
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steepdownhill gradients. This isespe-
cial ly impo rtantifthe vehicle is laden. By
doin g so, you willmake 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 DI ST RONIC PLUS detects that there isa risk
of a co llision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. DI STRONIC PLUS cannot pre-
vent a co llisionwit hout your intervention. An
interm ittent warning tone will then sound and
the distance warning lamp will light up inthe
instrument cluster. Brake immediately in
order to increase the distance to the vehicle
in front or take evasive action provided it is
safe to doso.
DI ST RONIC PLUS operates inrange between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (200 km/h).
Do not use DI STRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DI STRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves, it
can resemb lethe radar detectors of the
responsible authorities. You can refer to the
relevant chapter inthe 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 isintended for use inan
automotive radar system on ly. Rem
oval,
tampering, or altering of the device willvoid
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 co mplieswit h
RSS -210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the fol lowing two cond itions:
1. This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
2. This device must accept any interference
receive d,inc ludin g interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device. Remo
val,tampering, or altering of the
device willvoid any warranties, and isnot
permitte d.Do not tamper with, alter, or use
in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized mod ification to th is
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
Important safety notes
GWARNIN G
DISTRONI CPLU Sdoes no treac tto :
Rpeople or animals
Rstationary obstacle son th eroad ,e.g. stop-
ped or parked vehicles
Roncomin gand crossing traffic
As aresult ,DISTRONI CPLU Smay neither giv e
warning sno rinterven ein suc hsituations.
Ther eis aris kof an accident.
Always pay careful attentio nto th etraffic sit -
uation and be read yto brake.
GWARNIN G
DISTRONI CPLU Scanno talways clearly iden -
tif yother road user sand comple xtraffic sit -
uations.
In suc hcases, DISTRONI CPLU Smay:
Rgiv ean unnecessar ywarning and then
brak eth evehicl e
Rneither giv e awarning no rinterven e
Raccelerate or brak eune xpectedly
Ther eis aris kof an accident.
Continue to driv ecarefully and be read yto
brake, in particular when warned to do so by
DISTRONI CPLUS.
GWARNIN G
DISTRONI CPLU Sbrakes your vehicl ewit hup
to 50 %of the maximum possible deceleration.
If this braking force is insufficient, DISTRONIC
PLUS warns you visually and audibly. There is a risk of an accident.
In such cases, apply the brakes yourself and
try to take evasive action.
184Driving systems
Driving and parking

required by law. Adjust the distance to thevehicle in front if necessary.
XTo increase: turn control;in direction
=.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a greater
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
XTo decrease: turn control;in direc-
tion :.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a shorter
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the instru-
ment cluster
Displays in the speedometer
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front,
segments between the speed of the vehicle in
front :and stored speed ;light up.
Vehicles with the Driving Assistance Plus
package: the segments likewise light up if a
vehicle in front is detected in the fast lane.
iFor design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from
the speed set for DISTRONIC PLUS.
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is deacti-
vated
: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
In the Assistance menu (
Ypage 252) of the
on-board computer, you can select the assis- tance graphics display.
XSelect the Assistance Graphicfunction
using the on-board computer
(
Ypage 251).
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is activa-
ted
:DISTRONIC PLUS active (text only
appears when the cruise control lever is
actuated)
;Vehicle in front, if detected
Driving systems189
Driving and parking
Z

Crossing vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS may mistakenly detect
vehicles that are crossing your lane. Activat-
ing DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights with
crossing traffic, for example, could cause
your vehicle to pull away unintentionally.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist
and Stop&Go Pilot
General notes
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot aids you in keeping the vehicle
in the center of the driving lane by means of
moderate steering interventions at speeds of
0 - 125 mph (0 - 200 km/h).
It monitors the area in front of your vehicle by
means of multifunction camera:, at the top
of the windshield.
In a speed range from 0 - 37 mph
(0 - 60 km/h), Stop&Go Pilot focuses on the
vehicle in front, taking into account lane
markings, e.g. when following vehicles in a
traffic jam. At speeds of more than 37 mph (60 km/h),
Steering Assist focuses on clear lane mark-
ings (left and right), only focusing on the vehi-
cle in front if clear lane markings are not pres-
ent.
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot do not pro-
vide any support if these conditions do not
exist.
DISTRONIC PLUS must be active in order for
the function to be available.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot can neither reduce the risk of
an accident nor override the laws of physics.
It cannot take account of road, weather and
traffic conditions. DISTRONIC PLUS with
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot is only an
aid. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle
speed, f
or
braking in good time and for staying in your
lane.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot does not detect road and traf-
fic conditions. If you are following a vehicle
which is driving towards the edge of the road,
your vehicle could come into contact with the
curb or other road boundaries. Be particularly aware of other road users, e.g. cyclists, that
are directly next to your vehicle.
Obstacles such as traffic pylons on the lane or
projecting out into the lane are not detected.
An inappropriate steering intervention, e.g.
after intentionally driving over a lane marking,can be corrected at any time if you steer
slightly in the opposite direction.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot cannot continuously keep your
vehicle in lane. In some cases, the steering
intervention is not sufficient to bring the vehi-
cle back to the lane. In such cases, you must
steer the vehicle yourself to ensure that it
does not leave the lane.
192Driving systems
Driving and parking

The system may be impaired or may not func-
tion if:
Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to insuffi-
cient illumination of the road, or due to
snow, rain, fog or spray
Rthere is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun or reflections (e.g. when the road
surface is wet)
Rthe windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged
or covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
Rthere are no, several or unclear lane mark-
ings for a lane, e.g. in areas with road con-struction work
Rthe lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
Rthe distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected
Rthe lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge
Rthe road is narrow and winding
Rthere are strong shadows cast on the road
The system is switched to passive and no lon- ger assists you by performing steering inter-
ventions if:
Ryou actively change lane
Ryou switch on the turn signal
Rtake your hands off the steering wheel or do
not steer for a prolonged period of time
iSteering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are
activated again automatically after a lane
change is completed.
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot do not pro-
vide any support:
Ron very sharp corners
Rwhen a loss of tire pressure or a defective
tire has been detected and displayed.
Pay attention also to the important safety
notes for DISTRONIC PLUS (
Ypage 184).
The steering interventions are carried out
with a limited steering moment. The system requires the driver to keep his hands on the
steering wheel and to steer himself.
If you do not steer yourself or if you take your
hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged
period of time, the system will first alert you
with a visual warning. A steering wheel sym-
bol appears in the multifunction display. If you
have still not started to steer and have not
taken hold of
the st
eering wheel after five
seconds at the latest, a warning tone also
sounds to remind you to take control of the
vehicle. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are
switched to passive. DISTRONIC PLUS
remains active.
Activating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot
XPress button ;.
Indicator lamp :lights up. The DTR+:
Steering Assist. Onmessage appears
in the multifunction display. Steering Assist
and Stop&Go Pilot are activated.
Information in the multifunction display
Driving systems193
Driving and parking
Z

Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or
in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered.
iIf one of the doors is open, the vehicle is
not lowered.
Vehicle level
Setting the raised vehicle level
It is possible to choose between the "Normal"
and "Raised" vehicle levels below a speed of
50 mph (80 km/h). Select the "Normal" set-
ting for normal road surfaces and "Raised" for
driving with snow chains or on particularly
poor road surfaces. Your selection remains
stored even if you remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is not lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The vehicle is
raised by 0.6 in (15 mm) compared to the
normal level.
The Vehicle Rising
message appears in
the multifunction display.
iThe message disappears after ten sec-
onds, irrespective of the level reached. If
necessary, the vehicle is raised further.
The "Raised level" setting is canceled if you:
Rdrive faster than 75 mph (120 km/h)
Rdrive for approximately three minutes at a
speed above 50 mph (80 km/h) The "Raised level" remains active when you
are not driving within these speed ranges.
Setting the normal vehicle level
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ;goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to the height of the currently
selected drive program (
Ypage 161).
Suspension tuning
General notes
The Adaptive Damping System automatically
controls the calibration of the dampers.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
Ryour driving style, e.g. sporty
Rthe road surface condition, e.g. bumps
Ryour individual selection, i.e. sports or com-
fort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning
In the "Sport" and "Sport Plus" drive pro-
grams, the firmer suspension setting ensures
even better contact with the road. Select this
mode when employing a sporty driving style,
e.g. on winding country roads.
XSelect the Sor S+ drive program with the
DYNAMIC SELECT switch (
Ypage 161).
The vehicle is lowered by 0.6 in (15 mm)
compared to the normal level.
Comfort tuning
In the "Eco" and "Comfort" drive programs,
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.
196Driving systems
Driving and parking

rectly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(
Ypage 348).
Front sensors
CenterApprox. 40 in (approx.
100 cm)
CornersApprox. 24 in (approx.
60 cm)
Rear sensors
CenterApprox. 48 in (approx.
120 cm)
CornersApprox. 32 in (approx.
80 cm)
Minimum distance
CenterApprox. 8 in (approx.
20 cm)
CornersApprox. 6 in (approx.
15 cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant warning displays light up and a warn-
ing tone sounds. If the distance falls below
the minimum, the distance may no longer be
shown.
Warning displays
:Segments on the left-hand side of the
vehicle
;Segments on the right-hand side of the
vehicle
=Segments showing operational readiness
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is in the
instrument cluster. The warning display for
the rear area is located on the headliner in the
rear compartment.
The warning display for each side of the vehi-
cle is divided into five yellow and two red seg-
ments. PARKTRONIC is operational if opera-
tional readiness indicator =lights up.
The selected transmission position and the
direction in which the vehicle is rolling deter-
mine which warning display is active when the
engine is running.
Transmission
positionWarning display
DFront area activated
R, Nor the vehicle
is rolling back-
wardsRear and front areas
activated
PNo areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.
Driving systems199
Driving and parking
Z

From the:
Rsixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for approx-
imately two seconds.
Rseventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two sec-
onds. This indicates that you have now
reached the minimum distance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
:Deactivates/activates PARKTRONIC
;Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp ;lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Parking Assist is then also
deactivated.
iPARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock.
200Driving systems
Driving and parking

Problems with PARKTRONIC
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated and the
indicator lamp on the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up.PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
XIf problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated.The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
XClean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Ypage 348).
XSwitch the ignition back on.
The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
XSee if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location.
Active Parking Assist
General notes
Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking
aid with ultrasound. It measures the road on
both sides of the vehicle. A parking symbol
indicates a suitable parking space. Active
steering intervention and brake application
can assist you during parking and when exit-
ing a parking space. You may also use
PARKTRONIC (
Ypage 198).
Important safety notes
Active Parking Assist is merely an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. Make sure that
no persons, animals or objects are in the
maneuvering range.
When PARKTRONIC is switched off, Active
Parking Assist is also unavailable.
GWARNING
While parking or pulling out of a parking
space, the vehicle swings out and can drive
onto areas of the oncoming lane. This could
result in a collision with another road user.
There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users. Stop the
vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active Park- ing Assist parking procedure.
!If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at a
sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
Active Parking Assist may also display spaces
not suitable for parking, e.g.:
Rwhere parking or stopping is prohibited
Rin front of driveways or entrances and exits
Ron unsuitable surfaces
Driving systems201
Driving and parking
Z