FunctionPageDTrunk opening switch75ECentral locking switch75
Seat adjustment, vehicles without memoryfunction
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Make sure:
R The seat belt is always fitted snugly.
R Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
section is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder.
R Place the lap portion of the seat belt as low
as possible on your hips.
Seat and head restraintGObserve Safety notes, see page 79.XPosition seat = and head restraint
properly. See ( Y page 80) for seat and
head restraint adjustment.
Observe the following points:
R Always be in a properly seated position.
R The position should be as far rearward from
the front air bag in the steering wheel as
possible, while still permitting proper
operation of vehicle controls.
R Adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely.
R The seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten and position your seat belt.
R The seat backrest must be in a position that
is as nearly upright as possible.
R Adjust the seat cushion so that the front
edge of the seat cushion lightly supports
your legs.
R Adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the
center of the head restraint supports the
back of the head at eye level.
R Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while the seat is being
adjusted.
Children in the vehicle
Safety notes
If an infant or child is traveling with you in the
vehicle:
XSecure the child using an infant or child
restraint appropriate to the age and size of
the child.XMake sure the infant or child is properly
secured at all times while the vehicle is in
motion.GWarning!
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch. Always
take the SmartKey with you and lock the
vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system’s
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned by these
parts.
GWarning!
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment or trunk unless they
are firmly secured in place.
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Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child’s risk of injury in the event
of
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident
Infant and child restraint systemsGObserve Safety notes, see page 54.
We recommend all infants and children be
properly restrained at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
Canada only:
Only use a BabySmart™ compatible child
restraint for the front passenger seat in this
vehicle.
All lap/shoulder belts except the driver’s seat
belt have special seat belt retractors for
secure fastening of child restraints.
To fasten a child restraint, follow the child
restraint manufacturer’s instructions for
mounting.
To activate the special seat belt retractor:
XPull the shoulder belt out completely and
let it retract.
During seat belt retraction, a ratcheting
sound can be heard to indicate that the
special seat belt retractor is activated.
The seat belt is now locked.XPush down on child restraint to take up any
slack.
To deactivate the special seat belt retractor:
XRelease the seat belt buckle and let the
seat belt retract completely.
The seat belt can then again be used in the
usual manner.
To deactivate the special seat belt retractor
for the front passenger seat, the front
passenger seat must be in the most backward
position.
GWarning!
Never release the seat belt buckle while the
vehicle is in motion, since the special seat belt
retractor will be deactivated.
i Information on child seats with mounting
fittings for tether anchorages
( Y page 57).
For information on LATCH-type (ISOFIX)
child seat anchors ( Y page 58).
The use of infant or child restraints is required
by law in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, the U.S. territories and all
Canadian provinces.
Infants and small children should be seated
in an appropriate infant or child restraint
system. They must be properly secured in
accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions for the child restraint. All infant
or child restraint systems must comply with
U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 225 and Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards 213 and 210.2.
A statement by the child restraint
manufacturer of compliance with these
standards can be found on the instruction
label on the restraint and in the instruction
manual provided with the restraint.
When using any infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat, make sure to
carefully read and follow all manufacturer’s
instructions for installation and use.
Please read and observe warning labels
affixed to the inside of the vehicle and to
infant or child restraints.
GWarning!
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front seating
position. Thus, we strongly recommend that
children be placed in the rear seats whenever
possible. Regardless of seating position,
children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an appropriate
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A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
Children too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in seats using regular seat belts. Position
shoulder belt across chest and shoulder, not
face or neck. A booster seat may be
necessary to achieve proper seat belt
positioning for children over 41 lb (18 kg) until
they reach a height where a lap/shoulder belt
fits properly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use, remove
it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat
belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an
accident.
Installation of infant and child restraint
systems
GObserve Safety notes, see page 54.GWarning!
Always lock the seat backrests in their upright
position when the rear seats are occupied by
passengers. Lock the seat backrests in their
upright position before installing top tether
straps or when the extended cargo
compartment is not in use. Make sure that
seat backrests are secured properly by
pushing and pulling on the seat backrests. If
a seat backrest is not locked properly, the
seat backrest could fold. The child seat would
no longer be supported properly or positioned
to provide its intended benefit. That could
cause serious or even fatal injuries.
This vehicle is equipped with tether
anchorages for a top tether strap at each of
the rear seating positions.
Top tether straps enable an additional
connection to be made between child
restraint systems secured with LATCH-type
(ISOFIX) anchors and rear seats. This can
further reduce the risk of injury.
XMove the respective head restraint : to
its uppermost position (Y page 83).
XLift up anchorage ring cover ; from
anchorage ring =.
XGuide top tether strap A between head
restraint : and top of the seat backrest.
XSecurely fasten hook ?, which is part of
top tether strap A, to anchorage ring =.
Make sure
Rhook ? is attached to anchorage ring =
beyond the safety catch, as illustrated
Rtop tether strap A is not twisted
Rhead restraint : is installed (if removable)
and positioned such that top tether strap
A can pass freely between head
restraint : and top of the seat backrest
XLower head restraint : if necessary
(Y page 83).
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XInstall a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat
according to the manufacturer’s
instructions.
A rigid connection between the child seat
and the body of the vehicle is established.
XMake sure that the seat belt for the rear
center seat can operate freely with a child
seat installed.
Child safety
Child safety locks
GObserve Safety notes, see page 54.GWarning!
Children could open a rear door from the
inside. This may cause serious personal injury
or an accident. Therefore, secure the rear
doors with the child safety locks whenever
children are riding in the back seats of the
vehicle.
The child safety locks on the rear doors
enable you to secure each rear door
individually. You cannot open a secured rear
door from the inside. You can open the rear
door from the outside when the vehicle is
unlocked.
XSecuring: Press the lever up in direction of
arrow :.
XCheck to make sure the child safety locks
are working properly.
XReleasing: Press the lever down in
direction of arrow ;.
Override switchGObserve Safety notes, see page 54.
With the override switch you can disable the
rear door window switches in the rear door
panels. This can be useful, for instance, when
you have children riding in the rear passenger
compartment.
GWarning!
Activate the override switch when children
are riding in the back seats of the vehicle. The
children may otherwise injure themselves,
e.g. by becoming trapped in the rear door
window opening.
XActivating: Press override switch :.
Indicator lamp ; comes on.
The rear door windows can no longer be
operated using the respective switch
located in the rear doors.
You can still operate the rear door windows
using the switches located on the door
control panel of the driver’s door.
XDeactivating: Press override switch :
again.
The rear door windows can be operated
again using the respective switch located
in the rear doors.
For more information on power windows, see
the “Controls in detail” section
(Y page 98).
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Panic alarmXActivating: Press and hold !
button : for at least 1 second.
An audible alarm and flashing exterior
lamps will operate.
XDeactivating: Press ! button : again.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the starter switch.
or
XPress the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be
inside the vehicle.
iUSA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
2. this device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
iCanada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
1.This device may not cause interference,
and
2. this device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
Driving safety systems
Introduction
This section contains information about the
following driving safety systems:
RABS (Antilock Brake System)
RAdaptive Brake
RBAS (Brake Assist System)
REBP (Electronic Brake Proportioning)
RESP® (Electronic Stability Program)
iIn winter operation, the maximum
effectiveness of most of the driving
systems described in this section is only
achieved with winter tires, or snow chains
as required.
Safety notes
GWarning!
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:
RExcessive speed, especially in turns
RWet and slippery road surfaces
RFollowing another vehicle too closely
The driving safety systems described in this
section cannot reduce these risks or prevent
the natural laws of physics from acting on the
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vehicle. They cannot increase braking or
steering efficiency beyond that afforded by
the condition of the vehicle brakes and tires
or the traction afforded.
Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents.
The capabilities of a vehicle equipped with the
driving safety systems described in this
section must never be exploited in a reckless
or dangerous manner which could jeopardize
the user’s safety or the safety of others.
Always adjust your driving style to the
prevailing road and weather conditions and
keep a safe distance to other road users and
objects on the street.
If a driving system malfunctions, other driving
safety systems may also switch off. Observe
indicator and warning lamps that may come
on as well as messages in the multifunction
display that may appear.
ABS
GObserve Safety notes, see page 60.GWarning!
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm, steady
brake pedal pressure instead. Pumping the
brake pedal defeats the purpose of the ABS
and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do not
lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of
approximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will
respond even to light brake pressure.
The ABS indicator lamp ! in the
instrument cluster comes on when you switch
on the ignition. It goes out when the engine
is running.
Braking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal. The pulsation indicates that the
ABS is in the regulating mode.
XKeep firm and steady pressure on the brake
pedal while you feel the pulsation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to steer
the vehicle.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving.
Emergency brake maneuver
XKeep continuous full pressure on the brake
pedal.GWarning!
If the ABS malfunctions, other driving safety
systems such as the BAS or the ESP ®
are also
switched off. Observe indicator and warning
lamps that may come on as well as messages
in the multifunction display that may appear.
If the ABS malfunctions, the wheels may lock
during hard braking, reducing steering
capability and extending the braking distance.
BAS
GObserve Safety notes, see page 60.
The Brake Assist System (BAS) operates in
emergency situations. If you apply the brakes
very quickly, the BAS provides full brake
boost automatically, thereby potentially
reducing the braking distance.
XApply continuous full braking pressure until
the emergency braking situation is over.
The ABS will prevent the wheels from
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When you release the brake pedal, the brakes
function again as normal. The BAS is then
deactivated.GWarning!
If the BAS malfunctions, the brake system still
functions, but without the additional brake
boost available that the BAS would normally
provide in an emergency braking maneuver.
Therefore, the braking distance may increase.
Adaptive Brake
Adaptive Brake provides a high level of
braking safety as well as increased braking
comfort. Adaptive Brake takes driver and
vehicle characteristics into consideration,
thus achieving an optimal braking effect.
In addiditon, Adaptive Brake provides the hill-
start assist system ( Y page 183).
For more information on the brake system,
see ( Y page 255).
EBP
GObserve Safety notes, see page 60.
The Electronic Brake Proportioning (EBP)
enhances braking effectiveness by allowing
the rear brakes to supply a greater proportion
of the braking effort in straight-line braking
without a loss of vehicle stability.
GWarning!
If the EBP malfunctions, the brake system will
still function with full brake boost. However,
the rear wheels could lock up during
emergency braking situations, for example.
You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident.
Adapt your driving style to the changed
driving characteristics.
ESP ®GObserve Safety notes, see page 60.
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®
) is
operational as soon as the engine is running.
It monitors the vehicle’s traction (force of
adhesive friction between the tires and the
road surface) and handling.
The ESP ®
recognizes that the vehicle deviates
from the direction of travel as intended by the
driver. By applying brakes to individual
wheels and by limiting the engine output, the
ESP ®
works to stabilize the vehicle. The
ESP ®
is especially useful while driving off and
on wet or slippery road surfaces. The ESP ®
also stabilizes the vehicle during braking and
steering maneuvers.
The ESP ®
warning lamp d in the
instrument cluster comes on when you switch
on the ignition. It goes out when the engine
is running.
The ESP ®
warning lamp d in the
instrument cluster flashes when the ESP ®
is
engaged.
GWarning!
Never switch off the ESP ®
when you see the
ESP ®
warning lamp d flashing in the
instrument cluster. In this case proceed as
follows:
R When driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R While driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R Adapt your speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid. The ESP ®
cannot
prevent accidents resulting from excessive
speed.
i Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display ( Y page 270) will
refer to the ESP ®
as ESC.
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