ECU MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS ESTATE 2012 Owner's Manual

G
WARNING
Childre nmay injure themselves if they open
or close the side windows.
Never leave childre nunsupervised in the vehi-
cle .Always take the key with you when leaving
the vehicle, even if you are only leaving it for
a short time. G
WARNING
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. The children could:
R be seriously or even fatally injured on parts
of the vehicle
R be seriously or even fatally injured by pro-
longed exposure to extremely high or
extremely low temperatures
If children open a door, they could:
R seriously or even fatally injure other people
R get out of the vehicle and injure them-
selves, or be seriously or even fatally
injured by a passing vehicle
Activate the child-proof locks/override fea-
ture if children are travelling in the vehicle.
They could otherwise open doors or side win-
dows while the vehicle is in motion and
thereby injure themselves or others. Opening and closing the side win-
dows
The switches for all side windows are located
on the driver's door. There is also a switch on
each door for the corresponding side window.
The switches on the driver's door take prec-
edence. :
Front left
; Front right
= Rear right
? Rear left
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X To open: press the corresponding switch.
X To close: pull the corresponding switch.
i If you press the switch beyond the point
of resistance, an automatic opening/clos-
ing process is started in the corresponding
direction .You can stop automatic opera-
tion by pressing again.
i You can continue to operate the side win-
dows after switching off the engine or
removing the key. This function remains
active for five minutes or until the driver's
or front-passenger door is opened.
i The side windows cannot be operated
from the rear when the override feature for
the side windows is activated (Y page 69). Convenience opening feature
General notes You can ventilate the vehicle before you start
driving. To do this, the key is used to carry out
the following functions simultaneously:
R unlock the vehicle
R open the side windows 96
Side windowsOpening and closing

settings with the memory function
(Y
page 121). Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The seats can still be adjusted when there is
no key in the ignition lock. For this reason,
children should never be left unsupervised in
the vehicle. They could adjust the seats and
become trapped. G
WARNING
Only adjust the driver's seat when the vehicle
is stationary. You will otherwise be distracted
from the road and traffic conditions and you
could lose control of the vehicle as a result of
the seat moving. This could cause an acci-
dent. G
WARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you or
others could be trapped and thereby injured.
Children in particular could unintentionally
press the buttons to electrically adjust the
seats and become trapped.
Take care that:
R while moving the seats, your hands do not
get under the lever assembly of the seat
adjustment system.
R children in the vehicle do not slide their
hands under the levers. G
WARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
when adjusting the seats.
Observe the notes on airbags.
Secure children as recommended; see the
"Children in the vehicle" section. G
WARNING
Make sure that the back of your head is sup-
ported at eye level by the central area of the head restraint. If your head is not supported
correctly by the head restraint, you could suf-
fer a severe neck injury in the event of an
accident. Never drive if the head restraints are
not engaged and set correctly.
G
WARNING
As eat belt can only offer its intended degree
of protection when the backrest is almost ver-
tical and the occupant is sitting upright. Avoid
seat positions that do not allow the seat belt
to be routed correctly. Adjust the backrest so
that it is as upright as possible. Never travel
with the backrest reclined too far backwards.
You could otherwise be seriously or even
fatally injured in the event of an accident or
sudden braking.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R do not spill any liquids on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible.
R if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat
heating should also not be used to dry
the seats.
R clean the seat covers as recommended;
see the "Interior care" section.
R do not transport heavy loads on the
seats. Do not place sharp objects on the
seat cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools.
The seats should only be occupied by
passengers, if possible.
R when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating mate-
rials, e.g. blankets, coats, bags, seat cov-
ers, child seats or booster seats.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R do not spill any liquids on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible.
R if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat Seats
107Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

X
To switc hon:press button ?once or
twice until the desired level is set.
One or two indicator lamps in button ?
light up. The air cushions in the lumbar
region vibrate for approximately
20 minutes. Adjusting the lumbar support
You can adjust the contour of the driver's seat
so as to provide optimum support for your
back.
X Move adjustment lever :in the direction
of the arrow until the desired backrest con-
tour is achieved. Adjusting the 4-way lumbar support
:
To raise the backrest contour
; To soften the backrest contour
= To lower the backrest contour
? To harden the backrest contour You can adjust the contour of the front seat
backrests individually to provide optimum
support for your back. Folding bench seat in the luggage
compartment (Estate)
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The rear seat backrests must be locked in the
upright position if you are using the folding
bench seat in the luggage compartment.
Do not pull away unless the head restraint in
the folding bench seat is fitted correctly.
Make sure that the centre of the head
restraint supports the seat occupant's head
at about eye level. This can reduce the risk of
injury to a child in the event of an accident.
Make sure that the seat belt is routed cor-
rectly across the body and the seat belt
buckle is engaged.
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. This applies even if they are secured
in a child restraint system.
Secure children as recommended; see the
section "Children in the vehicle". G
WARNING
Only replace damaged covers with genuine
covers.
Make sure that items of luggage and other
objects in the luggage compartment are well
secured.
Otherwise, the load could cause injury in the
event of sharp braking, a sudden change in
direction or an accident.
The folding bench seat in the luggage com-
partmen tis only suitable for persons no more
than 1.40 m tall and weighing a maximum of
50 kg. Seats
113Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos-
sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 25). Running-in notes
Important safety notes
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effec tafter sev-
eral hundred kilometres of driving. Compen-
sate for this by applying greater force to the
brake pedal. The first 1,500 km
If you treat the engine with sufficient care
from the very start, you will be rewarded with
excellent performance for the remainder of
the engine's life.
R Drive at varying vehicle speeds and engine
speeds for the first 1,500 km.
R Avoid overstraining the vehicle during this
period, e.g. driving at full throttle.
R Change gea ringood time, before the rev
counter needle is Ôof the way to the red
area of the rev counter.
R Do not shift down a gear manually in order
to brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
R Try to avoid depressing the accelerator
pedal beyond the point of resistance (kick-
down).
R The shift ranges 3,2or 1should only be
engaged when driving slowly, e.g. when
driving in mountainous terrain. After 1500 km, you may gradually accelerate
the vehicle to full road and engine speeds.
Additional running-in notes for AMG vehicles:
R
Do not drive at speeds above 140 km/h for
the first 1500 km.
R Only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4500 rpm briefly.
i You should also observe these notes on
running in if the engine or parts of the drive
train on your vehicle have been replaced. AMG vehicles with rear axle differen-
tial lock
Your vehicle is equipped with aself-locking
differential on the rear axle. Change the oil
after a running-in period of 3000 km to
improve protection of the rear axle differen-
tial. This oil change will lengthen the service
life of the differential. Have the oil change
carried out at a qualified specialist workshop. Driving
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the
pedal travel or obstruct adepressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle
is jeopardised. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Fit the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficien tclearance for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats. G
WARNING
Unsuitable footwear can hinde rcorrect usage
of the pedals, e.g.:
R shoes with thick soles
R shoes with high heels
R slippers 160
DrivingDriving and parking

i
The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away.T he locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic lock-
ing feature (Y page 261).
Automatic transmission G
WARNING
If the engine speed is above the idling speed
and you engage transmission position Dor
R, the vehicle could pull away suddenly. There
is a risk of an accident.
When engaging transmission position Dor R,
always firmly depress the brake pedal and do
not simultaneously accelerate.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
X Release the parking brake (Y page 184).
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerator pedal.
i It is only possible to shift the transmission
from position Pto the desired position if
you depress the brake pedal. Only then is
the selector lever lock/parking lock
released
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away.T he locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic lock-
ing feature (Y page 261).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly. Hill starta
ssist G
WARNING
After a short time, hill start assist will no lon-
ger brake your vehicle and it could 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 helps you when pulling away
forwards 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.
X Take your foot off the brake pedal.
The vehicle is then held for about a second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist will not function 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
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. 164
DrivingDriving and parking

X
To switc hon (AMG vehicles): press but-
ton :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. If drive pro-
gram S,S+ orMis active, the automatic
transmission switches to drive program C.
If all conditions for automatic engine
switch-off (Y page 166) are fulfilled, the
¤ symbol is shown in green in the mul-
tifunction display. In addition, the Stop/Start active message is shown in the
AMG menu in the multifunction display.
If conditions for automatic engine switch-
off have not been fulfilled, the (Y page 166)
¤ symbol will be shown in yellow. If this
is the case, the ECO start/stop function is
not available. In addition, the Stop/Startinactive message is shown in the AMG
menu in the multifunction display.
i If indicator lamp ;is off, the ECO start/
stop function has been deactivated man-
ually or as the result of a malfunction. The
engine will then not be switched off auto-
matically when the vehicle stops.
i Every time you switch on the engine using
the key or the Start/Stop button, the ECO
start/stop function is activated.
Automatic engine switch-off Method of operation
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 vehicle is stationary.
R the outside temperature is within the com-
fort range.
R the engine is at normal operating temper-
ature.
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 conditions for automatic engine switch-off
have not been fulfilled, the ¤symbol will
be shown in yellow.
AMG vehicles: the AMG menu in the multi-
function display additionally shows the Stop/ Start inactive message.
i If you shift the transmission from Rto D,
the ECO start/stop function is available
again once the ¤symbol reappears in
green in the multifunction display.
i All vehicles (apart from AMG vehi-
cles): Automatic engine switch-off can
take place a maximum of four times con-
secutively (initial stop then repeated three
times). The ¤symbol is shown in yellow
in the multifunction display after the engine
has been started automatically for the
fourth time. The automatic engine stop is
available again once when the ¤symbol
is shown in green in the multifunction dis-
play.
i AMG vehicles: times which the engine
can be automatically switched off.
i During automatic engine switch-off, the
climate control system only operates at a
reduced capacity. If you require full climate
control capacity, the ECO start/stop func-
tion can be deactivated by pressing the
ECO button (Y page 165).166
DrivingDriving and parking

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
Vehicles with a petrol
engine:
The engine is not run-
ning smoothly and is
misfiring. 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 con-
verter and damage it.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. The coolant tempera-
ture display is showing
more than 120 †. The
coolant warning lamp
may also be lit and a
warning tone may
sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 348). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X If the coolant temperature is below 120 †, you can continue
driving to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain and stop-start traffic. Manual transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The movement of the pedals must not be
impaired in any way. Do not keep any objects
in the driver's footwell. Make sure that floor-
mats or carpets are correctly secured and
that there is sufficient clearance for the ped-
als.
Do not place several floormats on top of one
another. G
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. This could cause you to lose control of your vehicle and cause an
accident.
Gear lever
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal
is depressed.
! When shifting between 5thand 6thgear,
you should always push the gear lever all
the way to the right. Otherwise, you could
shift unintentionally into 3rdor4th gear
and damage the transmission.
If you shift down at too high a speed (trans-
mission braking), this can cause the engine
to overrev, leading to engine damage.
Do not use the clutch bite point to keep the
vehicle stationary on uphill gradients.
There is otherwise a risk of damaging the
clutch. Manual transmission
169Driving and parking Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The fuel filler flap can-
not be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
or
The key battery is discharged.
X
Unlock the vehicle using the emergency key element
(Y page 84).
X Open the boot lid or the tailgate.
X Manually unlock the fuel filler flap using the emergency release
(Y page 181). The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam-
med.
X
Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If flammable materials such as leaves, grass
or twigs are exposed to prolonged contact to
parts of the exhaust system that heat up, they
could ignite. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi-
cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields. 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.Y ou 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 leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they could set the vehicle in motion by,
for example:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting an automatic transmission out of
parking position P
R shifting a manual transmission into neutral
R starting the engine
They could also operate vehicle equipment.
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.
! Am oving vehicle can lead to damage to
the vehicle or damage to the drive train.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be applied.
R on vehicles with manual transmission,
engage first 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 on uphill or downhill gradients, the front
wheels must be turned towards the kerb. Parking
183Driving and parking Z

DISTRONIC PLUS does not replace the park-
ing brake and must not be used for parking.
The DISTRONIC PLUS braking effect is can-
celled and the vehicle can start moving if:
R
DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated using the
cruise control lever.
R you accelerate.
R there is a malfunction in the system or an
interruption in the powe rsupply, e.g .bat-
tery failure.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
If you wish to leave th evehicle or park it,
deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the
vehicle against rolling away. G
WARNING
Hybrid vehicles: ensure that you read the
"HYBRID" supplement .You could otherwise
fail to recognise dangers.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle
in front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until
it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
i Depending on the specified minimum dis-
tance, your vehicle will come to a standstill
at a sufficient distance behind the vehicle
in front.T he specified minimum distance is
set using the control on the cruise control
lever.
Vehicles featuring automatic transmis-
sion with aselector lever
Select Park (P) X
Shift the transmission to position Pto pre-
ven tthe vehicle from rolling away.
DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated. The warn-
ing message in the multifunction display
disappears. You will see a warning message in the multi-
function display if DISTRONIC PLUS is acti-
vated and:
R
the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R the bonnet is opened.
The horn will also sound at regular intervals if
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated and you:
R switch the engine off, open the driver's
door and take off your seat belt
R open the bonnet
The sounding of the horn alerts you to the fact
that the vehicle has been parked while DIS-
TRONIC PLUS is still activated. The sound
becomes louder if you attempt to lock the
vehicle. The vehicle is not locked until DIS-
TRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
i If the engine has been switched off, it
cannot be started again until DISTRONIC
PLUS has been deactivated.
If DISTRONIC PLUS is activated and a fault
occurs in the system or if there is a disruption
in the power supply, the Brake immedi‐ ately message is shown in the multifunction
display. Immediately depress the brake firmly
until the warning message in the multifunc-
tion display goes out or shift the transmission
to position P. DISTRONIC PLUS is deactiva-
ted.
Vehicles featuring automatic transmis-
sion with aDIRECT SELECT lever
When DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, the
transmission is shifted automatically to posi-
tion Pif:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R the bonne tis opened. 200
Driving systemsDriving and parking

The braking effect of the HOLD function is
cancelled and the vehicle could roll away if:
R
the HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelerator pedal or the
brake pedal.
R there is a malfunction in the system or an
interruption in the power supply, e.g. bat-
tery failure.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
If you leave the vehicle or park it, deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
The HOLD function is deactivated automati-
cally if:
R you accelerate. On vehicles with automatic
transmission: only when the transmission
is in position Dor R.
R you shift the transmission to position Pon
vehicles with automatic transmission.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until ëdis-
appears from the multifunction display.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
On vehicles with automatic transmission and
a DIRECT SELECT lever, the transmission is
automatically shifted to Pif the HOLD func-
tion is activated and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R the bonnet is opened.
R a system fault occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient. In vehicles with manual transmission or auto-
matic transmission with a selector lever, you
see a warning message in the multifunction
display if the HOLD function is activated and:
R the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
R the bonnet is opened.
For vehicles with manual transmission:
Brake immediately X
Immediately depress the brake pedal firmly
until the warning message in the multifunc-
tion display goes out. This deactivates the
HOLD function.
In vehicles featuring automatic transmission
with a gear selector lever: Select Park (P)
X
Shift the transmission to position Pto pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling away.
The HOLD function is deactivated. The
warning message in the multifunction dis-
play disappears.
Ah orn will also sound at regular intervals if
the HOLD function is activated and you:
R switch the engine off, open the driver's
door and take off your seat belt
R open the bonnet
The sounding of the horn alerts you to the fact
that the vehicle has been parked while the
HOLD function is still activated. If you attempt
to lock the vehicle, the tone becomes louder.
The vehicle is not locked until the HOLD func-
tion is deactivated.
i If the engine has been switched off, it
cannot be started again until the HOLD
function has been deactivated.
If there is a fault in the system or power supply
while the HOLD function is activated, the
Brake immediatelyBrake immediately message is shown in the multifunction dis-
play. Immediately depress the brake firmly
until the warning message in the multifunc-
tion display goes out.206
Driving systemsDriving and parking