i
Further information on the "Automatic
drive program" (Y page 139).
X Press program selector button :repeat-
edly until the letter for the desired gearshift
program appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
i The automatic transmission switches to
automatic drive program Eeach time the
engine is started.
AMG vehicles Program selector with manual drive program
C
Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
S+
SportPlus Extremely sporty driving
style
M
Manual Manual gearshifting
RS
RACE
START Optimal vehicle accelera-
tion from a standstill
i
For further information on "Drive pro-
gram" (Y page 139).
X Turn program selector :until the desired
drive program appears in the multifunction
display in the speedometer.
The drive program indicator on program
selector :lights up in red. i
The automatic transmission switches to
automatic drive program Ceach time the
engine is started.
i RScannot be selected during normal driv-
ing. For further information on RACE START
(Y page 166). Steering wheel gearshif
tpaddles :
Left-hand steering wheel gearshift paddle
; Right-hand steering wheel gearshift pad-
dle
You can restrict or derestrict the shift range
by using the steering wheel gearshift paddles.
You can change gea ryourself by using the
steering wheel gearshift paddle in the manual
drive program.
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddles when the trans-
mission is in position D. Automatic drive program
Drive program E(drive program Con AMG
vehicles) is characterised by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine and automatic
transmission settings
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully Automatic transmission
139Driving and parking Z
R
increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
drive natl ower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin.
Drive program S(drive programs Sand S+on
AMG vehicles) is characterised by the follow-
ing:
R sporty engine and automatic transmission
settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points, the fuel consumption may
be higher Shift ranges
Introduction i
OnAMG vehicles andvehicles with
steering wheel gearshift paddles, you
can restrict or derestrict the shift range
using the steering wheel gearshift paddles.
When the automatic transmission is in posi-
tion D, it is possible to restrict or derestrict
the shift range (Y page 140).
The shift range selected is shown in the mul-
tifunction display .The automatic transmis-
sion shifts only as far as the selected gear. Driving situations
=
You can use the engine's braking
effect. 5
To use the braking effect of the
engine on downhill gradients and
for driving:
R
on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 4
To use the braking effect of the
engine on extremely steep downhill
gradients and on long downhill
stretches
Restricting the shift range
X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle.
The automatic transmission shifts down
one gear and restricts the shift range to the
relevant gear.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto-
matic transmission protects against engine
damage by not shifting down.
i If the maximum engine speed for the shift
range is reached and you continue to accel-
erate, the automatic transmission shifts up
in order to prevent the engine from over-
revving, even if the shift range is restricted.
Derestricting the shift range X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle.
The shift range is derestricted.
Clearing the shift range restriction X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle until the number for the gear disap-
pears from the multifunction display.
or
X Shift the transmission to position D.
The automatic transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D.140
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking
Selecting the ideal shift range
X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle and hold it in position.
The automatic transmission shifts to the
gear which allows optimum acceleration
and deceleration. To do this, the automatic
transmission shifts down one or more
gears. Manual drive program
Switching on the manual drive program AMG vehicles and vehicles with
aDIRECT
SELECT lever: you can select manual drive
program Musing the program selector or the
program selector button. In manual drive pro-
gram M, you can change gear yourself using
the steering wheel gearshif tpaddles if the
transmission is in position D.
X Press the program selecto rbutton
(Y page 138) repeatedly until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
X AMG vehicles: turn the program selector
(Y page 139) until Mappears in the multi-
function display.
The indicator Mon the program selector
lights up in red.
Upshifting X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 139).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
Vehicles with AMG engines
! In manual gearshif tprogram M, the auto-
matic transmission does not shift up auto-
matically even when the engine limiting
speed for the current geari s reached.
When the engine limiting speed is reached,
the fuel supply is cut to prevent the engine
from overrevving. You must make sure that
the engine speed does not reach the red area of the rev counter. Otherwise, there is
a risk of engine damage.
X Shift up a gear if the colour in the multi-
function display in the speedometer
changes to red and UP appears in the rev
counter.
Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 139).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you slow down or stop without shifting
down, the automatic transmission auto-
matically shifts down.
i For maximum acceleration, pull the left-
hand steering wheel gearshift paddle until
the transmission selects the optimum gear
for the current speed.
Kickdown i
Vehicles with an AMG engine: it is not
possible to use kickdown in manual drive
program M.
You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive program M.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
Switching off the manual drive program X
Standard vehicles with the DIRECT
SELECT lever: press the program selector
button (Y page 138) until Eor Sis shown
in the multifunction display.
X AMG vehicles: turn the program selector
(Y page 139) until C,Sor S+ appears in the
multifunction display. Automatic transmission
141Driving and parking Z
Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
Risk of accident
If the engine is not running, there is no power
assistance for the steering and brakes. Steer-
ing and braking then requires significantly
greater effort.
As a result, you might lose control of the vehi-
cle, cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
Therefore, do not switch off the engine while
you are driving.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the parking brake firmly.
X Standard vehicles: shift the transmission
to P. Selector lever in AMG vehicles with P button
X AMG vehicles: pressPbutton :.
Using the key
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
i If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
If you then open the driver's door or the
front-passenger door or remove the key
from the ignition, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to P. If you shift the automatic transmission to
N
before switching off the engine, the auto-
matic transmission remains in Neven when
a door is opened.
Using KEYLESS-GO
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 129).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrumen tcluste rgo out.
i When the driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1. When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to key
position 0, "key removed".
i If you use the Start/Stop button to switch
off the engine, the automatic transmission
shifts to Nautomatically. If you then open
the driver's or front-passenger door, the
automatic transmission shifts to P.
i The engine can be turned off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding
the Start/Stop button for three seconds.
This function operates independently from
the ECO start/stop automatic engine
switch-off function. Parking brake148
ParkingDriving and parking
cause the drive wheels to los
etheir grip and
the vehicle could skid.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
i For more information on driving with
snow chains, see (Y page 304).Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select shift range
1, 2or 3in good time. By doing so, you will
make use of the braking effect of the engine,
which relieves the load on the brake system
and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly. G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 30 km/h. G
Risk of accident
Cruise control cannot take account of road
and traffic conditions.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even when cruise control is activated. Cruise control is only an aid designed to assist
driving. You are responsible for the vehicle's
speed and for braking in good time.
G
Risk of accident
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed (e.g.
heavy traffic or winding roads). You could
otherwise cause an accident.
R on slippery roads. Braking or accelerating
could cause the drive wheels to lose trac-
tion and the vehicle could then skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
Cruise control lever You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control is
selected.
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected. :
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed or call up the
last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower
speed 152
Driving systemsDriving and parking
Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards B.
or
X Brake.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM
indicator lamp ;in the cruise contro llever
lights up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you depress the parking brake.
R you are driving at less than 30 km/h.
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
.
R you shift the transmission to position N
while driving.
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the Cruisecontrol off message in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. DISTRONIC PLUS
Important safety notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. It
brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed.
On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden, you must select
shift range
1,2or 3in good time. By doing
so, you will make use of the braking effec tof
the engine, which relieves the load on the
brake syste mand prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
DISTRONIC PLU
Scauses your vehicle to
brake and maintain a preset distance to the
vehicle in front. G
Ris
kofa ccident
Do no tchange down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. G
Risk of accident
DISTRONIC PLUS is only an aid designed to
assist driving. The driver remains fully respon-
sible for the vehicle's distance from other
vehicles, the vehicle's speed and for braking
in good time.
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react in particular
to:
R pedestrians
R stationary obstacles on the road, e.g. stop-
ped or parked vehicles
R oncoming and crossing traffic
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow vehi-
cles driving in front,e .g. motorcycles, or vehi-
cles driving on a different line. Therefore,
always pay attention to traffic conditions even
when DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Other-
wise, you may fail to recognise dangers in
time, cause an accident and injure yourself
and others. G
Ris
kofa ccident
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot tak eaccount of road
and traffic conditions. If DISTRONIC doe snot
recognise or no longer recognises the vehicle
in front, do not activate DISTRONIC or, if it is
already active, deactivate it. This is especially
the case:
R before corners
R on filter lanes 154
Driving systemsDriving and parking
not accelerate. This is based on the current
map data in the navigation system.
Roundabou
t(example)
The curren tspeed is maintained:
R approximately 10 seconds before the
roundabout/T junction and for approx-
imately 1.5 seconds when driving on the
roundabout
R approximately 12 seconds before reaching
a motorway exit and approximately 4sec-
onds after the motorway exit
Afterwards, the vehicle accelerates back to
the set speed you specified.
Stopping G
Risk of accident
Never get out of the vehicle when DISTRONIC
PLUS is activated.
DISTRONIC PLUS must also never be oper-
ated, activated or deactivated by a passenger
or from outside the vehicle.
DISTRONIC PLUS does not replace the park-
ing brake and must not be used for parking.
The DISTRONIC PLUS braking effect is can-
celled and the vehicle can start moving if:
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated using the
cruise control lever.
R you accelerate.
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 wish to leave the vehicle or park it,
deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the
vehicle against rolling away.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle
in fron tis stopping, it brakes your vehicle until
it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
i Depending on the specified minimum dis-
tance, your vehicle will come to a standstill
at a sufficient distance behind the vehicle
in front.T he specified minimum distance is
set using the control on the cruise control
lever.
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, the
transmission is shifted automatically to posi-
tion Pif:
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.
R a system fault occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
Setting aspeed X
Press the cruise control lever to the pres-
sure point, 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. 158
Driving systemsDriving and parking
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 327).
R you switch off the radar sensor system
(Y page 210).
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 PLUSoff message is shown in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds. 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.
Cornering, going into and coming out of a
bend
The ability of DISTRONIC PLUS to detect vehi-
cles when cornering is limited. Your vehicle
may brake unexpectedly or late.
Vehicles travelling on
adifferent line DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect vehicles
travelling on a different line. The distance to
the vehicle in fron
twill be too short. Driving systems
161Driving and parking Z