2012 Mercedes-benz M Class Owners Manual

Center

Corners

Rear sensors

Center

Corners

Approximately 40 in (approximately 100 cm)

Approximately 24 in (approximately 60 cm)

Approximately 48 in (approximately 120 cm)

Approximately 32 in (approximately 80 cm)

! When parking, pay particular attention to objects above or below the sensors, such as flower pots or trailer drawbars. 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.

Warning display for the front area : Segments on the left-hand side of the

vehicle

; Segments on the right-hand side of the

vehicle

= Segments showing operational readiness

The warning display for each side of the vehicle is divided into five yellow and two red

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185

segments. PARKTRONIC is operational if yellow segments showing operational readiness = light up.

If indicator lamp : lights up, PARKTRONIC is deactivated. Active Park Assist is then also deactivated.

The selected transmission position and the direction in which the vehicle is rolling determine which warning display is active when the engine is running.

i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated when you turn the SmartKey to position 2
in the ignition lock.

Transmission

Warning display

Trailer towing

PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area when you establish an electrical connection between your vehicle and a trailer.

! Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow

hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC measures the minimum detection range to an obstacle from the bumper, not the ball coupling.

position

R, N or the vehicle is rolling backwards

Front area activated

Rear and front areas activated

No areas activated

One or more segments light up as the vehicle approaches an obstacle, depending on the vehicle's distance from the obstacle.

From the:

Rsixth segment onwards, you will hear an

intermittent warning tone for approximately two seconds.

Rseventh segment onwards, you will hear a

warning tone for approximately two seconds. This indicates that you have now reached the minimum distance.

Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC

: Indicator lamp

; To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC

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Problems with PARKTRONIC

Problem

Possible causes/consequences and M Solutions

Only the red segments in the PARKTRONIC warning displays are lit. You also hear a warning tone for approximately two seconds.

PARKTRONIC is deactivated after approximately 20 seconds, and the indicator lamp in the PARKTRONIC button lights up.

Only the red segments in the PARKTRONIC warning displays are lit. PARKTRONIC is deactivated after approximately 20
seconds.

PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.

X If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified

specialist workshop.

The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.

X Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 322).

X Switch the ignition back on.

The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or ultrasound waves.

X See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location.

Active Parking Assist

Important safety notes

Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking aid with ultrasound. Ultrasound is used to measure the road on both sides of the vehicle. A suitable parking space is indicated by the parking symbol. Active steering intervention can assist you during parking. You may also use PARKTRONIC (Y page 183). When PARKTRONIC is switched off, Active Parking Assist is also unavailable.

G WARNING Active Parking Assist is merely an aid and may sometimes recommend parking spaces that are not suitable for parking. For example, these might be spaces where parking is prohibited, driveways, unsuitable surfaces, etc.

Active Parking Assist measures the parking space as you drive past it. Any later changes to the parking space are not taken into account. For instance, this may be the case when the vehicle parked in front of or behind the space changes its position or when an obstacle is moved into the parking space.

Active Parking Assist does not relieve you of the responsibility of paying attention. If you rely solely on Active Parking Assist, you could cause an accident and injure yourself and others.

You are always responsible for safety and must continue to pay attention to your immediate surroundings when parking and maneuvering.

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187

G WARNING Objects located above the height range of Active Parking Assist will not be detected when the parking space is measured. These are not taken into account when the parking procedure is calculated, e.g. overhanging loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods vehicles. In some circumstances, Active Parking Assist may therefore guide you into the parking space too early. This may lead to a collision. For this reason, you should avoid using Active Parking Assist in such situations.

G WARNING The front of the vehicle will veer out in the direction of the oncoming traffic during the parking operation. In some cases, the vehicle will also take you onto sections of the oncoming lane during the parking procedure.

You are responsible for safety at all times and must pay attention to any road users approaching or passing. Stop the vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active Parking Assist parking procedure.

G WARNING Make sure no persons or animals are in or near the area in which you are parking/ maneuvering. Otherwise, they could be injured.

Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces:

Rthat are parallel to the direction of travel

Rthat are on straight roads, not bends

Rpay attention to the PARKTRONIC

(Y page 184) warning messages during the parking procedure.

Ryou can intervene in the steering procedure

to correct it at any time. Active Parking Assist will then be canceled.

Rwhen transporting a load which protrudes

from your vehicle, you should not use Active Parking Assist.

Rnever use Active Parking Assist when snow

chains or an emergency spare wheel are mounted.

Rmake sure that the tire pressures are

always correct. This has a direct influence on the parking characteristics of the vehicle.

Rthe way your vehicle is positioned in the parking space after parking is dependent on various factors. These include the position and shape of the vehicles parked in front and behind it and the conditions of the location. In some cases, Active Parking Assist may guide you too far into a parking space, or not far enough into it. In some cases, it may also lead you across or onto the curb. If necessary, you should abort the parking procedure with Active Parking Assist.

Ryou can also engage forward gear

prematurely. The vehicle redirects and does not drive as far into the parking space. Should the gear change occur too soon to achieve a sensible parking position, the parking procedure will be aborted.

Rthat are on the same level as the road, e.g.

! If unavoidable, you should drive over

not on the pavement

Parking tips:

Ron narrow roads, drive past the parking

space as close as possible.

Rparking spaces that are littered, overgrown

or partially occupied by trailer drawbars might be identified incorrectly or not at all.

Rsnowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking

space being measured inaccurately.

obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at a sharp angle. Otherwise, you may damage the wheels or tires.

Detecting a parking space

Active Parking Assist is switched on automatically when driving forwards. The system is operational at speeds of up to approximately 22 mph (35 km/h). While in operation, the system independently locates

188 Driving systems

and measures parking spaces on both sides of the vehicle. When driving at speeds below 19 mph (30 km/h), you will see the parking symbol as a status indicator in the instrument cluster. By default, Active Parking Assist only displays parking 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. If you wish to park in a space on the driver's side, the indicator on the driver's side must remain on. This must remain switched on until you acknowledge the use of Active Parking Assist by pressing the a button on the multifunction steering wheel.

When a parking space has been detected, an arrow towards the right or the left also appears.

: Detected parking space on the left

; Parking symbol

= Detected parking space on the right

Active Parking Assist will only detect parking spaces:

Rthat are parallel to the direction of travel

Rat least 59 in (1.5 m) wide

Rat least 51 in (1.3 m) longer than your

vehicle

A parking space will be displayed to you as you drive by until you are approximately 50 ft (15 m) away from it.

Parking

G WARNING PARKTRONIC and Active Parking Assist are merely parking aids and may not detect all obstacles. They do not relieve you of the responsibility of paying attention.

You are always responsible for safety and must continue to pay attention to your immediate surroundings when parking and maneuvering. You could otherwise endanger yourself and others.

X Stop the vehicle when the parking space

symbol shows the desired parking space in the instrument cluster.

X Shift the transmission to position R.

The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No: % message appears in the multifunction display.

X To cancel the procedure: press the

% button on the multifunction steering wheel or pull away.

or

X To park using Active Parking Assist:

press thea button on the multifunction steering wheel. The Park Assist Active Accelerate and Brake Observe Surroundings message appears in the multifunction display.

G WARNING When parking, you need to make sure that no obstacles are located in the vicinity of the vehicle during the entire operation. Active Parking Assist does not relieve you of the responsibility of paying attention. It merely aids you by intervening actively in the steering.

To stop the vehicle or to avoid an accident, you need to apply the brakes yourself.

X Let go of the multifunction steering wheel.

X Back up the vehicle, being ready to brake

at all times. Do not exceed a speed of approximately 6 mph (10 km/h) while backing up; Active Parking Assist will otherwise be canceled.

i In tight parking spaces, you will achieve the best parking results by backing up as

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189

far as possible. When doing so, also observe the PARKTRONIC messages.

X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the

continuous warning tone, if not before. Maneuvering may be required in tight parking spaces.

The Park Assist Active Select D Observe Surroundings message appears in the multifunction display.

X Shift the transmission to position D while

the vehicle is stationary. Active Parking Assist immediately steers in the other direction. The Park Assist Active Accelerate and Brake Observe Surroundings message appears in the multifunction display.

X Stop the movement of the multifunction

steering wheel or steer yourself. Active Parking Assist will be canceled at once. The Park Assist Canceled message appears in the multifunction display.

or

X Press the PARKTRONIC button on the

center console (Y page 185). PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active Parking Assist is immediately canceled. The Park Assist Canceled message appears in the multifunction display.

Active Parking Assist is canceled automatically if:

Rparking using Active Parking Assist is no

longer possible.

i You will achieve the best parking results

Ryou are driving faster than 6 mph

by waiting for the steering procedure to complete before moving forwards.

X Drive forwards and be ready to brake at all

times.

X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the

continuous warning tone, if not before.

The Park Assist Active Select R Observe Surroundings message appears in the multifunction display.

X Further transmission shifts may be

necessary.

As soon as the parking procedure is complete, the Park Assist Finished message appears in the multifunction display. PARKTRONIC continues to be available.

X Maneuver if necessary.

X Always observe the warning messages

displayed by PARKTRONIC (Y page 184).

Canceling Active Parking Assist

You can cancel Active Parking Assist at any time.

(10 km/h).

Ra wheel spins, ESP® intervenes or fails. The

ä warning lamp lights up in the instrument cluster.

A warning tone sounds. The parking space symbol disappears and the Park Assist Canceled message appears in the multifunction display.

When Active Parking Assist is canceled, you must steer again yourself.

Trailer towing

For vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the minimum length for parking spaces is slightly increased.

If you have attached a trailer to your vehicle, you should not use Active Parking Assist. Once the electrical connection is established between your vehicle and the trailer, Active Parking Assist is no longer available. PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area.

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Rear view camera

Important safety notes

The rear view camera is an optical parking and maneuvering aid. It shows the area behind your vehicle with guide lines in the COMAND display.

G WARNING Make sure that no persons or animals are in the maneuvering range. Otherwise, they could be injured.

The rear view camera is in the handle on the tailgate.

: Rear view camera

View through the camera

The area behind the vehicle is displayed in a mirror-inverted manner, as in the rear-view mirror.

G WARNING The rear view camera is only an aid and may display obstacles

Rfrom adistort ed perspective

Rinaccurately

Rmay not display obstacles at all

The rear view camera does not relieve you of the responsibility to be cautious. Take care and pay careful attention. The rear view camera may not show objects which are

Rvery close to the rear bumper

Runder the rear bumper

Rabove the tailgate handle

You are responsible for safety at all times and must continue to pay attention to the immediate surroundings when parking and maneuvering. This includes the area behind, in front of, and beside the vehicle. Otherwise you could endanger yourself and/or others.

G WARNING Under the following circumstances, the rear view camera will not function, or will function in a limited manner:

Rthe tailgate is open

Rin heavy rain, snow or fog

Rat night or in very dark places

Rif the camera is exposed to very bright light

Rif the area is lit by fluorescent light or LED

lighting (the display may flicker)

Rif there is a sudden change in temperature,

e.g. when driving into a heated garage in winter

Rif the camera lens is dirty or obstructed

Rif the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In this event, have the camera position and setting checked at a qualified specialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for this purpose.

Do not use the rear view camera in these types of situation. You could otherwise injure others or damage objects and your vehicle while you are parking.

Activating/deactivating the rear view

Displays in the COMAND display

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191

camera

X To activate: make sure that the SmartKey

is in position 2 in the ignition lock.

X Make sure that the "rear view camera"

function is selected in COMAND (see the separate operating instructions for COMAND).

X Engage reverse gear.

The area behind the vehicle is shown in the COMAND display with guide lines.

X To change the function mode: using the COMAND controller, select symbol : for the "Reverse parking" function or symbol ; for the "Coupling up a trailer" function. See the separate COMAND operating instructions. The symbol of the selected function is highlighted.

To deactivate: the rear view camera is deactivated when you:

Rshift the transmission to position P

Rdrive forward ten meters

Rshift the transmission from position R to

another position (after 15 seconds)

Rdrive forward faster than 5 mph

(10 km/h)

G WARNING Use of rear view camera can be dangerous if you are color-blind or have impaired color vision.

Only use rear view camera if you can see and distinguish all colored guidelines shown by rear view camera on the COMAND system display.

G WARNING Please note that objects that do not touch the ground may appear to be further away than they actually are, for example:

Rthe bumper of a vehicle parked behind you

Rthe trailer drawbar

Rthe ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch

Rthe rear end of a truck

Ra slanted post

In such cases, you should not use the guide lines to judge the distance. You may misjudge the distance, which increases the risk of impacting the objects.

Even if the object you approach is directly on the ground, do not approach the object any closer than the red guide line.

: Vehicle width including exterior mirrors

; Vehicle width including wheel extremities

= Yellow guide line approximately 13 ft

(4 m) away from the rear area

? Red lane of vehicle width at current

steering wheel angle (dynamic)

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A Yellow lane of tires at current steering

"Reverse parking" function

wheel angle (dynamic)

B Bumper

C Red guide line approximately 10 in

(0.25 m) away from the rear area

D Yellow guide line approximately 3 ft

(1 m) away from the rear area

E White lane of vehicle width with steering

wheel straight (static)

F Vehicle center axle (marker assistance)

The guide lines are only shown when the transmission is in position R.

The distance specifications only apply to objects that are at ground level.

X Make sure that the rear view camera is

activated and that the "Reverse parking" function is selected. See the separate operating instructions for COMAND. The lane and the guide lines are shown.

Backing up straight into a parking space

without turning the steering wheel

: Vehicle width including exterior mirrors

; White lane with steering wheel straight

= Yellow guide line approximately 3 ft

(1 m) away from the rear area

? Red guide line approximately 10 in

(0.25 m) away from the rear area

X With the help of white lane ;, check

whether the vehicle will fit into the parking space.

X Using the white lane as a guide, carefully back up until you reach the end position. Red guide line ? is then at the end of the parking space. The vehicle is almost parallel in the parking space.

Reverse perpendicular parking with the

steering wheel at an angle

X Drive past the parking space and bring the

vehicle to a standstill.

Additional messages for vehicles with PARKTRONIC : Front warning display

; Additional PARKTRONIC measurement

operational readiness indicator

= Rear warning display

Vehicles with PARKTRONIC: when PARKTRONIC is operational (Y page 183), additional operational readiness indicator ; also appears. Warning displays : and = are active if the corresponding PARKTRONIC warning displays are active (Y page 184). They light up yellow as soon as the first segment in the PARKTRONIC warning display lights up yellow and they light up red as soon as the first segment in the PARKTRONIC warning display lights up red.

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193

Turning the steering wheel : Red lane indicating the route the vehicle

Driving to the final position : White lane at current steering wheel angle

; Parking space marking

X Turn the steering wheel to the center

position while the vehicle is stationary.

will take with the steering wheel in its current position

; Parking space marking

X While the vehicle is at a standstill, turn the

steering wheel in the direction of the parking space until the red lane reaches parking space marking ;.

X Keep the steering wheel in that position

and back up carefully.

Backing up with the steering wheel turned : Red lane indicating the route the vehicle

will take with the steering wheel in its current position

X Stop the vehicle when it is almost exactly

in front of the parking space. The white lane should be as close to parallel with the parking space marking as possible.

: Red guide line approximately 10 in

(0.25 m) away from the rear area

; White lane with steering wheel straight

= End of parking space

X Back up carefully until you have reached

the end position. Red guide line : is then at the end of parking space =. The vehicle is almost parallel in the parking space.

"Coupling up a trailer" function

This function is only available on vehicles with a trailer tow hitch.

194 Driving systems

: Center of the vehicle on the red guide line approximately 10 in (0.25 m) away from the rear area

; Center of the vehicle on the yellow guide

line approximately 3 ft (1 m) away from the rear area

= Trailer drawbar

? Ball coupling X Set the height of trailer drawbar = so that

it is slightly higher than ball coupling ?.

X Position the vehicle centrally in front of

trailer drawbar =.

: Ball coupling

; Red guide line approximately 10 in

(0.25 m) away from the ball coupling

= Trailer drawbar marker assistant

? Trailer drawbar

A Symbol for the "Coupling up a trailer"

function

X Use the COMAND controller to select

symbol A. See the separate operating instructions for COMAND. The "Coupling up a trailer" function is selected. The distance specifications now only apply to objects that are at the same level as the ball coupling.

X Back up carefully, making sure that trailer

drawbar marker assistant = points approximately in the direction of trailer drawbar ?.

X Back up carefully until trailer drawbar ?

reaches red guide line ;.

X Couple up the trailer (Y page 210).

ATTENTION ASSIST

Important safety notes

ATTENTION ASSIST helps you during long, monotonous journeys such as on freeways and interstate highways. It is active in the range between 50 mph (80 km/h) and 112 mph (180 km/h).

If ATTENTION ASSIST detects typical indicators of fatigue or increasing lapses in concentration on the part of the driver, it suggests you take a break.

G WARNING ATTENTION ASSIST is only an aid and may detect your tiredness or lapses in concentration too late or not at all. It is not a substitute for a well-rested and attentive driver.

Fatigue may cause you to recognize hazardous situations too late, misjudge a situation or react more slowly. For this reason, make sure you feel rested before you begin driving and during your journey. Make sure that you take regular breaks in time, particularly on long journeys. Otherwise, you may fail to recognize dangers in time, cause an accident and injure yourself and others.

ATTENTION ASSIST assesses your level of fatigue or lapses in concentration by taking the following criteria into account:

Ryour personal driving style, e.g. steering

characteristics

Rdriving conditions, e.g. time, driving time

The functionality of ATTENTION ASSIST is restricted and warnings may be delayed or not occur at all:

Rif the road condition is poor, e.g. if the

surface is uneven or if there are potholes

Rif there is a strong side wind

Rif you have adopted a sporty driving style

with high cornering speeds or high rates of acceleration

Rif you predominantly drive at speeds under

50 mph (80 km/h) or over 112 mph (180 km/h)

Rif you are currently using COMAND or

making a telephone call with it

Rif the time has been set incorrectly

Rin active driving situations, such as when

you change lanes or change your speed

Warning and display messages in the

multifunction display

X Activate ATTENTION ASSIST using the on-

board computer (Y page 232). Symbol : appears in the multifunction display.

If ATTENTION ASSIST is active, you will be warned no sooner than 20 minutes after your journey has begun. You will then hear an intermittent warning tone twice, and the Attention Assist: Drowsiness Detected message appears in the multifunction display.

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195

X If necessary, take a break. X Press a or % to confirm the

message.

On long journeys, take regular breaks in good time to allow yourself to rest properly. If you do not take a break and ATTENTION ASSIST still detects typical indicators of fatigue or increasing lapses in concentration, you will be warned again after 15 minutes at the earliest.

ATTENTION ASSIST is reset when you continue your journey and starts assessing your tiredness again if:

Ryou switch off the engine.

Ryou take off your seat belt and open the

driver's door, e.g. for a change of drivers or to take a break.

Night View Assist Plus

Important safety notes

In addition to the illumination provided by the normal headlamps, Night View Assist Plus uses infrared light to illuminate the road. The Night View Assist Plus camera picks up the infrared light and displays a grayscale image in COMAND. The image displayed in COMAND corresponds to a road lit up by high- beam headlamps. This enables you to see the road's course and any obstacles in good time. If pedestrian recognition is activated, pedestrians recognized by the system are highlighted in the Night View Assist Plus display.

G WARNING Night View Assist Plus is only an aid designed to assist driving. It is not a substitute for attentive driving. Do not rely solely on the Night View Assist Plus display. Continue to look through the windshield. You are responsible for safety and must drive in accordance with traffic conditions. You could otherwise put yourself and others in danger.

196 Driving systems

The system may be impaired or unavailable if:

Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to snow,

rain, fog or heavy spray.

Rthe windshield is dirty, fogged up or

covered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicinity of the camera.

Ryou are driving on bends, uphill gradients

or downhill gradients.

Light from the headlamps of oncoming vehicles does not affect the Night View Assist Plus display in the multifunction display. This is also the case if you cannot switch on the high-beam headlamps due to oncoming traffic.

G WARNING The Night View Assist Plus cannot record objects immediately in front of or next to the vehicle. When maneuvering, continue to look through the windshield. Make sure no persons or animals are in the area in which you are maneuvering. You could otherwise injure them.

i Infrared light is not visible to the human

eye and therefore does not glare. Night View Assist Plus can therefore remain switched on even if there is oncoming traffic.

running lamps" position is located on the light switch.

You can only activate Night View Assist Plus if:

Rthe SmartKey is in position 2 in the ignition

lock.

Rit is dark. Rthe light switch is set to either c,

à or L.

Rreverse gear has not been engaged.

X Make sure that COMAND is switched on. X Press button :.

The Night View Assist Plus display appears in the COMAND display.

: Night View Assist Plus camera

Switching on Night View Assist Plus

Depending on your vehicle's date of manufacture, the c or à symbol for the "Automatic driving lights/daytime

: Night View Assist Plus display

; Pedestrian recognized

= Framing

? Symbol for active pedestrian recognition

You can read about how to adjust the brightness of the COMAND display in the COMAND operating instructions.

i The infrared lamps switch on

automatically from a speed of about 6 mph (10 km/h). This means that you do not have the full visual range while the vehicle is stationary and cannot check whether Night View Assist Plus is working.

Pedestrian recognition

G WARNING Pedestrian recognition may be impaired or inoperative if:

Rpedestrians are partially or entirely

obscured by objects, e.g. parked vehicles.

Rthe silhouette of the pedestrian in the Night

View Assist Plus display is incomplete or interrupted, e.g. by powerful light reflections.

Rpedestrians do not contrast with the

surroundings.

Rpedestrians are not standing upright, for example, if they are sitting, crouching or lying down.

i Animals are not recognized by pedestrian

recognition.

Night View Assist Plus is able to recognize pedestrians by typical characteristics, e.g. a silhouette in the shape of a person.

Pedestrian recognition is then switched on automatically if:

RNight View Assist Plus is activated.

Ryou are driving faster than 6 mph

(10 km/h).

Rthe surroundings are dark, e.g. when driving outside built-up areas without street lighting.

If pedestrian recognition is active, symbol ? appears. If pedestrians are recognized, they are framed = and thereby highlighted. If the pedestrian recognition system has brought a pedestrian to your attention, look through the windshield to evaluate the situation. The actual distance to

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197

objects and pedestrians cannot be gauged accurately by looking at a screen.

It may be the case that objects are highlighted as well as pedestrians.

Fogged up or dirty windshield

If the windshield in front of the camera is fogged up or dirty on the inside or outside, the Night View Assist Plus display is affected.

G WARNING Please do not forget that your primary responsibility is to drive the vehicle. A driver's attention to the road must always be his/her primary focus when driving. For your safety and the safety of others, stop before trying to remove window fogging or cleaning the windshield in front of the Night View Assist Plus camera.

Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph (approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is covering a distance of 44 feet (approximately 14 m) every second.

X To defrost: check the automatic air

conditioning settings (Y page 132) and fold down the camera cover (Y page 323).

X To defrost the inside of the windshield: fold down the camera cover (Y page 323) and clean the windshield (Y page 321).

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Problems with Night View Assist Plus

Problem

Possible causes/consequences and M Solutions

The picture quality of Night View Assist Plus has deteriorated.

The windshield wipers are smearing the windshield.

X Replace the wiper blades (Y page 119).

The windshield is smeared after the vehicle has been cleaned in a car wash.

X Clean the windshield (Y page 321).

There is windshield chip damage in the camera's field of vision.

X Replace the windshield.

The windshield is fogged up on the inside.

X Defrost the windshield (Y page 132).

The windshield is iced up.

X De-ice the windshield (Y page 131).

There is dirt on the inside of the windshield.

X Clean the inside of the windshield (Y page 321).

Lane Tracking package

General notes

The Lane Tracking package consists of Blind Spot Assist (Y page 198) and Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 200).

Blind Spot Assist

Important safety notes

Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor system to monitor the areas on both sides of your vehicle. It supports you from speeds of approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). A warning display in the exterior mirrors draws your attention to vehicles detected in the monitored area. If you then switch on the corresponding turn signal to change lane, you will also receive an optical and audible collision warning. Blind Spot Assist uses sensors in the rear bumper for monitoring purposes.

G WARNING Blind Spot Assist is only an aid designed to assist driving. It may fail to detect some vehicles and is no substitute for attentive driving.

Blind Spot Assist cannot detect road and traffic conditions. It may fail to detect narrow vehicles, such as motorcycles or bicycles, or may only detect them too late.

Monitoring may be affected by dirty sensors, strong spray or poor visibility caused by snow, rain or mist, for example. In this case, vehicles are detected late or not at all.

Always pay attention to traffic conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to recognize dangers in time, cause an accident and injure yourself and others.

i USA only:

This device has been approved by the FCC as a “Vehicular Radar System”. The radar sensor is intended for use in an automotive radar system only. Removal, tampering, or

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199

altering of the device will void any warranties, and is not permitted by the FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in any non-approved way.

Any unauthorized modification to this device could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

For Blind Spot Assist to assist you when driving, the radar sensor system must be activated (Y page 236) and operational.

Always pay attention to traffic conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to recognize dangers in time, cause an accident and injure yourself and others.

If the lanes are narrow, vehicles driving in the lane beyond the lane next to your vehicle may be indicated, especially if the vehicles are not driving in the middle of their lane. This may be the case if the vehicles are driving on the inner side of their lane.

Monitoring range of the sensors

Due to the nature of the system:

Blind Spot Assist monitors the area shown in the figure up to 10 ft (3 m) behind and immediately adjacent to your vehicle.

Rwarnings may be issued in error when

driving close to crash barriers or similar solid lane borders.

Rwarnings may be interrupted when driving alongside long vehicles, such as trucks, for a prolonged time.

The two sensors for Blind Spot Assist are integrated into the sides of the rear bumper. Make sure that the bumper is free from dirt, ice or slush around the sensors. The rear sensors must not be covered, for example by bicycle racks or overhanging loads. Following a severe impact or in the event of damage to the bumpers, have the function of the radar sensors checked at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Blind Spot Assist may otherwise not work properly.

Indicator and warning display

: Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp

When Blind Spot Assist is activated, indicator lamp : lights up yellow in the exterior mirrors up to a vehicle speed of 20 mph

G WARNING Blind Spot Assist monitors certain areas in the immediate vicinity of your vehicle. Vehicles that approach and drive past at high speeds are not detected. There is no display and no warning.

If the lanes are very wide, it may not be possible to monitor the complete width of the neighboring lane. For this reason, vehicles in the next lane may not be detected, especially if they are driving in a staggered formation. This may be the case if vehicles are driving at that edge of their lane which is furthest away from your vehicle.

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(30 km/h). When the vehicle speed exceeds 20 mph (30 km/h), the indicator lamp goes out and Blind Spot Assist is ready for use.

When your speed exceeds approximately 20 mph (30 km/h), warning lamp : lights up red on the corresponding side whenever a vehicle is detected in the blind spot monitoring range. This warning is always given when a vehicle enters the blind spot monitoring range from behind or from the side. When you are passing another vehicle, the warning is emitted only if the difference in speed is less than 7 mph (12 km/h).

The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reverse gear is engaged. In this event, Blind Spot Assist is no longer active.

The brightness of the indicator/warning lamps is adjusted automatically according to the ambient light.

G WARNING Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds under approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). The indicator lamps in the exterior mirrors are yellow. Vehicles in the monitoring range are then not indicated.

Always pay attention to traffic conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to recognize dangers in time, cause an accident and injure yourself and others.

Collision warning

If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range of Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the turn signal, a double warning tone sounds. Red warning lamp : flashes. If the turn signal remains on, detected vehicles are indicated by the flashing of red warning lamp :. There are no further warning tones.

Switching on Blind Spot Assist

X Make sure that the radar sensor system

(Y page 236) and Blind Spot Assist

(Y page 232) are activated in the on-board computer.

X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the

ignition lock. Warning lamps : light up red in the exterior mirrors for approximately 1.5
seconds and then turn yellow.

Trailer towing

When you attach a trailer, make sure you have correctly established the electrical connection. This can be accomplished by checking the trailer lighting. In this event, Blind Spot Assist is deactivated. The indicator lamp in the exterior mirrors lights up yellow, and the Blind Spot Assist Currently Unavailable See Operator's Manual message appears in the multifunction display.

i You can deactivate the indicator lamps in

the exterior mirrors.

To do so, switch off Blind Spot Assist when:

Rthe SmartKey is in position 2 in the

ignition lock.

Rthe engine is not running.

Rthe electrical connection to the trailer

has been established.

Lane Keeping Assist

Important safety notes

Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in front of your vehicle by means of a camera at the top of the windshield. Lane Keeping Assist detects lane markings on the road and warns you before you leave your lane unintentionally.

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Rthe lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanes branch off, cross one another or merge.

Rthe road is narrow and winding.

Lane Keeping Assist cannot detect road and traffic conditions. It is not a substitute for attentive driving. You are responsible for the vehicle's speed, braking in good time, and steering correctly. Always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and weather conditions. Always pay attention to traffic conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to recognize dangers in time, cause an accident and injure yourself and others.

A warning can be given when a front wheel passes over a lane marking. It will warn you by means of intermittent vibration in the steering wheel for up to 1.5 seconds.

Switching on Lane Keeping Assist

X Switch on Active Lane Keeping Assist using

the on-board computer; to do so, select Standard or Adaptive(Y page 233). Symbol : appears in the multifunction display.

If your speed exceeds 40 mph (60 km/h) and lane markings are detected, symbol : is highlighted. Lane Keeping Assist is ready for use.

Standard If Standard is selected, no warning vibration occurs if:

: Lane Keeping Assist camera

If you have chosen the Display Unit Speed-/Odometer(Y page 233) function in the on-board computer and select km as the unit of measurement, Active Lane Keeping Assist is active from speeds of 60 km/h. If the miles display unit is selected, the assistance range begins at 40 mph.

G WARNING Lane Keeping Assist does not keep your vehicle in its lane. It is only an aid and may detect the lane markings on the road incorrectly or not at all.

The system may be impaired or may not function if:

Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to

insufficient illumination of the road, or due to snow, rain, fog or spray.

Rthere is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic, the sun, or reflection from other vehicles.

Rthe windshield is dirty, fogged up or

covered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicinity of the camera.

Rseveral or no lane markings for a single lane

are present.

Rthe lane markings are worn away, dark or

covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow.

Rthe distance to the vehicle in front is too

small and the lane markings thus cannot be detected.

Rthe lane markings on the road are unclear,

e.g. near roadworks.

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Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event, the warnings are suppressed for a certain period of time.

Ra driving safety system intervenes, such as

ABS, BAS or ESP®.

Adaptive If Adaptive is selected, no warning vibration occurs if:

Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event, the warnings are suppressed for a certain period of time.

Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g.

ABS, BAS or ESP®.

Ryou accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.

Ryou brake hard.

Ryou steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an

obstacle or change lane quickly.

Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend.

In order that you are warned only when necessary and in good time if you cross the lane marking, the system recognizes certain conditions and warns you accordingly.

The warning vibration occurs earlier if:

Ryou approach the outer lane marking on a

bend.

Rthe road has very wide lanes, e.g. a

freeway.

Rthe system recognizes solid lane markings.

The warning vibration occurs later if:

Rthe road has narrow lanes.

Ryou cut the corner on a bend.

Active Driving Assistance package

General notes

The Active Driving Assistance package consists of DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 169), Active Blind Spot Assist (Y page 202) and Active Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 205).

Active Blind Spot Assist

Important safety notes

Active Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor system to monitor the side areas of your vehicle which are in back of the driver. A warning display in the exterior mirrors draws your attention to vehicles detected in the monitored area. If you then switch on the corresponding turn signal to change lane, you will also receive an optical and audible collision warning. If a risk of lateral collision is detected, corrective braking may help you avoid a collision. To support the course- correcting brake application, Active Blind Spot Assist also uses the forward-facing radar sensor system. Active Blind Spot Assist supports you from speeds of approximately 20 mph (30 km/h).

G WARNING Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid, and may detect vehicles/obstacles incorrectly or not at all.

The system may be impaired or may not function if:

Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to snow,

rain, fog or spray.

Rthe rear and/or front sensors are dirty.

Active Blind Spot Assist may not detect narrow vehicles, such as motorcycles or bicycles, or may only detect them too late. It cannot detect vehicles that are overtaken at a small distance and then enter the blind spot area.

Active Blind Spot Assist cannot detect road and traffic conditions. It is not a substitute for attentive driving. You are responsible for the vehicle's speed, braking in good time, and steering correctly. Always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and weather conditions. Always pay attention to traffic conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to recognize dangers in time, cause an accident and injure yourself and others.

i USA only:

This device has been approved by the FCC as a “Vehicular Radar System”. The radar sensor is intended for use in an automotive radar system only. Removal, tampering, or altering of the device will void any warranties, and is not permitted by the FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in any non-approved way.

Any unauthorized modification to this device could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

For Active Blind Spot Assist to assist you when driving, the radar sensor system must be activated (Y page 236) and operational.

Monitoring area

Active Blind Spot Assist monitors the area shown in the figure up to 10 ft (3 m) behind and immediately adjacent to your vehicle. For this purpose, Active Blind Spot Assist uses radar sensors in the rear bumper.

G WARNING Active Blind Spot Assist monitors certain areas in the immediate vicinity of your vehicle. Vehicles that approach and drive past at high speeds are not detected. No visual nor audible warnings are emitted and the system does not brake the vehicle to correct your course.

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If the lanes are very wide, it may not be possible to monitor the complete width of the neighboring lane. For this reason, vehicles in the next lane may not be detected, especially if they are driving in a staggered formation. This may be the case if vehicles are driving at that edge of their lane which is furthest away from your vehicle.

Always pay attention to traffic conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to recognize dangers in time, cause an accident and injure yourself and others.

If the lanes are narrow, vehicles driving in the lane beyond the lane next to your vehicle may be indicated, especially if the vehicles are not driving in the middle of their lane. This may be the case if there are vehicles driving at the inner edge of their lanes.

Due to the nature of the system:

Rwarnings may be issued in error when

driving close to crash barriers or similar solid lane borders.

Rwarnings may be interrupted when driving alongside long vehicles, such as trucks, for a prolonged time.

Two Active Blind Spot Assist radar sensors are integrated into the front and rear bumpers respectively. An additional radar sensor is located behind the cover in the radiator grill. Make sure that the sensor areas on the bumpers and the sensor cover in the radiator grill are free of dirt, ice and slush. The rear sensors must not be covered, for example by cycle racks or overhanging cargo. Following a severe impact or in the event of damage to the bumpers, have the function of the radar sensors checked at a qualified specialist workshop. Blind Spot Assist may otherwise not work properly.

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Indicator and warning display

: Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp

When Active Blind Spot Assist is activated, indicator lamp : lights up yellow in the exterior mirrors up to a vehicle speed of 20 mph (30 km/h). When the vehicle speed exceeds 20 mph (30 km/h), the indicator lamp goes out and Active Blind Spot Assist is ready for use.

When your speed exceeds approximately 20 mph (30 km/h), warning lamp : lights up red on the corresponding side whenever a vehicle is detected in the blind spot monitoring range. This warning is always given when a vehicle enters the blind spot monitoring range from behind or from the side. When you are passing another vehicle, the warning is emitted only if the difference in speed is less than 7 mph (12 km/h).

The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reverse gear is engaged. In this event, Active Blind Spot Assist is no longer active.

The brightness of the indicator/warning lamps is adjusted automatically according to the ambient light.

G WARNING Active Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds lower than 20 mph (30 km/h). The indicator lamps in the exterior mirrors are yellow. Vehicles in the monitoring range are then not indicated.

Always pay attention to traffic conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to

recognize dangers in time, cause an accident and injure yourself and others.

Visual and audible collision warnings

If you switch on the appropriate turn signals and a vehicle is detected in the side monitoring range, you will receive a visual and acoustic collision warning. You will hear a double warning tone and red warning lamp : flashes. If the turn signal remains on, vehicles detected are indicated by the flashing of red warning lamp :. There are no further warning tones.

Course-correcting brake application

If Active Blind Spot Assist detects a risk of a lateral collision in the monitoring range, a course-correcting brake application is carried out. This is meant to assist you in avoiding a collision.

The course-correcting brake application is available in the range between 20 mph (30 km/h) and 120 mph (200 km/h).

If a course-correcting brake application occurs, red warning lamp : flashes in the exterior mirror and the following is shown in the multifunction display, for example:

G WARNING Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid designed to assist driving. It is not a substitute for attentive driving. In some cases, the course-correcting brake application is not sufficient to avoid a collision. In such a case, you must steer, brake or accelerate.

In very rare cases, the system may erroneously detect a danger of collision in the area of crash barriers or similar lane borders and apply the brakes. Active Blind Spot Assist does not detect all traffic situations and road

users. Always make sure that there is sufficient distance on the side for other traffic or obstacles. An inappropriate brake application may be interrupted at any time if you steer slightly in the opposite direction or accelerate.

You are responsible for driving at appropriate speeds, braking in good time, and steering correctly. Always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and weather conditions. Always pay attention to traffic conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to recognize dangers in time, cause an accident and injure yourself and others.

There will be either no or only a weak course- correcting brake application if:

Rthere are vehicles or obstacles, e.g. crash

barriers, located on both sides of your vehicle.

Ra vehicle approaches you too closely at the

side.

Ryou have adopted a sporty driving style with

high cornering speeds.

Ryou clearly brake or accelerate.

Ra driving safety system intervenes, e.g.

ESP® or PRE-SAFE® Brake.

RESP® is switched off.

Rthe off-road program is switched on.

Ra loss of tire pressure or a defective tire is

detected.

Switching on Active Blind Spot Assist

X Make sure that the radar sensor system

(Y page 236) and Active Blind Spot Assist (Y page 232) are activated in the on-board computer.

X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the

ignition lock. Warning lamps : light up red in the exterior mirrors for approximately 1.5
seconds and then turn yellow.

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205

Trailer towing

When you attach a trailer, make sure you have correctly established the electrical connection. This can be accomplished by checking the trailer lighting. Active Blind Spot Assist is then deactivated. The indicator lamp lights up yellow in the exterior mirrors and the Active Blind Spot Assist Currently Unavailable See Operator's Manual message appears in the multifunction display.

Active Lane Keeping Assist

Important safety notes

Active Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in front of your vehicle by means of a camera at the top of the windshield. Active Lane Keeping Assist detects lane markings on the road and warns you before you leave your lane unintentionally. If you do not react to the warning, a lane-correcting application of the brakes can bring the vehicle back into the original lane.

: Active Lane Keeping Assist camera

If you have selected the Display Unit Speed-/Odometer(Y page 233) function in the on-board computer and select km as the unit of measurement, Active Lane Keeping Assist is active from speeds of 60 km/h. If the miles display unit is selected, the assistance range begins at 40 mph.

G WARNING Active Lane Keeping Assist does not keep your vehicle in its lane. It is only an aid and

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