2011 MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class ESP

Safety systemsProblemPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions!
The yellow ABS warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running. GRisk of accident
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) is deactivated due to a malfunction.
Therefore, BAS (Brake Assist), ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program),
EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution) and PRE-SAFE ®
are also
deactivated.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.XDrive on carefully.XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.
If the ABS control unit is faulty, there is also a possibility that other
systems, such as the navigation system or the automatic
transmission, will not be available.
!
The yellow ABS warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running.GRisk of accident
The on-board voltage is too low. ABS has been deactivated due to
undervoltage.
Therefore, ESP ®
, BAS and PRE-SAFE ®
are also deactivated.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
XSwitch off consumers that are not required, e.g. the rear window
defroster or interior lighting.
ABS will be available again as soon as the vehicle's on-board
electrical system voltage increases.
If the warning lamp is still on:
XHave the battery and alternator checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.!
The yellow ABS warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running.Self diagnosis is not yet complete.XCarefully drive a suitable distance making slight steering
movements at a speed above 12 mph (20 km/h).Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster249On-board computer and displaysBA 164.1 USA, CA Edition B 2011; 1; 2, en-USd2mskotVersion: 3.0.3.52010-04-21T17:25:06+02:00 - Seite 249Z

ProblemPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions$ (USA only)
J (Canada only)
! d
The red brake warning
lamp, the yellow ESP ®
and ESP ®
OFF warning
lamps and the yellow
ABS warning lamp are
lit while the engine is
running. A warning tone
also sounds.GRisk of accident
EBD is faulty. Therefore, ABS, BAS, PRE-SAFE ®
, hill start assist and
ESP ®
trailer stabilization are also not available due to a
malfunction.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.XDrive on carefully.XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.d
The yellow ESP ®
warning lamp flashes
while the vehicle is in
motion.GRisk of accident
ESP ®
or traction control has intervened because there is a risk of
skidding or at least one wheel has started to spin.
Cruise control or DISTRONIC is deactivated.
XOnly depress the accelerator pedal as far down as necessary
when pulling away.XRelease the accelerator pedal while the vehicle is in motion.XAdapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.XDo not deactivate ESP ®
.
Exceptions: ( Y page 66).d
The yellow ESP ®
warning lamp flashes
while the vehicle is in
motion.At least one wheel is spinning and ETS (Electronic Traction
System) is deactivated to prevent the brakes on the drive wheels
from overheating.XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
ETS switches back on again as soon as the brakes have cooled
down.
The display message disappears and the d warning lamp goes
out.
250Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument clusterOn-board computer and displays
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ProblemPossible causes/consequences and M Solutionsd
The yellow ESP ®
warning lamp is lit while
the engine is running.GRisk of accident
ESP ®
and ESP ®
trailer stabilization are deactivated. ESP ®
will not
stabilize the vehicle if it starts to skid or if a wheel starts to spin.
XReactivate ESP ®
.
Exceptions: ( Y page 66).XAdapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
If ESP ®
cannot be activated:
XHave ESP ®
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.d
The yellow ESP ®
warning lamp is lit while
the engine is running.GRisk of accident
ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunction. ESP ®
will not stabilize
the vehicle if it starts to skid or if a wheel starts to spin.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above.
XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.XDrive on carefully.XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.+
The red SRS warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running. GRisk of injury
The restraint systems are malfunctioning. The air bags or
Emergency Tensioning Devices may either be triggered
unintentionally or, in the event of an accident, not be triggered at
all.
XDrive on carefully.XVisit a qualified specialist workshop immediately.GWarning
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indicated as outlined above, the SRS may not be
operational.
For your safety, we strongly recommend that you contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately to have the system checked. Otherwise the SRS may not be activated when needed
in an accident, which could result in serious or fatal injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could also result in injury.
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster251On-board computer and displaysBA 164.1 USA, CA Edition B 2011; 1; 2, en-USd2mskotVersion: 3.0.3.52010-04-21T17:25:06+02:00 - Seite 251Z

indicated on the Tire and Loading Information placard or, if available, the tire inflation pressure
label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure warning lamp when one or more of your tires
are significantly underinflated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure warning lamp illuminates,
you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure.
Driving on a significantly underinflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle's handling
and stopping ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire maintenance,
and it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even if underinflation has
not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure warning lamp.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when the
system is not operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire
pressure warning lamp. When the system detects a malfunction, the warning lamp will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain continuously illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists. When the malfunction
indicator is lit, the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, including the installation of incompatible
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning
properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction warning lamp after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the
TPMS to continue to function properly.254Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument clusterOn-board computer and displays
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XTo open: pull handle : and fold the
armrest upwards.
Coin holder = is located in front of stowage
compartment ;.
Stowage compartments in the rear
Stowage compartment in the rear
center console
XTo open: press lightly on the top of the
stowage compartment.
The stowage compartment moves out
automatically.Stowage areas
Parcel nets
GWarning!
Vehicles with Occupant Classification System
(OCS)
Do not place objects with a combined weight
of more than 4.4 lbs (2 kg) into the parcel net
on the back of the front passenger seat.
Otherwise, the OCS may not be able to
properly approximate the occupant weight
category.
GWarning
Parcel nets are intended for storing light-
weight items only, such as road maps, mail,
etc.
Heavy objects, objects with sharp edges, or
fragile objects may not be transported in the
parcel nets. In an accident, during hard
braking, or sudden maneuvers, they could be
thrown around inside the vehicle and cause
injury to vehicle occupants.
Parcel nets cannot protect transported goods
in the event of an accident.
Parcel nets are located in the front-passenger
footwell and on the back of the driver's and
the front-passenger seats.
Enlarging the luggage compartment
Important safety guidelines
GWarning!
When expanding the cargo volume, always
fully fold the corresponding seats and, if so
equipped, always use the cargo net when
transporting cargo.
Unless you are transporting cargo, the seat
backrests must remain properly locked in the
upright position.
In an accident, during hard braking or sudden
maneuvers, loose items will be thrown around
inside the vehicle. This can cause injury to
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vehicle occupants unless the items are
securely fastened in the vehicle.
Always use the cargo tie-down rings.GWarning!
Never drive a vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
! Release and fold the seat cushion
upwards before folding the rear bench seat
forward. Otherwise, the backrests may be
damaged.
When the backrest is folded forwards, the
front seats cannot be moved to their
rearmost position. Otherwise, the front
seats and the rear bench seat could be
damaged.
The left-hand and right-hand rear seat
backrests can be folded forwards separately
to increase the cargo compartment capacity.
Folding the rear bench seat forward
i If the driver's or front-passenger seat is
set for a larger person, it may not be
possible to fold the rear bench seat
forwards. In this case, move the front seats
as far forward as possible.
XMove the head restraints to the lowest
position ( Y page 96).XPull release loop : of seat cushion ;.
Seat cushion ; is released.XFold seat cushion ; upwards.XPull release lever = on left or right
backrest ? in the direction of the arrow.
Red safety tab A appears and seat
backrest ? is unlocked.
!
The backrest is heavy. Therefore, take
care when folding it down. Make sure that
the head restraints are pushed all the way
in so that the backrests and seat cushions
are not damaged.
XFold backrest ? forwards until it engages
in the cargo compartment position.XGuide seat belts ; under respective
clips :.Stowage areas259Loading, stowing and featuresBA 164.1 USA, CA Edition B 2011; 1; 2, en-USd2mskotVersion: 3.0.3.52010-04-21T17:25:06+02:00 - Seite 259Z

The cargo net cannot prevent the movement
of large, heavier objects into the passenger
compartment in an accident. Such items must
be properly secured using the cargo tie-down
rings in the cargo compartment floor.
Passenger use of seats behind installed cargo
net is restricted because of the footwell being
taken up by the net.
When the vehicle is loaded with objects that
extend beyond the seat backrests, using a
cargo net is particularly important. For
reasons of safety, a cargo net should always
be used when transporting cargo.
Preparing the cargo net
The cargo net can be used in two different
positions (behind the B-pillar or the C-pillar).
R The brackets behind B-pillar : are
required for the cargo compartment
enlargement ( Y page 258).
The corresponding cargo tie down rings to
tighten the net are located in the footwell
of the rear bench seat ( Y page 260).
R The brackets behind C-pillar ; are
required for the cargo compartment behind
the rear bench seat.
The corresponding cargo tie down rings to
tension the net are located in the cargo
compartment ( Y page 260).
XUndo the two Velcro fasteners of the
safety-net stowage.XUnroll and unfold the cargo net.
The upper and lower guide rods must
engage audibly.
Attaching the cargo net
Cargo net attached behind the C-pillar
XInsert guide rod ; into retainer : in the
direction of the arrow.XSlide guide rod ; forwards into
retainer : in the direction of the arrow.
Tightening the cargo net
Seat belt reel holder behind the front seats
XInsert belt hook : into cargo tie-down
ring ; in the direction of the arrow.XPull tensioning strap = by the loose end in
the direction of the arrow until the cargo
net is tight.XAfter driving a short distance, check the
tension of the cargo net and retighten it if
necessary.262Stowage areasLoading, stowing and features
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Roof carrier
Important safety guidelinesGWarning!
Only use carriers when the basic carrier bars
have been completely mounted. The left and
right roof rails are only stabilized by means of
the basic carrier bars mounted.
Follow the manufacturer’s installation
instructions. Otherwise, an improperly
attached carrier or its load could become
detached from the vehicle.
Do not exceed the maximum roof load of
220 lb (100 kg).
Take into consideration that when the roof is
loaded, the handling characteristics are
different from those when operating the
vehicle without the roof loaded.
! Mercedes-Benz recommends that you
only use roof carriers that have been tested
and approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
This helps to prevent damage to the
vehicle.
Position the cargo on the roof rack in such
a way that the vehicle will not sustain
damage even when it is in motion.
Depending on the vehicle equipment,
ensure that when the roof carrier is
installed you can:
R raise the tilt/sliding sunroof fully
R open the tailgate fully
Fastening the roof carrier
XSecure the roof carrier to roof rails :.XObserve the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
Features
Cup holder
Points to observe before use
GWarning
In order to help prevent spilling liquids on
vehicle occupants and/or vehicle equipment,
only use containers that fit into the cup
holder. Use lids on open containers and do
not fill containers to a height where the
contents, especially hot liquids, could spill
during braking, vehicle maneuvers, or in an
accident. Liquids spilled on vehicle occupants
may cause serious personal injury. Liquids
spilled on vehicle equipment may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
When not in use, keep the cup holder closed.
An open cup holder may cause injury to you
or others when contacted during braking,
vehicle maneuvers, or in an accident.
Keep in mind that objects placed in the cup
holder may come loose during braking,
vehicle maneuvers, or in an accident and be
thrown around in the vehicle interior. Objects
thrown around in the vehicle interior may
cause an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
Cup holder in the center console
In the upper center console, there is a cup
holder and a removable support with a card
holder
You can remove the cup holder to clean it.
Clean the cup holder with clear, lukewarm
water only.
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