
Driving
54
Starting engine
Do not run the engine in closed rooms, 
otherwise the inhaling of toxic exhaust 
gases can cause unconsciousness and death. 
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, 
an odorless and colorless, but highly toxic gas. 
Never leave an unattended vehicle with the 
engine running, as such a vehicle represents a 
potential safety hazard. 
Before leaving the vehicle with the engine run-
ning, move the selector lever into the N position 
and set the handbrake, otherwise the vehicle 
can begin to roll.<
When starting the engine, do not press the 
accelerator pedal.
Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it 
running while the vehicle remains stationary. 
Instead, begin to drive immediately at a moder-
ate engine speed.
Do not press the brake pedal as long as 
you do not want to start the engine. The 
engine starts immediately when you briefly 
press the Start/Stop button with the brake 
pedal depressed.<
1.Depress brake pedal.
2.Place selector lever in position N.
3.Briefly press Start/Stop button.
The system responds by automatically engag-
ing the starter for a certain period and automat-
ically disengaging it as soon as the engine 
starts.If the engine does not start, shift back to 
the last selector lever position selected, 
refer to the instrument cluster display or the 
selector lever. Then select the position N.
You cannot start off with the hood open.
When the engine is cold, the exhaust system 
has a slightly metallic undertone due to the sys-
tem design.<
Avoid frequent starting in quick succes-
sion or repeated starting attempts in 
which the engine does not start. Otherwise, the 
fuel is not burned or inadequately burned and 
there is a danger of overheating and damaging 
the catalytic converter.<
Special starting conditions
Depress the accelerator pedal half way when 
starting the engine in the following situations:
>The engine fails to start on the first attempt, 
e.g. if it is very hot or cold.
>The engine is started at very low tempera-
tures, below approx. + 57/– 156, at high 
altitudes, over approx. 3,300 ft/1,000 m.
Switching off engine
Do not remove the remote control from 
the ignition lock while the vehicle is roll-
ing, otherwise the steering wheel lock would 
engage while steering. 
When leaving the vehicle, always take the 
remote control with you. 
When parking on a downhill incline, apply the 
handbrake, as otherwise the vehicle could roll 
away.<
1.Apply the handbrake.
2.Engage a driving position.
3.Briefly press the Start/Stop button.
A signal sounds when the position N is 
engaged and the handbrake is not set when 
switching off the engine. 

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Handbrake
The handbrake is primarily intended to prevent 
the vehicle from rolling while parked; it brakes 
the rear wheels.
Indicator lamp
The indicator lamp lights up, and a sig-
nal also sounds when starting off. 
The handbrake is applied.
Indicator lamp for Canadian models.
Applying
The lever locks in position automatically.
Releasing
Pull slightly upwards, press the button and 
lower the lever.
If exceptional circumstances should 
make it necessary to engage the hand-
brake while the vehicle is in motion, do not pull it 
too strongly. In doing so, continuously press the 
button of the handbrake lever. Otherwise 
excessive pressure can lead to the rear wheels 
locking up and loss of traction – fishtailing – at 
the rear axle.<
To prevent corrosion and one-sided brak-
ing action, occasionally apply the hand-
brake lightly when the vehicle is slowly coming 
to a stop if the traffic conditions are suitable. 
The brake lamps do not light up when the hand-
brake is applied.<
Sequential Manual 
Transmission with Drivelogic
The concept
The SMG Sequential Manual Transmission 
with Drivelogic is an automated manual trans-
mission in which an electrohydraulic system 
handles the clutching and gear changes.
The Sequential Manual Transmission is oper-
ated with the selector lever and two shift pad-
dles on the steering wheel.
It offers you the following functions:
>Optional manual or automatic operation: 
Sequential mode or Drive mode
>Selection option between different driving 
programs, Drivelogic, refer to page57
>Upshift display, shift lights, refer to page58
>Automatic downshifting and prevention of 
incorrect shifting even in Sequential opera-
tion
>Automatic double clutching
Selector lever positions
>R: Reverse gear
>N: Neutral
>Β: Drive position:
>+: manual upshifting
>–: manual downshifting
>D/S: switch between Drive mode and 
Sequential mode
Shiftlock
Press the brake pedal before shifting out of N; 
the shift command will not be executed unless 
the brake is applied. 

Driving
56
R Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N Idle
Always engage before starting engine.
If the driving situation requires, e.g. when down-
shifting on a slippery road surface, the Sequen-
tial Manual Transmission automatically 
clutches and then declutches again, i.e. it is not 
necessary to engage idling manually.
N is automatically engaged after just a 
few seconds when you open the driver's 
door or the hood with the engine running and do 
not operate either pedals, shift paddles or the 
selector lever. In these cases, to start off after 
closing the driver's door or the hood, first move 
the selector lever into the position N and then 
into the drive position.<
S Sequential mode
You can shift up and down using the shifting 
paddles or the selector lever. You do not need 
to remove your foot from the accelerator to do 
so.
After every engine start, as soon as the selector 
lever is pushed to the right into the drive posi-
tion Β and the brake pedal is pressed, the 
Sequential mode is activated.
Starting off is also possible on a level road sur-
face in second gear, e.g. in case of ice.
In the following situations, the Sequential Man-
ual Transmission thinks for you:
>Upshifts and downshifts are executed only 
when they will result in a plausible combina-
tion of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for 
example, a downshift that would cause the 
engine to overrev will not be executed by 
the system.
>When the vehicle is stationary, the trans-
mission automatically downshifts into first 
gear.
>Shortly before dropping below a gear-
dependent minimum speed, the transmis-
sion downshifts automatically even without 
your intervention.
D Drive mode
In the Drive mode, all forward gears are shifted 
automatically.
Shifting from Sequential mode to Drive mode: 
press selector lever to the right toward D/S.
To switch back into the Sequential mode: press 
selector lever to the right again toward D/S or 
shift using the shift paddles or the selector 
lever.
Kick-down: for rapid acceleration, e. g. when 
passing, press the accelerator pedal as far 
down as it will go. You achieve maximum accel-
eration.
Displays in instrument cluster
1Gear 1 to 7, R, N engaged
2Selected driving program, 
matches the number of illuminated fields, 
refer to Drivelogic on page57
3The currently engaged gear is displayed, 
followed by a D in the Drive mode
A flashing gear display indicates to you 
that the driver's door is open with the 
engine running.
N is automatically engaged after just a few sec-
onds when you open the driver's door or the 
hood with the engine running and the vehicle 
stopped, and do not operate either pedals, shift 
paddles or the selector lever.<
Gear changes
Using selector lever
>To upshift, pull the selector lever back.
>To downshift, push the selector lever for-
ward. 

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Using shift paddles on steering wheel
>To upshift, briefly pull the right shift 
paddle +.
>To downshift, briefly pull the left shift 
paddle –.
Drivelogic
With Drivelogic various driving programs are 
available to you.
Each time you change between the Sequential 
mode and the Drive mode, the driving program 
last selected in the respective mode is active. 
Exception: after the first change from the 
Sequential to the Drive mode, driving program 3 
is active. 
In Drive mode
Five driving programs, from relaxed 1 to sporty/
highly dynamic 5 are available for selection.
In Sequential mode
You can choose from six driving program from 
balanced/dynamic 1 to sporty/purist 6.
Each time the engine is started, driving pro-
gram 3 is activated.
The sporty/purist driving program 6 is only 
available with the DSC Dynamic Stability Con-
trol deactivated, refer to page75. When DSC is 
activated, the system switches from driving 
program 6 to 5.
To maintain vehicle stability, always drive 
with the DSC switched on when possi-
ble.<
Selecting driving program with button 
in center console
Press the button repeatedly until the desired 
driving program is displayed in the instrument 
cluster, refer to page56.
Selecting driving program via button 
on steering wheel
You can also activate your preferred driving pro-
gram with the   button on the steering wheel, 
refer to MDrive on page48.
With the ignition switched on you can change 
the settings of MDrive on the Control Display.
iDrive, for explanation of principle, refer to 
page16.
1.Open the start menu.
2.Press the controller to open the   menu.
3.Select "Vehicle settings" and press the 
controller.
4.Select "MDrive" and press the controller.
5.Select "SMG Drivelogic" and press the con-
troller. The first setting is selected.
6.Turn controller to set Drive mode or 
Sequential mode.
"Unchanged" retains the current settings 
made outside of MDrive. 

Driving
58 7.Press controller to select driving programs.
8.Turn controller to set driving program.
9.Press the controller.
Shift lights
To achieve the best vehicle acceleration with a 
sporty driving style in the Sequential mode, 
shift lights in the Head-Up Display
* indicate the 
optimum shifting point briefly before reaching 
the maximum rpm.
1.Switch on Head-Up Display, refer to Head-
Up Display on page80.
2.Select display "M View" on Head-Up Dis-
play, refer to Selecting displays on page80.
The current engine speed is highlighted on 
the tachometer.
3.When approaching the maximum rpm, yel-
low illuminated fields1 of the tachometer 
consecutively indicate the approaching 
upshift point.
4.Shift at the latest when the red indicator 
field lights up2.
When the permissible maximum rpm is 
reached, the entire tachometer beings to flash. 
When the maximum rpm is exceeded, the fuel 
supply is cut off to protect the engine. Always 
avoid engine speeds in this range.
M Engine Dynamic Control
With M Engine Dynamic Control you can influ-
ence how sporty the reaction of your vehicle to 
accelerator pedal movements is to be. Three 
programs are available for engine control.
"P 400" program
In the "P 400" program the engine reacts gently 
to the movement of the accelerator pedal. This 
is, for example, ideal for city driving or driving on 
snow. In the process, the fuel consumption is 
minimal and the engine output is reduced.
"P 500" program
The "P 500" program provides maximum per-
formance and more spontaneous reaction of 
the engine to accelerator pedal movements.
"P 500 Sport" program
In the "P 500 Sport" program the engine reacts 
especially spontaneously and uncompromis-
ingly sporty with maximum performance to 
accelerator pedal movements.
Selecting program
Each time the engine is started, the "P 400" 
program is activated.
Press the POWER button to activate the 
"P 500" program. Pressing the POWER button 
repeatedly switches between the programs 
"P 400" and "P 500".
You can also activate your preferred program 
with the   button on the steering wheel, refer 
to MDrive on page48. You can only activate the 
"P 500 Sport" program with MDrive.
For the programs "P 500" and "P 500 Sport" 
the LED in the POWER button lights up. 

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Cruise control
The concept
The cruise control is available for use at speeds 
of approx. 20 mph/30 km/h and higher. The 
vehicle stores and maintains the speed that you 
set using the lever mounted on the steering col-
umn.
Do not use the cruise control under driv-
ing conditions that do not permit a con-
stant speed, e.g. when driving on winding 
roads, in heavy traffic or in poor road conditions 
such as snow, rain, ice, and loose road surface. 
Otherwise you could loose control of the vehi-
cle and cause an accident.<
One lever for all functions
1Maintaining speed, storing speed, and 
accelerating
2Maintaining speed, storing speed, and 
decelerating
3Interrupting cruise control
4Resuming stored speed
Maintaining speed, storing speed, 
and accelerating
Press lever to resistance point, arrow 1: 
The speed currently being driven is maintained 
and stored. The display1 in the speedometer, 
see below, indicates this regulated speed. 
Every time you press the lever, the vehicle's 
speed increases by roughly 1 mph/1 km/h.
Press lever to resistance point for a longer time: 
The vehicle accelerates without pressure on 
the accelerator pedal. The system maintains 
and stores your current speed as soon as you 
release the lever.Press the lever beyond the resistance point: 
increase speed by 5 mph/10 km/h.
If, on a downhill grade, the engine's braking 
effect is not sufficient, the controlled speed can 
be exceeded. Speed can drop on uphill grades if 
the engine output is insufficient.
Maintaining speed, storing speed, and 
decelerating
Pull the lever, arrow2: 
Functions are the same as1, only the vehicle 
speed is reduced.
Interrupting cruise control
Press the lever up or down, arrow3.
In addition, cruise control is automatically deac-
tivated:
>When the brakes are applied
>For manual shifting with the shift paddles or 
the selector lever
>When the DSC comes on
Resuming stored speed
Press button4: 
The stored speed is resumed and maintained.
Deactivating system
When the ignition is switched off, the system is 
deactivated and the stored speed is deleted.
Displays in instrument cluster
1Stored desired speed
2Selected desired speed appears briefly 

Everything under control
62
Everything under control
Odometer, outside 
temperature display, clock
1Time, outside temperature, refer to Com-
puter on page63
2Odometer and trip odometer
3Press button:
>with ignition switched on, trip odometer 
is reset
>with ignition switched off, briefly display 
odometer
Tachometer
The advance warning field, arrow1, and the red 
warning field, arrow2, change depending on 
the engine temperature. As the engine temper-
ature rises, the permissible engine speed also 
increases. Avoid allowing the engine speed to 
rise as far as the orange warning sector when-
ever possible.
Be sure to avoid engine speeds in the red warn-
ing field. In this range, the fuel supply is inter-
rupted to protect the engine.
Coolant temperature
Should the coolant, and with it the engine 
become too hot, a warning lamp lights up. In 
addition, a message appears on the Control 
Display.
Checking coolant level, refer to page184. 

Controls
 63Reference
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Mobility
Engine oil thermometer
The general operating temperature lies 
between 1757/806 and 2507/1206. Do 
not exceed a value of approx. 2657/1306.
If the engine oil temperature is too high, the per-
missible engine speed, and with it the available 
engine output is reduced.
Fuel gauge
Fuel tank capacity: approx. 18.5 gallons/
70 liters. You will find information on refueling 
on page174.
If the tilt of the vehicle varies for a longer period, 
when you are driving in mountainous areas, for 
example, the indicator may fluctuate slightly.
Reserve
After the reserve quantity has been reached, a 
message briefly appears on the Control Display; 
the remaining range is shown in the computer. 
Below a range of approx. 30 miles/50 km, the 
message remains on the Control Display.Refuel as soon as possible once your 
cruising range falls below 30 miles/
50 km, otherwise engine functions are not 
ensured and damage can occur.<
Computer
Displays in instrument cluster
To display the information, press the BC button 
in the turn signal lever from radio readiness.
The following information is displayed in the 
specified order:
>Time and outside temperature
>Cruising range
>Average fuel consumption
>Oil level, refer to Checking engine oil level 
on page182
Time
To set the time, refer to page71.
Outside temperature
If the display drops to +377/+36, a signal 
sounds and a warning lamp lights up. A mes-
sage appears on the Control Display. There is 
an increased danger of ice.
Even at temperatures above +377/
+36 ice can form. Therefore, drive care-
fully, e.g. on bridges and sections of road in the 
shade, otherwise there is an increased accident 
risk.<
You can set the unit of measure 7 or 6 on the 
Control Display, refer to Units of measure on 
page72.