As DISTRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves, it
can resemble the radar detectors of the
responsible 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
automotive radar system only. Removal,
tampering, or altering of the device will void
any warranties, 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:
1. This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties, and is not
permitted. Do not tamper with, alter, or use
in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's autho
rity to
operate the equipment.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Hybrid vehicles: be sure to read the "HYBRID" supplement. Otherwise, you could fail to rec-
ognize dangers.
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to:
Rpeople or animals
Rstationary obstacles on the road, e.g. stop- ped or parked vehicles
Roncoming and crossing traffic
As a result, DISTRONIC PLUS may neither givewarnings nor intervene in such situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot always clearly iden-
tify other road users and complex traffic sit-
uations.
In such cases, DISTRONIC PLUS may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
Rneither give a warning nor intervene
Raccelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, in particular when warned to do so by
DISTRONIC PLUS.
GWARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with up to 50% of the maximum possible deceleration.
If this braking force is insufficient, DISTRONIC
PLUS warns you visually and audibly. There isa risk of an accident.
In such cases, apply the brakes yourself and
try to take evasive action.
!If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations.
To prevent damage to the vehicle, deacti-
vate DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD func- tion in the following or other similar situa-
tions:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk
of accident nor override the laws of physics.
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take into account
the road, traffic and weather conditions.
DISTRONIC PLUS is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
Driving systems157
Driving an d parking
Z
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in your lane.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
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
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
Rthere is dirt on the sensors or anything else covering the sensors
Rthere is snow or heavy rain
Rthere is interference by other radar sources
Rthere are strong radar reflections, for
example, in parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehi- cle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may unexpect-
edly accelerate the vehicle to the stored
speed.
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
vehicles driving on the left (left-hand drive
countries)
Rbe so high in the left lane that you pass
vehicles 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 activa-
ted.
Rthe transmission must be in position D.
Rthe driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened.
Rthe front-passenger door and rear doors
must be closed.
Rthe vehicle must not skid.
158Driving systems
Driving and parking
Activating
XBrieflypullthe cruise control lever towards
you ;or press itup : ordown =.
DI ST RONIC PLUS is selected.
XPress the cruise control lever repeatedly
up : ordown =until the desired speed is
set.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your veh icleadapts its speed to that of the
veh icle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
If the veh iclein front of you is stationary, you
can only activate DI STRONIC PLUS once your
veh icle is stationary as well.
iIfyou donot fully release the accelerator
pedal, theDISTRONIC PLUS Override
message appears inthe multifunction dis-
play. The set distance to a slower-moving
veh icle in front will then not bemaintained.
You will be driving at the speed you deter-
mine bythe position of the accelerator
pedal.
You can also activate DI STRONIC PLUS when
stationary. The lowest speed that can be set is 18 mph (30 km/h).
XBriefly pullthe cruise control lever towards
you =up: ordown ?.
DI ST RONIC PLUS isselected. Activating at
the current speed/last
store d speed
GWARNIN G
If you call up th estore dspee dand it differs
from th ecurren tspeed, th evehicl eacceler -
ate sor decelerates. If you do no tknow th e
store dspeed, th evehicl ecould accelerate or
brak eune xpectedly. Ther eis aris kof an acci-
dent.
Pay attentio nto th eroad and traffic condi-
tions before calling up th estore dspeed. If you
do no tknow th estore dspeed, store th e
desired spee dagain .
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
XRemo veyour foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DI ST RONIC PLUS isact ivat ed. The first
time it isactivated, the current speed is
stored. Otherwise, itsets the vehicle cruise
speed to the pre viously stored value.
Driving with DISTRONIC PLUS
Pulling away and driving
XIfyou want topull away with
DISTRO NIC PLUS: remove your foot from
the brake pedal.
XBrieflypullthe cruise control lever towards
you =.
or
XAccelerate briefly.
Your veh iclepulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle infront.
If no vehicle isdetected infront, your veh i-
cle accelerates to the set speed.
iThe vehicle can also pullaway when it is
facing an unidentified obstacle or isdriving
on a different line from another veh icle. The
vehicle then brakes automatically. There is
a risk of an accident. Be ready to brake at all
times.
Driving systems159
Driving and parking
Z
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in
front has slowed down, it brakes your vehicle.
In this way, the distance you have selected is
maintained.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a faster-moving
vehicle in front, it increases the driving speed. However, the vehicle is only accelerated up to
the speed you have stored.
Selecting the drive program
DISTRONIC PLUS supports a sporty driving
style when you have selected the Sor M(AMG
vehicles: S,S+ orM) driving program
(
Ypage 144). Acceleration behind the vehicle
in front or to the set speed is then noticeably
more dynamic. If you have selected the Eor E
+ (AMG vehicles: C) driving program, the vehi-
cle accelerates more gently. This setting is
recommended in stop-and-start traffic.
Selecting the drive program
DISTRONIC PLUS supports a sporty driving
style when you have selected the Sor M(AMG
vehicles: S,S+ orM) driving program
(
Ypage 144). Acceleration behind the vehicle
in front or to the set speed is then noticeably
more dynamic. If you have selected the Eor E
+ (AMG vehicles: C) driving program, the vehi-
cle accelerates more gently. This setting is
recommended in stop-and-start traffic.
Changing lanes
If you change to the passing lane, DISTRONIC
PLUS supports you when:
Ryou are driving faster than 45 mph
(70 km/h)
RDISTRONIC PLUS is maintaining the dis-
tance to a vehicle in front
Ryou have switched on the corresponding
turn signal
RDISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger
of collision If these conditions are fulfilled, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted
if changing lanes takes too long or if the dis-
tance between your vehicle and the vehicle in
front becomes too small.
iWhen changing lanes, DISTRONIC PLUS
monitors the left lane on left-hand drive
vehicles and the right lane on right-hand
drive vehicles.
Stopping
GWARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if:
Rthere is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
RDISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant or from outside the vehicle.
Rthe electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
Rthe battery is disconnected.
Rthe accelerator pedal has been depressed, e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
For further information on deactivating
DISTRONIC PLUS (
Ypage 161).
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in
front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
Depending on the specified minimum dis-
tance, your vehicle will come to a standstill at
a sufficient distance behind the vehicle in
front. The specified minimum distance is set
using the control on the cruise control lever.
160Driving systems
Driving and parking
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, the
transmission is shifted automatically to posi-
tionPif:
Rthe driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
Rthe engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
Ra system malfunction occurs.
Rthe power supply is not sufficient.
Information in the Digital Operator's
Manual
In the Digital Operator's Manual you will find
information on the following topics:
RSetting a speed
RSetting the specified minimum distance
RDISTRONIC PLUS displays in the instru-
ment cluster
Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS
There are several ways to deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or
XBrake, unless the vehicle is stationary
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, you
will see the DISTRONIC
PLUSOffmessage in
the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds.
iThe last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
iDISTRONIC PLUS is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if:
Ryou engage the parking brake
RESP®intervenes or you deactivate ESP®
Rthe transmission is in the P,Ror Nposition
Ryou pull the cruise control lever towards
you in order to pull away and the front-
passenger door or one of the rear doors is
open
Rthe vehicle is skidding
Ryou activate Active Parking Assist
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS Off
message in the multi-
function display for approximately five sec-
onds.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes
Pay particular attention in the following traffic
situations:
RCornering, going into and coming out of a
bend
RVehicles traveling on a different line
ROther vehicles changing lanes
RNarrow vehicles
RObstructions and stationary vehicles
RCrossing vehicles
In such situations, brake if necessary.
DISTRONIC PLUS is then deactivated.
Driving systems161
Driving and parking
Z
Cornering, going into and coming out of a
bend
The ability of DISTRONIC PLUS to detect vehi-
cles when cornering is limited. Your vehicle
may brake unexpectedly or late.
Vehicles traveling on a different line
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect vehicles
traveling on a different line. The distance to
the vehicle in front will be too short.
Other vehicles changing lanes
DISTRONIC PLUS has not detected the vehi-
cle cutting in yet. The distance to this vehicle
will be too short.
Narrow vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS has not yet detected the
vehicle in front on the edge of the road,
because of its narrow width. The distance to
the vehicle in front will be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS does not brake for obsta-
cles or stationary vehicles. If, for example, the
detected vehicle turns a corner and reveals
an obstacle or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC
PLUS will not brake for these.
162Driving systems
Driving and parking
play. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are
deactivated.
When DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated or not
available, Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot
are deactivated automatically.
HOLD function
General notes
The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
Rwhen pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
Rwhen maneuvering on steep slopes
Rwhen waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
Rthere is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
Rthe HOLD function has been deactivated by
pressing the accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
Rthe electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
Rthe battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
!If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent damage to the vehicle, deacti-
vate DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD func-
tion in the following or other similar situa-
tions:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
Activation conditions
You can activate the HOLD function if:
Rthe vehicle is stationary
Rthe engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
Rthe driver's door is closed or your seat beltis fastened
Rthe parking brake is released
Rthe transmission is in position D,Ror N
RDISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated
Activating the HOLD function
XMake sure that the activation conditions
are met.
XDepress the brake pedal.
XQuickly depress the brake pedal further
until ë :appears in the multifunction
display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
iIf depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
Driving systems165
Driving and parking
Z
Deactivating theHOL Dfunction
The HOLD function is deactivated automati-
cally if:
Ryou accelerat eand th etransmissio nis in
position Dor R.
Ryou shift th etransmissio nto position P.
Ryou depress th ebrake peda lagain wit h a
certain amount of pressure until ëdis-
appears from th emultifunction display.
Ryou activat eDISTRONIC PLUS.
Whe nth eHOLD function is activated, th e
transmissio nis shifted automatically to posi-
tion Pif:
Rthedriver's doo ris ope nand th edriver's
seat belt is unfastened.
Rth eengin eis switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched of fby th eEC Ostart /
stop function .
Rasystem malfunction occurs.
Rth epowe rsupply is no tsufficient.
RACE START
Important safet ynotes
iObserv eth esafet ynote sfo rth eSPORT
handlin gmode (
Ypage 82).
RAC ESTART is intended solely fo ractivation
on dedicated rac ecircuits.
RAC ESTART enables optimal acceleration
from astandin gstart .The precondition fo r
this is asuitable high-grip road surface.
iRAC ESTART is only available in AM Gvehi-
cles.
Information in th eDigital Operator's
Manual
In th eDigital Operator's Manual you will fin d
information on th efollowing topics:
RCondition sfo ractivation
RActivatin gRAC ESTART
AIRMATI C
Vehicl elevel
Important safet ynotes
GWARNING
Whe nth evehicle is bein glowered ,people
could becom etrappe dif their limbs are
between th evehicle bod yand th ewheels or
underneat hth evehicle. There is aris kof
injury.
Mak esur eno on eis underneat hth evehicle or
in th eimmediate vicinit yof th ewhee larches
when th evehicle is bein glowered .
GWARNING
Vehicles wit hlevel control:
The vehicle is slightly lowered if:
Ryou hav eselecte dcomfor tsuspensio ntun-
in g and
Ryou loc kth evehicle within approximately
60 seconds of switchin gof fth eengin e
You and people in th evicinit yof th ewhee l
arc hor th eunderbody may thus becom etrap-
ped. There is aris kof injury.
Mak esur ethat nobod yis in th evicinit yof th e
whee larc hor th eunderbody when you loc k
th evehicle.
!The vehicle is lowered by about 15 mm if:
Ryou hav eselecte d"Comfort tuning "
Ryou switch offth eengin eand then
Ryou loc kth evehicle within approximately
60 seconds
Whe nparking ,position your vehicle so that
it doe sno tmak econtact wit hth ecur bas
th evehicle is lowered .Your vehicle could
otherwise be damaged .
If you unloc kth evehicle within 60 seconds of
havin gswitched th eengin eoff, th evehicle is
lowered slightly when Comfort suspensio n
mode is selected.
Your vehicle regulates it sheight automati-
cally. All-round level contro lensures th ebes t
possible suspensio nand constant groun d
166Driving systems
Driving and parking