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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! Vehicles with 4MATIC:
Only conduct operational or performance
tests on a two-axle dynamometer. If such
tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake
system or the transfer case which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC:
Because the ESP ®
operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0 or
1 or KEYLESS-GO start/stop button in
position 0 or 1) when the parking brake is
being tested on a brake test dynamometer.
Active braking action through the ESP ®
may otherwise seriously damage the brake
system which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
! Vehicles without 4MATIC:
Because the ESP ®
operates automatically,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position 0 or
1 or KEYLESS-GO start/stop button in
position 0 or 1) when the parking brake is
being tested on a brake test dynamometer
or the vehicle is being towed with the front
axle raised.
Active braking action through the ESP ®
may otherwise seriously damage the brake
system which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
! The ESP ®
will only function properly if you
use wheels of the recommended tire size
as specified in the “Technical data” section
of this Operator’s Manual.
i The cruise control switches off
automatically when the ESP ®
engages.Electronic Traction System
(ETS/4-ETS) GObserve Safety notes, see page 60.
The ETS (Electronic Traction System) and
4-ETS (four-wheel Electronic Traction
System, vehicles with 4MATIC only) are
components of the ESP ®
. The ETS/4-ETS
improves the vehicle’s ability to utilize
available traction, especially under slippery
road conditions by applying the brakes to a
spinning wheel. Vehicles with 4MATIC also
transfer more power to the wheel(s) with
traction.
When you switch off the ESP ®
, the
ETS/4-ETS is still enabled.
Switching the ESP ®
off or on (except
C 63 AMG)
GWarning!
The ESP ®
should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the
circumstances described below. Disabling
the system will reduce vehicle stability in
driving maneuvers.
Do not switch off the ESP ®
when a spare
wheel is mounted.
To improve the vehicle’s traction, switch off
the ESP ®
. This allows the drive wheels to spin
and thus cut into surfaces for better grip, for
example
R when driving with snow chains
R in deep snow
R in sand or gravel
GWarning!
Switch on the ESP ®
immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not apply
anymore. Otherwise the ESP ®
will not
stabilize the vehicle when it is starting to skid
or a wheel is spinning.
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When you switch off the ESP®,
Rthe ESP® will not stabilize the vehicle
Rthe engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and thus cut
into surfaces for better grip
Rthe ETS/4-ETS will still apply the brakes to
a spinning wheel
Rthe ESP® continues to operate when you
are braking
Rthe cruise control cannot be activated
Rthe cruise control switches off if activated
iWhen the ESP® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP®
warning lamp d in the instrument
cluster flashes. However, the ESP® will
then not stabilize the vehicle.
XSwitching off: With the engine running,
press ESP® switch : until the ESP®
warning lamp d in the instrument
cluster comes on.
The ESP® is switched off.
GWarning!
When the ESP® warning lamp d is
illuminated continuously, the ESP® is
switched off or is not operational due to a
malfunction. Vehicle stability in standard
driving maneuvers is reduced.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing
road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP®.
! Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP® switched
off. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
XSwitching on: Press ESP® switch : until
the ESP® warning lamp d in the
instrument cluster goes out.
You are now again in normal driving mode
with the ESP® switched on.
C 63 AMG
Switching ESP® SPORT on or off
GWarning!
ESP® SPORT should not be switched on
during normal driving.
Switching ESP® SPORT on will result in the
following:
Rno restriction to engine torque
Rsystem-supported traction control is
limited
ESP® SPORT is designed for driving on closed
tracks when the vehicle’s natural oversteer
and understeer characteristics are desired
and requires a highly skilled and experienced
driver able to handle these critical driving
situations.
You could lose control of your vehicle and
cause an accident.
Please be aware of these limits when you
switch on ESP® SPORT.
Do not switch on ESP® SPORT when a spare
wheel is mounted.
To improve the vehicle’s traction, switch on
ESP® SPORT. This allows the drive wheels to
spin and thus cut into surfaces for better grip,
for example
Rwhen driving with snow chains
Rin deep snow
Rin sand or gravel
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GWarning!
Switch off ESP® SPORT and switch on the
ESP® immediately if the aforementioned
circumstances do not apply anymore.
Otherwise ESP® SPORT will only stabilize the
vehicle to a limited extent when it is starting
to skid or a wheel is spinning.
When you switch on ESP® SPORT
Rthe ESP® stabilizes the vehicle only to a
limited extent
Rthe engine output is limited, but only to the
extent that allows the drive wheels to spin
and thus cut into surfaces for better grip
Rthe ETS will still apply the brakes to a
spinning wheel
Rthe ESP® continues to operate when you
are braking hard
Rthe cruise control cannot be activated
Rthe cruise control switches off if activated
iWhen ESP® SPORT is switched on and
one or more drive wheels are spinning, the
ESP® warning lamp d in the instrument
cluster flashes. However, the ESP® will
then stabilize the vehicle only to a limited
extent.
XSwitching on: With the engine running,
press ESP® SPORT switch : briefly.
The ESP® warning lamp d in the
instrument cluster comes on. The message
ESC-SPORT appears in the multifunction
display.
XSwitching off: With the engine running,
press ESP® SPORT switch : briefly.
The ESP® warning lamp d in the
instrument cluster goes out. The message
ESC-ON appears in the multifunction
display.
ESP® SPORT switches off automatically when
you turn off the engine. When starting the
engine, the ESP® is activated automatically.
iVehicle status messages in the
multifunction display (Y page 270) will
refer to the ESP® as ESC.
Switching the ESP® off or on
GWarning!
The ESP® should not be switched off during
normal driving.
Disabling of the system will result in the
following:
Rno restriction to engine torque
Rloss of system-supported traction control
“ESP® OFF” is designed for driving on closed
tracks when the vehicle’s natural oversteer
and understeer characteristics are desired
and requires a highly skilled and experienced
driver able to handle these critical driving
situations.
You could lose control of your vehicle and
cause an accident.
Please be aware of these limits when you
switch off the ESP®.
Do not switch off the ESP® when a spare
wheel is mounted.
To improve the vehicle’s traction, switch off
the ESP®. This allows the drive wheels to spin
and thus cut into surfaces for better grip, for
example
Rwhen driving with snow chains
Rin deep snow
Rin sand or gravel
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GWarning!
Switch on the ESP® immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not apply
anymore. Otherwise the ESP® will not
stabilize the vehicle when it is starting to skid
or a wheel is spinning.
When you switch off the ESP®,
Rthe ESP® will not stabilize the vehicle
Rthe engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and thus cut
into surfaces for better grip
Rthe ETS will still apply the brakes to a
spinning wheel
Rthe ESP® continues to operate when you
are braking hard
Rthe cruise control cannot be activated
Rthe cruise control switches off if activated
iWhen the ESP® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP®
warning lamp d in the instrument
cluster does not flash. The ESP® will then
not stabilize the vehicle.
XSwitching off: With the engine running,
press ESP® SPORT switch : until the
ESP® warning lamp d and the ESP OFF
warning lamp åin the instrument
cluster come on.
The message ESC-OFF appears in the
multifunction display.
iVehicle status messages in the
multifunction display (Y page 270) will
refer to the ESP® as ESC.
GWarning!
When the ESP® warning lamp d and the
ESP® OFF warning lamp å are illuminated
continuously, the ESP® is switched off.
Vehicle stability in standard driving
maneuvers is reduced.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing
road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP®.
! Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP® switched
off. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
XSwitching on: With the engine running,
press ESP® SPORT switch : briefly.
The ESP® warning lamp d and the
ESP® OFF warning lamp å in the
instrument cluster go out. The message
ESC-ON appears in the multifunction
display.
Anti-theft systems
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. The
engine can be started by anyone with a valid
SmartKey that is left inside the vehicle.
Activating
XWith SmartKey: Remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.
XWith KEYLESS-GO: Turn off the engine and
open the driver’s door.
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Vehicle equipment ..............................70
Locking and unlocking .......................70
Starter switch positions .....................77
Seats ....................................................79
Multifunction steering wheel .............84
Mirrors .................................................86
Memory function .................................89
Lighting ................................................90
Wipers ..................................................96
Power windows ...................................98
Driving and parking ..........................101
Manual transmission ........................107
Automatic transmission ...................108
Transfer case ....................................116
Instrument cluster ............................116
Control system ..................................118
Audio system ....................................136
Driving systems ................................180
Climate control system ....................189
Rear window defroster .....................196
Power tilt/sliding sunroof ...............196
Panorama roof with power tilt/
sliding panel ......................................199
Loading and storing ..........................202
Useful features .................................207
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XHave the SmartKey deactivated by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
XReport the loss of the SmartKey or the
mechanical key to your car insurance
company immediately.
XHave the mechanical lock replaced if
necessary.
Any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will be
glad to supply you with a replacement. For
information on replacing the SmartKey, see
“Replacing the SmartKey” (Y page 74).
Replacing the SmartKey
Only you, or someone authorized by you can
order a replacement key from any Mercedes-
Benz Center. In order to do so, the Mercedes-
Benz Center will require proof of identity and
vehicle ownership with original documents,
including the following:
If you are the current owner of the vehicle:
Rthe vehicle’s current state registration
Ra current identity card, passport, or drivers
license
If you are an authorized person:
Rthe vehicle’s current state registration
Ra current identity card, passport, or drivers
license for the authorized individual
Rsigned and dated authorization from the
owner of the vehicle for which the key is
being requested
iDuplicated or photocopied
documentation will not be accepted.
Activating the key
Once you, or an authorized person, has
provided the appropriate documents, the
Mercedes-Benz Center will need to
synchronize the key to your vehicle before it
can be used. In order to do so, the Mercedes-
Benz Center need access to your vehicle.
Opening the doors from the inside
You can open a door from the inside even
when it is locked unless it is secured with the
child safety lock (Y page 59).
Open door only when conditions are safe to
do so.
Example illustration driver’s door
If the vehicle has previously been locked with
the SmartKey or with KEYLESS-GO, opening
a door from the inside will trigger the anti-
theft alarm system.
To cancel the alarm, see (Y page 68).
XFront doors: Pull on inside door
handle ; on the respective front door.
If the door was locked, locking knob : will
move up.
XRear doors: Pull up locking knob on the
respective rear door to unlock door.
XPull on the inside door handle on the
respective rear door.
Automatic central locking
The doors and the trunk lock automatically
when the vehicle is set into motion.
You can open a locked front door from the
inside. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
The doors are designed to unlock
automatically after an accident if the force of
the impact exceeds a preset threshold.
The vehicle locks automatically when the
ignition is switched on and the wheels are
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XInsert the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
into the starter switch (if not inserted
already).
iAllow for 2 seconds until the system has
detected the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button.
XVehicles with manual transmission: Shift
the manual transmission into the neutral
position (no gear selected).
or
XVehicles with automatic transmission: Shift
the automatic transmission into neutral
position N.
XDo not depress the brake pedal.
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
=USA only?Canada only
Position 0
Before you press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button, the vehicle’s on-board electronics
have status 0 (as with SmartKey removed).
Position 1
XPress the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
once.
This supplies power for some electrical
consumers, e.g. wipers.
iWhen you now open the driver’s door, the
power supply is switched off.
Ignition (or position 2) XPress the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
twice.
This supplies power for all electrical
consumers.
When you switch on the ignition, all lamps
in the instrument cluster come on. The low-
beam headlamp indicator lamp, high-beam
headlamp indicator lamp, turn signal
indicator lamps, and the indicator lamps for
the fog lamps will only come on if activated.
If a lamp in the instrument cluster fails to
come on when the ignition is switched on,
have it checked and replaced if necessary.
If a lamp in the instrument cluster remains
on after starting the engine or comes on
while driving, refer to “Lamps in instrument
cluster” (Y page 297).
iWhen you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button once and the driver’s
door is open, the power supply is switched
off.
Seats
Safety notes
GWarning!
In order to avoid possible loss of vehicle
control the following must be done before the
vehicle is put into motion:
Rseat adjustment
Rhead restraint adjustment
Rsteering wheel adjustment
Rrear view mirror adjustment
Rfastening of seat belts
GWarning!
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position as
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