
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
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.
Drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
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 then 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 vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm up
the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance.
RBrake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
!If the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and you hear a warn-
ing tone while the engine is running, the
brake fluid level may be too low. Observe
additional warning messages in the multi-
function display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immedi-
ately. This work should be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
!A function or performance test should
only be carried out on a 2-axle dynamom-
eter. If you are planning to have the vehicle tested on such a dynamometer, contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center to
obtain further information first. Otherwise,
you could damage the drive train or the
brake system.
!Because ESP®is an automatic system,
the engine and ignition must be switched
off (SmartKey in position 0or 1or Start/
Stop button in position 0or 1) when the
electric parking brake is being tested on a
brake dynamometer (maximum
10 seconds).
Braking triggered automatically by ESP
®
may seriously damage the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a quali-
fied specialist workshop. Consult a qualified
specialist workshop to arrange this.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
Driving tips195
Driving and parking
Z

press 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 exam-
ple, if you accelerate briefly to overtake,
cruise control adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the last speed stored after you have fin- ished overtaking.
Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or
XBrake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
Ryou engage the electric parking brake
Ryou are driving at less than 20 mph
(30 km/h)
RESP®intervenes or you deactivate ESP®
Ryou activate DSR
Ryou activate off-road program 2 on vehicles
with the ON&OFFROAD package
Ryou 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 Offmessage in the multifunction dis-
play 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
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. Vehi-
cles are detected with the aid of the radar
sensor system. DISTRONIC PLUS brakes
automatically so that the set speed is not
exceeded.
You must select a lower gear in good time on
long and steep downhill gradients, especially
if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. 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 wearing too quickly.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot pre-
vent a collision without your intervention. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and
the distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument 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.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between 20 mph
(Canada: 30 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
200 km/ h). If a vehicle is driving in front of
you, it operates in the speed range between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (Canada:
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
responsible authorities. You can refer to the
Driving systems205
Driving and parking
Z

speed stored after you have finished over-
taking.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if:
Ryou engage the electric parking brake or if
the vehicle is automatically secured with
the electric parking brake
Ryou are driving slower than 15 mph
(25 km/h) and there is no vehicle in front,
or if the vehicle in front is no longer detec-
ted
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
Ryou activate DSR
Ryou activate off-road program 2 on vehicles
with the ON&OFFROAD package
Rthe vehicle has skidded
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.
Displays in the instrument cluster
Displays in the speedometer
Example: 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.
Assistance graphic display when
DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated
:Vehicle in front, if detected
;Distance indicator, current distance to
the vehicle in front
=Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
?Own vehicle
XSelect the Distance Displayfunction
using the on-board computer
(
Ypage 281).
Driving systems211
Driving and parking
Z

Parking tips:
ROn narrow roads, drive as close to the park-
ing space as possible.
RParking spaces that are littered or over-
grown might be identified or measured
incorrectly.
RParking spaces that are partially occupied
by trailer drawbars might not be identified
as such or be measured incorrectly.
RSnowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
RPay attention to the PARKTRONIC
(
Ypage 225) warning messages during the
parking procedure.
RAt any time, you can intervene in the steer-
ing procedure to correct it. Active Parking
Assist will then be canceled.
RWhen transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you should not use
Active Parking Assist.
RNever use Active Parking Assist when snow
chains are installed.
RMake sure that the tire pressures are
always correct. This has a direct influence
on the parking characteristics of the vehi-
cle.
Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces:
Rthat are parallel to the direction of travel
Rthat are on straight roads, not bends
Rthat are on the same level as the road, e.g.
not on the pavement
Detecting parking spaces
Objects located above the height range of
Active Parking Assist will not be detected
when the parking space is measured. These
are not taken into account when the parking
procedure is calculated, e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods
vehicles.
GWARNING
If there are objects above the detection range, Active Parking Assist may turn prematurely.
You may cause a collision as a result. There is
a risk of an accident.
If there are objects above the detection range,
stop and deactivate Active Parking Assist.
For further information on the detection
range (
Ypage 224).
Active Parking Assist does not support you
parking in spaces that are parallel to the
direction of travel if:
Rthe parking space is on a curb
Rthe system reads the parking space as
being blocked, for example by foliage or
grass paving blocks
Rthe area is too small for the vehicle to
maneuver into
Rthe parking space is bordered by an obsta-
cle, e.g. a tree, a post or a trailer
:Detected parking space on the left
;Parking symbol
=Detected parking space on the right
Active Parking Assist is switched on automat-
ically when driving forwards. The system is
operational at speeds of up to approximately
22 mph (35 km/h). While in operation, the
system independently locates and measures
parking spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
Active Parking Assist will only detect parking
spaces:
Rthat are parallel to the direction of travel
Rthat are at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
Rthat are at least 39.5 in (1.0 m) longer than
your vehicle
When driving at speeds below 19 mph
(30 km/h), you will see the parking symbol as
a status indicator in the instrument cluster.
When a parking space has been detected, an
228Driving systems
Driving and parking

arrow towards the right or the left also
appears. By default, Active Parking Assist
only displays parking spaces on the front-
passenger side. Parking spaces on the driv-
er's side are displayed as soon as the turn
signal on the driver's side is activated. When
parking on the driver's side, this must remain
switched on until you acknowledge the use of
Active Parking Assist by pressing thea
button on the multifunction steering wheel.
A parking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are approx-
imately 50 ft (15m) awa yfrom it .
Parking
GWARNING
Active Parking Assist merely aids you by inter- vening actively in the steering. If you do not
brake there is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself when
maneuvering and parking.
XStop the vehicle when the parking space
symbol shows the desired parking space in
the instrument cluster.
XShift the transmission to position R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
% message appears in the multifunction
display.
XTo cancel the procedure: press the%
button on the multifunction steering wheel or pull away.
or
XTo park using Active Parking Assist:
press the abutton on the multifunction
steering wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate
andBrakeObserveSurroundingsmes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
XLet go of the multifunction steering wheel.
XBack up the vehicle, being ready to brake at
all times. When backing up, drive at a speed
below approximately 6 mph (10 km/h).
Otherwise Active Parking Assist will be can-
celed.
iIn tight parking spaces, you will achieve
the best parking results by backing up as
far as possible. When doing so, also
observe the PARKTRONIC messages.
XStop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
Maneuvering may be required in tight park-
ing spaces.
The Park Assist active Select D
Observesurroundingsmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
XShift the transmission to position Dwhile
the vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction.
The Park Assist active Accelerate
andbrakeObservesurroundingsmes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
iYou will achieve the best results by wait-
ing for the steering procedure to complete
before pulling away.
XDrive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.
XStop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
The Park Assist active Select R
Observesurroundingsmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
As soon as the parking procedure is com-
plete, the Park
Assistswitchedoffmes-
sage appears and a warning tone sounds.
Active Parking Assist no longer supports you
with steering interventions. When Active
Parking Assist is finished, you must steer
again yourself. PARKTRONIC is still available.
Parking tips:
RThe way your vehicle is positioned in the
parking space after parking is dependent
on various factors. These include the posi-
tion and shape of the vehicles parked in
front and behind it and the conditions of the
location. It may be the case that Active
Parking Assist guides you too far into a
parking space, or not far enough into it. In
Driving system s229
Driving an d parking
Z

Useful information............................272
Important safety notes .....................272
Displays and operation .....................272
Menus and submenus ......................275
Display messages ............................. 290
Warning and indicator lamps in the
instrument cluster ............................324
271
On-board computer and displays

Useful information
i
This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip-
ment of your vehicle available at the time of
publication of the Operator's Manual.
Country-specific differences are possible.
Please note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all features described. This
also applies to safety-related systems and
functions.
iRead the information on qualified special-
ist workshops (
Ypage 29).
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you operate information systems and com-
munication equipment integrated in the vehi-
cle 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 the equipment when the traffic
situation permits. If you are not sure that this
is possible, park the vehicle paying attention
to traffic conditions and operate the equip-
ment when the vehicle is stationary.
You must observe the legal requirements for
the country in which you are currently driving
when operating the on-board computer.
GWARNING
If the instrument cluster has failed or mal-
functioned, you may not recognize function
restrictions in systems relevant to safety. The
operating safety of your vehicle may be
impaired. There is a risk of an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have the vehicle checked
at a qualified specialist workshop immedi-
ately.
If the operating safety of your vehicle is
impaired, pull over as soon as it is safe to do
so. Contact a qualified specialist workshop. The on-board computer only shows messages
or warnings from certain systems in the mul-
tifunction display. You should therefore make
sure your vehicle is operating safely at all
times.
For an overview, see the instrument panel
illustration (
Ypage 35).
Displays and operation
Instrument cluster lighting
The lighting in the instrument cluster, in the
displays and the controls in the vehicle inte-
rior can be adjusted using the brightness con-
trol knob.
The brightness control knob is located on the bottom left of the instrument cluster
(
Ypage 35).
XTurn the brightness control knob clockwise
or counter-clockwise.
If you turn the light switch to Ã,Tor
L, the brightness is dependent upon
the brightness of the ambient light.
iThe light sensor in the instrument cluster
automatically controls the brightness of
the multifunction display.
In daylight, the displays in the instrument
cluster are not illuminated.
Speedometer with segments
The speedometer is divided into segments
only on vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS.
The segments in the speedometer indicate
which speed range is available.
RDISTRONIC PLUS activated (Ypage 205):
One or two segments in the set speed
range light up.
RDISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front
that is driving at a slower speed than the
stored speed:
The segments between the speed of the
vehicle in front and the stored speed light
up.
272Displays and operation
On-board computer and displays

Tachometer
!
Do not drive in the overrevving range, as
this could damage the engine.
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached.
Outside temperature display
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around freez-
ing point.
Bear in mind that the outside temperature
display indicates the temperature measured
and does not record the road temperature.
The outside temperature display is in the mul-
tifunction display (
Ypage 275).
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Coolant temperature display
GWARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is over-
heated or when there is a fire in the engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There is a risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department.
!A display message is shown if the coolant
temperature is too high.
If the coolant temperature is over 248 ‡
(120 †), do not continue driving. The
engine will otherwise be damaged.
The coolant temperature gauge is in the
instrument cluster on the right-hand side
(
Ypage 35). Under normal operating conditions and with
the specified coolant level, the coolant tem-
perature may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
Operating the on-board computer
Overview
:Multifunction display
;Switches on the Voice Control System
(see the separate operating instructions)
=Right control panel
?Left control panel
ABack button
XTo activate the on-board computer: turn
the SmartKey to position 1in the ignition
lock.
You can control the multifunction display and
the settings in the on-board computer using
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel.
Displays an doperation273
On-boa rd computer and displays
Z