Driving and operating169Caution
It is not advisable to drive with thehand resting on the selector lever.
Gear shift indication 3 107.
Drive systems
All-wheel drive
The All-wheel drive system enhances
driving characteristics and stability,
and helps to achieve the best
possible driveability regardless of
ground surface. The system is always active and cannot be deactivated.
The torque is distributed steplessly
between the wheels of the front and rear axle, depending on the driving
conditions. Additionally the torque
between the rear wheels is distributed
depending on the surface.
For optimum system performance,
the vehicle's tyres should not have
varying degrees of wear.
If a service message is displayed in
the Driver Information Centre, the
system may have limited functionality
(or be completely disabled in some
cases, i.e. the vehicle switches to
Front-wheel drive). Seek the
assistance of a workshop.
Towing the vehicle 3 264.Brakes
The brake system comprises two independent brake circuits.
If a brake circuit fails, the vehicle can
still be braked using the other brake
circuit. However, braking effect is
achieved only when the brake pedal
is depressed firmly. Considerably
more force is needed for this. The
braking distance is extended. Seek the assistance of a workshop before
continuing your journey.
When the engine is not running, the
support of the brake servo unit
disappears once the brake pedal has
been depressed once or twice.
Braking effect is not reduced, but
braking requires significantly greater
force. It is especially important to bear this in mind when being towed.
Control indicator R 3 106.
Antilock brake system Antilock brake system (ABS)
prevents the wheels from locking.
170Driving and operating
ABS starts to regulate brake pressureas soon as a wheel shows a tendency to lock. The vehicle remains
steerable, even during hard braking.
ABS control is made apparent
through a pulse in the brake pedal
and the noise of the regulation
process.
For optimum braking, keep the brake
pedal fully depressed throughout the
braking process, despite the fact that
the pedal is pulsating. Do not reduce
the pressure on the pedal.
After starting off, the system performs
a self-test which may be audible.
Control indicator u 3 107.
Adaptive brake light During full braking, all three brakelights flash for the duration of ABS
control.
Fault9 Warning
If there is a fault in the ABS, the
wheels may be liable to lock due
to braking that is heavier than
normal. The advantages of ABS are no longer available. During
hard braking, the vehicle can no longer be steered and may
swerve.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Parking brake
Manual parking brake9 Warning
Always apply parking brake firmly
without operating the release
button, and apply as firmly as
possible on a downhill or uphill
slope.
To release the parking brake, pull
the lever up slightly, press the
release button and fully lower the
lever.
174Driving and operating
Deactivation
For a more sporty behaviour ESC and
TC can be deactivated separately:
■ Press b briefly: only Traction
control system is inactive, ESC
remains active, k illuminates.
■ Hold b pressed for min.
5 seconds: TC and ESC are
deactivated, k and n illuminates.
Additionally the selected mode is
displayed as status message in the
Driver Information Centre.
If the vehicle comes into threshold
with deactivated ESP, the system will reactivate ESP for the time duration
of the threshold, when the brake pedal is depressed once.
ESC is reactivated by pressing b
again. If the TC system was
previously disabled, both TC and
ESC are reactivated.
ESC is also reactivated the next time
the ignition is switched on.Interactive driving system
Flex Ride Flex Ride driving system allows thedriver to select between three driving
modes:
■ SPORT mode: press SPORT, LED
illuminates.
■ TOUR mode: press TOUR, LED
illuminates.
■ NORMAL mode: neither SPORT
nor TOUR is pressed, no LED
illuminates.
Deactivate SPORT mode and TOUR
mode by pressing corresponding
button once more.
In each driving mode Flex Ride networks the following electronic
systems:
■ Continuous Damping Control
■ Accelerator Pedal Control
■ Steering Control
■ All-wheel drive
■ Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Driving and operating175
■ Antilock Brake System (ABS) withcornering brake control (CBC)
■ Automatic transmission
SPORT mode
The settings of the systems are
adapted to a sportier driving style:
■ Damping of shock absorbers reacts
more stiffly to provide better contact with the road surface.
■ The engine reacts more quickly to the accelerator pedal.
■ Steering support is reduced.
■ Engine torque of All-wheel drive is distributed more to the rear axle.
■ Shift points of automatictransmission occur later.
■ Depending on the instrument cluster the colouring of the display
will be adapted.
TOUR mode
The settings of the systems are
adapted to a comfort driving style:
■ Damping of shock absorbers reacts
more softly.
■ Accelerator pedal reacts with standard settings.
■ Steering support is in standard mode.
■ Engine torque of All-wheel drive isdistributed mainly to the front axle.
■ Shift points of automatic transmission occur in a comfort
mode.
NORMAL mode
All settings of the systems are
adapted to standard values.
Drive mode control
Within each manually selected driving mode SPORT, TOUR or NORMAL,
the Drive Mode Control (DMC)
detects and analyses continuously
the real driving characteristic,
responses by the driver, and the
active dynamic state of the vehicle. If
necessary, the control unit of DMC
automatically changes the settings
within the selected driving mode or,
when recognising greater variations,
the driving mode is changed for the
length of variation.
If, for example, NORMAL mode is
selected and DMC detects a sporty
driving behaviour, DMC changes
several settings of the Normal mode
176Driving and operating
into sporty settings. The DMC
changes to SPORT mode in case of
very sporty driving behaviour.
If, for another example, TOUR mode
is selected and whilst driving on a
winding road a sudden hard brake is
necessary, DMC will detect the
dynamic vehicle condition and
changes the settings for suspension
to SPORT mode to increase vehicle
stability.
When the driving characteristic or the
dynamic vehicle state returns to the
former state, DMC will change the
settings to the preselected driving
mode.
Personalised settings in SPORT
mode
The driver can select the functions of
the SPORT mode when SPORT is
pressed.
Select the relevant settings in
Settings , I Sport Mode in the Colour-
Info-Display.
Colour-Info-Display 3 118.
Vehicle personalisation 3 122.Flex Ride - VXR Version
The VXR Version of Flex Ride system
works in the same way as the
standard Flex Ride system with the
difference that the modes have a
more sporty characteristic.VXR Flex Ride driving system allows
the driver to select between three
driving modes:
■ VXR mode: press VXR, LED
illuminates.
■ SPORT mode: press SPORT, LED
illuminates.
■ NORMAL mode: neither SPORT
nor VXR is pressed, no LED
illuminates.
Deactivate SPORT mode and VXR
mode by pressing corresponding
button once more.
In each driving mode VXR Flex Ride
networks the following electronic
systems:
■ Continuous Damping Control
■ Accelerator Pedal Control
■ Steering Control
■ All-wheel drive
■ Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
■ Antilock Brake System (ABS) with cornering brake control (CBC)
■ Automatic transmission
Driving and operating177
VXR mode
The drive dynamic characteristics are adapted to high performance
settings.
Depending on the instrument cluster
the colouring of the display will be
adapted.
SPORT mode
The settings of the systems are
adapted to a sportier driving style.
NORMAL mode
In NORMAL mode, when neither SPORT nor VXR is pressed, all
settings of the systems are adapted
to standard values.
Personalised settings in the VXR
mode
The driver can select the functions of
the VXR mode when VXR is pressed.
Select the relevant settings in
Settings , I Sport Mode in the Colour-
Info-Display.
Colour-Info-Display 3 118.
Vehicle personalisation 3 122.Driver assistance
systems9 Warning
Driver assistance systems are
developed to support the driver
and not to replace the driver's
attention.
The driver accepts full
responsibility when driving the
vehicle.
When using driver assistance
systems, always take care
regarding the current traffic
situation.
Cruise control
The cruise control can store and
maintain speeds of approx. 20 to
120 mph. Deviations from the stored
speeds may occur when driving uphill or downhill.
For safety reasons, the cruise controlcannot be activated until the foot
brake has been operated once.
Activating in first gear is not possible.
Do not use the cruise control if it is not advisable to maintain a constant
speed.
With automatic transmission, only
activate cruise control in automatic
mode.
Control indicator m 3 110.
Switching on Press m; control indicator m in
instrument cluster illuminates white.
180Driving and operating
Deactivation
Press y: speed limiter is deactivated
and the vehicle can be driven without
speed limit.
The limited speed is stored and a
corresponding message appears in
the Driver Information Centre.
Resume limit speed
Turn thumb wheel to RES/+. The
stored speed limit will be obtained.
Switching off
Press L, the speed limit indication in
the Driver Information Centre
extinguishes. The stored speed is
deleted.
By pressing m to activate cruise
control or adaptive cruise control or
by switching off the ignition, speed
limiter is also deactivated and the
stored speed is deleted.Adaptive cruise control
Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is an
enhancement to traditional cruise
control with the additional feature of maintaining a certain distance behind the vehicle ahead.
Adaptive cruise control automatically
decelerates the vehicle when
approaching a slower moving vehicle. It then adjusts the vehicle speed to
follow the vehicle ahead at the
selected following distance. The
vehicle speed increases or decreases
to follow the vehicle in front, but will
not exceed the set speed. It may
apply limited braking with activated
brake lights.
The adaptive cruise control can store and maintain speeds over approx.
15 mph. If following a vehicle ahead
driving slower than 15 mph, the
slower speed will be set. On vehicles
with automatic transmission, the
system brakes to a stop.
Adaptive cruise control uses a radar
sensor to detect the vehicles ahead.
If no vehicle is detected in the driving
path, the adaptive cruise control will
behave like a traditional cruise
control.
For safety reasons, the system
cannot be activated before the brake
pedal or clutch pedal has been
depressed once since switching on
ignition.
Adaptive cruise control is mainly
advised to be used on long straight
roads like highways or country roads
with steady traffic. Do not use the
system if it is not advisable to
maintain a constant speed.
Control indicator A 3 110, m 3 110,
C 3 110.
Driving and operating183lever to park position P and switch
off the ignition before leaving the
vehicle.
Setting the following distance
When adaptive cruise control detects a slower moving vehicle in the drivingpath, it will adjust the vehicle speed to
maintain the following distance
selected by the driver.
The following distance can be set to
near, medium or far.
Press E, the current setting is shown
in the Driver Information Centre.
Press E again to change the
following distance. The setting is also
displayed in the Driver Information
Centre.
The selected following distance is
indicated by filled distance bars in the
adaptive cruise control page.
Note that the following distance
setting is shared with the sensitivity
setting of forward collision alert
3 187.
Example: If setting 3 (far) is selected,
then the driver is warned sooner
before a possible collision, also if
adaptive cruise control is inactive or
switched off.
9 Warning
The driver accepts full
responsibility for the appropriate
following distance based on traffic, weather and visibility conditions.
Following distance must be
adjusted or the system switched
off when required by the prevailing
conditions.
Detecting the vehicle ahead
The green illuminated vehicle ahead
control indicator A is displayed when
the system detects a vehicle in the driving path.
Forward collision alert 3 187.
If this symbol does not display, or displays briefly, adaptive cruise
control will not respond to vehicles
ahead.