2013 MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS FAMILY TOURER tow

Activation conditions
To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions mus
tbe fulfilled:
R the parking brake must be released.
R you are driving faster than 20mph
(30 km/h).
R ESP ®
must be active, but not intervening.
R the transmission must be in position D.
Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed Storing and maintaining the speed
X
Accelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ;.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle
automatically maintains the stored speed.
You can accept the curren tspeed if you are
driving faster than 20 mph (30km/h).
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise controlm aintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by
automatically applying the brakes.
Storing or calling up thes peedG
WARNING
The set speed stored in memory should only
be set againifp revailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Possible
acceleration or deceleratio ndifferences
arising fro mreturning to the preset speed
could cause an acciden tand/o rserious injury
to you and others. X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the curren tspeed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously
stored speed.
Setting aspeed G
WARNING
Keep in mind tha titmay take a brie fmoment
until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration
of the vehicle could cause an accident and/
or serious injury to you and others.
X Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ;for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph
increments (1 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up :or down ;the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph
increments (10 km/h increments):
press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;to beyond the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up :or down ;the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For
example, if you accelerate briefly to
overtake, cruise control adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking. 174
Driving systemsDriving and parking

2. this device must accep
tany interference
received, including interference tha tmay
cause undesired operatio nofthe device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties and is not
permitted. Do not tamper with, alter, or use
the device in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
DISTRONIC regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the
distance to the vehicle detected in front.
DISTRONIC brakes automatically so that the
set speed is not exceeded.
On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a
trailer, you must select shift range 1,2or 3
in good time. By doing so, you will make use
of the braking effect of the engine, which
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly.
If DISTRONIC detects a slower-moving
vehicle in front, your vehicle is braked in order
to maintain the preset distance to the vehicle
in front.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
operates in the same way as cruise control in
the speed range between 20 mph (30k m/h)
and 120 mph (200 km/h). If a vehicle is
driving in front of you, DISTRONIC operates
in the speed range between 0mph (0 km/h)
and 120 mph (200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC on roads with steep
gradients. Cruise control lever :
To store the curren tspeed or a higher
speed
; To store the curren tspeed or a lower
speed
= To deactivate DISTRONIC
? To store the curren tspeed or call up the
last stored speed
Switching on DISTRONIC, storing and
maintaining the current speed Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The vehicle can be braked when DISTRONIC
is activated. For this reason, deactivate
DISTRONIC if the vehicle is to be set in motion
by other means (e.g. in a car wash or by
towing). G
WARNING
If you depress the brake pedal, DISTRONIC is
deactivated. DISTRONIC will then no longer
brake your vehicle. In such cases, control the
distance from vehicles traveling in front with
the brake alone. You could otherwise cause
an acciden tand thereby injure yourselfa nd
others. The driver remains fully responsible
for the vehicle's distance from othe rvehicles,
the speed being driven and for braking in good
time. Driving systems
177Driving and parking Z

G
WARNING
DISTRONIC must never be operated,
activated or deactivated by a passenger or
from outside the vehicle.
You can activate DISTRONIC in the following
circumstances:
R if the engine has been started and you have
been driving for up to two minutes
R while driving, except if you brake
R the parking brake is released
R if ESP ®
is activated
R if the transmission is in position D
Activating while driving
X Briefly pull the cruise control leve rtowards
you ?or press it up :or down ;to the
pressure point.
DISTRONIC is activated.
X Press the cruise control lever repeatedly
up : or down ;until the desired speed
is set.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
You can also activate DISTRONIC when
driving at speeds below 20 mph (30 km/h)
but only if the vehicle in front has been
detected and is shown in the multifunction
display .Ifthe vehicle in front is no longer
detected and displayed, DISTRONIC switches
off and you will hear a tone.
i You can use the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the control on the
cruise control lever to set the specified
minimum distance (Y page 179).
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC Override message
appears in the multifunction display. The
set distance to a slower-moving vehicle in
front will then not be maintained. You will
be driving at the speed you determine by
the position of the accelerator pedal. Driving
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
operates in the same way as cruise control.
If DISTRONIC detects that the vehicle in front
has slowed down, it brakes your vehicle. In
this way, the distance you have selected is
maintained.
If DISTRONIC detects that the vehicle in front
is driving faster, it accelerates your vehicle,
but only up to the stored speed.
Stopping
If DISTRONIC detects that the vehicle in front
is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it is
stationary.
i
Depending on the specified minimum
distance, your vehicle will come to a
standstill at a sufficient distance behind the
vehicle in front.T he specified minimum
distance is set using the control on the
cruise control lever.
DISTRONIC is deactivated automatically
when stopping:
R on flat stretches of road or on downhill
gradients when the vehicle is stationary
R while the vehicle is still moving on uphill
gradients, to prevent the vehicle from
unexpectedly rolling back when
DISTRONIC is deactivated
If DISTRONIC is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone.
X To prevent the vehicle from rolling away,
depress the brake pedal or engage the
parking brake.
Setting aspeed G
WARNING
Keep in mind tha titmay take a brie fmoment
until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration 178
Driving systemsDriving and parking

of the vehicle could cause an accident and/
or serious injury to you and others.
X Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ;for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph
increments (1 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up :or down ;the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph
increments (10 km/h increments):
briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ;to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up :or down ;the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
i DISTRONIC is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you
accelerate to overtake, DISTRONIC adjusts
the vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking.
Storing the current speed or calling up
the last stored speed G
WARNING
The set speed stored in memory should only
be set again if prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Possible
acceleration or deceleration differences
arising from returning to the preset speed
could cause an accident and/or serious injury
to you and others.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DISTRONIC is activated and accepts the
current speed if it is activated for the first
time, or adjusts the vehicle's speed to the
last speed stored. Setting the specified minimum distance G
WARNING
It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to
select the appropriate setting given road
conditions, traffic, driver's preferred driving
style and applicable laws and driving
recommendations for safe following distance. You can set the specified minimum distance
for DISTRONIC by varying the time span
between one and two seconds. With this
function, you can set the minimum distance
that DISTRONIC keeps to the vehicle in front,
dependent on vehicle speed. You can see this
distance in the multifunction display
(Y
page 180).
X To increase: turn control;in direction
=.
DISTRONIC then maintains a greater
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
X To decrease: turn control;in
direction :.
DISTRONIC then maintains a shorter
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
i Make sure that you maintain the
minimum distance to the vehicle in front as
required by law. Adjust the distance to the
vehicle in front if necessary. Driving systems
179Driving and parking Z

is opened and will continue after the door is
closed again.
! When driving on extremely rough terrain,
selec tahigh vehicle level in good time.
Make sure there is always sufficient ground
clearance. You will otherwise damage the
vehicle.
! When you raise the vehicle in such a way
that not all wheels have contact with the
ground, remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock.
General notes
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.
If you unlock the vehicle or open a door, the
vehicle begins to compensate for load
discrepancies while still parked. However, for
significant level changes, such as after the
vehicle has been stationary for a long period,
the engine must be on. For safety reasons,
the vehicle is only lowered when the doors are
closed. Lowering is interrupted if a door is
opened, and it continues once the door has
been closed.
Basic settings
Select raised level for very poor road
conditions or highway level for normal road
conditions. The vehicle is automatically lowered to high-
speed level when you:
R
drive faster than 70 mph (112 km/h)
R drive between 60 mph (96 km/h) and
70 mph (112 km/h) for approximately
20 seconds
The individual vehicle levels differ from
highway level as follows:
R raised level: +1.97 in (+50 mm)
R highway level: +/–0 in (+/–0 mm)
R high-speed level: –0.47 in (–12 mm)
i The high-speed level is not available if you
are towing a trailer. Observe the notes on
driving with a trailer (Y page 193).
i Observe the speed limitations. Drive
carefully at an appropriate speed.
Raised level X
Start the engine.
Indicator lamp ;is not lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes. The vehicle rises
to raised level. Example: vehicles with the AIRMATIC package and
compass184
Driving systemsDriving and parking

During the adjustment, the
Rising message,
for example, appears in the multifunction
display.
If you press the V,U,*or&
button on the multifunctio nsteering wheel,
the message will disappear.
Once the vehicle has reache draised level,
indicator lamp ;remains lit .The Raised Level message appears for approximately
five seconds in the multifunction display.
If you select raised level at a speed above
25 mph (40 km/h), the Level SelectionNot Permitted message appears in the
multifunction display.
The vehicle is automatically lowered to
highway level if you drive faster than
25 mph (40 km/h) at raised level.
Only select raised level when this is
appropriate for the road conditions.
Otherwise, fuel consumption may increase
and handling may be affected.
Highway level
! Make sure that there is enough ground
clearance when the vehicle is being
lowered. It could otherwise hit the ground,
damaging the underbody. X
Make sure that the doors are closed.
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;flashes. The vehicle is
lowered to highway level. Example: vehicles with the AIRMATIC package and
compass
During the adjustment, the
Being Lowered message, for example, appears in the
multifunction display.
If you press the
V,U,*or&
button on the multifunction steering wheel,
the message will disappear.
Once highway level has been reached,
indicator lamp ;goes out. The AIRMATIC message appears for approximately five
seconds in the multifunction display.
The vehicle is automatically lowered to
highway level if you drive faster than
25 mph (40 km/h) at raised level. It is
automatically raised to highway level if you
drive slower than 40 mph
(64 km/h) at high-
speed level. 4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
G
WARNING
If a drive wheel is spinning due to insufficient
traction:
R While driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R While driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R Adap tyour speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
4MATIC cannot prevent accidents resulting
from excessive speed.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the Driving systems
185Driving and parking Z

Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
! When testing the parking brake, operate
the vehicle only briefly (for a maximum of
ten seconds) on a brake test dynamometer.
When doing this, turn the SmartKey to
position 0or 1in the ignition. Failure to do
this can cause damage to the drive train or
the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on atwo-axle
dynamometer. Before you operate the
vehicle on such a dynamometer, please
consult a qualified workshop .You could
otherwise damage the drive train or the
brake system.
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are
permanently driven. Together with ESP ®
and
4ETS, it improves the traction of your vehicle
whenever a drive wheel spins due to
insufficien tgrip.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The PARKTRONIC is a supplemental system.
It is not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always remains with the driver. G
WARNING
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering .Otherwise, they could be
injured. PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasoni
csensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror N
R release the parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the fron tbumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper. :
Example: sensors in the front bumper,
left-hand side
Range of the sensors General notes
!
When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does no tdetec tsuch objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damag ethe vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction. 186
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Transmission
position Warning display
D
Front area activated
R
or N Rear and front areas
activated
P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R
sixth segment onwards, you will hea ran
intermittent warning ton efor
approximately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two
seconds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC :
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
; Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp ;lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2
in the ignition lock.
Towing atrailer !
Remove the detachable ball coupling if
the trailer tow hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC measures the minimum
detection range to an obstacle from the
bumper, not the ball coupling.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rea rarea
when you establish an electrical connection
between yourv ehicle and a trailer.188
Driving systemsDriving and parking