
Central locking/unlocking
(SmartKey) ......................................
.76
Control panel .................................. .39
Display message ............................ 250
Emergency locking ........................... 83
Emergency unlocking ....................... 83
Important safety note s.................... 81
Opening (from inside) ...................... 81
Drinking and driving ......................... 163
Drive program Automatic ...................................... 153
Display ........................................... 150
Display (DIRECT SELECT lever) ...... 149
Manual ........................................... 154
SETUP (on-board computer) .......... 219
Driver's door
see Doors
Driver's seat
see Seats
Driving abroad
Mercedes-Benz Service ................. 297
Symmetrical low beam .................. 110
Driving in mountainous terrain
Approach/departure angle ............ 170
Driving off-road
see Off-road driving
Driving on flooded roads .................. 167
Driving safety systems ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) ....... 65
ADAPTIVE BRAK E............................. 72
Adaptive Brake Assist ...................... 67
BAS (Brake Assist System) .............. 65
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS ................................................ 66
Distance warning function ............... 66
EBD (electronic brake force distri- bution) ............................................. 72
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Pro-
gram) ............................................... 68
Important safety information ........... 64
Overview .......................................... 64
STEER CONTROL ............................. 72
Driving systems
Active Parking Assist ..................... 189
ATTENTION ASSIST ........................ 197
Blind Spot Assist ............................ 198
Cruise control ................................ 172 Display message ............................ 241
DISTRONIC PLUS ........................... 174
HOLD function ............................... 181
Lane Keeping Assist ...................... 200
Lane Tracking package .................. 198
PARKTRONIC ................................. 186
RACE START (AMG vehicles) .......... 183
Rear view camera .......................... 194
Driving tips
Automatic transmission ................. 151
Brakes ........................................... 164
Break-in period .............................. 142
Checking brake lining thickness .... 166
DISTRONIC PLUS ........................... 180
Downhill gradient ........................... 164
Drinking and driving ....................... 163
Driving abroad ............................... 110
Driving in winter ............................. 167
Driving on flooded roads ................ 167
Driving on sand .............................. 170
Driving on wet roads ...................... 167
Exhaust check ............................... 163
Fuel ................................................ 163
General .......................................... 162
Hydroplaning ................................. 167
Icy road surfaces ........................... 167
Limited braking efficiency on sal-
ted roads ....................................... 165
Off-road driving .............................. 168
Snow chains .................................. 327
Symmetrical low beam .................. 110
Tire ruts ......................................... 170
Traveling uphill ............................... 170
Wet road surface ........................... 165
DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
Display message ............................ 241
Function/note s............................. 184
DVD video (on-board computer) ...... 211 E
EASY-VARIO-PLUS system Cargo compartment enlargement .. 270
EBD (electronic brake force distri-
bution)
Display message ............................ 224
Function/note s................................ 72 Index
9

Mirrors
see Exterior mirrors
see Rear-view mirror
see Vanity mirror (in the sun visor)
Mobile phone
Menu (on-board computer) ............ 211
see Telephone
Model type
see Vehicle identification plate
Modifying the programming
(SmartKey) ........................................... 77
MOExtended tires .............................. 307
Mounting wheels Lowering the vehicle ...................... 351
Mounting a new wheel ................... 351
Preparing the vehicle .................... .348
Raising the vehicle ......................... 349
Removing a wheel .......................... 351
Securing the vehicle against roll-
ing away ........................................ 349
MP3
Operation ....................................... 211
see separate operating instructions
Multifunction display
Function/notes ............................ .206
Permanent display ......................... 216
Multifunction steering wheel
Operating the on-board computer .. 205
Overview .......................................... 35 N
Navigation Menu (on-board computer) ............ 209
see separate operating instructions
Notes on breaking-in a new vehi-
cle ....................................................... 142 O
Occupant Classification System
(OCS) Conditions ....................................... 51
Faults ............................................... 55 Operation ......................................... 51
System self-test ............................... 53
Occupant safety
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................. 58
Children in the vehicle ..................... 58
Important safety notes .................... 43
Pets in the vehicle ........................... 64
OCS
Conditions ....................................... 51
Faults ............................................... 55
Operation ......................................... 51
System self-test ............................... 53
Off-road driving
Approach/departure angle ............ 369
Checklist after driving off-road ...... 170
Checklist before driving off-road .... 169
General information ....................... 169
Important safety notes .................. 168
Maximum gradient climbing abil-
ity ................................................. .369
Maximum water depth ................... 369
Traveling uphill ............................... 170
Off-road program ............................... 186
Off-road system DSR ............................................... 184
Off-road 4ETS .................................. 69
Off-road ABS ................................... .65
Off road drive program .................. 186
Off-road ESP ®
..................................72
Oil
see Engine oil
On-board computer
AMG menu .....................................2 18
Assistance menu ........................... 213
Audio menu ................................... 210
Convenience submenu .................. 218
Displaying a service message ....... .297
Display messages .......................... 221
DISTRONIC PLUS ........................... 179
Factory settings submenu ............. 218
Important safety notes .................. 204
Instrument cluster submenu .......... 215
Lighting submenu .......................... 216
Menu overview .............................. 207
Message memory .......................... 221
Navigation menu ............................ 209 14
Index

to failure of the mechanical assembly or sys-
tems. Adapt your driving style to suit the ter- rain conditions. Drive carefully. Have damage
to the vehicle rectified immediately at a quali- fied specialist workshop.
Do not switch to transmission position N
when driving off-road. If you try to brake the
vehicle using the service brake, you could
lose control of the vehicle. If the gradient is
too steep for your vehicle, drive back down in
reverse gear.
General notes H
Environmental note
Protection of the environment is of primary
importance. Treat nature with respect.
Observe all prohibiting signs.
Read this section carefully before driving your
vehicle off-road.
Off-road driving is only possible with the Off-
Road Engineering package (Y page 186).
The following driving systems are specially
adapted for driving over easily negotiable off-
road terrain:
R Off-road program (Y page 186)
R Off-road ABS (Y page 65)
R Off-road 4ETS (Y page 69)
R Off-road ESP ®
(Y page 72)
R DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation)
(Y page 184)
Observe the following notes:
R Stop the vehicle before starting to drive
along an off-road route. If necessary, acti-
vate the off-road program (Y page 186).
R To avoid damaging the vehicle, make sure
there is always sufficient ground clearance.
R Check that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(Y page 271).
R Always keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Acti-
vate DSR (Y page 184). R
Drive slowly and evenly, if necessary at a
walking pace.
R Ensure that the wheels are in contact with
the ground at all times.
R Drive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-
road routes where visibility is poor. For
safety reasons, get out of the vehicle first
and survey the off-road route.
R Check the depth of water before fording
rivers and streams.
R Watch out for obstacles.
R Take care when turning on an uphill or
downhill slope or when driving across a
slope. The vehicle could otherwise tip over.
R Always keep the side windows and the pan-
orama roof with power tilt/sliding panel
closed during the journey.
R Do not deviate from marked routes.
i Do not use the HOLD function when driv-
ing off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gra- dients or on slippery or loose surfaces. The
HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle on
such surfaces.
Checklist before driving off-road X
Engine oil level: check the engine oil level
and add oil if necessary.
When driving on steep gradients, the
engine oil level must be sufficiently high to
ensure a correct oil supply in the vehicle.
X Wheels and tires: check the tire tread
depth and tire pressure.
X Check for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the
wheels/tires.
X Replace any missing valve caps.
X Replace dented or damaged wheels.
X Rims: dented or bent rims can result in a
loss of tire pressure and damage the tire
bead. Therefore, check your rims before
driving off-road and replace them as
required. Driving
tips
169Driving an d parking Z

Checklist after driving off-road
!
If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
X Deactivate off-road program (Y page 186).
X Deactivate DSR (Y page 184).
X Clean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
X Clean the front and rear license plates.
X Clean the wheels/tires with a water jet and
remove any foreign objects.
X Clean the wheels, wheel housings and the
vehicle underside with a water jet; check
for any foreign objects and damage.
X Check whether twigs or other parts of
plants have become trapped. These
increase the risk of fire and can damage
fuel pipes, brake hoses or the rubber bel-
lows of the axle joints and propeller shafts.
X After the trip, examine without fail the
entire undercarriage, wheels, tires, brakes,
bodywork structure, steering, chassis and
exhaust system for damage.
X After driving in sand, mud, gravel, water or
similar dirty conditions, have the following
checked and cleaned:
R brake discs
R the wheels
R brake pads
R axle joints
X If you detect strong vibrations after off-road
travel, check for foreign objects in the
wheels and drive train and remove them if
necessary. Foreign objects can disturb the
balance and cause vibrations.
Driving over poor road surfaces places
greater demands on your vehicle than driving on normal roads. After driving off-road, checkthe vehicle. This allows you to detect damage
promptly and reduce the risk of an accident to
yourself and other road users. Driving on sand Observe the following rules when driving on
sand:
R Select the off-road program (Y page 186).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift to a lower gear appropriate
to the terrain.
R Drive quickly to overcome the rolling resist-
ance. Otherwise the vehicle's wheels could
become stuck in loose ground.
R Drive in the tracks of other vehicles if pos-
sible. Make sure that:
- the tire ruts are not too deep.
- the sand is sufficiently firm.
- the ground clearance of the vehicle is
sufficient.
Tire ruts and gravel roads !
Check that the ruts are not too deep and
that your vehicle has sufficient clearance.
Otherwise, your vehicle could be damaged
or bottom out and get stuck.
Observe the following rules when driving
along ruts in off-road terrain or on roads with loose gravel:
R Activate the off-road program
(Y page 186).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter.
R Drive slowly.
R Where ruts are too deep, drive with the
wheels of one side on the center grassy
area, if possible. Traveling uphill
Approach/departure angle G
WARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle 170
Driving tipsDriving and parking

could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle.
R Observe the warnings for off-road driving
(Y page 168).
R Follow the line of fall when driving on slopes
and steep inclines.
R Before driving on extreme uphill and down-
hill gradients, select the off-road program
(Y page 186).
R Drive slowly.
R Accelerate gently and make sure that the
wheels are gripping.
R Avoid high engine speeds, except when
driving on sandy and muddy routes with
high driving resistance.
R Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift to a lower gear appropriate
to the gradient.
R Use the left-hand paddle shifter to shift into
a lower gear in good time on long and steep
downhill gradients.
i Hill start assist will aid you when pulling
away on a hill.
For further information about hill start
assist, see (Y page 144).
Do not switch to transmission position N
when driving off-road. If you try to brake the
vehicle using the service brake, you could
lose control of the vehicle. If the gradient is
too steep for your vehicle, drive back down in reverse gear.
Always observe the approach/departure
angle values (Y page 369).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability Always observe the maximum gradient climb-
ing ability values (Y page 369). Hilltops When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immedi-
ately before reaching the brow of the hill.
Make use of the vehicle's own impetus to
travel over the brow.
This style of driving prevents:
R the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
R the vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill R
Drive slowly.
R Do not drive at an angle down steep
inclines. Steer into the line of fall and drive
with the front wheels aligned straight. Oth- erwise, the vehicle could slip sideways, tip
and rollover.
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
paddle shifter before tackling steep down-
hill gradients.
R Activate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the
vehicle is facing in the direction of the line
of fall.
R Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
i Off-road ABS is activated when the off-
road program is selected.
At speeds below 18 mph (30 km/h), the
front wheels lock cyclically during braking.
The digging-in effect achieved in the proc-
ess reduces the stopping distance on off-
road terrain. The steerability of the vehicle
is considerably reduced if the wheels lock. Driving tips
171Driving and parking Z

R
ESP ®
must be active, but not intervening.
R Active Parking Assist must not be activa-
ted.
R DSR must be deactivated.
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.
Activating
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0085or press it up 0043or down 0044.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
X Press the cruise control lever repeatedly
up 0043 or down 0044until the desired speed is
set.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC
DISTRONIC PLUS PLUSPassive
Passive mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
The set distance to a slower-moving vehicle in front will then not be maintained. You will
be driving at the speed you determine by
the position of the accelerator pedal.
You can also activate DISTRONIC PLUS when
stationary. The lowest speed that can be set is
18 mph (30 km/h).
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0085or press it up 0043or down 0044.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
Activating at the current speed/last
stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle acceler-
ates or decelerates. If you do not know the
stored speed, the vehicle could accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever
(Y page 175) towards you 0085.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. The first
time it is activated, the current speed is
stored. Otherwise, it sets the vehicle cruise
speed to the previously stored value.
Driving with DISTRONIC PLUS Pulling away and driving
i The vehicle can also pull away when it is
facing an unidentified obstacle or is driving
on a different line from another vehicle. The vehicle then brakes automatically. There is
a risk of an accident. Be ready to brake at all
times.
If you depress the brake, DISTRONIC PLUS is
deactivated unless your vehicle is stationary.
X If you want to pull away with DIS-
TRONIC PLUS: remove your foot from the
brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever
(Y page 175) towards you 0085.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
If no vehicle is detected in front, your vehi-
cle accelerates to the set speed.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in front has slowed down, it brakes your vehicle.
In this way, the distance you have selected is maintained. 176
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

There are several ways to deactivate DIS-
TRONIC PLUS:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards 0043.
or
X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, you
will see the DISTRONIC
DISTRONIC PLUS PLUSOff
Offmessage in
the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds.
i The last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine. DISTRONIC PLUS
is not deactivated if you depress the accel-
erator pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if: R you engage the electric parking brake or if
the vehicle is automatically secured with
the electric parking brake
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R the transmission is in the P,Ror 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 is
open
R the vehicle is skidding
R you activate DSR
R you activate Active Parking Assist
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the DIS‐
DIS‐
TRONIC TRONIC PLUS
PLUSOff
Offmessage in the multifunc-
tion display for approximately five seconds. DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the instru-
ment cluster Displays in the speedometer
Example: DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the speed-
ometer
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, one or
two segments 0044in the set speed range light
up.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front, segments 0044between speed of the vehicle in
front 0087and stored speed 0043light up.
i For design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from
the speed set for DISTRONIC PLUS.
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is deacti-
vated 0043
Vehicle in front, if detected
0044 Distance indicator, current distance to
the vehicle in front
0087 Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
0085 Own vehicle Driving systems
179Driving and parking Z

vated. SPORT handling mode remains activa-
ted.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if
you release the accelerator pedal during
RACE START or if any of the activation condi-
tions are no longer fulfilled. The RACE
RACE START START
Not Possible
Not Possible orRACE START Canceled
RACE START Canceled
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
i If RACE START is used repeatedly within a
short period of time, it is only available
again after the vehicle has been driven a
certain distance. 4MATIC
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle when-
ever a drive wheel spins due to insufficient
grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of accident nor
override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot
take account of road, weather and traffic con- ditions. 4MATIC 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 your lane.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R Accelerate less when driving.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground or be fully raised. Observe the instructions for
towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary. DSR
Important safety notes i
DSR (Downhill Speed Regulation) is only
available for vehicles with the Off-Road
Engineering package.
DSR is an aid to assist you when driving down-
hill. It keeps the speed of travel at the speed
selected on the on-board computer. The
steeper the downhill gradient, the greater the
DSR braking effect on the vehicle. When driv-
ing on flat stretches of road or on an uphill
gradient, the DSR braking effect is minimal or nonexistent.
DSR controls the vehicle’s speed when it is
activated and the transmission is in position
D, Ror N. You can drive at a higher or a lower
speed than that set on the on-board computer at any time by accelerating or braking.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, DSR can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor over-
ride the laws of physics. DSR cannot take
account of road, weather and traffic condi-
tions. DSR 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 your lane.
You are always responsible for keeping con-
trol of the vehicle and for assessing whether
the downhill gradient can be managed. DSR
may not always be able to keep to the set
speed, depending on road surface and tire
conditions. Select a set speed suitable for the prevailing conditions and when necessary,
apply the brakes manually. G
WARNING
If the speed driven and the set speed deviate and you activate DSR on a slippery road sur-
face, the wheels may lose traction. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Before switching DSR on, please take into
consideration the road surface and the differ- ence between driving speed and the set
speed. 184
Driving systemsDriving and parking