can offer additional protection to that pro-
vided by the seat belt
PRE-SAFE
®
system
PRE-SAFE ®
system takes pre-emptive meas-
ures to protect you in certain hazardous sit-
uations.
PRE-SAFE ®
intervenes in the event of:
R emergency braking situations, e.g. if Brake
Assist BAS is activated or Brake Assist BAS
PLUS* intervenes powerfully
R critical situations involving driving dynam-
ics, e.g. if the vehicle oversteers or under-
steers significantly due to physical limits
being exceeded
If you are driving faster than approximately
30 km/h, PRE-SAFE ®
may take the following
measures in these situations:
R it adjusts the front-passenger seat if this is
in an unfavourable position.
R on vehicles with multicontour seat* or
active multicontour seat*: it increases the
air pressure in the seat side cushions and
the backrest side cushions.
R if the vehicle skids, it closes the sliding/
tilting sunroof *and the front side windows
so that only a small gap remains.
Once the hazardous situation has passed, you
can reverse all settings made by PRE-SAFE ®
.
On vehicles with a multicontour seat* or an
active multicontour seat*, the air pressure in
the side bolsters is then reduced. G
Risk of injury
When adjusting the seat, make sure that
nobody can become trapped.
! When you move the seats, make sure that
there are no objects in the footwell or
behind the seats. Otherwise, you could
damage the seats and the objects. Children in the vehicle
If a child is travelling in your vehicle, secure
the child using a child restraint system which
is appropriate to the size and age of the child
and which is recommended for Mercedes-
Benz vehicles. You should fit the restraint sys-
tem to a suitable rear seat. Ensure that the
child is secured throughout the trip.
You can obtain information about the correct
child restraint system from any Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Benz care
products to clean child restraint systems.
Information about this can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. G
Risk of injury
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. Children could injure them-
selves on parts of the vehicle. They could also
be seriously or even fatally injured by pro-
longed exposure to extreme heat or cold.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. Parts of the child restraint sys-
tem could heat up and the child could burn
herself/himself on them.
If a child opens a door, the child or other per-
sons could be injured as a result. The child
could get out and be injured in the process or
be injured by a passing vehicle.
Please also observe the information on HOLD.
Relevant information can be found in the
index. G
Risk of injury
An unsecured or an incorrectly positioned
load increases the risk of injury for the child
and all other occupants during:
R an accident
R a braking manoeuvre
R a sudden change of direction 42
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Warning symbol for a rearward-facing child
restraint system G
Risk of injury
If the front-passenger front airbag is not dis-
abled:
R a child secured in a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat could be seri-
ously and even fatally injured by the front-
passenger front airbag deploying. This is
especially a risk if the child is in the imme-
diate 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 disa-
bled:
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 auto-
matic 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
4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp is not lit.
To alert you to this danger, a corresponding
warning sticker is located on the dashboard
and on both sides of the sun visor on the front-
passenger side.
Information about recommended child
restraint systems is available at any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Automatic child seat recognition on the
front-passenger seat* The sensors for the automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat detect
whether a special Mercedes-Benz child seat
with automatic child seat recognition has
been fitted. In such cases, 4PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF warning lamp :lights up. The
front-passenger front airbag is disabled. G
Risk of injury
If the 4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning
lamp does not light up when the child restraint
system is fitted, the front-passenger front air-
bag has not been disabled. If the front-
passenger front airbag is deployed, the child
could be seriously or even fatally injured.
Proceed as follows:
R do not use a rearward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat.
R fit a rearward-facing child restraint system
on a suitable rear seat.
or 44
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R
only use a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat and
move the front-passenger seat to its rear-
most position.
R have the automatic child seat recognition
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
To ensure that the automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat func-
tions correctly, never place objects (such as
a cushion) under the child restraint system.
The entire base of the child restraint system
must always rest on the seat cushion. An
incorrectly fitted child restraint system can-
not perform its intended protective function
in the event of an accident, and could lead to
injuries.
i The windowbag, the sidebag and the belt
tensioner on the front-passenger side are
still active even if the front-passenger front
airbag is disabled by the automatic child-
seat recognition on the front-passenger
seat. G
Risk of injury
Do not place electronic devices on the front-
passenger seat, e.g.:
R laptops, when switched on
R mobile phones
R cards with transponders, e.g. ski passes or
access cards
Signals from electronic equipment can cause
interference in the automatic child seat rec-
ognition sensor system. This could lead to a
system malfunction. This may cause the
4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning lamp
to light up without there being a child seat
with automatic child seat recognition fitted.
This means that the front-passenger front air-
bag does not deploy during an accident. It is
also possible that the 4PASSENGER AIR-
BAG OFF warning lamp will not light up briefly
if you turn the key in the ignition lock to posi-
tion 2.
Suitable positioning of the child restraint system Weight categories and ages Group 0: up to 10 kg
up to approximately
9 months Group 0+: up to 13 kg
up to approximately
18 months
Child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat
As recommended
2 As recommended
2 Child restraint system on the
left-hand and right-hand rear
seats
Universal or as recommen-
ded Universal or as recommen-
ded
2
Only use child restraint systems with automatic child seat recognition. Occupant safety
45Safety
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aged or subjected to a load in an accident
checked immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. X
Fold upholstery cover :and the Velcro
fastener upwards.
X Attach the child seat to both securing
rings ;. Observe the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
Override feature for the rear side win-
dows G
Risk of accident and injury
Activate the override switch for the windows
in the rear compartment if children are trav-
elling in the vehicle. Otherwise, the children
could open the windows while the vehicle is
moving and injure themselves or others. X
To activate: press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The rear side
windows can only be operated using the
switches on the driver's door. X
To deactivate: press button:.
Indicator lamp ;goes out. You can oper-
ate 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 BAS PLUS* ( Brake Assist System Plus*)
R Adaptive brake lamps
R ESP ®
( Electronic Stability Program)
R EBV (electronic brake-power distribution)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE
R Distance warning function* (vehicles with
Distronic*)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake* (vehicles with Distronic
Plus*)
i In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tyres (M+S tyres) and if 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 particu-
larly 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 over-
ride the laws of physics.
For this reason, always adapt your driving
style to suit prevailing road and weather con-
ditions. Maintain sufficient distance from
other road users and objects on the road. 48
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The brakes will work normally again when:
R you release the brake pedal
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle
R there is no longer any danger of a rear-end
collision
BAS PLUS is then deactivated.
At speeds up to approximately 70 km/h, BAS
PLUS can also detect stationary obstacles,
for example, stopped or parked vehicles.
Vehicles with COMAND and a navigation sys-
tem*: the radar sensor system is switched off
automatically in the vicinity of radio telescope
facilities (Y page 411).
For BAS PLUS to assist you when driving, the
radar sensor system must be switched on and
operational. You can check this by activating
Distronic Plus* (Y page 235) or via the
"Radar sensor" menu in the on-board com-
puter (Y page 226). G
Risk of accident
Only clearly identified obstacles will initiate
braking assistance by BAS PLUS. In particular,
the detection of obstacles can be restricted if
there is:
R dirt on the sensors or the sensors are cov-
ered
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example in
multi-storey garages
BAS PLUS does not react to people or ani-
mals, oncoming vehicles and crossing traffic.
BAS PLUS may not detect narrow vehicles
such as motorcycles and vehicles driving on
a different line.
Following a collision or crash-related damage
to the front end of the vehicle, have the con-
figuration and operation of the radar sensors
checked at a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
If BAS PLUS is not available due to a malfunc-
tion in the radar sensor system, the braking system remains available with full brake
boosting effect and BAS. 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
or BAS PLUS*, 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 (Y page 196). 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. If necessary, the engine output is also
modified 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 when braking.
When ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. G
Risk of accident
If the ÷ warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows: 50
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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
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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
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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
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