Overview of climate control systems
General notes Observe the notes and the recommended settings in the vehicle Operator's Manual. The windows
could otherwise fog up.
Climate control regulates the temperature and air humidity in the vehicle interior. Due to the elec-
trical refrigerant compressor, the "Cooling with dehumidification" function is also operational with-
out the combustion engine running. Optimum climate control is only achieved with the side windows
and roof closed.
The residual heat function can only be activated or deactivated with the ignition switched off
( Y
page 17).
The "Pre-entry climate control" function is available. Use this function to briefly preheat or ventilate
the driver's seat area or the entire vehicle interior before entering the vehicle. The air from the air
vents can also be pre-cooled.
Control panel for dual-zone automatic climate control
USA only
Front control panel C
Sets the temperature, left D
Defrosts the windshield
In the vehicle Operator's Manual, information and recommendations can be found on: R
using automatic climate control R
using the rear control panel R
the individual functions
Observe these notes for optimal use of the automatic climate control.
The "Cooling with air dehumidification" function is even available when the engine is not running
( Y
page 17).
Use the residual heat function if you want to heat or ventilate the vehicle interior when the ignition
is switched off. The residual heat function can only be activated or deactivated with the ignition
switched off. When the ignition is switched on, the residual heat function is switched off
( Y
page 17).
Operating the climate control sys-
tems
Switching cooling with air dehumidi-
fication on/off If you deactivate the "Cooling with air-dehumid-
ification" function, the air inside the vehicle will
not be cooled. The air inside the vehicle will also
not be dehumidified. The windows can fog up
more quickly. Therefore, deactivate the cooling
with air-dehumidification function only briefly.
The "Cooling with air dehumidification" function
is available even when the engine is not running.
The air inside the vehicle is cooled and dehu-
midified according to the temperature selected.
Condensation may drip from the underside of
the vehicle when it is in cooling mode. This is
normal and not a sign that there is a malfunc-
tion. X
To activate: press the Z or V button.
The indicator lamp in the Z or V button
lights up. X
To deactivate: press the Z or V but-
ton.
The indicator lamp in the Z or V button
goes out. The "Cooling with air dehumidifica-
tion" function has a delayed switch-off fea-
ture.
Switching the residual heat on or off
It is possible to make use of the residual heat of
the engine to continue heating the stationary
vehicle for up to 30 minutesafter the engine has
been switched off. The heating time depends on
the set interior temperature. X
To activate: press the K or V button.
The indicator lamp in the K or V button
lights up. X
To deactivate: press the K or V but-
ton.
The indicator lamp in the K or V button
goes out.
The blower will run at a low speed regardless of
the airflow setting.
If you activate the residual heat function at high
temperatures, only the ventilation will be acti-
vated. The blower runs at medium speed.
Residual heat is deactivated automatically: R
after approximately 30 minutes R
when the ignition is switched on R
if the battery voltage drops
Pre-entry climate control via Smart-
Key
General notes Before getting in, the vehicle interior can be
briefly warmed or ventilated in advance and the
air from the air vents can be pre-cooled.
The high-voltage battery must be sufficiently
charged before "Pre-entry climate control via
SmartKey" can be activated.
When the vehicle is pre-cooled, the following
functions are activated if required: R
Climate control system R
Blower R
Seat ventilationOperating the climate control systems 17
Climate control
When the vehicle is pre-heated, the following
functions are activated if required: R
Climate control system R
Blower R
Seat heating
If you have activated ionization via the multime-
dia system, it is activated together with pre-
entry climate control.
Activating/deactivating Before "Pre-entry climate control via SmartKey"
can be activated, you must activate the function
using the on-board computer. X
To activate: unlock the vehicle with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO.
The climate control functions are activated
for up to 5 minutes for pre-heating and pre-
cooling. X
To deactivate: "Pre-entry climate control via
SmartKey" deactivates automatically when
the engine is started.
The following functions remain active after the
engine is started: R
Seat heating (heating) R
Seat ventilation (ventilation) R
Ionization
Problems with "Pre-entry climate control via SmartKey" Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
"Pre-entry climate con-
trol via SmartKey" can-
not be switched on or
has switched itself off. The condition of charge of the high-voltage battery is under the speci-
fied minimum condition of charge. X
Start the engine when the vehicle is at a standstill.
The engine powers the electric motor. The electric motor operates
as a generator. The high-voltage battery is being charged.
Further information on charging the high-voltage battery via: R
a mains socket ( Y
page 31)R
a charging station ( Y
page 35)R
a wallbox ( Y
page 34)
"Pre-entry climate control via SmartKey" has been started more than
twice with the engine switched off. X
Switch on the engine and let it run for more than ten seconds. X
Try again to switch on "Pre-entry climate control via SmartKey".
Pre-entry climate control at time of
departure
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle. General notes You can use the "Pre-entry climate control at
departure time" function to cool or heat the
vehicle interior if the engine is not running.
The "Pre-entry climate control at departure
time" function can be activated regardless of
whether or not the vehicle is connected to an
electric power supply. The condition of charge of
the high-voltage battery must be higher than the
specified minimum condition of charge, how-
ever.
When the vehicle is connected to an electric
power supply, priority is given to charging the
high-voltage battery to the specified minimum
charge. "Pre-entry climate control at departure
time" is only activated subsequently.18
Operating the climate control systems
Climate control
Drivin g
Points to remember
General notes Hybrid technolog y combine s a fue l efficien t
internal combustion engin e wit h a powerful
electric motor. In HYBRID mode, th e hybrid
drive syste m automatically selects th e most effi-
cien t operatin g mode fo r every drivin g situation .
Drive th e vehicle in th e usual manner.
To sav e fue l in HYBRID mode, th e hybrid drive
syste m switches of f th e combustion engin e as
ofte n as possible durin g th e journey when powe r
output requirements are low. Whe n powe r out -
put requirements are low, th e electric moto r
powers th e vehicle. The engin e is switched on ,
eve n whil e th e vehicle is in motion , when a
higher powe r output is required. The engin e is
usually switched of f when th e vehicle is station -
ary. Consequently, there is usually no engin e
idlin g as wit h combustion engin e vehicles .
Fo r pulling away and accelerating, th e electric
moto r supports th e internal combustion engin e
usin g th e powe r stored in th e high-voltage bat -
tery. In addition , th e powe r is used fo r electric
driving, operation of th e electric refrigerant
compressor and to supply th e 12 V on-boar d
electrical system. In this way th e hybrid drive
s y ste m helps to reduce your vehicle' s fue l con-
sumption .
Observ e th e drivin g tips on plug-i n hybrid oper-
ation ( Y
page 26).
Recuperative Brak e Syste mIf you release th e accelerator peda l when th e
vehicle is in motion , overrun recuperation is ini-
tiated. The electric moto r is operated as a gen -
erato r when in overrun mode and when you
brake . Hybrid technolog y convert s th e kineti c
energ y of th e vehicle into electricit y and stores
it in th e high-voltage battery.
Observ e th e important safet y note s fo r th e
Recuperative Brak e Syste m ( Y
page 11) . Important safet y notesIf th e engin e is switched of f by th e EC O start /
stop function , you ope n th e driver's doo r and
unfasten your seat belt :R
a messag e appears in th e multifunction dis -
play and R
a warnin g tone sounds
Further information ( Y
page 45) .
Al l of th e vehicle' s systems remain active , if:R
th e vehicle is stationary R
th e combustion engin e is switched of f andR
th e READY indicator in th e instrumen t cluster
lights up
If you remov e your foot from th e brake peda l
whil e in transmissio n position D or R, th e vehicle
may pull away automatically.
Observ e th e note s on th e READY display of th e
EC O start/sto p function ( Y
page 23).
Vehicles wit h an electric moto r generate muc h
les s drivin g noise than vehicles wit h internal
combustion engines. As a result , your vehicle
may no t be hear d by other road user s in certain
situations.
Dependin g on th e vehicle' s equipmen t and
country-specific regulations, th e vehicle can be
equipped wit h Acoustic Vehicle Indication .
Acoustic Vehicle Indication generate s a certain
soun d at a speed between 0 and 20 mph
(30 km/h). Thi s helps other road users, par tic-
u l arly pedestrian s and cyclists, to hear your
vehicle better. The soun d can also be hear d
insid e th e vehicle.
The volume depend s on th e engin e speed. The
faste r you accelerate, th e louder th e soun d is. At
a speed of over 20 mph (30 km/ h) the sound is
switched off. Above this speed, the natural
sounds from the vehicle are sufficient that it can
be heard in good time by other road users.20
Driving
Dr ivi ng an d parking
If manual gearshifting is deactivated, the auto-
matic transmission shifts: R
into the drive program that was last selected,
and R
into the driving mode that was last selected
If you change the drive program, the operating
mode that was last selected is stored for approx-
imately 60 seconds. After this time, the HYBRID
operating mode is automatically activated.
Starting the engine The vehicle starts in electric mode without the
internal combustion engine (noiseless start).
The internal combustion engine starts only after
the power demanded by the driver exceeds the
available power that the electric motor can cur-
rently provide.
Noiseless start operation is dependent on the
outside temperature and the operating temper-
ature of the internal combustion engine. If not all
conditions for noiseless start operation are ful-
filled, the vehicle starts with the internal com-
bustion engine.
Observe the notes on starting in the vehicle
Operator's Manual.
X
Switch on the ignition. X
Depress the brake pedal. X
Start the vehicle (see the vehicle Operator's
Manual).
When the vehicle is operational, the READY
indicator lights up in the multifunction display
( Y
page 39).
Pulling away X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed. X
Shift the transmission to position D or R .X
If the Apply Brake to Shift from 'P'
display message appears in the multifunction display, depress the brake pedal more firmly
and select the desired transmission position. X
Release the brake pedal. X
Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
You can find further information on pulling away
in the vehicle Operator's Manual.
Drive programs
DYNAMIC SELECT controller Select the drive program using the DYNAMIC
SELECT controller. Depending on the drive pro-
gram selected the following vehicle character-
istics will change: R
the drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment) R
the suspension R
the steering. R
the energy management
Each time you start the engine with the ignition
SmartKey or the Start/Stop button, the Com-
fort drive program is activated. You can find
further information on starting the engine in the
vehicle Operator's Manual.
X
Turn DYNAMIC SELECT controller C as many
times as necessary until the desired drive
program is selected.
The status icon of the selected drive program
is shown in the multifunction display.
In addition, the current drive program settings
are displayed briefly in the multimedia system
display.22
Driving
Driving and parking
Available drive programs:
Individual R
Indivi dual settings
Sp ort R
Spo rty driv ing style wit h
increased boost mode R
Electric-only operation is
not poss ible
Comfort R
Comfortable, economical
driv ing style R
Electric-only operation is
poss ible
Slippery R
Optimal driv ing charac-
teristics on slipp ery or
snow-covered roads R
Electric-only operation is
poss ible
Further information on the driv e program (see
the veh icle Operator's Manual).
Using the steering wheel paddle shifters, you
can temporar ily change gears yourself. For fur-
ther information on the manual driv e program
( Y
page 23).
Manual gear shifting Using the steering wheel paddle shifters, you
can temporar ily change gears yourself. The
transmission must be in position D . When you
activate manual gearshifting, the combustion
engine is automatically swit ched on.X
To activate: pull the left or right steering
wheel paddle shifter.
Manual gearshifting is activated temporar ily.
The selected gear and M appear in the mult i-
function display.
The ECO start /s top function is not availab le
when manually changing gear.
Further information on manual gearshifting (see
the veh icle Operator's Manual).
ECO start/stop function
General notes
The ECO start/stop function swit ches the com-
bustion engine off automatically when the veh i-
cle stops moving and at spee ds below 80 mph
(13 0 km/ h) ( Y
page 24). All vehicle systems remain active, e.g. the auto-
matic climate control.
The ECO start/stop function is neither available
in the Sport drive program nor during manual
shifting.
Automatic engine switch-off The engine is switched off automatically, includ-
ing when: R
the driver removes his/her foot from the
accelerator in the Comfort drive program and
a speed of 80 mph (130 km/h) is not excee-
ded ( Y
page 24) R
the engine has reached its operating temper-
ature R
the driver’s seat belt is fastened and the
driver’s door is closed R
the driver only slightly depresses the accel-
erator pedal in order to, for example, maintain
the current speed for a limited distance R
the hood is closed and engaged properly R
the high-voltage battery is charged suffi-
ciently R
no malfunctions are present in the hybrid
drive system
The internal combustion engine will not be
switched off automatically, if: R
the self-diagnosis function of the engine man-
agement is active R
there is a malfunction in the hybrid drive sys-
tem R
the climate control of the vehicle requires it R
the high-voltage battery is charging
( Y
page 40).
Automatic engine start The automatically switched-off internal combus-
tion engine starts automatically in certain situa-
tions, if: R
the power demand from the driver via the
accelerator pedal is greater than the electric
motor alone can provide R
the driver switches to the Sport drive pro-
gram or to manual gearshifting R
the condition of charge of the high-voltage
battery has reached the lower limit R
the driver has selected the CHARGE operating
mode Driving 23
Driving and parking
Overrun mode In overrun mode, the combustion engine is
switched off and is disconnected from the drive
train. The electric motor: R
generates low thrust, which corresponds to
the overrun mode of an active combustion
engine R
functions as a generator and produces the
necessary energy for the auxiliary consumers
and charges the high-voltage battery
Overrun mode is available in the Comfort drive
program at speeds below 80 mph (130 km/h).
Route-based operating strategy For the route-based operating strategy, the sys-
tem factors in information about the expected
route when route guidance is active.
The information on the route is provided by the
multimedia system and includes the following: R
road categories R
speed limitations
The use of electric energy is automatically opti-
mally distributed from the beginning to the end
of the journey, using information about the
route. The distribution is pre-emptive and takes
into consideration: R
the sections of the journey ahead R
the energy consumption on the whole route The condition of charge of the high-voltage bat-
tery is thus systematically controlled. In addi-
tion, the control function takes into account
that: R
the fuel saving through the use of electrical
energy can vary, dependent on the route (e.g.
urban, interurban or highway) R
the use of electrical energy is held available
for electric driving, particularly for urban
routes
The vehicle thus automatically selects the opti-
mum driving mode for the respective section of
the route.
The route-based operating strategy is available
under the following conditions: R
the Individual drive program is selected R
in the Individual drive program, the ECO set-
ting is selected under Drive R
HYBRID driving mode is selected R
active route guidance is activated R
suitable map data is available
When the route-based operating strategy is
being used, the area in front of the vehicle is
shown as green in the multifunction display.24
Driving
Driving and parking