X
Press the abutton.
X To activate/deactivate: pressa
again. Driving systems
Overview of driving systems
The vehicle's driving systems are described
on the following pages:
R cruise control, Distronic*, Distronic Plus*
and Speedtronic, which are used to control
the speed of the vehicle
R HOLD, which makes pulling away easier,
particularly on steep uphill gradients
R AIRMATIC* and Active Body Control (ABC),
which is used to adjust the vehicle’s sus-
pension system
R 4MATIC* (permanent four-wheel drive), for
optimum traction
R PARKTRONIC and Park Assist*, which
assist you when parking
R reversing camera*, which assists you when
parking
R Night View Assist*, which assists you when
driving in the dark
R Parking Guidance*, which assists you when
looking for a parking space and assists you
when parking
R Blind Spot Assist*, which assists you when
changing lanes
The ABS, BAS, BAS PLUS*, adaptive brake
lights, ESP ®
, EBV, ADAPTIVE BRAKE, distance
warning function* and PRE-SAFE ®
Brake*
driving systems are described in the "Driving
safety systems" section (Y page 48).Cruise control
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select shift range
1,
2or 3in good time. By doing so, you will
make use of the braking effect of the engine,
which relieves the load on the brake system
and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly. G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 30 km/h. G
Risk of accident
Cruise control cannot take account of road
and traffic conditions.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even when cruise control is activated.
Cruise control is only an aid designed to assist
driving. You are responsible for the vehicle's
speed and for braking in good time. G
Risk of accident
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed (e.g.
heavy traffic or winding roads). You could
otherwise cause an accident.
R on slippery roads. Braking or accelerating
could cause the drive wheels to lose trac-
tion and the vehicle could then skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
Cruise control lever You can operate cruise control and variable
Speedtronic with the cruise control lever. Driving systems
227Controls
* optional
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X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the current speed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously
stored speed.
Setting a speed X
Press the cruise control lever to the pres-
sure point, up :for a higher speed or
down ?for a lower speed.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For exam-
ple, if you accelerate briefly to overtake,
cruise control adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the last speed stored after you have fin-
ished overtaking.
Making fine adjustments in 1 km/h
increments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up :for a higher speed or
down ?for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Making adjustments in 10 km/h incre-
ments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever
beyond the pressure point, up :for a
higher speed or down ?for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced. Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards B.
or
X Brake.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
Variable Speedtronic is selected. LIM indi-
cator lamp ;in the cruise control lever
lights up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you engage the electric parking brake
R you drive at less than 30 km/h
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R you shift the automatic transmission to N
while driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the Cruise
control off message in the multi-function
display for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. Distronic*
i Distronic is only available for certain
countries.
Distronic regulates the speed and automati-
cally maintains the distance to the vehicle in
front. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. On long and steep
downhill gradients, especially if the vehicle is
laden, you must select shift range 1,2or 3in
good time. By doing so, you will make use of
the braking effect of the engine, which
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly. Driving systems
229Controls
* optional
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G
Risk of accident
The brake pedal is retracted when Distronic
brakes. Do not restrict the movement of the
pedal in any way.
R Do not put any objects in the footwell.
R Ensure that floor mats and carpets are fixed
securely.
R Do not place your foot under the brake
pedal as it could become trapped.
You could otherwise cause an accident and
injure yourself and others. G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. G
Risk of accident
Distronic is only an aid designed to assist
driving. The driver remains fully responsible
for the vehicle's distance from other vehicles,
the vehicle's speed and for braking in good
time.
Distronic does not react to:
R pedestrians
R stationary obstacles on the road, e.g. sta-
tionary or parked vehicles
R oncoming and crossing traffic
Distronic may not detect narrow vehicles driv-
ing in front, e.g. motorcycles, or vehicles driv-
ing on a different line. Therefore, always pay
attention to traffic conditions even when Dis-
tronic is activated. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognise dangers in time, could cause an
accident and injure yourself and others.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
Distronic causes your vehicle to brake and
maintain the preset distance to the vehicle in
front that you have set. G
Risk of accident
Distronic cannot take account of road and
traffic conditions. Deactivate, or do not acti-
vate, Distronic if it does not detect the vehicle
in front, or if it no longer detects it. This is
especially the case:
R before corners
R in filter lanes
R when changing to a lane with faster moving
traffic
R in complex driving situations or where the
lanes are diverted, e.g. at roadworks on a
motorway
Otherwise, Distronic maintains the current
speed or accelerates to the set speed.
Distronic cannot take account of weather
conditions. Deactivate, or do not activate,
Distronic:
R if the roads are slippery, snow-covered or
icy. The wheels could lose their grip when
braking or accelerating. The vehicle could
start to skid.
R if the sensors are dirty or there is poor vis-
ibility, e.g. due to snow, rain or fog. Dis-
tance control may be impaired.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even when Distronic is activated. Otherwise,
you may fail to recognise dangers in time,
could cause an accident and injure yourself
and others.
If there is no vehicle in front, Distronic oper-
ates in the same way as cruise control. Dis-
tronic functions in the 30 km/h to
200 km/h range. G
Risk of accident
Distronic brakes your vehicle at a maximum
of 2 m/s 2
, depending on its speed. This cor-
responds to approximately 20% of your vehi-
cle's maximum braking power. You must also
apply the brakes yourself if this braking power
is not sufficient. 230
Driving systemsControls
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If Distronic detects a risk of collision with a
vehicle in front, an intermittent warning tone
sounds. In addition, the ·distance warn-
ing lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
Brake to avoid a collision.
Cruise control lever You can operate Distronic and variable
Speedtronic with the cruise control lever.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R
LIM indicator lamp off:
Distronic is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp lit:
Variable Speedtronic is selected. :
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; To adjust the specified distance
= LIM indicator lamp
? To store the current speed or to call up
the last stored speed
A To store the current speed or a lower
speed
B To switch between Distronic and variable
Speedtronic
C To deactivate Distronic
Selecting Distronic X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp =is off.
If it is off, Distronic is already selected. If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow
B.
LIM indicator lamp =in the cruise control
lever goes off. Distronic is selected.
Activating Distronic, storing and main-
taining the current speed If Distronic is not activated after the cruise
control lever is pressed, you will see the mes-
sage
DISTRONIC --- km/h in the multi-func-
tion display.
You can activate Distronic in the following
circumstances:
R about two minutes after the engine is star-
ted
R if you are driving faster than 30 km/h and
slower than 200 km/h
R if not braking
R if your vehicle is not secured by the electric
parking brake
R if ESP ®
is activated
R if the automatic transmission is in position
D
X Accelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down Ato the pressure point.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Distronic is activated. The vehicle main-
tains the stored speed until the distance to
the vehicle in front becomes too small.
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC Override message
appears in the multi-function display. The
distance to a slower-moving vehicle in front
will then not be governed. You will be driv-
ing at the speed you determine by the posi-
tion of the accelerator pedal. Driving systems
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Deactivating Distronic
There are several ways to deactivate Dis-
tronic:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or
X Brake.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow =.
Variable Speedtronic is selected. LIM indi-
cator lamp ;in the cruise control lever
lights up.
i The last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
i Distronic is not deactivated if you depress
the accelerator pedal. If you accelerate
briefly to overtake, Distronic adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking.
Distronic is automatically deactivated if:
R you engage the electric parking brake
R you are driving at less than 25 km/h
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R you shift the automatic transmission to N
while the vehicle is in motion
If Distronic is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the DISTRONIC
off message in the multi-function display for
approximately five seconds. Tips for driving with Distronic The following contains descriptions of certain
road and traffic conditions in which you must
be particularly attentive. In such situations,
brake if necessary. Distronic is then deacti-
vated.
Cornering, entering and exiting a bend
The ability of Distronic to detect vehicles
when cornering is limited. Your vehicle may
brake unexpectedly or too late.
Vehicles travelling on a different line
Distronic may not detect vehicles travelling
on a different line. The distance to the vehicle
in front will be too short.234
Driving syste
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Other vehicles changing lane
Distronic has not yet detected the vehicle
cutting in. The distance to this vehicle will be
too short.
Narrow vehicles
Distronic has not yet detected the vehicle in
front on the edge of the carriageway, because
of its narrow width. The distance to the vehi-
cle in front will be too short. Distronic Plus*
i Distronic Plus is not available in all coun-
tries.
Distronic Plus regulates the speed and auto-
matically maintains the distance to the vehi-
cle in front. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select shift range
1, 2or 3in good time. By doing so, you will
make use of the braking effect of the engine,
which relieves the load on the brake system and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly. G
Risk of accident
The brake pedal is retracted when Distronic
Plus brakes. Do not restrict the movement of
the pedal in any way.
R Do not put any objects in the footwell.
R Ensure that floor mats and carpets are fixed
securely.
R Do not place your foot under the brake
pedal as it could become trapped.
You could otherwise cause an accident and
injure yourself and others. G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. G
Risk of accident
Distronic Plus is only an aid designed to assist
driving. The driver remains fully responsible
for the vehicle's distance from other vehicles,
the vehicle's speed and for braking in good
time.
Distronic Plus does not react to:
R pedestrians
R stationary obstacles on the road, e.g. sta-
tionary or parked vehicles
R oncoming and crossing traffic
Distronic Plus may not detect narrow vehicles
driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or vehicles
driving on a different line. Therefore, always
pay attention to traffic conditions even when
Distronic Plus is activated. Otherwise, you
may fail to recognise dangers in time, could
cause an accident and injure yourself and oth-
ers.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
Distronic Plus causes your vehicle to brake
and maintain a preset distance to the vehicle
in front. Driving systems
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* optional
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:
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; To adjust the specified distance
= LIM indicator lamp
? To store the current speed or to call up
the last stored speed
A To store the current speed or a lower
speed
B To switch between Distronic Plus and var-
iable Speedtronic
C To deactivate Distronic Plus
Selecting Distronic Plus X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp =is off.
If it is off, Distronic Plus is already selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow B.
LIM indicator lamp =in the cruise control
lever goes off. Distronic Plus is selected.
Activating Distronic Plus, storing the
current speed and maintaining it G
Risk of accident
The vehicle can be braked when Distronic Plus
is activated. For this reason, deactivate Dis-
tronic Plus if the vehicle is to be set in motion
by other means (e.g. in a car wash or by tow-
ing). You can activate Distronic Plus in the follow-
ing circumstances:
R
about two minutes after the engine is star-
ted
R when the engine is running
R if you do not brake during the journey
R if your vehicle is not secured by the electric
parking brake
R if ESP ®
is activated
R if the automatic transmission is in position
D
R if the bonnet is closed
R if the driver's door is closed and you switch
from Pto Dor your seat belt is fastened.
Activating while driving
When driving at speeds below 30 km/h, you
can only activate Distronic Plus if the vehicle
in front has been detected and is shown in the
multi-function display. If the vehicle in front is
not shown in the multi-function display and is
no longer being detected, because it has
changed lanes, for example, Distronic Plus is
deactivated and you hear a warning tone.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?or press it up :or down Ato the
pressure point.
Distronic Plus is selected.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed
up : or down Auntil the desired speed
is set.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the stored
speed.
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC PLUS suspended
message appears in the multi-function dis-
play. Then, the distance to a slower-moving
vehicle in front will not be governed. You
will be driving at the speed you determine
by the position of the accelerator pedal. Driving systems
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Activating when driving towards a sta-
tionary vehicle
If the vehicle in front of you is stationary, you
can only activate Distronic Plus once your
vehicle is stationary as well.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
Distronic Plus is selected.
i Distronic Plus can only be activated at
under 30 km/h if a vehicle in front has been
detected. Therefore, the Distronic Plus dis-
tance display in the instrument cluster
should be activated.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed
up : or down Auntil the desired speed
is set.
i You can use the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the thumbwheel on
the cruise control lever to set the specified
minimum distance (Y page 239).
Pulling away
X If the vehicle in front pulls away: remove
your foot from the brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
Driving
If there is no vehicle in front, Distronic Plus
operates in the same way as cruise control.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
Distronic Plus causes your vehicle to brake
and maintain a preset distance to the vehicle
in front.
If Distronic Plus detects a faster-moving vehi-
cle in front, it increases the driving speed, but
only up to the stored speed. G
Risk of accident
If you depress the brake, Distronic Plus is
deactivated unless your vehicle is stationary.
Distronic Plus then no longer brakes your
vehicle. The driver remains fully responsible
for the vehicle's distance from other vehicles,
its speed and for braking in good time.
Stopping G
Risk of accident
The Distronic Plus braking effect is cancelled
and the vehicle could roll away if:
R Distronic Plus is deactivated using the
cruise control lever.
R you accelerate.
R the system or the power supply is disrup-
ted, e.g. due to battery failure.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment or the fuses have been tampered
with.
R the battery is disconnected. G
Risk of accident
Never get out of the vehicle when Distronic
Plus is activated.
Distronic Plus must never be operated or
deactivated by a passenger or from outside
the vehicle.
Distronic Plus does not replace the electric
parking brake and must not be used for park-
ing.
If you wish to leave the vehicle or park it,
deactivate Distronic Plus and secure the vehi-
cle against rolling away.
If Distronic Plus detects that the vehicle in
front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until
it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake. 238
Driving syste
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