AIRMATIC package

General notes

AIRMATIC regulates the level of your vehicle.

As well as level control  , your vehicle can be equipped with ADS (Adaptive Damping System)   and ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM  .

Observe the notes on driving with a trailer  .

ADS (Adaptive Damping System)

General notes

ADS adapts the damping characteristics to the current operating and driving situation.

This depends on:
• your driving style • the road surface conditions • the ADS setting • the vehicle level setting Your selection remains stored even if you remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.

Sports tuning

Example: vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD package

1 Suspension tuning button 2 Indicator lamp for sports tuning 3 Indicator lamp for comfort tuning

■ Start the engine.

■ Press button 1.

Indicator lamp 2 lights up. Sports suspension tuning is selected. The vehicle is lowered by 0.6 in (15 mm).

The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode ensures even better contact with the road.

Select this mode when employing a sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.

Comfort tuning

Example: vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD package

1 Suspension tuning button 2 Indicator lamp for sports tuning 3 Indicator lamp for comfort tuning

■ Press button 1.

Indicator lamp 3 lights up. Comfort tuning is selected. The vehicle is raised by 0.6 in (15 mm).

In comfort mode, the driving characteristics of your vehicle are more comfortable.

Therefore, select this mode if you favor a more comfortable driving style. Select comfort mode also when driving fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight stretches of freeway.

Active Curve System

The Active Curve System uses active stabilizers to optimize both driving comfort and vehicle agility. Depending on the ADS mode selected  , the Active Curve System also changes the setting.

If you select ADS comfort mode: • rolling movement is reduced in the event of changing surface undulations • the roll angle when cornering is reduced R the driving style is agile If you select ADS sport mode: • the roll angle is reduced significantly • the driving style is even more agile

Level control

Important safety notes

WARNING

When the vehicle is being lowered, people could become trapped if their limbs are between the vehicle body and the wheels or underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of injury.

Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches when the vehicle is being lowered.

WARNING

When you drive with the vehicle raised, the driving characteristics could be impaired by the vehicle's raised center of gravity. The vehicle could rollover more easily, for example on a bend. There is a risk of an accident.

Always select as low a vehicle level as possible and adjust your driving style.

WARNING

When you drive with the chassis lowered or raised, the vehicle's braking and driving characteristics can be significantly impaired.

You could also exceed the permissible vehicle height if the chassis is raised. There is a risk of an accident.

Adjust the vehicle level before pulling away.

WARNING

Due to the high center of gravity, the vehicle may start to skid and roll over in the event of an abrupt steering maneuver and/or when the vehicle's speed is not adapted to the road conditions. There is a risk of an accident.

Always adapt your speed and driving style to the vehicle's driving characteristics and to the prevailing road and weather conditions.

When driving on extremely rough terrain, select a high vehicle level in good time.

Make sure there is always sufficient ground clearance. You will otherwise damage the vehicle.

When you raise the vehicle in such a way that not all wheels have contact with the ground, remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.

• Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles.

Failure to operate this vehicle safely may result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle, and severe or fatal injury.

• In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt.

You and all vehicle occupants should always wear your seat belts.

General notes

Further information about "Driving off-road"  .

Level control adapts the vehicle level automatically to the current operating and driving situation. This results in reduced fuel consumption and improved handling.

If you select ADS comfort mode  , the vehicle is lowered to highspeed level as the speed increases. As the vehicle speed decreases, the vehicle is raised back up to highway level.

If you select ADS sport mode  , the vehicle skips highway level and lowers directly to high-speed level depending on the basic setting  .

Make changes to the vehicle level while the vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle to adjust to the new level as quickly as possible.

The vehicle level may change visibly if you park the vehicle and the outside temperature changes. If the temperature drops, the vehicle level is lower; with an increase in temperature, the vehicle level rises.

If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the vehicle begins to compensate for load discrepancies while still parked. However, for significant level changes, such as after the vehicle has been stationary for a long period, the engine must be on. For safety reasons, the vehicle is only lowered when the doors are closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door is opened, and it continues once the door has been closed.

Basic settings (excluding AMG vehicles)

The extent to which the vehicle is raised or lowered depends on the basic setting selected. Select raised level for off-road driving or highway/high-speed level for normal roads.

The individual vehicle levels differ from highway level as follows: • highway level: +/–0 in (+/–0 mm) • high-speed level: –0.6 in (–15 mm) • raised level: +2.3 in (+60 mm)

Basic settings for AMG vehicles

The extent to which the vehicle is raised or lowered depends on the AMG adaptive sport suspension setting selected. Select the raised level for off-road driving or highway/ high-speed level for normal roads.

The raised level corresponds to a vehicle position raised by 50 mm compared with highway level in comfort mode.

Raised level

Only select raised level if this is appropriate for the road conditions. Otherwise, fuel consumption may increase and handling may be affected.

■ Start the engine.

If indicator lamp 2 is not lit: ■ Press button 1.

Indicator lamp 2 flashes. The vehicle rises to raised level.

During the adjustment, the Raising message, for example, appears in the multifunction display.

If you press the or
button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message will disappear.

Once the vehicle has reached raised level, indicator lamp 2 remains lit. The Raising message disappears from the multifunction display.

If you try to select raised level at a speed above 40 mph (64 km/h), the Drive More Slowly message appears in the multifunction display.

Highway/high-speed level

Make sure that there is enough ground clearance when the vehicle is being lowered. It could otherwise hit the ground, damaging the underbody.

1 Level control button 2 Level control indicator lamp

■ Start the engine.

If indicator lamp 2 is lit: ■ Press button 1.

Indicator lamp 2 flashes. The vehicle is adjusting to highway/high-speed level.

During the adjustment, the Lowering message, for example, appears in the multifunction display.

If you press the or
button on the
multifunction steering wheel, the message will disappear.

Once highway level has been reached, indicator lamp ; goes out. The Lowering message disappears from the multifunction display.

The vehicle automatically adjusts to highway level when you:

• drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) • drive between 40 mph (64 km/h) and 50 mph (80 km/h) for approximately 20 seconds

Depending on the ADS mode selected  , the vehicle is lowered to highspeed level at high speeds.