
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level ofpoisonous components inexhaust
fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work at peak efficiency if
they are serviced exact ly inaccordance with the
manufacturer's specific ations.Always have
work on the engine carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz recom-
men dsthat you use an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center for th ispurpose. Inparticular, work
relevant to safety or on safety-related systems
must becarried out at a qualified specialist
workshop.
The engine settings must not bechanged under
any circumstances. Furthermore, all specific
service work must becarried out at regular
intervals and inaccordance with the Mercedes-
Benz service requirements. Details can befound
in the Maintenance Booklet.
Brakes
Important safety notes
GWAR NING
If you shift downon aslippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There isan increased danger of skiddin g and
acc iden ts.
Do not shift downforaddit ional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients
!On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes byshifting to a
lower gear ingood time. This allowsyou to
take advantage of the engine's braking effect.
This helps you to avoid overheating the
brakes and wearing them out excessively.
When you take advantage of engine braking, a
driv e wheel may not turn for some time, e.g.
on a slippery road surface. This could cause
damage to the drive train. This type of damage
is not covered bythe Mercedes-Benz war-
ranty.
This also appliesif cruise control, DI STRONIC
PLUS or SPEEDTRONIC are activated.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
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 inexcessive 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 allowsthe airflow to
cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time inheavy rain
wit hout 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 vehicle
washed, brake firmly while paying attention to
the traffic conditions. This willwarm up the
brake discs, thereby drying them more quickly
and protecting them against corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt resi-
due may form on the brake discs and brake
pads. This can result in a significantly longer
braking distance.
RIn order to prevent any salt build-up, apply the
brakes occasionally while paying attention to
the traffic conditions.
RCaref ullydepress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
124Driving tips
Driving and parking

Servicing the brakes
!The brake fluid level may be too low, if:
Rif the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and
Ryou hear a warning tone while the engine is
running
Observe additional warning messages in the
multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immediately.
Consult a qualified specialist workshop to
arrange this.
!A function or performance test should only
be carried out on a 2-axle dynamometer. If
you wish to operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult a qualified spe-
cialist workshop in advance. You could oth-
erwise damage the drive train or the brake
system.
!The ESP®system operates automatically.
The engine and the ignition must therefore be
switched off (the SmartKey must be in posi-
tion 0or 1in the ignition lock or the Start/
Stop button must be in position 0or 1) if the
electric parking brake is tested on a brake
dynamometer.
Braking triggered automatically by ESP
®may
cause severe damage to the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the brake
system must be carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
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 functional-
ity of your brakes at regular intervals.
Information on BAS (Brake Assist) (
Ypage 52).
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends only installing the following brake disks
and brake pads/linings:
Rbrake disks that have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz
Rbrake pads/linings that have been approved
by Mercedes-Benz or that are of an equivalent
standard of quality
Other brake disks or brake pads/linings can
compromise the safety of your vehicle. Always replace all brake disks and brake pads/
linings on an axle at the same time. Always
install new brake pads/linings when replacing
brake disks.
The vehicle is equipped with lightweight brake
disks to which the wheel assembly with rim and
threaded connection is matched.
The use of brake disks other than those
approved by Mercedes-Benz can change the
track width and is subject to approval,
if appli-
cable.
Shock-type loads when handling the brake
discs, such as when changing wheels, can lead
to a reduction in comfort when driving with light
-
weight brake discs. Avoid shock-type loads on
the lightweight brake disks, particularly on the
brake plate.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use
brake fluid that has been specially approved for
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz, or which corre-
sponds 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.
AMG high-performance and ceramic
brakes
The AMG brake systems are designed for heavy
loads. This may lead to noise when braking. This
will depend on:
RSpeed
RBraking force
REnvironmental conditions, such as tempera-
ture and humidity
The wear of individual components of the brake
system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake
discs, depends on the individual driving style
and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a mile-
age that will be valid under all circumstances. An aggressive driving style will lead to high wear.
You can obtain more information on this from a
qualified specialist workshop.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after several
hundred kilometers of driving. Compensate for
this by applying greater force to the brake pedal.
Keep this in mind, and adapt your driving and
braking accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in correspond-
ingly high brake wear. Observe the brake wear
Driving tips125
Driving and parking
Z

Drivingsystems
Cruis econtro l
General notes
Cruise contro lmaintain s aconstant road speed
fo ryou. It brake sautomatically in order to avoid
exceedin gth eset speed. Change into alowe r
gear in goo dtime on lon gand steep downhill
gradients. Thi sis especially important if th e
vehicle is laden. By doin gso, you will mak euse
of th ebraking effect of th eengine. Thi srelieves
th eload on th ebrake syste mand prevents th e
brake sfrom overheatin gand wearin gto o
quickly.
Use cruise contro lonly if road and traffic con-
dition smak eit appropriat eto maintain asteady
speed fo r aprolonged period. You can stor eany
road speed abov e20 mph (30 km/ h).
Cruise control lever
:To activate or increase speed
;To activate or reduce speed
=To deactivate cruise control
?To activate at the current speed/last stored
speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for
five seconds. In addition, the ésymbol
appears in the multifunction display. In the
speedometer, the segments between the stored
speed and the maximum speed light up.
Storing and maintaining the current
speed
You can store the current speed if you are driv-
ing faster than 20 mph (30 km/h).
XAccelerate the vehicle to the desired speed.
XBriefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle auto-
matically maintains the stored speed.
iCruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by auto-
matically applying the brakes.
Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed
GWARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it is lower
than the current speed, the vehicle deceler-
ates. If you do not know the stored speed, the vehicle could decelerate unexpectedly. There
is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you
do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
Driving systems127
Driving and parking
Z

Change into a lower gearingood time on long
and steep downhillgradients. This isespecially
impo rtant ifthe veh icle isladen. 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 wear-
ing too quickly.
If DI ST RONIC PLUS detects that there isa risk of
a co llisio n, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. DI STRONIC PLUS cannot prevent a
co llisio nwit hout your intervention. An intermit-
tent warning tone willthen sound and the dis-
tance warning lamp willlight up inthe instru-
ment cluster. Brake immediately inorder to
increase the distance to the veh icle infront or
take evasive action pro videdit is safe to doso.
DI ST RONIC PLUS operates inrange between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (200 km/h).
Do not use DI STRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DI STRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves, it
can resemble the radar detectors of the respon-
sible authorities. You can refer to the relevant
chapter inthe Operator's Manual ifquestions
are asked about this.
iUSA only: This device has been approved by
the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System". The
radar sensor isintended for use inan auto-
motive radar system only. Removal, tamper-
in
g, or altering of the device willvoid any war-
ranties, and isnot permitted bythe FCC. Do
not tamper with, alter, or use inany non-
approved way.
Any unauthorized mod ification to th isdevice
could void the user's authority to operate the
equipm ent.
iCanada only: This device co mplieswit h
RSS -210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the foll owing two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
2. This device must accept any interference
receive d,inc ludin g interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the device
will void any warranties, and isnot permitte d.
Do not tamper with, alter, or use inany non-
approved way.
Any unauthorized mod ification to th isdevice
could void the user's authority to operate the
equipm ent.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to:
Rpeople or animals
Rstationary obstacles on the road, e.g. stop- ped or parked vehicles
Roncoming and crossing traffic
As a result, DI STRONIC PLUS may neither give
warnings nor intervene insuch situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Alwa ys pay careful attention to the traff icsit-
uation and be ready to brake.
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot always clearly iden-
tify other road users and co mplex traffic sit-
uations.
In such cases, DI STRONIC PLUS may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
Rneither givea warning nor intervene
Raccelerate or brake unexpect edly
There isa risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, in particular when warned to do so by
DISTRONIC PLU S.
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with up to 50 %of the maximum possible deceleration.
If this braking force is insufficient, DISTRONIC
PLUS warns you visually and audibly. There is a risk of an accident.
In such cases, apply the brakes yourself and
try to take evasive action.
!If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function is
activated, the vehicle brakes automatically in
certain situations.
To prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
Driving systems129
Driving and parking
Z

DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactivated
if:
Ryou engage the electric parking brake or if thevehicle is automatically secured with the elec-
tric parking brake
RESP®intervenes or you deactivate ESP®
Rthe transmission is in the P,R or Nposition
Ryou pull the cruise control lever towards you
in order to pull away and the front-passenger
door or one of the rear doors is open
Rthe vehicle has skidded
Ryou activate Active Parking Assist
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the DISTRONIC
PLUS Offmessage in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
Displays in the instrument cluster
Displays in the speedometer
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front,
segments between the speed of the vehicle in
front :and stored speed ;light up.
iFor design reasons, the speed displayed in
the speedometer may differ slightly from the
speed set for DISTRONIC PLUS.
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is deacti-
vated
On the on-board computer, you can select the
assistance graphics display.
:Vehicle in front, if detected
;Distance indicator, current distance to the
vehicle in front
=Specified minimum distance to the vehicle
in front; adjustable
?Own vehicle
XSelect the Assistance Graphicfunction
using the on-board computer (Ypage 159).
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is activa-
ted
:DISTRONIC PLUS active (text only appears
when the cruise control lever is actuated)
;Vehicle in front, if detected
=Specified minimum distance to the vehicle
in front; adjustable
?Own vehicle
XSelect the Assistance Graphicfunction
using the on-board computer (Ypage 159).
You will see the stored speed for about five sec-
onds when you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
134Driving system s
Driving an d parking

cle or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC PLUS will
not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS may mistakenly detect vehi-
cles that are crossing your lane. Activating
DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights with crossing
traffic, for example, could cause your vehicle to
pull away unintentionally.
HOLD
General notes
The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
Rwhen pulling away, especially on steep slopes
Rwhen maneuvering on steep slopes
Rwhen waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
Rthere is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
Rthe HOLD function has been deactivated by
pressing the accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
Rthe electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
Rthe battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
!If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function is
activated, the vehicle brakes automatically in
certain situations.
To prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function (
Ypage 137).
Activation conditions
You can activate the HOLD function if:
Rthe vehicle is stationary
Rthe engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
Rthe driver's door is closed or your seat belt is
fastened
Rthe electric parking brake is released
Rthe transmission is in position D,R or N
Activating the HOLD function
136Driving systems
Driving and parking

Sport mode
The firmer setting of the 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.
XPress button:once.
Indicator lamp =lights up. You have selected
Sport mode.
The AMG Suspension System SPORT
mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
Sport + mode
The very firm setting of the suspension setting in
Sport + mode ensures the best possible contact
with the road. Select this mode only when driv-
ing on race circuits.
If indicator lamps ;and =are off:
XPress button :twice.
Indicator lamps ;and =light up. You have
selected Sport + mode.
The AMG
SuspensionSystemSPORT +mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
If indicator lamp =lights up:
XPress button :once.
Second indicator lamp ;lights up. You have
selected Sport + mode.
The AMG
SuspensionSystemSPORT +mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
Comfort mode
In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics of
your vehicle are more comfortable. Select this
mode if you favor a more comfortable driving
style, but also when driving fast on straight
roads, e.g. highways.
XPress button :repeatedly until indicator
lamps ;and =go out.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG
SuspensionSystemCOMFORTmes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes
PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It monitors the area around
your vehicle using six sensors in the front
bumper and four sensors in the rear bumper.
PARKTRONIC indicates visually and audibly the
distance between your vehicle and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a replace-
ment for your attention to your immediate sur-
roundings. You are always responsible for safe
maneuvering, parking and exiting a parking
space. When maneuvering, parking or pulling
out of a parking space, make sure that there are
no persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
!When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such as
flower pots or trailer drawbars. PARKTRONIC
does not detect such objects when they are in
the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. You
could damage the vehicle or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic car
wash, the compressed-air brakes on a truck
or a pneumatic drill could cause PARKTRONIC
to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
Rswitch on the ignition
Rshift the transmission to position D,Ror N
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
Driving systems139
Driving and parking
Z

Range of the sensors
General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into con-
sideration that are:
Rbelow the detection range, e.g. people, ani-
mals or objects.
Rabove the detection range, e.g. overhanging
loads, truck overhangs or loading ramps.
:Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand side
(example)
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or slush.
They can otherwise not function correctly. Clean
the sensors regularly, taking care not to scratch
or damage them (
Ypage 237).
Front sensors
CenterApprox. 40 in (approx.
100 cm)
CornersApprox. 24 in (approx.
60 cm)
Rear sensors
CenterApprox. 48 in (approx.
120 cm)
CornersApprox. 32 in (approx.
80 cm)
Minimum distance
CenterApprox. 8 in (approx. 20 cm)
CornersApprox. 6 in (approx. 15 cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, the rel-
evant warning displays light up and a warning
tone sounds. If the distance falls below the min-
imum, the distance may no longer be shown.
Warning displays
:Segments on the left-hand side of the vehi-
cle
;Segments on the right-hand side of the vehi-
cle
=Segments showing operational readiness
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is in the instru-
ment cluster. The warning display for the rear
area is located on the headliner in the rear com- partment.
The warning display for each side of the vehicle
is divided into five yellow and two red segments.
PARKTRONIC is operational if operational read-
iness indicator =lights up.
The selected transmission position and the
direction in which the vehicle is rolling deter-
140Driving systems
Driving and parking