2011 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS-CLASS brake

If the ABS malfunctions, the wheels may lock
during hard braking, reducing steering
capability
and extending the braking distance. BAS
G
Observe Safety notes, see page 58.
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.
X Apply continuous full braking pressure until
the emergency braking situation is over.
The ABS will prevent the wheels from
locking.
When you release the brake pedal, the brakes
function again as normal. The BAS is then
deactivated. G
Warning!
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.
For more information on the brake system,
see ( Y page 210). EBP
G
Observe Safety notes, see page 58.
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. G
Warning!
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
® G
Observe Safety notes, see page 58.
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. Driving safety systems
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G
Warning!
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.
! 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 when 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 Distronic system and cruise control
switch off automatically when the ESP ®
engages.
Electronic Traction System (ETS) G
Observe Safety notes, see page 58.
The ETS (Electronic Traction System) is a
component of the ESP ®
. The ETS improves
the vehicle’s ability to utilize available
traction, especially under slippery road conditions by applying the brakes to a
spinning wheel.
Except CLS 63 AMG:
When you switch off the ESP
®
, the ETS is still
enabled.
Switching off the ESP ® Switching off the ESP
®
(except
CLS 63 AMG) G
Warning!
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 G
Warning!
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. 60
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When you switch off the ESP
®
,
R the ESP ®
does not stabilize the vehicle
R the engine output is not limited, which
allows
the drive wheels to spin and thus cut
into surfaces for better grip
R the ETS will still apply the brakes to a
spinning wheel
R the ESP ®
continues to operate when you
are braking
R the cruise control or the Distronic system
cannot be activated
R the cruise control or the Distronic system
switch off if activated
i When 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.
X With the engine running, press ESP ®
switch : until the ESP ®
warning lamp
d in the instrument cluster comes on.
The ESP ®
is switched off. G
Warning!
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. Switching off the ESP
®

(CLS 63 AMG only) G
Warning!
The ESP ®
should not be switched off during
normal driving.
Disabling of the system will result in the
following:
R no restriction to engine torque
R loss 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.
When you switch off the ESP ®
,
R the ESP ®
does not stabilize the vehicle
R the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin
R the ETS will still apply the brakes to a
spinning wheel
R the ESP ®
operates while you are braking
R the cruise control or the Distronic system
cannot be activated
R the cruise control or the Distronic system
switch off if currently activated
i When 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. Driving safety systems
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Starter switch positions
SmartKey
G
Observe Safety notes, see page 52. Starter switch
g
For removing SmartKey (gear selector
lever must be in park position P)
1 Power supply for some electrical
consumers, e.g. wipers
2 Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position
3 Starting position
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, and turn signal
indicator 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 251).
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position 0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the starter switch.
In this case, the steering is locked. To unlock,
remove SmartKey from the starter switch and
reinsert.
The steering is locked when the SmartKey is
removed from the starter switch. X
Always remove the SmartKey from the
starter switch when the engine is not in
operation.
This will help to prevent accelerated vehicle
battery discharge or a completely
discharged vehicle battery.
If the SmartKey cannot be turned in the
starter switch, the vehicle battery may not be
sufficiently charged.
X Check the vehicle battery and charge it if
necessary ( Y page 279).
or
X Get a jump start (Y page 280). KEYLESS-GO
G
Observe Safety notes, see page 52.
Vehicles equipped with the KEYLESS-GO
feature are supplied with a SmartKey with
integrated KEYLESS-GO function.
The SmartKey must be present in the vehicle.
Pressing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
without depressing the brake pedal
corresponds to the various starter switch
positions (Y page 76).
Pressing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
with the brake pedal firmly depressed will
start the engine (Y page 97).
The function of the SmartKey overrules the
KEYLESS-GO function.
X Make sure the automatic transmission is in
park position P.
X Do not depress the brake pedal. 76
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Observe the following points:
R
Adjust the seat backrest until your arms are
slightly angled when holding the steering
wheel.
R Adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely. The
position should be as far back as possible
with the driver still able to operate the
controls properly.
R Adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible. The center of
the head restraint must support the back of
the head at eye level.
R Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being
adjusted.
Failure to do so could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. G
Warning!
The power seats can be operated at any time.
Therefore, do not leave children unattended
in the vehicle, 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. G
Warning!
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
appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child. For additional
information, see “Children in the vehicle”.
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.
G
Warning!
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
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. This will reduce the potential for
injury to the head and neck in the event of an
accident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat head
restraints. Head restraints are intended to
help reduce injuries during an accident. Seat adjustment
! 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.
Power seats i
The memory function (Y page 85) lets
you store the settings for the seat position
together with the settings for the steering
wheel and the exterior rear view mirrors. 78
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L when driving or when traffic and/or
ambient lighting conditions require you to do
so.
In
low ambient lighting 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.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an aid
to the driver. The driver is responsible for the
operation of the vehicle’s lights at all times.
X Switching on: Turn the exterior lamp
switch to position Ã.
The following lamps come on and go out
depending on the brightness of the ambient
light with the SmartKey in starter switch
position 1 or the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button pressed once:
R Tail lamps
R Parking lamps
R License plate lamps
R Side marker lamps
When the engine is running, the low-beam
headlamps will also come on and turn off
automatically.
Canada

only: High-beam headlamps are only
available with the exterior lamp switch in
position L.
Daytime running lamp mode In Canada, the daytime running lamp mode is
mandatory

and therefore in a constant mode.
In the USA, the daytime running lamp mode
is deactivated by default.
X Activate the daytime running lamp mode
using the control system, see “Switching daytime running lamp mode on or off (USA
only)”

(Y page 121).
X Turn the exterior lamp switch to position
$ or Ã.
When the engine is running, the low-beam
headlamps come on.
In low ambient lighting conditions, the
following lamps will come on additionally:
R
Tail lamps
R Parking lamps
R License plate lamps
R Side marker lamps
With the daytime running lamp mode
activated
and the engine running, you cannot
switch off the low-beam headlamps manually.
Canada only
With the exterior lamp switch in position
$ or Ã, you cannot switch on the
high-beam headlamps.
The high-beam flasher is available at all times.
X For nighttime driving turn the exterior lamp
switch

to position L to permit activation
of the high-beam headlamps.
When the engine is running, and you
R shift from a driving position to park
position P

with the vehicle at a standstill or
the parking brake is engaged, the low-beam
headlamps will go out with a delay of
3 minutes
R turn the exterior lamp switch to position
T, the low-beam headlamps, the tail
and parking lamps, the license plate lamps
and the side marker lamps come on
R turn the exterior lamp switch to position
L, the manual headlamp mode has
priority over the daytime running lamp
mode
The corresponding exterior lamps come on
(Y page 87). 88
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For information on filling up the washer
reservoir,
see “Washer system and headlamp
cleaning system” ( Y page 181).
For information on cleaning the headlamps
with washer fluid, see “Headlamp cleaning
system” ( Y page 90). Problems with wipers
! If anything blocks the windshield wipers
(leaves, snow, etc.), switch them off
immediately.
For

safety reasons, do the following before
attempting to remove any blockage:
R Stop the vehicle in a safe location.
R Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
or
R Turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button and
open the driver’s door (with the driver’s
door open, starter switch is in position
0, same as with SmartKey removed from
starter switch).
R Engage the parking brake.
R Remove blockage.
R Turn the windshield wipers on again.
If the windshield wipers fail to function at
all with the combination switch in position
Ä or Å,
R set the combination switch to the next
higher wiper speed
R have the windshield wipers checked at
the nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center Power windows
Opening and closing
The door windows are opened and closed
electrically.

The switches for all door windows
are located on the driver’s door control panel. The switches for the respective door windows
are located on the front passenger door and
on the rear doors.
i
Operating the rear door windows from
the rear is not possible when you activate
the override switch (Y page 56). G
Observe Safety notes, see page 52. G
Warning!
When opening or closing the door windows,
make
sure there is no danger of anyone being
harmed by the opening/closing procedure.
The door windows are equipped with the
express operation and automatic reversal
function. If in express operation mode a door
window encounters an obstruction that
blocks its path, the automatic reversal
function will stop the door window and open
it slightly.
The door windows operate differently when
the switch is pulled and held. See the “Closing
when a door window is blocked” section in
this chapter for details.
The closing of the 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.
If a door window encounters an obstruction
that blocks its path in a circumstance where
you are closing the door windows by pressing
and holding button & on the SmartKey or
by pressing and holding the lock button
(vehicles with KEYLESS-GO) on an outside
door handle, the automatic reversal function
will not operate.
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.
i You can also open or close the door
windows using the SmartKey, see
“Summer opening feature” ( Y page 96)94
Power windows
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carpets in the footwell, make sure the pedals
still have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between or
under the pedals. You could then no longer
brake or accelerate. This could lead to
accidents and injury.
G
Warning!
With the engine not running, there is no power
assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the
vehicle. Adapt your driving accordingly. Starting the engine
G
Warning!
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your
health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause
unconsciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas (such
as a garage) which are not properly ventilated.
If you think that exhaust gas fumes are
entering the vehicle while driving, have the
cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one
window fully open at all times. Automatic transmission Gearshift pattern for automatic transmission
j
Park position with gear selector lever lock
k Reverse gear
i Neutral position
h Drive position
For more information, see “Automatic
transmission” (Y page 101).
X Make sure the automatic transmission is in
park position P.
With SmartKey X
Do not depress the accelerator pedal.
X Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 3 (Y page 76) and release it.
The engine starts automatically.
With KEYLESS-GO G
Warning!
As long as the SmartKey is in your vehicle, the
vehicle can be started. Therefore, never leave
children unattended in the vehicle, as they
could otherwise accidentally start the engine.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Do
not leave children unattended in the vehicle,
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. Driving and parking
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