Example: ECO display
The ECO display consists of three bars: R
Acceleration
RConstant
RCoasting
The percent value is the average value of thethree bars. The three bars and the mean value
begin at the value of 50%. A higher percent-
age indicates a more economical driving
style.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual fuel consumption. A fixed percentage count
in the ECO display does not indicate a fixed
consumption.
Apart from driving style, consumption is
dependent on many factors such as, e.g.: R load
R tire pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R electrical consumers switched on
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style is carried
out using the following three categories: R
Acceleration (evaluation of all accelera-
tion processes):
- The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- The bar empties: sporty acceleration
R
Constant (assessment of driving behavior
at all times):
- The bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
- The bar empties: fluctuations in speed
R
Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes):
- The bar fills up: anticipatory driving,
keeping your distance and early release
of the accelerator. The vehicle can coast
without use of the brakes.
- The bar empties: frequent braking
iAn economical driving style specially
requires driving at moderate engine
speeds.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration and Constant:
R observe the gearshift recommendations.
R drive in drive program E.
iOn long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the highway, only the bar for
Constant
will change.
iThe ECO display summarizes the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey
to its completion. For this reason, the bars
change dynamically at the beginning of the
journey. On longer journeys, there are
fewer changes. For more dynamic changes, carry out a manual reset.
For further information on the ECO display,
see ( Y page 224).
Driving tips171
Driving and parking
Z
Braking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients
! On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting
early to a lower gear. This allows you to take advantage of the engine braking effect and
helps avoid overheating and excessive
wear of the brakes.
When you take advantage of the engine
braking effect, a drive wheel may not turn
for some time, e.g. on a slippery road sur-
face. This could cause damage to the drive train. This type of damage is not covered bythe Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy load, do not stop the vehicle immediately.
Drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
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 the vehicle has
been washed.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi- cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm up
the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance. R Brake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
R Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
! If the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and you hear a warn-
ing tone while the engine is running, the
brake fluid level may be too low. Observe
additional warning messages in the multi-
function display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immedi-
ately. This work should be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a quali-
172Driving tips
Driving and parking
Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. 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 over-
heating and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise
control cannot take into account the road,
traffic and weather conditions. Cruise control is only an aid. You are responsible for the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed,for braking in good time and for staying in
your lane.
Do not use cruise control: 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
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new driver of the speed stored.
iCruise control should not be activated
when driving off-road.
iThe speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the speed stored.
Cruise control lever
:To activate or increase speed
;To activate or reduce speed
=To deactivate cruise control
?To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display
for five seconds. In the multifunction display,
the segments between the stored speed and
the maximum speed light up.
Storing and maintaining the current
speed
You can store the current speed if you are
driving faster than 20 mph (30 km/h). 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
automatically maintains the stored speed.
iCruise 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
automatically applying the brakes.
Driving systems175
Driving and parking
Z
Rthe transmission must be in position D.
R the hood must be closed.
R the driver's door must be closed when you
shift from P to D or your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door and rear doors
must be closed.
R the vehicle must not skid.
Activating while driving
When driving at speeds below 20 mph
(30 km/h), you can only activate DISTRONIC
PLUS if the vehicle in front has been detected
and is shown in the multifunction display. If
the vehicle in front is no longer detected and displayed, DISTRONIC PLUS switches off anda tone sounds.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?, or press it up : or down ;.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
X Press the cruise control lever repeatedly
up : or down ; until 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.
iIf you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the
DISTRONIC PLUS Override
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play. The set distance to a slower-moving
vehicle in front will then not be maintained. You will be driving at the speed you deter-
mine by the position of the accelerator
pedal.
Pulling away X If the vehicle in front pulls away: remove
your foot from the brake pedal. X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
or X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
Driving
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.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle infront is driving faster, it accelerates your vehi-
cle, but only up to the speed you have stored.
Changing lanes
If you change to the passing lane, DISTRONIC
PLUS supports you when: R you are driving faster than 40 mph
(60 km/h)
R DISTRONIC PLUS is maintaining the dis-
tance to a vehicle in front
R you switch on the appropriate turn signal
R DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger
of collision
If these conditions are fulfilled, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted
if changing lanes takes too long or if the dis-
tance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front becomes too small.
iWhen changing lanes, DISTRONIC PLUS
monitors the left lane on left-hand drive
vehicles and the right lane on right-hand
drive vehicles.
Driving systems179
Driving and parking
Z
Stopping
GWARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if:R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R DISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant or from outside the vehicle.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
R the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS ( Y page 182).
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it
is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
iDepending on the specified minimum dis-
tance, your vehicle will come to a standstill
at a sufficient distance behind the vehicle in
front. The specified minimum distance is
set using the control on the cruise control
lever.
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, the
transmission is shifted automatically to posi- tion P if:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R the hood is opened.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
Setting a speed
XPress the cruise control lever up : for a
higher speed or down ; for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up : or
down ; to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up : or down ; the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (10 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up : or
down ; beyond the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up : or down ;, the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
iDISTRONIC PLUS is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you accel-
erate to overtake, DISTRONIC PLUS
adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished over-
taking.
Storing the current speed or calling up a
stored speed
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
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.
Setting the specified minimum distance
You can set the specified minimum distance
for DISTRONIC PLUS by varying the time span between one and two seconds. With this func-
tion, you can set the minimum distance that
DISTRONIC PLUS keeps to the vehicle in
front, dependent on vehicle speed. You can
see this distance in the multifunction display
( Y page 181).
180Driving systems
Driving and parking
iMake sure that you maintain a sufficient
distance to the vehicle in front and comply with the minimum distance as required by
law. Adjust the distance to the vehicle in
front if necessary.
X To increase: turn control ; in direction
= .
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a greater distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
X To decrease: turn control ; in direc-
tion :.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a shorter
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the speed- ometer
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, one or
two segments ; in the set speed range light
up.
iFor design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from the speed set for DISTRONIC PLUS. If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front,
segments ; between speed of the vehicle in
front : and stored speed = light up.
DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the multi-
function display
General notes
In the Assistance menu ( Y page 228) of the
on-board computer, you can select the assis-
tance display.
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is deacti-
vated
X Select the
Assist. Graphic function
using the on-board computer
( Y page 229).
When DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you
will see the following in the multifunction dis- play:
:Vehicle in front, if detected
;Distance indicator, current distance to
the vehicle in front
=Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
?Own vehicle
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is activa-
ted X Select the
Assist. Graphic function
using the on-board computer
( Y page 229).
You will see the stored speed for about five
seconds when you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
After this time, you will see the following in
Driving systems181
Driving and parking
Z
the multifunction display while DISTRONIC
PLUS is activated:
:Vehicle in front, if detected
;Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
=Own vehicle
?DISTRONIC PLUS activated
Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS
There are several ways to deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or
X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, you
will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS Off message in
the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds.
iThe last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine. DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if:
R you engage the parking brake
R you are driving slower than 15 mph
(25 km/h) and there is no vehicle in front,
or if the vehicle in front is no longer detec-
ted
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R the transmission is in the P, R or N position
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 has skidded
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS Off message in the multi-
function display for approximately five sec-
onds.
If the vehicle has been stopped by DISTRONIC PLUS and a malfunction occurs in the system,
the
Brake Immediately message appears in
the multifunction display. Depress the brake
pedal immediately so that the vehicle does
not roll away. DISTRONIC PLUS is then deac-
tivated, and the message disappears.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes
The following contains descriptions of certain
road and traffic conditions in which you must
be particularly attentive. In such situations,
brake if necessary. DISTRONIC PLUS is then
deactivated.
182Driving systems
Driving and parking
Activating the HOLD function
XMake sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until ë appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
iIf depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function
The HOLD function is deactivated automati-
cally if: R you accelerate and the transmission is in
position D or R.
R the transmission is in position P.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until ë dis-
appears from the multifunction display.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
When the HOLD function is activated in vehi-
cles with an automatic transmission, the
transmission is shifted automatically to posi- tion P if:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R the hood is opened.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
The horn will also sound at regular intervals if
the HOLD function is activated and you:
R switch the engine off, open the driver's
door and remove your seat belt.
R open the hood.
The sounding of the horn alerts you to the fact that the vehicle has been parked while the HOLD function is still activated. If you attempt
to lock the vehicle, the tone becomes louder.
The vehicle is not locked until the HOLD func- tion is deactivated.
iIf the engine has been switched off, it
cannot be started again until the HOLD
function has been deactivated.
If there is a malfunction in the system or
power supply while the HOLD function is acti- vated, the
Brake Immediately message is
shown in the multifunction display. Immedi-
ately depress the brake firmly until the warn-
ing message in the multifunction display goes
out.
You can also shift the transmission to position
P . This deactivates the HOLD function.
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Together with ESP ®
and
ETS, it improves the traction of your vehicle
whenever a drive wheel spins due to insuffi-
cient 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.
Driving systems185
Driving and parking
Z