Defrosting thewindows
Windows fogged up on th einside
XActivat eth e¿ orÁ coolin gwit hair
dehumidification function .
XActivateautomatic mode Ã.
XIf thewindows continue to fo gup, activat eth e
"windshield defrosting" function
(
Ypage 136).
iYou should only selec tthis setting until th e
windshield is clear again .
Windows fogged up on th eoutsid e
XActivat eth ewindshield wipers .
XPress the_ buttonrepeatedly until th e
P orO symbol appears in th edisplay.
iYou should only selec tthis setting until th e
windshield is clear again .
iIf you clean thewindows regularly, they do
no tfo gup so quickly.
Rea rwindow defroster
General notes
The rea rwindow defroster has ahig hcurren t
draw. You should therefore switch it of fas soo n
as th erea rwindow is clear .Otherwise ,th erea r
window defroster switches of fautomatically
after severa lminutes.
If th ebattery voltage is to olow, th erea rwindow
defroster may switch off.
Switchin gon/of f
XTurnth eSmartKey to position 2in th eignition
loc k (Ypage 145).
XPress th e¤ button.
The indicator lamp in th e¤ buttonlights
up or goe sout .
Operating the climate control systems137
Climate control
Problems with the rear window defroster
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The rear window
defroster has deactiva-
ted prematurely or can-
not be activated.The battery has not been sufficiently charged.
XSwitch off any consumers that are not required, e.g. reading lamps,
interior lighting or the seat heating.
When the battery is sufficiently charged, the rear window defroster
can be activated again.
Switching air-recirculation mode
on/off
General notes
You can deactivate the flow of fresh air if
unpleasant odors are entering the vehicle from
outside. The air already inside the vehicle will
then be recirculated.
If you switch on air-recirculation mode, the win-
dows can fog up more quickly, in particular at
low temperatures. Only use air-recirculation
mode briefly to prevent the windows from fog-
ging up.
Switching on/off
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock (Ypage 145).
XTo activate: press thedbutton.
The indicator lamp in the dbutton lights
up.
iIn the event of high pollution levels (3-zone
automatic climate control only) or at high out-
side temperatures, air-recirculation mode is
automatically activated. When air-recircula-
tion mode is activated automatically, the indi-
cator lamp in the dbutton is not lit.
Outside air is added after about 30 minutes.
XTo deactivate: press thedbutton.
The indicator lamp in the dbutton goes
out.
iAir-recirculation mode deactivates auto-
matically:
Rafter approximately five minutes at outside
temperatures below approximately 41 ‡
(5 †)
Rafter approximately five minutes if cooling
with air dehumidification is deactivated
Rafter approximately 30 minutes at outside
temperatures above approximately 41 ‡ (5 †) if the "Cooling with air dehumidifi-
cation" function is activated
Switching the residual heat on or off
General notes
The residual heat function is only available on
vehicles for Canada.
It is possible to make use of the residual heat of
the engine to continue heating the stationary
vehicle for up to 30 minutesafter the engine has
been switched off. The heating time depends on
the set interior temperature.
Switching on/off
XTo activate: press theÌorÁ button.
The indicator lamp in the ÌorÁ button
lights up.
iThe blower will run at a low speed regardless
of the airflow setting.
iIf you activate the residual heat function at
high temperatures, only the ventilation will be
activated. The blower runs at medium speed.
XTo deactivate: press theÌorÁ but-
ton.
The indicator lamp in the ÌorÁ button
goes out.
Residual heat is deactivated automatically:
Rafter approximately 30 minutes
Rwhen the ignition is switched on
Rif the battery voltage drops
Ionization
Ionization is used to purify the air in the vehicle
interior and attain an improved interior climate.
138Operating the climate control systems
Climate control
Setting the center air vents
:Center air vent, left
;Center air vent, right
=Center vent thumbwheel, right
?Center vent thumbwheel, left
XTo open or close:turn thumbwheels=
and ?to the left or right.
Setting the side air vents
:Side window defroster vent
;Side air vent
=Thumbwheel for side air vent
XTo open or close: turn thumbwheel=up or
down.
Setting the glove box air vent
!
Close the air vent when heating the vehicle.
At high outside temperatures, open the air
vent and activate the "cooling with air dehu-
midification" function. Otherwise, tempera-
ture-sensitive items stored in the glove box
could be damaged.
:Air vent control
;Air vent
When the climate control system is activated,
the glove box can be ventilated, for instance to
cool its contents. The level of airflow depends on the airflow and air distribution settings.
XTo open or close: turn thumbwheel:to the
right or left.
Setting the rear-compartment air
vents
Setting the center vents in the rear com-
partment
Example: center vents with rear control panel
:
Rear-compartment air vent thumbwheel
;Rear-compartment air vent, right
=Rear control panel
?Rear-compartment air vent, left
XTo open or close: turn thumbwheel:up or
down.
142Setting the air vents
Climate control
iVehicles with a diesel engine:you can
start the engine without preglow if the engine
is warm.
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 independently of the ECO
start/stop automatic engine start function.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XPress the Start/Stop button once
(Ypage 146).
Vehicles with a gasoline engine: the engine
starts.
Vehicles with a diesel engine: preglow is
activated and the engine starts.
Starting procedure via smartphone
Observe the important safety notes on starting
the engine (Ypage 147).
You can also start your engine via your smart-
phone from outside the vehicle. In this case, the
previously selected climate control setting is
activated. In this way you can cool or heat the
interior of the vehicle before starting the jour-
ney.
Only start the engine via your smartphone if it is
safe to start and run the engine where your vehi-
cle is parked.
Observe the legal stipulations in the area where your vehicle is parked. Engine start via smart-
phone may be limited to certain countries or
regions.
You can execute a maximum of two consecutive
starting attempts via your smartphone. If you
insert the key into the ignition lock, you can
carry out two more starting attempts.
Once you have started the engine, you can
switch the engine off via your smartphone at any
time.
You can only start the engine via your smart-
phone if:
Rthe key is in the ignition lock
Rpark position Pis selected
Rthe accelerator pedal is not depressed
Rthe anti-theft alarm system is not activated
Rthe panic alarm is not activated
Rthe hazard warning lamps are switched off
Rthe hood is closed.
Rthe doors are closed and locked
Rthe windows and sliding sunroof are closed
Also make sure that:
Rthe fuel tank is sufficiently filled
Rthe starter battery is sufficiently charged
GWARNING
Limbs could be crushed or trapped if the
engine is started unintentionally during ser-
vice or maintenance work. There is a risk of
injury.
Always secure the engine against uninten-
tional starting before carrying out mainte-
nance or repair work.
Make sure that the engine cannot be started via
your smartphone before carrying out mainte-
nance or repairs. You can prevent an engine
start via your smartphone, for example, if you:
Rswitch on the hazard warning lamps
Rdo not lock the doors
Ropen the hood
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 pulling
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 275).
148Driving
Driving and parking
RShift to a lower gear using the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
RAvoid high engine speeds.
REnter and exit the water at a flat place and at
a steady walking pace.
RDrive slowly and at an even speed through the
water.
REnsure that a bow wave does not form as you
drive.
RDo not stop and do not switch off the engine.
Water offers a high degree of resistance, and
the ground is slippery and in some cases
unstable. Therefore, it is difficult and danger-
ous to pull away in the water.
RClean any mud from the tire tread after ford-
ing.
RApply the brakes to dry them after fording.
Always observe the fording depth values
(
Ypage 442).
Winter driving
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
GDANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a
window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter. Drive particularly carefully on slippery road sur-
faces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use the cruise con-
trol or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position
N.
When driving in snow with or without snow
chains, select driving program Slippery
(
Ypage 152).
iVehicles with a diesel engine: do not
cover the radiator, e.g. with a protective
cover. The measuring function of the on-
board diagnosis system may otherwise pro-
vide inaccurate values. Some of these values
are required by law and must therefore always
be accurate.
The outside temperature indicator is no
t
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on bridges. You should pay
special attention to road conditions when tem-
peratures are around the freezing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (
Ypage 390).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (
Ypage 389).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec- tion (
Ypage 389).
Off-road driving
Important safety notes
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.
186Driving tips
Driving and parking
Observe the following notes:
RStop the vehicle before starting to drive along
an off-road route. If necessary, select the off-
road program (
Ypage 237) or shift to the
LOW RANGE off-road gear (Ypage 239).
RSelect a vehicle level that is suitable for the
terrain. To avoid damaging the vehicle, make
sure there is always sufficient ground clear-
ance.
RCheck that items of luggage and loads are
stowed safely and are well secured
(
Ypage 333).
RAlways keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a downhill gradient. Activate
DSR (
Ypage 236).
RAlways keep the engine running and in gear
when driving on a slope.
RAdapt your speed to the terrain. The rougher,
steeper or more ruts on the terrain, the slower
your speed should be.
RDo not jump with the vehicle as this will inter- rupt the vehicle's propulsion.
RDrive with extreme care on unfamiliar off-road
routes where visibility is poor. For safety rea-
sons, get out of the vehicle first and survey
the off-road route.
RLook out for obstacles, such as rocks, holes,
tree stumps and furrows.
RAlways keep the doors, the tailgate, the side
windows and the sliding sunroof closed whilethe vehicle is in motion.
RDo not shift the automatic transmission to
transmission position N.
RObserve the notes on off-road fording
(Ypage 185).
iDo not use the HOLD function when driving
off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gradients
or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD
function cannot hold the vehicle on such sur-
faces.
Checklist before driving off-road
!If the engine oil warning lamp lights up while
the vehicle is in motion, stop the vehicle in a
safe place as soon as possible. Check the
engine oil level. The engine oil warning lamp
warning must not be ignored. Continuing the
journey while the symbol is displayed could
lead to engine damage.
XEngine oil level: check the engine oil level
and add oil if necessary.
When driving on steep gradients, the engine
oil level must be sufficiently high to ensure a
correct oil supply in the vehicle.
XDEF tank (BlueTEC vehicles): check the
level and add if necessary (Ypage 167).
XTire-changing tool kit: check that the jack is
working and make sure you have the lug
wrench, a robust tow cable and a folding
spade in the vehicle.
XWheels and tires: check the tire tread depth
and tire pressure.
XCheck for damage and remove any foreign
objects, e.g. small stones, from the wheels/
tires.
XReplace any missing valve caps.
XReplace dented or damaged wheels.
XRims: dented or bent rims can result in a loss
of tire pressure and damage the tire bead.
Before driving off-road, check the wheels and replace them if necessary.
Checklist after driving off-road
!If you detect damage to the vehicle after
driving off-road, have the vehicle checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Driving over rough terrain places greater
demands on your vehicle than driving on normal
roads. After driving off-road, check the vehicle.
This allows you to detect damage promptly and
reduce the risk of an accident to yourself and
other road users.
XIf the Offroad orOffroad Plus drive program
is selected: select the Individual,Sport,
Comfort orSlippery drive program
(
Ypage 152).
XDeactivate the LOW RANGE off-road gear
(Ypage 239).
XDeactivate DSR (Ypage 236).
XLower the vehicle level again to a level suita-
ble to the road conditions, e.g. to the normal
level.
XClean the headlamps and rear lights and
check for damage.
XClean the front and rear license plates.
XClean the wheels and tires with a water jet
and remove any foreign objects.
188Driving tips
Driving and parking
RIf possible, do not brake suddenly, but insteaddepress 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-
neath the vehicle being trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
Make sure that nobody is in the immediate
vicinity of the wheel housings or under the
vehicle when you disconnect the trailer cable.
!Do not disconnect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your vehicle could
be damaged by the rebounding of the overrun brake.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XApply the vehicle's electric parking brake.
XStart the engine.
XClose the doors and tailgate.
XApply the trailer's parking brake.
XDetach the trailer cable and decouple the
trailer.
XSwitch off the engine.
Permissible trailer loads and drawbar
loads
Weight specifications
Maximum allowable gross mass
The gross vehicle weight of the trailer is calcu-
lated by adding the weight of the trailer to the
weight of the load and equipment on the trailer. You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (
Ypage 444).
Permissible noseweight
You will find installing dimensions and loads
under "Technical data" (Ypage 444).
Loading a trailer
RWhen loading the trailer, make sure that nei-
ther the permissible gross weight of the trailer
nor the gross vehicle weight are exceeded.
The permissible gross vehicle weight is indi-
cated on the identification plate located on
the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle.
You can find the maximum permissible values
on the type plates of your vehicle and the
trailer. When calculating how much weight
Towing a trailer261
Driving and parking
Z
XIf only one telephone number is stored for
a name:press the 6ora button to
start dialing.
or
XIf there is more than one number for a
particular name: press the6ora
button to display the numbers.
XPress the 9or: button to select the
number you want to dial.
XPress the 6ora button to start dialing.
or
XTo exit the telephone book: press the~
or % button.
Redialing
The on-board computer saves the last names or
numbers dialed in the redial memory.
XPress the =or; button on the steering
wheel to select the Telmenu.
XPress the6button to switch to the redial
memory.
XPress the 9or: button to select the
desired name or number.
XPress the 6ora button to start dialing.
or
XTo exit the redial memory: press the~
or % button.
Assistance menu
Introduction
Depending on the equipment installed in the
vehicle, you have the following options in the
DriveAssist
menu:
RDisplaying the assistance graphic
(Ypage 271)
RActivating/deactivating Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot (Ypage 272)
RActivating/deactivating PRE-SAFE®Brake
(Ypage 272)
RActivating/deactivating COLLISION PREVEN-
TION ASSIST PLUS (Ypage 272)
RActivating/deactivating ATTENTION ASSIST
(Ypage 272)
RActivating/deactivating Blind Spot Assist or
Active Blind Spot Assist (Ypage 272)
RActivating/deactivating Lane Keeping Assist
or Active Lane Keeping Assist (Ypage 272)
Displaying the assistance graphic
XPress the =or; button on the steering
wheel to select the DriveAssistmenu.
XPress9or: to select AssistanceGraphic.
XConfirm by pressing aon the steering
wheel.
The multifunction display shows the
DISTRONIC PLUS distance display in the
assistance graphic.
The assistance graphic displays the status of
and information from the following driving
systems or driving safety systems:
RTraffic Sign Assist (Ypage 226)
RDISTRONIC PLUS (Ypage 193)
RPRE-SAFE®Brake (Ypage 74)
RCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(Ypage 69)
RATTENTION ASSIST (Ypage 224)
RLane Keeping Assist (Ypage 229) or Active
Lane Keeping Assist (Ypage 233)
RDSR (Ypage 236)
ROff-road program (vehicles with Off-Road
Engineering package) (Ypage 237)
RRear window wiper (Ypage 122)
XPress :to display the ATTENTION ASSIST
assessment.
Menus and submenus271
On-board computer and displays
Z