Problems with the occupant classification system
G
WARNING
If the 001A001C indicator lamp illuminates and remains illuminated when the weight of a typical
adult or someone larger than a small individual has been detected on the passenger seat, do not
allow any occupant to use the passenger seat until the system has been repaired. G
WARNING
If the 001A001C indicator lamp does not illuminate or remains out with the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child restraint or less, or is unoccupied, on the front-passenger
seat, do not transport achild on the front-passenger seat until the system has been repaired. Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
The
001A001C
indicator lamp lights up
and stays on.
The person on the
front-passenger seat:
R has the weight of a
typical adult
R has been determined
by the system not to
be a child The OCS is malfunctioning.
X
Have the OCS checked as soon as possible at a qualified
specialist workshop.
X Observe the additional messages in the multifunction display
(Y page 294). Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
The
001A001C
indicator lamp does not
light up and/or does
not stay on.
The front-passenger
seat is:
R unoccupied
R occupied with a
weight up to that of a
typical twelve-
month-old child in a
standard child
restraint system The OCS is malfunctioning.
X
Make sure there is nothing between the seat cushion and the
child seat.
X Check the installation of the child restraint system.
X Make sure that no objectsa re applying additional weight onto
the seat.
X If the 001A001C indicator lamp remains off, have the OCS
checked as soon as possible at a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not transport a child on the front-passenge rseat as long as
the OCS is not functioning.
X Observe the additional messages in the multifunction display
(Y page 294). Occupant safety
53Safety Z
R
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 73)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 75)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
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 asafe 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 note son tires,
recommended minimu mtire tread depths,
etc. (Y page 398).
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 "Importan tsafety notes"
sectio n(Ypage 66). G
WARNING
If ABSi s 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 318) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 283).
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 0019ABS 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.
Off-road ABS An ABS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated on:
R
vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package (Y page 248)
R vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package
(Y page 248) 66
Driving safety systemsSafety
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R
there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors.
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radars ources
R there are 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 aresult, 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 fron tend of the
vehicle, have the configuratio nand operation
of the rada rsensors checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the fron tofthe vehicle. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
General notes COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST consists of
Adaptive Brake Assist and the distance
warning function, which are described in the
following. Distance warning function Important safety notes
i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 66). G
WARNING
The distance warning function does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
Thus, the distance warning function cannot
provide a warning in all critical situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and do not rely solely on the
distance warning function.
Function
X To activate/deactivate: activate or
deactivate the distance warning function in
the on-board computer (Y page 272).
When the distance warning function is
activated, the multifunction display shows
the 0003 symbol, as long as the HOLD
function is not switched on (Y page 207). On
vehicles with Active Parking Assist, the
0003 symbol is displayed when Pis engaged
or you are driving faster than 22 mph
(35 km/h).
The distance warning function can help you
to minimize the risk of a front-end collision
with a vehicle ahead or reduce the effects of
such a collision. If the distance warning 68
Driving safety systemsSafety
function detects that there is a risk of a
collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically.T he distance warning function
cannot prevent a collision without your
intervention.
Starting at a speed of around 20 mph
(30 km/h), this function warns you if you
rapidly approach a vehicle in front.An
intermitten twarning tone will then sound and
the 000F 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, provide ditis safe to
do so.
For the distance warning function to assist
you when driving, the function must be
activated in the on-board computer and be
operational (Y page 272).
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving conditions may cause the
system to display unnecessary warnings.
With the help of the radar sensor system, the
distance warning function can detect
obstacles that are in the path of your vehicle
for an extended period of time.
At speeds up to 40 mph (70 km/h), the
distance warning function may also detect
stationary obstacles, for example stopped or
parked vehicles.
If you approach an obstacle and the distance
warning function detects a risk of a collision,
the system will initially alert you both visually
and acoustically.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R there are 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
Following damage to the front end of the
vehicle, have the configuration and operation
of the radar sensor checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the front of the vehicle.
Adaptive Brake Assist i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 66). G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic
situations. In these cases, Adaptive Brake
Assist may not intervene. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
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
situation and be ready to brake.
Adaptive Brake Assist provides braking
assistance in hazardous situations at speeds
greater than 20 mph (30 km/h) and uses
radar sensor technology to assess the traffic
situation.
With the help of Adaptive Brake Assist, the
distance warning signal can detect obstacles Driving safety systems
69Safety Z
In appropriate driving situations, activate the
off-road program:
X Vehicles withou tthe ON&OFFROAD
package (Y page 248)
X Vehicles with the ON&OFFROAD package
(Y page 248)
Off-road 4ETS (Electronic Traction
System) A4
ETS syste mspecifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated on:
R vehicles without the ON&OFFROAD
package (Y page 248)
R vehicles with the ON&OFFROA Dpackage
(Y page 248)
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle .Additionally, further
driving safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: only operate the
vehicle for a maximum of ten seconds on a
brake test dynamometer. Switch off the
ignition.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may
otherwise destroy the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or
performance tests may only be carried out
on a 2-axle dynamometer. Before you
operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult a qualified
workshop. You could otherwise damage
the drive train or the brake system.
ESP ®
is deactivated if the 0017warning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up
continuously when the engin eis running. If the
000F warning lamp and the 0017
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 321) and displaym essages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 283).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General information
ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the 000FESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any
circumstances.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving. The engine starts
automatically when the driver wants to pull
away again. ESP ®
remains in its previously
selected status. Example:if ESP®
was
deactivated before the engin ewas switched
off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when the
engine is switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® Important safety notes
You can selec
tbetween the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. Driving safet
ysystems
71Safety Z
the vehicle/traile
rcombination has
stabilized.
Trailer stabilization is active above speeds of
about 37 mph (60 km/h).
Trailer stabilization does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated because of a malfunction. EBD (electronic brake force
distribution)
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 66). G
WARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the rear wheels can
still lock, e.g. under full braking. This
increases 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
specialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 319) as well as
display messages (Y page 285).
EBD monitors and controls the brake
pressure on the rear wheels to improve
driving stability while braking. ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In
addition to the braking function, ADAPTIVE
BRAKE also has the HOLD function
(Y page 207) and hill start assist
(Y page 161). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 66).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS. If PRE-SAFE
®
Brake is to aid you, the radar
sensor system must be:
R activated (Y page 277)
R operational
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.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize
the risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead or
reduce the effects of such a collision. If PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake has detected 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.
Starting at a speed of around
4 mph (7 km/h), this function warns you if
you very quickly approach a vehicle in front.
An intermittent warning tone will then sound
and the 000Fdistance 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
4 mph (7 km/h), if the driver and front
passenger have fastened their seat belts,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can brake the vehicle
automatically at speeds up to approximately
124 mph (200 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 accelerator pedal further
R activating kickdown
R releasing the brake pedal Driving safety systems
73Safety Z
The braking action of PRE-SAFE
®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you maneuver 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.
If you have activated DSR (Y page 246), PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake is deactivated.
At speeds of up to approximately 40 mph
(70 km/h) ,PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also detect
stationary objects .Examples of stationary
objects are stopped or parked vehicles.
If you approach an obstacle and PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects a ris kofacollision, the system
will alert you both visuall yand acoustically. If
you do not brake or take evasive action, the
system will warn you by automatically braking
the vehicle gently .Ifthere is an increased risk
of collision, preventative passenger
protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are
activated (Y page 54). If, at speeds over
20 mph (30 km/h), a risk of collision remains
and you do not brake, take evasive action or
significantly accelerate, automatic braking
may be performed up to alevel of automatic
emergency braking. Automatic emergency
braking is not performed until immediately
prior to an accident that can no longer be
avoided. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will initially brake your
vehicle by a partial application of the brakes
if a danger of collision is detected. There may
be a collision unless you also brake.
Automatic emergency brakin gcannot prevent
a collision .There is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic
conditions. In these cases, PRE-SAFE
®
Brake may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R not give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R there are 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
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may neither
give warnings nor 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.
In order to maintain an appropriate distance
from the vehicle in front and thus prevent a
collision, you must apply the brakes yourself.
X To activate/deactivate: activate or
deactivate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-
board computer (Y page 272).
When PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is activated, the
0003 symbol appears in the multifunction
display as long as the HOLD function is 74
Driving safety systemsSafety
deactivated (Y
page 207). On vehicles with
Active Parking Assist, the 0003symbol is
displayed when Pis engaged or you are
driving faster than 22 mph (35 km/h).
Following damage to the fron tend of the
vehicle, have the configuratio nand operation
of the rada rsensors checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the fron tofthe vehicle. STEER CONTROL
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 66).
STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a
noticeable steering force to the steering
wheel in the direction required for vehicle
stabilization.
This steering assistance is provided in
particular if:
R both right wheels or both left wheels are on
a wet or slippery road surface when you
brake
R the vehicle starts to skid
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, you will not receive
steering support from STEER CONTROL.
Power steering will, however, continue to
function. Theft deterrent locking system
Immobilizer
X To activate with the SmartKey: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Anyone can start the engine if a valid
SmartKey has been left inside the vehicle.
i
The immobilizer is always deactivated
when you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be
started when the starter battery is fully
charged, the immobilizer may be faulty.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA) or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada). ATA (anti-theft alarm system)
X
To arm: lock the vehicle with the SmartKey
or KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp 0002flashes. The alarm
system is armed after approximately
15 seconds.
X To switch off using the SmartKey:
unlock the vehicle with the SmartKey.
or
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
X To switch off using KEYLESS-GO: unlock
the vehicle with KEYLESS-GO.
or
X Press the Start/Stop button on the
dashboard. The SmartKey must be inside
the vehicle.
Av isual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open:
R a door
R the vehicle with the mechanical key Theft deterrent locking system
75Safety Z