Brake fluid
Display message ............................ 238
Notes ............................................. 377
Brake lamps
Display message ............................ 244
Brakes
ABS .................................................. 68
BAS .................................................. 69
BAS PLUS ........................................ 69
Brake fluid (notes) ......................... 377
Display message ............................ 236
Important safety notes .................. 172
Maintenance .................................. 172
Parking brake ........................ 169, 173
Riding tips ...................................... 172
Warning lamp ................................. 262
Breakdown
see Flat tire
see Towing away/tow-starting
Brightness control knob (instru-
ment cluster lighting, multifunc-
tion steering wheel with 12 but-
tons) ..................................................... 33
Bulbs see Replacing bulbs C
California Important notice for retail cus-
tomers and lessees .......................... 24
Calling up a malfunction
see Display messages
Car
see Vehicle
Care
Carpets .......................................... 312
Car wash ........................................ 306
Displa y........................................... 310
Exterior lights ................................ 309
Gear or selector lever .................... 311
Interior ........................................... 310
Matte finish ................................... 307
Notes ............................................. 305
Paint .............................................. 307
Plastic trim .................................... 310
Power washe r................................ 306
Rear view camera .......................... 309 Roof lining ...................................... 312
Seat belt ........................................ 312
Seat cover ..................................... 311
Sensors ......................................... 309
Steering wheel ............................... 311
Tail pipe
s....................................... 309
Trim pieces .................................... 311
Washing by hand ........................... 306
Wheels ........................................... 307
Windows ........................................ 308
Wiper blades .................................. 308
Wooden trim .................................. 311
Cargo compartment cover
Important safety notes .................. 278
Cargo compartment enlarge-
ment ................................................... 276
Cargo compartment floor Opening/closing ............................ 281
Stowage well (under )..................... 281
Cargo net
Attaching ....................................... 280
Important safety information ......... 279
Cargo tie down rings ......................... 277
CD player/CD changer (on-board
computer) .......................................... 226
Center console Lower section .................................. 37
Upper section .................................. 36
Central locking
Automatic locking (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 232
Locking/unlocking (SmartKey )........ 78
Changing bulbs
Cornering light function ................. 124
High-beam headlamp s................... 124
Low-beam headlamp s.................... 124
Parking lamps ................................ 124
Reversing lamps ............................ 125
Standing lamps (front) ................... 124
Turn signals (front) ......................... 124
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes .................... 66
Rear doors ....................................... 67
Children
In the vehicle ................................... 61
Restraint systems ............................ 61
Special seat belt retractor ............... 64 6
Index
Odometer
...........................................2 23
Off-road system 4MATIC .......................................... 185
Oil
see Engine oil
On-board computer
Assistance menu ........................... 228
Audio menu ................................... 226
Convenience submenu .................. 233
Displaying a service message ....... .305
Display messages .......................... 235
Factory settings submenu ............. 234
Important safety notes .................. 220
Instrument cluster submenu .......... 230
Lighting submenu .......................... 231
Menu overview .............................. 223
Message memory .......................... 235
Navigation menu ............................ 225
Operation ....................................... 221
Service menu ................................. 230
Settings menu ............................... 230
Standard displa y............................ 223
Telephone menu ............................ 227
Trip menu ...................................... 223
Vehicle submenu ........................... 232
Video DVD operation ..................... 227
Opening and closing the side trim
panels ................................................. 125
Operating safety Declaration of conformity ................ 26
Important safety notes .................... 25
Operating system
see On-board computer
Operator's Manual
Vehicle equipment ........................... 23
Outside temperature display ........... 221
Overhead control panel ...................... 38
Override feature Rear side window s........................... 67 P
Paint code number ............................ 372
Paintwork (cleaning instructions) ... 307
Panic alarm .......................................... 42 Panorama roof with power tilt/
sliding panel
Important safety notes .................... 94
Opening/closing .............................. 95
Opening/closing the roller sun-
blind ................................................. 96
Problem (malfunction) ..................... 96
Resetting ......................................... 96
Parking ............................................... 168
Important safety notes .................. 168
Parking brake ................................ 169
Position of exterior mirror, front-
passenger side ............................... 111
Rear view camera .......................... 193
see PARKTRONIC
Parking aid
Active Parking Assist ..................... 189
see Exterior mirrors
see PARKTRONIC
Parking assistance
see PARKTRONIC
Parking brake
Display message ............................ 237
Notes/function .............................. 169
Parking lamps
Changing bulbs .............................. 124
Switching on/of f........................... 118
PARKTRONIC
Deactivating/activating ................. 188
Driving system ............................... 186
Function/note s............................. 186
Important safety notes .................. 186
Problem (malfunction) ................... 189
Range of the sensors ..................... 186
Trailer towing ................................. 188
Warning display ............................. 187
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
Problem (malfunction) ..................... 53
Problems (malfunction) .................. 242
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp ...................................................... 49
Pets in the vehicle ............................... 67
Plastic trim (cleaning instruc-
tions) .................................................. 310
Power washers .................................. 306
Power windows see Side windows 14
Index
Recognition by the radar sensor system is
also impaired in the event of:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R there is interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at low speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
Function To avoid a collision, BAS PLUS calculates the
brake force necessary if:
R you approach an obstacle, and
R BAS PLUS has detected a risk of collision
When driving at a speed under 20 mph
(30 km/h) : if you depress the brake pedal,
BAS PLUS is activated. The increase in brake pressure will be carried out at the last possi-
ble moment.
When driving at a speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h) : if you depress the brake pedal
sharply, BAS PLUS automatically raises the
brake pressure to a value adapted to the traf-
fic situation.
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in haz-
ardous situations with vehicles in front within a speed range between 4 mph (7 km/h) and
155 mph (250 km/h).
At speeds of up to approximately 40 mph
(70 km/ h), BAS PLUS can also react to sta-
tionary objects. Examples of stationary
objects are stopped or parked vehicles.
i If BAS PLUS demands particularly high
braking force, preventative passenger pro- tection measures (PRE-SAFE
®
) are activa-
ted simultaneously.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
BAS PLUS is deactivated and the brakes func- tion as usual again, if:
R you release the brake pedal.
R there is no longer a risk of collision.
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tires and the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified to keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP ®
assists the driver when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68).
ETS/4ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side. In addition, more drive torque is trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP ®
. 70
Driving safety systemsSafety
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, the rec-
ognition can be impaired.
Recognition by the radar sensor system is
also impaired in the event of:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R there is interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at low speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
Function X
To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-board
computer (Y page 229).
If the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is not activated, the
00D4 symbol appears in the multifunction
display.
Starting at a speed of around 4 mph (7 km/h),
this function warns you if you rapidly
approach a vehicle in front. An intermittent
warning tone will then sound and the 00BA
distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately to defuse the situation.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also brake the vehicle
automatically under the following conditions:
R the driver and front-passenger have their
seat belts fastened and
R the vehicle speed is between approx-
imately 4 mph (7 km/h) and 124 mph
(200 km/h)
At speeds of up to approximately 40 mph
(70 km/h) PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also detect
stationary objects. Examples of stationary
objects are stopped or parked vehicles.
i If there is an increased risk of collision,
preventive passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated.
If the risk of collision with the vehicle in front
remains and you do not brake, take evasive
action or accelerate significantly, the vehicle
may perform automatic emergency braking,
up to the point of full brake application. Auto- matic emergency braking is not performed
until immediately prior to an imminent acci-
dent.
You can prevent the intervention of the PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake at any time by:
R depressing the accelerator pedal further.
R activating kickdown.
R releasing the brake pedal.
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you maneuver to avoid the obstacle.
R there is no longer any danger of a collision.
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle. Protection against theft
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey. X To activate with the SmartKey: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.74
Protection against theftSafety
You must select a low gear in good time on
long and steep downhill 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.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a slower-moving
vehicle in front, your vehicle is braked in order to maintain the preset distance to the vehicle
in front. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to:
R people or animals
R stationary obstacles on the road, e.g. stop-
ped or parked vehicles
R oncoming and crossing traffic
As a result, DISTRONIC PLUS may neither give
warnings nor intervene in such situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot always clearly iden- tify other road users and complex traffic sit-
uations.
In such cases, DISTRONIC PLUS may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
R accelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, in particular when warned to do so by
DISTRONIC PLUS. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with up to 40% of the maximum braking force. If this
braking force is insufficient, DISTRONIC PLUS
warns you visually and audibly. There is a risk
of an accident. In such cases, apply the brakes yourself and
try to take evasive action.
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style, DIS-
TRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics.
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take into account
the road, traffic and weather conditions. DIS- TRONIC PLUS is only an aid. You are respon-
sible for the distance to the vehicle in front,
for vehicle speed, for braking in good time and for staying in your 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 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
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 if:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R there is snow or heavy rain
R there is interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example, in parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehi- cle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may unexpect-
edly accelerate the vehicle to the stored
speed. Driving systems
177Driving and parking Z
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.
! When testing the parking brake, operate
the vehicle only briefly (for a maximum of
ten seconds) on a brake test dynamometer. When doing this, turn the SmartKey to posi-
tion 0or 1in the ignition. Failure to do this
can cause damage to the drive train or the brake system.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a two-axle dyna-
mometer. Before you operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
qualified workshop. You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system. 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 four 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 replace-
ment for your attention to your immediate
surroundings. You are always responsible for
safe maneuvering, parking and exiting a park-
ing space. When maneuvering, parking or
pulling out of a parking space, make sure that there are no persons, animals or objects in
the area in which you are maneuvering.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars. PARK-
TRONIC does not detect such objects when
they are in the immediate vicinity of the
vehicle. You could damage the vehicle or
the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves. Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror N
R release the parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds. 0043
Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand
side (example)
Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into con-
sideration that are:
R below the detection range, e.g. people, ani-
mals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g. overhang-
ing loads, truck overhangs or loading ramps
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or
slush. They can otherwise not function cor-
rectly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(Y page 309). 186
Driving systemsDriving and parking
Side view
Top view
Front sensors Center Approx. 40 in (approx.
100 cm)
Corners Approx. 24 in (approx.
60 cm)
Rear sensors
Center Approx. 48 in (approx.
120 cm)
Corners Approx. 32 in (approx.
80 cm)
Minimum distance
Center Approx. 8 in (approx.
20 cm)
Corners Approx. 6 in (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 The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located
on the dashboard above the center air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is loca-
ted on the headliner in the rear compartment. Warning display for the front area
0043
Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
0044 Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
0087 Segments showing operational readiness
The warning display for each side of the vehi-
cle is divided into five yellow and two red seg- ments. PARKTRONIC is operational if yellow
segments showing operational readiness 0087
light 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. Driving systems
187Driving and parking Z
Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is deacti-
vated after approx-
imately five seconds,
and the indicator lamp
in the PARKTRONIC
button lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
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 deacti-
vated after approx-
imately five seconds. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 309).
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
Important safety notes Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking
aid with ultrasound. Ultrasound is used to
measure the road on both sides of the vehicle. A parking symbol indicates a suitable parking
space. Active steering intervention can assist you during parking. You may also use PARK-
TRONIC (Y page 186). 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
result in a collision with another road user.
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 curbs slowly and not at a sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
Active Parking Assist is merely an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. Make sure that
no persons, animals or objects are in the
maneuvering range.
When PARKTRONIC is switched off, Active
Parking Assist is also unavailable.
Active Parking Assist may possibly indicate
parking spaces which are not suitable for
parking, for example:
R where parking or stopping is prohibited
R in front of driveways or entrances and exits
R on unsuitable surfaces Driving systems
189Driving and parking Z