RACE START is deactivated when a speed of
approximately 30 mph (Canada: 50 km/h) is
reached. Drive program S+ is activated.
SPORT handling mode remains activated.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if
you release the accelerator pedal during
RACE START or if any of the activation
conditions are no longer fulfilled. The
multifunction display shows the RACE START
Not Possible See Operator'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
certain distance.
AIRMATIC
General information
i AIRMATIC is available only for the E 550
and E 550 4MATIC models.
Vehicle level
Your vehicle regulates its height
automatically. All-round self-leveling ensures
the best possible suspension and constant
ground clearance, even with a laden vehicle.
When you drive fast, the vehicle is lowered
automatically to improve driving safety and to
reduce fuel consumption.
The following vehicle levels are possible:
R normal.
R raised: the vehicle is raised above the
normal level by 0.80 in (20 mm).
R lowered: the vehicle is lowered beyond the
normal level by 0.40 in (10 mm).
The "Normal" and "Raised" vehicle levels can
be set manually.
The "Lowered” vehicle level is set
automatically:
R at speeds above 70 mph (113 km/h)
R if you have selected "Sports tuning"
( Y page 192)
Setting the vehicle level
Select the "Normal" setting for normal road
surfaces and "Raised" for driving with snow
chains or on particularly poor road surfaces.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.GWarning!
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.
Setting raised level
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is not lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. The vehicle
height is adjusted to raised level.
The Vehicle Rising message appears in
the display.
The "Raised Level" setting is canceled if you:
R drive at speeds above approximately
75 mph (120 km/h)
R drive about 3 minutes at speeds above
50 mph (80 km/h)
The "Raised Level" setting remains saved
when you are not driving within these speed
ranges.
Setting normal level
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If indicator lamp ; is lit:XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ; goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to normal level.
Suspension tuning
The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection, i.e. sports or
comfort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. You have
selected the suspension for a sporty driving
style.
The AIRMATIC SPORT message appears in
the multifunction display.
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. highways.XPress button :.
Indicator lamp = lights up. You have
selected the suspension for a comfortable
driving style.
The AIRMATIC COMFORT message appears
in the multifunction display.
AMG RIDE CONTROL sports
suspension
General notes
i AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension
is available for the E 63 AMG model.
Rear axle level control
The vehicle automatically sets the vehicle
level at the rear axle. Rear axle self-leveling
ensures the best possible suspension and
ensures that the ground clearance remains
constant, even when the vehicle is loaded.
This improves driving safety and fuel
consumption.
Suspension tuning
The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection of Sport, Sport +
or Comfort
If you select Sport or Sport + mode and
restart the engine, the suspension setting
reverts to Comfort mode.
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Sport mode
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
XPress button : once.
Indicator lamp ? lights up. Sport
suspension mode has been selected.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT
message appears in the multifunction
display.
Sport + mode
The very firm setting of the suspension tuning
in Sport + mode ensures the best possible
contact with the road. Select this mode only
when driving on race circuits.
If indicator lamps = and ? are off:
XPress button : twice.
Both indicator lamps = and ? light up.
Sport + suspension mode has been
selected.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT +
message appears in the multifunction
display.
If indicator lamp ? lights up:
XPress button : once.
Second indicator lamp = lights up. Sport +
suspension mode has been selected.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT +
message appears in the multifunction
display.Comfort mode
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. highways.XPress button : repeatedly until indicator
lamps = and ? go out.
Comfort suspension mode has been
selected.
The AMG Suspension System COMFORT
message appears in the multifunction
display.
Storing and calling up settings
Once the suspension tuning and drive
program have been selected, you can store
and call up your settings using AMG
button ;.
XTo store: press AMG button ; until you
hear a tone.XTo call up: press AMG button ;.
The stored suspension tuning and drive
program are selected.XTo display: briefly press AMG button ;.
Your selection appears in the multifunction
display.
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are
permanently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle
whenever a drive wheel spins due to
insufficient grip.
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Side view, Sedan (example)
Top view, Sedan (example)
Front sensors
CenterApprox. 40 in (100 cm)CornersApprox. 24 in (60 cm)
Rear sensors
CenterApprox. 48 in (120 cm)CornersApprox. 32 in (80 cm)
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, a truck's compressed-air brakes
or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
Minimum distanceCenterApprox. 8 in (20 cm)CornersApprox. 6 in (15 cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, all
warning displays light up and a warning 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 center air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is
located on the headliner in the rear
compartment.
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
vehicle is divided into five yellow and two red
segments. PARKTRONIC is operational if
yellow segments showing operational
readiness = light up.
The selected transmission position
determines which warning display is active
when the engine is running.
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Transmission
positionWarning displayDFront area activatedR or NRear and front areas
activatedPNo areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R sixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for
approximately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two
seconds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
:To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC;Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp ; lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2
in the ignition lock.
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Problems with PARKTRONICProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsOnly the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately
20 seconds, and the
indicator lamp in the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up.PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.XIf problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately 20
seconds.The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.XClean the PARKTRONIC sensors ( Y page 317).XSwitch the ignition back on.The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.XSee if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location.Parking Guidance
Important safety notes
Parking Guidance is an electronic parking aid
with ultrasound. Ultrasound is used to
measure the road on both sides of the vehicle.
A suitable parking space is indicated by the
parking symbol. You receive steering
instructions when parking. You may also use
PARKTRONIC ( Y page 194).
GWarning
Parking Guidance is merely an aid and may
display parking spaces that are not suitable
for parking, for example:
R no-parking areas
R parking spaces with unsuitable surfaces
(road surface)
R driveways
R entrances and exits
Parking Guidance detects and measures
potential parking spaces while driving past.
Changes to the parking space after this point
are not taken into account, for example if the
vehicle in front of or behind the parking space
changes position or objects in the parking
space are moved.
Even when using Parking Guidance, you are
still responsible for driving carefully. If you
rely on Parking Guidance alone, you could
cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
Safety always remains your responsibility and
you must continue paying careful attention to
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Rat night, or if you are parking/maneuvering
your vehicle in a very dark area
R if very bright white light is shining on the
camera
R if the surrounding area is lit by fluorescent
light (the COMAND system display may
flicker)
R if the temperature changes suddenly, for
example if you drive into a heated garage
after being in the cold (condensation on the
lens)
R if the camera lens is dirty or covered
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged
In this case, have the camera position and
setting checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. Mercedes-Benz recommends
that you use an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for this purpose.
Do not use the rear view camera in these
types of situation. Otherwise, you could injure
yourself and others and/or cause damage,
even to your own vehicle, when parking/
maneuvering.
Activating the rear view cameraXMake sure that the SmartKey is in
position 2 in the ignition lock.XMake sure that the "rear view camera"
function is selected in COMAND (see the
separate operating instructions for
COMAND).XEngage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND display.
ATTENTION ASSIST
Important safety notes
ATTENTION ASSIST helps you during long,
monotonous journeys, such as on highways
and arterial roads. It is active at speeds
between 50 mph (80 km/h) and 112 mph
(180 km/h).
If ATTENTION ASSIST detects fatigue or
increasing lapses in concentration on the part
of the driver, it suggests taking a break.GWarning!
The ATTENTION ASSIST is only an aid to the
driver. It might not recognize fatigue or
increasing inattentiveness in time or fail to
recognize them at all. The system cannot
substitute a rested and attentive driver.
Fatigue can cause you to recognize dangers
too late, to misjudge potential dangers, or to
react slower. Therefore, make sure to be
rested before and during your trip. Take rests
early enough and regularly, especially during
long trips. Failure to do so could cause you to
recognize dangers too late which could result
in an accident and serious injury to you and/
or others.
ATTENTION ASSIST assesses your level of
fatigue or lapses in concentration by taking
the following criteria into account:
R your personal driving style, e.g. steering
characteristics
R journey details, e.g. time of day and length
of journey
The functionality of ATTENTION ASSIST is
restricted and warnings may be delayed or
not occur at all:
R if the road condition is poor, e.g. if the
surface is uneven or if there are potholes
R if there is a strong side wind
R if you have adopted a sporty driving style
with high cornering speeds or high rates of
acceleration
R if you predominantly drive at speeds under
50 mph (80 km/h) or over 112 mph
(180 km/h)
R if you are currently using COMAND or
making a telephone call with it
R if the time has been set incorrectly
R in active driving situations, such as when
you change lanes or change your speed
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Warning and display messages in the
multifunction display
Example
XActivate ATTENTION ASSIST using the on-
board computer ( Y page 228).
Symbol : appears in the multifunction
display.
If ATTENTION ASSIST is active, it will not warn
you until at least 20 minutes after your
journey has begun. You then hear an
intermittent warning tone twice and the
Attention Assist: Time for a rest?
message appears in the multifunction
display.
XIf necessary, take a break.XPress a to confirm the message.
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 fatigue or increasing lapses in
concentration, you will be warned again after
15 minutes at the earliest.
ATTENTION ASSIST is reset when you
continue your journey; it reassesses your
tiredness 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.
Night View Assist Plus
Important safety notes
In addition to the illumination provided by the
normal headlamps, Night View Assist Plus
uses infrared light to illuminate the road. A
camera at the top of the windshield picks up
the infrared light and displays a black-and-
white image in the COMAND display. The
image displayed in COMAND corresponds to
a road lit up by high-beam headlamps. This
enables you to see the road's course and any
obstacles in good time. If pedestrian
recognition is activated, pedestrians
recognized by the system are highlighted in
the Night View Assist Plus display.GWarning
Night View Assist Plus is only an aid designed
to assist driving. It is not a substitute for
attentive driving. Do not rely solely on the
Night View Assist Plus display. Continue to
look through the windshield. You are
responsible for safety and must drive in
accordance with traffic conditions. You could
otherwise put yourself and others in danger.
The system may be impaired or unavailable if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to snow,
rain, fog or heavy spray.
R the windshield is dirty, fogged up or
covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera.
R you are driving on bends, uphill gradients
or downhill gradients.
Light from the headlamps of oncoming
vehicles does not affect the Night View Assist
Plus display in the multifunction display. This
is also the case if you cannot switch on the
high-beam headlamps because of oncoming
traffic.
GWarning!
The Night View Assist Plus cannot record
objects immediately in front of or next to the
vehicle. When maneuvering, continue to look
through the windshield. Make sure no
persons or animals are in the area in which
you are maneuvering. You could otherwise
injure them.
i Infrared light is not visible to the human
eye and therefore does not glare. Night
View Assist Plus can therefore remain
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