kinetic energy and consumes less fuel(coasting mode).
RESP®provides the optimum compromisebetween traction and stability. Further infor-
mation about ESP®(Ypage 66).
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
RACE drive program
iThe RACE drive program may not be usedon normal roads. RACE must only be activa-ted and used on dedicated race circuits, noton public roads.
TheRACEdrive program is characterized bythe following:
Rthe vehicle exhibits driving characteristicssuitable for the racetrack.
Rall vehicle systems are set for maximumsportiness.
Rthe gearshift recommendation gives youinformation for slowly warming up the driveassemblies and for adopting a fuel-efficientdriving style (Ypage 141). You can followthe gearshift recommendations at all timesand shift gear accordingly using the steeringwheel paddle shifters. On the basis of thegearshift recommendation, using the steer-ing wheel paddle shifters, you can optimizethe drive train and engine operating mode atany time.
Rif you have selected a gear manually, thiswill be maintained until the vehicle speedincreases or decreases dramatically.
Rthe vehicle pulls away in first gear.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.The fuel consumption possibly being higheras a result of the later automatic transmis-sion shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly firmdamping settings.
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not available.
RESP®switches to SPORT handling mode.The tSPORT handling mode warninglamp in the instrument cluster lights up. TheSPORT Handling ModeSPORT Handling Modemessage appears inthe multifunction display. Observe theimportant safety notes for the SPORT han-dling mode (Ypage 68).
RESP®only improves driving stability to alimited degree. The engine's torque is only
restricted to a limited degree and the drivewheels can spin. Further information about
ESP®(Ypage 68).
Drive program S+ (Sport Plus)
Drive programS+is characterized by the fol-lowing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits particularly sporty driv-ing characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away in first gear.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.The fuel consumption possibly being higheras a result of the later automatic transmis-sion shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly firmdamping settings.
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not available.
RESP®provides the optimum compromisebetween traction and stability. Further infor-
mation about ESP®(Ypage 66).
Drive program S (Sport)
Drive programSis characterized by the follow-ing:
Rthe vehicle exhibits sporty driving character-istics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away in first gear.
Rthe automatic transmission shifts up later.The fuel consumption possibly being higheras a result of the later automatic transmis-sion shift points.
Rthe suspension exhibits particularly firmdamping settings.
Rgliding mode is not available.
Rthe ECO start/stop function is not available.
RESP®provides the optimum compromisebetween traction and stability. Further infor-
mation about ESP®(Ypage 66).
Drive program C (Comfort)
Drive programCis characterized by the follow-ing:
Rthe vehicle delivers comfortable, economicalhandling characteristics.
Rthe vehicle pulls away more gently inforward and reverse gears, unless the accel-erator pedal is depressed fully.
Rthe vehicle has improved driving stability,for example on slippery road surfaces.
140Automatic transmission
Driving an d parking
economical driving. A higher level indicates amore economical driving style. If the threeouter areas are completely filled at the sametime, the driver has adopted the most eco-nomical driving style for the selected settingsand prevailing conditions. The ECO displayborder lights up.
The ECO display does not indicate the actualfuel consumption. The additionally achievedrange displayed underBonus fr. startBonus fr. startdoesnot indicate a fixed consumption reduction.
In addition to driving style, the actual con-sumption is affected by other factors, such as:
Rload
Rtire pressure
Rcold start
Rchoice of route
Ractive electrical consumers
These factors are not included in the ECO dis-play.
An economical driving style specially requiresdriving at moderate engine speeds.
Achieving a higher value in the categories"Acceleration" and "Constant":
Robserve the gearshift recommendations.
Rdrive the vehicle in drive programCorE.
In urban traffic and stop-start traffic, drive pro-gramCis recommended.
On long journeys at a constant speed, e.g. onthe highway, only the outer area for "constant"will change.
The ECO display summarizes the driving stylefrom the start of the journey to its completion.Therefore, there are more marked changes inthe outer areas at the start of a journey. Onlonger journeys, there are fewer changes. Formore marked changes, perform a manual rest(Ypage 194).
Further information on the ECO display(Ypage 193).
Braking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface
in an attempt to increase the engine's brak-
ing effect, the drive wheels could lose their
grip. There is an increased danger of skid-
ding and accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
Downhill gradients
!On long, steep gradients, you must reducethe load on the brakes. To use engine brak-ing, shift to a lower gear in good time. Thishelps you to avoid overheating the brakesand wearing them out excessively.
When making use of the engine brakingeffect, it is possible that a drive wheel maynot turn for some time, e.g. in the case ofsuddenly changing or slippery road surfaceconditions. This could cause damage to thedrive train. This type of damage is not cov-ered by the Mercedes-Benz warranty.
Change into a lower gear in good time on longand steep downhill gradients. This is especiallyimportant if the vehicle is laden.
This also applies if you have activated cruisecontrol or Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal
while driving, the braking system can over-
heat. 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 constantlyresults in excessive and premature wear tothe brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavyload, do not stop the vehicle immediately, butdrive on for a short while. This allows the air-flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time in heavy rainwithout braking, there may be a delayed reac-tion from the brakes when braking for the first
Driving tips151
Driving and parking
Z
time. This may also occur after the vehicle hasbeen washed or driven through deep water.
You then have to depress the brake pedalmore firmly. Maintain a greater distance fromthe vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-cle washed, brake firmly while paying attentionto the traffic conditions. This will warm up thebrake discs, thereby drying them more quicklyand 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 brakepads. This can result in a significantly longerbraking distance.
RIn order to prevent any salt build-up, applythe brakes occasionally while paying atten-tion to the traffic conditions.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and thebeginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicleahead.
Servicing the brakes
!The brake fluid level may be too low, if:
Rif the red brake warning lamp lights up inthe instrument cluster and
Ryou hear a warning tone while the engineis running
Observe additional warning messages in themultifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due tobrake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immedi-ately. Consult a qualified specialist work-shop to arrange this.
!As the ESP®system operates automati-cally, the engine and the ignition must beswitched off (the SmartKey must be in posi-tion