100 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systems
After hard braking, it is advisable to
drive on for some time so that the air
stream will cool down the brakes fast-
er.
Only Mercedes-Benz approved compo-
nents (e.g. brake pads) should be in-
stalled on your vehicle. Brake pads not
approved by Mercedes-Benz may im-
pair the safety of your vehicle.
Four wheel electronic traction system
(4MATIC) with the ESP
®
Models with all-wheel-drive only.
The 4MATIC improves vehicle’s ability to
use available traction, e.g. during winter
operation in mountains under snowy
conditions, by applying power to all four
wheels.
Warning!
G
If you see the ESP
® warning lampv
flashing in the speedometer, proceed as fol-
lows:
While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible
While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor
Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
!Do not tow with one axle raised.
Otherwise the transfer case can be
damaged, which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Performance testing must only be con-
ducted on a two-axle dynamometer.
Otherwise the transfer case can be
damaged, which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.!Because of the ESP’s
® automatic oper-
ation, the engine and the ignition must
be shut off (SmartKey in starter switch
position0 or1 or KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button* in position0 or1)
when the parking brake is being tested
on a brake test dynamometer.
Active braking action through ESP
®
may otherwise seriously damage the
front or rear axle brake system.
Operational tests with the engine
running can only be conducted on a
two-axle dynamometer.
101 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Anti-theft systems
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
Activating
With the SmartKey
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
With KEYLESS-GO*
Turn off the engine by means of the
start/stop button on the gear selector
lever.
Open the driver’s door.Deactivating
With the SmartKey
Switch on the ignition (
page 36).
With KEYLESS-GO*
Start the engine by means of the
start/stop button on the gear selector
lever.
Anti-theft alarm system
Once the alarm system has been armed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered when
someone opens:
a door
the trunk
the hood
The alarm will stay on, even if the activat-
ing element (a door, for example) is imme-
diately closed.
iIn case the engine cannot be started
(yet the vehicle’s battery is charged),
the system is not operational. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA), or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
103 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Disarming the alarm system
Unlock your vehicle with the SmartKey
or KEYLESS-GO*.
The turn signal lamps flash once to
indicate that the alarm system is
disarmed.
Canceling the alarm
With the SmartKey
Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
or
Press button Œ or ‹ on the
SmartKey.With KEYLESS-GO*
Pull an outside door handle.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be within 3 ft (1 m) of the vehicle.
or
Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (
page 37).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be inside the vehicle.
Tow-away alarm
Once the tow-away alarm is armed, a visual
and audible alarm will be triggered when
someone attempts to raise the vehicle.
Arming tow-away alarm
Lock the vehicle with the SmartKey or
KEYLESS-GO*.
The tow-away alarm is automatically
armed after about 30 seconds.
iThe alarm system will rearm automati-
cally after approximately 40 seconds if
neither a door nor the trunk was
opened.
iThe tow-away protection alarm is trig-
gered, for example, if the vehicle is lift-
ed on one side.
If the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Response
Center is initiated automatically by the
Tele Aid system (
page 286), provided
that the Tele Aid service was sub-
scribed to and properly activated, and
that necessary cellular service and GPS
coverage are available.
104 Safety and SecurityAnti-theft systemsDisarming tow-away alarm
To prevent triggering the tow-away alarm
feature, switch off the tow-away alarm be-
fore towing the vehicle, or when parking on
a surface subject to movement, such as a
ferry or auto train.
The button is located on the overhead con-
trol panel.
1Tow-away alarm off button
Switch off the ignition and remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch.
Press button1.
The indicator lamp in the button1
comes on briefly.
Exit and lock the vehicle with the
SmartKey or (vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO*) the lock button at each
door handle.Canceling tow-away alarm
With the SmartKey
Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
or
Press button Œ or ‹ on the
SmartKey.
With KEYLESS-GO*
Pull an outside door handle.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be within 3 ft (1 m) of the vehicle.
or
Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (
page 38).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be inside the vehicle.
iYou cannot disarm the tow-away alarm
when the ignition is switched on.
iWhen you unlock the vehicle, the
tow-away protection disarms automati-
cally.
The tow-away alarm remains disarmed
until you lock the vehicle again.
113 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Never store the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO together with:
Electronic items such as a cellular
phone or another SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO
Metallic objects such as coins or
metal foil
Doing so could impair the function of
the KEYLESS-GO system.
To lock or unlock the vehicle, the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be
located outside the vehicle within ap-
proximately 3 ft (1 m) of a door or the
trunk lid.
In order to start the engine with the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO:
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
must be located in the vehicle.
All the doors must be closed.
The brake pedal must be firmly de-
pressed. Do not depress the accel-
erator.
If you have started the engine with the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
(page 38), you can only turn it off
again with this button, even if you have
put the SmartKey in the starter switch
in the meantime.
This does not apply if, after starting, the
selector lever is still in positionP and
then the SmartKey is inserted in the
starter switch. The SmartKey will then
have priority over the KEYLESS-GO
function and the vehicle’s electrical
system will operate according to the
position of the SmartKey in the starter
switch, even stopping the engine.
If the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is
positioned farther away from the vehi-
cle, the system may no longer recog-
nize the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO.
The vehicle cannot be locked or the en-
gine started via the KEYLESS-GO sys-
tem.
If the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is re-
moved from the vehicle while the igni-
tion is switched on (e.g. if passenger
exits the vehicle with the SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO), the message
Key
not recognized
will appear in the mul-
tifunction display while driving off.
Find the SmartKey or change its
present location immediately (e.g.
place it on the front passenger seat or
insert it in shirt pocket).
Remember that the engine can be
started by anyone with a SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO that is left inside the
vehicle. If you leave the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO behind when exiting and
locking the vehicle, the message
Key
still in vehicle
will appear in the
multifunction display.
119 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Opening the doors from the inside
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
1Locking knob
2Inside door handleFront doors
Pull on door handle2 on the respec-
tive front door to open door.
If door was locked, locking knob1 will
move up.
Rear doors
Pull up locking knob1 on the
respective rear door to unlock door.
Pull on door handle2 on the
respective rear door to open door.
iIf the vehicle has previously been
locked with the SmartKey or
KEYLESS-GO*, opening a door from the
inside will trigger the anti-theft alarm
system.
To cancel the alarm, do one of the fol-
lowing:
Press button Œ or ‹ on the
SmartKey.
Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
In vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*
Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (
page 37).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
must be inside the vehicle.
Pull an outside door handle.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
must be within 3 ft (1 m) of the ve-
hicle.
124 Controls in detailLocking and unlockingIf the trunk lid comes into contact with an
object while closing (e.g. luggage that has
been piled too high), the closing procedure
is stopped and the trunk reopens slightly.Closing the trunk from the outside
(vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*)
In vehicles with trunk opening/closing sys-
tem* you can close the trunk separately
from the outside using the trunk closing
switch.
1Trunk closing switch
Make sure you have the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO with you.
Press trunk closing switch1 briefly.
The trunk closes.
Warning!
G
Monitor the closing procedure carefully to
make sure no one is in danger of being in-
jured. To prevent possible personal injury,
always keep hands and fingers away from
the trunk opening when closing the trunk.
Be especially careful when small children
are around. To stop the closing procedure,
do one of the following:
press the trunk closing switch1
press button Š on the SmartKey
(page 106)
press the remote trunk switch (on the
driver’s door) (
page 120)
Even with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch, the trunk closing switch can
be operated. Therefore, do not leave chil-
dren unattended in the vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsu-
pervised use of vehicle equipment may
cause an accident and/or serious personal
injury.Warning!
G
Only drive with the trunk closed as, among
other dangers such as blocked visibility, ex-
haust fumes may enter the vehicle interior.iDo not place the SmartKey in the open
trunk. You may lock yourself out.iIf the vehicle was previously centrally
locked, the trunk will lock automatical-
ly after closing it (
page 121).
To confirm locking all turn signal lamps
flash three times.
iYou can also close the trunk by hand.
128 Controls in detailLocking and unlocking
Valet locking
1Neutral position
2Locked
Close the trunk (
page 122).
Pull the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (
page 426).
Insert the mechanical key in the trunk
lid lock.
Turn the mechanical key clockwise to
position 2 to lock the trunk.
The trunk remains locked even when the
vehicle is centrally unlocked.
Insert the mechanical key in the trunk
lid lock.
Turn the mechanical key counterclock-
wise to neutral position 1 to unlock
the trunk.
You can now open the trunk
(page 120).
iIf the emergency release button is
pressed and the vehicle was centrally
locked using the SmartKey, the exterior
lamps will flash and the alarm will
sound as the trunk opens.
To cancel the alarm, do one of the
following:
Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
Press button Œ or ‹ on the
SmartKey.
In vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*
Pull an outside door handle.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
must be within 3 ft (1 m) of the ve-
hicle.
Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (
page 37).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
must be inside the vehicle.
iTo deny any unauthorized person ac-
cess to the trunk, e.g. when you valet
park the vehicle, lock it separately with
the mechanical key. Leave only the
SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* less its mechanical key
with the vehicle.
iYou can only cancel the separate trunk
locking mode by means of the
mechanical key.