
If steering wheel heating indicator lamp 
0087 is
flashing, the steering wheel heating has
switched off automatically. The vehicle's
electrical system voltage is too low because
too many electrical consumers are switched
on.
X Switch off  electrical 
consumers that you do
not need, such as the rear window
defroster or interior lighting.
Once the battery  is 
sufficiently charged, the
steering wheel heating will switch back on
automatically. Steering wheel EASY-ENTRY/EXIT
feature
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
when you activate the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT
feature.
If there is a risk of someone becoming
trapped, stop the adjustment procedure. To
halt the procedure:
R press the steering column adjustment
button.
R press one of the memory function position
buttons.
The steering column stops moving
immediately.
Do not keep the memory function position
button pressed as this will start the memory
function and set the steering wheel and seat
in motion.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle.  They could  open 
the driver's door and
thereby unintentionally activate the EASY-
ENTRY/EXIT feature and become trapped. G
WARNING
Let the system complete the adjustment
procedure before setting the vehicle in
motion. All steering wheel adjustment must
be completed before setting the vehicle in motion. Driving off with the steering wheel
still adjusting could cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle.
!  Do not activate the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT
feature, if the  seat 
backrest is reclined too
far backwards. This can damage the front
or rear seats. You must first move the
backrest to a vertical position.
The EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature makes getting
in and out of your vehicle easier.
You can activate and deactivate the EASY-
ENTRY/EXIT feature in the on-board
computer (Y page 221).
Position of the steering wheel when the
EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature is active The steering wheel moves upwards and
towards the dashboard if:
R
you remove the  SmartKey 
from the ignition
lock or
R you open the driver's door with the
SmartKey in position 0 or 1 in the ignition
lock.
i The steering wheel only moves upwards
and towards the dashboard if it has not
already reached the upper end stop.
Position of the steering wheel for
driving The steering wheel is moved to the last
selected position when:
R
the driver's door is closed.
R you insert the SmartKey into the ignition
lock.
The last position of the steering wheel is
stored when you switch off the ignition or
when you store the setting with the memory
function ( Y page 95).92
Steering wheel
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors 

! 
If a warning tone sounds and the
Release Park. Brake message appears
in the multifunction display, the parking
brake is still applied. Release the parking
brake.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position D or R.
i Before driving off, wait until the gear
change is fully completed.
X Release the parking brake ( Y page 157).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
i It is only possible to shift the automatic
transmission from position P to a different
position if you depress the brake pedal.
Only then is the selector lever lock
released.
i The vehicle locks  centrally 
once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic
locking feature (Y page 220).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Hill start assist G
WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no
longer brake your vehicle and it could roll
away. There is  a 
risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have 
removed your  foot 
from the brake pedal.
This gives you enough time to move your foot
from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal
and to depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll.
X Take your foot off the brake pedal.
i Once you have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist will not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or on
a downhill gradient.
R the transmission is in position N.
R the parking brake is applied.
R ESP ®
 is malfunctioning. ECO start/stop function (AMG
vehicles)
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and
you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically.  The vehicle may 
begin moving.
There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away.
General notes The ECO start/stop function is only available
for the G 63 AMG.
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving.
The engine starts automatically when the
driver wants to pull away again. The ECO
start/stop function thereby helps you to
reduce the fuel consumption and emissions
of your vehicle. Driving
141
Driving and parking Z 

The ECO start/stop function is activated each
time the engine is switched on.
The ECO start/stop 
function 
is only available
in drive program  C.
The system is operational when the  00A7
symbol is shown in green in the multifunction
display.
The system is operational if all conditions for
automatic engine switch-off have been
fulfilled ( Y page 142) and the  00A7 symbol is
shown in green in the multifunction display.
In addition, the Stop/Start active
message is shown in the AMG menu in the
multifunction display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off ( Y page 142) are fulfilled, the
00A7 symbol is shown in yellow in the
multifunction display.
In addition, the Stop/Start inactive
message is shown in the AMG menu in the
multifunction display.
If the ECO start/stop function has been
manually deactivated ( Y page 142) or a
malfunction has caused the system to be
deactivated, the 00A7 symbol is not
displayed.
The Stop/Start active or Stop/Start 
inactive message in the AMG menu in the
multifunction display goes out.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function ECO button X
To switch off: press button 0043 in drive
program C.
or
X Switch to drive program S or M 
(Y page 149).
Indicator lamp 0044 on button  0043 and the
00A7 symbol in the 
multifunction display go
out.
The  Stop/Start active  or Stop/Start 
inactive message in the AMG menu in the
multifunction display goes out.
X To switch on:  press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044 lights up. If drive
program S or M is active, the automatic
transmission switches to drive program C.
If all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off ( Y page 142) are fulfilled, the
00A7 symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display. In addition, the
Stop/Start active  message 
is shown 
in
the AMG menu in the multifunction display.
If conditions for automatic engine switch-
off (Y page 142) have not been fulfilled, the
00A7 symbol will be shown in yellow. If this
is the case, the ECO start/stop function is
not available. In addition, the  Stop/Start 
inactive message is shown in the AMG
menu in the multifunction display.
i If indicator lamp 
0044 
is off, the ECO start/
stop function has been deactivated
manually or as the result of a malfunction.
The engine will then not be switched off
automatically when the vehicle stops.
Automatic engine switch-off If the vehicle is braked to a standstill in 
D or
N, the ECO start/stop function switches off
the engine automatically.
The ECO start/stop function is operational
and the  00A7 symbol is displayed in green in
the multifunction display, if:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green.
R no off-road program has been selected.142
Driving
Driving and parking   

R
the vehicle is stationary.
R the outside temperature is within the
comfort range.
R the engine is at normal operating
temperature.
R the set temperature for 
the vehicle interior
has been reached.
R the battery is sufficiently charged.
R the system detects that the windshield is
not fogged up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the hood is closed.
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened.
If conditions for automatic engine switch-off
have not been fulfilled, the  00A7 symbol will
be shown in yellow.
In addition, the Stop/Start inactive
message is shown in the AMG menu in the
multifunction display.
i If you shift the transmission from  R to D,
the ECO start/stop function is available
again once the 00A7 symbol reappears in
green in the multifunction display.
i The engine can be automatically switched
off an unlimited number of times.
i You can still activate the HOLD function
when the vehicle is stationary, even if the
engine has been switched off
automatically. It is then not necessary to
continue applying the brakes during the
automatic stop phase. When you depress
the accelerator pedal, the engine starts
automatically and the braking effect of the
HOLD function is deactivated. Depress the
accelerator pedal carefully, as the engine
must be started first.
i During automatic engine switch-off, the
climate control system only operates at a
reduced capacity. If you require full climate
control capacity, the ECO start/stop
function can be deactivated by pressing the
ECO button ( Y page 142). Automatic engine start The engine starts automatically if:
R
In general:
-you switch off the ECO start/stop
function by pressing the ECO button.
- you release the brakes when in
transmission position D or N and when
the HOLD function is not active.
R By the driver:
-you release the brakes when in
transmission position D or N.
- you depress the accelerator pedal.
- you engage reverse gear  R.
- you move the transmission out of
position P.
- you switch to drive program  S or M.
- you unfasten your seat belt or open the
driver's door.
R By the system:
-the vehicle starts to roll.
- the brake system requires this.
- the temperature in the vehicle interior
deviates from the set range.
- the system detects moisture on the
windshield when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
- the  charge level  of 
the battery is too low.
i Shifting the transmission to position  P
does not start the engine. Driving
143
Driving and parking Z 

X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Push the selector lever forwards past the
first point of resistance.
Transmission position R is engaged.
i For AMG vehicles:  when reverse gear is
engaged and the ECO start/stop function
is switched on, the engine starts up
automatically ( Y page 141).
Shifting to neutral N G
WARNING
When leaving the SmartKey in the starter
switch, do not leave children unattended in
the  vehicle. It  is 
possible for children to switch
on the ignition which could result in
unsupervised use of vehicle equipment.
Unsupervised use of vehicle equipment could
result in an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
If the vehicle is stationary:
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Depending on the current transmission
position, press the selector lever forwards
or backwards to the first point of
resistance.
The automatic transmission shifts to  N.
If the engine has been switched off, the
automatic transmission automatically shifts
to N.
i For AMG vehicles:  the ECO start/stop
function switches the engine off
automatically if the vehicle is braked to a
standstill when in neutral N and the brake
is still depressed  (Y  page 141). Remaining in neutral N G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of
parking position P.
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you  and 
lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
X Make sure that the ignition is switched on.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Shift to neutral  N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X If the parking brake is applied, release it.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Shifting to transmission position D X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Push the selector lever back past the first
point of resistance.
Transmission position D is engaged.
i For AMG vehicles:  the ECO start/stop
function switches the engine off
automatically if the vehicle is braked to a
standstill when in transmission position D
and the brake is still depressed
(Y page 141). Automatic transmission
147
Driving and parking Z 

Problems with the automatic transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and 
0050 SolutionsThe acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into second
 gear and reverse gear.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the transmission to position  P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position  0  in the ignition lock.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position  D or R.
If  D 
is selected,  the 
transmission shifts into  second gear; if  R is
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist
workshop immediately. You hear a warning
tone. You have:
R
switched off the engine
R opened the driver's door
R not moved the selector lever to position  P
X Move the selector lever to position P. Refueling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious
personal injury.
Never allow sparks, flames or smoking
materials near gasoline.
Turn off the engine before refueling.
Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid
inhaling fumes and any skin or clothing
contact.
Direct skin contact with fuels and the
inhalation  of fuel vapors 
are damaging to your
health.
!  Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
gasoline engine. Even small amounts of the
wrong fuel result in damage to the fuel
system and engine. ! 
Do not switch on the ignition if you
accidentally refuel with the wrong fuel.
Otherwise, the fuel  will 
enter the fuel lines.
Notify a qualified specialist workshop and
have the fuel tank and fuel lines drained
completely.
!  Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
!  Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
!  Use a filter when refueling from a fuel can.
Otherwise, the fuel lines and/or injection
system could be blocked by particles from
the fuel can.
If you overfill the fuel tank, pressure may build
up in the fuel tank. This could cause fuel to
spray out when the fuel pump nozzle is
removed. There is a risk of injury. The fuel
tank is full when the fuel pump nozzle first
switches off. End the refueling process. Refueling
153
Driving and parking Z 

The following driving systems are specially
adapted to off-road driving:
R
4ETS ( Y page 62)
R Transfer case (Y page 198)
R Differential locks ( Y page 201) 
Observe the following notes:
R stop your vehicle  and, 
if necessary, shift the
transfer case to  LOW 
RANGE(Y page 199) before driving off-
road.
R AMG vehicles:  to shift the transfer case to
LOW RANGE, deactivate the ECO start/
stop function (Y page 142).
R engage the differential locks, if necessary
(Y page 201)
i ABS, 4ETS, ESP ®
 and BAS are deactivated
when the differential locks are activated.
This allows the front wheels to lock briefly,
so that these can dig into a loose surface.
However, please note that locked wheels
skid and can no longer steer.
R Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 267).
R To avoid damaging the vehicle, make sure
there is always sufficient ground clearance.
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient.
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a slope.
R Drive slowly and evenly, if necessary at a
walking pace.
R Ensure that the wheels are in contact with
the ground at all times.
R Drive with extreme care on unknown off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
R Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R When fording, do not stop and do not
switch off the engine. R
Look  out for  obstacles 
such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows.
R Always keep the doors, rear door, side
windows and the sliding sunroof closed
while the vehicle is in motion.
R Switch off cruise control.
R Do not stray from marked routes or paths.
R Adapt your speed to the terrain. The
rougher, steeper or more ruts on the
terrain, the slower your speed should be.
R Drive slowly and at an even speed through
the water. Ensure that a bow wave does not
form as you drive.
R On sand, drive quickly to overcome the
rolling resistance. Otherwise, the vehicle
could dig itself into the sand.
R Do not jump with the vehicle as this will
interrupt the vehicle's propulsion.
R Avoid high engine speeds. Drive at
appropriate engine speeds (maximum
3,000 rpm).
R Do not shift the automatic transmission to
transmission position N.
R Always check the vehicle for damage after
off-road driving.
i Information about retrofitting special all-
terrain tires is available from any qualified
specialist workshop.
i Do not use the HOLD function when
driving off-road, on steep uphill or downhill
gradients or on slippery or loose surfaces.
The HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle
on such surfaces.
Checklist before driving off-road ! 
If the engine oil warning lamp lights up
while the vehicle is in motion, stop the
vehicle in a  safe 
place as soon as possible.
Check the engine oil level. The engine oil
warning lamp warning must not be ignored.
Continuing the journey while the symbol is
displayed could lead to engine damage. Driving tips
165
Driving and parking Z 

There will be either no or only a weak course-
correcting brake application if:
R
there are vehicles or obstacles, e.g. crash
barriers, located on both sides of your
vehicle.
R a vehicle approaches  you 
too closely at the
side.
R you have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds.
R you clearly brake or accelerate.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ESP ®
.
R ESP ®
 is switched off.
R the LOW RANGE off-road gear is activated.
R a loss of tire pressure has been detected.
Switching on Active Blind Spot Assist X
Make sure that active Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 218) is activated in the on-board
computer.
X Turn the SmartKey to position  2 in the
ignition lock.
Warning lamps  0043 in the exterior mirrors
light up red for approximately
1.5 seconds  and then turn yellow.
Towing a trailer When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical
connection. This can be accomplished by
checking the trailer lighting. 
Active Blind Spot
Assist is then deactivated. The indicator lamp
lights up yellow in the exterior mirrors and the Active Blind Spot Assist Currently 
Unavailable See Operator's Manual
message appears in the multifunction
display.
HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R
when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when maneuvering on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect  is 
canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
i Do not use the HOLD function when
driving off-road, on steep uphill or downhill
gradients or on slippery or loose surfaces.
The HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle
on such surfaces.
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary.
R the engine is running or it has been
switched off by the ECO start/stop
function (AMG vehicles).
R the engine is running.
R the  driver's 
door is 
closed or your seat belt
is fastened.
R the transmission is in position D, R or N.
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
Activating the HOLD function The vehicle's brakes are applied when the
HOLD function is activated. For this reason,
deactivate the HOLD 
function 
while in the car
wash or while towing. 192
Driving systems
Driving and parking