The ECO start/stop function switches off the
engine automatically at low speeds.
X Brake the vehicle.
X Shift to neutral N(Y page 142), (follow gear-
shift instructions :to shift into neutral N, if
necessary).
X Release the clutch pedal.
The engine is switched off automatically.
Vehicles with automatic transmission If the vehicle is braked to a standstill with the
transmission in Dor N, the ECO start/stop func-
tion switches off the engine automatically.
The HOLD function can be activated if the
engine has been switched off automatically. It is
then not necessary to continue applying the
brakes during the automatic stop phase. When
you depress the accelerator pedal, the engine
starts automatically and the braking effect of
the HOLD function is deactivated.
Automatic engine start General notes
The engine is started automatically if:
R you deactivate the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button
R you engage reverse gear R
R you unfasten your seat belt or open the driv-
er's door
R the vehicle starts to roll
R the brake system requires this
R the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range
R the system detects moisture on the wind-
screen when the air-conditioning system is
switched on
R the battery's charge status is too low
Vehicles with manual transmission
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal is
depressed.
The engine is started automatically if you:
R depress the clutch pedal fully
R depress the accelerator pedal Vehicles with automatic transmission
The engine is started automatically if you:
R release the brake pedal in transmission posi-
tion Dor Nwhen the HOLD function is not
active
R depress the accelerator pedal
R move the transmission out of position P
Shifting the transmission to position Pdoes not
start the engine.
If you shift the transmission from Rto D, the
ECO start/stop function is available again as
soon as the èsymbol reappears on the mul-
tifunction display.
Switching the ECO start/stop function
off/on X
To deactivate: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;and the èorç ECO
symbol on the multifunction display go out.
X To activate: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up.
If all conditions for the automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 137) are fulfilled, the è
ECO symbol is shown in the multifunction dis- play.
If all conditions for the automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 137) are not fulfilled, the
ç ECO symbol is shown in the multifunc-
tion display. If this is the case, the ECO start/
stop function is not available.
If indicator lamp ;is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been deactivated manually or as
the result of a malfunction. The engine will then
not be switched off automatically when the vehi- cle stops. 138
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
from the ignition, the automatic transmission
shifts to Pautomatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts to Pautomat-
ically.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the vehicle
cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing
system:
X Vehicles with the Start-Stop button:
remove the Start-Stop button from the igni-
tion lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X All vehicles: switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in the
ignition lock. Electric parking brake
General notes G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or if there is a malfunction
in the system, it may not be possible to apply the
released parking brake.
X If this is the case, park the vehicle only on
level ground and secure it to prevent it from
rolling away.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to position
P.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first gear.
It may not be possible to release an applied
parking brake if the on-board voltage is low or if
there is a malfunction in the system. Contact a
qualified specialist workshop.
The electric parking brake carries out a function check at regular intervals when the engine is
switched off. Noises that occur are normal.
Applying or releasing manually X
To apply: push handle :.
When the electric parking brake is applied,
the red !indicator lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster.
The electric parking brake can also be applied when the key is removed.
X To release: pull handle:.
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
The electric parking brake can be released
only:
R when the key is in position 1or 2in the
ignition lock (Y page 133) or
R if the ignition was switched on using the
Start/Stop button Parking
157Driving and parking Z
Applying automatically (vehicles with
automatic transmission) The electric parking brake is automatically
applied when the transmission is in position P
and:
R the engine is switched off or
R the driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is opened
To prevent the electric parking brake from being applied automatically, pull handle :.
The electric parking brake is also applied auto-
matically if:
R Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brings the vehicle
to a standstill or
R the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle sta-
tionary
R Parking Pilot is keeping the vehicle stationary
In addition, at least one of the following condi-
tions must be fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off
R the driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is opened
R there is a system malfunction
R the power supply is insufficient
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
The red !indicator lamp on the instrument
cluster lights up.
The electric parking brake is not automatically
applied if the engine is switched off by the ECO start/stop function.
Applying automatically (vehicles with
manual transmission) The electric parking brake is applied automati-
cally when the vehicle is being kept stationary by
the HOLD function.
In addition, at least one of the following condi-
tions must be fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off
R the driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is open
R there is a system malfunction
R the power supply is insufficient
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
The red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up. The electric parking brake is not automatically
applied if the engine is switched off by the ECO
start/stop function.
Releasing automatically The electric parking brake can only be released
automatically in vehicles with automatic trans-
mission.
The electric parking brake of your vehicle is
released automatically when all the following
conditions are fulfilled:
R the engine is running
R the transmission is in position Dor R
R the seat belt is fastened
R you depress the accelerator pedal
If the transmission is in position R, the boot lid
must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following
conditions must be fulfilled for the electric park- ing brake to be released automatically:
R the driver's door is closed
R you have shifted out of transmission position
P or you have previously driven faster than
3 km/h
Ensure that you do not depress the accelerator
pedal unintentionally. Otherwise, the parking
brake will be released and the vehicle will start
to move.
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an emer-
gency by using the electric parking brake.
X While driving, press handle :of the electric
parking brake (Y page 157).
The vehicle is braked as long as you keep
handle :of the electric parking brake
pressed. The longer the electric parking brake
handle :is depressed, the greater the brak-
ing force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds
R the Release parking brake Release parking brake message
appears
R the red !indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand-
still, the electric parking brake is applied. 158
ParkingDriving and pa
rking
Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer than six weeks, it may suffer from lack of use.
X Contact a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
i You can obtain information on trickle charg-
ers from a qualified specialist workshop. Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes 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.
Drive sensibly – save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel:
R The tyres should always be inflated to the rec-
ommended tyre pressure.
R Remove unnecessary loads.
R Remove roof racks when they are not needed.
R Warm up the engine at low engine speeds.
R Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
R Have all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the Ser-
vice Booklet or by the service interval display.
Fuel consumption also increases when driving in cold weather, in stop-start traffic, on short jour-
neys and in hilly terrain. ECO display
The ECO display shows you how economical
your driving style is. The ECO display assists you in achieving the most economical driving style
for the selected settings and prevailing condi-
tions. Consumption can be significantly influ-
enced by your driving style.
:
Acceleration
; Coasting
= Constant
? Additional range achieved
Range ?is shown under Bonus from start Bonus from start
and represents the additional range achieved
since the beginning of the journey as a result of an adapted driving style.
If the fuel level has dropped into the reserve
range, the Reserve fuel level Reserve fuel level message is
shown in the multifunction display instead of
range ?. In addition, the 8warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up (Y page 255). Driving tips
159Driving and parking Z
The ECO display consists of three sections, with
an inner and outer area. The sections corre-
spond to the following three categories: :
Acceleration
(evaluation of the
acceleration processes):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: moderate
acceleration, especially at higher
speeds
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is grey: sporty acceler-
ation ;
Coasting
(evaluation of all decelera-
tion processes):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: anticipatory
driving, keeping your distance and
early release of the accelerator.
The vehicle can coast without use
of the brakes.
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is grey: frequent heavy
braking =
Constant
(continuous evaluation
over the entire journey):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: constant
speed and avoidance of unneces-
sary acceleration and deceleration
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is grey: fluctuations in
speed The three inner areas display the current driving
style and light up green as a result of a particu-
larly economical driving style. Depending on the driving situation, up to two areas may light up
simultaneously.
At the beginning of the journey, the three outer
areas are empty and fill up as a result of eco-
nomical driving. A higher level indicates a more
economical driving style. If the three outer areas
are completely filled at the same time, the driver
has adopted the most economical driving style
for the selected settings and prevailing condi-
tions. The ECO display border lights up.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual fuel consumption. The additionally achieved range
displayed under Bonus from start
Bonus from start does not
indicate a fixed consumption reduction. In addition to driving style, the actual consump-
tion is affected by other factors, such as:
R load
R tyre pressure
R cold start
R choice of route
R the use of electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
An economical driving style involves driving at a moderate engine speed.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
"Acceleration" and "Constant":
R observe the gearshift recommendation.
R drive the vehicle in drive program Cor E
(vehicles with DYNAMIC SELECT button).
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g. on the motorway, only the outer area for "Constant"
will change.
The ECO display summarises the driving style
from the start of the journey to its completion.
Therefore, there are more marked changes in
the outer areas at the start of a journey. During
a prolonged driving time, these changes are
smaller. For more marked changes, perform a
manual reset (Y page 204).
Further information on the ECO display
(Y page 204). Brakes
Important safety notes 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.
Downhill gradients Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. For vehicles with
automatic transmission, you need to activate
manual gearshifting beforehand (Y page 150).160
Driving tipsDriving 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