key MERCEDES-BENZ CLS-Class 2012 W218 Manual PDF
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: MERCEDES-BENZ, Model Year: 2012, Model line: CLS-Class, Model: MERCEDES-BENZ CLS-Class 2012 W218Pages: 356, PDF Size: 14.25 MB
Page 156 of 356

! Vehicles with 4MATIC:  as the ESP®
system operates automatically, the engine
and the ignition system must be switched
off (SmartKey in position  0 or  1 in the
ignition lock or Start/Stop button in
position  0 or  1) when:
R testing the parking brake on a brake
dynamometer.
R you intend to have the vehicle towed with
one of the axles raised.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP ®
 may seriously damage the brake
system.
If your brake system is subject only to
moderate loads, you should test the
functionality of your brakes at regular
intervals by pressing firmly on the brake pedal
at high speeds. This improves the grip of the
brake pads.GWARNING
Make sure that you do not endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
You can find a description of Brake Assist
(BAS) on ( Y page 62) or of BAS PLUS on
( Y  page 62).
Winter driving
General information
GWARNING
If the vehicle becomes trapped in snow,
ensure that snow is kept away from the
exhaust pipe and from around the vehicle as
long as the engine is running. Otherwise,
poisonous carbon monoxide (CO) may enter
the vehicle, resulting in loss of consciousness
and even death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, open
a window slightly on the side of the vehicle
not facing the wind.
At the onset of winter, have your vehicle
winterproofed at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. at an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section ( Y page 316).
Driving with summer tires
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section ( Y page 316).
Slippery road surfaces
GWARNING
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
GWARNING
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle's ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road
surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering
and braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise
control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position  N.
i
For more information on driving with
snow chains, see ( Y page 317).
GWARNING
Make sure that you do not endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
154Driving tipsDriving and parking 
Page 171 of 356

iThese changes in level are so slight that
you are hardly aware of them.
The "Normal" and "Raised" vehicle levels can
be set manually.
The "Lowered” vehicle level is set
automatically:
R at speeds above 70 mph (113 km/h)
R if you have selected "Sports tuning"
( Y  page 169)
Setting the vehicle level
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 SmartKey from the ignition lock.GWARNING
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands and
feet away from wheel housing area, and stay
away from under the vehicle when lowering
the vehicle chassis.
Setting raised level
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp  ; is not lit:
XPress button  :.
Indicator lamp  ; lights up. The vehicle
height is adjusted to raised level.
The  Vehicle rising  message appears in
the display.The "Raised level" setting is canceled if you:
R drive at speeds above approximately
75 mph (120 km/h)
R drive about 3 minutes at speeds above
50 mph (80 km/h)
The "Raised level" remains active when you
are not driving within these speed ranges.
Setting the normal levelXStart the engine.
If indicator lamp  ; is lit:
XPress button  :.
Indicator lamp  ; goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to normal level.
Suspension tuning
General notes
The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
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
comfort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Driving systems169Driving and parkingZ   
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If indicator lamp : lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Park Assist is then also
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the SmartKey to position  2
in the ignition lock.174Driving systemsDriving and parking 
Page 181 of 356

The rear view camera is located in the handle
strip of the trunk lid.:Rear view camera
View through the camera
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear-view mirror.
GWARNING
The rear view camera is only an aid and may
display obstacles
R from a distorted perspective
R inaccurately
R may not display obstacles at all
The rear view camera does not relieve you of
the responsibility to be cautious. Take care
and pay careful attention. The rear view
camera may not show objects which are
R very close to the rear bumper
R under the rear bumper
R above the trunk handle
You are responsible for safety at all times and
must continue to pay attention to the
immediate surroundings when parking and
maneuvering. This includes the area behind,
in front of, and beside the vehicle. Otherwise
you could endanger yourself and/or others.
GWARNING
The rear view camera will not function or will
not fully function if:
R the trunk lid is open
R it is raining or snowing strongly or if it is
foggy
R it is night or if you are parking/
maneuvering your vehicle in a very dark
area
R a very bright white light is affecting the
camera
R the immediate vicinity is illuminated with
fluorescent light (the display of the
COMAND system can flicker)
R temperature changes abruptly, for example
if you drive out of the cold into a heated
garage (condensation on the lens)
R the camera lens is dirty or covered
R the rear of your vehicle is damaged
In this case, have the position and the
setting of the camera checked at a
specialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you consult a Mercedes-
Benz Center for this purpose.
Do not use the rear view camera in these
situations. You could otherwise injure
yourself and other people and/or cause
damage - including damage to your vehicle -
while parking/maneuvering.
Activating the rear view cameraXMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
2  in the ignition lock.XMake sure that the "rear view camera"
function is selected in COMAND (see the
separate operating instructions for
COMAND).XEngage reverse gear.
The area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND display.Driving systems179Driving and parkingZ  
Page 183 of 356

Night View Assist Plus
Important safety notes
In addition to the illumination provided by the
normal headlamps, Night View Assist Plus
uses infrared light to illuminate the road. The
Night View Assist Plus camera picks up the
infrared light and displays a grayscale image
in the COMAND display. The image displayed
in COMAND corresponds to a road lit up by
high-beam headlamps. This enables you to
see the road's course and any obstacles in
good time. If pedestrian recognition is
activated, pedestrians recognized by the
system are highlighted in the Night View
Assist Plus display.
GWARNING
Night View Assist Plus is only an aid designed
to assist driving. It is not a substitute for
attentive driving. Do not rely solely on the
Night View Assist Plus display. Continue to
look through the windshield. You are
responsible for safety and must drive in
accordance with traffic conditions. You could
otherwise put yourself and others in danger.
The system may be impaired or unavailable if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to snow,
rain, fog or heavy spray.
R the windshield is dirty, fogged up or
covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera.
R you are driving on bends, uphill gradients
or downhill gradients.
Light from the headlamps of oncoming
vehicles does not affect the Night View Assist
Plus display in the multifunction display. This
is also the case if you cannot switch on the
high-beam headlamps because of oncoming
traffic.
GWARNING
The Night View Assist Plus cannot record
objects immediately in front of or next to the
vehicle. When maneuvering, continue to look
through the windshield. Make sure no
persons or animals are in the area in which
you are maneuvering. You could otherwise
injure them.
i Infrared light is not visible to the human
eye and therefore does not glare. Night
View Assist Plus can therefore remain
switched on even if there is oncoming
traffic.:Night View Assist Plus camera
Switching on Night View Assist Plus
You can only activate Night View Assist Plus
if:
R the SmartKey is in position  2 in the ignition
lock.
R it is dark.
R the light switch is in the  c or L
position.
R reverse gear has not been engaged.
Driving systems181Driving and parkingZ   
Page 188 of 356

(30 km/h). When the vehicle speed exceeds
20 mph (30 km/h), the indicator lamp goes
out and Blind Spot Assist is ready for use.
When your speed exceeds approximately
20 mph  (30 km/h), warning lamp  : lights up
red on the corresponding side whenever a
vehicle is detected in the blind spot
monitoring range. This warning is always
given when a vehicle enters the blind spot
monitoring range from behind or from the
side. When you are passing another vehicle,
the warning is emitted only if the difference
in speed is less than 7 mph (12 km/h).
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if the
reverse gear is engaged. In this event, Blind
Spot Assist is no longer active.
The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.GWARNING
Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds under
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). The
indicator lamps in the exterior mirrors are
yellow. Vehicles in the monitoring range are
then not indicated.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range
of Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the turn
signal, a double warning tone sounds. Red
warning lamp  : flashes. If the turn signal
remains on, detected vehicles are indicated
by the flashing of red warning lamp  :. There
are no further warning tones.
Switching on Blind Spot Assist
XMake sure that the radar sensor system
( Y  page 211) and Blind Spot Assist(Y  page 207)  are activated in the on-board
computer.XTurn the SmartKey to position  2 in the
ignition lock.
Warning lamps  : light up red in the
exterior mirrors for approximately 1.5
seconds and then turn yellow.
Lane Keeping Assist
Important safety notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in
front of your vehicle by means of a camera at
the top of the windshield. Lane Keeping Assist
detects lane markings on the road and warns
you before you leave your lane
unintentionally.
:Lane Keeping Assist camera
If you have chosen the  Display unit 
Speed-/odometer: (Y  page 208) function in
the on-board computer and select  km as the
unit of measurement, Active Lane Keeping
Assist is active from speeds of 60 km/h. If
the  miles  display unit is selected, the
assistance range begins at 40 mph.
GWARNING
Lane Keeping Assist does not keep your
vehicle in its lane. It is only an aid and may
detect the lane markings on the road
incorrectly or not at all.
186Driving systemsDriving and parking  
Page 192 of 356

recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
Visual and audible collision warnings
If you switch on the turn signal to change
lanes and a vehicle is detected in the
monitoring area to the side, you will receive a
visual and audible collision warning. A double
warning tone sounds once and red warning
lamp  : flashes. If the turn signal remains on,
vehicles detected are indicated by the
flashing of red warning lamp  :. There are no
further warning tones.
Course-correcting brake application
If Active Blind Spot Assist detects a risk of a
lateral collision in the monitoring range, a
course-correcting brake application is carried
out. This is meant to assist you in avoiding a
collision.
The course-correcting brake application is
available in the range between 20 mph
(30 km/h) and 120 mph (200 km/h).
If a course-correcting brake application
occurs, red warning lamp  : flashes in the
exterior mirror and the following is shown in
the multifunction display, for example:GWARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid
designed to assist driving. It is not a substitute
for attentive driving. In some cases, the
course-correcting brake application is not
sufficient to avoid a collision. In such a case,
you must steer, brake or accelerate.
In very rare cases, the system may
erroneously detect a danger of collision in the
area of crash barriers or similar lane borders
and apply the brakes. Active Blind Spot Assist
does not detect all traffic situations and road
users. Always make sure that there is
sufficient distance on the side for other traffic
or obstacles. An inappropriate brake
application may be interrupted at any time if
you steer slightly in the opposite direction or
accelerate.
You are responsible for driving at appropriate
speeds, braking in good time, and steering
correctly. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions. Always pay attention to traffic
conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise,
you may fail to recognize dangers in time,
cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
There will be either no or only a weak course-
correcting brake application if:
R there are vehicles or obstacles, e.g. crash
barriers, located on both sides of your
vehicle.
R a vehicle approaches you too closely at the
side.
R you have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds.
R you clearly brake or accelerate.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ESP ®
 or PRE-SAFE ®
 Brake.
R ESP ®
 is switched off.
R a loss of tire pressure or a defective tire is
detected.
Switching on Active Blind Spot AssistXMake sure that the radar sensor system
( Y  page 211) and Active Blind Spot Assist
( Y  page 207)  are activated in the on-board
computer.XTurn the SmartKey to position  2 in the
ignition lock.
Warning lamps  : light up red in the
exterior mirrors for approximately 1.5
seconds and then turn yellow.190Driving systemsDriving and parking  
Page 199 of 356

! If the coolant temperature is too high a
display message is shown.
If the coolant temperature rises above
248 ‡(120 †), do not drive any further as
this could damage the engine.
Tachometer
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
!  Do not drive in the overrevving range, as
this could damage the engine.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached.
Outside temperature display
The outside temperature display is in the
multifunction display ( Y page 198).
GWARNING
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
Changes in the outside temperature are
displayed after a short delay.
Speedometer with segments
The segments in the speedometer indicate
which speed range is available.
Cruise control ( Y page 155) activated:
The segments light up from the stored speed
to the maximum speed.
DISTRONIC PLUS ( Y page 157) activated:
One or two segments in the set speed range
light up.
DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front:
The segments between the speed of the
vehicle in front and the stored speed light up.
Operating the on-board computer
Overview
The on-board computer is activated as soon
as you turn the SmartKey to position  1 in the
ignition lock.
You can control the multifunction display and
the settings in the on-board computer using
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel.
:Multifunction display;Right control panel=To switch on the Voice Control System;
see the separate operating instructions?Back buttonALeft control panelDisplays and operation197On-board computer and displaysZ  
Page 212 of 356

Setting the ambient lighting colorXPress the = or ;  button on the
steering wheel to select the  Settings
menu.XPress the  : or 9  button to select the
Light  submenu.XPress the  a button to confirm.XPress the  : or 9  button to select the
Amb. color  function.XPress the a button to confirm.XPress the  : or 9  button to set the
color to  SOLAR, NEUTRAL  or POLAR .XPress the  a or %  button to save the
setting.
Activating/deactivating surround
lighting and exterior lighting delayed
switch-off
If you have activated the  Surround 
Lighting  function and the light switch is in
the  Ã  position,
R if it is dark, the exterior lighting remains on
for another 40 seconds after you unlock the
vehicle using the SmartKey.
the exterior lighting switches off if you open
the driver’s door.
R if it is dark, the exterior lighting remains on
for another 15 seconds when the doors are
closed.
If the engine is switched off and then none
of the doors are opened, or if an open door
is not closed, the exterior lighting goes out
after 60 seconds.
If you activate the  Surround Lighting
function, the following light up depending on
the vehicle's equipment:
R the parking lamps
R the low-beam headlamps
R the daytime running lamps
R the side marker lamps
R the surround lighting in the exterior mirrors
XPress the  = or ;  button on the
steering wheel to select the  Settings
menu.XPress the  : or 9  button to select the
Lights  submenu.XPress the  a button to confirm.XPress the  : or 9  button to select the
Surround lighting  function.
When the  Surround Lighting  function is
activated, the light cone and the area
around the vehicle are displayed in red in
the multifunction display.XPress the  a button to save the setting.
Deactivating delayed switch-off of the
exterior lighting temporarily:
XBefore leaving the vehicle, turn the
SmartKey to position  0 in the ignition lock.XTurn the SmartKey to position  2 in the
ignition lock and back to position  0.
The exterior lighting delayed switch-off is
deactivated.
Delayed switch-off of the exterior lighting is
reactivated the next time you start the
engine.
Activating/deactivating the interior
lighting delayed switch-off
If you activate the  Light. delay function,
the interior lighting remains on for 20
seconds after you remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
XPress the  = or ;  button on the
steering wheel to select the  Settings
menu.XPress the  : or 9  button to select the
Lights  submenu.XPress the  a button to confirm.XPress the  : or 9  button to select the
Light. Delay  function.
When the  Light. Delay  function is
activated, the vehicle interior is displayed
in red in the multifunction display.XPress the  a button to save the setting.210Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays 
Page 216 of 356

:Lap;RACETIMER
You can start the RACETIMER when the
engine is running or if the SmartKey is in
position  2 in the ignition lock.
XTo start:  press the  a button to start the
RACETIMER.
Displaying the intermediate time
XPress  = or ;  to select  Interm. 
Time .XPress the  a button to confirm.
The intermediate time is displayed for five
seconds.
Starting a new lap
It is possible to store a maximum of sixteen
laps.
XPress  a to confirm  New Lap.:RACETIMER;Fastest lap time (best lap)=LapStopping the RACETIMERXPress the  % button on the steering
wheel.XPress  a to confirm  YES.
The RACETIMER interrupts timing when you
stop the vehicle and turn the SmartKey to
position  1 in the ignition lock. When you turn
the SmartKey to position  2 or  3 and then
press the  a to confirm  Start, timing is
continued.
Resetting the current lap
XStop the RACETIMER.XPress  = or ;  to select  Reset Lap .XPress a to reset the lap time to "0”.
Deleting all laps
If you switch off the engine, the RACETIMER
is reset to "0" after 30 seconds. All laps are
deleted.
You cannot delete individual stored laps. If
you have stopped 16 laps, the current lap
does not have to be reset.
XReset the current lap.XPress  a to confirm  Reset.
Reset Race Timer?  appears in the
multifunction display.XPress the  : button to select  Yes and
press the  a button to confirm.
All laps are deleted.214Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays