XBrake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
XTake evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
For the distance warning function to assist
you when driving, the function must be acti-
vated in the on-board computer and be opera-
tional ( Y page 218).
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving condi-
tions may also cause the system to display a
warning.
With the help of the radar sensor system, the
distance warning function can detect obsta-
cles that are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time.
From a speed of around 70 km/h, the dis-
tance warning function can also react to sta-
tionary obstacles, such as stopped or parked
vehicles.
If you approach an obstacle and the distance
warning function detects a risk of a collision,
the system will alert you both visually and
acoustically.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or the sensors are
obscured
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R 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
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensor checked at a qualified spe-
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 Assist
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems
( Y page 64).
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions. In these cases, Adaptive Brake Assist
may not intervene. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R to stationary obstacles
R when cornering
As a result, Adaptive Brake Assist may not
intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving condi-
tions may also cause Brake Assist to inter-
vene.
Adaptive Brake Assist aids you in braking dur-
ing hazardous situations at speeds above
7 km/h and uses the radar sensor system to
evaluate the traffic situation.
With the help of a sensor system, adaptive
Brake Assist can detect obstacles that are in
the path of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
Should you approach an obstacle and adap-
tive Brake Assist has detected a risk of colli-
sion, adaptive Brake Assist calculates the
braking force necessary to avoid a collision.
Should you apply the brakes forcefully, adap-
tive Brake Assist will automatically increase
66Driving safety systemsSafety
ProCarManuals.com
the braking force to a level suitable for the
traffic conditions.XKeep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if:
R you release the brake pedal
R there is no longer any danger of a collision
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Vehicles with PRE-SAFE ®
: if adaptive Brake
Assist requires particularly high brake pres-
sure, preventive passenger protection meas-
ures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are deployed simultane-
ously.
Up to vehicle speeds of around 250 km/h,
adaptive Brake Assist is capable of reacting
to moving objects that have already been rec-
ognised as such at least once over the period
of observation. Adaptive Brake Assist does
not react to stationary obstacles.
If adaptive Brake Assist is not available due
to a malfunction in the radar sensor system,
the brake system remains available with full
brake boosting effect and BAS.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or the sensors are
obscured
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R 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
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensor checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
General notes
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is
only available on vehicles with DISTRONIC.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
extends the functionality of COLLISION PRE-
VENTION ASSIST with an automatic braking
function. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS can help you to minimise the risk of a
front-end collision with a vehicle ahead or
reduce the effects of such a collision. If COL-
LISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS detects
that there is a risk of a collision, you will be
warned visually and acoustically. In critical
situations COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS also initiates automatic braking.
Function
XTo activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS in the on-board computer
( Y page 218).
If COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is
deactivated, the æ symbol appears in the
assistance graphics display.
If the driver's seat belt is fastened, COLLI-
SION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS can brake
automatically within a speed range of
between 7 km/h and 200 km/h.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS can
also react to stationary obstacles with auto-
matic braking within a speed range of
between 7 km/h and 30 km/h.
Vehicles with PRE-SAFE ®
: if the automatic
braking function of COLLISION PREVENTION
ASSIST PLUS intervenes powerfully, preven-
tive passenger protection measures (PRE-
SAFE ®
) are deployed simultaneously.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or the sensors are
obscured
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
Driving safety systems67SafetyZProCarManuals.com
Observe the information on warning lamps
( Y page 258) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
( Y page 227).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP ®
General notes
If the ÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
XDo not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.XWhen pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.XAdapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
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: if ESP®
was deactivated before the engine was
switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when
the engine is switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y page 64).
You can select between the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated.
GWARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
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
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
You can deactivate or activate ESP ®
via the
on-board computer.
XTo deactivate: (Y page 218).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.XTo activate: (Y page 218).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-
faces.
R ETS is still active.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Driving safety systems69SafetyZProCarManuals.com
Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos-
sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: ( Y page 24).
Correct driver's seat position
GWARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle while
driving if you:
R adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel or
mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirrors and fasten your seat
belt before starting the engine.
Observe the safety notes on seat adjustment
( Y page 95).
XMake sure that seat = is correctly adjus-
ted.
Manual seat adjustment ( Y page 96)
Electrical seat adjustment ( Y page 96)
When adjusting the seat, make sure that:
R you are as far away from the driver's air-
bag as possible.
R you are sitting in a normal upright posi-
tion.
R you can fasten the seat belt properly.
R you have moved the backrest to an
almost vertical position.
R you have set the seat angle so that your
thighs are gently supported.
R you can depress the pedals properly.XCheck whether the head restraint is adjus-
ted correctly ( Y page 97).
When doing so, make sure that you have
adjusted the head restraint so that the back
of your head is supported at eye level by
the centre of the head restraint.
Observe the safety notes on steering wheel
adjustment ( Y page 100).
XMake sure that steering wheel : is adjus-
ted correctly.
Adjusts the steering wheel ( Y page 100)
When adjusting the steering wheel, make
sure that:
R you can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent.
R you can move your legs freely.
R you can see all the displays in the instru-
ment cluster clearly.
Observe the safety guidelines for seat belts
( Y page 46).
XCheck whether you have fastened seat
belt ; properly ( Y page 48).94Correct driver's seat positionSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
ProCarManuals.com
In very rare cases, Adaptive Highbeam Assist
recognises road users too late or not at all. In
this, or in similar situations, the automatic
main-beam headlamps will not be deactivated
or activated regardless. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always carefully observe the traffic conditions
and switch off the main-beam headlamps in
good time.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist cannot take into
account road, weather or traffic conditions.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist is only an aid. You
are responsible for adjusting the vehicle's
lighting to the prevailing light, visibility and
traffic conditions.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be restricted if there is:
R poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
R dirt on the sensors or the sensors are
obscured
General notes
You can use this function to set the head-
lamps to change between dipped beam and
main beam automatically. The system recog-
nises vehicles with their lights on, either
approaching from the opposite direction or
travelling in front of your vehicle, and conse-
quently switches the headlamps from main
beam to dipped beam.
The system automatically adapts the dipped-
beam headlamp range depending on the dis-
tance to the other vehicle. Once the system
no longer detects any other vehicles, it reac-
tivates the main-beam headlamps.
The system's optical sensor is located behind
the windscreen near the overhead control
panel.
Switching Adaptive Highbeam Assist
on/off
XTo switch on: switch on the Adaptive High-
beam Assist function using the on-board
computer ( Y page 221).XTurn the light switch to Ã.XPress the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of arrow :
( Y page 109).
The _ indicator lamp in the multifunc-
tion display lights up when it is dark and the
light sensor activates the dipped-beam
headlamps.
If you are driving at speeds above approx-
imately 45 km/h:
The headlamp range is set automatically
depending on the distance between the
vehicle and other road users.
If you are driving at speeds above approx-
imately 55 km/h and no other road users
are detected:
The main-beam headlamps are switched on
automatically. The K indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster also lights up.112Exterior lightingLights and windscreen wipers
ProCarManuals.com
If you are driving at speeds below
45 km/h or other road users are detected
or the roads are adequately lit:
The main-beam headlamps are switched off
automatically. The K indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster goes out. The _
indicator lamp in the multifunction display
remains lit.XTo deactivate: move the combination
switch back to its normal position.
The _ indicator lamp in the multifunc-
tion display goes out.
Headlamps misted up on the inside
The headlamps may mist up on the inside if
there is high atmospheric humidity.
XSwitch on the lights and drive off.
The level of moisture diminishes, depend-
ing on the length of the journey and the
weather conditions (humidity and temper-
ature).
If the level of moisture does not diminish:
XHave the headlamps checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.Interior lighting
Overview of interior lighting
Front overhead control panel
:p To switch the left-hand front reading
lamp on/off;c To switch the front interior lighting
on=v To switch the rear interior lighting
on/off?| To switch the front interior lighting/
automatic interior lighting control offAp To switch the right-hand front read-
ing lamp on/offBTo switch the automatic interior lighting
control on
Rear-compartment overhead control panel
:p To switch the left-hand reading lamp
on/off;p To switch the right-hand reading
lamp on/offInterior lighting113Lights and windscreen wipersZProCarManuals.com
ROnly use air-recirculation mode briefly, e.g.
if there are unpleasant outside odours or
when in a tunnel. The windows could oth-
erwise mist up as no fresh air is drawn into
the vehicle in air-recirculation mode.
R Vehicles with COMAND Online: if you
change the settings of the climate control
system, the climate status display appears
for three seconds at the bottom of the
screen in the COMAND display. See also
the separate COMAND Online operating
instructions. You will see the current set-
tings of the various climate control func-
tions.
ECO start/stop function
During automatic engine switch-off, the cli-
mate control only operates at a reduced capa-
city. If you require the full climate control out-
put, you can switch off the ECO start/stop
function by pressing the ECO button
( Y page 149).
126Overview of climate control systemsClimate control
ProCarManuals.com
Control panel for THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control (2-zone):To set the temperature, left (Y page 130);To set climate control to automatic mode ( Y page 130)=To demist the windscreen ( Y page 132)?To increase the airflow ( Y page 131)ATo set the air distribution ( Y page 131)BDisplayCTo activate/deactivate air-recirculation mode ( Y page 134)DTo switch climate control on/off ( Y page 128)ETo set the temperature, right ( Y page 130)FTo activate/deactivate the residual heat function ( Y page 135)GTo activate/deactivate cooling with air dehumidification ( Y page 128)HTo reduce the airflow ( Y page 131)ITo switch the rear window heating on/off ( Y page 133)JTo switch the ZONE function on/off ( Y page 131)Notes on using THERMOTRONIC auto-
matic climate control
Automatic climate control
The following contains instructions and rec-
ommendations to enable you to get the most
out of your THERMOTRONIC automatic cli-
mate control.
R Activate climate control using the à and
¿ buttons. The indicator lamps in the
à and ¿ buttons light up.
R Set the temperature to 22 †.
R Only use the "Windscreen demisting" func-
tion briefly until the windscreen is clear
again.
R Only use air-recirculation mode briefly, e.g.
if there are unpleasant outside odours or
when in a tunnel. The windows could oth-Overview of climate control systems127Climate controlProCarManuals.com