Shifting to neutral N
G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the transmission out of park position P
R start the vehicle's drive system.
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 or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
X If the transmission is in position Dor R: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the
first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever up or down to the first point of resist-
ance.
When the drive system is switched off, the trans-
mission shifts to Nautomatically.
With the SmartKey: if you then open the driv-
er's door or the front-passenger door or remove
the SmartKey from the ignition, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts to P.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the transmission automatically shifts to P.
If you want the transmission to remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the vehicle cleaned in an
automatic car wash with a towing system:
X Vehicles with the Start-Stop button:
remove the Start-Stop button from the igni-
tion lock.
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
X All vehicles: switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed. X
Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the SmartKey
in the ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
If the transmission is in position Ror N: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first
point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first point of resistance. Transmission positions
0045 Park position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped. Only move the
DIRECT SELECT lever to Pwhen the
vehicle is stationary.
The SmartKey can only be removed
when the DIRECT SELECT lever is in
position P. When there is no Smart-
Key in the ignition lock, the DIRECT
SELECT lever is locked in position P. 0046 Reverse gear
Only move the DIRECT SELECT lever
to Rwhen the vehicle is stationary. 0044 Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
drive system to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you to
move the vehicle freely.
If ESP ®
is faulty: only move the
DIRECT SELECT lever to Nif the vehi-
cle is in danger of skidding, e.g. on icy
roads. 003A Drive
For driving forwards Transmission
113Driving and parking Z
Influences on the charging behavior
and the charge state of the high-volt-
age battery
Terms of use Observe the following notes:
R information on exceptions and limitations in
warranty documentation and in the related
Maintenance Booklet
R maintenance notes for the high-voltage bat-
tery in the Maintenance Booklet
Method of operation The vehicle is equipped with a high-voltage bat-
tery for driving. The high-voltage battery stores
the energy needed to operate the electric motor and releases it again.
The electric motor uses energy that has been
stored in the high-voltage battery when pulling
away, accelerating and during the journey.
In overrun mode (except D+), kinetic energy is
converted by means of energy recuperation into
electrical energy and stored in the high-voltage
battery.
The high-voltage battery can be charged as fol-
lows:
R through energy recuperation while the vehicle
is in motion
R with the charging cable at a mains socket
while the vehicle is stationary
R with the charging cable at a charging station
while the vehicle is stationary
The high-voltage battery can be charged using a
single-phase charging cable in a voltage range
from 100 V to 240 V.
If the condition of charge drops to less than 13%, the high-voltage battery reserve indicator lamp
lights up in the instrument cluster. Charge the
high-voltage battery as soon as possible.
Below a condition of charge of 5%, the perform-
ance of the vehicle is reduced. The vehicle's
high-voltage electrical system switches off at a
condition of charge of 0%.
Use of the pre-entry climate control function
may mean that the high-voltage battery is not
fully charged. High and low outside temperatures Low outside temperatures
The efficiency of the high-voltage battery is sig-
nificantly reduced at very low outside tempera-
tures. The high-voltage battery is then no longer able to provide the normal electrical power out-
put.
High outside temperatures
To prevent damage to the high-voltage battery
due to very high outside temperatures, the max- imum power output of the high-voltage battery
is reduced automatically.
The E-CELL display indicates the maximum
amount of power available (Y page 152).
Notes on battery care Avoid storing or transporting the vehicle in high
temperatures over a long period (e.g. container
transport).
If you park the vehicle and leave it stationary for
longer periods, connect it to a power supply.
Temperatures below 00F813 ‡ (00F825 †) and over
104 ‡ (40 †), which affect the vehicle for a
period of more than seven days, can cause irre- versible damage.
Discharged battery The vehicle's high-voltage electrical system
switches off if the high-voltage battery is com-
pletely discharged. 30 seconds prior to this, you
are informed of the switch-off by the Battery
Battery
Level Level Too
TooLow.
Low. Stop
Stopand
andCharge
Charge Immedi‐
Immedi‐
ately
ately message. This protects the battery from
exhaustive discharge.
It is not possible to restart the drive system until after charging.
Do not leave the vehicle parked for longer than
14 days with a high-voltage battery condition of
charge below 20%.
You can check the condition of charge in the
charge level display (Y page 153).
Further information on the "Energy flow display" can be found in the "Trip" menu (Y page 157). High-voltage battery
119Driving and parking Z
G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the transmission out of park position
P.
R start the vehicle's drive system.
They could also operate the vehicle's equip-
ment. 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.
! While the vehicle is rolling, do not shift the
transmission directly from Dto R, from Rto D
or directly to P.
Do not open the driver's door while the vehi-
cle is in motion. Otherwise, at low speeds in
transmission position Dor R, park position P
is engaged automatically and the electrical
parking brake is applied.
The transmission could be damaged.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly against
rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle or its driv-
etrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied.
R the transmission must be in position P.
R the SmartKey in the ignition lock must be
turned to position 0and removed from the
ignition lock.
R on uphill or downhill gradients, the front
wheels must be turned towards the curb. Switching off the drive system
G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This can affect
the power steering and the brake boosting
effect, for example. You will require consider- ably more effort to steer and brake. There is a
risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. X
Shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to position P.
X With the SmartKey: turn the SmartKey to
position 0in the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
X With the Start/Stop button: press the
Start/Stop button (Y page 109).
The drive system and all the indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster go out.
When the driver's door is closed, this corre-
sponds to SmartKey position 1. When the
driver's door is open, this corresponds to
SmartKey position 0: "Key removed".
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position Ror D, the transmission auto-
matically shifts to N.
With the SmartKey: if you then open the driv-
er's door or the front-passenger door or remove
the SmartKey from the ignition, the transmis-
sion automatically shifts to P.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the transmission automatically shifts to P.
If you want the transmission to remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the vehicle cleaned in an
automatic car wash with a towing system:
X Vehicles with the Start-Stop button:
remove the Start-Stop button from the igni-
tion lock.
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
X All vehicles: switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the SmartKey
in the ignition lock. Parking
129Driving and parking Z
Electric parking brake
General notes G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the transmission out of park position
P.
R start the vehicle's drive system.
They could also operate the vehicle's equip-
ment. 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 and
the parking lock is dependent on the on-board
voltage. If the on-board voltage is low or if there is a malfunction in the system:
R it may not be possible to apply the released
parking brake
R it may no longer be possible to shift the trans-
mission to position P
X If this is the case, only park the vehicle on
level ground and secure it to prevent it rolling away.
X Shift the 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.
The electric parking brake carries out a function check at regular intervals when the drive system
is switched off. The sounds that can be heard
while this is occurring are normal. Applying or releasing manually X
To engage: push handle 0043.
When the electric parking brake is applied,
the red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp lights up in the instru-
ment cluster.
The electric parking brake can also be applied when the SmartKey is removed.
X To release: pull handle0043.
The red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
goes out.
The electric parking brake can only be
released:
R when the SmartKey is in position 1or 2in
the ignition lock (Y page 109) or
R if the ignition was switched on using the
Start/Stop button
Applying automatically When the vehicle's HOLD function is holding the
vehicle at a standstill, the electric parking brake is engaged automatically.
In addition, at least one of the following condi-
tions must be fulfilled:
R the drive system is switched off.
R the driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is opened
R there is a system malfunction
R the power supply is insufficient
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
The red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada only)
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster lights
up. 130
ParkingDriving and parking
Releasing automatically
Your vehicle's electric parking brake is auto-
matically released if all of the following condi-
tions are met:
R the vehicle has been started.
R the transmission is in position Dor R.
R the seat belt has been fastened.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
If the transmission is in position R, the tailgate
must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following
conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
R the driver's door is closed.
R you have shifted out of transmission position
P or you have previously driven faster than
2 mph (3 km/h).
Ensure that you do not depress the accelerator
pedal unintentionally. Otherwise the parking
brake will be released and the vehicle will start
to move.
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an emer-
gency by using the electric parking brake.
X While driving, push handle 0043of the electric
parking brake (Y page 130).
The vehicle is braked as long as you keep
handle 0043of the electric parking brake
pressed. The longer the electric parking brake
handle 0043is depressed, the greater the brak-
ing force.
During braking: R a warning tone sounds
R the Release parking brake
Release parking brake message
appears
R the red 0049(USA only) or 0024(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand-
still, the electric parking brake is applied. Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging. If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than six
weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as a
result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and seek
advice.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop. Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If you operate mobile communication equip-
ment while driving, you will be distracted from traffic conditions. You could also lose controlof the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicleis stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the country
in which you are driving. Some jurisdictions pro- hibit the driver from using a mobile phone while
driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone
when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers a
distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m)per sec-
ond. Driving tips
131Driving and parking Z
Drive sensibly – save energy
Observe the following tips to save energy:
R The tires should always be inflated to the rec-
ommended tire pressure.
R Remove unnecessary loads.
R Remove roof racks when they are not needed.
R Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
Energy consumption also increases when driv-
ing in low or high outside temperatures, in stop-
start traffic, on short journeys and in hilly ter-
rain.
Drinking and driving G
WARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and judg-
ment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-
dent is greatly increased when you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or tak-
ing drugs. ECO display
The ECO display shows you how economical
your driving style is. The ECO display assists you in achieving the most economical driving style
for the selected settings and prevailing condi-
tions. Your driving style can significantly influ-
ence the vehicle's consumption. 0043
Acceleration
0044 Coasting
0087 Constant
0085 Additional range achieved Range
0085is shown under Bonus Bonusfr. fr.Start
Start and
represents the additional range achieved since
the beginning of the journey as a result of an
adapted driving style.
If the battery charge level has dropped into the
reserve range, the display message Battery Battery
Reserve
Reserve Level
Levelis shown instead of range 0085in
the multifunction display.
The ECO display consists of three sections, with an inner and outer area. The sections corre-
spond to the following three categories: 0043
Acceleration
(evaluation of the
acceleration processes):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: moderate
acceleration, especially at higher
speeds
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is gray: sporty acceler-
ation 0044
Coasting
(evaluation of all decelera-
tion processes):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: anticipatory
driving, keeping your distance and
early release of the accelerator.
The vehicle can coast without use
of the brakes.
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is gray: frequent heavy
braking 0087
Constant
(continuous evaluation
over the entire journey):
R the outer area fills up and the inner
area lights up green: constant
speed and avoidance of unneces-
sary acceleration and deceleration
R the outer area empties and the
inner area is gray: fluctuations in
speed The three inner areas display the current driving
style and light up green as a result of a particu-
larly economical driving style. Depending on the driving situation, up to two areas may light up
simultaneously.
At the beginning of the journey, the three outer
areas are empty and fill up as a result of eco-
nomical driving. A higher level indicates a more
economical driving style. If the three outer areas 132
Driving tipsDriving and pa
rking
are completely filled at the same time, the driver
has adopted the most economical driving style
for the selected settings and prevailing condi-
tions. The ECO display border lights up.
The ECO display does not indicate the actual fuel
consumption. The additionally achieved range
displayed under Bonus fr. Start
Bonus fr. Start does not
indicate a fixed consumption reduction.
In addition to driving style, the actual consump- tion is affected by other factors, such as:
R Load
R Tire pressure
R Cold start
R Choice of route
R Active electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-
play.
An economical driving style specially requires
driving at moderate engine speeds.
To achieve a higher value in the categories
"Acceleration" and "Constant", drive the vehicle
in drive program E+orE.
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g. on the highway, only the outer area for "constant" will
change.
The ECO display summarizes the driving style
from the start of the journey to its completion.
Therefore, there are more marked changes in
the outer areas at the start of a journey. On lon-
ger journeys, there are fewer changes. For more
marked changes, perform a manual rest
(Y page 158).
For more information on the ECO display, see
(Y page 156). Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you increase the recuperation level on slip- pery road surfaces, the drive wheels may lose
their traction. There is an increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Do not increase the recuperation level on slip-
pery road surfaces. The braking performance of the electric motor
using recuperative braking is, in some operating
modes, either reduced or not effective:
R when the condition of charge of the high-volt-
age battery increases
R if the high-voltage battery is not yet at a nor-
mal operating temperature
R when driving close to the maximum speed
R when the vehicle is almost stationary
R in transmission position N
R during and after ESP stability control
If you do not make an additional effort to apply
the brake yourself, the braking effect may not be
sufficient. If necessary, counteract the reduced regenerative braking effect by applying the
brake yourself.
Downhill gradients On long, steep gradients, you must reduce the
load on the brakes by selecting maximum recu-
peration. This helps you to avoid overheating the
brakes and wearing them out excessively.
Recuperation allows the vehicle to be deceler-
ated without placing a load on the braking sys-
tem.
Do not depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. causing the
brakes to rub by constantly applying light pres-
sure to the pedal. This results in excessive and
premature wear to the brake pads.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
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. Drive on for a short while. This allows the airflow to
cool the brakes more quickly. Driving tips
133Driving and parking Z
i
When you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared. HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep slopes
R when maneuvering on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the driver
having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R the HOLD function has been deactivated by
pressing the accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
! If the HOLD function is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations.
To prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
the HOLD function in the following or other
similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function (Y page 138).Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
R the driver's door is closed or your seat belt is
fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R the transmission position D,Ror Nis engaged
Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions are
met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until 0043appears in the multifunction display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first time
does not activate the HOLD function, wait
briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automatically
if:
R you accelerate. On vehicles with automatic
transmission: only when the transmission is in
position Dor R.
R the transmission is in position P.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a cer-
tain amount of pressure until 0043disappears
from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric park-
ing brake.
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake. 138
Driving systemsDriving and parking