
Gearshift recommendation
The gearshift recommendation assists you in
adopting a fuel-efficient driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown on the multifunction
display.
X Shift gear according to gearshift recommen-
dation :when shown in the multifunction
display of the instrument cluster. Drive programs
Drive program C (Comfort) Drive program
Cis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits comfortable, economical
driving characteristics.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability, e.g.
on slippery road surfaces.
Drive program S (Sport) Drive program
Sis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R sporty engine settings.
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)
R the steering
R the availability of the ECO start/stop function
R the climate control
Information on configuring drive program Iwith
the multimedia system can be found in the Dig-
ital Owner's Manual. Drive program E (Economy) Drive program
Eis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits particularly economical
driving characteristics.
R the vehicle has improved driving stability, e.g.
on slippery road surfaces.
R the performance of the air-conditioning and
heating systems is reduced. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate. G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake. Automatic transmission
143Driving and parking Z

R
the availability of the ECO start/stop function
R the climate control
Information on configuring drive program Iwith
the multimedia system can be found in the Dig-
ital Owner's Manual.
i To permanently shift the gears manually in
drive program Iusing the steering wheel gear-
shift paddles, select the M(Manual) setting
for the drive.
Drive program E (Economy)
Drive program Eis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R comfort-oriented engine settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
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 the automatic transmission shifts up sooner.
This results in the vehicle being driven at
lower engine speeds and the wheels being
less likely to spin.
R gliding mode is activated automatically when
engine-internal conditions are fulfilled and
the accelerator is not depressed. At the same
time the transmission’s clutch opens and the
vehicle rolls freely using its kinetic energy. As a result great distances can be completed
without the engine brake and fuel consump-
tion reduced.
i The availability of gliding mode depends on
various factors, including the following:
R the engine and transmission temperature
R the downhill gradient
R the vehicle speed
R performing regular adaptation functions
When you depress the brake pedal, gliding
mode is deactivated, depending on pedal
pressure.
When you activate cruise control or Distance Pilot DISTRONIC, gliding mode is not availa-
ble. Mercedes-AMG vehicles Drive program I (Individual)
In drive program I, the following properties of
the drive program can be selected:
R the drive (engine management)
R the transmission management
R the suspension (vehicles with AMG RIDE
CONTROL)
R ESP ®
Information on configuring drive program Iwith
the multimedia system can be found in the Dig-
ital Owner's Manual.
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.
R gliding mode is available.
R the ECO start/stop function is available.
Drive program S (Sport)
Drive program Sis characterised by the follow-
ing:
R the vehicle exhibits sporty driving character-
istics.
R the automatic transmission shifts up later.
Fuel consumption may be higher as a result of the later automatic transmission shift points.
R the suspension exhibits stiff springing and
damping settings (vehicles with AIR RIDE
CONTROL).
R gliding mode is not available.
R the ECO start/stop function is not available. Automatic transmission
149Driving and parking Z

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

For this reason, drive in the following manner in
the event of heavy rain or in conditions in which aquaplaning can occur:
R lower your speed
R avoid tyre ruts
R avoid sudden steering movements
R brake carefully
Driving on flooded roads !
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in front
or in the opposite direction create waves. This may cause the maximum permissible water
depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all cir-
cumstances. You could otherwise damage
the engine, the electronics or the transmis-
sion.
If you must drive on stretches of road on which
water has collected, please bear in mind that:
R in the case of standing water, the water level
must be no higher than the lower edge of the
vehicle body
R you should drive no faster than walking pace Winter driving
G
WARNING
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.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. G
DANGER
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 winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration,
steering and braking manoeuvres. Do not use
cruise control or Distance Pilot DISTRONIC.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Vehicles with manual transmission: shift
to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position
N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by using
corrective steering.
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 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.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
Further information on driving with snow chains
(Y page 313).
Further information on driving with summer
tyres (Y page 312).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (Y page 312). Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. You must select a
lower gear in good time on long and steep down-
hill gradients, especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. On vehicles 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 162
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Do not use Distance Pilot DISTRONIC:
R in road and traffic conditions that 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.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may not detect nar-
row vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired in the following situations:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, e.g. in multi-storey
car parks
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC no longer detects a vehicle in front, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may
unexpectedly accelerate to the speed stored.
This speed can:
R be too high for a filter lane or a slip road
R be so high on the right lane that you pass
vehicles driving in the left lane
R be so high in the left lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving in the right lane
If a new driver takes over, advise the new driver
of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever :
To store the current speed or a higher speed
; To set the specified minimum distance
= LIM indicator lamp
? To store the current speed or call up the last
stored speed
A To store the current speed or a lower speed B
To switch between Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC and the variable limiter
C To deactivate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC and the variable lim-
iter.
LIM indicator lamp =on the cruise control lever
indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp= =off:distance Pilot
DISTRONIC is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp= =on:variable limiter is
selected.
Selecting Distance Pilot DISTRONIC X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp =is off.
If it is off, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is already selected.
X If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow B.
LIM indicator lamp =in the cruise control
lever goes out. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is
selected.
Activating Distance Pilot DISTRONIC Activation conditions
! 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
To activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC, the fol-
lowing conditions must be fulfilled:
R The engine must be running. It may take up to
two minutes of driving before Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC is ready for use.
R The electric parking brake must be released.
R ESP ®
must be switched on, but not interven-
ing.
R Parking Pilot must not be activated.
R The transmission must be in position D.
R The driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened. 168
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

The damping is tuned individually to each wheel
and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface conditions
R the drive program selected
The drive program can be set using the
DYNAMIC SELECT button (Y page 141).
Selecting Comfort mode In the
Comfort drive program, the driving char-
acteristics of your vehicle are more comforta-
ble. Select this drive program if you prefer a
more comfortable driving style. Also select the
Comfort drive program when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. on straight stretches of
motorway.
X Press DYNAMIC SELECT button (Y page 141)
as many times as necessary until the Com-
fort drive program is selected.
Selecting Sport mode The firmer suspension setting in the
Sportdrive
program ensures even better contact with the
road. Select this drive program when employing
a sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country
roads.
X Press DYNAMIC SELECT button (Y page 141)
as many times as necessary until the Sport
drive program is selected. Parking Assist PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is an electronic
parking aid with ultrasound. It monitors the area
around your vehicle using six sensors in the
front bumper and six sensors in the rear
bumper. Parking Assist PARKTRONIC shows you
the distance between your vehicle and an obsta- cle visually and audibly.
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is
not a substitute for your attention to the imme-
diate surroundings. The responsibility for safe
manoeuvring and parking remains with you.
Make sure that there are no persons, animals or
objects in range while manoeuvring and parking.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such as flower pots or trailer drawbars. Parking Assist
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 of a lorry or a pneumatic drill could cause Parking Assist
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC may not function
correctly on uneven terrain.
! Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. Parking Assist
PARKTRONIC measures the minimum detec-
tion range to an obstacle from the bumper,
not the ball coupling.
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is activated auto-
matically when you: R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror Non
vehicles with automatic transmission
R release the electric parking brake
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is deactivated at
speeds above 18 km/h. It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
Vehicles with a trailer tow hitch: Parking
Assist PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear
area when you establish the electrical connec-
tion between your vehicle and a trailer.
Range of the sensors General notes
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC does not take into
account obstacles located:
R below the detection range, e.g. persons, ani-
mals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods
vehicles Driving systems
177Driving and parking Z

G
WARNING
The Lane Keeping Assist warning does not
return the vehicle to the original lane. There is a risk of an accident.
Always steer, apply the brakes or accelerate
the vehicle yourself, especially if Lane Keep-
ing Assist alerts you.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Lane Keep-
ing Assist can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Lane
Keeping Assist cannot take into account road,
weather or traffic conditions. Lane Keeping
Assist 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.
Lane Keeping Assist does not keep your vehicle
in its 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
covered 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
Activating Lane Keeping Assist
X Activate Lane Keeping Assist using the on-
board computer; to do so, select Standard
Standard or
Adaptive
Adaptive (Ypage 209).
If you drive at speeds above 60 km/h and lane markings are detected, the lane markings in
the assistance graphics display (Y page 208)
are shown in green. If
Standard
Standard is selected, no warning vibration
occurs if:
R You have switched on the turn signal. In this
event, the warnings are suppressed for a cer-
tain period of time.
R A driving safety system such as ABS, BAS or
ESP ®
engages.
When Adaptive
Adaptive is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
R You have switched on the turn signal. In this
case, the warnings are suppressed for a cer-
tain period of time
R A driving safety system such as ABS, BAS or
ESP ®
engages
R You accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown
R You brake hard
R You steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lane quickly
R You cut the corner on a sharp bend
To ensure that you are warned only when nec-
essary and in good time if you cross the lane
marking, the system detects certain conditions
and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier in the fol-
lowing situations:
R You approach the outer lane marking on a
bend
R The road has very wide lanes, e.g. a motorway
R The system detects solid lane markings
The warning vibration occurs later in the follow- ing situations:
R The road has narrow lanes
R You cut the corner on a bend Towing a trailer
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle/trailer
combination if it begins to swerve. The vehi-
cle/trailer combination could even overturn.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten out the vehicle/trailer combina-
tion by increasing speed. Decrease your
speed and do not countersteer. Brake if nec-
essary. 194
Towing a trailerDriving and parking

G
WARNING
If the maximum permissible load for a carrier system is exceeded, the carrier could come
loose from the vehicle and endanger other
road users. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never exceed the maximum permissible load
when using a carrier.
! If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
changes to the engine cooling system may be necessary, depending on the vehicle type.
If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
observe the anchorage points on the chassis.
Retrofitting a trailer tow hitch is only permissible
if a trailer load is specified in your vehicle docu-
ments. If this is not the case, then the vehicle is not approved for towing a trailer.
For more information, please contact a qualifiedspecialist workshop.
Exceeding the maximum permissible nose-
weight of the trailer drawbar on the ball coupling
may cause damage to the following:
R your vehicle
R trailer
R ball coupling
R trailer tow hitch
The vehicle/trailer combination could become
unstable.
The vehicle/trailer combination could also
become unstable if the noseweight used is lower than the minimum permissible noseweight.
To avoid hazardous situations:
R make sure to check the noseweight before
each journey
R the noseweight should be as close as possible
to the maximum noseweight
R do not exceed the maximum permissible
noseweight
R the noseweight must not be lower than the
minimum permissible noseweight
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible noseweight
R the permissible trailer load R
the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
The applicable permissible values, which must
not be exceeded, can be found:
R in your vehicle documents
R on the identification plates of the trailer tow
hitch and the trailer
R on the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
You will find the values approved by the manu-
facturer on the identification plates and for the
towing vehicle under "Technical data"
(Y page 334). G
WARNING
If you release the ball coupling or it does not
engage correctly when folding in, it will swing out. Within pivoting range of the ball coupling,
there is an increased risk of an accident and
injury.
Only release the ball coupling if the pivoting
range is unobstructed. Always make sure that the ball coupling engages when folding in.
When reversing the towing vehicle, make sure
there is nobody between the trailer and the vehi- cle.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If youdo not couple the trailer to the towing vehicle
correctly, the trailer could become detached.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different to when driving
without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradient-
climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R has a larger turning circle
This can impair the vehicle's handling charac-
teristics. Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Maintain a safe distance. Drive carefully.
When towing a trailer, always adjust your speed to the current road and weather conditions. Do Towing a trailer
195Driving and parking Z