2012 MERCEDES-BENZ E-Class CABRIOLET instrument cluster

OpeningXSwitch off the engine.XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
KEYLESS-GO: open the driver’s door. This
switches the ignition to position 0, which
corresponds to having removed the
SmartKey. The driver’s door can be closed
again.XPress the fuel filler flap in the direction of
arrow :.
The fuel filler flap opens slightly.XOpen the fuel filler flap.XTurn the fuel filler cap counter-clockwise
and remove it.XInsert the fuel filler cap into the holder
bracket on the inside of filler flap ;.XCompletely insert the pump nozzle into the
filler neck and refuel.XOnly fill the tank until the pump nozzle
switches off.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
Closing
XReplace the fuel filler cap and turn it
clockwise. The fuel filler cap audibly
engages.XClose the fuel filler flap.
i If you drive with the fuel filler cap open,
reserve fuel warning lamp 8 flashes. In
addition, the ; Check Engine warning
lamp may light up. A message appears in
the multifunction display ( Y page 228).
For further information on warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
see ( Y page 245).
i Close the fuel filler flap before locking the
vehicle. A locking pin otherwise prevents
the fuel filler flap from closing after the
vehicle has been locked.
Refueling157Driving and parkingZ

Vehicles with manual transmissionXShift to either first gear or reverse gear R.XTurn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.XApply the parking brake firmly.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
XApply the parking brake firmly.XShift the transmission to position P.
Using the SmartKey
XTurn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
i The SmartKey can only be removed if the
transmission is in position P.
Using KEYLESS-GO
XPress the Start/Stop button (Y page 145).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
i When the driver's door is closed, this
corresponds to SmartKey position 1. When
the driver's door is open, it corresponds to
SmartKey position 0 or "SmartKey
removed".
If you attempt to switch off the engine while
the selector lever is in a position other than
P , a message appears in the multifunction
display and you hear a tone.
Parking brake
GWARNING
Engaging the parking brake while the vehicle
is in motion can cause the rear wheels to lock
up. You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident. In addition, the vehicle's
brake lights do not light up when the parking
brake is engaged.
GWARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it with
you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could
release the parking brake and/or shift the
automatic transmission out of park position
P , either of which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
XTo apply: depress parking brake ; firmly.
When the engine is running, the $ (USA
only) or J (Canada only) indicator lamp
lights up in the instrument cluster.XTo release: depress the brake pedal and
keep it depressed.XPull release handle :.
When the ignition is switched on or the
engine is running, the $ (USA only) or
J (Canada only) indicator lamp goes out
in the instrument cluster.
Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharge.
XConnect a trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
Parking159Driving and parkingZ

Wet roadsGWARNING
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through water
deep enough to wet brake components, the
first braking action may be somewhat
reduced. You have to depress the brake pedal
more firmly. Maintain a safe distance from
vehicles in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the
vehicle washed, brake firmly while paying
attention to the traffic conditions. This will
warm up the brake discs, thereby drying them
more quickly and protecting them against
corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
GWARNING
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause a delay in the
braking effect, resulting in a significantly
longer braking distance, which could lead to
an accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully, without
putting other road users at risk, when you
are driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are removed
from the brake discs.
Servicing the brakes
! If the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and you hear a
warning tone while the engine is running,
the brake fluid level may be too low.
Observe additional warning messages in
the multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked
immediately. This work should be carried
out at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. This work
should be carried out at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Have the brake pads replaced and the brake
fluid renewed at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.GWARNING
If brake pads or brake fluid other than those
recommended are used, the braking
properties of the vehicle can be degraded to
an extent that safe braking is substantially
impaired. This could result in an accident.
! As the ESP ®
system operates
automatically, the engine and the ignition
system must be switched off (SmartKey in
position 0 or 1 in the ignition lock or Start/
Stop button in position 0 or 1) when:
R testing the parking brake on a brake
dynamometer.
R you intend to have the vehicle towed with
one of the axles raised.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake
system.
If your brake system is subject only to
moderate loads, you should test the
functionality of your brakes at regular
intervals by pressing firmly on the brake pedal
at high speeds. This improves the grip of the
brake pads.
162Driving tipsDriving and parking

conditions. Additionally, the driver must
provide the steering, braking and other driving
inputs necessary to remain in control of the
vehicle.
High-frequency sources such as toll stations,
speed measuring systems etc. can cause the
DISTRONIC PLUS system to temporarily
cease functioning.GWARNING
The DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take road and
traffic conditions into account. Only use the
DISTRONIC PLUS if the road, weather and
traffic conditions make it advisable to travel
at a constant speed.
GWARNING
Use of the DISTRONIC PLUS can be
dangerous on slippery roads. Rapid changes
in tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.
The DISTRONIC PLUS does not function in
adverse sight and distance conditions. Do not
use the DISTRONIC PLUS during conditions of
fog, heavy rain, snow or sleet.
GWARNING
The DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take weather
conditions into account. Switch off the
DISTRONIC PLUS or do not switch it on if:
R roads are slippery or covered with snow or
ice. The wheels could lose traction while
braking or accelerating, and the vehicle
could skid.
R the DISTRONIC PLUS system sensor covers
are dirty or visibility is diminished due to
snow, rain or fog, for example. The distance
control system functionality could be
impaired.
Always pay attention to surrounding traffic
conditions even while the DISTRONIC PLUS is
switched on. Otherwise, you may not be able
to recognize dangerous situations until it is
too late. This could cause an accident in which
you and/or others could be injured.
GWARNING
The "Resume" function should only be
operated if the driver is fully aware of the
previously set speed and wishes to resume
this particular preset speed.
GWARNING
Your undivided attention to street and traffic
conditions is necessary at all times whether
DISTRONIC PLUS is active or not.
The use of DISTRONIC PLUS can be
dangerous on winding roads or in heavy traffic
because conditions do not allow safe driving
at a constant speed.
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to stationary
objects on the road (for example, a vehicle
stopped in traffic or an abandoned vehicle).
DISTRONIC PLUS likewise does not react to
oncoming vehicles.
Deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS:
R when changing to the right lane, if the
vehicles in the left lane are driving slower
R when driving into a filter lane or an
expressway exit
R in complex driving situations, for example
in construction sites on an expressway
In these situations DISTRONIC PLUS will
maintain the set speed if it is not deactivated.
DISTRONIC PLUS is intended only for
maintaining a set speed and a set distance
from the objects moving in front of the
vehicle.
GWARNING
An intermittent warning sounds and the
distance warning lamp · in the instrument
cluster is illuminated if the DISTRONIC PLUS
system calculates that the distance to the
vehicle ahead and your vehicle's current
speed indicate that the DISTRONIC PLUS will
not be capable of slowing the vehicle
sufficiently to maintain the preset following
distance, which creates a danger of a
collision.
Driving systems167Driving and parkingZ

Rthe front-passenger door must be closed.
R the vehicle must not skid.
Activating while driving
When driving at speeds below 20 mph
(30 km/h) , you can only activate DISTRONIC
PLUS if the vehicle in front has been detected
and is shown in the multifunction display. If
the vehicle in front is no longer detected and
shown, DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated and
a warning tone sounds.XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?, or briefly press up : or down ;.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.XKeep the cruise control lever pressed
up : or down ; until the desired speed
is set.XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC PLUS Override
message is shown in the multifunction
display. The set distance to a slower-
moving vehicle in front will then not be
maintained. You will be driving at the speed
you determine by the position of the
accelerator pedal.
Activating when driving towards a
stationary vehicle
If the vehicle in front of you is stationary, you
can only activate DISTRONIC PLUS once your
vehicle is stationary as well.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?, or briefly press up : or down ;.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
i DISTRONIC PLUS can only be activated at
under 20 mph (30 km/h) if a vehicle in front
has been detected. Therefore, the
DISTRONIC PLUS distance display in the
instrument cluster should be activated
( Y page 206).
XKeep the cruise control lever pressed
up : or down ; until the desired speed
is set.
i You can use the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the control on the
cruise control lever to set the specified
minimum distance ( Y page 171).
Pulling away
XIf the vehicle in front pulls away: remove
your foot from the brake pedal.XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
or
XAccelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
Driving
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
DISTRONIC causes your vehicle to brake. This
maintains the preset distance to the vehicle
in front.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a faster-moving
vehicle in front, it increases the driving speed
of your vehicle, but only up to the desired
speed you have stored.
GWARNING
If you depress the brake, DISTRONIC PLUS is
deactivated unless your vehicle is stationary.
DISTRONIC PLUS then no longer brakes your
vehicle. In such cases, control the distance
from vehicles travelling in front with the brake
alone. You could otherwise cause an accident
and thereby injure yourself and others. The
driver remains fully responsible for the
vehicle's distance from other vehicles, the
speed being driven and for braking in good
time.
Driving systems169Driving and parkingZ

GWARNING
Objects located above the height range of
Parking Guidance will not be detected when
the parking space is measured. These objects
are not taken into account when the parking
procedure is calculated, e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods
vehicles. Under some circumstances, Parking
Guidance might therefore issue steering
instructions too soon. This may lead to a
collision. For this reason, you should avoid
using Parking Guidance in such situations.
GWARNING
Make sure that no persons or animals are in
the maneuvering range. Otherwise, they
could be injured.
! Pay particular attention to low objects or
objects with flat surfaces, such as trailer
drawbars, posts, cross beams and curbs.
These types of objects cannot be detected
by Parking Guidance and may damage the
vehicle.
When PARKTRONIC is deactivated, Parking
Guidance is also unavailable.
Use Parking Guidance for parking spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are on straight roads, not bends
R that are on the same level as the road, i.e.
not on the pavement, for example. Parking
Guidance may not detect flat curbs
Parking tips:
R on narrow roads, drive past the parking
space as close as possible.
R parking spaces that are littered, overgrown
or partially occupied by trailer drawbars
might be identified incorrectly or not at all.
R snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R pay attention to the PARKTRONIC
( Y page 179) warning messages during the
parking procedure.
R when transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you must not use Parking
Guidance.
R never use Parking Guidance with snow
chains or an emergency spare wheel
installed.
R make sure that the tire pressures are
always correct. This has a direct effect on
the steering instructions.
R the way your vehicle is positioned in the
parking space after parking is dependent
on various factors. These include the
position and shape of the vehicles parked
in front and behind it and the conditions of
the location. In some cases, Parking
Guidance may guide you too far or not far
enough into a parking space. In some
cases, it may also lead you across or onto
the curb. If necessary, cancel the parking
procedure with Parking Guidance.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at
a sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
Detecting a parking space:Detected parking space on the left;Parking symbol=Detected parking space on the right
Parking Guidance is automatically activated
when you drive forwards. The system is
operational at speeds of up to approximately
22 mph (35 km/h). While in operation, the
system independently locates and measures
parking spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
When driving at speeds below 19 mph
( 30 km/h), you will see parking symbol ; as
a status indicator in the instrument cluster.
182Driving systemsDriving and parking

When a parking space has been detected, an
arrow towards the right = or the left : also
appears. Parking Guidance only displays
parking spaces on the front-passenger side
as standard. Parking spaces on the driver's
side are displayed as soon as the turn signal
on the driver's side is activated. To park on
the driver's side, you must leave the driver's
side turn signal switched on until you have
engaged reverse gear.
Parking Guidance will only detect parking
spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are at least 5 ft (1.5 m) wide
R that are at least 4.3 ft (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.
ParkingGWARNING
The Parking Guidance is only an aid and may
not detect all obstacles. The Parking
Guidance does not relieve you of the
responsibility to pay attention. You are always
responsible for safety and must continue to
pay attention to your immediate surroundings
when parking and maneuvering. Otherwise,
you could endanger yourself and others.
XStop the vehicle when the parking space
symbol shows the desired parking space in
the instrument cluster.XShift the transmission to position R.
The following message appears in the
multifunction display: Check vehicle
surroundings Confirm with OK .XPress the a button on the multifunction
steering wheel to confirm.
The multifunction display switches to
Parking Guidance.
Depending on your distance from the
parking space, the Please drive backwards message appears in the
multifunction display.XIf necessary, reverse towards the parking
space. This is indicated by an arrow
pointing backwards.
Continue backing up until you hear a tone.
Stop – the parking position has been
reached. The arrow is white.
The Please steer to the right or
Please steer to the left message
appears in the multifunction display.XWhile the vehicle is stationary, turn the
steering wheel in the specified direction
until the arrow is white and a warning tone
sounds.XTo reverse into the parking space:
maintain the steering wheel angle and
reverse carefully.XStop as soon as you hear a warning tone,
The vehicle has reached the position in
which you need to countersteer.
The Please steer to the left or
Please steer to the right message
appears in the multifunction display.XCountersteering: while the vehicle is
stationary, turn the steering wheel in the
specified direction until the arrow is white
and a warning tone sounds.Driving systems183Driving and parkingZ

Useful information ............................196
Important safety notes ....................196
Displays and operation ....................196
Menus and submenus ......................200
Display messages ............................. 213
Warning and indicator lamps in the
instrument cluster ............................240195On-board computer and displays