ESP MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS CABRIOLET 2015 Workshop Manual

Setting a speed
X
Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ;for a lower speed.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until the
desired speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 km/h incre-
ments:
briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ;to the pressure point.
The last stored speed increases or decreases
in 1 km/h increments.
X To adjust the set speed in 10 km/h incre-
ments: briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ;beyond the pressure point.
The last stored speed increases or decreases in 10 km/h increments.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For example, if
you accelerate briefly to overtake, cruise con-
trol adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished overtak-
ing.
Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise con-
trol:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards :.
or X Brake.
or X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow =.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM indi-
cator lamp ;in the cruise control lever lights
up.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if: R you depress the parking brake
R you are driving at less than 30 km/h
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R on vehicles with manual transmission, you
shift into neutral while driving or depress the
clutch pedal for longer than six seconds
R on vehicles with manual transmission, you
shift to a gear that is too high, and as a result
the engine speed is too low
R on vehicles with automatic transmission, you
shift to position Nwhile driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise con‐ Cruise con‐
trol off
trol off message in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine. SPEEDTRONIC
Important safety notes SPEEDTRONIC brakes automatically so that you
do not exceed the set speed. Change into a
lower gear in good time on long and steep down-
hill gradients. Take particular note of this when
driving a laden vehicle. By doing so, you will
make use of the braking effect of the engine.
This relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and wear- ing too quickly. If you need additional braking,
depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather than continuously.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, SPEED-
TRONIC can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. SPEED-
TRONIC cannot take into account road, weather Driving systems
165Driving and parking Z

or traffic conditions. SPEEDTRONIC 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 there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
You can set a variable or permanent limit speed:
R variable for speed limits, e.g. in built-up areas
R permanent for long-term speed restrictions,
e.g. when driving with winter tyres fitted
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed stored.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC General notes
:
To store the current speed or a higher speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed or calling up the
last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower speed
A To switch between cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS and variable SPEED-
TRONIC
B To deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS and variable SPEEDTRONIC.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected. Selecting variable SPEEDTRONIC
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the limit speed stored.
X Check whether LIM indicator lamp :is on.
If it is on, variable SPEEDTRONIC is already
selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow ;.
LIM indicator lamp :in the cruise control
lever lights up. Variable SPEEDTRONIC is
selected.
Storing the current speed X
Briefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;.
The current speed is stored and shown in the
multifunction display.
The segments in the multifunction display
light up from the start of the scale up to the
stored speed.
You can use the cruise control lever to limit the
speed to any speed above 30 km/h while the
engine is running. 166
Driving systemsDriving and parking

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
If you fail to adapt your driving style, DISTRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk of an accident
nor override the laws of physics. DISTRONIC
PLUS cannot take road and weather conditions
or traffic conditions into account. DISTRONIC
PLUS 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.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or accel-
erating can cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow vehi-
cles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or vehi-
cles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections, for
example, in multi-storey car parks
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehicle
in front, it may unexpectedly accelerate to the
speed stored.
This speed can:
R be too high for a filter lane or a slip road
R be so high in the right lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving on the left (in countries where
they drive on the right)
R be so high in the left lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving on the right (in countries where
they drive on the left)
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored. Cruise control lever
:
To store the current speed or a higher speed
; To set the specified minimum distance
= LIM indicator lamp
? To store the current speed or calling up the
last stored speed
A To store the current speed or a lower speed
B To switch between DISTRONIC PLUS and
variable SPEEDTRONIC
C To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
You can operate DISTRONIC PLUS and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp off: DISTRONIC PLUS is
selected.
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected.
Selecting DISTRONIC PLUS X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp :is off.
If it is off, DISTRONIC PLUS is already selec-
ted. Driving systems
169Driving and parking Z

If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow ;.
LIM indicator lamp :in the cruise control
lever goes out. DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS Activation conditions
To activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the following con-
ditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine must be running. It may take up to
two minutes of driving before DISTRONIC
PLUS is ready for use.
R the parking brake must be released.
R ESP ®
must be switched on, but not interven-
ing.
R Active Parking Assist must not be activated.
R the transmission must be in position D.
R the driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door must be closed.
R the vehicle must not be skidding.
R the DISTRONIC PLUS function must be selec-
ted with the cruise control lever (Y page 169).
Switching on X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ;, or press it up :or down =.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
X Press the cruise control lever repeatedly
up : or down =until the desired speed is
set.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed. If the vehicle in front of you is stationary, you can
only activate DISTRONIC PLUS once your vehi-
cle is stationary as well.
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC
DISTRONIC PLUS PLUSsuspended
suspended mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display. The
set distance to a slower-moving vehicle in
front will then not be maintained. You will be
driving at the speed you determine by the
position of the accelerator pedal.
You can also activate DISTRONIC PLUS when
stationary. The lowest speed that can be set is
30 km/h.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ;, up :or down =.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
Activating at the current speed/last
stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up a stored speed and this is dif-
ferent from the current speed, the vehicle
accelerates or brakes. If you do not know
what the stored speed is, the vehicle may
accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a
risk of an accident.
Take the traffic conditions into account
before calling up the stored speed. If you do
not know what the stored speed is, store the
desired speed again. X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you :.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. The first time it
is activated, the current speed is stored. Oth-
erwise, it sets the vehicle cruise speed to the
previously stored value. 170
Driving systemsDriving and parking

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 :.
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.
The vehicle can also pull away when it is facing
an unidentified obstacle or is driving on a differ- ent line from another vehicle. The vehicle then
brakes automatically.
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 main-
tained.
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 select the Sor Mdrive program
(Y page 150). Acceleration behind the vehicle in
front or to the set speed is then noticeably more dynamic. If you have selected the Edrive pro-
gram, the vehicle accelerates more gently. This
setting is recommended in stop-start traffic. Changing lanes
If you change to the overtaking lane, DISTRONIC
PLUS supports you if:
R you are driving faster than 70 km/h
R DISTRONIC PLUS is maintaining the distance
to a vehicle in front
R you switch on the respective turn signal
R DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger of
collision
If these conditions are met, your vehicle is accel- erated. Acceleration will be interrupted if chang-
ing lanes takes too long or if the distance
between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
becomes too small.
i Vehicles with COMAND Online:
when you
change lanes, DISTRONIC PLUS monitors the right lane in the case of left-side traffic or the
left lane in the case of right-side traffic.
Vehicles with Audio 20: when you change
lanes, DISTRONIC PLUS monitors the left lane
on left-hand-drive vehicles or the right lane on right-hand-drive vehicles.
Vehicles with COMAND Online Example: roundabout
i
The following function is not operational in
all countries.
DISTRONIC PLUS uses additional information
from your navigation system so that it can adapt to certain traffic situations. This is the case if,
while following a vehicle, DISTRONIC PLUS is
active and you:
R approach or drive around a roundabout
R approach a T-junction
R turn off at a motorway exit
Even if the vehicle in front leaves the detection
range, DISTRONIC PLUS temporarily maintains
the current driving speed and does not acceler- Driving syste
ms
171Driving an d parking Z

X
Select the Assistance graphic Assistance graphic function
using the on-board computer (Y page 220).
i You will see the stored speed for approx-
imately 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 :.
or X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
or X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow =.
Variable SPEEDTRONIC is selected. LIM indi-
cator lamp ;in the cruise control lever lights
up.
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, you will
see the DISTRONIC PLUS off DISTRONIC PLUS off message in the
multifunction display for approximately five sec- onds.
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 deactivated
if:
R you apply the 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 is open R
the vehicle is skidding
R you activate Active Parking Assist
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the DISTRONIC
DISTRONIC
PLUS off PLUS off message in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS General notes
Pay particular attention in the following traffic
situations:
R cornering, entering and exiting a bend
R vehicles which are not driving in the middle of
their lane
R other vehicles changing lane
R narrow vehicles
R obstructions and stationary vehicles
R crossing vehicles
In such situations, brake if necessary.
DISTRONIC PLUS is then deactivated.
Cornering, entering and exiting a bend The ability of DISTRONIC PLUS to detect vehi-
cles when cornering is limited. Your vehicle may
brake unexpectedly or late. 174
Driving systemsDriving and parking

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 following vehi- cles 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 notesIf 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 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 which 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 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 vehicle back to the lane. In such cases, you must steer the vehicle yourself to ensure that it does not
leave the lane.
The support offered by the system may be
impaired if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficient
illumination of the road, or due to snow, rain, fog or spray
R there is 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 too small
and the lane markings thus cannot be detec-
ted
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 road
The system is switched to passive and no longer assists you by performing steering interventions
if:
R you actively change lanes
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
i After you have finished changing lanes,
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are auto-
matically active again. 176
Driving syste
msDriving and parking

DISTRONIC PLUS Steering Assist does not pro-
vide assistance:
R on very sharp corners
R if a loss of tyre pressure or a defective tyre has
been detected and displayed
Pay attention also to the important safety notes
for DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 168).
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 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 Activate the DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering
Assist and Stop&Go Pilot function using the
on-board computer (Y page 222).
The DTR+: steering assistant On
DTR+: steering assistant On mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are active.
Information in 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 Deactivate the DISTRONIC PLUS with Steer-
ing Assist and Stop&Go Pilot function using
the on-board computer (Y page 222).
The DTR+: steering assistant Off
DTR+: steering assistant Off mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are deac-
tivated.
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 is 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 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. Driving systems
177Driving and parking Z

Dynamic handling package with
sports mode
General notes The most important part of the dynamic han-
dling package with sports mode is the adjusta-
ble damping system. This automatically controls
and adapts the suspension to the respective
driving situation.
The calibration of the suspension depends on:
R your driving style
R the road surface conditions
R your individual selection; see the following
description
Vehicles with dynamic handling package
with sports mode: in addition to drive pro-
grams Eand S, there is also manual drive pro-
gram M(Y page 151).
Sport mode Example: position of dynamic handling package
with sports mode button
The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
sports mode ensures even better contact with
the road. Select this mode when employing a
sporty driving style, e.g. on winding country
roads.
X Start the engine.
X If indicator lamp ;
; is not lit: press but-
ton :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The sports sus-
pension setting is selected.
i Your selection remains stored until you
switch off the engine. Comfort mode
In comfort mode, the driving characteristics of
your vehicle are more comfortable. Therefore,
select this mode if you prefer a more comforta-
ble driving style. Select Comfort mode also
when driving fast on straight roads, e.g. on
straight stretches of motorway.
X If indicator lamp =
= is not lit: press but-
ton :.
Indicator lamp =lights up. The comfortable
suspension setting is selected. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It monitors the area around
your vehicle using six sensors in the front
bumper and six sensors in the rear bumper.
PARKTRONIC indicates visually and audibly 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 Driving syste
ms
179Driving an d parking Z

Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Only the red segments in
the PARKTRONIC warn-
ing displays are lit. You
also hear a warning tone
for approximately two
seconds.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated and the indi-
cator lamp on the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
X If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Only the red segments in
the PARKTRONIC warn-
ing displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is then
deactivated. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X
Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors (Y page 300).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or ultra-
sound waves.
X See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Active Parking Assist
General notes Active Parking Assist is an electronic parking aid
with ultrasound. It measures the road on both
sides of the vehicle. A parking symbol indicates a suitable parking space. Active steering inter-
vention and brake application can assist you
during parking. You may also use PARKTRONIC
(Y page 179).
i The active braking application is only avail-
able on vehicles with automatic transmission.
Important safety notes Active Parking Assist is only an aid. It is not a
substitute for your attention to the immediate
surroundings. The responsibility for safe
manoeuvring and parking remains with you.
Make sure that no persons, animals or objects
are in the manoeuvring range.
When PARKTRONIC is switched off, Active Park-
ing Assist is also unavailable. G
WARNING
While parking or pulling out of a parking
space, the vehicle swings out and can drive onto areas of the oncoming lane. This could
cause you to collide with other road users.
There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users. Stop the
vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active Park-
ing Assist parking procedure.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over obsta-
cles such as kerbs slowly and not at a sharp
angle. Otherwise, you may damage the
wheels or tyres.
Active Parking Assist may also display spaces
not suitable for parking, e.g.: R parking or stopping prohibitions.
R in front of driveways or entrances and exits.
R unsuitable surfaces.
Parking tips:
R on narrow roads, drive as closely as possible
past the parking space.
R parking spaces that are littered or overgrown
might be identified or measured incorrectly.
R parking spaces that are partially occupied by
trailer drawbars might not be identified as
such or be measured incorrectly. Driving systems
183Driving and parking Z