ignition MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS CABRIOLET 2015 Repair Manual

after a cold start. This helps the catalytic con-
verter to reach its operating temperature
more quickly.
Hill start assist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away for-
wards or in reverse on an uphill gradient. It holds the vehicle for a short time after you have
removed your foot from the brake pedal. This
gives you enough time to move your foot from
the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal and
depress it before the vehicle begins to roll. G
WARNING
After a while, hill start assist no longer holds
the vehicle and it may roll away. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, quickly move your foot from the
brake pedal to the accelerator pedal. Never
leave the vehicle when it is held by hill start
assist.
Hill start assist is not active if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient
R on vehicles with automatic transmission, the
transmission is in position N
R the parking brake is applied
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning ECO start/stop function
Introduction The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is stopped
under certain conditions.
When pulling away again, the engine starts auto-
matically. The ECO start/stop function thereby
helps you to reduce the fuel consumption and
emissions of your vehicle.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving. There is a risk of accident and injury. If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away.
General notes :
ECO start/stop display
The ECO start/stop function is activated when-
ever you start the engine using the key or the
Start/Stop button.
If the ¤ symbol is shown in green in the mul-
tifunction display, the ECO start/stop function
switches the engine off automatically if the vehi- cle stops moving.
If the ECO start/stop function has been man-
ually deactivated (Y page 143) or a malfunction
has caused the system to be deactivated, the
¤ symbol is not displayed.
Automatic engine switch-off General notes
The ECO start/stop function is operational and
the ¤ symbol is displayed in green in the
multifunction display, if:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green
R the outside temperature is within the range
that is suitable for the system
R the engine is at normal operating temperature
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached
R the battery is sufficiently charged
R the system detects that the windscreen is not
misted up when the air-conditioning system is switched on
R the bonnet is closed
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened
If the conditions for automatic engine switch-off
are not all fulfilled, the ¤symbol is shown in
yellow. 142
DrivingDriving and parking

Problems with the engine
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The engine does not
start. The HOLD function or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
X Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 177) or DISTRONIC PLUS
(Y page 174).
X Try to start the engine again. The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. R
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics.
R There is a malfunction in the fuel supply.
Before attempting to start the engine again:
X Turn the key back to position 0in the ignition lock.
or X Press the Start/Stop button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster go out.
X Try to start the engine again (Y page 140). Avoid excessively long
and frequent attempts to start the engine, as this will drain the
battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. The
reserve fuel warning
lamp is lit and the fuel
gauge display shows
0. The fuel tank is empty.
X Refuel the vehicle. The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak or
discharged.
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 313).
If the engine does not start despite attempts to jump-start it:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The starter motor was exposed to a thermal load that was too high.
X Allow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two minutes.
X Try to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start: X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Vehicles with a petrol
engine:
The engine is not running
smoothly and is misfir-
ing. There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or in a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic converter
and damage it.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop. Driving
145Driving and parking Z

Engaging park position P
!
If the engine speed is too high, do not shift
the automatic transmission directly from Dto
R, from Rto Dor directly to P. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission could be damaged.
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direction
of arrow P.
Transmission position display Pis shown in
the multifunction display.
Depressing the brake and pushing the DIRECT
SELECT lever up or down disengages the park-
ing lock. The transmission is in neutral N.
In order to shift from park position Pdirectly into
R or D:
R depress the brake pedal and
R push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
past the first point of resistance
Engaging park position P automatically Park position
Pis automatically engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the key and
remove the key
R you switch off the engine using the key or
using the Start/Stop button and open the
driver's door or front-passenger door
R you open the driver's door when the vehicle is
stationary or when driving at a very low speed
and the transmission is in position Dor R
Under certain conditions, the automatic trans-
mission shifts automatically to transmission
position Pif the HOLD function or DISTRONIC
PLUS is activated. Observe the information on
the HOLD function (Y page 178) and on
DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 172).
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R
when the vehicle is stationary.
X If the transmission is in position Dor N: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the first
point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever up past the first point of resistance.
The ECO start/stop function is not available
when reverse gear is engaged. Further informa-
tion on the ECO start/stop function
(Y page 142). Shifting to neutral N G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they can:
R open doors and endanger other persons or
road users
R climb out and be injured by the traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and, for exam-
ple, trap themselves.
Children could also set the vehicle in motion, for example by:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R starting the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. Always
keep the key out of reach of children.
X If the transmission is in position Dor R: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down to the
first point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT
lever up or down to the first point of resist-
ance.
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position Ror D, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to Nautomatically.
With the key: if you then open the driver's door
or the front-passenger door or remove the key
from the ignition, the automatic transmission
shifts to Pautomatically.
With KEYLESS-GO: if you then open the driver's
or front-passenger door, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to P.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the vehicle
cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing system:
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X All vehicles: switch the ignition on.148
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

X
Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in the
ignition lock.
Engaging drive position D X
If the transmission is in position Ror N: push
the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first
point of resistance.
X If the transmission is in position P: depress
the brake pedal and push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past the first point of resistance. Transmission positions
B Park position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped. Only shift the
transmission into position Pwhen
the vehicle is stationary
(Y page 159).
Park position Pis automatically
engaged if:
R you switch off the engine using the
key and remove the key
R you switch off the engine using the
key or using the Start/Stop button
and open the driver's door or front- passenger door
R you open the driver's door when
the vehicle is stationary or driving
at very low speed and the trans-
mission is in position Dor R C Reverse gear
Only shift the transmission into posi-
tion Rwhen the vehicle is stationary. A Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels.
Releasing the brakes will allow you to
move the vehicle freely, e.g. to push
it or tow it.
If ESP ®
is deactivated or faulty: shift
the transmission only to position Nif
the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
e.g. on icy roads.
If you switch the engine off with the
transmission in position Ror D, the
automatic transmission shifts to N
automatically.
! Rolling in neutral
Ncan lead to
damage to the transmission. 7 Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear automatically. All forward gears
are available. Driving tips
Changing gear The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position
D. Gearshifting is determined
by:
R the selected drive program (Y page 150)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
(Y page 149)
R the driving speed
Accelerator pedal position Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
R little throttle: early upshifts
R more throttle: late upshifts Automatic transmission
149Driving and parking Z

G
WARNING
Electrostatic charge can cause sparks and
thereby ignite fuel vapours. There is a risk of
fire and explosion.
Always touch the vehicle body before opening the fuel filler flap or touching the fuel pump
nozzle. This discharges any electrostatic
charge that may have built up. G
WARNING
Vehicles with a diesel engine:
If you mix diesel fuel with petrol, the flash
point of this fuel mixture is lower than that of pure diesel fuel. When the engine is running,
components in the exhaust system may over-
heat unnoticed. There is a risk of fire.
Never refuel with petrol. Never add petrol to
diesel fuel.
! Do not use diesel to refuel vehicles with a
petrol engine. Do not switch on the ignition if you accidentally refuel with the wrong fuel.
Otherwise, the fuel will enter the fuel system.
Even small amounts of the wrong fuel can
result in damage to the fuel system and the
engine. Notify a qualified specialist workshop
and have the fuel tank and fuel lines drained
completely.
! Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Do not switch on the ignition if you accidentally refuel with the wrong fuel.
Otherwise, fuel can enter the fuel system.
Even small amounts of the wrong fuel could
result in damage to the fuel system and the
engine. The repair costs are high. Notify a
qualified specialist workshop and have the
fuel tank and fuel lines drained completely.
! Overfilling the fuel tank could damage the
fuel system.
! Take care not to spill any fuel on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
! Use a filter when adding fuel from a fuel can.
The fuel lines and/or the fuel injection system could otherwise be blocked by particles fromthe fuel can. Do not get into the vehicle again during the refu-
elling process. Otherwise, electrostatic charge
could build up again.
If you overfill the fuel tank, some fuel may spray out when you remove the fuel pump nozzle.
Further information on fuel and fuel quality
(Y page 337). Refuelling
General notes Observe the important safety notes
(Y
page 154).
The fuel filler flap is unlocked or locked auto-
matically when you unlock or lock the vehicle
with the key or using KEYLESS-GO.
The position of the 8fuel filler cap is dis-
played in the instrument cluster. The arrow next to the filling pump indicates the side of the vehi-
cle.
Opening the fuel filler flap :
To open the fuel filler flap
; To insert the fuel filler cap
= Tyre pressure table
? Instruction label on the fuel type to be refu-
elled
X Switch off the engine.
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
or, on vehicles with KEYLESS‑ GO:
X Open the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status 0.
This is the same as the key having been
removed.
X Remove the Start/Stop button from the igni-
tion lock (Y page 139). Refuelling
155Driving and parking Z

Problems with the fuel and fuel tank
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Fuel is leaking from the
vehicle.
G
WARNING
The fuel line or the fuel tank is faulty.
There is a risk of fire or explosion. X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Switch off the engine.
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
or, on vehicles with KEYLESS‑GO: X Open the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status 0. This is the same as the
key having been removed.
X Do not restart the engine under any circumstances.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine does not
start. The fuel tank of a vehicle with a diesel engine has been run completely
dry.
X Refuel the vehicle with at least 5 litres of diesel.
X Turn the ignition on for approximately ten seconds (Y page 139).
X Start the engine continuously for a maximum of ten seconds until it
runs smoothly.
If the engine does not start: X Turn the ignition on again for a maximum of ten seconds
(Y page 139).
X Start the engine again continuously for a maximum of ten seconds
until it runs smoothly.
If the engine does not start after three attempts:
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The fuel filler flap cannot
be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
X Unlock the vehicle (Y page 74). The key battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
X Unlock the vehicle using the emergency key element (Y page 76).The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jammed.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rial can come into contact with hot vehicle
components. In particular, do not park on dry
grassland or harvested grain fields. Parking
157Driving and parking Z

G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly against
rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle or its driv-
etrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is safeguarded
against rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be applied
R on vehicles with manual transmission, engage
1st gear or reverse gear
R on vehicles with automatic transmission, the
transmission must be in position Pand the
key must be removed from the ignition lock
R the front wheels must be turned towards the
kerb on steep uphill or downhill gradients Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake. Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to either 1st gear or reverse gear R.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition lock
and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X Firmly depress the parking brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Firmly depress the parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X With the key: turn the key to position 0in the
ignition lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X With KEYLESS-GO: press the Start/Stop
button (Y page 139).
The engine stops and all the indicator lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
When the driver's door is closed, this corre-
sponds to key position 1. When the driver's
door is open, this corresponds to key position
0: "key removed".
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position Ror D, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to Nautomatically.
With the key: if you then open the driver's door
or the front-passenger door or remove the key
from the ignition, the automatic transmission
shifts to Pautomatically.
With KEYLESS-GO: if you then open the driver's
or front-passenger door, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to P.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the vehicle
cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing
system:
X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock.
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X All vehicles: switch the ignition on.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in the
ignition lock. 158
ParkingDriving and parking

Parking brake
G
WARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi- cle when the service brake is faulty. Do not
apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again. G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. The brake lights do not light up when you brake
the vehicle with the parking brake. X
To apply: depress parking brake ;firmly.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running.
X To release: depress the brake pedal and keep
it depressed.
X Pull release handle :.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer than six weeks, it may suffer from lack of use.
X Contact 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
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. ECO display
The ECO display provides feedback on how eco-
nomical your driving characteristics are. The Driving tips
159Driving and parking Z

pneumatic drill, could cause PARKTRONIC to
malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you: R switch on the ignition
R shift to position D,Ror Non vehicles with
automatic transmission
R release the parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
18 km/ h.It is reactivated at lower speeds.
Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take into account obsta- cles located:
R below the detection range, e.g. persons, ani-
mals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g. overhanging
loads, tail sections or loading ramps of goods vehicles :
Example: sensors in the front bumper, left-
hand side
The sensors must be free of dirt, ice and slush.
Otherwise, they may not function correctly.
Clean the sensors regularly, taking care not to
scratch or damage them (Y page 300).Range Example: side view
Example: top view
Front sensors Centre Approx. 100 cm
Corners Approx. 60 cm
Rear sensors
Centre Approx. 120 cm
Corners Approx. 80 cm
Minimum distance
Centre Approx. 20 cm
Corners Approx. 15 cm
If there is an obstacle within this range, the rel-
evant warning displays light up and a warning
tone sounds. If the distance falls below the min- imum, the distance may no longer be shown. 180
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Warning displays
Warning display for the front area
: Segments on the left-hand side of the vehi-
cle
; Segments on the right-hand side of the vehi-
cle
= Segments showing operational readiness
The warning displays show the distance
between the sensors and the obstacle. The
warning display for the front area is located on
the dashboard above the centre air vents. The
warning display for the rear area is located
between the rear seats.
The warning display for each side of the vehicle
is divided into five yellow and two red segments.
PARKTRONIC is operational if yellow segments
showing operational readiness =light up.
The gear lever position or the transmission posi- tion of the automatic transmission and the
direction in which the vehicle is rolling deter-
mine which warning display is active when the
engine is running.
Manual transmission: Gear lever position Warning display
Forward gear
or
Neutral
Front area activated
Reverse gear
Rear and front areas
activated Automatic transmission:
Transmission posi-
tion Warning display
D
Front area activated
R
or N Rear and front areas
activated
P
No areas activated
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the vehi-
cle's distance from the obstacle.
From the:
R sixth segment onwards, you will hear an inter-
mittent warning tone for approximately two
seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two seconds.
This indicates that you have now reached the minimum distance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC :
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC
; Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp ;lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Active Parking Assist is then also
deactivated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the key to position 2in the
ignition lock.
Towing a trailer !
Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC measures
the minimum detection range to an obstacle
from the bumper, not the ball coupling. Driving systems
181Driving and parking Z