2011 MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS HATCHBACK air condition

cause the drive wheels to los
etheir grip and
the vehicle could skid. G
WARNING
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking.
Downhill gradients You must select a lower gear in good time on
long and steep downhill gradients, especially
if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer. To
do so in vehicles with an automatic transmis-
sion, you will need to select the manual drive
program Min advance (Y page 139).
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to prevent the
vehicle from gaining speed. This relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
i Vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion: if the accelerator pedal is depressed
briefly on downhill gradients while the man-
ual drive program Mis temporarily activa-
ted, the automatic transmission may
switch back to the last active automatic
drive program Eor S.T he automatic trans-
mission may shift to a higher gear. This can
reduce the engine's braking effect.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
Never depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by applying constant slight
pedal pressure. This causes the brake system
to overheat, increases the braking distance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet road surfaces
If driving in heavy rain for a prolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes when brak-
ing for the first time. This may also occur after
the vehicle has been washed.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm
up the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
G
WARNING
The layerofs alt on thebrake discs and the
brake pads/linings may caus eadelay in the
braking effect, resulting in a significantly lon-
ger braking distance, which could lead to an
accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully, without put-
ting other road users at risk, when you are
driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distanc eto the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are removed
from the brake discs. Driving tips
147Driving and parking Z

New brake pads/linings
G
WARNING
New brake pads/linings onl yreach their opti-
mum braking effec tafter several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Before this optimu mbrak-
ing effect is reached, you should compensate
for the reduced braking effect by applying
greater pressure when braking. This also
applies after the brake discs or the brake
pads/linings have been replaced.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to yourv ehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspond to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not
been approved for Mercedes-Benzv ehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety. Tyre traction
G
WARNING
Whereas the vehicle can be fully controlled at
a certain speed on dry roads, you must reduce
your speed on wet or icy roads to achieve the
same road safety. You could otherwise cause
an accident.
Pay particular attention to the road conditions
at temperatures around freezing point.
If ice has formed on the road surface (e.g.
from fog), a thin film of water rapidly forms on
the ice when you brake, considerably reduc-
ing tyre traction. Drive with particular care in
such weather conditions. Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R you are driving at low speeds.
R the tyres have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, do not drive in tyre ruts, and
brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads !
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all
circumstances. You could otherwise dam-
age the engine, the electronics or the trans-
mission.
If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R the maximum permissible still water depth
is 25 cm.
R you should drive no faster than at walking
pace. Winter driving
General notes G
WARNING
If the vehicle becomes trapped in snow,
ensure that snow is kept away from the
exhaust pipe and from around the vehicle as
long as the engine is running. Otherwise, poi-
sonous carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the
vehicle, resulting in loss of consciousness and
even death.
To assure sufficien tfresh air ventilation, open
a window slightly on the side of the vehicle
not facing the wind. 148
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Permanent SPEEDTRONIC
You can use the on-board computer to limit
the speed permanently to avalue between
160 km/h(e.g. for driving on winter tyres) and
the maximum speed ( Ypage 203).
Shortly before the store dspeed is reached, it
appears in the multifunction display.
Permanent SPEEDTRONIC remains active,
even if variable SPEEDTRONIC is deactivated.
You cannot exceed the stored limit speed,
even if you depress the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown). DISTRONIC PLUS
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS is only an aid designed to
assist driving. The driver remains fully respon-
sible for the vehicle's distance from other
vehicles, the vehicle's speed and for braking
in good time.
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react in particular
to:
R pedestrians
R stationary obstacles on the road, e.g. stop-
ped or parked vehicles
R oncoming and crossing traffic
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narro wvehi-
cles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or vehi-
cles driving on a differen tline. Therefore,
always pay attention to traffic conditions even
when DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Other-
wise, you may fail to recognise dangers in
time, cause an accident and injure yourself
and others. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot tak eaccount of road
and traffic conditions. If DISTRONIC doe snot
recognise or no longer recognises the vehicle
in front, do not activate DISTRONIC or, if it is
already active, deactivate it. This is especially
the case:
R before corners
R on filter lanes
R when changing to a lane with faster moving
traffic
R in complex driving situations or where lanes
are diverted, e.g. at roadworks on a motor-
way
DISTRONIC PLUS otherwise maintains the
current speed set by you or accelerates up to
the set speed.
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take account of
weather conditions. Deactivate, or do not
activate, DISTRONIC PLUS:
R if the roads are slippery, snow-covered or
icy. The wheels could lose their grip when
braking or accelerating. The vehicle could
start to skid.
R if the sensors are dirty or there is poor vis-
ibility, e.g. due to snow, rain or fog. Dis-
tance control may be impaired.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even when DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
Otherwise, you may fail to recognise dangers
in time, cause an accident and injure yourself
and others. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle up to a
maximum of 4 m/s 2
depending on its speed.
This corresponds to approximately 40% of
your vehicle's maximum braking power. You
must also apply the brakes yourself if this
braking power is not sufficient.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a risk of collision
with avehicle in front, an intermittent warning
tone sounds. In addition, the ·distance
warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights
up. Brake to avoid a collision. 154
Driving systemsDriving and parking

detected message appears in the multi-
function display.
X If necessary, take a break.
X Press the abutton to confirm the mes-
sage.
On long journeys, take regularb reaks in good
time to allow yourself to rest properly.Ify ou
do not take a break, you will be warned again
after 15 minutes at the earliest. The precon-
dition for this is that ATTENTION ASSIST still
detects typical indicators of fatigue or
increasing lapses in concentration.
ATTENTION ASSIST is reset and starts
assessing your tiredness again when you con-
tinue your journey if:
R you switch off the engine.
R you take off your seat belt and open the
driver's door, e.g. for a change of drivers or
to take a break. Speed Limit Assist
General notes Speed Limit Assist shows you detected speed
limits in the multifunction display .Data from
the navigation system is also used for this
purpose. If a traffic sign indicating a speed
limit or the end of a speed limit is detected,
it is shown in the multifunction display. If
Speed Limit Assist does no tdetec tany traffic
signs, the speed limit from the digital road
map is take nand shown in the display.
Speed Limit Assist detects the traffic signs
with a camera attached behind the top of the
windscreen. :
Speed Limit Assist camera
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Speed Limit Assist is onl yanaid and may
detect speed limit signs incorrectly or not at
all.
The system may be impaired or may not func-
tion if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to snow,
rain, fog or spray.
R there is glare, e.g. from the sun or from
oncoming traffic.
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up or cov-
ered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicinity
of the camera.
R the traffic signs are covered, for instance
by dirt, snow or trees.
R the traffic signs are poorly illuminated.
R there are ambiguous traffic signs, for
instance near roadworks or on multi-lane
roads.
Traffic signs always have priority over the
Speed Limit Assist display. Speed Limit Assist
cannot detect road and traffic conditions. It is
not a substitute for attentive driving.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognise dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others. 176
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Lane Keeping Assist
General notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in
fron tofy our vehicle by means of a camera at
the top of the windscreen .Lane Keeping
Assist detects lane markings on the road and
warns you before you leave your lane unin-
tentionally. :
Lane Keeping Assist camera
If you select km on the on-board computer in
the Display unit Speed-/odometer: function (Y
page 200), Lane Keeping Assist
is active starting at aspeed of 60 km/h. If the
miles display unit is selected, the assistance
range begins at 40 mph.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Lane Keeping Assist does not keep your vehi-
cle in its lane. It is only an aid and may detect
the lane markings on the road incorrectly or
not at all.
The system may be impaired or may not func-
tion if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insuffi-
cient illumination of the road, or due to
snow, rain, fog or spray.
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun, or reflection from other vehicles.
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up or cov-
ered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicinity
of the camera
R several or no lane markings for a single lane
are present. R
the lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow.
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected.
R the lane markings on the road are unclear,
e.g. near roadworks.
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge.
R the road is narrow and winding.
Lane Keeping Assist cannot detect road and
traffic conditions. It is not a substitute for
attentive driving. You are responsible for the
vehicle's speed, braking in good time, and
steering correctly. Always adapt your driving
style to suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions. Always pay attention to traffic
conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise,
you may fail to recognise dangers in time,
cause an acciden tand injure yoursel fand oth-
ers.
A warning may be given if a front wheel
passes ove ralane marking. It will warn you
by means of intermittent vibration in the
steering wheel for up to 1. 5seconds.
Activating Lane Keeping Assist Example: vehicles with automatic transmission
X
Switch on Active Lane Keeping Assist using
the on-board computer; to do so, select
Standard or
Adaptive (Y
page 199).
Symbol :appears in the multifunction
display.
If you drive at speeds above 60 km/h and
lane markings are detected, symbol :is
highlighted. Lane Keeping Assist is ready
for use. 180
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all models
and all standard and optional equipment
available to your vehicle at the time of pub-
lication of the Owner's Manual. Country-
specific deviations are possible. Please
note that your vehicle may not be equipped
with all features described. This also
applies to safety-relevan tsystems and
functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 22).Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only use the on-board computer when road
and traffic conditions permit .You would oth-
erwise be distracted and unable to concen-
trate properly on driving, and could cause an
accident. G
WARNING
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see infor-
mation about your driving conditions, such as
speed, outside temperature, warning and indi-
cator lamps, display messages or system fail-
ures. Driving characteristics may be impaired.
Adjust your driving style and vehicle speed
accordingly.
Contact a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. G
WARNING
The on-board computer only records and dis-
plays malfunctions and warnings from certain
systems. For this reason, you should always
make sure that your vehicle is safe to use. You
could otherwise cause an accident by driving
an unsafe vehicle. G
WARNING
The operating safety of your vehicle could be
affected if maintenance work is carried out
incorrectly. You could lose control of the vehi-
cle and cause an accident .The safety systems
may also no longer be able to protect you or
others as they are designed to do.
Always have maintenance work carried out at
a qualified specialist workshop.
You will find an illustration of the instrument
cluster in the "At a glance" section
(Y page 28). Displays and operation
Coolant temperature gauge
The coolant temperature gauge is in the
instrumentc lusteront he right-hand side.
The reading may rise up to 120 †undernor-
mal driving conditions if the coolant has been
filled correctly.
At high outside temperatures and when driv-
ing uphill, the coolant temperature may rise
to the end of the scale. Rev counter
! Do not drive in the overrevving range.
Doing so will damage the engine.
The red band in the rev counter indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protec tthe
engine when the red band is reached. Outside temperature display
G
WARNING
At temperatures just above freezing point, the
street may be icy, especially in wooded areas
or on bridges. If you do not adapt your driving
style to the conditions, the vehicle could skid.
For this reason, adapt your driving style and
speed to the weather conditions. 188
Displays and operationOn-board computer and displays

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
!
Turn on the igni‐
tion to release
the parking brake The red
!indicato rlamp is lit.
You attempted to release the electric parking brak ewhile the igni-
tion was switched off.
X Turn the key to position 1in the ignition lock. J
Check brake fluid
level There is insufficient brake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir.
In addition, the red
Jwarning lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up and a warning tone sounds.
G WARNING
The braking effect may be impaired.
There is a risk of accident.
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions. Do not continue driving
under any circumstances.
X Engage the electric parking brake.
X Do not top up the brake fluid. Topping up will not remedy the
fault.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. #
Check brake wear The brake pads/linings have reached their wear limit.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. PRE-SAFE
inoperative See
Owner's Manual Important functions of PRE-SAFE
®
have failed. All other occupant
safety systems, e.g. airbags, remain available.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. 212
Display messagesOn-board computer and displays

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
PRE-SAFE
Functions cur‐
rently limited See
Owner's Manual BA
SP LUS is temporarily inoperative. Possible causes:
R the radars ensor system cover in the radiator grille is dirty.
R function is impaired due to heavy rain or snow.
R the sensors in the bumpers are dirty.
R the radar sensor system is temporarily inoperative, e.g. due to
electromagnetic radiation emitted by nearby TV or radio sta-
tions or other sources of electromagnetic radiation.
R the system is outside the operating temperature range.
R the on-board voltage is too low.
If the display message does not disappear:
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Engage the electric parking brake.
X Clean the radar sensor system cover in the radiator grille
(Y page 270).
X Clean the bumpers (Y page 270).
X Restart the engine.
If the system detects that the sensors are fully operational, the
display message disappears.
BASP LUS is operational again. PRE-SAFE
Functions limited
See Owner's Manual BAS PLUS is faulty. The distance warning signal may also have
failed.
X
Visit a qualified specialist workshop. ü If the symbol appears in the multifunction display,
aseat belt
tongue has been inserted into a rear seat belt buckle.
For further information on the status indicator for the rear seat
belts, (Y page 46). ý If the symbol appears in the multifunction display,
aseat belt
tongue has not been inserted in a rear seat belt buckle.
G WARNING
If you do not wear the seat belt correctly, or it is not properly
engaged in the buckle, it no longer offers the intended level of
protection in the event of an accident.
There is an increased risk of injury.
X If necessary, ask the occupants in the rear to fasten their seat
belts.
For further information on the status indicator for the rear seat
belts, (Y page 46). Display messages
213On-board computer and displays Z