Steering wheel gearshift paddles
In the manual drive program, you can change
gears manually using steering wheel gearshift
paddles :and ;.
Further information about permanent drive
program M(Y page 175).
Further information about temporary drive
program M(Y page 174).
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddles when the trans- mission is in position D.Automatic drive program
Automatic drive program E Drive program
E(drive program Con AMG
vehicles) is characterised by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine and automatic
transmission settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner.
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears unless the accel- erator 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. Automatic drive program E+ (CLS 350) Drive program
E+is characterised by the fol-
lowing:
R comfort-oriented engine and automatic
transmission settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner.
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears unless the accel-
erator 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.
R overrun mode is active in the 60 km/h to
160 km/h speed range if:
- the combustion engine is disconnected
from the drive train
- the engine speed is equal to the engine
idling speed
- the multifunction display shows drive
program E+and the transmission posi-
tion display goes out (Y page 169)
Drive program E+can be activated under the
following conditions:
R the speed range lies between 60 km/h and
160 km/h
R the type of road is suitable, e.g. no steep
gradients
R you are no longer depressing the accelera-
tor pedal
Drive program E+is deactivated under the
following conditions:
R you depress the accelerator pedal
R you depress the brake pedal
R you use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch
the transmission position (Y page 168)
R you switch to drive program Eor S
(Y page 171) Automatic transmission
173Driving and parking Z
R
you are driving slower than 60 km/h
R you are driving faster than 160 km/h
Automatic drive program S Drive program
S(or, in the case of AMG vehi-
cles, drive programs Sand S+) is character-
ised by the following:
R sporty engine and automatic transmission
settings
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R as a result of the later automatic transmis-
sion shift points, the fuel consumption pos-sibly being higher
Manual drive program M General notes
In this drive program, you can briefly change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
gearshift paddles. The transmission must be
in position D.
You can activate manual drive program Min
the E,E+ (CLS 350) and Sautomatic drive
programs.
i In addition to temporary drive program
M,
you can also activate permanent drive pro- gram M(Y page 171).
Further information about permanent drive program M(Y page 175).
Activating
X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Pull the left or right steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 173).
Manual drive program Mis temporarily acti-
vated. The selected gear and Mappear in
the multifunction display.
Shifting gears
If you pull on the left or right steering wheel
gearshift paddle, the automatic transmission switches to manual drive program Mfor a
limited amount of time. Depending on which
gearshift paddle is pulled, the automatic transmission immediately shifts into the next
gear up or down, if permitted.
X To shift up: pull the right-hand steering
wheel gearshift paddle (Y page 173).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the next gear.
i If the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts up in
order to prevent engine damage.
X To shift down: pull on the left-hand steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddle (Y page 173).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the auto- matic transmission protects against engine
damage by not shifting down.
i Automatic downshifting occurs when
coasting.
Gearshift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
X Shift to recommended gear ;according
to gearshift recommendation :when
shown in the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster.
Deactivating
If you have activated manual drive program
M, it will remain active for a certain amount of time. Under certain conditions the minimum
amount of time is extended, e.g. in the case oflateral acceleration, during an overrun phase
or when driving on steep terrain. 174
Automatic transmissionDriving and pa
rking
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
Gearshift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunctiondisplay.
X If relevant gearshift recommendation :
appears in the multifunction display on the
instrument cluster, pull on the right-hand
steering wheel gearshift paddle
(Y page 173).
The automatic transmission shifts to rec-
ommended gear ;.
Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle.
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 gearshift paddle until
the transmission selects the optimum gear for the current speed.
Kickdown You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive program
M.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached. i
AMG vehicles:
it is not possible to use
kickdown in manual drive program M.
Deactivating the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 171) repeatedly until Eor S
appears in the multifunction display.
X AMG vehicles: turn the drive program
selector (Y page 172) until C,Sor S+
appears in the multifunction display. 176
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking
Problems with the fuel and fuel tank
This section provides descriptions of and solutions to safety-relevant problems. Descriptions
of and solutions to further problems can be found in the Digital Owner's Manual. Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle. The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
G WARNING
There is a risk of fire or explosion. X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition lock immediately and
remove it (Y page 159).
X Do not restart the engine under any circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rial can come into contact with hot vehicle
components. In particular, do not park on dry grassland or harvested grain fields. G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while 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 is a risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. 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 P
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.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly
against rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle or its drivetrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be applied
R the transmission must be in position Pand
the key must be removed from the ignition lock
R the front wheels must be turned towards
the kerb on steep uphill or downhill gradi-
ents 180
ParkingDriving and parking
Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Firmly depress the parking brake.
X All vehicles (except AMG vehicles): shift
the transmission to position P.Selector lever in AMG vehicles with P button
X AMG vehicles: when the vehicle is station-
ary, press button :.
Using the key X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
i If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
If you then open the driver's door or the
front-passenger door or remove the key
from the ignition, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to P. If you shift the automatic transmission to
N
before switching off the engine, the auto-
matic transmission remains in Neven if the
driver's door or the front-passenger door is
opened.
Using KEYLESS-GO
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 159).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
i If you use the Start/Stop button to switch
off the engine, the automatic transmission
shifts to Nautomatically. If you then open
one of the front doors, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to P.
i The engine can be switched off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding
the Start/Stop button for about three sec- onds. This function operates independently
of the ECO start/stop automatic engine
switch-off function. Parking brake
G
WARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi- cle 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 turning again. 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 P
R start the engine Parking
181Driving 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
information about this from your Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre.
Brake pads/linings and discs that are either
new or have been replaced only achieve opti- mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Compensate for the
reduced braking effect by applying greater
force to the brake pedal. Always be aware of
this and adapt your driving and braking
accordingly during the running-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in corre-
spondingly high brake wear. Observe the
brake wear warning lamp in the instrument
cluster and note any brake status messages
in the multifunction display. If you regularly
drive at high speeds, it is particularly impor-
tant to have the brake system checked and
maintained regularly. Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of aqua- planing occurring, even if:
R you are driving at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth
For this reason, drive in the following manner in the event of heavy rain or in conditions in
which aquaplaning can occur:
R lower your speed
R avoid tyre ruts
R avoid sudden steering movements
R brake carefully
Driving on flooded roads !
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all
circumstances. You could otherwise dam-
age the engine, the electronics or the trans- mission. If you must drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R the maximum permissible fording depth in
still water is 25 cm
R you should drive no faster than walking
pace 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.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
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.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Move the transmission to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device Driving tips
185Driving and parking Z