If yourv
ehicle 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
turn the 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 Coupé:t he windowbag
R Cabriolet: the headbag
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. Children in the vehicle
57Safety Z
Order num-
ber
(A 000 ...)
970 18 00 970 19 00
Automatic
child seat
recognition
Yes No
Suggested "Universal" category ISOFIX
child restraint systems:
Carry-cot weight category
Size categories
F, G
Manufacturer
–
Type
–
Approval number
(E1 ...)
–
Order number
–
Automatic child
seat recognition
–
Category 0: up to 10 kg
Size category
E
Manufacturer
–
Type
–
Approval number
(E1 ...)
–
Order number
–
Automatic child
seat recognition
–
Category 0+: up to 13 kg
Size catego-
ries
E D, C
Manufac-
turer
Britax Römer –
Type
BABY SAFE
ISOFIX PLUS – Approval
number
(E1 ...)
04 301146 –
Order num-
ber
B6 6 86
8224 –
Automatic
child seat
recognition
No –
Category I: 9 to 18 kg
Size categories
D, C, B, A
Manufacturer
–
Type
–
Approval number
(E1 ...)
–
Order number
–
Automatic child
seat recognition
–
Size category
B1
Manufacturer
Britax Römer
Type
DUO PLUS
Approval number
(E1 ...)
03 301133
04 301133
Order number
A000 970 11 00
Automatic child
seat recognition
Yes
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes 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 Children in the vehicle
63Safety
Z
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-
te mc ould heat up and the child could burn
herself/himself on them.
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.R elevant
information can be found in the index.
Override feature for the rear side win-
dows G
WARNING
Activate the override switch for the rear side
windows if children are travelling in the vehi-
cle. Otherwise, the children could open the
side windows while the vehicle is moving and
injure themselves or others. 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 65)
R BAS (Brake AssistSystem) (Y page 65)
R BAS PLUS(Brake AssistSystem PLUS)
(Y page 65)
R Adaptive brake lamps (Y page 67)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 67)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 68)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 69)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 69) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your 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 and
weather 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 340).
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. 64
Driving safet
ysystemsSafety
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Importan tsafety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 64). G
WARNING
If AB Sis faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired.A ddition-
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 ABSi s malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 277) 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 AssistS
ystem)
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 64). 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 arisk of collision Driving safety systems
65Safety Z
If you are driving at a speed over
30 km/h:ify
ou depress the brake sharply,
BAS PLUS automatically raises the brake
pressure to a value adapted to the traffic sit-
uation.
If you are driving at a speed under
30 km/h:ify ou depress the brake, BAS PLUS
is activated. Braking will be carried out at the
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 245). For BAS PLUS to assist you when driving, the
radar sensor system must:
R
be switched on (Y page 245)
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. 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 radar sources
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- 66
Driving safet
ysystemsSafety
Only deactivate ESP
®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
X To deactivate:(Y page 240).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To activate: (Ypage 240).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
ESP ®
is activated automaticallyw hen the
engine is started.
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle stops
moving. When pulling away again, the engine
starts automatically .ESP ®
remains in its pre-
viously selected status. Example :ifESP®
was
deactivated before the engine was switched
off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when the
engine is switched on again.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
star tto spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
R engine torque is not limited and the drive
wheels are able to spin. The spinning of the
wheels results in a cutting action for better
traction.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high centre of gravity can
tip over before ESP
®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, you can only stabilise the vehicle/
trailer combination by depressing the brake
firmly.
In this situation, ESP ®
assists you and can
detect if the vehicle/trailer combination
begins to lurch. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down
by braking and limiting the engine output until
the vehicle/trailer combination has stabi-
lised.
Trailer stabilisation is active above speeds of
about 65 km/h.
Trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function. EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 64). G
WARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the rear wheels can
still lock, e.g. under full braking. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 277) as well as dis-
play messages (Y page 252).
EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking. 68
Driving safety systemsSafety
For information on switching off the radar
senso rsystem using the on-board computer,
see (Y page 245).
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. Anti-theft systems
Immobiliser
X To activate with the key: remove the key
from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Anyone can
start the engine if a valid key has been left
inside the vehicle.
i The immobiliser is always deactivated
when you start the engine. ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system) X
To prime: lock the vehicle with the key or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is primed after approximately
15 seconds.
X To switch off: unlock the vehicle with the
key or KEYLESS-GO.
Av isual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is primed and you open:
R a door
R the vehicle with the emergency key ele-
ment
R the boot lid
R the bonnet
X To turn th ealarm off with th ekey: press
the % or& button on the key.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off.
X To stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The key
must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
or
X Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The key must be inside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you
close the open door that has triggered it, for
example. Tow-away protection
Function An audible and visual alarm is triggered if your
vehicle's angle of inclination is altered while
tow-away protection is primed. This can occur
if the vehicle is jacked up on one side, for
example. Anti-theft systems
71Safety Z
Activating
X
Make sure that:
R
the doors are closed.
R the boot lid is closed.
Only then is the tow-away protection
primed.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or KEYLESS-
GO.
Tow-away protection is primed after
approximately 30 seconds.
To deactivate X
To switch off: unlockthe vehicle with the
key or KEYLESS-GO.
Tow-away protection is switched off auto-
matically.
Deactivating X
Remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up briefly.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or KEYLESS-
GO.
Tow-away protection is deactivated.
Tow-away protection remains deactivated
until:
R the vehicle is unlocked again and
R a door is opened and closed again and
R the vehicle is locked again To prevent a false alarm, deactivate the tow-
away protection if you lock your vehicle and
it:
R
is being transported
R is being loaded onto a ferry or car trans-
porter, for example
R is parked on a movable surface, e.g. in a
split-level garage Interior motion sensor
Function When the interior motion sensor is primed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered if move-
ment is detected in the vehicle interior. This
can occur if someone reaches into the vehicle
interior, for example.
Activating
X
Make sure that:
R
the side windows are closed.
R the panorama sliding sunroof is closed
(Coupé).
This will prevent false alarms.
X Cabriolet: make sure that the roof is
closed.
X Make sure that:
R
the doors are closed.
R the panorama sliding sunroof is closed
(Coupé).
R the boot lid is closed.
Only then is the interior motion sensor
primed.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or KEYLESS-
GO.
The interior motion sensor is primed after
approximately 30 seconds.
i Cabriolet: in some countries, the interior
motion sensor is primed even if the soft top
is open. You should only park the vehicle
when the soft top is closed. Otherwise, fall-
ing leaves or insects, for example, could
trigger a false alarm. 72
Anti-theft systemsSafety