If you drive at an angle or turn on an incline, the vehicle could slip sideways, tip and rollover.
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system.
When driving off-road, sand, mud and water or water mixed with oil may get into the brakes. This may lead to a reduction in braking effect or total brake failure as a result of increased wear. The braking characteristics will vary depending on the material that has entered the system. Clean the brakes after driving off-road. If you then notice reduced braking effect or hear scraping noises, have the brake system checked at a qualified specialist workshop. Adapt your driving style to the changed braking characteristics.
driving up onto high kerbs or unpaved roads.
quickly driving over obstacles such as kerbs, speed bumps or potholes.
heavy objects hitting the underbody or chassis components.
Environmental protection has priority. Treat nature with respect.
Fuel level
Engine oil level: fill engine oil to the maximum level to ensure full gradeability More.
AdBlue® fill level of at least 10 litres
Tyre-change tool kit and spare wheel
Tyres and wheels
Read this section before driving your vehicle off-road. Practise by driving over more gentle off-road terrain first.
In LOW RANGE off-road gear, or with the differential locks engaged, the vehicle switches to the 
More off-road drive program.
In LOW RANGE off-road gear, you can shift from 
to 
and from 
to without having to depress the brake pedal. This can help you, for example, when rocking your vehicle out of a rut ("rocking free").
Always keep the engine running and in gear when driving on downhill gradients and slopes. Observe the notes on driving in mountainous terrain.
Do not drive on unknown terrain that is not easily visible and stay on marked routes.
Always keep the doors and windows closed while the vehicle is in motion.
Deactivate Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC, cruise control and the variable limiter.
Adapt your driving style to the terrain.
Do not use the HOLD function on steep downhill or uphill gradients with slippery or loose surfaces.
Driving on sand
Switch to the Desert drive program (availability depending on country) More.
Shift to a lower gear.
Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resistance, otherwise the vehicle may dig itself in.
Drive in the tracks of other vehicles if possible. Make sure that the following prerequisites are met:
the tyre ruts are not too deep
the sand is firm enough
the ground clearance is sufficient
Lower the tyre pressure in all four wheels.
Contrary to the information on the tyre pressure plate (fuel filler flap), you can lower the tyre pressure to 120 kPa (1.2 bar/17.4 psi).
Once you stop driving on sand, immediately increase the tyre pressure again.
Information on the recommended tyre pressure for the vehicle's factory-fitted tyres can be found on the tyre pressure table on the inside of the fuel filler flap More.
Fording
Drive no faster than 10 km/h.
Observe the maximum permissible fording depth in the Technical Data in the printed vehicle Owner's Manual.
Before fording, shift the transfer case to the LOW RANGE off-road gear More.
Switch off automatic climate control More.
Vehicles with stationary heater/ventilation: switch the stationary heater/ventilation off More.
Ensure that a bow wave does not form as you drive.
Do not stop in the water and do not switch off the engine. Ensure the ECO start/stop function is switched off More.
Driving in mountainous terrain
Observe the values of the approach/departure angle and of the maximum gradient in the Technical Data in the printed vehicle Owner's Manual.
Engage the differential locks if necessary More.
Avoid high engine speeds.
Use the braking power of the engine when driving downhill.
Shift to a lower gear on uphill gradients and on long, steep downhill gradients.
Driving off-road places greater demands on your vehicle than driving on normal roads. Check the entire vehicle for damage and foreign bodies every time after driving off-road. Foreign bodies in the wheels or drivetrain can lead to imbalances and therefore vibrations.
Shift the transfer case to the on-road position HIGH RANGE.
Disengage the differential locks.
Apply the brakes to dry them after fording.
Check that the service brake is working normally after a long downhill stretch.
Clean the following components every time after driving off-road:
licence plate number
headlamps and tail lamps
tyres, wheels and wheel arches
underbody
After driving through sand, mud, water or gravel, have the following components checked and cleaned:
brake disks and brakepads
tyres and wheels
axle joints
radiator
alternator
belt drive