
Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos- sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 28). Running-in notes
Important safety notes
In certain driving and driving safety systems,
the sensors adjust automatically while a cer-
tain distance is being driven after the vehicle has been delivered or after repairs. Full sys-
tem effectiveness is not reached until the end
of this teach-in process.
Brake pads/linings and discs that are either
new or have been replaced only achieve opti- mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Compensate for the
reduced braking effect by applying greater
force to the brake pedal. The first 1,500 km
If you treat the engine with sufficient care
from the very start, you will be rewarded with excellent performance for the remainder of
the engine's life.
R Drive at varying road speeds and engine
speeds for the first 1,500 km.
R Avoid overstraining the vehicle during this
period, e.g. driving at full throttle.
R When changing gears manually, change up
in good time, before the rev counter needle
reaches Ôof the way to the red area of the
rev counter. R
Do not shift down a gear manually in order
to brake.
R Try to avoid depressing the accelerator
pedal beyond the point of resistance (kick- down).
After 1,500 km, you may gradually accelerate
the vehicle to full road and engine speeds.
You should also observe these notes on run-
ning-in if the engine or parts of the drive train on your vehicle have been replaced.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell may restrict
the clearance around the pedals or block a
depressed pedal. This jeopardises the oper-
ating and road safety of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Stow all objects securely in the vehicle so that
they do not get into the driver's footwell.
Always fit the floormats securely and as pre-
scribed in order to ensure that there is always sufficient room for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats and do not place several floor-mats on top 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, 186
DrivingDriving and parking

G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with up to 50% of the maximum possible deceleration.
If this deceleration is not sufficient,
DISTRONIC PLUS alerts you with a visual and
acoustic warning. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Apply the brakes yourself in these situations
and try to take evasive action.
! When DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD
function is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk
of an accident nor override the laws of phys-
ics. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take road and
weather conditions or traffic conditions into
account. DISTRONIC PLUS 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.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or
accelerating can 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
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain R
interference by other radar sources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example, in multi-storey car parks
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehi-
cle in front, it may unexpectedly accelerate to the speed stored.
This speed can:
R be too high for a filter lane or a slip road
R be so high in the right lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the left (left-hand drive
countries)
R be so high in the left lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the right (right-hand
drive countries)
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new driver of the speed stored.
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
A To activate or reduce speed
B To switch between DISTRONIC PLUS and
variable SPEEDTRONIC
C To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
You can operate DISTRONIC PLUS and varia- ble SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control
lever. Driving systems
237Driving and parking Z

When the vehicle has been lowered, indi-
cator lamp ;remains lit.
i Lowering is interrupted if:
R a vehicle door is opened
R button :was briefly pulled again
R the vehicle is moving faster than
2 km/h
i The vehicle is automatically set to the
level of the most recently selected drive
program (Y page 195) if you drive faster
than 2 km/h.
Raising the rear of the vehicle To raise using the button in the left-hand-
side luggage compartment trim:
X Pull switch :briefly.
Indicator lamp ;goes out.
The vehicle is raised by 40 mm.
i The vehicle is automatically set to the
level of the most recently selected drive
program (Y page 195) if you drive faster
than 2 km/h.
X If the vehicle can no longer be raised
when stationary: start the engine.
The process will then be continued.
i If you drive off when the rear of the vehicle
has been lowered, the ÁVehicle
Vehicle ris‐ ris‐
ing Please wait
ing Please wait display may appear in
the multifunction display. 4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
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 an 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 the lane.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R when pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary
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 implied 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 tyres (M+S tyres), with snow
chains if necessary. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It monitors the area
around your vehicle using six sensors in the
front bumper and six sensors in the rear
bumper. PARKTRONIC indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a substi-
tute for your attention to the immediate sur-
roundings. The responsibility for safe
manoeuvring and parking remains with you.
Make sure that there are no persons, animals
or objects in range while manoeuvring and
parking.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects. 254
Driving systemsDriving and parking

The sensors may not detect snow and
objects which absorb ultrasonic sources.
Ultrasonic sources, such as an automatic
car wash, a lorry's compressed-air brakes
or a pneumatic drill, could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on uneven terrain.
! Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC meas-
ures the minimum detection range to an
obstacle from the bumper, not the ball cou- pling.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror N
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
18 km/h. It is reactivated at lower speeds.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer.
Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take into account
obstacles located:
R below the detection range, e.g. persons,
animals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g. overhang-
ing loads, tail sections or loading ramps of
goods vehicles :
Example: sensors in the front bumper,
left-hand side The sensors must be free of dirt, ice and
slush. Otherwise, they may not function cor-
rectly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(Y
page 425).
Front sensors Centre Approx. 100 cm
Corners Approx. 60 cm Driving systems
255Driving and parking Z

Rear sensors
Centre Approx. 120 cm
Corners Approx. 80 cm
Minimum distance
Centre Approx. 20 cm
Corners Approx. 15 cm
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant warning displays light up and a warn- ing tone sounds. If the distance falls below
the minimum, the distance may no longer be
shown.
Warning displays :
Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
; Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
= Segments showing operational readiness
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is in the
instrument cluster. The warning display for
the rear area is located on the roof lining in
the rear compartment.
The warning display for each side of the vehi-
cle is divided into five yellow and two red seg- ments. PARKTRONIC is operational if opera-
tional readiness indicator =lights up.
The selected transmission position and the
direction in which the vehicle is rolling deter- mine which warning display is active when the
engine is running. Transmission
position Warning display
D
Front area activated
R,
Nor the vehicle
is rolling back-
wards Rear and front areas
activated
P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R sixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for approx-
imately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two sec-
onds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC :
Deactivates/activates PARKTRONIC
; Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp ;lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Parking Assist is then also
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the key to position 2in the
ignition lock. 256
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated and the
indicator lamp on the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has been deactivated.
X If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 425).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
X See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Active Parking Assist
General notes Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking
aid with ultrasound. It measures the road on
both sides of the vehicle. A parking symbol
indicates a suitable parking space. Active
steering intervention and brake application
can assist you during parking and when exit-
ing a parking space. You may also use
PARKTRONIC (Y page 254).
Important safety notes Active Parking Assist is only an aid. It is not a
substitute for your attention to the immediate
surroundings. The responsibility for safe
manoeuvring and parking remains with you.
Make sure that no persons, animals or
objects are in the manoeuvring range.
When PARKTRONIC is deactivated, Active
Parking Assist is also unavailable. For vehicles with the trailer tow hitch folded
out, the minimum length for parking spaces is
slightly longer.
If you have attached a trailer to your vehicle,
you should not use Active Parking Assist.
Once the electrical connection is established
between your vehicle and the trailer, Active
Parking Assist is no longer available.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area. G
WARNING
While parking or pulling out of a parking
space, the vehicle swings out and can drive
onto areas of the oncoming lane. This could
cause you to collide with other road users.
There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users. Stop the
vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active Park- ing Assist parking procedure.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as kerbs slowly and not at a Driving systems
257Driving and parking Z

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Blind Spot Assist does not react to vehicles:
R overtaken too closely on the side, placing
them in the blind spot area
R when the difference in the speed of
approach and overtaking is too great
As a result, Blind Spot Assist cannot warn
drivers in these situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and maintain a safe distance at the side
of the vehicle.
Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It may fail to
detect some vehicles and is no substitute for
attentive driving. Always ensure that there is
sufficient distance to the side for other road
users and obstacles.
Radar sensors
The radar sensors for Blind Spot Assist are
integrated into the rear bumper. Make sure
that the bumpers are free from dirt, ice or
slush. The sensors must not be covered, for
example by cycle racks or overhanging loads.
Following a severe impact or in the event of
damage to the bumpers, have the function of the radar sensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Blind Spot Assist may no
longer work properly.
Monitoring range
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain,
snow or spray
R narrow vehicles, e.g. motorcycles or bicy-
cles
R very wide lanes
R narrow lanes
R vehicles not driving in the middle of their
lane
R barriers or other road boundaries Vehicles in the monitoring range are then not
indicated. Blind Spot Assist monitors the area up to
3.0 mbehind your vehicle and directly next to
your vehicle, as shown in the diagram.
If the lanes are narrow, vehicles driving in the
lane beyond the lane next to your vehicle may
be indicated, especially if the vehicles are not
driving in the middle of their lane. This may be the case if there are vehicles at the edge of
their lane nearest your vehicle.
Due to the nature of the system:
R warnings may be issued in error when driv-
ing close to crash barriers or similar solid
lane borders
R warnings may be interrupted when driving
alongside long vehicles, for example lor-
ries, for a prolonged time Driving systems
277Driving and parking Z

switch on the corresponding turn signal to
change lanes, you will also receive a visual
and audible collision warning. If a risk of side impact is detected, corrective braking may
help you avoid a collision. Active Blind Spot
Assist evaluates the free space in the direc-
tion of travel and to the side before making a course-correcting brake application. For this,Active Blind Spot Assist uses the forward-
facing radar sensors.
Active Blind Spot Assist supports you from a
speed of approximately 30 km/h.
Important safety notes
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid and is
not a substitute for attentive driving. G
WARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist does not react to
vehicles:
R overtaking too closely on the side, placing
them in the blind spot area
R if the difference in the speed of approach
and overtaking is too great
As a result, Active Blind Spot Assist may nei-
ther give warnings nor intervene in such sit-
uations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and maintain a safe distance at the side of the vehicle.
Radar sensors
The Active Blind Spot Assist radar sensors are
integrated into the front and rear bumpers
and behind a cover in the radiator trim. Make sure that the bumpers and the cover in the
radiator trim are free of dirt, ice or slush. The rear sensors must not be covered, e.g. by
bicycle racks or overhanging loads. Following
a severe impact or in the event of damage to the bumpers, have the function of the radar
sensors checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. Active Blind Spot Assist may oth-
erwise no longer function properly. Monitoring range G
WARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist does not detect all
traffic situations and road users. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always make sure that there is sufficient dis-
tance to the side for other traffic or obstacles. Active Blind Spot Assist monitors the area up
to 3.0 mbehind your vehicle and directly next
to your vehicle, as shown in the diagram.
The detection of vehicles may be impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R poor visibility, e.g. due to rain, snow or
spray
Vehicles in the monitoring range are then not
indicated.
Active Blind Spot Assist may not detect nar-
row vehicles, such as motorcycles or bicy-
cles, or may only detect them too late.
If the lanes are narrow, vehicles driving in the
lane beyond the lane next to your vehicle may
be indicated, especially if the vehicles are not driving in the middle of their lane. This may be
the case if there are vehicles at the edge of
their lane nearest your vehicle. Driving systems
281Driving and parking Z