Page 137 of 345

General notes
i
Vehicles with a petrol engine:
the cata-
lytic converter is preheated for up 30 seconds
after a cold start. The sound of the engine may change during this time.
Manual transmission X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Fully depress the clutch pedal.
X Shift to neutral N.
Automatic transmission X
Shift the transmission to position P.
The transmission position indicator in the
multifunction display shows P.
i You can start the engine in transmission
position Pand N.
Starting procedure with the key i
To start the engine using the key instead of
KEYLESS-GO, pull the Start/Stop button out
of the ignition lock.
X Vehicles with diesel engine: turn the key to
position 2in the ignition lock (Y page 132).
The % preglow indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
X Turn the key to position 3in the ignition lock
and release it as soon as the engine is running (Y page 132).
i Vehicles with a diesel engine:
you can
start the engine without preglow if the engine
is warm.
Using KEYLESS-GO to start the engine i
The Start/Stop button can be used to start
the vehicle manually without inserting the key into the ignition lock. The key must be in the
vehicle and the Start/Stop button must be
inserted in the ignition lock. This mode for
starting the engine operates independently of the ECO start/stop automatic engine start
function. X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Press the Start/Stop button once
(Y page 132).
Vehicles with a petrol engine: the engine
starts.
Vehicles with a diesel engine: preglow is
activated and the engine starts. Pulling away
General notes G
WARNING
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
If the engine speed is above the engine idling speed and you then engage transmission
position Dor R, the vehicle may accelerate
suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always keep the brake pedal firmly depressed
and do not depress the accelerator pedal at
the same time.
! Vehicles with manual transmission:
change gear in good time and avoid spinning
the wheels. You could otherwise damage the
vehicle.
! If a warning tone sounds and the
Release Release
park. brake
park. brake message appears in the multi-
function display, the parking brake is still
applied. Release the parking brake.
Depress the accelerator carefully when pulling
away.
The vehicle locks centrally once you have pulled
away. The locking knobs in the doors drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at any
time.
You can also deactivate the automatic locking
feature (Y page 218).
Vehicles with automatic transmission: it is
only possible to shift the transmission from posi-
tion Pto the desired position if you depress the
brake pedal. If you do not depress the brake
pedal, the DIRECT SELECT lever can still be
moved but the parking lock remains engaged.
i Vehicles with automatic transmission:
upshifts take place at higher engine speeds 134
DrivingDriving and parking
Page 138 of 345

after a cold start. This helps the catalytic con-
verter to reach its operating temperature
more quickly.
Hill start assist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away for-
wards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It holds the vehicle for a short time after you have
removed your foot from the brake pedal. This
gives you enough time to move your foot from
the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and
depress it before the vehicle begins to roll. G
WARNING
After a while, hill start assist no longer holds
the vehicle and it may roll away. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist is not active if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient
R on vehicles with automatic transmission, the
transmission is in position N
R the parking brake is applied
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning ECO start/stop function
Introduction The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is stopped
under certain conditions.
When pulling away again, the engine starts auto-
matically. The ECO start/stop function thereby
helps you to reduce the fuel consumption and
emissions of your vehicle.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving. There is a risk of accident and injury. If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away.
General notes :
ECO start/stop display
The ECO start/stop function is activated when-
ever you start the engine using the key or the
Start/Stop button.
If the ¤ symbol is shown in green in the mul-
tifunction display, the ECO start/stop function
switches the engine off automatically if the vehi- cle stops moving.
If the ECO start/stop function has been man-
ually deactivated (Y page 136) or a malfunction
has caused the system to be deactivated, the
¤ symbol is not displayed.
Automatic engine switch-off General notes
The ECO start/stop function is operational and
the ¤ symbol is displayed in green in the
multifunction display, if:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green
R the outside temperature is within the range
that is suitable for the system
R the engine is at normal operating temperature
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached
R the battery is sufficiently charged
R the system detects that the windscreen is not
misted up when the air-conditioning system is switched on
R the bonnet is closed
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened
If the conditions for automatic engine switch-off
are not all fulfilled, the ¤symbol is shown in
yellow. Driving
135Driving and parking Z
Page 139 of 345

i
All of the vehicle's systems remain active
when the engine is switched off automati-
cally.
i The engine can be switched off automati-
cally a maximum of four times (initial stop,
then three subsequent stops) in succession.
The ¤ symbol is shown in yellow in the
multifunction display after the engine has
been started automatically for the fourth
time. When the ¤symbol is shown in
green in the multifunction display, automatic
engine switch-off is again possible.
Vehicles with manual transmission The ECO start/stop function switches off the
engine automatically at low speeds.
X Brake the vehicle.
X Shift to neutral N(follow gearshift instruc-
tion :to engage neutral N, if necessary).
X Release the clutch pedal.
The engine is switched off automatically.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill with the
transmission in Dor N, the ECO start/stop func-
tion switches off the engine automatically.
i The HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off automatically. It
is then not necessary to continue applying the brakes during the automatic stop phase.
When you depress the accelerator pedal, the
engine starts automatically and the braking
effect of the HOLD function is deactivated.
Automatic engine start General notes
The engine is started automatically if:
R you switch off the ECO start/stop function by
pressing the ECO button
R you engage reverse gear R
R you unfasten your seat belt or open the driv-
er's door R
the vehicle starts to roll
R the brake system requires this
R the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range
R the system detects moisture on the wind-
screen when the air-conditioning system is
switched on
R the battery's charge status is too low
Vehicles with manual transmission
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
The engine is started automatically if you:
R depress the clutch pedal fully
R depress the accelerator pedal
Vehicles with automatic transmission The engine is started automatically if you:
R release the brake pedal in transmission posi-
tion Dor Nwhen the HOLD function is not
active
R depress the accelerator pedal
R move the transmission out of position P
i Shifting the transmission to position
Pdoes
not start the engine.
i If you shift the transmission from
Rto D, the
ECO start/stop function is available again
once the ¤symbol reappears in green in
the multifunction display.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function 136
DrivingDriving an
d parking
Page 140 of 345
X
To deactivate: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;and the ¤symbol in the
multifunction display go out.
X To activate: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. If all conditions
for automatic engine switch-off (Y page 135)
are fulfilled, the ¤ECO symbol is shown in
green in the multifunction display.
If the conditions for automatic engine switch-
off (Y page 135)are not all fulfilled, the ¤
symbol is shown in yellow in the multifunction display. If this is the case, the ECO start/stop
function is not available.
If indicator lamp ;is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been deactivated manually or as
the result of a malfunction. The engine will then
not be switched off automatically when the vehi-
cle stops. Driving
137Driving an d parking Z
Page 141 of 345

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 170) or DISTRONIC PLUS
(Y page 167).
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 133). 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 305).
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. 138
DrivingDriving and parking
Page 142 of 345

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The coolant temperature
display is showing more
than 120 †. The coolant warning lamp may also
be on and a warning tone
may sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine is no
longer being cooled sufficiently.
X Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 286). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty. The
coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X If the coolant temperature is below 120 †, you can continue driving
to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in moun-
tainous terrain and stop-start traffic. Manual transmission
Gear lever
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
! When shifting between
5thand 6thgear,
you should always push the gear lever all the way to the right. Otherwise, you could shift
unintentionally into 3rdor4th gear and dam-
age the transmission.
If you shift down at too high a speed (trans-
mission braking), this can cause the engine to
overrev, leading to engine damage.
Do not use the clutch bite point to keep the
vehicle stationary on uphill gradients. There is otherwise a risk of damaging the clutch.
! On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must shift into gear 1, 2or3in good time.
This uses the engine's braking effect. This
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly. k
Reverse gear
1 -6
Forward gears Engaging reverse gear
! Only shift into reverse gear
Rwhen the vehi-
cle is stationary. Otherwise, you could dam-
age the transmission.
X Move the gear lever firmly to the left, beyond
the point of resistance, then forwards.
The ECO start/stop function is not available
when reverse gear is engaged. For further infor-
mation on the ECO start/stop function; see
(Y page 135). Manual transmission
139Driving and parking Z
Page 143 of 345

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 140).
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 140
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking
Page 144 of 345

Engaging park position P
!
If the engine speed is too high, do not shift
the automatic transmission directly from Dto
R, from Rto Dor directly to P. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission could be damaged.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direction
of arrow P.
Transmission position display Pis shown in
the multifunction display.
Depressing the brake and pushing the DIRECT
SELECT lever up or down disengages the park-
ing lock. The transmission is in neutral N.
In order to shift from park position Pdirectly into
R or D:
R depress the brake pedal and
R push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
past the first point of resistance
Engaging park position P automatically Park position
Pis automatically engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the key and
remove the key
R you switch off the engine using the key or
using the Start/Stop button and open the
driver's door or front-passenger door
R you open the driver's door when the vehicle is
stationary or when driving at a very low speed
and the transmission is in position Dor R
Under certain conditions, the automatic trans-
mission shifts automatically to transmission
position Pif the HOLD function or DISTRONIC
PLUS is activated. Observe the information on
the HOLD function (Y page 171) and on
DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 165).
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary.
X If the transmission is in position Dor N: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the first
point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever up past the first point of resistance.
The ECO start/stop function is not available
when reverse gear is engaged. Further informa-
tion on the ECO start/stop function
(Y page 135). Shifting to neutral N G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they can:
R open doors and endanger other persons or
road users
R climb out and be injured by the traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and, for exam-
ple, trap themselves.
Children could also set the vehicle in motion, for example by:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R starting 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 unattended in the vehicle. Always
keep the key out of reach of children.
X If the transmission is in position Dor R: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the
first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever up or down to the first point of resist-
ance.
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position Ror D, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to Nautomatically.
With the key: if you then open the driver's door
or the front-passenger door or remove the key
from the ignition, the automatic transmission
shifts to Pautomatically.
With KEYLESS-GO: if you then open the driver's
or front-passenger door, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to P.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the vehicle
cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing system:
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X All vehicles: switch the ignition on. Automatic transmission
141Driving and parking Z