your seat belt. The air bags can only protect
as intended if the occupants are properly
wearing their seat belts.
G
Warning!
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide under
the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under
it, the seat belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. That could cause serious
or even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and
seat belt provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a position that is as upright as
possible and the seat belt is properly
positioned on the body. G
Warning!
Never let more people ride in the vehicle than
there are seat belts available. Make sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly
restrained with a separate seat belt. Never
use
a seat belt for more than one person at a
time. G
Warning!
Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been
subjected to stress in an accident must
be replaced. Also, the seat belt anchoring
points must be checked.
Only use seat belts which have been approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
Do not make any modifications to the seat
belts. This can lead to unintended activation
of the ETDs or to their failure to activate when
necessary.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Have all work carried out only by qualified
technicians. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Proper use of seat belts G
Warning!
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY
R Seat belts can only protect when used
properly.
Never wear seat belts in any other
way than as described in this section, as
that could result in serious injuries in case
of an accident.
R Each occupant should wear their seat belt
at all times, because seat belts help reduce
the likelihood of and potential severity of
injuries in accidents, including rollovers.
The integrated restraint system includes
SRS (driver front air bag, driver side knee
bag, front passenger front air bag, side
impact air bags, window curtain air bags for
door windows), Emergency Tensioning
Devices (ETDs), seat belt force limiters, and
front seat knee bolsters.
The system is designed to enhance the
protection offered to properly belted
occupants in certain frontal (front air bags,
driver’s side knee bag, and ETDs) and side
(side impact air bags, window curtain air
bags, and ETDs) impacts which exceed
preset deployment thresholds and in
certain rollovers (window curtain air bags
and ETDs).
R Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, against your neck or off your shoulder.
In a frontal crash, your body would move
too far forward. That would increase the
chance of head and neck injuries. The seat
belt would also apply too much force to the
ribs or abdomen, which could severely
injure internal organs such as your liver or
spleen.
Adjust the seat belt so that the shoulder
section is located as close as possible to
the middle of the shoulder. It should not
touch the neck. Never pass the shoulder
portion of the seat belt under your arm. For
this purpose, you can adjust the height of
the seat belt outlet. 46
Occupant safety
Safety and security
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe,
Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 46
If you and/or your passenger release the
seat belt during driving, the seat belt
telltale
7 starts flashing and the
warning
chime sounds as described before.
If the driver’s or the front passenger’s seat
belt remains unfastened after 60 seconds,
the warning chime stops sounding, the seat
belt telltale 7 stops flashing but
continues to be illuminated.
After a vehicle standstill, the warning chime
is reactivated and the seat belt telltale
7 is flashing again if the vehicle speed
once exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h).
The seat belt telltale 7 will only go out if
both the driver’s and the front passenger’s
seat belt (with the front passenger seat
occupied) are fastened, or the vehicle is
standing still and a front door is opened.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(Y page 253).
Emergency Tensioning Device (ETD),
seat belt force limiter The seat belts for the front seats and rear
outer
seats are equipped with ETDs and seat
belt force limiters.
The ETDs are designed to activate in the
following cases:
R in frontal or rear-end impacts exceeding
the system’s preset deployment threshold
R in side impacts exceeding the system’s
preset deployment threshold on the far
side of the impact
R in certain vehicle rollovers
R if the restraint systems are operational and
functioning correctly, see “SRS indicator
lamp” (Y page 36)
The ETDs for the front seats will only activate
if the front seat belts are fastened (latch plate
properly inserted into buckle).
The ETDs for the rear outer seats will activate
with or without the respective seat belts
fastened. In an impact, the ETDs remove slack from the
seat
belts in such a way that the seat belts fit
more snugly against the body. Seat belt force
limiters, when activated, are employed to
help reduce the peak force exerted by the
seat belts on occupants during a crash.
i The ETDs do not correct an incorrect seat
position or incorrectly worn seat belts.
The ETDs do not pull occupants back
toward the seat backrest. G
Warning!
Pyrotechnic ETDs that were activated must be
replaced.
For your safety, when disposing of the
pyrotechnic ETDs always follow our safety
instructions. These are available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Automatic comfort-fit feature seat belt An automatic comfort-fit feature for the front
seats
reduces the retracting force of the seat
belts when they are in normal use. Preventive occupant safety (PRE-
SAFE
®
) G
Warning!
The PRE-SAFE ®
system is intended to reduce
the effects of an accident on vehicle
occupants who are wearing their seat belt
properly. Despite your vehicle being equipped
with the PRE-SAFE ®
system, the possibility of
personal injuries occurring as a result of an
accident cannot be eliminated. Therefore,
always drive carefully and adjust your driving
to the prevailing road, weather, and traffic
conditions. Occupant safety
49
Safety and security
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe, Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 49 Z
The PRE-SAFE
®
system takes preventive
measures to better protect the occupants
from
the possibility of personal injuries in the
following hazardous situations:
R emergency braking situations, e.g. if the
Brake Assist System (BAS) ( Y page 59) is
activated
R critical dynamic driving situations, e.g.
when the vehicle has been caused to
understeer or oversteer because it has
exceeded its physical limitations or in case
of evasive steering maneuvers at speeds
above approximately 85 mph (140 km/h)
The PRE-SAFE ®
system takes the following
measures when it is activated:
R The front seat belts are pre-tensioned
automatically.
R If the front passenger seat is in an
unfavorable position, the seat will be
adjusted to a position that seeks to better
protect the occupant.
R If the vehicle is in a critical dynamic driving
situation, the door windows and the tilt/
sliding sunroof also closes, except for a
minimal gap that remains open.
If the closing procedure of any of these
elements is blocked, it will stop and open
slightly.
Once the hazardous situation no longer exists
and an accident has been avoided, the seat
belt pre-tensioning is deactivated. All of the
PRE-SAFE ®
system settings can be re-
adjusted following the critical driving event.
If the seat belts do not release:
X Adjust the seat backrest or seat slightly to
the rear until the seat belt tension is
reduced.
The locking mechanism releases.
! When moving the seats, make sure there
are no items in the footwell or behind the
seats. Otherwise, you could damage the
seats and/or the items. NECK-PRO active front head
restraints
The NECK-PRO active front head restraints
are intended to offer the driver and front
passenger increased protection from
whiplash-type injuries. In the event of a rear-
end
collision, the NECK-PRO active front head
restraints on the front seats are designed to
move forward in the direction of travel. They
thus provide the head with increased support
earlier on in the collision sequence. The
NECK-PRO active front head restraints will
move forward whether the seats are occupied
or not. G
Warning!
Do not attach any objects (e.g. hangers) to the
head restraint posts. Otherwise, the NECK-
PRO active front head restraints may not be
able
to function properly or offer the intended
degree of protection they were designed for
in the event of a rear-end collision. G
Warning!
Only use seat or head restraint covers which
have
been tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz for your vehicle model.
Using other seat or head restraint covers may
interfere with or prevent the activation of the
NECK-PRO active front head restraints and/
or the deployment of the front side impact air
bags.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for availability.
When the NECK-PRO active front head
restraints have been triggered in an accident,
the NECK-PRO active front head restraints
must be reset. Otherwise, the NECK-PRO
active front head restraints cannot offer any
additional protection in the event of another
rear-end collision.
For information on resetting the activated
NECK-PRO active front head restraints, see
“Resetting activated head restraints”
(Y page 264). 50
Occupant safety
Safety and security
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe,
Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 50
affecting the window before trying to shut
the door.
X Rear doors: Pull up locking knob on the
respective rear door to unlock door.
X Pull on the inside door handle on the
respective rear door. Automatic central locking
You can switch the automatic central locking
on or off using the control system
(Y page 123).
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
turning at a vehicle speed of above 9 mph
(15 km/h). You could therefore lock yourself
out when the vehicle is pushed or towed or is
on a test stand. Locking and unlocking from the inside
G
Observe Safety notes, see page 52.
You can lock or unlock the vehicle from the
inside using the central locking or unlocking
switch. This can be useful, for example, if you
want to lock the vehicle before starting to
drive.
The central locking or unlocking switch does
not lock or unlock the fuel filler flap. X
Locking: Press central locking switch ;.
When all doors are closed, the vehicle
locks.
X Unlocking: Press central unlocking
switch :.
You can open a locked front door from the
inside. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
If the vehicle was previously locked with the
central locking switch
R and the SmartKey is set to factory settings,
the complete vehicle is unlocked when a
front door is opened from the inside
R and the SmartKey is set to selective
settings, only the front door opened from
the inside is unlocked
If the vehicle has been locked centrally with
the SmartKey or with KEYLESS-GO, it will not
unlock using the central unlocking switch. Opening the trunk
G
Warning!
Make sure the trunk is closed when the engine
is running and while driving. Among other
dangers, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases
may enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
! When you open the trunk, the trunk lid
swings open upwards. Always make sure
there is sufficient overhead clearance. Locking and unlocking
71Controls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe, Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 71 Z
ignition is switched on and incoming light
from headlamps falls on the sensor in the
interior rear view mirror.
The rear view mirrors will not react if the
automatic transmission is set to reverse gear
R or the interior lighting is switched on.
G
Warning!
The auto dimming function does not react if
incoming light is not aimed directly at sensors
in the interior rear view mirror.
The interior rear view mirror and the exterior
rear view mirror on the driver’s side do not
react, for example, if the rear window
sunshade is in raised position.
Light hitting the mirror(s) at certain angles
(incident light) could blind you. As a result,
you may not be able to observe traffic
conditions and could cause an accident. Exterior rear view mirror parking
position
To assist during parking maneuvers, you can
set the passenger-side exterior rear view
mirror so that you can see the rear wheel and
the road curb.
Setting and storing the parking position X
Switch on the ignition.
X Press button :, to select the passenger-
side exterior rear view mirror. X
Shift the automatic transmission into
reverse gear R.
The passenger-side exterior rear view
mirror moves to the preset parking
position.
X Adjust the passenger-side exterior rear
view mirror with adjustment button ; so
that you see the rear wheel and the road
curb.
X Press memory button M ? and within
3 seconds, press one of the arrows of
adjustment button ;.
The parking position is stored if the exterior
rear view mirror does not move.
Calling up the parking position X
Switch on the ignition.
X Press button :, to select the passenger-
side exterior rear view mirror.
X Shift the automatic transmission into
reverse gear R.
The passenger-side exterior rear view
mirror moves to the stored parking
position.
The passenger-side exterior rear view mirror
returns to its previously stored driving
position
R 10 seconds after you have put the gear
selector lever out of reverse gear R
R immediately once your vehicle exceeds a
speed of approximately 6 mph (10 km/h)
R immediately when you press button = to
select the driver’s side exterior rear view
mirror Memory function
Notes
With the memory function you can store up
to three different configurations per front
seat. Memory function
85Controls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe, Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 85 Z
USA only
You can only switch on the high-beam
headlamps in low ambient lighting conditions.
The high-beam flasher is available at all times.
X
For nighttime driving turn the exterior lamp
switch to position L or à to permit
activation of the high-beam headlamps.
When the engine is running, and you turn the
exterior lamp switch to position T or
L, the manual headlamp mode has
priority over the daytime running lamp mode.
The corresponding exterior lamps come on
(Y page 87).
Fog lamps Fog lamps cannot be switched on with the
exterior lamp switch in position Ã.
G
Warning!
In low ambient lighting or foggy conditions,
only switch from position à to L with
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from à to L will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions may
result in an accident.
Fog lamps will operate with the parking lamps
and/or the low-beam headlamps on. Fog
lamps should only be used in conjunction with
low-beam headlamps. Consult your State or
Province Motor Vehicle Regulations
regarding permissible lamp operation.
X Switch on the ignition.
X Turn the exterior lamp switch to position
T or L (Y page 87).
X Switching on front fog lamps: Pull out the
exterior lamp switch to first stop.
The green indicator lamp N in the
exterior lamp switch comes on. X
Switching on rear fog lamp: Pull out the
exterior lamp switch to second stop.
The rear fog lamp, the front fog lamps, the
green N and the yellow indicator lamp
R in the exterior lamp switch come on.
X Switching off front fog lamps/rear fog
lamp: Push in the exterior lamp switch to
its stop.
Locator lighting and night security
illumination Locator lighting and night security
illumination are described in the “Control
system” section, see “Switching locator
lighting on or off” (Y page 121) and
“Switching night security illumination
(Headlamps delayed shut-off feature) on or
off” (Y page 122). Combination switch
Turn signals
X
Press the combination switch in direction
of arrow ; or ?.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lamp ! or # in the instrument
cluster flashes.
The combination switch resets automatically
after major steering wheel movements. Lighting
89Controls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe, Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 89 Z
To signal minor directional changes:
X
Press the combination switch only to the
point of resistance in direction of
arrow ; or ? and release.
The corresponding turn signal lamps will
flash three times.
High beam X
Turn the exterior lamp switch to position
L (Y page 87).
X Switching on: Push the combination
switch in direction of arrow :.
The high-beam headlamp indicator lamp
K in the instrument cluster comes on.
X Switching off: Pull the combination switch
in direction of arrow = to its original
position.
i Also note the information on high-beam
headlamps with activated automatic
headlamp mode (Y page 87) or the daytime
running lamp mode ( Y page 88).
High-beam flasher X
Switching on: Pull the combination switch
briefly in direction of arrow =.Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher can be switched
on at all times, even with the SmartKey
removed from the starter switch.
The hazard warning flasher comes on
automatically when an air bag deploys. The hazard warning flasher switch is located
on the center console. X
Switching on: Press hazard warning
flasher switch :.
All turn signal lamps are flashing.
i With the hazard warning flasher activated
and the combination switch set for either
left or right turn, only the respective left or
right turn signals will operate when the
ignition is switched on.
X Switching off: Press hazard warning
flasher switch : again.
i If the hazard warning flasher has been
activated automatically, press hazard
warning flasher switch : to switch it off. Headlamp cleaning system
The headlamps will be cleaned with a high-
pressure water jet automatically when the
engine is running and you have
R switched on the headlamps
and
R the windshield wipers have wiped the
windshield with washer fluid five times
The counter resets when you switch off the
ignition.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Washer system and headlamp
cleaning system” ( Y page 181).90
LightingControls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe,
Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 90
G
Warning!
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see
information about your driving conditions,
such as
R speed
R outside temperature
R warning/indicator lamps
R malfunction/warning messages
R failure of any systems
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, do so with added
caution. Contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center as soon as possible. :
Reset button
For information on changing the instrument
cluster settings, e.g. the language, see
(Y page 119). Activating the instrument cluster
The instrument cluster is activated when you
R open a front door
R switch on the ignition
R press reset button :
R switch on the exterior lamps Adjusting the instrument cluster
illumination
X To brighten illumination: Turn reset
button : clockwise until the desired level
of illumination is reached.
X To dim illumination: Turn reset
button : counterclockwise until the
desired level of illumination is reached.
i The instrument cluster illumination is
dimmed or brightened automatically to suit
ambient light conditions.
The instrument cluster illumination will also
be adjusted automatically when you switch
on the vehicle’s exterior lamps. Coolant temperature indicator
G
Warning!
Driving when your engine is overheated can
cause some fluids which may have leaked into
the engine compartment to catch fire. You
could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns which can occur just by opening
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of the
vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle until
the engine has cooled down.
During severe operating conditions, e.g. stop-
and-go traffic, the coolant temperature may
rise close to 248‡ (120†).
! Excessive coolant temperature triggers a
warning in the multifunction display and the
red coolant temperature warning
lamp ? in the instrument cluster comes
on.
The engine should not be operated with a
coolant temperature above 248‡ (120†).
Doing so may cause serious engine damage
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty. Instrument cluster
109Controls in detail
219_AKB; 4; 54, en-US
d2ureepe, Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-11T16:21:02+02:00 - Seite 109 Z