driving at speeds below 100 km/ h.The
Driv eprogram OFFROAD 1Max. speed 100 km/h message appears in th
emultifunc-
tion display. 222
Off-road driving systemsDrivin
gand parking
Page 226 of 389
X
Selector wheel : engaged:
brieflypress
selecto rwheel :.
Selector wheel :extends.
X To select: turnselector wheel :until indi-
cator lamp ;comes on.
Off-road indicator =appears in the multi-
function display.
Off-road level 1isset to +3 0mmabove the
highwa ylevel.
Off-road program 1switches to the AUTO
program if you drive faster than 110 km/h.
Off-road program 2 Select off-road program
2for rough terrain,
e.g. for steep and/or uneven terrain or for
drivin gonr ocky terrain.
i Your vehicle has an automatically activa-
ted differential lock for the transfer case. It
con trols the balance between the front and
rear axles.
The differential lock improves the vehicle’s
trac tion. 4ETS (Y page 64)controls the bal-
anc ebetween the two wheels on one axle.
You can only activate off-road program 2
when driving at speeds below 40 km/h. X
Selector wheel : engaged:
briefly press
selector wheel :.
Selector wheel :extends.
X To select: turnselector wheel :until indi-
cator lamp ;lights up.
Off-road indicator =appears in the multi-
function display.
R Off-road level 2isset; the vehicle is
raised by +6 0mmcompared to the high-
way level.
R DSR is switched on.
R The differential lock is closed.
Off-road program 2automatically switches to
off-road program 1ifyou dri vefaster than
45 km/h. LO
WR ANGE off-road gear (vehicles
with th eON&O FFROAD package)
General notes The LOW RANGE off-road gear assists you
when driving off-road and when fording. When
LOW RANGE is engaged, th
eengin e’sp er-
formance characterist icsa nd the gearshifting
characteristics of the automatic transmiss ion
are adapted for thi spurpose. Off-roa
ddriving systems
223Drivingandparki ng Z
Page 227 of 389
For information abou
tdriving off-road, see
(Y page 166). Yo uwillf ind information about
driving safety systems in conjunction with
LOW RANGE in the "Saf ety" section
(Y pag e60).
Shift ranges HIGH RANGE
Roa
dposition for all nor-
ma ldriving situations LO
WR ANGE Off-road position for driv-
ing off-road and fording
The transmission ratio
between the engine and
wheels is only approx-
imatel yone third of that in
the HIGH RANGE road
pos ition. The drive torque
is correspondingly higher
as aresult.
Do not use LOW RANGE:
R on slippery road surfa-
ces, e.g. in the case of
slush
R on snow or ice-covered
roads
R if you have snow chains
on your vehicle G
WARNING
Always wait for the gear change process from
HIGH RANGE to LOW RANGE –and from LOW
RANGE to HIGH RANGE –tocomple te.Don ot
tur no ff the engine while changi nggear and
do not switc hthe automatic transmission to
anot hergear.
If you do not wait for the gear change process
to complete, it may not be cor rectly imple-
mented. Th etransfer cas emay then be in
neutral and the connection between the
engine and the drive axles may be disen-
gaged .The vehicle coul dthen mov efreely,
eve nifa gear is engaged, and coul dinadver-
tently start moving, particularly if it is on a
slope. Observe the following description in "Mes-
sages in the multifunction display". From HIGH RANG
EtoLOW RAN GE
! Only carr yout the gear change process if:
R the engine is running
R the transmission is in position N
R you are not driving above 40 km/h
X Press LOW RANGE button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes.
If the gear change process has taken place,
indicator lamp ;lights up. The LOW
RANGE display appears in multifunction
display ?and in status indicator =.
While indicator lamp ;is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressing LOW
RANGE button :again.
i You cannot switch LOW RANGE on if the
SPORT on-road program is activated; the
LO WR ANGE Not in drive program SPORT message then appears in th
emulti-
function display. 224
Off-road driving systemsDrivin
gand parking
Page 228 of 389
From LOW RANGE to HIG
HRANGE
! Only carry out the gear change process if:
R the engin eisrunning
R the transmission is in position N
R you are not driving above 70 km/h
X Press LOW RANG Ebutton :.
Indicato rlamp ;flashes.
When the gear change is complete, indica-
tor lamp ;goes out. In th emultifunction
display, the LOWR ANGE Off message
appears and status indica tor=goes out.
While indica torlamp ;is flashing, you can
cancel the gear change by pressin gLOW
RANGE button :agai n.
Me ssages in th emultif un ction display
If ag ear chang eprocess ha snot been suc-
cessful, th efollowin gmessages may be dis-
played in the multifunction display:
LOW RANGE Max. speed 40 km/h :Y
ou have
been drivin gabove 40 km/h. Indicator
lamp ;also flashes.
X Drive mor eslowly to carr yout the gear
change process.
LO WR ANGE Shift to position N briefly :T
he transmission is in position D
and you ar enow drivin gatbelow 40 km/h.
X Shif tthe transmission to Nto complete the
gear change process.
LOW RANGE Shifting cancelled Please
reactivate :T
he shifting process has not
been completed.
X Maintai nall gear change condition sand
carry out the gea rchange process again.
LO WR ANGE Stop Apply parking brake :
Aw arning ton eisalso heard. The gear change
proces shas not been completed. LOW
RANGE is in the neut ralp osition .There is no
con nectio nbetween the engine and the drive
wheels.
! Do not driv eany further, otherwis eyou
coul ddamage the vehicle's drive train. X
Stop the vehicle. Take into account the
road and traffic conditions when doing this.
X Apply the electric parking brake
(Y page 161).
X Carry out the gear change process again.
If the gear change process has been carried
out, the LOWR ANGE Stop Apply park‐ ing brake message disapp
ears. ON&OFFROAD men
uint he COMAND
display (vehicles wit hthe ON&OFF-
ROA Dpackage)
Yo uc an displ ay some driving systems ,driving
programs and additional information in the
COMAND display. X
Make sure that th ekey is in position 2in
the ignition lock.
X Make sure that COMAN DOnline is activa-
ted, see the separate COMAND operating
instructions.
X Pres sthe : func tion button.
The corresponding displays appear in the
CO MAN Ddisplay:
R level control
R steering angle
R vehicle' sangle of inclination
R uphill or downhil lgradient in percentage
R on- road/off-road program selected
R condition of the differential lock for the
transfer case
R the LOW RANGE off-road gear is selected Off-road driving systems
225Drivingand parking Z
Page 229 of 389
R
cond ition of the LOW RAN GEoff-r oad
gear
R the on-roa dtraile rprogram is selected Tow
inga trailer Note
sont owingatrailer
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When reversing the vehicl etowards the
trailer, make sure there is nobod ybetween
the trailer and the vehicle.
Couple and uncoupl ethe trailer carefully .If
you do not couple the trailer to the towing
vehicle correctly, the trailer coul dbecome
detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximu mpermissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
You will fin dthe applicable permissible val-
ues, whic hmust not be exceeded ,inthe vehi-
cle documen ts.
You will find the values approved by the man-
ufacturer on the vehicle identification plates
and those for the towing vehicle in the "Tech-
nical data" section. G
WARNING
If the Checktrailer hitch locking mechanism message appears in th
emulti-
function display while the vehicle is in motion,
pull over immediately and check whethe rthe
ball coupling is correctly engaged. G
WARNING
When towin gatrailer, you rvehicle' shandling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without atrailer.
Th ev ehicle/ trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbin gcapability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by stron gcrosswinds
R demand smore sensitive steering
R has alarger turnin gcircle
As aresult, the handlin gcharacteristic smay
be impaired and you may lose control of the
vehicle. This could lead to an accident with
serious or even fatal injuries.
When towing atrailer, alway sadjust your
speed to the current road and weather con-
ditions. Do not exceed the maximum permis-
sible speed for your vehicle/trailer combina-
tion. G
WARNING
Never depress the brak epedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion ,e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by applying cons tant slight
pedal pressure. Thi scauses the brake system
to overheat, increases the braking distance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely. G
WARNING
On no account shoul dyou attempt to dra wthe
vehicle/ trailer combination out by increasing
speed. G
WARNING
If you exceed the maximum noseweight when
using acarrier system on the ball coupling:
R the carrier system may be thrown around.
R the ball coupling and the carrier system
may become detached from the vehicle.
As aresult, you may injure others or cause an
accident. 226
Towing
atrailerDriving and parking
Page 230 of 389
Do not exceed the maximum noseweight.
When driving with aloaded carriersystem,
always adjust your drivin gstyle to th eprevail-
ing road, traffic and weather conditions and
drive par ticularly carefully.
You can use carrier sys tems, e.g. bi cycle
racks or load-bea ringimplements on th eball
coupling. The maximum noseweight of 75 kg
applies when usin gcarrier system sontheball
coupling.
General information i
Chec kthe tyr epressure when towin ga
trailer. You will find the values in the tyre
pressure table in the fuel filler flap of the
vehicle (Y page 359).
You will find installation dimensions and loads
in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 378).
The maximum noseweight of the trailer draw-
bar on the ball coupling is 18
.H owever, the
actual noseweight must not exceed the value
given on the trailer tow hitc hortrailer identi-
ficatio nplates. The lowest weight applies.
! Use anoseweight as close as possible to
the maximum permissible noseweight .Do
not use anoseweight of less than 50 kg,
otherwise the trailer ma ycome loose.
Bear in min dthat the payload and the rear
axl eload ar ereduced by the actual nose-
weight.
Please note that when towing atrailer, PARK-
TRONIC (Y page 191) and Blind Spo tAssist
(Y page 208) ar eonly available with limita-
tions ,orn ot at all.
i On vehicles withou tlevel control, the
height of the ball couplin gwill alter accord-
ing to the load placed on the vehicle. If nec-
essary, use atrailer wit haheight-adjusta-
ble drawbar. Driving tips i
Observ ethe information on ESP ®
trailer
stabilisation (Y page 65)and on pull ing
away with atrailer. (Y page 141).
Vehicles wit hthe ON&OFFROAD package:
selec tthe trailer program (Y page 219) with
the off-road program selector wheel in the
cen treconsole.
Th em aximum permissible spee dfor vehicle/
trailer combination sdepends on the type of
trailer .Befor ebeginning the journey, check
the trailer's documents to see what the max-
imu mpermitted speed is. Observ ethe legally
prescribed maximum speed in the relevant
country.
For certai nMercedes-Ben zvehicles, the max-
imu mp ermissible rear axle load is inc reased
when towing atrailer. Refer to th e"Techni cal
data" section to fin dout whether this applies
to your vehicle. If you utilise any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing atrailer,
th ev ehicle/trailer combination may not
exceed amaximum spee dof100 km/ hfor
reasons concer ning the operating permit.
Thi salso applies in countries in which the
permissible maximum speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations is above 100 km/h.
When towing atrailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be differe ntin comparison
to when drivin gwithout atrailer and it will
consume more fuel.
On long and stee pdownhil lgradients ,you
must select shift range 1,2or 3in good time.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise con trol, SPEEDTRONIC or DI S-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the brakin geffect of th eengine,
so les sbraking wil lberequired to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevent sthe brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly .Ifyou need
additional braking, depress the brake pedal
repeatedly rather than con tinuously.
18 Data unavailable at time of going to print. Towing
atrailer
227Driving andparki ng Z