2013 MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class distronic

Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is
deactivated
Distance display when DISTRONIC PLU
Sis
deactivated
0002 Vehicle in front, if detected
0003 Distance indicator, current distance to
the vehicle in front
001F Specified minimum distance to the
vehicle in front; adjustable
001E Own vehicle
In the Assistance menu (Y page 272) of the
on-board computer, you can select the
distance display.
X Select the Distance display function
using the on-board computer
(Y page 272).
In the Assistance menu of the on-board
computer, you can also activate or deactivate
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 272). Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is
activated Distance display with DISTRONIC PLUS activated
in the multifunction display
0002
DISTRONIC PLUS activated
0003 Own vehicle
001F Specified minimum distance to the
vehicle in front; adjustable
001E Vehicle in front, if detected
In the Assistance menu (Y page 272)of the
on-board computer, you can select the
distance display.
X Select the Distance display function
using the on-board computer
(Y page 272).
You will see the stored speed for about five
seconds when you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS General notes
Pay particular attention in the following traffic
situations:
R
cornering, going into and coming out of a
bend
R vehicles traveling on a differen tline
R other vehicles changing lanes
R narrow vehicles
R obstructions and stationary vehicles
R crossing vehicles
In such situations, brake if necessary.
DISTRONIC PLUS is then deactivated. 202
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Cornering, going into and coming out of a
bend
The ability of DISTRONIC PLU
Sto detect
vehicles when cornering is limited. Your
vehicle may brake unexpectedly or late.
Vehicles traveling on adifferent line DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect vehicles
traveling on a different line. The distance to
the vehicle in fron twill be too short.
Other vehicles changing lanes DISTRONIC PLUS has not detected the
vehicle cutting in yet. The distance to this
vehicle will be too short.
Narrow vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS has not yet detected the
vehicle in front on the edge of the road,
because of its narrow width
.The distance to
the vehicle in front will be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS does not brake for
obstacles or stationary vehicles. If, for
example, the detected vehicle turns a corner
and reveals an obstacle or stationary vehicle,
DISTRONIC PLUS will not brake for these. Driving systems
203Driving and parking Z

Crossing vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS may mistakenly detect
vehicles that are crossing your lane.
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights
with crossing traffic, for example, could cause
your vehicle to pull away unintentionally.
Level control (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package)
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle .There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle
or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel
arches when the vehicle is being lowered. G
WARNING
When you drive with the vehicle raised, the
driving characteristics could be impaired by
the vehicle's raised center of gravity. The
vehicle could rollover more easily, for
example on a bend. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always select as low a vehicle level as
possible and adjust your driving style. G
WARNING
When you drive with the chassis lowered or
raised, the vehicle's braking and driving characteristics can be significantly impaired.
You could also exceed the permissible vehicle
height if the chassis is raised. There is a risk
of an accident.
Adjust the vehicle level before pulling away.
G
WARNING
Due to the high center of gravity, the vehicle
may start to skid and roll over in the event of
an abrupt steering maneuver and/or when
the vehicle's speed is not adapted to the road
conditions. There is a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your speed and driving style to
the vehicle's driving characteristics and to the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
select a high vehicle level in good time.
Make sure there is always sufficient ground
clearance. You will otherwise damage the
vehicle.
R Utility vehicles have a significantly higher
rollover rate than other types of vehicles.
Failure to operate this vehicle safely may
result in an accident, rollover of the vehicle,
and severe or fatal injury.
R In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a
person wearing a seat belt.
You and all vehicle occupants should
always wear your seat belts.
Level control adapts the vehicle level
automatically to the current operating and
driving situation. This results in reduced fuel
consumption and improved handling.
Make changes to the vehicle level while the
vehicle is in motion. This enables the vehicle
to adjust to the new level as quickly as
possible.
The vehicle level may change visibly if you
park the vehicle and the outside temperature
changes. If the temperature drops, the
vehicle level is lower; with an increase in
temperature, the vehicle level rises. 204
Driving systemsDriving and parking

If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
! 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 similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 208).
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 withou tthe
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
R the driver's door is closed or your seat belt
is fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R the transmission is in position D,Ror N
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until 0001 appears in the multifunction
display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated
automatically if:
R
you accelerate and the transmission is in
position Dor R
R you shift the transmission to position P
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until 0001
disappears from the multifunction display
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.
The electric parking brake automatically
secures the vehicle if the HOLD function is
activated and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there
is a malfunction, the transmission may also
be automatically shifted into position P.208
Driving systemsDriving and parking

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 earlieri f:
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 soli dlane markings.
The warning vibratio noccurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend. Active Driving Assistance package
General notes The Active Driving Assistance package
consists of DISTRONIC PLUS (Y
page 194),
Active Blind Spot Assist (Y page 237) and
Active Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 241).
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 free space in the direction
of travel is then evaluated.
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 277)
R operational
Important safety notes
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It may
fail to detect some vehicles and is no
substitute for attentive driving. G
WARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist does not react to:
R vehicles overtaken too closely on the side,
placing them in the blind spot area
R vehicles approaching and driving by with a
speed difference of more than
approximately 6.8 mph (11 km/h) Driving systems
237Driving and parking
Z

utilize any of the added maximum rear axle
load when towing a trailer, the vehicle/trailer
combination may not exceed a maximum
speed of 60 mph (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 60 mph (100 km/h).
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
with when driving without atrailer.
On long and steep downhill gradients, you
must select shift range 1,2or 3in good time.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so that less braking will be required to
maintai nthe 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.
Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X
Do not accelerate.
X Do not counter-steer.
X Brake if necessary.
R Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle 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, decreases with
increasing altitude. Installing the ball coupling
G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed and secured
correctly it can become detached while the
vehicle is in motion and fall onto the road.
There is a risk of accident and injury.
Always install and secure the ball coupling as
described. Before every journey, ensure that
the ball coupling is secured with the bolt and
the corresponding spring cotter. G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed correctly or
not secured with the bolt provided and the
corresponding spring cotter, the trailer may
come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
Always install and secure the ball coupling as
described. Before every journey, ensure that
the ball coupling is secured with the bolt and
the corresponding spring cotter. G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed and secured
correctly the trailer may come loose. There is
a risk of an accident.
Install and secure the ball coupling as
described in the ball coupling installation
instructions. Make sure that the ball coupling
is installed and secured correctly before every
journey. Cover cap Towing
atrailer
255Driving an d parking Z

vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle until
the engine has cooled down.
! Adisplay message is shown if the coolant
temperature is too high.
If the coolant temperature is over
248 ‡(120 †), do not continue driving. The
engine will otherwise be damaged.
The coolan ttemperature gauge is in the
instrument cluster on the right-hand side
(Y page 33).
Under normal operating conditions and with
the specified coolant level, the coolant
temperature may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †). Tachometer
! Do not drive in the overrevving range, as
this could damage the engine.
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protec tthe
engine when the red band is reached. Outside temperature display
You should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
freezing point.
The outside temperature display is in the
multifunction display (Y page 265).
Changes in the outside temperature are
displayed after a short delay. Speedometer with segments
The segments in the speedometer indicate
which speed range is available.
R Cruise control activated (Y page 192):
The segments light up from the stored
speed to the maximum speed.
R DISTRONIC PLUS activated (Y page 194):One or two segments in the set speed
range light up.
R DISTRONIC PLUS detectsav ehicle in front:
The segments between the speed of the
vehicle in fron tand the stored speed light
up. Operating the on-board computer
Overview 0002
Multifunctio ndisplay
0003 Switches on the Voice Control System;
see the separate operating instructions
001F Right control panel
001E Left control panel
001C Back button
X To activat ethe on-board computer: turn
the SmartKey to position 1in the ignition
lock.
You can control the multifunction display and
the settings in the on-board computer using
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel. 264
Displays and operationOn-board computer and displays

Assistance menu
Introduction In the
DriveAssist menu, you have the
following options:
R showing the distance display
(Y page 272)
R activating/deactivating th edistance
warning function (Y page 272)
R activating/deactivating the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 272)
R activating/deactivating ATTENTION
ASSIS T(Ypage 273)
R activating/deactivating Blind Spot Assist
or Active Blind Spot Assist (Y page 273)
R activating/deactivating Lane Keeping
Assist or Active Lane Keeping Assist
(Y page 273)
Showing the distance display X
Press 0002or0005 on the steering wheel
to select the DriveAssist menu.
X Press the 0003or0004 button to select
Distance Display .
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The DISTRONIC PLUS distance display
appears in the multifunction display
(Y page 202).
If the Sensors Deactivated message
appears, the radar senso rsystem is
deactivated.
X Activate the rada rsensor system
(Y page 277). Switching the distance warning
function on and off X
Press 0002or0005 on the steering wheel
to select the DriveAssist menu.
X Press 0003or0004 to select Dist. Warning .
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The curren tselection is displayed.
X To activate/deactivate: press the000B
button again.
When the distance warning function is
activated, the multifunction display shows
the 0003 symbol if the HOLD function is not
activated (Y page 207).
Vehicles with Active Parking Assist: if
PARKTRONIC is activated and you are driving
at a speed under 22 mph (35 km/h), the 000F
Active Parking Assist symbol is shown instead
of the 0003symbol ( Ypage 217).
Further information on the distance warning
function (Y page 68).
Activating/deactivating PRE-SAFE ®
Brake PRE-SAFE
®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
X Press 0002or0005 on the steering wheel
to select the DriveAssist menu.
X Press the 0003or0004 button to select
PRE-SAFE Brake .
X Press the 000Bbutton.
The curren tselection is displayed.
X To activate/deactivate: press the000B
button again.
When PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is activated, the
multifunction display shows the 0003symbol
as long as the HOLD function is not activated
(Y page 207).
Vehicles with Active Parking Assist: if
PARKTRONIC is activated and you are driving
at a speed under 22 mph (35 km/h), the 000F
Active Parking Assist symbol is shown instead
of the 0003symbol ( Ypage 217). 272
Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays