
Technology for comfort, convenience and safety
84
Technology for comfort, convenience and 
safety
PDC Park Distance Control*
The concept
The PDC assists you when you are parking. 
Acoustic signals and an optical display
* alert 
you to the approach of an object from behind 
your vehicle. To measure the distance, there 
are four ultrasonic sensors in each bumper. 
The range of these sensors is approx. 7 ft/2 m. 
However, an acoustic warning first sounds for 
the sensors at the front and at the two rear cor-
ners at approx. 24 in/60 cm, and for the center 
rear sensors at approx. 5 ft/1.50 m.
PDC is a parking aid that can indicate 
objects when they are approached 
slowly, as is usually the case when parking. 
Avoid approaching an object at high speed, oth-
erwise the physical circumstances would mean 
that the system warning was too late.<
Automatic activation
The system starts to operate approx. one sec-
ond after you shift into reverse or move the 
selector lever into position R with the engine 
running or the ignition switched on.
Wait this short time before driving off.
Manual activation
Press the button, the LED lights up.
Manual deactivation
Press the button again; the LED goes out.
Automatic deactivation
After driving approx. 165 ft/50 m or at over 
approx. 20 mph/30 km/h, the system is 
switched off and the LED goes out. You can 
reactivate the system manually as needed.
Signal tones
When nearing an object, the position is corre-
spondingly indicated by an interval tone. Thus, 
an object detected to the left rear of the vehicle 
will be indicated by a signal tone from the left 
rear speaker, etc. As the distance between 
vehicle and object decreases, the intervals 
between the tones become shorter. If the dis-
tance to the nearest object falls to below 
roughly 1 ft/30 cm, then a continuous tone 
sounds.
An intermittent tone is interrupted after approx. 
3seconds:
>if you remain in front of an object that was 
only detected by one of the corner sensors
>if you drive parallel to a wall
Malfunction
The LED in the button flashes and a message 
appears on the Control Display. PDC is mal-
functioning. Have the system checked.
To prevent this problem, keep the sensors 
clean and free of ice or snow in order to ensure 
that they will continue to operate effectively. Do 
not spray the sensors with high-pressure clean-
ing jets for long periods and maintain a distance 
of at least 4 in/10 cm to them.
PDC with visual warning*
The approach of the vehicle to an object is 
shown on the Control Display. Objects that are 
farther away are already shown there before a 
signal tone sounds. The display appears on the 
Control Display as soon as PDC is activated. 

Lamps
100
Lamps
Parking lamps/low beams
0Lights off and daytime running lamps*
1Parking lamps and daytime running lamps*
2Low beams and welcome lamps
3Automatic headlamp control
*, daytime run-
ning lamps
*, welcome lamps, Adaptive 
Light Control* and High-beam Assistant
*
If you open the driver's door with the ignition 
switched off, the exterior lighting is switched off 
when the light switch is in position2 or 3. The 
daytime running lamps have already been 
switched off at the same time as the ignition.
For this reason, switch on the parking lamps as 
needed, switch position1; otherwise, the vehi-
cle is not lit.
Parking lamps
In switch position1, the front, rear and side 
vehicle lighting is switched on. You can use the 
parking lamps for parking.
The parking lamps drain the battery. Do 
not leave them switched on for long peri-
ods of time, otherwise it may no longer be pos-
sible to start the engine. It is preferable to 
switch on the roadside parking lamps on one 
side, refer to page102.<
Low beams
The low beams light up when the light switch is 
in position 2 and the ignition is on.
Automatic headlamp control*
In switch position3, the system activates the 
low beams and switches them on or off in 
response to changes in ambient light condi-
tions, for instance, in a tunnel, at dawn and dusk 
and in case of precipitation. Adaptive Light 
Control* is active. The LED next to the symbol 
lights up when the low beams are on. You can 
activate the daytime running lamps, refer to 
page101. In the above-mentioned situations, 
the system then switches to the low beams.
A blue sky with the sun low on the horizon can 
cause the lights to be switched on.
The low beams remain switched on inde-
pendent of the ambient lighting condi-
tions when you switch on the fog lamps
*.<
The automatic headlamp control cannot 
serve as a substitute for your personal 
judgment in determining when the lamps 
should be switched on in response to ambient 
lighting conditions. For example, the sensors 
cannot detect fog of hazy weather. To avoid 
safety risks, you should always switch on the 
low beams manually under these conditions.<
Welcome lamps
If you leave the light switch in position2 or 3 
when parking the vehicle, then when you unlock 
the vehicle, the parking lamps and interior light-
ing remain illuminated for a brief time.
Activating/deactivating welcome 
lamps
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page16.
1."Settings"
2."Lighting" 

Everything from A to Z
252 Brakes
– ABS Antilock Brake 
System85
– brake assistant85
– brake force display93
– breaking-in124
– CBC Cornering Brake 
Control85
– electronic brake-force 
distribution85
– parking brake59
– refer to Braking safely126
– warning lamps13
Brake system124
– brake pads124
– breaking-in124
– disk brakes126
– warning lamp87
Braking safely126
Breakdown services, refer to 
Roadside Assistance232
Breaking-in brake pads124
Breaking-in the clutch124
Breaking-in the differential, 
refer to Engine and 
differential124
Break-in period124
Brightness of Control 
Display83
Button for starting engine, 
refer to Start/Stop button57
C
California Proposition 65 
Warning6
Call
– accepting181
– ending182
– rejecting182
Calling, refer to Phone 
numbers, dialing182
Can holder, refer to 
Cupholders114
Capacities242
Car battery, refer to Vehicle 
battery229Care217
– car-care products217
– carpets219
– car washes217
– CD/DVD player219
– chrome components218
– displays219
– exterior217
– fine wooden 
components219
– hand washing218
– headlamps218
– high-pressure cleaning 
jets217
– interior219
– leather219
– light-alloy wheels218
– paint218
– plastic components219
– rubber gaskets218
– safety belts219
– sensors and cameras219
– upholstery and cloth-
covered paneling219
– windows218
Cargo
– refer to Cargo loading126
– securing128
– securing with ski bag120Cargo bay
– capacity241
– emergency operation, refer 
to Opening manually, Sports 
Wagon33
– emergency release32
– expanding, Sports 
Wagon117
– floor panel flap, refer to 
Compartment in floor, 
Sports Wagon118
– locking separately31
– opening/closing, refer to 
Luggage compartment lid/
tailgate31
– opening from inside31
– opening from inside, Sports 
Wagon33
– opening from outside
31
– opening from outside, 
Sports Wagon33
– opening with remote 
control29
Cargo bay cover, refer to 
Luggage compartment 
roller cover117
Caring for the vehicle 
finish218
Car key, refer to Keys/remote 
control26
Car phone
– installation location, refer to 
Center armrest112
– refer to separate operating 
instructions
Car phone, refer to 
Telephone178
Car radio, refer to Radio155
Car Shampoo219
Car wash58
– with Comfort Access37
Car washes217
Catalytic converter, refer to 
Hot exhaust system125
CBC Cornering Brake 
Control85
CBS Condition Based 
Service215
CD, audio playback160