
Winter driving
General notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon
monoxide (CO) may enter the
vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open
a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section ( Y page 300).
Driving with summer tires Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (
Y page 300).
Slippery road surfaces G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X
Shift the transmission to position N.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road
surfaces. Avoid sudden
acceleration, steering
and braking maneuvers. Do not use the cruise
control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are
displayed after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges. You
should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
freezing point.
i For more information on driving with
snow chains, see ( Y page 301). Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Cruise control cannot take into account the
road, traffic and weather conditions. Cruise
control is only
an aid. You are responsible for
the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle
speed, for braking in good time and for
staying in your lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on slippery road surfaces. Braking or
accelerating could cause the drive wheels Driving systems
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Driving and parking Z
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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 :
Indicator lamp
; To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC
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. Driving systems
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Active Parking Assist will only detect parking
spaces:
R
that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
R that are at least 51 in (1.3 m) longer than
your vehicle
A parking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are
approximately 50 ft (15 m) away from it.
Parking G
WARNING
Active Parking Assist merely aids you by
intervening actively in the steering. If you do
not brake there is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself when
maneuvering and parking.
i When PARKTRONIC detects obstacles,
Active Parking Assist brakes automatically
during the parking process. You are
responsible for braking in good time.
Active Parking Assist does not support you
with parking spaces parallel to the direction
of travel if:
R the parking space is on a curb
R the parking space is apparently blocked,
for example by foliage or grass paving
blocks
R the range of movement is too small
R the parking space is bordered by an
obstacle which is not clearly defined such
as a tree or a trailer
X Stop the vehicle when the parking space
symbol shows the
desired parking space in
the instrument cluster.
X Shift the transmission to position R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
% message appears
in the multifunction
display. X
To cancel the procedure: press the
% button on the multifunction steering
wheel or pull away.
or
X To park using Active Parking Assist:
press the a
button on the multifunction
steering wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate
and Brake Observe Surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
X Let go of the multifunction steering wheel.
X Back up the vehicle, being ready to brake
at all times. Do not exceed a maximum
speed of approximately 5 mph (10 km/h )
when
backing up. Otherwise Active Parking
Assist will be canceled.
i In tight parking spaces, you will achieve
the best parking results by backing up as
far as possible. When doing so, also
observe the PARKTRONIC messages.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
Maneuvering may be required in tight
parking spaces.
The Park Assist Active Select D
Observe Surroundings
message appears in
the multifunction display.
X Shift the transmission to position D while
the vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist
immediately steers in
the other direction.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate
and Brake Observe Surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
i You will achieve the best results by
waiting for the steering procedure to
complete before pulling away.
X Drive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.174
Driving systems
Driving and parking
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General notes
Rear view camera
: is in the trunk lid handle.
The rear view camera extends, when it is
activated.
The rear view camera is an optical parking and
maneuvering aid. It uses guide lines to show
the area behind your vehicle in the Audio/
COMAND display.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear view mirror.
i The text of messages shown in the
COMAND display depends on the language
setting. The following are examples of rear
view camera messages in the COMAND
display.
Activating/deactivating the rear view
camera X
To activate: make sure
that the SmartKey
is in position 2 in the ignition lock.
X Make sure that in the audio system/
COMAND, the "Activation by R gear"
function is selected; see the separate
operating instructions for the audio
system/COMAND.
X Engage reverse gear.
Guide lines are used to show the area
behind the vehicle in the Audio/COMAND
display. To deactivate:
the rear view camera is
deactivated if you:
R select transmission position P (vehicles
with automatic transmission)
R drive forward ten meters
R shift the transmission from R to another
position (after 15 seconds)
R drive forwards at a speed of over 5 mph
(10km/h)
Displays in
the Audio/COMAND display The rear view camera may show a distorted
view of obstacles, show them incorrectly or
not at
all.
The rear view camera does not show
objects in the following positions:
R very close to the rear bumper
R under the rear bumper
R in the area immediately above the tailgate
handle
! Objects not at ground level may appear to
be further away than they actually are, e.g.:
R the bumper of a parked vehicle
R the drawbar of a trailer
R the ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch
R the rear section of an HGV
R a slanted post
Use the guidelines only for orientation.
Approach objects no further than the
bottom-most guideline. Driving systems
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At speeds above 20 mph (30 km/h) the
indicator lamp
goes
out and Blind Spot Assist
is operational.
If a vehicle is detected within the monitoring
range of Blind Spot Assist at speeds above
20 mph (30 km/h), warning lamp : on the
corresponding side lights up red. This warning
is always emitted when a vehicle enters the
blind spot monitoring range from behind or
from the side. When you overtake a vehicle,
the warning only occurs if the difference in
speed is less than 7 mph (12 km/h).
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reverse
gear is engaged. In this event, Blind Spot
Assist is no longer active.
The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range
of Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the
corresponding turn signal, a double warning
tone sounds. Red warning lamp : flashes. If
the turn signal remains on, vehicles detected
are indicated by the flashing of red warning
lamp :. There are no further warning tones.
Switching on Blind Spot Assist
X Make sure that the radar sensor system
(Y page 199) and Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 195)
are
activated in the on-board
computer.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
Warning lamps : in the exterior mirrors
light up red for approximately
1.5 seconds and then turn yellow.
Lane Keeping Assist General notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in
front of
your
vehicle by means of a camera at
the top of the windshield. Lane Keeping Assist
detects lane markings on the road and warns you before you leave your lane
unintentionally.
:
Lane Keeping Assist camera
If you select km on the on-board computer in
the Display Unit Speed-/Odometer:
function ( Y page 196), Lane Keeping Assist
is active starting
at a speed of 60 km/h. If the
miles display unit is selected, the assistance
range begins at 40 mph.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Lane Keeping Assist may not always clearly
recognize lane markings.
In this case, Lane Keeping Assist may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and stay in lane, in particular if
warned by Lane Keeping Assist. G
WARNING
The Lane Keeping Assist warning does not
return the vehicle to the original lane. There
is a risk of an accident.
You should always steer, brake or accelerate
yourself, in particular if warned by Lane
Keeping Assist.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Lane
Keeping Assist can
neither reduce the risk of
an accident nor override the laws of physics.
Lane Keeping Assist cannot take into account
the road, traffic and weather conditions. Lane Driving systems
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Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note
that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Read the information on qualified
specialist workshops: ( Y page 24).Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you operate information systems and
communication equipment integrated in the
vehicle while driving, you will be distracted
from traffic conditions. You could also lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Only operate the equipment when the traffic
situation permits. If
you are not sure that this
is possible, park the vehicle paying attention
to traffic conditions and operate the
equipment when the vehicle is stationary. G
WARNING
If the instrument cluster has failed or
malfunctioned, you may not recognize
function restrictions in systems relevant to
safety. The operating safety of your vehicle
may be impaired. There is a risk of an
accident.
Drive on carefully. Have the vehicle checked
at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
You must observe the legal requirements for
the country in
which you are currently driving
when operating the on-board computer.
The on-board computer only shows messages
or warnings from certain systems in the multifunction display. You should therefore
make sure your vehicle is operating safely at
all times. Otherwise, a vehicle that is not
operating safely may cause an accident.
For an overview, see the instrument panel
illustration (
Y page 29). Displays and operation
Instrument cluster lighting
The lighting in the instrument cluster, in the
displays and the controls in the vehicle
interior can be
adjusted using the brightness
control knob.
The brightness control knob is located on the
bottom left of the instrument cluster
(Y page 29).
X Turn the brightness control knob clockwise
or counter-clockwise.
If the light switch is set to Ã, T or
L, the brightness is dependent upon
the brightness of the ambient light.
i The light sensor
in the instrument cluster
automatically controls the brightness of
the multifunction display.
In daylight, the displays in the instrument
cluster are not illuminated. Coolant temperature display
G
WARNING
Driving when your engine is overheated can
cause some fluids
which may have leaked into
the engine compartment to catch fire. You
could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns which can occur just by opening
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of the
vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle until
the engine has cooled down. 186
Displays and operation
On-board computer and displays
ProCarManuals.com

!
A display message
is shown if the coolant
temperature is too high.
If the coolant temperature is over
248 ‡(120 †), do not continue driving. The
engine will otherwise be damaged.
The coolant temperature gage is in the
instrument cluster on the right-hand side.
Under normal operating conditions and with
the specified coolant level, the coolant
temperature may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †). Tachometer
! Do not drive in the overrevving range, as
this could damage the engine.
The red band
in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached. Outside temperature display
You should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
freezing point.
The outside temperature display is in the
multifunction display.
Changes in the outside temperature are
displayed after a short delay. Speedometer with segments
The segments in the speedometer indicate
which speed range is available.
R Cruise control activated ( Y page 157):
The segments light up from the stored
speed to the maximum speed.
R DISTRONIC PLUS activated (Y page 159):
One or two segments in the set speed
range light up.
R DISTRONIC PLUS detects
a vehicle in front:The segments between the speed of the
vehicle in front and the stored speed light
up. Operating the on-board computer
Overview :
Multifunction display
; Switches on the Voice Control System;
see the separate operating instructions
= Right control panel
? Left control panel
A Back button
X To activate the on-board computer: turn
the SmartKey to position 1 in the ignition
lock.
You
can control the multifunction display and
the settings in the on-board computer using
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel. Displays and operation
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Activating/deactivating surround
lighting and exterior lighting delayed
switch-off
If you have activated the
Locator
Lighting: function
and
the light switch is set
to Ã, the following functions are activated
when it is dark:
R surround lighting: the exterior lighting
remains lit for 40 seconds after unlocking
with the SmartKey. If you start the engine,
the surround lighting is switched off and
automatic headlamp mode is activated
(Y page 99).
R exterior lighting delayed switch-off: the
exterior lighting remains lit for
60 seconds after the engine is switched off.
If you close all the doors and the trunk lid,
the exterior lighting goes off after
15 seconds.
X Press the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Sett. menu.
X Press the :
or 9
button to select the
Lights submenu.
X Press a to confirm.
X Press the : or 9
button to select the
Locator Lighting function.
You will see the selected setting: Enabled
or Disabled.
X Press the a button to save the setting.
Deactivating delayed switch-off of the
exterior lighting temporarily:
X Before leaving the vehicle, turn the
SmartKey to position 0
in the ignition lock.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
The exterior lighting delayed switch-off is
deactivated.
Delayed switch-off of the exterior lighting is
reactivated the next time you start the
engine.
i Depending on your vehicle's equipment,
when the surround lighting and delayed
switch-off exterior lighting are on, the
following light up: R
Parking lamps
R Front fog lamps
R Low-beam headlamps
R Daytime running lamps
R Side marker lamps
R Surround lighting in the exterior mirrors
Activating/deactivating the interior
lighting delayed switch-off
If you activate the Interior Lighting
Delay function, the interior lighting remains
on for 20seconds after you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X Press the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Sett. menu.
X Press the : or 9
button to select the
Lights submenu.
X Press a to confirm.
X Press the :
or 9
button to select the
Interior Lighting Delay function.
You will see the selected setting: Enabled
or Disabled.
X Press the a button to save the setting.
Vehicle Activating/deactivating the automatic
door locking mechanism
X
Press the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Sett menu.
X Press the :
or 9
button to select the
Vehicle submenu.
X Press a to confirm.
X Press the :
or 9
button to select the
Automatic Door Lock function.
You will see the selected setting: Enabled
or Disabled.
X Press the a button to save the setting.
If you select the Automatic Door Lock
function, the
vehicle
is centrally locked above
a speed of around 9 mph (15 km/h).
i For further information on the automatic
locking feature, see ( Y page 74).198
Menus and submenus
On-board computer and displays
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