2016 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS brakes

PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
General information PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize the
risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead or a
pedestrian, and reduce the effects of such a
collision. If PRE-SAFE ®
Brake has detected a risk
of collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically as well as by automatic braking.
i Pay attention to the important safety notes
in the "Driving safety systems" section
( Y
page 64).
PRE ‑ SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance Plus package.
For PRE-SAFE ®
Brake to assist you when driving,
the radar sensor system and the camera system
must be switched on and be operational.
With the help of the radar sensor system and the
camera system, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect
obstacles that are in front of your vehicle for an
extended period of time.
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your vehi-
cle can be detected.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects pedestrians using
typical characteristics such as the body con-
tours and posture of a person standing upright.
i Observe the restrictions described in the
"Important safety notes" sec-
tion“ ( Y
page 73).
Important safety notes
G WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will initially brake your vehi-
cle by a partial application of the brakes if a
danger of collision is detected. There may be
a collision unless you brake yourself. Even
after subsequent full application of the brakes
a collision cannot always be avoided, partic-
ularly when approaching at too high a speed.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action, provided it is safe to do
so.
In the event of a partial application of the brakes,
the vehicle is braked with up to 50% of the full
braking pressure. G WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify objects and complex traffic conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may:R
give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle R
not give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
G WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify people, especially if they are moving. In
these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot inter-
vene. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance to
the vehicle in front and thus prevent a collision,
you must apply the brakes yourself.
G WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react: R
to small people, e.g. children R
to animals R
to oncoming vehicles R
to crossing traffic R
when cornering
As a result, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may neither
give warnings nor intervene in all critical sit-
uations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, the rec-
ognition can be impaired.Driving safety systems 73
Safety Z

R
the system detects that the windshield is not
fogged up when the air-conditioning system is
switched on. R
the hood is closed. R
the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened.
i All of the vehicle's systems remain active
when the engine is stopped automatically.
i The HOLD function can also be activated if
the engine has been switched off automati-
cally. 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 deac-
tivated.
i All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): automatic engine switch-off can take
place a maximum of four times in a row (initial
stop, then three subsequent stops).
i Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the number of
consecutive automatic engine switch-offs is
unlimited.
Automatic engine start The engine starts automatically if: R
you switch off the ECO start/stop function by
pressing the ECO button R
in transmission position D or N the brake
pedal is released and the HOLD function is not
active R
you depress the accelerator pedal R
you engage reverse gear RR
you move the transmission out of position PR
you switch to drive program S , S+ or M
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles) 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-
shield when the air-conditioning system is
switched on R
the battery's condition of charge is too low
i Shifting the transmission to position P does
not start the engine. Deactivating or activating the ECO
start/stop function All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles) X
To deactivate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D goes out.X
To activate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D lights up.
If indicator lamp D 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.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
X
To deactivate: in drive program C , press ECO
button C .
or X
Switch to drive program S , S+ or M
( Y
page 139).
Indicator lamp D goes out.X
To activate: press ECO button C .
Indicator lamp D lights up.
If drive program S , S+ or M is active, the auto-
matic transmission switches to drive program
C . Driving 131
Dr ivi ng an d parking Z

Transmission positions E Park position
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion P when the vehicle is stationary
( Y
page 147). The parking lock
should not be used as a brake when
parking. Always apply the parking
brake in addition to the parking lock
in order to secure the vehicle.
If the vehicle electronics are malfunc-
tioning, the transmission may be
locked in position P . Have the vehicle
electronics checked immediately at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Park position P is automatically
engaged if: R
you switch off the engine using the
SmartKey and remove the Smart-
Key R
you switch off the engine using the
SmartKey or using the Start/Stop
button and open the driver's door
or front-passenger door R
the driver's door is opened when
the vehicle is stationary or driving
at very low speed and the trans-
mission is in position D or R
F Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion R when the vehicle is stationary. D Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you to
move the vehicle freely, e.g. to push
it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty: shift
the transmission only to position N if
the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
e.g. on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position R or D , the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
! Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train.
: Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D . This automatic gear shifting
behavior is determined by: R
the selected drive program R
the position of the accelerator pedal R
the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear: R
little throttle: early upshifts R
more throttle: late upshifts
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
When shifting down, the double-clutch function
is active regardless of the currently selected
drive program. The double-clutch functionAutomatic transmission 137
Driving an d parking Z

The evaluation of your driving style is carried out
using the following three categories: R
Acceleration (evaluation of all acceleration
processes): -
The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds -
The bar empties: sporty acceleration R
Constant (assessment of driving behavior at
all times): -
The bar fills up: constant speed and avoid-
ance of unnecessary acceleration and
deceleration -
The bar empties: fluctuations in speed R
Coasting (assessment of all deceleration
processes): -
The bar fills up: anticipatory driving, keep-
ing your distance and early release of the
accelerator. The vehicle can coast without
use of the brakes. -
The bar empties: frequent braking
i An economical driving style specially
requires driving at moderate engine speeds.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration and Constant :R
observe the gearshift recommendations. R
drive in drive program E .
i On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the highway, only the bar for Constant will
change.
i The ECO display summarizes the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey to
its completion. For this reason, the bars
change dynamically at the beginning of the
journey. On longer journeys, there are fewer
changes. For more dynamic changes, carry
out a manual reset.
For further information on the ECO display, see
( Y
page 199).
Braking
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. There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients
! On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting to a
lower gear in good time. This allows you to
take advantage of the engine's braking effect.
This helps you to avoid overheating the
brakes and wearing them out excessively.
When you take advantage of engine braking, a
drive wheel may not turn for some time, e.g.
on a slippery road surface. This could cause
damage to the drive train. This type of damage
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz war-
ranty.
Do not depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. causing the
brakes to rub by constantly applying light pres-
sure to the pedal. This results in excessive and
premature wear to the brake pads.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is especially
important if the vehicle is laden.
Heavy and light loads
G WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This
increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the airflow
to cool the brakes more quickly.150
Driving tips
Driving and parking

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. 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 and the
beginning and end of a journey. R
Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
! The brake fluid level may be too low, if: R
if the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and R
you 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 0 or 1 in the ignition lock or Start/
Stop button in position 0 or 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 0 or 1 in the ignition
lock or Start/Stop button in position 0 or 1 )
when: R
testing the parking brake on a brake dyna-
mometer. R
you 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 ( Y
page 65) or of BAS PLUS on ( Y
page 65).
The braking characteristics of the vehicle can be
seriously impaired if: R
brake pads other than those recommended
are installed R
the 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 tips 151
Driving and parking Z

Changes in the out side temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indic ated temperatures just above the freezing
poin t do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may st ill be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on brid ges. The veh icle could
sk id if you fail to adapt your driv ing style. Alwa ys
adapt your driv ing style and driv e at a speed to
suit the pre vailin g weather conditions.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
poin t.
For more information on driv ing wit h snow
chains, see ( Y
page 303).
For more information on driv ing wit h summer
tires, see ( Y
page 303).
Observe the notes in the "Win ter operation" sec-
tion ( Y
page 303).
Driving systems
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive Mercedes-Benz In te lligen t Drive stands for inno-
vative driv er assistance and safety systems
whic h enhance comfort and support the driv er in
critical situations. With these int ellige nt co-o rdi-
nated systems Mercedes-Benz has set a mile -
stone on the path towards autonomous driv ing.
Mercedes-Benz In te lligen t Drive embraces all
elements of active and passive safety in one well
thought out system – for the safety of the veh i-
cle occupants and that of other road users.
Further information on driv ing safety systems
( Y
page 64).
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
excee din g the set spee d. On long and steep
downhill gradients, especially if the veh icle is
laden, you must shift to a lower gear in time. By
doin g 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 overheat-
ing and wearing too quic kly.
Use cruise control on ly if road and traff ic con-
dit ions make it appropriate 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 laws of physics. Cruise control
cannot take into account the road, traff ic and
weather conditions. Cruise control is only an
aid. You are responsible for the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle spee d, for braking in
good time and for staying in your lane.
Do not use cruise control: R
in road and traffic conditions whic h do not
allow you to maintain a constant spee d, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads R
on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid R
when 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 store d.
Cruise control lever
C
To activate or increase speed D
To activate or reduce speed

Activati on conditionsTo activat e cruise control , all of th e followin g
activation condition s mus t be fulfilled :R
th e parking brak e mus t be released.R
you are drivin g faste r than 20 mph (30 km/h).R
ES P ®
mus t be active , but no t intervening .R
th e transmission mus t be in position D .
St ori ng and ma intaining the current
speed
You can accept th e curren t spee d if you are
drivin g faste r than 20 mph (30 km/ h) .X
Accelerate the vehicle to the desired speed. X
Briefly press the cruise control lever up C or
down D .X
Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle auto-
matically maintains the stored speed.
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by auto-
matically applying the brakes.
Storing the current speed or calling up
the last stored speed
G WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it is lower
than the current speed, the vehicle deceler-
ates. If you do not know the stored speed, the
vehicle could decelerate unexpectedly. There
is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you C . X
Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the current speed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously stored
speed.
Setting a speed
X
Press the cruise control lever up C for a
higher speed or down D for a lower speed.X
To adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments): briefly press
the cruise control lever up C or down D to
the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up C or down D the last speed stored is
increased or reduced. X
To adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (1 0 km/h increments): briefly press154
Driving systems
Driving and parking

the cruise control lever up C or down D to
the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up C or down D the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
i Cruise 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: X
Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards C .
or X
Brake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if: R
you depress the parking brake R
you are driving at less than 20 mph (30 km/h) R
ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R
you shift the transmission to position N while
driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise Con‐
trol Off message in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
i When 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.
i USA 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.
i Canada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:Driving system s 155
Dr ivi ng an d parking Z