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 248).
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. Driving
133Driving and parking Z
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
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
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
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
X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in the
ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
If the transmission is in position Ror N: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first
point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first point of resistance. Transmission positions
B Park position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling away when stopped. Only shift the
transmission into position Pwhen
the vehicle is stationary
(Y page 152).
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 driving
at very low speed and the trans-
mission is in position Dor R C Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission into posi- tion Rwhen the vehicle is stationary. A Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you to
move the vehicle freely, e.g. to push
it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty: shift
the transmission only to position Nif
the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
e.g. on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position Ror D, the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
! Rolling in neutral
Ncan lead to
damage to the transmission. 7 Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available. Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position
D. Gearshifting is determined
by:
R the selected drive program (Y page 143)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
(Y page 142)
R the driving speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts 142
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking
G
WARNING
Electrostatic charge can cause sparks and
thereby ignite fuel vapours. There is a risk of
fire and explosion.
Always touch the vehicle body before opening the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. This discharges any electrostatic
charge that may have built up. G
WARNING
Vehicles with a diesel engine:
If you mix diesel fuel with petrol, the flash
point of this fuel mixture is lower than that of pure diesel fuel. When the engine is running,
components in the exhaust system may over-
heat unnoticed. There is a risk of fire.
Never refuel with petrol. Never add petrol to
diesel fuel.
! Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
petrol engine. Do not switch on the ignition if you accidentally refuel with the wrong fuel.
Otherwise, the fuel will enter the fuel system.
Even small amounts of the wrong fuel can
result in damage to the fuel system and the
engine. Notify a qualified specialist workshop
and have the fuel tank and fuel lines drained
completely.
! Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Do not switch on the ignition if you accidentally refuel with the wrong fuel.
Otherwise, fuel can enter the fuel system.
Even small amounts of the wrong fuel could
result in damage to the fuel system and the
engine. The repair costs are high. Notify a
qualified specialist workshop and have the
fuel tank and fuel lines drained completely.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
! Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
! Use a filter when adding fuel from a fuel can.
The fuel lines and/or the fuel injection system could otherwise be blocked by particles fromthe fuel can. Do not get into the vehicle again during the refu-
elling process. Otherwise, electrostatic charge
could build up again.
If you overfill the fuel tank, some fuel may spray out when you remove the fuel pump nozzle.
Further information on fuel and fuel quality
(Y page 330). Refuelling
General notes Observe the important safety notes
(Y
page 147).
The fuel filler flap is unlocked or locked auto-
matically when you unlock or lock the vehicle
with the key or using KEYLESS-GO.
The position of the 8fuel filler cap is dis-
played in the instrument cluster. The arrow next to the filling pump indicates the side of the vehi-
cle.
Opening the fuel filler flap :
To open the fuel filler flap
; To insert the fuel filler cap
= Tyre pressure table
? Instruction label on the fuel type to be refu-
elled
X Switch off the engine.
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
or, on vehicles with KEYLESS‑ GO:
X Open the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status 0.
This is the same as the key having been
removed.
X Remove the Start/Stop button from the igni-
tion lock (Y page 132).148
RefuellingDriving and parking
Problems with the fuel and fuel tank
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle.
G
WARNING
The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
There is a risk of fire or explosion. X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the engine.
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
or, on vehicles with KEYLESS‑GO: X Open the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status 0. This is the same as the
key having been removed.
X Do not restart the engine under any circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. The fuel tank of a vehicle with a diesel engine has been run completely
dry.
X Refuel the vehicle with at least 5 litres of diesel.
X Turn the ignition on for approximately ten seconds (Y page 132).
X Start the engine continuously for a maximum of ten seconds until it
runs smoothly.
If the engine does not start: X Turn the ignition on again for a maximum of ten seconds
(Y page 132).
X Start the engine again continuously for a maximum of ten seconds
until it runs smoothly.
If the engine does not start after three attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The fuel filler flap cannot
be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
X Unlock the vehicle (Y page 74). The key battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
X Unlock the vehicle using the emergency key element (Y page 76).The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jammed.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rial can come into contact with hot vehicle
components. In particular, do not park on dry grassland or harvested grain fields. 150
ParkingDriving and parking