
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear in the multifunction display.
:Status symbol drive program
;Transmission position
=Gear
The arrows in the transmission position display
show how and into which transmission positions
you can shift using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
If the transmission position display in the mul-
tifunction display is not working, you should pull
away carefully to check whether the desired
transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you
should select transmission position hand
drive program Eor S.
Transmission positions
BPark position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped.
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion j(
Ypage 140) when the vehi-
cle is stationary. The parking lock
should not be used as a brake when
parking. Always apply the electronic
parking brake in addition to the park-
ing lock in order to secure the vehi-
cle.
Park position jis automatically
engaged if:
Ryou switch off the engine using the SmartKey and remove the Smart-
Key
Ryou switch off the engine using theSmartKey or using the Start/Stop
button and open the driver's door
or front-passenger door
Ryou open the driver's door when
the vehicle is stationary or when
driving at a very low speed and thetransmission is in position hor
k
In the event of a malfunction of the
vehicle's electronics, the transmis-
sion may lock in position j. Have
the vehicle electronics checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
CReverse gear
You can only shift the transmission
into position kwhen the vehicle is
stationary (
Ypage 141).
142Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking

Problems with the transmission
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear.The transmission is losing oil.
XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no lon-
ger changes gear.The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is possible to shift to a gear and reverse gear only.
XStop the vehicle.
XShift the transmission to positionj.
XSwitch off the engine.
XWait at least ten seconds before restarting the engine.
XShift the transmission to positionhork.
If h is selected, the transmission only shifts to one gear; if kis
selected, the transmission shifts to reverse gear.
XHave 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.
!Since ESP®engages automatically, the igni-
tion must be switched off (the SmartKey or
Start/Stop button must be in position gor
1) if
Rthe electrical parking brake is being tested
using a dynamometer
Rthe vehicle is being towed with only one
axle raised (not permitted for vehicles with
4MATIC)
Otherwise, the brake system can be dam-
aged.
!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
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
Fuel is poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a risk of injury.
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:
RWash away fuel from skin immediately
using soap and water.
RIf fuel comes into contact with your eyes,
immediately rinse them thoroughly with
Refueling149
Driving and parking
Z

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.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
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. 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.
RIn order to prevent any salt build-up, apply the
brakes occasionally while paying attention to
the traffic conditions.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
!The brake fluid level may be too low, if:
Rif the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and
Ryou 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.
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: the ESP®system
operates automatically. If the electric parking
brake is tested on a brake dynamometer, the
engine and ignition must be switched off: turn
the SmartKey in the ignition lock to position
u or1 or press the Start/Stop button
repeatedly in accordance with the given
SmartKey positions.
Braking triggered automatically by ESP
®may
cause severe damage to the brake system.
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.
Information on BAS (Brake Assist System)
(
Ypage 66) and Active Brake Assist with cross-
traffic function (Ypage 72).
Driving tips157
Driving and parking
Z

Rif there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in win-ter
Rif the camera lens is dirty or obstructed.
Observe the notes on cleaning
(
Ypage 312)
Rif the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In this
case, have the camera position and setting
checked at a qualified specialist workshop
The field of vision and other functions of the rear
view camera may be restricted due to additional
accessories on the rear of the vehicle (e.g.
license plate holder, rear bicycle rack).
The rear view camera is protected from rain-
drops and dust by means of a flap. When the rear view camera is activated, this flap opens.
The flap closes again when:
Ryou have finished the maneuvering process
Ryou switch off the engine
Ryou open the cargo compartment
Observe the notes on cleaning (
Ypage 312).
For technical reasons, the flap may remain open
briefly after the rear view camera has been
deactivated.
Activating/deactivating the rear view
camera
XTo activate: make sure that the Activa‐
tion by R gearfunction is selected in the
multimedia system (see the Digital Operator's
Manual).
XEngage reverse gear.
The rear view camera flap opens. The multi-
media system shows the area behind the vehi-
cle with guide lines.
The image from the rear view camera is avail- able throughout the maneuvering process.
XTo switch the function mode for vehicles
with trailer tow hitch: using the controller,
select symbol :for the "Reverse parking"
function or symbol ;for "Coupling up a
trailer".
The symbol of the selected function is high-
lighted.
XTo deactivate: shift the transmission to posi-
tion j.
or
XDrive forwards at a speed greater than 7 mph
(12 km/h).
Multimedia display
The rear view camera may show a distorted view
of obstacles, show them incorrectly or not at all.
The rear view camera does not show objects in
the following positions:
Rvery close to the rear bumper
Runder the rear bumper
Rin the area immediately above the tailgate
handle
!Objects not at ground level may appear to
be further away than they actually are, e.g.:
Rthe bumper of a parked vehicle
Rthe drawbar of a trailer
Rthe ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch
Rthe rear section of an HGV
Ra slanted post
Use the guidelines only for orientation.
Approach objects no further than the bottom-
most guideline.
Driving systems181
Driving and parking
Z

Warning lamp
:Warning lamp
Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds below
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). Vehicles in
the monitoring range are then not indicated.
If a vehicle is detected within the blind spot
monitoring range at speeds above 20 mph
(30 km/h), warning lamp :on the correspond-
ing side lights up red. This warning is always
emitted when a vehicle enters the blind spot
monitoring range from behind or from the side.
When you overtake a vehicle, the warning only
occurs if the difference in speed is less than
7 mph (12 km/h).
If you select the reverse gear, Blind Spot Assist is not operational.
The brightness of the warning lamps is auto-
matically adapted to the brightness of the sur-
roundings.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range of
Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the corre-
sponding turn signal, a double warning tone
sounds. The red warning lamp flashes on the
relevant exterior mirror. If the turn signal
remains on, detected vehicles are indicated by
the flashing of the red warning lamp on the exte-
rior mirror. There are no further warning tones.
Activating Blind Spot Assist
XMake sure that Blind Spot Assist is activated
in the on-board computer (Ypage 218).
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
The red warning lamps on the exterior mirrors
light up until the engine is started.
Display in the assistance graphic
When Blind Spot Assist is activated, gray radar
waves propagating backwards appear next to
the vehicle in the assistance display in the mul-
tifunction display (
Ypage 217). Above a speed
of 20 mph (30 km/h), the color of the radar
waves in the assistance graphic changes to
green :. Blind Spot Assist is then ready for use.
Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical connection.
This can be accomplished by checking the trailer
lighting. In this event, Blind Spot Assist is deac-
tivated. The Blind
SpotAssistNotAvail‐able When Towing a Trailer See Opera‐tor's Manualmessage appears in the multi-
function display.
Lane Keeping Assist
General notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in front of
your vehicle by means of multifunction cam-
era :which is attached behind the top of the
windshield. Active Lane Keeping Assist detects
lane markings on the road and can warn you
before you leave your lane unintentionally.
Driving systems193
Driving and parking
Z

the lines on the assistance graphic display are
shown in green (Ypage 217). Active Lane
Keeping Assist is ready for use.
XTo deactivate: press button;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. The Active Lane
Keeping Assist is deactivated. The Lane
Keeping Assist Offmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
Selecting Standard or Adaptive setting
XIn the DriveAssistmenu on the on-board
computer, select the Active Lane Keep‐
ing Assistfunction (Ypage 219).
XSelect settingStandardorAdaptive.
When Standardis selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time
Ra driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP®
When Adaptiveis selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event, the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP®
Ryou accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
Ryou brake hard
Ryou steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lanes quickly
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend
To ensure that you are warned only when nec-
essary and in good time if you cross the lane
markings, the system detects certain conditions
and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
Ryou approach the outer lane marking on a
bend
Rthe road has very wide lanes, e.g. a freeway
Rthe system detects solid lane markings
The warning vibration occurs later if:
Rthe road has narrow lanes
Ryou cut the corner on a bend
Towing a trailer
When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical connection. This can be accomplished by checking the trailer
lighting.
Towing a trailer
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Installing an unsuitable ball coupling may
result in overloading of the trailer tow hitch
and the rear axle. This applies especially if the ball coupling in question is longer or angled
differently. This could seriously impair the
driving characteristics and the trailer can
come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
You should only ever install a ball coupling
that has the permissible dimensions and that
is designed to meet your trailer-towing
requirements. Do not modify the ball coupling
or the trailer tow hitch.
You will find the values approved by the manu-
facturer on the vehicle identification plates and
those for the towing vehicle under "Technical
data" (
Ypage 367).
GWARNING
When the vehicle/trailer combination begins
to lurch, you could lose control of it. The vehi- cle/trailer combination could even rollover.
There is a risk of an accident.
On no account should you attempt to
straighten up the vehicle/trailer combination
by increasing the speed. Reduce vehicle
speed and do not countersteer. Apply the
brake as necessary.
!If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
changes to the engine cooling system may be
necessary, depending on the vehicle type.
If you have a trailer tow hitch retrofitted,
observe the anchorage points on the chassis
frame.
The installation of a trailer tow hitch is only per-
missible if a towing weight is specified in your
vehicle documents. If this is not the case, then
the vehicle is not approved for the towing of a
trailer.
200Towing a trailer
Driving an d parking

XSwitch off the engine.
XClose the doors and tailgate.
XCouple up the trailer.
XEstablish the electrical connection between
the vehicle and the trailer.
XCheck that the trailer lighting system is work-
ing.
XPush the combination switch upwards/down-wards and check whether the corresponding
turn signal on the trailer flashes.
A trailer that is connected is recognized only
when the electrical connection is established
correctly and when the lighting system is work-
ing properly. The function of other systems also
depends on this, for example:
RESP®
RPARKTRONIC
RActive Parking Assist
RActive Blind Spot Assist
RActive Lane Keeping Assist
Vehicles with AIR BODY CONTROL: if you couple
up a trailer, the vehicle always remains at high-
way level. Observe the following note when cou-
pling up a trailer:
RUnless highway level has been set manually,
the vehicle is automatically lowered to high-
way level. If a speed of 5 mph (8 km/h) has
been reached, this may be the case.
These restrictions apply to accessories that are
supplied with power via the trailer socket in your
vehicle, e.g. a rear bicycle rack.
Observe the maximum permissible trailer
dimensions (width and length).
Most U.S. states and all Canadian provinces
require by law:
RSafety chains between the towing vehicle and
the trailer. The chains should be cross-wound
under the trailer drawbar. They must be fas-
tened to the vehicle's trailer coupling, not to
the bumper or the axle.
Leave enough play in the chains to make tight
cornering possible.
RA separate brake system for certain types of
trailer.
RSafety switch for braked trailers. Check the
specific legal requirements applicable to your state.
If the trailer becomes detached from the tow-
ing vehicle, the safety feature applies the
trailer brakes.
Towing a trailer
There are several legal requirements for towing
a trailer, e.g. the maximum permissible speed.
Make sure that your car/trailer combination
complies with the local regulations:
Rin your place of residence
Rat your destination
The police and local authorities can provide reli- able information.
To accumulate driving experience and accustom
yourself to the new handling characteristics,
practice the following at a location where there
is no traffic:
RCornering
RStopping
RBacking up
Check the following before the journey:
RTrailer tow hitch
RSafety switch for braked trailers
RSafety chains
RElectrical connections
RLighting system
RWheels and tires
RLoad securing
Adjust the exterior mirrors so that you have a
clear view of the rear section of the trailer.
If the trailer is equipped with electronically con-
trolled brakes, pull away carefully in the car/
trailer combination. Brake manually using the
brake controller and check whether the brakes
function correctly.
Regularly check that the load is secure.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
with when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
Ris heavier
Ris restricted in its acceleration and gradient-
climbing capability
Rhas an increased braking distance
Ris affected more by strong crosswinds
Rdemands more sensitive steering
Rhas a larger turning circle
Avoid sudden steering movements.
Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gently
at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
Towing a trailer203
Driving and parking
Z

Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The yellow!warning lamp lights up and th ered F (USAonly)
or ! (Canada only) indicator lamp flashes .
It is no tpossibl eto apply th eelectric parking brak emanually.
XShift th etransmission to position j.
XVisitaqualified specialist workshop .
$(USAonly)
J(Canada only)
Check Brake Fluid
Level
There is no tenough brak eflui din th ebrak efluid reservoir .
In addition ,th e$ (USAonly) or J(Canada only) warning lamp
lights up in th einstrumen tcluste rand awarning tone sounds.
GWARNIN G
The braking effec tmay be impaired.
There is aris kof an accident.
XPull ove rand stop th evehicl esafely as soo nas possible, payin g
attention to roa dand traffic conditions. Do no tcontinu edrivin g
under any circumstances.
XSecur eth evehicl eagainst rollin gaway (Ypage 151).
XConsult aqualified specialist workshop .
XDo notadd brak efluid .This does no tcorrec tth emalfunction .
#
CheckBrakePadWear
The brak epads/linings hav ereached their wear limit.
US Aonly: th ered $ brakesystem warning lamp is lit while th e
engin eis running.
XVisit aqualified specialist workshop .
G
Inoperative
Oneor mor emain features of th embrace system are malfunctioning .
XVisitaqualified specialist workshop .
ActiveBrakeAssistFunctionsCurrentlyLimitedSee Opera‐tor's Manual
Active Brake Assis tis temporarily inoperative.
Possibl ecauses are:
Rth eradar sensor system is temporarily inoperative, e.g. due to elec -
tromagneti cradiation emitted by nearby TV or radi ostation sor
other source sof electromagneti cradiation
Rth esystem is outside th eoperating temperature range
Rth eon-boar dvoltag eis to olow
Whe nth ecauses state dabov eno longer apply, th edisplay message
disappears.
Active Brake Assis tis operational again .
If th edisplay message does no tdisappear :
XPull overand stop th evehicl esafely as soo nas possible, payin g
attention to roa dand traffic conditions.
XSecur eth evehicl eagainst rollin gaway (Ypage 151).
XRestart th eengine.
Display messages23 1
On-board computer and displays
Z