2008 MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS HATCHBACK Owners Manual

Occupant safety
54
Child-proof locks for the rear compart-
ment doors
The child-proof locks on the rear doors enable
you to secure each door individually. A locked
door cannot be opened from the inside. The
door can be opened from the outside if the
vehicle is unlocked. G
Risk of accident and injury
Activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors and the override switch for the rear
windows if children are travelling in the
vehicle. Otherwise, the children could open
doors or windows while the vehicle is in
motion and injure themselves or others. 1
To deactivate
2 To activate X
To activate: press latch2downwards.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press latch1upwards.
Child-proof locks for the electric side win-
dows in the rear* G
Risk of accident and injury
Activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors and the override switch for the rear
windows if children are travelling in the
vehicle. Otherwise, the children could open
doors or windows while the vehicle is in
motion and injure themselves or others. 1
Switch X
To activate/deactivat e:press switch 1.
Switch 1engages or pops up. If the rear
switch is engaged, you can only operate the
rear side windows using the switches on
the driver's door. Safety
* optional
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Driving safety sys
tems 55Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System)
R ESP ®
( Electronic Stability Program)
R Steering assistant STEER CONTROL
i In wintry road conditions, always use win-
ter tyres (M+S tyres) and, where necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section
work as effectively as possible. G
Risk of accident
The risk of an accident is significantly
increased by driving too fast. This is partic-
ularly the case when cornering as well as
on wet or slippery roads or when driving too
close to the vehicle in front.
The driving safety systems described in this
section can neither reduce this risk nor
override the laws of physics.
For this reason, always adapt your driving
style to suit prevailing road and weather
conditions. Maintain sufficient distance from other road users and objects on the
road.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h
upwards, regardless of road surface condi-
tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently. G
Risk of accident
Do not depress the brake pedal several
times in quick succession (pumping).
Depress the brake firmly and evenly. Pump-
ing the brake pedal reduces the braking
effect.
Braking If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uation is over. X
To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force. G
Risk of accident
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. This limits the steerability of the
vehicle when braking and the braking dis-
tance may increase.
If ABS is deactivated due to a malfunction,
then BAS and ESP are also deactivated.
There is an increased risk of your vehicle
skidding in certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style
to suit prevailing road and weather condi-
tions. BAS (Brake Assist)
BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance.
X Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. Safety
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Driving safety sys
tems56 G
Risk of accident
If BAS has malfunctioned, the braking sys-
tem remains available with full brake boost-
ing effect. However, braking force is not
automatically increased in emergency
braking situations and the stopping dis-
tance may increase. Adaptive brake lamps
i Adaptive brake lamps are only available in
certain countries.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS,
the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way,
traffic travelling behind you is warned in an
even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically. If the
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously. The hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off
the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning switch button ( Ypage 79). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between tyres and
the road surface.
ESP ®
detects when a wheel spins or the vehi-
cle starts to skid. ESP ®
stabilises the vehicle
by targeted braking of individual wheels and
by limiting engine power. It assists you when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
also stabilises the vehicle during braking.
When ESP ®
intervenes, the vwarning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. G
Risk of accident
If the v warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows:
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
R adapt your driving style to suit the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
The vehicle could otherwise go into a skid.
ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident
if you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot override
the laws of physics.
! The ignition must be switched off (key in
position 0or 1in the ignition lock), if: R
the parking brake is being tested using a
dynamometer
R the vehicle is being towed with the front
axle raised
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
could
otherwise destroy the brake system on the
front axle.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly. Steering assistant STEER CONTROL
The steering assistant STEER CONTROL helps
you by transmitting a noticeable steering
force to the steering wheel in the direction
required for vehicle stabilisation. This steer-
ing assistance is provided in particular if:
R both right wheels or both left wheels are on
a wet or slippery road surface when you
brake
R the vehicle starts to skid
You have control over the steering at all
times. G
Risk of accident
If there is an ESP ®
malfunction, you will not
receive any steering assistance from the Safety
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Anti-theft syste
ms 57steering assistant STEER CONTROL. The
steering continues to function with power
assistance. Anti-theft systems
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
X To activate: remove the key from the igni-
tion lock.
X To deactivate: turn the key to position 2
in the ignition lock. ATA* (anti-theft alarm system)
A visual and audible alarm is triggered when
the alarm system is primed and you open:
R a door
R a door using the emergency key element
R the tailgate
R the bonnet
The alarm is not switched off even if you close
a door again. 1
Indicator lamp
X To prime: lock the vehicle using the key.
Indicator lamp 1flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is primed after approximately 15 sec-
onds.
X To deactivate: unlock the vehicle using the
key.
Deactivating the alarm X
Insert the key into the ignition lock.
The alarm is deactivated.
or
X Press the korj button on the key.
The alarm is deactivated. Safety
* optional
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Anti-theft syste
ms 58 Tow-away protection* and interior
motion sensor*
When tow-away protection and the interior
motion sensor have been primed, a visual and
audible alarm is triggered, if:
R motion is detected in the vehicle interior,
e.g. if the side windows of the vehicle are
smashed.
R the inclination of your vehicle changes, e.g.
if one end of your vehicle is raised.
Priming tow-away protection and inte-
rior motion sensor X
Make sure that:
R the side windows are closed
R the panorama louvred sliding sunroof* is
closed.
R there are no objects, e.g. mascots, hanging
on the rear-view mirror or on the grab han-
dles on the roof trim.
This will prevent false alarms.
X Lock the vehicle using the key.
Tow-away protection and the interior
motion sensor are primed after approxi-
mately 30 seconds. Deactivating tow-away protection and
interior motion sensor To prevent a false alarm, deactivate the tow-
away protection and the interior motion sen-
sor if your vehicle:
R
is being transported or towed
R is being loaded, e.g. onto a ferry or car
transporter
R is parked on a movable surface, e.g. split-
level garages
R is locked while persons or animals remain
inside
R is locked while the side windows remain
open
R is locked and the panorama louvred sliding
sunroof* remains open 1
To deactivate tow-away protection/inte-
rior motion sensor
2 Indicator lamp
X Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2lights up briefly.
X Lock the vehicle using the key.
Tow-away protection and the interior
motion sensor remain deactivated until the
vehicle is unlocked and locked again. Safety
* optional
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59
Opening and closing
...........................60
Key positions ....................................... 62
Seats .................................................... 63
Steering wheel .................................... 69
Mirrors ................................................. 70
Seat belts ............................................. 72
Lights ................................................... 76
Windscreen wipers .............................82
Side windows ...................................... 83Driving and parking
............................86
Transmission ....................................... 90
Instrument cluster ..............................96
On-board computer .............................98
Driving systems ................................ 114
Air conditioning ................................. 128
Roof .................................................... 141
Loading and stowing ........................143
Features ............................................. 161 Controls
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Opening and closing
60 Opening and closing
Key
The key centrally locks/unlocks:
R the doors
R the tailgate
R the fuel filler flap G
Risk of accident
If children are left unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could:
R open a door from the inside at any time,
even if it has been locked
R start the vehicle using a key which has
been left in the vehicle
R release the parking brake
They could, thereby, endanger themselves
and others. Never leave children unsuper-
vised in the vehicle. Always take the key
with you when leaving the vehicle, even if
you are only leaving it for a short time. 1
Battery check lamp
2 j To lock the vehicle
3 Emergency key element release catch
4 k To unlock the vehicle
When unlocking, the turn signals flash once.
When locking, they flash three times.
If you do not open either a door or the tailgate
after you have unlocked the vehicle, it will
automatically relock after approximately 40
seconds.
Individual settings You can change the setting of the locking
system in such a way that only the driver's
door and the fuel filler flap are unlocked. This
could be useful if you frequently travel on your
own.X
To change the setting: press thek
and j buttons simultaneously for
approximately six seconds until the battery
check lamp flashes twice.
The key now functions as follows:
X To unlock the driver's door: press the
k button once.
X To unlock centrally: press thekbut-
ton twice.
X To lock centrally: press thejbutton.
Restoring the factory settings X
Press the kandj buttons simulta-
neously for approximately six seconds until
the battery check lamp flashes twice.
Additional information R
Convenience closing (Y page 85)
R Convenience opening (Y page 84)
R Opening and closing in an emergency
(Y page 241) Controls
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Opening and closing
61Opening the doors from the inside
You can open a door from the inside at any
time, even if it has been locked. X
Pull door handle 2.
If the door is locked, locking knob 1pops
up. The door is unlocked and can be
opened. Automatic locking feature
The vehicle will lock automatically once you
have pulled away.
You can switch off the automatic locking
function via the on-board computer
(Y page 110).
i The vehicle is locked automatically when
the ignition is switched on and the wheels
begin to turn. There is therefore a risk of
being locked out when the vehicle is being
pushed or tested on a dynamometer. Locking/unlocking the vehicle from
the inside
You can centrally lock or unlock the vehicle
from the inside. This feature may be useful if,
for example, you wish to unlock the
passenger door from the inside or lock the
vehicle before you pull away. G
Risk of accident
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle. They could open a door from the
inside – even if it is locked – and thereby
endanger themselves and others. X
To lock: press button 1.
X To unlock: press button 2. Tailgate
G
Risk of poisoning
Exhaust fumes could enter the vehicle inte-
rior if the engine is running and the tailgate
is open. This could poison you. Therefore,
you should make sure that the tailgate is
always closed when the engine is running.
! The tailgate swings up and to the rear
when opened. Therefore, make sure that
there is sufficient clearance above and
behind the tailgate. Controls
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