When displays
:and ;on the charging cable
light up, this means the following: Display
:
: Lights up
green The on-board voltage is con-
nected. The high-voltage bat-
tery can be charged.
Flashes red The power supply from the
building is faulty.
Display
; ; Lights up
green There are no faults. The high-
voltage battery can be
charged.
Lights up red The protective and indicator
system has detected a fault
due to an internal malfunc-
tion. The high-voltage battery
cannot be charged. If the control detects residual current or a mal-
function, the charging process is halted. Once
the malfunction has been rectified the charging process is resumed automatically.
Information on problems relating to the charg-
ing process (Y page 190).
Controls on charging cable, variant 2 :
POWER on-board voltage indicator
; CHARGING charging process indicator
= GROUND PRESENT insulation monitoring
indicator
? CHARGING FAULT protective and indicator
system display If displays on the charging cable light up, this
means the following: Indicator
lamp Meaning
:
Yellow
Lights up when the on-board
voltage is connected. The
high-voltage battery can be
charged.
;
Green
Lights up when the high-volt-
age battery is charging.
=
Yellow
Lights up when the mains
socket is adequately earthed.
The mains socket must be
properly installed. If there is a defect-free connection to the
mains socket, the high-volt-
age battery will always charge
regardless of the earthing. ?
Red
Lights up if the connection to
the vehicle is faulty. Remove
the charging cable connector
from the vehicle socket and
then reinsert it into the vehi-
cle socket as far as it will go.
Flashes if residual current has been detected or there is an
internal fault. The high-volt-
age battery cannot be
charged. If the control detects residual current or a mal-
function, the charging process is halted. Once
the malfunction has been rectified the charging process is resumed automatically.
Information on problems relating to the charg-
ing process (Y page 190).
Setting the maximum charge current G
WARNING
If the charge current draw via a mains socket is too high during the charging process, the
external mains supply may overheat. There isa risk of fire.
Before charging, check the maximum permis-
sible charge current available at the location.
If necessary, contact a qualified specialist
company for assistance.
Adjust your vehicle's settings, if necessary. 186
Charging the high-voltage batteryDriving and parking
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The charging cable con-
nector cannot be
removed from the vehi-
cle socket. The charging cable connector has not been unlocked.
X Press the %button on the key.
The Ì indicator lamp on the vehicle socket lights up. The charg-
ing cable connector is unlocked.
X Remove the charging cable connector from the vehicle socket. The charging cable connector is blocked.
X Pull the charging cable close enough to the charging cable connec-
tor so that the charging cable connector is not under strain.
X Lock the vehicle and unlock it again.
X Remove the charging cable connector from the vehicle socket.
X If the charging cable connector continues to be blocked, consult a
qualified specialist workshop. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rial can come into contact with hot vehicle
components. In particular, do not park on dry grassland or harvested grain fields. G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
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 key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. !
Always secure the vehicle correctly against
rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle or its driv-
etrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is safeguarded
against rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied.
R the transmission must be in position Pand the
key must be removed from the ignition lock
R the front wheels must be turned towards the
kerb on steep uphill or downhill gradients
R the empty vehicle must be secured at the
front axle with a wheel chock or similar
object, for example, on uphill or downhill gra-
dients
R a laden vehicle must also be secured at the
rear axle with a wheel chock or similar object,
for example, on uphill or downhill gradients Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
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 parking
brake. Parking
191Driving and parking Z
:
Acceleration
; Coasting
= Constant
? Additional range achieved
Range ?is shown under Bonus
Bonusfr.
fr.start
start and
represents the additional range achieved since
the beginning of the journey as a result of an
adapted driving style.
If the fuel level has dropped into the reserve
range, the Reserve fuel Reserve fuel message is shown in
the multifunction display instead of range ?. In
addition, the 8warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up (Y page 347).The ECO display consists of three sections, with
an inner and outer area. The sections corre-
spond to the following three categories: :
Acceleration
(evaluation of all accel-
eration processes):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: moderate
acceleration, especially at higher
speeds
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is grey: sporty acceler-
ation ;
Coasting
(evaluation of all decelera-
tion processes):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: anticipatory
driving, keeping your distance and
early release of the accelerator.
The vehicle can coast without use
of the brakes.
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is grey: frequent heavy
braking =
Constant
(continuous evaluation
over the entire journey):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: constant
speed and avoidance of unneces-
sary acceleration and deceleration
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is grey: fluctuations in
speed The three inner areas display the current driving
style and light up green as a result of a particu-
larly economical driving style. Depending on the driving situation, up to two areas may light up
simultaneously.
At the beginning of the journey, the three outer
areas are empty and fill up as a result of eco-
nomical driving. A higher level indicates a more
economical driving style. If the three outer areas
are completely filled at the same time, the driver
has adopted the most economical driving style
for the selected settings and prevailing condi-
tions. The ECO display border lights up.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual fuel consumption. The additionally achieved range
displayed under Bonus fr. start
Bonus fr. start does not
indicate a fixed consumption reduction. Driving tips
195Driving and parking Z
In addition to driving style, the actual consump-
tion is affected by other factors, such as:
R load
R tyre pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R the use of electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
An economical driving style involves driving at a
moderate engine speed.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
"Acceleration" and "Constant":
R observe the gearshift recommendation
R drive the vehicle in the Comfortdrive pro-
gram.
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g. on the motorway, only the outer area for "Constant"
will change.
The ECO display summarises the driving style
from the start of the journey to its completion.
Therefore, there are more marked changes in
the outer areas at the start of a journey. During
a prolonged driving time, these changes are
smaller. For more marked changes, perform a
manual reset (Y page 285).
Further information on the ECO display
(Y page 285). Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients Do not depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by constantly applying light
pressure to the pedal. This results in excessive
and premature wear to the brake pads. Use the left-hand gearshift paddle to shift to a
lower gear on long and steep downhill gradients.
Take particular note of this when driving a laden vehicle.
i This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, SPEEDTRONIC or DISTRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so
less braking will be required to maintain vehicle
speed. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There is
a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If heavy demands are made on the brakes, do
not park the vehicle immediately. Drive on for a
short while. This allows the airflow to cool the
brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effectiveness.
To do this, brake more firmly from a higher
speed. This improves the grip of the brakes.
Wet road surfaces If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first
time. This may also occur after a car wash or
after driving through deep water.
You will have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehicle
washed, brake firmly while paying attention to
the traffic conditions. This will warm up the
brake discs, thereby drying them more quickly
and protecting them against corrosion. 196
Driving tipsDriving and parking
Observe the following rules when driving over
tree stumps, large stones and other obstacles:
R Select the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
(Y page 254).
R Select the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
(Y page 254).
R Select LOW RANGE offroad gear (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
(Y page 255)
R Raise the vehicle level.
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddle.
R Drive very slowly.
R Drive straight over the centre of obstacles. Travelling uphill
Approach/departure angle G
WARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn on a steep incline, the vehicle could slip
sideways, tip and overturn. There is a risk of
an accident.
When driving on an incline, drive into the line of fall (upwards or downwards in a straight
line) and do not turn.
R Observe the warnings for off-road driving
(Y page 199).
R Follow the line of fall when driving on slopes
and steep inclines.
R Select the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
(Y page 254).
R Select the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
(Y page 254).
R Before driving on extreme uphill and downhill
gradients, select the LOW RANGE offroad
gear (vehicles with Off-Road Engineering
package) (Y page 255).
R Drive slowly.
R Accelerate gently and make sure that the
wheels are gripping. R
Avoid high engine speeds, except when driv-
ing on sandy and muddy routes with high driv-
ing resistance.
R Use the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle to shift to a lower gear appropriate to
the gradient.
R Use the left-hand gearshift paddle to shift to a
lower gear on long and steep downhill gradi-
ents.
Hill start assist will aid you when pulling away on
a hill. Further information on hill start assist
(Y page 161).
Do not shift into transmission position Nwhen
driving off-road. You could lose control of the
vehicle if you attempt to brake the vehicle using the service brake. If the gradient is too steep for
your vehicle, back up in reverse gear.
Always observe the approach/departure angle
values (Y page 445).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability Always observe the maximum gradient climbing
ability values (Y page 445).
Hilltops When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immediately
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 travelling 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. Otherwise, the
vehicle could slip sideways, tip and overturn.
R Before tackling steep downhill gradients, use
the left-hand steering wheel gearshift paddle
to shift to a lower gear.
R Activate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the 202
Driving tipsDriving and parking
LIM indicator lamp
;on the cruise control lever
indicates which function you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp ;
;off: cruise control is
selected
R LIM indicator lamp ;
; on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for
five seconds. In addition, the ésymbol
appears in the multifunction display.
Speedometer with segments: when cruise
control is activated, the segments from the
stored speed to the maximum permitted speed
light up.
Selecting cruise control X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;is off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Cruise control is selected.
Activation conditions To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
R the electric parking brake must be released.
R you are driving faster than 30 km/h.
R ESP ®
must be switched on, but not interven-
ing.
R the transmission must be in position D.
R DSR must be deactivated.
R the Offroad Plus drive program must be deac-
tivated (vehicles with the Off-Road Engineer-
ing package).
R the cruise control function must be selected
(Y page 204).
Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed Storing and maintaining the speed
X Accelerate the vehicle to the desired speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle auto-
matically maintains the stored speed. i
Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by auto-
matically braking the vehicle.
Storing or calling up the speed G
WARNING
If you call up a stored speed and this is dif-
ferent from the current speed, the vehicle
accelerates or brakes. If you do not know
what the stored speed is, the vehicle may
accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a
risk of an accident.
Take the traffic conditions into account
before calling up the stored speed. If you do
not know what the stored speed is, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you =.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is on and, when activated for
the first time, accepts the current speed or it
adjusts the vehicle's speed to the speed
stored.
Setting a speed Bear in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has accelerated or braked to
the set speed.
X Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ?for a lower speed.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until the
desired speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 km/h incre-
ments:
briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ?to the pressure point.
The last stored speed increases or decreases
in 1 km/h increments.
X To adjust the set speed in 10 km/h incre-
ments: briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ?beyond the pressure point.
The last stored speed increases or decreases
in 10 km/h increments. 204
Driving systemsDriving and parking
i
Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For example, if
you accelerate briefly to overtake, cruise con-
trol adjusts the vehicle's speed to the speed
stored after you have finished overtaking.
Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise con-
trol:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever forwards
=.
or
X Brake.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow ;.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM indi-
cator lamp :in the cruise control lever lights
up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you apply the electric parking brake
R you are driving at less than 30 km/h
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R you activate DSR
R you activate the Offroad Plus program (vehi-
cles with the Off-Road Engineering package)
R you shift the transmission to position Nwhile
driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise con‐
Cruise con‐
trol off
trol off message in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. SPEEDTRONIC
General notes SPEEDTRONIC brakes automatically so that you
do not exceed the set speed. You must select a lower gear in good time on long and steep down-
hill gradients, especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. 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.
You can set a variable or permanent limit speed:
R variable for speed limits, e.g. in built-up areas
R permanent for long-term speed restrictions,
e.g. when driving with winter tyres fitted
(Y page 207)
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed stored.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, SPEED-
TRONIC can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. SPEED-
TRONIC cannot take into account road, weather or 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.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC Cruise control lever
:
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp Driving systems
205Driving and parking Z
=
To activate at the current speed/last stored
speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS and variable SPEED-
TRONIC
B To deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS and variable
SPEEDTRONIC.
LIM indicator lamp ;on the cruise control lever
indicates which function you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp ;
; off: cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp ; ;on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected.
You can use the cruise control lever to limit the
speed to any speed above 30 km/h while the
engine is running.
Selecting SPEEDTRONIC
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the limit speed stored. X Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;is on.
If it is on, variable SPEEDTRONIC is already
selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever is on. Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selec-
ted.
Storing the current speed You can use the cruise control lever to limit the
speed to any speed above 30 km/h while the
engine is running.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ?tippen.
The current speed is stored and shown in the
multifunction display.
Speedometer with segments: the seg-
ments light up from the start of the scale up to
the stored speed limit.
The segments in the multifunction display
light up from the start of the scale up to the
stored speed. Storing the current speed or calling up the
last stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it is lower
than the current speed, the vehicle deceler-
ates. If you do not know the stored speed, the vehicle could decelerate unexpectedly. There
is a risk of an accident.
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 towards
you =.
Setting a speed
X To adjust the set speed in 10 km/h incre-
ments: briefly press the cruise control lever
up : beyond the pressure point for a higher
speed, or down ?for a lower speed.
or X Keep the cruise control lever pressed beyond
the pressure point until the desired speed is
set. Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ?for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 km/h incre-
ments:
briefly press the cruise control lever
up : to the pressure point for a higher speed
or down ?for a lower speed.
or X Keep the cruise control lever pressed to the
pressure point until the desired speed is set.
Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ?for a lower speed.
Switching SPEEDTRONIC to passive
If you depress the accelerator pedal beyond the pressure point (kickdown), SPEEDTRONIC is
switched to passive mode. The following mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display:
SPEEDTRONIC passive SPEEDTRONIC passive.
You can then exceed the stored speed. SPEED-
TRONIC is activated again if you:
R drive slower than the stored speed without
kickdown
R set a new speed or
R call up the last speed stored again 206
Driving systemsDriving and parking