MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS CABRIOLET 2016 Owners Manual

DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist
and Stop&Go Pilot General notes
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot aids you in keeping the vehicle in
the centre of the driving lane by means of mod-
erate steering interventions in a speed range
from 0–200 km/h.
It monitors the area in front of your vehicle by
means of multifunction camera :, at the top of
the windscreen.
In a speed range from 0–60 km/h, Stop&Go
Pilot focuses on the vehicle in front, taking into
account lane markings, e.g. when you are fol-
lowing vehicles in a traffic jam.
At speeds of more than 60 km/h, Steering
Assist focuses on detected lane markings (left
and right), only focusing on the vehicle in front if detected lane markings are not present.
If these conditions are not present, Steering
Assist and Stop&Go Pilot cannot provide assis-
tance.
DISTRONIC PLUS must be active in order for the
function to be available.
Important safety notesDISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot can neither reduce the risk of an
accident if you fail to adapt your driving style nor
override the laws of physics. It cannot take into account road, weather or traffic conditions.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot is only an aid. You are responsible
for the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehi-
cle speed, for braking in good time and for stay- ing in lane.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot does not detect road and traffic
conditions and does not detect all road users. If
you are following a vehicle that is driving towards the edge of the carriageway, your vehi-
cle could come into contact with the kerb or
other road boundaries. Be particularly aware of
other road users, e.g. cyclists, that are directly
next to your vehicle.
Obstacles such as traffic pylons on the lane or
projecting out into the lane are not detected.
An inappropriate steering intervention, e.g. after
you have intentionally driven over a lane mark-
ing, can be corrected at any time if you steer
slightly in the opposite direction.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot cannot continuously keep your
vehicle in lane. In some cases, the steering
intervention is not sufficient to bring the vehicle back to the lane. In such cases, you must steer the vehicle yourself to ensure that it does not
leave the lane.
The system may be impaired or may not function
in the following situations:
R poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficient illumi-
nation of the road, or due to snow, rain, fog or spray
R glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic, the sun or
reflection from other vehicles (e.g. if the road
surface is wet)
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up, damaged
or covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
R no or several, unclear lane markings are pres-
ent for one lane, e.g. in a construction area
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or cov-
ered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
R the distance to the vehicle in front is so small
that the lane markings cannot be detected
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanes
branch off, cross one another or merge
R the road is narrow and winding
R there are highly variable shade conditions on
the roadway
The system is switched to passive and no longer assists you by performing steering interventions
if:
R you actively change lane
R you switch on the turn signal
R you take your hands off the steering wheel or
do not steer for a prolonged period of time
After you have finished changing lanes, Steering
Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are automatically
active again. 178
Driving syste
msDriving and parking

Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot cannot pro-
vide assistance in the following situations:
R on very sharp corners
R when a loss of tyre pressure or a defective
tyre has been detected and displayed
Also observe the important safety notes for
DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 171).
The steering interventions are carried out with a limited steering moment. The system requires
the driver to keep his hands on the steering
wheel and to steer himself.
If you do not steer yourself or if you take your
hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged
period of time, the system will first alert you with
a visual warning. A steering wheel symbol
appears on the multifunction display. If you have still not started to steer and have not taken hold
of the steering wheel after five seconds at the
latest, a warning tone also sounds to remind you
to take control of the vehicle. Steering Assist
and Stop&Go Pilot switch to passive mode.
DISTRONIC PLUS remains activated.
Activating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot X
Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :lights up. The DTR+:
DTR+:
steering steering assist.
assist.on
onmessage appears on
the multifunction display. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are activated. Information on the multifunction display If Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are activa-
ted but not ready for a steering intervention,
steering wheel symbol :appears in grey. If the
system provides you with support by means of
steering interventions, symbol :is shown in
green.
Deactivating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot
X Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. The DTR+: DTR+:
steering assist. off
steering assist. off message appears
on the multifunction display. Steering Assist
and Stop&Go Pilot are deactivated.
When DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated or not
available, Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are deactivated automatically. HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep slopes
R when manoeuvring 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 cancelled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away. Driving systems
179Driving and parking Z

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R the HOLD function is deactivated by the
accelerator pedal being depressed, e.g. by
a vehicle occupant
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
from rolling away.
! When DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD func-
tion is activated, the vehicle brakes automat- ically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
Deactivating the HOLD function (Y page 180).
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if all the fol-
lowing conditions are fulfilled:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or it has been automat-
ically 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 vehicles with automatic transmission: the
transmission is in position h,kori.
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 on the multifunction display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
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 hork
R the transmission is in position jon vehicles
with automatic transmissions
R you depress the brake pedal again with a cer-
tain amount of pressure until display ë
disappears from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric park-
ing brake.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
After a short period, the vehicle is secured by
the electric parking brake, thus relieving the
service brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
When the HOLD function is activated, the trans-
mission is shifted automatically to position jif
R the driver's seat belt is not fastened and the
driver's door is open
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function 180
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activated,
the vehicle is stationary and:
R a system fault occurs
R the power supply is insufficient
If a malfunction occurs, the transmission may
also be shifted to position jautomatically.
Vehicles with manual transmission
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activated
and:
R the driver's seat belt is not fastened and the
driver's door is open
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/stop
function
R a system fault occurs
R the power supply is insufficient
The Brake immediately
Brake immediately message may also
appear on the multifunction display.
X Immediately depress the brake pedal firmly
until the warning message on the multifunc-
tion display goes out.
The HOLD function is deactivated.
A horn will sound at regular intervals if you turn
off the engine, take off your seat belt or open the
driver's door when the HOLD function is activa- ted. The horn alerts you to the fact that the
HOLD function is still activated. If you attempt to
lock the vehicle, the tone becomes louder. The
vehicle cannot be locked until you have deacti-
vated the HOLD function.
i Once you have switched off the engine, you
cannot restart it until you have deactivated
the HOLD function. RACE START
Important safety notes i
RACE START must not be used on normal
roads. RACE START must only be activated
and used on dedicated road circuits, outside
of public road use.
i RACE START is only available in
Mercedes‑ AMG vehicles.
RACE START enables optimum acceleration
from a standing start. For this, a suitably high- grip road surface is required; the tyres and vehi-
cle must also be in good condition. G
WARNING
If you use RACE START, individual tyres may
get into a spin and the vehicle could skid.
Depending on the selected ESP ®
mode, there
is an increased risk of skidding and having an accident. Make sure that no persons, animals
or obstacles are within range of the vehicle.
i Read the safety notes on driving safety sys-
tems (Y page 67).
Make sure that you read the safety notes and information on ESP ®
(Y page 72).
Activation conditions You can activate RACE START if:
R the doors are closed
R the engine is running and it has reached an
operating temperature of approximately
71 †. This is the case when the oil tempera-
ture gauge in the multifunction display is
shown in white.
R the drive program S,S+ orRace is selected
(Y page 141)
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake pedal is
depressed (left foot)
R the transmission is in position D
Activating RACE START i
When manual mode (Y
page 150) is active,
the transmission automatically shifts up to
RACE START in the drive program. This func-
tion supports maximum acceleration with
RACE START. After going through an acceler- ating process once from a stationary position,
this function is automatically deactivated.
X Depress the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep it depressed.
X Pull and hold both steering wheel gearshift
paddles (Y page 150).
The RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP
Cancel: Paddle DOWN
Cancel: Paddle DOWN message appears in
the multifunction display.
X Release both steering wheel gearshift pad-
dles (Y page 150). Driving systems
181Driving and parking Z

i
If the activation conditions are no longer ful-
filled, RACE START is cancelled. The RACE
RACE
START cancelled
START cancelled message appears in the
multifunction display.
X To cancel: pull the left steering wheel shift
paddle (Y page 150).
or
X To confirm: pull the right steering wheel shift
paddle (Y page 150).
The RACE START available Depress
RACE START available Depress
accelerator accelerator message appears in the multi-
function display.
i If you do not depress the accelerator pedal
fully within two seconds, RACE START is can-
celled. The RACE
RACE START
START not
not possible
possible See
See
Owner's Manual
Owner's Manual message appears in the
multifunction display.
X Fully depress the accelerator pedal.
The engine speed rises to approximately
3,500 rpm.
The RACE
RACE START START Release
Release brake
braketo
tostart
start
message appears in the multifunction display.
i If you do not release the brake pedal within
five seconds, RACE START is cancelled. The
RACE
RACE START START cancelled
cancelled message appears in
the multifunction display.
X Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum acceler-
ation.
The RACE RACE START
START active
active message appears in
the multifunction display.
RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 50 km/h.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if you
release the accelerator pedal during RACE
START or if any of the activation conditions are
no longer fulfilled. The RACE START not pos‐
RACE START not pos‐
sible See Owner's Manual sible See Owner's Manual orRACE START
RACE START
cancelled
cancelled message appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
i After using it several times in short succes-
sion, RACE START will be unavailable until a
certain distance has been driven. AIRMATIC
General notes AIRMATIC is an air suspension system with var-
iable damping for improved driving comfort. All- round level control ensures the best possible
suspension and constant ground clearance,
even with a laden vehicle. When you drive at
speed, the vehicle is lowered automatically to
improve driving safety and to reduce fuel con-
sumption. You also have the option of manually
adjusting the vehicle level. AIRMATIC consists
of level setting, level control and the ADS (Adap- tive Damping System).
The vehicle level can be set using the DYNAMIC
SELECT switch (Y page 141) or the level button
(Y page 182). The setting always corresponds
to the last function selected.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
People's limbs may become trapped if they
are located underneath the vehicle or
between the vehicle body and the tyres when the vehicle is lowering. There is a danger of
injury.
When lowering the vehicle, make sure no one
is underneath the vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches.
i If one of the doors is open, the vehicle is not
lowered.
Vehicle level Setting the raised vehicle level
It is possible to choose between the "Normal"
and "Raised" vehicle levels below a speed of182
Driving systemsDriving and parking

80 km/h. Select the "Normal" setting for normal
road surfaces and "Raised" for driving with snow chains or on particularly poor road surfaces.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is not lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The vehicle is
raised by 25 mm compared with the normal
level.
The Vehicle rising Vehicle rising message appears on
the multifunction display.
i The message disappears after ten seconds,
irrespective of the level reached. If necessary,
the vehicle is raised further.
The "Raised level" setting is cancelled if you:
R drive at speeds above 120 km/h
R drive for approximately three minutes at a
speed above 80 km/h
The "Raised level" remains saved when you are
not driving within these speed ranges.
Setting the normal vehicle levelX Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is lit:
X Press button :.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
indicator lamp ;goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to the height of the currently selec-
ted drive program (Y page 141).
Vehicles with manual transmission: indi-
cator lamp ;goes out. The vehicle is adjus-
ted to the height of the currently selected
drive program (Y page 141).
Suspension settings General notes
The Adaptive Damping System automatically
controls the calibration of the dampers.
The damping is adjusted individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection, i.e. sport or comfort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. Sport mode
In the Sand S+drive programs, the firmer sus-
pension settings ensure even better contact
with the road. Select this mode when employing
a sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country
roads.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
select the
Sor S+ drive program with the
DYNAMIC SELECT switch (Y page 141).
Vehicles with manual transmission: select
the Sor S+ drive program with the DYNAMIC
SELECT switch (Y page 141).
The vehicle is lowered by 15 mm compared
with the normal level.
Comfort mode In the Eand Cdrive programs, the driving char-
acteristics of your vehicle are more comforta-
ble. Therefore, select this mode if you prefer a
more comfortable driving style. Select Comfort
mode also when driving at speed on straight
roads, e.g. on straight stretches of motorway.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
select the
Eor Cdrive program with the
DYNAMIC SELECT switch (Y page 141).
Vehicles with manual transmission: select
the Eor Cdrive program with the DYNAMIC
SELECT switch (Y page 141).
The vehicle is raised to the normal level.
At speeds of above 125 km/h, the vehicle is
automatically lowered by 15 mm in the Eand C
drive programs. At speeds of below 80 km/h,
the vehicle is raised again. AMG RIDE CONTROL
General notes The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
The damping is adjusted individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection of Sport, Sport + or
Comfort
The suspension mode is adjusted using the cor-
responding button in the centre console. Driving systems
183Driving and parking Z

i
The mode can also be set using the
DYNAMIC SELECT switch (Y page 141).
This is only possible if:
R with the AMG RIDE CONTROL sports sus-
pension button on the centre console, and
R with the DYNAMIC SELECT switch, the
same mode is selected for the suspension.
This is the case, for example, when both are
set to Comfort mode.
If the ignition is switched off for less than four
hours, the previously selected drive program is
activated when the engine is next started. If the ignition is switched off for more than four hours,
Comfort mode is activated when the engine is
next started.
Sport mode The firmer suspension setting in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty driv-
ing style, e.g. on winding country roads.
X Press button :once.
Indicator lamp =lights up. You have selected
Sport mode.
The AMG Ride Control SPORT
AMG Ride Control SPORT message
appears in the multifunction display.
Sport + mode The very firm suspension setting in Sport +
mode ensures optimum contact with the road.
Select this mode only when driving on race cir-
cuits.
If indicator lamps ;and =are off:
X Press button :twice.
Indicator lamps ;and =light up. You have
selected Sport + mode. The
AMG Ride Control SPORT + AMG Ride Control SPORT + message
appears in the multifunction display.
If indicator lamp =lights up:
X Press button :once.
Second indicator lamp ;lights up. You have
selected Sport + mode.
The AMG Ride Control SPORT + AMG Ride Control SPORT + message
appears in the multifunction display.
Comfort mode In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics of
your vehicle are more comfortable. Select this
mode if you prefer a more comfortable driving
style, but also when driving fast on straight
roads, e.g. motorways.
X Press button :repeatedly until indicator
lamps ;and =go out.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG Ride Control COMFORT AMG Ride Control COMFORT message
appears in the multifunction display. 4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures permanent drive for all four
wheels. Together with ESP ®
, it improves the
traction of your vehicle whenever a drive wheel
spins due to insufficient grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are inattentive, 4MATIC can neither reduce the risk
of an accident nor override the laws of physics.
4MATIC does not take into account
R the road and weather conditions
R the traffic situation
4MATIC is only an aid. You are responsible for
the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle
speed, for braking in good time and for staying in
lane.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R When pulling away, only depress the acceler-
ator pedal as far as is necessary.
R accelerate less when driving.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle raised.
This may damage the transfer case. Damage
of this sort is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz implied warranty. All wheels must
remain either on the ground or be fully raised.
Observe the instructions for towing the vehi- 184
Driving systemsDriving and parking

cle with all wheels in full contact with the
ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if you
use winter tyres (M+S tyre s), with snow
chains if necessary. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasound. It monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and six sensors in the rear bumper.
PARKTRONIC visually and audibly indicates the
distance between your vehicle and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a substitute for your attention to the immediate surround-
ings. The responsibility for safe manoeuvring
and parking remains with you. Make sure that
there are no persons, animals or objects in
range while manoeuvring and parking.
! 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 objects which absorb ultrasonic sources.
Ultrasonic sources, such as an automatic car
wash, a lorry's compressed-air brakes or a
pneumatic drill, could cause PARKTRONIC to
malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
! 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.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you: R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror Non
vehicles with automatic transmission
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
18 km/h. It is reactivated at lower speeds. PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish the electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer.
Range of the sensors PARKTRONIC does not take into account obsta-
cles located:
R below the detection range, e.g. persons, ani-
mals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods
vehicles :
Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand side
(example) Driving systems
185Driving and parking Z

:
Approx. 60 cm (corners)
; Approx. 80 cm (corners)
= Approx. 120 cm (centre)
? Approx. 100 cm (centre)
The sensors must be free of dirt, ice and slush.
Otherwise, they may not function correctly.
Clean the sensors regularly, taking care not to
scratch or damage them (Y page 319).
Minimum distance Centre Approx. 20 cm
Corners Approx. 15 cm
If there is an obstacle within this range, the rel-
evant warning displays light up and a warning
tone sounds. If the distance falls below the min- imum, the distance may no longer be shown. Warning displays :
Segments on the left-hand side of the vehi-
cle
; Segments on the right-hand side of the vehi-
cle
= Segments showing operational readiness
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is in the instru- ment cluster. The warning display for the rear
area is located on the roof lining in the rear
compartment.
The warning display for each side of the vehicle
is divided into five yellow and two red segments.
PARKTRONIC is operational if operational read-
iness indicator =lights up.
The gear lever position or the transmission posi- tion of the automatic transmission and the
direction in which the vehicle is rolling deter-
mine which warning display is active when the
engine is running.
Manual transmission: Gear lever position Warning display
Forward gear
or
Neutral
Front area activated
Reverse gear
Rear and front areas
activated186
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

Automatic transmission:
Transmission posi-
tion Warning display
D
Front area activated
R,
Nor 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 vehi-
cle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R sixth segment onwards, you will hear an inter-
mittent warning tone for approximately two
seconds.
R seventh 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 d
Switch on the dashboard
e Switch in the centre console
: Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
; Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp ;lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Parking Assist is then also
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the key to position 2in the
ignition lock. Driving systems
187Driving and parking Z