If you make any changes to the vehicle elec-
tronics, the general operating permit is ren-
dered invalid.
! There is a risk of damage to the vehicle if:
R the vehicle becomes stuck, e.g. on a high
curb or an unpaved road
R you drive too fast over an obstacle, e.g. a
curb or a hole in the road
R a heavy object strikes the undercarriage
or parts of the chassis
In situations like this, the body, the under-
carriage, chassis parts, wheels or tires
could be damaged without the damage
being visible. Components damaged in this way can unexpectedly fail or, in the case of
an accident, no longer withstand the strain
they are designed to.
If the underbody paneling is damaged,
combustible materials such as leaves,
grass or twigs can gather between the
underbody and the underbody paneling. If
these materials come in contact with hot
parts of the exhaust system, they can catch fire.
In such situations, have the vehicle
checked and repaired immediately at a
qualified specialist workshop. If on con-
tinuing your journey you notice that driving
safety is impaired, pull over and stop the
vehicle immediately, paying attention to
road and traffic conditions. In such cases,
visit a qualified specialist workshop. Declarations of conformity
Vehicle components which receive
and/or transmit radio waves USA:
"The wireless devices of this vehicle
comply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Oper-
ation is subject to the following two condi-
tions: 1) These devices may not cause harm-
ful interference, and 2) These devices must
accept any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired oper-
ation. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for com-
pliance could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment."
Canada:
"The wireless devices of this vehicle
comply with Industry Canada license-exempt
RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) These devices
may not cause interference, and (2) These
devices must accept any interference, includ- ing interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device." Diagnostics connection
The diagnostics connection is only intended
for the connection of diagnostic equipment at a qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
If you connect equipment to the diagnostics
connection in the vehicle, it may affect the
operation of the vehicle systems. As a result, the operating safety of the vehicle could be
affected. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not connect any equipment to a diagnos-
tics connection in the vehicle. G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle is
jeopardized. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Install the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficient clearance for the pedals. Do not use loose floormats and do not place floormats on
top of one another.
! If the engine is switched off and equip-
ment on the diagnostics connection is
used, the starter battery may discharge.
Connecting equipment to the diagnostics
connection can lead to emissions monitoring information being reset, for example. This
may lead to the vehicle failing to meet the Introduction
25 Z
decisive role in the deployment of an air bag,
nor do they provide an indication of air bag
deployment.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly,
e.g. the hood or the fender, without an air bag
being deployed. This is the case if only parts
which are relatively easily deformed are affec- ted and the rate of deceleration is not high.
Conversely, air bags may be deployed even
though the vehicle suffers only minor defor-
mation. This is the case if, for example, very
rigid vehicle parts such as longitudinal body
members are hit, and sufficient deceleration
occurs as a result.
i The front Emergency Tensioning Devices
can only be triggered if the seat belt
tongues on the front seats are correctly
engaged in the seat belt buckles.
i Not all air bags are deployed in an acci-
dent. The different air bag systems work
independently of each other.
How the air bag system works is deter-
mined by predicting the severity of the acci-
dent, especially vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, and the type of accident:
R head-on collision
R side impact
R rollover
Safety guidelines for seat belts, Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices (ETDs) and
air bags G
WARNING
R Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident
must be replaced. Their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use seat belts
installed or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices (ETDs) contain perchlorate material, which may require special han-
dling and regard for the environment.
Check your national disposal guidelines. In California, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/
index.cfm.
R Air bags and ETDs are designed to function
on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or ETD
that has deployed must be replaced.
R Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.
R Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the seat belts.
R Do not bleach or dye seat belts, as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash, they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
R Do not make any modifications to the SRS
wiring or components.
R Do not modify or remove any components
or parts of the SRS.
R Do not install additional trim material, seat
covers, badges, etc. to the:
- padded steering wheel boss
- knee bag covers
- front-passenger air bag cover
- outer side of front seat bolsters
- outer seat bolsters of the rear bench seat
backrest
- roof frame trim
R Do not install additional electrical/elec-
tronic equipment on or near SRS compo-
nents and wiring.
R Keep the area between the air bags and
occupants free of objects (e.g. packages,
handbags, umbrellas etc.).
R Do not hang any objects such as coat hang-
ers on the coat hooks or the grab handle
above the door. These items may be thrownaround in the vehicle and cause head and
other injuries when the window curtain air
bag is deployed.
R Air bag system components will be hot after
an air bag has inflated. Do not touch them.
R Never rest your feet on the dashboard or
the seat. Always keep both feet on the floor in front of the seat. 42
Occupant safetySafety
Problems with the seat heating
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions The seat heating has
switched off prema-
turely or cannot be
switched on. The on-board voltage is too low because too many electrical con-
sumers are switched on.
X Switch off electrical consumers that you do not need, such as
the rear window defroster or interior lighting.
Once the battery is sufficiently charged, the seat heating will
switch back on automatically. Steering wheel
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
R adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine. G
WARNING
Children could injure themselves if they
adjust the steering wheel. There is a risk of
injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. Adjusting the steering wheel
G
WARNING
If the steering wheel is unlocked while the
vehicle is in motion, it could change position
unexpectedly. This could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident. Before starting off, make sure the steering
wheel is locked. Never unlock the steering
wheel while the vehicle is in motion. 0043
Release lever
0044 To adjust the steering wheel height
0087 To adjust the steering wheel position
(fore-and-aft adjustment)
X Push release lever 0043down completely.
The steering column is unlocked.
X Adjust the steering wheel to the desired
position.
X Push release lever 0043up completely.
The steering column is locked.
X Check if the steering column is locked.
When doing so, try to push the steering
wheel up or down or try to move it in the
fore-and-aft direction. 102
Steering wheelSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
Tail lamps (vehicles with halogen headlamps)
0043 Rear fog lamp: P 21 W
0044 Brake lamp: W 16 W
0087 Brake lamp: W 16 W
0085 Turn signal lamp: PY 21 W
0083 Backup lamp: W 16 W Changing the front bulbs
Removing and installing the cover in the
front wheel housing You must remove the cover from the front
wheel housing before you can change the
front bulbs. X
To remove: switch off the lights.
X Turn the front wheels inwards.
X Turn rotary knob 0043through 90°.
Cover 0044is released.
X Push cover 0044down.
X To install: push cover 0044up.
X Turn rotary knob 0043through 90°.
Cover 0044is locked. Low-beam headlamps (halogen head-
lamps)
X
Remove the cover in the front wheel hous-
ing (Y page 116).
X Turn housing cover 0043counter-clockwise
and pull it out.
X Turn bulb holder 0044counter-clockwise and
pull it out.
X Take the bulb out of bulb holder 0044.
X Insert the new bulb into bulb holder 0044.
X Insert bulb holder 0044into the lamp and turn
it clockwise.
X Align housing cover 0043and turn it clock-
wise until it engages.
X Replace the cover in the front wheel hous-
ing (Y page 116).
High-beam headlamps/daytime run-
ning lamps/parking lamps/standing
lamps (vehicles with halogen head-
lamps) X
Switch off the lights.
X Open the hood. 116
Replacing bulbsLights and windshield wipers
Engaging park position P
X
When the vehicle is stationary, press Pbut-
ton 0043. Transmission positions
0045 Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position
P(Y page 157) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock should not be used as a brake when parking. Always apply the
electronic parking brake in addi-
tion to the parking lock in order to
secure the vehicle.
If the vehicle electronics are mal-
functioning, the transmission may
be locked in position P.
Have the vehicle electronics
checked immediately at a qualified
specialist workshop. 0046 Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. 0044 Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you
to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to
push it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only shift the transmission to posi-
tion Nif the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
When you switch off the engine, the automatic transmission automati-
cally shifts into neutral N. 003A Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available. Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D. This automatic gearshift-
ing behavior is determined by:
R the selected drive program (Y page 150)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
(Y page 149)
R the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts
Holding the vehicle stationary on uphill gradients G
WARNING
If the clutch overheats, the electronic man-
agement system is automatically deactivated. Automatic transmission
149Driving and parking
Z
i
The automatic transmission shifts to
automatic drive program Eeach time the
engine is started.
i For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 151).
AMG vehicles C
Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
M
Manual Manual gear shifting
Only change from automatic drive program
C
or Sto manual drive program Mwhen the
vehicle is stationary.
X Press program selector button 0043repeat-
edly until the letter for the desired gearshift
program appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
i The automatic transmission shifts to
automatic drive program Ceach time the
engine is started.
i For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 151). Steering wheel paddle shifters
0043
Left steering wheel paddle shifter (shifts
down)
0044 Right steering wheel paddle shifter (shifts
up)
In drive program M, you can change gear
yourself using the steering wheel paddle shift-
ers.
If you pull the left or right steering wheel pad- dle shifter when in automatic drive program E
(drive program Con AMG vehicles) or S, the
automatic transmission shifts into drive pro-
gram Mfor a limited time. Depending on
which paddle shifter is pulled, the automatic
transmission immediately shifts into the next
gear down or up.
AMG vehicles: you can activate drive pro-
gram MRACE START (Y page 177) using the
steering wheel paddle shifters.
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel paddle shifters when the trans-
mission is in position D.
i For further information on the manual
drive program, see (Y page 152). Automatic drive program
Drive program E(drive program Con MAG
vehicles) is characterized by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine settings
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner Automatic transmission
151Driving and parking Z
R
the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin
Drive program Sis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine settings
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R the fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmis- sion shift points Manual drive program
Introduction In manual drive program
M, you can change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel pad-
dle shifters. For this, the transmission must
be in position D. The gear currently selected
and engaged is shown in the multifunction
display.
Manual drive program Mdiffers from drive
programs E(drive program Con AMG vehi-
cles) and Swith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes. Gear Driving situations
0040
You can use the engine's braking
effect 0038
You can use the braking effect of
the engine on downhill gradients
and for driving:
R on steep mountain roads
R in mountainous terrain
R in arduous conditions 0037
To use the braking effect of the
engine on extremely steep downhill
gradients and on long downhill
stretches Switching on the manual drive program
Activating permanently
X Press the program selector button
(Y page 150) repeatedly until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
Manual drive program Mremains active
until drive program E(drive program Con
AMG vehicles) or Sis selected.
Activating temporarily X Pull the right or left steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 151).
M is shown in the multifunction display.
Manual drive program Mis temporarily
active. Depending on which paddle shifter
is pulled, the automatic transmission
immediately shifts into the next gear down
or up.
i When manual drive program
Mis activa-
ted via the steering wheel paddle shifters,
the temporarily active manual drive pro-
gram Mwill be deactivated automatically
after a limited time, if the driving situation
permits. The automatic transmission
switches to the previously activated drive
program E(drive program Con AMG vehi-
cles) or S. When driving on downhill gradi-
ents, the temporarily active manual drive
program Mwill only be deactivated if the
accelerator pedal is depressed while the
vehicle is rolling downhill. 152
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking
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