Driving and operating161
<=manual mode upshifting: move
selector lever to position D to the
left and tap forwards]=manual mode downshifting:
move selector lever to position
D to the left and tap backwards
The selector lever is locked in P and
can only be moved when the ignition
is on and the brake pedal is applied.
Without applied brake pedal the
control indicator j illuminates.
If the selector lever is not in P when
the ignition is switched off, control
indicator j and P will flash.
To engage P or R, press the release
button.
The engine can only be started with
lever in position P or N. When position
N is selected, press brake pedal or
apply parking brake before starting.
Do not accelerate while engaging a
gear. Never depress the accelerator
pedal and brake pedal at the same
time.
When a gear is engaged, the vehicle
slowly begins to creep when the
brake is released.
Engine braking To utilise the engine braking effect,
select a lower gear in good time when
driving downhill, see manual mode.
Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle is only
permissible if the vehicle is stuck in
sand, mud or snow. Move the selector
lever between D and R in a repeat
pattern. Do not race the engine and
avoid sudden acceleration.Parking
Apply the parking brake and engage P .
The ignition key can only be removed
when the selector lever is in position
P .
Manual mode
Selector lever
Move selector lever out of position D
towards the left to select manual
mode.
164Driving and operating
3. Insert a screwdriver into theopening as far as it will go and
move the selector lever out of P or
N . If P or N is engaged again, the
selector lever will be locked in
position again. Have the cause of
the power supply interruption
remedied by a workshop.
4. Mount the selector lever trim on the centre console and refit.Manual transmission
To engage reverse, with the vehicle
stationary press the release button on the selector lever and engage the
gear.
If the gear does not engage, set the
lever to neutral, release the clutch
pedal and depress again; then repeat
gear selection.
Do not slip the clutch unnecessarily.
When operating, depress the clutch
pedal completely. Do not use the
pedal as a foot rest.
Caution
It is not advisable to drive with the hand resting on the selector lever.
Driving and operating165Drive systems
All-wheel drive The All-wheel drive system enhances
driving characteristics and stability,
and helps to achieve the best
possible driveability regardless of
ground surface. The system is always
active and cannot be deactivated.
The torque is distributed steplessly
between the wheels of the front and rear axle, depending on the driving
conditions. Additionally the torque
between the rear wheels is distributed depending on the surface.
For optimum system performance,
the vehicle's tyres should not have
varying degrees of wear.
If a service message is displayed in
the Driver Information Centre, the
system may have limited functionality
(or be completely disabled in some
cases, i.e. the vehicle switches to
Front-wheel drive). Seek the
assistance of a workshop.
Towing the vehicle 3 257.Brakes
The brake system comprises twoindependent brake circuits.
If a brake circuit fails, the vehicle can
still be braked using the other brake
circuit. However, braking effect is
achieved only when the brake pedal
is depressed firmly. Considerably
more force is needed for this. The
braking distance is extended. Seek the assistance of a workshop before
continuing your journey.
When the engine is not running, the
support of the brake servo unit
disappears once the brake pedal has
been depressed once or twice.
Braking effect is not reduced, but
braking requires significantly greater
force. It is especially important to bear this in mind when being towed.
Control indicator R 3 105.
Antilock brake system
Antilock brake system (ABS)
prevents the wheels from locking.ABS starts to regulate brake pressure as soon as a wheel shows a tendency to lock. The vehicle remains
steerable, even during hard braking.
ABS control is made apparent
through a pulse in the brake pedal
and the noise of the regulation
process.
For optimum braking, keep the brake
pedal fully depressed throughout the
braking process, despite the fact that the pedal is pulsating. Do not reduce
the pressure on the pedal.
After starting off, the system performs a self-test which may be audible.
Control indicator u 3 106.
Adaptive brake light During full braking, all three brakelights flash for the duration of ABS
control.
166Driving and operating
Fault9Warning
If there is a fault in the ABS, the
wheels may be liable to lock due
to braking that is heavier than
normal. The advantages of ABS are no longer available. During
hard braking, the vehicle can no longer be steered and may
swerve.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Parking brake
Manual parking brake
Always apply parking brake firmly
without operating the release button,
and apply as firmly as possible on a
downhill or uphill slope.
To release the parking brake, pull the lever up slightly, press the release
button and fully lower the lever.
To reduce the operating forces of the
parking brake, depress the foot brake
at the same time.
Control indicator R 3 105.
Electric parking brake
Applying when vehicle is stationary
Pull switch m for approx.
one second, the electric parking
brake operates automatically with an adequate force. For maximum force,
e.g. parking with trailer or on inclines,
pull switch m twice.
The electric parking brake is applied
when control indicator m lights up
3 105.
The electric parking brake can always
be activated, even if the ignition is off.
170Driving and operating
Additionally the selected mode is
displayed as status message in the
Driver Information Centre.
If the vehicle comes into threshold
with deactivated ESP, the system will reactivate ESP for the time duration
of the threshold, when the brake pedal is depressed once.
ESC is reactivated by pressing the
b button again. If the TC system was
previously disabled, both TC and
ESC are reactivated.
ESC is also reactivated the next time
the ignition is switched on.Interactive driving system
Flex Ride Flex Ride driving system allows the
driver to select between three driving
modes:
■ SPORT mode: press button SPORT , LED illuminates.
■ TOUR mode: press button TOUR,
LED illuminates.
■ NORMAL mode: neither button SPORT nor TOUR is pressed, no
LED illuminates.
Deactivate SPORT mode and TOUR
mode by pressing corresponding
button once more.
In each driving mode Flex Ride networks the following electronic systems:
■ Continuous Damping Control.
■ Accelerator Pedal Control.
■ Steering Control.
■ All-wheel drive.
■ Electronic Stability Control (ESC).■ Antilock brake system (ABS) with cornering brake control (CBC).
■ Automatic transmission.
SPORT mode
The settings of the systems are
adapted to a sportier driving style:
■ Damping of shock absorbers reacts
more stiffly to provide better contact with the road surface.
■ The engine reacts more quickly to the accelerator pedal.
■ Steering support is reduced.
172Driving and operating
Flex Ride - VXR Version
The VXR Version of Flex Ride system works in the same way as the
standard Flex Ride system with the
difference that the modes have a
more sporty characteristic.VXR Flex Ride driving system allows
the driver to select between three
driving modes:
■ VXR mode: press button VXR, LED
illuminates.
■ SPORT mode: press button SPORT , LED illuminates.
■ NORMAL mode: neither button SPORT nor VXR is pressed, no
LED illuminates.
Deactivate SPORT mode and VXR
mode by pressing corresponding
button once more.
In each driving mode VXR Flex Ride
networks the following electronic
systems:
■ Continuous Damping Control.
■ Accelerator Pedal Control.
■ Steering Control.
■ All-wheel drive.
■ Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
■ Antilock brake system (ABS) with cornering brake control (CBC).
■ Automatic transmission.VXR mode
The drive dynamic characteristics are adapted to high performance
settings.
SPORT mode
The settings of the systems are
adapted to a sportier driving style.
NORMAL mode
In NORMAL mode, when neither
SPORT nor VXR button is pressed,
all settings of the systems are
adapted to standard values.
Personalised settings in the VXR
mode
The driver can select the functions of
the VXR mode when VXR button is
pressed.
Select the relevant settings in
Settings , I Sport Mode in the Colour-
Info-Display.
Colour-Info-Display 3 117.
Vehicle personalisation 3 121.
Driving and operating179
The selected following distance is
indicated by filled distance bars in the
adaptive cruise control page.
Note that the following distance
setting is shared with the sensitivity
setting of forward collision alert
3 183.
Example: If setting 3 (far) is selected,
then the driver is warned sooner
before a possible collision, also if
adaptive cruise control is inactive or
switched off.
9 Warning
The driver accepts full
responsibility for the appropriate
following distance based on traffic, weather and visibility conditions.
Following distance must be
adjusted or the system switched
off when required by the prevailing
conditions.
Detecting the vehicle ahead
The green illuminated vehicle ahead
control indicator A is displayed when
the system detects a vehicle in the driving path.
Forward collision alert 3 183.
If this symbol does not display, or displays briefly, adaptive cruise
control will not respond to vehicles
ahead.
Deactivation
Adaptive cruise control is deactivated by the driver when:
■ button y is pressed,
■ brake pedal is applied,
■ clutch pedal is depressed for more than four seconds,
■ gear selector lever of automatic transmission is moved to N.
The system is also automatically
deactivated when:
■ vehicle speed accelerates above 120 mph or slows down below
9 mph (on vehicles with automatic
transmission it slows down to a stop without deactivating within
two minutes),
■ Traction Control system is operating,
■ Electronic Stability Control is operating,
■ there is no traffic and nothing detected on the road sides for
several minutes. In this case there
are no radar echoes and the sensor
may report that it is blocked,
180Driving and operating
■ collision imminent braking isapplying the brakes,
■ radar sensor is blocked by an ice or
water film,
■ fault is detected in the radar, engine
or brake system.
Additionally the system is
automatically deactivated on vehicles
with automatic transmission (full
speed range adaptive cruise control)
when:
■ Electric parking brake is applied,■ vehicle is being held to a stop by the
system for more than two minutes,
■ vehicle stops, the driver safety belt is released and the driver's door is
opened.
When adaptive cruise control is
deactivated automatically, the control indicator m or C illuminates white
and a warning message is displayed as a pop-up in the Driver Information
Centre.
The stored speed is maintained.9 Warning
When adaptive cruise control is
deactivated, the driver must take
over full brake and engine control.
Switching off
Press button C to switch off adaptive
cruise control. The control indicator
m or C extinguishes. The stored
speed is deleted.
Switching off the ignition also
switches off adaptive cruise control
and deletes the stored speed.
Driver's attention ■ Use adaptive cruise control carefully on bends or mountain
roads, as it can lose the vehicle
ahead and need time to detect it
again.
■ Do not use the system on slippery roads as it can create rapid
changes in tyre traction (wheel spinning), so that you could lose
control of the vehicle.
■ Do not use adaptive cruise control during rain, snow or heavy dirt, as
the radar sensor can be covered by a water film, dust, ice or snow. This
reduces or suppresses completely
the visibility. In case of sensor
blockage, clean the sensor cover.
System limits ■ The system's automatic brake force
does not permit hard braking and
the braking level may not be
sufficient to avoid a collision.
■ After a sudden lane change, the system needs a certain time to
detect the next preceding vehicle.
So if a new vehicle is detected, the
system may accelerate instead of
braking.
■ Adaptive cruise control does ignore
the oncoming traffic.