Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate. 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.
Observe the important safety notes for PLUG-
IN HYBRID vehicles (Y page 46).DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column. The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns to
its original position. The current transmission
position P,R, Nor Dappears in the transmis-
sion position display (Y page 199) in the mul-
tifunction display.
Engaging park position P !
If the engine speed is too high or the vehi-
cle is moving, do not shift the automatic
transmission directly from Dto R, from Rto
D or directly to P. The automatic transmis-
sion could otherwise be damaged. j
Park position with parking lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral
h Drive
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direc-
tion of arrow P.
Engaging park position P automatically Park position
Pis automatically engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the Smart-
Key and remove the SmartKey.
R you switch off the engine using the Start/
Stop button and open the driver's door.
R you open the driver's door when the vehicle
is stationary or driving at very low speed
and the transmission is in position Dor R.
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary. Automatic trans
mission
197Driving an d parking Z
In overrun mode, kinetic energy is converted
by means of energy recuperation into electri- cal energy and stored in the high-voltage bat-
tery.
The high-voltage battery can be charged as
follows:
R through energy recuperation while the
vehicle is in motion
R during the journey using the CHARGE mode
R with the relevant charging cable at an elec-
trical outlet while the vehicle is stationary
R with the relevant charging cable at a wall-
box while the vehicle is stationary
R with the relevant charging cable at a charg-
ing station while the vehicle is stationary
The high-voltage battery can be charged in a
nominal voltage range from 100 V to 240 V.
High and low outside temperatures Low outside temperatures
At very low outside temperatures the maxi-
mum power output of the high-voltage battery
may be reduced. The high-voltage battery is
then no longer able to provide the normal
electrical power output.
High outside temperatures
To prevent damage to the high-voltage bat-
tery due to very high outside temperatures,
the maximum power output of the high-volt-
age battery is reduced by the vehicle.
Energy consumption and electrical
range The maximum electrical range is generally
reduced by:
R high and low outside temperatures
R the use of air conditioning or heating
R switching on consumers The battery's physical characteristics are
such that leaving the vehicle parked for long
periods at low outdoor temperatures without
charging it can lead to:
R a reduction in battery performance
R longer charge times
Notes on battery care Avoid storing or transporting the vehicle in
temperatures that are too high or too low over
a long period (e.g. container transport).
If you park the vehicle and leave it stationaryfor longer periods, connect it to a power sup-
ply.
Conditions of use Please note the information on exceptions
and limitations in warranty documentation
and in the Maintenance Booklet.
Handling the charging cable and charg- ing cable controls Do not leave the charging cable controls
(Y
page 213) hanging loose from an electrical
outlet. Otherwise, this could result in a poor
contact with the electrical outlet and mal-
functions when charging the vehicle.
To ensure that the cable on the controls of the charging cable is not subjected to incorrect
loads, observe the following:
R Never lift the controls up at the charging
cable connector or the power supply plug.
R Do not carry the controls by the connector.
Heat generated by the charging cable
and connector Pay attention to the "Important safety notes"
(Y page 209).
During the charging process, the charging
cable and connector may heat up. Charging the high-voltage battery (plug-in hybrid vehicles)
211Driving and parking Z
?
Vehicle socket
A Indicator lamp Ý
X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to shift the
automatic transmission to P.
X Switch the ignition off.
X Press the charge socket flap in the direc-
tion of arrow :.
The charge socket flap swings up.
X Slide fastener ;to the right.
Vehicle socket flap =is open.
X Insert the power supply plug into the elec-
trical outlet to the stop.
X Insert the charging cable connector into
vehicle socket ?to the stop.
The high-voltage battery is being charged.
Ý indicator lamp Aon vehicle
socket ?flashes slowly green.
i The vehicle must not be moved during
charging or when the charging cable is con- nected.
i Depending on the temperature, the fan
and battery cooling system may audibly
switch on during the charging process.
Removing the charging cable When the charge level display reaches 100%
in the multifunction display, the battery is
fully charged (Y page 281).
i After the charging cable has been discon-
nected, the indicator lamp in the vehicle
socket remains lit for some time before
switching off. When the battery is fully charged:
X Unlock the vehicle.
Ý indicator lamp Aon vehicle
socket ?lights up green.
X Press and hold button Bon the charging
cable connector and remove the charging
cable from the vehicle socket.
X Close vehicle socket flap =.
X Close charge socket flap :.
X Remove the charging cable from the elec-
trical outlet.
X Stow the charging cable safely in the vehi-
cle (Y page 212). Charging the high-voltage battery
from the wallbox
General notes It is recommended that you charge your vehi-
cle using a wallbox or at a charging station.
Use the optional quick charging cable when
charging at a wallbox. The charging cable is
stored in a bag in the trunk.
Only use charging cables that have been tes- ted and approved by the manufacturer for
charging the high-voltage battery in an elec-
tric vehicle.
Pay attention to the "Important safety notes"
(Y page 209). Charging the high-voltage battery (plug-in hybrid vehicles)
215Driving and parking Z
code (VVC) issued by the Mercedes-Benz
Center after purchase. With this new
code you can set up the access to your
vehicle. This is described in the "Setting
up a personal area" section on the "Vehi-
cle Homepage". There, you may also
deactivate the existing access of the pre- vious owner.
Calling up functions in the "My
Mercedes Electric - Vehicle Homepage" The "Vehicle Homepage" allows you access to
vehicle information and your vehicle's func-
tions using remote query and remote config-
uration.
The following functions can be accessed via
the "Vehicle Homepage":
R request the current condition of charge of
the high-voltage battery
R program the departure time (Y page 310)
R set/activate the "Pre-entry climate control
at departure time" function (REMOTE CLI-
MATE CONTROL), (see the separate
COMAND operating instructions)
Information on additional functions and oper- ating instructions can be found on the "Vehi-
cle Homepage".
Connecting the vehicle to the Internet i
This function is not available in all coun-
tries and requires activated access to the
mbrace emergency call system.
i This function is only available if the vehi-
cle is equipped with a telephone module.
You can use the "Vehicle Homepage" if the
vehicle has a connection to the Internet via
the telephone module. The telephone module uses CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)
and transmits the necessary data by radio.
The vehicle automatically recognizes whether a connection to the Internet via the telephone
module is possible or not. No presets are
necessary. i
Restrictions in reception are possible if
the vehicle is in an underground car park,
for example. Restrictions may also occur in areas with poor mobile network coverage.
To enable the transfer of data via the tele-
phone module, you do not need a SIM card. 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-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi-cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields. G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking 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
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly
against rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle
or its drivetrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied.
R the transmission must be in position Pand
the SmartKey must be removed from the
ignition lock. 220
ParkingDriving and parking
R
the front wheels must be turned towards
the curb on steep uphill or downhill gradi-
ents.
R the empty vehicle must be secured at the
front axle with a wheel chock or similar, for
example, on uphill or downhill gradients.
R a laden vehicle must also be secured at the
rear axle with a wheel chock or similar, 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.
If the engine cannot be switched off as descri-
bed here, see "Emergency engine cutoff"
(Y page 440).
Using the SmartKey X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
If you then open the driver's door or the
front-passenger door or remove the Smart-
Key from the ignition, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to Pautomatically.
If you shift the automatic transmission to N
before switching off the engine, the auto-
matic transmission remains in Neven if the driver's door or the front-passenger door is
opened.
Using the Start/Stop button X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 189).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
When the driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1. When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to key
position 0: "Key removed".
If you turn off the engine with the Start/
Stop button, the automatic transmission
shifts to N. If you then open one of the front
doors, the automatic transmission shifts to P.
If you drive through a car wash with a con-
veyor, you can:
R switch on the ignition using the Start/
Stop button and shift the transmission to
N
R insert the SmartKey into the ignition
lock, switch on the ignition and shift the
transmission to N
In the event of an emergency, the engine can
be turned off while the vehicle is in motion by
pressing and holding the Start/Stop button
for three seconds. This function operates
independently of the ECO start/stop auto-
matic engine switch-off function. Parking
221Driving an d parking Z
The electric parking brake is also engaged
automatically if:
R DISTRONIC PLUS brings the vehicle to a
standstill or
R the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle
stationary
R Active Parking Assist is holding the vehicle
at a standstill
In addition, at least one of the following con-
ditions must be fulfilled:
R there is a system malfunction.
R the power supply is insufficient.
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy
period.
The red F(USA only) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up.
The electric parking brake is not automati-
cally engaged if the engine is switched off by the ECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically The electric parking brake is released auto-
matically when all of the following conditions
are fulfilled:
R the engine is running.
R the transmission is in position Dor R.
R the seat belt has been fastened.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
If the automatic transmission is in position R,
the trunk lid must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
R the driver's door is closed.
R you have shifted out of transmission posi-
tion Por you have previously driven faster
than 2 mph (3 km/h).
Ensure that you do not depress the acceler-
ator pedal unintentionally. Otherwise the
parking brake will be released and the vehicle
will start to move. Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency by using the electric parking
brake.
X While driving, push handle :of the electric
parking brake (Y page 222).
The vehicle is braked as long as you keep
handle :of the electric parking brake
pressed. The longer electric parking brake
handle :is depressed, the greater the brak-
ing force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds
R the Release parking brake Release parking brake message
appears
R the red F(USA only) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus- ter flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand- still, the electric parking brake is engaged. Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging and further damaged
in the event of this occurring again.
X Connect a trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
six weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles: observe the
important safety notes for the high-voltage
battery (Y page 429). Parking
223Driving and parking Z
Driving tips
General driving tips
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If you operate mobile communication equip-
ment while driving, you will be distracted from traffic conditions. You could also lose controlof the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicleis stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the coun- try in which you are driving. Some jurisdic-
tions prohibit the driver from using a mobile
phone while driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone
when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers
a distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) per
second.
Drive sensibly – save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel:
X The tires should always be inflated to the
recommended tire pressure.
X Remove unnecessary loads.
X Remove roof racks when they are not nee-
ded.
X Warm up the engine at low engine speeds. X
Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
X Have all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or by the service
interval display.
Fuel consumption also increases when driv-
ing in cold weather, in stop-start traffic and in
hilly terrain.
Drinking and driving G
WARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and judg-
ment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-
dent is greatly increased when you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or tak-
ing drugs.
Emission control G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous components in exhaust fumes within legal limits.
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 224
Driving tipsDriving and pa
rking
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.
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 G
WARNING
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 or driven through deep water.
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
In order to prevent any salt build-up, apply
the brakes occasionally while paying atten- tion to the traffic conditions.
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.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC:
function or per-
formance tests may only be carried out on 226
Driving tipsDriving an
d parking