How Does the Mercedes-Benz HOLD Feature Work?

What Does Hold Mean On My Mercedes-Benz?
Your Mercedes-Benz is filled with all sorts of exciting features designed to make your driving experience more enjoyable and more convenient. Of course, with so many features, it can be tough to know what they all are or how to use all of them. One in particular that gets asked about from time to time is the HOLD Function, with drivers often wondering what HOLD means when it pops up on their Mercedes-Benz instrument cluster. Allow us to explain.

As we’ve stated, the word HOLD on your instrument cluster refers to the HOLD Function, a technology used to make stop and go traffic much easier to endure. Simply put, the HOLD Function allows you to take your foot off the brake while remaining stopped for a more relaxed driving experience, either at a traffic light or in a traffic jam.

[Read more: How to program the garage door buttons in your Mercedes-Benz]

How to Use the HOLD Feature On Your Mercedes-Benz
Using this feature is easy. In fact, you may have even activated it without knowing. That may be what brought you here to our website in the first place. The steps outlined below explain how the feature works, specifically for the 2018 C-Class, though they should apply to other models as well.

To use the HOLD Function, simply depress the brake pedal as normal until you come to a stop. If you wish to activate the feature, depress the pedal even further until you see the word HOLD appear in the instrument cluster. Once you see that word pop up, you can safely remove your foot from the brake while the car keeps the brakes engaged and the brake lights illuminated. When you’re ready to start moving again, all you have to do is depress the accelerator pedal and the feature will be turned off.


As Mercedes-Benz points out, it’s important to note that the HOLD Function is not the same as the parking brake. If you need to park the car and/or leave the vehicle, you should shift the vehicle into park and apply the parking brake.

Now that you understand what HOLD means when it pops up in your Mercedes-Benz in-dash display, be sure to check back to the Mercedes-Benz of Hilton Head blog to learn more about your vehicle.