2012 MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS towing

Automatic transmission
Automatic drive program ............... 144
Changing gear ............................... 143
DIRECT SELECT lever .....................140
Display message
............................ 220
Drive program display ....................141
Driving tips .................................... 143
Emergency running mode ..............147
Engaging drive position .................. 142
Engaging neutral ............................ 141
Engaging reverse gear ................... 141
Engaging the park position ............ 141
Holding the vehicle stationary on
uphill gradients .............................. 143
Kickdown ....................................... 143
Manual drive program ....................144
Overview ........................................ 140
Problem (malfunction) ...................147
Program selector button ................143
Pulling away ................................... 136
Starting the engine ........................ 135
Steering wheel paddle shifters ...... 144
Transmission position display ........ 141
Transmission positions .................. 142
Automatic transmission
emergency mode ............................... 147B
Backup lamp Changing bulbs .............................. 109
Display message ............................ 211
Bag hook

............................................ 243
BAS (Brake Assist System) ................. 59
Battery (SmartKey) Checking .......................................... 70
Important safety notes .................... 70
Replacing ......................................... 70
Battery (vehicle)
Charging ........................................ 288
Display message ............................ 213
Important safety notes .................. 285
Jump starting ................................. 289
Belt force limiter
Activation ......................................... 49
Function ........................................... 49
Blinds
see Roller sunblind Blind Spot Assist
Activating/deactivating .................195
Display message

............................ 216
Notes/function .............................. 181
Brake Assist
see BAS (Brake Assist System)
Brake fluid
Display message ............................ 207
Notes ............................................. 332
Brake lamps
Adaptive ........................................... 62
Changing bulbs .............................. 109
Display message ............................ 209
Brakes
ABS .................................................. 59
Adaptive Brake Assist ......................61
BAS .................................................. 59
Brake fluid (notes) .........................332
Display message ............................ 201
Driving tips .................................... 154
Important safety notes .................. 154
Maintenance .................................. 155
Parking brake ................................ 150
Warning lamp ................................. 225
Breakdown
see Flat tire
see Towing away/tow-starting
Bulbs
see Changing bulbs C
Calling up a malfunction see Display messages


Car
see Vehicle
Care
Carpets .......................................... 277
Car wash ........................................ 271
Display ........................................... 275
Exhaust pipe .................................. 275
Exterior lights ................................ 274
Gear or selector lever ....................276
Interior ........................................... 275
Matte finish ................................... 273
Notes ............................................. 271
Paint .............................................. 273
Plastic trim .................................... 276 Index
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ProCarManuals.com

Wear indicator (definition)
.............318
Wheel rim (definition) ....................316
see Flat tire

Top Tether ............................................ 55
Towing Important safety guidelines ...........291
Installing the towing eye ................ 292
Removing the towing eye ...............292
Towing away
With both axles on the ground ....... 293
With front axle raised ..................... 293
Tow-starting
Emergency engine starting ............ 294
Important safety notes .................. 291
Installing the towing eye ................ 292
Removing the towing eye ...............292
Traction control ................................... 62
Transmission see Automatic transmission
Transmission position display .........141
Transporting the vehicle .................. 293
Trim pieces (cleaning instructions) . 276
Trip computer (on-board computer) 189
Trip odometer Calling up ....................................... 189
Resetting (on-board computer) ...... 190
Trunk
see Tailgate
Turn signals
Changing bulbs (front) ................... 108
Changing bulbs (rear) .................... 109
Display message ............................ 209
Switching on/off ........................... 100
Type identification plate
see Vehicle identification plate U
Unlocking Emergency unlocking .......................75
From inside the vehicle (central
unlocking button) ............................. 74 V
Vanity mirror (in the sun visor) ........ 249
Vehicle Correct use ...................................... 24
Data acquisition ............................... 25
Equipment
....................................... 21
Individual settings ..........................196
Limited Warranty ............................. 25
Loading .......................................... 306
Locking (in an emergency) ............... 75
Locking (SmartKey) .......................... 68
Lowering ........................................ 322
Maintenance .................................... 22
Parking for a long period ................ 152
Pulling away ................................... 136
Raising ........................................... 320
Reporting problems .........................24
Securing from rolling away ............320
Towing away .................................. 291
Tow-starting ................................... 291
Transporting .................................. 293
Unlocking (in an emergency) ........... 75
Unlocking (SmartKey) ......................68
Vehicle data ................................... 335
Vehicle data ....................................... 335
Vehicle dimensions ...........................335
Vehicle emergency locking ................75
Vehicle identification number see VIN
Vehicle identification plate ..............328
Vehicle tool kit .................................. 280
Video (DVD) ........................................ 193
VIN ...................................................... 328 W
Warning and indicator lamps ABS ................................................ 225
Brakes

........................................... 225
Check Engine ................................. 231
Coolant .......................................... 231
Distance warning ........................... 233
DISTRONIC PLUS ........................... 233
ESP ®
.............................................. 227
ESP ®
OFF ....................................... 228
Fuel tank ........................................ 231
Overview .......................................... 3018
Index
ProCarManuals.com

!
When testing the electric parking brake
on a braking dynamometer, switch off the
ignition. Application of the brakes by
ESP ®
may otherwise destroy the brake
system.
When towing your vehicle with the front axle
raised, observe the notes on
ESP ®
(Y page 293).
ESP ®
is deactivated if the å ESP®
OFF
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights
up continuously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ ESP ®
warning lamp and the
å ESP ®
OFF warning lamp are lit
continuously, ESP ®
is not available due to a
malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 227) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 201).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP ®General information
ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any
circumstances.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
Vehicles with the ECO start/stop function Deactivating/activating ESP
® Important safety notes
i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section for driving safety systems
(Y page 59).
You can select between the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer
stabilizes the vehicle. There is an increased
risk of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations
described in the following.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the
following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no

longer apply. ESP®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the
vehicle if the vehicle starts to skid or a
wheel starts to spin.
! Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
You can deactivate or activate ESP ®
via the
on-board computer.
X To deactivate: (Y page 194).
The å ESP ®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To activate: (Y page 194).
The å ESP ®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. Driving safety systems
63
Safety Z
ProCarManuals.com

Remaining in neutral N
If the automatic transmission is to remain in
neutral N, e.g. for washing the vehicle in car
washes with
a
towing device, please observe
the following instructions: G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of
parking position P.
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you

and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
R Make sure that the ignition is switched on.
R When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
R Shift to neutral N.
R Release the brake pedal.
R If the electric parking brake is engaged,
release it.
R Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past
the first point of resistance. Transmission positions
B
Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P unless the vehicle is
stationary (
Y page 149). The
parking lock should

not be used as
a brake when parking. Always
apply the electronic parking brake
in addition to the parking lock in
order to secure the vehicle.
If the vehicle electronics are
malfunctioning, the transmission
may be locked in position P.
Have the vehicle electronics
checked immediately at a qualified
specialist workshop. C
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. A
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the
brakes

will allow you
to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to
push it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only shift the transmission to
position N if the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
When you switch off the engine, the
automatic transmission
automatically shifts into neutral N. 7
Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.142
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

In such cases, DISTRONIC PLUS may:
R
give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
R accelerate unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, in particular when warned to do so by
DISTRONIC PLUS. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with up
to 40% of the maximum braking force. If this
braking force is
insufficient, DISTRONIC PLUS
warns you visually and audibly. There is a risk
of an accident.
In such cases, apply the brakes yourself and
try to take evasive action.
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations. To
prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk
of accident nor override the laws of physics.
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take into account
the road, traffic and weather conditions.
DISTRONIC PLUS 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 DISTRONIC PLUS:
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 to lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid
R when there is

poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in
parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a
vehicle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may
unexpectedly accelerate the vehicle to the
stored speed.
This speed may:
R be too high if you are driving in a filter lane
or an exit lane
R be so high when driving in the right-hand
lane that you overtake vehicles in the left-
hand lane
R be so high when driving in the left-hand lane
that you overtake vehicles in the right-hand
lane
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
General notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the
distance to the vehicle detected in front.
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so
that the set speed is not exceeded.
On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is laden, you must
select a low gear in good time. For this, you
will need to have selected manual drive
program
M(Y page 154).

By doing so, you will
make use of the braking effect of the engine.
This relieves the load on the brake system and 160
Driving systems
Driving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

!
If DISTRONIC PLUS
or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations. To
prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 168).
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R
when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when maneuvering on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect

is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been
automatically switched off by the ECO
start/stop function
R the driver's
door

is closed or your seat belt
is fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R the transmission position D, R or N is
engaged while driving a vehicle with an
automatic transmission
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until : appears in the multifunction
display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated
automatically if:
R
you accelerate. On

vehicles with automatic
transmission: only when the transmission
is in position D or R.
R the transmission is in position P on vehicles
with automatic transmission.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until :
disappears from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake. 168
Driving systems
Driving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

X
To initiate an emergency call
manually: press cover : briefly to open.
X Press SOS button ; briefly.
The indicator lamp in SOS button ;
flashes until the emergency call is
concluded.
X Wait for a voice connection to the
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center.
X After the emergency call, close cover :.
i If the mobile phone network is not
available, mbrace is not able to make an
emergency call. If you leave the vehicle
immediately after
pressing
the SOS button,
you do not know if mbrace has successfully
made the emergency call. In this situation,
seek additional assistance by other means.
Roadside Assistance button X
Press Roadside Assistance button :.
This initiates a call to the Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Center.

The indicator
lamp in Roadside Assistance button :flashes while the call is active. The
Connecting Call message appears on
the multifunction
display.

The audio output
is muted.
If a connection can be made, the Call
Connected message appears in the
multifunction display.
If a cellular phone network is available and
there is
sufficient

GPS reception, the mbrace
system transmits data to the Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance Center, for example:
R Current location of the vehicle
R Vehicle identification number
i The display of the audio system or
COMAND shows that an mbrace call is
active. During the call, you can change to
the navigation menu by pressing the NAVI
button on COMAND, for example.
Voice output is not available.
A voice connection is established between
the Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center and the vehicle occupants.
From the vehicle remote malfunction
diagnosis, the Mercedes-Benz Customer
Assistance center can ascertain the nature of
the problem ( Y page 258).
The Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance
Center either sends a qualified Mercedes-
Benz technician or arranges for your vehicle
to be transported to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. You may be charged
for services such as repair work and/or
towing. Further details are available in your
mbrace manual.
i The mbrace system failed to initiate a
Roadside Assistance call if:
R the indicator lamp for Roadside
Assistance call button : is flashing
continuously.
R no voice connection to the Mercedes-
Benz Customer Assistance Center was
established.
This may be because the corresponding
mobile phone network is not available. 254
Features
Stowage and features
ProCarManuals.com

Special service requirements
The specified
maintenance
interval takes only
the normal operation of the vehicle into
account. Under arduous operating conditions
or increased load on the vehicle,
maintenance work must be carried out more
frequently, for example:
R regular city driving with frequent
intermediate stops
R if the vehicle is primarily used to travel
short distances
R use in mountainous terrain or on poor road
surfaces
R if the engine is often left idling for long
periods
Under these or similar conditions, have, for
example, the air filter, engine oil and oil filter
replaced or changed more frequently. Under
arduous operating conditions, the tires must
be checked more often. Further information
can be obtained at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Driving abroad
An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network
is also available in other countries. You can
obtain further information from any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Care
General notes
H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible
manner.
! For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any
of the following:
R dry, rough or hard cloths
R abrasive cleaning agents
R solvents
R cleaning agents containing solvents Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces or protective
films with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice
scraper. You could otherwise scratch or
damage the surfaces and protective film.
! Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after
cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after
cleaning. Braking heats the brake discs and
the brake pads/linings, thus drying them.
The vehicle can then be parked.
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents
recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz. Exterior care
Automatic car wash G
WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
After the vehicle has been washed, brake
carefully while paying attention to the traffic
conditions until full

braking power is restored.
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations. To
prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
! Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can
damage the paintwork or plastic parts. Care
271
Maintenance and care Z
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