2012 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS-Class parking brake

and measures parking spaces on both sides
of the vehicle. When driving at speeds below
19 mph (30 km/h), you will see the parking
symbol as a status indicator in the instrument
cluster. By default, Active Parking Assist only
displays parking spaces on the front-
passenger side. Parking spaces on the
driver's side are displayed as soon as the turn
signal on the driver's side is activated. If you
wish to park in a space on the driver's side,
the indicator on the driver's side must remain
on. This must remain switched on until you
acknowledge the use of Active Parking Assist
by pressing the a button on the
multifunction steering wheel.
When a parking space has been detected, an
arrow towards the right or the left also
appears.
Detected parking space (example)
:Detected parking space on the left;Parking symbol=Detected parking space on the right
Active Parking Assist will only detect parking
spaces:
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
R at least 51 in (1.3 m) longer than your
vehicle
A parking space will be displayed to you as
you drive by until you are approximately 50 ft
(15 m) away from it.
Parking
GWARNING
PARKTRONIC and Active Parking Assist are
merely parking aids and may not detect all
obstacles. They do not relieve you of the
responsibility of paying attention.
You are always responsible for safety and
must continue to pay attention to your
immediate surroundings when parking and
maneuvering. You could otherwise endanger
yourself and others.XStop the vehicle when the parking space
symbol shows the desired parking space in
the instrument cluster.XShift the transmission to position R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
% message appears in the multifunction
display.XTo cancel the procedure: press the
% button on the multifunction steering
wheel or pull away.
or
XTo 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.GWARNING
When parking, you need to make sure that no
obstacles are located in the vicinity of the
vehicle during the entire operation. Active
Parking Assist does not relieve you of the
responsibility of paying attention. It merely
aids you by intervening actively in the
steering.
To stop the vehicle or to avoid an accident,
you need to apply the brakes yourself.
XLet go of the multifunction steering wheel.XBack up the vehicle, being ready to brake
at all times. Do not exceed a speed of
approximately 5 mph (10 km/h) while
backing up; Active Parking Assist will
otherwise be canceled.
i In tight parking spaces, you will achieve
the best parking results by backing up as
Driving systems177Driving and parkingZ

far as possible. When doing so, also
observe the PARKTRONIC messages.XStop 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.
XShift 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 parking results
by waiting for the steering procedure to
complete before moving forwards.
XDrive forwards and be ready to brake at all
times.XStop as soon as PARKTRONIC sounds the
continuous warning tone, if not before.
The Park Assist Active Select R
Observe Surroundings message appears
in the multifunction display.
XFurther transmission shifts may be
necessary.
As soon as the parking procedure is
complete, the Park Assist Disabled
message appears in the multifunction
display. PARKTRONIC continues to be
available.
XManeuver if necessary.XAlways observe the warning messages
displayed by PARKTRONIC ( Y page 173).
Canceling Active Parking Assist
You can cancel Active Parking Assist at any
time.
XStop 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
XPress the PARKTRONIC button on the
center console ( Y page 173).
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 the transmission is shifted too early.
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
ä warning lamp lights up in the
instrument cluster.
A warning tone sounds. The parking space
symbol disappears and the Park Assist
Canceled message appears in the
multifunction display.
When Active Parking Assist is canceled, you
must steer again yourself.
Rear view camera
Important safety notes
The rear view camera is an optical parking aid.
It shows the area behind your vehicle in the
COMAND display.
GWARNING
Make sure that no persons or animals are in
the maneuvering range. Otherwise, they
could be injured.
The rear view camera is located in the handle
strip of the trunk lid.
178Driving systemsDriving and parking

The system may be impaired or may not
function if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to
insufficient illumination of the road, or due
to snow, rain, fog or spray.
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun, or reflection from other vehicles.
R the windshield is dirty, fogged up or
covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera.
R several or no lane markings for a single lane
are present.
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow.
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected.
R the lane markings on the road are unclear,
e.g. near roadworks.
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge.
R the road is narrow and winding.
Lane Keeping Assist cannot detect road and
traffic conditions. It is not a substitute for
attentive driving. You are responsible for the
vehicle's speed, braking in good time, and
steering correctly. Always adapt your driving
style to suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions. Always pay attention to traffic
conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise,
you may fail to recognize dangers in time,
cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
A warning can be given when a front wheel
passes over a lane marking. It will warn you
by means of intermittent vibration in the
steering wheel for up to 1.5 seconds.
In order that you are warned only when
necessary and in good time if you cross the
lane marking, the system recognizes certain
conditions and warns you accordingly.The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a
freeway.
R the system recognizes solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend.
No warning vibration occurs if:
R you clearly and actively steer, brake or
accelerate.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Switching on Lane Keeping AssistXActivate Lane Keeping Assist using the on-
board computer ( Y page 207).
Symbol : appears in the multifunction
display.
If your speed exceeds 40 mph (60 km/h)
and lane markings are detected,
symbol : is shown in green. Lane Keeping
Assist is ready for use.
Active Driving Assistance package
General information
The Active Driving Assistance package
consists of DISTRONIC PLUS ( Y page 157),
Active Blind Spot Assist ( Y page 188) and
Active Lane Keeping Assist ( Y page 191).
Driving systems187Driving and parkingZ

Active Blind Spot Assist
Important safety notes
Active Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor
system to monitor the side areas of your
vehicle which are in back of the driver. A
warning display in the exterior mirrors draws
your attention to detected vehicles in the
monitored area. If you then indicate a turn
towards that side before changing lanes, you
will also receive visual and audible collision
warnings. If a risk of lateral collision is
detected, corrective braking may help you
avoid a collision. To support the course-
correcting brake application, Active Blind
Spot Assist also uses the forward-facing radar
sensor system. Active Blind Spot Assist
supports you from speeds of approximately
20 mph (30 km/h).
GWARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid, and
may detect vehicles/obstacles incorrectly or
not at all.
The system may be impaired or may not
function if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to snow,
rain, fog or spray.
R the rear and/or front sensors are dirty.
Active Blind Spot Assist may not detect
narrow vehicles, such as motorcycles or
bicycles, or may only detect them too late. It
cannot detect vehicles that are overtaken at
a small distance and then enter the blind spot
area.
Active Blind Spot Assist cannot detect road
and traffic conditions. It is not a substitute for
attentive driving. You are responsible for the
vehicle's speed, braking in good time, and
steering correctly. Always adapt your driving
style to suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions. Always pay attention to traffic
conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise,
you may fail to recognize dangers in time,
cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
i USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC
as a “Vehicular Radar System”. The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removal, tampering, or
altering of the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
For Active Blind Spot Assist to assist you
when driving, the radar sensor system must
be activated ( Y page 211) and operational.
Monitoring area
Active Blind Spot Assist monitors the area
shown in the figure up to 10 ft (3 m) behind
and immediately adjacent to your vehicle. For
this purpose, Active Blind Spot Assist uses
radar sensors in the rear bumper.GWARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist monitors certain
areas in the immediate vicinity of your vehicle.
Vehicles that approach and drive past at high
speeds are not detected. No visual nor
audible warnings are emitted and the system
does not brake the vehicle to correct your
course.
188Driving systemsDriving and parking

recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
Visual and audible collision warnings
If you switch on the turn signal to change
lanes and a vehicle is detected in the
monitoring area to the side, you will receive a
visual and audible collision warning. A double
warning tone sounds once and 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.
Course-correcting brake application
If Active Blind Spot Assist detects a risk of a
lateral collision in the monitoring range, a
course-correcting brake application is carried
out. This is meant to assist you in avoiding a
collision.
The course-correcting brake application is
available in the range between 20 mph
(30 km/h) and 120 mph (200 km/h).
If a course-correcting brake application
occurs, red warning lamp : flashes in the
exterior mirror and the following is shown in
the multifunction display, for example:GWARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid
designed to assist driving. It is not a substitute
for attentive driving. In some cases, the
course-correcting brake application is not
sufficient to avoid a collision. In such a case,
you must steer, brake or accelerate.
In very rare cases, the system may
erroneously detect a danger of collision in the
area of crash barriers or similar lane borders
and apply the brakes. Active Blind Spot Assist
does not detect all traffic situations and road
users. Always make sure that there is
sufficient distance on the side for other traffic
or obstacles. An inappropriate brake
application may be interrupted at any time if
you steer slightly in the opposite direction or
accelerate.
You are responsible for driving at appropriate
speeds, braking in good time, and steering
correctly. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions. Always pay attention to traffic
conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise,
you may fail to recognize dangers in time,
cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
There will be either no or only a weak course-
correcting brake application if:
R there are vehicles or obstacles, e.g. crash
barriers, located on both sides of your
vehicle.
R a vehicle approaches you too closely at the
side.
R you have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds.
R you clearly brake or accelerate.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ESP ®
or PRE-SAFE ®
Brake.
R ESP ®
is switched off.
R a loss of tire pressure or a defective tire is
detected.
Switching on Active Blind Spot AssistXMake sure that the radar sensor system
( Y page 211) and Active Blind Spot Assist
( Y page 207) are activated in the on-board
computer.XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
Warning lamps : light up red in the
exterior mirrors for approximately 1.5
seconds and then turn yellow.190Driving systemsDriving and parking

Active Lane Keeping Assist
Important safety notes
Active Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area
in front of your vehicle by means of a camera
at the top of the windshield. Active Lane
Keeping Assist detects lane markings on the
road and warns you before you leave your
lane unintentionally. If you do not react to the
warning, a lane-correcting application of the
brakes can bring the vehicle back into the
original lane.
:Active Lane Keeping Assist camera
If you have selected the Display unit
Speed-/odometer: (Y page 208) function in
the on-board computer and select km as the
unit of measurement, Active Lane Keeping
Assist is active from speeds of 60 km/h. If
the miles display unit is selected, the
assistance range begins at 40 mph.
GWARNING
Active Lane Keeping Assist does not keep
your vehicle in its lane. It is only an aid and
may detect the lane markings on the road
incorrectly or not at all.
The system may be impaired or may not
function if:
R several or no lane markings for a single lane
are present.
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to
insufficient illumination of the road, or due
to snow, rain, fog or spray.
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun, or reflection from other vehicles.
R the windshield is dirty, fogged up or
covered, for instance by a sticker, in the
vicinity of the camera.
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow.
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected.
R the lane markings on the road are unclear,
e.g. near roadworks.
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge.
R the road is narrow and winding.
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot detect
road and traffic conditions. It is not a
substitute for attentive driving. You are
responsible for the vehicle's speed, braking in
good time, and steering correctly. Always
adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing
road and weather conditions. Always pay
attention to traffic conditions and your
surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
Warning vibration in the steering wheel
A warning can be given when a front wheel
passes over a lane marking. You will be
warned by means of intermittent vibration in
the steering wheel for up to 1.5 seconds.
In order that you are warned only when
necessary and in good time if you cross the
lane marking, the system recognizes certain
conditions and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a
freeway.
R the system recognizes solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend.Driving systems191Driving and parkingZ

No warning vibration occurs if:
R you clearly and actively steer, brake or
accelerate.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Lane-correcting brake application
If you leave your lane under certain
circumstances the vehicle will brake briefly
on one side. This is meant to assist you in
bringing the vehicle back to the original lane.
This function is available in the range between
40 mph and 120 mph (60 km/h to
200 km/h).
A lane-correcting brake application can only
be made after driving over a solid,
recognizable lane marking. Before this, a
warning must be given by means of
intermittent vibration in the steering wheel.
In addition, a lane with lane markings on both
sides must be recognized. The brake
application also slightly reduces vehicle
speed.
If a lane-correcting brake application occurs,
the following, for example, appears in the
multifunction display:
i A further lane-correcting brake
application can only occur after your
vehicle has returned to the original lane.
GWARNING
Active Lane Keeping Assist does not keep
your vehicle in its lane. It is only an aid
designed to assist driving. It is not a substitute
for attentive driving. In some cases, the lane-
correcting brake application is not sufficient
to bring your vehicle back to the original lane.
In such cases, you must steer the vehicle
yourself to ensure that it does not leave the
lane.
Active Lane Keeping Assist does not detect
road and traffic conditions. Always make sure
that there is sufficient distance to the side for
other traffic or obstacles. In rare cases,
unclear markings or particular structures on
the roadway can be recognized as solid lane
markings. An inappropriate brake application,
e.g. after intentionally driving over a solid lane
marking, may be interrupted at any time by
steering slightly in the opposite direction.
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot take
weather conditions into account.
You are responsible for the driving at
appropriate speeds, braking in good time, and
steering correctly. Always adapt your driving
style to suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions. Always pay attention to traffic
conditions and your surroundings. Otherwise,
you may fail to recognize dangers in time,
cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
No lane-correcting brake application occurs
if:
R you clearly and actively steer, brake or
accelerate.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
R you switch on the turn signals.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ESP ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake or Active Blind
Spot Assist.
R you have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds or high rates of
acceleration.
R ESP ®
is switched off.
R the transmission is not in position D.
R a loss of tire pressure or a defective tire has
been detected and displayed.192Driving systemsDriving and parking

Active Lane Keeping Assist does not detect
traffic situations or road users. An
inappropriate brake application may be
interrupted at any time if you:
R steer slightly in the opposite direction.
R use a turn signal.
R clearly brake or accelerate.
A lane-correcting brake application is
interrupted automatically if:
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ESP ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake or Active Blind
Spot Assist.
R lane markings can no longer be recognized.
Switching on Active Lane Keeping AssistXSwitch on Active Lane Keeping Assist using
the on-board computer ( Y page 207).
Symbol : appears in the multifunction
display.
If your speed exceeds 40 mph (60 km/h)
and lane markings are detected,
symbol : is shown in green. Active Lane
Keeping Assist is ready for use.Driving systems193Driving and parkingZ