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
Problems with the transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist
workshop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist
workshop immediately. Transfer case
! Performance tests may only be carried
out on a 2-axle dynamometer. The brake
system or transfer case could otherwise be
damaged. Contact a qualified specialist
workshop for a performance test.
! If the parking brake is being tested on a
brake dynamometer, the ignition must be
switched off (SmartKey or Start/Stop
button in position 0or 1), as ESP ®
will
otherwise automatically intervene. The
brake system could otherwise be damaged.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
This section is only valid for vehicles with 4-
wheel drive (4MATIC). Power is always
transmitted to both axles. Refueling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and
explosion.
You must avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before
refueling. G
WARNING
Fuel is poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a risk of injury.
You must make sure that fuel does not come
into contact with your skin, eyes or clothing
and that it is not swallowed. Do not inhale fuel
vapors. Keep fuel away from children. Refueling
179Driving and parking
Z
If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
R
Wash away fuel from skin immediately
using soap and water.
R If fuel comes into contact with your eyes,
immediately rinse them thoroughly with
clean water. Seek medica lassistance
without delay.
R If fuel is swallowed, seek medical
assistance without delay.Don ot induce
vomiting.
R Immediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with fuel. G
WARNING
Electrostatic buildup can create sparks and
ignite fuel vapors. There is a risk of fire and
explosion.
Always touch the vehicle body before opening
the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. Any existing electrostatic buildup is
thereby discharged.
! Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
gasoline engine. Do not switch on the
ignition if you accidentally refuel with the
wrong fuel. Otherwise, the fuel will enter
the fuel system. Even small amounts of the
wrong fuel could result in damage to the
fuel system and the engine. Notify a
qualified specialist workshop and have the
fuel tank and fuel lines drained completely.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
! Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
! Use a filter when refueling from a fuel can.
Otherwise, the fuel lines and/or injection
system could be blocked by particles from
the fuel can.
Do not get into the vehicle again during the
refueling process. Otherwise, electrostatic
charge could build up again. If you overfill the fuel tank, fuel could spray
out when the fuel pump nozzle is removed.
i
Flexible Fuel vehicles can be recognized
by the Ethanol up to E85 sticker on the
inside of the fuel filler flap.
For further information on fuel and fuel quality
(Y page 384). Refueling
Opening/closing the fuel filler flap Pay attention to the important safety notes
(Y
page 179). 0002
To open the fuel filler flap
0003 To insert the fuel filler cap
0023 Tire pressure table
0022 Fuel type to be used
The fuel filler flap is unlocked or locked
automatically when you open or close the
vehicle with the SmartKey or with KEYLESS-
GO.
The position of the fuel filler cap is displayed
0012 in the instrument cluster. The arrow
next to the filling pump indicates the side of
the vehicle. 180
RefuelingDriving and parking
To open the fuel filler flap
0002
To open the fuel fille rflap
0003 To insert the fuel filler cap
0023 Tire pressure table
0022 Fuel type to be used
X Switch the engine off.
X Remove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
X KEYLESS-GO: open the driver’s door.
This corresponds to key position 0: "key
removed".
The driver’s door can be closed again.
X Press the fuel filler flap in the direction of
arrow 0002.
The fuel filler flap opens slightly.
X Open the fuel filler flap fully.
X Turn the fuel filler flap counter-clockwise
and remove it.
X Insert the fuel filler cap into the holder
bracket on the inside of filler flap 0003.
X Completely insert the filler nec kofthe fuel
pump nozzle into the tank, hook in place
and refuel.
X Only fill the tank until the pump nozzle
switches off.
i Do not add any more fuel after the pump
stops filling for the first time. Otherwise,
fuel may leak out. Closing the fuel filler flap X
Replace the cap on the filler neck and turn
clockwise until it engages audibly.
X Close the fuel filler flap.
i Close the fuel filler flap before locking the
vehicle. Otherwise, the locking pin of the
central locking prevents the fuel filler flap
from closing.
i If you are driving with the fuel filler cap
open, the 0012reserve fuel warning lamp
flashes. Amessage appears in the
multifunction display (Y page 262).
In addition, the 0010Check Engine warning
lamp may light up (Y page 282).
For further information on warning and
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster,
see (Y page 282). Refueling
181Driving and parking Z
Problems with fuel and the fuel tank
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle. The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
G WARNING
Risk of explosion or fire.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the ignition lock and remove
it immediately (Y page 165).
X Do not restart the engine under any circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The fuel filler flap
cannot be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
or
The SmartKey battery is discharged.
X
Unlock the vehicle (Y page 82).
or
X Unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Y page 84).The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is
jammed.
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
materials come into contact with parts of the
vehicle which are hot. Take particular care not
to 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.Y ou 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 unsupervised in the
vehicle, they could set it in motion by, for
example:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
the parking position P
R starting the engine.
They could also operate the vehicle's
equipment. There is a risk 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. 182
ParkingDriving and parking
!
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 SmartKey must be removed from the
ignition lock.
R on uphill or downhill gradients, the front
wheels must be turned towards the curb. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to
neutral 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
vehicle from rolling away by applying the
parking brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the parking brake firmly.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
Using the SmartKey
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the
ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
i The SmartKey can only be removed if the
transmission is in position P.
Using KEYLESS-GO
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 165).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
i When the driver's door is closed, this
corresponds to key position 1. When the
driver's door is open, this corresponds to
key position 0:"key removed". If you try to switch off the engine when the
transmission is not in position
P, a message
appears in the multifunctio ndisplay. Asignal
sounds. Parking brake
G
WARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the braking distanc eis 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 turning again. G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, they could set it in motion by, for
example:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
the parking position P
R starting the engine.
They could also operate the vehicle's
equipment. There is a risk 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. Parking
183Driving and parking Z
X
To apply: depress parking brake 0003firmly.
Whe nthe engine is running, the 000B(USA
only) or 0005(Canada only) indicator lamp
lights up in the instrumentc luster.
X To release: depress the brake pedal and
keep it depressed.
X Pull release handle 0002.
When the ignition is switched on or the
engine is running, the 000B(USA only) or
0005 (Canada only) indicator lamp goes out
in the instrument cluster. Parking the vehicle for
along period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
six weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as
a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist
workshop. Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignitio nwhile 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.Y ou 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 operate mobile communication
equipment while driving, you will be distracted from traffic conditions. You could
also lose control of the vehicle. There is a risk
of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicle
is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the
country in which you are driving. Some
jurisdictions prohibit the driver from using a
mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone
when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers
a distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) per
second.
Drive sensibly –save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel:
X
The tires should always be inflated to the
recommended tire pressure.
X Remove unnecessary loads.
X Remove roof racks whe nthey are not
needed.
X Warm up the engine at low engine speeds.
X Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
X Have all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or by the service
interval display.
Fuel consumption also increases when
driving in cold weather, in stop-start traffic
and in hilly terrain.
Drinking and driving G
WARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and
driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and
judgment. 184
Driving tipsDriving and parking