
The hazard warning lamps automatically
switch on if:
R
an air bag is deployed
R the vehicle decelerates rapidly from a
speed of above 45 mph (70 km/h) and
comes to a standstill
The hazard warning lamps switch off
automatically if the vehicle reaches a speed
of above 6 mph (10 km/h) again after a full
brake application.
i The hazard warning lamps still operate if
the ignition is switched off. Cornering light function
The cornering light function improves the
illumination of the road over a wide angle in
the direction you are turning, enabling better
visibility in tight bends, for example. It can
only be activated when the low-beam
headlamps are switched on.
Active:
R if you are driving at speeds below 25 mph
(40 km/h) and switch on the tur nsignal or
tur nthe steering wheel
R if you are driving at speeds between
25 mph (40 km/h) and 45 mph (70 km/h)
and turn the steering wheel
Not active: if you are driving at speeds above
25 mph (40 km/h) or switch off the turn
signal or turn the steering wheel to the
straight-ahead position. The cornering lamp may remain lit for a short
time, but is automatically switched off after
no more than three minutes. Active light function
The active light function is a system that
moves the headlamps according to the
steering movements of the front wheels. In
this way, relevant areas remain illuminated
while driving. This allows you to identify
pedestrians, cyclists and animals.
Active: whenthe lights are switched on. Adaptive Highbeam Assist
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Adaptive Highbeam Assist does not recognize
road users:
R who have no lights, e.g. pedestrians
R who have poor lighting, e.g. cyclists
R whose lighting is blocked, e.g. by a barrier
In very rare cases, Adaptive Highbeam Assist
may fail to recognize other road users that
have lights, or may recognize them too late.
In this or similar situations, the automatic
high-beam headlamps will not be deactivated
or activated regardless. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always carefully observe the traffic conditions
and switch off the high-beam headlamps in
good time. Exterior lighting
139Lights and windshield wipers 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

i
As well as this permanent drive program
M, you can also activate temporary drive
program M(Ypage 176).
Switching on the manual drive program X
Press the progra mselecto rbutton
(Y page 175) repeatedly until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
The manual drive program is only available on
vehicles with the dynamic handling package
or AMG sports package.
Manual drive program Mis different from
drive program Swith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
Manual drive program Mcan be selected
using the program selector button. In manual
drive program M, you can change gear using
the steering wheel paddle shifters if the
transmission is in position D.The gear
selected is shown in the multifunction
display.
Upshifting X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
Shift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The
recommended gear is shown in the
multifunction display.
X
If corresponding gearshift
recommendation 0002appears in the
multifunction display on the instrument cluster, pull on the right-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter (Y
page 176).
The automatic transmission shifts to
recommended gear 0003.
Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you brake the vehicle or stop without
shifting down, the automatic transmission
will shift down to a gear that will allow the
vehicle to accelerate or pull away again.
i To avoid overrevving the engine when
downshifting, the automatic transmission
does not shift to a lower gear if this would
result in the maximum engine speed being
exceeded.
Kickdown You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive program
M.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on the engine speed.
i During kickdown, you cannot change gear
using the steering wheel paddle shifters.
Switching off the manuald rive program X
Press the progra mselecto rbutton
(Y page 175) repeatedly until Eor S
appears in the multifunction display. 178
Automatic transmissionDriving and pa
rking

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

Pay attention also to the importan
tsafety
notes for DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 192).
The steering interventions are carried out
with a limited steering moment. The system
requires the driver to keep his hands on the
steering wheel and to steer himself.
If you do no tstee ryourself or if take your
hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged
period of time, the system will first alert you
with a visual warning. Asteering wheel
symbol appears in the multifunctio ndisplay.
If you have still not started to steer and have
not taken hold of the steering wheel after five
seconds, a warning tone also sounds to
remind you to take control of the vehicle.
DISTRONIC PLUS Steering Assist is then
switched to passive .DISTRONIC PLUS
remains active.
The system is switched to passive and no
longer assists you by performing steering
interventions if:
R you actively change lanes
R you switch on the turn signal
R take yourh ands off the steering wheel or
do no tstee rfor a prolonged period of time
i After you have finished changing lanes,
DISTRONIC PLUS Steering Assist is
automatically active once more.
DISTRONIC PLUS Steering Assist does not
provide assistance:
R on very sharp corners
R if no lane markings or no clear lane
markings have been detected
R if the vehicle in front is not detected at
speeds below 37 mph (60 km/h)
R in tire run-flat mode
Activating Steering Assist
X Select the DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering
Assist function using the on-board
computer (Y page 242).
The DTR+: Steering Assistant On message appears in the multifunction
display .DISTRONIC PLUS Steering Assist
is activated. Information in the multifunction display
If DISTRONIC PLUS Steering Assist is
activated but is not ready for a steering
intervention, steering wheels
ymbol0002
appears in grey. If th esystem provides you
with suppor tby means of steering
interventions, symbol 0002is shown in green.
Deactivating Steering Assist
X Deactivate the DISTRONIC PLUS with
Steering Assis tfunction using the on-board
computer (Y page 242).
The DTR+ Steering Assistant Off message appears in the multifunction
display. DISTRONIC PLU
SSteering Assist
is deactivated.
When DISTRONIC PLU Sis deactivated,
DISTRONIC PLUS Steering Assist is
deactivated automatically. HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R
when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when maneuvering on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away. Driving systems
201Driving and parking Z

Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated and the
indicator lamp on the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
X
If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X
Cleant he PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 323).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
X See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Active Parking Assist
General notes Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking
aid with ultrasound. It measures the road on
both sides of the vehicle. Aparking symbol
indicates a suitable parking space. Active
steering interventio nand brake application
can assist you during parking .You may also
use PARKTRONIC (Y page 204).
Important safety notes Active Parking Assist is merely an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. Make sure that
no persons, animals or objects are in the
maneuvering range.
When PARKTRONIC is switched off, Active
Parking Assist is also unavailable. G
WARNING
While parking or pulling out of a parking
space, the vehicle swings out and can drive
onto areas of the oncoming lane. This could
result in a collision with another road user.
There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users. Stop the
vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active
Parking Assist parking procedure.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at
a sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
Active Parking Assist may possibly indicate
parking spaces which are not suitable for
parking, for example:
R where parking or stopping is prohibited
R in front of driveways or entrances and exits
R on unsuitable surfaces Driving systems
207Driving and parking Z

Active Parking Assist is switched on
automatically when driving forwards
.The
system is operational at speeds of up to
approximately 22 mph (35 km/h). While in
operation, the system independently locates
and measures parking spaces on both sides
of the vehicle.
Active Parking Assist will only detect parking
spaces:
R that are parallel or at right-angles to the
direction of travel
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
and at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
and at least 39.5 in (1.0 m) longer than your
vehicle
R that are at right angles to the direction of
travel and at least 39.5 in (1.0 m) wider
than your vehicle
i In the case of parking spaces that are at
right angles to the direction of travel,
please ensure that the parking space is
long enough to accommodate your vehicle.
When driving at speeds below 19 mph
(30 km/h), you will see parking symbol as a
status indicator in the instrument cluster.
When a parking space has been detected, an
arrow towards the right or the left also
appears. By default, Active Parking Assist
only displays parking spaces on the front-
passenger side. Parking spaces on the
driver's side are displayed as soon as the turn
signal on the driver's side is activated. When
parking on the driver's side, this must remain
switched on until you acknowledge the use of
Active Parking Assist by pressing the 000B
button on the multifunction steering wheel.
The system automatically determines
whether the parking space is parallel or at
right-angles to the direction of travel.
Ap arking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are
approximately 50 ft (15 m) away from it. Parking i
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
When PARKTRONIC detects obstacles,
Active Parking Assist brakes automatically
during the parking process. You are
responsible for braking in good time.
X Stop the vehicle when the parking space
symbol shows the desired parking space in
the instrument cluster.
X Shift the transmission to position R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No: 0007
message appears in the multifunction
display.
X To cancel the procedure: press the
0007 button on the multifunction steering
wheel or pull away.
or
X To park using Active Parking Assist:
press the 000Bbuttonont he multifunction
steering wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate and Brake Observe Surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
X Let go of the multifunction steering wheel.
X Back up the vehicle, being ready to brake
at all times. When backing up, drive at a
speed below approximately 6mph
(10 km/h). Otherwise Active Parking Assist
will be canceled.
Active Parking Assist brakes the vehicle to
a standstill when the vehicle is in the
parking space.
Maneuvering may be required in tight
parking spaces.
The Park Assist Active Select D Observe Surroundings message appears in
the multifunction display.
X Shift the transmission to position Dwhile
the vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction. Driving systems
209Driving and parking Z