All washer nozzles are supplied from one reser‐
voir.
Fill with a mixture of windshield washer concen‐
trate and water and – if required – with a washer
antifreeze, according to the manufacturer's rec‐
ommendations.
Mix the washer fluid before adding to maintain
the correct mixing ratio.
Do not add windshield washer concentrate un‐
diluted and do not fill with pure water; this could
damage the wiper system.
Do not fill with undiluted antifreeze.
For the capacity, refer to technical data.
Manual transmission
Shifting Shifting into 5th or 6th gear
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, push
the gearshift lever to the right; otherwise inad‐
vertent shifting into the 3rd or 4th gear could
lead to engine damage.◀
Reverse gear
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. When
the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a slight
resistance needs to be overcome.
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic
Transmission positions
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for‐
ward gears are available.
R is Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N is Neutral
Use in automatic car washes, for example. The
vehicle can roll.
When the ignition is switched off, refer to
page 62, position P is engaged automatically.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The
drive wheels are blocked.
P is engaged automatically:▷After the engine is switched off when the
vehicle is in radio ready state, refer to
page 63, or when the ignition is switched off,
refer to page 62, and when position R or D is
engaged.▷With the ignition is off, if position N is en‐
gaged.▷If the safety belt is unbuckled, the driver's
door is opened, and the brake pedal is not
pressed while the vehicle is stationary and
transmission position R or D is engaged.
Before exiting the vehicle, make sure that posi‐
tion P of the automatic transmission is engaged.
Otherwise, the vehicle may begin to roll.
Kickdown
Kickdown is used to achieve maximum driving
performance. Press on the gas pedal beyond the
resistance point at the full throttle position.
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Switching to manual mode▷To shift down: press the selector lever for‐
ward.▷To shift up: pull the selector lever rearwards.
Gears will only be shifted at appropriate engine
and road speeds, e.g., downshifting is not pos‐
sible if the engine speed is too high.
The selected gear is briefly displayed in the in‐
strument cluster, followed by the current gear.
Not M550d xDrive:Sport automatic
transmissions: prevent automatic
upshifting in M/S manual mode
For vehicles with Sport automatic transmis‐
sions, automatic shift operations are not per‐
formed, at maximum engine speed for example,
if one of the following conditions is met:
▷DSC deactivated.▷TRACTION activated.▷SPORT+ activated.
In addition, the kickdown is deactivated.
M550d xDrive: prevent automatic
upshifting in M/S manual mode
Once maximum engine speed is attained, up‐
shifting is not automatically performed in M/S
manual mode.
In addition, the kickdown is deactivated.
The lowest possible gear is selected by simul‐
taneously operating the kickdown and the left
shift paddle.
However, this effect is not produced via the shift
paddles when switching briefly from transmis‐
sion position D to manual mode.
Ending the sport program/manual
mode
Push the selector lever to the right.
D is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Shift paddles for Sport automatic
transmission
The shift paddles on the steering wheel allow
you to shift gears quickly while keeping both
hands on the steering wheel.
If the shift paddles on the steering wheel are
used to shift gears in automatic mode, the trans‐
mission temporarily switches to manual mode.
If the shift paddles are not used and the vehicle
is not accelerated for a certain time, the system
switches back into automatic mode if the selec‐
tor lever is in transmission position D.
▷Shift up: pull right shift paddle.▷Shift down: pull left shift paddle.
The vehicle only shifts up or down at appropriate
engine and road speeds, e.g., it does not shift
down if the engine speed is too high.
The selected gear is briefly displayed in the in‐
strument cluster, followed by the current gear.
Displays in the instrument cluster The transmission position is dis‐
played, e.g.: P.
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ECO PRO displays1Speedometer2Variable displays: ECO PRO Tips, Deceler‐
ation assistant instructions, Driver assist
system displays3Efficiency display 1794Transmission display 745▷Blue: bonus range▷Gray: rangeIn ECO PRO driving mode, the instrument dis‐
play switches to the ECO PRO displays. These
displays support a driving style that saves onfuel consumption with more prominent repre‐
sentation of the efficiency display and various
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Fuel gaugeThe vehicle inclination may
cause the display to vary.
US models: the arrow beside the
fuel pump symbol shows which
side of the vehicle the fuel filler
flap is on.
Hints on refueling, refer to page 186.
Tachometer
Always avoid engine speeds in the red warning
field. In this range, the fuel supply is interrupted
to protect the engine.
Engine oil temperature▷Cold engine: the pointer is at
the low temperature end.
Drive at moderate engine and
vehicle speeds.▷Normal operating tempera‐
ture: the pointer is in the mid‐
dle or in the left half of the
temperature display.▷Hot engine: the pointer is at the high end of
the temperature range. A Check Control
message is also displayed.
Coolant temperature
If the coolant along with the engine becomes too
hot, a Check Control message is displayed.
Check the coolant level, refer to page 209.
Odometer and trip odometer▷Odometer, arrow 1.▷Trip odometer, arrow 2.
Display/reset miles
Press the knob.
▷When the ignition is switched
off, the time, external temper‐
ature and odometer are dis‐
played.▷When the ignition is switched on, the trip
odometer is reset.
External temperature
External temperature warning If the indicator drops to
+37 ℉/+3 ℃, a signal sounds.
A Check Control message is dis‐
played.
There is an increased risk of ice
on roads.
Ice on roads
Even at temperatures above +37 ℉/+3 ℃,
there can be a risk of ice on roads.
Therefore, drive carefully on bridges and shaded
roads, for example, to avoid the increased risk of
an accident.◀
Time The time is displayed at the bot‐
tom of the instrument cluster.
Setting the time and time format,
refer to page 91.
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the information stored in the navigation system
and also displays speed limits present on routes
without signs.
No Passing Information
No Passing Information in the instrument cluster
displays the beginnings and ends of no passing
zones detected by the camera. The system ac‐
counts for only the beginnings and ends of No
Passing zones marked by signs.
No display is shown:▷In countries where No Passing zones are
primarily identified with road markings.▷On routes without signage.▷Where there are railroad crossings, highway
markings or other situations where no sig‐
nage is present, but passing would not be
permitted.
Hints
Speed limits when towing a trailer are not
shown.
Personal judgment
The system cannot serve as a substitute
for the driver's personal judgment of the traffic
situation.
The system assists the driver and does not re‐
place the human eye.◀
At a glance
Camera
The camera is located near the base of the mir‐
ror.
Keep the windshield in the area behind the in‐
terior rear view mirror clean and clear.
Switching on/off1."Settings"2."Info display"3."Speed limit information"
If speed limit detection is switched on, it can be
displayed on the info display in the instrument
cluster via the onboard computer. No Passing
Information is displayed together with the acti‐
vated speed limit information.
Display
The following is displayed in the instrument
cluster.
Speed limit detection Current speed limit.
Speed limit detection is not avail‐
able.
Speed limit detection can also be displayed in
the Head-up Display.
No Passing Information
▷Start of No Passing zone.▷End of No Passing zone.▷No Passing Information not
available.
No Passing Information can also be displayed in
the Head-up Display.
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LampsVehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not available in a vehicle,
e. g., because of the selected optional equip‐
ment or country variant. This also applies for
safety-related functions and systems.
At a glance1Rear fog lamps2Front fog lamps3Automatic headlamp control, Adaptive Light
Control, High-beam Assistant, Welcome
lamps, Daytime running lights4Lamps off, daytime running lights5Parking lamps, daytime running lights6Low beams, welcome lamps, High-beam
Assistant7Instrument lighting8Headlamp range control
Parking lamps/low beams,
headlamp control
General information
Switch position: 0,
,
If the driver door is opened with the ignition
switched off, the exterior lighting is automati‐
cally switched off at these switch settings.
Parking lamps
Switch position
: the vehicle lamps light
up on all sides, e.g., for parking.
Do not use the parking lamps for extended pe‐
riods; otherwise, the battery may become dis‐
charged and it would then be impossible to start
the engine.
When parking, it is preferable to switch on the
one-sided roadside parking lamps, refer to
page 95.
Low beams
Switch position
with the ignition switched
on: the low beams light up.
Welcome lamps
When parking the vehicle, leave the switch in
position
or : the parking and interior
lamps light up briefly when the vehicle is un‐
locked.
Activating/deactivating
1."Settings"2."Lighting"3."Welcome lights"
The setting is stored for the remote control cur‐
rently in use.
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Switching off
Briefly press the lever to the resistance point in
the opposite direction.
Adaptive light control
The concept
Adaptive Light Control is a variable headlamp
control system that enables dynamic illumina‐
tion of the road surface.
Depending on the steering angle and other pa‐
rameters, the light from the headlamp follows
the course of the road.
In tight curves, e.g., on mountainous roads or
when turning, an additional, corner-illuminating
lamp is switched on that lights up the inside of
the curve when the vehicle is moving below a
certain speed.
Activating
Switch position
with the ignition switched
on.
The turning lamps are automatically switched
on depending on the steering angle or the use
of turn signals.
To avoid blinding oncoming traffic, the Adaptive
Light Control does not swivel to the driver's side
when the vehicle is at a standstill.
When driving in reverse, only the turning lamp is
active.
Self-leveling headlights
The self-leveling headlights feature adapts the
light distribution to the contours of the road.
The light distribution is lowered on hilltops to
avoid blinding oncoming traffic and tilted in de‐
pressions to increase visibility.
Malfunction
A Check Control message is displayed.
Adaptive light control is malfunctioning or has
failed. Have the system checked as soon as pos‐
sible.
Headlamp range control
With halogen headlamps, the headlamp range of
the low beams can be manually adjusted for the
vehicle load to avoid blinding oncoming traffic.
The values following the slash apply to trailer
operation.
0 / 1 = 1 to 2 people without luggage.
1 / 1 = 5 people without luggage.
1 / 2 = 5 people with luggage.
2 / 2 = 1 person, full cargo area.
High-beam Assistant
The concept
When the low beams are switched on, this sys‐
tem automatically switches the high beams on
and off. The procedure is controlled by a sensor
on the front of the interior rearview mirror. The
assistant ensures that the high beams are
switched on whenever the traffic situation al‐
lows. The driver can intervene at any time and
switch the high beams on and off as usual.
Activating1.Turn the light switch to or .2.Press the button on the turn signal lever, ar‐
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The indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
When the lights are switched on, the
high beams are switched on and off automati‐
cally.
The system responds to light from oncoming
traffic and traffic driving ahead of you, and to ad‐
equate illumination, e.g., in towns and cities.
The blue indicator lamp in the instru‐
ment cluster lights up when the system
switches on the high beams.
Switching the high beams on and off
manually▷High beams on, arrow 1.▷High beams off/headlamp flasher, arrow 2.
The High-beam Assistant can be switched off
when manually adjusting the light. To reactivate
the High-beam Assistant, press the button on
the turn signal lever.
System limits Personal responsibility
The high-beam assistant cannot serve as
a substitute for the driver's personal judgment
of when to use the high beams. Therefore, man‐
ually switch off the high beams in situations
where this is required to avoid a safety risk.◀
The system is not fully functional in situations
such as the following, and driver intervention
may be necessary:
▷In very unfavorable weather conditions,
such as fog or heavy precipitation.▷In detecting poorly-lit road users, such as
pedestrians, cyclists, horseback riders and
wagons; when driving close to train or ship
traffic; and at animal crossings.▷In tight curves, on hilltops or in depressions,
in cross traffic or half-obscured oncoming
traffic on freeways.▷In poorly-lit towns and cities and in the pres‐
ence of highly reflective signs.▷At low speeds.▷When the windshield in front of the interior
rearview mirror is fogged over, dirty or cov‐
ered with stickers, etc.
Camera
The camera is located near the base of the mir‐
ror.
Keep the windshield in the area behind the in‐
terior rear view mirror clean and clear.
Fog lamps
Front fog lamps
The parking lamps or low beams must be
switched on.
Press the button. The green indicator
lamp lights up.
If the automatic headlamp control, refer to
page 95, is activated, the low beams will come
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