ECO mode MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS MPV 2008 User Guide

Air conditioning
173Switching the rear window heating
on/off
G
Risk of accident
Clear all windows of ice or snow before set-
ting off. Impaired visibility could otherwise
endanger you and others.
i At very low temperatures, the rear win-
dow heating is only switched on once the
vehicle interior has warmed up.
i The rear window heating has a high cur-
rent draw. You should therefore switch it
off as soon as the window is clear, as it only
switches off automatically after several
minutes.
i If the battery voltage is too low, the rear
window heating may switch off.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press the 1button.
The indicator lamp in the 1button lights
up or goes out. Activating/deactivating air-recircula-
tion mode
You can deactivate the flow of fresh air if
unpleasant odours are entering the vehicle
from outside. The air already inside the vehi-
cle will then be recirculated. G
Risk of accident
Only switch over to air-recirculation mode
briefly at low outside temperatures. Other-
wise, the windows could mist up, thus
impairing visibility and endangering your-
self and others. This may prevent you from
observing the traffic conditions, thereby
causing an accident.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X To activate: press the:button.
The indicator lamp in the :button
comes on.
i Air-recirculation mode is activated auto-
matically at high outside temperatures.
When air-recirculation mode is activated
automatically, the indicator lamp in
the : button is not lit.
Outside air is added after about 30
minutes. X
To deactivate: press the:button.
The indicator lamp in the :button goes
out.
i Air-recirculation mode switches off auto-
matically:
R after approximately five minutes at out-
side temperatures below approximately
5 †
R after approximately five minutes if cool-
ing with air dehumidification is deactiva-
ted
R after approximately 30 minutes at out-
side temperatures above approximately
5 †
Air-recirculation mode with the conve-
nience opening/closing feature G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped between the side window and the door
frame as the side windows are opened and
closed. Do not place objects or lean against
the side window when it is being opened or
closed. You or the objects could be drawn
in or become trapped between the side
window and the door frame as the window Cont
rols
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh
,V ersion: 2.10.6
2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 173 ZDateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight

Air conditioning
174 moves. If there is a risk of entrapment,
press the :button again. Press the but-
ton for stopping, opening or closing the side
window in the opposite direction as appro-
priate.
Make sure that nobody can become trap-
ped when you open or close the sliding/
tilting sunroof*/panorama sliding sun-
roof*. If there is a risk of entrapment, press
the : button again. Press the button for
stopping, opening or closing the sliding/
tilting sunroof*/panorama sliding sun-
roof *in the opposite direction as appropri-
ate.
X Convenience closing: press and hold
the : button until the side windows and
the sliding/tilting sunroof*/panorama
sliding sunroof* have closed.
The indicator lamp in the :button
comes on. Air-recirculation mode is activa-
ted.
X Convenience opening: press and hold
the : button until the side windows and
the sliding/tilting sunroof*/panorama sliding sunroof* have reached their original
position.
The indicator lamp in the
:button goes
out. Air-recirculation mode is deactivated.
i If you open the side windows or the slid-
ing/tilting sunroof* or panorama sliding
sunroof* manually after closing using the
convenience closing feature, it will remain
in this position when opened using the con-
venience opening feature. Switching the residual heat on/off
It is possible to make use of the residual heat
of the engine to continue heating the station-
ary vehicle for up to 30 minutes after the
engine has been switched off. The heating
time depends on the set interior temperature.
i The blower will run at a low speed regard-
less of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the "residual heat" function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated. The blower runs at
medium speed. X
Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock or remove it.
X To switch on: press the9button.
The indicator lamp in the 9button lights
up.
X To deactivate: press the9button.
The indicator lamp in the 9button goes
out.
i The residual heat automatically switches
off after around 30 minutes or if:
R the ignition is switched on
R the battery voltage drops Auxiliary heating/ventilation*
G
Risk of poisoning
Exhaust fumes are produced when the aux-
iliary heating is in operation. Inhaling these
exhaust fumes can be poisonous. You
should therefore switch off the auxiliary
heating in confined spaces without an
extraction system, e.g. a garage. G
Risk of fire
When operating the auxiliary heating, parts
of the vehicle may become very hot, and Controls
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh
,V ersion: 2.10.6
2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 174 Dateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight

Air conditioning
175highly inflammable material such as fuels
could be ignited. Operating the auxiliary
heating is thus prohibited at filling stations
or when your vehicle is being refuelled. You
must therefore switch off the auxiliary heat-
ing at filling stations.
The auxiliary heating heats the air in the vehi-
cle interior to the set temperature without
using the heat of the running engine. The aux-
iliary heating is operated using fuel directly
from the vehicle's fuel tank. For this reason,
the tank content must be at least at reserve
fuel level to ensure that the auxiliary heating
functions.
The auxiliary heating/ventilation automati-
cally adjusts to changes in temperature and
weather conditions. For this reason, the aux-
iliary heating could switch from ventilation
mode to heating mode or from heating mode
to ventilation mode.
You cannot use the auxiliary ventilation to
cool the vehicle interior to a temperature
lower than the outside temperature.
Before activating X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Set the temperature. The auxiliary heating/ventilation can be acti-
vated even when the air conditioning is being
controlled manually. Optimum comfort can
be attained when the system is set to auto-
matic mode. Set the temperature to 22 †.
The auxiliary heating/ventilation can be acti-
vated or deactivated using the remote control
or the button on the centre console.
The on-board computer can be used to spec-
ify up to three departure times, one of which
may be preselected (Y page 135).
Switching the auxiliary heating/venti-
lation on/off using the centre console
button Centre console
1
X Auxiliary heating/ventilation The colours of the indicator lights on the but-
ton have the following meanings:
Blu
eA uxiliary ventilation activated
Red Auxiliary heating activated
Yello wDeparture time preselected
(Y page 134)
Activating the auxiliary heating/ventila-
tion
If the key is in position 1or 2:
X Press and hold the Xbutton for at least
two seconds.
The red or blue indicator lamp in the X
button lights up.
If the key is removed or in position 0:
X Briefly press the Xbutton.
The red or blue indicator lamp in the X
button lights up.
Deactivating the auxiliary heating/venti-
lation
X Briefly press the Xbutton.
The red or blue indicator lamp in the X
button goes out. Controls
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 175 ZDateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight

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
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
Version: 2.10.6 2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 231 ZDateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight

Driving
tips 233
Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer,
you must select shift range
1,2or 3in good
time.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, Speedtronic or Distronic*.
This uses the braking effect of the engine and
you will not have to brake to such an extent
to maintain the same speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly. If you need additional braking,
depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather
than continuously.
Heavy and light loads If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continu-
ously while the vehicle is in motion, e.g.
never cause the brakes to rub by applying
constant slight pedal pressure. This causes
the brake system to overheat, increases the braking distance and can lead to the
brakes failing completely.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet roads If driving in heavy rain for a prolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes, when brak-
ing for the first time. You must brake harder.
You must therefore maintain a greater dis-
tance from the vehicle in front.
Brake firmly after driving on a wet road. This
way the brake discs will become warm, drying
more quickly, which will protect them against
corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salted
roads
G
Risk of accident
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause a delay in
the braking effect, resulting in a signifi- cantly longer braking distance, which could
lead to an accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R
occasionally brake carefully, without put-
ting other road users at risk, when you
are driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are
removed from the brake disc.
New brake pads/linings For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which corre-
spond to an equivalent quality standard.
Brake pads/linings which have not been
approved for Mercedes-Benz or which are not
of an equivalent quality could affect your vehi-
cle's operating safety. Operation
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh
,V ersion: 2.10.6
2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 233 ZDateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight

Troubleshooting
292 Automatic transmission
Problem Possible cause/consequence Suggested solutions
The transmission has problems
shifting gear The transmission is losing oil. X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. The acceleration ability is deteri-
orating.
The transmission no longer
changes gear. The transmission is in emergency
mode.
It is only possible to shift into
2nd
gear and reverse gear. X
Stop the vehicle.
X Move the selector lever to P.
X Turn the key to position 0(Y page 76) in the ignition lock.
X Wait at least 10 seconds before restarting the engine.
X Move the selector lever to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into 2ndgear; if Ris selec-
ted, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. Practical advice
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh
,V ersion: 2.10.6
2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 292 Dateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight

Battery
323
You must not exceed a maximum speed of
80 km/h. G
Risk of accident
The handling characteristics of your vehicle
deteriorate in run-flat mode, for example:
R when cornering
R when braking
R when accelerating rapidly
Adapt your driving style accordingly and
avoid sudden changes in direction and sud-
den acceleration, as well as driving over
obstacles (i.e. kerbs, potholes), and driving
off-road. This is particularly the case when
the vehicle is heavily laden.
The maximum permissible distance that
can be driven in run-flat mode depends to
a large extent on the loads placed on the
vehicle. It can be shorter due to high
speeds, a heavy load, sudden acceleration
and/or manoeuvring, the road surface con-
dition, outside temperature, etc., or further
if you drive carefully and conservatively.
Do not continue to drive in run-flat mode if:
R you hear banging noises
R the vehicle starts to shake
R you see smoke and smell rubber R
ESP ®
is intervening constantly
R there are tears in the sidewalls of the tyre
After driving in run-flat mode, you must
have the rims checked for damage at a
qualified specialist workshop which has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools
to carry out the work required. The faulty
tyre must be replaced in every case.
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 work-
shop.
i On a vehicle with MOExtended tyres, only
use MOExtended spare tyres. These must
be of the size specified for the vehicle. Battery
Notes on the vehicle battery
In order for the battery to achieve the maxi-
mum possible service life, it must always be
sufficiently charged.
Have the battery charge checked more fre-
quently if you use the vehicle mainly for short
trips or if you leave it standing idle for a
lengthy period.
To prevent damage from corrosion, only
replace the battery with one that has a central
ventilation cover.
Consult a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre if
you wish to leave your vehicle parked up for
a long period of time. G
Risk of injury
Comply with safety precautions and take
protective measures when handling batter-
ies. Risk of explosion
Fire, naked flames and
smoking are prohibited
when handling the bat-
tery. Avoid creating
sparks. Practical advice
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh
,V ersion: 2.10.6
2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 323 ZDateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight

Trailer coupling*
354 Trailer coupling*
Mounting dimensions
G
Risk of accident
Only have a trailer coupling retrofitted 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 pur-
pose. In particular, work relevant to safety
or on safety-related systems must be car-
ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
! If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
changes to the cooling system may be nec-
essary, depending on the vehicle type.
If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
observe the anchorage points on the chas-
sis frame. Anchorage points for the trailer coupling
1
Anchorage points
2 Overhang dimension
3 Rear axle centre line For trailer tow hitches fitted at the factory, the
overhang dimension is 1,104 mm. Trailer loads
All models
Permissible trailer load,
unbraked 750 kg
Permissible trailer load,
braked
53 2,100 kg
Maximum drawbar nose-
weight
54 85 kg
53
At a minimum gradient-climbing capability of 12% from a standstill.
54 The drawbar noseweight is not included in the trailer load. Technical data
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh ,V ersion: 2.10.6
2008-05-11T14:51:51+02:00 - Seite 354 Dateiname: 6515_1825_02_buchblock.pdf; preflight