2018 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS instrument cluster

Upshifting X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
! In manual drive program M , 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.
C
Gear indicatorD
Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown in the multi-
function display. X
When the UP message appears in the multi-
function display, pull on the right-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
Shift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display. X
If corresponding gearshift recommenda-
tion C appears in the multifunction display
on the instrument cluster, pull on the right-
hand steering wheel paddle shifter
( Y
page 135).
The automatic transmission shifts to recom-
mended gear D .
Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you brake the vehicle or stop without shift-
ing down, the automatic transmission will
shift down to a gear that will allow the vehicle
to accelerate or pull away again.
For maximum acceleration, pull the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter until the transmis-
sion selects the optimum gear for the current
speed.
Kickdown You can also use kickdown for maximum accel-
eration in manual drive program M .X
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a lower
gear depending on the engine speed. X
Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: it is not possible to
use kickdown in manual drive program M .
Switching off the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
( Y
page 133). X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: turn the drive pro-
gram selector ( Y
page 134).Automatic transmission 137
Driving and parking Z

You must make sure that fuel does not come
into contact with your skin, eyes or clothing
and that it is not swallowed. Do not inhale fuel
vapors. Keep fuel away from children.
If you or others come into contact with fuel,
observe the following: R
Wash away fuel from skin immediately
using soap and water. R
If fuel comes into contact with your eyes,
immediately rinse them thoroughly with
clean water. Seek medical assistance with-
out delay. R
If fuel is swallowed, seek medical assis-
tance without delay. Do not induce vomit-
ing. R
Immediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with fuel.
G WARNING
Electrostatic buildup can create sparks and
ignite fuel vapors. There is a risk of fire and
explosion.
Always touch the vehicle body before opening
the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. Any existing electrostatic buildup is
thereby discharged.
! Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
gasoline engine. Do not switch on the ignition
if you accidentally refuel with the wrong fuel.
Otherwise, the fuel will enter the fuel system.
Even small amounts of the wrong fuel could
result in damage to the fuel system and the
engine. Notify a qualified specialist workshop
and have the fuel tank and fuel lines drained
completely.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
! Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
! Use a filter when adding fuel from a fuel can.
The fuel lines and/or the fuel injection system
could otherwise be blocked by particles from
the fuel can. Do not get into the vehicle again during the refu-
eling process. Otherwise, electrostatic charge
could build up again.
If you overfill the fuel tank, fuel could spray out
when the fuel pump nozzle is removed.
For further information on fuel and fuel quality
( Y
page 324).
Refueling
General information Pay attention to the important safety notes
( Y
page 138).
The fuel filler flap is unlocked or locked auto-
matically when you unlock or lock the vehicle
with the SmartKey or using KEYLESS-GO.
The position of the fuel filler cap is displayed in
the instrument cluster

X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: when the vehicle
is stationary, press button C .X
With the Smartkey: turn the Smartkey to
position 0 in the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated. X
With KEYLESS-GO: press the KEYLESS-GO
Start/Stop button ( Y
page 123).
The engine stops 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 : "Smartkey removed".
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position R or D , the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to N automatically.
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 automatic
transmission shifts to P automatically.
With KEYLESS-GO: if you then open the driver's
or front-passenger door, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to P .
If you want the automatic 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 KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition 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 parking brake. X
Switch off the ignition and leave the Smartkey
in the ignition lock. The engine can be switched off while the vehicle
is in motion by pressing and holding the Start/
Stop button for about three seconds. This func-
tion operates independently of the ECO start/
stop automatic engine switch-off function.
Parking brake
G WARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking
brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi-
cle when the service brake is faulty. Do not
apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again.
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 automatic transmission out of the
parking position P .R
start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. 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.
If you brake the vehicle with the parking brake,
the brake lamps will not light up.142
Parking
Driving and parking

X
To apply: depress parking brake D firmly.
When the engine is running, the ' (USA
only) or M (Canada only) indicator lamp
lights up in the instrument cluster. X
To release: depress the brake pedal and keep
it depressed. X
Pull release handle C .
When the ignition is switched on or the engine
is running, the ' (USA only) or M (Can-
ada only) indicator lamp goes out in the instru-
ment cluster.
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 control
of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident. Only operate this equipment when the vehicle
is 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.
Drive sensibly – save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel: X
The tires should always be inflated to the rec-
ommended tire pressure. X
Remove unnecessary loads. X
Remove roof racks when they are not needed. X
Warm up the engine at low engine speeds. X
Avoid frequent acceleration or braking. X
Have all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the Main-
tenance Booklet or by the service interval dis-
play.
Fuel consumption also increases when driving in
cold weather, in stop-start traffic 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. Driving tips 143
Driving and parking Z

change dynamically at the beginning of the
journey. On longer journeys, there are fewer
changes. For more dynamic changes, carry
out a manual reset.
For further information on the ECO display, see
( Y
page 191).
Braking
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in
an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients
! On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting to a
lower gear in good time. This allows you to
take advantage of the engine's braking effect.
This helps you to avoid overheating the
brakes and wearing them out excessively.
When you take advantage of engine braking, a
drive wheel may not turn for some time, e.g.
on a slippery road surface. This could cause
damage to the drive train. This type of damage
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz war-
ranty.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is especially
important if the vehicle is laden.
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, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the airflow
to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first
time. This may also occur after the vehicle has
been washed or driven through deep water.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehicle
washed, brake firmly while paying attention to
the traffic conditions. This will warm up the
brake discs, thereby drying them more quickly
and protecting them against corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt resi-
due may form on the brake discs and brake
pads. This can result in a significantly longer
braking distance. R
In order to prevent any salt build-up, apply the
brakes occasionally while paying attention to
the traffic conditions. R
Carefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey. R
Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
! The brake fluid level may be too low, if: R
if the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and R
you hear a warning tone while the engine is
running
Observe additional warning messages in the
multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines. Driving tips 145
Driving and parking Z

Have the brake system checked immediately.
Consult a qualified specialist workshop to
arrange this.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or per-
formance tests may only be carried out on a 2-
axle dynamometer. If you wish to operate the
vehicle on such a dynamometer, please con-
sult a qualified specialist workshop in
advance. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP ®
sys-
tem operates automatically, the engine and
the ignition must be switched off (SmartKey in
position 0 or 1 in the ignition lock or Start/
Stop button in position 0 or 1 ) while the park-
ing brake is being tested on a brake dyna-
mometer.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake sys-
tem.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP ®
sys-
tem operates automatically, the engine and
the ignition system must be switched off
(SmartKey in position 0 or 1 in the ignition
lock or Start/Stop button in position 0 or 1 )
when: R
testing the parking brake on a brake dyna-
mometer. R
you intend to have the vehicle towed with
one of the axles raised.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake sys-
tem.
All checks and maintenance work on the brake
system must be carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the functional-
ity of your brakes at regular intervals. To do so,
press firmly on the brake pedal when driving at a
high speed. This improves the grip of the brake
pads.
You can find a description of Brake Assist (BAS)
on ( Y
page 65) or of BAS PLUS on ( Y
page 65). The braking characteristics of the vehicle can be
seriously impaired if: R
brake pads other than those recommended
are installed R
the recommended brake fluid is not used
Safe braking can no longer be guaranteed.
AMG high-performance and ceramic
brakes The high-performance brake system is only
installed on the Mercedes-AMG
CLS 63 S 4MATIC model.
The AMG brake systems are designed for heavy
loads. This may lead to noise when braking. This
will depend on: R
Speed R
Braking force R
Environmental conditions, such as tempera-
ture and humidity
The wear of individual components of the brake
system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake
discs, depends on the individual driving style
and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a mile-
age that will be valid under all circumstances. An
aggressive driving style will lead to high wear.
You can obtain further information about this
from your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after several
hundred kilometers of driving. Compensate for
this by applying greater force to the brake pedal.
Keep this in mind, and adapt your driving and
braking accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in correspond-
ingly high brake wear. Observe the brake wear
warning lamp in the instrument cluster and note
any brake status messages in the multifunction
display. Especially for high performance driving,
it is important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.146
Driving tips
Driving and parking

When ATTENTION ASSIST has been deactivated,
it is automatically reactivated after the engine
has been stopped. The sensitivity selected cor-
responds to the last selection activated (stand-
ard/sensitive).
Warning in the multifunction display If fatigue or increasing lapses in concentration
are detected, a warning appears in the multi-
function display: Attention Assist: Take a
Break!
In addition to the display message shown in the
multifunction display, you will then hear a warn-
ing tone. X
If necessary, take a break. X
Confirm the display message with the v
button on the steering wheel.
On long journeys, take regular breaks in good
time to allow yourself to rest. If you do not take
a break, you will be warned again after
15 minutes at the earliest. This will only happen
if ATTENTION ASSIST still detects typical indi-
cators of fatigue or increasing lapses in concen-
tration.
Vehicles with COMAND multifunction dis-
play: if a warning is output in the multifunction
display, a service station search is performed in
the multimedia system. You can select a service
station and navigation to this service station will
then begin. This function can be activated and
deactivated in the multimedia system.
Traffic Sign Assist
General notes Traffic Sign Assist displays the maximum speed
permitted to the driver in the instrument cluster.
The data and general traffic regulations stored in
the navigation system are used to determine the
current speed limit.
Traffic Sign Assist is a map-based system, and
for this reason, traffic signs put up temporarily
(e.g. near roadworks) are not detected. There is
also no display for changing traffic signs.
If a traffic sign that is relevant to your vehicle is
passed, the display of the speed limits is upda-
ted.
Traffic signs with a restriction indicated by an
additional sign (e.g. in wet conditions) are also
shown. The sign indicating the end of a restriction only
appears with the restriction in the instrument
cluster when: R
the regulation must be observed with the
restriction, or R
Traffic Sign Assist is unable to determine
whether the restriction applies
If Traffic Sign Assist is unable to determine a
maximum permitted speed from any of the avail-
able sources, no speed limit appears in the
instrument cluster either.
Traffic Sign Assist is not available in all coun-
tries. In this case, display C appears in the
assistance graphic ( Y
page 195).
Important safety notes Traffic Sign Assist is only an aid and is not always
able to correctly display speed limits. Traffic
signs always have priority over the Traffic Sign
Assist display.
The system may be either functionally impaired
or temporarily unavailable if the information in
the digital street map of the navigation system is
incorrect or out of date.
Instrument cluster display
Displaying the assistance graphic X
Call up the assistance graphics display func-
tion using the on-board computer
( Y
page 195).
Detected traffic signs are displayed in the
instrument cluster.178
Driving systems
Driving and parking

For further information about Active Blind Spot
Assist, see ( Y
page 182).
Activating/deactivating Lane Keeping
Assist X
Press the Y or e button on the steering
wheel to select the DriveAssist menu.X
Press the c or d button to select
Lane Keep. Assist .X
Press the v button.
The current selection appears. X
Press v to confirm.X
Press the d or c button to set Off ,
Standard or Adaptive .X
Press the v button to save the setting.
For further information about Lane Keeping
Assist, see ( Y
page 181).
For further information about Active Lane Keep-
ing Assist, see ( Y
page 184).
Service menu Depending on the equipment installed in the
vehicle, you have the following options in the
Serv. menu:R
Calling up display messages in message
memory ( Y
page 203)R
Restarting the tire pressure loss warning sys-
tem ( Y
page 299)R
Checking the tire pressure electronically
( Y
page 299) R
Calling up the service due date
( Y
page 270)
Settings menu
Introduction Depending on the equipment installed in the
vehicle, In the Sett. menu you have the follow-
ing options: R
Changing the instrument cluster settings
( Y
page 197) R
Changing the light settings ( Y
page 198)R
Changing the vehicle settings ( Y
page 199)R
Changing the convenience settings
( Y
page 199) R
Restoring the factory settings ( Y
page 200) Instrument cluster Selecting the distance unit The Display Unit Speed-/Odometer: func-
tion allows you to choose whether certain dis-
plays appear in kilometers or miles in the mul-
tifunction display. X
Press the Y or e button on the steering
wheel to select the Sett. menu.X
Press the d or c button to select the
Instrument Cluster submenu.X
Press v to confirm. X
Press the d or c button to select the
Display Unit Speed-/Odometer function.
You will see the selected setting: km or miles .X
Press the v button to save the setting.
The selected unit of measurement for distance
applies to: R
the digital speedometer in the Trip menuR
the odometer and trip odometer R
the trip computer R
the current consumption and the range R
the navigation instructions in the Navi menuR
cruise control R
DISTRONIC PLUS R
ASSYST PLUS service interval display
Selecting permanent display The Permanent Display: function allows you
to choose whether the multifunction display
always shows the outside temperature or the
speed.
The speed display is inverse to the speedome-
ter. X
Press the Y or e button on the steering
wheel to select the Sett. menu.X
Press the d or c button to select the
Instrument Cluster submenu.X
Press v to confirm. X
Press the d or c button to select the
Permanent Display: function.
The current setting, Outside Temperature
or Speedometer [km/h] / Speedometer
[mph] , appears. X
Press the v button to save the setting.Menus and submenus 197
On-board computer and displays Z