
Using KEYLESS-GO to start the engine
The Start/Stop button can be used to start
the vehicle without inserting the SmartKey
into the ignition lock. The Start/Stop button
must be inserted in the ignition lock and the
SmartKey must be in the vehicle. This mode
for starting the engine operates independ-
ently of the ECO start/stop automatic engine
start function.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XPress the Start/Stop button once
(
Ypage 165).
Vehicles with a gasoline engine: the
engine starts.
Vehicles with a diesel engine: preglow is
activated and the engine starts.
Pulling away
General notes
GWARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor R,
the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There is
a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do not simultaneously accelerate.
Depress the accelerator carefully when pull-
ing away.
The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at any
time.
You can also deactivate the automatic locking
feature (
Ypage 285).
It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position Pto the desired position if you
depress the brake pedal. Only then is the
parking lock released. If you do not depress
the brake pedal, the DIRECT SELECT lever can still be moved but the parking lock remains
engaged.
iUpshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Information on the automatic release of the
electric parking brake (
Ypage 190).
Pulling away with a trailer
To ensure that you do not roll backwards
when pulling away on an uphill slope, engage
the electric parking brake.
XPress and hold handle :.
The electric parking brake continues to
brake and prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards.
The red F(USA only) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter remains on.
XDepress the accelerator pedal.
XAs soon as the vehicle/trailer combination
is held by the driving force of the engine,
release lever :.
The electric parking brake is released.
The red F(USA only) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter goes out.
Hill start assist
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It
holds the vehicle for a short time after you
168Driving
Driving and parking

Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
The current transmission position and drive
program appear in the multifunction display.
:Transmission position display
;Drive program display
The arrows in the transmission position dis-
play show how and into which transmission
positions you can shift using the DIRECT
SELECT lever.
If the transmission position display in the mul-
tifunction display is not working, you should
pull away carefully to check whether the
desired transmission position is engaged.
Ideally, you should select transmission posi-
tion Dand, on Mercedes-AMG vehicles, drive
program Cor S.
Engaging park position P
!If the engine speed is too high or the vehi-
cle is moving, do not shift the automatic
transmission directly from Dto R, from Rto
D or directly to P. The automatic transmis-
sion could otherwise be damaged.
jPark position with parking lock
kReverse gear
iNeutral
hDrive
XPush the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direc-
tion of arrow P.
Engaging park position P automatically
Park position Pis automatically engaged if:
Ryou switch off the engine using the Smart-
Key and remove the SmartKey
Ryou switch off the engine using the Smart-
Key or using the Start/Stop button and
open the driver's door or front-passenger
door
Rthe driver's door is opened when the vehi-
cle is stationary or driving at very low speed
and the transmission is in position Dor R
Under certain conditions, the automatic
transmission shifts automatically to transmis-
sion position Pif the HOLD function or
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Observe the
information on the HOLD function
(
Ypage 218) and on DISTRONIC PLUS
(
Ypage 209).
Engaging reverse gear R
!Only shift the automatic transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary.
XIf the transmission is in position Dor N:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
XIf the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT
SELECT lever up past the first point of
resistance.
174Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

Shifting to neutral N
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
RStart the engine.
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 or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
XIf the transmission is in position Dor R:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the first point of resistance.
XIf the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT
SELECT lever up or down to the first point of
resistance.
If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
With the SmartKey: if you then open the
driver's door or the front-passenger door or
remove the SmartKey from the ignition, the
automatic transmission shifts to Pautomati-
cally.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then
open the driver's door or the front-passenger door, the automatic transmission shifts to P
automatically.
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:
Using the SmartKey:
XSwitch on the ignition.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XShift to neutral
N.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the Smart-
Key in the ignition lock.
With the Start/Stop button:
XRemove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
XSwitch on the ignition.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XShift to neutral N.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the Smart-
Key in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D
XIf the transmission is in position Ror N:
push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past
the first point of resistance.
XIf the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT
SELECT lever down past the first point of
resistance.
Automatic transmission175
Driving and parking
Z

Transmission positions
BPark position
Only shift the transmission into
positionPwhen the vehicle is sta-
tionary (
Ypage 189). The parking
lock should not be used as a brake
when parking. Always apply the
electronic parking brake in addi-
tion to the parking lock in order to
secure the vehicle.
If the vehicle electronics are mal-
functioning, the transmission may
be locked in position P. Have the
vehicle electronics checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Park position Pis automatically
engaged if:
Ryou switch off the engine using
the SmartKey and remove the
SmartKey
Ryou switch off the engine using
the SmartKey or using the Start/ Stop button and open the driv-
er's door or front-passenger
door
Rthe driver's door is opened when
the vehicle is stationary or driv-
ing at very low speed and the
transmission is in position Dor R
CReverse gear
Only shift the transmission into
position Rwhen the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
ANeutral
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 to position N
if the vehicle is in danger of skid-
ding, e.g. on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position Ror D, the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
!Rolling in neutral Ncan damage
the drive train.
7Drive
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 shift-
ing behavior is determined by:
Rthe selected drive program (Ypage 177)
Rthe position of the accelerator pedal
(
Ypage 176)
Rthe road speed
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
Rlittle throttle: early upshifts
Rmore throttle: late upshifts
176Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

Opening the fuel filler flap
:To open the fuel filler flap
;To insert the fuel filler cap
=Instruction label for fuel type to be refu-
eled
?Tire pressure table
XSwitch off the engine.
XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
or, on vehicles with KEYLESS‑ GO:
XOpen the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status
0. This is the same as the SmartKey having
been removed.
The driver’s door can be closed again.
XPress the fuel filler flap in the direction of
arrow:.
The fuel filler flap swings up.
XTurn the fuel filler cap counterclockwise
and remove it.
XInsert the fuel filler cap into the holder
bracket on the inside of filler flap ;.
XCompletely insert the filler neck of the fuel
pump nozzle into the tank, hook in place
and refuel.
XOnly fill the tank until the pump nozzle
switches off.
Do not add any more fuel after the pump
stops filling for the first time. Otherwise, fuel
may leak out.
Vehicles with a diesel engine: the filler neck is
designed for refueling at diesel filling pumps.
Closing the fuel filler flap
XReplace the cap on the filler neck and turn clockwise until it engages audibly.
XClose the fuel filler flap.
Close the fuel filler flap before locking the
vehicle.
If you are driving with the fuel filler cap open,
the 8 reserve fuel warning lamp flashes. A
message appears in the multifunction display
(
Ypage 309).
In addition, the ;Check Engine warning
lamp may light up (
Ypage 334).
184Refueling
Driving and parking

Problems with fuel and the fuel tank
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle.GWARNING
The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
Risk of explosion or fire.
XApply the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the engine.
XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
or, on vehicles with KEYLESS‑GO:
XOpen the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status 0. This is the same as
the SmartKey having been removed.
XDo not restart the engine under any circumstances.
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine does not
start.The fuel tank of a vehicle with a diesel engine has been run com-
pletely dry.
XRefuel the vehicle with at least 5.3 US qt (5 liters) of diesel.
XTurn the ignition on for approximately ten seconds
(
Ypage 165).
XStart the engine continuously for up to ten seconds until it runs
smoothly.
If the engine does not start:
XTurn the ignition on again for approximately ten seconds
(
Ypage 165).
XStart the engine again continuously for up to ten seconds until it
runs smoothly.
If the engine does not start after three attempts:
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The fuel filler flap can-
not be opened.The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
XUnlock the vehicle (Ypage 82).
The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
XUnlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Ypage 84).
The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam-
med.
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
Refueling185
Driving and parking
Z

The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of anaccident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Using the SmartKey
XApply the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XTurn the SmartKey to position0in the igni-
tion lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
If you then open the driver's door or the front-
passenger door or remove the SmartKey from the ignition, the automatic transmission
shifts to Pautomatically.
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:
XSwitch on the ignition.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XShift to neutral N.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the Smart-
Key in the ignition lock.
Using KEYLESS-GO
XApply the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XPress the Start/Stop button (Ypage 165)
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically. If you then open the driver's or front-
passenger door, the automatic transmission
shifts to
Pautomatically.
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:
XRemove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
XSwitch on the ignition.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XShift to neutral N.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch off the ignition and leave the Smart-
Key in the ignition lock.
iThe engine can be switched off in an
emergency while the vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding the Start/Stop button
for three seconds.
Electric parking brake
General notes
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
Rstart 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.
190Parking
Driving and parking

The function of the electric parking brake is
dependent on the on-board voltage. If the on-
board voltage is low or there is a malfunction
in the system, it may not be possible to apply
the released parking brake.
XIf this is the case, only park the vehicle on
level ground and secure it to prevent it roll-
ing away.
XShift the automatic transmission to posi-
tionP.
It may not be possible to release an applied
parking brake if the on-board voltage is low or
there is a malfunction in the system. Contact
a qualified specialist workshop.
iThe electric parking brake performs a
function test at regular intervals while the
engine is switched off. The sounds that can
be heard while this is occurring are normal.
Applying or releasing manually
XTo engage: push handle :.
When the electric parking brake is
engaged, the F(USA only) or !
(Canada only) red indicator lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
iThe electric parking brake can also be
applied when the SmartKey is removed.
XTo release: pull handle:.
The red F(USA only) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument clus- ter goes out.
iThe electric parking brake can only be
released:
Rif the SmartKey is in position 1in the
ignition lock (
Ypage 165) or
Rif the ignition was switched on using the
Start/Stop button
To ensure that you do not roll backwards
when pulling away on an uphill slope, engage
the electric parking brake (
Ypage 168).
Applying automatically
The electric parking brake is applied auto-
matically:
Rif DISTRONIC PLUS brings the vehicle to a
standstill or
Rif the HOLD function is keeping the vehicle
stationary
In addition, at least one of the following con-
ditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe engine is switched off.
Rthe driver's door is open and the seat belt is not fastened.
Rthe vehicle is stationary for a lengthy
period.
The red F(USA only) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up.
The electric parking brake is not automati-
cally engaged if the engine is switched off by the ECO start/stop function.
Releasing automatically
The electric parking brake is released auto-
matically when all of the following conditions
are fulfilled:
Rthe engine is running.
Rthe transmission is in position Dor R.
Rthe seat belt has been fastened.
Ryou depress the accelerator pedal.
Parking191
Driving and parking
Z