ABS MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS MPV 2008 User Guide

Loading and stowing
1931
Backrest release handle
2 Retainer for the seat belt
3 Backrest
X Clamp the seat belt behind retainer 2.
X Pull release handle 1of backrest 3
upwards in the direction of the arrow.
Backrest 3is released.
X Fold backrest 3slowly forwards.
Seat cushion 7(3rd row of seats) is
released and moves automatically to a ver-
tical position. 3
Backrest (3rd row of seats)
4 Recess (on backrest in 2nd row of seats)
5 Guide pin (on backrest in 3rd row of seats)
6 Backrest (2nd row of seats)
7 Seat cushion (3rd row of seats)
8 Loop
i Loop 8can be used to pull the backrests
of the 3rd row of seats upright when the
seats are moved into the original position
(Y page 81).
X After it has been moved to a vertical posi-
tion automatically, fold seat cushion 7
further forwards until it reaches a horizon-
tal position. Make sure that guide pin 5of seat cushion
7(3rd row of seats) catches
fully in recess 4of backrest 6.
X Fold backrest 3forwards into a horizontal
position.
Moving the seats back into the driving
position G
Risk of injury
Ensure that the seats are locked and the
backrests are in the upright position before
driving.
The outer seats in the 2nd row are only
locked if the lock verification indicator is
folded in and the indicator area is barely
visible.
If the backrests are not locked, they could
fold forwards in case of sudden braking, a
sudden change of direction or an accident.
This means that they cannot provide the
intended level of restraint, and could cause
additional serious or even fatal injury.
Make absolutely sure that you reset the seats
to the driving position in the specified order.
Resetting seats in the 3rd row of seats
! Make absolutely sure that you reset the
seats to the driving position in the specified Controls
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Tyres and wheels
224
X
Add windscreen washer concentrate to the
washer fluid all year round. G
Risk of fire
Windscreen washer concentrate is highly
flammable. Fire, naked flames and smoking
are prohibited when windscreen washer
concentrate is being handled.
Use
R a windscreen washer fluid additive
such as MB Summerwash to prevent
smearing (for temperatures above freez-
ing).
R a windscreen washer fluid additive with
antifreeze properties such as MB Winter-
wash (if there is a risk of frost).
X Mix the windscreen washer fluid in a con-
tainer beforehand. Adapt the mixing ratio
to the outside temperatures.
! Only use windscreen washer fluid which
is suitable for plastic lamp lenses. Unsuit-
able windscreen washer fluid could dam-
age the plastic lamp lenses of the head-
lamps.
X To open: pull cap1upwards by the tab.
X To close: press cap 1onto the filler neck
until it clicks into place. Tyres and wheels
Points to remember
! For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz rec-
ommends that you only use tyres and
wheels which have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz specifically for your vehi-
cle. These tyres have been specially adap-
ted for use with the control systems, such
as ABS or ESP ®
, and are marked as follows:
R MO = Mercedes-Benz Original
R MOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Extended
(with run-flat characteristics)*
*Mercedes-Benz Original Extended tyres
should only be used on wheels that have
been specifically approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
If you use other tyres and wheels,
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept any respon-
sibility for damage that may result from
this. Further information about tyres,
wheels and approved combinations can be
obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
If you use tyres other than those tested and
recommended for Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles, characteristics such as handling, vehi-
cle noise emissions and fuel consumption may be adversely affected. In addition, the
wheels may come into contact with the
body or axle components when heavily loa-
ded or when driving with snow chains. This
could result in damage to the tyres or the
vehicle.
! Retreaded tyres are neither tested nor
recommended by Mercedes-Benz, since
previous damage cannot always be detec-
ted on retreaded tyres. As a result,
Mercedes-Benz cannot guarantee vehicle
safety if retreaded tyres are fitted. Do not
fit used tyres if you have no information
about their previous usage. G
Risk of accident
If wheels or tyres other than those which
have been tested are fitted:
R the brakes or chassis components could
be damaged
R wheel and tyre clearances can no longer
be guaranteed
This could cause an accident.
Modification work on the brake system and
wheels is not permitted, nor is the use of
spacer plates or brake dust shields. This inva- Operation
* optional
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Winter driving
231Winter driving
Points to remember
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. at a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre, at the onset of winter. Winter tyres
In temperatures below +7 °C, always use all-
weather tyres or winter tyres and always use
winter tyres in wintry road conditions.
Only winter tyres displaying the snowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking pro-
vide optimum grip in wintry road conditions.
Only these tyres will allow the ABS and ESP
driving systems to function optimally in win-
ter, as these tyres have been designed spe-
cifically for driving on snow.
Use winter tyres of the same make and tread
on all wheels to maintain safe handling char-
acteristics. G
Risk of accident
Winter tyres with a tread depth of less than
4 mm must be replaced immediately. They
are no longer suitable for winter use, can
no longer provide sufficient grip. This could cause you to lose control of your vehicle
and cause an accident.
Always observe the maximum permitted
speed specified for the winter tyres you have
fitted. If you fit winter tyres which have a
lower maximum permitted speed than that of
the vehicle, affix an appropriate warning sign
in the driver's field of vision. This can be
obtained at a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. from a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Under these circumstances, you should also
restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle
using permanent Speedtronic 28
to the maxi-
mum permissible speed for the winter tyres
(Y page 151).
Once you have fitted the winter tyres:
X Check the tyre pressures (Y page 226).
X Restart the tyre pressure moni-
tor* (Y page 228). G
Risk of accident
If you fit the spare wheel* when driving with
winter tyres, bear in mind that driving sta-
bility will be impaired owing to unstable
cornering characteristics caused by the dif-
ferent tyres. You should therefore adapt
your driving style and drive carefully. Have the spare wheel* replaced at the
nearest qualified specialist workshop
which has the necessary specialist knowl-
edge and tools to carry out the work
required. Mercedes-Benz recommends
that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre for this purpose. In particular, work
relevant to safety or on safety-related sys-
tems must be carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop. Snow chains
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains which
have been specially approved for your vehicle
by Mercedes-Benz, or are of a corresponding
standard of quality.
! Information about the use of snow chain-
compatible AMG winter tyres is applicable
for AMG tyres. Use of snow chains is only
permissible with these tyres.
! Vehicles with the AIRMATIC package*: do
not drive in ADS SPORTmode when driving
with snow chains fitted.
If you intend to fit snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind:
28 Only available for certain countries. Operation
* optional
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Display
messages 256 Text messages
G
Risk of accident and injury
The operating safety of your vehicle could be compromised if service work is carried out improperly. You could lose control of the vehicle,
thereby causing an accident. Safety systems may also not be able to protect you or others as intended.
Always have maintenance work carried out at a qualified specialist workshop which has the necessary specialist knowledge and tools to
carry out the work required.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this purpose.
In particular, work relevant to safety or on safety-related systems must be carried out at a qualified specialist workshop. Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
120 km/h Maximum speed
exceeded The maximum speed has been excee-
ded
31
. X
Drive more slowly. ABS ABS, ESP unavaila-
ble See Owner's
Manual
G
Risk of accident
ABS and ESP ®
and therefore also PRE-
SAFE ®
are temporarily unavailable. It is
possible that self diagnosis is not yet com-
plete.
BAS has also been deactivated.
The brake system continues to function
normally, but without the functions listed
above. X
Carefully drive a short distance at a speed
above 20 km/h.
If the display message disappears, ABS and
ESP ®
are available again. 31
Only for certain countries. Practical advi
ce
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Display
messages 257Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
ABS ABS, ESP unavaila-
ble See Owner's
Manual G
Risk of accident
ABS, ESP ®
and therefore also PRE-
SAFE ®
are unavailable due to undervolt-
age. BAS has also been deactivated.
The brake system continues to function
normally, but without the functions listed
above. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately. ABS ABS, ESP inopera-
tive See Owner's
Manual G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
and therefore also PRE-SAFE ®
are
unavailable due to a malfunction. BAS has
also been deactivated.
The brake system continues to function
normally, but without the functions listed
above. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately. DISTRONIC - - - km/h
An activation condition for Distronic
*is
not fulfilled. X
If conditions permit, drive faster than
30 km/h and store the speed (Y page 143).
or
X Check the activation conditions for Dis-
tronic* (Y page 143). DISTRONIC Override
Distronic* is no longer controlling the
speed of the vehicle. X
Ease off the accelerator pedal. DISTRONIC inoperative
Distronic* is faulty or the display has
failed. X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Practical advice
* optional
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Display
messages 266 Display messages Possible cause/consequence Possible solution
3 EBV, ABS, ESP inop-
erative See Own-
er's Manual
G
Risk of accident
EBV, ABS, ESP ®
and therefore also PRE-
SAFE ®
are unavailable due to a malfunc-
tion. BAS has also been deactivated.
The brake system continues to function
normally, but without the functions listed
above. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately. 3 Check brake fluid
level
G
Risk of accident
There is insufficient brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir. X
Pull over as soon as it is safe to do so.
X Do not continue driving under any circumstan-
ces.
X Consult the nearest qualified specialist work-
shop.
X Do not top up the brake fluid. This will not rec-
tify the malfunction. ! Release parking
brake You are driving with the parking brake
applied. X
Release the parking brake. 1 Restraint sys.
malfunction Con-
sult workshop
G
Risk of injury
The restraint systems are faulty. X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately. ] Clean fuel filter There is water in the fuel filter. The water
must be drained off
32
. X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 32
Only for certain countries. Practical advi
ce
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Troubleshooting
281Indicator and warning lamps in the instrument cluster
Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
-
The yellow ABS warning
lamp comes on while the
engine is running. G
Risk of accident
ABS has been deactivated due to
a malfunction. Therefore, Brake
Assist, ESP ®
and PRE-SAFE ®
are,
for example, also deactivated.
The brake system continues to
function normally, but without
electronic support. The wheels
could therefore lock if you brake
hard, for example. X
Drive on carefully.
X Observe the additional messages in the multi-function display
(Y page 255).
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop as soon as possible. -
The yellow ABS warning
lamp comes on while the
engine is running. G
Risk of accident
ABS has been deactivated due to
undervoltage. It is possible that
the battery is not being charged.
Therefore, the following systems
are, for example, also deactiva-
ted: Brake Assist, ESP ®
, BAS and
PRE-SAFE ®
.
The brake system continues to
function normally, but without
electronic support. The wheels
could therefore lock if you brake
hard, for example. X
Switch off consumers that are not required, e.g. reading lamps,
interior lighting, etc.
ABS will be available again as soon as the vehicle's electrical sys-
tem voltage increases. Practical advice
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Troubleshooting
282 Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
v
3
- The yellow ESP
®
warning
lamp, the red brake sys-
tem warning lamp and the
yellow ABS warning lamp
light up while the engine is
running. You will also hear
a warning tone. G
Risk of accident
The electronic brake force distri-
bution (EBV) is faulty. Therefore,
ABS, Brake Assist, ESP ®
and PRE-
SAFE ®
are, for example, no lon-
ger available. The brake system
continues to function normally,
but without electronic support.
The wheels could therefore lock
if you brake hard, for example. X
Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. v
The yellow ESP ®
warning
lamp flashes while the
vehicle is in motion. G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
, ABS or traction control has
intervened because at least one
wheel has reached its grip limit
and is threatening to spin or lock.
Cruise control or Distronic* is
deactivated. X
Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as necessary when pull-
ing away.
X Release the accelerator pedal while you are driving.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
.
Exceptions: ( Ypage 61). v
The yellow ESP ®
warning
lamp is lit while the engine
is running. G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
is deactivated. ESP ®
will
not stabilise the vehicle if it starts
to skid or if a wheel starts to spin. X
Reactivate ESP ®
.
Exceptions: ( Ypage 61).
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions. Practical advice
* optional
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Tyres and wheels
345Tyres and wheels
Points to remember
! For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz rec-
ommends that you only use tyres which
have been approved specifically for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz. These tyres are
specially adapted for use with the control
systems, such as ABS or ESP ®
, and are
marked as follows:
R MO = Mercedes-Benz Original
R MOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Exten-
ded* (with run-flat characteristics)
If you use other tyres, Mercedes-Benz can-
not accept any responsibility for damage
which may occur. Information about tyres
can be obtained from any Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
i Vehicles with MOExtended run-flat sys-
tem are not equipped with the TIREFIT
kit* 42
.
It is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally equip your vehicle with the TIREFIT
kit* when fitting tyres that do not feature
run-flat properties, e.g. winter tyres. i
A TIREFIT kit* is available from any quali-
fied specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre.
! If you fit tyres other than those tested and
recommended by Mercedes-Benz, charac-
teristics such as handling, noise levels and
fuel consumption, etc. could be adversely
affected. In addition, when driving with a
load, dimensional variations and different
tyre deformation characteristics could
cause the tyres to come into contact with
the bodywork and axle components. This
could result in damage to the tyres or the
vehicle.
i Further information about tyres and
wheels can be obtained from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
You will find a table of tyre pressures on the
inside of your vehicle's fuel filler flap. You
will find further information about tyre pres-
sures in the "Operation" section
(Y page 226).
42 Only for certain countries. Technical data
* optional
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Service products and capacities
362 Brake fluid
Over a period of time, the brake fluid absorbs
moisture from the air; this lowers its boiling
point. G
Risk of accident
If the boiling point of the brake fluid is too
low, vapour pockets may form in the brake
system when the brakes are applied hard
(e.g. when driving downhill). This would
impair braking efficiency.
Have the brake fluid renewed every two
years with a brake fluid that has been
approved by Mercedes-Benz and have this
confirmed in the Service Booklet. i
There is usually a notice in the engine
compartment to remind you when the next
brake fluid change is due. Windscreen washer system
The washer fluid reservoir holds approxi-
mately 7.3 litres.
The headlamp cleaning system and the wind-
screen washer system are both supplied from
the washer fluid reservoir.
X At temperatures above freezing point:
Top up the washer fluid reservoir with a
mixture of water and windscreen washer
concentrate (Y page 223).
X At temperatures below freezing point:
Top up the washer fluid reservoir with a
mixture of water, antifreeze and wind-
screen washer concentrate (Y page 223).
Adapt the mixing ratio to the outside tem-
peratures. G
Risk of fire
Windscreen washer concentrate is highly
flammable. Fire, naked flames and smoking
are prohibited when windscreen washer
concentrate is being handled. Technical data
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