i
If the engine has been switched off, it
cannot be started again until DISTRONIC
PLUS has been deactivated.
If DISTRONIC PLUS is activated and a fault
occurs in the system or if there is a disruption
in the powers upply, theBrake immedi‐ ately message is shown in the multifunction
display. Immediately depress the brake firmly
until the warning message in the multifunc-
tion display goes out or shif tthe transmission
to position P. DISTRONIC PLUS is deactiva-
ted.
Setting aspeed X
Press the cruise control lever up :for a
highe rspeed or down Afor 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. DISTRONIC PLUS
is activated and adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the new speed stored.
Making adjustments in 1 km/h incre-
ments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up :for a higher speed or
down Afor 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 Afor a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced. Storing the current speed or calling up
the stored speed G
WARNING
Only call up a stored speed if you know what
that speed is and if it is suitable for the current
traffic and driving situation. You can other-
wise endanger yourself or others by uninten-
tionally triggering sudden acceleration or
braking.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. The first
time it is activated, the curren tspeed is
stored. Otherwise, it sets the vehicle cruise
speed to the previously stored value.
Setting the specified minimum distance You can set the specified minimum distance
for DISTRONIC PLUS by varying the time span
between one and two seconds. With this func-
tion, you can set the minimum distance that
DISTRONIC PLUS keeps to the vehicle in
front, dependen tonvehicle speed. You can
see this distance in the multifunction display
(Y page 189). 188
Driving systemsDriving and parking
:
DISTRONIC PLUS activated
; Ownvehicle
= Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
? Vehicle in front, if detected
Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS There are several ways to deactivate DIS-
TRONIC PLUS:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or
X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow =.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM
indicator lamp ;in the cruise control lever
lights up.
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, the
DISTRONIC PLUS off message is shown in
the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds. i
The last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
i DISTRONIC PLUS is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you accel-
erate to overtake, DISTRONIC PLUS
adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished over-
taking.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if:
R you apply the parking brake.
R you are driving slower than 25 km/h and
there is no vehicle in front, or if the vehicle
in front is no longer detected.
R ESP ®
intervenes or if you deactivate ESP ®
.
R the transmission is in the P,Ror Nposition.
R the vehicle is near a radio telescope facility
(Y page 389).
R you switch off the radar sensor system
(Y page 242).
R you pull the cruise control lever towards
you in order to pull away and the front-
passenger door or one of the rear doors is
open.
R the vehicle has skidded.
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. The DISTRONIC PLUS off message is shown in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
If the vehicle has been stopped by DISTRONIC
PLUS and a fault occurs in the system, the
Brake immediately message appears in the
multifunction .Depress the brake pedal
immediately so that the vehicle does not roll
away. DISTRONIC PLUS is then deactivated,
and the message disappears.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS General notes
The following contains descriptions of certain
road and traffic conditions in which you must
be particularly attentive. In such situations,
brake if necessary. DISTRONIC PLUS is then
deactivated.190
Driving systemsDriving and parking
Crossing vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS may detect vehicles that
are crossing your lane by mistake. Activating
DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights with cross-
ing traffic, for example, could cause your vehi-
cle to pull away unintentionally. Dynamic handling package with
sports mode
General notes The mos
timportant part of the dynamic han-
dling package with sports mode is the adjust-
able suspension system. This automatically
controls and adapts the suspension to the
respective driving situation.
The calibratio nofthe suspension depends
on:
R your driving style
R the road surface conditions
R your individual selection; see the following
description
If your vehicle is equipped with automatic
transmission, the dynamic handling package
with sports mode also includes steering
wheel gearshift paddles (Y page 164) with a
manual drive program (Y page 166). Example: position of dynamic handling package
with sports mode button
X Start the engine.
Sports tuning The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
sports mode ensures even better contact
with the road. Select this mode when employ-
ing a sporty driving style, e.g. on winding
country roads.
Your selection remains stored until you
switch off the engine.
X Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :lights up. Sports suspen-
sion tuning is selected. Depending on the
engine output, the accelerator pedal is
more responsive. On vehicles with auto-
matic transmission, drive program Sis
selected.
Comfort tuning In comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. Select
this mode if you prefer a more comfortable
driving style, but also when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. motorways.
X Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. Comfortable
suspension tuning is selected. On vehicles
with automatic transmission, drive pro-
gram Eis selected. 192
Driving systemsDriving and parking
HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the drive
rinthe
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when manoeuvring on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is cancelled and the HOLD
function is deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary.
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R the driver's door is closed or if your seat
belt is fastened.
R the parking brake is not applied.
R the bonnet is closed.
R the selector lever is in position D,Ror Non
vehicles with automatic transmission.
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal. Example: vehicles with automatic transmission X
Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until HOLD display
:appears in the multi-
function display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again. G
WARNING
The vehicle's brakes are applied when the
HOLD function is activated. For this reason,
deactivate the HOLD function if the vehicle is
to be set in motion by other means (e.g. in a
car wash or by towing).
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automati-
cally if:
R
you accelerate. On vehicles with automatic
transmission: only when the transmission
is in position Dor R.
R you shift the transmission to position Pon
vehicles with automatic transmission.
R you apply the brakes again with a certain
amount of pressure until HOLD disappears
from the multifunction display.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS. G
WARNING
Never get out of the vehicle when the HOLD
function is activated.
The HOLD function must never be operated
or deactivated by a passenger or from outside
the vehicle.
The HOLD function does not replace the park-
ing brake and must not be used for parking. Driving systems
193Driving and parking
Z
The braking effect of the HOLD function is
cancelled and the vehicle could roll away if:
R
the HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelerator pedal or the
brake pedal.
R there is a malfunction in the system or an
interruption in the power supply, e.g. bat-
tery failure.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
If you leave the vehicle or park it, deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
You will see a warning message in the multi-
function display if the HOLD function is acti-
vated and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R the bonnet is opened.
For vehicles with manual transmission:
Brake immediately X
Immediately depress the brake pedal firmly
until the warning message in the multifunc-
tion display goes out. This deactivates the
HOLD function.
On vehicles with automatic transmission:
Select Park (P) X
Move the selector lever to Pto prevent the
vehicle from rolling away.
The HOLD function is deactivated. The
warning message in the multifunction dis-
play disappears.
Ah orn will also sound at regular intervals if
the HOLD function is activated and you:
R switch the engine off, open the driver's
door and take off your seat belt
R open the bonnet The sounding of the horn alerts you to the fact
that the vehicle has been parked while the
HOLD function is still activated. If you attempt
to lock the vehicle, the tone becomes louder.
The vehicle is not locked until the HOLD func-
tion is deactivated.
i If the engine has been switched off, it
cannot be started again until the HOLD
function has been deactivated.
If there is a fault in the system or power supply
while the HOLD function is activated, the
Brake immediately message is shown in
the multifunction display .Immediately
depress the brake firmly until the warning
message in the multifunction display goes
out.
On vehicles with automatic transmission, you
can also shift into position P.This deactivates
the HOLD function. RACE START
Important safety notes i
RACE START is only available in AMG vehi-
cles.
RACE START enables optimal acceleration
from a standing start. The precondition for
this is a suitable high-grip road surface. G
WARNING
RACE START is only available when SPORT
handling mode is activated. SPORT handling
mode will only be able to stabilise the vehicle
to a limited degree if the vehicle starts to skid
or a wheel starts to spin. The vehicle is there-
fore harder to control at the threshold range.
You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident.
RACE START should only be used on closed
off circuits. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions. 194
Driving systemsDriving and parking
Conditions for activation
RACE START can be activated when:
R the doors are closed.
R the engine is running and it has reached an
operating temperature of approximately
80 †. This is the case when the engine oil
temperature in the multifunction display
stops flashing.
R SPORT handling mode is activated.
(Y page 76)
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position.
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake
pedal is depressed (lef tfoot).
R the transmission is in position D.
Activating RACE START X
Depress the brake pedal with your left foot,
and keep it depressed.
X Turn the drive program selector clockwise
(Y page 163) until the RSlamp lights up.
The multifunction display shows the RACESTART Confirm: Paddle UP Cancel:
Paddle DOWN message.
i If the conditions for activation are no lon-
ger fulfilled, RACE START is cancelled. The
multifunction display shows the RACESTART cancelled message.
X To cancel: pull the left steering wheel shift
paddle (Y page 164).
or
X To confirm: pull the right steering wheel
shift paddle (Y page 164).
The multifunction display shows the RACESTART available Depress accelera‐
tor message.
i If you do not depress the accelerator
pedal fully within two seconds, RACE
START is cancelled. The multifunction dis-
play shows the RACE START not possi‐ ble See Owner's Manual message.X
Depress the accelerator pedal fully.
The engine speed rises to approximately
4000 rpm.
The multifunction display shows the RACE START Release brake to start mes-
sage.
i If you do not release the brake pedal
within seven seconds, RACE START is can-
celled. The multifunction display shows the
RACE START cancelled message.
X Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum accel-
eration.
The multifunction display shows the RACE START active message.
RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 50 km/h.
Drive program S+is activated. SPORT han-
dling mode remains activated.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if
you release the accelerator pedal during
RACE START or if any of the activation condi-
tions are no longer fulfilled. The multifunction
display shows the RACE START not possi‐ ble See Owner's Manual message.
i If RACE START is used repeatedly in a
short period of time, it is only available
again after having driven the vehicle a cer-
tain distance. 4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle when-
ever a drive wheel spins due to insufficient
grip. G
WARNING
4MATIC cannot reduce the risk of an accident
if you drive too fast.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficien tgrip: Driving systems
195Driving and parking
Z
Example: top view (Saloon)
Front sensors
Centre approximately 100 cm
Corners approximately 60 cm
Rea
rsensors Centre approximately 120 cm
Corners approximately 80 cm
!
When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars. PARK-
TRONIC does not detect such objects when
they are in the immediate vicinity of the
vehicle. You could damage th evehicle or
the objects.
The sensors may not detec tsnow and
objects which absorb ultrasoni csources.
Ultrasonic sources, such as an automatic
car wash, a lorry's compressed-air brakes
or a pneumatic drill, could cause PARK-
TRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
Minimum distance Centre approximately 20 cm
Corners approximately 15 cm
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant warning displays light up and a warn-
ing tone sounds. If the distance falls below the minimum, the distance may no longer be
shown.
Warning displays The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located
on the dashboard above the centre air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is loca-
ted on the roof lining in the rear compart-
ment.
Warning display for the front area
:
Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
; Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
= Segments showing operational readiness
The warning display for each side of the vehi-
cle is divided into five yellow and two red seg-
ments. PARKTRONIC is operational if yellow
segments showing operational readiness =
light up.
The gear lever position or the transmission
position of the automatic transmission deter-
mines which warning display is active when
the engine is running. Driving systems
197Driving and parking Z
R
if the time has been set incorrectly
R in active driving situations, such as when
you change lanes or change your speed
Warning and display messages in the
multifunction display Example: vehicles with automatic transmission
X
Activate ATTENTION ASSIST using the on-
board computer (Y page 238).
Symbol :appears in the multifunction
display.
If ATTENTION ASSIST is active, you will be
warned no sooner than 20 minutes after your
journey has begun. You will the nhear an
intermittent warning tonet wice, and the
Attention Assist: Drowsiness detec‐ ted message appears in the multifunction
display.
X If necessary, take a break.
X Press the abutton to confirm th emes-
sage.
On long journeys, take regular breaks in good
time to allow yourself to rest properly. If you
do not take a break and ATTENTION ASSIST
still detects typical indicators of fatigue or
increasing lapses in concentration, you will be
warned again after 15 minutes at the earliest.
ATTENTION ASSIST is reset and starts
assessing your tiredness again when you con-
tinue your journey if:
R you switch off the engine.
R you take off your seat belt and open the
driver's door, e.g. for a change of drivers or
to take a break. Speed Limit Assist
Important safety notes Speed Limit Assist shows you detected speed
limits in the multifunction display. Data from
the navigation system is also used for this
purpose. The display appears if a traffic sign
indicating a speed limit or the end of a speed
limit is detected. If Speed Limit Assist does
not detec tany traffic signs, the speed limit
from the digital road ma pis taken and shown
in the display.
Speed Limit Assist detects the traffic signs
with a camera attached behind the top of the
windscreen. :
Speed Limit Assist camera G
WARNING
Speed Limit Assist is only an aid and may
detect speed limit signs incorrectly or not at
all.
The system may be impaired or may not func-
tion if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to snow,
rain, fog or spray.
R there is glare, e.g. from the sun or from
oncoming traffic.
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up or cov-
ered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicinity
of the camera.
R the traffic signs are covered, for instance
by dirt, snow or trees. 204
Driving systemsDriving and parking