2012 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS SHOOTING BRAKE warning

Observe the general notes on the HOLD func-
tion, which can be found under the same key-
word. G
WARNING
Unsecured or incorrectly positioned loads
increase the risk of injury for children and all
other occupants in the event of:
R an accident
R sudden braking
R a sudden change of direction
Do not transport heavy or hard objects in the
vehicle interior unless they are secured. You
will find further information under "Loading
guidelines" in the index.
If a child is travelling in your vehicle, secure
the child using a child restraint system which
is recommended for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The child restraint system must be appropri-
ate to the age, weight and size of the child.
Ideally the child restraint system should be
installed on a suitable rear seat. Make sure
that the child is secured for the trip.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use
the listed child restraint systems
(Y page 61). You can obtain further infor-
mation aboutt he correct child restraint sys-
tem from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
i It is advisable to use Mercedes-Ben zcare
products to clean child restraint systems.
You can obtain informatio nabout this at
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat G
WARNING
If the front-passenger airbag is not disabled:
R a child secured in a child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat could be seri-
ously and even fatally injured by the front-
passenger airbag deploying. This is espe-
cially a risk if the child is in the immediate vicinity of the front-passenger airbag when
it deploys.
R never secure a child on the front-passenger
seat in a rearward-facing child restraint sys-
tem. Only secure a rearward-facing child
restraint system on a suitable rear seat.
R always move the front-passenger seat to
the rearmos tposition if you secure a child
in a forward-facing child restraint system
on the front-passenger seat.
The front-passenger airbag is not disabled:
R on vehicles without automatic child seat
recognition on the front-passenger seat
R in vehicles with automatic child seat rec-
ognition in the front-passenger seat, if no
special child restraint system with trans-
ponders for automatic child seat recogni-
tion in the front-passenger seat has been
fitted
R on vehicles with automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat, if the
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
4 is not lit.
To make you aware of this danger, a corre-
sponding warning sticker has been affixed on
the dashboard and on both sides of the sun
visor on the front-passenger side.
Information about recommended child
restraint systems is available at any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Warning notice on the front-passenger sun visor54
Children in the vehicleSafety

Warning symbol for a rearward-facing child
restraint system
Do not use a rearward-facing child restraint
system on a seat that is protected by an air-
bag installed in fron tofit.
Automatic chil dseat recognition on the
front-passenger seat G
WARNING
If the 4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indica-
to rlamp does no tlight up when the child
restraint system is fitted, the front-passenger
airbag has not been disabled. If the front-
passenger airbag deploys, the child could be
seriously or even fatally injured.
Proceed as follows:
R do not use a rearward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenge rseat.
R fit a rearward-facing child restraint system
on a suitable rear seat.
or
R only use a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat and
move the front-passenger seat to the rear-
most position.
R have the automatic child seat recognition
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
To ensure that the automatic child seat rec-
ognition on the front-passenger seat func-
tions/communicates correctly, never place
objects, e.g. a cushion, under the child
restraint system. The entire base of the child
restraint system must always rest on the seat
cushion. An incorrectly fitted child restraint system cannot perform its intended protec-
tive function in the event of an accident, and
could lead to injuries.
G
WARNING
Do not place electronic devices on the front-
passenger seat, e.g.:
R laptops, when switched on
R mobile phones
R cards with transponders, e.g. ski passes or
access cards
Signals from electronic equipment can cause
interference in the automatic child seat rec-
ognition sensor system. This can lead to a
system malfunction. This may cause the
4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp to light up without there being a child
seat with transponders for automatic child
seat recognition fitted. The front-passenger
airbag will not then deploy during an accident.
It is also possible that the 6SRS warning
lamp lights up and/or the 4PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp does not light up
briefly when you turn the key in the ignition
lock to position 2. If your vehicle does not have automatic child
seat recognition on the front-passenger seat,
this is indicated by a special sticker. The
sticker is affixed to the side of the dashboard
on the front-passenger side. The sticker is
visible when you open the front-passenger
door.
Vehicles without automatic child seat recog-
nition on the front-passenger seat: when you Children in the vehicle
55Safety Z

tur
nthe key to position 2inthe ignition lock,
the 4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp lights up briefly, but does not have any
function. It does not indicate that there is
automatic child seat recognition on the front-
passenger seat. The front-passenger seat sensor system for
child restraint systems detects whether a
special Mercedes-Ben zchild seat with a
transponder for automatic child seat recog-
nition has been fitted. In this case, 4
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp :
lights up. The front-passenger front airbag is
disabled.
i If the front-passenger front airbag is dis-
abled by the automatic child seat recogni-
tion, the following remain enabled on the
front-passenger side:
R the sidebag
R the pelvisbag
R the windowbag
R the belt tensioner
ISOFIX child seat securing system for
the rear seats G
WARNING
Ac hild restraint system secured by the ISOFIX
child seat securing system does not provide
sufficient protection for children weighing
more than 22 kg. For this reason, do not
secure children weighing more than 22 kg in
a child restraint system secured by the ISOFIX
child seat securing system. If the child weighs
more than 22 kg, secure the child restraint system with the vehicle seat belt as well. In
addition, when fitting a child restraint system,
be sure to observe the manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions and the instructions for
correct use of the child restraint system.
G
WARNING
Please note that if child restraint systems, or
their retaining systems, are damaged or sub-
jected to a load in an accident, they may not
be able to provide their protective function.
This could result in serious or even fatal inju-
ries to the secured child in the event of an
accident, heavy braking or a sudden change
in direction.
For this reason, have child restraint systems
and their anchorages which have been dam-
aged or subjected to a load in an accident
checked immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop. Securing rings (example: CLS Coupé)
When installing the ISOFIX child restraint sys-
tem, fold protective caps
;of securing
rings :inwards.
X Install the ISOFIX child restraint system.
Comply with the manufacturer's instruc-
tions when installing the ISOFIX child
restraint system.
ISOFIX is a standardised securing system for
specially designed child restraint systems on
the rear seats. Securing rings for two ISOFIX
child restraint systems are fitted on the left
and right of the rear seats. 56
Children in the vehicleSafety

Problems with child seat recognition
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The
4 PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp on the centre con-
sole is lit. As
pecial Mercedes-Benz child seat with a transponder for auto-
matic child seat recognition has been fitted to the front-passenger
seat. The front-passenger fron tairbag has therefore been disabled
as desired. The
4 PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp on the centre con-
sole is lit.
or
The 6 warning lamp
lights up and/or the
4 PASSENGER AIR-
BAG OFF indicator
lamp does not light up
briefly when you switch
the ignition on. G
WARNING
There is no child seat fitted to the front-passenger seat .Automatic
child seat recognition is malfunctioning.
There is a ris kofinjury.
X Remove electronic equipment from the front-passenger seat,
e.g.:
R
laptop
R mobile phone
R cards with transponders, such as ski passes or access cards
If the 4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is still lit:
X Visi taqualified specialist workshop. Suitable positioning of the child
restraint systems
X
To install a child restraint system on
the front-passenger seat: move the front-
passenger seat to the rearmos tposition
and the belt outlet height to the lowest
position.
Key to the letters used in the following table:
XS eat which is unsuitable for children in
this weight category.
US uitable for child restraint systems in the
"Universal" category that are approved
for use in this weigh tcategory.
UF Suitable for forward-facing child restraint systems that belong to th e"Universal"
category and are approved for use in this
weight category.
LS uitable for child restraint systems as
recommended, see the following table of
"Recommended child restraint systems"
(Y page 61). Front-passenger seat Weight cat-
egories Front-
passenger
airbag is
not disa-
bled: Front-
passenger
front air-
bag is disa-
bled.
Categor
y0:
up to 10 kg X U, L
Category
0+: up to
13 kg
X U, L
Category I:
9 to 18 kg
UF, L U, L
Group II:1
5
to 25 kg UF, L U, L
Group III:
22 to 36 kg
UF, L U, L
Vehicles with automatic child seat recog-
nition in the front-passenger seat:
a "Uni- Children in the vehicle
59Safety Z

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 childre nare 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
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. They could injure them-
selves on parts of the vehicle. They could also
be seriously or even fatally injured by pro-
longed exposure to extreme heat or cold.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. Parts of the child restraint sys-
tem could heat up and the child could burn
herself/himsel fonthem.
If a child opens a door, the child or other per-
sons could be injured as a result. They could
get out and injure themselves or be injured by
a passing vehicle.
Also observe the notes on HOLD. Relevant
information can be found in the index.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors Child-proof lock for the rear door (example: CLS
Coupé)
You secure each door individually with the
child-proof locks on the rear doors. Adoor
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 win-
dows 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 driv-
er's door. If indicator lamp :is off, oper-
ation is possible using the switches in the
rear compartment. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS (Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 64)
R BAS (Brake AssistSystem) (Y page 64)
R BAS PLUS ( BrakeAssist System Plus)
(Y page 65)
R Adaptive brake lamps (Y page 66) Driving safety systems
63Safety Z

R
ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 66)
R EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
(Y page 69)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 70)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 70) Important safety notes
If you fail to adap tyour driving style or if you
are inattentive, the driving safety systems can
neither reduce the risk of accident nor over-
ride the laws of physics. Driving safety sys-
tems are merely aids designed to assist driv-
ing. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed and for
braking in good time. Always adapt your driv-
ing style to suit the prevailing road, weather
and traffic conditions and maintain a safe dis-
tance from the vehicle in front. Drive care-
fully.
i The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there
is adequate contact between the tyres and
the road surface. Please pay special atten-
tion to the notes on tyres, recommended
minimum tyre tread depths, etc.
(Y page 354).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing 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" sec-
tion (Y page 64). G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired. Addition-
ally, further driving safety systems are deac- tivated. There is an increased danger of skid-
ding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately 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 279) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 250).
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h
upwards, regardless of road-surface condi-
tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently.
The yellow !ABS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up when the ignition
is switched on. It goes out when the engine is
running.
Brakes X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uation 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 indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions and func-
tions as a reminder to take extra care while
driving. BAS (Brake Assist System)
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 64). 64
Driving safety systemsSafety

G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. 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. BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System Plus)
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 64).
BAS PLUS is only available on vehicles with
DISTRONIC PLUS.
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in haz-
ardous situations at speeds greater than
7k m/h and uses rada rsensor technology to
assess the traffic situation.
With the help of the radar sensor system, BAS
PLUS can detect obstacles that are in the
path of your vehicle for an extended period of
time.
At speeds up to approximately 70 km/h, BAS
PLUS may also detect stationary obstacles,
for example, stopped or parked vehicles.
To prevent a front-end collision, BAS PLUS
calculates the brake force necessary if:
R you approach an obstacle and
R BAS PLUS has detected a risk of collision.
When driving at a speed over 30 km/h : if
you depress the brake pedal sharply, BAS
PLUS will automatically increase the braking
force to a level suitable for the traffic condi-
tions.
When driving at a speed under 30 km/h :
if you depress the brake, BAS PLUS is activa-
ted. Braking will be carried ou tatthe last
possible moment. If BAS PLUS demands particularly high brak-
ing force, preventative passenger protection
measures (PRE-SAFE
®
) are activated simul-
taneously.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
BAS PLUS is deactivated and the brakes func-
tion as usual, 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.
The radar sensor system is switched off auto-
matically in the vicinity of radio telescope
facilities in the following vehicles:
R vehicles with COMAND Online and naviga-
tion
R vehicles with Audio 20 and Becker ®
MAP
PILOT
Becker ®
MAP PILOT must be connected,
see the separate operating instructions
The radar sensor system must be switched off
using the on-board computer in the vicinity of
radio telescope facilities in the following vehi-
cles:
R vehicles without COMAND Online and nav-
igation
R vehicles without Audio 20 and Becker ®
MAP PILOT
R vehicles for Australia
For information on switching off the radar
sensor system using the on-board computer,
see (Y page 243).
For BAS PLUS to assist you when driving, the
radar sensor system must:
R be switched on (Y page 243)
R be operational (Y page 263)
If the radar sensor system is malfunctioning,
BAS PLUS will not be available. The brake
system is still available with complete brake
boosting effect and BAS. Driving safety systems
65Safety Z

G
WARNING
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify
objects and complex traffic situations. BAS
PLUS cannot intervene in these cases. There
is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else cover-
ing the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other rada rsources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example, in multi-storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different
line G
WARNING
BAS PLUS does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As aresult, BAS PLUS may not intervene in all
critical situations. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
Following damage to the fron tend of the vehi-
cle, have the configuratio nand operatio nof
the rada rsensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the fron tofthe vehicle. Adaptive brake lamps
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS
or BAS PLUS, the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way, traffic travelling behind you is
warned in an even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically
.Ifthe
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously.T he 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 118). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 64). G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving
safety systems are switched off. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: switch off the igni-
tion when the parking brake is being tested
using a dynamometer.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: observe the notes
on ESP ®
if the vehicle is being towed with the
rear axle raised (Y page 348).
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and the åwarn-
ing lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 281) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 250). 66
Driving safety systemsSafety