The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps
is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.
Collision warning :
Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range
of Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the
corresponding turn signal, a double warning
tone
sounds. Red warning lamp : flashes. If
the turn signal remains on, vehicles detected
are indicated by the flashing of red warning
lamp :. There are no further warning tones.
Switching on Blind Spot Assist :
Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp X
Make sure that Blind Spot Assist is
activated in the on-board computer
(Y page 218).
X Turn the SmartKey to position
2 (Y page 139) in the ignition lock.
Warning lamps : in the exterior mirrors
light up red for approximately
1.5 seconds
and then turn yellow. Active Blind Spot Assist
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist does not react to:
R vehicles overtaken too closely on the side,
placing them in the blind spot area
R vehicles approaching and driving by with a
speed difference of more than
approximately
11 km/h
As a result, Active Blind Spot Assist may
neither give warnings nor intervene in such
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always observe the traffic conditions
carefully, and maintain a safe lateral distance. G
WARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist does not react to:
R vehicles overtaken too closely on the side,
placing them in the blind spot area
R vehicles approaching and driving by with a
speed difference of more than
approximately
6.8 mph (11 km/h)
As a result, Active Blind Spot Assist may
neither give warnings nor intervene in such
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always observe the traffic conditions
carefully, and maintain a safe lateral distance.
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It may
fail to detect some vehicles and is no
substitute for attentive driving. 188
Driving systems
Driving and parking
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R
dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors.
R visibility
is poor, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain
or snow.
R there is a narrow vehicle traveling in front,
e.g. a motorcycle or bicycle.
R the road has very wide lanes.
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you are not driving in the middle of the lane.
R there are barriers or other road boundaries.
i USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC
as a “Vehicular Radar System”. The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removal, tampering, or
altering of the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
i Canada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,
and
2. this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the
device will void any warranties, and is not
permitted. Do not tamper with, alter, or use
the device in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
General notes Active Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor
system to monitor the side areas of your
vehicle which are in back of the driver. A warning display in the exterior mirrors draws
your attention to vehicles detected in the
monitored area. If you then switch on the
corresponding turn signal to change lanes,
you will also receive an optical and audible
collision warning. If a risk of lateral collision
is detected, corrective braking may help you
avoid a collision. To support the course-
correcting brake application, Active Blind
Spot
Assist also uses the forward-facing radar
sensor system.
Active Blind Spot Assist supports you from a
speed of approximately 20 mph(30 km/h).
Monitoring area G
WARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist monitors certain
areas
in the immediate vicinity of your vehicle.
Vehicles that approach and drive past at high
speeds are not detected. No visual nor
audible warnings are emitted and the system
does not brake the vehicle to correct your
course.
If the lanes are very wide, it may not be
possible to monitor the complete width of the
neighboring lane. For this reason, vehicles in
the next lane may not be detected, especially
if they are driving in a staggered formation.
This may be the case if vehicles are driving at
that edge of their lane which is furthest away
from your vehicle.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others. Driving systems
189
Driving and parking Z
Active Blind Spot Assist monitors the area up
to 10 ft
(3.0 m) behind your vehicle and
directly next to your vehicle, as shown in the
diagram. For this purpose, Active Blind Spot
Assist uses radar sensors in the rear bumper.
If the lanes are narrow, vehicles driving in the
lane beyond the lane next to your vehicle may
be indicated, especially if the vehicles are not
driving in the middle of their lane. This may
be the case if there are vehicles driving at the
inner edge of their lanes.
Due to the nature of the system:
R warnings may be issued in error when
driving close to crash barriers or similar
solid lane borders.
R warnings may be interrupted when driving
alongside particularly long vehicles, for
example trucks, for a prolonged time.
Two Active Blind Spot Assist radar sensors
are integrated into the front and rear bumpers
respectively. An additional radar sensor is
located behind the cover in the radiator grill.
Make sure that the bumpers and the cover in
the radiator grill are free of dirt, ice or slush.
The rear sensors must not be covered, for
example by cycle racks or overhanging cargo.
Following a severe impact or in the event of
damage to the bumpers, have the function of
the radar sensors checked at a qualified specialist workshop. Active Blind Spot Assist
may otherwise no longer work properly.
Indicator and warning display
G
WARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds
below
20 mph (30km/h). The indicator lamps
in the exterior mirrors are yellow. Vehicles in
the monitoring range are then not indicated.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others. :
Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp
When Active Blind Spot Assist is activated,
indicator
lamp : in the exterior mirrors lights
up yellow at speeds of up to 20 mph
(30 km/h). At speeds above
20 mph(30 km/h), the indicator lamp goes
out and Active Blind Spot Assist is
operational.
If a vehicle is detected within the monitoring
range of Blind Spot Assist at speeds above
20 mph (30 km/h), warning lamp : on the
corresponding side lights up red. This warning
is always emitted when a vehicle enters the
blind spot monitoring range from behind or
from the side. When you overtake a vehicle,
the warning only occurs if the difference in
speed is less than 7 mph (12 km/h).
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reverse
gear is engaged. In this event, Active Blind
Spot Assist is no longer active. 190
Driving systems
Driving and parking
The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps
is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light.
Visual and audible collision warnings When you switch on the turn signals to
change
lanes and a vehicle is detected in the
side monitoring range, you receive a visual
and acoustic collision warning. You then hear
a double warning tone and red warning
lamp : flashes. If the turn signal remains on,
detected vehicles are indicated by the
flashing of red warning lamp :. There are no
further warning tones.
Course-correcting brake application G
WARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid
designed
to assist driving. It is not a substitute
for attentive driving. In some cases, the
course-correcting brake application is not
sufficient to avoid a collision. In such a case,
you must steer, brake or accelerate.
In very rare cases, the system may
erroneously detect a danger of collision in the
area of crash barriers or similar lane borders
and apply the brakes. Active Blind Spot Assist
does not detect all traffic situations and road
users. Always make sure that there is
sufficient distance on the side for other traffic
or obstacles. An inappropriate brake
application may be interrupted at any time if
you steer slightly in the opposite direction or
accelerate. You are responsible for driving at appropriate
speeds, braking in good time, and steering
correctly. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions. Always pay attention to traffic
conditions
and your surroundings. Otherwise,
you may fail to recognize dangers in time,
cause an accident and injure yourself and
others. If a course-correcting brake application
occurs, red warning lamp
: flashes in the
exterior mirror and a dual warning tone
sounds.
In addition, display ; appears in the
multifunction display.
If Active Blind Spot Assist detects a risk of a
lateral collision in the monitoring range, a
course-correcting brake application is carried
out. This is meant to assist you in avoiding a
collision.
The course-correcting brake application is
available in the speed range between
20 mph (30 km/h) and 120 mph (200 km/h). Driving systems
191
Driving and parking Z
There will be either no or only a weak course-
correcting brake application if:
R
there are vehicles or obstacles, e.g. crash
barriers, located on both sides of your
vehicle.
R a
vehicle approaches you too closely at the
side.
R you have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds.
R you clearly brake or accelerate.
R a driving safety system intervenes, e.g.
ESP ®
.
R ESP ®
is switched off.
R the LOW RANGE off-road gear is activated.
R a loss of tire pressure has been detected.
Switching on Active Blind Spot Assist X
Make sure that active Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 218) is activated in the on-board
computer.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
Warning lamps : in the exterior mirrors
light up red for approximately
1.5 seconds
and then turn yellow.
Towing a trailer When you attach a trailer, make sure you have
correctly established the electrical
connection. This can be accomplished by
checking
the trailer lighting. Active Blind Spot
Assist is then deactivated. The indicator lamp
lights up yellow in the exterior mirrors and the Active Blind Spot Assist Currently
Unavailable See Operator's Manual
message appears in the multifunction
display.
HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R
when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when maneuvering on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The
braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
i Do not use the HOLD function when
driving off-road, on steep uphill or downhill
gradients or on slippery or loose surfaces.
The HOLD function cannot hold the vehicle
on such surfaces.
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if:
R
the vehicle is stationary.
R the engine is running or it has been
switched off by the ECO start/stop
function (AMG vehicles).
R the engine is running.
R the
driver's door is closed or your seat belt
is fastened.
R the transmission is in position D, R or N.
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
Activating the HOLD function The vehicle's brakes are applied when the
HOLD function is activated. For this reason,
deactivate
the HOLD function while in the car
wash or while towing. 192
Driving systems
Driving and parking
R
The bumpers of your vehicle are not
suitable for installing detachable trailer
couplings.
R Do not install hired trailer couplings or
other detachable trailer couplings on the
bumpers of your vehicle.
R If
you do not need the ball coupling, remove
the ball coupling from the ball coupling
recess. This reduces the risk of damage to
the ball coupling.
i When towing a trailer, set the tire
pressure on the rear axle of the towing
vehicle for a maximum load; see the tire
pressure table in the fuel filler flap
(Y page 322).
You will find installation dimensions and loads
in the technical data (Y page 358).
The maximum permissible trailer drawbar
noseweight on the ball coupling for up to 3
persons is 562 lbs (255 kg). The maximum
permissible trailer drawbar noseweight for
more than 3 persons and the maximum load
in the trunk can be found in the trailer
drawbar noseweight table ( Y page 358).
However, the actual noseweight must not
exceed the value given on the trailer tow hitch
or trailer identification plates. The lowest
weight applies.
i When towing a trailer, set the tire
pressure on the rear axle of the towing
vehicle for a maximum load; see the tire
pressure table in the fuel filler flap
(Y page 322).
Please note that when towing a trailer,
PARKTRONIC ( Y page 194) and Blind Spot
Assist (Y page 186) are only available with
limitations, or not at all.
i On vehicles without level control, the
height of the ball coupling will alter
according to the load placed on the vehicle.
If necessary, use a trailer with a height-
adjustable drawbar. Driving tips X
On long and steep downhill gradients,
select
shift range 1, 2 or 3 (Y page 150) in
good time.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control or SPEEDTRONIC.
X If necessary, shift the transfer case to LOW
RANGE(Y page 199).
This will use the braking effect of the
engine,
so that less braking will be required
to maintain the speed. which relieves the
load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly. If you need additional braking,
depress the brake pedal repeatedly rather
than continuously.
The maximum permissible speed for vehicle/
trailer combinations depends on the type of
trailer. Before beginning the journey, check
the trailer's documents to see what the
maximum permitted speed is. Observe the
legally prescribed maximum speed in the
relevant country.
For certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the
maximum permissible rear axle load is
increased when towing a trailer. Refer to the
"Technical data" section to find out whether
this applies to your vehicle. If you utilize any
of the added maximum rear axle load when
towing a trailer, the vehicle/trailer
combination may not exceed a maximum
speed of 60 mph (100 km/h) for reasons
concerning the operating permit. This also
applies in countries in which the permissible
maximum speed for vehicle/trailer
combinations is above 60 mph (100 km/h).
When
towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer and it will
consume more fuel.
On long and steep downhill gradients, you
must select shift range 1, 2 or 3 in good time.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS. Towing a trailer
205
Driving and parking Z
Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions÷
Inoperative See
Operator's Manual ESP
®
, BAS, the HOLD function, hill start assist and ESP ®
trailer
stabilization are unavailable due to a malfunction.
BAS and the adaptive brake lights may also have failed.
In addition, the ÷ and å warning lamps light up in the
instrument cluster.
G WARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above.
The braking distance in an emergency braking situation can thus
increase.
If ESP ®
is not operational, ESP ®
is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. T!
÷
Inoperative See
Operator's Manual EBD (electronic brake force distribution), ABS, ESP
®
, BAS, the
HOLD function, hill start assist and ESP ®
trailer stabilization are
unavailable due to a malfunction.
BAS and the adaptive brake lights may also have failed.
In addition, the ÷, å and ! warning lamps light up in
the instrument cluster and a warning tone sounds.
G WARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The front and rear wheels could therefore
lock if you brake hard, for example.
The steerability and braking characteristics may be severely
affected. The braking distance in an emergency braking situation
can increase.
If ESP ®
is not operational, ESP ®
is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. F(USA
only)!(Canada
only)
Release
Park. Brake You are driving with the parking brake applied. A warning tone also
sounds.
X
Release the parking brake.228
Display messages
On-board computer and displays
Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsBlind Spot Assist
Currently
Unavailable See
Operator's Manual
or
Active Blind Spot
Assist Currently
Unavailable See
Operator's Manual Blind Spot Assist or Active Blind Spot Assist is temporarily
inoperative. Possible causes are:
R
you have established the electrical connection between the
trailer and your vehicle.
R the sensors are dirty.
R function is impaired due to heavy rain or snow.
R the radar sensor system is outside the operating temperature
range.
R the radar sensor system is temporarily inoperative, e.g. due to
electromagnetic radiation emitted by nearby TV or radio
stations or other sources of electromagnetic radiation.
The yellow 9 indicator lamps also light up in the exterior
mirrors.
X When towing a trailer, confirm the display message with a.
If you are driving without a trailer and the display message does
not disappear:
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Apply the parking brake.
X Clean the sensors ( Y page 297).
X Restart the engine.
If the system detects that the sensors are fully operational, the
display message disappears.
Blind Spot Assist or Active Blind Spot Assist is operational again. Blind Spot Assist
Inoperativeor
Active Blind Spot
Assist Inoperative Blind Spot Assist or Active Blind Spot Assist is defective.
The yellow
9 indicator lamps also light up in the exterior
mirrors.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. DISTRONIC PLUS
Off DISTRONIC PLUS has been deactivated (
Y page 177).
If it was deactivated automatically, a warning tone also sounds. DISTRONIC PLUS
Now Available DISTRONIC PLUS is operational again after having been
temporarily
unavailable. You can now reactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
(Y page 177). 240
Display messages
On-board computer and displays