2012 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS CABRIOLET Owners Manual

Size cate-
gory Equipment Rear seat,
left and
right
B1 ISO/F2X IUF
A ISO/F3 IUF
Recommended child restraint systems
When installing a child restraint system with-
out a transponder for automatic child seat
recognition on the front-passenger seat:
X
Move the front-passenger seat to its rear-
most position.
Weight category 0: up to 10 kg, up to
approximately 6 months Manufacturer
Britax Römer
Type
BABY SAFE PLUS
Approval number
(E1 ...)
03 301146
04 301146
Order number
(A 000 ...)
970 10 00
Automatic child
seat recognition
Yes
Weight category 0+: up to 13 kg, up to
approximately 15 months
Manufacturer
Britax Römer
Type
BABY SAFE PLUS
Approval number
(E1 ...)
03 301146
04 301146
Order number
(A 000 ...)
970 10 00
Automatic child
seat recognition
Yes Weight category I: 9 to 18 kg, approx-
imately 9 months to 4 years
Manufac-
turer
Britax Römer Britax Römer
Type
DUO PLUS DUO PLUS
Approval
number
(E1 ...)
03 301133
04 301133 03 301133
04 301133
Order num-
ber
(A 000 ...)
970 11 00 970 16 00
Automatic
child seat
recognition
Yes No
Weight category II/III: 15 to 36 kg,
approximately 4 to 12 years
Manufac-
turer
Britax Römer Britax Römer
Type
KID KID
Approval
number
(E1 ...)
03 301148
04 301148 03 301148
04 301148
Order num-
ber
(A 000 ...)
970 12 00 970 17 00
Automatic
child seat
recognition
Yes No
Manufac-
turer
Britax Römer Britax Römer
Type
KIDFIX KIDFIX
Approval
number
(E1 ...)
04 301198 04 30119862
Children in the vehicleSafety

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

cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the 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. 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 127). 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 without 4MATIC: observe the notes
on ESP ®
if the vehicle is being towed with the
rear axle raised (Y page 334).
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 278) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 250).
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise 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 stabilise the vehicle during braking.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X When pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) Traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually 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. In addition, more drive torque is trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you deacti-
vate ESP ®
.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident. Driving safety systems
67Safety
Z

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

ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort .Inaddi-
tion to the brakin gfunction ,ADAPTIVE BRAKE
also has the HOLD functio n(Ypage 198 )and
hill start assist (Y page 162). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 64).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimise
the ris kofacollisio nwith a vehicle ahead or
reduce the effects of such a collision. If PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake detects a risk of collision, you
will be warned visually and acoustically as
well as by automatic braking. PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot prevent a collision without your
intervention.
This function will issue a warning if:
R at speeds of around 30 km/h or more, over
several seconds, the distanc emaintained
to the vehicle travelling in front is insuffi-
cient.
The · distance warning lamp then lights
up in the instrument cluster.
R at a speed of approximately 7km/h or
higher, you very quickly 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.
From a speed of approximately 7km/h, if the
driver and passengers have fastened their
seat belts, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can brake the vehicle automatically at speeds up to approx-
imatel
y200 km/h.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving conditions may cause
unnecessary warnings or the unnecessary
intervention of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake.
You can prevent the intervention of the PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake at any time by:
R depressing the accelerato rpedal further
R activating kickdown
R releasing the brake pedal.
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you manoeuvre to avoid the obstacle.
R there is no longer any danger of a rear-end
collision.
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle.
With the help of the radar sensor system,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect obstacles that
are in front of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
At speeds up to approximately 70 km/h, PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake can also detect stationary
obstacles such as stopped or parked vehi-
cles.
If you approach an obstacle and PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects a risk of a collision, the system
will alert you both visually and acoustically. If
you do not brake or take evasive action, the
system will warn you by automatically braking
the vehicle gently. If there is an increased risk
of collision, preventative passenger protec-
tion measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated
(Y page 48). If, at speeds over 30 km/h, a risk
of collision remains and you do not brake,
take evasive action or significantly acceler-
ate, automatic braking may be performed up
to a level of automatic emergency braking.
Automatic emergency braking is not per-
formed until immediately prior to an accident
that can no longer be avoided. Driving safet
ysystems
69Safety Z