Driving with Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC Pulling away and driving
X If you want to pull away with Active Dis-
tance Assist DISTRONIC: remove your foot
from the brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0085.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its speed
to that of the vehicle in front. If no vehicle is
detected in front, your vehicle accelerates to
the set speed.
The vehicle can also pull away when it is facing
an unidentified obstacle or is driving on a differ-
ent line from another vehicle. The vehicle then
brakes automatically.
If there is no vehicle in front, Active Distance
Assist DISTRONIC operates in the same way as cruise control.
If Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC detects a
slower-moving vehicle in front, it brakes your
vehicle. In this way, the distance you have selec-
ted is maintained.
If Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC detects a
faster-moving vehicle in front, it increases the
driving speed. However, the vehicle is only
accelerated up to the speed you have stored.
Selecting the drive programActive Distance Assist DISTRONIC supports a
sporty driving style if you have selected the
Sport orSport Plus drive program
(Y page 146). Acceleration behind the vehicle in
front or to the set speed is then noticeably more
dynamic. If you have selected the Comfortdrive
program, the vehicle accelerates more gently.
This setting is recommended in stop-and-start
traffic.
Changing lanes If you change to the overtaking lane, Active Dis-
tance Assist DISTRONIC helps you if:
R you are driving faster than 45 mph (70 km/h)
R you switch on the appropriate turn signal
R Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC does not
currently detect a danger of collision
If these conditions are fulfilled, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted if
changing lanes takes too long or if the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
becomes too small.
i When you change lanes, Active Distance
Assist DISTRONIC monitors the right lane (in
left-side traffic) or the left lane (in right-side
traffic).
Stopping G
WARNING
If you leave the driver's seat when the vehicle is only being braked by Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC, it could roll away:
R if there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R if Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is
deactivated using the cruise control lever,
for example by a vehicle occupant or from
outside the vehicle
R if the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R if the battery is disconnected
R if the vehicle is accelerated, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant
There is a risk of an accident.
Always deactivate Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC and secure the vehicle against
rolling away before you leave it.
If Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC detects
that the vehicle in front is stopping, it brakes
your vehicle until it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains sta-
tionary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
After a time, the electric parking brake secures
the vehicle and relieves the service brake.
Depending on the specified minimum distance,
your vehicle will come to a standstill at a suffi-
cient distance behind the vehicle in front. The
specified minimum distance is set using the
control on the cruise control lever. 174
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking
When Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is acti-
vated and the vehicle is at a standstill, the trans-
mission will be shifted automatically to position
005D if:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's seat
belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function.
When Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is acti-
vated and the vehicle is at a standstill, the elec-
tric parking brake will secure the vehicle auto-
matically if:
R a system malfunction occurs
R the power supply is not sufficient
On steep uphill or downhill inclines or if there is a malfunction, the transmission may also be
automatically shifted into position 005D.
Setting a speed Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has accelerated or braked to
the speed set.
X Press the cruise control lever up 0043for a
higher speed or down 0083for a lower speed
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments):
briefly press
the cruise control lever up 0043or down 0044to
the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up 0043 or down 0044the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (10 km/h increments): briefly press
the cruise control lever up 0043or down 0044
beyond the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up 0043 or down 0044, the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
i If you accelerate to overtake, Active Dis-
tance Assist DISTRONIC adjusts the vehicle's
speed to the last speed stored after you have
finished overtaking. Setting a specified minimum distance You can set the specified minimum distance for
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC by varying
the time span between one and two seconds.
This determines the distance that Active Dis-
tance Assist DISTRONIC is to maintain from the
vehicle in front, depending on the road speed.
You can see this distance in the multifunction
display (Y page 176).
X To increase: turn control0044in direction 0087.
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC then main-
tains a greater distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front.
X To decrease: turn control0044in direction 0043.
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC then main-
tains a shorter distance between your vehicle
and the vehicle in front.
i Make sure that you maintain a sufficiently
safe distance from the vehicle in front. Adjust
the distance to the vehicle in front if neces-
sary.
Deactivating Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC Driving systems
175Driving and parking Z
There are several ways to deactivate Active Dis-
tance Assist DISTRONIC:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards 0043.
or
X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary
When you deactivate Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC, the Active Distance Assist
Active Distance Assist
Off
Off message will appear on the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
i Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is not
deactivated if you depress the accelerator
pedal. If you accelerate to overtake, Active
Distance Assist DISTRONIC adjusts the vehi-
cle's speed to the last speed stored after you have finished overtaking.
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is automati-
cally deactivated if:
R you engage the electric parking brake or if the
vehicle is automatically secured with the elec-
tric parking brake
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R the transmission is in position 005D,005Eor005C
R you pull the cruise control lever towards you
in order to pull away and the front-passenger
door or one of the rear doors is open
R you switch on Active Parking Assist or the
Parking Package with rear view camera
R the vehicle is skidding
A warning tone sounds. The Active
Active Distance Distance
Assist Off
Assist Off will appear on the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC will automat- ically be deactivated if:
R you activate DSR
R you activate the OFFROAD Program+ (vehi-
cles with the Off-road Engineering Package)
The 00C6 DSR symbol appears in the multifunc-
tion display. Displays in the instrument cluster Displays in the speedometer
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC displays on the
speedometer (example)
When Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is acti-
vated, one or two segments 0044in the set speed
range light up.
If Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC detects a
vehicle in front, segments 0044from speed of the
vehicle in front 0087to stored speed 0043light up.
i For design reasons, the speed displayed on
the speedometer may differ slightly from the
speed set for Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC.
Assistant display when Active Distance
Assist DISTRONIC is deactivated 0043
Vehicle in front, if detected
0044 Distance indicator, current distance to the
vehicle in front
0087 Specified minimum distance to the vehicle
in front; adjustable
0085 Your vehicle
X Select the Assistance Graphic Assistance Graphic function
using the on-board computer (Y page 237).176
Driving systemsDriving and parking
shown in red in the multifunction display:
Low‐
Low‐
ering Max. speed 12 mph (20 km/h)
ering Max. speed 12 mph (20 km/h).
i You cannot clear these messages.
You also hear a warning. The vehicle is lowered and offroad level 3 is canceled.
If you continue to increase your speed, the red
message continues to be shown in the multi-
function display. The newly set level is not dis-
played until the vehicle has been set to a level
suitable for the current speed.
Lowering the vehicle If you drive faster than 12 mph (20 km/h) while
the vehicle level is being lowered, you will see
the following message shown in white in the
multifunction display: Lowering Max. speed Lowering Max. speed
20 km/h
20 km/h.
The vehicle is lowered to offroad level 2.
You will see a message in the multifunction dis- play, for example: Lowering
Lowering.
Offroad level 2 is canceled and the vehicle is
lowered to offroad level 1 if you:
R drive at speeds above 50 mph (80 km/h) or
R drive at speeds between 40 mph (64 km/h)
and 50 mph (80 km/h) for longer than
20 seconds
Offroad level 1 is canceled. Depending on the
vehicle's speed and the selected drive program,
the vehicle is automatically lowered to normal
level or low level if you:
R drive at speeds above 70 mph (112 km/h) or
R drive at speeds between 65 mph (105 km/h)
and 70 mph (112 km/h) for longer than
20 seconds HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep slopes
R when maneuvering on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the driver
having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away. i
Do not use the HOLD function when driving
off-road, on steep uphill or downhill gradients or on slippery or loose surfaces. The HOLD
function cannot hold the vehicle on such sur-faces.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the vehicle is only braked using the HOLD
function, the vehicle may roll away in the fol-
lowing situations when you leave the vehicle:
R if there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R if the HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelerator pedal or brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant
R if the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with or the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Always deactivate the HOLD function and
secure the vehicle against rolling away before
you leave it.
! When Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC or
the HOLD function is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC and the
HOLD function in the following or similar sit-
uations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 183).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
R the driver's door is closed or your seat belt is
fastened
R the electric parking brake is released 182
Driving systemsDriving and parking
R
the transmission is in position 005B,005Eor005C
R Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC is deacti-
vated
Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions are
met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until 0043appears in the multifunction display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first time
does not activate the HOLD function, wait
briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automatically
if:
R you depress the accelerator and the trans-
mission is in position 005Bor005E
R you shift the transmission to position 005D
R you depress the brake pedal again with a cer-
tain amount of pressure until 0043disappears
from the multifunction display
R you secure the vehicle using the electric park-
ing brake
R you activate Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.
When the HOLD function is activated, the trans-
mission is automatically shifted to position 005D
if:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's seat
belt is unfastened
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activated
when the vehicle is stationary and:
R a system malfunction occurs
R the power supply is insufficient
On steep uphill or downhill gradients or if there
is a malfunction, the transmission may also be
automatically shifted to position 005D. AIRMATIC package
General notes AIRMATIC is an air suspension system with var-
iable damping for improved driving comfort.
Level control ensures the best possible suspen- sion and constant ground clearance, even with a laden vehicle. When you drive fast, the vehicle islowered automatically to improve driving safety
and to reduce fuel consumption. There is also
the option to manually adjust the vehicle level.
AIRMATIC consists of:
R level settings
R level control and
R ADS or ADS PLUS (Adaptive Damping Sys-
tem)
All vehicles (except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles): your vehicle may also be equipped with
the ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM (Y page 185).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: your vehicle is equip-
ped with the ACTIVE CURVE SYSTEM
(Y page 185).
Observe the notes on driving with a trailer
(Y page 221).
The vehicle level can be set using the DYNAMIC
SELECT controller (Y page 142)or the level but-
ton (Y page 185). The setting always corre-
sponds to the last selected function.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury. Driving systems
183Driving and parking
Z
R
that are parallel to the direction of travel and
at least 39.5 in (1.0 m)longer than your vehi-
cle
R that are at right angles to the direction of
travel and at least 39.5 in (1.0 m) wider than
your vehicle
i Note that Active Parking Assist cannot
measure the size of a parking space if it is at
right angles to the direction of travel. You will
need to judge whether your vehicle will fit into the parking space.
When driving at speeds below 19 mph
(30 km/h), you will see parking symbol 0044as a
status indicator in the instrument cluster. When
a parking space has been detected, an arrow
towards the right or the left also appears. By
default, Active Parking Assist only displays park- ing spaces on the front-passenger side. Parking spaces on the driver's side are displayed as
soon as the turn signal on the driver's side is
activated. When parking on the driver's side,
this must remain activated until you confirm the
use of Active Parking Assist by pressing the
0076 button on the multifunction steering
wheel. The system automatically determines
whether the parking space is parallel or at right
angles to the direction of travel.
A parking space is displayed while you are driv- ing past it, and until you are approximately 50 ft
(15 m) away from it.
Parking G
WARNING
If you leave the driver's seat when the vehicle is being braked only by the Active Parking
Assist, it could roll away in the following sit-
uations:
R if there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R if the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with
R if the battery is disconnected
R if the vehicle is accelerated, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always secure it
against rolling away. i
If Parking Assist PARKTRONIC detects
obstacles, Active Parking Assist will brake
automatically whilst the vehicle is parking.
You are responsible for braking in good time.
X Stop the vehicle when the parking space sym-
bol shows the desired parking space in the
instrument cluster.
X Shift the transmission to position 005E.
The Start
Start Parking Parking Assist?
Assist?Yes:
Yes:OK
OKNo:
No:
0038 message will appear on the multifunc-
tion display.
X To cancel the procedure: press the0038
button on the multifunction steering wheel or pull away.
or
X To park using Active Parking Assist: press
the 0076 button on the multifunction steering
wheel.
The Parking Parking Assist
Assist Active
ActiveAccelerate
Accelerate
and Brake Observe Surroundings
and Brake Observe Surroundings mes-
sage will appear on the multifunction display.
X Let go of the multifunction steering wheel.
X Back up the vehicle, being ready to brake at all
times. When backing up, drive at a speed
below approximately 6 mph (10 km/h). Oth-
erwise, Active Parking Assist will be canceled.
Active Parking Assist brakes the vehicle to a
standstill when the vehicle approaches the
rear border of the parking space.
Maneuvering may be required in tight parking
spaces.
The Parking Assist Active Select D
Parking Assist Active Select D
Observe Surroundings Observe Surroundings message will appear
on the multifunction display.
X Shift the transmission to position 005Bwhile
the vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist immediately steers in
the other direction.
The Parking Parking Assist
AssistActive
ActiveAccelerate
Accelerate
and Brake Observe Surroundings
and Brake Observe Surroundings mes-
sage will appear on the multifunction display.
i You will achieve the best results by waiting
for the steering procedure to complete before
pulling away.
X Drive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.
Active Parking Assist brakes the vehicle to a
standstill.
The Parking Assist Active Select R Parking Assist Active Select R
Observe Surroundings
Observe Surroundings message will appear
on the multifunction display. Driving systems
193Driving and parking Z
006D
Level control
006E Compass with angle scale
Activating the driving dynamics display X
Switch on COMAND (see the Digital Opera-
tor's Manual).
X Press button 0043.
The driving dynamics display appears in the
COMAND display. Towing a trailer
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
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" (Y page 394). G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed correctly or not secured with the bolt provided and the corresponding spring cotter, the trailer may
come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
Always install and secure the ball coupling as described. Before every journey, ensure that
the ball coupling is secured with the bolt and
the corresponding spring cotter. G
WARNING
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.
Please observe the manufacturer's operating
instructions for the trailer coupling if a detach-
able trailer coupling is used.
Couple and uncouple the trailer carefully. If you do not couple the trailer to the towing vehicle
correctly, the trailer could become detached.
Make sure that the following values are not
exceeded:
R the permissible trailer drawbar noseweight
R the permissible trailer load
R the permissible rear axle load of the towing
vehicle
R the maximum permissible gross vehicle
weight of both the towing vehicle and the
trailer
The applicable permissible values, which must
not be exceeded, can be found:
R in the vehicle documents
R on the identification plates for the trailer tow
hitch and the trailer
R on the vehicle identification plate
If the values differ, the lowest value applies.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
with when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradient-
climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance 220
Towing a trailerDriving and parking
R
Maintain a greater distance from the vehicle
in front than when driving without a trailer.
R Avoid braking abruptly. If possible, brake gen-
tly at first to allow the trailer to run on. Then,
increase the braking force rapidly.
R The 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
G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not correctly installed
and secured, it can come loose during the
journey and endanger other road users. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Always install and secure the ball coupling as
described. Before every journey, ensure that
the ball coupling is secured with the bolt and
the corresponding spring cotter. G
WARNING
If the ball coupling is not installed correctly or not secured with the bolt provided and the
corresponding spring cotter, the trailer may
come loose. There is a risk of an accident.
Always install and secure the ball coupling as
described. Before every journey, ensure that
the ball coupling is secured with the bolt and
the corresponding spring cotter. G
WARNING
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. X
Pull protective cap 0043in the direction of the
arrow, out of the ball coupling recess.
X Stow protective cap 0043so that it cannot be
thrown around.
Observe the loading guidelines (Y page 295)
and the safety notes regarding stowage
spaces (Y page 295). X
Insert the ball coupling horizontally into ball
coupling recess 0044in the direction of the
arrow until the holes in ball coupling 0087are in
line with the holes in ball coupling recess 0085.222
Towing a trailerDriving and parking