
The red
0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter goes out.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position Pto the desired position if
you depress the brake pedal. Only then is
the parking lock released. If the brake
pedal is not depressed, the DIRECT SELECT
lever can still be moved but the parking lock remains engaged.
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic lock-
ing feature (Y page 279).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Pulling away with a trailer To ensure that you do not roll backwards
when pulling away on an uphill slope, engage
the electric parking brake.
X Press and hold handle 0043.
The electric parking brake continues to
brake and prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards. The red
0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus- ter remains on.
X Depress the accelerator pedal.
X As soon as the vehicle/trailer combination
is held by the driving force of the engine,
release lever 0043.
The electric parking brake is released.
The red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter goes out.
Hill start assist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It
holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have removed your foot from the brake pedal. This gives you enough time to move your foot
from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and to depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll. G
WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no lon-
ger brake your vehicle and it could roll away.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
X Remove your foot from the brake pedal.
The vehicle is then held for about a second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist is not active if: R you are pulling away on a level road or on a
downhill gradient.
R the transmission is in position N.
R the electric parking brake is applied.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. Driving
161Driving and parking Z

If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
R Wash away fuel from skin immediately
using soap and water.
R If fuel comes into contact with your eyes,
immediately rinse them thoroughly with
clean water. Seek medical assistance with- out delay.
R If fuel is swallowed, seek medical assis-
tance without delay. Do not induce vomit-
ing.
R Immediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with fuel. G
WARNING
Electrostatic buildup can create sparks and
ignite fuel vapors. There is a risk of fire and
explosion.
Always touch the vehicle body before opening the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. Any existing electrostatic buildup is
thereby discharged. G
WARNING
Vehicles with a diesel engine:
If you mix diesel fuel with gasoline, the flash
point is lower than that of pure diesel fuel.
When the engine is running, exhaust system
components could overheat without being
noticed. There is a risk of fire.
Never refuel with gasoline. Never mix gasoline with diesel fuel.
! Do not use gasoline to refuel vehicles with
a diesel engine. Do not use diesel to refuel
vehicles with a gasoline engine. Do not
switch on the ignition if you accidentally
refuel with the wrong fuel. Otherwise, the
fuel will enter the fuel system. Even small
amounts of the wrong fuel could result in
damage to the fuel system and the engine. The repair costs are high. Notify a qualified
specialist workshop and have the fuel tank and fuel lines drained completely. !
Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
gasoline engine. Do not switch on the igni-
tion if you accidentally refuel with the
wrong fuel. Otherwise, the fuel will enter
the fuel system. Even small amounts of the wrong fuel could result in damage to the
fuel system and the engine. Notify a quali-
fied specialist workshop and have the fuel
tank and fuel lines drained completely.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
! Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
! Use a filter when refueling from a fuel can.
Otherwise, the fuel lines and/or injection
system could be blocked by particles from
the fuel can.
Do not get into the vehicle again during the
refueling process. Otherwise, electrostatic
charge could build up again.
If you overfill the fuel tank, fuel could spray
out when the fuel pump nozzle is removed.
i Flexible Fuel vehicles can be recognized
by the Ethanol up to E85 sticker on the
inside of the fuel filler flap.
For further information on fuel and fuel quality
(Y page 448). Refueling
General information Pay attention to the important safety notes
(Y
page 177).
The fuel filler flap is unlocked or locked auto-
matically when you open or close the vehicle
with the SmartKey or with KEYLESS-GO.
The position of the fuel filler cap is displayed
00B6 in the instrument cluster. The arrow
next to the filling pump indicates the side of
the vehicle. 178
RefuelingDriving and parking

Problems with fuel and the fuel tank
This section provides descriptions of and solutions to safety-relevant problems. Descriptions
of and solutions to further problems can be found in the Digital Operator's Manual. Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle. The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
G WARNING
Risk of explosion or fire. X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the ignition lock and remove
it immediately (Y page 157).
X Do not restart the engine under any circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. DEF (BlueTEC vehicles only)
Important notes on use To function properly, BlueTEC exhaust gas
aftertreatment must be operated with the
reducing agent DEF. Adding DEF is one of the
tasks performed during maintenance. Under
normal operating conditions, a tank of DEF
lasts until the next service due date.
When the supply of DEF is almost used up, the
Check
Check Additive
Additive See SeeOperator's
Operator's Manual
Manual
message is shown in the multifunction dis-
play.
If you drive the vehicle faster than 10 mph
(16 km/h), the Check
Check Additive Additive See
SeeOper‐
Oper‐
ator's Manual
ator's Manual message goes out after
approximately one minute.
When the supply of DEF is down to a reserve
of approximately 1 gal (3.8 l) the Refill Refill
AdBlue/DEF
AdBlue/DEF See
SeeOperator's
Operator's Manual
Manualmes-
sage is shown in the multifunction display.
When the DEF supply drops to a minimum, the Remaining Starts: 16
Remaining Starts: 16 message is shown
in the multifunction display.
If the Refill AdBlue/DEF No Start in Refill AdBlue/DEF No Start in
XXXX km XXXX km message is shown in the multifunc-
tion display, you can still drive the vehicle
over the distance shown. If DEF is not refilled,
you will subsequently be unable to start the
engine. If the Refill AdBlue/DEF Eng.
Refill AdBlue/DEF Eng. Start Not Poss Start Not Poss
message appears in the
multifunction display and the engine does not
start, you must add DEF.
X Add at least 1 gal (3.8 l)of DEF.
X Switch on the ignition for at least 60 sec-
onds.
X Start the engine.
i Have the DEF tank refilled at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Use the special DEF refill bottle when adding DEF between maintenance intervals. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center with
any questions or, if necessary, contact Road-
side Assistance (Y page 26).
If the outside temperature is below 12 ‡
(00F811 †) it may be difficult to top up. If DEF is
frozen and there is an active warning indica-
tor, it may not be possible to add DEF. Park
the vehicle in a warmer place, e.g. in a garage,
until DEF has become fluid again. It will then
be possible to add DEF again. Alternatively,
have the DEF tank refilled at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Further information about BlueTEC exhaust
gas aftertreatment and DEF is available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. 180
RefuelingDriving and parking

Important safety notes on the refilling
procedure DEF is a water-soluble fluid for the exhaust
gas aftertreatment of diesel engines. It is:
R not poisonous
R colorless and odorless
R not flammable
When you open the DEF container, small
amounts of ammonia vapor may be released. Ammonia vapors have a pungent odor and are
particularly irritating to the skin, to mucous
membranes and to the eyes. You may expe-
rience a burning sensation in your eyes, nose and throat. Coughing and watering of the
eyes are possible.
Do not inhale ammonia vapors. Fill the DEF
tank only in well-ventilated areas.
DEF must not come into contact with your
skin, eyes or clothing and must not be swal-
lowed. Keep DEF away from children.
If you or other persons come into contact with
DEF, observe the following:
R Rinse DEF from your skin immediately with
soap and water.
R If DEF comes into contact with your eyes,
immediately rinse them thoroughly with
clean water. Seek medical assistance with-
out delay.
R If DEF has been swallowed, rinse your
mouth out immediately. Drink plenty of
water. Seek medical assistance without
delay.
R Change out of clothing contaminated with
DEF immediately.
! Only use DEF in accordance with
ISO 22241. Do not mix any additives with
DEF, and do not dilute DEF with water. This
may destroy the BlueTEC exhaust gas after- treatment system.
! The vehicle must be parked on level
ground to fill the DEF tank. The DEF tank
can only be filled as intended with the vehi-
cle parked on a level surface. This avoids
false level readings. Filling the tank is not permitted if the vehicle is not parked on a
level surface. There is a danger of overfill-
ing, which could result in damage to com-
ponents of the BlueTEC exhaust gas after-
treatment.
! Rinse surfaces that have come into con-
tact with DEF immediately with water or
remove DEF using a damp cloth and cold
water. If the DEF has already crystallized,
use a sponge and cold water to clean it. DEF
residues crystallize after time and contam- inate the affected surfaces.
! DEF is not a fuel additive and must not be
added to the fuel tank. If DEF is added to
the fuel tank, this can lead to engine dam-
age.
For further information on DEF, see
(Y page 451).
You will find further information on DEF in the printed Operator's Manual under "Technical
data".
Opening the DEF filler cap The fuel filler flap is unlocked or locked auto-
matically when you open or close the vehicle
with the SmartKey or with KEYLESS-GO.
X Switch the ignition off.
X Press the fuel filler flap in the direction of
arrow 0043.
The fuel filler flap swings up.
X Turn blue DEF filler cap 0044counter-clock-
wise and remove it.
DEF filler cap 0044is secured with a plastic
strip. Refueling
181Driving and pa rking Z

These systems only work at peak efficiency if
they are serviced exactly in accordance with
the manufacturer's specifications. For this
reason, all work on the engine must be carried out by qualified and authorized Mercedes-
Benz technicians.
The engine settings must not be changed
under any circumstances. Furthermore, all
specific service work must be carried out at
regular intervals and in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz service requirements. Details
can be found in the Maintenance Booklet. ECO display
Example: ECO display
The ECO display provides feedback on how
economical your driving characteristics are.
The ECO display assists you in achieving the
most economical driving style for the selec-
ted settings and prevailing conditions. Your
driving style can significantly influence the
vehicle's consumption.
The ECO display consists of three bars:
R Acceleration
Acceleration
R Constant Constant
R Coasting
Coasting
The percent value is the average value of the three 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
Acceleration (evaluation of all accelera-
tion processes):
- The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
- The bar empties: sporty acceleration
R Constant 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 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
i An economical driving style specially
requires driving at moderate engine
speeds.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration
Acceleration andConstant Constant, observe the
gearshift recommendations.
i On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the highway, only the bar for Constant
Constant
will change.
i The 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 Driving tips
187Driving and parking Z

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.
! A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a 2-axle dynamom-
eter. If you are planning to have the vehicle tested on such a dynamometer, contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center to
obtain further information first. Otherwise,
you could damage the drive train or the
brake system.
! Because ESP ®
is an automatic system,
the engine and ignition must be switched
off (SmartKey in position 0or 1or Start/
Stop button in position 0or 1) when the
electric parking brake is being tested on a
brake dynamometer (maximum
10 seconds).
Braking triggered automatically by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a quali-
fied specialist workshop. Consult a qualified
specialist workshop to arrange this.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the function- ality of your brakes at regular intervals. To doso, depress the brake pedal firmly when driv-
ing at a high speed. This improves the grip of
the brake pads.
You can find a description of Brake Assist
(BAS) on (Y page 68) or of BAS PLUS on
(Y page 69). Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
have brake pads/linings installed on your
vehicle which have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which correspond
to an equivalent quality standard. Brake
pads/linings which have not been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which are not
of an equivalent quality could affect your vehi-
cle's operating safety.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only
use brake fluid that has been specially
approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz,
or which corresponds to an equivalent quality standard. Brake fluid which has not been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which is not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
High-performance brake system for
AMG vehicles The high-performance brake system is only
available on AMG vehicles.
The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. This may lead to
noise when braking. This will depend on:
R speed
R braking force
R environmental conditions, such as temper-
ature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings
or brake discs, depends on the individual driv-
ing style and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a
mileage that will be valid under all circum-
stances. An aggressive driving style will lead
to high wear. You can obtain further informa- tion about this from your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after sev-
eral hundred kilometers of driving. Compen-
sate for this by applying greater force to the
brake pedal. Keep this in mind, and adapt Driving tips
189Driving and parking Z

R
When driving down an incline, make use of
the engine's braking effect. Observe the
engine speed; do not overrev the engine.
R Before driving on extreme uphill and down-
hill gradients, select the LOW RANGE off-
road gear (Y page 253).
R Drive slowly.
R Avoid high engine speeds. Drive at appro-
priate engine speeds (maximum
3,000 rpm).
R Use the left-hand paddle shifter to shift into
a lower gear in good time on long and steep
downhill gradients.
R Check the brakes after prolonged off-road
driving.
i Hill start assist will aid you when pulling
away on a hill.
For further information about hill start
assist, see (Y page 161).
Do not switch to transmission position N
when driving off-road. If you try to brake the
vehicle using the service brake, you could
lose control of the vehicle. If the gradient is
too steep for your vehicle, drive back down in
reverse gear.
Always observe the approach/departure
angle values (Y page 458).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability Always observe the maximum gradient climb-
ing ability values (Y page 458).
Hilltops When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immedi-
ately before reaching the brow of the hill. Use
the vehicle's own impetus to drive over the
top of the hill.
This style of driving prevents:
R the vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
R the vehicle from traveling 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. Oth- erwise, the vehicle could slip sideways, tip
and rollover.
R Shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
paddle shifter before tackling steep down-
hill gradients.
R Activate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the
vehicle is facing in the direction of the line
of fall.
R Check that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
i The special off-road ABS setting enables a
precise, brief and repeated locking of the
front wheels. This causes them to dig into
loose earth. Be aware that the front wheels easily skid across the ground surface if
completely braked and therefore lose their
ability to steer. Driving systems
Cruise control
General 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 lower 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). Driving systems
195Driving and parking Z

Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you engage the electric parking brake
R you are driving at less than 20 mph
(30 km/h)
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R you activate DSR
R you activate off-road program 2 on vehicles
with the ON&OFFROAD package
R you shift the transmission to position N
while 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 dis-
play for approximately five seconds.
i When you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared. DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. DIS-
TRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so that
the set speed is not exceeded.
You must select a lower 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.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and acoustically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot pre-
vent a collision without your intervention. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and
the distance warning lamp will light up in the instrument cluster. Brake immediately in
order to increase the distance to the vehicle in front or take evasive action provided it is
safe to do so.
For DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you, the radar
sensor system must be operational.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between 20 mph
(Canada: 30 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h). If a vehicle is driving in front of
you, it operates in the speed range between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on roads with steep gradients.
As DISTRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves, it
can resemble the radar detectors of the
responsible authorities. You can refer to the
relevant chapter in the Operator's Manual if
questions are asked about this.
i USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System". The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotiveradar system only. Removing, tampering
with, or altering the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
i Canada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
2. this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties, and is not
permitted. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in any non-approved way. 198
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking