
iIf depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.GWARNING
The vehicle's brakes are applied when the
HOLD function is activated. For this reason,
deactivate the HOLD function if the vehicle is
to be set in motion by other means (e.g. in a
car wash or by towing).
Deactivating the HOLD function
The HOLD function is deactivated
automatically if:
R you accelerate and the transmission is in
position D or R.
R the transmission is in position P.
R you apply the brakes again with a certain
amount of pressure until HOLD disappears
from the multifunction display.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
GWARNING
Never get out of the vehicle when the HOLD
function is activated.
The HOLD function must never be operated
or deactivated by a passenger or from outside
the vehicle.
The HOLD function does not replace the
parking brake and must not be used for
parking.
The braking effect of the HOLD function is
canceled and the vehicle could roll away if:
R the HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelerator pedal or the
brake pedal.
R there is a malfunction in the system or an
interruption in the power supply, e.g.
battery failure.
R the electrical system in the engine
compartment, the battery or the fuses are
tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
If you leave the vehicle or park it, deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
When the HOLD function is activated, the
transmission is shifted automatically to
position P if:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off.
R the hood is opened.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
RACE START
Important safety notes
i RACE START is only available in AMG
vehicles.
RACE START enables optimal acceleration
from a standing start. The precondition for
this is a suitable high-grip road surface.
GWARNING
RACE START is only available when SPORT
handling mode is activated. SPORT handling
mode only stabilizes the vehicle to a limited
extent in the event of swerving or wheelspin.
RACE START should only be used on specially
designated roads. Always adapt your speed
and driving style to the prevailing road and
weather conditions.
Conditions for activation
RACE START can be activated when:
R the doors are closed.
R the engine is running and it has reached an
operating temperature of approximately
176 ‡ (80 †). This is the case when the
engine oil temperature in the multifunction
display stops flashing.
R SPORT handling mode is activated.
( Y page 65)
Driving systems167Driving and parkingZ

If indicator lamp ? lights up:XPress button : once.
The second indicator lamp = lights up. You
have selected Sport + mode.
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.
You have selected Comfort mode.
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.
GWARNING
If a drive wheel is spinning due to insufficient
traction:
R While driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R While driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R Adapt your speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The 4MATIC cannot prevent accidents
resulting from excessive speed.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires ( M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary.
PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The PARKTRONIC is a supplemental system.
It is not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always remains with the driver.
GWARNING
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering. Otherwise, they could be
injured.
Driving systems171Driving and parkingZ

Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
Minimum distanceCenterApproximately 8 in
(approximately 20 cm)CornersApproximately 6 in
(approximately 15 cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant 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 readinessThe 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 and the
direction in which the vehicle is rolling
determine which warning display is active
when the engine is running.Transmission
positionWarning displayDFront area activatedR , N or the vehicle
is rolling
backwardsRear 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
:Indicator lamp;To deactivate/activate PARKTRONICDriving systems173Driving and parkingZ

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 289).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.Active Parking Assist
Important safety notes
Active Parking Assist 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. Active steering intervention
can assist you during parking. You may also
use PARKTRONIC ( Y page 171). When
PARKTRONIC is switched off, Active Parking
Assist is also unavailable.
GWARNING
Active Parking Assist is merely an aid and may
sometimes recommend parking spaces that
are not suitable for parking. For example,
these might be spaces where parking is
prohibited, driveways, unsuitable surfaces,
etc.
Active Parking Assist measures the parking
space as you drive past it. Any later changes
to the parking space are not taken into
account. For instance, this may be the case
when the vehicle parked in front of or behind
the space changes its position or when an
obstacle is moved into the parking space.
Active Parking Assist does not relieve you of
the responsibility of paying attention. If you
rely solely on Active Parking Assist, you could
cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
You are always responsible for safety and
must continue to pay attention to your
immediate surroundings when parking and
maneuvering.Driving systems175Driving and parkingZ

altering of the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
For Blind Spot Assist to assist you when
driving, the radar sensor system must be
activated ( Y page 211) and operational.
Monitoring range of the sensors
Blind Spot Assist monitors the area shown in
the figure up to 10 ft (3 m) behind and
immediately adjacent to your vehicle.GWARNING
Blind Spot Assist monitors certain areas in the
immediate vicinity of your vehicle. Vehicles
that approach and drive past at high speeds
are not detected. There is no display and no
warning.
If the lanes are very wide, it may not be
possible to monitor the complete width of the
neighboring lane. For this reason, vehicles in
the next lane may not be detected, especially
if they are driving in a staggered formation.
This may be the case if vehicles are driving at
that edge of their lane which is furthest away
from your vehicle.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
If the lanes are narrow, vehicles driving in the
lane beyond the lane next to your vehicle may
be indicated, especially if the vehicles are not
driving in the middle of their lane. This may
be the case if the vehicles are driving on the
inner side of their lane.
Due to the nature of the system:
R warnings may be issued in error when
driving close to crash barriers or similar
solid lane borders.
R warnings may be interrupted when driving
alongside particularly long vehicles, for
example trucks, for a prolonged time.
The two sensors for Blind Spot Assist are
integrated into the sides of the rear bumper.
Make sure that the bumper is free from dirt,
ice or slush around the sensors. The radar
sensors must not be covered, for example by
bicycle racks or overhanging cargo. Following
a severe impact or in the event of damage to
the bumpers, have the function of the radar
sensors checked at a qualified specialist
workshop, such as an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center. Blind Spot Assist may otherwise
not work properly.
Indicator and warning display:Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp
When Blind Spot Assist is activated, indicator
lamp : lights up yellow in the exterior
mirrors up to a vehicle speed of 20 mph
Driving systems185Driving and parkingZ

(30 km/h). When the vehicle speed exceeds
20 mph (30 km/h), the indicator lamp goes
out and Blind Spot Assist is ready for use.
When your speed exceeds approximately
20 mph (30 km/h), warning lamp : lights up
red on the corresponding side whenever a
vehicle is detected in the blind spot
monitoring range. This warning is always
given when a vehicle enters the blind spot
monitoring range from behind or from the
side. When you are passing another vehicle,
the warning is emitted only if the difference
in speed is less than 7 mph (12 km/h).
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if the
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.GWARNING
Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds under
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). The
indicator lamps in the exterior mirrors are
yellow. Vehicles in the monitoring range are
then not indicated.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range
of Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the turn
signal, a double warning tone sounds. Red
warning lamp : flashes. If the turn signal
remains on, detected vehicles are indicated
by the flashing of red warning lamp :. There
are no further warning tones.
Switching on Blind Spot Assist
XMake sure that the radar sensor system
( Y page 211) and Blind Spot Assist(Y page 207) are activated in the on-board
computer.XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
Warning lamps : light up red in the
exterior mirrors for approximately 1.5
seconds and then turn yellow.
Lane Keeping Assist
Important safety 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 have chosen the Display unit
Speed-/odometer: (Y page 208) function in
the on-board computer and select km as the
unit of measurement, Active Lane Keeping
Assist is active from speeds of 60 km/h. If
the miles display unit is selected, the
assistance range begins at 40 mph.
GWARNING
Lane Keeping Assist does not keep your
vehicle in its lane. It is only an aid and may
detect the lane markings on the road
incorrectly or not at all.
186Driving systemsDriving and parking

The system may be impaired or may not
function if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to
insufficient illumination of the road, or due
to snow, rain, fog or spray.
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun, or reflection from other vehicles.
R the windshield is dirty, fogged up or
covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera.
R several or no lane markings for a single lane
are present.
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow.
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected.
R the lane markings on the road are unclear,
e.g. near roadworks.
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge.
R the road is narrow and winding.
Lane Keeping Assist cannot detect road and
traffic conditions. It is not a substitute for
attentive driving. You are responsible for the
vehicle's speed, braking in good time, and
steering correctly. Always adapt your driving
style to suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions. Always pay attention to traffic
conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise,
you may fail to recognize dangers in time,
cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
A warning can be given when a front wheel
passes over a lane marking. It will warn you
by means of intermittent vibration in the
steering wheel for up to 1.5 seconds.
In order that you are warned only when
necessary and in good time if you cross the
lane marking, the system recognizes certain
conditions and warns you accordingly.The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a
freeway.
R the system recognizes solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend.
No warning vibration occurs if:
R you clearly and actively steer, brake or
accelerate.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Switching on Lane Keeping AssistXActivate Lane Keeping Assist using the on-
board computer ( Y page 207).
Symbol : appears in the multifunction
display.
If your speed exceeds 40 mph (60 km/h)
and lane markings are detected,
symbol : is shown in green. Lane Keeping
Assist is ready for use.
Active Driving Assistance package
General information
The Active Driving Assistance package
consists of DISTRONIC PLUS ( Y page 157),
Active Blind Spot Assist ( Y page 188) and
Active Lane Keeping Assist ( Y page 191).
Driving systems187Driving and parkingZ

If the lanes are very wide, it may not be
possible to monitor the complete width of the
neighboring lane. For this reason, vehicles in
the next lane may not be detected, especially
if they are driving in a staggered formation.
This may be the case if vehicles are driving at
that edge of their lane which is furthest away
from your vehicle.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
If the lanes are narrow, the system may be
unable to distinguish the neighboring lane
from the one beyond it. For this reason,
vehicles in the farther lane may be indicated,
especially if the vehicles are driving in a
staggered formation in different lanes. This
may be the case if there are vehicles driving
at the inner edge of their lanes.
Due to the nature of the system:
R warnings may be issued in error when
driving close to crash barriers or similar
solid lane borders.
R warnings may be interrupted when driving
alongside particularly long vehicles, for
example trucks, for a prolonged time.
Two Active Blind Spot Assist radar sensors
are integrated into the front and rear bumpers
respectively. An additional radar sensor is
located behind the cover in the radiator grill.
Make sure that the sensor areas on the
bumpers and the sensor cover in the radiator
grill are free from dirt, ice and slush. The rear
sensors must not be covered, for example by
cycle racks or overhanging cargo. Following
a severe impact or in the event of damage to
the bumpers, have the function of the radar
sensors checked at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Active Blind Spot Assist may
otherwise not work properly.Information and warning display:Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp
When Active Blind Spot Assist is activated,
indicator lamp : lights up yellow in the
exterior mirrors up to a vehicle speed of
20 mph (30 km/h). When the vehicle speed
exceeds 20 mph (30 km/h), the indicator
lamp goes out and Active Blind Spot Assist is
ready for use.
When your speed exceeds approximately
20 mph (30 km/h), warning lamp : lights up
red on the corresponding side whenever a
vehicle is detected in the blind spot
monitoring range. This warning is always
given when a vehicle enters the blind spot
monitoring range from behind or from the
side. When you are passing another vehicle,
the warning is emitted only if the difference
in speed is less than 7 mph (12 km/h).
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if the
reverse gear is engaged. In this event, Active
Blind Spot Assist is no longer active.
The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.
GWARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds
lower than 20 mph (30 km/h). The indicator
lamps in the exterior mirrors are yellow.
Vehicles in the monitoring range are then not
indicated.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
Driving systems189Driving and parkingZ