2015 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS CABRIOLET display

Steering wheel gearshift paddles
In the manual drive program, you can change
gears manually using steering wheel gearshift
paddles :and ;.
Further information about permanent drive pro-
gram M(Y page 152).
Further information about temporary drive pro-
gram M(Y page 151).
i You can only change gear with the steering
wheel gearshift paddles when the transmis-
sion is in position D. Automatic drive program
Automatic drive program E Drive program
Eis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R comfort-oriented engine settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears unless the accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully.
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for exam-
ple.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being driven
at lower engine speeds and the wheels being less likely to spin. Automatic drive program S Drive program
Sis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R sporty engine settings.
R the automatic transmission shifting up later,
as a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points, the fuel consumption possibly
being higher.
Manual drive program M General notes
In this drive program, you can briefly change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel gear-
shift paddles. The transmission must be in posi-
tion D.
You can activate manual drive program Min
automatic drive programs Eand S.
i As well as temporary drive program
M, you
can also activate permanent drive program M
(Y page 150).
Further information about permanent drive
program M(Y page 152).
Activating X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Pull the left or right steering wheel gearshift
paddle (Y page 151).
Manual drive program Mis temporarily acti-
vated. The selected gear and Mappear in the
multifunction display.
Shifting gears
If you pull on the left or right-hand steering
wheel gearshift paddle, the automatic transmis- sion switches to manual drive program Mfor a
limited amount of time. Depending on which
gearshift paddle is pulled, the automatic trans-
mission immediately shifts into the next gear up
or down, if permitted.
X To shift up: pull the right-hand steering wheel
gearshift paddle (Y page 151).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
i If the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and you con-
tinue to accelerate, the automatic transmis- Automatic transmission
151Driving 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

Gearshift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
X If relevant gearshift recommendation :
appears in the multifunction display on the
instrument cluster, pull on the right-hand
steering wheel gearshift paddle (Y page 151).
The automatic transmission shifts to recom-
mended gear ;.
Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle.
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i For maximum acceleration, pull the left-
hand steering wheel gearshift paddle until the
transmission selects the optimum gear for
the current speed.
Kickdown You can also use kickdown for maximum accel-
eration in manual drive program M.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
Deactivating the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 150). Automatic transmission
153Driving and parking Z

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. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi- cle 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 unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. 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 unattended in the vehicle. The brake lights do not light up when you brake
the vehicle with the parking brake. X
To apply: depress parking brake ;firmly.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running.
X To release: depress the brake pedal and keep
it depressed.
X Pull release handle :.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer than six weeks, it may suffer from lack of use.
X Contact a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop. Driving tips
General 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. ECO display
The ECO display provides feedback on how eco-
nomical your driving characteristics are. The Driving tips
159Driving and parking Z

ECO display assists you in achieving the most
economical driving style for the selected set-
tings and prevailing conditions. Consumption
can be significantly influenced by your driving
style.
The ECO display consists of three bars:
R Acceleration
Acceleration
R Constant Constant
R Coasting
Coasting
The percentage count is the mean value of the
three bar values. The three bars and the mean
value begin at the value of 50%. A higher per-
centage count indicates a more economical
driving style.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual fuel
consumption. A fixed percentage count in the
ECO display does not indicate a fixed consump- tion.
In addition to driving style, the consumption is
affected by many other factors, such as:
R load
R tyre pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R the use of electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style takes the
following three categories into consideration:
R Acceleration Acceleration (evaluation of all acceleration
processes):
- the bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- the bar empties: sporty acceleration
R Constant Constant (assessment of driving behaviour
at all times):
- the bar fills up: constant speed and avoid-
ance of unnecessary acceleration and
deceleration
- the bar empties: fluctuations in speed
R Coasting Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes):
- the bar fills up: anticipatory driving, keep-
ing your distance and early release of the
accelerator. The vehicle can coast without
use of the brakes.
- the bar empties: frequent braking
i An economical driving style involves driving
at a moderate engine speed. To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration
Acceleration andConstant Constant:
R observe the gearshift recommendation
R drive the vehicle in drive program E(vehi-
cles with automatic transmission)
i On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the motorway, only the bar for Constant
Constant
will change.
i The ECO display summarises the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey to
its completion. Therefore, there are dynamic
changes in the bars at the start of a journey.
During a prolonged driving time, these
changes are smaller. For more dynamic
changes, perform a manual reset.
Further information on the ECO display
(Y page 216). Brakes
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.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients Do not depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by constantly applying light
pressure to the pedal. This results in excessive
and premature wear to the brake pads.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients.
Take particular note of this when driving a laden vehicle and when towing a trailer.
i This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, SPEEDTRONIC or DISTRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so
less braking will be required to maintain vehicle
speed. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly. 160
Driving
tipsDriving an d parking

Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. You must select a low
gear in good time on long and steep downhill
gradients, especially if the vehicle is laden or
towing a trailer. By doing so, you will make use of
the braking effect of the engine. This relieves the load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions are appropriate for maintaining a steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any
road speed above 30 km/h.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of an accident
nor override the laws of physics. Cruise control
cannot take into account road, weather or traffic
conditions. Cruise control 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 lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or accel-
erating can cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored. Cruise control lever :
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last stored
speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and varia-
ble SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control is
selected.
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected.
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for
five seconds.
Selecting cruise control X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp :is off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected. Driving systems
163Driving and parking Z

Setting a speed
X
Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ;for a lower speed.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until the
desired speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 km/h incre-
ments:
briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ;to the pressure point.
The last stored speed increases or decreases
in 1 km/h increments.
X To adjust the set speed in 10 km/h incre-
ments: briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ;beyond the pressure point.
The last stored speed increases or decreases in 10 km/h increments.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For example, if
you accelerate briefly to overtake, cruise con-
trol adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished overtak-
ing.
Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise con-
trol:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or X Brake.
or X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow =.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM indi-
cator lamp ;in the cruise control lever lights
up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if: R you depress the parking brake
R you are driving at less than 30 km/h
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R on vehicles with manual transmission, you
shift into neutral while driving or depress the
clutch pedal for longer than six seconds
R on vehicles with manual transmission, you
shift to a gear that is too high, and as a result
the engine speed is too low
R on vehicles with automatic transmission, you
shift to position Nwhile driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise con‐ Cruise con‐
trol off
trol off message in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. SPEEDTRONIC
Important safety notes SPEEDTRONIC brakes automatically so that you
do not exceed the set speed. Change into a
lower gear in good time on long and steep down-
hill gradients. Take particular note of this when
driving a laden vehicle. By doing so, you will
make use of the braking effect of the engine.
This relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and wear- ing too quickly. If you need additional braking,
depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather than continuously.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, SPEED-
TRONIC can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. SPEED-
TRONIC cannot take into account road, weather Driving systems
165Driving and parking Z

or traffic conditions. SPEEDTRONIC 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 lane.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
You can set a variable or permanent limit speed:
R variable for speed limits, e.g. in built-up areas
R permanent for long-term speed restrictions,
e.g. when driving with winter tyres fitted
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed stored.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC General notes
:
To store the current speed or a higher speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed or calling up the
last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower speed
A To switch between cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS and variable SPEED-
TRONIC
B To deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS and variable SPEEDTRONIC.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected. Selecting variable SPEEDTRONIC
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the limit speed stored.
X Check whether LIM indicator lamp :is on.
If it is on, variable SPEEDTRONIC is already
selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow ;.
LIM indicator lamp :in the cruise control
lever lights up. Variable SPEEDTRONIC is
selected.
Storing the current speed X
Briefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;.
The current speed is stored and shown in the
multifunction display.
The segments in the multifunction display
light up from the start of the scale up to the
stored speed.
You can use the cruise control lever to limit the
speed to any speed above 30 km/h while the
engine is running. 166
Driving systemsDriving and parking