Protecting the environment
General notes
HEnvironmental note
Daimler's declared policy is one of compre-
hensive environmental protection.
The objectives are for the natural resources
that form the basis of our existence on this
planet to be used sparingly and in a manner
that takes the requirements of both nature
and humanity into account.
You too can help to protect the environment
by operating your vehicle in an environmen-
tally responsible manner.
Fuel consumption and the rate of engine,
transmission, brake and tire wear are affected by these factors:
Roperating conditions of your vehicle
Ryour personal driving style
You can influence both factors. You should
bear the following in mind:
Operating conditions:
Ravoid short trips as these increase fuel con-
sumption.
Ralways make sure that the tire pressures
are correct.
Rdo not carry any unnecessary weight.
Rremove roof racks once you no longer need
them.
Ra regularly serviced vehicle will contribute
to environmental protection. You should
therefore adhere to the service intervals.
Ralways have service work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Personal driving style:
Rdo not depress the accelerator pedal when
starting the engine.
Rdo not warm up the engine when the vehicle
is stationary.
Rdrive carefully and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front.
Ravoid frequent, sudden acceleration and
braking.
Rchange gear in good time and use each gear
only up to Ôof its maximum engine speed.
Rswitch off the engine in stationary traffic.
Rkeep an eye on the vehicle's fuel consump-
tion.
Environmental concerns and recom-
mendations
Wherever the operating instructions require you
to dispose of materials, first try to regenerate or
re-use them. Observe the relevant environmen-
tal rules and regulations when disposing of
materials. In this way you will help to protect the
environment.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
HEnvironmental note
Daimler AG also supplies reconditioned major
assemblies and parts which are of the same
quality as new parts. They are covered by the
same Limited Warranty entitlements as new
parts.
!Air bags and Emergency Tensioning Devi-
ces, as well as control units and sensors for
these restraint systems, may be installed in
the following areas of your vehicle:
Rdoors
Rdoor pillars
Rdoor sills
Rseats
Rcockpit
Rinstrument cluster
Rcenter console
Do not install accessories such as audio sys-
tems in these areas. Do not carry out repairs or welding. You could impair the operating
efficiency of the restraint systems.
Have aftermarket accessories installed at a
qualified specialist workshop.
You could jeopardize the operating safety of
your vehicle if you use parts, tires and wheels as
well as accessories relevant to safety which
have not been approved by Mercedes-Benz. This
could lead to malfunctions in safety-relevant
24Introduction
Multifunction steering wheel
FunctionPage
:Multifunction display208
;Multimedia system display
=?
Switches on voice-operated
navigation or the Voice Con-
trol System
8
Mute
WX
Adjusts the volume
~
Rejects or ends a call212
Exits phone book/redial
memory
6
Makes or accepts a call
Switches to the redial mem-
ory
FunctionPage
?=;
Selects a menu207
9:
Selects a submenu or scrolls
through lists207
a
Confirms a selection207
Hides display messages220
%
Back207
Switches off voice-operated
navigation or the Voice Con-
trol System
iIn vehicles with multimedia system
COMAND you can find further information:
Ron the multimedia system in the Digital
Operator's Manual
Ron the DVD changer or single DVD drive in
the Digital Operator's Manual
Ron the Voice Control System in the sepa-
rate operating instructions
iIn vehicles with multimedia system Audio 20
you can find further information:
Ron the multimedia system in the Digital
Operator's Manual
Ron the voice-operated control of the navi-
gation in the manufacturer's operating
instructions
34Multifunction steering wheel
At a glance
Steering wheel
Important safety notes
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine.
GWARNING
Children could injure themselves if they
adjust the steering wheel. There is a risk of
injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
The electrically adjustable steering wheel can
still be adjusted when there is no SmartKey in
the ignition lock.
Adjusting the steering wheel man-
ually
GWARNING
If the steering wheel is unlocked while the
vehicle is in motion, it could change position
unexpectedly. This could cause you to lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Before starting off, make sure the steering
wheel is locked. Never unlock the steering
wheel while the vehicle is in motion.
:Release lever
;Adjusts the steering wheel height
=Adjusts the steering wheel position (fore-
and-aft adjustment)
XPush release lever :down completely.
The steering column is unlocked.
XAdjust the steering wheel to the desired posi-
tion.
XPush release lever :up completely.
The steering column is locked.
XCheck if the steering column is locked. When
doing so, try to push the steering wheel up or down or try to move it in the fore-and-aft
direction.
Adjusting the steering wheel electri-
cally
:Adjusts the steering wheel height
;Adjusts the steering wheel position (fore-
and-aft adjustment)
The steering wheel can also be adjusted when
the SmartKey is removed from the ignition lock.
iFurther related subjects:
REASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature (Ypage 98)
RStoring settings (Ypage 102)
Steering wheel97
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z
The cornering lamp may remain lit for a short
time, but is automatically switched off after no
more than three minutes.
Cornering light function with traffic circle
function:
The cornering light function is activated on both
sides before entering a traffic circle through an
evaluation of the current GPS position of the
vehicle. It remains active until after the vehicle
has left the traffic circle. In this way, pedestrians
crossing the road, for example, are illuminated
by your vehicle in good time.
Highway mode
Highway mode increases the range of the beam.
Active:if you are driving at a speed above
110 km/h and do not make any large steering
movements for at least 1,000 m or if you are
driving at a speed above 130 km/h.
Not active: if you are driving at speeds below
80 km/h following activation.
Extended range fog lamps
The extended range fog lamps reduce the glare
experienced by the driver and improve the illu-
mination of the edge of the road.
Active: if you are driving at speeds below
40 mph (70 km/ h)and you switch on the rear
fog lamp.
Not active: if, following activation, you are driv-
ing at speeds above 60 mph (100km/ h)or if you
switch off the rear fog lamp
Cornering light function
The cornering light function improves the illu-
mination of the road over a wide angle in the
direction you are turning, enabling better visi-
bility in tight bends, for example. It can only be
activated when the low-beam headlamps are
switched on.
Active:
Rif you are driving at speeds below 25 mph
(40 km/h) and switch on the turn signal or
turn the steering wheel
Rif you are driving at speeds between 25 mph
(40 km/h) and 45 mph (70 km/h) and turn
the steering wheel The cornering lamp may remain lit for a short
time, but is automatically switched off after no
more than three minutes.
Cornering light function with traffic circle
function:
The cornering light function is activated on both
sides before entering a traffic circle through an
evaluation of the current GPS position of the
vehicle. It remains active until after the vehicle
has left the traffic circle. In this way, pedestrians
crossing the road, for example, are illuminated
by your vehicle in good time.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist
General notes
You can use this function to set the headlamps
to change between low beam and high beam
automatically. The system recognizes vehicles
with their lights on, either approaching from the
opposite direction or traveling in front of your
vehicle, and consequently switches the head-
lamps from high beam to low beam.
The system automatically adapts the low-beam
headlamp range depending on the distance to
the other vehicle. Once the system no longer
detects any other vehicles, it reactivates the
high-beam headlamps.
The system's optical sensor is located behind
the windshield near the overhead control panel.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Adaptive Highbeam Assist does not recognize
road users:
Rwho have no lights, e.g. pedestrians
Rwho have poor lighting, e.g. cyclists
Rwhose lighting is blocked, e.g. by a barrier
On very rare occasions, Adaptive Highbeam
Assist may fail to recognize other road users
that have lights, or may recognize them too
late. In this, or in similar situations, the auto-
matic high-beam headlamps will not be deac-
tivated or will be activated regardless. There is a risk of an accident.
Exterior lighting107
Lights and windshield wipers
Z
Setting the temperature
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Different temperatures can be set for the driv-
er's and front-passenger sides.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock (Ypage 125).
XTo increase or decrease: turn control:or
B counter-clockwise or clockwise
(
Ypage 113).
Only change the temperature setting in small
increments. Start at 72 ‡ (22 †).
3-zone automatic climate control
You can select different temperature settings
for the driver's and front-passenger sides as well
as for the rear compartment.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock (Ypage 125).
XTo increase or decrease temperature in
the front compartment: turn control:or
B counter-clockwise or clockwise
(
Ypage 115).
Only change the temperature setting in small increments. Start at 72 ‡ (22 †).
XTo increase or reduce the temperature in
the rear compartment using the front con-
trol panel: press theábutton.
The indicator lamp in the ábutton goes
out.
The temperature setting for the driver's side
is adopted for the rear compartment and the
front-passenger side.
XTurn thumbwheel :to the left or right
(Ypage 115).
Only change the temperature setting in small
increments. Start at 72 ‡ (22 †).
XTo increase or decrease the rear compart-
ment temperature using the rear control
panel: turn control Mcounter-clockwise or
clockwise on the rear control panel
(
Ypage 115).
Only change the temperature setting in small
increments. Start at 72 ‡ (22 †).
Setting the air distribution
Air distribution settings
Front control panel
P Directs the airflow through the center
vents
O Directs air through the footwell air vents
S Directs the airflow through the center
and footwell vents
¯ Directs air through the defroster vents
b Directs the airflow through the defroster
and center vents (Canada only)
a Directs air through the defroster and
footwell vents
_ Directs the airflow through the defroster,
center and footwell air vents (Canada
only)
Rear control panel
M Directs the airflow through the rear cen-
ter and B-pillar air vents
O Directs air through the footwell air vents
iUsing the rear control panel, you can also
activate both air distribution positions simul-
taneously. In order to do this, press both air
distribution buttons. The air is then routed
through all rear air vents.
iRegardless of the air distribution setting,
airflow is always directed through the side air
vents. The side air vents can only be closed
when the controls on the side air vents are
turned downwards.
Adjusting
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock (Ypage 125).
XPress the _button repeatedly until the
desired symbol appears in the display.
Setting the airflow
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock (Ypage 125).
XTo increase: press theKbutton.
XTo reduce: press theIbutton.
Operating the climate control systems119
Climate control
ANeutral
Do not shift the transmission toN
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you to
move the vehicle freely, e.g. to push
it or tow it.
If ESP
®is deactivated or faulty: shift
the transmission to position Nif the
vehicle is in danger of skidding, e.g.
on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position Ror D, the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
!Rolling in neutral Ncan damage
the drive train.
7Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available.
Driving tips
Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D. This automatic gear shifting
behavior is determined by:
Rthe selected drive program
Rthe position of the accelerator pedal
Rthe road speed
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
Rlittle throttle: early upshifts
Rmore throttle: late upshifts
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration.
XDepress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a lower
gear depending on the engine speed.
XEase off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Rocking the vehicle free
Shifting the transmission repeatedly between
gears Dand Rmay help to free the vehicle if it
has become stuck in slush or snow. The vehi-
cle's engine management system limits the
speed to a maximum of 5 mph (9 km/h) when
shifting back and forth. To shift back and forth
between transmission positions Dand R, move
the DIRECT SELECT lever up and down past the
point of resistance.
Towing a trailer
XDrive in the middle of the engine speed range
on uphill gradients.
XDepending on the uphill or downhill gradient,
use the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (
Ypage 136) to select a lower gear,
even if cruise control or Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC are activated.
Drive programs
Slippery drive program
The Slippery drive program has the following
characteristics:
Rreduced engine and transmission settings for
optimum propulsion on slippery or snow-cov-
ered roads.
Roptimized ESP®stability control on slippery or
snow-covered roads.
Rthe vehicle has improved driving stability on
slippery or snow-covered roads, for example.
Automatic transmission135
Driving an d parking
Z
Comfort drive program
TheComfort drive program has the following
characteristics:
Rcomfort-oriented engine and transmission
settings.
Roptimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner.
Rthe vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the accel-
erator pedal is depressed fully.
Rthe automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being driven
at lower engine speeds and the wheels being
less likely to spin.
Sport drive program
The Sport drive program has the following char-
acteristics:
Rsporty engine and transmission settings.
Rthe automatic transmission shifting up later.
the fuel consumption possibly being higher as
a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits sporty damping (vehi-
cles with AIRMATIC).
Sport Plus drive program
The Sport Plus drive program has the following
characteristics:
Rthe vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driving
characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulling away in first gear.
Rthe automatic transmission shifting up later.
the fuel consumption possibly being higher as
a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly firm
springing and damping settings (vehicles with AIRMATIC).
Rthe ECO start/stop function is deactivated, it
can, however, be activated again using the
ECO button (
Ypage 130).
Individual drive program
In the Individual drive program, the following
properties of the drive program can be selected:
Rthe drive (engine and transmission manage-
ment)
Rthe transmission
Rthe suspension
Rall vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
the steering
Rall vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
availability of the ECO start/stop function
To select the gears in the Individualdrive pro-
gram permanently using the steering wheel pad-
dle shifters, select the permanent manual gear-
shift program.
Information about configuring the Individual
drive program with the multimedia system can
be found in the Digital Operator's Manual.
Manual gear shifting
General notes
You can change gear yourself using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. The transmission must be
in position D.
Depending on which steering wheel paddle
shifter is pulled, the automatic transmission
immediately shifts into the next gear down or
up, if permitted.
To use manual shifting, you have two options:
Rtemporary setting
Rpermanent setting
If you activate manual gearshifting, the multi-
function display will show the current gear
instead of transmission position D.
If manual gearshifting is deactivated, the gears
will be selected automatically.
136Automatic transmission
Driving and parking
Temporary setting
XTo activate:shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D.
XPull steering wheel paddle shifter :or;.
Temporary setting will be active for a certain
amount of time. Under certain conditions the
minimum amount of time is extended, e.g. in the case of lateral acceleration, during an overrun
phase or when driving on steep terrain.
XTo deactivate: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter ;and hold it in place.
or
XUse the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch the
transmission position.
or
XUse the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program.
Permanent setting
XTo activate: shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to
position D.
XPress button :.
XTo deactivate: press button:.
or
XAll vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles):
use the DYNAMIC SELECT controller to
change the drive program.
XMercedes-AMG vehicles: use the DYNAMIC
SELECT controller to switch to the Individual
drive program.
Shifting gears
!Mercedes-AMG vehicles: the automatic
transmission does not shift up automatically
even when the engine limiting speed for the
current gear is reached. When the engine lim-
iting speed is reached, the fuel supply is cut to
prevent the engine from overrevving. Always
make sure that the engine speed does not
reach the red area of the tachometer. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage.
XTo shift up: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter ;.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): if the maximum engine speed on the
currently engaged gear is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic trans-
mission automatically shifts up in order to
prevent engine damage.
XTo shift down: pull steering wheel paddle
shifter :.
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
Automatic down shifting occurs when coast-
ing.
If the engine exceeds the maximum engine
speed when shifting down, the automatic
transmission protects against engine damage
by not shifting down.
Automatic transmission137
Driving an d parking
Z