It is only possible to shift the transmission from
positionPto 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 con-
verter to reach its operating temperature
more quickly.
Information on the automatic release of the
electric parking brake (
Ypage 179).
Pulling away with a trailer
To ensure that you do not roll backwards when
pulling away on an uphill slope, engage the elec-
tric parking brake.
XPress and hold handle :.
The electric parking brake continues to brake
and prevent the vehicle from rolling back-
wards.
The red F(USA only) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster remains on.
XDepress the accelerator pedal.
XAs soon as the vehicle/trailer combination isheld 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 cluster goes out.
Hill start assist
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away for-
wards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It holds
the vehicle for a short time after you have
removed your foot from the brake pedal. This gives you enough time to move your foot from
the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and to
depress it before the vehicle begins to roll.
GWARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no lon-
ger brake your vehicle and it could roll away.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist is not active if:
Ryou are pulling away on a level road or on a
downhill gradient.
Rthe transmission is in position N.
Rthe electric parking brake is applied.
RESP®is malfunctioning.
ECO start/stop function
Introduction
This section describes the ECO start/stop func- tion for all vehicles except PLUG-IN HYBRID
vehicles. Information on the ECO start/stop
function on PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles
(
Ypage 253).
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is stopped
under certain conditions.
The engine starts automatically when the driver
wants to pull away again. The ECO start/stop
function thereby helps you to reduce the fuel
consumption and emissions of your vehicle.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and
you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving.
There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away.
Driving149
Driving and parking
Z
Shift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
XShift to recommended gear;according to
gearshift recommendation :when shown in
the multifunction display of the instrument
cluster.
Upshifting (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
!The automatic transmission does not shift
up automatically even when the engine limit-
ing speed for the current gear is reached.
When the engine limiting speed is reached,
the fuel supply is cut to prevent the engine
from overrevving. Always make sure that the
engine speed does not reach the red area of
the tachometer. There is otherwise a risk of
engine damage.
:Gear indicator
;Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown in the multi-
function display.
XWhen the UPmessage appears in the multi-
function display, pull on the right-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
Kickdown
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: kickdown is only
possible in the temporary setting.
XFor maximum acceleration, depress the
accelerator pedal beyond the pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a lower
gear depending on the engine speed.
XShift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
During kickdown, you cannot shift gears using
the steering wheel paddle shifters.
If you apply full throttle, the automatic trans-
mission shifts up to the next gear when the
maximum engine speed is reached. This pre-
vents the engine from overrevving.
Automatic transmission161
Driving and parking
Z
You must avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating beforerefueling.
GWARNING
Fuel is poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a risk of injury.
You must make sure that fuel does not come into contact with your skin, eyes or clothing
and that it is not swallowed. Do not inhale fuel
vapors. Keep fuel away from children.
If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following:
RWash away fuel from skin immediately
using soap and water.
RIf fuel comes into contact with your eyes,
immediately rinse them thoroughly with
clean water. Seek medical assistance with-
out delay.
RIf fuel is swallowed, seek medical assis-
tance without delay. Do not induce vomit-
ing.
RImmediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with fuel.
GWARNING
Electrostatic buildup can create sparks and
ignite fuel vapors. There is a risk of fire and
explosion.
Always touch the vehicle body before opening
the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. Any existing electrostatic buildup is
thereby discharged.
GWARNING
Vehicles with a diesel engine:
If you mix diesel fuel with gasoline, the flash
point is lower than that of pure diesel fuel.
When the engine is running, exhaust system
components could overheat without being
noticed. There is a risk of fire.
Never refuel with gasoline. Never mix gasoline with diesel fuel.
!Do not use gasoline to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Do not switch on the ignition if
you accidentally refuel with the wrong fuel.
Otherwise, the fuel will enter the fuel system. Even small amounts of the wrong fuel could
result in damage to the fuel system and the
engine. The repair costs are high. Notify a
qualified specialist workshop and have the
fuel tank and fuel lines drained completely.
!Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
gasoline engine. Do not switch on the ignition
if you accidentally refuel with the wrong fuel.
Otherwise, the fuel will enter the fuel system. Even small amounts of the wrong fuel could
result in damage to the fuel system and the
engine. Notify a qualified specialist workshop
and have the fuel tank and fuel lines drained
completely.
!Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
!Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
!Use a filter when refueling from a fuel can.
Otherwise, the fuel lines and/or injection sys- tem could be blocked by particles from the
fuel can.
Do not get into the vehicle again during the refu-
eling process. Otherwise, electrostatic charge
could build up again.
If you overfill the fuel tank, fuel could spray out
when the fuel pump nozzle is removed.
iFlexible Fuel vehicles can be recognized by
the Ethanol up to E85 sticker on the inside of
the fuel filler flap.
For furt her in
formation on fuel and fuel quality
(Ypage 434).
Refueling
General information
Pay attention to the important safety notes
(Ypage 162).
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles: pressure in the fuel
tank must be released before refueling.
Except PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles: if you
unlock/lock the vehicle from the outside, the
fuel filler flap also unlocks/locks.
Refueling163
Driving and parking
Z
DEF (BlueTECvehicles only )
General notes
To function properly, BlueTE Cexhaus tgas after-
treatmen tmus tbe operated wit hth ereducing
agen tDEF. Addin gDE Fis on eof th etask sper -
formed durin gmaintenance .Under normal
operatin gconditions, atank of DE Flast suntil
th enext servic edue date.
Whe nth esupply of DE Fis almost used up, th e
Check Additive See Operator' sManual
messag eis shown in th emultifunction display.
If you drive th evehicle faste rthan 10 mph
(16 km/h), th eCheck Additive See Opera‐
tor's Manualmessag egoe sout after approx -
imately on eminute.
Whe nth eDE Fsupply drops to aminimum ,th e
Remaining Starts :16
messag eis shown in
th emultifunction display.
If th eRemaining Starts :16
messag e
appears in th emultifunction display, you can
start th eengin eanother 16 times .If DE Fis no t
refilled, you will subsequently be unable to
star tth eengine.
XAd dat leas t 1gal (3. 8l) of DEF.
XSwitc hon th eignition fo rat leas t60 seconds.
XStart th eengine.
iHav eth eDE Ftank refille dat aqualified spe -
cialis tworkshop .
Use th especial DE Frefill bottl ewhen addin g
DE Fbetween maintenance intervals. You can
obtain further information from an authorized
Mercedes-Ben zCente ror ,if necessary, contact
Roadside Assistanc e (
Ypage 27).
If th eoutsid etemperature is belo w12 ‡(Ò11 †)
it may be difficult to top up. If DEF is frozen and
there is an active warning indicator, it may not
be possible to add DEF. Park the vehicle in a
warmer place, e.g. in a garage, until DEF has
become fluid again. It will then be possible to
add DEF again. Alternatively, have the DEF tank
refilled at a qualified specialist workshop.
Further information about BlueTEC exhaust gas aftertreatment and DEF is available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Important safety notes
DEF is a water-soluble fluid for the exhaust gas
aftertreatment of diesel engines. It is:
Rnot poisonous
Rcolorless and odorless
Rnot flammable
When you open the DEF container, small
amounts of ammonia vapor may be released.
Ammonia vapors have a pungent odor and are
particularly irritating to the skin, to mucous
membranes and to the eyes. You may experi-
ence a burning sensation in your eyes, nose and
throat. Coughing and watering of the eyes are
possible.
Do not inhale ammonia vapors. Fill the DEF tank
only in well-ventilated areas.
DEF must not come into contact with your skin,
eyes or clothing and must not be swallowed.
Keep DEF away from children.
If you or other persons come into contact with
DEF, observe the following:
RRinse DEF from your skin immediately with
soap and water.
RIf DEF comes into contact with your eyes,
immediately rinse them thoroughly with clean
water. Seek medical assistance without
delay.
RIf DEF has been swallowed, rinse your mouth
out immediately. Drink plenty of water. Seek
medical assistance without delay.
RChange out of clothing contaminated with
DEF immediately.
!Only use DEF in accordance with
ISO 22241. Do not mix any additives with
DEF, and do not dilute DEF with water. This
may destroy the BlueTEC exhaust gas after-
treatment system.
!The vehicle must be parked on level ground
to fill the DEF tank. The DEF tank can only be
filled as intended with the vehicle parked on a
level surface. This avoids false level readings. Filling the tank is not permitted if the vehicle
is not parked on a level surface. There is a
danger of overfil
ling, which could result in
damage to components of the BlueTEC
exhaust gas aftertreatment.
!Rinse surfaces that have come into contact
with DEF immediately with water or remove
DEF using a damp cloth and cold water. If the
DEF has already crystallized, use a sponge
Refueling167
Driving and parking
Z
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 rolling
away.
XShift the automatic transmission to position
P.
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 func-
tion 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 cluster goes out.
iThe electric parking brake can only be
released:
Rif the SmartKey is in position 1in the igni-
tion lock (Ypage 145) 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 elec-
tric parking brake (
Ypage 149).
Applying automatically
The electric parking brake is automatically
applied when the transmission is in position P
and:
Rthe engine is switched off or
Rthe driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is opened.
To prevent the electric parking brake from being
automatically applied, pull handle :.
The electric parking brake is also engaged auto- matically if:
RDISTRONIC PLUS brings the vehicle to a
standstill or
Rthe HOLD function is keeping the vehicle sta-tionary
RActive Parking Assist is keeping the vehicle
stationary
In addition, at least one of the following condi-
tions must be fulfilled:
Rthe engine is switched off
Rthe driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is opened
Rthere is a system malfunction
Rthe power supply is insufficient
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 automatically
engaged if the engine is switched off by the ECO
start/stop function.
Releasing automatically
The electric parking brake is released automat-
ically 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.
If the transmission is in position R, the trunk lid
must be closed.
180Parking
Driving and parking
Drive sensibly–save fuel
Observ eth efollowin gtips to sav efuel:
XThe tires should always be inflate dto th erec -
ommended tire pressure.
XRemov eunnecessary loads.
XRemov eroof carriers when they are no tnee-
ded.
XWar mup th eengin eat low engin espeeds .
XAvoid frequent acceleration or braking .
XHaveall maintenance wor kcarrie dout as
indicated by th eservic eintervals in th eMain -
tenance Booklet or by th eservic einterval dis -
play.
Fue lconsumption also increase swhen drivin gin
cold weather ,in stop-start traffic and in hill yter-
rain .
Drinking an ddrivin g
GWARNING
Drinking and drivin gand/o rtaking drugs and
drivin gare ver ydangerous combinations.
Even asmall amount of alcoho lor drugs can
affec tyour reflexes, perception sand judg-
ment.
The possibilit yof aserious or eve nfatal acci-
den tis greatly increase dwhen you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do no tdrink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyon eto drive who has bee ndrinkin gor tak-
in g drugs.
Emission contro l
GWARNING
Combustion engines emi tpoisonous exhaus t
gases suc has carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaus tgases lead sto poisoning. There
is aris kof fatal injury. Therefor enever leav e
th eengin erunning in enclose dspaces with-
out sufficien tventilation .
Certain engin esystems are designed to keep
th elevel of poisonous component sin exhaus t
fumes within lega llimits.
These systems only wor kat peak efficiency if
they are serviced exactly in accordance wit hth e
manufacturer's specifications. Always hav ewor
kon th eengin ecarrie dout at aqualified
specialis tworkshop .Mercedes-Ben zrecom -
mends that you use an authorized Mercedes -
Benz Cente rfo rthis purpose. In particular, wor k
relevant to safet yor on safety-related systems
mus tbe carrie dout at aqualified specialis t
workshop .
The engin esetting smus tno tbe changed under
any circumstances. Furthermore, all specific
servic ewor kmus tbe carrie dout at regular
intervals and in accordance wit hth eMercedes -
Benz servic erequirements .Details can be found
in th eMaintenance Booklet .
ECO display
The ECOdisplay shows you how economical
your drivin gstyle is. The EC Odisplay assist syou
in achievin gth emost economical drivin gstyle
fo rth eselecte dsetting sand prevailin gcondi-
tions. Your drivin gstyle can significantly influ-
ence th evehicle' sconsumption .
:Acceleration
;Coasting
=Constant
?Additional range achieved
Range ?is shown under Bonus
fr.Startand
represents th eadditional range achieved since
th ebeginning of th ejourney as aresult of an
adapted drivin gstyle.
If th efue llevel has dropped into th ereserv e
range, th eReserv eFue l
messag eis shown in
th emultifunction display instead of range ?.
The 8 warnin glamp in th einstrumen tcluster
also lights up (
Ypage 325).
182Driving tips
Driving and parking
ity of your brakes at regular intervals. To do so,
depress the brake pedal firmly when driving at a
high speed. This improves the grip of the brake
pads.
You can find a description of Brake Assist (BAS)on (
Ypage 67) or of BAS PLUS on (Ypage 67).
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only have
brake pads/linings installed on your vehicle
which have been approved for Mercedes-Benz
vehicles or which correspond to an equivalent
quality standard. Brake pads/linings which have
not been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles
or which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use
brake fluid that has been specially approved for
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz, or which corre-
sponds to an equivalent quality standard. Brake
fluid which has not been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which is not of an
equivalent quality could affect your vehicle's
operating safety.
High-performance brake system
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
The high-performance brake system is designed
for heavy loads. This may lead to noise when
braking. This will depend on:
RSpeed
RBraking force
REnvironmental conditions, such as tempera-
ture and humidity
The wear of individual components of the brake
system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake
discs, depends on the individual driving style
and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a mile-
age that will be valid under all circumstances. An aggressive driving style will lead to high wear.
You can obtain further information about this
from your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after several
hundred kilometers of driving. Compensate for
this by applying greater force to the brake pedal.
Keep this in mind, and adapt your driving and
braking accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in correspond-
ingly high brake wear. Observe the #brake
wear warning lamp in the instrument cluster and
note any brake status messages in the multi-
function display. Especially for high perform- ance driving, it is important to maintain and have
the brake system checked regularly.
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth on
the road surface, there is a danger of hydro-
planing occurring, even if:
Ryou drive at low speeds.
Rthe tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or in
conditions in which hydroplaning may occur,
you must drive in the following manner:
Rlower your speed.
Ravoid ruts.
Ravoid sudden steering movements.
Rbrake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads
!Do not drive through flooded areas. Check
the depth of any water before driving through
it. Drive slowly through standing water. Oth-
erwise, water may enter the vehicle interior or
the engine compartment. This can damage
the electronic components in the engine or
the automatic transmission. Water can also
be drawn in by the engine's air suction nozzles
and this can cause engine damage.
iVehicles with the AIRMATIC package:
select the raised vehicle level before driving
through a body of water.
Off-road fording
!Under no circumstances should you accel-
erate before entering the water. The bow
wave could cause water to enter and damage
the engine and other assemblies.
!Do not open any of the vehicle's doors while
fording. Otherwise, water could get into the
vehicle interior and damage the vehicle's
electronics and interior equipment.
REstablish how deep the water is and the char-
acteristics of the body of water before ford-
ing.
RSelect the highest possible vehicle level.
Driving tips185
Driving and parking
Z
Observe the following rules when driving over
tree stumps, large stones and other obstacles:
RSelect theOffroaddrive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 237).
RSelect the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 237).
RSelect LOW RANGE offroad gear (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 239)
RRaise the vehicle level.
RAvoid high engine speeds.
RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
RDrive very slowly.
RDrive straight over the center of obstacles.
Traveling uphill
Approach/departure angle
GWARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is a risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle.
RObserve the rules on off-road driving.
RDo not drive at an angle on slopes, inclines orgradients, but instead follow the direct line of
fall.
RWhen driving down an incline, make use of the
engine's braking effect. Observe the engine
speed; do not overrev the engine.
RSelect the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
with Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 237).
RSelect the Offroaddrive program (vehicles
without Off-Road Engineering package)
(
Ypage 237).
RBefore driving on extreme uphill and downhill
gradients, select the LOW RANGE off-road
gear (vehicles with Off-Road Engineering
package) (
Ypage 239).
RDrive slowly.
RAvoid high engine speeds. Drive at appropri-
ate engine speeds (maximum 3,000 rpm).
RUse the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter to shift into a lower gear in good time
on long and steep downhill gradients.
RCheck the brakes after prolonged off-road
driving.
Hill start assist will aid you when pulling away on
a hill. For further information about hill start
assist, see (
Ypage 149).
Do not switch to transmission position Nwhen
driving off-road. If you try to brake the vehicle
using the service brake, you could lose control
of the vehicle. If the gradient is too steep for your vehicle, drive back down in reverse gear.
Always observe the approach/departure angle
values (
Ypage 443).
Maximum gradient-climbing capability
Always observe the maximum gradient climbing
ability values (Ypage 444).
Hilltops
When driving up an uphill gradient, slightly
reduce pressure on the accelerator immediately
before reaching the brow of the hill. Make use of
the vehicle's own impetus to travel over the
brow.
This style of driving prevents:
Rthe vehicle from lifting off the ground on the
brow of a hill
Rthe vehicle from traveling too quickly down
the other side
Driving downhill
RDrive slowly.
RDo not drive at an angle down steep inclines.
Steer into the line of fall and drive with the
front wheels aligned straight. Otherwise, the
vehicle could slip sideways, tip and rollover.
RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand pad-
dle shifter before tackling steep downhill gra-
dients.
RActivate DSR. If this is not sufficient, brake
gently. When doing so, make sure that the
vehicle is facing in the direction of the line of
fall.
RCheck that the brakes are working normally
after a long downhill stretch.
190Driving tips
Driving and parking