lose control of the vehicle. If the gradien
tis
too steep for your vehicle, drive back down in
reverse gear.
Maximum gradient-climbing capability i
If the load on the front axle is reduced
when pulling away on a steep uphill slope,
the front wheels have a tendency to spin.
4ETS recognizes this and brakes the
wheels accordingly .The rear wheel torque
is increased, making it easier to drive off.
Hilltops When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator
immediately before reaching the brow of the
hill. Make use of the vehicle's own impetus to
travel over the brow.
This style of driving prevents:
R the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
R the vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill R
Drive slowly.
R Do not drive at an angle down steep
inclines. Steer into the line of fall and drive
with the front wheels aligned straight.
Otherwise, the vehicle could slip sideways,
tip and rollover.
R Before tackling steep downhill gradients,
select shift range 1.
R Activate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the
vehicle is facing in the direction of the line
of fall.
R Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch. Driving systems
Cruise Control
Important safety notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must
select shift range
1,2or 3in good time. By
doing so, you will make use of the braking
effect of the engine. This relieves the load on
the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic
conditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Cruise control cannot take into account the
road, traffic and weather conditions. Cruise
control is only an aid. You are responsible for
the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle
speed, for braking in good time and for
staying in your lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on slippery road surfaces. Braking or
accelerating could cause the drive wheels
to lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
i Cruise control should not be activated
when driving off-road. Driving systems
169Driving and parking Z
!
If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations. To
prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similars ituations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk
of accident nor override the laws of physics.
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot tak einto account
the road, traffic and weather conditions.
DISTRONIC PLUS is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed ,for braking in good
time and for staying in your lane.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on slippery road surfaces. Braking or
accelerating could cause the drive wheels
to lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in
parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a
vehicle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may
unexpectedly accelerate the vehicle to the
stored speed. This speed may:
R
be too high if you are driving in a filter lane
or an exit lane
R be so high when driving in the right-hand
lane that you overtake vehicles in the left-
hand lane
R be so high when driving in the left-hand lane
that you overtake vehicles in the right-hand
lane
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
For DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you when
driving, the radar sensor system must be:
R activated (Y page 229)
R operational
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between 20 mph
(Canada: 30 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h). If a vehicle is driving in front of
you, it operates in the speed range between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DISTRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves,
it can resemble the radar detectors of the
responsible authorities. You can refer to the
relevant chapter in the Operator's Manual if
questions are asked about this.
i USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC
as a "Vehicular RadarS ystem". The radar
sensor is intended fo ruse in an automotive
radar system only. Removing, tampering
with, or altering the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment. 172
Driving systemsDriving and parking
X
Maneuver if necessary.
X Always observe the warning messages
displayed by PARKTRONIC (Y page 182).
Parking tips:
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. 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 curb. If necessary, you should
cancel the parking procedure with Active
Parking Assist.
R You can also engage forward gear
prematurely. 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 canceled. A
sensible parking position can no longer be
achieved from this position.
Exiting aparking space In order that Active Parking Assist can
support you whe nyou exit the parking space:
R the border of the parking space must not
be too low.
R the border of the parking space must not
be too wide. The system maneuvers the
vehicle into a position at a maximum of 45°
to the starting position in the parking
space.
R a maneuvering distance of at least 24 in
(0.60 m) must be available.
Active Parking Assist can only assist you with
exiting a parking space if you have parked the
vehicle using Active Parking Assist.
X Start the engine.
X Switch on the turn signal on the side facing
the street. X
Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No: 0007
message appears in the multifunction
display.
X To cancel the procedure: press the
0007 button on the multifunction steering
wheel or pull away.
or
X To exit aparking space using Active
Parking Assist: press the000Bbutton on
the multifunctio nsteering wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate and Brake Observe Surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
X Let go of the multifunctio nsteering wheel.
X Reverse the vehicle or drive forwards, being
ready to brake at all times. Do not exceed
a maximum speed of approximately
6 mph (10 km/h) when exiting a parking
space .Otherwise Active Parking Assist will
be canceled.
X Stop when PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor Ras
required while the vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction. The Park Assist Active Accelerate and Brake
Observe Surroundings message appears
in the multifunctio ndisplay.
i You will achieve the best results by
waiting for the steering procedure to
complete before pulling away.
If you back up after activation, the steering
wheel is moved to the straight-ahead
position.
X Drive forwards or back up the vehicle, being
ready to brake at all times.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
X Drive forwards and reverse as prompted by
the PARKTRONIC warning displays, several
times if necessary. Driving systems
187Driving and parking Z
Once you have exited the parking space
completely, the steering wheel is moved to
the straight-ahead position. You hear a tone
and the
Park Assist Finished message
appears in the multifunction display. You will
then have to steer and merge into traffic on
your own. PARKTRONIC is still available.
Canceling Active Parking Assist You can cancel Active Parking Assist at any
time.
X
Stop the movement of the multifunction
steering wheel or steer yourself.
Active Parking Assist will be canceled at
once. The Park Assist Canceled message appears in the multifunction
display.
or
X Press the PARKTRONIC button on the
center console (Y page 182).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediately canceled.
The Park Assist Canceled message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is canceled
automatically if:
R you engage the electric parking brake
R parking using Active Parking Assist is no
longer possible
R you are driving faster than 6 mph
(10 km/h)
R a wheel spins, ESP ®
intervenes or fails. The
000F warning lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster.
Aw arning tone sounds. The parking space
symbol disappears and the multifunction
display shows the Park Assist Canceledmessage.
If Active Parking Assist is canceled, you must
steer again yourself.
If a system malfunctio noccurs, the vehicle is
braked to a standstill. To drive on, depress the
accelerato ragain. Towing
atrailer For vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the
minimum length for parking spaces is slightly
increased.
If you have attached a trailer to your vehicle,
you should not use Active Parking Assist.
Once the electrical connectio
nis established
between your vehicle and the trailer, Active
Parking Assist is no longer available.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area. Rear view camera
Important safety notes The rear view camera is only an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering and
parking. When maneuvering or parking, make
sure that there are no persons, animals or
objects in the area in which you are
maneuvering.
Under the following circumstances, the rear
view camera will not function, or will function
in a limited manner:
R
the tailgate is open
R in heavy rain, snow or fog
R at night or in very dark places
R if the camera is exposed to very bright light
R if the area is lit by fluorescent light or LED
lighting (the display may flicker)
R if there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in
winter
R if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged.In
this event, have the camera positio nand
setting checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. 188
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking
R
if you have adopted a sporty driving style
with high cornering speeds or high rates of
acceleration
R if you are predominantly driving slower
than 50 mph (80 km/h) or faster than
112 mph (180 km/h)
R if you are currently using COMAND or
making a telephone call with it
R if the time has been set incorrectly
R in active driving situations, such as when
you change lanes or change your speed
Warning and display messages in the
multifunction display X
Activate ATTENTION ASSIST using the on-
board computer (Y page 225).
Symbol 0002appears in the multifunction
display.
If ATTENTION ASSIST is active, you will be
warned no sooner than 20 minutes after your
journey has begun. You the nhear an
intermittent warning tonet wice and the
Attention Assist: Drowsiness Detected message appears in the
multifunction display.
X If necessary, take a break.
X Press the 000Bbutton to confirm the
message.
On long journeys, take regular breaks in good
time to allow yourself to rest properly. If you
do not take a break, you will be warned again
after 15 minutes at the earliest. The
preconditio nfor this is that
ATTENTION ASSIST still detects typical
indicators of fatigue or increasing lapses in
concentration. ATTENTION ASSIST is reset when you
continue your journey and starts assessing
your tiredness again if:
R
you switch off the engine.
R you take off your seat belt and open the
driver's door, e.g. for a change of drivers or
to take a break. Lane Tracking package
General notes The Lane Tracking package consists of Blind
Spot Assist (Y
page 198) and Lane Keeping
Assist (Y page 200).
Blind Spot Assist General notes
Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor system
to monitor the areas on both sides of your
vehicle. It supports you from speeds of
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). A warning
display in the exterio rmirrors draws your
attention to vehicles detected in the
monitored area. If you then switch on the
corresponding tur nsignal to change lanes,
you will also receive a visual and audible
collision warning. Blind Spot Assist uses
sensors in the rear bumper for monitoring
purposes.
For Blind Spot Assist to assist you when
driving, the radar sensor system must be:
R activated(Y page 229)
R operational
Important safety notes
Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It may fail to
detect some vehicles and is no substitute for
attentive driving. Always ensure that there is
sufficien tdistance to the side for other road
users and obstacles. 198
Driving systemsDriving and parking
If you drive at speeds above 40 mph
(60 km/h) and lane markings are detected,
symbol
0002is shown in green. Lane Keeping
Assist is ready for use.
Standard
If Standard is selected, no warning vibration
occurs if:
R you switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
Adaptive
If Adaptive is selected, no warning vibration
occurs if:
R you switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
R you brake hard.
R you steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lanes quickly.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
In order that you are warned only when
necessary and in good time if you cross the
lane marking, the system recognizes certain
conditions and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a
highway.
R the system recognizes solidl ane markings.
The warning vibratio noccurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend.
Towing atrailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical connection. This can be accomplished by
checking the trailer lighting. Active Driving Assistance package
General notes The Active Driving Assistance package
consists of DISTRONIC PLUS (Y
page 171),
Active Blind Spot Assist (Y page 202) and
Active Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 205).
Active Blind Spo tAssist General notes
Active Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor
system to monitor the side areas of your
vehicle which are behind the driver. Awarning
display in the exterior mirrors draws your
attentio nto vehicles detected in the
monitored area. If you then switch on the
corresponding turn signal to change lane, you
will also receive an optical and audible
warning. If a risk of lateral collision is
detected, corrective braking may help you
avoid a collision. To support the course-
correcting brake application, Active Blind
Spot Assist uses the forward-facing radar
sensor system. The space available in the
direction of travel as well as to the side of the
vehicle is evaluated before a course-
correcting braking application is performed.
Active Blind Spot Assist supports you from a
speed of approximately 20 mph (30 km/h).
For Active Blind Spot Assist to assist you
when driving, the radar sensor system must
be:
R activated(Y page 229)
R operational
Important safety notes
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It does
not detect all traffic situations and road users
and is no substitute for attentive driving.
Always ensure that there is sufficient
distance to the side for other road users and
obstacles. 202
Driving systemsDriving and parking
be the case if there are vehicles driving at the
inner edge of their lanes.
Due to the nature of the system:
R warnings may be issued in error when
driving close to crash barriers or similar
solid lane borders.
R the warning is canceled when driving for an
extended period nex tto long vehicles, such
as trucks.
Two Active Blind Spot Assist radar sensors
are integrated into the front and rear bumpers
respectively. An additional radar sensor is
located behind the cover in the radiator grill.
Make sure that the sensors and areas around
them are free of dirt, ice or slush. The rear
sensors must not be covered, for example by
cycle racks or overhanging cargo. Following
a severe impact or in the event of damage to
the bumpers, have the function of the sensors
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Blind Spot Assist may otherwise not work
properly.
Indicator and warning display
Active Blind Spot Assist is not active at
speeds below approximately 20 mph
(30 km/h). Vehicles in the monitoring range
are then not indicated. 0002
Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp
When Active Blind Spot Assist is activated,
indicator lamp 0002in the exterior mirrors lights
up yellow at speeds of up to 20 mph
(30 km/h). At speeds above 20 mph
(30 km/h), the indicator lamp goes out and
Active Blind Spot Assist is operational. If a vehicle is detected within the monitoring
range of Active Blind Spot Assist at speeds
above 20 mph (30 km/h), warning lamp
0002
on the corresponding side lights up red. This
warning is always emitted when a vehicle
enters the blind spot monitoring range from
behind or from the side. When you overtake
a vehicle, the warning only occurs if the
difference in speed is less than 7mph
(12 km/h).
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reverse
gear is engaged. In this event, Active Blind
Spot Assist is no longer active.
The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.
Visual and acoustic collision warning
When you switch on the turn signals to
change lanes and a vehicle is detected in the
side monitoring range, you receive a visual
and acoustic collision warning .You then hear
a double warning tone and red warning
lamp 0002flashes. If the turn signal remains on,
detected vehicles are indicated by the
flashing of red warning lamp 0002.There are no
further warning tones.
Course-correcting brake application G
WARNING
Ac ourse-correcting brake application cannot
always prevent a collision. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always steer, brake or accelerate yourself,
especially if Active Blind Spot Assist warns
you or makes a course-correcting brake
application. Always maintain a safe distance
at the sides.
In very rare cases, the system may make an
inappropriate brake application. An
inappropriate brake application may be
interrupted at any time if you steer slightly in
the opposite direction or accelerate.
If Active Blind Spot Assist detects a risk of a
lateral collision in the monitoring range, a
course-correcting brake application is carried 204
Driving systemsDriving and parking
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Active
Lane Keeping Assist can neither reduce the
ris kofa ccident nor override the laws of
physics .Lane Keeping Assist canno ttake into
accoun tthe road, traffic and weather
conditions. Lane Keeping Assist is merely an
aid. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for
braking in good time and for staying in your
lane.
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot
continuously keep your vehicle in its lane. G
WARNING
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot always
clearly detect lane markings.
In such cases, Active Lane Keeping Assist
can:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
make a course-correcting brake application
to the vehicle
R not give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and keep within the lane, especially
if Active Lane Keeping Assist alerts you.
Terminate the intervention in a non-critical
driving situation.
The system may be impaired or may not
function if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to
insufficient illumination of the road, or due
to snow, rain, fog or spray
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun or reflections (e.g. when the road
surface is wet)
R the windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged
or covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
R there are no, several or unclear lane
markings for a lane, e.g. in areas with road
construction work
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow R
the distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge
R the road is narrow and winding
R there are highly variable shade conditions
on the roadway
R no vehicle is detected in the adjacent lane
and there are broken lane markings
Warning vibration in the steering wheel
A warning may be given if a front wheel
passes over a lane marking. It will warn you
by means of intermittent vibration in the
steering wheel for up to 1.5 seconds.
In order that you are warned only when
necessary and in good time if you cross the
lane marking, the system recognizes certain
conditions and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a
highway.
R the system recognizes solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend.
Lane-correcting brake application G
WARNING
A lane-correcting brake application cannot
always bring the vehicle back into the original
lane. There is a risk of an accident.
Always steer, brake or accelerate yourself,
especially if Active Lane Keeping Assist warns
you or makes a lane-correcting brake
application. G
WARNING
Active Lane Keeping Assist does not detect
traffic conditions or road users. In very rare
cases, the system may make an inappropriate 206
Driving systemsDriving and parking