
PRE-SAFE
®
Brake warns you. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify people, especially if they are moving. In
these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot inter-
vene. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance to
the vehicle in front and thus prevent a collision, you must apply the brakes yourself. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react:
R to small people, e.g. children
R to animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may neither
give warnings nor intervene in all critical sit-
uations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, detection can be impaired.
Detection by the radar sensor system is also
impaired in the event of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in multi-
storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different line
Detection by the camera system is also impaired in the event of:
R dirt on the camera or if the camera is covered
R glare on the camera system, e.g. from the sun
being low in the sky R
darkness
R if:
- pedestrians move quickly, e.g. into the path
of the vehicle
- the camera system no longer detects a
pedestrian as a person due to special cloth-
ing or other objects
- a pedestrian is concealed by other objects
- the typical outline of a person is not distin-
guishable from the background
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle, have the radar sensor settings and operation
checked at a qualified specialist workshop. This
also applies to collisions at slow speeds where
there is no visible damage to the front of the
vehicle.
Following damage to the windscreen, have the
configuration and operation of the camera sys-
tem checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Function X
To activate/deactivate: activate or deacti-
vate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-board com-
puter (Y page 221).
If the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is not activated, the
æ symbol appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
This function will issue a warning if: R at a speed of approximately 30 km/ho r more
the distance maintained to the vehicle travel- ling in front is insufficient for several seconds
The · distance warning lamp then lights
up in the instrument cluster.
R at a speed of approximately 7 km/h or more,
you rapidly approach a vehicle in front
An intermittent warning tone will then sound
and the ·distance warning lamp will light
up in the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately to defuse the situation.
or X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
The PRE-SAFE ®
Brake function can also brake
the vehicle automatically under the following
conditions:
R the driver and front passenger have their seat
belts fastened 70
Driving safety systemsSafety

Correct driver's seat position
G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle while
driving if you:
R adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel or
mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirrors and fasten your seat
belt before starting the engine. Observe the following when adjusting steering
wheel
:, seat belt ;and driver's seat =:
R you are as far away from the driver's airbag as
possible
R you are sitting in a normal upright position
R your thighs are slightly supported by the seat
cushion
R your legs are not entirely stretched and you
can depress the pedals properly
R the back of your head is supported at eye level
by the centre of the head restraint
R you can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent
R you can move your legs freely R
you can see all the displays in the instrument
cluster clearly
R you should have a good overview of traffic
conditions
R the seat belt is pulled snugly against the body
and must be routed across the centre of your
shoulder and across your hips in the pelvic
area
Further related subjects:
R Manual and electrical seat adjustment
(Y page 100)
R Electrical seat adjustment (Y page 101)
R Adjusting the steering wheel mechanically
(Y page 107) or electrically (Y page 107).
R Fastening the seat belt correctly (Y page 40).
R Adjusting the rear-view mirror and exterior
mirrors (Y page 110).
R Storing the seat, steering wheel and exterior
mirror settings using the memory function
(Y page 112). Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If children adjust the seats, they could
become trapped, especially if they are unat-
tended. There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
The seats can still be adjusted when there is no
key in the ignition lock. G
WARNING
The head restraints cannot provide the inten-
ded protection unless they are fitted and
adjusted correctly. There is an increased risk of injury to the head and neck in the event of
an accident or sudden braking, for example.
Always drive with the head restraints fitted.
Ensure that the centre of the head restraints
support the back of each vehicle occupant's
head at eye level before driving off. Seats
99Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

In such situations, turn the light switch to
L.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an aid.
The driver is responsible for the vehicle lighting at all times.
à is the preferred light switch setting. The
light setting is automatically selected according
to the brightness of the ambient light (excep-
tion: poor visibility due to weather conditions
such as fog, snow or spray):
R Key in position 1in the ignition lock: the side
lamps are switched on or off automatically
depending on the brightness of the ambient
light.
R With the engine running: if you have switched
on the Daytime
Daytime driving drivinglights
lights function in
the on-board computer, the daytime driving
lights or the side lamps and dipped-beam
headlamps are switched on or off automati-
cally depending on the brightness of the ambi- ent light.
X To switch on automatic headlamp mode:
turn the light switch to
Ã.
The daytime driving lights improve the detecta-
bility of your vehicle during the day. Here, the
daytime driving lights function must be switched
on via the on-board computer (Y page 224).
When the side lamps and dipped-beam head-
lamps are switched on, the green T(side
lamps) and L(dipped-beam headlamps)
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light
up.
Dipped-beam headlamps G
WARNING
When the light switch is set to Ã, the
dipped-beam headlamps may not be switched on automatically if there is fog, snow or othercauses of poor visibility due to the weather
conditions such as spray. There is a risk of an
accident.
In such situations, turn the light switch to
L.
When the ignition is switched on and the light
switch is in the Lposition, the side lamps
and dipped-beam headlamps are switched on
even if the light sensor does not sense dark
ambient light conditions. This is advantageous
when there is fog or rain. X
To switch on the dipped-beam headlamps:
turn the key in the ignition lock to position 2
or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to L.
The green Lindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
Rear fog lamp The rear foglamp improves the visibility of your
vehicle in heavy fog for the following traffic.
Please observe the country-specific laws on the
use of rear foglamps.
X To switch on the rear foglamp: turn the key
in the ignition lock to position 2or start the
engine.
X Turn the light switch to LorÃ.
X Press the Rbutton.
The yellow Rindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
X To switch off the rear foglamp: press the
R button.
The yellow Rindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Side lamps ! If the battery has been discharged to a low
charge level, the side lamps or parking lamps
are automatically switched off to enable the
next engine start. Always leave your vehicle in
a safe position and adequately lit in accord-
ance with traffic regulations. Avoid using the
side lamps Tfor a period of several hours.
If possible, switch on the right Xor left
W parking lamp.
X To switch on: turn the light switch to T.
The green Tindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
Parking lamps Switching on the parking lamps ensures that the
corresponding side of the vehicle is illuminated.
X To switch on the parking lamps: the key
should not be in the ignition lock or it should
be in position 0.
X Turn the light switch to W(left-hand side of
the vehicle) or X(right-hand side of the
vehicle). Exterior lighting
115Lights and windscreen wipers Z

Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus cannot take into
account road, weather or traffic conditions.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus is only an aid.
You are responsible for adjusting the vehicle's
lighting to the prevailing light, visibility and traf-
fic conditions.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
restricted if there is:
R poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
R dirt on the sensors or if the sensors are
obscured
Switching Adaptive Highbeam Assist
Plus on/off X
To switch on: turn the light switch to Ã.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of arrow :.
The _ indicator lamp in the multifunction
display lights up when it is dark and the light
sensor switches on the dipped-beam head-
lamps.
At speeds above approx. 25 km/h: the
headlamp range is automatically controlled
according to the distance to other road users.
At speeds above approx. 30 km/h:
R If no other road users are detected, the
main-beam headlamps are automatically
switched on.
R If other road users are detected, the partial
main-beam headlamps are automatically
switched on.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster also lights up.
At speeds below approx. 25 km/h or
when there is sufficient street lighting:
R The partial main-beam headlamps are
switched off automatically.
R The main-beam headlamps are switched off
automatically.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. The _indicator lamp in
the multifunction display remains lit.
X To switch off: move the combination switch
back to its normal position or move the light
switch to another position.
The _ indicator lamp in the multifunction
display goes out. Headlamps misted up on the inside
Certain climatic and physical conditions may
cause moisture to form in the headlamp. This
moisture does not affect the functionality of the headlamp. Interior lighting
Overview of interior lighting
:
u Switches the interior lighting on/off
; | Switches the automatic interior light-
ing control on/off
= p Switches the right-hand reading lamp
on/off
? c Switches the front interior lighting on/
off
A p Switches the left-hand reading lamp
on/off Interior lighting control
General notes In order to prevent the vehicle's battery from
discharging, the interior lighting functions are
automatically deactivated after some time
except for when the key is in position 2in the
ignition lock.
Automatic interior lighting control X
To switch on/off: press the|button.
When the automatic interior lighting control is
switched on, the button is flush with the over- head control panel. 118
Interior lightingLights and
windscreen wipers

When you switch on the ignition, all of the indi-
cator lamps in the instrument cluster light up.
Further information on situations where an indi-
cator lamp either fails to go out after starting the engine or lights up while driving (Y page 255).
If Start/Stop button :has not yet been
pressed, this corresponds to the key being
removed from the ignition.
X To switch on the power supply: press
Start/Stop button :once.
The power supply is switched on. You can now
activate the windscreen wipers, for example.
The power supply is switched off again if:
R the driver's door is opened and
R you press Start/Stop button :twice when in
this position
X To switch on the ignition: press Start/Stop
button :twice.
The ignition is switched on.
If you press Start/Stop button :once when
in this position, the ignition is deactivated
again.
Removing the Start/Stop button You can remove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock and start the vehicle as normal
using the key.
It is only possible to switch between Start/Stop
button mode and key operation when the trans- mission is in position P.
X Remove Start/Stop button :from ignition
lock ;.
You do not have to remove the Start/Stop but-
ton from the ignition lock when you leave the
vehicle. You should, however, always take the
key with you when leaving the vehicle. As long as the key is in the vehicle:
R the vehicle can be started using the Start/
Stop button
R the electrically powered equipment can be
operated Starting the vehicle
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open doors, thereby endangering other per-
sons or road users
R get out and be struck by oncoming traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
In addition, the children could also set the
vehicle in motion, for example, if they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position P or shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children and animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Keep the keys out of the reach of children. 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 with-
out sufficient ventilation. G
WARNING
Flammable materials introduced through
environmental influence or by animals can
ignite if in contact with the exhaust system or parts of the engine that heat up. There is a risk
of fire.
Carry out regular checks to make sure that
there are no flammable foreign materials in
the engine compartment or in the exhaust
system. 140
DrivingDriving and parking

Problems with the engine
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The engine does not
start. The HOLD function or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
X Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 177) or DISTRONIC PLUS
(Y page 174).
X Try to start the engine again. The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. R
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics.
R There is a malfunction in the fuel supply.
Before attempting to start the engine again:
X Turn the key back to position 0in the ignition lock.
or X Press the Start/Stop button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster go out.
X Try to start the engine again (Y page 140). Avoid excessively long
and frequent attempts to start the engine, as this will drain the
battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. The
reserve fuel warning
lamp is lit and the fuel
gauge display shows
0. The fuel tank is empty.
X Refuel the vehicle. The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak or
discharged.
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 313).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high.
X Allow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two minutes.
X Try to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start: X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Vehicles with a petrol
engine:
The engine is not running
smoothly and is misfir-
ing. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic converter
and damage it.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop. Driving
145Driving and parking Z

Gearshift recommendation
X
Shift gear according to gearshift recommen-
dation :when shown in the multifunction
display of the instrument cluster.
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral 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 vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake. DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns to its
original position. The current transmission posi-
tion P,R, Nor Dappears in the transmission
position display in the multifunction display
(Y page 147).
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display !
If the transmission position display in the
multifunction display is not working, you
should pull away carefully to check whether
the desired transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you should select transmission posi-
tion Dand drive program Eor S.
The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear in the multifunction display.
The arrows in the transmission position display
show how and into which transmission positions you can change using the DIRECT SELECT lever. :
Transmission position display
; Drive program display Automatic transmission
147Driving and parking Z

sion automatically shifts up in order to pre-
vent engine damage.
X To shift down: pull on the left-hand steering
wheel gearshift paddle (Y page 151).
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 downshifting occurs when coast-
ing.
Gearshift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
X Shift to recommended gear ;according to
gearshift recommendation :when 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.
When manual drive program Mis deactivated,
the automatic transmission shifts into the auto- matic drive program that was last selected.
You can also deactivate manual drive program
M yourself:
X Pull on the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle and hold it in place (Y page 151).
or X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to shift the
transmission position (Y page 147).or
X Use the program selector button to change
the drive program (Y page 150).
Manual drive program Mis deactivated. The
automatic transmission switches into the
automatic drive program that was last selec-
ted. Manual drive program
General notes In this drive program, you can permanently
change gear yourself by using the steering
wheel gearshift paddles. The transmission must
be in position D.
i As well as this permanent drive program
M,
you can also activate temporary drive pro-
gram M(Y page 151).
Activating the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 150) 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 Mdiffers from drive pro-
gram Swith regard to spontaneity, responsive-
ness and the smoothness of the gear changes.
Manual drive program Mcan be selected using
the program selector button. In manual drive
program M, you can change gear yourself using
the steering wheel gearshift paddles if the trans- mission is in position D. The gear selected is
shown in the multifunction display.
Upshifting X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear. 152
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking