Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes
Pay particular attention in the following traffic
situations:
R Cornering, entering and exiting a bend: the
ability of DISTRONIC PLUS to detect vehicles
when cornering is limited. Your vehicle may
brake unexpectedly or late.
R Driving on a different line: DISTRONIC PLUS
may not detect vehicles that are not driving in the middle of their lane. The distance to the
vehicle in front will be too short.
R Other vehicles changing lane: DISTRONIC
PLUS has not detected the vehicle cutting in
yet. The distance to this vehicle will be too
short.
R Narrow vehicles: DISTRONIC PLUS has not
yet detected the vehicle in front on the edge
of the carriageway because of its narrow
width. The distance to the vehicle in front will
be too short.
R Obstacles 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.
R Crossing vehicles: DISTRONIC PLUS may mis-
takenly detect vehicles that are crossing your
lane. Activating DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic
lights with crossing traffic, for example, could
cause your vehicle to pull away unintention-
ally.
In such situations, brake if necessary.
DISTRONIC PLUS is then deactivated. 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 centre of the driving lane by means of mod-
erate steering interventions in a speed range
from 0–200 km/h.
It monitors the area in front of your vehicle by
means of multifunction camera :, at the top of
the windscreen.
In a speed range from 0–60 km/h, Stop&Go
Pilot focuses on the vehicle in front, taking into
account lane markings, e.g. when you are fol-
lowing vehicles in a traffic jam.
At speeds of more than 60 km/h, Steering
Assist focuses on detected lane markings (left
and right), only focusing on the vehicle in front if detected lane markings are not present.
If these conditions are not present, Steering
Assist and Stop&Go Pilot cannot provide assis-
tance.
DISTRONIC PLUS must be active in order for the
function to be available.
Important safety notesDISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot can neither reduce the risk of an
accident if you fail to adapt your driving style nor
override the laws of physics. It cannot take into account road, weather or 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 vehi-
cle speed, for braking in good time and for stay- ing in lane.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot does not detect road and traffic
conditions and does not detect all road users. If
you are following a vehicle that is driving 184
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking
towards the edge of the carriageway, your vehi-
cle could come into contact with the kerb 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
you have intentionally driven over a lane mark-
ing, 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 vehicle back to the lane. In such cases, you must steer the vehicle yourself to ensure that it does not
leave the lane.
The system may be impaired or may not function
in the following situations:
R poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficient illumi-
nation of the road, or due to snow, rain, fog or
spray
R glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic, the sun or
reflection from other vehicles (e.g. if the road
surface is wet)
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up, damaged
or covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
R no or several, unclear lane markings are pres-
ent for one lane, e.g. in a construction area
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or cov-
ered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
R the distance to the vehicle in front is so small
that the lane markings cannot be detected
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanes
branch off, cross one another or merge
R the road is narrow and winding
R there are highly variable shade conditions on
the roadway
The system is switched to passive and no longer assists you by performing steering interventions
if:
R you actively change lane
R you switch on the turn signal
R you take your hands off the steering wheel or
do not steer for a prolonged period of time
After you have finished changing lanes, Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are automatically
active again. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot cannot pro-
vide assistance in the following situations:
R on very sharp corners
R when a loss of tyre pressure or a defective
tyre has been detected and displayed
Also observe the important safety notes for
DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 178).
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 symbol
appears on the multifunction display. If you have
still not started to steer and have not taken hold
of the steering 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 switch to passive mode.
DISTRONIC PLUS remains activated.
Activating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot X
Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :lights up. The DTR+: DTR+:
steering
steering assist.
assist.on
onmessage appears on
the multifunction display. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are activated. Driving systems
185Driving and parking Z
Information on the multifunction display
If Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are activa-
ted but not ready for a steering intervention,
steering wheel symbol :appears in grey. If the
system provides you with support by means of
steering interventions, symbol :is shown in
green.
Deactivating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot
X Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. The DTR+:
DTR+:
steering assist. off
steering assist. off message appears
on the multifunction display. 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:
R when pulling away, especially on steep slopes
R when manoeuvring on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is cancelled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away. Important safety notes G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R the HOLD function is deactivated by the
accelerator pedal being depressed, e.g. by
a vehicle occupant
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
from rolling away.
! When DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD func-
tion is activated, the vehicle brakes automat- ically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function (Y page 187).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if all the fol-
lowing conditions are fulfilled:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or it has been automat-
ically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
R the driver's door is closed or your seat belt is
fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R the transmission is in position h,kori.
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated 186
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking
This indicates that you have now reached the
minimum distance.
Deactivates/activates PARKTRONIC d
Switch on the dashboard
e Switch in the centre console :
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
; Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp ;lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Parking Assist is then also
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the key to position 2in the
ignition lock.
Problems with PARKTRONIC Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Only the red segments in
the PARKTRONIC warn-
ing displays are lit. You
also hear a warning tone
for approximately two
seconds.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated and the indi-
cator lamp on the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has been deactivated.
X If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Only the red segments in
the PARKTRONIC warn-
ing displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X
Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 335).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or ultra-
sound waves.
X See whether PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Driving systems
193Driving and parking Z
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 inter-
vention and brake application can assist you
during parking and when exiting a parking
space. You may also use PARKTRONIC
(Y page 191).
Important safety notes Active Parking Assist is only an aid. It is not a
substitute for your attention to the immediate
surroundings. The responsibility for safe
manoeuvring and parking remains with you.
Make sure that no persons, animals or objects
are in the manoeuvring range.
When PARKTRONIC is deactivated, Active Park-
ing Assist is also unavailable.
For vehicles with the trailer tow hitch folded out,
the minimum length for parking spaces is
slightly longer.
If you have attached a trailer to your vehicle, you
should not use Active Parking Assist. Once the
electrical connection is established between
your vehicle and the trailer, Active Parking
Assist is no longer available. PARKTRONIC is
deactivated for the rear area. G
WARNING
While parking or pulling out of a parking
space, the vehicle swings out and can drive
onto areas of the oncoming lane. This could
cause you to collide with other road users.
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 obsta-
cles such as kerbs slowly and not at a sharp
angle. Otherwise, you may damage the
wheels or tyres. Active Parking Assist may also display spaces
not suitable for parking, e.g.:
R In a zone where parking or stopping is pro-
hibited
R In front of driveways or entrances and exits
R On unsuitable surfaces
Parking tips:
R On narrow roads, drive as closely as possible
past the parking space
R Parking spaces that are littered or overgrown
might be identified or measured incorrectly
R Parking spaces that are partially occupied by
trailer drawbars might not be identified as
such or be measured incorrectly
R Snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately
R Pay attention to the PARKTRONIC
(Y page 192) warning messages during the
parking procedure
R You can intervene in the steering procedure
to correct it at any time. Active Parking Assist is then deactivated
R When transporting a load that protrudes from
your vehicle, you should not use Active Park-
ing Assist
R Never use Active Parking Assist when snow
chains are fitted
R Always pay attention to the specified tyre
pressure for your vehicle. This has a direct
influence on the parking characteristics of the vehicle
Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces
that are:
R parallel or at right angles to the direction of
travel
R on straight roads, not bends
R 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 cal-culated, e.g. overhanging loads, tail sections or
loading ramps of goods vehicles. 194
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking
G
WARNING
If there are objects above the detection range:
R Active Park Assist may steer too early
R the vehicle may not stop in front of these
objects
This could cause a collision. There is a risk of
an accident.
If objects are located above the detection
range, stop and deactivate Active Parking
Assist.
Further information on the detection range
(Y page 191).
Active Parking Assist does not assist you with
parking in spaces at right angles to the direction
of travel if:
R two parking spaces are located directly next
to one another
R the parking space is directly next to a low
obstacle such as a low kerb
R you forward-park
Active Parking Assist does not assist you with
parking in spaces that are parallel or at right
angles to the direction of travel if:
R the parking space is on a kerb
R the system reads the parking space as being
blocked, such as by foliage or grass paving
blocks
R the area is too small for the vehicle to
manoeuvre into
R the parking space is bordered by an obstacle,
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 activated automatically
when driving forwards. The system is opera-
tional at speeds of up to approximately
35 km/h. While in operation, the system inde-
pendently locates and measures parking spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
Active Parking Assist will detect only parking
spaces:
R parallel or at right angles to the direction of
travel
R that are parallel to the direction of travel and
are at least 1.5 m wide
R that are parallel to the direction of travel and
at least 1.0 m longer than your vehicle
R that are at right angles to the direction of
travel and at least 1.0 mwider than your vehi-
cle
i Note that Active Parking Assist cannot
measure the size of a parking space if it is at
right angles to the direction of travel. You will
need to judge whether your vehicle will fit in
the parking space.
When driving at speeds below 30 km/h, you will see parking symbol ;as a status indicator in
the instrument cluster. When a parking space
has been detected, an arrow towards the right or
the left also appears. Active Parking Assist dis-
plays only parking spaces on the front-
passenger side as standard. Parking spaces on
the driver'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 activated until you confirm the use of
Active Parking Assist by pressing the abut-
ton on the multifunction steering wheel. The
system automatically determines whether the
parking space is parallel or at right angles to the
direction of travel.
A parking space is displayed while you are driv-
ing past it, and until you are approximately 15 m away from it. Driving systems
195Driving and parking Z
Parking
G
WARNING
If you leave the vehicle when it is only being
braked by Active Parking Assist it could roll
away if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
R the vehicle is accelerated, e.g. by a vehicle
occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always secure it
against rolling away.
i When PARKTRONIC detects obstacles,
Active Parking Assist brakes automatically
during the parking process. You are respon-
sible for braking in good time.
X Stop the vehicle when the parking symbol
shows the desired parking space in the instru-
ment cluster.
X Shift the transmission to position R.
The Start
Start Park ParkAssist?
Assist? Yes:
Yes:OK
OKNo:
No:%
message appears in the multifunction display.
X To cancel the procedure: press the%
button on the multifunction steering wheel or pull away.
or
X To park using Active Parking Assist: press
the a button on the multifunction steering
wheel.
The Park Assist active Accelerate Park Assist active Accelerate
and brake
and brake Observe surroundings
Observe surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
X Release the multifunction steering wheel.
X Reverse the vehicle, being ready to brake at
all times. When reversing, drive at a speed
below 10 km/h. Otherwise, Active Parking
Assist will be cancelled.
Active Parking Assist brakes the vehicle to a
standstill when the vehicle approaches the
rear border of the parking space.
Manoeuvring may be required in tight parking
spaces. The
Park
Park Assist Assist active
activeSelect D
Select D Observe
Observe
surroundings
surroundings message appears in the multi-
function display.
X Shift the transmission to position Dwhile the
vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction.
The Park Assist active Accelerate Park Assist active Accelerate
and brake
and brake Observe surroundings
Observe surroundings mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
i You will achieve the best results by waiting
for the steering procedure to complete before
pulling away.
X Drive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.
Active Parking Assist brakes the vehicle to a
standstill when the vehicle approaches the
rear border of the parking space.
Manoeuvring may be required in tight parking
spaces.
The Park Park Assist
Assist active
activeSelect R
Select R Observe
Observe
surroundings
surroundings message appears in the multi-
function display.
As soon as the parking procedure is complete,
the Park Assist switched off
Park Assist switched off message
appears and a warning tone sounds. The vehicle
is now parked.
The vehicle is kept stationary without the driver having to depress the brake pedal. The braking
effect is cancelled when you depress the accel-
erator pedal.
Active Parking Assist no longer supports you
with steering interventions and brake applica-
tions. When Active Parking Assist is finished,
you must steer and brake again yourself.
PARKTRONIC is still available.
Parking tips:
R The way your vehicle is positioned in the park-
ing space after parking is dependent on vari-
ous factors. These include the position and
shape of the vehicles parked in front of 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 some cases, it may also
lead you across or onto the kerb. If necessary,
you should cancel the parking procedure with Active Parking Assist.
R You can also preselect transmission position
D. The vehicle redirects and does not drive as
far into the parking space. Should the trans-
mission change take place too early, the park- 196
Driving systemsDriving and parking
ing procedure will be cancelled. A sensible
parking position can no longer be achieved
from this position.
Exiting a parking space In order that Active Parking Assist can support
you when you are exiting a parking space:
R the border of the parking space must be high
enough at the front and the rear. A kerb, for
example, is too small.
R the border of the parking space must not be
too wide. Your vehicle can be manoeuvred
into the parking space at a maximum angle of
45° to the starting position.
R a manoeuvring distance of at least 1.0 mmust
be available.
Active Parking Assist can assist you with exiting
a parking space as well only if you have parked
the vehicle parallel to the direction of travel
using Active Parking Assist.
i If PARKTRONIC detects obstacles, Active
Parking Assist brakes automatically whilst the vehicle is exiting the parking space. You are
responsible for braking in good time.
X Start the engine.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch on the turn signal in the direction in
which you intend to pull away.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
The Start
Start Park ParkAssist?
Assist? Yes:
Yes:OK
OKNo:
No: %
message appears on the multifunction dis-
play.
X To cancel the procedure: press the%
button on the multifunction steering wheel or pull away.
or
X To exit a parking space with assistance
from Active Parking Assist: press thea
button on the multifunction steering wheel.
The Park Assist active Accelerate Park Assist active Accelerate
and brake
and brake Observe surroundings
Observe surroundings mes-
sage appears on the multifunction display.
X Release the multifunction steering wheel.
X Pull away, being ready to brake at all times. Do
not exceed a speed of approximately
10 km/h when exiting a parking space. Oth-
erwise, Active Parking Assist will be cancel-
led. X
Depending on the message or as required,
shift the transmission to position Dor R.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction. The Park Assist
Park Assist
active Accelerate and brake active Accelerate and brake Observe
Observe
surroundings
surroundings message appears on the mul-
tifunction display.
i You will achieve the best results in exiting a
parking space if you wait for the steering pro- cedure to complete before pulling away.
If you reverse after activation, the steering
wheel is moved to the straight-ahead posi-
tion.
X Drive forwards and reverse as prompted by
the PARKTRONIC warning displays, several
times if necessary.
Once you have exited the parking space com-
pletely, the steering wheel is moved to the
straight-ahead position. You hear a tone and the
Park Park Assist
Assist switched
switched off
offmessage appears
on the multifunction display. You will then have to steer and merge into traffic on your own.
PARKTRONIC is still available. You can take over
the steering again before the vehicle has exited the parking space completely. This is useful if
you recognise that it is already possible to pull
out of the parking space.
Cancelling Active Parking Assist X
Stop the movement of the multifunction
steering wheel or steer yourself.
Active Parking Assist will be cancelled at
once. The Park Assist cancelled Park Assist cancelled mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
or
X Press the PARKTRONIC button (Y page 193).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active Park- ing Assist is immediately cancelled. The
Park Assist cancelled Park Assist cancelled message appears
in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is cancelled automatically
if:
R the electric parking brake is applied
R transmission position Pis selected
R parking using Active Parking Assist is no lon-
ger possible
R you are driving faster than 10 km/h
R a wheel spins and ESP ®
intervenes or fails.
The ÷ warning lamp lights up in the instru-
ment cluster. Driving systems
197Driving and parking Z