There are several ways to deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :
or
X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
or X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow =.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM
indicator lamp ;in the cruise control lever
lights up.
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, you
will see the DISTRONIC
DISTRONIC PLUS PLUSoff
offmessage in
the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds.
i The last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
i DISTRONIC PLUS is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if: R you apply the electric parking brake or if the
vehicle is automatically secured with the
electric parking brake
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R the transmission is in the P,Ror Nposition
R you pull the cruise control lever towards
you in order to pull away and the front-
passenger door or one of the rear doors is
open
R the vehicle has skidded
R you activate Active Parking Assist
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS off
DISTRONIC PLUS off message in the multi-
function display for approximately five sec-
onds. Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS General notes
Pay particular attention in the following traffic
situations:
R Cornering, entering and exiting a bend
R Vehicles which are not driving in the middle
of their lane
R Other vehicles changing lane
R Narrow vehicles
R Obstructions and stationary vehicles
R Crossing vehicles
In such situations, brake if necessary.
DISTRONIC PLUS is then deactivated.
Cornering, entering and exiting a bend The ability of DISTRONIC PLUS to detect vehi-
cles when cornering is limited. Your vehicle
may brake unexpectedly or late.
Vehicles which are not driving in the mid- dle of their lane DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect vehicles
which are not driving in the middle of their Driving systems
233Driving and parking Z
At speeds of more than 60 km/h Steering
Assist focuses on clear lane markings (left
and right).
In a speed range from 0 - 60 km/h, Stop&Go
Pilot focuses on the vehicle in front, taking
into account lane markings, e.g. when follow- ing vehicles in a traffic jam.
If these conditions are not present, Steering
Assist and Stop&Go Pilot cannot provide
assistance.
DISTRONIC PLUS must be active in order for
the function to be available.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot can neither reduce the risk of
an accident nor override the laws of physics.
It cannot take into account road, weather or
traffic conditions. DISTRONIC PLUS with
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot 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 lane.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot does not detect road and traf-
fic conditions and does not detect all road
users. If you are following a vehicle which is
driving towards the edge of the carriageway,
your vehicle could come into contact with the
kerb or other road boundaries. Be particularly aware of other road users, e.g. cyclists, that
are directly next to your vehicle.
Obstacles such as traffic pylons on the lane or
projecting out into the lane are not detected.
An inappropriate steering intervention, e.g.
after intentionally driving over a lane marking,
can be corrected at any time if you steer
slightly in the opposite direction.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot cannot continuously keep your
vehicle in lane. In some cases, the steering
intervention is not sufficient to bring the vehi- cle back to the lane. In such cases, you must
steer the vehicle yourself to ensure that it
does not leave the lane. The system may be impaired or may not func-
tion if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insuffi-
cient illumination of the road, or due to
snow, rain, fog or spray
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun or reflection from other vehicles
(e.g. if the road surface is wet)
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up, dam-
aged or covered, for instance by a sticker,
in the vicinity of the camera
R no or several, unclear lane markings are
present for one lane, e.g. in a construction
area
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 road
The system is switched to passive and no lon- ger assists you by performing steering inter-
ventions if:
R you actively change lane
R you switch on the turn signal
R you take your hands off the steering wheel
or do not steer for a prolonged period of
time
i After you have finished changing lanes,
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are auto- matically active again.
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot cannot
provide assistance: R on very sharp corners
R when towing a trailer
R a loss of tyre pressure or a defective tyre
has been detected and displayed Driving systems
235Driving and parking Z
Also observe the important safety notes for
DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 226).
The steering interventions are carried out
with a limited steering moment. The system
requires the driver to keep his hands on the
steering wheel and to steer himself.
If you do not steer yourself or if you take your hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged
period of time, the system will first alert you
with a visual warning. A steering wheel sym-
bol appears in the multifunction display. If youhave still not started to steer and have not
taken hold of the steering wheel after five
seconds at the latest, a warning tone also
sounds to remind you to take control of the
vehicle. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot
switch to passive mode. DISTRONIC PLUS
remains active.
Activating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot X
Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :lights up. The DTR+: DTR+:
steering assist. on
steering assist. on message appears
in the multifunction display. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are activated. Information in the multifunction display If Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are acti-
vated but not ready for a steering interven-
tion, steering wheel symbol :appears in
grey. If the system provides you with support
by means of steering interventions, sym-
bol :is shown in green.
Deactivating Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot
X Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. The DTR+: DTR+:
steering
steering assist.
assist.off
offmessage appears
in the multifunction display. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are deactivated.
When DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated or not available, Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot
are deactivated automatically. 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 manoeuvring 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 cancelled and the HOLD function is deactivated when you depress theaccelerator pedal to pull away. 236
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R the HOLD function is deactivated by the
accelerator pedal being depressed, e.g. by
a vehicle occupant
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
from rolling away.
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if all of
the following conditions are fulfilled:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
R the driver's door is closed or your seat belt
is fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R vehicles with automatic transmission: 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 display :appears in the multifunc-
tion 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 automati-
cally if:
R you accelerate. On vehicles with automatic
transmission: only when the transmission
is in position Dor R.
R the transmission is in position Pon vehicles
with automatic transmission.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until display :
disappears from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
i After a short period, the vehicle is secured
by the electric parking brake, thus relieving
the service brake. The HOLD function is
then deactivated. Driving systems
237Driving and parking Z
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activa-
ted and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
R a system fault occurs
R the power supply is insufficient
Vehicles with automatic transmission : if a
fault occurs, then the transmission may also
be shifted into position Pautomatically.
Vehicles with manual transmission:
The Brake immediately
Brake immediately message can also
appear in the multifunction display.
X Immediately depress the brake pedal firmly
until the warning message in the multifunc- tion display goes out.
The HOLD function is deactivated.
A horn will sound at regular intervals if you
turn off the engine, take off your seat belt or
open the driver's door when the HOLD func-
tion is activated. The horn alerts you to the
fact that the HOLD function is still activated.
If you attempt to lock the vehicle, the tone
becomes louder. The vehicle cannot be
locked until you have deactivated the HOLD
function.
i Once you have switched off the engine,
you cannot restart it until you have deacti-
vated the HOLD function. AIRMATIC
General notes AIRMATIC is an air suspension system with
variable damping for improved driving com-
fort. All-round level control ensures the best
possible suspension and constant ground
clearance, even with a laden vehicle. When
you drive fast, the vehicle is lowered auto-
matically to improve driving safety and to
reduce fuel consumption. There is also the option to manually adjust the vehicle level.
AIRMATIC consists of level setting, level con-
trol and the Adaptive Damping System ADS.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: the
vehicle level can be set using the AGILITY
SELECT switch (Y page 201) or the level but-
ton (Y page 238). The setting always corre-
sponds to the last selected function.
Vehicles with manual transmission: the
vehicle level can be set using the AGILITY
SELECT switch (Y page 195) or the level but-
ton (Y page 238). The setting always corre-
sponds to the last selected function.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
People's limbs may become trapped if they
are located underneath the vehicle or
between the vehicle body and the tyres when the vehicle is lowering. There is a danger of
injury.
When lowering the vehicle, make sure no one
is underneath the vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches.
i If one of the doors is open, the vehicle is
not lowered.
Vehicle level Setting the raised vehicle level
It is possible to choose between the "Normal"
and "Raised" vehicle levels below a speed of
80 km/h. Select the "Normal" setting for nor-
mal road surfaces and "Raised" for driving 238
Driving systemsDriving and parking
with snow chains or on particularly poor road
surfaces. Your selection remains stored even
if you remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is not lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The vehicle is
raised by 25 mm compared to the normal
level.
The Vehicle rising Vehicle rising message appears in
the multifunction display.
i The message disappears after ten sec-
onds, irrespective of the level reached. If
necessary, the vehicle is raised further.
The "Raised level" setting is cancelled if you:
R drive faster than 120 km/h
R drive for approximately three minutes at a
speed over 80 km/h
The "Raised level" remains saved when you
are not driving within these speed ranges.
Setting the normal vehicle level
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to the height of the currently
selected drive program (Y page 201).
Suspension setting General notes
The Adaptive Damping System automatically
controls the calibration of the dampers.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection, i.e. sport or com-
fort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. Sport mode
In the "Sport" and "Sport Plus" drive pro-
grams, the firmer suspension setting ensures even better contact with the road. Select this
mode when employing a sporty driving style,
e.g. on winding country roads.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
select the Sor S+ drive program with the
AGILITY SELECT switch (Y page 201).
Vehicles with manual transmission:
select the Sor S+ drive program with the
AGILITY SELECT switch (Y page 195).
The vehicle is lowered by 15 mm compared to the normal level.
Comfort mode
In the "Eco" and "Comfort" drive programs,
the driving characteristics of your vehicle are
more comfortable. Therefore, select this
mode if you prefer a more comfortable driving
style. Select Comfort mode also when driving
fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight
stretches of motorway.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
select the Eor Cdrive program with the
AGILITY SELECT switch (Y page 201).
Vehicles with manual transmission:
select the Eor Cdrive program with the
AGILITY SELECT switch (Y page 195).
The vehicle is raised to the normal level.
When driving at speeds above 125 km/h, the
vehicle is automatically lowered by 15 mm in the Eand Cdrive programs. When driving at
speeds below 80 km/h, the vehicle is raised
again. 4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle when-
ever a drive wheel spins due to insufficient
grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of an accident nor Driving systems
239Driving and parking Z
:
Example: sensors in the front bumper,
left-hand side The sensors must be free of dirt, ice and
slush. Otherwise, they may not function cor-
rectly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(Y page 405).
Front sensors Centre Approx. 100 cm
Corners Approx. 60 cm Rear sensors
Centre Approx. 120 cm
Corners Approx. 80 cm
Minimum distance
Centre Approx. 20 cm
Corners Approx. 15 cm
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant warning displays light up and a warn- ing tone sounds. If the distance falls below
the minimum, the distance may no longer be
shown.
Warning displays :
Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
; Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
= Segments showing operational readiness
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is in the
instrument cluster. The warning display for
the rear area is located on the roof lining in
the rear compartment.
The warning display for each side of the vehi-
cle is divided into five yellow and two red seg- ments. PARKTRONIC is operational if opera-
tional readiness indicator =lights up.
The selected transmission position and the
direction in which the vehicle is rolling deter- Driving systems
241Driving and parking Z
mine which warning display is active when the
engine is running. Transmission
position Warning display
D
Front area activated
R,
Nor the vehicle
is rolling back-
wards 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 hear an
intermittent warning tone for approx-
imately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two sec-
onds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance.
Activating/deactivating PARKTRONIC Vehicles with AIRMATIC
:
Indicator lamp
; To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC
If indicator lamp :lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Parking Assist is then also
deactivated. i
PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the key to position 2in the
ignition lock.
Vehicles without AIRMATIC :
To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC
; Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp ;lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Parking Assist is then also
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the key to position 2in the
ignition lock. 242
Driving systemsDriving and parking