2016 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS display

Aut oma tic drive program SDrive program S (or , in th e cas e of Mercedes-
AM G vehicles, drive program s S and S+ ) is char-
acterize d by th e following:R
sport y engin e and automatic transmission
settings. R
th e automatic transmission shifting up later.
th e fuel consumption possibl y bein g higher as
a result of th e later automatic transmission
shif t points .
Manual drive program M Genera l notesIn this drive program , you can briefl y chang e
gear yourself by usin g th e steering whee l paddl e
shifters. The transmission mus t be in position D .
You can activat e manual drive program M in th e
E and S automatic drive programs.
i As well as temporar y drive program M , you
can also activat e permanen t drive program M
( Y
page 138).
Further information about permanen t drive
program M ( Y
page 141).
Acti va tingX
Shift th e transmission to position D .X
Pull th e lef t or right steering whee l paddl e
shifte r ( Y
page 139).
Manual drive program M is temporarily acti-
vated. The selected gear and M appear in th e
multifunction display.
Shi ft ing gear s
If you pull on th e lef t or right steering whee l
paddl e shifter, th e automatic transmission
switches to manual drive program M for a limi -
te d amount of time. Dependin g on whic h paddl e
shifte r is pulled , th e automatic transmission
immediately shifts int o th e next gear down or
up, if permitted. X
To shift up : pull th e right-hand steering whee l
paddl e shifte r ( Y
page 139).
The automatic transmission shifts up to th e
next gear .
i If th e maximum engin e spee d on th e cur -
rentl y engage d gear is reached and you con-
tinue to accelerate , th e automatic tra nsmis - s
ion automatically shifts up in order to pre -
ven t engin e damage. X
To shift down : pull on th e left-han d steering
whee l paddl e shifte r ( Y
page 139).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
th e next gear .
i If th e engin e exceeds th e maximum engin e
spee d when shifting down , th e automatic
transmission protect s against engin e damag e
by no t shifting down .
i Automatic down shifting occur s when
coasting .
Shi ft recommendation
The gearshif t recommendation s assist you in
adopting an economical drivin g style. The rec -
ommended gear is shown in th e multifunction
display. X
Shift to recommended gear D according to
gearshif t recommendation C when shown in
th e multifunction display of th e instrumen t
cluster.
Deactivating If you hav e activated manual drive program M , it
will remain active for a certain amount of time.
Under certain condition s th e minimum amount
of time is extended, e.g. in th e cas e of lateral
acceleration , during an overrun phas e or when
drivin g on steep terrain .
If manual drive program M has been deactiva-
ted, th e automatic transmission shifts int o th e
automatic drive program that was last selected,
i.e . E or S .
You can also deactivat e manual drive program
M yourself : X
Pull on th e right-hand steering whee l paddl e
shifte r and hold it in plac e ( Y
page 139).
or X
Use th e DIRECT SELECT lever to switch th e
transmission position ( Y
page 135).140
Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

or X
Use the program selector button to change
the drive program ( Y
page 138).
Manual drive program M is deactivated. The
automatic transmission switches into the
automatic drive program that was last selec-
ted, i.e. E or 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 .
i As well as this permanent drive program M ,
you can also activate temporary drive pro-
gram M ( Y
page 140).
Switching on the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
( Y
page 138) repeatedly until M appears in
the multifunction display. X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: turn the drive pro-
gram selector ( Y
page 139) until M appears in
the multifunction display.
The indicator M on the drive program selector
lights up in red.
Manual drive program M is different from drive
programs S and S+ with regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
Manual drive program M can 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 X
Pull 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.
C
Gear indicator D
Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown in the multi-
function display. X
When the UP message 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. X
If corresponding gearshift recommenda-
tion C appears in the multifunction display
on the instrument cluster, pull on the right-
hand steering wheel paddle shifter
( Y
page 139).
The automatic transmission shifts to recom-
mended gear D .Automatic transmission 141
Driving and parking Z

R
If fuel is swallowed, seek medical assis-
tance without delay. Do not induce vomit-
ing. R
Immediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with fuel.
G WARNING
Electrostatic buildup can create sparks and
ignite fuel vapors. There is a risk of fire and
explosion.
Always touch the vehicle body before opening
the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. Any existing electrostatic buildup is
thereby discharged.
! Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
gasoline engine. Do not switch on the ignition
if you accidentally refuel with the wrong fuel.
Otherwise, the fuel will enter the fuel system.
Even small amounts of the wrong fuel could
result in damage to the fuel system and the
engine. Notify a qualified specialist workshop
and have the fuel tank and fuel lines drained
completely.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
! Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
! Use a filter when refueling from a fuel can.
Otherwise, the fuel lines and/or injection sys-
tem could be blocked by particles from the
fuel can.
Do not get into the vehicle again during the refu-
eling process. Otherwise, electrostatic charge
could build up again.
If you overfill the fuel tank, fuel could spray out
when the fuel pump nozzle is removed.
For further information on fuel and fuel quality
( Y
page 332).
Refueling
General information
Pay attention to the important safety notes
( Y
page 143). The fuel filler flap is unlocked or locked auto-
matically when you unlock or lock the vehicle
with the key or using KEYLESS-GO.
The position of the fuel filler cap is displayed

Drive sensibly – save fuelObserv e th e followin g tips to sav e fuel:X
The tires should always be inflate d to th e rec -
ommended tire pressure. X
Remov e unnecessary loads.X
Remov e roof racks when they are no t needed.X
War m up th e engin e at low engin e speeds .X
Avoid frequent acceleration or braking .X
Hav e all maintenance wor k carrie d out as
indicated by th e servic e intervals in th e Main -
tenance Booklet or by th e servic e interval dis -
play.
Fue l consumption also increase s when drivin g in
cold weather , in stop-start traffic and in hill y ter-
rain .
Drinking an d drivin g
G WARNING
Drinking and drivin g and/o r taking drugs and
drivin g are ver y dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcoho l or drugs can
affec t your reflexes, perception s and judg-
ment.
The possibilit y of a serious or eve n fatal acci-
den t is greatly increase d when you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do no t drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyon e to drive who has bee n drinkin g or tak-
in g drugs.
Emission contro l
G WARNING
Combustion engines emi t poisonous exhaus t
gases suc h as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaus t gases lead s to poisoning. There
is a ris k of fatal injury. Therefor e never leav e
th e engin e running in enclose d spaces with-
out sufficien t ventilation .
Certain engin e systems are designed to keep
th e level of poisonous component s in exhaus t
fumes within lega l limits.
These systems only wor k at peak efficiency if
they are serviced exactly in accordance wit h th e
manufacturer's specifications. Always hav e
wor k on th e engin e carrie d out at a qualified specialis t workshop . Mercedes-Ben z recom -
mends that you use an authorized Mercedes -
Benz Cente r fo r this purpose. In particular, wor k
relevant to safet y or on safety-related systems
mus t be carrie d out at a qualified specialis t
workshop .
The engin e setting s mus t no t be changed under
any circumstances. Furthermore, all specific
servic e wor k mus t be carrie d out at regular
intervals and in accordance wit h th e Mercedes -
Benz servic e requirements . Details can be found
in th e Maintenance Booklet .
ECO display
The EC O display provides feedback on how eco-
nomical your drivin g characteristics are . The
EC O display assist s you in achievin g th e most
economical drivin g style fo r th e selecte d set -
ting s and prevailin g conditions. Your drivin g
style can significantly influenc e th e vehicle' s
consumption .
The EC O display consist s of three bars:R
Acceleration R
Constant R
Coasting
The percent valu e is th e averag e valu e of th e
three bars. The three bar s and th e mea n valu e
begin at th e valu e of 50%. A higher percentage
indicates a more economical drivin g style.
The EC O display doe s no t indicat e th e actual fue l
consumption . A fixed percentage count in th e
EC O display doe s no t indicat e a fixed consump -
tion .
Apart from drivin g style, consumption is
dependen t on man y factors suc h as, e.g. :R
load R
tire pressure R
cold start R
choic e of rout e R
electrical consumers switched on
These factors are no t included in th e EC O dis -
play. Driving tips 149
Driving and 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

The AMG brake systems are designed for heavy
loads. This may lead to noise when braking. This
will depend on: R
Speed R
Braking force R
Environmental conditions, such as tempera-
ture and humidity
The wear of individual components of the brake
system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake
discs, depends on the individual driving style
and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a mile-
age that will be valid under all circumstances. An
aggressive driving style will lead to high wear.
You can obtain further information about this
from your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after several
hundred kilometers of driving. Compensate for
this by applying greater force to the brake pedal.
Keep this in mind, and adapt your driving and
braking accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in correspond-
ingly high brake wear. Observe the brake wear
warning lamp in the instrument cluster and note
any brake status messages in the multifunction
display. Especially for high performance driving,
it is important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth on
the road surface, there is a danger of hydro-
planing occurring, even if: R
you drive at low speeds. R
the tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or in
conditions in which hydroplaning may occur,
you must drive in the following manner: R
lower your speed. R
avoid ruts. R
avoid sudden steering movements. R
brake carefully. Driving on flooded roads
! Do not drive through flooded areas. Check
the depth of any water before driving through
it. Drive slowly through standing water. Oth-
erwise, water may enter the vehicle interior or
the engine compartment. This can damage
the electronic components in the engine or
the automatic transmission. Water can also
be drawn in by the engine's air suction nozzles
and this can cause engine damage.
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.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
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 winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road sur-
faces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use the cruise con-
trol or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed: X
Shift the transmission to position N .
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.152
Driving tips
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