Active Parking Assist is switched on automat-
ically when driving forwards. The system is
operational at speeds of up to approximately
35 km/h. While in operation, the system inde-
pendently locates and measures parking
spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
Active Parking Assist will only detect parking
spaces:
R that are parallel or at right angles to the
direction of travel
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
and are at least 1.5 m wide
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
and at least 1.0 m longer than your vehicle
R that are at right angles to the direction of
travel and at least 1.0 m wider than your
vehicle
i In the case of parking spaces that are at
right angles to the direction of travel,
please ensure that the parking space is
long enough to accommodate your vehicle.
When driving at speeds below 30 km/h, you
will see parking symbol ; as a status indi-
cator in the instrument cluster. When a park-
ing space has been detected, an arrow
towards the right or the left also appears.
Active Parking Assist only displays parking
spaces on the front-passenger side as stand-
ard. Parking spaces on the driver's side are
displayed as soon as the turn signal on the
driver's side is activated. When parking on the
driver's side, this must remain switched on
until you acknowledge the use of Active Park-
ing Assist by pressing the a button on the
multifunction steering wheel.
The system automatically determines
whether the parking space is parallel or at
right angles to the direction of travel.
A parking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are approx-
imately 15 m away from it.ParkingGWARNING
Active Parking Assist merely aids you by inter-
vening actively in the steering. There is a risk
of accident if you do not apply the brakes
yourself.
Always apply the brakes yourself when park-
ing and manoeuvring.
XStop the vehicle when the parking symbol
shows the desired parking space in the
instrument cluster.XVehicles with manual transmission: shift to
reverse gear.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: shift
into position R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
% message appears in the multifunction
display.XTo cancel the procedure: press the
% button on the multifunction steering
wheel or pull away.
or
XTo park using Active Parking Assist:
press the a button on the multifunction
steering wheel.
The Park Assist active Accelerate
and brake Observe surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.XRelease the multifunction steering wheel.XReverse the vehicle, being ready to brake
at all times. Do not exceed a maximum
speed of approximately 10 km/h when
reversing. Otherwise, Active Parking Assist
will be cancelled.
i In tight parking spaces, you will achieve
the best parking results by backing up as
far as possible. When doing so, also
observe the PARKTRONIC messages.
XStop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
Manoeuvring may be required in tight park-
ing spaces.188Driving systemsDriving and parking
ProCarManuals.com
Vehicles with manual transmission: the
Park Assist active Engage forward
gear Observe surroundings message
appears in the multifunction display.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: the
Park Assist active Select D Observe
surroundings message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.XVehicles with manual transmission:
shift to first gear while the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
select transmission position D while the
vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction.
The Park Assist active Accelerate
and brake Observe surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
i You will achieve the best results by wait-
ing for the steering procedure to complete
before pulling away.
XDrive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.XStop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
Vehicles with manual transmission: the
Park Assist active Engage reverse
gear Observe surroundings message
appears in the multifunction display.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: the
Park Assist active Select R Observe
surroundings message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
Additional transmission shifts may be neces-
sary.
As soon as the parking procedure is com-
plete, the Park Assist switched off mes-
sage appears and a warning tone sounds.
Active Parking Assist no longer supports you
with steering interventions. When Active
Parking Assist is finished, you must steer
again yourself. PARKTRONIC is still available.
XManoeuvre if necessary.XAlways observe the warning messages dis-
played by PARKTRONIC ( Y page 184).
Parking tips:
R The way your vehicle is positioned in the
parking space after parking is dependent
on various factors. These include the posi-
tion and shape of the vehicles parked in
front and behind it and the conditions of the
location. It may be the case that Active
Parking Assist guides you too far into a
parking space, or not far enough into it. In
some cases, it may also lead you across or
onto the kerb. If necessary, you should can-
cel the parking procedure with Active Park-
ing Assist.
R You can also preselect the forward gear.
The vehicle redirects and does not drive as
far into the parking space. Should a gear be
changed too early, the parking procedure
will be cancelled. A sensible parking posi-
tion can no longer be achieved from this
position.
Exiting a parking space
In order that Active Parking Assist can sup-
port you when you exit the parking space:
R the border of the parking space must be
high enough. A kerb stone is too small, for
example.
R the border of the parking space must not
be too wide, as the position of the vehicle
must not exceed an angle of 45° to the
starting position as it is manoeuvred into
the parking space.
R a manoeuvring distance of at least 1.0 m
must be available.
Active Parking Assist can only assist you with
exiting a parking space if you have parked the
vehicle parallel to the direction of travel using
Active Parking Assist.
XStart the engine.XSwitch on the turn signal in the direction
you are pulling away.Driving systems189Driving and parkingZProCarManuals.com
XVehicles with manual transmission:
engage first or reverse gear.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position D or R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
% message appears in the multifunction
display.XTo cancel the procedure: press the
% button on the multifunction steering
wheel or pull away.
or
XTo exit a parking space using Active
Parking Assist: press the a button on
the multifunction steering wheel.
The Park Assist active Accelerate
and brake Observe surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.XRelease the multifunction steering wheel.XReverse the vehicle or drive forwards, being
ready to brake at all times. Do not exceed
a maximum speed of approximately
10 km/h when exiting a parking space.
Otherwise, Active Parking Assist will be
cancelled.XStop when PARKTRONIC sounds the con-
tinuous warning tone, if not before.XVehicles with manual transmission:
engage first gear or reverse gear when the
vehicle is stationary, depending on the
message or requirement.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position D or R
when the vehicle is stationary, depending
on the message or requirement.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction. The Park Assist
active Accelerate and brake
Observe surroundings message appears
in the multifunction display.
i You will achieve the best results by wait-
ing for the steering procedure to complete
before pulling away.
If you reverse after activation, the steering
wheel is moved to the straight-ahead posi-
tion.
XDrive forwards and reverse as prompted by
the PARKTRONIC warning displays, several
times if necessary.XStop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
Once you have exited the parking space com-
pletely, the steering wheel is moved to the
straight-ahead position. You hear a tone and
the message Park Assist switched off
appears in the multifunction display. You will
then have to steer and merge into traffic on
your own. PARKTRONIC is still available. You
can take over the steering before the vehicle
has exited the parking space completely. This
is useful, for example when you recognise
that it is already possible to pull out of the
parking space.
Cancelling Active Parking Assist
You can cancel Active Parking Assist at any
time.
XStop the movement of the multifunction
steering wheel or steer yourself.
Active Parking Assist will be cancelled at
once. The Park Assist cancelled mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
or
XPress the PARKTRONIC button on the
centre console ( Y page 185).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediately cancelled.
The Park Assist cancelled message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is cancelled automati-
cally if:
R the electric parking brake is engaged
R transmission position P is selected
R parking using Active Parking Assist is no
longer possible
R you are driving faster than 10 km/h
R a wheel spins and ESP ®
intervenes or fails.
The ÷ warning lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster.
190Driving systemsDriving and parking
ProCarManuals.com
COMAND Online; see the separate audio
system/COMAND Online operating
instructions.XEngage reverse gear.
Guide lines are used to show the area
behind the vehicle in the Audio/COMAND
display.
Function mode display for vehicles with COMAND
Online and a trailer tow hitch
XTo change the function mode in vehi-
cles with COMAND Online and trailer
tow hitch: using the COMAND controller,
select symbol : for the "Reverse parking"
function; see the separate COMAND Online
operating instructions.
or
XSelect symbol ; for the coupling up a
trailer function (see the separate COMAND
Online operating instructions).
The symbol of the selected function is high-
lighted.
To deactivate: the reversing camera is deac-
tivated if you:
R select transmission position P (vehicles
with automatic transmission)
R drive forward ten metres
R shift the transmission from R to another
position after 15 seconds (vehicles with
automatic transmission)
R shift out of reverse gear after 15 seconds
(vehicles with manual transmission)
R drive forwards at a speed of over
10 km/h
Displays in the Audio/COMAND display
The reversing camera may show a distorted
view of obstacles, show them incorrectly or
not at all. Obstacles are not shown by the
reversing camera in the following locations:
R very close to the rear bumper
R under the rear bumper
R in the area immediately above the tailgate
handle
! Objects not at ground level may appear to
be further away than they actually are, e.g.:
R the bumper of a parked vehicle
R the drawbar of a trailer
R the ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch
R the rear section of an HGV
R a slanted post
Use the guidelines only for orientation.
Approach objects no further than the bot-
tom-most guideline.
Lanes
:White guide line without turning the steer-
ing wheel, vehicle width including the
exterior mirrors (static);Yellow lane marking the course the tyres
will take at the current steering wheel
angle, vehicle width including the outer
edge of the wheel (dynamic)=Red guide line for the vehicle width includ-
ing the exterior mirrors, for current steer-
ing wheel angle (dynamic)?Bumper192Driving systemsDriving and parking
ProCarManuals.com
(Y page 197) availability is limited or not avail-
able at all.
i The height of the ball coupling changes
with the load of the vehicle. If necessary,
use a trailer with a height-adjustable draw-
bar.
Driving tips
i Observe the notes on ESP ®
trailer stabi-
lisation ( Y page 70).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check
the trailer's documents to see what the max-
imum permitted speed is. Observe the legally
prescribed maximum speed in the relevant
country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the max-
imum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. Refer to the "Technical
data" section to find out whether this applies
to your vehicle. If you utilise any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer,
the vehicle/trailer combination may not
exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/h for
reasons concerning the operating permit.
This also applies in countries in which the
permissible maximum speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations is above 100 km/h.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. For vehicles
with automatic transmission, you need to
have selected manual drive program
M (Y page 156).
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you
need additional braking, depress the brake
pedal repeatedly rather than continuously.
i Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal
on downhill gradients while the manual
drive program M is temporarily activated
(vehicles with automatic transmission): the
automatic transmission may switch back to
the last active automatic drive program E
or S. The automatic transmission may shift
to a higher gear. This can reduce the
engine's braking effect.
Driving tips
If the trailer swings from side to side:
XDo not accelerate.XDo not countersteer.XBrake if necessary.
R Maintain a greater distance from the vehi-
cle in front than when driving without a
trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently at first to allow the trailer to run on.
Then, increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea
level. When driving in mountainous areas,
note that the power output of the engine,
and consequently the vehicle's gradient-
climbing capability, decrease with increas-
ing altitude.
Folding out the ball coupling
GWARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage correctly when folding in, it will swing
out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that
the ball coupling engages when folding in.
Towing a trailer203Driving and parkingZProCarManuals.com
Before you can tow a trailer with your vehicle,
you must fold out the ball coupling.
The release wheel is located behind the left-
hand side trim panel in the boot.XTo open the cover: turn handle : anti-
clockwise and fold down cover ; and
remove it.XPull out release wheel =.XTurn release wheel = anti-clockwise as far
as it will go.
The ball coupling disengages and folds out
behind the rear bumper. Indicator
lamp ? flashes.GWARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly engaged,
the trailer can detach. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always engage the ball coupling as described.
XPull the ball coupling in the direction of the
arrow until it engages in a vertical position.
Indicator lamp ? goes out. The power
socket folds down automatically.
The multifunction display shows the
Check trailer hitch lock display mes-
sage until the ball coupling is engaged.XRemove the protective covering from the
ball coupling and store it in a safe place.XMake sure that the ball of the ball coupling
is clean and that it is either greased or dry
(grease free), depending on the instruc-
tions for the trailer.
Coupling up a trailer
XMake sure that the transmission is in posi-
tion P.XApply the electric parking brake.XPosition the trailer level behind the vehicle.XCouple up the trailer.XEstablish the electric connection between
the vehicle and the trailer.XCheck that the trailer lighting system is
working.
A trailer that is connected is recognised
only when the electrical connection is
established correctly and when the lighting
system is working properly. The function of
other systems, such as ESP ®
or PARK-
TRONIC also depends on this.
Uncoupling a trailer
GWARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with an engaged over-
run brake, you could trap your hand between
204Towing a trailerDriving and parking
ProCarManuals.com
the vehicle and the trailer drawbar. This poses
a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake.
! Do not disconnect a trailer with an
engaged overrun brake. Otherwise, your
vehicle could be damaged by the rebound-
ing of the overrun brake.
! Remove the installed adapter cable
before folding in the ball coupling. Other-
wise, damage may occur to the rear
bumper and the adapter cable.XMake sure that the transmission is in posi-
tion P.XApply the electric parking brake.XSecure the trailer against rolling away.XRemove the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
Folding in the ball coupling
GWARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage correctly when folding in, it will swing
out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that
the ball coupling engages when folding in.
XFold the ball coupling back in if you are not
using the trailer tow hitch.XPlace the protective covering on the ball
coupling.
The release wheel is located behind the left-
hand side trim panel in the boot.
XTo open the cover: turn handle : anti-
clockwise and fold down cover ; and
remove it.XPull out release wheel =.XTurn release wheel = anti-clockwise as far
as it will go.
The ball coupling disengages and folds out
behind the rear bumper. Indicator
lamp ? flashes.Towing a trailer205Driving and parkingZProCarManuals.com
Left control panel=
;R Calls up the menu and menu bar9
:Press briefly:
R Scrolls through lists
R Selects a submenu or function
R In the Audio menu: selects a
stored station, an audio track or
a video scene
R In the Tel(telephone) menu:
switches to the phone book and
selects a name or telephone
number9
:Press and hold:
R In the Audio menu: selects the
previous/next station or selects
an audio track or a video scene
using rapid scrolling
R In the Tel (Telephone) menu,
starts rapid scrolling through the
phone bookaR Confirms selection/display mes-
sage
R In the Tel (telephone) menu:
switches to the telephone book
and starts dialling the selected
number
R In the Audio menu: stops the
station search function at the
desired station
Right control panel
~R Rejects or ends a call
R Exits telephone book/redial
memory6R Makes or accepts a call
R Switches to the redial memoryW
XR Adjusts the volume8RMute
Back button
%Press briefly:
R Back
R Switches off LINGUATRONIC;
see the separate operating
instructions
R Hides display messages/calls
up the last Trip menu function
used
R Exits the telephone book/redial
memory%Press and hold:
R Calls up the standard display in
the Trip menu
Multifunction display
Example: automatic transmission multifunction
display
:Transmission position ( Y page 153);Drive program ( Y page 153)=Text field210Displays and operationOn-board computer and displays
ProCarManuals.com