The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of anaccident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parkingbrake.
iBear in mind that the power transmission
between the engine and the transmission is interrupted when the engine is switched
off. For this reason, shift the automatic
transmission to Pwhen the engine is
switched off and the vehicle is at a stand-
still. Apply the parking brake to prevent the vehicle from rolling away.
Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions
!If the engine speed is too high or if the
vehicle is rolling, do not shift the transmis-
sion directly from Dto R, from Rto Dor
directly to P.
Do not open the driver's door while the
vehicle is in motion. At low speeds in trans-
mission position Dor R, park position Pis
otherwise engaged automatically.
The transmission could be damaged.
Selector lever j
Park position
kReverse gear
iNeutral
hDrive In the Digital Operator's Manual you will find
information on the following topics: R
Engaging park position P
R Engaging reverse gear R
R Engaging neutral N
R Neutral Nin the ECO start/stop function
(AMG vehicles)
R Shifting to transmission position D
R Transmission position Din the ECO start/
stop function (AMG vehicles)
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. Select transmission position D.
Do not restrict the shift range.
:Transmission position
;Drive program
Current transmission position :and current
drive program ;appear in the multifunction
display.
The current position of the selector lever is
shown by the indicators next to the selectorlever.
The indicators light up when the SmartKey is inserted into the ignition lock. The indicators go out when the SmartKey is removed from
the ignition lock.
When the selector lever is in position D, you
can influence the gearshifts made by the
automatic transmission by:
R restricting the shift range
R changing gear yourself
106Automatic transmission
Driving and parking
Information in the Digital Operator's
Manual
In the Digital Operator's Manual you will find
information on the following topics: RTransmission position and drive program
display
R Transmission positions
R Changing gear
R Driving tips
R Program selector button
R Steering wheel paddle shifters
R Automatic drive program
R Manual drive program
R Shift ranges
R Problems with the transmission
Manual drive program
General information
The manual drive program is only available on AMG vehicles . In manual drive program M,
you can permanently change gear yourself by
using the steering wheel paddle shifters. The
transmission must be in position D. The gear
currently selected and engaged is shown in
the multifunction display.
Manual drive program Mdiffers from drive
programs Eand Swith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
Switching on the manual drive program
X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Press the program selector button repeat-
edly until Mappears in the multifunction
display, see Digital Operator's Manual.
Upshifting
!In manual drive program M, the automatic
transmission does not shift up automati-
cally even when the engine limiting speed
for the current gear is reached. When the engine limiting speed is reached, the fuel
supply is cut to prevent the engine from
overrevving. Always make sure that the
engine speed does not reach the red area of
the tachometer. There is otherwise a risk of
engine damage.
X If relevant gearshift recommendation :
appears in the multifunction display on the instrument cluster, pull on the right-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter (see the Dig-
ital Operator's Manual).
The automatic transmission shifts to rec-
ommended gear ;.
Information in the Digital Operator's
Manual
In the Digital Operator's Manual you will find
information on the following topics:
R Downshifting
R Selecting the optimal gear for maximum
acceleration
R Kickdown
R Switching off the manual drive program
Refueling
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before
refueling.
Refueling107
Driving and pa rking
Z
Problems with the fuel and fuel tank
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle.The fuel line or the fuel tank is defective.
GWARNING
Risk of explosion or fire.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0(Y page 103) immediately and
remove it.
X Do not restart the engine under any circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
The fuel filler flap can-
not be opened.The fuel filler flap is not unlocked. or
The SmartKey batteries are discharged. X Unlock the vehicle ( Ypage 72).
or
X Unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key ( Ypage 73).
X Open the rear door.
X Manually unlock the fuel filler flap using the emergency release (Y page 109).
The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam- med.
X Manually unlock the fuel filler flap using the emergency release(Y page 109).
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Parking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
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
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
GWARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact withhot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi- cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grainfields.
110Parking
Driving and parking
GWARNING
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.
Switching off the engine
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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 parkingbrake.
Information in the Digital Operator'sManual
A description of how to switch off the engine
can be found in the Digital Operator's Manual.
Parking brake
GWARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. There is anincreased danger of skidding and accidents.
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.
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
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
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
iWhen you apply parking brake ;to brake
the vehicle, the brake lamps do not light up.
X To apply: pull parking brake ;up firmly.
Parking brake ;is applied.
When the ignition is switched on or the
engine is running, the F(USA only) or
J (Canada only) indicator lamp is lit in
the instrument cluster.
Parking111
Driving and parking
Z
Do not place your foot under the brake pedal.Keep the area under the brake pedal free from
obstructions.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise
control cannot take account of road, weather and traffic conditions. Cruise control is only
an aid. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed and for braking in good time. Adjust your driving style to the traffic conditions. Only engage cruise
control when the current road, weather and
traffic conditions permit it to be done safely.
Drive carefully and maintain a suitable dis-
tance to the vehicle in front.
Do not use cruise control: R in traffic conditions that do not allow you to
drive at a constant speed, e.g. heavy traffic,
on winding roads or off-road
R on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could 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
General notes
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. On long and steep downhill
gradients, especially if the vehicle is laden,
you must select shift range 1,2 or 3in good
time. 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 make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
iCruise control should not be activated
when driving off-road.
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
ATo switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
BTo deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever.
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display
for five seconds.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec- ted:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control is
selected.
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected.
Activation conditions
To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
R the parking brake must be released.
R you are driving faster than 20 mph
(30 km/h).
R ESP ®
must be active, but not intervening.
R the transmission must be in position D.
Driving systems113
Driving an d parking
Z
Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards B.
or X Brake.
or X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM
indicator lamp ;in the cruise control lever
lights up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if: R you apply the parking brake
R you are driving at less than 20 mph
(30 km/ h)
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R you shift the transmission to position N
while driving
iThe last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine.
SPEEDTRONIC
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, SPEED-
TRONIC can neither reduce the risk of acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. SPEED- TRONIC cannot take account of road, weather
and 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.
Only engage SPEEDTRONIC when the current road, weather and traffic conditions permit it
to be done safely. Drive carefully and main-
tain a suitable distance to the vehicle in front.
General notes
SPEEDTRONIC brakes automatically so that
you do not exceed the set speed. On long andsteep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must
select shift range 1,2 or 3in good time. By
doing so, you will make use of the braking
effect of the engine, which relieves the load
on the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly. If
you need additional braking, depress the
brake pedal repeatedly rather than continu-
ously.
iThe speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed
stored.
Cruise control lever
:To store the current speed or a higher
speed
;LIM indicator lamp
=To call up the last speed stored
?To store the current speed or a lower
speed
Driving systems115
Driving an d parking
Z
iCanada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful inter- ference, and
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties, and is not
permitted. Do not tamper with, alter, or use
in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
Information in the Digital Operator's
Manual
In the Digital Operator's Manual you will find
information on the following topics: R Setting a speed
R Setting the specified minimum distance
R DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the instru-
ment cluster
Cruise control lever
:To activate or increase speed
;To set the specified minimum distance
=LIM indicator lamp
?To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
ATo activate or reduce speed
BTo switch between DISTRONIC PLUS and
variable SPEEDTRONIC
CTo deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
DISTRONIC PLUS and variable SPEED-
TRONIC. X To switch between variable SPEED-
TRONIC and DISTRONIC PLUS: press the
cruise control lever in the direction of arrow B .
LIM indicator lamp =on the cruise control
lever indicates which function you have selec-
ted:
R LIM indicator lamp =
off:DISTRONIC
PLUS is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp =
on:variable
SPEEDTRONIC is selected.
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS
Activation conditions
In order to activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the fol- lowing conditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine must be started. It may take up
to two minutes after pulling away before
DISTRONIC PLUS is operational.
R the parking brake must be released.
R the differential lock must be disengaged.
R ESP ®
must be active, but not intervening.
R the transmission must be in position D.
R the driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door and rear doors
must be closed.
R the vehicle must not skid.
R the DISTRONIC PLUS function must be
selected ( Ypage 119).
R the transfer case must be in the HIGH
RANGE transmission position.
Driving systems119
Driving and pa rking
Z
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there
is a malfunction, the transmission may also
automatically be shifted into positionP.
Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS
There are several ways to deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-wards :.
or
X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary
or X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow =.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM
indicator lamp ;in the cruise control lever
lights up.
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, you
will see the
DISTRONICPLUSOffmessage in
the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds.
iThe last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if:
R you engage the parking brake
R you are driving slower than 15 mph
(25 km/h) and there is no vehicle in front,
or if the vehicle in front is no longer detec-
ted
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R the transmission is in the P,R or Nposition R
you pull the cruise control lever towards
you in order to pull away and the front-
passenger door or one of the rear doors isopen
R the vehicle has skidded
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS Offmessage in the multi-
function display for approximately five sec- onds.
In the Assistance menu ( Ypage 147) of the
on-board computer, you can select the dis-
tance display.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes
The following contains descriptions of certain
road and traffic conditions in which you must be particularly attentive. In such situations,
brake if necessary. DISTRONIC PLUS is thendeactivated.
Cornering, going into and coming out of a
bend
The ability of DISTRONIC PLUS to detect vehi- cles when cornering is limited. Your vehicle
may brake unexpectedly or late.
122Driving systems
Driving and parking