tow MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS 2012 Owner's Manual

vehicle occupant or from outside the
vehicle.
R the electrical system in the engine
compartment, the battery
or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
R the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS
(Y page 165).
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle
in front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until
it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.
i Depending on the specified minimum
distance, your vehicle will come to a
standstill at a sufficient distance behind the
vehicle in front. The specified minimum
distance is set using the control on the
cruise control lever.
The electric parking brake automatically
secures the vehicle if DISTRONIC PLUS is
activated and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is
automatically switched off by the ECO
start/stop function.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
If a malfunction occurs, then the transmission
may be shifted into position P automatically.Storing the current speed or calling up the
last stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle
accelerates or decelerates.

If you do not know
the stored speed, the vehicle could accelerate
or brake unexpectedly. There is a risk of an
accident.
Pay attention to the road and traffic
conditions before calling up the stored speed.
If you do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever
(Y page 161) towards you.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. The first
time it is activated, the current speed is
stored. Otherwise, it

sets the vehicle cruise
speed to the previously stored value.
Setting a speed Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the
vehicle

has accelerated or braked to
the speed set. :
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; To store the current speed or a lower
speed164
Driving systems
Driving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

i
The last speed
stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically
deactivated if:
R you engage the electric parking brake or if
the vehicle is automatically secured with
the electric parking brake
R you are driving slower than 7 mph
(10km/h) and there is no vehicle in front,
or if the vehicle in front is no longer
detected
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R the transmission is in the P, R or N position
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 the vehicle has skidded
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS Off message in the
multifunction display for approximately five
seconds.
In the Assistance menu (Y page 194) of the
on-board computer, you can select the
distance display. Distance display when DISTRONIC PLUS is
deactivated
:
Vehicle in front, if detected
; Distance indicator, current distance to
the vehicle in front
= Specified minimum distance to the
vehicle in front; adjustable
? Own vehicle X
Select the Distance Display function
using the on-board computer
(Y page 194).
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS General notes
The following
contains

descriptions of certain
road and traffic conditions in which you must
be particularly attentive. In such situations,
brake if necessary. DISTRONIC PLUS is then
deactivated.
Cornering, going into and coming out of a
bend The ability of DISTRONIC PLUS to detect
vehicles when cornering is limited. Your
vehicle may brake unexpectedly or late.
Vehicles traveling on a different line
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect vehicles
traveling on a different line. The distance to
the vehicle in front will be too short.166
Driving systems
Driving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

!
If DISTRONIC PLUS
or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations. To
prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 168).
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.
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been
automatically 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
R the transmission position D, R or N is
engaged while driving a vehicle with an
automatic transmission
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated 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 : appears 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 accelerate. On

vehicles with automatic
transmission: only when the transmission
is in position D or R.
R the transmission is in position P on vehicles
with automatic transmission.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until :
disappears from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake. 168
Driving systems
Driving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

R
Snowfall or heavy
rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R Pay attention to the PARKTRONIC
(Y page 170) warning messages during the
parking procedure.
R You can intervene in the steering procedure
to correct it at any time. Active Parking
Assist will then be canceled.
R When transporting a load which protrudes
from your vehicle, you should not use
Active Parking Assist.
R Never use Active Parking Assist when snow
chains are installed.
R Make sure that the tire pressures are
always correct. This has a direct influence
on the parking characteristics of the
vehicle.
General 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 169). When PARKTRONIC is switched
off, Active Parking Assist is also unavailable.
Use Active Parking Assist for parking spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are on straight roads, not bends
R that are on the same level as the road, e.g.
not on the pavement
Detecting parking spaces 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. G
WARNING
If there are objects above the detection range,
Active Parking Assist may turn prematurely.
You may cause

a collision as a result. There is
a risk of an accident.
If there are objects above the detection range,
stop and deactivate Active Parking Assist.
Active Parking Assist is automatically
activated 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
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. To park
on the driver's side, you must leave the
driver's side turn signal switched 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. Example: detected parking space for a vehicle with
automatic transmission
:
Detected parking space on the left
; Parking symbol
= Detected parking space on the right Driving systems
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Driving and parking Z
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General notes
Rear view camera
: is in the trunk lid handle.
The rear view camera extends, when it is
activated.
The rear view camera is an optical parking and
maneuvering aid. It uses guide lines to show
the area behind your vehicle in the Audio/
COMAND display.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear view mirror.
i The text of messages shown in the
COMAND display depends on the language
setting. The following are examples of rear
view camera messages in the COMAND
display.
Activating/deactivating the rear view
camera X
To activate: make sure
that the SmartKey
is in position 2 in the ignition lock.
X Make sure that in the audio system/
COMAND, the "Activation by R gear"
function is selected; see the separate
operating instructions for the audio
system/COMAND.
X Engage reverse gear.
Guide lines are used to show the area
behind the vehicle in the Audio/COMAND
display. To deactivate:
the rear view camera is
deactivated if you:
R select transmission position P (vehicles
with automatic transmission)
R drive forward ten meters
R shift the transmission from R to another
position (after 15 seconds)
R drive forwards at a speed of over 5 mph
(10km/h)
Displays in

the Audio/COMAND display The rear view camera may show a distorted
view of obstacles, show them incorrectly or
not at
all.

The rear view camera does not show
objects in the following positions:
R very close to the rear bumper
R under the rear bumper
R in the area immediately above the tailgate
handle
! Objects not at ground level may appear to
be further away than they actually are, e.g.:
R the bumper of a parked vehicle
R the drawbar of a trailer
R the ball coupling of a trailer tow hitch
R the rear section of an HGV
R a slanted post
Use the guidelines only for orientation.
Approach objects no further than the
bottom-most guideline. Driving systems
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Driving and parking Z
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i
When you reset the values in the "ECO
display", the values in the trip computer
"From start" are likewise reset. When you
reset the values
in the trip computer "From
start", the values in the "ECO display" are
likewise reset. Navigation system menu
Displaying navigation instructions X
Switch on Audio 20 with Becker ®
MAP
PILOT or COMAND (see the separate
operating instructions).
X Press the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Navi menu.
In the Navi menu, the multifunction display
shows navigation instructions. For more
information, see the separate operating
instructions.
Route guidance not active :
Direction of travel
; Current road
Route guidance active No change of direction announced
:
Distance to the destination
; Distance to the next change of direction =
Current road
? "Follow the road's course" symbol
Change of direction announced without a
lane recommendation :
Road into which the change of direction
leads
; Distance to change of direction and visual
distance display
= Symbol for change of direction
When a change of direction is announced, you
will see
symbol =

for the change of direction
and distance graphic ;. The distance
indicator shortens towards the top of the
display as you approach the point of the
announced change of direction.
Change of direction announced with a
lane recommendation :
Road into which the change of direction
leads
; Distance to change of direction and visual
distance display
= Lane recommendation
? New lane during a change of direction
A Uninterrupted lane
B Symbol for change of direction
On multilane roads, the system can display
lane recommendation
=

for the next change
of direction. During the change of direction,
additional lanes may be displayed. Menus and submenus
191
On-board computer and displays Z
ProCarManuals.com

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsThe red
F (USA only)/! (Canada only) indicator lamp
flashes and the yellow ! warning lamp lights up.
The electric parking brake is malfunctioning.
To release:
X Switch off the ignition and turn it back on.
X Release the electric parking brake manually.
To apply:
X Switch off the ignition and turn it back on.
X Apply the electric parking brake manually.
If the red F (USA only)/! (Canada only) indicator lamp
continues to flash:
X Do not drive on.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away ( Y page 320).
X Shift the transmission to P.
X Turn the front wheels towards the curb.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The yellow
! warning lamp lights up. The red F (USA
only)/! (Canada only) indicator lamp flashes for about ten
seconds after the electric parking brake has been applied or
released. It then goes out or remains lit.
The electric parking brake is malfunctioning.
X Switch off the ignition and turn it back on.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
If it is not possible to engage the electric parking brake:
X Shift the transmission to P.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop.
If it is not possible to release the electric parking brake:
X Release the electric parking brake automatically ( Y page 150).
If the electric parking brake still cannot be released:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Display messages
205On-board computer and displays Z
ProCarManuals.com

Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
Seat belts
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutionsü
After starting the
engine, the red seat
belt warning
lamp
lights
up for six seconds. The seat belt warning lamp reminds the driver and front passenger
to fasten their seat belts.
X
Fasten your seat belt ( Y page 45).ü
After starting the
engine, the red seat
belt warning
lamp

lights
up. In addition, a
warning tone sounds
for up to six seconds. The driver's seat belt is not fastened.
X
Fasten your seat belt ( Y page 45).
The warning tone ceases. ü
The red seat belt
warning lamp lights up
after the engine starts,
as soon as the driver's
or the front-passenger
door is closed.
The driver or front passenger has not fastened their seat belt.
X
Fasten your seat belt ( Y page 45).
The warning lamp goes out. There are objects on the front-passenger seat.
X
Remove the objects from the front-passenger seat and stow
them in a secure place.
The warning lamp goes out. ü
The red seat belt
warning lamp flashes
and an intermittent
audible warning
sounds.
The driver or front passenger has not fastened their seat belt. In
addition,
you are

driving faster than 15 mph (25 km/h) or you have
briefly driven faster than 15 mph (25 km/h).
X Fasten your seat belt ( Y page 45).
The warning lamp goes out and the intermittent warning tone
ceases. There are objects on the front-passenger seat. In addition, you are
driving faster than 15 mph (25 km/h
) or you have briefly driven
faster than 15 mph (25 km/h ).
X Remove the objects from the front-passenger seat and stow
them in a secure place.
The warning lamp goes out and the intermittent warning tone
ceases.224
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
On-board computer and displays
ProCarManuals.com

Useful information ............................
236
Loading guidelines ............................236
Stowage areas .................................. 237
Features ............................................. 247 235Stowage and features
ProCarManuals.com

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note
that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Read the information on qualified
specialist workshops: ( Y page 24).Loading guidelines
G
WARNING
If objects, luggage or loads are not secured or
not secured sufficiently, they could slip, tip
over or be

flung around and thereby hit vehicle
occupants. There is a risk of injury,
particularly in the event of sudden braking or
a sudden change in direction.
Always store objects so that they cannot be
flung around. Secure objects, luggage or
loads against slipping or tipping before the
journey. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as

carbon monoxide. If the tailgate
is open when the engine is running,
particularly if the vehicle is moving, exhaust
fumes could enter the passenger
compartment. There is a risk of poisoning.
Turn off the engine before opening the
tailgate. Never drive with the tailgate open.
The handling characteristics of a laden
vehicle are dependent on the distribution of
the load within the vehicle. For this reason,
you should observe the following notes when
transporting a load:
R Never exceed the maximum permissible
gross vehicle weight or the gross axle weight rating of the vehicle (including
occupants). The
values

are specified on the
vehicle identification plate on the B-pillar of
the driver's door.
R The cargo compartment is the preferred
place to carry objects.
R Position heavy loads as far forwards as
possible and as low down in the cargo
compartment as possible.
R The load must not protrude above the
upper edge of the seat backrests.
R Always place the load against the rear or
front seat backrests. Make sure that the
seat backrests are securely locked into
place.
R Always place the load behind unoccupied
seats if possible.
R Use the cargo tie down rings and the parcel
nets to transport loads and luggage.
R Use cargo tie-down rings and fastening
materials appropriate for the weight and
size of the load.
R Hook in the cargo net when loading.
R The maximum load capacity of the stowage
well under the cargo compartment floor is
55 lbs (25 kg).
R Secure the load with sufficiently strong and
wear-resistant tie-downs. pad sharp edges
for protection.
! Do not position the load on one part of the
folding cargo compartment floor only. The
maximum load capacity of the folding cargo
compartment floor is 220 lbs (100 kg).
Distribute the weight evenly to avoid
damaging the cargo compartment floor.
Place a solid board under the load if
necessary. Please note that the load on the
cargo compartment floor will be increased
when the load is lashed down. 236
Loading guidelines
Stowage and features
ProCarManuals.com