are no persons, animals or objects in the maneu-
vering area while maneuvering and parking in/
leaving parking spaces.
!When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such as
flower pots or trailer drawbars. Parking Assist
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle or the
objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic car
wash, the compressed-air brakes of a truck or
a pneumatic drill could cause Parking Assist
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC may not function
correctly on uneven terrain.
!If you do not need the trailer tow hitch,
remove the detachable ball coupling. Parking Assist PARKTRONIC measures the minimum
detection range to an obstacle from the
bumper, not the ball coupling.
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is activated auto-
matically when you:
Rswitch on the ignition
Rshift the transmission to position h,kor
i
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is deactivated at
speeds above 11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactiva-
ted at lower speeds.
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is deactivated for
the rear area when you establish an electrical
connection between your vehicle and a trailer.
Range of the sensors
Parking Assist PARKTRONIC does not take into
account obstacles located:
Rbelow the detection range, such as persons,
animals or objects
Rabove the detection range, e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of trucks
:Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand side
(example)
:Approx. 24 in (approx. 60 cm) (corners)
;Approx. 32 in (approx. 80 cm) (corners)
=Approx. 48 in (approx. 120 cm) (center)
?Approx. 40 in (approx. 100 cm) (center)
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or slush.
They can otherwise not function correctly. Clean
the sensors regularly, taking care not to scratch
or damage them (
Ypage 328).
Minimum distance
CenterApprox. 8 in (approx. 20 cm)
CornersApprox. 6 in (approx. 15 cm)
192Driving systems
Driving and parking
Active Lane Keeping Assist
Generalnotes
Active Lan eKeepin gAssis tmonitors th earea in
fron tof your vehicl eby mean sof multifunction
camera :at th eto pof th ewindshield. Various
differen tareas to th efront, rear and side of your
vehicl eare also monitore dwit hth eaid of th e
radar sensor system. Active Lan eKeepin g
Assis tdetects lan emarking son th eroad and
can warn you before you leav eyour lan eunin-
tentionally. If you do no treac tto th ewarning , a
lane-correcting application of th ebrakes can
bring th evehicl ebac kint oth eoriginal lane.
This function is available in th erange between
40 mph and 12 0mph (60 km/h and 20 0km/h).
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your drivin gstyle, Active Lan e
Keepin gAssis tcan neither reduce th eris kof an
acciden tno roverride th elaws of physics .Active
Lan eKeepin gAssis tcanno ttak eaccoun tof
road and weather conditions. It may no trecog-
niz etraffic situations. Active Lan eKeepin g
Assis tis only an aid. You are responsibl efor th e
distanc eto th evehicl ein front, for vehicl e
speed, for braking in goo dtime and for stayin gin
your lane.
Active Lan eKeepin gAssis tcanno tcontinuously
keep your vehicl ein it slane.
GWARNIN G
Active Lan eKeepin gAssis tcanno talways
clearly detec tlan emarkings.
In suc hcases, Active Lan eKeepin gAssis t
can :
Rgivean unnecessary warning and then
mak e acourse-correcting brak eapplication
to th evehicl e
Rnotgiv e a warning or interven e
There is aris kof an accident.
Always pay particular attention to th etraffic
situation and keep within th elane, especially
if Active Lan eKeepin gAssis talerts you. Ter -
minate th eintervention in anon-critical driv-
ing situation .
The system may be impaire dor may no tfunction
if:
Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficien t
illumination of th eroad ,or due to snow, rain ,
fog or heav yspray
Rthere is glare, e.g. from oncomin gtraffic, th e
sun or reflection from other vehicles (e.g. if
th eroad surfac eis wet )
Rthewindshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged or
covered, for instance by asticker, in th evicin-
it y of th ecamera
Rth eradar sensor sin th efron tor rear bumpers
or th eradiato rtrim are dirty, e.g. obscured by
snow
Rthere are no or several unclear lan emarking s
for on elane, e.g. roadworks
Rth elan emarking sare wor naway, dark or cov-
ere dup, e.g. by dir tor snow
Rth edistanc eto th evehicl ein fron tis to oshort
and thus thelan emarking scanno tbe detec -
te d
Rth elan emarking schang equickly, e.g. lanes
branch off ,cross on eanother or merge
Rth eroad is narrow and windin g
Rthere are highly variable shad econdition son
th eroadway
If no vehicl eis detecte din th eadjacent lan eand
broke nlan emarking sare detected, no lane-cor-
recting brak eapplication is made .
Warning vibration in th esteering wheel
A warning may be given if afron twhee lpasses
ove r alan emarking .It will warn you by mean sof
intermittent vibration in th esteering whee lfor
up to 1. 5seconds.
212Driving systems
Driving and parking
which the maximum permissible speed for vehi-
cle/trailer combinations is above 60 mph
(100 km/h).
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison towhen driving without a trailer and it will con-
sume more fuel.
Shift to a lower gear on long and steep downhill
gradients.
This also applies to:
Ractivated DISTRONIC PLUS
Ractivated cruise control
This will use the braking effect of the engine, so that less braking will be required to maintain the
speed. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly. If you need additional
braking, depress the brake pedal repeatedly
rather than continuously.
Driving tips
If the trailer swings from side to side:
XDo not accelerate.
XDo not counter-steer.
XBrake if necessary.
RMaintain a greater distance from the vehicle
in front than when driving without a trailer.
RAvoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gen-tly at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
RThe values given for gradient-climbing capa-
bilities from a standstill refer to sea level.
When driving in mountainous areas, note that
the power output of the engine and, conse-
quently, the vehicle's gradient-climbing capa-
bility, decreases with increasing altitude.
Installing the ball coupling
GWARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly installed
and secured, it could come loose while driving and endanger other road users. There is a risk
of an accident and injury.
Install and secure the ball coupling as descri-
bed in the ball coupling manufacturer's instal- lation instructions. Make sure that the ball
coupling is correctly installed and secured
before every journey.
GWARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed and secured
correctly the trailer may come loose. There is
a risk of an accident.
Install and secure the ball coupling as descri-
bed in the ball coupling installation instruc-
tions. Make sure that the ball coupling is
installed and secured correctly before every
journey.
XPull protective cap :in the direction of the
arrow, out of the ball coupling recess.
XStow protective cap :so that it cannot be
thrown around.
XObserve the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
Observe the loading guidelines (
Ypage 290)
and the safety notes regarding stowage
spaces (
Ypage 290).
Coupling up a trailer
!
Do not connect the trailer's brake system (if
featured) to the hydraulic brake system of the
towing vehicle, as the latter is equipped with
an anti-lock brake system. Doing so will result
in a loss of function of the brake systems of
both the vehicle and the trailer.
XApply the vehicle's electric parking brake
manually.
XStart the engine.
XShift the transmission to position j.
XVehicles with AIR BODY CONTROL: select
the Comfort drive program.
216Towing a trailer
Driving and 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 trailer217
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 158).
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 158).
XRestart th eengine.
Display messages24 5
On-board computer and displays
Z
Care
General notes
!
When cleaning your car, do not use:
Rdry, coarse or hard cloths
Rabrasive cleaning agents
Rsolvents
Rcleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces and films with hard
objects, e.g. rings or ice scrapers. Otherwise,
you may scratch or damage the surfaces and
films.
!Do not park your vehicle for a long period of
time directly after cleaning, particularly after
cleaning the wheel rim with wheel cleaner.
Wheel cleaner can lead to the increased cor-
rosion of the brake discs and pads. Therefore,
drive for a few minutes after cleaning. By
heating up the brakes, the brake discs and
pads dry. The vehicle can then be parked for a
long period of time.
HEnvironmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible man-
ner.
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Washing the vehicle and cleaning the
paintwork
Automatic car wash
GWARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
After the vehicle has been washed, brake
carefully while paying attention to the traffic
conditions until full braking power is restored.
!When Active Brake Assist, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC or the HOLD function is activated,
the vehicle brakes automatically in certain
situations. To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
these systems in the following or similar sit-
uations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
!Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can
damage the paintwork or plastic parts.
!Make sure that:
Rthe side windows and sliding sunroof are
closed completely
Rthe blower is switched off
Rthe windshield wiper switch is in position
u
Rthe 360° camera or the rear view camera is
deactivated
The vehicle may otherwise be damaged.
!If the SmartKey is within the rear detection
range of KEYLESS-GO, the following situa-
tions, for example, could lead to the uninten-
tional opening of the tailgate:
Rwhen using an automatic car wash
Rwhen using a power washer
Make sure that the SmartKey is at least 3 m
away from the vehicle.
!If the SmartKey is within the rear detection
range of KEYLESS-GO, the following situa-
tions, for example, could lead to the uninten-
tional opening of the tailgate:
Rwhen using an automatic car wash
Rwhen using a power washer
Make sure that the SmartKey is at least 10 ft (3 m) awa yfrom the vehicle.
!Make sure that the automatic transmission
is in neutral position iwhen washing your
vehicle in a tow-through car wash. The vehicle
may otherwise be damaged.
ROperating with the SmartKey:
Do not remove the SmartKey from the igni-
tion lock. Do not open the driver's door
when the engine is switched off or at very
low speeds. Otherwise, when in transmis-
sion position hork, the automatic
transmission will automatically switch to
park position jand block the wheels.
ROperating with the Start/Stop button:
324Care
Maintenance and care
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-
edly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced imme-
diately.
!Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products
to remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components.
!Do not park your vehicle for a long period of
time directly after cleaning, particularly after
cleaning the wheel rim with wheel cleaner.
Wheel cleaner can lead to the increased cor-
rosion of the brake discs and pads. Therefore,
drive for a few minutes after cleaning. By
heating up the brakes, the brake discs and
pads dry. The vehicle can then be parked for a
long period of time.
Cleaning the windows
GWARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
!Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows. Do
not touch the insides of the windows with
hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or ring. There
is otherwise a risk of damaging the windows.
!Clean the water drainage channels of the
windshield and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals and pollen may under certain circumstances pre-
vent water from draining away. This can lead
to corrosion damage and damage to elec-
tronic components.
XClean the inside and outside of the windows
with a damp cloth and a cleaning product that
is recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
Cleaning wiper blades
GWARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
!Do not pull the wiper blade. Otherwise, the
wiper blade could be damaged.
!Do not clean wiper blades too often and do
not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the graph-
ite coating could be damaged. This could
cause wiper noise.
!Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windshield could be damaged if the
wiper arm smacks against it suddenly.
XMove the wiper arms to a vertical position
(Ypage 121) and fold away from the wind-
shield.
XCarefully clean the wiper blades with a damp
cloth.
XFold the windshield wiper arms back again
before switching on the ignition.
Cleaning the exterior lighting
!Only use cleaning agents or cleaning cloths
which are suitable for plastic light lenses.
Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning cloths
could scratch or damage the plastic light len- ses.
XClean the plastic lenses of the exterior light-
ing using a wet sponge and a mild cleaning
agent, e.g. Mercedes-Benz car shampoo or
cleaning cloths.
Cleaning the mirror turn signals
!Only use cleaning agents or cleaning cloths
that are suitable for plastic lenses. Unsuitable
cleaning agents or cleaning cloths could
scratch or damage the plastic lenses of the
mirror turn signals.
XClean the plastic lenses of the mirror turn sig-
nals in the exterior mirror housing using a wet
sponge and mild cleaning agent, e.g.
Care327
Maintenance and care
Z
In such cases, use a tow bar. Before towing,
make sure that the steering moves freely.
GWARNING
You can no longer steer the vehicle if the
steering wheel lock has been engaged. There
is a risk of an accident.
Always switch off the ignition when towing the
vehicle with a tow cable or a tow bar.
GWARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible
gross weight of your vehicle, the:
Rthe towing eye could detach itself
Rthe vehicle/trailer combination could roll-
over.
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per- missible gross weight of your vehicle.
Details on the permissible gross vehicle weight
of your vehicle can be found on the vehicle iden-
tification plate (
Ypage 376).
!When Active Brake Assist, Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC or the HOLD function is activated,
the vehicle brakes automatically in certain
situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
these systems in the following or similar sit-
uations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
!Make sure that the electric parking brake is
released. If the electric parking brake is faulty,
visit a qualified specialist workshop.
!Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes, or the trailer tow hitch, if availa-
ble. You could otherwise damage the vehicle.
!Do not use the trailer tow hitch for recovery
or towing. Do not use the towing eye for
recovery. this could damage the vehicle. If in
doubt, have the vehicle recovered using a
crane.
!When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high, the
vehicles could be damaged.
!Shift the automatic transmission to position
i and do not open the driver's or front pas-
senger's door during towing. The automatic
transmission may otherwise shift to position
j, which could damage the transmission.
!Do not tow with sling-type equipment. This
could damage the vehicle.
!The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of 30 mph (50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the entire vehicle must be
raised and transported.
It is better to have the vehicle transported than
to have it towed awa y.
If the vehicle ha
s suffered transmission damage,
have it transported on a transporter or trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in position
i when the vehicle is being towed. If the auto-
matic transmission cannot be shifted to position
i, have the vehicle transported on a trans-
porter or trailer.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
Rcannot turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock
Rcannot release the electric parking brake
Rcannot shift the automatic transmission to
position i
Disarm the automatic locking feature before the
vehicle is towed (
Ypage 85). You could other-
wise be locked out when pushing or towing the
vehicle.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
GWARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be very hot. There is
a risk of burns when removing the rear cover.
Do not touch the exhaust pipe. Take particular
care when removing the rear cover.
344Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance