To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
Rthe electric parking brake must be applied.
Rthe transmission must be in positionPand
the transmission position display must
show Pin the multifunction display.
Rthe SmartKey must be removed from the
ignition lock.
Rthe front wheels must be turned towards
the curb on steep uphill or downhill gradi-
ents.
Switching off the engine
Important safety notes
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
XApply the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XWith the SmartKey:turn the SmartKey to
position 0in the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
7G-TRONIC: the key can only be removed if
the transmission is in position P.
XWith KEYLESS-GO:press the KEYLESS-
GO Start/Stop button (
Ypage 140).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
When the driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1. When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to
SmartKey position 0: "SmartKey removed". If you try to switch off the engine when the
transmission is not in position
P, a message
appears in the multifunction display. A signal
sounds.
Electric parking brake
General notes
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
Rstart the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
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 roll-
ing away.
XShift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion 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
function test at regular intervals while the
engine is switched off. The sounds that can
be heard while this is occurring are normal.
Parking161
Driving and parking
Z
unsure,pullover to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear inmind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers
a dist ance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) per
second.
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Observe the fol lowing tips to save fuel:
RThe tires should always beinflated to the
recommended tire pressure.
RRemove unnecessary loads.
RWarm up the engine at low engine speeds.
RAvoid frequent acceleration or braking.
RObserve the service intervals inthe Main-
tenance Booklet or inthe service interval
disp lay. Have all the maintenance work car-
ried inaccordance with Daimler AG regu-
lations.
Fuel consumption also increases when driv-
ing inco ldweather, instop-start traff icand in
hilly terrain.
Drinking and driving
GWARNIN G
Drinking and driving and/o rtaking drug sand
driving are ver ydangerous combinations.
Even asmal lamoun tof alcohol or drug scan
affect your reflexes, perception sand judg-
ment.
The possibilit yof aserious or eve nfatal acci-
den tis greatl yincreased when you drin kor
tak edrug sand drive.
Do no tdrin kor tak edrug sand driv eor allow
anyone to driv ewho has been drinkin gor tak -
ing drugs.
Emission control
GWARNIN G
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gase ssuc has carbon monoxide. Inhalin g
these exhaust gase sleads to poisoning .Ther e
is aris kof fatal injury. Therefore never leav e
theengin erunnin gin enclosed spaces with-
out sufficien tventilation .
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
theleve l ofpois onous components inexhaust
fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work at peak efficiency if
they are serviced exact ly inaccordance with
the manufacturer's specifications. All work
on the engine must becarried out only by
qualif ied and authorized Mercedes-Benz
technicians.
The engine settings must not bechanged
under any circumstances. Furthermore, all
specific service work must becarried out at
regular intervals and inaccordance with the
Mercedes-Benz service requirements. Detai ls
can befound inthe Maintenance Booklet.
ECO display
The ECO display provide s feedbac k on how
economical your driving characteristics are.
The ECO display assists you inachieving the
most economical driving style for the selec-
ted settings and prevailin g conditions. Your
driving style can significant lyinfluence the
vehicle's consumption.
The ECO display consists of three bars:
RAccel.
RConstant
RCoasting
The percent value isthe average value of the
three bars. The three bars and the mean value
begin at the value of 50 %.A higher percent-
age indicates a more economical driving
style.
164Driving tips
Driving and parking
The ECO display does not indicate the actual
fuel consumption. A fixed percentage count
in the ECO display does not indicate a fixed
consumption.
Apart from driving style, consumption is
dependent on many factors such as, e.g.:
Rload
Rtire pressure
Rcold start
Rchoice of route
Relectrical consumers switched on
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
The evaluation of your driving style is carried
out using the following three categories:
RAccel.(evaluation of all acceleration pro-
cesses):
-The bar fills up: moderate acceleration,
especially at higher speeds
-The bar empties: sporty acceleration
RConstant(assessment of driving behavior
at all times):
-The bar fills up: constant speed and
avoidance of unnecessary acceleration
and deceleration
-The bar empties: fluctuations in speed
RCoasting(assessment of all deceleration
processes):
-The bar fills up: anticipatory driving,
keeping your distance and early release
of the accelerator. The vehicle can coast
without use of the brakes.
-The bar empties: frequent braking
iAn economical driving style specially
requires driving at moderate engine
speeds.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
Acceleration
and Constant:
Robserve the gearshift recommendations.
Rdrive in drive program E.
iOn long journeys at a constant speed, e.g.
on the highway, only the bar for Constant
will change.
iThe ECO display summarizes the driving
characteristics from the start of the journey
to its completion. For this reason, the bars change dynamically at the beginning of the
journey. On longer journeys, there are
fewer changes. For more dynamic changes,
carry out a manual reset.
For more information on the ECO display, see
(
Ypage 198).
Brakes
Important safety notes
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.
Downhill gradients
!On long, steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes. To use
engine braking, shift to a lower gear in good
time. This helps you to avoid overheating
the brakes and wearing them out exces-
sively.
When making use of the engine braking
effect, it is possible that a drive wheel may
not turn for some time, e.g. in the case of
suddenly changing or slippery road surface
conditions. This could cause damage to the
drive train. This type of damage is not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is espe-
cially important if the vehicle is laden.
This also applies if you have activated cruise
control, SPEEDTRONIC or DISTRONIC PLUS.
Driving tips165
Driving and parking
Z
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first
time. This may also occur after the vehicle has been washed or driven through deep water.
You then have to depress the brake pedal
more firmly. Maintain a greater distance from
the vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi- cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm up
the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt
residue may form on the brake discs and
brake pads. This can result in a significantly
longer braking distance.
RBrake occasionally to remove any possible
salt residue. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
!The brake fluid level may be too low, if:
Rif the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and
Ryou hear a warning tone while the engine
is running
Observe additional warning messages in
the multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immedi-
ately. Consult a qualified specialist work-
shop to arrange this.
!As the ESP®system operates automati-
cally, the engine and the ignition must be
switched off (SmartKey in position 0or 1in
the ignition lock) if the electric parking
brake is being tested on a brake dynamom-
eter (maximum 10 seconds).
Braking triggered automatically by ESP
®
may seriously damage the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the function-
ality of your brakes at regular intervals.
Information on BAS (Brake Assist)
(
Ypage 62).
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
166Driving tips
Driving and parking
pads/linings which have not been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which are not
of an equivalent quality could affect your vehi-
cle'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 corresponds 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 and ceramic brake
system (Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
The high-performance brake system is only
available on Mercedes-AMG vehicles.
The AMG brake systems are designed for
heavy loads. This may lead to noise when
braking. This will depend on:
RSpeed
RBraking force
RAmbient conditions, e.g. temperature and
humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake discs, depends on the individual driv-
ing style and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a
mileage that will be valid under all circum-
stances. An aggressive driving style will lead
to high wear. You can obtain more informa-
tion on this from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after sev-
eral hundred kilometers of driving. Compen-
sate 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 corre-
spondingly high brake wear. Observe the
brake system warning lamp in the instrument
cluster and note any brake status messages in the multifunction display. Especially for
high performance 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
hydroplaning 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. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic compo-
nents in the engine or the automatic trans-
mission. Water can also be drawn in by the
engine's air suction nozzles and this can
cause engine damage.
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.
Driving tips167
Driving and parking
Z
Cruise control lever
Cruisecontrol leve r
:
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
;To store the current speed or call up the
last stored speed
=To store the current speed or a lower
speed
?To deactivate cruise control
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the status indicator of the
multifunction display:
RUSA only: e.g. CRUISE 55 Miles
RCanada only: e.g. ¯90 Km/h
Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed
Storing and maintaining a speed
XAccelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.
XBriefly press the cruise control lever up :
or down ?.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle
automatically maintains the stored speed.
You can store the current speed if you are
driving faster than 20 mph (30 km/h).
iCruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the stored speed on downhill gradients by
automatically applying the brakes.
iVehicles with manual transmission:
RAlways drive at adequate, but not exces-
sive, engine speeds.
RChange gear in good time.
RIf possible, do not shift down several
gears at a time.
Storing or calling up a speed
GWARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle acceler-
ates or decelerates. If you do not know the
stored speed, the vehicle could accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you
do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever toward
you =.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the current speed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously
stored speed.
Setting a speed
GWARNING
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration
of the vehicle could cause an accident and/or
serious injury to you and others.
XTo adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments): briefly
Driving systems169
Driving and parking
Z
the pressure point for a higher speed, or
down?for a lower speed.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up or down, the last speed stored
is increased or reduced.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
iIf you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC
PLUSPassivemes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
The set distance to a slower-moving vehicle
in front will then not be maintained. You will
be driving at the speed you determine by
the position of the accelerator pedal.
You can also activate DISTRONIC PLUS when
stationary. The lowest speed that can be set is
30 km/h.
Pulling away and driving
The vehicle can also pull away when it is
facing an unidentified obstacle or is driving on
a different line from another vehicle. The vehi-
cle then brakes automatically. Be ready to
brake at all times.
If you depress the brake, DISTRONIC PLUS is
deactivated unless your vehicle is stationary.
XIf you want to pull away with
DISTRONIC PLUS: remove your foot from
the brake pedal.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards you =.
or
XAccelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
If no vehicle is detected in front, your vehi-
cle accelerates to the set speed.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in
fro nt h
as slowed down, it brakes your vehicle. In this way, the distance you have selected is
maintained.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a faster-moving
vehicle in front, it increases the driving speed. The vehicle is only accelerated up to the
speed you have stored.
Selecting the drive program
DISTRONIC Plus supports a sporty driving
style when you have selected the Sor Mdriv-
ing program (
Ypage 152). Acceleration
behind the vehicle in front or to the set speed
is then noticeably more dynamic. If you have
selected the E(AMG vehicles: C) drive pro-
gram, the vehicle accelerates more gently.
This setting is recommended in stop-and-
start traffic.
Changing lanes
If you wish to move into the overtaking lane
(for left-hand-drive vehicles, the passing lane
is the left-hand lane), DISTRONIC PLUS
assists you if:
Ryou are driving faster than 70 km/h
RDISTRONIC PLUS is maintaining the dis-
tance to a vehicle in front
Ryou switch on the appropriate turn signal
RDISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger
of collision
If these conditions are fulfilled, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupte d
i
f changing lanes takes too long or if the dis-
tance between your vehicle and the vehicle in
front becomes too small.
Stopping
GWARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if:
Rthere is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
RDISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant or from outside the vehicle.
Driving system s173
Driving an d parking
Z
Rthe electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
Rthe battery is disconnected.
Rthe accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
Deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS (Ypage 176).
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in
front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it
is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake. After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.
Depending on the specified minimum dis-
tance, your vehicle will come to a standstill at
a sufficient distance behind the vehicle in
front. The specified minimum distance is set
using the control on the cruise control lever.
Vehicles with 7G-TRONIC:
The electric parking brake automatically
secures the vehicle if DISTRONIC PLUS is
activated and:
Rthe driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
Rthe engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
maticall y s
witched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
Rthe hood is opened.
Ra system malfunction occurs.
Rthe power supply is not sufficient.
If there is a malfunction in the vehicle elec-
tronics, a warning message may also appear
in the multifunction display.
Brake Immediately
XImmediately depress the brake firmly until
the warning message in the multifunction display goes out. DISTRONIC PLUS is deac-
tivated.
Vehicles with 7G-TRONIC: Shift to 'P'
XShift the transmission to position Pto pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling away.
DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated. The warn-
ing message in the multifunction display
disappears.
The horn will also sound at regular intervals if
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated and you:
Rswitch the engine off, open the driver's
door and remove your seat belt.
Ropen the hood
The sounding of the horn alerts you to the fact
that the vehicle has been parked while
DISTRONIC PLUS is still activated. The sound becomes louder if you attempt to lock the
vehicle. The vehicle is not locked until
DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
iIf the engine has been switched off, it
cannot be started again until DISTRONIC
PLUS has been deactivated.
Vehicles with 9G‑TRONIC:
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, the
transmission is shifted automatically to posi-
tion Pif:
Rthe driver's seat belt is not fastened and the
driver's door is open.
Rthe engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle automatically if DISTRONIC PLUS is activated
when the vehicle is stationary and:
Ra system malfunction occurs.
Rthe power supply is not sufficient.
If a malfunction in the electric parking brake
occurs, then the transmission may also be
shifted into position Pautomatically.
174Driving system s
Driving an d parking