2014 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS warning light

thathas collectedonthewindshield can
scratch theglass if wipingtakes placewhen
thewindshield is dry.
If it is necessary to switch on thewindshield
wipersindry weather conditions, always
use washerfluid when operating the
windshield wipers.
!If the windshield wipers leave smearson
the windshield after the vehicle has been
washed in an automatic car wash, wax or
other residues may be the reason for this.
Clean the windshield using washer fluid
after washingthe vehicle in an automatic
car wash.
!Intermittentwiping with rain sensor: due
to optical influences and the windshield
becomingdirtyindry weatherconditions,
the windshield wipers may be activated
inadvertently. This could then damage the
windshield wiper blades or scratchthe
windshield.
For this reason, you should always switch
off the windshield wipers in dry weather.
Combination switch

Windshield wiper off
Intermittent wipe, low (rain sensor
set to low sensitivity)
Intermittent wipe, high (rain sensor
set to high sensitivity)
Continuous wipe, slow
Continuous wipe, fast
%Single wipe/
To wipe the
windshield using washer fluid
XSwitch on the ignition.
XTurn the combination switch to the
corresponding position.
In theorposition, the appropriate
wiping frequency is set automatically
according to the intensity of the rain. In
theposition, the rain sensor is more
sensitive than in theposition, causing
the windshield wipers to wipe more
frequently.
If the wiper blades are worn, the windshield
will no longer be wiped properly. This could
prevent you from observing the traffic
conditions. Replace the wiper blades twice a
year, ideallyinspring and fall.
Replacing the wiper blades
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the windshield wipers begin to move while
you are changing the wiper blades, you could
be trapped by the wiper arm. There isarisk
of injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
ignition before changing the wiper blades.
!To avoid damaging the wiper blades,
make sure that you touch only the wiper
arm of the wiper.
!Never open the hood ifawindshield wiper
arm has been folded away from the
windshield.
Never foldawindshield wiper arm without
awiper blade back ontothe windshield.
Hold the windshield wiper arm firmly when
you change the wiper blade. If you release
the windshield wiper arm withoutawiper
blade and it falls ontothe windshield, the
windshield may be damaged by the force of
the impact.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the wiper blades changed ataqualified
specialist workshop.
126Windshieldwipers
Light sa nd windshield wipers

XTurn the SmartKey to position0in the
ignition lock or remove it (Ypage 147).
XTo activate:press thebutton.
The indicator lamp in thebutton lights
up.
iIf the residual heat function is activated,
the windows may fog up on the inside.
iThe blower will run atalow speed
regardless of the airflow setting.
iIf you activatethe residual heat function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated. The blower runs at
medium speed.
XTo deactivate:press thebutton.
The indicator lamp in thebutton goes
out.
Residualheat is deactivated automatically:
Rafter approximately 30 minutes
Rwhen the ignition is switched on
Rif the battery voltage drops
Setting the air vents
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Very hot or very cold air can flow from the air
vents. This could result in burns or frostbite in
the immediate vicinityofthe air vents. There
isarisk of injury.
Make sure that all vehicle occupantsalways
maintainasufficient distancetothe air
outlets. If necessary, redirect the airflow to
another area of the vehicle interior.
In order to ensure the direct flow of fresh air
through the air ventsinto the vehicle interior,
please observe the following notes:
Rkeep the air inlet between the windshield
and the hood free of blockages, such as ice,
snow or leaves.
Rnever cover the air ventsorair intakegrilles
in the vehicle interior.
Setting the center air vents
Center air vent,left
Center air vent,right
$Center vent thumbwheel, right
!Center vent thumbwheel, left
XTo open/close:turn thumbwheels$
and!up or down.
Setting the side air vents
Defroster vent
Side air vent
$Control for side air vent
XTo open/close:turn thumbwheel$up or
down.
Setting the glove box air vent
!Close the air vent when heating the
vehicle.
At high outside temperatures, open the air
vent and activatethe "cooling with air
142Setting the air vents
Climate control

Problems with the engine
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andSolutions
The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard.
RThere isamalfunction in the engine electronics.
RThere isamalfunction in the fuel supply.
XBefore attempting to start the engine again, turn the SmartKey
in the ignition back to position0or press the Start/Stop button
repeatedly until all indicator lamps in the instrumentcluster go
out.
XTry to start the engine again (Ypage 149). Avoid excessively
long and frequent attemptstostart the engine as these will drain
the battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
XConsultaqualified specialist workshop.
The engine does not
start.You cannot hear
the starter motor.
The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak
or discharged.
XJump-startthe vehicle (Ypage 326).
If the engine does not start despite attemptstojump-start it:
XConsultaqualified specialist workshop.
The starter motor was exposed toathermal load that was too high.
XAllow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two
minutes.
XTry to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start:
XConsultaqualified specialist workshop.
The engine is not
running smoothly and
is misfiring.
There isamalfunction in the engine electronics or inamechanical
componentofthe engine management system.
XOnly depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
XHave the cause rectified immediately ataqualified specialist
workshop.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic
converter and damage it.
The coolant
temperature gauge
showsavalue above
248‡(120 †).
The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
XStop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.
XCheck the coolant level (Ypage 308). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and add coolant if necessary.
154Driving
Driving and parking

Automatictransmission
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If theenginespeedisabovetheidlingspeed
and you engage transmission positionDor
R,thevehiclecould pull away suddenly. There
isariskofanaccident.
When engagingtransmission positionDorR,
always firmly depress thebrakepedal and do
notsimultaneously accelerate.
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to
neutral positionNwhen you switchoff the
engine. The vehicle may roll away. There is a
risk of an accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking positionP.Prevent the parked
vehicle fromrolling away by applying the
parking brake.
Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions
Selector lever in AMG vehicles withPbutton
Park position with parking lock
\nReverse gear
Neutral
Drive
Transmission position and drive
program 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
transmission positionDand drive program
C.Donot restrictthe shift range.
Transmission position display
Drive program display
The current position of the selector lever is
shown by the indicators next to the selector
lever.
The indicators light up when the SmartKey is
inserted into the ignition lock. The indicators
go out when the SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock.
DIRECT SELECTlever
Overview of transmission positions
Park position with parking lock
\nReverse gear
Neutral
Drive
Automatic transmission155
Driving and parking
Z

Xinsert the fuel filler cap intothe holder on
the insideoffuel filler flap.
XCompletely insert the filler neckofthe fuel
pump nozzle into the tank,hook in place
and refuel.
XOnly fill the tank until the pump nozzle
switches off.
iDo not add any more fuel after the pump
stops filling for the first time. Otherwise,
fuel may leak out.
Closing the fuel filler flap
XReplace the cap on the filler neck and turn
clockwise until it engages audibly.
XClose the fuel filler flap.
iClose the fuel filler flap before locking the
vehicle. Otherwise, the locking pin of the
central locking prevents the fuel filler flap
from closing.
iIf you are driving with the fuel filler cap
open, thereserve fuel warning lamp
flashes.Amessage appears in the
multifunction display (Ypage 251).
In addition, the\nCheck Engine warning
lamp may light up (Ypage 273).
For further information on warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
see (Ypage 273).
Fuel filler flap emergency release
Xopen the trunklid.
XSlide down the parcel net.
XOpen the right-handside trim panel.
XRemove the first-aid kit (Ypage 320).
XDetach the emergencyrelease from
retainer.
XPull the emergency release in the direction
of arrow.
The fuel filler flap is unlocked.
XOpen the fuel filler flap.
166Refueling
Driving and parking

Parking brake
GWARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Only use the parking brake to brake the
vehicle when the service brake is faulty. Do
not apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turningagain.
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, they could set it in motion by, for
example:
Rreleasing the parking brake
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
the parking positionP
Rstartingthe engine.
They could also operate the vehicle's
equipment. There isarisk of an accident and
injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
If you brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the brake lamps will not light up.
XTo apply:depress parking brakefirmly.
When the engine is running, the(USA
only) or
(Canada only) indicator lamp
lights up in the instrumentcluster.
XTo release:depressthe brakepedal and
keep it depressed.
XPull release handle.
When the ignition is switched on or the
engine is running, the(USA only) or

(Canada only) indicator lamp goes out
in the instrumentcluster.
Parking thevehicle foralong period
If you leave thevehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, thebattery may be damagedby
exhaustive discharging.
If you leave thevehicle parked for longer than
six weeks, thevehicle may suffer damage as
aresult of lack of use.
XVisitaqualifiedspecialist workshop and
seek advice.
iYou can obtain informationabout trickle
chargers fromaqualifiedspecialist
workshop.
Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you switch off theignitionwhile driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect.You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There isarisk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
GWARNING
If you operate mobile communication
equipment while driving, you will be
Driving tips169
Driving and parking
Z

Braking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If youshift down onaslipperyroadsurface in
an attempt to increasethe 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
braking onaslippery road surface.
Downhill gradients
!On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting
early toalower gear. This allowsyou to take
advantage of the engine braking effect and
helps avoid overheating and excessive
wear of the brakes.
When you take advantage of the engine
braking effect,adrive wheel may not turn
for some time, e.g. onaslippery road
surface. This could cause damage to the
drive train. This type of damage is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benzwarranty.
Do notdepress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion,e.g. causing the
brakes to rub by constantly applying light
pressure to the pedal. This results in
excessive and premature wear to the brake
pads.
On long and steep downhill gradients, you
must select shift range1,2or3in good time.
This is especially important if the vehicle is
laden.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the brakingsystem can overheat.This
increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal asafootrest.Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected toaheavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on forashort while. This allows the
airflow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven foralong time in heavy rain
without braking,there may beadelayed
reaction from the brakes when braking for the
first time. This may also occur after the
vehicle has been washed or driven through
deep water.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintainagreater distancefrom the
vehicle in front.
After driving onawet road or having the
vehicle washed, brake firmly while paying
attention to the traffic conditions. This will
warm up the brake discs, thereby drying them
more quickly and protecting them against
corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
If you drive on salted roads,alayer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result inasignificantly
longer braking distance.
RBrakeoccasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginningand end ofajourney.
RMaintainagreater distancetothe vehicle
ahead.
172Driving tips
Driving and parking

Servicing the brakes
!If the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrumentcluster and you hear a
warningtonewhile the engine is running,
the brakefluid level may be too low.
Observe additional warningmessages in
the multifunction display.
The brakefluid level may be too low due to
brakepad wear or leakingbrakelines.
Have the brakesystem checked
immediately. This work should be carried
out ataqualified specialist workshop.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC:function or
performancetests may only be carried out
ona2-axle dynamometer. If you are
planning to have the vehicle tested on such
adynamometer, contactanauthorized
Mercedes-BenzCenter to obtain further
information first. Otherwise, you could
damage the drive train or the brakesystem.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC:as the ESP®
system operates automatically, the engine
and the ignition must be switched off
(SmartKey in position0or1in the ignition
lock or Start/Stop button in position0or
1)while the parking brakeisbeing tested
onabrakedynamometer.
Brakingmaneuvers triggeredautomatically
by ESP®may seriouslydamagethebrake
system.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC:as theESP®
system operatesautomatically, theengine
and theignition system must be switched
off (SmartKey in position0or1in the
ignition lockorStart/Stopbuttonin
position0or1)when:
Rtesting theparking brakeonabrake
dynamometer.
Ryou intendtohave thevehicletowed with
oneoftheaxlesraised.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP®may seriouslydamagethebrake
system.
All checksand maintenance work on the
brakesystem must be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. Consult a
qualified specialist workshoptoarrangethis.
Havebrakepads installed and brakefluid
replacedataqualified specialist workshop.
If thebrakesystem has only been subject to
moderateloads,you should test the
functionalityofyour brakes at regular
intervals. To do so, press firmly on thebrake
pedal when driving atahigh speed. This
improvesthegripofthebrakepads.
You can findadescription of Brake Assist
(BAS) on (Ypage 67)orofBASPLUSon
(Ypage 67).
The braking characteristics of thevehiclecan
be seriouslyimpaired if:
Rbrakepads other than those recommended
are installed
Rtherecommended brakefluid is notused
Safe braking can no longer be guaranteed.
AMG high-performance and ceramic
brakes
The high-performance brake system is
installed only on the CLS 63 AMG.
The AMG brake systems are designed for
heavy loads. This may lead to noise when
braking. This will depend on:
RSpeed
RBraking force
REnvironmental conditions, such as
temperature and humidity
The wear of individualcomponentsofthe
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings
or brake discs, depends on the individual
driving style and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossibletostate a
mileage that will be valid under all
circumstances. An aggressive driving style
will lead to high wear. You can obtain further
information aboutthis from your authorized
Mercedes-BenzCenter.
Driving tips173
Driving and parking
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