
Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Read the information on qualified
specialist workshops: (Y page 25).Notes on breaking-in
anew vehicle Important safety notes
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after
several hundred kilometers of driving.
Compensate for this by applying greater force
to the brake pedal. The first 1000 miles(1500 km)
The more you look after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its
performance in the future.
R You should therefore drive at varying
vehicle and engine speeds for the first
1000 miles (1500 km).
R Avoid heavy loads, e.g .driving at full
throttle, during this period.
R Change gearing ood time, before the
tachometer needle is 0001of the way to the
red area of the tachometer.
R If possible, do not depress the accelerator
pedal past the point of resistance
(kickdown).
After 1000 miles (1500 km), you can increase
the engine speed gradually and accelerate
the vehicle to full speed. i
You should also observe these notes on
breaking in if the engine or parts of the drive
train on your vehicle have been replaced.
i Always observe the respective speed
limits. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restric tthe
pedal travel or obstruct adepressed 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
sufficien tclearance for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats and do not place floormats on
top of one another. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinde rcorrect usage
of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals. 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. 164
DrivingDriving and parking

the engine running in enclosed spaces
withou tsufficient ventilation. G
WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or
parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system.
! Do no tdepress the accelerator pedal
when starting the engine.
General notes i
The catalytic converter is preheated for
up to 30 seconds after a cold start. The
sound of the engine may change during this
time.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P.
The transmission position display in the
multifunction display shows P.
i You can also start the engine when the
transmission is in position N.
Starting procedure with the SmartKey i
To start the engine using the SmartKey
instead of KEYLESS-GO, pull the Start/
Stop button out of the ignition lock.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 3in the
ignition lock (Y page 165)and release it as
soo nas the engine is running.
Using KEYLESS-GO to startt he enginei
The Start/Stop button can be used to
start the vehicle without inserting the
SmartKey into the ignition lock. The Start/
Stop button must be inserted in the ignition lock and the SmartKey must be in the
vehicle.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Press the Start/Stop button once
(Y page 165).
The engine starts. Pulling away
Automatic transmission G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor
R, the vehicle could pull away suddenly .There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate.
! If a warning tone sounds and the
Release Park. Brake message appears
in the multifunction display, the parking
brake is still applied. Release the parking
brake.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
X Release the parking brake (Y page 183).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position Pto the desired position if
you depress the brake pedal. Only then is
the parking lock released. If you do not
depress the brake pedal, you can move the
DIRECT SELECT lever but the parking lock
remains engaged.
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away.T he locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time. Driving
167Driving and parking Z

E
Economy Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
M
Manual Manual gear shifting
i
For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 176).
Only change fro mautomatic drive program
E or Sto manual drive program Mwhen the
vehicle is stationary.
i The automatic transmission shifts to
automatic drive program Eeach time the
engine is started. Steering wheel paddle shifters
In the manual drive program, you can change
gears manually using steering wheel paddle
shifters
0002and 0003.
Further information about permanent drive
program M(Ypage 177).
Further information about temporary drive
program M(Ypage 176).
i You can only change gear with the
steering wheel paddle shifters when the
transmission is in position D. Automatic drive program
Automatic drive program sEand S Drive program
Eis characterized by the
following:
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
following:
R sporty engine settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R the fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic
transmission shift points
Manual drive program M General notes
In this drive program, you can briefly change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel
paddle shifters. The transmission must be in
position
D.
You can activate manual drive program Min
the Eand Sautomatic drive programs.
i As well as temporary drive program M,
you can also activate permanent drive
program M(Ypage 175).
Further information about permanent drive
program M(Ypage 177). 176
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Activating
X
Shift the transmission to position D.
X Pull the left or right steering wheel paddle
shifte r(Ypage 176).
Manual drive program Mis temporarily
activated. The selected gear and Mappear
in the multifunction display.
Shifting gears
If you pull on the left or right steering wheel
paddle shifter, the automatic transmission
switches to manual drive program Mfor a
limited amount of time. Depending on which
paddle shifter is pulled, the automatic
transmission immediately shifts into the next
gear down or up, if permitted.
X To shift up: pull the right-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter (Y page 176).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
i If the maximum engine speed on the
currently engaged gear is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts up in
order to preven tengine damage.
X To shift down: pull on the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter
(Y page 176).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If the engine exceeds the maximum
engine speed when shifting down, the
automatic transmission protects against
engine damage by not shifting down.
i Automatic down shifting occurs when
coasting.
Shift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style
.The
recommended gear is shown in the
multifunction display.
X Shift to recommended gear 0003according
to gearshift recommendation 0002when
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 of lateral acceleration, during an
overrun phase or when driving on steep
terrain.
If manual drive program Mhas been
deactivated, the automatic transmission
shifts into the automatic drive program that
was last selected, i.e. Eor S.
You can also deactivate manual drive
program Myourself:
X Pull on the right-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter and hold it in place
(Y page 176).
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 175).
Manual drive program Mis deactivated.
The automatic transmission switches into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected, i.e. Eor S. Manual drive program
General information In this drive program, you can permanently
change gear yourself by using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. The transmission must
be in position
D. Automatic transmission
177Driving and parking Z

R
Acceleration (evaluation of all
acceleration processes):
- The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- The bar empties: sporty acceleration
R Constant (assessment of driving behavior
at all times):
- The bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
- The bar empties: fluctuations in speed
R Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes):
- The bar fills up: anticipatory driving,
keeping your distance and early release
of the accelerator. The vehicle can coast
without use of the brakes.
- The bar empties: frequent braking
i An economical driving style specially
requires driving at moderate engine
speeds.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration and
Constant :
R observe the gearshift recommendations.
R drive in drive program E.
i On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the highway, only the bar for Constantwill change.
i The ECO display summaries the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey
to its completion. For this reason, the bars
change dynamically at the beginning of the
journey. On longer journeys, there are
fewer changes. For more dynamic changes,
carry out a manual reset.
Further information on the ECO display
(Y page 236). Braking
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.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients !
On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting
early to a lower gear. This allows you 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, a drive wheel may not turn
for some time, e.g. on a slippery road
surface. This could cause damage to the
drive train. This type of damage is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Do not depress 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.T his results in
excessive and premature wear to the brake
pads.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system 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 as a footrest.N ever
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time. 186
Driving tipsDriving and parking

If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the transmission to position N.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road
surfaces .Avoid sudden acceleration, steering
and braking maneuvers. Do not use the cruise
control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
i For more information on driving with
snow chains, see (Y page 347).
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
displayed after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface 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
weathe rconditions.
You should pay special attention to road
conditions when temperatures are around
freezing point. 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. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must shift to a lower gear
in time. 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
conditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Cruise control cannot take into account the
road, traffic and weather conditions. Cruise
control 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 your lane.
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 slippery road surfaces. Braking or
accelerating could 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 0002
To activate or increase speed
0003 To activate or reduce speed
0023 To deactivate cruise control
0022 To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed Driving systems
189Driving and parking Z

X
Press the cruise control lever up 0002for a
higher speed or down 0003for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph
increments (1 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up 0002or
down 0003to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up 0002or down 0003the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph
increments (10 km/h increments):
briefly press the cruise control lever
up 0002 or down 0003to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up 0002or down 0003the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For
example, if you accelerate briefly to
overtake, cruise control adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking.
Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever
forwards 0002.
or
X Brake. Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R
you depress the parking brake
R you are driving at less than 20 mph
(30 km/h)
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R you shift the transmission to position N
while driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the Cruise Control Off message in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
i When you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared. DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the
distance to the vehicle detected in front.
Vehicles are detected with the aid of the radar
sensor system. DISTRONIC PLUS brakes
automatically so that the set speed is not
exceeded.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is
especially importan
tifthe vehicle is laden. 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.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot
prevent a collision without your intervention.
An intermittent warning tone will then sound
and the distance warning lamp will light up in
the instrument cluster. Brake immediately in
order to increase the distance to the vehicle
in front or take evasive action provided it is
safe to do so.
For DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you, the radar
sensor system must be operational. Driving systems
191Driving and parking Z

front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in you
rlane.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constan tspeed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on slippery road surfaces .Braking or
accelerating could 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
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other rada rsources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in
parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a
vehicle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may
unexpectedly accelerate the vehicle to the
stored speed.
This speed may:
R be too high if you are driving in a filter lane
or an exit lane
R be so high in the right lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the left (left-hand drive
countries)
R be so high in the left lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the right (right-hand
drive countries)
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored. Cruise control lever 0002
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
0003 To store the current speed or a lower
speed
0023 To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
0022 To store the current speed or call up the
last stored speed
0020 To set the specified minimum distance
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS Activation conditions
In order to activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the
following conditions must be fulfilled:
R
the engine must be started. It may take up
to two minutes after pulling away before
DISTRONIC PLUS is operational.
R the parking brake must be released.
R ESP ®
must be active, but not intervening.
R Active Parking Assist must not be
activated.
R the transmission must be in position D.
R the driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door must be closed.
R the vehicle must not skid. Driving systems
193Driving and parking Z