2011 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS SALOON tow

Bel
ttensioners, belt force limiters The fron
tseat belts and the outer seat belts
in the rear are equipped with belt tensioners.
The belt tensioners tighten the seat belts in
an accident, pulling them close against the
body.
Belt tensioners do not correct incorrect seat
positions or incorrectly fastened seat belts.
Belt tensioners do not pull vehicle occupants
back towards the backrest.
If the seat belt is also fitted with a belt force
limiter and this is triggered, the force exerted
by the seat belt on the vehicle occupan tis
reduced.
The belt force limiters on the front seats are
synchronised with the front airbags. They
take on a part of the deceleration force,
resulting in the force exerted on the occupant
being distributed over a greater area.
The beltt ensioners can only be activated
when:
R the ignition is switched on.
R the restraint systems are operational; see
"SRS warning lamp" (Y page 43).
R the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the three-poin tseat belts in the
front.
The belt tensioners on the outside seats in the
rear compartment are triggered independ-
ently of the lock status of the seat belts.
The belt tensioners are triggered depending
on the type and severity of an accident:
R if, in the event of a head-on or rear-end col-
lision, the vehicle decelerates or acceler-
ates rapidly in a longitudinal direction dur-
ing the initial stages of the impact
R if, in the event of a side impact, on the side
opposite the impact the vehicle deceler-
ates or accelerates rapidly in a lateral direc-
tion
R if in certain situations where the vehicle
overturns and the system determines that
it can provide additional protection If the airbags are deployed, you will hear a
bang, and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The
6SRS warning lamp
lights up. G
WARNING
If the seat belt tensioners have been trig-
gered, they provide no additional protection
in the event of another accident. Therefore,
have belt tensioners which have been trig-
gered replaced at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Comply with safety regulations when dispos-
ing of belt tensioners. Any Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre can provide details of these
regulations.
! If the front-passenger seat is not occu-
pied, do not engage the seat belt tongue in
the buckle on the front-passenger seat.
Otherwise, the belt tensioner could be trig-
gered in the event of an accident. Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes G
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal
injury to the child in the event of a sudden
change in direction, braking or an accident:
R children less than 1.50 m tall and under
twelve years of age must always be secured
in special child restraint systems on a suit-
able vehicle seat. This is necessary
because the seat belts are not designed for
children.
R do not secure children less than 1.5 0mtall
and under twelve years of age on the front-
passenge rseat. Exception :ifthe vehicle is
equipped with automatic child seat recog-
nition on the front-passenger seat and the Children in the vehicle
53Safety
Z

Only attach the side head restraint to the
intended anchor points on the rear head
restraint.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use side head restraints
which have been approved by Mercedes-Benz
for your vehicle.
Fitting side head restraints
X Slide head restraint ;upwards and posi-
tion it upright.
X Slide side head restraints Bfrom the front
to the centre of both head restraint bars
until they engage.
The right- and left-hand lock verification
indicators =must be folded in. The red
surfaces should no longer be visible.
X Make sure that side head restraint Bis
engaged in both head restraint bars.
X Slide head restraint ;downwards
(Y page 108) until it rests on the upper
edge of side head restraints B.
X Guide the seat belt through seat belt guide
A on the door side on side head restraint
B.
X Secure the child (Y page 61).
Removing the side head restraints
X Take the seat belt out of seat belt guide
A.
X Move head restraint ;upwards.
X Press left or right release button ?and pull
side head restraint Bforward to remove
it.
The left and right lock verification indica-
tors :fold out briefly.
X Adjust head restraint ;(Ypage 108).
Storing the padded table and the side
head restraints G
WARNING
Secure the ICS padded play table and the side
head restraints in the vehicle as specified; otherwise, they may come loose. In the event
of an accident, sudden braking or abrupt
change in direction, they could injure vehicle
occupants or cause damage to the vehicle.
When you are not using the ICS padded play
table and the side head restraints, store these
in a suitable place, such as the boot.
For example, on vehicles with TIREFIT, you
can store the side head restraints in the stow-
age compartment under the boot/luggage
compartment floor (Y page 305)/
(Y page 305). 64
Children in the vehicleSafety

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 a speed 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 automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h .You can also switch off
the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning switch button (Y page 125).ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes i
See the "Important safety notes" section
(Y page 69).
If ESP ®
detects that 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 a skid.
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.
! Do not tow vehicles with 4MATIC with the
front or rear axle raised.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) Traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side. On vehicles with 4MATIC, more drive
torque is also transferred to the wheel or
wheels with traction.
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 ®
(except
AMG vehicles) 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 a stop. The engine starts auto-
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 72
Driving safety systemsSafety

X
To prime: lock the vehicle with the key or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicato rlamp :flashes. The alarm sys-
te mi s primed after approximately
15 seconds.
X To switch off: unlock the vehicle with the
key or KEYLESS-GO.
X To stop the alarm using the key: insert
the key into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Press the %or& button on the key.
The alarm is switched off.
X To stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The key
must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The key must be inside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off. Tow-away protection
An audible and visual alarm is triggered if your
vehicle's angle of inclination is altered while
tow-away protection is primed. This occurs if
the vehicle is jacked up on one side, for exam-
ple. X
To prime: lock the vehicle with the key or
KEYLESS-GO.
Tow-away protection is primed after
approximately 30 seconds.
X To switch off: unlock the vehicle with the
key or KEYLESS-GO.
Tow-away protection is switched off auto-
matically.
To prevent a false alarm, deactivate tow-away
protection manually if your vehicle:
R is being transported
R is being loaded onto a ferry or car trans-
porter, for example
R is parked on a movable surface, e.g. in a
split-level garage
Deactivating:
X Remove the key from the ignition lock. X
Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up briefly.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or KEYLESS-
GO.
Tow-away protection is deactivated.
Tow-away protection remains deactivated
until:
R the vehicle is unlocked again.
R a door is opened and closed again.
R the vehicle is locked again. Interior motion sensor
When the interior motion sensor is primed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered if move- 78
Anti-theft systemsSafety

R
open a door from inside the vehicle at any
time, even if it has been locked
R start the vehicle using akey which has been
left in the vehicle
R release the parking brake
They could thereby endanger themselves and
others. Never leave children unsupervised in
the vehicle. Always take the key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even if you are only
leaving it for a short time. Unlocking and opening the doors
from the inside
For all countries except the United King-
dom: you can open a door from inside the
vehicle even if it has been locked.
Only for the United Kingdom: if the vehicle
has been locked with the key, the double lock
function is activated as standard. It is then
not possible to open the doors from inside the
vehicle. Deactivate the interior motion sensor
(Y page 78) before you lock the vehicle with
the key. The doors can then be opened from
the inside after the vehicle has been locked
from the outside with the key.
You can only open the rear doors from inside
the vehicle if they are not secured by the
child-proof locks (Y page 68).X
Pull door handle ;.
If the door is locked, locking knob :pops
up. The door is unlocked and can be
opened. Centrally locking and unlocking the
vehicle from the inside
You can centrally lock or unlock the vehicle
from the inside.
The central locking/unlocking button does
not lock or unlock the fuel filler flap.
i You cannot unlock the vehicle centrally
from the inside if the vehicle has been
locked with the key or KEYLESS-GO. X
To unlock: press button :.
X To lock: press button ;. Automatic locking feature
The vehicle is locked automatically when the
ignition is switched on and the wheels are
turning.
You could therefore be locked out when:
R the vehicle is being pushed.
R the vehicle is being towed.
R the vehicle is being tested on a dynamom-
eter. Doors
89Opening and closing Z

Folding bench seat in the luggage
compartment (Estate)
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The rear seat backrests must be locked in the
upright position if you are using the folding
bench seat in the luggage compartment.
Do no tpull away unless th ehead restraint in
the folding bench seat is fitted correctly.
Make sure that the centre of the head
restraint supports the seat occupant's head
at about eye level. This can reduce the risk of
injury to a child in the event of an accident.
Ensure that the seat belt is routed correctly
across the body and the seat belt buckle is
engaged.
Never leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle. This applies even if they are secured in a
child restraint system.
Secure children as recommended; see the
"Children in the vehicle" section. G
WARNING
Only replace damaged covers with genuine
covers.
Make sure that items of luggage and other
objects in the luggage compartment are well
secured.
Otherwise, the load could cause injury in the
event of sharp braking, a sudden change in
direction or an accident.
The folding bench seat in the luggage com-
partmen tis only suitable for persons no more
than 1.40 m tall and weighing a maximum of
50 kg.
The maximum permissible weight may be
reduced by:
R extensive optional extras
R vehicle load
R trailer towing
Observe the maximum gross vehicle weight
and the permissible axle load, which can be found on the vehicle identification plate
(Y
page 382).
The combined luggage cover and net must be
fitted if you are using the folding bench seat
(Y page 300).
Folding out the folding benchs eat X
Make sure that the backrests of the rear
bench seat are locked in the uprigh tposi-
tion.
X Move the handle for the combined luggage
cover and net upwards (Y page 300).
X Pull release handle :and fold the back-
rest of the folding bench seat upwards. X
Hook the seat belts into retainers =.
X Pull release handle ;and fold the folding
bench seat cushion into the sitting posi-
tion.
X Push down the seat cushion until the back-
rest engages fully.
X Fold the head restraints upwards. Seats
111Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

X
Press the Rbutton.
The yellow Rindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To switch off the rear foglamp: press the
R button.
The yellow Rindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Vehicles with frontf oglamps: when the light
switch is in the Tposition, the rear fog-
lamp can only be switched on if the foglamps
(without dipped-beam headlamps) are
switched on.
i If you switch the engine off (key in posi-
tion 1in the ignition lock) and then restart
it, the previous rear foglamp settings are
restored.
Adjusting the headlam prange (halogen
headlamps) The headlamp range control allows you to
adjust the cone of light from the headlamps
to sui tthe vehicle load. g
Driver's seat and front-passenger seat
occupied
1 Driver's seat, front-passenger seat and
rear seats occupied
2 Driver's seat, front-passenger seat and
rear seats occupied, boot laden
3 Driver's and front-passenger seats occu-
pied and maximum permissible rear axle
load utilised, e.g. when towing a trailer X
Start the engine.
X Turn headlamp range control to the posi-
tion which corresponds to the load in your
vehicle.
Headlampc leaning system If the "Wipe with washer fluid" function is
operated five times (Y
page 132) while the
lights are on and the engine is running, the
headlamps are cleaned automatically. When
you switch off the ignition, the automatic
headlamp cleaning syste mis reset and count-
ing is resumed from 0. Combination switch
Turn signals :
Main-beam headlamps
; Turn signal, right
= Headlamp flasher
? Turn signal, left
X To indicate briefly: press the combination
switch briefly to the pressure point in the
direction of arrow ;or?.
The corresponding turn signal flashes three
times.
X To indicate: press the combination switch
beyond the pressure point in the direction
of arrow ;or?. 124
Exterior lightingLights and windscreen wipers

Useful information
............................154
Running-in notes ............................... 154
Driving ............................................... 154
Manual transmission ........................163
Automatic transmission ...................164
Refuelling ........................................... 172
Parking ............................................... 176
Driving tips ........................................ 178
Driving systems ................................ 181
Towing atrailer ................................. 221 153Driving and parking