Upshifting
X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 151).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
i All vehicles (except AMG vehicles): in
order to prevent engine damage the auto-
matic transmission automatically shifts up:
R if the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and
R you continue to accelerate.
AMG vehicles:
! In manual drive program
M, the automatic
transmission does not shift up automati-
cally even when the engine limiting speed
for the current gear is reached. When the
engine limiting speed is reached, the fuel
supply is cut to prevent the engine from
overrevving. Always make sure that the
engine speed does not reach the red area of
the tachometer. There is otherwise a risk of
engine damage.
Shift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunctiondisplay. X
Shift to recommended gear 0044according
to gearshift recommendation 0043when
shown in the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster. AMG vehicles !
In manual drive program
M, the automatic
transmission does not shift up automati-
cally even when the engine limiting speed
for the current gear is reached. When the
engine limiting speed is reached, the fuel
supply is cut to prevent the engine from
overrevving. Always make sure that the
engine speed does not reach the red area of
the tachometer. There is otherwise a risk of
engine damage. 0043
Gear indicator
0044 Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area, an upshift indicator will be shown in the mul-
tifunction display.
X If the color in the speedometer multifunc-
tion display changes to red and the UP UPdis-
play message is shown, shift up a gear.
Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 151).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you slow down or stop without shifting
down, the automatic transmission auto-
matically shifts down.
i For maximum acceleration, pull the left-
hand steering wheel paddle shifter until the
transmission selects the optimum gear for
the current speed.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto- matic transmission protects against engine
damage by not shifting down. Automatic transmission
153Driving and parking Z
Kickdown
AMG vehicles:
it is only possible to use kick-
down in temporary manual drive program M.
You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive program M.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine speed.
X Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
i During kickdown, you cannot shift gears
using the steering wheel paddle shifters.
i If you apply full throttle, the automatic
transmission shifts up to the next gear
when the maximum engine speed is
reached. This prevents the engine from
overrevving.
Switching off the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 150) repeatedly until E(drive pro-
gram Cin AMG vehicles) or Sappears in the
multifunction display.
Deactivating the temporary manual drive program
X Pull and hold the right steering wheel pad-
dle shifter until the automatic transmission
shifts into the last active automatic drive
program E(drive program Con AMG vehi-
cles) or S.
i When manual drive program
Mis deacti-
vated, the automatic transmission in auto-
matic drive program E(drive program Con
AMG vehicles) or Smay shift from the cur-
rent gear into a higher or lower gear. This is dependent on the position of the accelera-
tor pedal, speed and load. 154
Automatic trans
missionDriving and parking
X
Hold test gauge 0083vertically on brake
disc 0043and slide measuring pin 0044onto
brake disc 0043.
X Check which color field 0085the arrow on
measuring pin 0044is pointing to.
Green: the brake pad/lining thickness is
sufficient.
Red: the brake pad/lining thickness is not
sufficient. Have the brake pads/lining
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
To avoid an inaccurate measurement:
R make sure you position the wheels suitably
R do not put the measuring pin on a recess in
the brake disc Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
R
you drive at low speeds.
R the tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or in conditions in which hydroplaning may occur,
you must drive in the following manner:
R lower your speed.
R avoid ruts.
R avoid sudden steering movements.
R brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads !
Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic compo-
nents in the engine or the automatic trans- mission. Water can also be drawn in by the
engine's air suction nozzles and this can
cause engine damage. Winter driving
G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road
surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering
and braking maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control using
corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges. Driving tips
165Driving and parking Z
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 0043disap-
pears 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, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
If a malfunction occurs, then the transmission may be shifted into position Pautomatically. RACE START
Important safety notes RACE START enables optimal acceleration
from a standing start. The precondition for
this is a suitable high-grip road surface.
RACE START is intended solely for activation
on dedicated race circuits.
i RACE START is only available in AMG vehi-
cles. Conditions for activation You can activate RACE START if:
R the doors, hood and the trunk lid are
closed.
R the engine is running and the transmission,
all-wheel drive clutch and the engine are at operating temperature.
R SPORT handling mode is activated.
(Y page 69)
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position.
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake
pedal is depressed (left foot).
R the transmission is in position D.
R drive program Mis selected (Y page 150).
Activating RACE START X
Depress the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep it depressed.
X Pull and hold both steering wheel shift pad-
dles.
X The RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP
Cancel: Paddle DOWN
Cancel: Paddle DOWN message appears
in the multifunction display.
X Release both steering wheel shift paddles.
i If the activation conditions are no longer
fulfilled, RACE START is canceled. The
RACE START Not Possible See Opera‐ RACE START Not Possible See Opera‐
tor's Manual tor's Manual message appears in the
multifunction display.
X To cancel: pull the left steering wheel pad-
dle shifter (Y page 151).
or
X To confirm: pull the right steering wheel
paddle shifter (Y page 151).
The RACE START Available Depress
RACE START Available Depress
gas pedal
gas pedal message appears in the multi-
function display.
i If you do not depress the accelerator
pedal within a few seconds, RACE START is canceled. The multifunction display shows
the RACE START Canceled RACE START Canceled message. Driving syste
ms
177Driving an d parking Z
Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated and the
indicator lamp on the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
X If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 291).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
X See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Active Parking Assist
General notes Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking
aid with ultrasound. It measures the road on
both sides of the vehicle. A parking symbol
indicates a suitable parking space. Active
steering intervention can assist you during
maneuvering and parking. You may also use
PARKTRONIC (Y page 178).
Important safety notes Active Parking Assist is merely an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. Make sure that
no persons, animals or objects are in the
maneuvering range.
When PARKTRONIC is switched off, Active
Parking Assist is also unavailable. G
WARNING
While parking or pulling out of a parking
space, the vehicle swings out and can drive
onto areas of the oncoming lane. This could
result in a collision with another road user.
There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users. Stop the
vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active Park- ing Assist parking procedure.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at a sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
Active Parking Assist may possibly indicate
parking spaces which are not suitable for
parking, for example:
R where parking or stopping is prohibited
R in front of driveways or entrances and exits
R on unsuitable surfaces Driving systems
181Driving and parking Z
system independently locates and measures
parking spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
Active Parking Assist will only detect parking spaces:
R that are parallel or at right-angles to the
direction of travel
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
and at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
and at least 39.5 in (1.0 m) longer than your
vehicle
R that are at right angles to the direction of
travel and at least 39.5 in (1.0 m) wider
than your vehicle
i In the case of parking spaces that are at
right angles to the direction of travel,
please ensure that the parking space is
long enough to accommodate your vehicle.
When driving at speeds below 19 mph
(30 km/h), you will see parking symbol as a
status indicator in the instrument cluster.
When a parking space has been detected, an arrow towards the right or the left also
appears. By default, Active Parking Assist
only displays parking spaces on the front-
passenger side. Parking spaces on the driv-
er's side are displayed as soon as the turn
signal on the driver's side is activated. When
parking on the driver's side, this must remain
switched on until you acknowledge the use of Active Parking Assist by pressing the 0076
button on the multifunction steering wheel.
The system automatically determines
whether the parking space is parallel or at
right-angles to the direction of travel.
A parking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are approx-
imately 50 ft (15 m) away from it.
Parking G
WARNING
Active Parking Assist merely aids you by inter- vening actively in the steering. If you do not
brake there is a risk of an accident. Always apply the brakes yourself when
maneuvering and parking.
X Stop the vehicle when the parking space
symbol shows the desired parking space in
the instrument cluster.
X Shift the transmission to position R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No: Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
0038 message appears in the multifunction
display.
X To cancel the procedure: press the0038
button on the multifunction steering wheel
or pull away.
or X To park using Active Parking Assist:
press the 0076button on the multifunction
steering wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate Park Assist Active Accelerate
and
and Brake
Brake Observe
Observe Surroundings
Surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
X Let go of the multifunction steering wheel.
X Back up the vehicle, being ready to brake at
all times. Do not exceed a maximum speed
of approximately 5 mph (10 km/h) when
backing up. Otherwise Active Parking
Assist will be canceled.
i In tight parking spaces, you will achieve
the best parking results by backing up as
far as possible. When doing so, also
observe the PARKTRONIC messages.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
Maneuvering may be required in tight park-
ing spaces.
The Park Assist Active Select D
Park Assist Active Select D
Observe Observe Surroundings
Surroundings message appears in
the multifunction display.
X Shift the transmission to position Dwhile
the vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction. Driving systems
183Driving and parking Z
The
Park Assist Active Accelerate
Park Assist Active Accelerate
and
and Brake
Brake Observe
Observe Surroundings
Surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
i You will achieve the best results by wait-
ing for the steering procedure to complete before pulling away.
X Drive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
The Park Assist Active Select R
Park Assist Active Select R
Observe
Observe Surroundings
Surroundings message appears in
the multifunction display.
Further transmission shifts may be neces-
sary.
As soon as the parking procedure is com-
plete, the Park Assist Finished
Park Assist Finished message
appears and a warning tone sounds.
Active Parking Assist is then deactivated.
PARKTRONIC is still available.
Active Parking Assist no longer supports you
with steering interventions. When Active
Parking Assist is finished, you must steer
again yourself. PARKTRONIC is still available.
X Maneuver if necessary.
X Always observe the warning messages dis-
played by PARKTRONIC (Y page 180).
Parking tips: R The way your vehicle is positioned in the
parking space after parking is dependent
on various factors. These include the posi-
tion 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 can-
cel the parking procedure with Active Park- ing Assist.
R You can also engage forward gear prema-
turely. The vehicle redirects and does not
drive as far into the parking space. Should a gear be changed too early, the parking pro- cedure will be canceled. A sensible parking
position can no longer be achieved from
this position.
Exiting a parking space In order that Active Parking Assist can sup-
port you when you exit the parking space:
R the border of the parking space must be
high enough. A curb is too small, for exam- ple.
R the border of the parking space must not be
too wide, as the position of the vehicle must
not exceed an angle of 45° to the starting
position as it is maneuvering into the park-
ing space.
R a maneuvering distance of at least 3.3 ft
(1.0 m) must be available.
Active Parking Assist can only assist you with exiting a parking space if you have parked thevehicle parallel to the direction of travel using
Active Parking Assist.
X Start the engine.
X Switch on the turn signal in the direction
you are pulling away.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
0038 message appears in the multifunction
display.
X To cancel the procedure: press the0038
button on the multifunction steering wheel
or pull away.
or
X To exit a parking space using Active
Parking Assist: press the0076button on
the multifunction steering wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate Park Assist Active Accelerate
and
and Brake
Brake Observe
Observe Surroundings
Surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
X Let go of the multifunction steering 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. 184
Driving systemsDriving and parking
Otherwise Active Parking Assist will be can-
celed.
X Stop when PARKTRONIC sounds the con-
tinuous 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 Park Assist
Active Accelerate and Brake
Active Accelerate and Brake
Observe
Observe Surroundings
Surroundings message appears
in the multifunction display.
i You will achieve the best results by wait-
ing for the steering procedure to complete before pulling away.
If you back up after activation, the steering wheel is moved to the straight-ahead posi-
tion.
X Drive forwards and back up as prompted by
the PARKTRONIC warning displays, several
times if necessary.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
Once you have exited the parking space com- pletely, the steering wheel is moved to the
straight-ahead position. You hear a tone and
the Park Assist Finished 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. You
can take over the steering, before the vehicle
has exited the parking space completely. This is useful, for example when you recognize
that it is already possible to pull out of the
parking space. 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 Park Assist Canceled mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
or
X Press the PARKTRONIC button on the cen-
ter console (Y page 180).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediately canceled.
The Park Assist Canceled Park Assist Canceled message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is canceled automati-
cally if:
R the electric parking brake is engaged
R transmission position Pis selected
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
00E5 warning lamp lights up in the instru-
ment cluster.
A warning tone sounds. The parking symbol
disappears and the multifunction display
shows the Park Assist Canceled Park Assist Canceled mes-
sage.
If Active Parking Assist is canceled, you must
steer again yourself. Driving systems
185Driving and parking Z