2012 MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS ESP

!
If DISTRONIC PLUS
or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes
automatically in certain situations. To
prevent damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Deactivate the HOLD function (Y page 168).
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R
when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when maneuvering on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect

is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been
automatically switched off by the ECO
start/stop function
R the driver's
door

is closed or your seat belt
is fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R the transmission position D, R or N is
engaged while driving a vehicle with an
automatic transmission
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated Activating the HOLD function X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until : appears in the multifunction
display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated
automatically if:
R
you accelerate. On

vehicles with automatic
transmission: only when the transmission
is in position D or R.
R the transmission is in position P on vehicles
with automatic transmission.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until :
disappears from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake. 168
Driving systems
Driving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

The electronic parking brake secures the
vehicle automatically if the HOLD function is
activated and:
R
the driver's door is open and the driver's
seat belt is unfastened.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is
automatically switched off by the ECO
start/stop function.
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
If a malfunction
occurs, then the transmission
may be shifted into position P automatically.PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a
replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. When
maneuvering, parking or pulling out of a
parking space, make sure that there are no
persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
!
When parking, pay

particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object. PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
R
switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission

to position D, R or N
R release the electric parking brake
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
PARKTRONIC monitors the area around your
vehicle using six sensors in the front bumper
and four sensors in the rear bumper.
Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into
consideration that are:
R
below the detection range, e.g. people,
animals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g.
overhanging loads, truck overhangs or
loading ramps. :
Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand
side (example) Side view Driving systems
169
Driving and parking Z
ProCarManuals.com

Problems with PARKTRONIC
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsOnly the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays
are
lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately
20 seconds, and the
indicator lamp in the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up. PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.
X
If problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays
are

lit.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately
20seconds. The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.
X
Clean the PARKTRONIC sensors ( Y page 275).
X Switch the ignition back on. The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.
X
See if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location. Active Parking Assist
Important safety notes Active Parking Assist is merely an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering, parking
and exiting a parking space. When
maneuvering, parking or pulling out of a
parking space, make sure that there are no
persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
G
WARNING
The vehicle swings out when parking and in
doing so could cross into the opposite lane.
This could result in a collision with another
road user. There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users when
parking. Stop the vehicle if necessary or cancel the Active Parking Assist parking
procedure.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over
obstacles such as curbs slowly and not at
a sharp angle.

Otherwise, you may damage
the wheels or tires.
Active Parking Assist may possibly indicate
parking spaces which are not suitable for
parking, for example:
R where parking or stopping is prohibited
R in front of driveways or entrances and exits
R on unsuitable surfaces
Parking tips:
R On narrow roads, drive as close to the
parking space as possible.
R Parking spaces that are littered, overgrown
or partially occupied by trailer drawbars
might be identified incorrectly or not at all.172
Driving systems
Driving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

Active Parking Assist will only detect parking
spaces:
R
that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
R that are at least 51 in (1.3 m) longer than
your vehicle
A parking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are
approximately 50 ft (15 m) away from it.
Parking G
WARNING
Active Parking Assist merely aids you by
intervening actively in the steering. If you do
not brake there is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself when
maneuvering and parking.
i When PARKTRONIC detects obstacles,
Active Parking Assist brakes automatically
during the parking process. You are
responsible for braking in good time.
Active Parking Assist does not support you
with parking spaces parallel to the direction
of travel if:
R the parking space is on a curb
R the parking space is apparently blocked,
for example by foliage or grass paving
blocks
R the range of movement is too small
R the parking space is bordered by an
obstacle which is not clearly defined such
as a tree or a trailer
X Stop the vehicle when the parking space
symbol shows the
desired parking space in
the instrument cluster.
X Shift the transmission to position R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
% message appears

in the multifunction
display. X
To cancel the procedure: press the
% button on the multifunction steering
wheel or pull away.
or
X To park using Active Parking Assist:
press the a

button on the multifunction
steering wheel.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate
and Brake Observe Surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
X Let go of the multifunction steering wheel.
X Back up the vehicle, being ready to brake
at all times. Do not exceed a maximum
speed of approximately 5 mph (10 km/h )
when

backing up. Otherwise Active Parking
Assist will be canceled.
i In tight parking spaces, you will achieve
the best parking results by backing up as
far as possible. When doing so, also
observe the PARKTRONIC messages.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
Maneuvering may be required in tight
parking spaces.
The Park Assist Active Select D
Observe Surroundings

message appears in
the multifunction display.
X Shift the transmission to position D while
the vehicle is stationary.
Active Parking Assist

immediately steers in
the other direction.
The Park Assist Active Accelerate
and Brake Observe Surroundings
message appears in the multifunction
display.
i You will achieve the best results by
waiting for the steering procedure to
complete before pulling away.
X Drive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.174
Driving systems
Driving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

If you back up after activation, the steering
wheel is moved to the straight-ahead
position.
X Drive forwards or back up the vehicle, being
ready to brake at all times.
X Stop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
X Drive forwards and reverse as prompted by
the PARKTRONIC warning
displays, several
times if necessary.
Once you have exited the parking space
completely, the steering wheel is moved to
the straight-ahead position. You hear a tone
and the Park Assist Finished message
appears in the

multifunction display. You will
then have to steer and merge into traffic on
your own. PARKTRONIC is still available.
Canceling Active Parking Assist You can cancel Active Parking Assist at any
time.
X
Stop the movement of the multifunction
steering wheel or steer yourself.
Active Parking Assist will be canceled at
once. The Park Assist Canceled
message appears in the multifunction
display.
or
X Press the PARKTRONIC button on the
center console (
Y

page 171).
PARKTRONIC is switched off and Active
Parking Assist is immediately canceled.
The Park Assist Canceled message
appears in the multifunction display.
Active Parking Assist is canceled
automatically if:
R you engage the electric parking brake.
R parking using Active Parking Assist is no
longer possible.
R you are driving faster than 6 mph
(10 km/h).
R a wheel

spins, ESP®
intervenes or fails. The
÷ warning lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster. A warning tone sounds. The parking space
symbol disappears and the multifunction
display shows the
Park Assist Canceled
message.
If Active
Parking

Assist is canceled, you must
steer again yourself.
If a system malfunction occurs, the vehicle is
braked to a standstill. To drive on, depress the
accelerator again. Rear view camera
Important safety notes The rear view camera is only an aid. It is not
a replacement for your attention to your
immediate surroundings. You are always
responsible for safe maneuvering and
parking.
When
maneuvering

or parking, make
sure that there are no persons, animals or
objects in the area in which you are
maneuvering.
Under the following circumstances, the rear
view camera will not function, or will function
in a limited manner:
R the tailgate is open
R in heavy rain, snow or fog
R at night or in very dark places
R if the camera is exposed to very bright light
R if the area is lit by fluorescent light or LED
lighting (the display may flicker)
R if there is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. when driving into a heated garage in
winter
R if the camera lens is dirty or obstructed
R if the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In
this event, have the camera position and
setting checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.176
Driving systemsDriving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

Lanes
:
White guide line without turning the
steering wheel, vehicle width including
the exterior mirrors (static)
; Yellow lane marking tires at current
steering wheel angle,
vehicle width to the
outer side of the wheels (dynamic)
= Red guide line for the vehicle width
including the exterior mirrors, for current
steering wheel angle (dynamic)
? Bumper Guide lines
?
Bumper
A Red guide line at a distance of
approximately 10 in (0.25 m
) from the
rear of the vehicle
B Yellow guide line at a distance of
approximately

13 ft (
4.0 m) from the rear
of the vehicle
C Vehicle center axle (marker assistance)
D Yellow guide line at a distance of
approximately 3 ft (1.0 m ) from the rear
of the vehicle The lanes and guide lines are only displayed
if you have engaged reverse gear.
The distance specifications only apply to
objects that are at ground level.
Additional displays on vehicles with PARKTRONIC
and COMAND
:
Front warning display
; Additional PARKTRONIC measurement
operational readiness indicator
= Rear warning display
Vehicles with PARKTRONIC and
COMAND: if PARKTRONIC is operational
(Y page 169), an additional operational
readiness indicator will appear in COMAND
display ;.If the PARKTRONIC warning
displays are active or light up, warning
displays : and
=


are also active or light up
correspondingly in the COMAND display.
Reverse parking function X
Make sure that the rear view camera is
activated and the "Reverse parking"
function is selected; see the separate
operating instructions for the audio
system/COMAND.
The lane and the guide lines are shown.178
Driving systems
Driving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

monitored area. If you then switch on the
corresponding turn signal to change lanes,
you will also receive a visual and audible
collision warning.
For
this purpose, Blind Spot
Assist uses sensors in the rear bumper.
For Blind Spot Assist to assist you when
driving, the radar sensor system must be:
R activated(Y page 199)
R operational
Monitoring range of the sensors
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy
rain or snow
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike or bicycle
R the road has very wide lanes
R the road has narrow lanes
R you are not driving in the middle of the lane
R there are barriers or similar lane borders
Vehicles in the monitoring range are then not
indicated. Blind Spot Assist monitors the area up to
10 ft (
3.0 m

) behind your vehicle and directly
next to your vehicle, as shown in the diagram. For this purpose, Blind Spot Assist uses radar
sensors in the rear bumper.
If the
lanes

are narrow, vehicles driving in the
lane beyond the lane next to your vehicle may
be indicated, especially if the vehicles are not
driving in the middle of their lane. This may
be the case if the vehicles are driving on the
inner side of their lane.
Due to the nature of the system:
R warnings may be issued in error when
driving close to crash barriers or similar
solid lane borders.
R warnings may be interrupted when driving
alongside particularly long vehicles, e.g.
trucks, for a prolonged time.
The two sensors for Blind Spot Assist are
integrated into the sides of the rear bumper.
Make sure that the bumper is free of dirt, ice
or slush in the vicinity of the sensors. For
example, the radar sensors must not be
covered by bicycle racks or overhanging
loads. Following a severe impact or in the
event of damage to the bumpers, have the
function of the radar sensors checked at a
qualified specialist workshop. Blind Spot
Assist may otherwise not work properly.
Indicator and warning display
Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds below
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). Vehicles in
the monitoring range are then not indicated. :
Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp
When Blind Spot Assist is activated, indicator
lamp : in the exterior mirrors lights up
yellow at speeds

of up to 20 mph (30 km/h).182
Driving systems
Driving and parking
ProCarManuals.com

At speeds above 20 mph (30 km/h) the
indicator lamp
goes
out and Blind Spot Assist
is operational.
If a vehicle is detected within the monitoring
range of Blind Spot Assist at speeds above
20 mph (30 km/h), warning lamp : on the
corresponding side lights up red. This warning
is always emitted when a vehicle enters the
blind spot monitoring range from behind or
from the side. When you overtake a vehicle,
the warning only occurs if the difference in
speed is less than 7 mph (12 km/h).
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reverse
gear is engaged. In this event, Blind Spot
Assist is no longer active.
The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range
of Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the
corresponding turn signal, a double warning
tone sounds. Red warning lamp : flashes. If
the turn signal remains on, vehicles detected
are indicated by the flashing of red warning
lamp :. There are no further warning tones.
Switching on Blind Spot Assist
X Make sure that the radar sensor system
(Y page 199) and Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 195)
are

activated in the on-board
computer.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
Warning lamps : in the exterior mirrors
light up red for approximately
1.5 seconds and then turn yellow.
Lane Keeping Assist General notes
Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in
front of
your

vehicle by means of a camera at
the top of the windshield. Lane Keeping Assist
detects lane markings on the road and warns you before you leave your lane
unintentionally.
:
Lane Keeping Assist camera
If you select km on the on-board computer in
the Display Unit Speed-/Odometer:
function ( Y page 196), Lane Keeping Assist
is active starting

at a speed of 60 km/h. If the
miles display unit is selected, the assistance
range begins at 40 mph.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Lane Keeping Assist may not always clearly
recognize lane markings.
In this case, Lane Keeping Assist may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and stay in lane, in particular if
warned by Lane Keeping Assist. G
WARNING
The Lane Keeping Assist warning does not
return the vehicle to the original lane. There
is a risk of an accident.
You should always steer, brake or accelerate
yourself, in particular if warned by Lane
Keeping Assist.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Lane
Keeping Assist can

neither reduce the risk of
an accident nor override the laws of physics.
Lane Keeping Assist cannot take into account
the road, traffic and weather conditions. Lane Driving systems
183
Driving and parking Z
ProCarManuals.com