2012 MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS Owners Manual

X
Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system. Comply with the
manufacturer's instructions when
installing the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system.
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) is a standardized
securing system for specially designed child
restraint systems on
the rear seats. Securing
rings : for two LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint systems are installed on the left and
right of the rear seats.
Secure child restraint systems without a
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat securing
system using the seat belts in the vehicle.
When installing child restraint systems, you
must observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
Top Tether Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the red display is visible when the rear seat
backrest is upright, it means the rear seat
backrest is not engaged correctly.
Always engage the rear seat backrests in an
upright position if

there are passengers in the
rear compartment. Engage the rear seat
backrests in an upright position after you have
installed the Top Tether belt or if the extended
cargo compartment is not being used. Push
and pull the rear seat backrests to check
whether they are engaged correctly. The rear
seat backrest may fold down if it is not
engaged correctly. The child restraint system is then no longer supported correctly or held
in position and can no longer perform its
intended function. This can cause serious or
even fatal injuries.
Top Tether provides an additional connection
between a child restraint system, secured
with a
LATCH-type

(ISOFIX) child seat mount,
and the rear seat. This helps reduce the risk
of injury even further.
The Top Tether anchorage points are installed
on the rear side of the rear seat backrests.
X Move head restraint : upwards.
X Release rear seat backrest = and fold it
forwards ( Y page 240).
X Route Top Tether belt B under head
restraint : between the

two head restraint
bars.
X Hook Top Tether hook A of
Top
Tether belt
B into Top Tether anchorage ?. Children in the vehicle
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Make sure that:
R
Top Tether hook A is hooked into Top
Tether anchorage ? as shown.
R Top Tether belt B is not twisted.
R Top Tether
belt B
is routed between rear
seat backrest = and cargo
compartment cover ; if cargo
compartment cover ; is installed.
X Swing back rear seat backrest = until it
engages.
The red lock verification indicator is no
longer visible.
X Move head restraint : back down again
slightly if necessary (
Y page 90). Make
sure that you do not interfere with the
correct routing of Top Tether belt B

.
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with Top Tether. Comply
with the manufacturer's installation
instructions when
doing

so. Make sure that
Top Tether belt B is tight. 56
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Problems with the air bag deactivation system
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsThe 45
indicator lamp on the
center console is lit. A special Mercedes-Benz child restraint system with a
transponder for
air
bag deactivation system has been installed to
the front-passenger seat. The front-passenger front air bag has
therefore been disabled as desired. G
WARNING
There is no child restraint system installed on the front-passenger
seat. The air bag deactivation system is malfunctioning.
It is also

possible that the 6 SRS warning lamp lights up and/
or the 45 indicator lamp does not light up briefly when you
switch the ignition on.
There is a risk of injury.
X Remove electronic equipment from the front-passenger seat,
for example:
R
Laptop
R Mobile phone
R Cards with transponders,

such as ski passes or access cards
If the 45 indicator lamp remains lit:
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Child-proof locks
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Activate the child-proof locks for the rear
doors and the override switch for the rear
windows when children are travelling in the
vehicle. Otherwise, the children could open
doors or side windows while the vehicle is in
motion and injure themselves or others. G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. 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
ignition lock or removed from the vehicle, Children in the vehicle
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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 on these
parts.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors G
WARNING
Children could open a rear door from inside
the vehicle. This could result in serious
injuries or an accident. Therefore, when
children ride in

the rear always secure the rear
doors with the child-proof locks. You can secure each door individually with
the child-proof
locks

on the rear doors. A door
secured with a child-proof lock cannot be
opened from inside the vehicle. When the
vehicle is unlocked, the door can be opened
from the outside.
X To activate: press the child-proof lock
lever up in the direction of arrow :.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow ;. Override feature for the rear side
windows G
WARNING
When children ride on the vehicle's rear seats,
activate the override switch. Otherwise, the
children could be injured, e.g. by trapping
themselves in the rear side window. X
To activate/deactivate: press button :.
If
indicator lamp is lit, operation of the rear
side windows is disabled. Operation is only
possible using the switches in the driver's
door. If the indicator lamp is off, operation
is possible using the switches in the rear
compartment. Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section,
you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
(Y page 64)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) ( Y page 59)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST (adaptive
Brake Assist and distance warning signal)
(Y page 60)
R Adaptive brake lights ( Y page 62)
R ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
(Y page 62)
R EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
(Y page 64) 58
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R
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ( Y
page 64)
(Y page 64)
R STEER CONTROL ( Y page 64)Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or
become distracted, the driving safety
systems can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Driving safety systems are merely aids
designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed and for braking in
good time. Always

adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road, weather and traffic
conditions and maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
i The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there
is adequate contact between the tires and
the road surface. Pay particular attention
to the information regarding tires,
recommended minimum tire tread depths
etc. in the "Wheels and tires" section
(Y page 298).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the
driving safety systems described in this
section work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section for driving safety systems
(Y page 59). G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking
characteristics may be severely impaired.
Additionally, further driving safety systems are deactivated. There is an increased danger
of skidding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe

the information
on the ABS warning lamp ( Y page 225) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 201).
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the
vehicle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h) upwards, regardless of road-surface
conditions. ABS works on slippery roads,
even if you only brake gently.
The ! ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
Braking X
If ABS intervenes: continue to
depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking
situation is over.
X To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions, and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving. BAS (Brake Assist System)
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section ( Y page 59). Driving safety systems
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G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
BAS operates in emergency braking
situations. If you depress the brake pedal
quickly, BAS automatically
boosts the braking
force, thus shortening the stopping distance.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
General notes COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST consists of
the Adaptive Brake Assist and the distance
warning function, which are described in the
following.
Distance warning function
Important safety notes
i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section for driving safety systems
(Y page 59). G
WARNING
The distance warning function does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
Thus, the distance warning function cannot
provide a warning in all critical situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
The distance warning

function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex traffic
situations. In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
R
give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and do not rely solely on the
distance warning function.
Function
X To activate/deactivate: activate or
deactivate the distance

warning function in
the on-board computer (Y page 195).
If the distance warning function is activated,
the Ä symbol appears

in the multifunction
display unless the HOLD function is active
(Y page 168).
On vehicles with Active Parking Assist, the
Ä symbol is displayed when P is engaged
or you are driving faster than 22 mph
(35 km/h).
The distance warning function can help you
to minimize the risk of a front-end collision
with a vehicle ahead or reduce the effects of
such a collision. If the distance warning
function detects that there is a risk of a
collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. The distance warning function
cannot prevent a collision without your
intervention.
Starting at a speed of around 20 mph
(30 km/h), this function warns you if you
rapidly approach a vehicle in front. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and
the · distance warning lamp will light up
in the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
For the distance warning function to assist
you when driving, the function must be
activated in the on-board computer and be
operational ( Y page 195).60
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Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving
conditions
may cause the
system to display unnecessary warnings.
With the help of the radar sensor system, the
distance warning function can detect
obstacles that are in the path of your vehicle
for an extended period of time.
At speeds up to 40 mph (70 km/h), the
distance warning function may also detect
stationary obstacles, for example stopped or
parked vehicles.
If you approach an obstacle and the distance
warning function detects a risk of a collision,
the system will initially alert you both visually
and acoustically.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle
Following damage to the front end of the
vehicle, have the configuration and operation
of the radar sensor checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the front of the vehicle.
Adaptive Brake Assist i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section for driving safety systems
(Y page 59). G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic
situations. In these cases, Adaptive Brake
Assist may not

intervene. There is a risk of an
accident. Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R to stationary obstacles
R when cornering
As a result, Adaptive Brake Assist may not
intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
Adaptive Brake Assist provides braking
assistance in hazardous situations at speeds
greater than 20 mph (30 km/h ) and uses
radar sensor technology to assess the traffic
situation.
With the help of a sensor system, adaptive
Brake Assist

can detect obstacles that are in
the path of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
Should you approach an obstacle and
Adaptive Brake Assist has detected a risk of
collision, Adaptive Brake Assist calculates the
braking force necessary to avoid a rear-end
collision. Should you apply the brakes
vigorously, Adaptive Brake Assist will
automatically increase the braking force to a
level suitable for the traffic conditions.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if:
R you release the brake pedal.
R there is no

longer any danger of a rear-end
collision.
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle.
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated. Driving safety systems
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Up to vehicle speeds of around 155 mph
(250 km/h
),
adaptive Brake Assist is capable
of reacting to moving objects that have
already been recognized as such at least once
over the period of observation. Adaptive
Brake Assist does not react to stationary
obstacles.
If Adaptive Brake Assist is not available due
to a malfunction in the radar sensor system,
the brake system remains available with full
brake boosting effect and BAS.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle
Following damage to the front end of the
vehicle, have the configuration and operation
of the radar sensor checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the front of the vehicle. Adaptive brake lights
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/h

or if braking is assisted by BAS
or Adaptive Brake Assist, the brake lamps
flash rapidly. In this way, traffic traveling
behind you is warned in an even more
noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply to a standstill from a
speed of more than 70 km/h, the hazard
warning 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 button (Y page 101).
i
Adaptive brake lamps

are only available in
certain countries. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section ( Y page 59).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission

between the tires and
the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. 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 slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize the vehicle during braking.
ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section for driving safety systems
(Y page 59).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
.
ETS brakes the drive wheels individually 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.
ETS remains active when you deactivate
ESP ®
.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further
driving safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk

of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop. 62
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