or
XUse the program selector button to change
the drive program (Ypage 138).
Manual drive program Mis deactivated. The
automatic transmission switches into the
automatic drive program that was last selec-
ted, i.e. Eor S.
Manual drive program (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles and vehicles with the
AMG sports package)
General information
In this drive program, you can permanently
change gear yourself by using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. The transmission must be
in position D.
iAs well as this permanent drive program M,
you can also activate temporary drive pro-
gram M(
Ypage 140).
Switching on the manual drive program
XPress the program selector button
(Ypage 138) repeatedly until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
XMercedes-AMG vehicles: turn the drive pro-
gram selector (Ypage 139) until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
The indicator Mon the drive program selector
lights up in red.
Manual drive program Mis different from drive
programs Sand S+with regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
Manual drive program Mcan be selected using
the drive program selector. In manual drive pro-
gram M, you can change gear using the steering
wheel paddle shifters if the transmission is in
position D. The gear currently selected and
engaged is shown in the multifunction display.
Upshifting
XPull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
!In manual drive program M, the automatic
transmission does not shift up automatically
even when the engine limiting speed for the
current gear is reached. When the engine lim-
iting speed is reached, the fuel supply is cut to
prevent the engine from overrevving. Always
make sure that the engine speed does not
reach the red area of the tachometer. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage.
:Gear indicator
;Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown in the multi-
function display.
XWhen the UPmessage appears in the multi-
function display, pull on the right-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
Shift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
XIf corresponding gearshift recommenda-
tion :appears in the multifunction display
on the instrument cluster, pull on the right-
hand steering wheel paddle shifter
(
Ypage 139).
The automatic transmission shifts to recom-
mended gear ;.
Automatic transmission141
Driving and parking
Z
Problems with the transmission
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear.The transmission is losing oil.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
7G-TRONIC:
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no lon-
ger changes gear.The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift intosecondgear and reverse gear.
XStop the vehicle.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XSwitch off the engine.
XWait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
XShift the transmission to positionDor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
9G-TRONIC:
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no lon-
ger changes gear.The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only partly possible to engage the gears or the transmission is in
position N.
XStop the vehicle.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XSwitch off the engine.
XWait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
XShift the transmission to positionDor R.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
Refueling
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before refueling.
GWARNING
Fuel is poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a risk of injury.
You must make sure that fuel does not come into contact with your skin, eyes or clothing
and that it is not swallowed. Do not inhale fuel
vapors. Keep fuel away from children.
If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
RWash away fuel from skin immediately
using soap and water.
RIf fuel comes into contact with your eyes,
immediately rinse them thoroughly with
clean water. Seek medical assistance with-
out delay.
Refueling143
Driving and parking
Z
Drive sensibly–save fuel
Observ eth efollowin gtips to sav efuel:
XThe tires should always be inflate dto th erec -
ommended tire pressure.
XRemov eunnecessary loads.
XRemov eroof racks when they are no tneeded.
XWar mup th eengin eat low engin espeeds .
XAvoid frequent acceleration or braking .
XHaveall maintenance wor kcarrie dout as
indicated by th eservic eintervals in th eMain -
tenance Booklet or by th eservic einterval dis -
play.
Fue lconsumption also increase swhen drivin gin
cold weather ,in stop-start traffic and in hill yter-
rain .
Drinking an ddrivin g
GWARNING
Drinking and drivin gand/o rtaking drugs and
drivin gare ver ydangerous combinations.
Even asmall amount of alcoho lor drugs can
affec tyour reflexes, perception sand judg-
ment.
The possibilit yof aserious or eve nfatal acci-
den tis greatly increase dwhen you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do no tdrink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyon eto drive who has bee ndrinkin gor tak-
in g drugs.
Emission contro l
GWARNING
Combustion engines emi tpoisonous exhaus t
gases suc has carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaus tgases lead sto poisoning. There
is aris kof fatal injury. Therefor enever leav e
th eengin erunning in enclose dspaces with-
out sufficien tventilation .
Certain engin esystems are designed to keep
th elevel of poisonous component sin exhaus t
fumes within lega llimits.
These systems only wor kat peak efficiency if
they are serviced exactly in accordance wit hth e
manufacturer's specifications. Always hav e
wor kon th eengin ecarrie dout at aqualified specialis
tworkshop .Mercedes-Ben zrecom -
mends that you use an authorized Mercedes -
Benz Cente rfo rthis purpose. In particular, wor k
relevant to safet yor on safety-related systems
mus tbe carrie dout at aqualified specialis t
workshop .
The engin esetting smus tno tbe changed under
any circumstances. Furthermore, all specific
servic ewor kmus tbe carrie dout at regular
intervals and in accordance wit hth eMercedes -
Benz servic erequirements .Details can be found
in th eMaintenance Booklet .
ECO display
The ECOdisplay provides feedback on how eco-
nomical your drivin gcharacteristics are .The
EC Odisplay assist syou in achievin gth emost
economical drivin gstyle fo rth eselecte dset -
ting sand prevailin gconditions. Your drivin g
style can significantly influenc eth evehicle' s
consumption .
The EC Odisplay consist sof three bars:
RAcceleration
RConstant
RCoasting
The percent valu eis th eaverag evalu eof th e
three bars. The three bar sand th emea nvalu e
begin at th evalu eof 50%. Ahigher percentage
indicates amore economical drivin gstyle.
The EC Odisplay doe sno tindicat eth eactual fue l
consumption . Afixed percentage count in th e
EC Odisplay doe sno tindicat e afixed consump -
tion .
Apart from drivin gstyle, consumption is
dependen ton man yfactors suc has, e.g. :
Rload
Rtire pressure
Rcold start
Rchoiceof rout e
Relectrical consumers switched on
These factors are no tincluded in th eEC Odis -
play.
Driving tips149
Driving and parking
Z
Wet roads
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 the vehicle has
been washed or driven through deep water.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehicle
washed, brake firmly while paying attention to
the traffic conditions. This 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 salted roads, a layer of salt resi-
due may form on the brake discs and brake
pads. This can result in a significantly longer
braking distance.
RIn order to prevent any salt build-up, apply the
brakes occasionally while paying attention to
the traffic conditions.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
!The brake fluid level may be too low, if:
Rif the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and
Ryou hear a warning tone while the engine is
running
Observe additional warning messages in the
multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immediately.
Consult a qualified specialist workshop to
arrange this.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or per-
formance tests may only be carried out on a 2-
axle dynamometer. If you wish to operate the
vehicle on such a dynamometer, please con-
sult a qualified specialist workshop in
advance. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP®sys-
tem operates automatically, the engine and
the ignition must be switched off (SmartKey in
position 0or 1in the ignition lock or Start/
Stop button in position 0or 1) while the park-
ing brake is being tested on a brake dyna-
mometer.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP
®may seriously damage the brake sys-
tem.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP®sys-
tem operates automatically, the engine and
the ignition system must be switched off
(SmartKey in position 0or 1in the ignition
lock or Start/Stop button in position 0or 1)
when:
Rtesting the parking brake on a brake dyna-
mometer.
Ryou intend to have the vehicle towed with
one of the axles raised.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP
®may seriously damage the brake sys-
tem.
All checks and maintenance work on the brake
system must be carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist worksho p.
Ha
ve brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the functional-
ity of your brakes at regular intervals. To do so,
press firmly on the brake pedal when driving at a
high speed. This improves the grip of the brake
pads.
You can find a description of Brake Assist (BAS) on (
Ypage 65) or of BAS PLUS on (Ypage 65).
The braking characteristics of the vehicle can be
seriously impaired if:
Rbrake pads other than those recommended
are installed
Rthe recommended brake fluid is not used
Safe braking can no longer be guaranteed.
AMG high-performance and ceramic
brakes
The high-performance brake system is only
installed on the Mercedes-AMG
CLS 63 S 4MATIC model.
Driving tips151
Driving and parking
Z
Changesinthe outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indic ated temperatures just above the freezing
poin tdo not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especiallyin
wooded areas or on bridges. The veh iclecould
skid if you fail to adapt your driving style. Always
adapt your driving style and drive at a speed to
suit the prevailin g weather conditions.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
poin t.
For more information on drivingwith snow
chains, see (
Ypage 303).
For more information on drivingwith summer
tires, see (
Ypage 303).
Observe the notes inthe "Win ter operation" sec-
tion (
Ypage 303).
Driving systems
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive
Mercedes-Benz Inte lligen t Drive stands for inno-
vative driver assistance and safety systems
whic h enhance comfort and support the driverin
critical situations. With these int elligent co-o rdi-
nated systems Mercedes-Benz has set a mile-
stone on the path towards autonomous driving.
Mercedes-Benz Inte lligen t Drive embraces all
elements of active and passive safety inone well
thought out system – for the safety of the veh i-
cle occupants and that of other road users.
Further information on driving safety systems
(
Ypage 64).
Cruise control
General notes
Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. Itbrakes automatically inorder to avoid
excee ding the set speed. On long and steep
downhill gradients, especially ifthe veh icle is
laden, you must shift to a lower gear intime. By
doin g so, you willmake use of the braking effect
of the engine. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from overheat-
ing and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and trafficcon-
dit ions make itappropriate to maintain a steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any
road speed above 20 mph (30 km/h).
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
lawsof physics. Cruise control
cannot take into account the road, traff icand
weather conditions. Cruise control is only an
aid. You are responsible for the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for brakingin
good time and for staying in your lane.
Do not use cruise control:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rwhen there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever
:To activate or increase speed
;To activate or reduce speed
=To deactivate cruise control
?To activate at the current speed/last stored
speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for
five seconds.
Driving systems153
Driving and parking
Z
the cruise control lever up:or down ;to
the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up : or down ;the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
iCruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For example, if
you accelerate briefly to overtake, cruise con-
trol adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished overtak-
ing.
Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise con-
trol:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or
XBrake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
Ryou depress the parking brake
Ryou are driving at less than 20 mph (30 km/h)
RESP®intervenes or you deactivate ESP®
Ryou shift the transmission to position Nwhile
driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise Con‐
trol Offmessage in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
iWhen you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared.
DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes
DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and auto-
matically helps you maintain the distance to the
vehicle detected in front. Vehicles are detected with the aid of the radar sensor system.
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so that
the set speed is not exceeded.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is especially
important if the vehicle is laden. By doing so, you
will make use of the braking effect of the engine.
This relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and wear-
ing too quickly.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot prevent a
collision without your intervention. An intermit-
tent warning tone will then sound and the dis-
tance warning lamp will light up in the instru-
ment cluster. Brake immediately in order to
increase the distance to the vehicle in front or
take evasive action provided it is safe to do so.
For DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you, the radar
sensor system must be operational.
DISTRONIC PLUS operates in range between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (200 km/h)
.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DISTRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves, it
can resemble the radar detectors of the respon-
sible authorities. You can refer to the relevant
chapter in the Operator's Manual if questions
are asked about this.
iUSA only: This device has been approved by
the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System". The
radar sensor is intended for use in an auto-
motive radar system only. Removal, tamper-
ing, or altering of the device will void any war-
ranties, and is not permitted by the FCC. Do
not tamper with, alter, or use in any non-
approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
iCanada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
Driving system s155
Driving an d parking
Z
This speed may:
Rbe too high if you are driving in a filter lane or
an exit lane
Rbe so high in the right lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving on the left (left-hand drive coun-
tries)
Rbe so high in the left lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving on the right (right-hand drive
countries)
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever
:To store the current speed or a higher speed
;To store the current speed or a lower speed
=To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
?To store the current speed or call up the last
stored speed
ATo set the specified minimum distance
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS
Activation conditions
In order to activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the fol-
lowing conditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe engine must be started. It may take up to two minutes after pulling away before
DISTRONIC PLUS is operational.
Rthe parking brake must be released.
RESP®must be active, but not intervening.
RActive Parking Assist must not be activated.
Rthe transmission must be in position D.
Rthe hood must be closed.
Rthe driver's door must be closed when you
shift fromPto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened.
Rthe front-passenger door and rear doors must
be closed.
Rthe vehicle must not skid.
Activating
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ;, or press it up :or down =.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
XPress the cruise control lever repeatedly
up : or down =until the desired speed is
set.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
If the vehicle in front of you is stationary, you can only activate DISTRONIC PLUS once your vehi-
cle is stationary as well.
iIf you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC PLUS Overridemes-
sage appears in the multifunction display. The set distance to a slower-moving vehicle in
front will then not be maintained. You will be
driving at the speed you determine by the
position of the accelerator pedal.
You can also activate DISTRONIC PLUS when
stationary. The lowest speed that can be set is
18 mph (30 km/h).
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ;up: or down =.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
GWARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle acceler-
ates or decelerates. If you do not know the
Driving systems157
Driving and parking
Z
You can set the specified minimum distance for
DISTRONIC PLUS by varying the time span
between one and two seconds. With this func-
tion, you can set the minimum distance that
DISTRONIC PLUS keeps to the vehicle in front,
dependent on vehicle speed. You can see this
distance in the multifunction display
(
Ypage 160).
XTo increase:turn control;in direction =.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a greater
distance between your vehicle and the vehicle
in front.
XTo decrease: turn control;in direction :.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a shorter
distance between your vehicle and the vehicle
in front.
DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the speed-
ometer
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, one or two
segments ;in the set speed range light up.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front,
segments ;between speed of the vehicle in
front :and stored speed =light up.
iFor design reasons, the speed displayed in
the speedometer may differ slightly from the
speed set for DISTRONIC PLUS.
DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the multi-
function display
General notes
In the Assistance menu (Ypage 203) of the on-
board computer, you can select the assistance
display.
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is deacti-
vated
:Vehicle in front, if detected
;Distance indicator, current distance to the
vehicle in front
=Specified minimum distance to the vehicle
in front; adjustable
?Own vehicle
XSelect the Assist. Graphicfunction using
the on-board computer (Ypage 203).
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is activa-
ted
:Vehicle in front, if detected
;Specified minimum distance to the vehicle
in front; adjustable
=Own vehicle
?DISTRONIC PLUS active (text only appears
when the cruise control lever is actuated)
XSelect the Assist. Graphicfunction using
the on-board computer (Ypage 203).
iYou will see the stored speed for about five
seconds when you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
160Driving systems
Driving and parking