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 radars ources
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 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.
If BAS PLUS is not available due to a
malfunction in the radar sensor system, the
brake system remains available with full
brake boosting effect and BAS. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 73). 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: switch off the
ignition when the parking brake is being
tested on a brake dynamometer.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may
otherwise destroy the brake system.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing your
vehicle with the rear axle raised, it is
important that you observe the notes on
ESP ®
(Y page 491).
ESP ®
is deactivated if the 0013warning lamp
in the instrumentc luster lights up
continuously when the engine is running.
If the 000C warning lamp and the 0013
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 431) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrumen tcluster
(Y page 391).
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
fro mt he direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified to
keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP ®
assists the driver when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize the vehicle during braking.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the 000CESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrumentc luster.
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 weathe rconditions. Driving safety systems
75Safety Z
i
Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) Traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels
individually if they spin. This enables you to
pull away and accelerate on slippery surfaces,
for example if the road surface is slippery on
one side. On vehicles with 4MATIC, more
drive torque is also transferred to the wheel
or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 73). G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer
stabilizes the vehicle. There is an increased
risk of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations
described in the following.
! Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
X To deactivate:(Y page 386).
The 0013 ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
S 63 AMG: deactivate ESP ®
when driving
on designated roads when the vehicle's
own oversteering and understeering
characteristics are desired. Driving without
ESP ®
requires an extremely qualified and
experienced driver who is able to cope with
these critical driving conditions.
X To activate:(Y page 386).
The 0013 ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. ESP
®
is activated automaticallyw hen the
engine is started.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the 000CESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the
following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited, and
the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of
the wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
Vehicles with ECO start/stop function: the
ECO start/stop function switches the engine
off automatically when the vehicle comes to
a stop. 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
engine was switched off, ESP ®
remains
deactivated when the engine is switched on
again. EBD (electronic brake force
distribution)
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 73). 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 76
Driving safety systemsSafety
the brake syste
mchecked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 428) as well as
display messages (Y page 395).
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 346) and hill start assist
(Y page 310). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 73).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
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.
Above a speed of around 4mph (7 km/h), this
function warns you if you are very quickly
approaching a vehicle in front. An
intermitten twarning tone will then sound and
the 000D 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. If the driver and front passenger have their
seat belt fastened, PRE-SAFE
®
Brake can also
brake the vehicle automatically at speeds
from approximately 4 mph (7 km/h) 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.
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.
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.
At speeds of up to 40 mph (70 km/h), PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake can also detect stationary
obstacles, for example, stopped or parked
vehicles.
If you approach an obstacle and PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects a risk of collision, the system
will initially alert you both visually and
acoustically.Ify ou do not brake or take
evasive action, the system will warn you by
automatically braking the vehicle gently. If
there is an increased risk of collision,
preventive passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated (Y page 59). 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
the level of emergency braking. Automatic
emergency braking is not performed until Driving safety systems
77Safety Z
Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 31).SmartKey
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 unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, and do not give them access
to an unlocked vehicle. Achild's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. They could:
R injure themselves on vehicle parts
R be seriously or fatally injured by extreme
heat or cold
R injure themselves or have an accident with
vehicle equipment that may still be in
operation even after the SmartKey has
been removed from the ignition, such as the
seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment or memory function.
If children open a door, they could cause
severe or even fatal injury to other persons; if
they get out of the vehicle, they could injure
themselves when doing so or be seriously or
even fatally injured by any passing 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 a child could be burned on these
parts.
G
WARNING
If a key ring is too heavy or too large, the
weight acting on the key could cause it to turn
in the ignition lock or catch on the steering
wheel. This could cause the engine to be
switched off suddenly. You may lose control
of the vehicle and cause an accident. Do not
attach any heavy or large key rings to the key
that is inserted in the ignition. General notes
If you cannot lock or unlock the vehicle with
the SmartKey, either the battery in the
SmartKey is discharged, the SmartKey is
faulty or the starter battery is discharged.
X Check the battery in the SmartKey and
replace it if necessary (Y page 85).
X Unlock the driver's door using the
mechanical key (Y page 90).
X Lock the vehicle (Y page 91).
X Have the starter battery and the battery
contacts checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
If the SmartKey is faulty, contact Roadside
Assistance or a qualified specialist workshop. SmartKey functions
The SmartKey centrally locks/unlocks:
R the doors
R the trunk lid
R the fuel filler flap 82
SmartKeyOpening/closing
Removing the mechanical key
X
Push release catch 0002in the direction of
the arrow and at the same time, remove
mechanical key 0003from the SmartKey. SmartKey battery
Important safety notes Have the batteries changed at a qualified
specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Batteries contain toxic substances.
Swallowing batteries can lead to serious
health issues or death.
Keep batteries ou tofthe reach of children.
Seek medical attention immediately if a
battery is swallowed. G
WARNING
The SmartKey batteries contain perchlorate
material, which may require special handling
and regard for the environment. Observe
governmentd isposal guidelines. California
residents, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/
index.cfm. Checking the battery X
Press the 0009or000B button.
The battery is working properly if battery
chec klamp 0002lights up briefly
If battery check lamp 0002does no tlight up
briefly during the test, the battery is
discharged.
X Changing the battery (Y page 85)
i You can obtain the battery at a qualified
specialist workshop.
i If the SmartKey battery is checked within
the signal receptio nrange of the vehicle,
pressing the 0009or000B button locks or
unlocks the vehicle.
Replacing the battery You require a CR 2025 3 V cell battery.
X
Take the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Y page 84). X
Press mechanical key 0003into the opening
in the SmartKey in the direction of the SmartKey
85Opening/closing Z
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0004 Solutions
You have lost the
mechanical key. X
Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
X If necessary, have the locks changed as well. The engine cannot be
started using the
SmartKey. The on-board voltage is too low.
X
Remove the SmartKey and reinsert it into the ignition lock.
X Start the engine within 30 seconds of inserting the SmartKey
into the ignition lock.
X Repeatifn ecessary.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
X Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary
(Y page 484).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 488).
or
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine cannot be
started using KEYLESS-
GO. The SmartKey is in
the vehicle. Ad
oor is open. Therefore, the SmartKey cannot be detected as
easily.
X Close the door and try to start the vehicle again. There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
X
Start your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock. Doors
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 unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, and do not give them access
to an unlocked vehicle. Achild's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. They could:
R injure themselves on vehicle parts
R be seriously or fatally injured by extreme
heat or cold
R injure themselves or have an accident with
vehicle equipment that may still be in operation even after the SmartKey has
been removed from the ignition, such as the
seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment or memory function.
If children open a door, they could cause
severe or even fatal injury to other persons; if
they get out of the vehicle, they could injure
themselves when doing so or be seriously or
even fatally injured by any passing 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 a child could be burned on these
parts. 88
DoorsOpening/closing
of more than 9 mph (15 km/h), the vehicle
locks automatically.
You could therefore be locked out when:
R
the vehicle is being pushed.
R the vehicle is being towed.
R the vehicle is being tested on a
dynamometer.
You can switch off the automatic locking
function via COMAND (Y page 269).Power closing feature
The power closing feature pulls the doors and
trunk lid into their locks automatically even if
they are only partly closed. G
WARNING
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door or
trunk opening when closing a door or the
trunk lid. Be especially careful when small
children are around.
If danger threatens, pull the inside or outside
door handle, or pull the trunk lid handle.
To prevent personal injury, never activate the
closing assist mechanism by tampering with
the door or trunk lid latch. G
WARNING
Only drive with the doors closed. Otherwise,
one or more of the doors could open while the
vehicle is in motion, putting you and/or
others at risk. G
WARNING
Make sure the trunk lid is closed when the
engine is running and while driving. Among
other dangers, deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
gases may enter the vehicle interior resulting
in unconsciousness and death. X
Power closing feature (doors): push the
door past the first detent position of the
lock.
The power closing feature will pull the door
fully closed.
X Power closing feature (trunk lid): lightly
push the trunk lid closed.
The power closing feature will pull the trunk
lid fully closed. Unlocking the driver's door
(mechanical key)
If the vehicle can no longer be unlocked with
the SmartKey, use the mechanical key.
If you use the mechanical key to unlock and
open the driver's door, the anti-theft alarm
system will be triggered (Y page 79).
X Take the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Y page 84).
X Insert the mechanical key into the lock of
the driver's door as far as it will go. X
Firmly turn the mechanical key
counterclockwise as far as it will go to
position 0005and hold it in this position.
X Pull the door handle quickly.
The locking knob pops up.
The door is unlocked.
X Turn the mechanical key back and remove
it.
X Pull the door handle again.
X Insert the mechanical key into the
SmartKey. 90
DoorsOpening/closing
Locking the vehicle
If the vehicle can no longer be locked with the
SmartKey, you can lock it by taking the
following steps. If the central locking in the
vehicle is malfunctioning, you canno tlock the
trunk.
X Press down the locking knobs on the open
rear doors.
X Close the rear doors.
X Open the front-passenger door.
X Close the driver's door and the trunk lid.
X Press down the locking knob of the driver's
door inside the vehicle.
X Press down the locking knob of the open
front-passenger door.
i Make sure that you have the SmartKey on
your person and that it has not been left in
the vehicle.
X Close the front-passenger door.
X Make sure that the doors and the trunk are
locked.
i If you lock the vehicle as described above,
the fuel filler flap is not locked. The anti-
theft alarm system is not armed. Trunk
Important safety notes
Do not leave the SmartKey in the trunk. You
could otherwise lock yourself out. 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 unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, and do not give them access
to an unlocked vehicle. Achild's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. They could:
R injure themselves on vehicle parts
R be seriously or fatally injured by extreme
heat or cold
R injure themselves or have an accident with
vehicle equipment that may still be in
operation even after the SmartKey has
been removed from the ignition, such as the
seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment or memory function.
If children open a door, they could cause
severe or even fatal injury to other persons; if
they get out of the vehicle, they could injure
themselves when doing so or be seriously or
even fatally injured by any passing 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 a child could be burned on these
parts. G
WARNING
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartmentort runk 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 G
WARNING
Make sure the trunk lid is closed when the
engine is running and while driving. Among
other dangers, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) Trunk
91Opening/closing
Z