2016 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS CABRIOLET Owners Manual

Driving with DISTRONIC PLUS
Pulling away and driving
X To pull away with DISTRONIC PLUS:
remove your foot from the brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
or X Accelerate briefly.
The vehicle pulls away and adapts its speed to
that of the vehicle in front. If no vehicle is
detected in front, the vehicle accelerates to
the set speed.
The vehicle can also pull away when it is facing
an unidentified obstacle or is driving on a differ-
ent line from another vehicle. The vehicle then
brakes automatically.
If DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a vehicle in
front, the system operates like cruise control.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in
front has slowed down, it brakes the vehicle. In
this way, the specified minimum distance you
have selected is maintained.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a faster-moving
vehicle in front, it accelerates the vehicle to the
set speed.
Selecting the drive program
DISTRONIC PLUS supports a sporty driving style when you have selected the Sor S+ drive pro-
gram (Y page 148). Acceleration behind the
vehicle in front or to the set speed is then notice- ably more dynamic. If you have selected the Cor
E drive program, the vehicle accelerates more
gently. This setting is recommended in stop-
start traffic.
Changing lanes
If you change to the overtaking lane, DISTRONIC
PLUS supports you in the following situations:
R You are driving at a speed greater than
70 km/h
R you switch on the respective turn signal
R DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger of
collision
If these conditions are met, your vehicle accel-
erates. Acceleration will be interrupted if chang- ing lanes takes too long or if the distance
between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
becomes too small. Vehicles with COMAND Online multimedia
system: when you change lanes, DISTRONIC
PLUS monitors the right lane in the case of left-
side traffic or the left lane in the case of right-
side traffic.
Vehicles with Audio 20 multimedia system:
when you change lanes, DISTRONIC PLUS mon- itors the left lane on left-hand-drive vehicles or
the right lane on right-hand-drive vehicles.
Road and traffic conditions The following function is available only in vehi-
cles with the Driving Assistance Plus package.
The function is not operational in all countries.
DISTRONIC PLUS uses additional information
from your navigation system so that it can adapt to certain traffic situations.
This is the case if, while you are following a vehi-
cle, DISTRONIC PLUS is active and you:
R approach or drive around a roundabout
R approach a T-junction
R turn off at a motorway exit
R approach a tollgate
Even if the vehicle in front leaves the detection
range, DISTRONIC PLUS temporarily maintains
the current driving speed and does not acceler-
ate. This is based on the current map data in the navigation system.
Afterwards, the vehicle accelerates back to the
speed you set.
The system takes into account the fact that
overtaking on the right is not permitted on
motorways or high-speed major roads at speeds
of more than 80 km/h. The driving speed is
adjusted to the speed of the queue of vehicles in
the adjacent lane to the left.
Prevention of overtaking on the right applies to
countries where traffic drives on the right. In
countries where traffic drives on the left, over-
taking on the left is prevented accordingly. 174
Driving syste
msDriving and parking

Stopping
G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R DISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant or from outside the vehicle.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
R the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
Further information on deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 177).
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in
front has stopped, it will cause your vehicle to
brake to a standstill.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains sta-
tionary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
After a short period, the vehicle is secured by
the electric parking brake, thus relieving the
service brake.
Depending on the specified minimum distance,
your vehicle will come to a standstill at a suffi-
cient distance behind the vehicle in front. The
specified minimum distance is set using the
control on the cruise control lever.
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, the trans-
mission is shifted automatically to position Pin
the following situations:
R the driver's seat belt is not fastened and the
driver's door is open
R The engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if DISTRONIC PLUS is activated
when the vehicle is stationary and:
R a system fault occurs
R the power supply is insufficient
If a fault occurs, the transmission may also shift to position Pautomatically.
Setting a speed X
Push the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down Afor a lower speed.
X Push and hold the cruise control lever until
the desired speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored. DISTRONIC PLUS is
activated and adjusts the vehicle's speed to
the new speed stored.
X To adjust the set speed in1 km/hincre-
ments:
briefly push the cruise control lever
up : or down Ato the pressure point.
The last stored speed increases or decreases
in 1 km/h increments.
X To adjust the set speed in10 km/hincre-
ments:
briefly push the cruise control lever
up : or down Abeyond the pressure point.
The last stored speed increases or decreases
in 10 km/h increments.
i If you accelerate to overtake, DISTRONIC
PLUS adjusts the vehicle's speed back to the
last speed stored after you have finished over-
taking.
Setting the specified minimum distance You can set the specified minimum distance for
DISTRONIC PLUS by varying the time span
between one and two seconds. This time span
determines the distance that DISTRONIC PLUS
is to maintain from the vehicle in front, depend- ing on the road speed. You can see this distance
on the multifunction display (Y page 176).
Make sure that you maintain the minimum dis-
tance to the vehicle in front as required by law.
Adjust the distance to the vehicle in front if nec- essary. Driving systems
175Driving and parking Z

X
To increase: turn control;in direction =.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a greater
distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front.
X To decrease: turn control;in direction :.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a shorter
distance between your vehicle and the vehicle
in front.
DISTRONIC PLUS displays on the instru- ment cluster Displays in the speedometer
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front,
the segments between the speed of the vehicle in front :and stored speed ;light up.
Vehicles with the Driving Assistance Plus
package: the segments likewise light up if a
vehicle in front is detected in the fast lane.
For design reasons, the speed displayed in the
speedometer may differ slightly from the speed
set for DISTRONIC PLUS. Displays in the assistance graphic
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is deac-
tivated
: 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 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
X To call up the assistance graphic:select the
Assistance graphic Assistance graphic function using the on-
board computer (Y page 231).
You will see the stored speed for approx-
imately five seconds when you activate
DISTRONIC PLUS. 176
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS
DISTRONIC PLUS can be deactivated in a num-
ber of ways:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever forwards
=.
or
X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
or X Briefly push the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow ;.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM indi-
cator lamp :in the cruise control lever lights
up.
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, the
DISTRONIC PLUS off DISTRONIC PLUS off message will appear on
the multifunction display for approximately five
seconds.
The last speed stored remains stored until you
switch off the engine.
DISTRONIC PLUS is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactivated
in the following situations:
R You apply the electric parking brake or if the
vehicle is automatically secured with the elec-
tric parking brake
R ESP ®
is engaged or you deactivate ESP ®
R You shift the transmission to position P,Ror
N
R You 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
R The vehicle skids
R You activate Active Parking Assist
If, under these circumstances, DISTRONIC
PLUS is deactivated, a warning tone sounds. The
DISTRONIC PLUS off
DISTRONIC PLUS off message then appears on the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS General notes
Pay particular attention in the following traffic
situations:
R Cornering, entering and exiting a bend: the
ability of DISTRONIC PLUS to detect vehicles
when cornering is limited. Your vehicle may
brake unexpectedly or late.
R Driving on a different line: DISTRONIC PLUS
may not detect vehicles that are not driving in
the middle of their lane. The distance to the
vehicle in front will be too short.
R Other vehicles changing lane: DISTRONIC
PLUS has not detected the vehicle cutting in
yet. The distance to this vehicle will be too
short.
R Narrow vehicles: DISTRONIC PLUS has not
yet detected the vehicle in front on the edge
of the carriageway because of its narrow
width. The distance to the vehicle in front will
be too short.
R Obstacles and stationary vehicles:
DISTRONIC PLUS does not brake for obsta-
cles or stationary vehicles. If, for example, the
detected vehicle turns a corner and reveals an
obstacle or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC
PLUS will not brake for these.
R Crossing vehicles: DISTRONIC PLUS may mis-
takenly detect vehicles that are crossing your
lane. Activating DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic
lights with crossing traffic, for example, could
cause your vehicle to pull away unintention-
ally.
In such situations, brake if necessary.
DISTRONIC PLUS is then deactivated. Driving syste
ms
177Driving an d parking Z

DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist
and Stop&Go Pilot General notes
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot aids you in keeping the vehicle in
the centre of the driving lane by means of mod-
erate steering interventions in a speed range
from 0–200 km/h.
It monitors the area in front of your vehicle by
means of multifunction camera :, at the top of
the windscreen.
In a speed range from 0–60 km/h, Stop&Go
Pilot focuses on the vehicle in front, taking into
account lane markings, e.g. when you are fol-
lowing vehicles in a traffic jam.
At speeds of more than 60 km/h, Steering
Assist focuses on detected lane markings (left
and right), only focusing on the vehicle in front if detected lane markings are not present.
If these conditions are not present, Steering
Assist and Stop&Go Pilot cannot provide assis-
tance.
DISTRONIC PLUS must be active in order for the
function to be available.
Important safety notesDISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot can neither reduce the risk of an
accident if you fail to adapt your driving style nor
override the laws of physics. It cannot take into account road, weather or traffic conditions.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot is only an aid. You are responsible
for the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehi-
cle speed, for braking in good time and for stay- ing in lane.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot does not detect road and traffic
conditions and does not detect all road users. If
you are following a vehicle that is driving towards the edge of the carriageway, your vehi-
cle could come into contact with the kerb or
other road boundaries. Be particularly aware of
other road users, e.g. cyclists, that are directly
next to your vehicle.
Obstacles such as traffic pylons on the lane or
projecting out into the lane are not detected.
An inappropriate steering intervention, e.g. after
you have intentionally driven over a lane mark-
ing, can be corrected at any time if you steer
slightly in the opposite direction.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot cannot continuously keep your
vehicle in lane. In some cases, the steering
intervention is not sufficient to bring the vehicle back to the lane. In such cases, you must steer the vehicle yourself to ensure that it does not
leave the lane.
The system may be impaired or may not function
in the following situations:
R poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficient illumi-
nation of the road, or due to snow, rain, fog or spray
R glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic, the sun or
reflection from other vehicles (e.g. if the road
surface is wet)
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up, damaged
or covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
R no or several, unclear lane markings are pres-
ent for one lane, e.g. in a construction area
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or cov-
ered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
R the distance to the vehicle in front is so small
that the lane markings cannot be detected
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanes
branch off, cross one another or merge
R the road is narrow and winding
R there are highly variable shade conditions on
the roadway
The system is switched to passive and no longer assists you by performing steering interventions
if:
R you actively change lane
R you switch on the turn signal
R you take your hands off the steering wheel or
do not steer for a prolonged period of time
After you have finished changing lanes, Steering
Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are automatically
active again. 178
Driving syste
msDriving and parking

Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot cannot pro-
vide assistance in the following situations:
R on very sharp corners
R when a loss of tyre pressure or a defective
tyre has been detected and displayed
Also observe the important safety notes for
DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 171).
The steering interventions are carried out with a limited steering moment. The system requires
the driver to keep his hands on the steering
wheel and to steer himself.
If you do not steer yourself or if you take your
hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged
period of time, the system will first alert you with
a visual warning. A steering wheel symbol
appears on the multifunction display. If you have still not started to steer and have not taken hold
of the steering wheel after five seconds at the
latest, a warning tone also sounds to remind you
to take control of the vehicle. Steering Assist
and Stop&Go Pilot switch to passive mode.
DISTRONIC PLUS remains activated.
Activating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot X
Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :lights up. The DTR+:
DTR+:
steering steering assist.
assist.on
onmessage appears on
the multifunction display. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are activated. Information on the multifunction display If Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are activa-
ted but not ready for a steering intervention,
steering wheel symbol :appears in grey. If the
system provides you with support by means of
steering interventions, symbol :is shown in
green.
Deactivating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot
X Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. The DTR+: DTR+:
steering assist. off
steering assist. off message appears
on the multifunction display. Steering Assist
and Stop&Go Pilot are deactivated.
When DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated or not
available, Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are deactivated automatically. HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep slopes
R when manoeuvring on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is cancelled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away. Driving systems
179Driving and parking Z

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R the HOLD function is deactivated by the
accelerator pedal being depressed, e.g. by
a vehicle occupant
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
from rolling away.
! When DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD func-
tion is activated, the vehicle brakes automat- ically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function (Y page 180).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if all the fol-
lowing conditions are fulfilled:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or it has been automat-
ically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
R the driver's door is closed or your seat belt is
fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R vehicles with automatic transmission: the
transmission is in position h,kori.
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated Activating the HOLD function
X
Make sure that the activation conditions are
met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until :appears on the multifunction display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
If 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:
R you accelerate. On vehicles with automatic
transmission: only when the transmission is in
position hork
R the transmission is in position jon vehicles
with automatic transmissions
R you depress the brake pedal again with a cer-
tain amount of pressure until display ë
disappears from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric park-
ing brake.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
After a short period, the vehicle is secured by
the electric parking brake, thus relieving the
service brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
When the HOLD function is activated, the trans-
mission is shifted automatically to position jif
R the driver's seat belt is not fastened and the
driver's door is open
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function 180
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activated,
the vehicle is stationary and:
R a system fault occurs
R the power supply is insufficient
If a malfunction occurs, the transmission may
also be shifted to position jautomatically.
Vehicles with manual transmission
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activated
and:
R the driver's seat belt is not fastened and the
driver's door is open
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
R a system fault occurs
R the power supply is insufficient
The Brake immediately
Brake immediately message may also
appear on the multifunction display.
X Immediately depress the brake pedal firmly
until the warning message on the multifunc-
tion display goes out.
The HOLD function is deactivated.
A horn will sound at regular intervals if you turn
off the engine, take off your seat belt or open the
driver's door when the HOLD function is activa- ted. 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 deacti-
vated the HOLD function.
i Once you have switched off the engine, you
cannot restart it until you have deactivated
the HOLD function. RACE START
Important safety notes i
RACE 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.
i RACE START is only available in
Mercedes‑ AMG vehicles.
RACE START enables optimum acceleration
from a standing start. For this, a suitably high- grip road surface is required; the tyres and vehi-
cle must also be in good condition. G
WARNING
If you use RACE START, individual tyres may
get into a 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.
i Read the safety notes on driving safety sys-
tems (Y page 67).
Make sure that you read the safety notes and information on ESP ®
(Y page 72).
Activation conditions You can activate RACE START if:
R the doors are closed
R the engine is running and it has reached an
operating temperature of approximately
71 †. This is the case when the oil tempera-
ture gauge in the multifunction display is
shown in white.
R the drive program S,S+ orRace is selected
(Y page 141)
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake pedal is
depressed (left foot)
R the transmission is in position D
Activating RACE START i
When manual mode (Y
page 150) 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.
X Depress the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep it depressed.
X Pull and hold both steering wheel gearshift
paddles (Y page 150).
The RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP
Cancel: Paddle DOWN
Cancel: Paddle DOWN message appears in
the multifunction display.
X Release both steering wheel gearshift pad-
dles (Y page 150). Driving systems
181Driving and parking Z