2010 MERCEDES-BENZ CL CLASS warning

i
Canada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference, and
2. this device must accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties, and is not
permitted. Do not tamper with, alter, or use
in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
DISTRONIC PLUS displays in
multifunction display :
Speed of the vehicle ahead
; Marker
= Distance warning lamp
If the DISTRONIC PLUS is activated,
marker ; indicates the set speed.
The vehicle speed displayed on the
speedometer can briefly vary from the speed
setting on the DISTRONIC PLUS system.
If the DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle
directly ahead, the ring on the speedometer
dial comes on between the speed of the
vehicle ahead : and the set speed. If the DISTRONIC PLUS calculates that there
is a danger of collision, the distance warning
lamp
· in the instrument cluster comes
on and an intermittent warning sounds.
X Immediately apply the brake to avoid a
collision.
Under no circumstances should the driver
await the intermittent warning sound
before braking. See the following warning
note.
The intermittent warning sound ceases and
the distance warning lamp · goes out
when the necessary distance to the vehicle
ahead is again established. G
Warning!
An intermittent warning sounds and the
distance warning lamp · in the instrument
cluster is illuminated if the DISTRONIC PLUS
system calculates that the distance to the
vehicle ahead and your vehicle’s current
speed indicate that the DISTRONIC PLUS will
not be capable of slowing the vehicle
sufficiently to maintain the preset following
distance, which creates a danger of a
collision.
Immediately brake the vehicle to increase
your distance to the preceding vehicle. The
warning sound is intended as a final caution
in which you should intercede with your own
braking inputs to avoid a potentially
dangerous situation. Do not wait for the
operation of the warning signal to intercede
with your own braking. This will result in
potentially dangerous emergency braking
which will not always result in an impact being
avoided.
Tailgating increases the risk of an accident. G
Warning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle
with a maximum deceleration of 13 ft/s 2
(4 m/s 2
). This corresponds to approximately
40% of the maximum deceleration of your
vehicle. Driving systems
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You must also apply the brakes yourself to
avoid a collision. The DISTRONIC PLUS brakes
the vehicle in an effort to restore the preset
distance or to maintain the set speed. The
brake pedal is automatically applied as this
happens which results in the brake pedal
moving
Keep driver’s foot area clear at all times,
including the area under the brake pedal.
Objects stored in this area may impair pedal
movement which could interfere with the
braking ability of the DISTRONIC PLUS
system.
Do not place your foot under the brake pedal
– your foot could become caught.
G
Warning!
If you do not receive visual or acoustic
warning signals during a critical traffic
situation, DISTRONIC PLUS has either not
recognized the collision risk, has been
deactivated or is malfunctioning.
Remember, whether or not DISTRONIC PLUS
is operating, it is ultimately always the drivers
responsibility to apply the brakes in order to
control the vehicle and avoid a collision.
Displaying the distance graphic In the
DriveAssist menu under Distance
Display you see the current settings for
DISTRONIC PLUS. The Information shown in
the multifunction display depends on whether
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated or deactivated.
For activating or deactivating the DISTRONIC
PLUS system, see “Activating DISTRONIC
PLUS” (Y page 309) or “Deactivating
DISTRONIC PLUS” (Y page 312).
The menu overview can be found on
(Y page 203). X
Press = or ; to select the
DriveAssist menu.
X Press : or 9 to select the
Distance Display function.
X Press a.
The DISTRONIC PLUS distance graphic
appears and you will see one of the
following displays in the multifunction
display.
DISTRONIC PLUS activated If you switch on the DISTRONIC PLUS, you will
see the set speed in the multifunction display
for approximately 5 seconds. When the
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated the following
display appears in the multifunction display.
:
DISTRONIC PLUS activated
; Your vehicle
= Preset distance threshold to the
preceding vehicle
? Preceding vehicle, if detected
DISTRONIC PLUS deactivated When the DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated,
you will see the following display in the
multifunction display.308
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:
Preceding vehicle, if detected
; Actual distance to the preceding vehicle
= Preset distance threshold to the
preceding vehicle
? Your vehicle
DISTRONIC PLUS lever :
Setting current or higher speed
; Setting current or lower speed
= Deactivating the DISTRONIC PLUS
? Activating the DISTRONIC PLUS or
resuming to the last set speed
A Setting following distance
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS G
Warning!
When the DISTRONIC PLUS is switched on,
the vehicle can be braked. You should
therefore switch off the DISTRONIC PLUS if
the vehicle must be towed. You can activate the DISTRONIC PLUS when
the vehicle speed is above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
It is also possible to activate the DISTRONIC
PLUS when the vehicle speed is below
20 mph (30 km/h) and the DISTRONIC PLUS
has detected a preceding vehicle.
If the DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, the set
speed is indicated with marker
;
(Y page 307) in the speedometer dial.
The maximum vehicle speed you can set is
120 mph (Canada: 200 km/h).
If the DISTRONIC PLUS is not activated after
the DISTRONIC PLUS lever is pulled in
direction of arrow ? (Y page 309), you will
see the message: DISTRONIC PLUS ---
mph (Canada: DISTRONIC PLUS --- kmh) in
the multifunction display.
In the following cases you cannot activate the
DISTRONIC PLUS:
R within 2 minutes after driving off, following
an engine start
R if the vehicle is secured with the electronic
parking brake
R if the ESC is switched off or has switched
off due to a malfunction
R when the automatic transmission is in park
position P, reverse gear R, or neutral
position N
R if the hood is open
R if the driver’s door is open and the driver
has not fastened his or her seat belt
R if the passenger door is open
R if the radar sensors are switched off
(Y page 216)
Switching on while driving You can switch on the DISTRONIC PLUS when
the vehicle speed is above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
Below 20 mph (30 km/h), you can only switch
on the DISTRONIC PLUS if the preceding Driving systems
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vehicle has been detected and is shown in the
multifunction
display.
If you no longer see the
preceding vehicle in the multifunction display
and if it is no longer detected because it has
changed lanes, for example, the DISTRONIC
PLUS switches off and a signal sounds.
X Pull the DISTRONIC PLUS lever briefly in
direction of

arrow ? to call up the last set
speed, or if no speed is stored, to set and
store the current speed.
The DISTRONIC PLUS is switched on.
or
X Tap the DISTRONIC PLUS lever up : or
down ; until desired speed is set.
The DISTRONIC PLUS is switched on.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to the
preceding vehicle,

observing the set speed
as a maximum value.
If you do not completely remove your foot
from the accelerator pedal, the message
DISTRONIC PLUS Override appears in the
multifunction display. The distance to a
slower-driving vehicle

will not be set. You will
drive at the speed you dictate by pressing the
accelerator pedal.
Switching on when approaching a
stationary vehicle It is helpful to switch on the DISTRONIC PLUS
display
in

the multifunction display to see that
a preceding vehicle is detected
(Y page 308). You can only switch on the
DISTRONIC PLUS below a speed of 20 mph
(30 km/h) when a preceding vehicle is
detected.
If the preceding vehicle is stationary, you can
only switch on the DISTRONIC PLUS if your
vehicle is also at a standstill.
X Pull the DISTRONIC PLUS lever briefly in
direction of arrow ?.
The DISTRONIC PLUS is switched on.
X Tap the DISTRONIC PLUS lever up : or
down ; until desired speed is set. You can adjust the set speed using the
DISTRONIC PLUS lever and the target
distance
using

the distance setting switch on
the DISTRONIC PLUS lever (Y page 313).
i If the DISTRONIC PLUS is switched off,
the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 62) will warn
of an impending collision if this function has
been activated with the instrument cluster
control system ( Y page 213).
Starting off
When the preceding vehicle starts off:
X Remove your foot from the brake pedal.
X Pull the DISTRONIC PLUS lever briefly in
direction of arrow ?.
or
X Briefly step on the accelerator pedal.
Your vehicle starts off and adapts its speed
to the preceding vehicle.
Driving If there is no preceding vehicle, the
DISTRONIC PLUS functions like the cruise
control (
Y page 302).
When the DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the
preceding vehicle is driving more slowly, it
brakes the vehicle in order to keep the
distance specified by you.
When the DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the
preceding vehicle is driving faster, it
accelerates the vehicle up to the set speed. G
Warning!
When you step on the brake pedal, you switch
off the DISTRONIC PLUS except when the
vehicle is

at a standstill. The DISTRONIC PLUS
will no longer brake your vehicle. You are
always responsible for maintaining a distance
from other vehicles, observing road speeds
and braking well in advance. 310
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Stopping
G
Warning!
The braking effect of the DISTRONIC PLUS is
canceled and the vehicle can start to roll if
R the DISTRONIC PLUS is switched off using
the DISTRONIC PLUS lever
R you accelerate
R the DISTRONIC PLUS system 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
DISTRONIC PLUS is switched on!
The DISTRONIC

PLUS must never be operated
or switched off by passengers or from outside
the vehicle.
The DISTRONIC PLUS is not a substitute for
the electronic parking brake. It must not be
used to secure the vehicle when parking.
When you get out of the vehicle or switch off
the engine, deactivate the DISTRONIC PLUS
and secure the vehicle from rolling away by
engaging the electronic parking brake.
When the DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the
preceding vehicle is stopping, the vehicle
brakes until it also stops. Once the vehicle is
at a standstill, it remains stationary, without
depressing the brake pedal.
After a short while, the vehicle is secured in
place by the electronic parking brake so that
the operating brake can be relieved of load.
Depending on the following distance set
using the distance setting switch on the
DISTRONIC PLUS lever (Y page 313), the
vehicle will stop adequate away from the
preceding vehicle.
When the DISTRONIC PLUS is activated and
the vehicle is at a standstill, 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 DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
Setting the current speed X
Accelerate or decelerate to the desired
speed.
X Briefly lift the DISTRONIC PLUS lever in
direction of arrow : or depress in
direction of arrow ; (Y page 309).
The current speed is set.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
i If you do not take your foot off of the
accelerator pedal and continue to
accelerate past

the set speed, the following
message will appear in the multifunction
display:
DISTRONIC PLUS Override
The distance to a slower moving vehicle in
front of you will not be set. Your vehicle
speed will then be determined only by the
accelerator pedal position.
Changing the set speed G
Warning!
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or

decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration
of the vehicle could cause an accident and/
or serious injury to you and others. Driving systems
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You can increase or decrease the set speed
in 1 mph (Canada:
1 km/h) increments or in
5 mph (Canada:
10 km/h) increments.
When you use the DISTRONIC PLUS lever to
decelerate, the brake system will brake the
vehicle automatically if the engine’s braking
power does not brake the vehicle sufficiently.
Adjustment in 1 mph (Canada:
1 km/h) increments
i The set speed value is increased or
decreased in 1 mph (Canada: 1 km/h)
increments each time you lift or press the
DISTRONIC PLUS lever up or down to the
resistance point.
X Increasing: Briefly lift the DISTRONIC
PLUS lever up to the resistance point in
direction of arrow :.
X Decreasing: Briefly press the DISTRONIC
PLUS lever

down to the resistance point in
direction of arrow ;.
X Release the DISTRONIC PLUS lever.
The new speed is set and the vehicle will
accelerate or decelerate.
Adjustment in 5 mph (Canada:
10 km/h) increments
i The set speed value is increased or
decreased in 5 mph (Canada: 10 km/h)
increments each time you lift or press the
DISTRONIC

PLUS lever up or down past the
resistance point.
X Increasing: Briefly lift the DISTRONIC
PLUS lever up past the resistance point in
direction of arrow :.
X Decreasing: Briefly press the DISTRONIC
PLUS lever down past the resistance point
in direction of arrow ;.
X Release the DISTRONIC PLUS lever.
The new speed is set and the vehicle will
accelerate or

decelerate. Keep in mind that
it may take a brief moment until the vehicle
has reached the set speed. Setting stored speed (Resume function) G
Warning!
The set speed stored in memory should only
be set again if prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Possible
acceleration or deceleration differences
arising from returning to the preset speed
could cause

an accident and/or serious injury
to you and others.
X Briefly pull the DISTRONIC PLUS lever in
direction of arrow ? (Y page 309).
The DISTRONIC PLUS is activated and
resumes to the last set speed or, if no
speed is stored, it will set and store the
current speed.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS X
Depress the brake pedal (only possible if
the vehicle is in motion).
or
X Briefly push the DISTRONIC PLUS lever in
direction of arrow = (Y page 309).
The last set speed is stored for later use.
The last stored speed is deleted from memory
when the engine is turned off.
The DISTRONIC PLUS switches off
automatically when
R the vehicle is secured with the electronic
parking brake
R the vehicle speed falls below 15 mph
(25 km/h) and no preceding vehicle is
detected
R the ESC is in operation, or switched off via
the control

system (Y page 212), or the ESC
has switched off due to a malfunction
R you shift the automatic transmission into
park position P, reverse gear R, or neutral
position N while driving 312
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R
the radar sensors are switched off
R you pull the DISTRONIC PLUS lever in
direction of arrow ? (Y page 309) for
driving off and the front passenger or a rear
passenger door is open
The marker for the set speed on the
speedometer dial go out, an acoustic signal
sounds, and the message DISTRONIC PLUS
Off appears in the multifunction display for
approximately 5 seconds. G
Warning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS switches off and
releases the brakes when the vehicle
decelerates below the minimum speed of
20 mph (30 km/h) by operation of the system
unless the DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle
directly ahead of you. At that time the driver
must apply the brakes in order to reduce
vehicle speed further or bring it to a stop.
Depressing the accelerator pedal does not
deactivate the DISTRONIC PLUS. After a brief
acceleration (e.g. for passing), the
DISTRONIC PLUS will resume the last set
speed.
Setting the following distance in
DISTRONIC PLUS You can set the specified following distance
for the DISTRONIC PLUS by varying the time
setting between 1.0 and 2.0 seconds. Using
this time setting and the current speed of
your vehicle, the DISTRONIC PLUS calculates
and sets the required following distance to
the preceding vehicle.
The set distance will be shown in the
multifunction display.
G
Warning!
It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to
select the appropriate setting given road
conditions, traffic, driver’s preferred driving
style and applicable laws and driving
recommendations for safe following distance. X
Increasing distance: Turn distance
setting switch : in direction of arrow ;.
Increasing the distance setting tells the
DISTRONIC PLUS to maintain a greater
following distance to the preceding vehicle.
X Decreasing distance: Turn distance
setting switch : in direction of arrow =.
Decreasing the distance setting tells the
DISTRONIC PLUS to maintain a shorter
following distance to the preceding vehicle.
Driving with DISTRONIC PLUS This section describes a number of driving
situations where special precaution is
required on the part of the driver. Be prepared
to brake in such situations. Braking will
deactivate the DISTRONIC PLUS system.
G
Warning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS works to maintain the
speed selected by the driver unless a moving
obstacle proceeding directly ahead of it in the
same travel direction is detected (e.g.
following another vehicle ahead of you at your
set distance).
This means that:
R Your vehicle can pass another vehicle after
you have changed lanes.
R While in a sharp turn or if the preceding
vehicle is in a sharp turn, the DISTRONIC
PLUS could lose sight of the preceding
vehicle. Your vehicle could then accelerate
to the previously selected speed. Driving systems
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The DISTRONIC PLUS regulates only the
distance between your vehicle and those
directly ahead of it. It may not register
stationary objects in the road, e.g.:
R
a stopped vehicle in a traffic jam
R a disabled vehicle
R an oncoming vehicle
The driver must always be alert, observe all
traffic and intercede as required by means of
steering or braking the vehicle. G
Warning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS should not be used in
snowy or icy road conditions.
The most likely cause for a malfunctioning
system is a dirty sensor (located in the hood
grille and in the bumper), especially at times
of snow and ice or heavy rain.
In such a case, the DISTRONIC PLUS will
switch off, and the message DISTRONIC
PLUS Currently Unavailable See
Oper. Manual appears in the multifunction
display.
For cleaning and care of the sensors, see
(Y page 406).
i If the message DISTRONIC PLUS
Currently Unavailable See Oper.
Manual disappears during driving and the
last speed stored flashes for approximately
5 seconds, the dirt (e.g. slush) has
dissolved; the DISTRONIC PLUS is available
again.
Another cause might be that the radar
sensors have been manually switched off in
the instrument cluster control system. Please
verify that the radar sensors are switched on
(Y page 216). Turns and bends In turns or bends, the DISTRONIC PLUS may
not detect a preceding vehicle, or it may
detect one too soon. This may cause your
vehicle to brake late or unexpectedly.
Offset driving
A vehicle traveling in your lane but offset from
your direct line of travel may not be detected
by the DISTRONIC PLUS. There will be
insufficient distance to the preceding vehicle.
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