2013 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS-Class warning

R
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
each of the lap-shoulder belts in the front.
R the front-passenger seat is occupied and
the belt tongue is engaged in the buckle on
the front-passenger side.
The ETDs on the seats in the rear
compartment are triggered independently of
the lock status of the seat belts.
The ETDs are triggered depending on the type
and severity of an accident:
R if, in the event of a head-on or rear-end
collision, the vehicle decelerates or
accelerates rapidly in a longitudinal
direction during the initial stages of the
impact
R if, in the event of a side impact, on the side
opposite the impact the vehicle
decelerates or accelerates rapidly in a
lateral direction
R if, in certain situations where the vehicle
overturns, the system determines that it
can provide additional protection
If the ETDs are deployed, you will hear a bang,
and a small amount of powder may also be
released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The 6 SRS warning lamp
lights up. Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front seating
position. Thus, we strongly recommend that
children

be placed in the rear seats whenever
possible. Regardless of seating position,
children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an appropriate
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat recommended for the size and weight of
the child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle's seat belt, the seat
belt

and top tether strap, or lower anchors and
top tether strap, fully in accordance with the
child seat manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front
passenger seat:
R Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the front
passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard appropriate
child restraint on the front passenger seat.
R For children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the front passenger
front air bag may or may not be activated.
Always make sure the 4 5 indicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
R A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision which
could occur under some circumstances,
even with the air bag technology installed
in your vehicle. The only means to
completely eliminate this risk is to never
place a child in a rear-facing child restraint
in the front seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in a backseat.
R If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat
because circumstances require you to do58
Children in the vehicle
Safety

so, make sure the
4 5 indicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the 4 5 indicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the 4 5 indicator
lamp while driving to make sure the 4
5 indicator lamp is illuminated. If the
4 5 indicator lamp goes out or
remains out, do not transport a child on the
front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates.
R If you have to place a child in a forward-
facing child restraint on the front passenger
seat, move the seat as far back as possible,
use the proper child restraint
recommended for the age, size and weight
of the child, and secure child restraint with
the vehicle's seat belt according to the
child seat manufacturer's instructions. G
WARNING
Infants and small children should never share
a
seat belt with another occupant. In the event
of an accident, they could be crushed
between the occupant and seat belt.
A child's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
Children that are too large for a child restraint
must travel in seats using normal seat belts.
Position the shoulder belt across the chest
and shoulder, not face or neck. A booster seat
may be necessary to achieve proper seat belt
positioning for children over 41 lb (18 kg) until
they reach a height where a lap-shoulder belt
fits properly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use, remove
it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an
accident.
G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access

to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could:
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts. G
WARNING
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger
compartment or trunk unless they
are firmly secured in place.
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child's risk of injury in the event
of
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident Children in the vehicle
59
Safety Z

Further information on secure stowage of
loads can be found under "Loading
guidelines".
If
an infant or child is traveling in the vehicle:
R Secure the child with a child or infant seat
restraint system appropriate to the age and
weight of the child.
R Make sure that the infant or child is
properly secured at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you always
properly secure all infants and children with
a child or infant seat restraint system for the
trip.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in:
R all 50 states
R U.S. territories
R the District of Columbia
R all Canadian provinces
Infants and children must always be seated in
an appropriate infant or child restraint system
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. The infant or child restraint system
must be properly secured in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions.
All infant or child restraint systems must meet
the following standards:
R U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 225
R Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 210.2
An information label on the child restraint
system indicates whether it meets these
standards. This information is also provided
in the installation instructions supplied with
the child restraint system.
Always read and follow the manufacturer's
instructions when using an infant or child
restraint system or booster seat.
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle
interior or on the infant or child restraint. Special seat belt retractor G
WARNING
If you release the seat belt when driving, the
special seat belt retractor is deactivated.
The released seat belt cannot be engaged
again while driving, because the inertia reel
pulls in the seat belt a small distance. The
child restraint system is no longer properly
secured.

There is an increased risk of serious
injury or even fatal injury.
Always keep the seat belt of the activated
special seat belt retractor engaged when
driving.
All seat belts except the driver's seat belt are
equipped with a special seat belt retractor.
When activated, the special seat belt
retractor ensures that the seat belt will not
slacken once the child restraint system has
been secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Pull the seat belt smoothly from the seat
belt retractor.
X Engage the seat belt tongue in the belt
buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor:
X Pull the seat belt out fully and let the seat
belt retractor retract it again.
While

the seat belt is retracting, you should
hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat
belt retractor is activated.
X Push down on the child restraint system to
take up any slack.
Removing a child restraint system/
deactivating the special seat belt retractor:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Press the seat belt release button and
guide the belt tongue to the belt outlet.
The special seat belt retractor is
deactivated.60
Children in the vehicle
Safety

LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchors
in the rear
G
WARNING
Children that are too large for a child restraint
must travel in seats using normal seat belts.
Position shoulder belt across the chest and
shoulder, not face or neck.
A booster seat may be necessary to achieve
proper seat belt positioning for children over
41 lb (18 kg) until they reach a height where
a lap/shoulder belt fits properly without a
booster.
Install the child restraint system in
accordance with the manufacturer's
instructions.
Attach the child restraint system to both
securing rings.
An
incorrectly installed child restraint system
could come loose during an accident and
seriously or even fatally injure the child.
Child restraint systems or child seat securing
rings that are malfunctioning or damaged as
the result of a collision must be replaced. Securing rings
When installing the ISOFIX child restraint
system, fold protective caps ; of securing
rings : inwards.
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat
securing system. Comply with the
manufacturer's instructions when
installing.
ISOFIX is a standardized securing system for
specially
designed child restraint systems on the rear seats. Securing rings for two ISOFIX
child restraint systems are installed on the
left and right of the rear seats.
Secure child restraint systems without a
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat securing
system using the seat belts in the vehicle.
When installing child restraint systems, you
must

observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
Top Tether Top Tether anchorages
G
WARNING
Always lock the rear seat backrests in their
upright position when the rear seats are
occupied by passengers. Lock the rear seat
backrests in their upright position before
installing the Top Tether straps or when the
cargo compartment is not in use. Make sure
that

rear seat backrests are secured properly
by pushing and pulling on the seat backrests.
If the seat backrest is not locked properly, the
seat backrest could fold forward. The child
restraint system is no longer supported
properly or held in position and can no longer
fulfill its function. This could cause serious or
even fatal injuries. Children in the vehicle
61
Safety Z

Top Tether provides an additional connection
between a child restraint system, secured
with
a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat mount,
and the rear seat. This helps reduce the risk
of injury even further.
The Top Tether anchorage points are located
in the rear compartment behind the head
restraints.
X Move head restraint : upwards.
X Fold up cover ; of Top Tether anchorage
=.
X Route Top Tether belt A under head
restraint :

between the two head restraint
bars.
X Hook Top Tether hook ? into Top Tether
anchorage =.
X Make sure that Top Tether belt A is not
twisted.
X Fold down cover ; of Top Tether
anchorage =.
X Slide down head restraint : until it
engages ( Y page 99). Make sure that you do not interfere with the
correct routing of Top Tether belt
A.
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with Top Tether. Comply
with the manufacturer's installation
instructions

when doing so. Make sure that
Top Tether belt A is tight. Child-proof locks
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access

to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. The children
could:
R injure themselves on parts of the vehicle
R be seriously or fatally injured through
excessive exposure to extreme heat or cold
R injure themselves or cause an accident with
vehicle equipment that can be operated
even if the SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned on these
parts. 62
Children in the vehicle
Safety

Child-proof locks for the rear doors
G
WARNING
Children could open a rear door from inside
the vehicle. This could result in serious
injuries or an accident. Therefore, when
children
ride in the rear always secure the rear
doors with the child-proof locks. You secure each door individually with the
child-proof locks on the rear doors. A door
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
windows G
WARNING
When children ride on the vehicle's rear seats,
activate the override switch. Otherwise, the
children could be injured, e.g. by trapping
themselves in the rear side window. 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
driver's door. If indicator lamp : is off,
operation 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 Braking System)
(Y page 64)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) ( Y page 64)
R BAS PLUS ( Brake Assist System PLUS)
(Y page 65)
R ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
(Y page 66)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 69)
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
become distracted, the driving safety
systems can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Driving safety systems are merely aids
designed to assist driving. You are Driving safety systems
63
Safety Z

responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed and for braking in
good
time. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions and maintain a safe distance from
the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
i The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there
is adequate contact between the tires and
the road surface. Please pay special
attention to the notes on tires,
recommended minimum tire tread depths,
etc. (Y page 326).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the
driving 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"
section ( Y page 63).G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking
characteristics may be severely impaired.
Additionally, further driving safety systems
are

deactivated. There is an increased danger
of skidding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked
immediately 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 258) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 229).
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the
vehicle when braking. ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8

km/h) upwards, regardless of road-surface
conditions. ABS works on slippery surfaces,
even if 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.
Braking X
If ABS intervenes:
continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking
situation 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
indication of hazardous road conditions, and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving. BAS (Brake Assist System)
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section ( Y page 63). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
BAS operates in emergency braking
situations. 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. 64
Driving safety systems
Safety

BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System Plus)
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section ( Y page 63).
BAS PLUS is only available in vehicles
equipped with DISTRONIC PLUS.
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in
hazardous situations at speeds greater than
4 mph (7 km/h) and uses radar sensor
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.
BAS PLUS can also react to stationary
obstacles, e.g. stopped or parked vehicles, at
speeds of up to approximately 40 mph
(70 km/h).
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
For speeds above 20 mph (30 km/h): if you
apply the brakes forcefully, BAS PLUS
automatically increases the braking force to
a level suitable for the traffic conditions.
For speeds below 20 mph (30 km/h): if you
apply the brakes, BAS PLUS is activated.
Braking is performed as late as possible.
If BAS PLUS demands particularly high
braking force, preventative passenger
protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are
activated simultaneously.
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
function 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. For BAS PLUS to assist you when driving, the
radar sensor system must be:
R
switched on (Y page 223)
R operational ( Y page 243)
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
situation 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
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a

vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle G
WARNING
BAS PLUS does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As

a result, BAS PLUS may not intervene in all
critical situations. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
Following damage to the front end of the
vehicle, have the configuration and operation
of the radar sensors checked at a qualified Driving safety systems
65
Safety Z