
The support provided by the system can be
impaired if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insuffi-
cient illumination of the road, or due to
snow, rain, fog or spray
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun or reflections (e.g. when the road
surface is wet)
R the windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged
or covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
R no, or several, unclear lane markings are
present for one lane, e.g. in a construction
area
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge
R the road is narrow and winding
R there are strong shadows cast on the road
The system is switched to passive and no lon-
ger assists you by performing steering inter-
ventions if:
R you actively change lanes
R you switch on the turn signal
R take your hands off the steering wheel or do
not steer for a prolonged period of time
i After you have finished changing lanes,
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are auto- matically active again.
DISTRONIC PLUS Steering Assist does not
provide assistance:
R on very sharp corners
R when a loss of tire pressure or a defective
tire has been detected and displayed.
Pay attention also to the important safety
notes for DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 181).
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 not steer yourself or if you take your
hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged
period of time, the system will first alert you
with a visual warning. A steering wheel sym-
bol appears in the multifunction display. If you have still not started to steer and have not
taken hold of the steering wheel after five
seconds at the latest, a warning tone also
sounds to remind you to take control of the
vehicle. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are
switched to passive. DISTRONIC PLUS
remains active.
Activating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot
X Activate the DISTRONIC PLUS with Steer-
ing Assist and Stop&Go Pilot function using
the on-board computer (Y page 236).
The DTR+:
DTR+: Steering Steering Assistant
Assistant On
On mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are
active.
Information in the multifunction display If Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are acti-
vated but not ready for a steering interven-
tion, steering wheel symbol :appears in
gray. If the system provides you with support by means of steering interventions, sym-
bol :is shown in green.
Deactivating Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot
X Deactivate the DISTRONIC PLUS with
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot function
using the on-board computer
(Y page 236).
The DTR+: Steering Assistant Off DTR+: Steering Assistant Off
message appears in the multifunction dis- 190
Driving systemsDriving and parking

celed. The
RACE START Canceled
RACE START Canceled mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
X Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum accel-
eration.
The RACE
RACE START START Active
Active message appears
in the multifunction display.
RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 30 mph
(Canada: 50 km/h). Drive program S+is acti-
vated. SPORT handling mode remains activa-
ted.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if
you release the accelerator pedal during
RACE START or if any of the activation condi-
tions are no longer fulfilled. The RACE
RACE START START
Not Possible See Operator's Manual
Not Possible See Operator's Manual
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
i If RACE START is used repeatedly within a
short period of time, it is only available
again after the vehicle has been driven a
certain distance. AIRMATIC
Vehicle level Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered. G
WARNING
Vehicles with level control: The vehicle is slightly lowered if:
R you have selected comfort suspension tun-
ing and
R you lock the vehicle within approximately
60 seconds of switching off the engine
You and people in the vicinity of the wheel
arch or the underbody may thus become trap- ped. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of thewheel arch or the underbody when you lock
the vehicle.
! The vehicle is lowered by about 15 mm if:
R you have selected "Comfort tuning"
R you switch off the engine and then
R you lock the vehicle within approximately
60 seconds
When parking, position your vehicle so that it does not make contact with the curb as
the vehicle is lowered. Your vehicle could
otherwise be damaged.
If you unlock the vehicle within 60 seconds of
having switched the engine off, the vehicle is
lowered slightly when Comfort suspension
mode is selected.
Your vehicle regulates its height automati-
cally. All-round level control ensures the best possible suspension and constant ground
clearance, even with a laden vehicle. When
you drive fast, the vehicle is lowered auto-
matically to improve driving safety and to
reduce fuel consumption.
The following vehicle levels are possible:
R Normal
R Raised: the vehicle is raised by approx-
imately 0.80 in (20 mm) when compared
with the normal level
R Lowered: the vehicle is raised by approx-
imately 0.40 in (10 mm) when compared
with the normal level
i These changes in level are so slight that
you are hardly aware of them.
The "Normal" and "Raised" vehicle levels can
be set manually. Driving systems
193Driving and parking Z

When changing from Comfort to Sport or
Sport +, the axle is lowered approximately
1.0 in (25 mm). When changing from Sport or Sport + to Comfort, the axle is raised approx-
imately 1.0 in (25 mm). This level change also
takes place when the vehicle is stationary.
If you drive faster than 105 mph (170 km/h), the rear axle level is set to a middle level. Thisincreases driving safety and reduces air
resistance. If you then drive slower than
93 mph (150 km/h), the level of the rear axle
is again adjusted to correspond to the selec-
ted suspension mode.
Load compensation
The vehicle can compensate differences in
the vehicle level by raising or lowering the
rear axle. This is the case, for example, if peo- ple get out or if luggage is being loaded.
Load compensation takes place if:
R a door, the trunk lid or the tailgate is
opened
R the parked vehicle is unlocked
For larger level changes, the engine must be
running. 4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot
take account of road, weather and traffic con-
ditions. 4MATIC 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.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R Accelerate less when driving.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground or be fully raised. Observe the instructions for
towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow chains if necessary.
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle when-
ever a drive wheel spins due to insufficient
grip. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It monitors the area
around your vehicle using six sensors in the
front bumper and six sensors in the rear
bumper. PARKTRONIC indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a replace-
ment for your attention to your immediate
surroundings. You are always responsible for
safe maneuvering, parking and exiting a park-
ing space. When maneuvering, parking or
pulling out of a parking space, make sure that there are no persons, animals or objects in
the area in which you are maneuvering.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction. Driving systems
197Driving and parking Z

Otherwise Active Parking Assist will be can-
celed.
Active Parking Assist brakes the vehicle to a standstill when the vehicle approaches
the rear border of the parking space.
Maneuvering may be required in tight park- ing spaces.
The Park Assist Active Select D
Park Assist Active Select D
Observe Observe Surroundings
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.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate Park Assist Active Accelerate
and
and Brake
Brake Observe
Observe Surroundings
Surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
i You will achieve the best results by wait-
ing for the steering procedure to complete before pulling away.
X Drive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.
Active Parking Assist brakes the vehicle to a standstill when the vehicle is in the park-
ing space.
The Park Assist Active Select R
Park Assist Active Select R
Observe Observe Surroundings
Surroundings message appears in
the multifunction display.
Further transmission shifts may be neces-
sary.
As soon as the parking procedure is com-
plete, the Park Assist Disabled
Park Assist Disabled message
appears in the multifunction display and you
will hear a tone. The vehicle is now parked.
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal. The
braking effect is canceled when you depress
the accelerator pedal.
Active Parking Assist no longer supports you
with steering interventions and brake appli-
cations. When Active Parking Assist is fin-
ished, you must steer and brake again your-
self. PARKTRONIC is still available. X
Maneuver if necessary.
X Always observe the warning messages dis-
played by PARKTRONIC (Y page 199).
Parking tips: R The way your vehicle is positioned in the
parking space after parking is dependent
on various factors. These include the posi-
tion and shape of the vehicles parked in
front and behind it and the conditions of the location. It may be the case that Active
Parking Assist guides you too far into a
parking space, or not far enough into it. In
some cases, it may also lead you across or
onto the curb. If necessary, you should can- cel the parking procedure with Active Park-
ing Assist.
R You can also select preselect transmission
position D. The vehicle redirects and does
not drive as far into the parking space.
Should a gear be changed too early, the
parking procedure will be canceled. A sen- sible parking position can no longer be ach-
ieved from this position.
Exiting a parking space In order that Active Parking Assist can sup-
port you when exiting the parking space:
R the border of the parking space must be
high enough at the front and the rear. A
curb is too small, for example.
R the border of the parking space must not be
too wide, as the position of the vehicle must
not exceed an angle of 45° to the starting
position as it is maneuvering into the park-
ing space.
R a maneuvering distance of at least 3.3 ft
(1.0 m) must be available.
i If PARKTRONIC detects obstacles, Active
Parking Assist brakes automatically whilst
the vehicle exits the parking space. You are
responsible for braking in good time.
Active Parking Assist can only assist you with exiting a parking space if you have parked the Driving systems
203Driving and parking Z

180° view
:
Symbol for the full screen setting with rear
view camera image
; Own vehicle
= PARKTRONIC warning displays
i 180° view can also be selected as front
view.
Select this view when you are driving out of an
exit and the view of crossing traffic is restric- ted, for example.
Exiting 360° camera display mode The 360° camera display is stopped
R when you select transmission position P, or
R when you are driving at moderate speeds
The previous display appears on the
COMAND/Audio 20 display. You can also
switch the display by selecting the &sym-
bol in the display and pressing 7the con-
troller to confirm. ATTENTION ASSIST
General notes ATTENTION ASSIST helps you during long,
monotonous journeys, such as on highways.
It is active in the 37 mph (60 km/h) to
125 mph (200 km/h) range. If ATTEN-
TION ASSIST detects typical indicators of fati-
gue or increasing lapses in concentration on
the part of the driver, it suggests taking a
break. Important safety notes ATTENTION ASSIST is only an aid to the
driver. It might not always recognize fatigue
or increasing inattentiveness in time or fail to
recognize them at all. The system is not a
substitute for a well-rested and attentive
driver.
The functionality of ATTENTION ASSIST is
restricted and warnings may be delayed or
not occur at all:
R if the length of the journey is less than
approximately 30 minutes
R if the road condition is poor, e.g. if the sur-
face is uneven or if there are potholes
R if there is a strong side wind
R if you have adopted a sporty driving style
with high cornering speeds or high rates of
acceleration
R if you are predominantly driving at a speed
below 37 mph (60 km/h) or above 124 mph
(200 km/h)
R if you are driving with the DISTRONIC PLUS
Steering Assist activated
R if the time has been set incorrectly
R in active driving situations, such as when
you change lanes or change your speed
ATTENTION ASSIST is reset when you con-
tinue your journey and starts assessing your
tiredness again if:
R you switch off the engine
R you take off your seat belt and open the
driver's door, e.g. for a change of drivers or to take a break
Displaying the attention level Driving systems
213Driving and parking Z

You can have current status information dis-
played in the assistance menu (Y page 235)
of the on-board computer.
X Select the Assistance display for ATTEN-
TION ASSIST using the on-board computer
(Y page 235).
The following information is displayed:
R length of the journey since the last break.
R the attention level determined by ATTEN-
TION ASSIST, displayed in a bar display in
five levels from high to low.
R if ATTENTION ASSIST is unable to calculate
the attention level and cannot output a
warning, the System Suspended System Suspended message
appears. The bar display then changes the
display, e.g. if you are driving at a speed
below 37 mph (60 km/h) or above 124 mph
(200 km/h).
Activating ATTENTION ASSIST X
Activate ATTENTION ASSIST using the on-
board computer (Y page 236).
The system determines the attention level
of the driver depending on the setting
selected:
Standard selected: the sensitivity with
which the system determines the attention
level is set to normal.
Sensitive selected: the sensitivity is set
higher. The attention level detected by Atten- tion Assist is adapted accordingly and the
driver is warned earlier.
When ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated, the À symbol and OFF appear in the multi-
function display in the assistance display
when the engine is running.
When ATTENTION ASSIST has been deactiva- ted, it is automatically reactivated after the
engine has been stopped. The sensitivity
selected corresponds to the last selection
activated (standard/sensitive). Warning in the multifunction display If fatigue or increasing lapses in concentra-
tion are detected, a warning appears in the
multifunction display: Attention Assist:
Attention Assist:
Take a Break! Take a Break!
In addition to the message shown in the mul-
tifunction display, you will then hear a warn-
ing tone.
X If necessary, take a break.
X Confirm the message by pressing the a
button on the steering wheel.
On long journeys, take regular breaks in good time to allow yourself to rest properly. If you
do not take a break, you will be warned again
after 15 minutes at the earliest. This will only
happen if ATTENTION ASSIST still detects
typical indicators of fatigue or increasing lap-
ses in concentration.
Vehicles with COMAND: if a warning is
issued in the multifunction display, a service
station search is performed in COMAND. You
can select a service station and navigation to this service station will then begin. This func- tion can be activated and deactivated in
COMAND. Lane Tracking package
General notes The Lane Tracking package consists of Blind
Spot Assist (Y
page 214) and Lane Keeping
Assist (Y page 216).
Blind Spot Assist General notes
Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor system
to monitor the areas on both sides of your
vehicle. It supports you from a speed of
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). A warning
display in the exterior mirrors draws your
attention to vehicles detected in the moni-
tored area. If you then switch on the corre-
sponding turn signal to change lanes, you will also receive an optical and audible collision 214
Driving systemsDriving and parking

There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and stay in lane, in particular if
warned by Lane Keeping Assist. G
WARNING
The Lane Keeping Assist warning does not
return the vehicle to the original lane. There is a risk of an accident.
You should always steer, brake or accelerate
yourself, in particular if warned by Lane Keep-ing Assist.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Lane
Keeping Assist can neither reduce the risk of
an accident nor override the laws of physics.
Lane Keeping Assist cannot take into account the road, traffic and weather conditions. Lane
Keeping Assist is merely 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.
The Lane Keeping Assist does not keep the
vehicle in the lane.
The system may be impaired or may not func- tion if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insuffi-
cient illumination of the road, or due to
snow, rain, fog or spray
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun or reflections (e.g. when the road
surface is wet)
R the windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged
or covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
R there are no, several or unclear lane mark-
ings for a lane, e.g. in areas with road con-
struction work
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected R
the lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge
R the road is narrow and winding
R there are strong shadows cast on the road
Switching on Lane Keeping Assist
X Switch on Active Lane Keeping Assist using
the on-board computer; to do so, select
Standard
Standard orAdaptive Adaptive (Ypage 237).
If you drive at speeds above 40 mph
(60 km/h) and lane markings are detected, the lines in the assistance graphics display(Y page 235) are shown in green. Lane
Keeping Assist is ready for use.
Standard
If Standard Standard is selected, no warning vibration
occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this event, the warnings are suppressed for
a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
Adaptive
When Adaptive Adaptive is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this event, the warnings are suppressed for a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
R you brake hard.
R you steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lanes quickly.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
In order that you are warned only when nec-
essary and in good time if you cross the lane marking, the system recognizes certain con-
ditions and warns you accordingly. Driving systems
217Driving and parking Z

The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reverse
gear is engaged. Active Blind Spot Assist is
not operational.
The brightness of the warning lamps is auto-
matically adapted to the brightness of the
surroundings.
Visual and acoustic collision warning
If you switch on the turn signals to change
lanes and a vehicle is detected in the side
monitoring range, you receive a visual and
acoustic collision warning. You then hear a
double warning tone and red warning lamp :
flashes. If the turn signal remains on, detec-
ted vehicles are indicated by the flashing of
red warning lamp :. There are no further
warning tones.
Course-correcting brake application
If Active Blind Spot Assist detects a risk of a
lateral collision in the monitoring range, a
course-correcting brake application is carried out. This is meant to assist you in avoiding a
collision. G
WARNING
A course-correcting brake application cannot always prevent a collision. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always steer, brake or accelerate yourself,
especially if Active Blind Spot Assist warns
you or makes a course-correcting brake appli-
cation. Always maintain a safe distance at the sides. If a course-correcting brake application
occurs, red warning lamp
:flashes in the
exterior mirror and a dual warning tone
sounds. In addition, display ;appears in the
multifunction display underlining the danger
of a side collision.
In very rare cases, the system may make an
inappropriate brake application. An inappro-
priate course-correcting brake application
may be interrupted at any time if you steer
slightly in the opposite direction or acceler-
ate, for example.
The course-correcting brake application is
available in the speed range between 20 mph
(30 km/h) and 120 mph (200 km/h).
Either no braking application, or a course-
correcting brake application adapted to the
driving situation occurs if:
R there are vehicles or obstacles, e.g. crash
barriers, located on both sides of your vehi-
cle.
R a vehicle approaches you too closely at the
side.
R you have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds.
R you clearly brake or accelerate.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ESP ®
or PRE-SAFE ®
Brake.
R ESP ®
is switched off.
R a loss of tire pressure or a defective tire is
detected. 220
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking