brake MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS SALOON 2011 Owner's Guide

G
WARNING
If the engine is switched off and the ECO sym-
bol is show ningreen in the multifunction dis-
play, the engine has been switched off auto-
matically. All of the vehicle's systems remain
active. If you open the door, unfasten your
seat belt or remove your foot from the brake
pedal, the engine will automatically start. The
vehicle may begi nmoving. You could suffer
serious or even fatal injury or cause an acci-
dent resulting in injury or death.
Never leave the vehicle while the ECO symbol
in the multifunction display is shown in green
or yellow .Always secure the vehicle against
rolling away before leaving it.
! Always switch the ignition off and take the
key with you when leaving the vehicle.
Automatic engine switch-off The engine is only switched off if:
R
the outside temperature is within the range
that is suitable for the system.
R the engine is at normal operating temper-
ature.
R there are no active engine-related diagno-
ses.
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 there are no active engine-related diagno-
ses.
R the vehicle is not being steered.
R the front door is close dand the sea tbelt is
fastened.
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 160).
Vehicles with manual transmission The ECO start/stop function switches off the
engine automatically at low speeds.
X
Brake the vehicle until it comes to a stand-
still.
X Engage neutral N(Ypage 164) (follow
gearshift instruction :to engage neutral
N, if necessary).
X Release the clutch pedal.
The engine is switched off automatically.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
If the vehicle is braked to a standstill and the
brake remains depressed with the transmis-
sion in position Dor N, the ECO start/stop
function switches the engine off automati-
cally.
i You can still activate the HOLD function
when the vehicle is stationary, even if the
engine has been switched off automati-
cally. It is then not necessary to continue
applying the brakes during the automatic
stop phase. When you depress the accel-
erator pedal, the engine starts automati-
cally and the braking effect of the HOLD
function is deactivated. Depress the accel-
erator pedal carefully, as the engine must
be started first. Driving
159Driving and parking Z

Automatic engine start
The engine is started automatically if:
R
the ECO start/stop function is deactivated
by pressing the ECO button.
R the drive program is switched to S,S+ or
M (AMG vehicles).
R the vehicle starts to roll.
R the brake system requires this.
R the system detects moisture on the wind-
scree nwhen the air-conditioning system is
switched on.
R the battery's charge status is too low.
R the driver's seat belt is removed or the driv-
er's door is opened.
R you steer the vehicle (except AMG vehi-
cles).
Vehicles with manual transmission
The engine is started automatically if you:
R depress the clutch pedal
R depress the accelerator pedal.
! Only engage gear when the clutch pedal
is depressed.
Vehicles with automatic transmission
The engine is started automatically if you:
R release the brakes when in transmission
position Dor N, unless the HOLD function
is activated or
R engage reverse gear Ror
R depress the accelerator pedal.
i Shifting the transmission to position P
does not start the engine. Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function Example: ECO button
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 The ECO start/stop function is activated
every time you restart the engine, and the
automatic transmission switches into auto-
matic drive program E(AMG vehicles: drive
program C).
Deactivating (except for AMG vehicles)
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;on button :and the
¤ symbol in the multifunction display go
out.
Deactivating (AMG vehicles)
X Press button :in drive program C.
or
X Switch to drive program S,S+ orM
(Y page 168).
Indicator lamp ;on button :and the
¤ symbol in the multifunction display go
out.
The Stop/Start active or
Stop/Start inactive message in the AMG menu in the
multifunction display goes out. 160
DrivingDriving and parking

!
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.
! On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is ladenort owing
a trailer, you must shift into gear 1, 2or3
in good time. This uses the engine's braking
effect .This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly. Shifting to neutral N
X
Depress the clutch pedal fully.
X Move the gear lever to position N:. Neutral N with ECO start/stop func-
tion activated
In neutral N, the engine is switched off if the
vehicle speed is below a certain threshold and
the clutch pedal is not depressed.
For further information on the ECO start/stop
function, see (Y page 158). Engaging reverse gear
! Only shift into reverse gear Rwhen the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, you could
damage the transmission.
i The ECO start/stop function is not avail-
able when reverse gear is engaged.
For further information on the ECO start/
stop function, see (Y page 158).
X Move the gear lever firmly to the left
beyond the point of resistance and then
forwards. Shift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display. X
Shift gear according to gearshift recom-
mendation :shown in the multifunction
display of the instrumentc luster. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The movemen tofthe pedals must not be
impaired in any way.D o 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. 164
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Transmission position and drive pro-
gram display
The current transmission positio
nand drive
progra mappear in the multifunction display. :
Transmission position display
; Drive program display
i The arrows in the transmission position
display show how and into which transmis-
sion positions you can change using the
DIRECT SELECT lever.
! If the transmission position display in the
multifunction display is not working, you
should pull away carefully to chec kwhether
the desired transmission position is
engaged. Ideally, you should select trans-
mission position Dand drive program Eor
S. Do not restrict the shift range.
Engaging parkp osition PX
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever in the direc-
tion of arrow P.
i The automatic transmission shifts auto-
matically into park position Pif you open
the driver's door when the vehicle is sta-
tionary or driving at very low speed, and the
transmission is in position Dor R.T his func-
tion depends on the date of manufacture of
your vehicle.
i If you depress the brake pedal and push
the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down, the
parking lock is disengaged and the trans-
mission shifts to neutral N.
If you want to shift from park position P
directly to Ror D, depress the brake and
push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
past the first point of resistance. !
If the engine speed is too high, do not shift
the automatic transmission directly from
D to R, from Rto Dor directly to P. Other-
wise, the automatic transmission could be
damaged.
Engaging reverse gear R !
Only shift the automatic transmission to
R when the vehicle is stationary.
i The ECO start/stop function is not avail-
able when reverse gear is engaged.
For further information on the ECO start/
stop function, see (Y page 158).
X Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up past the
first point of resistance.
Neutral N with ECO start/stop function
activated The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is
braked to a standstill when in neutral
Nand
the brake is still depressed.
For further information on the ECO start/stop
function, see (Y page 158).
Shifting to neutral N X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever up or down
to the first point of resistance.
Drive position D with ECO start/stop
function activated The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is
braked to a standstill when in transmission
position
Dand the brake is still depressed.
For further information on the ECO start/stop
function, see (Y page 158).
Engaging drive position D X
Push the DIRECT SELECT lever down past
the first point of resistance. 166
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Transmission positions
B
Park position
This prevents the vehicle fro
mroll-
ing away when stopped. Do not
shift the transmission into position
P(Y page 176) unless the vehicle
is stationary.
Standard vehicles with aselec-
tor lever: you can only remove the
key if the transmission is in posi-
tion P. If the key is removed from
the ignitio nlock, the selector lever
is locked.
Vehicles with aDIRECT SELECT
lever: the automatic transmission
shifts to Pautomatically if you:
R remove the key
R switch off the engine when in R
or Dand open one of the front
doors C
Reverse gear
Only shif
tthe transmission to R
when the vehicle is stationary. A
Neutral
Do not shift the transmission to
N
while driving. Otherwise, the auto-
matic transmission could be dam-
aged.
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:
only shift the transmission to posi-
tion Nif the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
Vehicles with aDIRECT SELECT
lever: if you switch off th eengine
using the key or the Start/Stop
button, the automatic transmission
shifts to neutral Nautomatically.
! Rolling in neutral Ncan lead to
damage to the transmission. 7
Drive
The automatic transmission
changes gear automatically. All
forward gears are available. Changing gear
The automatic transmission shifts to the indi-
vidual gears automatically when it is in trans-
mission position D.This automatic gearshift-
ing behaviouri s determined by:
R a shift range restriction, if selected
R the selected drive program
E/S, E/S/M or, on AMG vehicles,
C/S/S+/M (Ypage 168)
R the position of the accelerator pedal
R the road speed Automatic transmission
167Driving and parking Z

Problems with the transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X
Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least 10seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop immediately. Releasing the parking lock manually
i The following description does not apply
to vehicles with a DIRECT SELECT lever and
AMG vehicles.
In the event of an electrical fault, it is possible
to release the selector lever lock manually to
move it out of position P, e.g. if you wish to
tow the vehicle away. X
Apply the parking brake.
X Prise out selector lever gaiter :with a flat,
blunt object, (e.g. ascrewdriver wrapped in cloth) from the right-hand edge, pulling it
up and out.
X Press release button ;dow nand simul-
taneously move the selecto rlever out of
position P.
The selector lever can now be moved freely
until it is returned to position P. Refuelling
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. Fire, naked flames
and smoking are therefore prohibited when
handling fuels.
Switch off the engine and the auxiliary heating
before refuelling. G
WARNING
Avoid contact with fuels.
It is hazardous to your health if your skin
comes into direct contact with fuels or you
breathe in fuel vapours. 172
RefuellingDriving and parking

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 174). 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
Only remove the key from the ignition lock
when the vehicle is stationary, as you cannot
steer the vehicle when the key is removed.
Never leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle. They could release the parking brake. This
could lead to a serious or fatal accident. G
WARNING
Under no circumstances should the exhaust
system come into contact with flammable
materials such as dry grass or petrol, for
example. Do not park the vehicle on dry grass-
land or harvested grain fields. The hot exhaust
system could otherwise ignite the flammable
material and set the vehicle on fire.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be firmly 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, turn the
front wheels towards the kerb. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the engine is not running, there is no power
assistance for the steering and brakes. Steer-
ing and braking then requires significantly
greater effort.
As a result, you might lose control of the vehi-
cle, cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
Therefore, do not switch off the engine while
you are driving.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to either first gear or reverse gear R.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X Apply the parking brake firmly. 176
ParkingDriving and parking

Vehicles with automatic transmission
X
Standard vehicles: shift the transmission
to P. Selecto
rlever in AMG vehicles with P button
X AMG vehicles: pressPbutton :.
Using the key
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X Apply the parking brake firmly.
i Standard vehicles with aselector
lever: you can only remove the key if the
transmission is in position P.
i Vehicles with aDIRECT SELECT lever
and AMG vehicles: if you switch off the
engine with the transmission in position R
or D, the automatic transmission shifts to
N automatically.
If you then open the driver's door or the
front-passenger door or remove the key
from the ignition, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to P.
If you shift the automatic transmission to
N before switching off the engine, the auto-
matic transmission remains in Neven if a
door is opened.
Using KEYLESS-GO
X Press the Start/Stop butto n(Ypage 155).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
X Apply the parking brake firmly. i
Vehicles with aDIRECT SELECT lever
and AMG vehicles: if you switch off the
engine using the Start/Stop button, the
automatic transmission shifts to Nauto-
matically. If you then open the driver's or
front-passenger door, th eautomatic trans-
mission shifts to P.
i The engine can be turned off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding
the Start/Stop button for three seconds.
This function operates independently of the
ECO start/stop automatic engine switch-
off function. Parking brake
X
To apply: depress parking brake ;firmly.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluste rlights 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 discharge. Parking
177Driving and parking Z

X
Disconnect the battery ( Ypage 352) or
connect it to a trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers fro maqualified specialist work-
shop.
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. Driving tips
General driving tips
Rolling with the engine switched off G
WARNING
Never switch the engine off while the vehicle
is in motion.
There is no power assistance for the steering
and the service brake when the engine is not
running.
You will require considerably more effor tto
steer and brake, and you could therefore lose
control of the vehicle and cause an accident. Driving short distances
! Vehicles with adiesel particle filter: if
the vehicle is mostly driven for short dis-
tances, it is possible that malfunctions may
occur during the automatic cleaning of the
diesel particle filter. This may lead to fuel
collecting in the engine oil and cause
engine failure. Therefore, if you frequently
drive short distances, you should take a 20
minute trip on a motorway or rural road at
least every 500km. Brakes
Important safety notes 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
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking.
Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer,
you must shift to a lower gear in good time or,
on vehicles with automatic transmission,
select shift range 1,2or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads 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.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a shor twhile. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a 178
Driving tipsDriving and parking

higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet road surfaces If driving in heavy rain for a prolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes when brak-
ing for the first time. This may also occur after
the vehicle has been washed.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm
up the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads G
WARNING
The layerofs alt on thebrake discs and the
brake pads/linings may caus eadelay in the
braking effect, resulting in a significantly lon-
ger braking distance, which could lead to an
accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully, without put-
ting other road users at risk, when you are
driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distanc eto the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are removed
from the brake discs. New brake pads/linings G
WARNING
New brake pads/linings only reach their opti-
mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Before this optimum brak-
ing effect is reached, you should compensate
for the reduced braking effect by applying
greater pressure when braking. This also
applies after the brake discs or the brake
pads/linings have been replaced.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspond to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not
been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
AMG high-performance and ceramic
brakes The AMG brake systems are designed for
heavy loads. This may lead to noise when
braking. This will depend on:
R
speed
R braking force
R environmental conditions, such as temper-
ature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings
or brake discs, depends on the individual driv-
ing style and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a
mileage that will be valid under all circum-
stances. An aggressive driving style will lead
to high wear. You can obtain further informa-
tion about this from your Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. Driving tips
179Driving and parking Z