ESP MERCEDES-BENZ R320 2008 W251 Owner's Manual

Contents
Safety and Security.......................... 69
Occupant safety................................... 70
Air bags .......................................... 72
Occupant Classification System ..... 77
Seat belts ....................................... 82
Active head restraints .................... 86
Rear head restraints ....................... 87
Children in the vehicle .................... 87
Blocking of rear door window
operation ........................................ 97
Panic alarm .......................................... 98
Activating ....................................... 98
Deactivating ................................... 98
Driving safety systems ......................... 99
ABS ................................................ 99
BAS .............................................. 101
ESP
®............................................. 101
EBP............................................... 105
Anti-theft systems.............................. 106
Immobilizer................................... 106
Anti-theft alarm system ................ 106
Controls in detail............................. 109
Locking and unlocking ....................... 110
SmartKey ..................................... 110
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 113
Checking the batteries in the
SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* .............................. 118
Loss of the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 118
Opening the doors from the inside 118
Tailgate/Power tailgate*.............. 119
Automatic central locking ............ 126
Locking and unlocking from
the inside ..................................... 126
Seats ................................................. 128
Easy-entry/exit feature ................ 128
Lumbar support............................ 132
Multicontour seat* ....................... 132
Front seat active head restraints . 133
Rear seats .................................... 133
Seat heating* ............................... 139
Seat ventilation* (Canada only) ... 140Memory function* ............................. 141
Storing positions into memory ..... 142
Recalling positions from memory. 142
Lighting ............................................. 143
Exterior lamp switch .................... 143
Combination switch ..................... 147
Corner-illuminating front
fog lamps* ................................... 148
Hazard warning flasher ................ 150
Interior lighting ............................ 150
Door entry lamps ......................... 153
Cargo compartment lamp ............ 153
Instrument cluster ............................. 154
Adjusting instrument cluster
illumination .................................. 154
Resetting trip odometer ............... 155
Tachometer.................................. 155
Outside temperature indicator ..... 155

9
Product information

Introduction
Product information
Please observe the following in your own
best interest:
We recommend using Genuine
Mercedes-Benz Parts as well as conversion
parts and accessories explicitly approved
by us for your vehicle model.
We have tested these parts to determine
their reliability, safety and special
suitability for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.We are unable to make an assessment for
other products and therefore cannot be
held responsible for them, even if in indi-
vidual cases an official approval or authori-
zation by governmental or other agencies
should exist. Use of such parts and acces-
sories could adversely affect the safety,
performance or reliability of your vehicle.
Please do not use them.Genuine Mercedes-Benz Parts as well as
conversion parts and accessories
approved by us are available at your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center where you will receive comprehen-
sive information, also on permissible tech-
nical modifications, and where proper
installation will be performed.

12 Introduction
Operator’s Manual
Maintenance
The Maintenance Booklet describes all the
necessary maintenance work which should
be performed at regular intervals.
Always have the Maintenance Booklet with
you when you take the vehicle to your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center for service. The service advisor will
record each service in the booklet for you.Roadside Assistance
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program provides factory-trained technical
help in the event of a breakdown. Calls to
the toll-free Roadside Assistance number
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA)
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada)
will be answered by Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Representatives
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Roadside Assistance will be provided in
accordance with standard program guide-
lines which include providing service to the
vehicle up to a reasonable distance from a
paved roadway. We will make every effort
to assist in a breakdown situation,
however, the accessibility of your vehicle
will be determined by our authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center
technician or the tow service provider on a
case-by-case basis and may be a factor in
our ability to respond.Additional charges may be applicable for a
breakdown location determined not to be a
reasonably accessible roadside location as
determined by our authorized technician
and tow service provider.
For additional information refer to the
Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Program brochure in your vehicle literature
portfolio.

15 Introduction
Symbols
Symbols
Trademarks:

ESP® is a registered trademark of
DaimlerChrysler.

HomeLink® is a registered trademark
of Prince, a Johnson Controls
Company.
The following symbols are found in this
Operator’s Manual:
* Optional equipment is identified
with an asterisk. Since standard
equipment varies between models,
the descriptions and illustrations in
this manual may differ slightly from
the actual equipment of your vehi-
cle.
This symbol points to instructions for
you to follow.
A number of these symbols appearing
in succession indicates a multiple-step
procedure.
 page This symbol tells you where to
look for further information on a
topic.
This continuation symbol marks
a warning which is continued on
the next page.
This continuation symbol marks
a procedure which is continued
on the next page.
-> This symbol is used to indicate
cross-references to term defini-
tions.
DisplayWords appearing in the multi-
function display are printed in
the type shown here.
Warning!G
Warning notices draw your attention to haz-
ards that may endanger your health or life,
or the health or life of others.
!Highlights hazards that may result in dam-
age to your vehicle.
iHelpful hints or further information you may
find useful.

19 Introduction
Vehicle data recording
Vehicle data recording
Information regarding electronic
recording devices
(Including notice pursuant to California Code § 9951)
Please note that your vehicle is equipped with devices that can record vehicle systems data and, if equipped with the Tele Aid* system,
may transmit some data in certain accidents.
This information helps, for example, to diagnose vehicle systems after a collision and to continuously improve vehicle safety.
DaimlerChrysler may access the information and share it with others

for safety research or vehicle diagnosis purposes

with the consent of the vehicle owner or lessee

in response to an official request by law enforcement or other government agency

for use in dispute resolution involving DaimlerChrysler, its affiliates or sales/service organization and/or

as otherwise required or permitted by law.
Please check the Tele Aid* subscription service agreement for details regarding the information that may be recorded or transmitted
via that system.

27 At a glance
Instrument cluster
ItemPage
1LLeft turn signal
indicator lamp
2To dim instrument cluster
illumination154
3Reset button for:

Resetting trip odometer

Resetting all settings
155
171
4To brighten instrument
cluster illumination154
5KRight turn signal
indicator lamp
6Clock176
ItemPage
7Speedometer with:
-Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
indicator lamp414
’Variable speed limiter
indicator lamp1
lDistance warning
lamp2262,
414
1Lamp without function. It illuminates when the
ignition is on. It should go out when the engine is
running.
2Vehicles without Distronic*: Warning lamp without
function. It illuminates when the ignition is on.
It should go out when the engine is running.
ItemPage
;Brake warning lamp,
USA only415
3Brake warning lamp,
Canada only415
vElectronic Stability
Program (ESP®)
warning lamp
419
HCombination low tire
pressure/TPMS
malfunction telltale,
USA only422
Low tire pressure
telltale*, Canada only422

31 At a glance
Center console
Center console
Upper partItemPage
1COMAND system, see
separate operating
instructions
2Climate control208
3-zone automatic climate
control*222
Rear window defroster207
3Seat heating*,
front passenger side139
4Seat ventilation*,
front passenger side
(Canada only)140
5Vehicle level control
switch*279
6Program mode selector
switch for automatic
transmission200
ItemPage
7Front passenger front air
bag off indicator lamp 77,
425
8Hazard warning flasher
switch150
9Alarm system indicator
lamp107
aParktronic system*
deactivation switch284
bElectronic Stability Program
(ESP®) switch
104
cSeat ventilation*,
driver’s side (Canada only)140
dSeat heating*, driver’s side139
eAdaptive damping system
(ADS)* switch277

38 Getting started
The “Getting started” section provides an
overview of the vehicle’s most basic func-
tions. First-time Mercedes-Benz owners
should pay special attention to the infor-
mation given here.
If you are already familiar with the basic
functions described here, the “Controls in
detail” section will provide you with further
information. The corresponding page
references are located at the end of each
segment.
Unlocking
Unlocking with the SmartKey
SmartKey
1‹Lock button
2ŠUnlock button* for tailgate
3ŒUnlock button
4ÂPanic button (
page 98)
Press buttonΠon the SmartKey.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The
vehicle unlocks. The locking knobs in
the doors move up. The anti-theft alarm
system is disarmed. The locator light-
ing comes on if the feature is enabled
in the control system (
page 178).
Enter the vehicle and insert the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 110).
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle.
A child’s unsupervised access to a vehicle
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.

39 Getting started
Unlocking
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*
With the KEYLESS-GO function, you can
lock or unlock the vehicle without using
the remote control buttons on the
SmartKey and start the engine without
inserting the SmartKey into the starter
switch.Grasp an outside door handle.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The
vehicle unlocks. The locking knobs in
the doors move up. The anti-theft alarm
system is disarmed. The locator light-
ing comes on if the feature is enabled
in the control system (
page 178).
Enter the vehicle.
For more information, see “SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*” (
page 113).
Starter switch positions
iTo unlock the vehicle, the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO must be outside the vehicle, no
further than approximately 3 feet (1 meter) away
from the respective door.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children
unattended in the vehicle, or with access to
an unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.
i If the vehicle has been parked for more than
72 hours, you must pull an outside door handle
in order to activate the KEYLESS-GO function.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children
unattended in the vehicle, or with access to
an unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.

40 Getting started
Unlocking
SmartKey
Starter switch
0For removing SmartKey
1Power supply for some electrical
consumers, such as seat adjustment
2Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position
All lamps (except high beam headlamp
indicator lamp and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instru-
ment cluster come on. If a lamp in the
instrument cluster fails to come on
when the ignition is switched on, have
it checked and replaced if necessary. If
a lamp in the instrument cluster remains on after starting the engine or
comes on while driving, refer to “Lamps
in instrument cluster” (
page 414).
3Starting position
iWhen you switch on the ignition, the
indicator and warning lamps (except high beam
headlamp indicator lamp and turn signal indica-
tor lamps unless activated) in the instrument
cluster come on. The indicator and warning
lamps (except high beam headlamp indicator
lamp and turn signal indicator lamps if activated)
will go out when the engine is running.
This indicates that the respective systems are
operational.
iIf the SmartKey does not belong to the
vehicle, the SmartKey can be turned in the
starter switch. However, the ignition does not
switch on and the engine does not start.
iWhen the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch and the automatic transmission is
in a position other thanP, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts toP.
!If the SmartKey cannot be turned in
the starter switch, the battery may not be
sufficiently charged.

Check the battery and charge it if necessary
(
page 503).

Get a jump start (page 511).
To prevent accelerated battery discharge or a
completely discharged battery, always remove
the SmartKey from the starter switch when the
engine is not in operation.