2012 MERCEDES-BENZ E-Class SEDAN window

Winter drivingImportant safety notes ..................348
Slippery road surfaces ...................175
Snow chains .......................... 174, 349
Winter operation
Radiator cover ............................... 309
Winter tires
M+S tires ............................... 174, 348
Wiper blades
Cleaning ......................................... 317
Important safety notes ..................125
Replacing (rear window) ................126
Replacing (windshield) ...................125
Wooden trim (cleaning
instructions) ...................................... 319Index21

Center console
Center console, upper section
FunctionPage:£ Hazard warning
lamps
118
;ATA indicator lamp72=45 Indicator lamp44?Audio system/COMAND;
see separate operating
instructionsAc Seat heating105FunctionPageBs Seat ventilation106C¤ ECO start/stop
function (AMG vehicles)
148
Dc PARKTRONIC192EÜ Retracts the rear seat
head restraints
101
Fu Sedan: rear window
roller sunblind
292
32Center consoleAt a glance

Door control panelFunctionPage:r45=
Stores settings for the seat,
exterior mirrors and
steering wheel
111
;Adjusts the seat electrically100=%& Unlocks/locks
the vehicle
82
?Opens the door82A7 Zö\
Adjusts and folds the
exterior mirrors in/out
electrically
109
BW Opens/closes the
side windows
90
Cn Activates/
deactivates the override
feature for the side
windows in the rear
compartment
62
Dp Opens/closes the
trunk lid/tailgate
87
36Door control panelAt a glance

GWARNING
The SRS self-check has detected a
malfunction if the 6 SRS warning lamp:
R does not come on at all
R fails to go out approximately 4 seconds
after the engine was started
R comes on after the engine was started or
while driving
For your safety, Mercedes-Benz strongly
recommends that you have the system
checked as soon as possible at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Otherwise the SRS
may not be activated when it is needed in an
accident, which could result in serious or fatal
injury. The SRS might also deploy
unexpectedly and unnecessarily which could
also result in injury.
In addition, improper work on the SRS creates
a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended air bag deployment. Work
on the SRS must therefore only be performed
by qualified technicians. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is necessary to modify an air bag system
to accommodate a person with disabilities,
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for details. USA only: Call our Customer
Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372) for details.
Safety guidelines for seat belts,
Emergency Tensioning Devices (ETDs)
and air bags
GWARNING
R Damaged seat belts or seat belts that have
been subjected to stress in an accident
must be replaced. Their anchoring points
must also be checked. Only use seat belts
installed or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency
Tensioning Devices (ETDs) contain
perchlorate material, which may require
special handling and regard for the
environment. Check your national disposal
guidelines. California residents, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/
Perchlorate/index.cfm .
R Air bags and ETDs are designed to function
on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or ETD
that has deployed must be replaced. PRE-
SAFE ®
has electrically operated reversible
belt tensioners in addition to the
pyrotechnic ETDs.
R Do not pass seat belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.
R Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the seat belts.
R Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
R No modifications of any kind may be made
to any components or wiring of the SRS.
R Do not change or remove any component
or part of the SRS.
R Do not install additional trim material, seat
covers, badges, etc. to the:
- padded steering wheel boss
- knee bag covers
- front-passenger air bag cover
- outer side of front seat bolsters
- side trim next to the rear seat backrest
- roof lining trim
R Do not install additional electrical/
electronic equipment on or near SRS
components and wiring.
R Keep area between air bags and occupants
free of objects (e.g. packages, purses,
umbrellas, etc.).
R Do not hang items such as coat hangers
from the coat hooks or handles over the
door. These items may be thrown around in
the vehicle and cause head and other
injuries when the window curtain air bag is
deployed.
R Air bag system components will be hot after
an air bag has inflated. Do not touch them.Occupant safety39SafetyZ

RNever place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.
R Improper repair work on the SRS creates a
risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or
causing unintended air bag deployment.
Work on the SRS must therefore only be
performed by qualified technicians.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
R For your protection and the protection of
others, when scrapping the air bag unit or
ETD, our safety instructions must be
followed. These instructions are available
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
R Given the considerable deployment speed,
required inflation volume, and the material
of the air bags, there is the possibility of
abrasions or other, potentially more serious
injuries resulting from air bag deployment.
If you sell your vehicle, Mercedes-Benz
strongly recommends that you inform the
subsequent owner that the vehicle is
equipped with SRS. Also, refer them to the
applicable section in the Operator's Manual.
Air bags
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Air bags are designed to reduce the incidence
of injuries and fatalities in certain situations:
R frontal impacts (driver's and front-
passenger front air bags and driver's knee
bag)
R side impacts (side impact air bags, window
curtain air bags and pelvis air bags)
R rollover (window curtain air bags)
However, no system available today can
completely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
When the air bags are deployed, a small
amount of powder is released. The powder
generally does not constitute a health hazard
and does not indicate that there is a fire in the
vehicle. In order to prevent potential
breathing difficulties, you should leave the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you
have any breathing difficulty but cannot get
out of the vehicle after the air bag inflates,
then get fresh air by opening a window or
door.GWARNING
To reduce the risk of injuries during front air
bag inflation, the driver and front-passenger
must always be seated correctly and have
their seat belts fastened accordingly.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision, you must always be in the normal
seat position with your back against the
backrest. Fasten your seat belt and make sure
that it is correctly positioned on your body.
Since the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating position
and correct positioning of the hands on the
steering wheel will help to keep you at a safe
distance from the air bag. Occupants who are
not wearing their seat belt, are not seated
properly or are too close to the air bag can be
seriously injured or killed by an air bag as it
inflates with great force instantaneously:
R Sit with the seat belt properly fastened in a
position that is as upright as possible with
your back against the seat backrest.
R Move the driver's seat as far back as
possible, still permitting proper operation
of vehicle controls. The distance from the
center of the driver's chest to the center of
the air bag cover on the steering wheel
must be at least 10 inches (25 cm) or more.
You should be able to accomplish this by
adjusting the seat and steering wheel. If
you have any difficulties, please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
R Do not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
40Occupant safetySafety

Pelvis air bags : deploy next to and below
the outer seat cushions. They are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, e.g. in a side impact
R independently of seat belt use
R independently of the front air bags
R independently of the ETDs
The pelvis air bags are generally not deployed
if the vehicle overturns, unless the system
detects high vehicle deceleration or
acceleration in a lateral direction and
determines that they can offer additional
protection to that provided by the seat belt.
Pelvis air bags : will not deploy in side
impacts which do not exceed the system's
preset deployment thresholds for lateral
acceleration/deceleration. You will then be
protected by the fastened seat belt.
Vehicles with OCS (USA only): if the OCS
detects that the front-passenger seat is not
occupied and the front-passenger seat belt is
not fastened (the belt tongue is not engaged
in the seat belt buckle), the pelvis air bag on
the front-passenger side will not deploy. The
pelvis air bag on the front-passenger side will
deploy if the front-passenger seat belt is
fastened, regardless of whether the front-
passenger seat is occupied or not.
Window curtain air bags
The window curtain air bags enhance the level
of protection for the head, but not chest or
arms, of the vehicle occupants on the side of
the vehicle on which the impact occurs.
The window curtain air bags are integrated
into the side of the roof frame and deploy in
the area from the A-pillar to the C-pillar.
Example: Sedan
Window curtain air bags : are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, e.g. in a side impact
R regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R independently of seat belt use
R if the vehicle overturns and the system
determines that window curtain air bag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R independently of the front air bags
Window curtain air bags : will not deploy in
impacts with deceleration rates which do not
exceed the system's preset deployment
thresholds for vehicle deceleration or
acceleration. You will then be protected by
the fastened seat belt.
Occupant Classification System
(OCS)
How the occupant classification
system works
The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
categorizes the occupant on the front-
44Occupant safetySafety

passenger seat by means of a weight sensor.
The front-passenger front air bag is
deactivated automatically for certain weight
categories. The 45 indicator lamp
shows you the current status. If the
45 indicator lamp is illuminated, the
front-passenger front air bag is deactivated.
The system does not deactivate:
R the side impact air bag
R the pelvis air bag
R the window curtain air bag
R the Emergency Tensioning Devices
To be classified correctly, the front passenger
must sit:
R with the seat belt fastened correctly
R in a position that is as upright as possible
with their back against the seat backrest
R with their feet on the floor
If the front-passenger's weight is transferred
to another object in the vehicle (e.g. by
leaning on armrests), OCS may not be able to
approximate the occupant's weight category.
If the front-passenger seat, the seat cover or
the seat cushion are damaged, have the
necessary repair work carried out at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you only use seat
accessories which have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Both the driver and the passenger should
always use the 45 indicator lamp as
an indication of whether or not the passenger
is properly positioned.GWARNING
If the 45 indicator lamp illuminates
when an adult or someone larger than a small
individual is in the front passenger seat, have
the front passenger reposition himself or
herself in the seat until the 45
indicator lamp goes out.
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow front passenger front air bag
deployment when the OCS has classified the
front passenger seat occupant as weighing as
much as or less than a typical 12-month-old
child in a standard child restraint or if the front
passenger seat is classified as being empty.
When the OCS senses that the front
passenger seat occupant is classified as
being up to or less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child
restraint, the 45 indicator lamp will
illuminate when the engine is started and
remain illuminated. This indicates that the
front passenger front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front
passenger seat is classified as being empty,
the 45 indicator lamp will illuminate
when the engine is started and remain
illuminated. This indicates that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front
passenger seat occupant is classified as
being heavier than the weight of a typical 12-
month-old child seated in a standard child
restraint or as being a small individual (such
as a young teenager or a small adult), the
45 indicator lamp will illuminate for
approximately 6 seconds when the engine is
started. Depending on occupant weight
sensor readings from the seat, it will then
remain illuminated or go out. With the
45 indicator lamp illuminated, the
front passenger front air bag is deactivated.
With the 45 indicator lamp out, the
front passenger front air bag is activated.
When the OCS senses that the front
passenger seat occupant is classified as an
adult or someone larger than a small
individual, the 45 indicator lamp will
illuminate for approximately six seconds
when the engine is started and then go out.
This indicates that the front passenger front
air bag is activated.
If the 45 indicator lamp is illuminated,
the front passenger front air bag is
deactivated and will not be deployed.Occupant safety45SafetyZ

PRE-SAFE®
(preventative occupant
protection)GWARNING
The PRE-SAFE ®
system reduces the impact of
an accident on vehicle occupants, as long as
their seat belts have been fastened correctly.
Although your vehicle is equipped with a PRE-
SAFE ®
system, the possibility of injury in the
event of an accident cannot be ruled out. You
should therefore always drive carefully and
adapt your driving style to the prevailing road,
weather and traffic conditions.
PRE-SAFE ®
takes preemptive measures to
protect occupants in certain hazardous
situations.
PRE-SAFE ®
intervenes:
R in emergency braking situations, e.g. if BAS
is activated or, in vehicles with DISTRONIC
PLUS, BAS PLUS intervenes powerfully
R if the radar sensor system detects an
imminent danger of collision in certain
situations (on vehicles with DISTRONIC
PLUS)
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when
physical limits are exceed and the vehicle
understeers or oversteers severely
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation
detected:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned.
R it adjusts the front-passenger seat if it is in
an unfavorable position.
R the air pressure in the side bolsters of the
seat cushion and seat backrest of the front
active multicontour seats is increased.
R if the vehicle skids, the sliding sunroof/
panorama roof with power tilt/sliding
panel and the side windows are closed so
that only a small gap remains.
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens
the belt pretensioning. The air pressure in the
side bolsters on the active multicontour seat
is reduced again. All settings made by PRE-
SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belts are not released:XMove the backrest or seat back slightly, but
only when the vehicle is stationary.
The belt pretensioning is reduced and the
locking mechanism is released.GWARNING
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
as you adjust the seat.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats when resetting
the seats. There is a risk that the seats
and/or the objects could be damaged.
More information about seat-belt
adjustment, a convenience function
integrated into PRE-SAFE ®
, can be found in
the "Seat-belt adjustment" section
( Y page 54).
NECK-PRO head restraints
The NECK-PRO head restraints increase
protection to the driver's and front
passenger's head and neck. To this end, the
NECK-PRO head restraints on the driver's and
front-passenger seats are moved forwards
and upwards in the event of a rear-end
collision of a certain severity. This provides
better head support.
GWARNING
Do not secure any objects (e.g. coat hangers)
on the NECK-PRO head restraints. Otherwise,
the NECK-PRO head restraints may not
function properly, or in the event of a rear-end
collision may not be able offer the level of
protection they are designed to provide.
GWARNING
Seat or head restraint covers can cause a
malfunction when the NECK-PRO head
restraints are activated or when the side
impact air bags or pelvis air bags are
50Occupant safetySafety