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 air bags 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. G
WARNING
Pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning Devices
that have been deployed must be renewed.
For
your safety, when disposing of Emergency
Tensioning Devices, always observe the
safety instructions. These are available from
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The PRE-SAFE ®
system has electrically
operated reversible pre-tensioners that do
not require replacement after activation.
! If the front-passenger seat is not
occupied, do not engage the seat belt
tongue in the buckle on the front-
passenger seat. Otherwise, the Emergency
Tensioning Device could be triggered in the
event of an accident.
Automatic comfort-install feature The front seat belts have an automatic
comfort-install
feature. In vehicles with a rear
bench seat with electrically adjustable outer
seats, the seat belts for the outer seats have
an automatic comfort-install feature. The
automatic comfort-install feature reduces the
retraction force of the seat belts. This results
in increased seat belt comfort. Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes We recommend that all infants and children
be properly secured in an infant or child
restraint
system at all times while the vehicle
is in motion.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in all 50
states, the District of Columbia, the U.S.
territories and 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 U.S.
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213
and 225 and 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 all warning signs in the vehicle
interior and on the infant or child restraint. G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats
than on the front-passenger seat. 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 appropriately sized
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. 62
Children in the vehicle
Safety
R
ADAPTIVE BRAKE
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:
R Excessive speed, especially in turns
R Wet and slippery road surfaces
R Following another vehicle too closely
The driving safety systems described in this
section cannot reduce these risks or prevent
the
natural laws of physics from acting on the
vehicle. They cannot increase braking or
steering efficiency beyond that afforded by
the condition of the vehicle brakes and tires
or the traction afforded.
Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents.
The capabilities of a vehicle equipped with the
driving safety systems described in this
section must never be exploited in a reckless
or dangerous manner which could jeopardize
the user's safety or the safety of others.
Always adjust your driving style to the
prevailing road and weather conditions and
keep a safe distance to other road users and
objects on the street.
If a driving system malfunctions, other driving
safety systems may also switch off. Observe
indicator and warning lamps that may come
on as well as messages in the multifunction
display that may appear. G
WARNING
HYBRID vehicles: It is imperative that you read
the HYBRID Supplemental Operating
Instructions
included in your vehicle literature
portfolio. You may otherwise not receive all
necessary safety information and warning for
the operation of your vehicle.
i Please note that the driving safety
systems described only work as effectively as possible when there is adequate contact
between
the tires and the road surface. Pay
particular attention to the information
regarding tires, recommended minimum
tire tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and
tires" section (Y page 490).
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 69).
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 when you only brake gently. G
WARNING
If the ABS malfunctions, other driving systems
such
as the BAS or the ESP ®
are also switched
off. Observe indicator and warning lamps that
may come on as well as messages in the
multifunction display that may appear.
If the ABS malfunctions, the wheels may lock
during hard braking, reducing the steering
capability and extending the braking distance.
The ! warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
Braking If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal. Driving safety systems
69
Safety Z
When you deactivate ESP
®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
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.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
X To deactivate: (Y page 384).
The å ESP ®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. G
WARNING
When the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp is lit,
ESP ®
is deactivated.
If the ÷ ESP ®
warning lamp and the
å ESP ®
OFF warning lamp remain lit,
ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunction.
When ESP ®
is deactivated or not operational,
vehicle stability in standard driving
maneuvers is reduced.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing
road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP ®
.
! Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
X To activate: (Y page 384).
The å ESP ®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. EBD (electronic brake force
distribution)
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section ( Y page 69). EBD monitors and controls the brake
pressure on the rear wheels to improve
driving stability while braking. G
WARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the braking system
remains available with full brake boosting
effect.
However, the rear wheels can still lock,
e.g. under full braking. This could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle and cause an
accident. You should therefore adapt your
driving style to the different handling
characteristics.
X Observe the notes on warning and indicator
lamps ( Y page 423) as well as display
messages ( Y page 392). 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 342) and hill start assist
(Y page 306). For further information, see
Driving tips (Y page 327). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section ( Y page 69).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize
the risk of a frontal 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.
At speeds above approximately
4 mph (7 km/h), this function warns you
when you are rapidly approaching the vehicle
in front. An intermittent warning tone will Driving safety systems
73
Safety Z
X
Push release catch : in the direction of
the arrow and at the same time, remove
mechanical key ; from 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 out of the 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
government disposal guidelines. California
residents, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/
index.cfm.
Checking the battery X
Press the & or % button.
The battery is working properly if battery
check lamp : lights up briefly
If battery check lamp : does not light up
briefly during the test, the battery is
discharged. X
Changing the battery ( Y page 82)
i You can obtain the battery at a qualified
specialist workshop.
i If
the SmartKey battery is checked within
the signal reception range of the vehicle,
pressing the & or % button locks or
unlocks the vehicle.
Changing the battery You require a CR 2025 3 V cell battery.
X
Take the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Y page 81). X
Press mechanical key ; into the opening
in the SmartKey in the direction of the
arrow until battery tray cover : opens.
When
doing so, do not hold cover : shut.
X Remove battery tray cover :. X
Repeatedly tap the SmartKey against your
palm until battery = falls out.
X Insert the new battery with the positive
terminal facing upwards. Use a lint-free
cloth to do so.82
SmartKey
Opening/closing
You can use the override button to disable
this function
(Y page 67).
The button is located in the rear door on the
front-passenger side. :
To select the front-passenger seat or rear-
compartment seat
; Seat height
= Head restraint height
? Backrest angle
A Seat fore-and-aft adjustment
X To select the front-passenger seat:
press button :.
The front-passenger seat is selected if the
indicator lamp in the button lights up.
X Adjust the front-passenger seat with
buttons ;, =, ? and A.
X To select the rear-compartment seat:
press button :.
The rear-compartment seat is selected
again. Adjusting the head restraints
Adjusting the head restraint height
electrically X
To adjust the head restraint height:
slide
the switch for head restraint adjustment
(Y page 104) up or down in the direction of
the arrow. Adjusting the NECK-PRO head
restraints Adjusting
X
Pull or push the bottom of NECK-PRO head
restraint :.
Resetting
The NECK-PRO head restraints are moved
forwards
in the event of a rear collision in the
direction of travel and have to be reset
afterwards ( Y page 56).
Adjusting NECK-PRO luxury head
restraints Adjusting
G
WARNING
When folding back the side cushions, do not
hold the area between the side cushion and
the cushion holder. There is a danger of
becoming trapped. You can adjust side bolsters
:
of the NECK-
PRO luxury head restraints individually. 106
Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
You can adjust side bolsters
: of the luxury
head restraint individually.
X To adjust the side bolsters of the head
restraint:
push or pull side bolsters : into
the desired position.
X To adjust the head restraint angle: hold
the head restraint by the upper edge and
slide
it forwards or back in the direction of
arrow ;. Adjusting the multicontour seat
You can adjust the multicontour seat using
COMAND (Y page 270). Adjusting the multicontour seat in the
rear compartment
You can use the buttons on the center
console to adjust the multicontour seats for
the outer seats in the rear compartment. X
To select a rear-compartment seat:
push
or pull rocker switch : or C forwards or
backwards.
The indicator lamp in the selected button
lights up briefly.
X To adjust the side bolsters of the seat
backrest: push or pull rocker switch B
forwards or backwards.
X To adjust the backrest contour: push or
pull rocker switch A forwards or
backwards.
X To adjust the position of the backrest
contour: push or pull rocker switch ?
forwards or backwards.
X To activate/deactivate the gentle
massage function: push or pull rocker
switch = forwards or backwards.
X To activate/deactivate the strong
massage function: push or pull rocker
switch ; forwards or backwards. Adjusting the active multicontour
seat
You can adjust the active multicontour seat
using COMAND (Y page 272).
i If PRE-SAFE ®
has been activated, the air
pressure in the air chambers (the side
bolsters of the seat cushion and backrest)
of the multicontour seat or active
multicontour seat is increased. Adjusting the lumbar support
You can adjust the lumbar support using
COMAND (Y page 269). Switching the seat heating on/off
Switching on/off The three red indicator lamps in the button
indicate the heating level you have selected.108
Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
The electrical steering wheel adjustment
feature can be operated at any time.
Therefore, do not leave children unattended
in the vehicle, 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.
Adjusting the steering wheel
:
To adjust the steering wheel position
(fore-and-aft adjustment)
; To adjust the steering wheel height
i Other topics:
R EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature
(Y page 110)
R storing settings
(Y page 113)
R operating the on-board computer
(Y page 373) Steering wheel heating
Switching on/off The steering-wheel heating heats the leather
areas of the steering wheel. X
Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.
X To switch on/off: turn the lever in the
direction of arrow : or ;.
Indicator lamp = lights up or goes out.
Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: when you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock,
the steering wheel heating is deactivated.
Vehicles
with KEYLESS-GO: when you switch
off the ignition and open the driver's door, the
steering wheel heating is deactivated.
i The steering wheel heating is deactivated
when the temperature in the vehicle
interior is higher than 86 ‡ (30 †).
i The steering wheel heating is switched off
automatically after about 24 minutes. EASY-ENTRY/EXIT system
Important safety notes The EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature makes getting
in and out of your vehicle easier.
You can activate and deactivate the EASY-
ENTRY/EXIT feature using COMAND
(Y page 262).
G
WARNING
You must make sure no one can become
trapped or injured by the moving steering
wheel and driver's seat when the EASY-
ENTRY/EXIT feature is activated. 110
Steering wheel
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
X
Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
1 or 2 in the ignition lock.
X Press button ; for the right-hand exterior
mirror or button = for the left-hand
exterior mirror.
The indicator lamp lights up in the button
that has been pressed.
X Press adjustment button : up, down, to
the right or to the left until the exterior
mirror
is set to a position that provides you
with a good overview of traffic conditions.
Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
electrically X
Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
1 or 2 in the ignition lock.
X Briefly press button :.
Both exterior mirrors fold in or out.
i Make sure that the exterior mirrors are
always folded out fully while the vehicle is
in motion, as they may otherwise vibrate. Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
automatically When the "Automatic mirror folding" function
is activated in COMAND (Y page 262):
R
the
exterior mirrors fold in automatically as
soon as you lock the vehicle from the
outside.
R the exterior mirrors fold out again
automatically as soon as you unlock the
vehicle and then open the driver's or front-
passenger door.
i The mirrors do not fold out if they have
been folded in manually.
Exterior mirror out of position If an exterior mirror has been pushed out of
position, proceed as follows:
X
Press the mirror-folding button
(Y page
112) repeatedly until you hear the
mirrors engage in position.
The mirror housing is engaged again and
you can adjust the exterior mirrors as usual
(Y page 111). Automatic anti-glare mirrors
G
WARNING
If incident light from headlamps is prevented
from striking the sensor in the rear-view
mirror,
for instance, by luggage piled too high
in the vehicle, the mirror's automatic anti-
glare function will not operate.
Incident light could then blind you. This may
distract you from the traffic conditions and,
as a result, you may cause an accident.
The rear-view mirror and the exterior mirror
on the driver's side automatically go into anti-
glare mode if the ignition is switched on and
incident light from headlamps strikes the
sensor in the rear-view mirror.
The mirrors do not go into anti-glare mode if
reverse gear is engaged or the interior lighting
is switched on. 112
Mirrors
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors