2011 MERCEDES-BENZ E550 4MATIC sport

BabySmart™ air bag deactivation
system
How the air bag deactivation system
functions
The BabySmart™ system is standard
equipment in Canada.
GWarning
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than on the front-passenger seat. For
this reason, Mercedes-Benz strongly advises
that you always secure children in the rear
seats. Regardless of seating position, children
12 years old and under must be seated and
properly secured in an appropriately sized
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Secure the infant restraint system or child
restraint system, using:
R the vehicle's seat belt
R the seat belt and a Top Tether belt
R the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat mount
and a Top Tether belt
The child restraint system must be installed
and secured correctly, observing the
manufacturer's installation instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Observe the following
important information if it is necessary to
carry a child on the front-passenger seat:
R Children under 12 years may only sit in the
front-passenger seat if they are seated in a
child restraint system which is compatible
with BabySmart™ and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. If the child restraint
system is installed properly, the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated in
conjunction with the BabySmart™ system.
Otherwise, the child could be struck by the
air bag when it inflates in a crash. This could
lead to serious or fatal injury.
R A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front-passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front-passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision which
could occur under some circumstances,
even with the air bag technology installed
in your vehicle. The only means to eliminate
this risk completely is never to place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in the front-
passenger seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint on the rear
seat.
R If it is necessary to install a BabySmart™-
compatible rear-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat, make
sure the 45 indicator lamp is
illuminated. This indicates that the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated. If the
45 indicator lamp does not light up
or goes out when the child restraint system
is installed, check the anchorages of the
restraint system. Periodically check the
45 indicator lamp while driving to
make sure the 45 is illuminated. If
the 45 indicator lamp goes out or
remains out, do not transport a child on the
front-passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front-passenger seat will be seriously48Occupant safetySafety
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System self-test
The 45 indicator lamp illuminates
when you:
R turn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2 in the
ignition lock
R on vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, press the
Start-Stop button once or twice
The 45 indicator lamp goes out again
after approximately six seconds.
If the 45 indicator lamp does not
illuminate or is lit continuously, the system is
malfunctioning. Before transporting a child
on the front-passenger seat, have the
BabySmart™ system checked at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
For more information, see "Problems with the
air bag deactivation system" section
( Y page 51)
GWarning
Do not place powered-on laptops, mobile
phones, electronic tags such as those used in
ski passes or similar electronic devices on the
front passenger seat. Signals from such
devices may interfere with the BabySmart™
air bag deactivation system. Such signal
interference may cause the 45
indicator lamp not to come on during self-test.
The 6 SRS indicator lamp and/or the
45 indicator lamp could be
continuously lit, indicating that the system is
not functioning. The front-passenger front air
bag could deploy inadvertently or fail to
deploy in an accident.
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Problems with the air bag deactivation systemProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsThe 45
indicator lamp
illuminates and
remains illuminated.A special BabySmart™ compatible child restraint system is
installed on the front-passenger seat.
The front-passenger front air bag is therefore deactivated.A BabySmart™-compatible child restraint system is not installed
on the front-passenger seat. The BabySmart™ system is
malfunctioning.XHave the BabySmart™ system checked as soon as possible at
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.GWarning
If the 45 indicator lamp illuminates and remains illuminated when the weight of a typical
adult or someone larger than a small individual has been detected on the passenger seat, do not
allow any occupant to use the passenger seat until the system has been repaired.
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsThe 45
indicator lamp does not
illuminate or does not
remain illuminated with
a BabySmart™-
compatible child
restraint system
properly installed on
the front-passenger
seat.The BabySmart™ system is malfunctioning.XMake sure there is nothing between the seat cushion and the
child seat.XCheck the installation of the child restraint system.XIf the 45 indicator lamp does not illuminate, have the
BabySmart™ system checked as soon as possible at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Do not transport a child on the front-passenger seat until the
child seat recognition system has been repaired.PRE-SAFE ®
systemGWarning
The PRE-SAFE ®
system reduces the impact of
an accident on vehicle occupants, as long as
their seat belts have been fastened correctly.
Although your vehicle is equipped with a PRE-
SAFE ®
system, the possibility of injury in the
event of an accident cannot be ruled out. You
should therefore always drive carefully and
adapt your driving style to the prevailing road,
weather and traffic conditions.
PRE-SAFE ®
takes pre-emptive measures to
protect the occupants in certain hazardous
situations.
PRE-SAFE ®
intervenes:
R in emergency braking situations, e.g. if BAS
is activated or, on vehicles with DISTRONIC
PLUS, if BAS PLUS or PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
intervenes powerfully
R if the radar sensor system detects an
imminent danger of collision in certainOccupant safety51SafetyBA 212 USA, CA Edition B 2011; 1; 5, en-USdimargiVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-20T13:33:46+02:00 - Seite 51Z

instrument cluster flashes. In such situations,
ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.XTo deactivate: (Y page 228).
The å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.GWarning
When the å ESP OFF warning lamp lights
up, ESP is switched off.
When the ä ESP warning lamp and the
å ESP OFF warning lamp are on
continuously, ESP is not operational due to a
malfunction.
When ESP is switched off or not operational,
the vehicle's stability during standard driving
maneuvers is reduced.
Adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing
road conditions/weather conditions and to
the non-operating status of 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 228).
The å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(AMG
vehicles)
Activating/deactivating SPORT handling
mode
GWarning
The SPORT handling mode should not be
switched on during normal driving.
Switching on the SPORT handling mode will
result in the following:
R no restriction to the engine torque
R system supported traction control is
limited
The SPORT handling mode is designed for
driving on closed tracks when the vehicle's
own 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 on the SPORT handling mode.
Do not switch on the SPORT handling when a
spare wheel is mounted.
SPORT handling mode is active automatically
as long as the engine is running.
It may be best to activate SPORT handling
mode in the following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravelGWarning
Switch off the SPORT handling mode and
switch on the ESP ®
immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not apply
anymore. Otherwise the SPORT handling
mode will only stabilize the vehicle to a limited
extent when it is starting to skid or a wheel is
spinning.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
R the engine's torque is restricted to a limited
degree 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
firmly.
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the ä
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilizes the vehicle to a
limited degree.
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XTo activate: briefly press button :.
The M warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up. The SPORT handling
mode message appears in the multifunction
display.XTo deactivate: briefly press button :.
The M warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®
GWarning!
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.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is running.
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.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels are able to spin. The
spinning of the wheels results in a cutting
action, which provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available and is
also not activated if you brake firmly with
the assistance of ESP.
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available and
is also not activated if you brake firmly with
the assistance of ESP.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ä warning lamp in the
instrument cluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
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If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following 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 the child could be burned by these
parts.
GWarning
Do not transport heavy and hard objects in the
vehicle interior or in the trunk/cargo
compartment if they are unsecured.
Unsecured or improperly stowed cargo
increases the risk of injury for a child in the
event of:
Rstrong braking maneuvers
Rsudden changes of direction
Ran accident
GWarning!
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
automatic operation and anti-entrapment
features. If during automatic operation a 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 and held. See the relevant
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 touching and holding the sensor surface
(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.
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.
Opening and closing the side
windows
:Front left;Front right=Rear left?Rear right
The switches for all side windows are located
on the driver's door. There is also a switch on
each door for the corresponding 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.
92Side windowsOpening and closing
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Problem: a side window cannot be closed
because objects in the guide rail are
preventing the window from being raised.XRemove the objects.XClose the side window.
Problem: a side window cannot be closed,
and you cannot see the cause.
GWarning!
Closing the side windows with increased force
or without the anti-entrapment feature could
lead to serious or even fatal injury. Make sure
that nobody can become trapped when
closing the side windows.
If a side window is obstructed during closing
and reopens again slightly:
XImmediately after the window blocks, pull
on the corresponding switch again until the
side window has closed.
The side window is closed with increased
force.
If a side window is obstructed again during
closing and reopens again slightly:
XImmediately after the window blocks, pull
on the corresponding switch again until the
side window has closed.
The side window is closed without the anti-
entrapment feature.GWarning!
Pulling and holding the switch to close the
door window immediately after it had been
blocked two times will cause the door window
to close without the anti-entrapment feature
for as long as you hold the switch.
Sliding sunroof
Important safety notes
GWarning!
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch. Always
take the SmartKey with you and lock the
vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, 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. The children
could
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following 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 the child could be burned by these
parts.
GWarning
Do not transport heavy and hard objects in the
vehicle interior or in the trunk/cargo
compartment if they are unsecured.
Unsecured or improperly stowed cargo
increases the risk of injury for a child in the
event of:
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident
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Do not drive the vehicle without the seat head
restraints. Head restraints are intended to
help reduce injuries during an accident.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
Rdo not spill any liquids on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible.
Rif the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat
heating should also not to be used to dry
the seats.
Rclean the seat covers as recommended;
see the " Interior care" section.
Rdo not transport heavy loads on the
seats. Do not place sharp objects on the
seat cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools.
The seats should only be occupied by
passengers, if possible.
Rwhen the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating
materials, e.g. covers, bags, seat covers,
child seats or booster seats.
! When you move the seats, make sure that
there are no objects in the footwell or
behind the seats. Otherwise, you could
damage the seats and the objects.
iThe head restraints in the front seats are
installed with the NECK-PRO system
(Y page 52). For this reason, it is not
possible to remove the head restraints
from the front seats.
Vehicles without the through-loading
feature: the head restraints cannot be
removed from the rear compartment seats.
Please contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center for more information.
iRelated topics:
RThrough-loading feature in the rear
bench seat (Sedan) (Y page 278)
REASY-PACK through-loading feature in
the rear bench seat (Wagon)
(Y page 279)
Adjusting the seats:Head restraint height;Seat cushion angle=Seat height?Seat fore-and-aft adjustmentABackrest angle
iIf PRE-SAFE® is triggered, the front-
passenger seat will be moved to a better
position if it was previously in an
unfavorable position.
iYou can store the seat settings using the
memory function (Y page 115).
iVehicles with the through-loading
feature: if you fold down a rear seat
backrest, the respective front seat is
moved forwards slightly, if necessary, to
prevent contact with the backrest.
104SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
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