!
The vehicle must be stopped when you
shift the automatic transmission
R directly between drive position D and
reverse gear R
R directly between reverse gear R and
drive position D
R directly into park position P
Otherwise the automatic transmission
could be damaged.
When trying
to free a vehicle stuck in mud or
snow, see “Rocking the vehicle”
(Y page 295).
i Shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P is only possible with the
brake pedal depressed.
Without the brake pedal depressed, the
gear selector lever can be moved up or
down, but the parking pawl remains
engaged, not allowing shifting to occur.
i The gear selector lever always returns to
its original position.
The current transmission position P, R, N,
or D appears in the multifunction display
(Y page 294).
Shifting into park position P X
With the vehicle at a standstill, press
button : on the gear selector lever.
SmartKey: When you turn off the engine using
the SmartKey, and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch or open a front door,
the automatic
transmission will shift into park
position P automatically.
KEYLESS-GO: When you turn off the engine
using the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button and
open a front door, the automatic transmission
will shift into park position P automatically.G
Warning!
Keep in mind that turning off the engine alone
only will
shift the automatic transmission into
neutral position N automatically. Always shift the automatic transmission into
park position
P before
turning off the engine.
Otherwise the vehicle could roll away which
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
i Moving the gear selector lever up or down
shifts the automatic transmission out of
park position P.
HOLD function or DISTRONIC PLUS:
The automatic transmission will shift into
park position P automatically when HOLD
function or DISTRONIC PLUS brings your
vehicle to standstill. In addition, at least one
of the following conditions must be met:
R The engine is turned off.
R The driver’s door is opened and the seat
belt is not inserted in the seat belt buckle.
In addition to shifting into park position P, the
electronic parking brake will engage
automatically.
Shifting into neutral position N X
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress the
brake pedal.
X Move the gear selector lever up or down to
the resistance point to select neutral
position N.
When you turn off the engine, the automatic
transmission will shift into neutral position
N automatically.
SmartKey: Removing the SmartKey from the
starter switch or opening a front door after
turning off
the engine will shift the automatic
transmission into park position P
automatically.
KEYLESS-GO: Opening a front door after
turning off the engine will shift the automatic
transmission into park position P
automatically.
Remaining in neutral position N
If you want the automatic transmission to
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the vehicle through an automatic conveyor-
type car wash, observe the following
instructions.
G
Warning!
When leaving the SmartKey in the starter
switch, do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
It is possible for children to switch
on the ignition which could result in
unsupervised use of vehicle equipment.
Unsupervised use of vehicle equipment could
result in an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
With SmartKey:
X Make sure the ignition is switched on.
X With the vehicle at a standstill, depress the
brake pedal and keep it pressed.
X Shift the automatic transmission into
neutral position N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X If engaged release the electronic parking
brake manually.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
With KEYLESS-GO:
X Make sure the ignition is switched on.
X With the vehicle at a standstill, depress the
brake pedal and keep it pressed.
X Shift the automatic transmission into park
position P.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Remove the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button from the starter switch.
X Insert the SmartKey into the starter switch.
X Switch on the ignition.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
pressed.
X Shift the automatic transmission into
neutral position N.
X Release the brake pedal. X
If engaged release the electronic parking
brake manually.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
Shifting into reverse gear R X
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress the
brake pedal.
X Move the gear selector lever up past the
resistance point.
Shifting into drive position D X
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress the
brake pedal.
X Move the gear selector lever down past the
resistance point. Shifting procedure
The automatic
transmission selects individual
gears automatically, depending on
R the selected gear range ( Y page 295)
R the selected program mode:
C/S (Y page 296)
or
M (AMG vehicles only) ( Y page 298)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the vehicle speed
With drive position D selected, you can
influence transmission shifting by
R limiting the gear range
R extending the gear range
R changing the gears manually (AMG vehicles
only) Automatic transmission
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otherwise seriously damage the brake
system or the transfer case which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
! Because the ESC operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0 or
1 or KEYLESS-GO start/stop button in
position 0 or 1) when the electronic parking
brake is being tested on a brake test
dynamometer or when the vehicle is being
towed with one axle raised.
Active braking action through the ESC may
otherwise seriously damage the brake
system which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. Instrument cluster
Introduction
For a full view illustration of the instrument
cluster, see “Instrument cluster”
(Y page 29). G
Warning!
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see
information about your driving conditions,
such as
R speed
R outside temperature
R warning/indicator lamps
R malfunction/warning messages
R failure of any systems
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, do so with added
caution. Contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center as soon as possible.
The language setting for the multifunction
display can be changed via COMAND
(Y page 81). Activating the instrument cluster
The instrument cluster is activated when you
R open a door
R switch on the ignition
R switch on the exterior lamps Adjusting the instrument cluster
illumination
X
To brighten illumination: Turn knob :
clockwise.
X To dim illumination: Turn knob :
counterclockwise.
i The instrument cluster illumination is
dimmed or brightened automatically to suit
ambient light conditions.
The instrument cluster illumination will also
be adjusted automatically when you switch
on the vehicle’s exterior lamps. Coolant temperature gauge
The coolant temperature gauge is located on
the left side in the instrument cluster
(Y page 29). G
Warning!
Driving when your engine is overheated can
cause some fluids which may have leaked into
the engine compartment to catch fire. You
could be seriously burned. 300
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G
Warning!
The braking effect of the HOLD function is
canceled and the vehicle can start to roll if
R the HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelerator pedal or the
brake pedal
R the HOLD function or the power supply is
malfunctioning, e.g. due to battery failure
R the electrical components in the engine
compartment or the fuses have been
manipulated
R the battery is disconnected G
Warning!
Never get out of the vehicle while the HOLD
function is activated!
The HOLD function must never be operated
or deactivated by passengers or from outside
the vehicle.
The HOLD function does not replace the
electronic parking brake. It must not be used
to secure the vehicle when parking.
Deactivate the HOLD function when leaving
or parking the vehicle. Use the electronic
parking brake to secure the vehicle.
When the HOLD function is activated, the
automatic transmission shifts into park
position P automatically when
R opening the driver’s door and releasing the
seat belt
R turning off the engine
R opening the hood
R a system malfunction occurs
R the on-board voltage is insufficient
The HOLD function is deactivated. AIRMATIC
Introduction The AIRMATIC lets you select the chassis and
suspension setup. The chassis and suspension setup adjusts the damping
behavior and the ride height for your vehicle.
The AIRMATIC consists of two components.
The Adaptive Damping System (ADS)
(Y page 317) and the vehicle level control
(Y page 318).
Adaptive Damping System (ADS)
The Adaptive Damping System (ADS) is
controlled electronically and operates
continuously. It adjusts the damping
characteristics to the current operating and
driving conditions. The damping is adjusted
individually for each wheel. Driving safety and
tire comfort are increased.
The fine tuning of the damping is dependent
on
R your driving style
R road surface conditions
R your personal settings
The selected setting remains stored in
memory even if the SmartKey is removed
from the starter switch. X
Start the engine.
Sporty damping adjustment
The firmer suspension tuning in sport driving
mode provides enhanced road contact.
Select this mode for example, on winding
highways. Driving systems
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X
If indicator lamp ; is not lit: Press ADS
switch :.
Indicator lamp ; comes on. The sport
driving mode with a firmer suspension
tuning is selected. The message
AIRMATIC SPORT appears in the
multifunction display.
Comfort damping adjustment
Vehicle handling in comfort driving mode is
softer. Select this mode when you prefer a
more comfortable driving style on straight
freeways.
X If indicator lamp ; is lit: Press ADS
switch :.
Indicator lamp ; goes out. The comfort
driving mode is selected. The message
AIRMATIC COMFORT appears in the
multifunction display.
Vehicle level control Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height.
The all-around vehicle level control provides
best possible suspension and constant
ground clearance. The vehicle lowers at high
speed automatically in order to increase
driving safety and to reduce fuel
consumption.
The following vehicle levels are available:
R
normal
R raised; the vehicle is raised by
approximately 1.0 in (25 mm) compared to
normal level
R lowered; the vehicle is lowered by
approximately 0.4 in (10 mm) compared to
normal level
You can choose between normal or raised
level when the vehicle is stationary and the
engine is running.
The vehicle chassis ride height is raised or
lowered according to the selected level
setting and to the vehicle speed. With
increasing speed, ride height is reduced by up to approximately 0.8 in (20 mm). With
decreasing speed, the ride height is again
raised to the selected vehicle level.
i
These height adjustments are so small
that you may not notice any change.
Adjusting vehicle level manually G
Warning!
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands and
feet away from wheel housing area, and stay
away from under the vehicle when lowering
the vehicle chassis.
Select the normal level for driving on normal
roads. Select the raised level for driving on
rough roads or with snow chains. Select the
raised level only when required by current
driving conditions. Otherwise, the handling
may be impaired and the fuel consumption
may increase.
The selected vehicle level setting remains
stored in memory even if the SmartKey is
removed from the starter switch. Selecting raised level
X
Start the engine.
When indicator lamp ; is off:
X Briefly press vehicle level control
switch :.
Indicator lamp ; comes on. The vehicle
adjusts from normal level to raised level.
The message: Vehicle Rising appears in
the multifunction display when adjusting
from normal level to raised level. The 318
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message disappears when the vehicle is
raised. Indicator lamp
; is then lit.
When the
vehicle is in raised level, pressing
vehicle level control switch : will return
the vehicle to normal level.
The vehicle is lowered to the normal level
automatically when
R the vehicle speed is above 75 mph
(120 km/h)
R the vehicle speed stays between 50 mph
(80 km/h) and 75 mph (120 km/h) for
approximately 3 minutes.
Indicator lamp
; in
vehicle level control switch : goes out.
If you do not drive in this speed range, the
selected vehicle level setting remains stored
in memory even if the SmartKey is removed
from the starter switch.
Selecting normal level
X Start the engine.
When indicator lamp ; is on:
X Briefly press vehicle level control
switch :.
Indicator lamp ; goes out. The vehicle
adjusts from raised level to normal level. ABC
The ABC system is an active, computer-
controlled system that adjusts the
suspension hydraulically at all four wheels in
response to various driving situations. It
selects the optimum suspension tuning and
ride height for your vehicle automatically.
Vehicle level control Your vehicle adjusts its ride height
automatically to increase vehicle safety and
to reduce fuel consumption.
The vehicle chassis ride height is raised or
lowered according to the selected level
setting and to the vehicle speed. With increasing speed, the ride height is reduced
by up to approximately 0.4 in
(10 mm). With
decreasing speed, the ride height is again
raised to the selected vehicle level.
These height adjustments are so small that
you may not notice any change. G
Warning!
When you turn off the engine, the entire
vehicle is
lowered. You should therefore make
sure that no one is near the wheel housing or
under the vehicle when you turn off the
engine. Otherwise, parts of the individuals
body could be trapped.
! When you turn off the engine, the entire
vehicle is lowered. When parking, position
your vehicle in such a way that it will not
scrape against a curb, for example, when it
is lowered. Your vehicle could otherwise be
damaged.
i CL 63 AMG and CL 65 AMG only:
When you turn off the engine, the entire
vehicle is lowered by 0.2 in (5 mm).
Setting the vehicle level G
Warning!
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands and
feet away from wheel housing area, and stay
away from under the vehicle when lowering
the vehicle chassis. Driving systems
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look through the windshield. You are always
responsible for safety and must drive in
accordance with traffic conditions.
Otherwise, you could endanger yourself and
others.
The system may be impaired or unavailable
when
R
visibility is poor, e.g. due to snow, rain, fog,
or heavy spray
R the camera area of the windshield is dirty,
fogged up or covered by a sticker for
example
R driving through curves or on inclines or
declines G
Warning!
The Night View Assist cannot record objects
immediately in front of or next to the vehicle.
When maneuvering, continue to look through
the windshield. Make sure no persons or
animals are in the area in which you are
maneuvering. You could otherwise injure
them.
The Night View Assist image in the
multifunction display is not impaired by the
headlamps of approaching vehicles.
As a result, you can better follow the course
of the road and detect obstacles earlier on.
i Infrared light is invisible to the human eye
and thus does not blind. The Night View
Assist can remain switched on
permanently even with oncoming traffic
present. The Night View Assist monitors the area in
front of your vehicle via camera
:.
Switching on or off You can only switch on the Night View Assist
if
R
the SmartKey in the starter switch is set to
position 2
R it is dark
R the exterior lamp switch is set to c or
L, or if the daytime running lamp mode
is activated ( Y page 276)
R the automatic transmission is not in
reverse gear R X
Press button : up or down.
The Night View Assist image appears in the
multifunction display.
i The infrared headlamps only come on
above a speed of approximately 6 mph
(10 km/h). Therefore, when you are at a
standstill, you do not have a complete view
and cannot check the function of the Night
View Assist.
Image on multifunction display When you switch on the Night View Assist, the
dial for the speedometer changes on the
multifunction display. The speedometer dial
is shown as a bar on the lower edge of the
multifunction display. The line for main
menus is no longer available. If you would like
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The rear window defroster uses a large
amount of power. To keep the battery drain
to a minimum, switch off the defroster as
soon as the rear window is clear. The
defroster is switched off automatically after
approximately 6 to 17 minutes of operation
depending on the outside temperature.
X
Switch on the ignition.
X Switching on: Press rocker switch ¤
up or down.
The indicator lamp in the rocker switch
comes on.
X Switching off: Press rocker switch ¤
up or down.
The rear window defroster switches off when
the battery voltage is too low. Too many
electrical consumers may be operating
simultaneously.
X Switch off consumers that are currently not
needed if required. Power tilt/sliding sunroof
Opening and closing
G
Observe Safety notes, see page 51. G
Warning!
When opening or closing the tilt/sliding
sunroof, make sure there is no danger of
anyone being
harmed by the opening/closing
procedure.
The tilt/sliding sunroof is equipped with the
express operation and automatic reversal
function. If the movement of the tilt/sliding
sunroof is blocked during the closing
procedure, the tilt/sliding sunroof will stop
and open slightly.
The tilt/sliding sunroof operates differently
when the sunroof switch is pressed and held.
See the “Closing when the tilt/sliding sunroof
is blocked” section for details.
The opening/closing procedure of the tilt/
sliding sunroof can be immediately halted by
releasing the sunroof switch or, if the sunroof switch was moved past the resistance point
and
released,
by moving the sunroof switch in
any direction. G
Warning!
The tilt/sliding sunroof is made out of glass.
In the event of an accident, the glass may
shatter. This may result in an opening in the
roof.
In a vehicle rollover, occupants not wearing
their seat belts or not wearing them properly
may be thrown out of the opening. Such an
opening also
presents a potential for injury for
occupants wearing their seat belts properly as
entire body parts or portions of them may
protrude from the passenger compartment.
! To avoid damaging the seals, do not
transport any objects with sharp edges
which can stick out of the tilt/sliding
sunroof.
Do not open the tilt/sliding sunroof if there
is snow or ice on the roof, as this could
result in malfunctions.
If you cannot open or close the tilt/sliding
sunroof due to a malfunction contact
Roadside Assistance or an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
! Please keep in mind that weather
conditions can sometimes change rapidly.
Make sure to close the tilt/sliding sunroof
when leaving the vehicle. If water enters
the vehicle interior, vehicle electronics
could be damaged which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
i You can also open or close the tilt/sliding
sunroof using the SmartKey or the
KEYLESS-GO function, see “Summer
opening feature” ( Y page 283) and
“Convenience closing feature”
(Y page 284).
i After switching off the ignition or
removing the SmartKey from the starter
switch, you can operate the tilt/sliding Power tilt/sliding sunroof
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