
R
you depress the accelerator pedal
R you engage reverse gear R
R you move the transmission out of position P
R you switch to the Sport PlusorSport drive
program (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
R you activate manual gearshifting (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles)
R you switch to the Offroaddrive program
(vehicles without Off-Road Engineering pack- age)
R you switch to the OffroadorOffroad Plus
drive program (vehicles with Off-Road Engi-
neering package)
R you unfasten your seat belt or open the driv-
er's door
R the vehicle starts to roll
R the brake system requires this
R the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range
R the system detects moisture on the wind-
screen when the air-conditioning system is
switched on
R the battery's charge status is too low
Shifting the transmission to position Pdoes not
start the engine.
If you shift the transmission from Rto D, the
ECO start/stop function is available again once
the è ECO symbol reappears in green in the
multifunction display.
Switching the ECO start/stop function
off/on All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles) X
To switch off: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;and the èECO symbol
in the multifunction display go out. X
To switch on: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. If all conditions
for automatic engine switch-off (Y page 162)
are fulfilled, the èECO symbol is shown in
green in the multifunction display.
If the conditions for automatic engine switch-
off (Y page 162) are not all fulfilled, the è
ECO symbol is shown in yellow in the multi-
function display. If this is the case, the ECO
start/stop function is not available.
If indicator lamp ;is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been deactivated manually or as
the result of a malfunction. The engine will then
not be switched off automatically when the vehi-
cle stops.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles X
To switch off: in theComfort drive program,
press ECO button :.
or X Activate manual gearshifting (Y page 172).
or X Switch to the Sport PlusorSport drive pro-
gram (Y page 166).
Indicator lamp ;and the èECO symbol
in the multifunction display go out.
X To switch on: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. When the
Sport Plus orSport drive program is activa-
ted, the automatic transmission switches to
the Comfort drive program.
If all conditions for automatic engine switch-
off (Y page 162) are fulfilled, the èECO
symbol is shown in green in the multifunction display.
If not all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 162) are fulfilled, the è
ECO symbol is shown in yellow. If this is the Driving
163Driving and pa rking Z

case, the ECO start/stop function is not avail-
able.
If indicator lamp ;is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been deactivated manually or as
the result of a malfunction. The engine will then
not be switched off automatically when the vehi-
cle stops. 164
DrivingDriving and parking

Problems with the engine
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions 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 160). 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 397).
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. Driving
165Driving and parking Z

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The coolant temperature
display is showing more
than 120 †. The coolant warning lamp may also
be on and a warning tone
may sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine is no
longer being cooled sufficiently.
X Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant to
cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 376). Observe the warning notes
as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the radiator fan may be faulty. The cool-
ant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X If the coolant temperature is below 120 †, you can continue driving
to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in moun-
tainous terrain and stop-start traffic. DYNAMIC SELECT controller
This section describes the DYNAMIC SELECT
controller for all vehicles except PLUG-
IN HYBRID vehicles. Information on the
DYNAMIC SELECT controller on PLUG-
IN HYBRID vehicles (Y page 267).
Use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to change
the drive program. Depending on the drive pro-
gram selected, the following vehicle character-
istics will change:
R the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
R the transmission
R the suspension
R the steering
R the availability of the ECO start/stop function
If the ignition is switched off for less than four
hours, the previously selected drive program is
activated when the engine is next started. If the
ignition is switched off for more than four hours,
the Comfort drive program is activated when
the engine is next started. X
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles):
turn DYNAMIC SELECT controller :as
many times as necessary until the desired
drive program is selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds the
display goes out.
In addition, the current drive program settings are displayed in the multimedia system dis-
play.
Drive programs available (all vehicles
except Mercedes-AMG vehicles): Individual
Individual settings
Sport
Sporty driving characteris-
tics
Comfort
Comfortable and economi-
cal driving characteristics Slippery
Optimal driving characteris-
tics on slippery or snow-
covered roads 166
DYNAMIC SELECT controllerDriving and parking

DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns to its
original position. The current transmission posi-
tion P,R, Nor Dappears in the transmission
position display in the multifunction display
(Y page 168).
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear in the multifunction display. :
Transmission position
; Gear
= Drive program
The arrows in the transmission position display
show how and into which transmission positions
you can shift using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
If the transmission position display in the mul-
tifunction display is not working, you should pull away carefully to check whether the desired
transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you
should select transmission position D.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. j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direction
of arrow P.
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 220) and on
DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 210).
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. 168
Automatic transmissionDriving and pa
rking

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.
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 the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts to Pautomat-
ically. 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:
With the key:
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in the
ignition lock.
With the Start/Stop button: X Remove the Start/Stop button from the igni-
tion lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X Switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric 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. Automatic transmission
169Driving and parking Z

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 225).
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 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
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road 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
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Gliding mode All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles)
Gliding mode is characterised by the following:
R the combustion engine is disconnected from
the drive train
R the engine speed is equal to the engine idling
speed
R the gear indicated after the transmission
position Ddisappears in the multifunction
display (Y page 168)
Gliding mode can be activated under the follow-
ing conditions:
R you select the "ECO" setting for the drive sys-
tem within the Individualdrive program. You
can find information about this in the Digital
Owner's Manual
R the speed is within a suitable range 170
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

R
the type of road is suitable, e.g. no steep gra-
dients
R you are no longer depressing the accelerator
pedal
Gliding mode is deactivated under the following
conditions:
R you depress the accelerator pedal
R you depress the brake pedal
R you use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch
the transmission position (Y page 168)
R you use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program (Y page 166)
R you activate manual gearshifting
(Y page 172)
R you leave the suitable speed range
Mercedes-AMG vehicles Gliding mode is characterised by the following:
R the combustion engine is disconnected from
the drive train
R the engine speed is equal to the engine idling
speed
R in the multifunction display, the gliding sym-
bol appears in the drive program display
Gliding mode can be activated under the follow-
ing conditions:
R the Comfort drive program is activated or you
select the "Comfort" setting for the drive sys-
tem within the Individualdrive program. You
can find information about this in the Digital
Owner's Manual
R the ECO start/stop function is activated
R you are driving carefully with low acceleration
of the vehicle
R the engine is at normal operating temperature
R the speed is within a suitable range
R the type of road is suitable, e.g. no steep gra-
dients
R you are no longer depressing the accelerator
pedal
Gliding mode is deactivated under the following conditions:
R you have deactivated the ECO start/stop
function
R you depress the accelerator pedal
R you depress the brake pedal
R you use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch
the transmission position (Y page 168)R
you use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program (Y page 166)
R you activate manual gearshifting
(Y page 172)
R you leave the suitable speed range
Towing a trailer X
Drive in the middle of the engine speed range
on uphill gradients.
X Depending on the uphill or downhill gradient,
use left-hand steering wheel gearshift paddle
(Y page 172) to select a lower gear, even if
cruise control, DISTRONIC PLUS, or SPEED-
TRONIC are activated. Drive programs
Slippery drive program The
Slippery drive program has the following
characteristics:
R reduced engine and transmission settings for
optimum propulsion on slippery or snow-cov-
ered roads.
R optimised ESP ®
stability control on slippery
or snow-covered roads.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability on
slippery or snow-covered roads, for example.
Comfort drive program The
Comfort drive program has the following
characteristics:
R comfort-orientated engine and transmission
settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears unless the accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being driven
at lower engine speeds and the wheels being less likely to spin. Automatic transmission
171Driving and parking Z