2016 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS ignition

Problems with fuel and the fuel tank Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle.
G WARNING
The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
Risk of explosion or fire. X
Apply the electric parking brake. X
Switch off the engine. X
Remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
or, on vehicles with KEYLESS ‑ GO:X
Open the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status 0 . This is the same as the
SmartKey having been removed. X
Do not restart the engine under any circumstances. X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
The fuel filler flap cannot
be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked. X
Unlock the vehicle ( Y
page 76).
The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged. X
Unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key ( Y
page 78).X
Open the trunk lid. X
Manually unlock the fuel filler flap using the emergency release
( Y
page 145).
The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jammed. X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Parking
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi-
cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields. G WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example: R
release the parking brake. R
shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P .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
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly against
rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle or its driv-
etrain could be damaged.146
Parking
Driving and parking

To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally: R
the parking brake must be applied. R
the transmission must be in position P and the
Smartkey must be removed from the ignition
lock. R
the front wheels must be turned towards the
curb on steep uphill or downhill gradients.
Switching off the engine
Important safety notes
G WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position N when 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.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the parking brake firmly. X
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): shift the transmission to position P .
X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: when the vehicle
is stationary, press button C .X
With the Smartkey: turn the Smartkey to
position 0 in the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated. X
With KEYLESS-GO: press the KEYLESS-GO
Start/Stop button ( Y
page 127).
The engine stops and all the indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster go out. When the driver's door is closed, this corre-
sponds to Smartkey position 1 . When the
driver's door is open, this corresponds to
Smartkey position 0 : "Smartkey removed".
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position R or D , the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to N automatically.
With the Smartkey: if you then open the driv-
er's door or the front-passenger door or remove
the Smartkey from the ignition, the automatic
transmission shifts to P automatically.
With KEYLESS-GO: if you then open the driver's
or front-passenger door, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to P .
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 KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock. X
Insert the Smartkey 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 parking brake. X
Switch off the ignition and leave the Smartkey
in the ignition lock.
The engine can be switched off while the vehicle
is in motion by pressing and holding the Start/
Stop button for about three seconds. This func-
tion operates independently of the ECO start/
stop automatic engine switch-off function.
Parking brake
G WARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi-
cle when the service brake is faulty. Do not
apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again. Parking 147
Driving and parking Z

G WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example: R
release the parking brake. R
shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P .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
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
If you brake the vehicle with the parking brake,
the brake lamps will not light up. X
To apply: depress parking brake D firmly.
When the engine is running, the ' (USA
only) or M (Canada only) indicator lamp
lights up in the instrument cluster. X
To release: depress the brake pedal and keep
it depressed. X
Pull release handle C .
When the ignition is switched on or the engine
is running, the ' (USA only) or M (Can-
ada only) indicator lamp goes out in the instru-
ment cluster.
Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging. If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than six
weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as a
result of lack of use. X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop and seek
advice.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
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.
G WARNING
If you operate mobile communication equip-
ment while driving, you will be distracted from
traffic conditions. You could also lose control
of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicle
is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the country
in which you are driving. Some jurisdictions pro-
hibit the driver from using a mobile phone while
driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone
when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers a
distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) per sec-
ond.148
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

X
Fully depress the accelerator pedal.
The engine speed rises to approximately
3,500 rpm.
The RACE START Release brake to start
message appears in the multifunction display.
i If you do not release the brake pedal within
five seconds, RACE START is canceled. The
RACE START Canceled message appears in
the multifunction display. X
Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum acceler-
ation.
The RACE START Active message appears in
the multifunction display.
RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 30 mph (Can-
ada: 50 km/h). Drive program S+ is activated.
SPORT handling mode remains activated.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if you
release the accelerator pedal during RACE
START or if any of the activation conditions are
no longer fulfilled. The RACE START Not Pos‐
sible See Operator's Manual message
appears in the multifunction display.
i If RACE START is used repeatedly within a
short period of time, it is only available again
after the vehicle has been driven a certain
distance.
AIRMATIC
Vehicle level
Important safety notes
G WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or
in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered.
Your vehicle regulates its height automatically.
All-round level control ensures the best possible
suspension and constant ground clearance,
even with a laden vehicle. When you drive fast, the vehicle is lowered automatically to improve
driving safety and to reduce fuel consumption.
The following vehicle levels are possible: R
Normal R
Raised: the vehicle is raised by approximately
0.80 in (20 mm) when compared with the nor-
mal level R
Lowered: the vehicle is raised by approx-
imately 0.40 in (10 mm) when compared with
the normal level
i These changes in level are so slight that you
are hardly aware of them.
The "Normal" and "Raised" vehicle levels can be
set manually.
The "Lowered” vehicle level is set automatically: R
at speeds above 70 mph (113 km/h) R
if you have selected "Sports tuning"
( Y
page 167)
Setting the vehicle level Select the "Normal" setting for normal road sur-
faces and "Raised" for driving with snow chains
or on particularly poor road surfaces. Your
selection remains stored even if yo u remove the
Sma rtKe y from the ignition lock.
Setting raised level
X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp D is not lit:X
Press the C button.
Indicator lamp D lights up. The vehicle height
is adjusted to raised level.
The Vehicle
Rising message appears in the
display.166
Driving systems
Driving and parking

The "Raised level" setting is canceled if you: R
drive at a speed over approximately 75 mph
(120 km/ h)R
drive for approximately three minutes at a
speed over 50 mph (80 km/h)
The "Raised level" remains active when you are
not driving within these speed ranges.
Setting the normal level X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp D is lit:X
Press button C .
Indicator lamp D goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to normal level.
Suspension tuning General notes The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
The damping is tuned individually to each wheel
and depends on: R
your driving style, e.g. sporty R
the road surface condition, e.g. bumps R
your individual selection, i.e. sports or com-
fort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty driv-
ing style, e.g. on winding country roads. X
Press button C .
Indicator lamp D lights up. Sports suspen-
sion tuning is selected. The AIRMATIC
SPORT message appears in the
multifunction display.
Comfort tuning
In comfort mode, the driving characteristics of
your vehicle are more comfortable. Therefore,
select this mode if you favor a more comfortable
driving style. Select comfort mode also when
driving fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight
stretches of highway. X
Press button C .
Indicator lamp

! Never tow the vehicle with one axle raised.
This may damage the transfer case. Damage
of this sort is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz Limited Warranty. All wheels must
remain either on the ground or be fully raised.
Observe the instructions for towing the vehi-
cle with all wheels in full contact with the
ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if you
use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow chains
if necessary.
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are perma-
nently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it improves
the traction of your vehicle whenever a drive
wheel spins due to insufficient grip.
PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It monitors the area around
your vehicle using six sensors in the front
bumper and six sensors in the rear bumper.
PARKTRONIC indicates visually and audibly the
distance between your vehicle and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a replace-
ment for your attention to your immediate sur-
roundings. You are always responsible for safe
maneuvering, parking and exiting a parking
space. When maneuvering, parking or pulling
out of a parking space, make sure that there are
no persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such as
flower pots or trailer drawbars. 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 on a truck
or a pneumatic drill could cause PARKTRONIC
to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain. PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you: R
switch on the ignition R
shift the transmission to position D , R or NR
release the parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
Range of the sensors General notes PARKTRONIC does not take objects into con-
sideration that are: R
below the detection range, e.g. people, ani-
mals or objects. R
above the detection range, e.g. overhanging
loads, truck overhangs or loading ramps.
C
Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand side
(example)
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or slush.
They can otherwise not function correctly. Clean
the sensors regularly, taking care not to scratch
or damage them ( Y
page 282).
Range170
Driving systems
Driving and parking

This indicates that you have now reached the
minimum distance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
C
Indicator lampD
Deactivates/activates PARKTRONIC
If indicator lamp D lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Parking Assist is then also
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2 in
the ignition lock.172
Driving systems
Driving and parking