2009 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS SALOON Owners Manual

or damaged. For instance, this may occur
when you close the doors, adjust the seat,
stow away the padded table* and the side
head restraints or transport heavy items.
R replace the integrated child seat, the pad-
ded table* and the side head restraints if
these were damaged or subjected to heavy
loads during an accident.
R bear in mind that children weighing less
than 12.5 kg require a different child
restraint system. Information about other
child restraint systems is available from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
R the rear seat backrest in the vehicle must
be securely locked in position. Example: Saloon
:
Side head restraints
; Seat belt guide
= Integrated child seat
? Release handle
Folding out the child seat
X Pull release handle ?forwards.
X Push integrated child seat =upwards and
back until it engages. Fastening a child's seat belt G
Risk of injury
To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal
injury to the child in the event of a sudden
change in direction, braking or an accident:
R the shoulder section of the seat belt must
be routed across the middle of the child's
shoulder – never across the child's neck –
and must be pulled tight against the child's
chest. The lap section of the seat belt must
be routed across the child's pelvis – not
across the abdomen – and must be pulled
tight against the child's body. Retighten the
belt strap if necessary.
R never secure more than one child at a time
in the child restraint system.
R the belt strap must not be trapped or twis-
ted, nor rub against any sharp edges.
R if you have not installed the side head
restraint, the standard head restraint must
always be set correctly when driving with a
child in the integrated child seat. This
means that the back of the head must be
supported by the centre of the head
restraint at about eye level.
Also observe the assembly instructions for
the padded table* and the additional warn-
ings and information about risk of injury.
X Pull the belt smoothly from the inertia reel.
X Engage the belt tongue in the buckle.
X If you are using integrated child seat =
without the padded table*, make sure that
the belt:
R is routed as low as possible across the pel-
vic area, in front of the hips
R is tightened across the lap by pulling
upwards on the child's shoulder belt
R is tight and is routed across the middle of
the child's shoulder
R is not twisted and does not pass across the
child's neck or under the child's arm
X Adjust the head restraint (Y page 79).54
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Folding in the child seat
X
Pull release handle :forwards.
X Push the middle of the integrated child seat
forwards and down ;until it engages.
Padded table* for the integrated child
seat* Use the padded table in accordance with the
instructions in table (Y
page 53).
Do not use the integrated child seat with pad-
ded table as a direct attachment to a baby car
seat for which a body weight of up to 10 kg is
permitted. G
Risk of injury
If the padded table is not installed correctly
on the integrated child seat, it cannot provide
the intended protection. It would then not be
possible to restrain the child in the event of
an accident, sudden braking or abrupt change
in direction and this could result in serious or
even fatal injury to the child. For this reason,
observe the following description when fitting
the padded table.
The padded table is only suitable for use
together with the folded-out integrated child
seat.
On the rear seats, only use the padded table
which is recommended for Mercedes-Benz
vehicles.
An incorrectly fitted padded table could come
loose and seriously or even fatally injure the
child or other vehicle occupants. Fit the pad- ded table and ensure that it is correctly
secured.
G
Risk of injury
Do not modify the padded table, integrated
child seat or seat belts. The padded table
must not be used without a cover. The cover
must not be removed from the padded table
or replaced with a cover from another manu-
facturer. Otherwise, the official approval
becomes invalid and its protective function
could be restricted.
Fitting the padded table Example: Saloon
:
Side head restraints
; Padded table
= Seat belt guide points
? Left leg
A Integrated child seat
B Right leg
X Fold out integrated child seat A
(Y page 53).
X Place the child on integrated child seat A.
X Fold both legs ?and Bdown.
X Place padded table ;over integrated child
seat A. Occupant safety
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G
Risk of injury
Ensure that:
R the belt is routed as described below.
R the belt is not twisted.
R the padded table is close to the child's
body.
R the belt strap is not trapped or twisted and
does not rub against any sharp edges.
Otherwise, it would not be possible to restrain
the child in the event of an accident, sudden
braking or abrupt change in direction and this
could result in serious or even fatal injury to
the child.
X Pull the belt smoothly from the inertia reel.
X Attach the lower and upper sections of the
belt in left seat belt guide point =.
X Guide both sections of the belt to right seat
belt guide point =and attach.
X Engage the belt tongue in the buckle.
X Slide padded table ;close to the child's
body.
X Pull both parts of the belt tight. Ensure that
the belt is not twisted.
X Adjust the head restraint ( Ypage 79).
Side head restraints for the integrated
child seat* Use the side head restraints according to the
specifications in the table (Y page 53).
i Should another side head restraint be
required for the second integrated child
seat*, they can be ordered at any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Example: Saloon
Fitting side head restraints
G
Risk of injury
If you do not secure the side head restraint at
the anchor points intended, it cannot provide
the intended level of protection. It would then
not be possible to protect the child in the
event of an accident, sudden braking or
abrupt change in direction and this could
result in serious or even fatal injury to the
child.
Only attach the side head restraint to the
intended anchor points on the rear head
restraint.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use side head restraints
which have been approved by Mercedes-Benz
for your vehicle.
X Slide head restraints ;upwards and posi-
tion them upright.
X Slide side head restraints Bfrom the front
to the centre of both head restraint bars
until they engage.
Right-hand and left-hand lock verification
indicators =must be folded in. The red
surfaces should no longer be visible.
X Make sure that side head restraint Bis
engaged in both head restraint bars.
X Slide head restraints ;downwards
(Y page 79) until they rest on the upper
edge of side head restraints B.56
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X
Guide the seat belt through seat belt guide
A on the door side on side head restraint
B.
X Secure the child using the seat belt
(Y page 53).
Removing the side head restraints
X Take the seat belt out of seat belt guide
A.
X Move head restraint ;upwards.
X Press left or right release button ?and pull
side head restraint Bforward to remove
it.
Left-hand and right-hand lock verification
indicators :fold out briefly.
X Adjust head restraints ;(Ypage 79).
Storing the padded table and the side
head restraint G
Risk of injury
If the padded table and the side head
restraints are not secured in the vehicle as
specified, they may come loose. In the event
of an accident, sudden braking or abrupt
change in direction, they could injure vehicle
occupants or cause damage to the vehicle.
Secure the padded table in the vehicle as
specified.
On vehicles with TIREFIT kit, the side head
restraints can be stored in the stowage com-
partment under the boot/luggage compart-
ment floor (Y page 204)/(Y page 204).
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
Activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors and the override switch for the rear
windows if children are travelling in the vehi-
cle. Otherwise, the children could open doors
or windows while the vehicle is in motion and
injure themselves or others. Example: Saloon
X
To activate: press locking lever
upwards :.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press locking lever down-
wards ;.
Override feature for the rear side win-
dows G
Risk of accident and injury
Activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors and the override switch for the rear
windows if children are travelling in the vehi-
cle. Otherwise, the children could open doors
or windows while the vehicle is in motion and
injure themselves or others. Occupant safety
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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
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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
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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
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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
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