2011 MERCEDES-BENZ CL-Class ESP

It may be best to deactivate ESP®
in the
following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravelGWarning!
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 deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of
the wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ warning lamp in the
instrument cluster flashes. In such situations,
ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
XTo deactivate: (Y page 339).
The å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.GWarning
When the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp is lit,
ESP ®
is deactivated.
If the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp and the
å ESP®
OFF warning lamp remain lit,
ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunction.
When ESP ®
is deactivated or not operational,
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 a drive wheel for an
extended period with ESP ®
switched off.
This could cause serious damage to the
drive train.XTo activate: (Y page 339).
The å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
EBD (Electronic Brake force
Distribution)
GWarning
Observe "Important safety notes"
( Y page 61).
EBD monitors and controls the brake
pressure on the rear wheels to improve
driving stability while braking.
GWarning
If the EBD 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.
Adaptive Brake
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In
addition to the braking function, ADAPTIVE
BRAKE also has the HOLD function
( Y page 303) and hill start assist
( Y page 270). For further information, see
Driving tips ( Y page 288).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (vehicles with
DISTRONIC PLUS)
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize
the risk of a frontal collision with a vehicle
Driving safety systems65SafetyZ

ahead or to reduce the effects of such a
collision.
At speeds above approximately 20 mph
(30 km/h) , this function warns you when you
are rapidly approaching the vehicle in front.
An intermittent warning tone sounds and the
· distance warning lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving conditions may cause the
system to display an unnecessary warning.
At speeds of above approximately 20 mph
(30 km/h) , if the driver and passengers have
fastened their seat belts, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
can:
R brake the vehicle automatically at speeds
ranging up to approximately 112 mph
(180 km/h)
R trigger preventative occupant protection
measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) ( Y page 51)GWarning!
An intermittent warning sounds and the
distance warning lamp · in the instrument
cluster is illuminated if the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
calculates that the distance to the vehicle
ahead and your vehicle's current speed
indicate that the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will not be
capable of slowing the vehicle sufficiently to
maintain the preset following distance, which
creates a danger of a collision.
Immediately brake your vehicle to increase
the distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle driving in front of you. The warning
sound is intended as a final caution that you
have not interceded with your own braking
inputs to avoid a potentially dangerous
situation. Do not wait for the operation of the
warning signal to intercede with your own
braking, as that will result in potentially
dangerous emergency braking which will not
always result in an impact being avoided.
Tailgating increases the risk of an accident.
GWarning!
The PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is a convenience
system designed to assist the driver during
vehicle operation. The responsibility for the
vehicle speed and the distance to the vehicle
ahead, including most importantly brake
operation to assure safe stopping distance,
always remains with the driver.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even while the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is switched
on. Otherwise, you may not be able to
recognize dangerous situations until it is too
late and could cause an accident resulting in
personal or fatal injury to you or others.
i USA only: this device has been approved
by the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System".
The radar sensor system is intended for use
in an automotive radar system only.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties, and is not
permitted by the FCC. Do not tamper with
the device in any way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
i Canada only: this device complies with
RSS-210 from Industry Canada. Operation
is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,
and
2. This device must withstand any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties, and is not
permitted. Do not tamper with the device
in any way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
With the help of the radar sensor system,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect obstacles that
are in front of your vehicle for an extended
66Driving safety systemsSafety

period of time. If you approach an obstacle
and PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects a risk of a
collision, the system will initially alert you
both visually and acoustically. If you yourself
do not brake or steer, the vehicle will
automatically brake slightly. In the event of
an increased risk of a collision, PRE-SAFE ®
is
activated ( Y page 51).GWarning!
The PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will only respond with
brake assistance if it has clearly detected an
object. Detection can be impeded by:
R dirty or covered sensors
R snowfall or heavy rain
R disturbance from other radar sources
R strong radar reflection such as in parking
garages
The PRE-SAFE ®
Brake uses radar signals that
are not reflected well by narrow objects and
absorptive materials. For this reason the PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake will not react to persons,
animals, and approaching traffic or cross-
traffic.
The PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front of you, such as
motorcycles and vehicles driving offset from
your vehicle center.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance
to the vehicle in front and thus prevent a
collision, you must apply the brakes yourself.
At speeds up to approximately 40 mph
( 70 km/h), PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also detect
stationary obstacles, for example stopped or
parked vehicles.
GWarning!
If you do not receive visual or acoustic
warning signals, the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may
R not have recognized the collision risk
R have been deactivated
R be malfunctioning
Apply the brakes yourself to avoid a collision.
XTo activate/deactivate: activate or
deactivate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-
board computer ( Y page 340).
After activation, the Ä symbol is
displayed on the left in the instrument
cluster.
For PRE-SAFE ®
Brake to assist you when
driving, the radar sensor system must be
switched on and operational.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not always detect
complex traffic situations properly. You can
terminate the braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in a non-critical driving situation at any
time if:
R an acoustic and visual warning occurs
R the vehicle brakes gently
To end this, you can either depress the
accelerator pedal further, activate kickdown
or release the brake pedal.
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you maneuver to avoid the obstacle
R you drive slower than approximately 9 mph
(15 km/h)
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle
R there is no longer any danger of a collision
i While DISTRONIC PLUS is activated, PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake remains passive.
Following a collision or collision-related
damage to the front end of the vehicle, have
the configuration and operation of the radar
sensors checked. Choose a qualified
specialist workshop for this that has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools for
the work required. Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you use an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for this purpose.
Driving safety systems67SafetyZ

GWarning
Batteries contain toxic and caustic
substances. For this reason, keep batteries
out of the reach of children.
If a battery has been swallowed, seek medical
help immediately.
GWarning
The SmartKey batteries contain perchlorate
material, which may require special handling
and regard for the environment. Observe
government disposal guidelines. California
residents, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/
index.cfm .
Checking the battery
XPress the & or % button.
The SmartKey battery is working properly if
battery charge indicator lamp : lights up
briefly.
If battery charge indicator lamp : does not
light up briefly during the test, the SmartKey
battery is discharged.
XReplace the SmartKey battery
( Y page 76).
i
You can obtain a SmartKey battery at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
i If the SmartKey battery is checked within
signal range of the vehicle, pressing the
& or % button results in the vehicle
being locked or unlocked respectively.
Changing the battery
You require a CR 2025 3 V cell battery.
XTake the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey ( Y page 75).XPress mechanical key ; into the opening
in the SmartKey in the direction of the
arrow until battery tray cover : opens. Do
not hold the cover closed while doing so.XRemove the cover of the battery tray.XRepeatedly tap the SmartKey against your
palm until battery = falls out.XInsert the new battery with the positive
pole facing upwards. Use a lint-free cloth to
do so.XInsert the front tabs of the battery tray's
cover first and then press to close it.XCheck the function of all SmartKey buttons
on the vehicle.76SmartKeyOpening and closing

Power closing feature
The power closing feature pulls the doors and
trunk lid into their locks automatically even if
they are only partly closed.
GWarning
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door or
trunk opening when closing a door or the
trunk lid. Be especially careful when small
children are around.
If danger threatens, pull the inside or outside
door handle, or pull the trunk lid handle.
To prevent personal injury, never activate the
closing assist mechanism by tampering with
the door or trunk lid latch.
GWarning
Only drive with the doors closed. Otherwise,
one or more of the doors could open while the
vehicle is in motion, putting you and/or
others at risk.
GWarning
Make sure the trunk lid is closed when the
engine is running and while driving. Among
other dangers, deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
gases may enter the vehicle interior resulting
in unconsciousness and death.
XPower closing feature (doors): push the
door past the first detent position of the
lock.
The power closing feature will pull the door
fully closed.
XPower closing feature (trunk lid): lightly
push the trunk lid closed.
The power closing feature will pull the trunk
lid fully closed.
Unlocking the driver's door
(mechanical key)
If the vehicle can no longer be unlocked
centrally with the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO:
XTake the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Y page 75).
XInsert the mechanical key into the lock of
the driver's door as far as it will go.
XFirmly turn the mechanical key counter-
clockwise as far as it will go to position
1 and hold it in this position.
XPull the door handle quickly.
The locking knob pops up.
The door is unlocked.
XTurn the mechanical key back and remove
it.
XPull the door handle again.
Locking the vehicle
If the vehicle can no longer be locked
centrally with the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO:
If the SmartKey is faulty, you can lock the
doors and the trunk by taking the following
steps. If the central locking in the vehicle is
malfunctioning, you cannot lock the trunk.
XOpen the front-passenger door.XClose the driver's door and the trunk lid.XPress down the locking knob of the driver's
door inside the vehicle.
XPress down the locking knob of the open
front-passenger door.
iMake sure that you have the SmartKey on
your person and that it has not been left in
the vehicle.
80DoorsOpening and closing

Opening and closing manually
Opening
You can only open the trunk lid after
unlocking it first.
XPress the % button on the SmartKey.XPull handle :.
Closing
GWarning
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the trunk
opening when closing the trunk lid. Be
especially careful when small children are
around.
XPull the trunk lid down using recess :.XLock the vehicle if necessary with
the & button on the SmartKey or with
KEYLESS-GO (Y page 73).
Automatic opening and closing from
the outside
Important safety guidelines
GWarning
Make sure the trunk lid is closed when the
engine is running and while driving. Among
other dangers, deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
gases may enter the vehicle interior resulting
in unconsciousness and death.
! The trunk lid swings upwards when
opened. Therefore, make sure that there is
sufficient clearance above the trunk lid.
For the trunk lid to be opened fully, there must
be a minimum clearance from floor to ceiling
of 5.90 ft (1.80 m).
Opening
You can open the trunk lid with the SmartKey.
XPress and hold the F button on the
SmartKey until the trunk lid opens.
Closing
GWarning!
Monitor the closing procedure carefully to
make sure no one is in danger of being
injured. To prevent possible personal injury,
always keep hands and fingers away from the
trunk opening when closing the trunk lid. Be
especially careful when small children are
around. To stop the closing procedure, do one
of the following:
RPress button F on the SmartKey.
RPress the remote trunk opening/closing
switch (on the driver's door).
RPress the trunk closing switch.
RPress the KEYLESS-GO locking/closing
switch.
RPull the trunk lid handle.
Even with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-
GO removed from the vehicle, the remote
82TrunkOpening and closing

Side windows
Important safety notes
GWarning
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, and do not give them access
to an unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. They could:
R injure themselves on vehicle parts
R be seriously or fatally injured by extreme
heat or cold
R injure themselves or have an accident with
vehicle equipment that may still be in
operation even after the SmartKey has
been removed from the ignition, such as the
seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment or memory function.
If children open a door, they could cause
severe or even fatal injury to other persons; if
they get out of the vehicle, they could injure
themselves when doing so or be seriously or
even fatally injured by any passing 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 a child could be burned on these
parts.
GWarning
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment unless they are
firmly secured in place.
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
GWarning
When opening or closing the door windows,
make sure that there is no danger of anyone
being harmed by the opening/closing
procedure.
The front door windows are equipped with
automatic operation and the anti-entrapment
feature. If in automatic mode a front door
window encounters an obstruction that
blocks its path, the anti-entrapment feature
will stop the door window and open it slightly.
The door windows operate differently when
the switch is pulled. See the "Problems with
door windows" section for details.
The closing of the front door windows can be
immediately halted by releasing the switch or,
if the switch was pulled past the resistance
point and released, by either pressing or
pulling the respective switch.
The closing of the rear side windows can be
immediately halted by releasing the switch.
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 door window
opening.
GWarning!
Do not keep any part of your body up against
the window pane when opening a window. The
downward motion of the pane may pull that
part of your body down between the window
pane and the door frame and trap it there. If
there is a risk of entrapment, release the
switch and pull it to close the window.
Side windows85Opening and closingZ

Opening and closing the side
windows
:Front left;Front right=Rear right?Rear left
The switches for all side windows are located
on the driver's door. There is also a switch on
the front-passenger door as well as on the
doors in the rear compartment on the left and
right-hand sides for the respective side
window.
iIt is not possible to operate the door
windows from the rear compartment when
the override feature is activated for the
door windows.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 1 in the
ignition lock.
XTo open: press the corresponding switch.XTo close: pull the corresponding switch.
iYou can start automatic operation when
opening and closing the front door windows
and when opening the rear door windows.
To do so, briefly press or pull the switch to
just beyond the point of resistance in the
relevant direction. You can stop automatic
operation by pressing or pulling again.
iYou can continue to operate the side
windows after you switch off the engine.
This function remains active for five
minutes or until one of the doors is opened.
Convenience opening
You can ventilate the vehicle before you start
driving. To do this, you can use the SmartKey
to simultaneously:
Ropen the side windows
Ropen the sliding sunroof
Rswitch on the seat ventilation of the driver's
seat
iThe convenience opening feature can
only be operated using the SmartKey. The
SmartKey must be close to the driver's
door handle.
XPoint the tip of the SmartKey at the driver's
door handle.
XUnlock the vehicle by pressing the %
button.
XPress and hold the % button until the
side windows and the sliding sunroof are in
the desired position.
XTo interrupt the convenience opening:
release the % button.
Convenience closing
General information
When you lock the vehicle, you can
simultaneously:
Rclose the side windows
Rclose the sliding sunroof
GWarning
When closing the door windows and the
sliding sunroof, make sure that there is no
danger of anyone being harmed by the closing
procedure.
If potential danger exists, proceed as follows:
RRelease the & button to stop the closing
procedure. To open, press and hold the
% button. To continue the closing
procedure after making sure that there is
no danger of anyone being harmed by the
86Side windowsOpening and closing