Page 185 of 681

R
drive theve hicle in drive program A
or ;.
R change gear before there v counter needle is
Ô ofthewa yto there d area of there v coun‐
te r.
R do not shift down a gear manually in order to
brake.
R avoidoverstra ining theve hicle, e.g. driving at
full thro ttle.
R do not depress the accelera tor pedal past
th e pressure point (kickdown).
R only increase the engine speed gradually and
accelerate theve hicle tofull speed af ter
1, 500 km.
This also applies when the engine or parts of the
driv etra in ha vebeen replaced.
Please also obser vethefo llowing running-in
no tes:
R in cer tain driving and driving saf ety sy stems,
th e sensor sy stem adjusts automatically
while a cer tain dis tance is driven af terthe
ve hicle has been delivered or af terre pairs. Fu
ll sy stem ef fectiveness is not achie ved
until the end of this teach-in process.
R brakepads, brake discs and tyres that are
either new or ha vebeen replaced only ach‐
ie ve optimum braking ef fect and grip af ter
se veral hundred kilom etre s of driving. Com‐
pensate forth ere duced braking ef fect by
applying greater forc eto the brake pedal. Note
s on driving &
WARNING Risk of accident due to
objects in the driver's foot we ll
Objects in the driver's foot we ll may impede
pedal tra vel or block a depressed pedal.
This jeopardises the operating and road
saf ety of theve hicle. #
Stow all objects in theve hicle securely
so that they cannot getinto the driver's
fo ot we ll. #
Alw aysfit th efloor mats securely and
as prescribed in order toensure that th
ere is alw ays suf ficient room forthe
pedals. #
Do not use loose floor mats and do not
place floor mats on top of one ano ther. &
WARNING Risk of accident due to
unsuitable foot we ar
Operating the pedals may be impaired by
we aring unsuitable foot we ar, e.g.:
R plat form shoes
R high-heeled shoes
R slippers #
Alw ayswe ar suitable foot we ar when
driving so that you can operate the ped‐
als safel y. &
WARNING Risk of accident when switch‐
ing off the ignition when driving
If yo u swit choff the ignition while driving,
saf ety functions are restricted or no longer
av ailable. This may af fect the po werst eering 18 2
Driving and pa rking
Page 186 of 681

sy
stem and the brake forc e boosting, for
ex ample.
Yo u will then need touse considerably more
fo rc eto steer and brake. #
Do not switch off the ignition while driv‐
ing. &
DANG ER Risk of fata l injuries due to
ex haust gases
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
ga ses such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
th ese exhaust gases is hazardous tohealth
and can lead topoisoning. #
Never lea vethe engine running in an
enclosed space wi thout suf ficient venti‐
lation. &
WARNING Risk of skidding and of an
accident due toshifting down on slippery
ro ad sur faces
If yo u shift down on slippery road sur faces to
inc rease the engine braking ef fect, the drive
wheels may lose traction. #
Do not shift down on slippery road sur‐
fa ces toinc rease the engine braking
ef fect. &
DANG ER Risk of fata l injuries due topoi‐
sonous exhaust gases
If th eta ilpipe is bloc ked or suf ficient ventila‐
tion is not possible, poisonous exhaust gases
such as carbon monoxide may enter theve hi‐
cle. This is the case, forex ample, if theve hi‐
cle is stuck in sn ow. #
When the engine or thest ationary
heater are running, keep theta ilpipe
and the area around theve hicle clear of
sno w. #
Open a window on the side of theve hi‐
cle facing the wind toensure an ade‐
qu ate supply of fresh air. &
WARNING Risk of accident due tothe
brake sy stem overheating
If yo u lea veyour foot on the brake pedal
when driving, the brake sy stem may over‐
heat.
This increases the braking dis tance and the
brake sy stem may evenfa il. #
Never use the brake pedal as a foot re st. #
Do not depress the brake pedal and the
accelerator pedal at the same time
while driving. *
NO
TECausing wearto the brake linings
by permanently depressing the brake
pedal #
Do not permanently depress the brake
pedal while driving. #
Touse braking ef fect of the engine,
shift toa lo werge ar in good time. Driving and parking
18 3
Page 187 of 681

*
NO
TEDama getothe driv etra in and
engine when pulling away #
Do not warm upthe engine while the
ve hicle is stationar y.Pull away immedi‐
atel y. #
Avoid high engine speeds and driving at
full thro ttle until the engine has reached
its operating temp erature. *
NO
TEDama getothe catalytic con verter
due tonon-combu sted fuel The engine is not
running smo othly and is
misfiring.
Non-combus ted fuel may get into the cata‐
lytic con verter. #
Only depress the accelera tor pedal
slightl y. #
Have the cause rectified immediately at
a qu alified specialist workshop. Limited braking ef
fect on salt-trea tedro ads:
R due tosalt build-up on the brake disks and
brakepads, the braking dis tance can increase
conside rably or result in braking only on one
side
R maintain a much greater safe dis tance tothe
ve hicle in front
To preve nt salt build-up:
R brake occasionally while paying attention to
th e tra ffic conditions
R carefully depress the brake pedal at the end
of the journey and when starting the next
journey Note
s on off-road driving &
WARNING Risk of accident if you do not
ke ep toline of fall on inclines
If yo u drive at an angle or turn on an incline,
th eve hicle could slip side ways, tip and roll‐
ove r. #
Alw ays drive on inclines in the line of
fa ll (straight up or down) and do not
turn. &
WARNING Risk offire due toflammable
materials on hot parts of theex haust
sy stem
Flammable material such as lea ves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact
wi th hot parts of theex haust sy stem. #
When driving on unpa vedro ads or off-
ro ad, regular lych eck theve hicle under‐
side. #
Remo vetrapped plants or other flam‐
mable material, in particular. #
Ifth ere is damage, consult a qualified
specialist workshop immediately. When driving off-road, subs
tances su chas sand,
mud and water orwate r mixed with oil may get
into the brakes. This may lead toare duction in
braking ef fect or total brake failure as a result of
increased wear. The braking characteristics will
va ry depending on the material that has entered 184
Driving and pa rking
Page 188 of 681

th
e sy stem. Clean the brakes af ter driving off-
ro ad. If youth en notice reduced braking ef fect
or hear scraping noises, ha vethe brake sy stem
ch ecked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Ad just your driving style to thech anged braking
ch aracteristics.
* NO
TEDama gecaused bydriving over
obs tacles The
vehicle can be damaged by:
R driving up on high kerbs or unpa ved
ro ads.
R quickly driving over obs tacles su chas
ke rbs, speed bumps or po tholes.
R heavy objects hitting the underbody or
ch assis components. #
Do not drive over obs tacles that could
damage theve hicle. #
Check theve hicle regular lyfor dama ge
during off-road driving. #
Adjust theve hicle speed tosuit the
ro ad sur face conditions. #
Ifth ere is damage, consult a qualified
specialist workshop immediately. +
ENVIRONMENTAL
NOTEEnvironmental
dama gedue tonon-obser vance of pro‐
hibition signs Environmental pr
otection has priority. Treat
nature with respect. #
Be sure toobser veprohibition signs. Checklist before driving off-road
Check
thefo llowing points before driving off-
ro ad:
R Fuel le vel
R Vehicles with a diesel engine: AdBlue ®
le vel
R Engine oil le vel:fill engine oil up tothe maxi‐
mum le velto ensure full gradeability
(→ page 490).
R Tyre-change tool kit and spare wheel
R Tyres and wheels %
Information about special all-ter rain tyres for
re trofitting is available from any qualified
specialist workshop.
Off-road driving
Re ad this section before driving your vehicle off-
ro ad. Practise bydriving over more gentle off-
ro ad terrain firs t.
R If necessa ry, select theF orG drive
prog ram (vehicles with an Off-road pac kage)
before driving off-road (→ page191).
R Before driving off-road, shift the transfer
case totheLOW RANGE off-road gear (vehi‐
cles with an Offroad pac kage ) (→ page 198).
R Select a vehicle le vel suitable for off-road ter‐
ra in (→ page 250). Toavo id damaging the
ve hicle, make sure there is alw ays suf ficient
ground clearance.
R Alw ayske ep the engine running and in gear
when driving on downhill gradients and
slopes. Obse rveth e no tes on driving in
mountainous terrain.
R Activate DSR be fore driving downhill, if nec‐
essary (→ page 232). Driving and parking
18 5
Page 189 of 681

R
Do not drive on unknown terrain that is not
easily visible and stay on mar kedro utes.
R Alw ayske ep the doors and windo wsclosed
while theve hicle is in motion.
R Deactivate Active Dis tance Assi st
DISTRONIC, cruise control and theva riable
limiter.
R Adapt your driving style to thete rrain.
R Do not use the HOLD function on steep
downhill or uphill gradients with slippery or
loose sur faces.
When driving on sand, also obser vethefo llowing
instructions:
R Select theF drive prog ram.
R Select a higher vehicle le vel.
R Shift toa lo werge ar.
R Drive quickly toove rcome thero lling resist‐
ance, otherwise theve hicle may dig itself in.
R Drive in the trac ksofother vehicles if possi‐
ble. Make sure that thefo llowing prerequi‐
sites are me t:
- the tyre ruts are not too deep -
the sand is firm enough
- the ground clearance is suf ficient
Also obser vethefo llowing information when
fo rd ing:
R Drive at no more than 10 km/h.
R Obser vethe maximum permissible ford ing
dep th (→page 561).
R Switch off automatic climate control
(→ page 167).
R Vehicles with stationary heater/ventila‐
tion: switch thest ationary heater/ ventilation
off (→ page 171).
R Ensu rethat a bow wave does not form asyou
drive.
R Do not stop in thewa ter and do not switch
off the engine. Ensure the ECO start/ stop
function is switched off (→ page188).
Also obser vethefo llowing information when
driving in moun tainous terrain:
R Obse rveth eva lues of the approach/depar‐
ture angle and of the maximum gradient
(→ page 561). R
Obser vethe no tes on the cross-country ABS
(→ page 215).
R Before driving in mountainous terrain, shift
th e transfer case totheLOW RANGE off-
ro ad gear (→ page198).
R Avoid high engine speeds.
R Use the braking po wer of the engine when
driving downhill.
R Shift toa lo werge ar on uphill gradients and
on long, steep downhill gradients.
R Activate DSR be fore driving downhill, if nec‐
essary (→ page 231).
R Check that the service brake is working nor‐
mally af ter a long downhill stre tch.
Checkli stafte r driving off-road
Off-road driving terrain places greater demands
on your vehicle than driving on no rmalroads.
Check the entire vehicle for dama geand fore ign
bodies everytime af ter driving off-road. Foreign
bodies in the wheels or driv etra in can lead to
imbalances and therefore vibrations. 18 6
Driving and pa rking
Page 190 of 681

R
Ifth eF orG drive program is selec‐
te d: select the;, =, CorA
drive prog ram.
R Shift the transfer case tothe on-ro ad posi‐
tion HIGH RANGE.
R Swit chDSR off.
R Lowe rth eve hicle le vel again toa le vel suita‐
ble tothero ad conditions, e.g. tothe normal
le ve l.
R Apply the brakes todry them af terfo rd ing.
R Clean thefo llowing components everytime
af te r driving off-road:
- licence plate number
- headlamps and tail lamps
- tyres, wheels and wheel ar ches
- underbody
R After driving thro ugh sand, mud, water or
gr ave l, ha vethefo llowing components
ch ecked and cleaned:
- brake discs and brakepads
- tyres and wheels
- axle joints ECO
start/s top function Ope
ration of the ECO start/s top function
The engine is au tomatical lyswitched off if the
fo llowing conditions are me t:
R you brake theve hicle toast andstill in trans‐
mission position hori.
R all conditions for an auto matic engine stop
are met.
R vehicles with 48 V on-board electrical
sy stem (EQ Boost tech nology): you
depress the brake pedal when driving at
speeds below 20 km/h.
R vehicles with a 48 V on-board electrical
sy stem (EQ Boost technology): you en gage
transmission position j.
The è symbol appears in the multifunction
display when theve hicle is stationar y.If not all
th eve hicle conditions are met, theç symbol
appears in the multifunction displa y.
The engine is restar ted automatically if:
R you en gage transmission position hork.
R you depress the accelera tor pedal. R
vehicles with 48 V on-board electrical
sy stem (EQ Boost tech nology): youre lease
th e brake pedal in transmission position h
when the HOLD function is not active and the
ve hicle is not in drive program Aor;
and theve hicle does not start tomo ve.
R vehicles with 48 V on-board electrical
sy stem (EQ Boost tech nology): youre lease
th e brake pedal, theve hicle is not in Glide
mode and it starts tomo veat a speed abo ve
appr ox. 3 km/h.
R vehicles without a 48 V on-board electri‐
cal sy stem (without EQ Boost tech nol‐
ogy): you shift from transmission position
j.
R an automatic engine start is necessar y.
If th e engine was switched off bythe ECO start/
st op function and you lea vetheve hicle, a warn‐
ing tone sounds. In addition, the message Vehi-
cle is operational Switch off the ignition before
exiting appears in the multifunction displa y.If
yo u do not swit choff the ignition, the ignition is
automatically switched off af terth re e minutes. Driving and parking
187
Page 191 of 681

Switching
the ECO start/s top function
off/on #
Press button 1.
A displ ayappears in the instrument clus ter
when swit ching the ECO start/ stop function
off/on.
% A continuous display appears in the instru‐
ment clus ter while the ECO start/ stop func‐
tion is deactivated. ECO display function
The ECO display summarises
your driving char‐
acteristics from thest art of the journey toits
completion and assists you in achieving the
most economical driving style.
Yo u can influence consum ption if you:
R drive with particular care
R drive theve hicle in drive program ;
R obser vethege arshift recommendations The lettering in
the segment lights up brightl y,
th e outer edge lights up and the segment fills up
in thefo llowing situations:
R 1 steady speed R
2 gentle deceleration and rolling
R 3 moderate acceleration
The lettering in the segment is gr ey,th e outer
edge is dark and the segment em pties in thefo l‐
lowing situations
R 1 fluctuations in speed
R 2 heavy braking
R 3 sporty acceleration
Yo u ha vedriven economically when:
R theth re e segments fill up comple tely at the
same time
R the edge around all thre e segments lights up
The additional range achi eved as a result of your
driving style in comparison with a driver with a
ve ry sporty driving style is shown in the cent re
of the display 4. Therange displ ayed does not
indicate a fixe dre duction in consum ption. ECO Assist function
Ve
hicles with a 48 V on-board electrical sys‐
te m (EQ Boo sttech nology): 18 8
Driving and pa rking
Page 192 of 681

%
ECO Assi stisavailable on lyforve hicles with
CO MAND Online.
ECO Assist analyses data forth eve hicle's expec‐
te dro ute. This allo wsthe sy stem tooptimally
adjust the driving style fo rth ero ute ahead, sa ve
fuel and recuperate. If the sy stem de tects an
eve nt ahead, e.g. a speed limit or a roundabout,
it appears on the multifunction display 1.The
fo llowing symbols can be displa yed: 1
Event ahead
2 Distance totheeve nt ahead
3 "Foot off the accelerator" prom pt
A di fferent number of segments 2will appear
in front of theve hicle depending on the dis tance
to theeve nt ahead:
R few segments: theev ent ahead is near
R many segments: theev ent ahead is fur ther
aw ay
When theve hicle nears theeve nt, ECO Assi st
will calculate the optimal speed for maximum
fuel economy and recuperati veenergy based on
th e dis tance, speed and downhill gradient. The Foot off the accelerator
3messa geappears on
th e multifunction displa y.The firs t segments in
front of theve hicle will become green. The
re maining segments will initially stay white. If
th e driver lifts off the accelera tor pedal in good
time, there maining segments on the display will
turn green until theeve nt shown is reached. The
driv etra in will be set for maximum fuel econom y.
Re cuperation will charge the batter y.Re cupera‐
tion will be adap tedto the selected drive pro‐
gram.
The event will be shown for a short time af ter it
has been passed. If there is no response tothe
Foot off the accelerator prompt,th e segments
will remain white.
If th eeve nt in volves a vehicle ahead, all seg‐
ments will immediately turn green once there is
a re sponse totheFoot off the accelerator
prom pt.
Fo rAc tive ECO Assi stin drive program ;,
symbol 3will appear on the multifunction dis‐
play and on the head-up display beside transmis‐
sion position h. Symbol3will also appear
when the assis tant displ ayis not selec ted. Driving and parking
18 9