75 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
PRE-SAFE
® Brake* (vehicles with
DISTRONIC Plus* only)
PRE-SAFE
® Brake* can assist you in mini-
mizing the risk of a rear-end collision with
a vehicle in front of you and in reducing the
severity of an accident. At speeds over ap-
proximately 20 mph (30 km/h), it will
warn you of a possible collision
automatically begin to brake the vehi-
cle lightly in a speed range of up to
112 mph (180 km/h)
activate preventative occupant safety
measures (PRE-SAFE
®) (page 56)PRE-SAFE
® Brake will only assist you by
automatically initiating braking if the driver
and front passenger have their seat belts
fastened.
Using the radar sensors, PRE-SAFE
® Brake
detects obstacles that are in your driving
path for a sufficient period of time for the
system to recognize it. If you approach a
vehicle and PRE-SAFE
® Brake has estab-
lished that the distance to the vehicle
ahead at your current speed is so close
that PRE-SAFE
® Brake will not be capable
of slowing the vehicle sufficiently, the sys-
tem will initially warn you visually and
acoustically.When travelling in Canada in a vehicle not
registered in Canada, you must switch off
the radar sensor system* (
page 302).
Canadian law does not permit the use of
the radar sensor system* (
page 302) for
vehicles from outside of Canada. When you
switch off the radar sensor system*, the
following functions are deactivated:
BAS Plus* (
page 68)
DISTRONIC Plus* (
page 443)
Park Assist* (
page 467)
PRE-SAFE
® Brake
Warning!
G
PRE-SAFE
® Brake is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The responsibility for the vehicle
speed and the distance to the vehicle ahead,
including most importantly brake operation
to assure safe stopping distance, always re-
mains with the driver.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even while PRE-SAFE
® Brake is switched on.
Otherwise, you may not be able to recognize
dangerous situations until it is too late and
could cause an accident resulting in person-
al or fatal injury to you or others.
i
USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC as a
“Vehicular Radar System”. The radar sensor is
intended for use in an automotive radar system
only. Removal, tampering, or altering of the de-
vice will void any warranties, and is not permitted
by the FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
76 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systems
When the distance to the forward vehicle is
too small, the distance warning lampl
comes on in the instrument cluster. If you
approach the forward vehicle very quickly,
you will hear a warning tone.
If you do not apply the brakes yourself or
maneuver around a sensed obstacle, the
vehicle will automatically initiate light
braking. PRE-SAFE
® (page 56) is activat-
ed when the distance to the vehicle ahead
at your current speed is so close that
PRE-SAFE
® Brake will not be capable of
slowing the vehicle sufficiently.
i
Canada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference re-
ceived, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the device will
void any warranties, and is not permitted. Do not
tamper with, alter, or use in any non-approved
way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
Warning!
G
PRE-SAFE
® Brake will only respond with
brake assistance if it has clearly detected an
object. Detection can be impeded by
dirty or covered sensors
snowfall or heavy rain
disturbance from other radar sources
strong radar reflection such as in park-
ing garages
PRE-SAFE
® Brake uses radar signals that
are not reflected well by narrow objects and
absorptive materials. For this reason BAS
Plus will not react to
persons and animals
approaching traffic or cross-traffic
PRE-SAFE
® Brake may not detect narrow ve-
hicles driving in front of you, such as motor-
cycles and vehicles driving offset from your
vehicle center.
78 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsPRE-SAFE
® Brake can react to stationary
obstacles such as standing or parked vehi-
c le s a t roa d s pe eds of up to ap proxim a tel y
40 mph (70 km/h).
Activating and deactivating: Activate
or deactivate PRE-SAFE
® Brake using
the instrument cluster control system
(
page 298).
After the function has been activated,
indicator : appears on the
left-hand side of the multifunction dis-
play.PRE-SAFE
® Brake does not always clearly
interpret complex traffic situations. If a vi-
sual and/or acoustic warning is issued in
an uncritical driving situation, or if the ve-
hicle brakes lightly, you can interrupt the
PRE-SAFE® Brake maneuver by
pressing down all the way on the accel-
erator or using kickdown
releasing the brake pedal
The PRE-SAFE
® Brake maneuver is termi-
nated immediately when
you avoid the obstacle by evasive
steering
you drive less than 9 mph (15 km/h)
an obstacle can no longer be identified
ahead of you
the system no longer senses the risk of
a collisionAfter a hard collision or damage to the
front of the vehicle from an accident, have
the settings and operation of the radar
sensors checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
If you do not receive visual or acoustic warn-
ing signals, PRE-SAFE
® Brake has either not
recognized the collision risk, has been deac-
tivated or is malfunctioning. Apply the
brakes yourself to avoid a collision.
i
PRE-SAFE
® Brake will remain passive while
DISTRONIC Plus* is switched on (
page 443).
116 Control systemsCOMAND audio CD/audio DVD/MP3Notes about handling CDs/DVDs
Only hold discs by the edge.
Handle discs carefully to prevent play-
back problems.
Avoid getting scratches, fingerprints
and dust on discs.
Clean discs from time to time with a
commercially-available cleaning cloth.
Do not wipe them with a circular mo-
tion, but only in straight lines from the
center outwards.
Only use a pen designed for such a pur-
pose to label discs.
Place discs back in their boxes after
use.
Protect discs from heat and direct sun-
light.
Inserting CDs and DVDs Loading the CD/DVD changer
The CD/DVD changer can hold up to a to-
tal of 6 audio CDs or DVDs.
1Disc slot
2Load button (all magazine trays)
3Magazine tray buttons 1 – 6Warning!
G
Only insert a CD or DVD when the vehicle is
stationary. There is a risk of accident by be-
ing distracted from road and traffic condi-
tions if you load a CD/DVD while the vehicle
is in motion.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.i
If the CD/DVD has a printed side, this must
face upwards when the CD/DVD is inserted. If
neither side is printed, the side to be played
should face downwards.
i
Each magazine tray button3 indicates the
status of the corresponding magazine tray by
means of an LED.
LED off = magazine tray is empty
LED constantly lit = magazine tray is loaded
LED flashes = CD/DVD changer requesting
disc to be loaded
129 Control systems
COMAND video DVD
Notes about handling DVDs
Only hold discs by the edge.
Handle discs carefully to prevent play-
back problems.
Avoid getting scratches, fingerprints
and dust on discs.
Clean discs from time to time with a
commercially-available cleaning cloth.
Do not wipe them with a circular mo-
tion, but only in straight lines from the
center outwards.
Only use a pen designed for such a pur-
pose to label discs.
Place discs back in their boxes after
use.
Protect discs from heat and direct sun-
light.
Functional limitations
Depending on the DVD, it is possible that
certain functions or actions may be tempo-
rarily or permanently unavailable. If you try
to utilize such functions or carry out such
actions, you will see the 7 symbol in the
display.
Inserting or ejecting DVDs
Inserting a DVD (
page 116).
or
Ejecting a DVD (
page 118).
!
Do not affix stickers or labels to the discs.
These could peel away and damage COMAND.
COMAND is designed to hold discs which com-
ply with the IEC 60908 standard. You can there-
fore only use discs with a maximum thickness of
1.3 mm.
If you insert thicker discs, e.g. those that contain
data on both sides (DVD on one side and audio
data on the other), they cannot be ejected and
can damage COMAND.
Do not use discs with an 8 cm diameter, even if
they have an adapter.
Only use round discs with a 12 cm diameter.
Warning!
G
Only insert or eject a DVD when the vehicle
is stationary. There is a risk of accident by
being distracted from road and traffic condi-
tions if you load a DVD while the vehicle is in
motion.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.
182 Control systemsCOMAND navigationSafety precautionsWarning!
G
For safety reasons, only enter a destination
when the vehicle is stationary. When the ve-
hicle is in motion, a passenger should enter
the destination. Study manual and select
route before driving.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.
COMAND calculates the route to the desti-
nation without taking account of the follow-
ing, for example:
Traffic lights
Stop and right-of-way signs
Parking or stopping prohibited areas
Lane merging
Other road and traffic rules and regula-
tions
Narrow bridges
COMAND may give incorrect navigation
commands if the data in the digital map
does not correspond with the actual
road/traffic situation. DVD maps do not
cover all areas nor all routes within an area.
For example, if the traffic routing has been
changed or the direction of a one-way road
has been reversed.
For this reason, you must always observe
applicable road and traffic rules and regula-
tions during your journey. Road and traffic
rules and regulations always have priority
over the navigation commands generated by
the system.
Warning!
G
Navigation announcements are intended to
direct you while driving without diverting
your attention from the road and driving.
Please always use this feature instead of
consulting the map display for directions.
Consulting the symbols or map display for
directions may cause you to divert your at-
tention from driving and increase your risk
of an accident.
233 Control systems
COMAND navigation system (route guidance)
COMAND navigation system (route guidance)
Route guidance
COMAND guides you to the destination us-
ing navigation commands in the form of
audible navigation announcements and
route guidance displays.
If, for any reason, you do not follow the
navigation commands or if you leave the
calculated route, COMAND automatically
calculates a new route to the destination.
If the map data contains the relevant infor-
mation, COMAND tries to avoid roads that
only have limited access, e.g. roads closed
to through-traffic and non-residents.Roads that have time restrictions (e.g.
closed on Sundays and public holidays) are
not considered for route guidance, if the
digital map contains the relevant informa-
tion.
Examples of displays and announce-
ments for a driving maneuver
Driving maneuvers have three phases:
Preparation phase
Announcement phase
Maneuver phase
Warning!
G
COMAND calculates the route to the desti-
nation without taking account of the follow-
ing, for example:
Traffic lights
Stop and right-of-way signs
Parking or stopping prohibited areas
Lane merges
Other road and traffic rules and regula-
tions
Narrow bridges
COMAND may give incorrect navigation
commands if the data in the digital map
does not correspond with the actual
road/traffic situation. For example, if the
traffic routing has been changed or the di-
rection of a one-way road has been re-
versed.
For this reason, you must always observe
applicable road and traffic rules and regula-
tions during your journey. Road and traffic
rules and regulations always have priority
over the navigation commands generated by
the system.i
The route guidance displays can only be
seen if the display is switched to navigation
mode.
237 Control systems
COMAND navigation system (route guidance)
During route guidance, the display is divid-
ed. On the right-hand side you will see the
direction arrow showing the compass
heading to the destination.
On the left-hand side of the display you will
see the map with the suggested route. The
suggested route is highlighted blue. How-
ever, it may not be possible to follow the
suggested route because, for example, the
road is closed or not open for car traffic.
If, during route guidance, COMAND leads
you back into a fully digitalized area, route
guidance will simply continue in the usual
manner.
Off-road and off-map
Route guidance to an off-road
destination
COMAND can guide you to destinations
within the area covered by the digital map,
even if a destination is not located at a
road known to the system.These destinations are shown as off-road
destinations, which you can enter using
the map, for example.
In these cases, COMAND guides you for as
long as possible with navigation announce-
ments and displays on roads known to the
system.
Shortly before you reach the last known
the point to leave the digitized road net-
work, you will hear the announcement “The
destination is nearby. Follow the arrow on
the display”.
You will then see an arrow that indicates
the direction to the off-road destination.
When the off-road destination is close to
the road, “Area of dest. reached” appears
in addition below the arrow.
The section of the route from the last
known point on the map to the off-road
destination is indicated with a dashed line
after a certain length. It simply shows the
direction to the off-road destination with-
out taking account of any type of obstacles
in the way.Warning!
G
The COMAND navigation system may direct
you to off-road routes that your vehicle may
not be capable of traversing through without
damaging your tires, wheels or vehicle. It is
the driver’s sole responsibility to determine
the suitability of the route. Off-road routes
may be of varying conditions and their ap-
propriateness for use may be affected by
various factors such as time of day, time of
year and immediate weather conditions that
cannot be judged or taken into consider-
ation by the COMAND system.