R
Under no circumstances should you deac-
tivate ESP ®
.
R When pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
R Adapt your driving style to the prevailing
road and weather conditions.
The vehicle may otherwise begin to skid.
If you drive too fast, ESP ®
cannot reduce the
risk of an accident. ESP ®
cannot override the
laws of physics.
! If the vehicle is to be towed with the front
or rear axle raised, the ignition must be
switched off (key in position 0or 1in the
ignition lock). Application of the brakes by
ESP ®
could otherwise destroy the brake
system on the front or rear axle.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC* may not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
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.
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 vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R engine torque is not limited and the drive
wheels are able to spin. The spinning
wheels produce a cutting effect for better
traction.
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 ÷warning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehi-
cle.
X To deactivate: (Ypage 224).
The å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up. G
Risk of accident
If the å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the engine is running,
ESP ®
is deactivated or is unavailable due to a
malfunction. The risk that your vehicle may
start to skid then increases in certain situa-
tions.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions. Driving safety systems
51Safety
* optional
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X
To deactivate: (Ypage 224).
The å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. EBV (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
EBV monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability when braking. G
Risk of accident
If EBV is malfunctioning, the brake system is
still available with full brake boosting effect.
However, the rear wheels can still lock, e.g.
under full braking. This could cause you to
lose control of your vehicle and cause an acci-
dent. You should therefore adapt your driving
style to the different handling characteristics. ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE offers exceptional braking
comfort and a higher level of braking safety.
In addition to the braking function, ADAPTIVE
BRAKE also has the HOLD convenience func-
tion (Y page 245) and hill start assist
(Y page 204). For further information, see
Driving tips (Y page 304). Distance warning function* (vehicles
with Distronic*)
This function will issue a warning at speeds of
around 30 km/h or more if:
R for a period of several seconds, the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front is too short for
the speed at which you are travelling. The
· distance warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster will light up.
R you are approaching the vehicle in front too
rapidly. An intermittent warning tone will
then sound and the ·distance warning
lamp will light up in the instrument cluster. In order to maintain the appropriate distance
to the vehicle in front and thus prevent a
crash, you must apply the brakes yourself. G
Risk of accident
Pay particular attention to the traffic condi-
tions if the distance warning lamp ·in the
instrument cluster lights up or an intermittent
warning tone sounds.
If necessary, brake or manoeuvre to avoid an
obstacle.
X To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate the distance warning function in the
on-board computer (Y page 223).
After activating, the Äsymbol is dis-
played in the left-hand section of the multi-
function display.
For more information on the distance warning
function, see the Distronic section*
(Y page 229). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake* (vehicles with Dis-
tronic Plus*)
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimise
the risk of a frontal collision with a vehicle in
front or reduce the effects of such a collision.
This function will issue a warning at speeds of
around 30 km/h or more if:
R for a period of several seconds, the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front is too short for
the speed at which you are travelling. The
· distance warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster will light up.
R you are approaching the vehicle in front too
rapidly. An intermittent warning tone will
then sound and the ·distance warning
lamp will light up in the instrument cluster.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving conditions may cause the
system to display an unnecessary warning. 52
Driving safety systemsSafety
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G
Risk of accident
Pay particular attention to the traffic condi-
tions if the distance warning lamp ·in the
instrument cluster lights up or an intermittent
warning tone sounds. If necessary, brake or
manoeuvre to avoid an obstacle.
In addition, at speeds of around 30 km/h or
more, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can:
R brake the vehicle gently and automatically
within a speed range of up to around
180 km/h
R trigger preventative passenger protection
measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) G
Risk of accident
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only an aid to assist you
when driving. You are responsible for main-
taining a safe distance from other vehicles,
the vehicle's speed and for braking in good
time. Always pay attention to the traffic con-
ditions. Otherwise, you may recognise dan-
gers too late, cause an accident and injure
yourself and others.
With the help of the radar sensor system,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect obstacles that
are in front of your vehicle for an extended
period of time. If you approach an obstacle
and PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects a risk of a col-
lision, the system will initially alert you both
visually and acoustically. If you do not brake
or steer, the vehicle will automatically brake
slightly. In the event of an increased risk of a
collision, PRE-SAFE ®
is activated
(Y page 42). G
Risk of accident
Only clearly detected obstacles will trigger a
warning and initiate braking assistance by
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake. In particular, the detection of obstacles may
be restricted if there is:
R
dirt on the sensors or the sensors are cov-
ered
R snow or heavy rain
R interference from other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example in
multi-storey car parks
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react to persons,
animals, oncoming vehicles and crossing traf-
fic.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may not detect narrow
vehicles such as motorcycles or vehicles driv-
ing on a different line. G
Risk of accident
Depending on the vehicle's speed, PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake will brake your vehicle up to
maximum of 4 m/s 2
. This is equivalent to
approximately 40 % of the maximum braking
power of the vehicle. You must also apply the
brakes yourself to avoid a collision.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance
to the vehicle in front and thus prevent a
crash, you must apply the brakes yourself.
At speeds up to approximately 70 km/h,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also detect stationary
obstacles, for example stopped or parked
vehicles. G
Risk of accident
If, in a critical driving situation, you do not
receive a visual and acoustic warning:
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake did not detect the risk of
a collision
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is deactivated
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake has failed
You must then brake to avoid a collision. Driving safety systems
53Safety
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Fastening the belt
X
Adjust the seat and move the backrest to
an almost vertical position (Y page 183).
X Pull the belt smoothly through belt sash
guide :.
X Route the belt over the centre of the shoul-
der without twisting it.
X Engage belt tongue ;in buckle =.
X If necessary, pull upwards on the shoulder
section of the belt to tighten the belt across
your body.
Unfastening the belt X
Press release button ?and guide belt
tongue ;back towards belt sash
guide :. Belt warning for driver and front
passenger
The 7 seat belt warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster reminds you that all occupants
should fasten their seat belts. It is either lit
continuously or flashes. Additionally, there
may be a warning tone. The
7 seat belt warning lamp goes out and
the warning tone ceases as soon as the driver
and front passenger have fastened their seat
belts.
For certain countries only: regardless of
whether the driver or the front passenger
already have their seat belt fastened, the
7 seat belt warning lamp lights up for six
seconds after the engine has been started. It
then goes out if both the driver and the front
passenger have fastened their seat belt.
i Further information about the 7seat
belt warning lamp (Y page 355). Correct driver's seat position
G
Risk of accident
Only adjust the driver's seat when the vehicle
is stationary. You will otherwise be distracted
from the road and traffic conditions and you
could lose control of the vehicle as a result of
the seat moving. This could cause an acci-
dent. Seat belts
193Controls
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X
Pull the light switch out to the first detent.
The N green indicator lamp on the light
switch lights up.
X To switch off: press the light switch in as
far as it will go.
The N green indicator lamp on the light
switch goes out.
Rear foglamp X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X To switch on: turn the light switch to
L orT. When the light switch is set
to c, you cannot switch on the rear fog-
lamp.
X Pull the light switch out to the second stop.
The R yellow indicator lamp on the light
switch lights up.
X To switch off: press the light switch in as
far as it will go.
The R yellow indicator lamp on the light
switch goes out. Combination switch (turn signals,
main-beam headlamps and headlamp
flasher) Turn signal lamp
X
To switch on: press the combination
switch in the direction of arrow ;or?.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lamp ! or# in the instrument clus-
ter flashes.
i If you only wish to indicate a minor change
of direction, press the combination switch
briefly in the respective direction. The cor-
responding turn signal flashes three times.
Main-beam headlamps X
Turn the ignition key to position 2in the
ignition lock or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to Lorc 26
.
X To switch on: press the combination
switch in the direction of arrow :.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
X To deactivate: move the combination
switch back to its normal position.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Headlamp flasher X
To switch on: briefly pull the combination
switch in the direction of arrow =. Hazard warning lamps
26
In the cposition, the main-beam headlamps are only switched on when it is dark. 196
LightsControls
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The hazard warning lamps still operate if the
ignition is switched off. They switch on auto-
matically if an airbag is deployed or if you
brake sharply and bring the vehicle to a halt
from a speed of more than 70 km/h.
X To switch on: press button:.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on
a turn signal using the combination switch
(Y page 196), only the turn signal lamp on
the corresponding side of the vehicle will
flash.
X To switch off: press button:. Headlamp cleaning system
The headlamps are cleaned automatically if
the "Wipe with washer fluid" function is oper-
ated five times while the lights are on and the
engine is running. When you switch off the
ignition, the automatic headlamp cleaning
system is reset and counting is resumed
from 0. Intelligent Light System
The Intelligent Light System is a system which
adjusts the headlamps automatically to suit
the prevailing driving and weather conditions.
The bi-xenon headlamps offer enhanced func-
tions to improve illumination of the road sur-
face, e.g. depending on the vehicle speed or
weather conditions. The system includes the
active light system, cornering light function,
motorway mode and extended range fog-
lamps. The system is only active when it is
dark. Active light system The active light function is a system that
moves the headlamps according to the steer-
ing movements of the front wheels. In this
way, relevant areas remain illuminated while
driving. This allows you to recognise pedes-
trians, cyclists and animals.
Cornering light
The cornering light function improves the illu-
mination of the road surface in the broad
direction you are turning, e.g. making it easier
to see in tight corners. It can only be activated
when the dipped-beam headlamps are
switched on.
Active:
R
if you are driving at speeds below
40 km/h, the cornering light function is
activated either by the turn signal or by the
steering wheel being turned.
R if you are driving at speeds between
40 km/h and 70 km/h, the cornering light Lights
197Controls
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?
| To switch the automatic interior
lighting control on/off
A p To switch the right-hand reading
lamp on/off
Automatic interior lighting control X
To switch on/off: press the|button.
The OFF indicator lamp goes out/lights up.
The interior lighting switches on automati-
cally in darkness, when you unlock the vehi-
cle, open a door or remove the key from the
ignition lock.
The interior lighting switches off after a delay.
You can set the delayed switch-off using
COMAND (Y page 166). If the door is left
open, the interior lighting goes out after
approximately five minutes.
Emergency accident lighting The interior lighting is activated automatically
if the vehicle is involved in an accident.
X To switch off: press the hazard warning
lamp button (Y page 196).
or
X Unlock the vehicle using the key.
or
X Press the |button (Y page 199). Windscreen wipers
Combination switch
1
$ Windscreen wipers off
2 Ä Intermittent wipe, low 27
3 Å Intermittent wipe, high 28
4 ° Continuous wipe, slow
5 ¯ Continuous wipe, fast
B í Single wipe/î To wipe the wind-
screen using washer fluid
! With intermittent wiping with rain sensor:
Due to optical influences and the wind-
screen becoming dirty in dry weather con-
ditions, the windscreen wipers may be acti-
vated inadvertently. This could then dam-
age the windscreen wiper blades or scratch
the windscreen.
For this reason, you should always switch
off the windscreen wipers in dry weather.
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X Turn the combination switch to the corre-
sponding position.
In the ÄorÅ position, the appropriate
wiping frequency is set automatically accord-
ing to the intensity of the rain. In the Å
position, the rain sensor is more sensitive
than in the Äposition and therefore the
windscreen wiper will wipe more frequently.
27 Rain sensor set to low sensitivity.
28 Rain sensor set to high sensitivity. Windscreen wipers
199Controls
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Electric parking brake
Releasing the electric parking brake man-
ually
X
Pull handle :.
The ! red warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
The electric parking brake can only be
released when the key in the ignition lock is
in position 1or the ignition is switched on
using the Start/Stop button.
Releasing the electric parking brake auto-
matically
The electric parking brake is released auto-
matically when the following conditions are
fulfilled:
R the engine is running
R the automatic transmission is in position
D or R.
R the bonnet is closed.
R your seat belt is fastened.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
If the automatic transmission is in position
R, the boot lid must be closed.
For the parking brake to be released auto-
matically if your seat belt is not fastened, the
following conditions must be fulfilled:
R the driver's door is closed.
R you shift out of Por you have previously
driven faster than 3 km/h. Engaging the electric parking brake man-
ually
X
Push handle :.
The ! red warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
i The electric parking brake can also be
applied when the key is removed.
Engaging the electric parking brake auto-
matically
The electric parking brake of your vehicle is
automatically engaged if HOLD
(Y page 245) or Distronic
Plus* ( Ypage 235) brakes your vehicle until
it is stationary and at least one of the follow-
ing conditions is fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off.
R the driver's door is opened and the seat
belt is not fastened.
R the bonnet is released.
R the boot lid is opened while the automatic
transmission is in position R.
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy
period.
The ! red warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
i In addition to the electric parking brake,
P may also be engaged automatically.
Emergency braking with the electric park-
ing brake
The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency using the electric parking brake.
X While driving, push the handle of the elec-
tric parking brake (Y page 205).
i The vehicle is braked as long as the elec-
tric parking brake lever is depressed. The
longer you apply the electric parking brake
handle, the stronger the vehicle is braked.
The ! red indicator lamp flashes in the
instrument cluster during braking. The
Release parking brake message appears Driving and parking
205Controls
* option al
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