steering MERCEDES-BENZ CLS 2017 Owner's Manual

EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature
Important safety notes
G WARNING
When the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature adjusts
the steering wheel, you and other vehicle
occupants – particularly children – could
become trapped. There is a risk of injury.
While the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature is mak-
ing adjustments, make sure that no one has
any body parts in the sweep of the steering
wheel.
Move the steering wheel adjustment lever if
there is a risk of entrapment by the steering
wheel. The adjustment process is stopped.
You can stop the adjustment process by press-
ing one of the memory function's position but-
tons. This function is only available on vehicles
with the memory function ( Y
page 103).
G WARNING
If children activate the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT fea-
ture, they can become trapped, particularly
when unattended. There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
G WARNING
If you drive off while the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT
feature is making adjustments, you could lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always wait until the adjustment process is
complete before driving off.
The EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature makes getting in
and out of your vehicle easier.
You can activate and deactivate the EASY-
ENTRY/EXIT feature in the on-board computer
( Y
page 199). Position of the steering wheel when the
EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature is active The steering wheel swings upwards when you: R
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock R
with KEYLESS-GO: open the driver's door;
KEYLESS-GO must be in position 1R
with the SmartKey: open the driver's door;
the SmartKey is in position 0 or 1 must be in
the ignition lock ( Y
page 123).
i The steering wheel only moves upwards if it
has not already reached the upper stop.
Position of the steering wheel for driv-
ing The steering wheel is moved to the last selected
position when: R
the driver's door is closed R
with KEYLESS-GO: you press the Start/Stop
button once
or R
with the SmartKey: you insert the SmartKey
into the ignition lock
When you close the driver's door with the igni-
tion switched on, the steering wheel is also
automatically moved to the previously set posi-
tion.
The last position of the steering column is stored
when you switch off the ignition or when you
store the setting with the memory function
( Y
page 104).
Crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature If the crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is trig-
gered in an accident, the steering column will
move upwards when the driver's door is opened.
This occurs irrespective of the position of the
SmartKey in the ignition lock. This makes it eas-
ier to exit the vehicle and rescue the occupants.
The crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is only
operational if the EASY-EXIT/ENTRY feature is
activated in the on-board computer
( Y
page 199).100
Steering wheel
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
Adjusting the exterior mirrors
G WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do
the following while driving: R
adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors R
fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt
before starting the engine.
G WARNING
The exterior mirror on the front-passenger
side reduces the size of the image. Visible
objects are actually closer than they appear.
This means that you could misjudge the dis-
tance from road users traveling behind, e.g.
when changing lane. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
For this reason, always make sure of the
actual distance from the road users traveling
behind by glancing over your shoulder.
X
Turn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2 in the
ignition lock ( Y
page 123).X
Press button C for the left exterior mirror or
button D for the right exterior mirror.
The indicator lamp in the corresponding but-
ton lights up in red.
The indicator lamp goes out again after some
time. You can adjust the selected exterior mirror using button

X
Turn the SmartKey to position 1 in the ignition
lock ( Y
page 123).X
Briefly press C .
Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
automatically If the "Fold in mirrors when locking" function is
activated in the on-board computer
( Y
page 200): R
the exterior mirrors fold in automatically as
soon as you lock the vehicle from the outside. R
the exterior mirrors fold out again automati-
cally as soon as you unlock the vehicle and
then open the driver's or front-passenger
door.
i If the exterior mirrors have been folded in
manually, they do not fold out.
Exterior mirror pushed out of position If an exterior mirror has been pushed out of
position, proceed as follows: X
Vehicles without electrically folding exte-
rior mirrors: manually move the exterior mir-
ror into the correct position. X
Vehicles with electrically folding exterior
mirrors: press and hold button C until you
hear a click and then the mirror engaging in
position ( Y
page 101).
The mirror housing is engaged again and you
can adjust the exterior mirrors as usual
( Y
page 101).
Automatic anti-glare mirrors
G WARNING
Electrolyte may escape if the glass in an auto-
matic anti-glare mirror breaks. The electrolyte
is harmful and causes irritation. It must not
come into contact with your skin, eyes, res-
piratory organs or clothing or be swallowed.
There is a risk of injury. If you come into contact with the electrolyte,
observe the following: R
Rinse off the electrolyte from your skin
immediately with water. R
Immediately rinse the electrolyte out of
your eyes thoroughly with clean water. R
If the electrolyte is swallowed, immediately
rinse your mouth out thoroughly. Do not
induce vomiting. R
If electrolyte comes into contact with your
skin or hair or is swallowed, seek medical
attention immediately. R
Immediately change out of clothing which
has come into contact with electrolyte. R
If an allergic reaction occurs, seek medical
attention immediately.
The exterior mirror on the driver's side and the
rear-view mirror automatically go into anti-glare
mode if: R
the ignition is switched on and R
incident light from headlamps strikes the sen-
sor in the rear-view mirror
The mirrors do not go into anti-glare mode if
reverse gear is engaged or if the interior lighting
is switched on.
Parking position for the exterior mir-
ror on the front-passenger side
Setting and storing the parking position You can set the front-passenger side exterior
mirror such that you can see the rear wheel on
that side as soon as you engage reverse gear.
You can store this position.102
Mirrors
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

pants – particularly children – could become
trapped. There is a risk of injury.
While the memory function is making adjust-
ments, make sure that no one has any body
parts in the sweep of the seat or steering
wheel. If somebody becomes trapped, imme-
diately release the memory function position
button. The adjustment process is stopped.
The memory function can be used at any time,
e.g. even when the SmartKey is not in the igni-
tion lock.
Storing settings With the memory function, you can store up to
three different settings, e.g. for three different
people.
The following settings are stored as a single
memory preset: R
position of the seat, backrest and head
restraint R
active multicontour seat: seat contour,
dynamic function level R
driver's side: position of the exterior mirrors
on the driver's and front-passenger sides
X
Adjust the seat ( Y
page 94).X
On the driver's side, adjust the steering wheel
( Y
page 99) and the exterior mirrors
( Y
page 101).X
Press memory button M and then press one of
the memory position buttons 1 , 2 or 3 within
three seconds.
The settings are stored in the selected preset
position. A tone sounds when the settings
have been completed. Calling up a stored setting X
Press and hold the relevant memory position
switch 1 , 2 or 3 , until the seat, steering wheel
and exterior mirrors are in the stored position.
i The setting procedure is interrupted as soon
as you release the storage position button.104
Memory function
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

C
Transmission position displayD
Drive program display
Additionally, displays next to the selector lever
mark the current transmission position.
The indicators light up when the Smartkey is
inserted into the ignition lock. The indicators go
out when the Smartkey is removed from the
ignition lock.
If the transmission position display in the mul-
tifunction display is not working, you should pull
away carefully to check whether the desired
transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you
should select transmission position D and drive
program C or S .
Engaging park position P
X
When the vehicle is stationary, press but-
ton C . DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions
]
Park position with parking lock ^
Reverse gear \\
Neutral [
Drive
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
The DIRECT SELECT lever always returns to its
original position. The current transmission posi-
tion P , R , N or D appears in the transmission
position display in the multifunction display
( Y
page 130).
Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display The current transmission position and drive pro-
gram appear in the multifunction display.
C
Transmission position display
D
Drive program display
The arrows in the transmission position display
show how and into which transmission positions
you can shift using the DIRECT SELECT lever.
If the transmission position display in the mul-
tifunction display is not working, you should pull
away carefully to check whether the desired
transmission position is engaged. Ideally, you
should select transmission position D and drive
program E or S .130
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Steering wheel paddle shifters
In the manual drive program, you can change
gears manually using steering wheel paddle
shifters C and D .
Further information about permanent drive pro-
gram M ( Y
page 136).
Further information about temporary drive pro-
gram M ( Y
page 135).
i You can only change gear with the steering
wheel paddle shifters when the transmission
is in position D .
Automatic drive program
Automatic drive program E (C) Drive program E (drive program C on Mercedes-
AMG vehicles) is characterized by the following: R
comfort-oriented engine and automatic trans-
mission settings. R
optimal fuel consumption resulting from the
automatic transmission shifting up sooner. R
the vehicle pulls away more gently in forward
and reverse gears, unless the accelerator
pedal is depressed fully. R
the vehicle has improved driving stability, for
example on slippery road surfaces. R
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being driven
at lower engine speeds and the wheels being
less likely to spin. Automatic drive program S Drive program S (or, in the case of Mercedes-
AMG vehicles, drive programs S and S+ ) is char-
acterized by the following: R
sporty engine and automatic transmission
settings. R
the automatic transmission shifts up later.
The fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmission
shift points.
Manual drive program M General notes In this drive program, you can briefly change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel paddle
shifters. The transmission must be in position D .
You can activate manual drive program M in
automatic drive programs E , C and S .
Mercedes-AMG vehicles and vehicles with
AMG sports package: as well as temporary
drive program M you can also activate perma-
nent drive program M ( Y
page 133).
Further information about permanent drive pro-
gram M ( Y
page 136).
Activating X
Shift the transmission to position D .X
Pull the left or right steering wheel paddle
shifter ( Y
page 135).
Manual drive program M is temporarily acti-
vated. The multifunction display shows M and
the selected gear.
Shifting gears
If you pull on the left or right steering wheel
paddle shifter, the automatic transmission
switches to manual drive program M for a limi-
ted amount of time. In cases where it is permis-
sible, the automatic transmission shifts up or
down to the next gear. X
To shift up: pull the right-hand steering wheel
paddle shifter ( Y
page 135).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
i If the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and you con-
tinue to accelerate, the automatic transmis-Automatic transmission 135
Driving and parking Z

sion automatically shifts up in order to pre-
vent engine damage. X
To shift down: pull on the left-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter ( Y
page 135).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
If the engine exceeds the maximum engine
speed when shifting down, the automatic
transmission protects against engine damage
by not shifting down.
i Automatic down shifting occurs when
coasting.
Shift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The mul-
tifunction display shows you the recommended
gear. X
Shift to recommended gear D according to
gearshift recommendation C when shown in
the multifunction display.
Deactivating If you have activated manual drive program M , it
will remain active for a certain amount of time.
Under certain conditions the minimum amount
of time is extended, e.g. in the case of lateral
acceleration, during an overrun phase or when
driving on steep terrain.
If manual drive program M has been deactiva-
ted, the automatic transmission shifts into the
automatic drive program that was last selected,
i.e. E , C or S .
You can also deactivate manual drive program
M yourself: X
Pull on the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter and hold it in place ( Y
page 135).
or X
Switch the transmission position. R
All vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles: use the DIRECT SELECT lever
( Y
page 130) R
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: use the lever
( Y
page 129)
or X
Change the drive program. R
All vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles: use the drive program selector button
( Y
page 133) R
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: use the drive
program selector ( Y
page 134)
Manual drive program (Mercedes-
AMG vehicles and vehicles with the
AMG sports package)
General notes In this drive program, you can permanently
change gear yourself by using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. The transmission must be
in position D .
As well as this permanent drive program M , you
can also activate temporary drive program M
( Y
page 135).
Switching on the manual drive program X
All vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles: press the program selector button
repeatedly until drive program M appears in
the multifunction display ( Y
page 133).X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: turn the drive pro-
gram selector until drive program M appears
in the multifunction display ( Y
page 134).
The indicator M on the drive program selector
lights up in red.
Manual drive program M is different from drive
programs S and S+ with regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
In manual drive program M , you can change gear
using the steering wheel paddle shifters if the
transmission is in position D . The multifunction
display shows the selected and engaged gear.136
Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Upshifting X
Pull the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles
! In manual drive program M , the automatic
transmission does not shift up automatically
even when the engine limiting speed for the
current gear is reached. When the engine lim-
iting speed is reached, the fuel supply is cut to
prevent the engine from overrevving. Always
make sure that the engine speed does not
reach the red area of the tachometer. There is
otherwise a risk of engine damage.
C
Gear indicatorD
Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area,
an upshift indicator will be shown in the multi-
function display. X
When the UP message appears in the multi-
function display, pull on the right-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter.
Shift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display. X
If corresponding gearshift recommenda-
tion C appears in the multifunction display
on the instrument cluster, pull on the right-
hand steering wheel paddle shifter
( Y
page 135).
The automatic transmission shifts to recom-
mended gear D .
Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you brake the vehicle or stop without shift-
ing down, the automatic transmission will
shift down to a gear that will allow the vehicle
to accelerate or pull away again.
For maximum acceleration, pull the left-hand
steering wheel paddle shifter until the transmis-
sion selects the optimum gear for the current
speed.
Kickdown You can also use kickdown for maximum accel-
eration in manual drive program M .X
Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to a lower
gear depending on the engine speed. X
Shift back up once the desired speed is
reached.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: it is not possible to
use kickdown in manual drive program M .
Switching off the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
( Y
page 133). X
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: turn the drive pro-
gram selector ( Y
page 134).Automatic transmission 137
Driving and parking Z

X
To apply: depress parking brake D firmly.
When the engine is running, the ' (USA
only) or M (Canada only) indicator lamp
lights up in the instrument cluster. X
To release: depress the brake pedal and keep
it depressed. X
Pull release handle C .
When the ignition is switched on or the engine
is running, the ' (USA only) or M (Can-
ada only) indicator lamp goes out in the instru-
ment cluster.
Parking the vehicle for a long period If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than six
weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as a
result of lack of use. X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop and seek
advice.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
G WARNING
If you operate mobile communication equip-
ment while driving, you will be distracted from
traffic conditions. You could also lose control
of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident. Only operate this equipment when the vehicle
is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the country
in which you are driving. Some jurisdictions pro-
hibit the driver from using a mobile phone while
driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone
when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), the vehicle covers a
distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) per sec-
ond.
Drive sensibly – save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel: X
The tires should always be inflated to the rec-
ommended tire pressure. X
Remove unnecessary loads. X
Remove roof racks when they are not needed. X
Warm up the engine at low engine speeds. X
Avoid frequent acceleration or braking. X
Have all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the Main-
tenance Booklet or by the service interval dis-
play.
Fuel consumption also increases when driving in
cold weather, in stop-start traffic and in hilly ter-
rain.
Drinking and driving
G WARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and
driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and judg-
ment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-
dent is greatly increased when you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or tak-
ing drugs. Driving tips 143
Driving and parking Z

Deactivating DISTRONI C PLUS
There are severa l ways to deactivat e
DISTRONIC PLUS: X
Briefly push th e cruise contro l lever for-
ward s C .
or X
Brake, unless th e vehicle is stationary
If you deactivat e DISTRONIC PLUS, th e
DISTRONIC PLU S Off messag e appears in th e
multifunction display fo r approximately fiv e sec -
onds.
i The last speed stored remain s stored until
you switch of f th e engine.
i DISTRONIC PLU S is no t deactivated if you
depress th e accelerator pedal.
DISTRONIC PLU S is automatically deactivated
if: R
you engage th e parking brakeR
ES P ®
intervenes or you deactivat e ES P ®
R
th e transmissio n is in th e P , R or N positionR
you pull th e cruise contro l lever toward s you
in order to pull away and th e front-passenger
doo r or on e of th e rea r doors is ope nR
th e vehicle is skiddingR
you activat e Active Parking Assis t
If DISTRONIC PLU S is deactivated, you will hear
a tone . The DISTRONIC PLU S Off messag e
appears in th e multifunction display fo r approx -
imately fiv e seconds. Tips for drivin g wit h DISTRONI C PLUSGeneral notes Pay particular attention in th e followin g traffic
situations: R
Cornering, enterin g and exitin g a bend: th e
ability of DISTRONIC PLU S to detec t vehicles
when cornering is limited. Your vehicle may
brake unexpectedly or late. R
Driving on a differen t line: DISTRONIC PLU S
may no t detec t vehicles whic h are no t drivin g
in th e middle of their lane. The distanc e to th e
vehicle in fron t will be to o short .R
Other vehicles changin g lane: DISTRONIC
PLU S has no t detecte d th e vehicle cutting in
yet . The distanc e to this vehicle will be to o
short . R
Narro w vehicles : DISTRONIC PLU S doe s no t
detec t th e vehicle in fron t on th e edg e of th e
road because of it s narro w width. The dis -
tanc e to th e vehicle in fron t will be to o short .R
Obstacles and stationary vehicles :
DISTRONIC PLU S doe s no t brake fo r obsta -
cles or stationary vehicles . If , fo r example, th e
detecte d vehicle turn s a corner and reveals an
obstacl e or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC
PLU S will no t brake fo r these .R
Crossing vehicles : DISTRONIC PLU S may mis -
takenl y detec t ve hicles that are crossin g y our
lane. Activatin g DISTRONIC PLU S at traffic
lights wit h crossin g traffic , fo r example, could
cause your vehicle to pull away unintention -
ally.
In suc h situations, brake if necessary.
DISTRONIC PLU S is then deactivated.
DISTRONI C PLUS wit h Steering Assis t
an d Stop&Go Pilo t
General notes Driving systems 15 5
Driving an d parking Z