2009 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS SALOON ESP

Centre console
Vehicles with selector lever
*or gear lever Function Page
:
Hazard warning lamps 96
;
ATA indicator lamp* 65
=
4
PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF warning lamp 45
?
ESP
® 60
A
Operates COMAND APS*
or the audio system*
B
Adjusts the seat heating* 81
C
Seat ventilation* 81
D
Auxiliary heating
*/ventila-
tion* 181
ECO Start/Stop function
(only E 200 CGI model with
manual transmission)
108
E
PARKTRONIC*
157 Function Page
F
Lowers the rear seat head
restraints 79
G
Saloon: rear window roller
sunblind*
208
H
Stowage compartment 189
Ashtray* 208
I
Gear lever 110
Selector lever* 111
J
Stowage compartment 189
Cup holder* 192
K
Stowage compartment* 189
L
COMAND controller
M
Selects the drive program* 113Centre console
31At a glance
* optional
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Vehicles with DIRECT SELECT lever*
Function Page
:
Hazard warning lamps 96
;
ATA indicator lamp* 65
=
4
PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF warning lamp 45
?
ESP
® 60
A
Operates COMAND APS*
or the audio system*
B
Adjusts the seat heating* 81
C
Seat ventilation* 81
D
Auxiliary heating*/ventila-
tion*
181
E
PARKTRONIC* 157
F
Lowers the rear seat head
restraints
79 Function Page
G
Saloon: rear window roller
sunblind*
208
H
Storage compartments 189
Ashtray* 208
Cup holder* 192
I
Sets the suspension tun-
ing*
155
J
Sets the vehicle level* 154
K
Stowage compartment* 189
L
Selects the drive program* 113
M
COMAND controller32
Centre consoleAt a glance
* optional
212_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
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G
Risk of injury
If the seat belt tensioners have been trig-
gered, they provide no additional protection
in the event of another accident. Therefore,
have belt tensioners which have been trig-
gered replaced at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Comply with safety regulations when dispos-
ing of belt tensioners. Any Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre can provide details of these
regulations.
Airbags Airbag deployment slows down and restricts
the movement of the vehicle occupant.
If the airbags are deployed, you will hear a
bang and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that escapes
does not generally constitute a health hazard.
The SRS warning lamp 6lights up.
The AIRBAG identification indicates the loca-
tion of the airbags. G
Risk of injury
Airbags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for seat belts.
Observe the following notes to reduce the risk
of serious or even fatal injury if an airbag is
deployed:
R all vehicle occupants ― in particular, preg-
nant women ― must wear their seat belt
correctly at all times and lean back against
the backrest, which should be positioned
as close to the vertical as possible. The
head restraint must support the back of the
head at about eye level.
R always secure children less than 1.50 m tall
or under 12 years of age in suitable child
restraint systems.
R all vehicle occupants must select a seat
position that is as far away from the airbag
as possible. The driver's seat position must
allow the vehicle to be driven safely. The driver's chest should be as far away from
the middle of the driver's front airbag cover
as possible.
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, children
– must not lean their head into the area of
the window in which the sidebag/head air-
bag 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 auto-
matic child seat recognition* is only disa-
bled when a child restraint system with
automatic child seat recognition is fitted to
the front-passenger seat. The 4
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF warning lamp
must be continuously lit.
If the front-passenger seat of your vehicle
does not have automatic child seat recog-
nition*, or your rearward-facing child
restraint system does not have automatic
child seat recognition, 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 possi-
ble.
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-passenger 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 deploy fully. You could
be injured if the airbag is deployed and you
are holding the inside of the steering wheel. Occupant safety
39Safety
* optional
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Child seat on the front-passenger seat
Warning notice on the front-passenger's sun visor
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* If your vehicle does not have automatic child
seat recognition on the front-passenger seat,
this is indicated by a special sticker. The
sticker is affixed to the side of the dashboard
on the front-passenger side. It is visible when
you open the front-passenger door. Occupant safety
45Safety
* optional
212_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
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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 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. Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
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. Pumping the brake
pedal reduces the braking effect.
Braking If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
the brake pedal pulsating.
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 vehi- 58
Driving safety systemsSafety
* optional
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cle when braking and the braking distance
may increase.
If ABS is deactivated due to a malfunction,
then BAS, BAS PLUS* 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 prevailing road and weather conditions. 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 system
remains available with full brake boosting
effect. However, braking force is not auto-
matically increased in emergency braking sit-
uations and the stopping distance may
increase. BAS PLUS* (Brake Assist)
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in haz-
ardous situations and uses radar sensor tech-
nology to assess the traffic situation. G
Risk of accident
BAS PLUS is only an aid to assist you when
driving. You are responsible for maintaining a
safe distance from other vehicles, for the vehi-
cle's speed and for braking in good time.
Always pay attention to the traffic conditions.
You may otherwise recognise dangers too
late, cause an accident and injure yourself
and others. BAS PLUS can detect obstacles that are in the
path of your vehicle for an extended period of
time. Should you approach a detected obsta-
cle quickly, BAS PLUS calculates the braking
force necessary to avoid a rear-end collision.
Should you additionally apply the brakes, BAS
PLUS will automatically increase the braking
force to a level suitable for the traffic condi-
tions.
If BAS PLUS demands particularly high brak-
ing force, PRE-SAFE
®
is activated simultane-
ously.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
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.
The radar sensors are automatically deacti-
vated in the vicinity of radio telescope facili-
ties (Y page 362).
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 140) or via the
"Radar sensor" function in the on-board com-
puter (Y page 134). 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 Driving safety systems
59Safety
* optional
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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 96).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 during braking.
When ESP ®
intervenes, the äwarning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. G
Risk of accident
If the ä warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows:
R do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Otherwise, the vehicle could skid.
ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident if
you drive too fast. 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.
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 can
detect when the trailer begins to lurch.
ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and 60
Driving safety systemsSafety
* optional
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limiting the engine output until the vehicle/
trailer combination has stabilised.
Trailer stabilisation is active above speeds of
about 65 km/h. G
Risk of accident
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent
the trailer from swerving and will thus be
unable to reduce the risk of an accident. Trail-
ers with a high centre of gravity can tip over
before ESP ®
can detect this.
Trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function.
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 ®
(except
E 63 AMG) 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 äwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehi-
cle. X
To deactivate: press button:.
The å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up. G
Risk of accident
If the å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster is lit when the engine is running,
ESP ®
is deactivated or not available due to a
malfunction. There is an increased risk of your
vehicle skidding in certain situations. Driving safety systems
61Safety
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