MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class SEDAN 2015 W205 Owner's Manual

do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again. X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0043.
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.
Driving with DISTRONIC PLUS Pulling away and driving
X
If you want to pull away with
DISTRONIC PLUS: remove your foot from
the brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 0043.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front. If no vehicle is detected in front, your vehicle
accelerates to the set speed.
i The vehicle can also pull away when it is
facing an unidentified obstacle or is driving
on a different line from another vehicle. The vehicle then brakes automatically. There is
a risk of an accident. Be ready to brake at all
times.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in front has slowed down, it brakes your vehicle.
In this way, the distance you have selected is maintained.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a faster-moving
vehicle in front, it increases the driving speed.
However, the vehicle is only accelerated up to the speed you have stored.
Selecting the drive program
DISTRONIC Plus supports a sporty driving
style when you have selected the Sor S+
driving program (Y page 168). Acceleration
behind the vehicle in front or to the set speed is then noticeably more dynamic. If you have
selected the Cor Edriving program, the vehi-
cle accelerates more gently. This setting is
recommended in stop-and-start traffic.
Changing lanes
If you change to the passing lane, DISTRONIC PLUS supports you when:
R you are driving faster than 45 mph
(70 km/ h)
R you switch on the appropriate turn signal
R DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger
of collision
If these conditions are fulfilled, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted
if changing lanes takes too long or if the dis-
tance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front becomes too small.
i When changing lanes, DISTRONIC PLUS
monitors the left lane on left-hand drive Driving syste
ms
189Driving an d parking Z

vehicles and the right lane on right-hand
drive vehicles.
Stopping G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, even if it is braked
only by DISTRONIC PLUS, it could roll away if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R DISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated
with the cruise control lever, e.g. by a vehi-
cle occupant or from outside the vehicle.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, 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.
For further information on deactivating
DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 192).
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.
After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.
Depending on the specified minimum dis-
tance, 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 seat belt is unfastened 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 malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
If a malfunction occurs, then the transmission may be shifted into position Pautomatically.
Setting a speed X
Press the cruise control lever up 0043for a
higher speed or down 0044for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up 0043or
down 0044to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up 0043or down 0044the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (10 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up 0043or
down 0044to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up 0043or down 0044, the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
i If you accelerate to overtake, DISTRONIC
PLUS adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished over-
taking. 190
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Setting the specified minimum distance
You can set the specified minimum distance
for DISTRONIC PLUS by varying the time span
between one and two seconds. With this func- tion, you can set the minimum distance that
DISTRONIC PLUS keeps to the vehicle in
front, dependent on vehicle speed. You can
see this distance in the multifunction display
(Y page 191).
i Make sure that you maintain the mini-
mum distance to the vehicle in front as
required by law. Adjust the distance to the vehicle in front if necessary. X
To increase: turn control0044in direction
0087.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a greater distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
X To decrease: turn control0044in direc-
tion 0043.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a shorter
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front. DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the instru-
ment cluster Displays in the speedometer
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front,
segments between the speed of the vehicle in
front 0043and stored speed 0044light up. The
segments likewise light up if a vehicle in front
is detected in the fast lane.
i For design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from the speed set for DISTRONIC PLUS.
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is deacti-
vated 0043
Vehicle in front, if detected
0044 Distance indicator, current distance to
the vehicle in front
0087 Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
0085 Own vehicle
In the Assistance menu (Y page 244) of the
on-board computer, you can select the assis- tance graphics display. Driving systems
191Driving and parking Z

X
Select the Assistance Info Display
Assistance Info Display
function using the on-board computer
(Y page 243).
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is activa-
ted 0043
DISTRONIC PLUS active (text only
appears when the cruise control lever is
actuated)
0044 Vehicle in front, if detected
0087 Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
0085 Own vehicle
In the Assistance menu (Y page 244) of the
on-board computer, you can select the assis-
tance graphics display.
X Select the Assistance Info Display
Assistance Info Display
function using the on-board computer
(Y page 243).
You will see the stored speed for about five
seconds when you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS There are several ways to deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards 0043
or
X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, you
will see the DISTRONIC DISTRONIC PLUS
PLUSOff
Offmessage in
the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds.
i The last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
i DISTRONIC PLUS is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if: R you engage the electric parking brake or if
the vehicle is automatically secured with
the electric parking brake
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R the transmission is in the P,Ror Nposition
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
R you activate Active Parking Assist
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS Off
DISTRONIC PLUS Off message in the multi-
function display for approximately five sec-
onds.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS General notes
Pay particular attention in the following traffic
situations:
R Cornering, going into and coming out of a
bend
R Vehicles traveling on a different line
R Other vehicles changing lanes
R Narrow vehicles 192
Driving systemsDriving and parking

R
Obstructions and stationary vehicles
R Crossing vehicles
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 vehi-
cles 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. Other vehicles changing lanes DISTRONIC PLUS has not detected the vehi-
cle cutting in yet. The distance to this vehicle
will be too short.
Narrow vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS has not yet detected the
vehicle in front on the edge of the road,
because of its narrow width. The distance to
the vehicle in front will be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS does not brake for obsta-
cles or stationary vehicles. If, for example, the Driving systems
193Driving and parking Z

detected vehicle turns a corner and reveals
an obstacle or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC PLUS will not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS may mistakenly detect
vehicles that are crossing your lane. Activat-
ing DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights with
crossing traffic, for example, could cause
your vehicle to pull away unintentionally.
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 center of the driving lane by means of
moderate steering interventions in a speed
range from 0 - 125 mph (0 - 200 km/ h).
It monitors the area in front of your vehicle by means of camera system 0043at the top of the
windshield. At speeds of more than 37 mph (60 km/h)
Steering Assist focuses on clear lane mark-
ings (left and right).
In a speed range from 0 - 37 mph
(0 - 60 km/h) Stop&Go Pilot focuses on the
vehicle in front, taking into account lane
markings, e.g. when following vehicles in a
traffic jam.
If these conditions are not present, Steering
Assist and Stop&Go Pilot cannot provide
assistance.
DISTRONIC PLUS must be active in order for
the function to be available.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot can neither reduce the risk of
an accident 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 vehicle speed, for
braking in good time and for staying in your
lane.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot does not detect road and traf-
fic conditions and does not detect all road
users. If you are following a vehicle which is
driving towards the edge of the road, your
vehicle could come into contact with the curb
or other road boundaries. In the case of devi-
ations in road markings, beware of other road
users, e.g. cyclists that are in the direct vicin- ity of your vehicle.
Obstacles such as building site huts on the
lane or projecting out into the lane are not
detected.
An inappropriate steering intervention, e.g.
after intentionally driving over a lane marking,
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 vehi- 194
Driving systemsDriving and parking

cle 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 func-
tion if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insuffi-
cient illumination of the road, or due to
snow, rain, fog or spray
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun or reflections (e.g. when the road
surface is wet)
R the windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged
or covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera
R there are no, several or unclear lane mark-
ings for a lane, e.g. in areas with road con-
struction work
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus 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 strong shadows cast on the road
The system is switched to passive and no lon-
ger assists you by performing steering inter-
ventions if:
R you actively change lane
R you switch on the turn signal
R take your hands off the steering wheel or do
not steer for a prolonged period of time
i After you have finished changing lanes,
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are auto- matically active again.
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot cannot
provide assistance: R on very sharp corners
R a loss of tire pressure or a defective tire has
been detected and displayed. Pay attention also to the important safety
notes for DISTRONIC PLUS (Y
page 186).
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 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 sym-
bol appears in 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 active.
Activating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot X
Press button 0044.
Indicator lamp 0043lights up. The DTR+: DTR+:
Steering Assist. On
Steering Assist. On message appears
in the multifunction display. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are activated. Driving systems
195Driving and parking Z

Information in the multifunction display
If Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are acti-
vated but is not ready for a steering interven- tion, steering wheel symbol 0043appears in
gray. If the system provides you with support by means of steering interventions, sym-
bol 0043is shown in green.
Deactivating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot
X Press button 0044.
Indicator lamp 0043goes out. The DTR+: DTR+:
Steering Assist. Off Steering Assist. Off message
appears in the multifunction display. Steer-
ing Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are deactiva-
ted.
When DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, Steer- ing 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 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. 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 has been deactivated by
pressing the accelerator pedal or the brake
pedal, e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if all of
the following conditions are fulfilled:
R the vehicle is stationary.
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically 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 is in position D,Ror N.
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated. 196
Driving systemsDriving and pa
rking

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 0043appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
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 automati-
cally if:
R you accelerate and the transmission is in
position Dor R.
R the transmission is in position P.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until 0043disap-
pears 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. The HOLD function is then deacti-
vated. The electric parking brake automatically
secures the vehicle 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 auto-
matically 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 Pautomatically. AIRMATIC
General notes AIRMATIC is an air suspension with variable
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
fast, the vehicle is lowered automatically to
improve driving safety and to reduce fuel con-
sumption. There is also the option to manually
adjust the vehicle level. AIRMATIC consists of level setting, level control and the Adaptive
Damping System ADS.
The vehicle level can be set using the AGILITY
SELECT switch (Y page 167) or the level but-
ton (Y page 198). The setting always corre-
sponds to the last selected function.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered. Driving systems
197Driving and parking Z

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
50 mph (80 km/h). Select the "Normal" set-
ting 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 SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 0044is not lit:
X Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044lights up. The vehicle is
raised by 0.6 in (15 mm) compared to the
normal level.
The Vehicle Rising
Vehicle Rising message appears in
the multifunction display.
i The message disappears after ten sec-
onds, irrespective of the level reached. If
necessary, the vehicle is raised further.
The "Raised level" setting is canceled if you:
R drive faster than 75 mph (120 km/h).
R drive for approximately three minutes at a
speed over 50 mph (80 km/h).
The "Raised level" remains active when you
are not driving within these speed ranges. Setting the normal vehicle level
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 0044is lit:
X Press button 0043.
Indicator lamp 0044goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to the height of the currently
selected drive program (Y page 167).
Suspension tuning General notes
The Adaptive Damping System automatically
controls the calibration of the dampers.
The damping is tuned 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. sports or com-
fort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning
In the "Sport" and "Sport Plus" drive pro-
grams, the firmer suspension setting ensures
even better contact with the road. Select this mode when employing a sporty driving style,
e.g. on winding country roads.
X Select the Sor S+ drive program with the
AGILITY SELECT switch (Y page 167).
The vehicle is lowered by 0.6 in (15 mm)
compared to the normal level.
Comfort tuning
In the "Eco" and "Comfort" drive programs,
the driving characteristics of your vehicle are
more comfortable. Therefore, select this
mode if you favor a more comfortable driving
style. Select comfort mode also when driving
fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight
stretches of highway.
X Select the Eor Cdrive program with the
AGILITY SELECT switch (Y page 167).
The vehicle is raised to the normal level. 198
Driving systemsDriving and parking