TheRACE drive program is characterized by the
following:
RThe vehicle exhibits driving characteristics
suitable for the racetrack.
RAll vehicle systems are set for maximum
sportiness.
RFor optimum performance, the transmission
shifts up later and shifts down sooner.
RThe multifunction display shows the manual
gearshift program without upshift indicator
(
Ypage 114).
RThe gearshift recommendation gives you
information for slowly warming up the drive
assemblies and for adopting a fuel-efficient
driving style (
Ypage 115). You can follow the
gearshift recommendations at all times and
shift gear accordingly using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. On the basis of the
gearshift recommendation, using the steering
wheel paddle shifters, you can optimize the
drive train and engine operating mode at any time.
RIf you have selected a gear manually, this will
be maintained until the vehicle speed increa-
ses or decreases dramatically.
RIf you do not follow the gearshift recommen-
dations, the automatic shift points may resultin high fuel consumption.
RThe suspension exhibits particularly hard
springing and damping settings.
RThe transmission shift and response times are
significantly shorter with more aggressive
gear changes. This is particularly the case
when shifting up. The shift strategy is thus
designed to interact dynamically with the
high-revving engine
RGliding mode is not available.
RThe ECO start/stop function is not available.
116AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed sports transmission
Driving and parking
XConnect the cable providedin the cargo com-
partment to the trick lecharger.
XConnect the trick lecharger to 12 V socket :.
Consult the manufacturer's operating instruc-
tions on how to doso.
The tailgate can beclosed, even ifa trick le
charger isconnected. Make sure that the con-
nector for both the connector cables isoutside
of the veh icle.
The connector can then separate ifthe veh icle is
moved, even ifyou forget to disconnect the con-
nector cables. This prevents damaging the
cables and the trick lecharger.
A trick lecharger connected to 12 V socket :
only maintains the current charge level of the
veh icle's electrical system battery. Ifthe veh i-
cle's electrical system battery is discharged, it
needs to becharged with a battery charger.
Driving tips
General driving tips
Important safety notes
GWAR NING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
wit hlimit ations, or not at all.This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You willrequire cons iderably
more effort to steer and brake. There isa risk
of an acc ident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
GWARNING
If you operate mob ilecommunication equip-
ment while driv ing, youwill be dist racted from
traff icconditions. You could also lose control
of the veh icle. There isa risk of an acc ident.
Only operate th is equipment when the veh icle
is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the country
in whic h you are driving. Some jur isdictions pro-
hibit thedriver from using a mob ilephone while
driv ing 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
inmind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers a
distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m)per sec-
ond.
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Observe the following tips to save fuel:
XThe tires should always be inflated to the rec-
ommended tire pressure.
XRemove unnecessary loads.
XWarm up the engine at low engine speeds.
XAvoid frequent acceleration or braking.
XHave all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the Main-
tenance Booklet or by the service interval dis-
play.
Fuel consumption also increases when driving in cold weather, in stop-start traffic and in hilly ter-
rain.
Drinking and driving
GWARNING
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
GWARNING
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.
Driving tips123
Driving and parking
Z
warning lamp in the instrument cluster and note
any brake status messages in the multifunction
display. Especially for high performance driving,it is important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth on
the road surface, there is a danger of hydro-
planing occurring, even if:
Ryou drive at low speeds
Rthe tires have adequate tread depth
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or in
conditions in which hydroplaning may occur,
you must drive in the following manner:
Rlower your speed
Ravoid ruts
Ravoid sudden steering movements
Rbrake carefully
Driving on flooded roads
!Do not drive through flooded areas. Check
the depth of any water before driving through
it. Drive slowly through standing water. Oth-
erwise, water may enter the vehicle interior or
the engine compartment. This can damage
the electronic components in the engine or
the automatic transmission. Water can also
be drawn in by the engine's air suction nozzles
and this can cause engine damage.
Winter driving
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.
GDANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a
window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road sur-
faces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise control.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position N.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on bridges. The vehicle could
skid if you fail to adapt your driving style. Always
adapt your driving style and drive at a speed to
suit the prevailing weather conditions.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freez
ing
point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (
Ypage 256).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (
Ypage 256).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (
Ypage 256).
126Driving tips
Driving and parking
XMake sure that the activation conditions are
met.
XDepress the brake pedal.
XQuickly depress the brake pedal further
until:HOLDappears in the multifunction
display.
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 automatically
if:
Ryou accelerate and the transmission is in
position Dor R.
Ryou shift the transmission to position P.
Ryou apply the brakes again with a certain
amount of pressure untilHOLDdisappears
from the multifunction display.
Ryou secure the vehicle using the electric park- ing brake.
iAfter a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activated
when the vehicle is stationary and:
Rthe driver's seat belt is not fastened and the
driver's door is open.
Rthe engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function.
Ra system malfunction occurs.
Rthe power supply is not sufficient.
If the electric parking brake is not operational, a
horn will sound at regular intervals. The HOLD
function must then be deactivated.
If a malfunction occurs, then the transmission
may be shifted into position Pautomatically.
The Brake Immediately
message may also
appear in the multifunction display.
XImmediately depress the brake firmly until the
warning message in the multifunction display goes out.
The HOLD function is deactivated. The horn
sounds at regular intervals if you have switched off the engine, released the seat belt and
opened the driver's door with the HOLD function
activated. The sounding of the horn alerts you to
the fact that the HOLD function is still activated.
If you attempt to lock the vehicle, the tone
becomes louder. The vehicle cannot be locked
until you have deactivated the HOLD function.
iAfter switching off the engine, it can only be
started again once you have deactivated the
HOLD function.
RACE START
Important safety notes
iRACE START must not be used on normal
roads. RACE START must only be activated
and used on dedicated road circuits, outside
of public road use.
RACE START enables optimal acceleration from a standing start. For this, a suitably high-grip
road surface is required, along with the tires and
vehicle being in proper operating condition.
GWARNING
If you use RACE START, individual tires may
start to spin and the vehicle could skid.
Depending on the selected ESP
®mode, there
is an increased risk of skidding and having an accident. Make sure that no persons, animals
or obstacles are within range of the vehicle.
iObserve the safety notes on driving safety
systems (Ypage 52).
Be sure to read the safety notes and informa-
tion on ESP
®(Ypage 55).
Conditions for activation
You can activate RACE START if:
Rthe doors are closed.
Rthe engine is running and the engine and
transmission are at operating temperature.
This is the case when the oil temperature
gauge in the multifunction display is shown in
white (
Ypage 162).
RESP®is functioning correctly. (Ypage 56)
Rthe steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position.
Driving systems137
Driving and parking
Z
Rthe vehicle is stationary and the brake pedal is
depressed sufficiently (left foot).
Rthe transmission is in positionD.
Rdrive program S,S+ orRACE is selected
(Ypage 108).
Activating RACE START
iWhen manual mode (Ypage 115) is active,
the transmission automatically shifts up to
RACE START in the drive program. This func-
tion supports maximum acceleration with
RACE START. After going through an acceler-
ating process once from a stationary position, this function is automatically deactivated.
XDepress the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep it depressed.
XPull and hold both steering wheel paddle shift-
ers.
XThe RACE START Confirm: Paddle UPCancel: Paddle DOWNmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
XRelease both steering wheel paddle shifters.
iIf the activation conditions are no longer ful-
filled, RACE START is canceled. The RACE
START Not Possible See Operator'sManualmessage appears in the multifunction
display.
XTo cancel: pull the left steering wheel paddle
shifter (Ypage 113).
or
XTo confirm: pull the right steering wheel pad-
dle shifter (Ypage 113).
The RACESTARTAvailableDepressgaspedal.message appears in the multifunction
display.
iIf you do not depress the accelerator pedal
within a few seconds, RACE START is can-
celed. The RACE START Canceled
message
appears in the multifunction display.
XFully depress the accelerator pedal.
The engine speed is increased.
The RACE
STARTReleasebraketostartmessage appears in the multifunction display.
iIf you do not release the brake pedal within
a short time, RACE START will be canceled. The
RACE START Canceled
message
appears in the multifunction display.
XTake your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum acceler-
ation.
The RACE
STARTActivemessage appears in
the multifunction display.
RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 30 mph (Can-
ada: 50 km/h).
RACE START is deactivated immediately if you
release the accelerator pedal during RACE
START or if any of the activation conditions are
no longer fulfilled. The RACE START Not Pos‐
sible See Operator's ManualorRACESTART Canceledmessage appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
iIf RACE START is used repeatedly within a
short period of time, it is only available again
after the vehicle has been driven a certain
distance.
AMG adaptive sport suspension sys-
tem
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:
Ryour driving style, e.g. sporty
Rthe road surface condition, e.g. bumps
Ryour individual selection of Sport, Sport + or
Comfort
The suspension setting is adjusted using the
corresponding button in the center console.
iThe mode can also be set using the
DYNAMIC SELECT controller (Ypage 108).
Each time you start the engine with the Smart-
Key or the Start/Stop button, Comfort mode is
activated. For further information about starting
the engine, see (
Ypage 103).
138Driving system s
Driving an d parking
The field of vision and other functions of the rear
view camera may be restricted due to additionalaccessories on the rear of the vehicle (e.g.
license plate holder, bicycle rack).
The guide lines in the multimedia system display
show the distances to your vehicle. The distan-
ces only apply to road level.
Activating/deactivating the rear view
camera
XTo activate: ensure that key position 2has
been selected with the Start/Stop button.
XMake sure that the Activation by R gearfunction is selected in the multimedia system
(see the Digital Operator's Manual).
XEngage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown with
guide lines in the multimedia system display.
The image from the rear view camera is avail-
able throughout the maneuvering process.
To deactivate: the rear view camera deacti-
vates if you shift the transmission to Por after
driving forwards a short distance.
Messages in the multimedia system dis-
play
The rear view camera may show a distorted view
of obstacles, show them incorrectly or not at all.
The rear view camera does not show objects in
the following positions:
Rvery close to the rear bumper
Runder the rear bumper
!Objects not at ground level may appear to
be further away than they actually are, e.g.:
Rthe bumper of a parked vehicle
Rthe drawbar of a trailer
Rthe ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch
Rthe rear section of an HGV
Ra slanted post
Use the guidelines only for orientation.
Approach objects no further than the bottom-
most guideline.
:Yellow guide line at a distance of approx-
imately 13 ft (4.0 m) from the rear of the
vehicle
;White guide line without turning the steering
wheel, vehicle width including the exterior
mirrors (static)
=Yellow guide line for the vehicle width
including the exterior mirrors, for current
steering wheel angle (dynamic)
?Yellow lane marking tires at current steering
wheel angle (dynamic)
AYellow guide line at a distance of approx-
imately 3 ft (1.0 m) from the rear of the vehi-
cle
BVehicle center axle (marker assistance)
CBumper
DRed guide line at a distance of approximately
12 in (0.30 m) from the rear of the vehicle
The guide lines are shown when the transmis-
sion is in position R.
The distance specifications only apply to
objects that are at ground level.
Driving systems143
Driving and parking
Z
:Front warning display
;Additional PARKTRONIC measurement
operational readiness indicator
=Rear warning display
Vehicles with PARKTRONIC: when
PARKTRONIC is operational (
Ypage 140), addi-
tional measurement operational readiness indi-
cator ;appears in the multimedia system dis-
play. If the PARKTRONIC warning displays are
active or light up, warning displays :and =
are also active or light up correspondingly in the multimedia system display.
"Reverse parking" function
Backing up straight into a parking space
without turning the steering wheel
:White guide line without turning the steering
wheel, vehicle width including the exterior
mirrors (static)
;Yellow guide line for the vehicle width
including the exterior mirrors, for current
steering wheel angle (dynamic)
=Yellow guide line at a distance of approx-
imately 3 ft (1.0 m) from the rear of the vehi-
cle
?Red guide line at a distance of approximately
12 in (0.30 m) fromthe rear of the vehicle
XMake sure that the rear view camera is
switched on (Ypage 143).
The lane and the guide lines are shown.
XWith the help of white guide line :, check
whether the vehicle will fit into the parking
space.
XUsing white guide line :as a guide, carefully
back up until you reach the end position.
Red guide line ?is then at the end of parking
space. The vehicle is almost parallel in the
parking space.
Reverse perpendicular parking with the
steering wheel at an angle
:Parking space marking
;Yellow guide line for the vehicle width
including the exterior mirrors, for current
steering wheel angle (dynamic)
XDrive past the parking space and bring the
vehicle to a standstill.
XMake sure that the rear view camera is
switched on (Ypage 143).
The lane and the guide lines are shown.
XWhile the vehicle is at a standstill, turn the
steering wheel in the direction of the parking
space until yellow guide line ;reaches park-
ing space marking :.
XKeep the steering wheel in that position and
back up carefully.
144Driving systems
Driving an d parking
:Yellow guide line for the vehicle width
including the exterior mirrors, for current
steering wheel angle (dynamic)
XStop the vehicle when it is almost exactly in
front of the parking space.
The white lane should be as close to parallel
with the parking space marking as possible.
:White guide line at current steering wheel
angle
;Parking space marking
XTurn the steering wheel to the center position
while the vehicle is stationary.
:Red guide line at a distance of approximately
12 in (0.30 m) from the rear of the vehicle
;White guide line without turning the steering
wheel
=End of parking space
XBack up carefully until you have reached the
final position.
Red guide line:is then at the end of parking
space =. The vehicle is almost parallel in the
parking space.
Wide-angle function
:Symbol for the wide-angle view function
;PARKTRONIC warning displays
You can also use the rear view camera to select
a wide-angle view.
When PARKTRONIC is operational (
Ypage 140),
a symbol for your own vehicle appears in the
display of the multimedia system. If the
PARKTRONIC warning displays are active, warn-
ing displays ;light up in the multimedia system
display in yellow or red respectively.
Driving systems145
Driving and parking
Z