Important safety notes
ATTENTION ASSIST is only an aid to thedriver. It
might no talways recognize fatigue or increasing
inattentiveness in time or fail to recognize them
at all. The system is no t asubstitut efor awell-
reste dand attentive driver.
The functionalit yof ATTENTION ASSIST is
restricted and warning smay be delaye dor no t
occur at all:
Rif th elengt hof th ejourney is less than approx -
imately 30 minute s
Rif theroad condition is poor ,e.g. if th esurfac e
is uneven or if there are pothole s
Rif there isastron gside win d
Rif you have adopted asport ydriving style wit h
high cornerin gspeeds or high rates of accel-
eration
Rif you are predominantly driving at aspee d
belo w37 mph (60 km/ h)or above 124 mph
(200 km/h)
Rif you are driving with the DISTRONIC PLUS
Steering Assist activated
Rif the time has been set incorrectly
Rin active driving situations, such as when you
change lanes or change your speed
The attention level evaluation is deleted and
restarts when the journey is continued, if:
Ryou switch off the engine
Ryou take off your seat belt and open the driv-
er's door, e.g. for a change of drivers or to
take a break
Displaying the attention level
You can have current status information dis-
played in the assistance menu (Ypage 227) of
the on-board computer.
XSelect the Assistance display for ATTENTION
ASSIST using the on-board computer
(
Ypage 227).
The following information is displayed:
Rlength of the journey since the last break.
Rthe attention level determined by ATTENTION
ASSIST, displayed in a bar display in five levels
from high to low.
Rif ATTENTION ASSIST is unable to calculate
the attention level and cannot output a warn-
ing, the System Suspended
message
appears. The bar display then changes the
display, e.g. if you are driving at a speed below
37 mph (60 km/h) or above 124 mph
(200 km/h).
Activating ATTENTION ASSIST
XActivate ATTENTION ASSIST using the on-
board computer (Ypage 228).
The system determines the attention level of
the driver depending on the setting selected:
Standard selected: the sensitivity with which
the system determines the attention level is set
to normal.
Sensitive selected: the sensitivity is set higher.
The attention level detected by Attention Assist
is adapted accordingly and the driver is warned
earlier.
When ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated, the
À symbol and OFF appear in the multifunc-
tion display in the assistance display when the
engine is running.
When ATTENTION ASSIST has been deactivated,
it is automatically reactivated after the engine
has been stopped. The sensitivity selected cor-
responds to the last selection activated (stand-
ard/sensitive).
Warning in the multifunction display
If fatigue or increasing lapses in concentration
are detected, a warning appears in the multi-
function display: Attention
Assist:TakeaBreak!
In addition to the message shown in the multi-
function display, you will then hear a warning
tone.
XIf necessary, take a break.
XConfirm the message by pressing the a
button on the steering wheel.
Driving systems201
Driving and parking
Z
Switching on Blind Spot Assist
XMake sure that Blind Spot Assist is activated
in the on-board computer (Ypage 228).
XTurn the SmartKey to position2in the ignition
lock.
Warning lamps :in the exterior mirrors light
up red for approximately 1.5 seconds and
then turn yellow.
Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical connection.
This can be accomplished by checking the trailer
lighting. In this event, Blind Spot Assist is deac-
tivated. The indicator lamp lights up yellow in
the exterior mirrors and the Blind Spot
Assist Not Available When Towing aTrailer See Operator's Manualmessage
appears in the multifunction display.
iYou can deactivate the indicator lamps in
the exterior mirrors.
To do so, switch off Blind Spot Assist when:
Rthe SmartKey is in position 2in the ignition
lock
Rthe engine is not running
Lane Keeping Assist
General notes
:Lane Keeping Assist camera
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in front of
your vehicle with camera :, which is mounted
at the top of the windshield. Active Lane Keeping
Assist detects lane markings on the road and
can warn you before you leave your lane unin-
tentionally.
This function is available in the range between
40 mph and 120 mph (60 km/h and 200 km/h). A warning may be given if a front wheel passes
over a lane marking. It will warn you by means of
intermittent vibration in the steering wheel for
up to 1.5 seconds.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Lane Keeping Assist may not always clearly
recognize lane markings.
In this case, Lane Keeping Assist may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning
Rnot give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and stay in lane, in particular if
warned by Lane Keeping Assist.
GWARNING
The Lane Keeping Assist warning does not
return the vehicle to the original lane. There is
a risk of an accident.
You should always steer, brake or accelerate
yourself, in particular if warned by Lane Keep-
ing Assist.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Lane Keep-
ing Assist can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Lane
Keeping Assist cannot take into account the
road, traffic and weather conditions. Lane Keep- ing Assist is merely 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 your lane.
The Lane Keeping Assist does not keep the vehi-
cle in the lane.
The system may be impaired or may not function
if:
Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficient
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 vicin-
ity of the camera
Driving systems205
Driving and parking
Z
In such cases, Active Lane Keeping Assist
can:
Rgive an unnecessary warning and then
make a course-correcting brake application
to the vehicle
Rnot give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and keep within the lane, especially
if Active Lane Keeping Assist alerts you. Ter-
minate the intervention in a non-critical driv-
ing situation.
The system may be impaired or may not function
if:
Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficient
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 vicin-
ity of the camera
Rthere are no, several or unclear lane markings
for a lane, e.g. in areas with road construction
work
Rthe lane markings are worn away, dark or cov-
ered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
Rthe distance to the vehicle in front is too small
and the lane markings thus cannot be detec-
ted
Rthe lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanes
branch off, cross one another or merge
Rthe road is narrow and winding
Rthere are highly variable shade conditions on the roadway
Rno vehicle is detected in the adjacent lane andthere are broken lane markings
Warning vibration in the steering wheel
A warning may be given if a front wheel passes
over a lane marking. It will warn you by means of
intermittent vibration in the steering wheel for
up to 1.5 seconds.
In order that you are warned only when neces-
sary and in good time if you cross the lane mark-
ing, the system detects certain conditions and
warns you accordingly. The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
Ryou approach the outer lane marking on a
bend
Rthe road has very wide lanes, e.g. a highway
Rthe system detects solid lane markings
The warning vibration occurs later if:
Rthe road has narrow lanes
Ryou cut the corner on a bend
Lane-correcting brake application
GWARNING
A lane-correcting brake application cannot
always bring the vehicle back into the original lane. There is a risk of an accident.
Always steer, brake or accelerate yourself,
especially if Active Lane Keeping Assist warns
you or makes a lane-correcting brake appli-
cation.
GWARNING
Active Lane Keeping Assist does not detect
traffic conditions or road users. In very rare
cases, the system may make an inappropriate brake application, e.g. after intentionally driv-
ing over a solid lane marking. There is a risk of
an accident.
An inappropriate brake application may be
interrupted at any time if you steer slightly in
the opposite direction. Always make sure that
there is sufficient distance on the side for
other traffic or obstacles.
If you leave your lane, under certain circumstan-
ces the vehicle will brake briefly on one side.
This is meant to assist you in bringing the vehicle
back to the original lane.
210Driving systems
Driving and parking
If a lane-correcting brake application occurs,
display:appears in the multifunction display.
A lane-correcting brake application can be made after driving over a lane marking recognized as
being solid or broken. Before this, a warning
must be given by means of intermittent vibration
in the steering wheel. In addition, a lane with
lane markings on both sides must be recog-
nized.
In the case of a broken lane marking being
detected, a lane-correcting brake application
can only be made if a vehicle has been detected
in the adjacent lane. The following vehicles can
have an influence on brake application: oncom-
ing traffic, vehicles that are overtaking and vehi-
cles that are driving parallel to your vehicle.
iA further lane-correcting brake application
can only occur after your vehicle has returned
to the original lane.
No lane-correcting brake application occurs if:
Ryou clearly and actively steer, brake or accel-
erate.
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend.
Ryou have switched on the turn signal.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g. ESP®,
PRE-SAFE®Brake or Active Blind Spot Assist.
Ryou have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds or high rates of accel-
eration.
RESP®is switched off.
Rthe transmission is not in position D.
Ron vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the elec-
trical connection to the trailer has been cor-
rectly established.
Ran obstacle has been detected in the lane in
which you are driving.
Rwhen a loss of tire pressure or a defective tire
has been detected and displayed.
There is a possibility that the Active Lane Keep- ing Assist could misjudge the given traffic sit-
uation. An inappropriate brake application may
be interrupted at any time if you:
Rsteer slightly in the opposite direction
Rswitch on the turn signal
Rclearly brake or accelerate A lane-correcting brake application is interrup-
ted automatically if:
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g. ESP®,
PRE-SAFE®Brake or Active Blind Spot Assist
Rlane markings are no longer detected
Switching on Active Lane K eeping Assist
XSwitch on Active Lane Keeping Assist using
the on-board computer; to do so, select
Standard
orAdaptive(Ypage 228).
If you drive at speeds above 40 mph
(60 km/h) and lane markings are detected,
the lines in the assistance graphics display
(
Ypage 227) are shown in green. Active Lane
Keeping Assist is ready for use.
If Standard
is selected, no warning vibration
occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
When Adaptive
is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
Ryou accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
Ryou brake hard.
Ryou steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lanes quickly.
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend.
Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical connection.
This can be accomplished by checking the trailer
lighting. Lane-correcting brake application does
not take place when towing a trailer. Active Lane Keeping Assist is not activated and the lines in
the assistance graphic are gray.
Driving systems211
Driving and parking
Z
RThe bumpers of your vehicle are not suitable
for installing detachable trailer couplings.
RDo not install hired trailer couplings or other
detachable trailer couplings on the bumpers
of your vehicle.
RIf you no longer need the ball coupling,
remove it from the ball coupling recess. This
will reduce the risk of damage to the ball cou-
pling.
When towing a trailer, set the tire pressure on
the rear axle of the towing vehicle for the max-
imum load. You will find the values in the tire
pressure table in the fuel filler flap of the vehicle
(
Ypage 349).
Please note that when towing a trailer, the fol-
lowing driving systems have limited availability
or are not available at all:
RPARKTRONIC (Ypage 186)
RBlind Spot Assist (Ypage 203)
RActive Lane Keeping Assist (Ypage 209)
On vehicles without level control, the height of
the ball coupling will alter according to the load
placed on the vehicle. If necessary, use a trailer
with a height-adjustable drawbar.
You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (
Ypage 376).
Driving tips
Observe the information on ESP®trailer stabili-
zation (Ypage 67) and on pulling away with a
trailer (Ypage 138).
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check the
trailer's documents to see what the maximum
permissible speed is. Observe the legally pre-
scribed maximum speed in the relevant country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the maxi-
mum permissible rear axle load is increased
when towing a trailer. See "Technical data" to
find out whether this applies to your vehicle
(
Ypage 376). If you utilize any of the added
maximum rear axle load when towing a trailer,
the vehicle/trailer combination may not exceed
a maximum speed of 60 mph (100 km/h) for
reasons concerning the operating permit. This
also applies in countries in which the permissi-
ble maximum speed for vehicle/trailer combi-
nations is above 60 mph (100 km/h). When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
with when driving without a trailer.
Use the left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
to shift into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients.
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so
that less braking will be required to maintain the
speed. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly. If you need additional
braking, depress the brake pedal repeatedly
rather than continuously.
Driving tips
If the trailer swings from side to side:
XDo not accelerate.
XDo not counter-steer.
XBrake if necessary.
RMaintain a greater distance from the vehicle
in front than when driving without a trailer.
RAvoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gen-tly at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
RThe values given for gradient-climbing capa-
bilities from a standstill refer to sea level.
When driving in mountainous areas, note that
the power output of the engine and, conse-
quently, the vehicle's gradient-climbing capa-
bility, decreases with increasing altitude.
Installing the ball coupling
GWARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly installed
and secured, it can come loose during the
journey and endanger other road users. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Always install and secure the ball coupling as
described. Before every journey, ensure that
the ball coupling is secured with the bolt and
the corresponding spring cotter.
GWARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed correctly or not secured with the bolt provided and the
Towing a trailer213
Driving and parking
Z
Towing a trailer
There are numerous legal requirements con-
cerning the towing of a trailer, e.g. speed restric-tions. Make sure that your car/trailer combina-
tion complies with the local regulations:
Rin your place of residence
Rin the location to which you are driving
The police and local authorities can provide reli- able information.
Observe the following when towing a trailer:
RTo gain driving experience and to become
accustomed to the new handling characteris-
tics, you should practice the following in a
traffic-free location:
-cornering
-stopping
-backing up
RBefore driving, check:
-trailer tow hitch
-safety switch for braked trailers
-safety chains
-electrical connections
-lights
-wheels
RAdjust the exterior mirrors to provide an
unobstructed view of the rear section of the
trailer.
RIf the trailer has electronically controlled
brakes, pull away carefully. Brake manually
using the brake controller and check whether
the brakes function correctly.
RSecure any objects on the trailer to prevent
the cargo from slipping when the vehicle is in
motion.
RWhen you couple up a trailer, check at regular
intervals that the load is firmly secured. If the
tra
iler is equipped with trailer lights and
brakes, check the trailer to ensure that these
are working.
RBear in mind that the handling will be less
stable when towing a trailer than when driving
without one. Avoid sudden steering move-
ments.
RThe vehicle/trailer combination is heavier,
accelerates more slowly, has a decreased
gradient climbing capability and a longer
braking distance.
It is more susceptible to side winds and
requires more careful steering.
RIf possible, do not brake suddenly, but instead depress the brake pedal moderately at first so
that the trailer can activate its brakes. Then
increase the pressure on the brake pedal.
RIf the automatic transmission repeatedly
shifts between gears on uphill or downhill gra-
dients, shift to a lower gear using the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter.
A lower gear and lower speed reduce the risk
of engine failure.
RWhen driving downhill, shift to a lower gear toutilize the engine's braking effect.
Avoid continuous brake application as this
may overheat the vehicle brakes and, if instal-
led, the trailer brakes.
RIf the coolant temperature increases dramat-
ically while the air-conditioning system is
switched on, switch off the air-conditioning
system.
Coolant heat can also be dissipated by open-
ing the windows and switching the ventilation blower and the interior temperature to the
highest level.
RWhen overtaking, pay particular attention to
the extended length of your vehicle/trailer
combination.
Due to the length of the vehicle/trailer com-
bination, you require additional road space in
relation to the vehicle you are overtaking
before you can change back to the original
lane.
Decoupling a trailer
GWARNING
If you uncouple a trailer with the overrun
brake engaged, you could trap your hand
between the vehicle and the trailer drawbar.
There is a risk of injury.
Do not uncouple a trailer if the overrun brake
is engaged.
GWARNING
Vehicles with level control:
The vehicle is lowered as soon as you discon-
nect the trailer cable. This could result in your
limbs or those of other people that are
between the vehicle body and tires or under-
216Towing a trailer
Driving an d parking
Outside temperature display
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
Bear in mind that the outside temperature dis-
play indicates the temperature measured and
does not record the road temperature.
The outside temperature display is in the multi-function display (
Ypage 221).
There is a short delay before a change in outside
temperature appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
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 gage is in the instru-
ment cluster on the right-hand side (
Ypage 31).
Under normal operating conditions and with the
specified coolant level, the coolant temperature
may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
Operating the on-board computer
Overview
:Multifunction display
;Right control panel
=Left control panel
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.
In vehicles with the COMAND multimedia sys-
tem, you can find further information on the
Voice Control System in the separate operating
instructions.
Left control panel
=
;RCalls up the menu and menu bar
9
:Press briefly:
RScrolls in lists
RSelects a submenu or function
RIn the Audiomenu: selects the
previous or next station, when the
preset list or station list is active,
or an audio track or video scene
RIn the Tel(telephone) menu:
switches to the phone book and
selects a name or telephone num-
ber
220Displays and operation
On-board computer and displays
9
:Press and hold:
RIn theAudiomenu: selects a pre-
set list or a station list in the
desired frequency range, or
selects an audio track or video
scene using rapid scrolling
RIn the Tel(Telephone) menu:
starts rapid scrolling if the phone
book is open
aRConfirms the selection or display
message
RIn the Tel(Telephone) menu:
switches to the telephone book
and starts dialing the selected
number
%Press briefly:
RBack
RSwitches off voice-operated con-
trol for navigation or the Voice
Control System
RHides display messages or calls up
the last Tripmenu function used
RExits the telephone book/redial
memory
%Press and hold:
RCalls up the standard display in the
Tripmenu
Right control panel
~RRejects or ends a call
RExits the telephone book/redial
memory
6RMakes or accepts a call
RSwitches to the redial memory
W
XRAdjusts the volume
8RMute
?RSwitches on voice-operated con-
trol for navigation or the Voice
Control System
Multifunction display
:Permanent display: outside temperature or
speed (Ypage 229)
;Time
=Text field
?Menu bar
ADrive program (Ypage 143)
BTransmission position (Ypage 143)
XTo display menu bar ?: press the=
or ; button on the steering wheel.
If you do not press the buttons any longer,
menu bar ?is faded out after a few seconds.
Text field =shows the selected menu or sub-
menu as well as display messages.
iSet the time using the multimedia system
(see the Digital Operator's Manual).
Possible displays in the multifunction dis-
play:
RZ Gearshift recommendation, when shifting
manually (Ypage 147)
Rj Active Parking Assist (Ypage 189)
RCRUISECruise control (Ypage 168)
R_ Adaptive Highbeam Assist
(Ypage 112)
Rè ECO start/stop function (Ypage 138)
RëHOLD function (Ypage 179)
RaDISTRONIC PLUS Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot (Ypage 177)
RDSRDownhill Speed Regulation
(Ypage 180)
Displays and operation221
On-board computer and displays
Z