R
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
R Shift to neutral N.
R Release the brake pedal.
R If the parking brake is engaged, release it.
R Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past
the first point of resistance. Transmission positions
B
Park position
Do not shift the transmission into
position P(Ypage 182) unless the
vehicle is stationary. The parking
lock should not be used as a brake
when parking. Always apply the
parking brake in addition to the
parking lock in order to secure the
vehicle.
If the vehicle electronics are
malfunctioning, the transmission
may be locked in position P. Have
the vehicle electronics checked
immediately at a qualified
specialist workshop. C
Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary. A
Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission could be
damaged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you
to move the vehicle freely, e.g. to
push it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty:
only shift the transmission to
position Nif the vehicle is in danger
of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
! Rolling in neutral Ncan damage
the drive train. 7
Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available.
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the
individual gears automatically when it is in
transmission position D. This automatic
gearshifting behavior is determined by:
R the selected drive program (Y page 171)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed Driving tips
AMG vehicles When shifting down, the double-clutch
function is active regardless of the currently
selected drive program. The double-clutch
function reduces load change reactions and
is conducive to a sporty driving style. The
sound generated by the double-clutch
function depends on the drive program
selected.170
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking
ProCarManuals.com
i
As well as this permanent drive program
M, you can also activate temporary drive
program M(Ypage 172).
Switching on the manual drive program X
Turn the drive program selector
(Y page 171) until Mappears in the
multifunction display.
The indicator Mon the drive program
selector lights up in red.
The manual drive program is only available for
AMG vehicles.
Manual drive program Mis different from
drive programs Sand S+with regard to
spontaneity, responsiveness and
smoothness of gear changes.
Manual drive program Mcan be selected
using the drive program selector. In manual
drive program M, you can change gear using
the steering wheel paddle shifters if the
transmission is in position D. The gear
currently selected and engaged is shown in
the multifunction display.
Upshifting !
In manual drive program M, the automatic
transmission does not shift up
automatically 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. Always make
sure that the engine speed does not reach
the red area of the tachometer. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage.
X Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear. :
Gear indicator
; Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown in the
multifunction display.
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.
Kickdown i
Kickdown is not possible in manual drive
program M.
Switching off the manual drive program X
Turn the drive program selector
(Y page 171) until C,Sor S+ appears in the
multifunction display. 174
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking
ProCarManuals.com
Problems with the transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions 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.
! To prevent ESP ®
from intervening, the
ignition must be switched off (SmartKey or
the Start/Stop button in position 0or 1) if:
R the parking brake is being tested on a
brake dynamometer.
R the vehicle is being towed with only one
axle raised (not permitted for vehicles
with 4MATIC).
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
175Driving and parking
Z
ProCarManuals.com
X
Replace DEF cover :as shown and turn it
clockwise as far as it will go.
X Fold the trunk floor down.
X Close the trunk lid.
X Drive faster than 10 mph (16 km/h).
The Check Additive See Operator's Check Additive See Operator's
Manual
Manual message goes out after
approximately one minute.
i If the Check Additive See
Check Additive See
Operator's Manual
Operator's Manual message continues
to be shown in the multifunction display,
add an additional bottle of DEF.
For further information on DEF, see
(Y page 421). 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. 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 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.
! 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. 182
Pa
rkingDriving an d parking
ProCarManuals.com
Vehicles with automatic transmission
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.
X Apply the parking brake firmly.
i If you turn off the engine with the
SmartKey and then remove it from the
ignition lock or open a front door, the
automatic transmission shifts to P
automatically.
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.
X Apply the parking brake firmly.
i If you turn off the engine with the Start/
Stop button, the automatic transmission
shifts to N. If you then open the driver's or
front-passenger door, the automatic
transmission shifts to Pautomatically.
i In the event of an emergency, the engine
can be turned off while the vehicle is in
motion by pressing and holding the Start/
Stop button for three seconds. 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. 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.
X
To apply: depress parking brake ;firmly.
When the engine is running, the $(USA
only) or J(Canada only) indicator lamp
lights up in the instrument cluster.
X To release: depress the brake pedal and
keep it depressed.
X Pull release handle :.
When the ignition is switched on or the
engine is running, the $(USA only) or
J (Canada only) indicator lamp goes out
in the instrument cluster. Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging. Parking
183Driving an d parking Z
ProCarManuals.com
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 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 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 when they 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.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal
accident is greatly increased when you drink
or take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
Emission control G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There
is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces
without sufficient ventilation. 184
Driving tipsDriving and parking
ProCarManuals.com
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 242). 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. This 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. 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 to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the
airflow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed
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. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet 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, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance.186
Driving tipsDriving and parking
ProCarManuals.com
R
Brake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes !
If the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and you hear a
warning tone while the engine is running,
the brake fluid level may be too low.
Observe additional warning messages in
the multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked
immediately. This work should be carried
out at a qualified specialist workshop.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or
performance tests may only be carried out
on a 2-axle dynamometer. If you are
planning to have the vehicle tested on such
a dynamometer, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center to obtain further
information first. Otherwise, you could
damage the drive train or the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP®
system operates automatically, the engine
and the ignition must be switched off
(SmartKey in position 0or 1in the ignition
lock or Start/Stop button in position 0or
1) while the parking brake is being tested
on a brake dynamometer.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake
system. !
Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP®
system operates automatically, the engine
and the ignition system must be switched
off (SmartKey in position 0or 1in the
ignition lock or Start/Stop button in
position 0or 1) when:
R testing the parking brake on a brake
dynamometer.
R you intend to have the vehicle towed with
one of the axles raised.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake
system.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. Consult a
qualified specialist workshop to arrange this.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the
functionality of your brakes at regular
intervals. To do so, press firmly on the brake
pedal when driving at a high speed. This
improves the grip of the brake pads.
You can find a description of Brake Assist
(BAS) at (Y page 68) or of BAS PLUS with
Intersection Assist at (Y page 68).
The braking characteristics of the vehicle can
be seriously impaired if:
R brake pads other than those recommended
are installed
R the recommended brake fluid is not used
Safe braking can no longer be guaranteed.
AMG high-performance and ceramic
brakes The AMG brake systems are designed for
heavy loads. This may lead to noise when
braking. This will depend on:
R
Speed
R Braking force
R Environmental conditions, such as
temperature and humidity Driving tips
187Driving and parking Z
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