2011 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS CABRIOLET traction control

Drinks holder
see Cup holders
Drive program
Automati c...................................... 157
Display ........................................... 155
Manual .......................................... .158
Driver's door
see Door
Driver's seat
see Seats
Driv esystem
Active Blind Spot Assist .................199
Driving abroad
Service24h .................................... 285
Symmetrical dipped bea m............. 114
Driving on flooded roads ..................168
Driving safety system BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS) .............................................. .62
Electroni cBrake-force Distribu-
tio n.................................................. 65
ESP ®
(Electroni cStability Pro-
gram) ............................................... 64
Important safety guidelines .............61
Driving safety systems
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) .......62
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ............................. 66
Adaptive brake lamps ......................63
BAS (Brake Assist System) ..............62
ETS (Electroni cTraction System) .....64
Overview .......................................... 61
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake ............................ .66
Driving system
Active Lan eKeepin gAssist. ........... 202
Driving systems
Active Driving Assistance pack-
age ................................................. 199
ATTENTION ASSIST ........................194
Blind Spot Assist ............................ 196
Cruise control ................................ 169
Display message ............................ 244
Distronic Plu s................................ 171
Dynami chandlin gpackage with
sports mod e.................................. 183
HOLD function ............................... 184
Lane Keeping Assist ......................198
Lane package ................................ 196Parking Guidance ........................... 189
Parktroni
c...................................... 185
Reversing camera ..........................192
Speed Limi tAssist ......................... 195
Speedtronic ................................... 180
Driving tips
Aquaplaning ................................... 168
Automatic transmission .................155
Brakes ........................................... 167
DISTRONI CPLUS ........................... 179
Downhill gradient ........................... 167
Driving abroad ............................... 114
Driving in winter ............................ .168
Driving on flooded road s................ 168
Driving on wet road s...................... 168
General .......................................... 166
Icy road surfaces ........................... 169
Limited braking efficiency on sal-
ted road s....................................... 167
New brake pads/linings ................168
Running-in tips ............................... 146
Snow chains .................................. 320
Symmetrical dipped bea m............. 114
Towing atrailer .............................. 204
Tyr egrip ........................................ 168
Wet road surface ........................... 167
DVD audio (on-board computer) ......220
Dynamic handling package with
sports mode ....................................... 183 E
EASY-ENTRY feature .........................104
Activating/deactivating .................230
Function/notes ............................. 108
EASY-EXIT feature
Crash-responsive ........................... 109
Function/notes ............................. 108
Switching on/off ........................... 230
EBD (electronic brake force distri-
bution)
Display message ............................ 234
Function/notes ................................ 65
ECOs tart/stop function
Deactivating/activating .................151
General information .......................150
Electrical fuses
see Fuses Index
9

or BAS PLUS, the brake lamps flash rapidly.
In this way, traffic travelling behind you is
warned in an even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from aspeed of more
than 70 km/htoa standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically. If the
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously. The hazard warning
lamps switch off automaticallyify ou travel
faster than 10 km/h .You can also switch off
the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning switch button (Y page 117).ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes i
See the "Important safety notes" section
(Y page 61).
If ESP ®
detect sthat the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise the
vehicle. If necessary, the engine output is also
modified to keep the vehicle on the desired
course within physical limits. ESP ®
assists
the driver when pulling away on wet or slip-
pery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise the vehi-
cle during braking.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. G
WARNING
If the ÷ warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes, proceed as follows:
R do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
Otherwise, the vehicle could go into askid.
ESP ®
cannot reduce the risk of an accident if
you drive too fast. ESP ®
cannot override the
laws of physics. !
Switch the ignition off when:
R the parking brake is being tested using a
dynamometer
R the vehicle is being towed with the front/
rear axle raised
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ETS (Electronic Traction Support) Traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
viduall yifthey spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side.
Traction control remains active if you deacti-
vate ESP ®
. G
WARNING
Traction control cannot reduce the risk of an
accident if you drive too fast. Traction control
cannot override the laws of physics.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61).
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
i Vehicles with ECO start/stop function:
the ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
comes to astop. The engine startsa uto-
matically when the driver wants to pull
away again. ESP ®
remains in its previously
selected status. Example: if ESP ®
was
deactivated before the engine was
switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated
when the engine is switched on again. 64
Driving safety systemsSafety

It may be best to deactivate ESP
®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel G
WARNING
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
describe dabove no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwis enot be abletos tabilise the vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or awhee lstarts
to spin.
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 acutting action, which
provide sbetter grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provide ssupport when you
brake.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP ®
willn ot stabilise the vehicle.
X To deactivate: (Ypage 223).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. G
WARNING
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ouslyw hen the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and åwarning
lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not availa-
ble due to amalfunction.
There is an increased risk of yourv ehicle skid-
ding in certain situations.
You should alway sadapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions. X
To activate:(Y page 223).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer
combination) begins to lurch, you can only
stabilise the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
In this situation ,ESP ®
assists you and can
detec tifthe vehicle/trailer combination
begins to lurch. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down
by braking and limiting the engine output until
the vehicle/trailer combination has stabi-
lised.
Trailer stabilisation is active above speeds of
about 65 km/h. G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent
the trailer from swerving and will thus be
unable to reduce the risk of an accident. Trail-
ers with ahigh centre of gravity can tip over
before ESP ®
can detect this.
Trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of amal-
function. EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61).
EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking. G
WARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the braking system
remains available with full brake boosting
effect.H owever, the rear wheels can still lock,
e.g. under full braking. This could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle and cause an
accident .You should therefor eadapt your Driving safety systems
65Safety
Z

It is possible to make use of the residual heat
of the engine to continue heating the station-
ary vehicle for up to 30 minutes after the
engine has been switched off. The heating
time depends on the temperature that has
been set.
Coupé: the residual heat function only works
optimally when the side window sand pano-
rama sliding sunroo fare closed.
Cabriolet: the residualh eatfunction only
work soptimally when th esoftt op is closed.
i The blower will run at alow speed regard-
less of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the residual heat function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated. The blower runs at
medium speed.
i It is possible that the residual heat func-
tion may be activated automatically an hour
after the key is removed. The vehicle is then
ventilated for 30 minutes to dry the air-
conditioning system.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock or remove it.
X To activate: press theÌbutton.
The indicator lamp above the Ìbutton
lights up.
X To switch off: press theÌbutton.
The indicator lamp above the Ìbutton
goes out.
i Residua lheat is deactivated automati-
cally:
R after about 30 minutes
R when the ignition is switched on
R if the battery voltage drops
R if the coolant temperature is too low Auxiliary heating
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Exhaust fumes are produced when the auxili-
ary heating is in operation. Inhaling these
exhaust fumes can be poisonous. You should
therefor eswitch off the auxiliary heating in
confined spaces without an extraction sys-
tem, e.g. agarage. G
WARNING
When operating the auxiliary heating, parts of
the vehicle may become very hot, and highly
inflammable material such as fuels could be
ignited. Operating the auxiliary heating is thus
prohibited at filling station sorwhen your vehi-
cle is being refuelled. You must therefore
switch off the auxiliary heating at filling sta-
tions.
! Operating the auxiliary heating/ventila-
tion draws on the vehicle battery. After you
have heated or ventilated the vehicle a
maximum of two times, drive for alonger
distance.
i Switch on the auxiliary heating regularly,
e.g. for about ten minutes every month.
The auxiliary heating heats the air in the vehi-
cle interior to the set temperature without
using the heat of the running engine. The aux-
iliary heating is operated directly using the
vehicle's fuel. For this reason, the tank con-
tent must be at least at reserve fuel level to
ensure that the auxiliary heating functions.
The auxiliary heating/ventilation automati-
cally adjusts to changes in temperature and
weather conditions. For this reason, the aux-
iliary heating could switch from ventilation
mode to heating mode or from heating mode
to ventilation mode.
The auxiliary heating switches off automati-
cally after 50 minutes. This time limit can be
altered. To do this, visit aqualified specialist
workshop, e.g. aMercedes-BenzS ervice
Centre. Operating thec
limatecontrol system
137Climatecontrol Z

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 agreater distance to 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.
New brake pads/linings G
WARNING
New brake pads/linings only reach their opti-
mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Before this optimum brak-
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 your vehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspon dtoanequivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not
been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety. Tyret
raction G
WARNING
Whereas the vehicle can be fully controlled at
ac ertain 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 freezin gpoint. If ice has formed on the road surface (e.g.
from fog),
athin 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
acertain depth
on the road surface, there is adanger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R you drive 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 If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R
the maximum permitted still water depth is
25 cm.
R you should drive no faster than at walking
pace.
! 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. 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- 168
Driving tipsDriving and parking

X
Press the :or9 button to select the
Acoustic Lock function.
If the Acoustic Lock function is activated,
the & symbol in the multifunction dis-
play lights up red.
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
Activating/deactivating the radar sensor
system
i You must deactivate the radar sensor sys-
tem in certain countries and near radio
telescope facilities. For further informa-
tion, see (Y page 345).
Vehicles with anavigation system: the radar
sensor system is deactivated automatically if
you are close to radio telescope facilities.
The following systems are switched off when
the radar sensor system is deactivated:
R DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 171)
R BAS PLUS (Y page 62)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 66)
R Blind Spot Assist (Y page 196)
R Active Blind Spot Assist (Y page 199)
X Press the =or; button on the steer-
ing wheel to select the Settings menu.
X Press the :or9 button to select the
Vehicle submenu.
X Press the abutton to confirm.
X Press the 9or: button to select
Radar sensor (See Owner's Man.): .
You will see the selected setting: on or
off .
X Press the abutton to save the setting.
Heating menu Auxiliary heating departuret
ime
This function is only availabl eonvehicles with
auxiliary heating (Y page 137).
In the Heating submenu, you can select a
stored departure time or change adeparture
time. The auxiliary heating timer function calcu-
lates the switch-on time accordin
gtothe out-
side temperature so that the vehicle is pre-
heated by the departure time. When the
departure time is reached, the auxiliary heat-
ing continues to heat for afurther five
minutes and then switches off. The auxiliary
heating adopts the THERMATIC or
THERMOTRONIC temperature setting.
You can switch off the auxiliary heating by
using the remot econtrol or the auxiliary heat-
ing button on the centre console. G
WARNING
Exhaust fumes are produced when the auxili-
ary heating is in operation. Inhaling these
exhaust fumes can be poisonous. You should
therefore switch off the auxiliary heating in
confined spaces without an extraction sys-
tem, e.g. agarage. G
WARNING
When operating the auxiliary heating parts of
the vehicle can get very hot. Make sure that
the exhaust system does not under any cir-
cumstances come into contact with easily
ignitable material such as dry grass or fuels.
The material could otherwise ignite and set
the vehicle alight. Choose your parking spot
accordingly.
Operating the auxiliary heating is thus pro-
hibited at filling station sorwhen your vehicle
is being refuelled. You must therefore switch
off the auxiliary heating at filling stations.
! Operating the auxiliary heating/ventila-
tion draws on the vehicle battery. After you
have heated or ventilated the vehicle a
maximum of two times, drive for alonger
distance.
i Switc hthe auxiliary heating on regularly
once amonthfor about 10 minutes. Menus and submenus
229On-board computer and displays Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
Jäå!
The red brake warning
lamp, the yellowE
SP®
and ESP ®
OFF warning
lamps and the yellow
ABS warning lamp are
lit while the engine is
running. G
Risk of accident
ABS and ESP ®
are malfunctioning. Therefore, BAS,B AS PLUS,
EBD,P RE-SAFE ®
,P RE-SAFE ®
Brake, the HOLD function, hill start
assist, the adaptive brake lights and ESP ®
trailer stabilisation, for
example, are not available either due to amalfunction.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit aqualified specialist workshop. ä
The yellowE
SP®
warn-
ing lamp flashes while
the vehicle is in motion. G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
or traction control has intervened because there is arisk of
skidding or at least one wheel has started to spin.
Cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as necessary when
pulling away.
X Release the accelerator pedal while the vehicle is in motion.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
.
For exceptions: (Y page 64).å
The yellow ESP
®
OFF
warning lamp is lit while
the engine is running. G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
and ESP ®
trailer stabilisation are deactivated. ESP ®
will not
stabilise the vehicle if it starts to skid or if awheel starts to spin.
X Reactivate ESP ®
.
Exceptions: (Y page 64).
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
If ESP ®
cannot be activated:
X Have ESP ®
checked at aqualified specialist workshop. 258
Warning and indicator lampsint
he instrument clusterOn-board computer and displays

Tyre tread
G
WARNING
Bea rinm indt hat:
R tyr eg ripd ecreases rapidl yonwetroads
when the tread depth is less than 3mm.
Thus ,you should replace tyres that have
insufficient tread.
R winter tyres should be replaced when the
tread depth is 4mmorless as they no lon-
ger provide adequate grip.
R the tread on atyre may not wear evenly.
Thus, you should regularly check the tread
depth and the condition of the tread across
the entire width of all tyres. If necessary,
turn the fron twheels to full lock in order to
inspect the tyre tread more easily.
Otherwise, you could lose control of the vehi-
cle and cause an accident due to the reduced
grip of the tyres on the road. Notes on selecting, fitting and replac-
ing tyres
R Only fit tyres and wheels of the same type
and make.
R Only fit tyres of the correct size onto the
wheels.
R After fittingn ew tyres, run them in at mod-
erate speeds for the first 100 km, as they
only reach their full performance after this
distance.
R Do not drive with tyres which have too little
tread depth, as this significantly reduces
the traction on wet roads (aquaplaning).
R Replace the tyres after six years at the lat-
est, regardless of wear. This also applies to
the emergency spare wheel/spare wheel. MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics)
MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat char-
acteristics )allow you to continue driving the vehicle even when one or more tyres lose all
air pressure.
MOExtended tyres may only be used in con-
junction with the tyre pressure loss warning
system or with the tyre pressure monitor and
on wheels specifically tested by Mercedes-
Benz.
i
Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with aTIREFIT kit at the factory.
It is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally equip your vehicle with the TIREFIT
kit if you fit tyres that do not feature run-
flat properties, e.g. winter tyres. ATIREFIT
kit can be obtained from aMercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
You will find notes on driving with aflat tyre
in the "Breakdown assistance" section
(Y page 305). Winter operation
Please bear the following in mind
At the onset of winter ,have your vehicle win-
terproofed at aqualified specialist workshop,
e.g. at aMercedes-BenzS ervice Centre.
Observe the notes in the "Changing awheel"
section (Y page 323). Driving with summer tyres
At temperatures below +7 †, summer tyres
lose elasticit yand therefore traction and
brakin gpower; change the tyres on your vehi-
cle to M+S tyres .Using summer tyres at very
cold temperatures could cause tears to form,
thereby damaging the tyres permanently.
Mercedes-Benzc annot accept responsibility
for this type of damage. M+S tyres
At temperatures below +7 †, use winter tyres
or all-season tyres. Bot htype soft yrea re
identified by th eM+S marking. Winter operation
319Wheels and tyres Z