Running-in notes
Important safety notes
In certain driving and driving safety systems, the sensors adjust automatically while a certain dis-
tance is being driven after the vehicle has been delivered or after repairs. Full system effective-
ness is not reached until the end of this teach-in process.
Brake pads/linings and discs that are either new or have been replaced only achieve optimum
braking effect after several hundred kilometres
of driving. Compensate for the reduced braking
effect by applying greater force to the brake
pedal. The first 1500 km
The more you treat the engine with sufficient
care at the start, the more satisfied you will be
with the engine performance later on.
R Drive at varying vehicle speeds and engine
speeds for the first 1500 km.
R Avoid overstraining the vehicle during this
period, e.g. driving at full throttle.
R Change gear in good time, before the rev
counter needle is Ôof the way to the red area
of the rev counter.
R Do not shift down a gear manually in order to
brake.
R Vehicles with automatic transmission: try
to avoid depressing the accelerator pedal
beyond the point of resistance (kickdown).
Additional notes on running in Mercedes-AMG
vehicles:
R for the first 1,500 km do not drive at speeds
above 140 km/h.
R only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,500 rpm briefly.
After 1,500 km, you may gradually bring the
vehicle up to full road and engine speeds.
You should also observe these notes on running- in if the engine or parts of the drive train on your
vehicle have been replaced.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell may restrict
the clearance around the pedals or block a
depressed pedal. This jeopardises the oper-
ating and road safety of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Stow all objects securely in the vehicle so that
they do not get into the driver's footwell.
Always fit the floormats securely and as pre-
scribed in order to ensure that there is always sufficient room for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats and do not place several floor-mats on top of one another. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinder correct usage of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers
There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals. 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 the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
R overheat and cause a fire
R lose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off. 132
DrivingDriving and parking
X
Turn DYNAMIC SELECT controller :as many
times as necessary until the desired drive
program is selected.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. After five seconds the
display goes out and the status icon of the
selected drive program appears.
The drive program indicator on DYNAMIC
SELECT controller :lights up in red.
Available drive programs: I
Individual Individual settings
C
Comfort Comfort-orientated, engine
and transmission settings
optimised for economy
S
Sport Sporty engine and trans-
mission settings
S+
Sport Plus Particularly sporty trans-
mission settings
RACE
Maximum sportiness and
engine and transmission
settings suitable for the
racetrack
Additional information on drive programs
(Y page 148).
You can also change gear yourself using the
steering wheel gearshift paddles. Further infor-
mation on manual gearshifting (Y page 150).Manual transmission
Gear lever
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
! When shifting to
5thand 6thgear, you must
press the shift lever to the right. Otherwise,
you could shift unintentionally into 3rdor4th
gear and damage the engine or transmission.
If you shift down at too high a speed (trans-
mission braking), this can cause the engine to
overrev, leading to engine damage.
Do not use the clutch bite point to keep the
vehicle stationary on uphill gradients. There is otherwise a risk of damaging the clutch.
! On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must shift into gear
1, 2or3in good time.
This uses the engine's braking effect. This
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly. k
Reverse gear
1 -6
Forward gears Shifting to neutral N
X
Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Shift the gear lever to position N:. Engaging reverse gear
! Only shift into reverse gear
Rwhen the vehi-
cle is stationary. Otherwise, you could dam-
age the transmission.
X Pull the gear lever up, push it to the left and
then pull it back.
The ECO start/stop function is not available
when reverse gear is engaged. For further infor- mation on the ECO start/stop function, see
(Y page 137). 142
Manual transmissionDriving and parking
Holding the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients G
WARNING
If the clutch overheats, the electronic man-
agement system is automatically deactivated. This interrupts the power transmission. The
vehicle may, for example, roll backwards on
gradients. There is a risk of an accident.
Never hold the vehicle stationary on uphill
gradients by depressing the accelerator.
The clutch may overheat if you hold the vehicle
stationary on uphill gradients by depressing the accelerator pedal. If the clutch overheats, a
warning tone sounds.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): theStop
Stop vehicle vehicle Shift
Shiftto
toP
PLeave
Leave
engine running
engine running display message appears in
the multifunction display. You will only be able to
continue your journey once the clutch has
cooled down and the display message in the
multifunction display has disappeared.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: theTrans. oil Trans. oil
overheated Drive on with care
overheated Drive on with care display
message appears in the multifunction display.
Do not hold the vehicle stationary on uphill gra- dients by depressing the accelerator pedal.
Instead, only ever hold the vehicle stationary on
uphill gradients by:
R depressing the brake pedal
R activating the HOLD function
R applying the electric parking brake
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a lower
gear depending on the engine speed.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: it is only possible to
use kickdown in the automatic drive programs
and in temporary manual drive program M.
When manual drive program Mis selected per-
manently, kickdown is not possible. For further information on kickdown in manual
drive program
M(Y page 152).
Towing a trailer Towing a trailer is not possible with all models.
For further information, see (Y page 196).
X Drive in the middle of the engine speed range
on uphill gradients.
X Depending on the uphill or downhill gradient,
select a lower gear (Y page 160), even if
cruise control, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC or
the speed limiter are activated. Drive programs
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG
vehicles) Drive program C (Comfort)
Drive program Cis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits comfortable, economical
driving characteristics.
R the vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability, e.g.
on slippery road surfaces.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
The vehicle is driven in the low engine speed
range and the wheels are less likely to spin.
Drive program S (Sport) Drive program Sis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R sporty engine settings.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
Fuel consumption may be higher as a result of
the later automatic transmission shift points.
Drive program I (Individual)
In drive program I, the following properties of
the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
R the suspension (vehicles with adjustable
damping or AMG RIDE CONTROL)
R the steering 148
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking
Take particular note of this when driving a laden
vehicle and when towing a trailer.
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, the speed limiter or Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC.
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so
less braking will be required to maintain the
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly.
Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal on
downhill gradients while the manual drive pro-
gram Mis temporarily activated (vehicles with
automatic transmission): the automatic trans-
mission may switch back to the last active auto-
matic drive program Eor S. The automatic trans-
mission may shift to a higher gear. This can
reduce the engine's braking effect.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There is
a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If heavy demands are made on the brakes, do
not park the vehicle immediately. Drive on for a
short while. This allows the airflow to cool the
brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effectiveness.
To do this, brake more firmly from a higher
speed, paying attention to traffic conditions.
This improves the grip of the brakes.
Wet road surfaces 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 a car wash or
after driving through deep water. You will have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance to 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 will warm 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 salt-treated roads, a layer of salt
may form on the brake discs and pads. This can increase the braking distance considerably.
R In order to prevent any salt build-up, apply the
brakes occasionally while paying attention to the traffic conditions.
R Carefully depress the brake pedal at the end
of the journey and when starting the next
journey.
R Maintain a much greater distance to the vehi-
cle in front.
New brake pads/linings Brake pads/linings and discs that are either new
or have been replaced only achieve optimum
braking effect after several hundred kilometres
of driving. Compensate for the reduced braking effect by applying greater force to the brake
pedal.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle which have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which corre-
spond to an equivalent quality standard. Brake
pads/linings which have not been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which are not of an
equivalent quality could affect your vehicle's
operating safety. Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth on
the road surface, there is a danger of aquaplan-
ing occurring, even if:
R you are driving at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth Driving tips
161Driving and parking Z
engine. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
When the engine is running, you can use the
cruise control lever to limit the speed to any
speed between 30 km/h and the technically
permitted maximum speed of the vehicle. If the
set value of the permanent limiter is lower, then this value applies (Y page 166).
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions are appropriate for maintaining a steady speed for a prolonged period.
The speed indicated in the speedometer may
differ slightly from the speed stored.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of an accident
nor override the laws of physics. Cruise control
cannot take into account road, weather or traffic conditions. Cruise control is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time and for staying in lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads.
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or accel-
erating can cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid.
R in poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow.
If a new driver takes over, advise the new driver
of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever :
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp =
To activate at the current speed/last stored
speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and the
variable speed limiter
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and the variable speed limiter with the cruise control lever.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control is
selected
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable limiter is
selected.
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for
five seconds.
Selecting cruise control X
To select cruise control: check whether LIM
indicator lamp ;is on or off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected.
X If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Cruise control is selected.
Activation conditions To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
R the electric parking brake must be released.
R you are driving faster than 30 km/h.
R ESP ®
must be switched on, but not interven-
ing.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission, the
selector lever must be in position D.
R on vehicles with manual transmission, a gear
must be engaged.
R cruise control must be selected.
Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed Storing and maintaining the current
speed
You can store the current speed if you are driv-
ing faster than 30 km/h. Driving systems
163Driving and parking Z
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise con‐
Cruise con‐
trol off
trol off message in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. Speed limiter
General notes The limiter restricts the speed of the vehicle. The
limiter brakes automatically in order to adjust
the vehicle's speed to the stored speed.
You must select a lower gear in good time on
long and steep downhill gradients, especially if
the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. On vehi-
cles with automatic transmission, you need to
have selected the manual drive program
M (Y page 150). 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 wearing too
quickly.
You can set a variable or permanent limit speed:
R Variable for maximum permissible speeds,
e.g. in built-up areas
R Permanent for a technically permitted max-
imum vehicle speed, e.g. when driving with
winter tyres fitted (Y page 166)
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the stored maximum
permissible speed.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, the speed
limiter can neither reduce the risk of an accident
nor override the laws of physics. The limiter can-
not take into account road, weather or traffic
conditions. The limiter is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time
and for staying in lane.
If a new driver takes over, advise the new driver of the speed stored. Variable speed limiter General notes
:
Activates or increases speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= Activates at the current speed/last stored
speed
? Activates or reduces speed
A Switches between cruise control and the
variable speed limiter
B Switches off the speed limiter
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
cruise control or Distance Pilot DISTRONIC and
the variable speed limiter.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control or Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONIC is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable speed lim-
iter is selected.
When the engine is running, you can use the
cruise control lever to limit the speed to any
speed between 30 km/h and the maximum
design speed of the vehicle. If the set value of
the permanent limiter is lower then this value
applies (Y page 166).
Selecting the variable speed limiter
X Check whether LIM indicator lamp ;is on.
If it is on, the variable speed limiter is already
selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever lights up. The variable limiter is selected. Driving systems
165Driving and parking Z
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
General notes Distance Pilot DISTRONIC regulates the speed
and automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. The sys-
tem detects vehicles using the radar sensor sys-
tem. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brakes automat- ically to avoid exceeding the set speed or to
maintain the designated distance from the vehi- cle in front.
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC detects that there is
a risk of a collision, you will be warned visually
and acoustically. Without your intervention, Dis- tance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot prevent a colli-
sion. An intermittent warning tone will then
sound and the distance warning lamp will light
up in the instrument cluster. Brake immediately
to increase the distance to the vehicle in front,
or take evasive action, provided it is safe to do
so.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC operates in the range between 0 km/h and 200 km/h.
Shift into a lower gear in good time on long andsteep downhill gradients. Take particular note of
this when driving a laden vehicle. By doing so,
you will make use of the braking effect of the
engine. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
Do not use Distance Pilot DISTRONIC on roads
with steep gradients.
For Distance Pilot DISTRONIC to assist you
when driving, the radar sensor system must be
operational.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC does not recognise
R people or animals
R stationary objects on the road, e.g. stopped
or parked vehicles
R oncoming vehicles or crossing traffic
As a result, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may
neither give warnings nor intervene in such
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot always
clearly identify other road users and complex
traffic situations.
In such cases, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
R accelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, especially if Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
warns you. G
WARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brakes your vehicle with up to 50% of the maximum possible
deceleration. If this deceleration is not suffi-
cient, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC alerts you
with a visual and acoustic warning. There is a
risk of an accident.
Apply the brakes yourself in these situations
and try to take evasive action.
! When Distance Pilot DISTRONIC or the
HOLD function is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC and the HOLD
function in the following or similar situations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC can neither reduce the risk of
an accident nor override the laws of physics.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot take into
account road, weather or traffic conditions. Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONIC is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time
and for staying in lane. Driving syste
ms
167Driving an d parking Z
not exceed the maximum permissible speed for
your vehicle/trailer combination. Notes on towing a trailer
General notes Trailer towing is not possible on the following
models:
R CLA 180 d BlueEFFICIENCY Edition
R CLA 250 Sport
R CLA 250 Sport 4MATIC
R Mercedes‑AMG CLA 45 4MATIC
When towing a trailer, set the tyre pressure on
the rear axle of the towing vehicle for the max-
imum load. Further information on the tyre pres-
sure table in the fuel filler flap (Y page 313).
Please note that when towing a trailer, the fol-
lowing driving systems have limited availability
or are not available at all.
R Parking Assist PARKTRONIC (Y page 177)
R Blind Spot Assist (Y page 192)
The height of the ball coupling changes with the
load of the vehicle. If necessary, use a trailer
with a height-adjustable drawbar.
You will find fitting dimensions and loads under "Technical data" (Y page 334).
Driving tips Observe the notes on ESP
®
trailer stabilisation
(Y page 72).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check the
trailer's documents to see what the maximum
permitted speed is. Observe the legally prescri-
bed maximum speed in the relevant country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the maxi-
mum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. See the "Technical data"
section to find out whether this applies to your
vehicle. If you utilise any of the added maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer, the vehicle/
trailer combination may not exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/h for reasons concerning the
operating permit. This also applies in countries
in which the permissible maximum speed for
vehicle/trailer combinations is above
100 km/h. When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different to when driving
without a trailer and the vehicle will consume
more fuel.
Shift into a lower gear in good time on long and steep downhill gradients. For vehicles with auto-
matic transmission, you need to have selected
manual drive program M(Y page 150).
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, SPEEDTRONIC or Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC.
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so
less braking will be required to maintain the
vehicle speed. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly. If you need additional braking, depress the brake pedal
repeatedly rather than continuously.
Briefly depressing the accelerator pedal on
downhill gradients while the manual drive pro-
gram Mis temporarily activated (vehicles with
automatic transmission): the automatic trans-
mission may switch back to the last active auto-
matic drive program Eor S. The automatic trans-
mission may shift to a higher gear. This can
reduce the engine's braking effect.
Driving tips R
Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle in
front than when driving without a trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gen-
tly at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
R The values given for gradient-climbing capa-
bilities from a standstill refer to sea level.
When driving in mountainous areas, note that
the power output of the engine, and conse-
quently the vehicle's gradient-climbing capa-
bility from a standstill, decrease with increas-
ing altitude.
If the trailer swings from side to side:
X Do not accelerate under any circumstances
X Do not countersteer
X Brake, if necessary 196
Towing a trailerDriving an
d parking