
Adaptive brake lights
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 30 mph (50 km/h) or if braking is assis- ted by BAS, the brake lamps flash rapidly. In
this way, traffic traveling behind you is
warned in an even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 45 mph (70 km/h)to a standstill, the
hazard warning lamps are activated automat-
ically. If the brakes are applied again, the
brake lamps light up continuously. The hazard
warning lamps are deactivated automatically if you drive faster than 6 mph (10 km/h). You
can also switch off the hazard warning lamps using the hazard warning button
(Y page 104). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61). G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further driv- ing safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! Only operate the vehicle for a maximum of
ten seconds on a brake test dynamometer.
Switch off the ignition.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a two-axle dyna-
mometer. Before you operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
qualified workshop. You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system. ESP
®
monitors driving stability and traction.
Traction is the power transmission between
the tires and the road surface.
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and the åwarn-
ing lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 239) and any display messages that
appear in the instrument cluster
(Y page 213).
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. If necessary, the engine output is also modified to keep the vehicle on the desired
course within physical limits. ESP ®
assists
the driver when pulling away on wet or slip-
pery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize the vehi-
cle during braking.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷warning lamp
flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
i If differential locks are switched on, ABS,
BAS and ESP ®
switch themselves off auto-
matically.
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP
®
. Driving safety systems
63Safety Z

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip- ment of your vehicle available at the time of
publication of the Operator's Manual.
Country-specific differences are possible.
Please note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all features described. This
also applies to safety-related systems and
functions.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 24). SmartKey
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle. G
WARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey could be uninten-
tionally turned in the ignition lock. This could
cause the engine to be switched off. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings before
inserting the SmartKey into the ignition lock. G
WARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey could be uninten-
tionally turned in the ignition lock. This could
cause the engine to be switched off. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings before
inserting the SmartKey into the ignition lock. SmartKey functions
G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, 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
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children. :
& To lock the vehicle
; % To unlock the vehicle
X To unlock centrally: press the%but-
ton.
If you do not open the vehicle within
approximately 40 seconds of unlocking:
R the vehicle is locked again.
R anti-theft protection is reactivated
X To lock centrally: press the&button. 68
SmartKeyOpening and closing

Doors
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, and do not give them access to an unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. They could:
R injure themselves on vehicle parts
R be seriously or fatally injured by extreme
heat or cold
R injure themselves or have an accident with
vehicle equipment that may still be in oper-
ation even after the SmartKey has been
removed from the ignition, such as the seat
adjustment, steering wheel adjustment or
memory function.
If children open a door, they could cause
severe or even fatal injury to other persons; if they get out of the vehicle, they could injure
themselves when doing so or be seriously or
even fatally injured by any passing traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and a child could be burned on these
parts. G
WARNING
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment or cargo compart-
ment unless they are firmly secured in place.
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child's risk of injury in the event of
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, 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
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children. Unlocking and opening doors from
the inside
If the vehicle has previously been locked with the SmartKey, opening a door from the inside
will trigger the anti-theft alarm system.
Switch off the alarm (Y page 66).
Only open the door when the traffic situation
permits. Doors
73Opening and closing Z

X
Front doors: pull door handle ;.
If the door is locked, locking knob :pops
up. The door is unlocked and can be
opened.
X Rear compartment doors: pull handle:
up.
The door is unlocked.
X Pull door handle ;. Centrally locking and unlocking the
vehicle from the inside G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, 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
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
You can centrally lock or unlock the vehicle
from the inside.
The central locking button does not lock or
unlock the fuel filler flap. X
To unlock: press button :.
X To lock: press button ;.
The vehicle locks when all the doors and
the tailgate are closed.
You can open a front door from inside the
vehicle even if it has been locked. Only open
the door when the traffic situation permits.
If the vehicle has been locked with the central
locking button:
R and the SmartKey is restored to the factory
settings, the entire vehicle is unlocked if a
front door is opened from inside the vehi-
cle.
R and the SmartKey is set to an individual
setting, only the front door that is opened
from inside the vehicle is unlocked.
If the vehicle has been locked centrally with
the SmartKey, it does not unlock if you use
the central locking button.
i You cannot unlock the vehicle centrally
from the inside if the vehicle has been
locked from the outside using the Smart-
Key.
i It is only possible to lock the vehicle cen-
trally if all doors are closed. 74
DoorsOpening and closing

Folding the exterior mirrors in/out
automatically If the "Fold in mirrors when locking" function
is activated in the on-board computer
(Y page 209):
R the exterior mirrors fold in automatically as
soon as you lock the vehicle from the out-
side.
R the exterior mirrors fold out again automat-
ically as soon as you unlock the vehicle and
then open the driver's or front-passenger
door.
Exterior mirror pushed out of position X
Press button :repeatedly until you hear
the mirror engage in position.
The mirror housing is engaged again and
you can adjust the exterior mirrors as usual
(Y page 93). Automatic anti-glare mirrors
The rear-view mirror and the exterior mirror
on the driver's side automatically go into anti- glare mode if:
R the ignition is switched on and
R incident light from headlamps strikes the
sensor in the rear-view mirror
i The mirrors do not go into anti-glare mode
if reverse gear is engaged or if the interior
lighting is switched on. Parking position for the exterior mir-
ror on the front-passenger side
Setting/storing the parking position Using reverse gear
:
Left-hand exterior mirror
; Right-hand exterior mirror
= Adjustment button
? Memory button
You can position the front-passenger side
exterior mirror in such a way that you can see
the rear wheel on that side as soon as you
engage reverse gear. You can store this posi- tion.
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
that the SmartKey is in position 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 133).
X Press button ;for the exterior mirror on
the front-passenger side.
X Engage reverse gear.
The exterior mirror on the front-passenger
side moves to the preset parking position.
X Use adjustment button =to adjust the
exterior mirror to a position that allows you to see the rear wheel and the curb.
The parking position is stored.
i If you shift the transmission to another
position, the exterior mirror on the front-
passenger side returns to the driving posi-
tion. 94
MirrorsSeats, steering wheel and
mirrors

Windshield wipers
Switching the windshield wipers
on/off
! Do not operate the windshield wipers
when the windshield is dry, as this could
damage the wiper blades. Moreover, dust
that has collected on the windshield/rear
window can scratch the glass if wiping
takes place when the windshield/rear win- dow is dry.
If it is necessary to switch on the windshield
wipers in dry weather conditions, always
use washer fluid when operating the wind-
shield wipers.
! If the windshield wipers leave smears on
the windshield/rear window after the vehi- cle has been washed in an automatic car
wash, this may be due to wax or other res-
idue. Clean the windshield/rear window
with washer fluid after an automatic car
wash.
! Intermittent wiping with rain sensor: due
to optical influences and the windshield
becoming dirty in dry weather conditions,
the windshield wipers may be activated
inadvertently. This could then damage the
windshield wiper blades or scratch the
windshield.
For this reason, you should always switch
off the windshield wipers in dry weather.
If the wiper blades are worn, the windshield
will no longer be wiped properly. This could
prevent you from observing the traffic condi-
tions, thereby causing an accident. Combination switch
1
$ Windshield wipers off
2 Ä Intermittent wipe, low (rain sensor
set to low sensitivity)
3 Å Intermittent wipe, high (rain sensor
set to high sensitivity)
4 ° Continuous wipe, slow
5 ¯ Continuous wipe, fast
B í Single wipe
C î To wipe with washer fluid
X Switch on the ignition.
X Turn the combination switch to the corre-
sponding position.
Intermittent wiping is interrupted if you stop
the vehicle and open a front door. This pro-
tects people getting into and out of the vehi-
cle from being sprayed with water.
Intermittent wiping continues when all doors
are closed and:
R you shift the automatic transmission to
drive position Dor reverse gear R
or
R you change the wipe setting on the combi-
nation switch.
In the ÄorÅ position, the appropriate
wiping frequency is set automatically accord-
ing to the intensity of the rain. In the Å
position, the rain sensor is more sensitive
than in the Äposition, causing the wind-
shield wipers to wipe more frequently. 114
Windshield wipersLights and windshield wipers

Useful information
............................132
Notes on breaking-in a new vehicle ............................................................. 132
Driving ............................................... 132
Automatic transmission ...................139
Refueling ............................................ 147
Parking ............................................... 150
Driving tips ........................................ 152
Driving systems ................................ 162
Off-road driving systems ..................186
Towing a trailer ................................. 191 131Driving and parking

the driver's footwell. Install the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficient clearance for the pedals. Do not use loose floormats and do not place floormats ontop of one another. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals. 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. G
WARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
R overheat and cause a fire
R lose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to
the desired drive position when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train. !
Avoid high engine speeds when the
engine is cold. The engine's service life
could otherwise be significantly shortened.
Do not use the engine's full performance
until it has reached operating temperature.
! AMG vehicles:
at low engine oil temper-
atures below 68 ‡ (+20 †), the maximum
engine speed is restricted in order to pro-
tect the engine. To protect the engine and
maintain smooth engine operation, avoid
driving at full throttle when the engine is
cold. Key positions
g
To remove the SmartKey
1 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers
2 Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
3 To start the engine
As soon as the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light up. If an indicator lamp does not go out after
starting the engine or lights up while driving,
see (Y page 236).
If the SmartKey is in position 0in the ignition
lock for an extended period of time, it can no
longer be turned in the ignition lock. The
steering is then locked. To unlock, remove the SmartKey and reinsert it into the ignition lock.
The steering is locked when you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Driving
133Driving an d parking Z