lights MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS ESTATE 2012 Workshop Manual

AMG vehicles
Drive progra
mselector with manual drive program
X Turn drive program selector :until the
desired drive program appears in the mul-
tifunction display in the speedometer.
The drive program indicato rondrive pro-
gram selector :lights up in red. C
Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
S+
SportPlus Extremely sporty driving
style
M
Manual Manual gearshifting
RS
RACE
START Optimal vehicle accelera-
tion from a standstill
i
For further information on the automatic
drive program, see (Y page 175).
i The automatic transmission switches to
automatic drive program Ceach time the
engine is started.
i RScannot be selected during normal driv-
ing. For further information on RACE
START, see (Y page 207). Steering wheel gearshift paddles
:
Left-hand steering wheel gearshift paddle
; Right-hand steering wheel gearshift pad-
dle
In the automatic drive program, you can
restrict or derestrict the shift range by using
the steering wheel gearshift paddles or the
selector leve r(Ypage 176).
In the manual drive program, you can change
gear using the steering wheel gearshift pad-
dles or the selector lever (Y page 177).
i You can only change gear with the steer-
ing wheel gearshift paddles when the trans-
mission is in position D. Automatic drive program
Drive program E(drive program Con AMG
vehicles) is characterised by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine settings
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner .This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin Automatic transmission
175Driving and parking Z

Selecting the ideal shift range
X
Press the selector lever to the left towards
D– and hold it in position.
or
X Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle and hold it in position.
The automatic transmission shifts to the
gear which allows optimum acceleration
and deceleration. To do this, the automatic
transmission shifts down one or more
gears. Manual drive program
Activating the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 174) repeatedly until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
X AMG vehicles: turn the drive program
selector (Y page 175) until Mappears in the
multifunction display.
The indicator Mon the drive program selec-
tor lights up in red.
AMG vehicles and vehicles with aDIRECT
SELECT lever: you can select manual drive
program Musing the program selector or the
drive program selector button. In manual
drive program M, you can change gear using
the steering wheel gearshif tpaddles if the
transmission is in position D.
Standar dvehicles with aselector lever:
you can selec tmanual drive program Musing
the program selector button. If the transmis-
sion is in position D, you can change gear
using the steering wheel gearshif tpaddles or
the selecto rlever in manual drive program
M.
Upshifting !
In manual gearshift program M, the auto-
matic transmission does not shift up auto-
matically even when the engine limiting
speed for the curren tgear is reached.
When the engine limiting speed is reached, the fuel supply is cut to preven
tthe engine
from overrevving. You must make sure that
the engine speed does not reach the red
area of the rev counter. Otherwise, there is
a risk of engine damage.
X Briefly press the selector lever to the right
towards D+.
or
X Pull the right-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
AMG vehicles
X If the colour in the multifunction display in
the speedometer changes to red and the
UP display message is shown, shift up a
gear.
Downshifting X
Briefly press the selector lever to the left
towards D–.
or
X Pull the left-hand steering wheel gearshift
paddle.
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
i If you desire maximum acceleration, push
the selector lever to the left or pull and hold
the left-hand steering wheel gearshift pad-
dle until the transmission shifts to the opti-
mal gear for the current speed.
Kickdown You can also use kickdown for maximum
acceleration in manual drive program
M.
X Depress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The transmission shifts to a lower gear
depending on the engine speed.
i AMG vehicles: it is not possible to use
kickdown in manual drive program M. Automatic transmission
177Driving and parking Z

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. When you apply the parking brake to brake
the vehicle, the brake lamps do not light up.
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, the vehicle may suffer dam-
age as a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist work-
shop. Driving tips
General notes
G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevan tfunctions are only available
with limitations, or no tatall. 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
ECO display (example)
The ECO display gives you information on how
economical your driving style is. The ECO dis-
play assists you in achieving the optimum
driving style in terms of consumption, taking
the actual and selected conditions into con-
sideration. Your driving style can significantly
influence the vehicle's consumption.
The ECO display consists of three bars:
R Acceleration
R Constant
R Coasting
The percent value is the average value of the
three bars. The three bars and the average
value commence with a value of 50%. Ahigher
percentage indicates a mor eeconomical driv-
ing style.
The ECO display provides no information on
the actual fuel consumption. Afixed percent-
age value of the ECO display does not corre-
spond to a fixed consumption figure in
l/100km. Driving tips
185Driving and parking Z

Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
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
indicator lamp :in the cruise contro llever
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 you shift into neutral in a vehicle with man-
ual transmission while driving or depress
the clutch pedal for longer than six sec-
onds.
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 into position Nwhile driving.
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the Cruisecontrol 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 G
WARNING
Never depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by applying constan tslight
pedal pressure. This causes the brake system
to overheat, increases the braking distance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely. 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. G
WARNING
SPEEDTRONIC is only an aid designed to
assist driving. You are responsible for the
vehicle's speed and for braking in good time.
SPEEDTRONIC brakes automatically so that
you do not exceed the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must
selec tshift range 1,2or 3in good time. 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 wearing too quickly. If
you need additional braking, depress the
brake pedal repeatedly rather than continu-
ously.
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 restric-
tions, e.g. when driving with winter tyres
fitted (Y page 195)
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed
stored. 192
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Variable SPEEDTRONIC
General notes
:
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed and call up the
last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower
speed
A To switch between cruise control or DIS-
TRONIC PLU Sand variable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS and vari-
able SPEEDTRONIC.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLU Sis selected.
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected.
Selecting variable SPEEDTRONIC G
WARNING
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the limit speed stored.
Only use variable SPEEDTRONIC if you will not
have to accelerate suddenly to a speed above
that stored as the limit speed. You could oth-
erwise cause an accident. You can only exceed the limit speed stored if
you deactivate variable SPEEDTRONIC:
R
using the cruise control lever
R by depressing the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown)
It is not possible to deactivate variable
SPEEDTRONIC by braking. 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. Driving systems
193Driving and parking Z

braking or accelerating. The vehicle could
start to skid.
R if the sensors are dirty or there is poor vis-
ibility, e.g. due to snow, rain or fog. Dis-
tance control may be impaired.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even when DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
Otherwise, you may fail to recognise dangers
in time, cause an acciden tand injure yourself
and others. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLU Sbrakes yourv ehicle up to a
maximum of 4 m/s 2
depending on its speed.
This corresponds to approximately 40% of
your vehicle's maximum braking power. You
must also apply the brakes yourself if this
braking power is not sufficient.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a risk of collision
with avehicle in front, an intermittent warning
tone sounds. In addition, the ·distance
warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights
up. Brake to avoid a collision.
General notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. DIS-
TRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so that
the set speed is not exceeded.
On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer,
you must select shift range
1,2or 3in good
time. By doing so, you will make use of the
braking effec tofthe engine. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a slower-moving
vehicle in front, your vehicle is braked in order
to maintain the preset distance to the vehicle
in front.
If you want DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you,
the radar sensor system must be activated
(Y page 262) and operational. The radar sensor system is switched off auto-
matically in the vicinity of radio telescope
facilities (Y
page 451).
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between
30 km/h and 200 km/h. If avehicle is driving
in front of you, DISTRONIC operates in the
speed range between 0km/h and
200 km/h.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS on roads with
steep gradients.
Cruise control lever :
To store the current spee dorahigher
speed
; To set the specified minimum distance
= LIM indicator lamp
? To store the current speed and call 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
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
DISTRONIC PLUS and variable SPEED-
TRONIC. 196
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is activa-
ted Example: vehicles featurin
gautomatic transmis-
sion with a DIRECT SELECT lever
: DISTRONIC PLUS activated
; Own vehicle
= Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front; adjustable
? Vehicle in front, if detected
X Select the Distance display function
using the on-board computer
(Y page 256).
i You will see the stored speed for about
five seconds when you activate DISTRONIC
PLUS.
Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS There are several ways to deactivate DIS-
TRONIC PLUS:
X Briefly press the cruise control leve rfor-
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
indicator lamp ;in the cruise control lever
lights up.
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, you
will see the DISTRONIC PLUS off message
in the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds.
i The last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if:
R you engage the parking brake.
R you are driving slower than 25 km/h and
there is no vehicle in front, or if the vehicle
in front is no longer detected.
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
.
R the transmission is in the P,Ror Nposition.
R the vehicle is near a radio telescope facility
(Y page 451).
R you switch off the radar sensor system
(Y page 262).
R you pull the cruise control lever towards
you in order to pull away, and the front-
passenger door or one of the rear doors is
open.
R the vehicle has skidded.
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the DIS‐ TRONIC PLUS off message in the multifunc-
tion display for approximately five seconds.
Vehicles with automatic transmission with
selector lever: if the vehicle has been stopped
by DISTRONIC PLUS and a fault occurs in the
system, the Brake immediately message
appears in the multifunction display .Depress
the brake pedal immediately so that the vehi-
cle does not roll away. DISTRONIC PLUS is
then deactivated, and the message disap-
pears. Driving systems
203Driving and parking Z

detected vehicle turns a corner and reveals
an obstacle or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC
PLUS will not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles DISTRONIC PLUS may mistakenly detect
vehicles that are crossing your lane. Activat-
ing DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights with
crossing traffic, for example, could cause
your vehicle to pull away unintentionally. 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 effec tis cancelled and the HOLD
function is deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary.
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function. R
the driver's door is closed or if your seat
belt is fastened.
R the parking brake is released.
R the bonnet is closed.
R the selector lever is in position D,Ror Non
vehicles with automatic transmission.
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
Activating the HOLD function G
WARNING
The vehicle's brakes are applied when the
HOLD function is activated. For this reason,
deactivate the HOLD function if the vehicle is
to be set in motion by other means (e.g. in a
car wash or by towing).
X Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until ë appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function G
WARNING
Never get out of the vehicle when the HOLD
function is activated.
The HOLD function must never be operated
or deactivated by a passenger or from outside
the vehicle.
The HOLD function does not replace the park-
ing brake and must not be used for parking. Driving systems
205Driving and parking
Z

On vehicles with automatic transmission, you
can also shift into position
P.This deactivates
the HOLD function. RACE START
Important safety notes G
WARNING
RACE START is only available when SPORT
handling mode is activated. SPORT handling
mode will only be able to stabilise the vehicle
to a limited degree if the vehicle starts to skid
or a wheel starts to spin. The vehicle is there-
fore harder to control at the threshold range.
You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident.
RACE START should only be used on closed
off circuits. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.
i RACE START is only available in AMG vehi-
cles.
RACE START enables optimum acceleration
from a standing start. The precondition for
this is a suitable high-grip road surface.
Activation conditions You can activate RACE START if:
R
the doors are closed.
R the engine is running and it has reached an
operating temperature of approximately
80 †. This is the case when the engine oil
temperature in the multifunction display
stops flashing.
R SPORT handling mode is activated
(Y page 74).
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position.
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake
pedal is depressed (left foot).
R the transmission is in position D.Activating RACE START X
Depress the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep it depressed.
X Turn the drive program selector clockwise
(Y page 174) until the RSlamp lights up.
The RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP Cancel: Paddle DOWN message appears
in the multifunction display.
i If the activation conditions are no longer
fulfilled, RACE START is cancelled. The
RACE START cancelled message appears
in the multifunction display.
X To cancel: pull the left steering wheel shift
paddle (Y page 175).
or
X To confirm:p ull the right steering wheel
shif tpaddle (Y page 175).
The RACE START available Depress accelerator message appears in the mul-
tifunctio ndisplay.
i If you do not depress the accelerator
pedal fully within two seconds, RACE
START is cancelled. The RACE START not
possible See Owner's Manual message
appears in the multifunction display.
X Fully depress the accelerator pedal.
The engine speed rises to approximately
3500 rpm.
The RACE START Release brake to start message appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
i If you do not release the brake pedal
within five seconds, RACE START is cancel-
led. The RACE START cancelled message
appears in the multifunction display.
X Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum accel-
eration.
The RACE START active message appears
in the multifunction display.
RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 50 km/h. Driving systems
207Driving and parking Z

If indicator lamp
;is not lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The vehicle
heighti s adjusted to raised level.
The Vehicle rising message appears in
the display.
The "Raised level" setting is cancelled if you:
R drive at a speed above approximately
120 km/h.
R drive for approximately three minutes at a
speed above 80 km/h.
The "Raised Level" remains saved when you
are not driving within these speed ranges.
Setting the normal level
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is lit:
X Press 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 com-
fort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. Sports tuning The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
X
Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. You have selec-
ted "Sports tuning".
The AIRMATIC SPORT message appears in
the multifunction display.
Comfort tuning
In comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. There-
fore, select this mode if you prefer a more
comfortable driving style. Select comfort
mode also when driving fast on straight roads,
e.g. on straight stretches of motorway.
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp =lights up. You have selec-
ted "Comfort tuning".
The AIRMATIC COMFORT message appears
in the multifunction display. AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspen-
sion
General notes i
AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension
is available for the E63AMG model. Driving systems
209Driving and parking Z