2008 MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS MPV ESP

Centre console
31Centre console
Upper section Function Page
1
Controls COMAND APS*
and the audio system – see
the respective operating
instructions
2 Controls Thermatic or
Thermotronic*
161
Switches the rear window
heating on/off
173
3 Switches the right-hand
seat heating* on
/off 87
4 Switches the right-hand
seat ventilation* on
/off 86
5 Switches the auxiliary heat-
ing* on
/off 174
6
Vehicle level control*: rai-
ses/lowers the vehicle
152
7 Automatic transmission
gearshift program selection
button
116
8 59
warning
lamp 50 Function Page
9 Switches the hazard warn-
ing lamps on/off
100
a Anti-theft alarm system
indicator lamp*
63
b Deactivates/activates
Parktronic (PTS)*
155
c Deactivates/activates
ESP
® 61
d Switches the left-hand seat
ventilation* on/off
86
e Switches the left-hand seat
heating* on/off
87
f
Selects ADS* settings 152At a glance
* optional
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Occupant safety
44 R
move the front-passenger seat as far
back as possible, especially if a child is
secured in a child restraint system on the
seat.
R vehicle occupants – in particular, chil-
dren – must not lean their head into the
area of the window in which the sidebag/
windowbag is deployed.
R Rearward-facing child restraint systems
must not be fitted to the front-passenger
seat unless the front-passenger front air-
bag has been disabled. The front-
passenger front airbag of a vehicle fitted
with automatic child seat recognition* is
only disabled when a child restraint sys-
tem with automatic child seat recogni-
tion is fitted to the front-passenger seat.
The 5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
warning lamp must be constantly lit.
If the front-passenger seat of your vehicle
does not have automatic child seat rec-
ognition*, or your rearward-facing child
restraint system does not have such a
feature, children must be secured in a
child restraint system on a suitable seat
in the rear. If you secure a forward-facing
child restraint system to the front- passenger seat, you must move the front-
passenger seat as far back as possible.
R make sure there are no heavy or sharp-
edged objects in pockets of clothing.
R do not lean forwards, e.g. over the cover
of the driver's front airbag, particularly
when the vehicle is in motion.
R do not put your feet on the dashboard.
R only hold the steering wheel by the rim.
This allows the airbag to inflate fully. You
could be injured if the airbag is deployed
and you are holding the inside of the
steering wheel.
R do not lean on the doors from inside the
vehicle.
R make sure that there are no people, ani-
mals or objects between the vehicle
occupants and the area of deployment of
the airbag.
R do not place any objects between the
seat backrest and the door.
R do not hang any hard objects, for exam-
ple coat hangers, on the grab handles or
coat hooks.
R do not attach accessories, e.g. cup hold-
ers, to the doors. It is not possible to rule out a risk of injuries
caused by an airbag due to the high speed
at which the airbag is required to deploy.
G
Risk of injury
The airbag's functionality can only be guar-
anteed if the following parts are not cov-
ered and no badges or stickers are
attached to them:
R padded steering wheel boss
R front-passenger front airbag cover
R outer side of seats G
Risk of injury
When an airbag deploys, a small amount of
powder is released. The powder may cause
short-term breathing difficulties to persons
suffering from asthma or other pulmonary
conditions.
In order to prevent potential breathing dif-
ficulties you should leave the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so. You can also open
the window to allow fresh air to enter the
interior. The powder does not constitute a
health hazard and does not indicate that
there is a fire in the vehicle. Safety
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
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Occupant safety
49For safety reasons, you should only use
child restraint systems which have been
approved for use in Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles.
Child seat on the front-passenger seat Warning on the front-passenger sun visor Warning symbol for a rearward-facing child
restraint system
G
Risk of injury
If the front-passenger front airbag is not
disabled:
R a child secured in a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat could be
seriously and even fatally injured by the
front-passenger front airbag deploying.
This is especially a risk if the child is in
the immediate vicinity of the front-
passenger front airbag when it deploys.
R a child must never be secured on the
front-passenger seat in a rearward-facing
child restraint system. Only secure a rearward-facing child restraint system on
a suitable rear seat.
R always move the front-passenger seat to
the rearmost position if you secure a
child in a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat.
The front-passenger front airbag is not dis-
abled:
R on vehicles without automatic child seat
recognition in the front-passenger
seat*.
R on vehicles without automatic child seat
recognition on the front-passenger
seat*, if no special child restraint system
with automatic child seat recognition has
been fitted to the front-passenger seat.
R on vehicles with automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat*, if
the 5 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warn-
ing lamp is not lit.
To draw attention to this danger, there is an
appropriate warning sticker on the dash-
board as well as on both sides of the sun
visor on the front-passenger side. Safety
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
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Occupant safety
56
TopTether
TopTether provides an additional connection
between the child restraint system secured
with ISOFIX and the rear seat. It helps reduce
the risk of injury even further.
The TopTether anchorages are attached to
the rear of the backrests:
R in the outer seats in the 2nd row
R on the seats in the 3rd row* 1
Protective caps for TopTether anchorage
X Remove corresponding protective cap 1. 2
TopTether anchorage
3 TopTether hook* 2
TopTether anchorage
3 TopTether hook*
4 TopTether belt* for the ISOFIX child
restraint system X
Move the head restraint upwards.
X Fold the backrests forwards
(Y page 190).
X Guide TopTether belt* 4under the head
restraint between the two head restraint
rods.
X Hook TopTether hook* 3into TopTether
anchorage 2.
Make sure that the belt:
R is not twisted
R is routed between the backrest and the
luggage compartment cover* if the lug-
gage compartment cover* is fitted
R is routed between the backrest and the
safety net* if the safety net* is fitted G
Risk of injury
Do not secure the TopTether hook* to the
loop underneath the TopTether anchorage
if you are securing a child restraint system
in the 3rd row of seats*. The child restraint
system is then not secure. An incorrectly
fitted child restraint system cannot perform
its intended protective function in the event
of an accident, and could even lead to inju-
ries. Safety
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh,
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Driving safety sys
tems581
Switch
X To activate: press button 1.
Button 1engages. The rear side windows
can only be operated using the switches on
the driver's door.
X To deactivate: press button1.
Button 1pops out and is flush with the
other buttons. You can operate the rear
side windows using the switches in the rear
compartment. Driving 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 Adaptive brake lamps
R ESP ®
( Electronic Stability Program)
R EBV (electronic brake-power distribution)
R Distance warning function* (vehicles with
Distronic*)
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 on wet and
slippery roads and when driving too close
to the vehicle in front.
The driving safety systems described in this
section cannot 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.Safety
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
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Driving safety sys
tems 59
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 the prevailing road and weather con-
ditions. 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. 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 25 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 drive
faster than 10 km/h again. You can also
switch off the hazard warning lamps using the
hazard warning switch button (Y page 100). Safety
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
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Driving safety sys
tems60 ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between tyres and
the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified, if
necessary, to keep the vehicle on the desired
course within physical limits. ESP ®
assists
the driver when pulling away on wet or slip-
pery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise the vehi-
cle 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 do not deactivate ESP ®
under any cir-
cumstances.
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
R adapt your driving style to suit prevailing
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.
! If you have the vehicle towed with the
front or rear axle raised, the ignition must
be switched off (key in position 0or 1in the
ignition lock). Intervention by ESP ®
could
otherwise destroy the braking system on
the front or rear axle.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC* may not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC*: operate the vehi-
cle only briefly (for a maximum of ten sec-
onds) on a brake dynamometer. Turn the
key in the ignition lock to position 0or 1.
You could otherwise damage the drive train
or the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC*: function or per-
formance tests may only be carried out on
a 2-axle dynamometer. If you wish to oper-
ate the vehicle on such a dynamometer,
please consult a Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre in advance. You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system. i
Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation If your trailer begins to lurch, you can only
stabilise the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
In this situation, ESP
®
assists you and detects
if the trailer begins to lurch. ESP ®
slows the
vehicle down by braking and limiting the
engine output so the vehicle/trailer combi-
nation can stabilise.
Trailer stabilisation is active from about
65 km/h. G
Risk of accident
If road and weather conditions are bad,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to pre-
vent the trailer from swerving and thereby
reduce the risk of accident. Trailers with a
high centre of gravity can tip over before
ESP ®
can detect this.
Trailer stabilising does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function. Safety
* optional
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
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Driving safety sys
tems 61
ETS (Electronic Traction Support) Traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side.
Traction control remains active when you
deactivate ESP ®
. G
Risk of accident
Traction control cannot reduce the risk of
an accident if you drive too fast. Traction
control cannot override the laws of physics.
i If heavy demands are made on the brakes,
traction control switches off automatically
for a brief period so that the brakes do not
heat up even further. The vwarning
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up if
traction control is not engaging for this rea-
son. The message ABS, ESP unavailable
see Owner's Manual also appears in the
multi-function display.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is running. It may be best to deactivate ESP
®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel G
Risk of accident
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. Spinning of the
wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
i If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more
wheels start to spin, the vwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehi-
cle. 1
To deactivate/activate ESP ®
X To deactivate: press button1.
The v warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up. G
Risk of accident
If the v warning lamp in the instrument
cluster is continuously lit when the engine
is running, ESP ®
is deactivated or not avail-
able due to a malfunction. 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. Safety
251_AKB; 5; 7, en-GB
wobuchh
,V ersion: 2.10.6
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