2018 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS tow

D Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to N
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 only to position N if
the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
e.g. on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position R or D , the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
! Rolling in neutral N can damage
the drive train.
: Drive
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: R
the selected drive program R
the position of the accelerator pedal R
the road speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear: R
little throttle: early upshifts R
more throttle: late upshifts
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
When shifting down, the double-clutch function
is active regardless of the currently selected
drive program. The double-clutch function reduces load change reactions and is conducive
to a sporty driving style. The sound generated by
the double-clutch function depends on the drive
program selected.
Kickdown Use kickdown for maximum acceleration: X
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a lower
gear depending on the engine speed. X
Ease off the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts back up.
Rocking the vehicle free Rocking the vehicle free by shifting back and
forth between transmission positions D and R
can help to free a vehicle that has become stuck
in mud or snow. The vehicle's engine manage-
ment restricts switching between transmission
positions D and R to speeds up to a maximum of
5 mph (9 km/h). To shift back and forth between
transmission positions D and R , move the
DIRECT SELECT lever up and down past the
point of resistance.
Program selector button
General notes
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehicles and
vehicles with AMG sports package) X
Press program selector button C repeatedly
until the letter for the desired drive program
appears in the multifunction display.Automatic transmission 133
Driving an d parking Z

Problems with the transmission Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil. X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
7G-TRONIC:
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no lon-
ger changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into second gear and reverse gear.X
Stop the vehicle. X
Shift the transmission to position P .X
Switch off the engine. X
Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine. X
Shift the transmission to position D or R .
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into second gear; if R is
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear. X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
9G-TRONIC:
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no lon-
ger changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only partly possible to engage the gears or the transmission is in
position N . X
Stop the vehicle. X
Shift the transmission to position P .X
Switch off the engine. X
Wait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine. X
Shift the transmission to position D or R .X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
Transfer case This section is only valid for vehicles with 4-
wheel drive (4MATIC). Power is always trans-
mitted to both axles.
! Performance tests may only be carried out
on a 2-axle dynamometer. The brake system
or transfer case could otherwise be damaged.
Contact a qualified specialist workshop for a
performance test.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised, as
doing so will damage the transmission. Refueling
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. If you handle fuel
incorrectly, there is a risk of fire and explo-
sion.
You must avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Switch off the engine
and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating before
refueling.
G WARNING
Fuel is poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a risk of injury.138
Refueling
Driving and parking

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged. X
Unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key ( Y
page 78).X
Open the trunk lid. X
Manually unlock the fuel filler flap using the emergency release
( Y
page 140).
The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jammed. X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Parking
Important safety notes
G WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi-
cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields.
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.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly against
rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle or its driv-
etrain could be damaged. To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally: R
the parking brake must be applied. R
the transmission must be in position P and the
Smartkey must be removed from the ignition
lock. R
the front wheels must be turned towards the
curb on steep uphill or downhill gradients.
Switching off the engine
Important safety notes
G WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position N when you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P . Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the parking brake firmly. X
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): shift the transmission to position P .Parking 141
Driving and parking Z

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

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

Drivin g on wet road s
Hydroplaning If water has accumulated to a certain dept h on
th e road surface, there is a danger of hydro-
planin g occurring, eve n if:R
you drive at low speeds .R
th e tires hav e adequat e tread depth.
Fo r this reason , in th e event of heav y rain or in
condition s in whic h hydroplaning may occur ,
you mus t drive in th e followin g manner:R
lowe r your speed.R
avoid ruts. R
avoid sudden steerin g movements .R
brake carefully.
Drivin g on flooded road s
! Do no t drive through floode d areas. Chec k
th e dept h of any water befor e drivin g through
it . Drive slowly through standin g water. Oth-
erwise , water may ente r th e vehicle interio r or
th e engin e compartment. Thi s can damage
th e electronic component s in th e engin e or
th e automatic transmission. Water can also
be drawn in by th e engine's air suction nozzles
and this can cause engin e damage.
Winte r drivin g
G WARNING
If you shift down on a slipper y road surfac e in
an attempt to increase th e engine's braking
effect , th e drive wheels could los e their grip.
There is an increase d danger of skidding and
accidents .
Do no t shift down fo r additional engin e brak-
in g on a slipper y road surface.
G DANGER
If th e exhaus t pipe is blocke d or adequat e
ventilation is no t possible, poisonous gases
suc h as carbon monoxide (CO) may ente r th e
vehicle. Thi s is th e case, e.g. if th e vehicle
becomes trappe d in snow. There is a ris k of
fatal injury. If you leav e th e engin e or th e auxiliar y heatin g
running , mak e sur e th e exhaus t pipe and are a
around th e vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensur e an adequat e supply of fresh air, ope n a
window on th e sid e of th e vehicle that is no t
facin g into th e wind.
Hav e your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialis t workshop at th e onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slipper y road sur -
faces. Avoid sudden acceleration , steerin g and
braking maneuvers . Do no t use th e cruise con-
trol or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If th e vehicle threatens to skid or canno t be
stopped when movin g at low speed:X
Shift th e transmissio n to position N .
The outsid e temperature indicator is no t
designed to serve as an ice-warnin g devic e and
is therefore unsuitable fo r that purpose.
Changes in th e outsid e temperature are dis -
playe d after a short delay.
Indicated temperature s just abov e th e freezin g
poin t do no t guarantee that th e road surfac e is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on bridges. The vehicle could
skid if you fail to adapt your drivin g style. Always
adapt your drivin g style and drive at a speed to
suit th e prevailin g w eather conditions.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tion s when temperature s are around freezin g
point.
Fo r more information on drivin g wit h snow
chains, see ( Y
page 294).
Fo r more information on drivin g wit h summer
tires , see ( Y
page 294).
Observ e th e note s in th e "Winte r operation " sec -
tion ( Y
page 294).
Drivin g systems
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive
Mercedes-Ben z Intelligen t Drive stand s fo r inno -
vative driver assistanc e and safet y systems
whic h enhance comfor t and suppor t th e driver in
critical situations. Wit h these intelligen t co-ordi -
nated systems Mercedes-Ben z has set a mile-
ston e on th e pat h toward s autonomous driving.
Mercedes-Ben z Intelligen t Drive embraces all
elements of active and passive safet y in on e wellDriving systems 14 7
Driving an d parking Z

stored speed on downhill gradients by auto-
matically applying the brakes.
Storing the current speed or calling up
the last stored speed
G WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it is lower
than the current speed, the vehicle deceler-
ates. If you do not know the stored speed, the
vehicle could decelerate unexpectedly. There
is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you
do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again. X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you

Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DISTRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves, it
can resemble the radar detectors of the respon-
sible authorities. You can refer to the relevant
chapter in the Operator's Manual if questions
are asked about this.
i USA only: This device has been approved by
the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System". The
radar sensor is intended for use in an auto-
motive radar system only. Removal, tamper-
ing, or altering of the device will void any war-
ranties, and is not permitted by the FCC. Do
not tamper with, alter, or use in any non-
approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
i Canada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the device
will void any warranties, and is not permitted.
Do not tamper with, alter, or use i n any non-
a
pproved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
Important safety notes
G WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to: R
people or animals R
stationary obstacles on the road, e.g. stop-
ped or parked vehicles R
oncoming and crossing traffic
As a result, DISTRONIC PLUS may neither give
warnings nor intervene in such situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake. G WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot always clearly iden-
tify other road users and complex traffic sit-
uations.
In such cases, DISTRONIC PLUS may: R
give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle R
neither give a warning nor intervene R
accelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, in particular when warned to do so by
DISTRONIC PLUS.
G WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with up
to 50% of the maximum possible deceleration.
If this braking force is insufficient, DISTRONIC
PLUS warns you visually and audibly. There is
a risk of an accident.
In such cases, apply the brakes yourself and
try to take evasive action.
! When DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD func-
tion is activated, the vehicle brakes automat-
ically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations: R
when towing the vehicle R
in the car wash
DISTRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk of
an accident if you fail to adapt your driving style
nor override the laws of physics. DISTRONIC
PLUS cannot take account of road, weather and
traffic conditions. DISTRONIC PLUS is only an
aid. You are responsible for the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in
good time and for staying in your lane.150
Driving system s
Dr ivi ng an d parking