If manual drive program
Mhas been deacti-
vated, the automatic transmission shifts into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected, i.e. E,E+ (CLS 350) or S.
You can also deactivate manual drive pro-
gram Myourself:
X Pull on the right-hand steering wheel gear-
shift paddle and hold it in place
(Y page 173).
or
X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch the
transmission position.
or
X Use the program selector button to change
the drive program (Y page 171).
Manual drive program Mis deactivated.
The automatic transmission switches into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected, i.e. E,E+ (CLS 350) or S. Manual drive program (AMG vehicles
and vehicles with the AMG Sports
package)
General notes In this drive program, you can permanently
change gear yourself by using the steering
wheel gearshift paddles. The transmission
must be in position D.
i As well as this permanent drive program
M, you can also activate temporary drive
program M(Y page 174).
Activating the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 171) until Mappears in the multi-
function display.
X AMG vehicles: turn the drive program
selector (Y page 172) until Mappears in the
multifunction display.
The indicator Mon the drive program selec-
tor lights up in red. Manual drive program
Mcan be selected
using the program selector button or the drive
program selector. In manual drive program M,
you can change gear yourself using the steer- ing wheel gearshift paddles if the transmis-
sion is in position D.
Upshifting (all vehicles except AMG
vehicles) X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
Upshifting (AMG vehicles) !
In manual gearshift program
M, the auto-
matic transmission does not shift up auto-
matically 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. You must make sure that the engine speed does not reach the red
area of the rev counter. Otherwise, there is
a risk of engine damage. :
Gear indicator
; Upshift indicator
X If the colour in the speedometer multifunc-
tion display changes to red and the UP UPdis-
play message is shown, shift up a gear. Automatic transmission
175Driving and parking Z
In addition to driving style, the consumption is
affected by many other factors, such as:
R load
R tyre pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R the use of electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style takes the following three categories into consideration:
R Acceleration
Acceleration (evaluation of all accelera-
tion processes):
- the bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- the bar empties: sporty acceleration
R Constant
Constant (assessment of driving behav-
iour at all times):
- the bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
- the bar empties: fluctuations in speed
R Coasting
Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes):
- the bar fills up: anticipatory driving, keep-
ing your distance and early release of the
accelerator. The vehicle can coast with-
out use of the brakes
- the bar empties: frequent braking
i An economical driving style involves driv-
ing at a moderate engine speed.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration
Acceleration andConstant Constant:
R observe the gearshift recommendation
R drive the vehicle in drive program E
i On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the motorway, only the bar for Constant
Constant
will change.
i The ECO display summarises the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey
to its completion. Therefore, there are
dynamic changes in the bars at the start of a journey. During a prolonged driving time,
these changes are smaller. For more
dynamic changes, perform a manual reset.
Further information on the ECO display
(Y page 244). Brakes
Important safety notes 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.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients Do not depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never
cause the brakes to rub by constantly apply-
ing light pressure to the pedal. This results in
excessive and premature wear to the brake
pads.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. Take particular note of this when driving a laden vehicle and
when towing a trailer.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could Driving tips
183Driving and parking
Z
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. The vehicle could skid if you fail to adapt your
driving style. Always adapt your driving style
and drive at a speed to suit the prevailing
weather conditions.
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around the
freezing point.
Further information on driving with snow
chains, see (Y page 367).
For more information on driving with summer tyres, see (Y page 366).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 366). Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid exceeding the set speed. You must
select a low gear in good time on long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer (CLS Shoot-
ing Brake only). By doing so, you will make use of the braking effect of the engine. This
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions are appropriate for maintaining a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any road speed above 30 km/h.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an acci- dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise
control cannot take into account road,
weather or traffic conditions. Cruise control is
only an aid. You are responsible for the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time, and for staying in thelane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed
(e.g. in heavy traffic or on winding roads)
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or
accelerating can cause the drive wheels to lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever :
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever. 186
Driving systemsDriving and parking
Vehicle level
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.
The vehicle may be lowered if you press the
suspension tuning selector button or the
AMG button. The vehicle is lowered even if the
vehicle is at a standstill.
! If Sport or Sport + suspension tuning has
been selected, the vehicle's ground clear-
ance decreases. Make sure that no objects
become trapped or that the vehicle has not
been damaged, for example, on the kerb.
i The vehicle level at the rear axle may
change visibly if you park the vehicle and
the outside temperature changes. If the
temperature drops, the vehicle level low-
ers; with an increase in temperature, the
vehicle level rises.
Changing the rear axle level
This function is only available for the CLS 63
AMG 4MATIC and CLS 63 AMG Shooting
Brake.
The vehicle level at the rear axle depends on
the selected suspension mode and the vehi-
cle speed.
The vehicle level at the rear axle changes
while driving depending on which suspension mode is selected:
R Comfort: +10 mm
R Sport + and Sport: -15 mm
When changing from Comfort to Sport or
Sport +, the axle is lowered approximately
25 mm. When changing from Sport or Sport +
to Comfort, the axle is raised approximately 25 mm. The level change also occurs when
stationary.
If you drive faster than 170 km/h, the rear
axle level is set to a middle level. This increa- ses road safety and reduces air resistance. If
you then drive slower than 150 km/h, the
level of the rear axle is again adjusted to cor- respond to the selected suspension mode.
Load compensation
The vehicle can compensate differences in
the vehicle level by raising or lowering the
rear axle. This is the case, for example, when
people get out of the vehicle or when luggage is removed.
A load compensation occurs if:
R a door or the boot lid/tailgate is opened
R the parked vehicle is unlocked
The engine needs to be running for larger level
changes. 4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot
take account of road, weather and traffic con- ditions. 4MATIC 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 the lane.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R when pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary
R accelerate less when driving
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz implied 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.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if 206
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking
Additional transmission shifts may be neces-
sary.
As soon as the parking procedure is com-
plete, the Park
Park Assist Assist switched
switched off
offmes-
sage appears in the multifunction display and
you will hear a tone. PARKTRONIC continues
to be available.
X Manoeuvre if necessary.
X Always observe the warning messages dis-
played by PARKTRONIC (Y page 208).
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 kerb. 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 cancelled. A sensible parking position can no longer be achieved from
this position.
Cancelling 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 cancelled at
once. The Park Assist cancelled
Park Assist cancelled mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
or X Press the PARKTRONIC button on the
centre console (Y page 209).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediately cancelled. The
Park Assist cancelled Park Assist cancelled message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is cancelled automati-
cally if:
R the transmission is shifted too early
R the electric parking brake is applied
R transmission position Pis selected
R parking using Active Parking Assist is no
longer possible
R you are driving faster than 10 km/h
R a wheel spins and ESP ®
intervenes or fails.
In such cases the ÷warning lamp lights
up in the instrument cluster.
A warning tone sounds. The parking symbol
goes out and the Park Assist cancelled Park Assist cancelled
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
When Active Parking Assist is cancelled, you
must steer again yourself.
Towing a trailer For vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the min-
imum length for parking spaces is slightly
increased.
If you have attached a trailer to your vehicle,
you should not use Active Parking Assist.
Once the electrical connection is established between your vehicle and the trailer, Active
Parking Assist is no longer available. PARK-
TRONIC is deactivated for the rear area. Driving systems
213Driving and parking Z
lane unintentionally. If you do not react to the
warning, a lane-correcting application of the
brakes can bring the vehicle back into the
original lane.
This function is available in the range between
60 km/h and 200 km/h.
For Active Lane Keeping Assist to assist you
when driving, the radar sensor system must
be operational.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Active
Lane Keeping Assist can neither reduce the
risk of an accident nor override the laws of
physics. Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot
take into account road, weather or traffic con-
ditions. It may not recognise traffic situations. Active Lane Keeping Assist is only an aid. Youare responsible for the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in lane.
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot continu-
ously keep your vehicle in its lane. G
WARNING
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot always
clearly detect lane markings.
In such cases, Active Lane Keeping Assist
can:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
make a course-correcting brake application
to the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and keep within the lane, especially
if Active Lane Keeping Assist alerts you. Ter-
minate the intervention in a non-critical driv-
ing situation. 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 the radar sensors in the front or rear bump-
ers or the radiator trim are dirty, e.g.
obscured by snow
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
If no vehicle is detected in the adjacent lane
and broken lane markings are detected, no
lane-correcting brake application is made.
Warning vibration through the steering
wheel
A warning may be given if a front wheel
passes over a lane marking. It will warn you by means of intermittent vibration in the steer-
ing wheel for up to 1.5 seconds.
Lane-correcting brake application G
WARNING
A lane-correcting brake application cannot
always bring the vehicle back into the original lane. There is a risk of an accident. 230
Driving systemsDriving and parking
prescribed maximum speed in the relevant
country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the max-
imum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. See "Technical data" to
find out whether this applies to your vehicle
(Y page 410). If you utilise any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer, the vehicle/trailer combination may not
exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/ hfor
reasons concerning the operating permit.
This also applies in countries in which the
permissible maximum speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations is above 100 km/h.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long and steep downhill gradients.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you
need additional braking, depress the brake
pedal repeatedly rather than continuously.
Driving tips If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate.
X Do not countersteer.
X Brake if necessary.
R Maintain a greater distance from the vehi-
cle in front than when driving without a
trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake
gently at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then, increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing
capabilities from a standstill refer to sea level. When driving in mountainous areas,
note that the power output of the engine,
and consequently the vehicle's gradient-
climbing capability, decrease with increas-
ing altitude. Folding out the ball coupling
G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly engaged,
the trailer can detach. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always engage the ball coupling as described. G
WARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage correctly when folding in, it will swing out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that the ball coupling engages when folding in. CLS Shooting Brake
Before you can tow a trailer with your vehicle, you must fold out the ball coupling.
The release wheel is located behind the left-
hand side trim panel in the boot/luggage
compartment.
To open the cover:
X Turn handle :anti-clockwise and fold
down cover ;.234
Towing a trailerDriving and parking
The outside temperature display is in the mul-
tifunction display (Y page 242).
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay. Speedometer with segments
The segments in the speedometer indicate
which speed range is available.
R Cruise control activated (Y page 186):
The segments light up from the stored
speed to the maximum speed.
R Variable SPEEDTRONIC activated
(Y page 189):
The segments light up from the start of the
scale to the selected limit speed.
R DISTRONIC PLUS activated (Y page 191):
One or two segments in the set speed
range light up.
R DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front:
The segments between the speed of the
vehicle in front and the stored speed light
up. Operating the on-board computer
Overview :
Multifunction display
; Right control panel
= To switch on LINGUATRONIC; see the sep-
arate operating instructions
? Back button
A Left control panel
X To activate the on-board computer: turn
the key to position 1in the ignition lock.
You can control the multifunction display and the settings in the on-board computer using
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel. Displays and operation
241On-board computer and displays Z