Page 150 of 295

148Driving and operatingSelector leverP:park position, press release
button, wheels are locked,
engage only when the vehicle is
stationary and parking brake is
appliedR:reverse gear, press release
button, engage only when
vehicle is stationaryN:neutralD:automatic modeM:manual mode: move selector
lever from D to the left.<:manual mode upshifting: move
selector lever in position M and
tap upwards]:manual mode downshifting:
move selector lever in position
M and tap rearwards
The selector lever is locked in P and
can only be moved when the ignition
is on and the brake pedal is applied.
Without brake pedal applied, the
control indicator j illuminates.
If the selector lever is not in P when
the ignition is switched off, the control
indicators j and P flash.
To engage P or R, press the release
button.
The engine can only be started with the lever in position P or N. When
position N is selected, press the brake
pedal or apply the parking brake
before starting.
Do not accelerate while engaging a
gear. Never depress the accelerator
pedal and brake pedal at the same
time.
When a gear is engaged, the vehicle
slowly begins to creep when the
brake is released.
Engine braking To utilise the engine braking effect,select a lower gear in good time when
driving downhill, see manual mode.
Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle is only
permissible if the vehicle is stuck in
sand, mud or snow. Move the selector
lever between D and R in a repeat
pattern. Do not race the engine and
avoid sudden acceleration.
Page 152 of 295

150Driving and operatingThe transmission no longer shifts
automatically. Continued travel is possible with manual shifting.
Only the highest gear is available.
Depending on the fault, 2nd gear may also be available in manual mode.
Shift only when vehicle is at a
standstill.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Interruption of power supply In the event of an interruption of
power supply, the selector lever
cannot be moved out of the P
position. The ignition key cannot be
removed from the ignition switch.
If the vehicle battery is discharged,
start the vehicle using jump leads
3 247.
If the vehicle battery is not the cause
of the fault, release the selector lever.
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Release the selector lever trim from the centre console at the
front, fold it upwards and rotate it
to the left.
3. Insert a screwdriver into the opening as far as it will go and
move the selector lever out of P or
N . If P or N is engaged again, the
selector lever will be locked in
position again. Have the cause of
the power supply interruption
remedied by a workshop.
4. Mount the selector lever trim onto
the centre console and refit.
Page 153 of 295

Driving and operating151Manual transmission
To engage reverse, with the vehicle
stationary, depress clutch pedal,
press the release button on the
selector lever and engage the gear.
If the gear does not engage, set the
lever to neutral, release the clutch
pedal and depress again; then repeat
gear selection.
Do not slip the clutch unnecessarily.
When operating, depress the clutch
pedal completely. Do not use the
pedal as a foot rest.
Caution
It is not advisable to drive with the hand resting on the selector lever.
Upshift indication 3 89.
Brakes
The brake system comprises two independent brake circuits.
If a brake circuit fails, the vehicle can
still be braked using the other brake
circuit. However, braking effect is
achieved only when the brake pedal
is depressed firmly. Considerably
more force is needed for this. The
braking distance is extended. Seek
the assistance of a workshop before
continuing your journey.
When the engine is not running, the
support of the brake servo unit
disappears once the brake pedal has
been depressed once or twice.
Braking effect is not reduced, but
braking requires significantly greater
force. It is especially important to bear this in mind when being towed.
Control indicator R 3 88.
Antilock brake system
Antilock brake system (ABS)
prevents the wheels from locking.
Page 154 of 295

152Driving and operatingABS starts to regulate brake pressureas soon as a wheel shows a tendency to lock. The vehicle remains
steerable, even during hard braking.
ABS control is made apparent
through a pulse in the brake pedal
and the noise of the regulation
process.
For optimum braking, keep the brake
pedal fully depressed throughout the
braking process, despite the fact that
the pedal is pulsating. Do not reduce
the pressure on the pedal.
After starting off the system performs
a self-test which may be audible.
Control indicator u 3 89.
Adaptive brake light
During full braking, all three brake
lights flash for the duration of ABS
control.Fault9 Warning
If there is a fault in the ABS, the
wheels may be liable to lock due
to braking that is heavier than
normal. The advantages of ABS are no longer available. During
hard braking, the vehicle can no longer be steered and may
swerve.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Parking brake
Manual parking brake9 Warning
Always apply parking brake firmly
without operating the release
button, and apply as firmly as
possible on a downhill or uphill
slope.
To release the parking brake, pull
the lever up slightly, press the
release button and fully lower the
lever.
Page 159 of 295

Driving and operating157Deactivate SPORT mode and TOUR
mode by pressing the corresponding
button once more.
In each driving mode, Flex Ride
networks the following electronic
systems:
● Continuous Damping Control
● Accelerator Pedal Control
● Steering Control
● Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
● Antilock brake system (ABS) with
cornering brake control (CBC)
● Automatic transmissionSPORT mode
The settings of the systems are
adapted to a sportier driving style:
● Damping of shock absorbers reacts more stiffly to providebetter contact with the road
surface.
● The engine reacts more quickly to the accelerator pedal.
● Steering support is reduced.
● Shift points of automatic transmission occur later.
● With SPORT mode activated, the
illumination of main instruments changes from white to red.
TOUR mode
The settings of the systems are
adapted to a comfort driving style:
● Damping of shock absorbers reacts more softly.
● Accelerator pedal reacts with standard settings.
● Steering support is in standard mode.● Shift points of automatictransmission occur in a comfort
mode.
● Illumination of main instruments is white.
NORMAL mode
All settings of the systems are
adapted to standard values.
Drive mode control Within each manual selected driving
mode SPORT, TOUR or NORMAL,
the Drive Mode Control (DMC)
detects and analyses continuously the real driving characteristic,
responses by the driver, and the
active dynamic state of the vehicle. If
necessary, the control unit of DMC
automatically changes the settings
within the selected driving mode or,
when recognising greater variations,
the driving mode is changed for the
length of variation.
If, for example, NORMAL mode is
selected and DMC detects a sporty
driving behaviour, DMC changes
several settings of the Normal mode
Page 160 of 295

158Driving and operatinginto sporty settings. The DMC
changes to SPORT mode in case of
very sporty driving behaviour.
If, for example, TOUR mode is
selected and whilst driving on a
winding road a sudden hard brake is
necessary, DMC will detect the
dynamic vehicle condition and
changes the settings for suspension
to SPORT mode to increase vehicle
stability.
When the driving characteristic or the
dynamic vehicle state returns to
former state, DMC will change the
settings to the preselected driving
mode.
Personalised settings in the Sport mode
The driver can select the functions of
the SPORT mode when SPORT is
pressed. These settings can be
changed in the Settings menu in the
Info-Display. Vehicle personalisation
3 105.Flex Ride - OPC Version
The OPC Version of Flex Ride system works in the same way as the
standard Flex Ride system with the
difference that the modes have a
more sporty characteristic.OPC Flex Ride driving system allows
the driver to select between three
driving modes:
● OPC mode: press OPC, LED
illuminates.
● SPORT mode: press SPORT,
LED illuminates.
● NORMAL mode: neither SPORT
nor OPC is pressed, no LED
illuminates.
Deactivate SPORT mode and OPC mode by pressing the corresponding
button once more.
In each driving mode,
OPC Flex Ride networks the following electronic systems:
● Continuous Damping Control
● Accelerator Pedal Control
● Steering Control
● Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
● Antilock brake system (ABS) with
cornering brake control (CBC)
Page 168 of 295

166Driving and operating● There is no traffic and nothingdetected on the road sides forseveral minutes. In this case,
there are no radar echoes and
the sensor may report that it is
blocked.
● The collision imminent braking system is applying the brakes.
● The radar sensor is blocked by an ice or water film.
● A fault is detected in the radar, engine or brake system.
When adaptive cruise control is
deactivated automatically, the control indicator m illuminates white and a
warning symbol is displayed as a pop-
up in the Driver Information Centre.
The stored speed is maintained.
9 Warning
When adaptive cruise control is
deactivated, the driver must take
over full brake and engine control.
Switching off
Press C to switch off adaptive cruise
control. The control indicator m
extinguishes. The stored speed is
deleted.
Switching off the ignition also
switches off adaptive cruise control
and deletes the stored speed.
Driver's attention
● Use adaptive cruise control carefully on bends or mountain
roads, as it can lose the vehicle
ahead and need time to detect it
again.
● Do not use the system on slippery roads as it can create
rapid changes in tyre traction
(wheel spinning), so that you
could lose control.
● Do not use adaptive cruise control during rain, snow or
heavy dirt, as the radar sensor
can be covered by a water film,
dust, ice or snow. This reduces or suppresses completely the
visibility. In case of sensor
blockage, clean the sensor
cover.
System limits ● The system's automatic brake force does not permit hard
braking and the braking level
may not be sufficient to avoid a
collision.
Page 170 of 295

168Driving and operatingHill and trailer considerations
System performance on hills and
when towing a trailer depends on your
vehicle speed, vehicle load, traffic
conditions and the road gradient. It
may not detect a vehicle in your path
while driving on hills. On steep hills,
you may have to use the accelerator
pedal to maintain your vehicle speed. When going downhill, especially
when towing a trailer, you may have
to brake to maintain or reduce your
speed.
Note that applying the brake
deactivates the system. It is not
recommended to use adaptive cruise
control on steep hills especially when towing a trailer.
Radar unit
The radar unit is mounted behind the
radiator grille below the brand
emblem.
9 Warning
The radar unit was aligned
carefully during manufacture.
Therefore, after a frontal accident, do not use the system. The front
bumper may appear to be intact,
however the sensor behind can be
out of position and react
incorrectly. After an accident,
consult a workshop to verify and
correct the adaptive cruise control
sensor position.
Settings
Settings can be changed in the Auto
collision preparation menu in the
vehicle personalisation, 3 105.
Fault
If the adaptive cruise control does not
work due to temporary conditions
(e.g. blockage by ice) or if there is a
permanent system error, then a
message is displayed in the Driver
Information Centre.