ThePark Assist Active Accelerateand BrakeObserve Surroundingsmes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
iYou will achieve the best results by waiting
for the steering procedure to complete before
pulling away.
XDrive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.
Active Parking Assist brakes the vehicle to a
standstill when the vehicle approaches the
rear border of the parking space.
Maneuvering may be required in tight parking
spaces.
The Park
AssistActiveSelect RObserveSurroundingsmessage appears in the multi-
function display.
As soon as the parking procedure is complete,
the Park Assist Switched Off
message
appears and a warning tone sounds. The vehicle
is now parked.
The vehicle is kept stationary without the driver having to depress the brake pedal. The braking
effect is canceled when you depress the accel-
erator pedal.
Active Parking Assist no longer supports you
with steering interventions and brake applica-
tions. When Active Parking Assist is finished,
you must steer and brake again yourself.
PARKTRONIC is still available.
Parking tips:
RThe way your vehicle is positioned in the park-
ing space after parking is dependent on vari-
ous factors. These include the position and
shape of the vehicles parked in front and
behind it and the conditions of the location. It
may be the case that Active Parking Assist
guides you too far into a parking space, or not
far enough into it. In some cases, it may also
lead you across or onto the curb. If necessary,
you should cancel the parking procedure with
Active Parking Assist.
RYou can also preselect transmission position
h. The vehicle redirects and does not drive
as far into the parking space. Should the
transmission change take place too early, the parking procedure will be canceled. A sensi-
ble parking position can no longer be ach-
ieved from this position.
Exiting a parking space
In order that Active Parking Assist can support
you when you exit the parking space:
Rthe border of the parking space must be highenough at the front and the rear. A curb is too
small, for example.
Rthe border of the parking space must not be
too wide. Your vehicle can be maneuvered
into a position at a maximum of 45° to the
starting position in the parking space.
Ra maneuvering distance of at least 3.3 ft
(1.0 m) must be available.
Active Parking Assist can only assist you with
exiting a parking space if you have parked the
vehicle parallel to the direction of travel using
Active Parking Assist.
iIf PARKTRONIC detects obstacles, Active
Parking Assist brakes automatically whilst the
vehicle exits the parking space. You are
responsible for braking in good time.
XStart the engine.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XSwitch on the turn signal in the direction you
are pulling away.
XShift the transmission to position hork.
The StartParkAssist?Yes:OKNo:%
message appears on the multifunction dis-
play.
XTo cancel the procedure:press the %
button on the multifunction steering wheel or pull away.
or
XTo exit a parking space using Active Park-
ing Assist: press theabutton on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate
and BrakeObserve Surroundingsmes-
sage appears on the multifunction display.
XLet go of the multifunction steering wheel.
XPull away, being ready to brake at all times. Do
not exceed a maximum speed of approx-
imately 6 mph (10 km/ h)when exiting a park-
ing space. Otherwise Active Parking Assist
will be canceled.
XDepending on the message or as required,
shift the transmission to position hork.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction. The Park Assist
Active Accelerate and BrakeObserve
176Driving systems
Driving and parking
Rif there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in win-ter
Rif the camera lens is dirty or obstructed
Observe the notes on cleaning
(
Ypage 310)
Rif the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In this
case, have the camera position and setting
checked at a qualified specialist workshop
The field of vision and other functions of the rear
view camera may be restricted due to additional
accessories on the rear of the vehicle (e.g.
license plate holder, rear bicycle rack).
The rear view camera is protected from rain-
drops and dust by means of a flap. When the rear view camera is activated, this flap opens.
The flap closes again when:
Ryou have finished the maneuvering process
Ryou switch off the engine
Ryou open the cargo compartment
Observe the notes on cleaning (
Ypage 310).
For technical reasons, the flap may remain open
briefly after the rear view camera has been
deactivated.
Activating/deactivating the rear view
camera
XTo activate: make sure that the Activa‐
tion by R gearfunction is selected in the
multimedia system (see the Digital Operator's
Manual).
XEngage reverse gear.
The rear view camera flap opens. The multi-
media system shows the area behind the vehi-
cle with guide lines.
The image from the rear view camera is avail- able throughout the maneuvering process.
XTo switch the function mode for vehicles
with trailer tow hitch: using the controller,
select symbol :for the "Reverse parking"
function or symbol ;for "Coupling up a
trailer".
The symbol of the selected function is high-
lighted.
XTo deactivate: shift the transmission to posi-
tion j.
or
XDrive forwards at a speed greater than 7 mph
(12 km/h).
Multimedia display
The rear view camera may show a distorted view
of obstacles, show them incorrectly or not at all.
The rear view camera does not show objects in
the following positions:
Rvery close to the rear bumper
Runder the rear bumper
Rin the area immediately above the tailgate
handle
!Objects not at ground level may appear to
be further away than they actually are, e.g.:
Rthe bumper of a parked vehicle
Rthe drawbar of a trailer
Rthe ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch
Rthe rear section of an HGV
Ra slanted post
Use the guidelines only for orientation.
Approach objects no further than the bottom-
most guideline.
178Driving systems
Driving and parking
Warning lamp
:Warning lamp
Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds below
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). Vehicles in
the monitoring range are then not indicated.
If a vehicle is detected within the blind spot
monitoring range at speeds above 20 mph
(30 km/h), warning lamp :on the correspond-
ing side lights up red. This warning is always
emitted when a vehicle enters the blind spot
monitoring range from behind or from the side.
When you overtake a vehicle, the warning only
occurs if the difference in speed is less than
7 mph (12 km/h).
If you select the reverse gear, Blind Spot Assist is not operational.
The brightness of the warning lamps is auto-
matically adapted to the brightness of the sur-
roundings.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range of
Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the corre-
sponding turn signal, a double warning tone
sounds. The red warning lamp flashes on the
relevant exterior mirror. If the turn signal
remains on, detected vehicles are indicated by
the flashing of the red warning lamp on the exte-
rior mirror. There are no further warning tones.
Switching on Blind Spot Assist
XMake sure that Blind Spot Assist is activated
in the on-board computer (Ypage 216).
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
The red warning lamps on the exterior mirrors
light up until the engine is started.
Display in the assistance graphic
When Blind Spot Assist is activated, gray radar
waves propagating backwards appear next to
the vehicle in the assistance display in the mul-
tifunction display (
Ypage 214). Above a speed
of 20 mph (30 km/h), the color of the radar
waves in the assistance graphic changes to
green :. Blind Spot Assist is then ready for use.
Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical connection.
This can be accomplished by checking the trailer
lighting. In this event, Blind Spot Assist is deac-
tivated. The Blind
SpotAssistNotAvail‐able When Towing a Trailer See Opera‐tor's Manualmessage appears in the multi-
function display.
Lane Keeping Assist
General notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in front of
your vehicle by means of multifunction cam-
era :which is attached behind the top of the
windshield. Active Lane Keeping Assist detects
lane markings on the road and can warn you
before you leave your lane unintentionally.
190Driving systems
Driving and parking
the lines in the assistance graphic
(Ypage 214) appear in green. Active Lane
Keeping Assist is ready for use.
XTo deactivate: press button;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. The Active Lane
Keeping Assist is deactivated. The Lane
Keeping Assist Offmessage appears on
the multifunction display.
Selecting Standard or Adaptive setting
XIn the DriveAssistmenu on the on-board
computer, select the Active Lane Keep‐
ing Assistfunction (Ypage 216).
XSelect settingStandardorAdaptive.
When Standardis selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
When Adaptive
is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
Ryou accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
Ryou brake hard.
Ryou steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lanes quickly.
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend.
In order that you are warned only when neces-
sary and in good time if you cross the lane mark-
ing, the system recognizes certain conditions
and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
Ryou approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
Rthe road has very wide lanes, e.g. a highway.
Rthe system detects solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
Rthe road has narrow lanes.
Ryou cut the corner on a bend.
Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical connection. This can be accomplished by checking the trailer
lighting.
Towing a trailer
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Installing an unsuitable ball coupling may
result in overloading of the trailer tow hitch
and the rear axle. This applies especially if the ball coupling in question is longer or angled
differently. This could seriously impair the
driving characteristics and the trailer can
come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
You should only ever install a ball coupling
that has the permissible dimensions and that
is designed to meet your trailer-towing
requirements. Do not modify the ball coupling
or the trailer tow hitch.
You will find the values approved by the manu-
facturer on the vehicle identification plates and
those for the towing vehicle under "Technical
data" (
Ypage 365).
GWARNING
When the vehicle/trailer combination begins
to lurch, you could lose control of it. The vehi- cle/trailer combination could even rollover.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten up the vehicle/trailer combination
by increasing the speed. Reduce vehicle
speed and do not countersteer. Apply the
brake as necessary.
!If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
changes to the engine cooling system may be
necessary, depending on the vehicle type.
If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
observe the anchorage points on the chassis
frame.
The installation of a trailer tow hitch is only per-
missible if a towing weight is specified in your
vehicle documents. If this is not the case, then
the vehicle is not approved for the towing of a
trailer.
Towing a trailer197
Driving an d parking
Z
which the maximum permissible speed for vehi-
cle/trailer combinations is above 60 mph
(100 km/h).
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison towhen driving without a trailer and it will con-
sume more fuel.
Shift to a lower gear on long and steep downhill
gradients.
This also applies to:
Ractivated DISTRONIC PLUS
Ractivated cruise control
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so that less braking will be required to maintain the
speed. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly. If you need additional
braking, depress the brake pedal repeatedly
rather than continuously.
Driving tips
If the trailer swings from side to side:
XDo not accelerate.
XDo not counter-steer.
XBrake if necessary.
RMaintain a greater distance from the vehicle
in front than when driving without a trailer.
RAvoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gen-tly at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
RThe values given for gradient-climbing capa-
bilities from a standstill refer to sea level.
When driving in mountainous areas, note that
the power output of the engine and, conse-
quently, the vehicle's gradient-climbing capa-
bility, decreases with increasing altitude.
Installing the ball coupling
GWARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly installed
and secured, it could come loose while driving and endanger other road users. There is a risk
of an accident and injury.
Install and secure the ball coupling as descri-
bed in the ball coupling manufacturer's instal- lation instructions. Make sure that the ball
coupling is correctly installed and secured
before every journey.
GWARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed and secured
correctly the trailer may come loose. There is
a risk of an accident.
Install and secure the ball coupling as descri-
bed in the ball coupling installation instruc-
tions. Make sure that the ball coupling is
installed and secured correctly before every
journey.
XPull protective cap :in the direction of the
arrow, out of the ball coupling recess.
XStow protective cap :so that it cannot be
thrown around.
XObserve the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
Observe the loading guidelines (
Ypage 273)
and the safety notes regarding stowage
spaces (
Ypage 273).
Coupling up a trailer
!
Do not connect the trailer's brake system (if
featured) to the hydraulic brake system of the
towing vehicle, as the latter is equipped with
an anti-lock brake system. Doing so will result
in a loss of function of the brake systems of
both the vehicle and the trailer.
XApply the vehicle's electric parking brake
manually.
XStart the engine.
XShift the transmission to position j.
XVehicles with AIR BODY CONTROL: select
the Comfort drive program.
Towing a trailer199
Driving and parking
Z
XSwitch off the engine.
XClose the doors and tailgate.
XCouple up the trailer.
XEstablish the electrical connection between
the vehicle and the trailer.
XCheck that the trailer lighting system is work-
ing.
XPush the combination switch upwards/down-wards and check whether the corresponding
turn signal on the trailer flashes.
A trailer that is connected is recognized only
when the electrical connection is established
correctly and when the lighting system is work-
ing properly. The function of other systems also
depends on this, for example:
RESP®
RPARKTRONIC
RActive Parking Assist
RActive Blind Spot Assist
RActive Lane Keeping Assist
Vehicles with AIR BODY CONTROL: if you couple
up a trailer, the vehicle always remains at high-
way level. Observe the following note when cou-
pling up a trailer:
RUnless highway level has been set manually,
the vehicle is automatically lowered to high-
way level. If a speed of 5 mph (8 km/h) has
been reached, this may be the case.
These restrictions apply to accessories that are
supplied with power via the trailer socket in your
vehicle, e.g. a rear bicycle rack.
Observe the maximum permissible trailer
dimensions (width and length).
Most U.S. states and all Canadian provinces
require by law:
RSafety chains between the towing vehicle and
the trailer. The chains should be cross-wound
under the trailer drawbar. They must be fas-
tened to the vehicle's trailer coupling, not to
the bumper or the axle.
Leave enough play in the chains to make tight
cornering possible.
RA separate brake system for certain types of
trailer.
RSafety switch for braked trailers. Check the
specific legal requirements applicable to your state.
If the trailer becomes detached from the tow-
ing vehicle, the safety feature applies the
trailer brakes.
Towing a trailer
There are several legal requirements for towing
a trailer, e.g. the maximum permissible speed.
Make sure that your car/trailer combination
complies with the local regulations:
Rin your place of residence
Rat your destination
The police and local authorities can provide reli- able information.
To accumulate driving experience and accustom
yourself to the new handling characteristics,
practice the following at a location where there
is no traffic:
RCornering
RStopping
RBacking up
Check the following before the journey:
RTrailer tow hitch
RSafety switch for braked trailers
RSafety chains
RElectrical connections
RLighting system
RWheels and tires
RLoad securing
Adjust the exterior mirrors so that you have a
clear view of the rear section of the trailer.
If the trailer is equipped with electronically con-
trolled brakes, pull away carefully in the car/
trailer combination. Brake manually using the
brake controller and check whether the brakes
function correctly.
Regularly check that the load is secure.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
with when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
Ris heavier
Ris restricted in its acceleration and gradient-
climbing capability
Rhas an increased braking distance
Ris affected more by strong crosswinds
Rdemands more sensitive steering
Rhas a larger turning circle
Avoid sudden steering movements.
Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gently
at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
200Towing a trailer
Driving and parking
When overtaking, pay particular attention to the
extended length of your vehicle/trailer combi-
nation.
Due to the length of the vehicle/trailer combi-
nation, you require additional road space when
overtaking before you can change back to the
original lane.
If the automatic transmission repeatedly shifts
between gears on uphill or downhill gradients,
shift to a lower gear.
Driving in a lower gear and at a reduced speed
decreases the risk of engine damage.
If the coolant temperature increases signifi-
cantly when climate control is switched on,
switch climate control off.
Coolant heat can also be dissipated by opening
the windows and switching the ventilation
blower and the interior temperature to the high-
est level.
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.
XApply the vehicle's parking brake manually.
XShift the transmission to position j.
XClose all doors and the tailgate.
XSwitch off the engine.
XSecure the vehicle and trailer against rolling
away.
XRemove the trailer cable.
XRemove the safety chains, if there are any.
XUncouple the trailer.
Removing the ball coupling
XObserve the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
XPress the protective cap into the ball coupling
recess.
XMake sure that the protective cap is firmly in
place.
Observe the loading guidelines (
Ypage 273)
and the safety notes regarding stowage spaces
(
Ypage 273).
Information on cleaning and care of the trailer
tow hitch (
Ypage 310).
Trailer power supply
!
Accessories with a maximum power con-
sumption of 180 W can be connected to the
permanent power supply.
You must not charge a trailer battery using the
power supply.
The trailer socket of your vehicle is equipped at
the factory with a permanent power supply.
The permanent power supply is supplied via
trailer socket pin 4.
The trailer's permanent power supply is
switched off in the event of low vehicle supply
voltage and after six hours at the latest.
A qualified specialist workshop can provide
more information about installing the trailer
electrics.
Permissible trailer loads and trailer
drawbar noseweights
Weight specifications
The gross trailer weight is calculated as the
weight of the trailer plus the weight of the load
and the trailer's equipment.
Towing a trailer201
Driving and parking
Z
Tachometer
!
Do not drive in the overrevving range, as this
could damage the engine.
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached.
Outside temperature display
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
Bear in mind that the outside temperature dis-
play indicates the temperature measured and
does not record the road temperature.
The outside temperature display is in the multi-
function display (
Ypage 205).
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Coolant temperature gauge
GWARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is over-
heated or when there is a fire in the engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There is a risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department.
!A display message is shown if the coolant
temperature is too high.
If the coolant temperature is over 248 ‡
(120 †), do not continue driving. The engine
will otherwise be damaged.
The coolant temperature gauge is in the lower
section of the tachometer (
Ypage 35).
Under normal operating conditions and with the
specified coolant level, the coolant temperature
may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
Operating the on-board computer
:Multifunction display
;Right control panel
=Left control panel
XTo activate the on-board computer: switch
on the power supply.
You can control the multifunction display and
the settings in the on-board computer using the
buttons on the multifunction steering wheel.
Left control panel
òROpens a menu list
9
:Press briefly:
RScrolls in lists
RSelects a menu or function
RIn the RadioorMediamenu:
opens a track or station list and
selects a station, an audio track or
a video scene.
RIn the Telephonemenu: switches
to the phone book and selects a
name or a telephone number
9
:Press and hold:
RScrolls quickly through all lists
RIn the RadioorMediamenu:
selects a station, audio track or
video scene using rapid scrolling
RIn the Telephonemenu: starts
rapid scrolling if the phone book is
open
204Displays an doperation
On-boa rd computer and displays