Driving and operating161Automatic cleaning processThe exhaust filter system filters soot
particles out of the exhaust gases.
The system includes a self-cleaning
function that runs automatically
during driving without any notification.
The filter is cleaned by periodically
burning off the soot particles at high
temperature. This process takes
place automatically under set driving
conditions and may take up to
25 minutes. Typically it needs
between 7 and 12 minutes. Autostop
is not available and fuel consumption may be higher during this period. The
emission of smells and smoke during
this process is normal.
System requires cleaning Under certain conditions, e.g. driving
short distances, the system cannot
clean itself automatically.
If cleaning of the filter is required and if previous driving conditions did not
enable automatic cleaning, it will be
indicated by a warning message in
the Driver Information Centre.A warning message appears when
exhaust filter is full. Start cleaning
process as soon as possible.
A warning message also appears
when exhaust filter has reached the
maximum filling level. Start cleaning
process immediately to avoid
damage to the engine.
Activate self-cleaning process
Cleaning process is completed more
quickly at high engine speeds and loads. Therefore, drive in lower gears
than normal, and use manual gear
selection on vehicles with automatic
transmission. Usage of electrical
consumers like air conditioning and
heated windows to increase engine
load supports cleaning process.Caution
If possible, do not interrupt
cleaning process. Drive until
cleaning is completed to avoid the
need for service or repair by a
workshop.
Vehicles with petrol engine
To activate cleaning process,
continue driving, keep engine speed
above 2500 rpm. Shift down if
necessary.
Drive dynamically at different engine
speeds. Use engine brake for
deceleration, if possible.
Keep on driving until self-cleaning
operation is complete and the display
message disappears.Vehicles with diesel engine
To activate cleaning process,
continue driving, keep engine speed
above 2000 rpm, ideally and
continuously around 2500 rpm. Shift
down if necessary.
Keep on driving until self-cleaning
operation is complete and the display message disappears.
Driving and operating165Automatic transmission
The automatic transmission permits
automatic gear shifting (automatic
mode) or manual gear shifting
(manual mode).
Manual shifting is possible in manual mode by tapping the selector lever to + or - or pulling the steering wheel
paddles.
Transmission display
Illustrations show different versions.
The mode or selected gear is shown
in the Driver Information Centre.
In automatic mode, the driving
programme is indicated by D.
In manual mode, M and the number
of the selected gear is indicated.
R indicates reverse gear.
N indicates neutral position.
P indicates park position.
Gear selectionP:park position, wheels are locked,
engage only when the vehicle is
stationaryR:reverse gear, engage only when
the vehicle is stationaryN:neutralD:automatic modeM:manual mode<:upshift in manual mode]:downshift in manual mode
Driving and operating167Steering wheel paddles
Move selector lever out of position D
towards the left in position M.
Manual mode M can be activated
from position D in each driving
situation and speed.
Pull steering wheel paddles to select
gears manually.
Pull right paddle + to shift to a higher
gear.
Pull left paddle - to shift to a lower
gear.
Multiple pulls allow gears to be
skipped.
The selected gear is indicated in the
instrument cluster.
Temporary manual mode in drive
mode D
Manual paddle shifting is also
possible in automatic mode D. Upon
completion of manual shifting
operation, transmission changes to
automatic mode D after a defined
time.
To interrupt manual mode and return
to D, do one of the following:
● Press + paddle for 1 second.
● Move selector lever towards the left to manual mode and back to
position D.
If the vehicle is at a standstill and
engine is idling, the transmission will
remain in temporary manual mode. It
changes to automatic mode when
accelerator pedal is operated for a
defined time, and no paddle shifting
at the steering wheel is performed.
General
If a higher gear is selected when
vehicle speed is too low, or a lower
gear when vehicle speed is too high,the shift is not executed. This can
cause a message in the Driver
Information Centre.
In manual mode, no automatic
shifting to a higher gear takes place
at high engine revolutions, except
activating the kickdown function.
Gear shift indication
The symbol R or S with a number
beside it is indicated when gear
shifting is recommended for fuel
saving reasons.
Shift indication appears only in
manual mode.
Electronic driving programmes
● When SPORT mode is engaged,
the vehicle shifts at higher engine speeds (unless cruise control is
on).
SPORT mode 3 176.
168Driving and operating● Special programmesautomatically adapt the shiftingpoints when driving up inclines or
down hills.
● In snowy or icy conditions or on other slippery surfaces, the
electronic transmission control
enables the driver to manually
select first, second or third gear
for starting off.
Kickdown Pressing down the accelerator pedal
beyond the kickdown detent will lead to maximum acceleration
independent of the selected driving
mode. The transmission shifts to a
lower gear depending on engine
speed and shifts to a higher gear at
high engine revolutions.
Overheat protection
In the event of transmission-
overheating due to high outside
temperatures or sporty driving style,
the torque and the maximum speed of the engine can be temporarily
reduced.Fault
In the event of a fault a vehicle
message is displayed in the Driver
Information Centre.
Vehicle messages 3 122.
6-gear automatic transmission:
electronic transmission control
enables only fourth gear; 8-gear
automatic transmission: electronic
transmission control enables only
third gear. The transmission no
longer shifts automatically.
Have the cause of the fault remedied
by a workshop.
Interruption of power supply
In the event of an interruption of
power supply, the selector lever
cannot be moved out of the P
position.
The ignition key cannot be removed from the ignition switch.
If the vehicle battery is discharged,
start the vehicle using jump leads
3 269.
If the vehicle battery is not the cause
of the fault, release the selector lever.1. Apply parking brake.
2. Release the selector lever trim from the centre console. Poke
with a finger into the leather
socket beside the selector lever
and pull the trim up carefully, there
is a cable attached to it. Slide trim slightly forward as it is hinged on
its rear side. Tilt loose trim to the
left side to aviod tensioning the
cable.
172Driving and operatingReleasing
Switch on ignition. Keep foot brake
pedal depressed and then push
switch m. If control indicator m
extinguishes, electric parking brake is
released.
Drive away function
Vehicles with manual transmission:
Depressing the clutch pedal and then slightly releasing the clutch pedal and
slightly depressing the accelerator
pedal releases the electric parking
brake automatically. This is not
possible when switch m is pulled at
the same time.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: Engaging D and then depressing the
accelerator pedal releases the
electric parking brake automatically.
This is not possible when switch m is
pulled at the same time.
Dynamic braking when vehicle is
moving
When the vehicle is moving and the
switch m is kept pulled, the electric
parking brake system will decelerate the vehicle, but will not apply
statically.As soon as the switch m is released,
dynamic braking will be stopped.
Automatic applicationVehicles with automatic transmission If the vehicle is equipped with
automatic transmission and adaptive
cruise control is active, electric
parking brake is applied automatically when vehicle is stopped by the
system for more than 2 minutes.
Parking brake releases automatically
after moving off.Vehicles with manual transmission
The electric parking brake will apply
automatically if:
● vehicle is stationary● vehicles with power button: power button is pushed to turn offthe engine
● vehicles with ignition key: engine
is turned off and key is being
removed from the ignition switch
A precondition for automatic
application is that Extended Hill Start
Assist is activated in the vehicle
personalisation 3 123.Deactivation
To suppress the automatic
application on vehicles with manual transmission temporarily until the
next ignition cycle:
1. with engine running, depress brake pedal and m switch at the
same time
2. release both brake pedal and m
switch
3. within 10 seconds: turn off engine
and remove key from ignition
switch
To deactivate automatic application
permanently, deactivate Extended
Hill Start Assist in the vehicle
personalisation 3 123
Functionality check
When the vehicle is not moving, the
electric parking brake might be
applied automatically. This is done to
check the system.
Driving and operating173Fault
Failure mode of electric parking brake
is indicated by a control indicator j
and by a vehicle message which is
displayed in the Driver Information Centre.
Vehicle messages 3 122.
Control indicator m flashes: electric
parking brake is not fully applied or released. When continuously
flashing, release electric parking
brake and retry applying.
Brake assist If brake pedal is depressed quickly
and forcefully, maximum brake force
is automatically applied.
Operation of brake assist might
become apparent by a pulse in the
brake pedal and a greater resistance when depressing the brake pedal.
Maintain steady pressure on the
brake pedal as long as full braking is
required. Maximum brake force is
automatically reduced when brake
pedal is released.Hill start assist
The system helps preventing
unintended movement when driving
away on inclines.
When releasing the brake pedal after
stopping on an incline, brakes remain
on for further 2 seconds. The brakes
release automatically as soon as the
vehicle begins to accelerate. The hill
start assist will not activate if one of
the following conditions occurs:
● forward gear is engaged when facing downhill
● reverse gear is engaged when facing uphill
● driver seat belt is unfastened
● driver's door is open
Extended hill start assist
This function holds the vehicle
stationary for up to 5 minutes after the brake pedal is released.
The electric parking brake will be
automatically activated to prevent
vehicle movement when one of the
following conditions occurs:● extended hill start assist is deactivated after 5 minutes
● ignition is switched off
● driver's exit is detected
Hill start assist or extended hill start
assist can be selected in the vehicle
personalisation 3 123.
Note
Automatic transmission only: hill
start assist and extended hill start
assist will not be activated in neutral
gear. If neutral gear is selected
during an active hold, assists will
deactivate and vehicle may start
moving.
176Driving and operating
● To deactivate only Tractioncontrol system press button t
briefly: TC is inactive but ESC
remains active, k illuminates. A
status message appears in the
Driver Information Centre when
TC is deactivated.
ESC is reactivated by pressing the t
button again. If the TC system was
previously disabled, both TC and
ESC are reactivated. k and t
extinguishes when TC and ESC are reactivated.
ESC is also reactivated the next time
the ignition is switched on.
Fault
If there is a fault in the system the
control indicator b illuminates
continuously and a message appears in the Driver Information Centre. The
system is not operational.
Have the cause of the fault remedied by a workshop.
Interactive driving system FlexRide
FlexRide driving system allows the
driver to select between three driving
modes:
● SPORT mode: press SPORT,
LED illuminates.
● TOUR mode: press TOUR, LED
illuminates.
● AUTO or Standard / Normal mode: neither SPORT nor
TOUR is pressed, no LED
illuminates.
Deactivate SPORT mode or TOUR
mode by pressing corresponding
button once more.
In each driving mode Flex Ride
adjusts the following electronic
systems:
● electronic damping control
● accelerator pedal control
● electronic power steering control ● automatic transmission● adaptive cruise control
● all-wheel drive
● engine sound enhancement
● instrument cluster theme
SPORT mode
The settings of the systems are
adjusted for a sportier driving style:
● Damping of shock absorbers is set up for increased handling andagility.
● The engine reacts more quickly to accelerator pedal changes.
● Steering support is sportier.
Driving and operating177● Automatic transmission shiftpoints optimised for sporty
driving.
● Adaptive cruise control is adjusted for a sportier driving
style.
● All-wheel drive supports active sporty driving of the vehicle.
● Engine sound enhancement intensifies interior engine sound
in a sporty manner.
● Cluster theme changes to sport.
TOUR modeTOUR mode adjusts the settings of
the systems for a comfortable driving
style.
● Damping of shock absorbers is adapted for increased driving
comfort.
● Steering efforts are reduced. ● Adaptive cruise control is adjusted for a more relaxed
driving style.
AUTO mode
All versions except GSi: All settings of the systems are preset to standard
values optimised for daily driving
(default mode). This is the fully
adaptive mode, adjusting systems to
both comfort and sport settings
depending on driving style and driving
situation.
Normal mode
GSi versions only: All settings of the
systems are preset to standard
values optimised for daily driving
(default mode). This mode keeps the
standard values independent of
driving style or driving situation.Adaptive drive mode control
Within each manually selected driving
mode SPORT , TOUR or AUTO , Drive
Mode Control (DMC) detects and
analyses continuously the driving
situation and the driver's driving style. If necessary, DMC automatically
adjusts damping and steering for the
duration of the occuring situation.
If, for example, normal settings are
active in AUTO mode and DMC
detects a sporty driving behaviour, it
automatically changes systems into
sporty settings unless the driver
deselects sporty damping or steering
in the Sport Mode Customisation .
If, for another example, comfort
settings are active in TOUR mode
and whilst driving on a winding road a sudden hard brake is necessary,DMC will detect the dynamic vehicle
condition and changes the settings
for suspension back to normal
(default) setting to enhance vehicle
stability.
When the driving characteristic or the
dynamic vehicle state returns to the
former state, DMC will change to
preselected settings.