Page 137 of 308

R
the ESP ®
has switched off due to a
malfunction
R you shift the automatic transmission into
neutral position N while driving
The cruise control speed segments in the
multifunction display goes out and an
acoustic warning will sound. Observe
additional messages in the multifunction
display that may appear. G
Warning!
Distronic 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. 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. After a brief
acceleration (e.g. for passing), the Distronic
will resume the last set speed.
Setting the following distance in
Distronic You can set the specified following distance
for Distronic by varying the time setting
between 1.0 and 2.0 seconds. Using this time
setting and the current speed of your vehicle,
Distronic 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
thumbwheel : towards ª.
Increasing the distance setting tells
Distronic to maintain a greater following
distance to the preceding vehicle.
X Decreasing distance: Turn
thumbwheel : towards ¥.
Decreasing the distance setting tells
Distronic to maintain a shorter following
distance to the preceding vehicle.
Driving with Distronic 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 system.
G
Warning!
The Distronic 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
could lose sight of the preceding vehicle.
Your vehicle could then accelerate to the
previously selected speed. Driving systems
135Controls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe, Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 135 Z
ProCarManuals.com
Page 138 of 308

The Distronic regulates only the distance
between your vehicle and those directly
ahead of it, but does 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 should not be used in snowy or
icy road conditions.
The most likely cause for a malfunctioning
system is a dirty Distronic system sensor
cover (located in the hood grille), especially
at times of snow and ice or heavy rain.
In such a case, the Distronic will switch off,
and the message DISTRONIC Currently
Unavailable – See Operator’s Manual
appears in the multifunction display.
For cleaning and care of the Distronic system
sensor cover, see (Y page 219).
i If the message DISTRONIC Currently
Unavailable – See Operator’s
Manual disappears during driving and the
last set speed flashes for approximately
5 seconds, the dirt (e.g. slush) has
dissolved; the Distronic works again.
Turns and bends In turns or bends, the Distronic may not
detect a moving vehicle in front, 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. There will be insufficient
distance to the preceding vehicle.
Lane changing
The Distronic has not yet detected the vehicle
changing lanes. There will be insufficient
distance to the lane-changing vehicle.
Narrow vehicles136
Driving systemsControls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe,
Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 136
ProCarManuals.com
Page 139 of 308

Because of their narrow profile, the vehicles
traveling near the outer edges of the lane
have not yet been detected by the Distronic.
There will be insufficient distance to the
preceding vehicles.
Distance warning function
When the Distronic is deactivated, this
function will continue to warn you when
recognizing a stationary obstacle or a slower
vehicle moving in your vehicle’s path and the
danger of a collision exists:
R
The distance warning lamp · in the
instrument cluster comes on.
R An intermittent warning will sound if
necessary.
If these warnings are issued, you must apply
the brakes to maintain a safe distance and
avoid a collision with the preceding vehicle.
When depressing the brake pedal, the
warning sound ceases. The warning sound
will also cease when the distance to the
preceding vehicle is sufficient again without
applying the brakes. In this case, the distance
warning lamp · will also go out. G
Warning!
If the distance warning lamp · in the
instrument cluster comes on while driving
and/or an intermittent warning sounds,
immediate attention on the part of the driver
is required. As required by the traffic
situation, apply the brakes and navigate
around a possible obstacle. However, do not
drive by relying on the distance warning
function, as this will result in an emergency
braking application. This will not always
enable you to avoid a collision, especially
when traveling on varying road surface
conditions and with varying driver reaction.
Complex driving situations are not always
fully recognized by the distance warning
function. This could result in wrong or missing
distance warnings. X
Activating/deactivating: Press
switch :.
When the distance warning function is
activated, indicator lamp ; in switch :
comes on. A loudspeaker symbol appears
in the multifunction display ( Y page 132). Airmatic DC (Dual Control)
Introduction The AIRMATIC DC 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 DC consists of two
components. The Adaptive Damping System
(ADS) (
Y page 137) and the vehicle level
control ( Y page 138).
Adaptive Damping System (ADS) The fine tuning of the damping is dependent
on
R
your driving style
R road surface conditions
R vehicle loading
R your personal settings Driving systems
137Controls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe, Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 137 Z
ProCarManuals.com
Page 140 of 308

The following settings are available:
R
Comfort
Both indicator lamps ; are off.
R Sport 1
One indicator lamp ; is on.
R Sport 2
Both indicator lamps ; are on.
X Start the engine.
X Press ADS switch : repeatedly until the
desired suspension tuning is reached.
The setting remains stored when you turn off
the engine. G
Warning!
If you have selected the Comfort suspension
tuning, the vehicle lowers slightly when you
lock it within approximately 60 seconds after
turning off the engine. To avoid personal
injury, make sure nobody is in the vicinity of
the wheel housing or under the vehicle when
you turn off the engine.
! When parking, make sure there is
sufficient clearance under the vehicle for it to lower without making contact with the
road curb for example. Otherwise, the
vehicle could be damaged.
Vehicle level control 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.
Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to increase vehicle safety and to
reduce fuel consumption.
You can choose between normal or raised
level.
The vehicle chassis ride height is raised or
lowered according to the selected level
setting and to the vehicle speed. At a speed
exceeding approximately 68 mph
(110 km/h) with normal level set or
exceeding 75 mph (120 km/h) with raised
level set, the ride height is reduced
automatically. With decreasing speed, the
ride height is again raised to the normal level.
i These height adjustments are so small
that you may not notice any change.
Select the raised level only when required by
current driving conditions. Otherwise, the
handling may be impaired and the fuel
consumption may increase. 138
Driving systemsControls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe,
Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 138
ProCarManuals.com
Page 141 of 308

The following vehicle level settings can be selected when the vehicle is stationary and the
engine is running:
Vehicle
level when
stationary Indicator
lamp
(Y page
139) Suspension
tuning Use for Ride height
increase
over normal Automatic
lowering
Normal Lamp off Comfort For driving on
normal roads None Max. approx.
0.4 in
(10 mm)
Normal Lamp off Sport 1 or 2 For driving on
normal roads None Max. approx.
0.6 in
(15 mm)
Raised Lamp on Comfort For driving on
rough roads
or with snow
chains Approx.
0.8 in
(20 mm) Max. approx.
1.2 in
(30 mm)
Raised Lamp on Sport 1 or 2 For driving on
rough roads
or with snow
chains Approx.
0.8 in
(20 mm) Max. approx.
1.4 in
(35 mm)
X
Start the engine.
X Briefly press vehicle level control
switch : to change from normal level to
raised level. When the vehicle is in raised
level, pressing vehicle level control
switch : will return the vehicle to normal
level.
The setting raised is canceled and the vehicle
is lowered to the normal level automatically if
the vehicle speed is above 75 mph
(120 km/h) or if the vehicle speed stays
between 50 mph (80 km/h) and 75 mph (120 km/h) for approximately 5 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. Parktronic system
The Parktronic system is an electronic
parking aid with ultrasonic sensors designed
to assist the driver during parking maneuvers.
The Parktronic system indicates the relative
distance between the vehicle and an obstacle
visually and audibly.
The Parktronic system is activated
automatically when
R you switch on the ignition
and
R you release the parking brake Driving systems
139Controls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe, Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 139 Z
ProCarManuals.com
Page 142 of 308

and
R the automatic transmission is in drive
position D, reverse gear R, or neutral
position N
The Parktronic system deactivates at speeds
above approximately 11 mph (18 km/h). At
lower speeds, the Parktronic system
activates again.
The Parktronic system also deactivates when
you shift the automatic transmission into
park position P or engage the parking brake.
The Parktronic system monitors the
surroundings of your vehicle with six sensors
in the front bumper and four sensors in the
rear bumper. Example illustration, sensors in the front bumper
To function properly, sensors
: must be free
of dirt, ice, snow and slush. Clean
sensors : regularly. Be careful not to
scratch or damage sensors :, see “Cleaning
the driving systems sensors” (Y page 219). G
Warning!
The Parktronic is a supplemental system. It is
not intended to, nor does it replace, the need
for extreme care. The responsibility during
parking and other critical maneuvers always
remains with the driver. G
Warning!
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering. Otherwise, they could be
injured. !
Special attention must be paid to objects
with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes
(e.g. trailer couplings, painted posts,
elevated crossbars or road curbs). Such
objects may not be detected by the system
and can damage the vehicle.
During parking maneuvers, pay special
attention to objects located above or below
the height of the sensors (e.g. street curbs,
painted posts, or trailer hitches etc.). The
Parktronic system will not detect such
objects at close range and damage to your
vehicle or the object may result.
! Ultrasonic signals from outside sources
(e.g. truck air brakes, car wash, or
jackhammers) may impair the operation of
the Parktronic system.
Range of the sensors Front sensors
Center approx. 40 in (100 cm)
Corners approx. 24 in (60 cm)140
Driving systemsControls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe,
Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 140
ProCarManuals.com
Page 143 of 308

Rear sensors
Center approx. 48 in (120 cm)
Corners approx. 32 in (80 cm)
Minimum distance
Center approx. 8 in (20 cm)
Corners approx. 6 in (15 cm)
If the Parktronic system detects an obstacle
in this range, all the distance warning
segments illuminate and you hear a warning
signal. If the obstacle is closer than the
minimum distance, the actual distance may
no longer be indicated by the Parktronic
system.
Warning indicators
Visual signals indicate the relative distance
between the sensors and an obstacle.
Front area warning indicators
Rear area warning indicators Each warning indicator is divided into five
yellow and two red distance segments for left
side
: and right side ; of the vehicle. The
Parktronic system is ready to measure when
the yellow readiness indicators = are
illuminated.
The current transmission position determines
which warning indicator will be activated. Current
transmission
position Warning indicator
D
Front area activated
R or N Front and rear area
activated
As your vehicle approaches an object, one or
more distance segments will illuminate,
depending on the distance. When the seventh
distance segment illuminates, you have
reached the minimum distance.
R
Front area: An intermittent acoustic
warning will sound as the first red distance
segment illuminates and a constant
acoustic warning lasting a maximum of
2 seconds will sound for the second red
distance segment. The signal is canceled
when the automatic transmission is shifted
into park position P or the parking brake is
engaged.
R Rear area: An intermittent acoustic
warning will sound as the first red distance
segment illuminates and a constant
acoustic warning lasting a maximum of
2 seconds will sound for the second red
distance segment. The signal is canceled
when the automatic transmission is shifted
into drive position D, or park position P, or
the parking brake is engaged.
Switching the Parktronic system on/
off The Parktronic system switches on
automatically when the ignition is switched
on. Driving systems
141Controls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe, Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 141 Z
ProCarManuals.com
Page 144 of 308

X
Switching off: Press Parktronic
switch :.
Indicator lamp ; comes on.
X Switching on: Press Parktronic switch :
again.
Parktronic system malfunction There is a malfunction in the Parktronic
system, if only the red distance segments
illuminate and an acoustic warning sounds.
The Parktronic system will switch off
automatically after 20 seconds and indicator
lamp
; in Parktronic switch : comes on.X
Have the Parktronic system checked at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
If only the red distance segments illuminate
and no acoustic warning sounds, the
Parktronic system sensors are dirty (e.g. dirt,
ice, snow and slush). Another cause could be
interference from other radio or ultrasonic
signals (e.g. truck air brakes, car wash, or
jackhammers). The Parktronic system will
switch off automatically after 20 seconds and
indicator lamp ; in Parktronic switch :
comes on.
X Switch off the ignition.
X Clean the Parktronic system sensors
(Y page 219).
X Switch on the ignition.
or
X Check the Parktronic system operation at
another location to rule out interference
from outside radio or ultrasonic signals. 142
Driving systemsControls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe,
Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 142
ProCarManuals.com