transmission MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS 2012 Owner's Guide

R
the transmission must be in position D.
R the driver's door
must be closed when you
shift from P to D or your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door and rear doors
must be closed.
R the vehicle must not skid.
Activating
To activate while driving: when driving at
speeds below 14 mph (20 km/h), you can
only activate DISTRONIC PLUS if the vehicle
in front has been detected and is shown in the
multifunction display. If the vehicle in front is
no longer detected and displayed,
DISTRONIC PLUS switches off and a tone
sounds.
X Briefly pull the cruise control level towards
you ?, or press it up : or down ;.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
X Press the cruise control lever repeatedly
up : or down ; until the desired speed
is set.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts

its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
i If you do

not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC PLUS Passive
message appears in the multifunction
display. The set distance to a slower-
moving vehicle in front will then not be
maintained. You will be driving at the speed
you determine by the position of the
accelerator pedal.
To activate when driving towards a
stationary vehicle: if the vehicle in front is
stationary, you can only activate DISTRONIC
PLUS if your vehicle is also stationary.
X Briefly pull the cruise control level towards
you ?, or press it up : or down ;.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
i DISTRONIC PLUS
can

only be activated at
under 14 mph (20 km/h) if a vehicle in front has been detected. It is therefore helpful to
have the
DISTRONIC

PLUS distance display
activated in the multifunction display
(Y page 194).
X Press the cruise control lever repeatedly
up : or down ; until the desired speed
is set.
i You can
use

the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the control on the
cruise control lever to set the specified
minimum distance (Y page 165). DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the speedometer
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, one or
two segments
;

in the set speed range light
up.
i For design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from
the speed set for DISTRONIC PLUS.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front,
segments ; between speed of the vehicle in
front : and stored speed = light up.162
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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
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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
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!
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
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The electronic parking brake secures the
vehicle automatically if the HOLD function 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.PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a
replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. When
maneuvering, parking or pulling out of a
parking space, make sure that there are no
persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
!
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.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object. PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R
switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission

to position D, R or N
R release the electric parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper.
Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into
consideration that are:
R
below the detection range, e.g. people,
animals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g.
overhanging loads, truck overhangs or
loading ramps. :
Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand
side (example) Side view Driving systems
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Top view
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or
slush. They can otherwise not function
correctly. Clean
the
sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(Y page 275).
Front sensors Center Approx. 40in (approx.
100cm)
Corners Approx. 24in (approx.
60cm)
Rear sensors
Center Approx. 48 in (approx.
120 cm)
Corners Approx. 32in (approx.
80cm)
Minimum distance
Center Approx. 8in (approx. 20cm)
Corners Approx. 8in (approx. 20cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, the
relevant warning displays light up and a
warning tone sounds. If the distance falls
below the minimum, the distance may no
longer be shown.
Warning displays
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located on the dashboard above the center air vents.
The warning display for the rear area is
located on the headliner in the rear
compartment.
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
segments. PARKTRONIC is operational if
yellow segments showing operational
readiness = light up.
The selected transmission position and the
direction in which the vehicle is rolling
determine which warning display is active
when the engine is running. Transmission
position Warning display
D
Front area activated
R, N or the vehicle
is rolling
backwards Rear and front areas
activated
P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance from the obstacle.170
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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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Active Parking Assist will only detect parking
spaces:
R
that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
R that are at least 51 in (1.3 m) longer than
your vehicle
A parking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are
approximately 50 ft (15 m) away from it.
Parking G
WARNING
Active Parking Assist merely aids you by
intervening actively in the steering. If you do
not brake there is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself when
maneuvering and parking.
i When PARKTRONIC detects obstacles,
Active Parking Assist brakes automatically
during the parking process. You are
responsible for braking in good time.
Active Parking Assist does not support you
with parking spaces parallel to the direction
of travel if:
R the parking space is on a curb
R the parking space is apparently blocked,
for example by foliage or grass paving
blocks
R the range of movement is too small
R the parking space is bordered by an
obstacle which is not clearly defined such
as a tree or a trailer
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 the a

button on the multifunction
steering wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate
and Brake Observe Surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
X Let go of the multifunction steering wheel.
X Back up the vehicle, being ready to brake
at all times. Do not exceed a maximum
speed of approximately 5 mph (10 km/h )
when

backing up. Otherwise Active Parking
Assist will be canceled.
i In tight parking spaces, you will achieve
the best parking results by backing up as
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.
i You will achieve the best results by
waiting for the steering procedure to
complete before pulling away.
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.174
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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.
Active Parking Assist is then deactivated.
PARKTRONIC is still available.
X Maneuver if necessary.
X Always observe the warning messages
displayed by PARKTRONIC (
Y page 170).
Parking tips:
R The 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. It may be the case that Active
Parking Assist guides 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
cancel the parking procedure with Active
Parking Assist.
R You can also engage forward gear
prematurely. The vehicle redirects and
does not drive as far into the parking space.
Should a gear be changed too early, the
parking procedure will be canceled. A
sensible parking position can no longer be
achieved from this position.
Exiting a parking space In order that Active Parking Assist can
support you
when

you exit the parking space:
R the border of the parking space must not
be too low.
R the border of the parking space must not
be too wide. The system maneuvers the
vehicle into a position at a maximum of 45° to the starting position in the parking
space.
R a maneuvering distance of at least 24 in
(0.60 m) must be available.
Active Parking Assist

can only assist you with
exiting a parking space if you have parked the
vehicle using Active Parking Assist.
X Start the engine.
X Switch on the turn signal on the side facing
the street.
X Shift the transmission to position D or 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 exit a parking space using Active
Parking Assist: press the a button on
the multifunction steering wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate
and Brake Observe Surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
X Let go of the multifunction steering wheel.
X Reverse the vehicle or drive forwards, being
ready to brake at all times. Do not exceed
a maximum speed of approximately
6 mph (10 km/h) when exiting a parking
space. Otherwise

Active Parking Assist will
be canceled.
X Stop when PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
X Shift the transmission to position D or R
as
required 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.
i You will achieve the best results by
waiting for the steering procedure to
complete before pulling away. Driving systems
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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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