2015 MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class adaptiv damping system

1, 2, 3 ...
115 V socket ...................................... 350
12 V socket see Sockets
360° camera
Cleaning .........................................3 76
Function/notes ............................ .229
4ETS
see ETS/4ETS (Electronic Trac-
tion System)
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel
drive) ................................................. .249 A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) Display message ............................ 285
Function/notes ................................ 68
Important safety notes .................... 68
Warning lamp ................................. 321
Accident
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................. 60
Activating/deactivating cooling
with air dehumidification ................. 144
Active Blind Spot Assist Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 276
Display message ............................ 308
Function/informatio n.................... 241
Trailer towing ................................. 244
Active Curve System
Display message ............................ 305
Function/note s............................. 212
Active Driving Assistance package .. 241
Active Lane Keeping Assist Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 276
Display message ............................ 307
Function/information .................... 244
Trailer towing ................................. 247
Active light function ......................... 125
Active Parking Assist Display message ............................ 308
Exiting a parking space .................. 223
Function/note s............................. 220
Important safety notes .................. 220 Parking .......................................... 222
Towing a trailer .............................. 224
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ................................. 75
Adaptive Brake Assist Display message ............................ 292
Function/note s................................ 71
Adaptive damping system
see ADS (Adaptive Damping System)
Adaptive Highbeam Assist
Display message ............................ 300
Function/note s............................. 126
Switching on/of f........................... 126
Additives (engine oil) ........................ 453
ADS (Adaptive Damping System) Function/note s............................. 212
Air bags
Deployment ..................................... 58
Display message ............................ 295
Front air bag (driver, front
passenger) ....................................... 51
Important safety notes .................... 50
Introduction ..................................... 50
Knee bag .......................................... 52
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indica-
tor lamp ........................................... 45
Side impact air bag .......................... 52
Window curtain air bag .................... 52
Air-conditioning system
see Climate control
Air filter (display message) .............. 303
AIR FLOW ........................................... 147
AIRMATIC package ADS (Adaptive Damping System) ... 212
Function/note s............................. 211
Level control .................................. 213
Air vents
Glove box ....................................... 153
Important safety notes .................. 152
Rear ............................................... 153
Setting ........................................... 152
Setting the center air vents ........... 152
Setting the side air vents ............... 153
Alarm
ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system )......... 77
Switching off (ATA) .......................... 77
Switching the function on/off
(ATA) ................................................ 77 4
Index

i
Vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD pack-
age and AMG vehicles Function Page
006E
Cup holder 345
Ashtray 348
Cigarette lighter 348
Socket 349
006F
COMAND controller; see
the separate operating
instructions
0070
00C8
Selects the drive pro-
gram 172
Selects the drive program
(AMG vehicles)
172 Function Page
0071
00C6
DSR (Downhill Speed
Regulation) 250
0072
00C4
Level control (vehi-
cles with AIRMATIC pack-
age) 213
0073
0091
Adaptive Damping
System (vehicles with AIR-
MATIC package) 212
00CC
Adjusts AMG adap-
tive damping system (AMG
vehicles) 216
0074
Stowage compartment with
Media Interface 33640
Center consoleAt a glance

!
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
Deactivating the HOLD function
(Y page 211).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
R the driver's door is closed or your seat belt
is fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R the transmission is in position D,Ror N
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated
Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until 0043appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If 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 Dor R.
R you shift the transmission to position P.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until 0043disap-
pears from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service brake.
The electric parking brake automatically
secures the vehicle if the HOLD function is
activated and:
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 a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there
is a malfunction, the transmission may also
be automatically shifted into position P. AIRMATIC package
General notes AIRMATIC regulates the level of your vehicle.
As well as level control (Y page 213), your
vehicle can be equipped with ADS (Adaptive
Damping System) (Y page 212) and ACTIVE
CURVE SYSTEM (Y page 212).
Observe the notes on driving with a trailer
(Y page 257). Driving systems
211Driving and parking Z

ADS (Adaptive Damping System)
General notes
ADS adapts the damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving situation.
This depends on:
R your driving style
R the road surface conditions
R the ADS setting
R the vehicle level setting
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning Example: vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package
0043 Suspension tuning button
0044 Indicator lamp for sports tuning
0087 Indicator lamp for comfort tuning
X Start the engine.
X Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044lights up. Sports suspen-
sion tuning is selected. The vehicle is low-
ered by 0.6 in (15 mm).
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads. Comfort tuning Example: vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package
0043 Suspension tuning button
0044 Indicator lamp for sports tuning
0087 Indicator lamp for comfort tuning
X Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0087lights up. Comfort tuning
is selected. The vehicle is raised by 0.6 in
(15 mm).
In comfort mode, the dr iving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. There-
fore, select this mode if you favor a more
comfortable driving style. Select comfort
mode also when driving fast on straight roads,
e.g. on straight stretches of highway.
Active Curve System The Active Curve System uses active stabil-
izers to optimize both driving comfort and
vehicle agility. Depending on the ADS mode
selected (Y page 212), the Active Curve Sys-
tem also changes the setting.
If you select ADS comfort mode:
R rolling movement is reduced in the event of
changing surface undulations
R the roll angle when cornering is reduced
R the driving style is agile
If you select ADS sport mode:
R the roll angle is reduced significantly
R the driving style is even more agile 212
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Vehicle level
Level control adapts the vehicle level auto-
matically to the current operating and driving
situation. Level control ensures the best pos-
sible suspension and constant ground clear-
ance, even with a laden vehicle. This improves
driving safety and fuel consumption.
The AIRMATIC package and ACTIVE CURVE
SYSTEM are always components of AMG
adaptive suspension system (Y page 211).
Due to the sportier suspension settings com- pared to standard vehicles, the levels and
speed thresholds for sinking and raising the
vehicle are different.
In Comfort and Sport driving modes, after
locking the vehicle it lowers to the Sport+
level. When locking the vehicle at the raised
level, the vehicle does not lower.
The settings will remain stored after you
switch off the engine. When starting the
engine, the selected setting, e.g. AMG adap-
tive suspension system Comfort, is restored.
i The vehicle level may change visibly if you
park the vehicle and the outside tempera-
ture changes. If the temperature drops, the vehicle level lowers; with an increase in
temperature, the vehicle level rises.
Suspension tuning General notes
The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style
R the road surface conditions
R your individual selection of Sport, Sport +
or Comfort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock. Sport mode
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
X Press button 0043once.
Indicator lamp 0044lights up. You have selec-
ted Sport mode.
The AMG
AMG Suspension Suspension System
SystemSPORT
SPORTmes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
Sport + mode
The very firm setting of the suspension tuning in Sport + mode ensures the best possible
contact with the road. Select this mode pref-
erably when driving on race circuits.
If indicator lamps 0087and 0044are off:
X Press button 0043twice.
Indicator lamps 0087and 0044light up. You
have selected Sport + mode. The vehicle is
lowered by 10 mm.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT + AMG Suspension System SPORT +
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
If indicator lamp 0044lights up:
X Press button 0043once.
Second indicator lamp 0087lights up. You
have selected Sport + mode. The vehicle is
lowered by 10 mm.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT + AMG Suspension System SPORT +
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play. 216
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

R
you switch on the turn signals. In this
event, the warnings are suppressed for a
certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
R you brake hard.
R you steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lanes quickly.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have correctly established the electrical connec-
tion. This can be accomplished by checking
the trailer lighting. On-road programs (vehicles with the
ON&OFFROAD package)
General notes The on-road programs assist you during on-
road driving and the off-road programs when
driving off-road (Y page 251).
The following program messages remain in
the multifunction display until the corre-
sponding vehicle level has been set. Up to off-
road level 2, you can hide the program mes-
sages using the 0038or0076 button on the
multifunction steering wheel. AUTO program
Select the AUTO program for a more com-
fortable ride under all normal driving condi-
tions.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X Selector wheel 0043 0043engaged: briefly press
selector wheel 0043.
Selector wheel 0043extends.
X To select: turn selector wheel 0043until indi-
cator lamp 0044comes on.
AUTO indicator 0087appears in the multi-
function display.
R Highway level is set.
R ADS (Adaptive Damping System) adapts
comfortable damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving condi-
tions.
R The automatic transmission selects the
automatic drive program for a comforta-
ble driving style that provides for opti-
mum fuel consumption. Driving syste
ms
247Driving an d parking Z

SPORT program
Select the SPORT program for sporty,
dynamic handling.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X Selector wheel 0043
0043 engaged: briefly press
selector wheel 0043.
Selector wheel 0043extends.
X To select: turn selector wheel 0043until indi-
cator lamp 0044comes on.
SPORT indicator 0087appears in the multi-
function display.
R High-speed level, –15 mm compared to
highway level, is set.
R ADS (Adaptive Damping System) adapts
sporty damping characteristics to the
current operating and driving conditions.
R The automatic transmission selects the
automatic drive program for a sporty
driving style.
R The sporty accelerator pedal curve is
selected, e.g. the accelerator pedal no longer has to be pressed as far to accel-
erate.
R The sporty steering curve is selected,
e.g. greater force is required when steer-
ing.
i You cannot select the SPORT program if
LOW RANGE has been selected. The
Drive Program SPORT Not in LOW
Drive Program SPORT Not in LOW
RANGE RANGE message then appears in the multi-
function display.
Snow program Select the snow program for driving in snow
with or without snow chains.
X Selector wheel 0043 0043engaged: briefly press
selector wheel 0043.
Selector wheel 0043extends.
X To select: turn selector wheel 0043until indi-
cator lamp 0044comes on.
Snow indicator 0087appears in the multi-
function display. 248
Driving systemsDriving and parking

R
Highway level is set.
R ADS (Adaptive Damping System) adapts
comfortable damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving condi-
tions.
R 4ETS and the differential lock are adap-
ted for driving on snow-covered roads.
R The automatic transmission selects the
automatic drive program for a comforta-
ble driving style that provides for opti-
mum fuel consumption.
R The soft accelerator pedal curve is selec-
ted, e.g. the accelerator pedal must be
pressed significantly further to acceler-
ate.
R The optimum gear for pulling away is
engaged.
Trailer program Select the trailer program when towing a
trailer. X
Selector wheel 0043 0043engaged: briefly press
selector wheel 0043.
Selector wheel 0043extends.
X To select: turn selector wheel 0043until indi-
cator lamp 0044comes on.
Trailer indicator 0087appears in the multi-
function display.
R Highway level is set.
R ADS (Adaptive Damping System) adapts
comfortable damping characteristics to
the current operating and driving condi-
tions.
R The automatic transmission selects the
automatic drive program for a comforta-
ble driving style that provides for opti-
mum fuel consumption, changing gear at optimum points.
R While pulling away, the differential locks
are engaged. Off-road driving systems
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive) 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.
! 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.
! 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 Driving systems
249Driving and parking Z