At a glance1Switching on wipers2Switching off wipers or brief wipe3Activating/deactivating intermittent wipe or
the rain sensor4Cleaning the windshield and headlamps5Setting speed for intermittent wipe or sen‐
sitivity of the rain sensor
Switching on wipers
Press the wiper lever upward, arrow 1.
The lever automatically returns to its initial po‐
sition when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press up once.
The system switches to operation in the inter‐
mittent mode when the vehicle is stationary.
Fast wiper speed
Press up twice or press once beyond the resist‐
ance point.
The system switches to normal speed when the
vehicle is stationary.
Switching off wipers or brief wipe
Press the wiper lever down, arrow 2.
The lever automatically returns to its initial po‐
sition when released.
▷Brief wipe: press down once.▷To switch off normal wipe: press down once.▷To switch off fast wipe: press down twice.Intermittent wipe or rain sensor
If the car is not equipped with a rain sensor, the
intermittent-wipe time is a preset.
If the car is equipped with a rain sensor, the time
between wipes is controlled automatically and
depends on the intensity of the rainfall.
The rain sensor is mounted on the windshield,
directly in front of the interior rearview mirror.
Activating intermittent wipe or the rain
sensor
Press the button, arrow 3.
The LED in the steering wheel stalk lights up and
a wiping cycle is started.
Setting intermittent wipe or the
sensitivity of the rain sensor
Turn thumbwheel 5 up or down.
Deactivating intermittent wipe or the
rain sensor
Press the button again, arrow 3.
The LED goes out.
Deactivate the rain sensor in car washes
Deactivate the rain sensor when passing
through an automatic car wash; otherwise, dam‐
age could be caused by undesired wiper activa‐
tion.◀
Cleaning the windshield and
headlamps
Pull the lever, arrow 4.
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Shifting gears using the shift paddles
on the steering wheel
The shift paddles on the steering wheel allow
you to shift gears quickly while keeping both
hands on the steering wheel.▷When the shift paddles on the steering
wheel are used to shift gears while in auto‐
matic mode, the transmission switches to
manual mode.▷If the shift paddles are not used to accelerate
or shift gears for a certain amount of time,
the transmission switches back to auto‐
matic mode.
If the selector lever is in the M/S gear plane,
manual mode remains active.
▷Shift up: briefly pull right shift paddle +.▷Shift down: briefly 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 se‐
lected gear is briefly displayed in the instrument
panel, followed by the current gear.
Overriding selector lever lock
If the selector lever is locked in position P al‐
though the ignition is switched on, the brake is
depressed, and the button on the selector lever
is pressed, the selector lever lock can be over‐
ridden:
1.Switch off the ignition.2.Unclip the sleeve of the selector lever.3.Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever un‐
til the sleeve is inside out.4.Using the screwdriver from the tool kit, refer
to page 245, press the red lever while mov‐
ing the selector lever to the desired position
with the button pressed.
Automatic transmission with
Steptronic, 8-gear
Transmission positions
D Drive, automatic position
Position for normal vehicle operation. All for‐
ward gears are available.
Under normal operating conditions, fuel con‐
sumption is lowest when you are driving in po‐
sition D.
Kickdown
Kickdown is used to achieve maximum driving
performance. Press on the accelerator beyond
the resistance point at the full throttle position.
R is Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary.
N is Neutral
The vehicle can roll.
N remains engaged after the engine is switched
off if the remote control remains in the ignition
lock. This function can be used in an automatic
car wash, refer to page 259, for example. P is
automatically engaged after approx. 30 minutes.
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Sport program and manual mode M/S
Activating the Sport program
Push the selector lever to the left out of trans‐
mission position D.
The Sport program is activated and DS is dis‐
played in the instrument cluster.
This position is recommended for a perform‐
ance-oriented driving style.
Activating manual mode
Push the selector lever to the left out of trans‐
mission position D.
Push the selector lever forward or backward.
Manual mode becomes active and the gear is
changed.
The engaged gear is displayed in the instrument
cluster, e.g., M1.
▷To shift down: press the selector lever for‐
ward.▷To shift up: press the selector lever back‐
ward.
The transmission only shifts up or down if the
rpm and vehicle speed are appropriate. If the
engine speed is too high, the transmission does
not shift down.
The selected gear is briefly displayed in the in‐
strument panel, followed by the current gear.
Ending the Sport program/manual
mode
Push the selector lever to the right.
D is displayed in the instrument cluster.
Shifting gears using the shift paddles
on the steering wheel
The shifting paddles make it possible to quickly
change gears since both hands can remain on
the steering wheel.▷If the shift paddles on the steering wheel are
used to shift gears while in automatic mode
D, the transmission temporarily switches to
manual mode.▷If the shift paddles are not used to accelerate
or shift gears for a certain amount of time,
the transmission switches back to auto‐
matic mode D.
With the transmission position M/S selected,
the manual mode remains active.
▷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.
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Protective action
Airbags are not triggered in every impact situa‐
tion, e.g., in less severe accidents or rear-end
collisions.
Information on how to ensure the optimal
protective effect of the airbags▷Keep at a distance from the airbags.▷Always grasp the steering wheel on the
steering wheel rim, holding your hands at
the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, to keep
the danger of injury to your hands or arms as
low as possible if the airbag is triggered.▷There should be no people, animals, or ob‐
jects between an airbag and a person.▷Do not use the cover of the front airbag on
the front passenger side as a storage area.▷Keep the dashboard and window on the
front passenger side clear, i.e., do not cover
with adhesive labels or coverings, and do not
attach holders such as for navigation instru‐
ments and mobile phones.▷Make sure that the front passenger is sitting
correctly, i.e., keeps his or her feet and legs
in the footwell; otherwise, leg injuries can
occur if the front airbag is triggered.▷Do not place slip covers, seat cushions or
other objects on the front passenger seat
that are not approved specifically for seats
with integrated side airbags.▷Do not hang pieces of clothing, such as jack‐
ets, over the backrests.▷Make sure that occupants keep their heads
away from the side airbag and do not rest
against the head airbag; otherwise, injuries
can occur if the airbags are triggered.▷Do not remove the airbag restraint system.▷Do not remove the steering wheel.▷Do not apply adhesive materials to the air‐
bag cover panels, cover them or modify
them in any way.▷Never modify either the individual compo‐
nents or the wiring in the airbag system. This
also applies to steering wheel covers, the
dashboard, the seats, the roof pillars and the
sides of the headliner.◀
Even when all instructions are followed closely,
injury from contact with the airbags cannot be
ruled out in certain situations.
The ignition and inflation noise may lead to
short-term and, in most cases, temporary hear‐
ing impairment in sensitive individuals.
In the case of a malfunction, deactivation
and after triggering of the airbags
Do not touch the individual components imme‐
diately after the system has been triggered; oth‐
erwise, there is the danger of burns.
Only have the airbags checked, repaired or dis‐
mantled and the airbag generator scrapped by
your service center or a workshop that has the
necessary authorization for handling explosives.
Non-professional attempts to service the sys‐
tem could lead to failure in an emergency or un‐
desired triggering of the airbag, either of which
could result in injury.◀
Warnings and information on the airbags are
also found on the sun visors.
Automatic deactivation of the front
passenger airbags
The system determines whether the front pas‐
senger seat is occupied by measuring the re‐
sistance of the human body.
The front and side airbags on the front passen‐
ger side are activated or deactivated accordingly
by the system.
The indicator lamp above the interior rearview
mirror shows the current status of the front pas‐
senger airbags, deactivated or activated, refer to
Front passenger airbag indicator lamp below.
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Resetting the system
Reset the system after each correction of the
tire inflation pressure and after every tire or
wheel change.1."Vehicle Info"2."Vehicle status"3. "Reset"4.Start the engine - do not drive away.5.Reset the tire pressure using "Reset".6.Drive away.
The tires are shown in gray and "Resetting
TPM..." is displayed.
After driving for a few minutes, the set tire infla‐
tion pressures are applied as set values. The re‐
setting process is completed automatically as
you drive. The tires are shown in green and
"TPM active" is shown on the Control Display.
The trip can be interrupted at any time. If you
drive away again, the process resumes auto‐
matically.
If a flat tire is detected while the system is re‐
setting, all tires on the Control Display are dis‐
played in yellow. The message "Low tire!" is
shown.
Low tire pressure message The small warning lamp lights up yel‐
low and the large warning lamp lights
up red. A message appears on the
Control Display. In addition, a signal
sounds.
▷There is a flat tire or a major loss in tire in‐
flation pressure.▷The system was not reset after a wheel
change and thus issues warnings based on
the inflation pressures initialized last.
Reduce your speed and stop cautiously. Avoid
sudden braking and steering maneuvers.
Do not continue driving without run-flat
tires
Do not continue driving if the vehicle is not
equipped with run-flat tires; continued driving
may result in serious accidents.◀
When a low inflation pressure is indicated, DSC
Dynamic Stability Control is switched on if nec‐
essary.
Actions in the event of a flat tire
Run-flat tires
Maximum speed
You can continue driving with a damaged tire at
speeds up to 50 mph/80 km/h.
Continued driving with a flat tire
If continuing to drive with a damaged tire:1.Avoid sudden braking and steering maneu‐
vers.2.Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.3.Check the air pressure in all four tires at the
next opportunity.
If the tire inflation pressure in all four tires is
correct, the Tire Pressure Monitor may not
have been reset. Reset the system.
Possible driving distance with complete loss of
tire inflation pressure:
The possible driving distance after a loss of tire
inflation pressure depends on the cargo load
and the driving style and conditions.
For a vehicle containing an average load, the
possible driving distance is ap‐
prox. 50 miles/80 km.
When the vehicle is driven with a damaged tire,
its handling characteristics change, e.g., re‐
duced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance, and altered self-steering
properties. Adjust your driving style accord‐
ingly. Avoid abrupt steering maneuvers or driv‐
ing over obstacles, e. g., curbs, potholes, etc.
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Because the possible driving distance depends
on how the vehicle is used during the trip, the
actual distance may be smaller or greater de‐
pending on the driving speed, road conditions,
external temperature, cargo load, etc.
Continued driving with a flat tire
Drive moderately and do not exceed a
speed of 50 mph/80 km/h.
A loss of tire inflation pressure results in a
change in the handling characteristics, e.g., re‐
duced lane stability during braking, a longer
braking distance and altered self-steering prop‐
erties.◀
Final tire failure
Vibrations or loud noises while driving can
indicate the final failure of the tire. Reduce speed
and stop; otherwise, pieces of the tire could
come loose and cause an accident. Do not con‐
tinue driving, and contact your service center. ◀
Message when the system was not
reset
The yellow warning lamp lights up. A
message appears on the Control Dis‐
play.
The system detected a wheel change but was
not reset.
Warnings regarding the current tire inflation
pressure are not reliable.
Check the tire inflation pressure and reset the
system.
Malfunction The small warning lamp flashes in yel‐
low and then lights up continuously;
the larger warning lamp comes on in
yellow. On the Control Display, the
tires are shown in gray and a message appears.
No flat tire can be detected.
Display in the following situations:▷A wheel without TPM electronics is fitted:
have the service center check it if necessary.▷Malfunction: have the system checked by
your service center.▷TPM could not be fully reset. Reset the sys‐
tem again.
The small warning lamp flashes in yel‐
low and then lights up continuously;
the larger warning lamp comes on in
yellow. On the Control Display, the
tires are shown in gray and a message appears.
No flat tire can be detected.
Display in the following situations:
▷Disturbance by systems or devices with the
same radio frequency: after leaving the area
of the disturbance, the system automatically
becomes active again.
Declaration according to NHTSA/
FMVSS 138 Tire Pressure Monitoring
Systems
Each tire, including the spare (if provided)
should be checked monthly when cold and in‐
flated to the inflation pressure recommended by
the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label (If your vehicle has
tires of a different size than the size indicated on
the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure la‐
bel, you should determine the proper tire infla‐
tion pressure for those tires.).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pres‐
sure telltale when one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated. Accordingly, when
the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you
should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pres‐
sure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi‐
ciency and tire tread life, and may affect the ve‐
hicle's handling and stopping ability.
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Activating HDC
Press the button; the LED above the
button lights up.
The LED flashes when the brakes are applied
automatically.
Deactivating HDC Press the button again; the LED goes
out. HDC is automatically deactivated
above approx. 37 mph/60 km/h.
Using HDC
HDC can be used in every driving position.
Displays in the instrument cluster
1Display for target speed2HDC display
Malfunction
If the HDC display goes out during HDC opera‐
tion or is not displayed: HDC is not available due
to high brake temperatures or DSC has failed.
Drive-off assistant
This system supports driving away on gradients.
The handbrake is not required.1.Hold the vehicle in place with the foot brake.2.Release the foot brake and drive away with‐
out delay.
Depending on the vehicle load, the vehicle may
roll back slightly.
Driving off without delay
After releasing the foot brake, start driving
without delay, since the drive-off assistant will
not hold the vehicle in place for more than ap‐
prox. 2 seconds and the vehicle will begin rolling
back.◀
Servotronic
The concept
The Servotronic varies the steering force re‐
quired to turn the wheels depending on the
speed at which you are driving.
Power steering provides strong support at low
speeds, which means that less effort is needed
to turn the wheels. Power steering support less‐
ens as your speed increases.
Malfunction The warning lamp lights up.A mes‐
sage appears on the Control Display.
Servotronic is malfunctioning or has
failed. Have the system checked as soon as pos‐
sible.
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Pathway lines▷Can be displayed in the image of the rear
view camera when the transmission is in re‐
verse.▷Help estimate the required amount of space
when parking and maneuvering on a flat road
surface.▷Depend on the current steering angle and
are continuously adapted to movements of
the steering wheel.
Show the parking aid lines via the iDrive, refer to
page 104.
Turning lines
▷Can be displayed in the image of the rear
view camera.▷Show the path of the smallest turning circle
on a flat road surface.▷When the steering wheel is turned, only one
turning line is displayed.
Show the parking aid lines via the iDrive, refer to
page 104.
Parking using pathway and turning
lines1.Position the vehicle so that the turning lines
lead into the margins of the parking space.2.Turn the steering wheel to the point where
the pathway line covers the corresponding
turning circle line.
Obstacle marking
▷Three-dimensionally shaped markings can
be displayed in the image of the rear view
camera.
Their color gradation corresponds to the mark‐
ings in PDC. This helps estimate the distance to
the object pictured.
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