boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a riskof an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
R overheat and cause a fire
R lose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only set the automatic transmission to the
respective drive positions when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. Otherwise, you could damage the
drive train.
Hybrid vehicles: observe the safety instruc-
tions for hybrid vehicles (Y page 269).Key positions
Key g
To remove the key
1 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windscreen wipers 2
Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
3 Starting the engine
i If the key does not belong to the vehicle, it
can still be turned in the ignition lock. How-
ever, the ignition will not be switched on
The engine cannot be started.
Vehicles with AIRPANEL: you can open the
shutters in the radiator trim by turning the key to position 2in the ignition lock. After approx-
imately 120 seconds the shutters open auto-
matically. Further information on opening and cleaning the shutters (Y page 400).
Start/Stop button General notes
A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the key
determines whether a valid key is in the vehi-
cle. This occurs, for example, when starting
the engine.
To start the vehicle without actively using the key:
R the Start/Stop button must be inserted in
the ignition lock
R the key must be in the vehicle
R the vehicle must not be locked with the key
or KEYLESS-GO (Y page 91)
Pressing the Start/Stop button several times
in succession corresponds to the different
key positions in the ignition lock. This is only
the case if you are not depressing the brake
pedal.
If you depress the brake pedal and press the
Start/Stop button, the engine starts immedi-
ately.
Do not keep the key:
R with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile
phone or another key
R with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal
film
R inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
This can affect the key's functionality. Driving
181Driving and parking Z
Starting the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open doors, thereby endangering other per-
sons or road users
R get out and be struck by oncoming traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
In addition, the children could also set the
vehicle in motion, for example, if they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position P or shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children and animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Keep the keys out of the reach of children. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation. G
WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
! Do not depress the accelerator when
starting the engine. General notes Vehicles with a petrol engine:
the catalytic
converter is preheated for up to 30 seconds
after a cold start. The sound of the engine may
change during this time.
Manual transmission You can only start the engine when the clutch
pedal is fully depressed.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Fully depress the clutch pedal.
X Shift to neutral N.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P
(Y page 193).
The transmission position indicator in the
multifunction display shows P
(Y page 195).
You can also start the engine when the trans- mission is in position N.
Starting procedure with the key To start the engine using the key instead of
the Start/Stop button, pull the Start/Stop
button out of the ignition lock.
X To start a petrol engine: turn the key to
position 3in the ignition lock (Y page 181)
and release it as soon as the engine is run- ning.
X To start a diesel engine: turn the key to
position 2in the ignition lock (Y page 181).
The % preglow indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X When the %preglow indicator lamp
goes out, turn the key to position 3
(Y page 181) and release it as soon as the
engine is running.
You can start the engine without preglow if
the engine is warm. Driving
183Driving and parking Z
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Vehicles with a petrol
engine:
The engine is not run-
ning smoothly and is
misfiring. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic con-
verter and damage it.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. The coolant tempera-
ture display is showing
more than 120 †. A
display message may
also appear in the mul-
tifunction display and a warning tone may
sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 393). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X If the coolant temperature is below 120 †, you can continue
driving to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and stop-start traffic. Manual transmission
Gear lever
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
! When shifting between
5thand 6thgear,
you should always push the gear lever all
the way to the right. Otherwise, you could
shift unintentionally into 3rdor4th gear
and damage the transmission.
If you shift down at too high a speed (trans-
mission braking), this can cause the engine to overrev, leading to engine damage.
Do not use the clutch bite point to keep the
vehicle stationary on uphill gradients.
There is otherwise a risk of damaging the
clutch.
! On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must shift into gear
1, 2or3in
good time. This uses the engine's braking
effect. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over- heating and wearing too quickly. k
Reverse gear
1 -6
Forward gears 190
Manual transmissionDriving and parking
With the Start/Stop button:
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Remove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in
the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
If the transmission is in position Ror N:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past
the first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT
SELECT lever down past the first point of
resistance. Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
! If the transmission position display in the
multifunction display is not working, you
should pull away carefully to check whether the desired transmission position is
engaged. Ideally, you should select trans-
mission position Dand drive program Eor
S. :
Status symbol drive program
; Transmission position
= Gear The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display.
The arrows in the transmission position dis-
play show how and into which transmission
positions you can change using the DIRECT
SELECT lever. Transmission positions
B Park position
This prevents the vehicle from roll-
ing away when stopped.
Do not shift the transmission into
position P(Y page 193) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock should not be used as a brake when parking. In order to secure
the vehicle, always engage the
electric parking brake in addition to
the parking lock.
The automatic transmission shifts
to Pautomatically if you:
R remove the key
R switch off the engine when in R
or Dand open one of the front
doors
In the event of a malfunction of the vehicle's electronics, the transmis-sion may be locked in position P.
Have the vehicle electronics
checked immediately at a qualified
specialist workshop. C Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. Automatic transmission
195Driving and parking Z
Problems with the transmission
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. Problems with hybrid operation (Y
page 282).Transfer case
This section only applies to vehicles with all-
wheel drive (4MATIC). The front and rear
axles are constantly driven.
! Performance tests may only be carried
out on a two-axle roller dynamometer. Oth-
erwise, the braking system or the transfer
case could be damaged. Contact a qualified
specialist workshop for more information
on performance tests.
! Since ESP ®
engages automatically, the
ignition must be switched off (the key or
Start/Stop button must be in position 0or
1) if:
R the electric parking brake is being tested
using a brake dynamometer.
R the vehicle is being towed with only one
axle raised (not permitted for vehicles
with 4MATIC).
The brake system could otherwise be dam-
aged. !
Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise,
the transmission may be damaged. Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before refuelling. G
WARNING
Fuels are poisonous and hazardous to health. There is a danger of injury.
Do not swallow fuel or let it come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing. Do not inhale fuel 200
RefuellingDriving and parking
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The fuel filler flap can-
not be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
or
The key battery is discharged.
X Unlock the vehicle (Y page 91).
or
X Unlock the vehicle using the emergency key element
(Y page 93). The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam-
med.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. AdBlue
®
(BlueTEC vehicles only)
Important notes on use To function properly, BlueTEC exhaust gas
aftertreatment must be operated with the
reducing agent AdBlue ®
. Topping up AdBlue ®
is part of the maintenance work.
When the supply of AdBlue ®
is down to
approximately 3.0 litres, the Refill
Refill
AdBlue See Owner's Manual AdBlue See Owner's Manual message is
shown in the multifunction display.
When the AdBlue ®
supply drops to a mini-
mum, the Refill
Refill AdBlue
AdBlueNo
No start
start in
inX
X
km
km message is shown in the multifunction dis-
play.
If you drive the vehicle faster than 15 km/h,
the Refill AdBlue See Owner's Manual Refill AdBlue See Owner's Manual
message goes out after approximately one
minute.
If the Refill AdBlue No start in X km Refill AdBlue No start in X km
message is shown in the multifunction dis-
play, you can still drive the vehicle over the
distance shown. If the AdBlue ®
is not topped
up, you will subsequently be unable to
start the engine. If the Refill AdBlue
Refill AdBlue
Start not possible
Start not possible message appears in
the multifunction display and the engine does
not start, you must top up AdBlue ®
. X
Add at least 3.5 l of AdBlue ®
.
X Switch on the ignition for at least 60 sec-
onds.
X Start the engine.
i You can also have the AdBlue ®
tank refil-
led at a qualified specialist workshop.
Before driving your vehicle outside Europe,
have the AdBlue ®
supply checked at a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Further information about BlueTEC exhaust
gas aftertreatment and about AdBlue ®
can
be obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Important notes on the refilling proce-
dure AdBlue
®
is a water-soluble fluid for the
exhaust gas aftertreatment of diesel engines. It is:
R non-toxic
R colourless and odourless
R non-flammable
If you open the AdBlue ®
tank, small amounts
of ammonia vapour may be released.
Ammonia vapours have a pungent odour and
are particularly irritating to the skin, to
mucous membranes and to the eyes. You may experience a burning sensation in your eyes, 204
RefuellingDriving and parking
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the
vehicle cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing system:
With the key:
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in
the ignition lock.
With the Start/Stop button: X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Remove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in
the ignition lock.
The engine can be switched off while the vehi-
cle is in motion by pressing and holding the
Start/Stop button for about three seconds.
This function operates independently of the
ECO start/stop automatic engine switch-off
function. Electric parking brake
General notes G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or if there is a malfunc-
tion in the system, it may not be possible to
apply the released parking brake.
X If this is the case, only park the vehicle on
level ground and secure it to prevent it from
rolling away.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first gear.
It may not be possible to release an applied
parking brake if the on-board voltage is low or if there is a malfunction in the system. Con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
The electric parking brake carries out a func-
tion check at regular intervals when the
engine is switched off. Noises that occur are
normal. Parking
209Driving and parking Z
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec- ted:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control is
selected.
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected.
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display
for five seconds. In addition, the ésymbol
appears in the multifunction display. In the
speedometer, the segments between the
stored speed and the maximum speed light
up.
Selecting cruise control X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp :is off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected. If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow ;.
LIM indicator lamp :in the cruise control
lever goes out. Cruise control is selected. Storing and maintaining the current
speed You can store the current speed if you are
driving faster than 30 km/h.
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 speed.
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 control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by
automatically braking the vehicle.
i Vehicles with manual transmission:
R always drive at adequate, but not exces-
sive, engine speeds
R change gear in good time.
R if possible, do not change down several
gears at a time
Storing the current speed and calling up
the last stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it is lower
than the current speed, the vehicle deceler-
ates. If you do not know the stored speed, the Driving systems
217Driving and parking
Z