Driving and operating151Ride control systems
Traction Control system The Traction Control system (TC) is a
component of the Electronic Stability
Control (ESC).
TC improves driving stability when
necessary, regardless of the type of
road surface or tyre grip, by
preventing the drive wheels from
spinning.
As soon as the drive wheels start to
spin, engine output is reduced and
the wheel spinning the most is braked
individually. This considerably
improves the driving stability of the
vehicle on slippery road surfaces.
TC is operational after each engine
start as soon as the control indicator
b extinguishes.
When TC 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.
Deactivation
TC can be switched off when spinning of drive wheels is required: press b
briefly.
A status message appears in the
Driver Information Centre when TC is
deactivated.
Control indicator k illuminates.
When TC is deactivated, ESC
remains active but with higher control threshold.
TC is reactivated by pressing b
again. A status message pops-up in
the Driver Information Centre when
TC is reactivated.
TC is also reactivated the next time
the ignition is switched on.
Fault
If there is a fault in the system the
control indicator b illuminates
continuously and a message or a
warning code appears in the Driver
Information Centre. The system is not operational.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
152Driving and operatingElectronic Stability Control
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
improves driving stability when
necessary, regardless of the type of
road surface or tyre grip.
As soon as the vehicle starts to
swerve (understeer/oversteer),
engine output is reduced and the wheels are braked individually.
ESC operates in combination with the Traction Control system (TC). It
prevents the drive wheels from
spinning.
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 94.
Deactivation
ESC and TC can be deactivated: ● press and hold b for a minimum
of five seconds: ESC and TC are
both deactivated. k and n
illuminate and status messages
appear in the Driver Information
Centre.
● To deactivate only Traction control system, press b briefly:
TC is inactive but ESC remains
active with higher control
threshold, k illuminates. A status
message appears in the Driver Information Centre when TC isdeactivated.
ESC is reactivated by pressing the
b button again. If the TC system was
previously disabled, both TC and
ESC are reactivated. k and n
extinguish when TC and ESC are
reactivated.
ESC is also reactivated the next time
the ignition is switched on.
Driving and operating153Fault
If there is a fault in the system, the control indicator b illuminates
continuously and a message or a
warning code appears in the Driver
Information Centre. The system is not operational.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
City mode City mode is a feature which enables
increased steering assistance during
lower speed conditions, e.g. city
traffic or parking. Steering assistance
is increased for greater convenience.Activation
Press B when engine is running. The
system works from standstill up to
35 km/h, and also in reverse gear. Above this speed, the system
changes to normal mode. When
activated, City mode engages
automatically below 35 km/h.
An illuminated LED in the City mode
button indicates that the system is
active and a message pops-up in the
Driver Information Centre.
City mode remains active during an
Autostop, but is only operational when the engine is running.
Stop-start system 3 136.
Deactivation
Press B; LED in the button
extinguishes and a message pops-up in the Driver Information Centre.
Each time the engine is started, City
mode is deactivated.
Fault
In the event of a fault in the system,
control indicator c illuminates and a
message is displayed in the Driver
Information Centre.
Vehicle messages 3 103.
System calibration
If control indicators c and b
illuminate simultaneously, a
calibration of the power steering
system is necessary. This can occur
e.g. when turning the steering wheel
for one rotation with ignition switched
Driving and operating155Switching 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
maintained. Control indicator m in
instrument cluster illuminates green. Set speed is indicated on the display.
Accelerator pedal can be released.
Vehicle speed can be increased by
depressing the accelerator pedal. When the accelerator pedal is
released, the previously stored speed is resumed.
Cruise control remains activated
while gearshifting.
Increase speed
With cruise control active, hold thumb
wheel turned to RES/+ or briefly turn
to RES/+ repeatedly: speed
increases continuously or in small
increments.
Alternatively accelerate to the desired speed and store by turning to SET/-.
Reduce speed
With cruise control active, hold thumb
wheel turned to SET/- or briefly turn to
SET/- repeatedly: speed decreases
continuously or in small increments.
Deactivation
Press y; control indicator m in
instrument cluster illuminates white. Cruise control is deactivated. Last
stored speed remains in memory for
later speed resume.
Automatic deactivation: ● Vehicle speed is below approx. 30 km/h.
● Vehicle speed drops more than 25 km/h below the set speed.
● The brake pedal is depressed.
● The clutch pedal is depressed for
a few seconds.
● The selector lever is in N.
● Engine speed is in a very low range.
● The Traction Control system or Electronic Stability Control is
operating.
● Parking brake is applied.
● Simultaneous pressing RES/+
and brake pedal deactivates
cruise control and will delete
stored speed.
Driving and operating177Activation
The lane departure warning system isactivated by pressing ). The
illuminated LED in the button
indicates that the system is switched
on. When control indicator ) in the
instrument cluster illuminates green, the system is ready to operate.
The system is only operable at
vehicle speeds above 56 km/h and if lane markings are available.
When the system recognises an
unintended lane change, control
indicator ) changes to yellow and
flashes. Simultaneously a chime
sound is activated.
Deactivation
The system is deactivated by
pressing ), LED in the button
extinguishes.
At speeds below 56 km/h the system
is inoperable.
Fault The lane departure warning system
may not operate properly when:
● The windscreen is not clean.
● There are adverse environmental
conditions e.g. heavy rain, snow,
direct sunlight or shadows.
The system can not operate when no
lane marking is detected.
Fuel
Fuel for petrol engines
Only use unleaded fuel that complies
with European standard EN 228 or
equivalent.
The engine is capable of running with fuel that contains up to 10% ethanol(e.g. named E10).
Use fuel with the recommended
octane rating. A lower octane rating can reduce engine power and torque
and slightly increases fuel
consumption.Caution
Do not use fuel or fuel additives
that contain metallic compounds
such as manganese-based
additives. This may cause engine
damage.
178Driving and operatingCaution
Use of fuel that does not comply toEN 228 or equivalent can lead todeposits or engine damage.
Caution
Use of fuel with a lower octane
rating than the lowest possible
rating could lead to uncontrolled combustion and engine damage.
The engine-specific requirements
regarding octane rating are given in
the engine data overview 3 245. A
country-specific label at the fuel filler
flap can supersede the requirement.
Fuel additives outside Europe
Fuel should contain detergent
additives that help prevent engine
and fuel system deposits from
forming. Clean fuel injectors and
intake valves will allow the emission
control system to work properly.
Some fuel does not contain sufficient
quantities of additive to keep fuel
injectors and intake valves clean.
To make up for this lack of
detergency, add Fuel System
Treatment PLUS to the fuel tank at
every engine oil change or every
15,000 km, whichever occurs first. It
is available at your workshop.
Fuels containing oxygenates such as
ethers and ethanol, as well as
reformulated fuel, are available in
some cities. If these fuels comply with the previously described
specification, then they are
acceptable to use. However, E85
(85% ethanol) and other fuels
containing more than 15% ethanol
must be used only in FlexFuel
vehicles.Caution
Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal
parts in the fuel system and also
damage plastic and rubber parts.
This damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Some fuels, mainly high octane
racing fuels, can contain an octane
enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT). Do not use fuels or fuel additives with MMT as they can
reduce spark plug life and affect
emission control system
performance. The malfunction
indicator light Z may turn on 3 92. If
this occurs, seek the assistance of a
workshop.
Fuel for diesel engines Only use diesel fuel that complies
with EN 590 and which has a sulphur
concentration of max. 10 ppm.
Fuels with a biodiesel (compliant with
EN 14214) content of max. 7% by
volume may be used (e.g. named
B7).
If travelling in countries outside the
European Union occasional use of
Euro-Diesel fuel with a sulphur
concentration below 50 ppm is
possible.
Driving and operating179Caution
Frequent usage of diesel fuelcontaining more than 15 ppm
sulphur will cause severe engine
damage.
Caution
Use of fuel that does not comply to EN 590 or similar can lead to
engine powerloss, increased wear
or engine damage and may affect
your warranty.
Do not use marine diesel oils, heating
oils, Aquazole and similar diesel-
water emulsions. Diesel fuels must
not be diluted with fuels for petrol
engines.
Fuel for liquid gas operation Liquid gas is known as LPG
(Liquefied Petroleum Gas) or under its French name GPL (Gaz de Pétrole
Liquéfié). LPG is also known as
Autogas.
LPG consists mainly of propane and
butane. The octane rating is between 105 and 115, depending on the
butane proportion. LPG is stored
liquid at around five to ten bar
pressure.
The boiling point depends on the
pressure and mixing ratio. At ambient pressure, it is between -42 °C (pure
propane) and -0.5 °C (pure butane).Caution
The system works at an ambient
temperature of approx. -8 °C to
100 °C.
Full function of the LPG system can
only be guaranteed with liquid gas
which complies with the minimum
requirements of DIN EN 589.
Fuel selector
Pressing LPG switches between
petrol and liquid gas operation as
soon as the required parameters (coolant temperature, gas
temperature and minimum engine
speed) have been reached. The
requirements are usually fulfilled after
approx. 60 seconds (depending on
exterior temperature) and the first firm press on the accelerator. The LED
status shows the current operating
mode.
180Driving and operatingLED off:petrol operationLED
flashes:checking conditions for
fuel transition to liquid
gas operation.
Illuminates if conditions
are fulfilled.LED illu‐
minates:liquid gas operationLED
flashes
five
times
and
extin‐
guishes:liquid gas tank is empty
or failure in liquid gas
system. A message is
displayed in the Driver
Information Centre.
If the fuel tank is empty, the engine
will not start.
The selected fuel mode is stored and reactivated at the next ignition cycle if
conditions allow.
As soon as the liquid gas tanks are
empty, petrol operation is
automatically engaged until the
ignition is switched off.
When switching automatically
between petrol or gas operation, a
brief delay of engine tractive power
may be noticeable.
Every six months, run the petrol tank
down until control indicator Y
illuminates, then refuel. This helps
maintain fuel quality and system
function for petrol operation.
Fill the tank completely at regular
intervals to prevent corrosion in the
tank.
Faults and remedies
If gas mode is not possible, check the following:
● Is there enough liquid gas present?
● Is there enough petrol present for
starting?
Due to extreme temperatures in
combination with the gas
composition, it may take slightly
longer before the system switches
from petrol to gas mode.
In extreme situations, the system may
also switch back to petrol mode if the
minimum requirements are not
fulfilled. If conditions allow, it might be
possible to manually switch back to
liquid gas operation.Seek the assistance of a workshop in the event of all other faults.Caution
Repairs and adjustments may onlybe made by trained specialists in
order to maintain the safety and
warranty on the LPG system.
Liquid gas is given a particular odour
(odorised) so that any leaks can be
detected easily.
9 Warning
If you smell gas in the vehicle or in
the immediate vicinity, switch to petrol mode immediately. No
smoking. No naked flames or
ignition sources.
If the gas odour persists, do not start
the engine. Have the cause of the
fault remedied by a workshop.
When using underground car parks,
follow the instructions of the operator
and local laws.