2011 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS CABRIOLET brake light

driving style to the differen
thandling charac-
teristics.
X Observ ethe note sonw arning and indicator
lamps (Y page 257) as well as display mes-
sages ( Ypage 234). ADAPTIV
EBRAKE
ADAPTIV EBRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In addi-
tio ntot he brakin gfunction, ADAPTIVE BRAKE
alsoh as the HOLD function (Y page184) and
hills tart assist (Y page149). For further
information, see Driving tips (Y page167). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page61).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimise
the risk of afrontal collision with avehicle
ahead or reduce the effects of such acolli-
sion. If PRE-SAFE ®
Brake has detected arisk
of collision, you willbew arned visuallya nd
acoustically as wellasbya utomatic braking.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot prevent acollision
without youri ntervention.
Thi sfun ctio nwill issue awarnin gats peeds of
aroun d30k m/horm orei f:
R for aperiod of several seconds ,the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front is too shor tfor
the speed at which you are travelling. The
· distance warning lamp then lights up
in the instrument cluster.
R you are rapidly approaching the vehicle in
front.Ani ntermittent warning tonew ill
then sound and the ·distance warning
lamp will light up in the instrument cluster. X
Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
If the driver and passengers have fastened
their seat belts, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also
can also perform the following at speeds of
above approximately 30 km/h:
R brake the vehicle automatically from a
speed of up to approximately 200 km/h
R trigger preventative passenger protection
measures (PRE-SAFE ®
)( Ypage 45)
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving conditions may cause
unnecessary warnings or the unnecessary
intervention of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake. To end this,
you can either depress the accelerator pedal
further, activate kickdown or release the
brake pedal.
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you drive slower than approximately
15 km/h.
R you manoeuvre to avoid the obstacle.
R there is no longer any danger of arear-end
collision.
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle.
With the help of the radar sensor system,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect obstacles that
are in front of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
At speeds up to approximately 70 km/h,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may also detect stationary
obstacles, for example stopped or parked
vehicles.
If you approach an obstacle and PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detect sarisk of acollision, the system
will initially alert you both visually and acous-
tically. If you do not brake or take evasive
action, the system will warn you by automat-
ically braking the vehicle gently. If there is an
increased risk of collision, preventative 66
Driving safety systemsSafety

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The key cannot be
turned in the ignition
lock. The key has been in position
0for aconsiderable time.
X Remove the key and reinsert it into the ignition lock.
X Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary
(Y page 305).
X Start the engine. The on-board voltage is too low.
X
Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to turn the key again.
If this does not work:
X Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary
(Y page 305).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 309).
or
X Consult aqualified specialist workshop. Doors
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only for the United Kingdom: if the vehicle
has been locked with the key, the double lock
function is activated as standard. It is then not
possible to open the doors from inside the
vehicle.
Therefore, do not leave any people behind in
the vehicle, particularly children, elderly peo-
ple or people in need of special assistance if
the vehicle has been locked with the key. As
ar esult, they may not be able to free them-
selves in the event of an emergency. As a
result, they could be seriously or even fatally
injured by prolonged exposure to extremely
high or low temperatures, for example. In this
case, rescuing people from outside the vehi-
cle is difficult.
Deactivat ethe interior motion sensor before
you lock the vehicle with the key. The doors
can then be opened from the inside after the vehicle has been locked from the outside with
the key.
G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open adoor from inside the vehicle at any
time, even if it has been locked
R start the vehicle using akey which has been
left in the vehicle
R release the parking brake
They could thereby endanger themselves and
others. Never leave children unsupervised in
the vehicle. Always take the key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even if you are only
leaving it for ashort time. Unlocking and opening the doors
from the inside
For all countries except the United King-
dom: you can open adoor from inside the
vehicle even if it has been locked. Doors
77Opening and closing Z

i
You do not have to remove the Start/ Stop
button fro mthe ignition lock when you
leave the vehicle. X
Remove Start/Stop button :fromi gnition
lock ;.
i When you insert Start/Stop button :
into ignition lock ;,the system needs
approximately two seconds recognition
time before you can use Start/Stop but-
ton :. Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Never leave the engine runnin ginenclosed
spaces. The exhaust gases contain carbon
monoxide. Inhaling exhaust fumes consti-
tutes ahealth hazard and could lead to loss
of consciousness or even death.
! Do not depress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
i Vehicles with apetrol engine: thec at-
alytic converter is preheate dfor up to 30
second safter acold start .The sound of the
engine may change during this time. Manual transmission X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Fully depress the clutch pedal.
X Shift to neutral N.
i You can only start the engine when the
clutch pedal is fully depressed.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P.
The transmission position displayint he
multifunction displays howsP.
i You can also start the engine when the
transmission is in position N.
Starting procedurew ith the key i
To start the engine using the key instead
of KEYLESS-GO, pull the Start/Stop button
out of the ignition lock.
X To startap etrol engine: turn the key to
position 3in the ignition lock
(Y page 147) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
X To startad iesel engine: turn the key to
position 2in the ignition lock
(Y page 147).
The % preglow indicator lamp in the
instrumen tcluster light sup.
X When the %preglo windicator lamp
goes out, tur nthe key to position 3
(Y page 147) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
i You can start the engine without preglow
if the engine is warm.
i Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion: you can also use the touch-start func-
tion. To do this, turn the key to position 3
(Y page 147) and release it immediately.
The engine then starts automatically. 148
DrivingDriving and parking

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
Vehicles with
apetrol
engine:
The engine is not run-
ning smoothly and is
misfiring. There is
amalfunction in the engine electronics or in amechanical
componentoft he engine management system.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at aqualified specialist
workshop, e.g. aMercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic con-
verter and damage it. The coolant tempera-
ture display is showing
more than 120 †. The
coolant warning lamp
may also be lit and a
warning tone may
sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X
Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 283). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X
At coolant temperatures under 120 †, drive on to the nearest
qualified specialist workshop, e.g. to aMercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving on
mountain roads and stop/start driving. Manual transmission
Gear lever
Gear lever
!
Only engage gear when the clutch pedal
is depressed.
! When shifting between 5thand 6thgear,
you should always push the gear lever all the way to the right. Otherwise, you could
shift unintentionally into
3rdor4th gear
and damage the transmission.
If you shift down at too high aspeed (trans-
mission braking), this can cause the engine
to overrev, leading to engine damage.
Do not use the clutch bite point to keep the
vehicle stationary on uphill gradients.
There is otherwise arisk of damaging the
clutch.
! On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is laden or towing
at railer, you must shift into gear 1, 2or3
in good time. This uses the engine's braking
effect.T his relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly. Manual transmission
153Driving and parking Z

Vehicles with automatic transmission
X
Apply the parking brake firmly.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
Usin gthe key
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
i The key can onl yberemove difthe trans-
mission is in position P.
Usin gKEYLESS -GO
X Press the Start/Sto pbutton (Y page 147).
The engine stop sand al lthe indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
i Whe nthe 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,i.e. key removed.
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 of the
ECO start/stop automatic engine switch-
off function. Parking brake X
To apply: depress parking brake ;firmly.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running.
X To release: depress the brake pedal and
keep it depressed.
X Pull release handle :.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than four weeks, the battery may be damaged
by exhaustive discharge.
X Disconnect the battery (Y page 307) or
connect it to atrickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from aqualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. aMercedes-Ben zService
Centre.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than six weeks, the vehicle may suffer dam-
age as aresult of lack of use.
X Visit aqualified specialist worksho pand
seek advice. Driving tips
General driving tips
Rolling with the engine switched off G
WARNING
Never switch the engin eoff while the vehicle
is in motion.
There is no power assistanc efor the steering
and the service brake when the engine is not
running.
You will require considerably more effort to
steer and brake, and you could therefor elose
control of the vehicle and cause an accident. 166
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Engine oil
! Vehicles with adiesel particle filter:
If the vehicle is mostly driven for short dis-
tances, it is possible that malfunctions may
occur during the automatic cleaning of the
diesel particle filter. This can lead to engine
damage. Therefore, if you frequently drive
short distances, make sure to drive on
motorways or countr yroads for 20 minutes
at least every 500 km. Brakes
Important safet ynotes G
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
brakin gonas lippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. G
WARNING
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking.
Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towin gatrailer,
you must shift to alower gear in good tim eor,
on vehicles with automatic transmission,
select shift range 1,2or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the brakin geffect of the engine,
so less brakin gwill be required to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
syste mand prevent sthe brake sfrom over-
heatin gand wearing too quickly. Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
Never depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brake storub by applying constan tslight
pedal pressure. This causes the brak esystem
to overheat, increases the braking distance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely.
If the brakes have been subjected to aheavy
load, do not sto pthe vehicle immediately, but
drive on for ashor twhile. This allowst he air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet road surface If driving in heavy rain for
aprolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes when brak-
ing for the first time. This may also occur after
the vehicle has been washed.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain agreater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on awet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm
up the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt
treated roads G
WARNING
The layerofs alt on thebrake discs and the
brake pads/linings may caus eadelay in the
brakin geffect, resultin ginasignificantly lon-
ger brakin gdistance, which could lead to an
accident.
To avoid this danger, you should: Driving tips
167Driving and parking
Z

sonous carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the
vehicle, resulting in loss of consciousness and
even death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, open
aw indow slightly on the side of the vehicle
not facing the wind.
At the onset of winter, have your vehicle win-
terproofed at aqualified specialist workshop,
e.g. at aMercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 319).
Driving with summer tyres Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y
page 319).
Slippery road surfaces G
WARNING
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on aslippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid.
You should drive particularlyc arefully 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 Vehicles with manual transmission: engage
neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission: 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 320). Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes Cruise control maintains
aconstant road
speed for you. It brakes automaticallyino rder
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing atrailer, you must
shift to alower gear in good time or select
shift range 1,2or 3on vehicles with auto-
matic transmission. 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
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on aslippery 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 aprolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 30 km/h. G
WARNING
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
WARNING
Do not use cruise control
R in traffic conditions that do not allow you to
drive at aconstant speed (e.g. heavy traffic Driving systems
169Driving and parking
Z

or winding roads). You may otherwise
cause an accident.
R on slippery roads. The drive wheels may
lose their grip when braking or accelerating
and the vehicle may skid.
R when there is low 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 ahigher
speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed or call up the
last stored speed
? To store the current speed or alower
speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display
for five seconds. In the multifunction display,
the segment sbetween the stored speed and
the maximum speed light up. Selecting cruise control X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;is off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected.
If it is not,p ress the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Cruise control is selected.
Storing and maintaining the current
speed You can store the current speed if you are
driving faster than 30 km/h.
X
Accelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ?to the pressure point.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle
automatically maintains the stored speed.
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by
automatically applying the brakes.
i Vehicles with manual transmission:
R always drive at adequate, but not exces-
sive, engine speeds.
R change gear in good time.
R if possible, do not change down several
gears at atime.
Storing the current speed or calling up
the last stored speed G
WARNING
Only call up astored 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 triggerin gsudden acceleration or
braking. 170
Driving systemsDriving and parking