2008 MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS MPV Owners Manual

Occupant safety
54 Weight categories and
ages Manufacturer Type Approval number Daimler order num-
ber Automatic child seat
recognition
Group II/III: 15 to 36 kg;
between approx. 3½ and
12 years Britax-Römer KID E1 03 301148 A 000 970 12 00 Yes
A 000 970 17 00
No
17 Child seat lock
All seat belts are equipped with a child seat
lock with the exception of those fitted on the
driver's and front-passenger seats and the
middle seat in the 2nd row.
X Insert the belt tongue into the buckle.
X Pull the belt out completely and let it be
reeled back in by the inertia reel.
The child seat lock ensures that the belt
does not slacken once the child seat is
secured.
X To release the child seat lock: roll up the
belt completely after removing the child
seat.
ISOFIX child seat securing system in the
rear compartment ISOFIX is a standardised securing system for
specially-designed child restraint systems on
the rear seats. Securing rings for two child restraint systems
are fitted on the left and right:
R
on the seat cushions of the outer seats in
the 2nd row
R on the backrests of the seats in the 3rd
row* G
Risk of injury
A child restraint system secured by the ISO-
FIX child seat securing system does not
provide sufficient protection for children
weighing more than 22 kg. For this reason,
do not secure children weighing more than
22 kg in a child restraint system secured by
the ISOFIX child seat securing system. If
the child weighs more than 22 kg, secure
the child restraint system using a lap-shoul-
der belt. G
Risk of injury
The child restraint system cannot perform
its protective function if is not correctly fit-
ted to a suitable vehicle seat. The child
cannot be restrained in the event of a sud-
den change of direction, heavy braking or
an accident. This may lead to serious or
even fatal injuries. For this reason, when
fitting a child restraint system, observe the
manufacturer's installation instructions
and the correct use of the child restraint
system.
On the rear seats, only use child restraint
systems with an ISOFIX child seat securing
system which have been recommended for
use in Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
An incorrectly fitted child restraint system
could come loose and seriously or even
fatally injure the child or other vehicle occu-
pants. When fitting the child restraint sys-
17 For child restraint systems without automatic child seat recognition, move the front-passenger seat to the rearmost position. Safety
* optional
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Occupant safety
55tem, make sure that it is engaged in the
securing rings on both sides.
To ensure that the child restraint system
can perform its protective function as
intended, the backrest of the outer seat in
the 2nd row must be in the upright position. G
Risk of injury
Please note that child restraint systems
cannot provide a protective function if they
or their retaining systems are damaged or
subjected to a load in an accident. This
could result in serious or even fatal injuries
to the secured child in the event of an acci-
dent, heavy braking or a sudden change in
direction.
For this reason, have child restraint sys-
tems and their anchorages which have
been damaged or subjected to a load in an
accident checked immediately at a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
X Position the backrest vertically
(Y page 81). The anchor fittings on the outer seats in the
2nd row of seats are covered by an uphol-
stered lining.
1
Anchor fittings for outer seats in the
2nd row
2 Installation instructions for the securing
ring
X Slide the upholstered lining to the side. The anchor fittings on the seats in the
3rd row* are covered by protective caps. 1
Protective caps for the 3rd row of seats*
X Remove covers 1. 2
Anchor fittings for the 3rd row of seats* Safety
* optional
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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
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Occupant safety
57
X
Fold the backrests back until they engage
(Y page 190).
The outer seats in the 2nd row are only
locked if the lock verification indicator is
folded in and the indicator area is barely
visible (Y page 194). G
Risk of injury
Make sure that the seats are locked and the
backrests are locked in a vertical position
after fitting the TopTether belt*.
The outer seats in the 2nd row are only
locked if the lock verification indicator is
folded in and the indicator area is barely
visible.
If the backrests are not locked, they could
fold forwards in the event of an accident,
sudden braking or a sudden change of
direction. Instead of restraining an occu-
pant, they could cause additional serious or
even fatal injury.
X Fit the ISOFIX child restraint system with
TopTether. Comply with the manufactur-
er's installation instructions.
X Move the head restraint back down again
slightly if necessary (Y page 83). Make
sure that you do not interfere with the cor-
rect routing of TopTether belt* 4.Child-proof locks If children are travelling in the vehicle, you can
activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors.
Child-proof locks for the rear 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
If children are travelling in the vehicle, acti-
vate the child-proof locks for the rear doors
and the override feature for the rear win-
dows. The children could otherwise 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.
Override feature for the rear windows G
Risk of accident and injury
If children are travelling in the vehicle, acti-
vate the child-proof locks for the rear doors
and the override feature for the rear win-
dows. The children could otherwise open
doors or windows while the vehicle is in
motion and injure themselves or others. Safety
* optional
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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
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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
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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
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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
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