Driving and operating163Driving and
operatingDriving hints ............................... 164
Control of the vehicle ...............164
Steering ................................... 164
Starting and operating ...............164
New vehicle running-in ............164
Ignition switch positions ...........165
Retained power off ..................165
Starting the engine ..................165
Overrun cut-off ........................ 166
Stop-start system ....................166
Parking .................................... 168
Engine exhaust .......................... 169
Diesel particle filter ..................169
Catalytic converter ...................170
Automatic transmission ..............171
Transmission display ...............171
Selector lever .......................... 172
Manual mode ........................... 173
Electronic driving programmes 173
Fault ........................................ 173
Interruption of power supply ....174
Manual transmission ..................175Brakes........................................ 175
Antilock brake system .............175
Parking brake .......................... 176
Brake assist ............................. 178
Hill start assist ......................... 178
Ride control systems .................178
Traction Control system ..........178
Electronic Stability Control ......179
Interactive driving system ........180
Driver assistance systems .........183
Cruise control .......................... 183
Speed limiter ........................... 185
Adaptive cruise control ............186
Forward collision alert .............193
Following distance indication ...196
Active Emergency Braking ......196
Parking assist .......................... 198
Side blind spot alert .................206
Rear view camera ...................207
Traffic sign assistant ................209
Lane departure warning ..........212
Fuel ............................................ 213
Fuel for petrol engines .............213
Fuel for diesel engines ............213
Fuel for liquid gas operation ....214
Refuelling ................................ 215
Fuel consumption - CO 2-
Emissions .............................. 219Trailer hitch................................ 219
General information .................219
Driving characteristics and towing tips .............................. 220
Trailer towing ........................... 220
Towing equipment ...................221
Trailer stability assist ...............224
168Driving and operatingThe engine start is indicated by the
needle at the idle speed position in
the tachometer.
If the selector lever is shifted out of
neutral before depressing the clutch
first, control indicator - illuminates
or is shown as a symbol in the Driver Information Centre (DIC).
Control indicator - 3 113.
Restart of the engine by the stop- start system
The selector lever must be in neutral to enable an automatic restart.
If one of the following conditions occurs during an Autostop, the
engine will be restarted automatically by the stop-start system:
● The stop-start system is manually deactivated.
● The bonnet is opened.
● The driver's seat belt is unfastened and the driver's door
is opened.
● The engine temperature is too low.● The charging level of the vehiclebattery is below a defined level.
● The brake vacuum is not sufficient.
● The vehicle is driven at least at walking speed.
● The climate control system requests an engine start.
● The air conditioning is manually switched on.
If the bonnet is not fully closed, a warning message is displayed in the
DIC.
If an electric accessory, e.g. a
portable CD player, is connected to
the power outlet, a brief power drop during restart might be noticeable.
Parking9 Warning
● Do not park the vehicle on an
easily ignitable surface. The
high temperature of the
exhaust system could ignite the
surface.
● Always apply the parking brake. Activate the manual
parking brake without pressing the release button. Apply as
firmly as possible on a downhill slope or uphill slope. Depress
foot brake at the same time to
reduce operating force.
For vehicles with electric
parking brake, pull switch m for
approx. one second.
The electric parking brake is applied when control indicator
m illuminates 3 113.
● Switch off the engine.
● If the vehicle is on a level surface or uphill slope, engage
first gear or set the selector
lever to position P before
removing the ignition key. On
an uphill slope, turn the front
wheels away from the kerb.
If the vehicle is on a downhill
slope, engage reverse gear or
set the selector lever to position
P before removing the ignition
170Driving and operatingneeds between 7 and 12 minutes.
Autostop is not available and fuel
consumption may be higher during
this period. The emission of smells
and smoke during this process is
normal.
Under certain driving conditions, e.g.
short distances, the system cannot
clean itself automatically.
If the cleaning of the filter is required
and if previous driving conditions did
not enable automatic cleaning, it will
be indicated by control indicator %.
Simultaneously Diesel partic. filter is
full continue driving or warning
code 55 appears in the Driver
Information Centre (DIC).
% illuminates when diesel particle
filter is full. Start cleaning process as
soon as possible.
% flashes when diesel particle filter
has reached the maximum filling
level. Start cleaning process
immediately to avoid damage to the
engine.
Cleaning process To activate cleaning process,
continue driving, keep engine speed
above 2000 revolutions per minute.
Shift down if necessary. Diesel
particle filter cleaning is then started.
If control indicator g illuminates
additionally, cleaning is not possible,
seek the assistance of a workshop.Caution
If the cleaning process is
interrupted, there is a risk of
provoking severe engine damage.
Cleaning takes place quickest at high engine speeds and loads.
The control indicator % extinguishes
as soon as the self-cleaning
operation is complete.
Catalytic converter
The catalytic converter reduces the
amount of harmful substances in the
exhaust gases.Caution
Fuel grades other than those listed on pages 3 213, 3 293 could
damage the catalytic converter or
electronic components.
Unburnt petrol will overheat and
damage the catalytic converter.
Therefore avoid excessive use of the starter, running the fuel tank
dry and starting the engine by
pushing or towing.
In the event of misfiring, uneven
engine running, a reduction in engine
performance or other unusual
problems, have the cause of the fault
rectified by a workshop as soon as
possible. In an emergency, driving
176Driving and operatingABS starts to regulate brake pressureas soon as a wheel shows a tendency to lock. The vehicle remains
steerable, even during hard braking.
ABS control is made apparent
through a pulse in the brake pedal
and the noise of the regulation
process.
For optimum braking, keep the brake
pedal fully depressed throughout the
braking process, despite the fact that
the pedal is pulsating. Do not reduce
the pressure on the pedal.
After starting off the system performs
a self-test which may be audible.
Control indicator u 3 114.
Adaptive brake light
During full braking, all three brake
lights flash for the duration of ABS
control.Fault9 Warning
If there is a fault in the ABS, the
wheels may be liable to lock due
to braking that is heavier than
normal. The advantages of ABS are no longer available. During
hard braking, the vehicle can no longer be steered and may
swerve.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Parking brake
Manual parking brake9 Warning
Always apply parking brake firmly
without operating the release
button, and apply as firmly as
possible on a downhill or uphill
slope.
To release the parking brake, pull
the lever up slightly, press the
release button and fully lower the
lever.
Driving and operating177To reduce the operating forces ofthe parking brake, depress the
foot brake at the same time.
Control indicator R 3 113.
Electric parking brake
Applying when vehicle is stationary
9 Warning
Pull switch m for approx.
one second, the electric parking
brake operates automatically with
adequate force. For maximum
force, e.g. parking with trailer or on
inclines, pull switch m twice.
The electric parking brake is
applied when control indicator m
illuminates 3 113.
The electric parking brake can always
be activated, even if the ignition is off.
Do not operate electric parking brake
system too often without engine
running, as this will discharge the
vehicle battery.
Before leaving the vehicle, check the electric parking brake status. Control
indicator m 3 113.
Releasing
Switch on ignition. Keep brake pedal
depressed and then push switch m.
Drive away function
Depressing clutch pedal (manual
transmission) or engaging drive gear
(automatic transmission) and then
depressing the accelerator pedal
releases the electric parking brake
automatically. This is not possible
when the switch is pulled at the same
time.
This function also helps driving away
on inclines.
Aggressive drive away may reduce
life time of wear parts.
Dynamic braking when vehicle is
moving
When the vehicle is moving and the
switch m is kept pulled, the electric
parking brake system will decelerate the vehicle, but will not apply
statically.
As soon as the switch m is released,
dynamic braking will be stopped.
Fault
Failure mode of electric parking brake
is indicated by control indicator j and
by a code number or a vehicle
message which is displayed in the
Driver Information Centre (DIC).
Vehicle messages 3 124.
Driving and operating1799Warning
Do not let this special safety
feature tempt you into taking risks
when driving.
Adapt speed to the road
conditions.
Control indicator b 3 115.
Deactivation
TC can be switched off when spinning of drive wheels is required:
press b briefly to deactivate TC, k
illuminates. Deactivation is displayed
as status message in the Driver
Information Centre (DIC).
TC is reactivated by pressing b
again.
TC is also reactivated the next time
the ignition is switched on.
Electronic Stability Control
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
improves driving stability when
necessary, regardless of the type of
road surface or tyre grip. It also
prevents the drive wheels from
spinning. ESC operates in
combination with the Traction Control system (TC) 3 178.
As soon as the vehicle starts to
swerve (understeer/oversteer),
engine output is reduced and the
wheels are braked individually. This
considerably improves the driving
stability of the vehicle on slippery road
surfaces.
ESC is operational after each engine
start as soon as the control indicator
b extinguishes.When ESC operates b flashes.9 Warning
Do not let this special safety
feature tempt you into taking risks
when driving.
Adapt speed to the road
conditions.
Control indicator b 3 115.
Deactivation
Driving and operating183NORMAL mode
In NORMAL mode, when neither
SPORT nor VXR is pressed, all
settings of the systems are adapted
to standard values.
SPORT mode
The settings of the systems are
adapted to a sportier driving style.
VXR mode
The drive dynamic characteristics are
adapted to high performance
settings.
In this mode, the illumination of main
instruments is switched to red.
Personalised settings in the VXR
mode
The driver can select the functions of
the VXR mode when VXR is pressed.
These settings can be changed in the Settings menu in the Info-Display.
Vehicle personalisation 3 130.Driver assistance
systems9 Warning
Driver assistance systems are
developed to support the driver
and not to replace the driver's
attention.
The driver accepts full
responsibility when driving the
vehicle.
When using driver assistance
systems, always take care
regarding the current traffic
situation.
Cruise control
The Cruise control can store and
maintain speeds of approx. 20 to
120 mph. Deviations from the stored
speeds may occur when driving uphill or downhill.
For safety reasons, the cruise control cannot be activated until the foot
brake has been operated once.
Activating in first gear is not possible.
Do not use the cruise control if it is not advisable to maintain a constant
speed.
With automatic transmission, only activate cruise control in automatic
mode.
Control indicator m 3 117.
Switching on
Press m; control indicator m in
instrument cluster illuminates white.
Activation Accelerate to the desired speed and
turn thumb wheel to SET/-; the
current speed is stored and
Driving and operating187Adaptive cruise control uses a radar
sensor to detect the vehicles ahead.
If no vehicle is detected in the driving
path, the adaptive cruise control will
behave like a traditional cruise
control.
For safety reasons, the system
cannot be activated before the brake
pedal has been depressed once
since switching on ignition. Activation
in first gear is not possible.
Adaptive cruise control is mainly
advised to be used on long straight
roads, e.g. highways or country roads
with steady traffic. Do not use the
system if it is not advisable to
maintain a constant speed.
Control indicator A 3 118, m 3 117.9 Warning
The complete driver attention is
always required while driving with adaptive cruise control. The driver
stays fully in control of the vehicle
because the brake pedal, the
accelerator pedal and the cancel
switch have priority over any
adaptive cruise control operation.
Switching on
Press C to switch on adaptive cruise
control. The control indicator m
illuminates white.
Activation by setting the speed
Adaptive cruise control can be
activated between 31 mph and
112 mph.
Accelerate to the desired speed and
turn thumb wheel to SET/-, the
current speed is stored and
maintained. Control indicator m
illuminates green.
The adaptive cruise control symbol,
the following distance setting and set
speed are indicated in the top line of
the Driver Information Centre (DIC).
The accelerator pedal can be
released. Adaptive cruise control
remains activated while gearshifting.
Overriding set speedIt is always possible to drive faster
than the selected set speed by
depressing the accelerator pedal.
When the accelerator pedal is
released, the vehicle returns to the
desired distance if a slower vehicle is
ahead. Otherwise it returns to the
stored speed.