Adaptive brake lamps
The adaptive brake lights warn following traf- fic in an emergency braking situation:
R by flashing brake lamps
R by activating the hazard warning lamps
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS
or BAS PLUS, the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way, traffic travelling behind you is
warned in an even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically. If the
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously. The hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning button (Y page 137).ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tyres
and the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilise 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 stabilise the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
. On vehi-
cles with 4MATIC, 4ETS is a component of
ESP ®
. Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually 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. In addition, more drive torque is trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you deacti-
vate ESP ®
.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74). G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving
safety systems are switched off. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! If you test the parking brake using a brake
dynamometer, switch the ignition off.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 422).
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up and:
R the vehicle is moving
R the ECO start/stop function is activated
If the ÷ warning lamp lights up continu-
ously, ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunc-
tion.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 357) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 315).
Only use wheels with the recommended tyre
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly. 80
Driving safety systemsSafety
Characteristics of ESP
®General notes
If the
÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X When pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle stops
moving. When pulling away again, the engine
starts automatically. ESP ®
remains in its pre-
viously selected status. Example:if ESP®
was deactivated before the engine was
switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when
the engine is switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74).
You can select between the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated
R ESP ®
is deactivated G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following. It may be best to deactivate ESP
®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to
spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
You can deactivate or activate ESP ®
via the
on-board computer.
X To deactivate: (Ypage 307).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To activate: (Ypage 307).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability
R the driven wheels can spin
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-faces.
R traction control is still activated
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; nor is it
activated if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available; it
is also not activated if you brake firmly with
assistance from ESP ®
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly. Driving safety systems
81Safety Z
ESP
®
trailer stabilisation General notes
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, ESP
®
assists you in this situation. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and limit-
ing the engine output until the vehicle/trailer combination has stabilised.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high centre of gravity can
tip over before ESP ®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, you can only stabilise the vehicle/
trailer combination by depressing the brake
firmly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation is active above
speeds of approximately 65 km/h.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation does not work if
ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of a
malfunction.
Crosswind Assist General notes
Strong crosswind gusts can impair the road-
holding of your vehicle when driving straight
ahead. The crosswind driving assistance
function integrated in ESP ®
noticeably
reduces these impairments.
Depending on the direction and intensity of
the side wind, ESP ®
is activated automati-
cally.
ESP intervenes with stabilising braking to
assist you in keeping the vehicle in the lane.
Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle speeds
above 80 km/h when driving straight ahead
or cornering gently. Important safety notes
Crosswind Assist does not work if ESP
®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function. EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General notes EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74). G
WARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
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 spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 355) as well as dis-
play messages (Y page 318). ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In addi- tion to the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE
also has the HOLD function (Y page 232) and
hill start assist (Y page 185). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
General notes i
Pay attention to the important safety
notes in the "Driving safety systems" sec-
tion (Y page 74). 82
Driving safety systemsSafety
The braking action of PRE-SAFE
®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you manoeuvre to avoid the obstacle
R there is no longer a risk of collision
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle STEER CONTROL
General notes STEER CONTROL is only available in vehicles
without 4MATIC.
STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a noticeable steering force to the steering
wheel in the direction required for vehicle
stabilisation.
This steering support 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
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74).
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if:
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning
R the steering is faulty
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, you will be assisted
further by the electrical power steering. Protection against theft
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key. X
To activate with the key: remove the key
from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO start-
function or KEYLESS-GO: switch the igni-
tion off and open the driver's door.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Anyone can
start the engine if a valid key has been left
inside the vehicle.
i The immobiliser is always deactivated
when you start the engine. ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
X
To prime: lock the vehicle with the key or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is primed after approximately
15 seconds.
X To switch off: unlock the vehicle with the
key or KEYLESS-GO.
or X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is primed and you open: R a door
R the vehicle with the emergency key ele-
ment
R the boot lid
R the bonnet Protection against theft
85Safety Z
Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos- sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 27). Key
Important safety notes
United Kingdom only: G
WARNING
When the double locks are activated, the
doors can no longer be opened from the
inside. People in the vehicle can no longer get out, e.g. in hazardous situations. There is a
risk of injury.
Therefore, do not leave any people unsuper-
vised in the vehicle, particularly children, eld-
erly people or people in need of special assis-
tance. Do not activate the double lock when
people are in the vehicle.
If the vehicle has been locked from the out-
side, the double-lock function is activated as
standard. It is then not possible to open the
doors from inside the vehicle. You can deac-
tivate the double lock function by deactivat-
ing the interior motion sensor . The doors can
then be opened from the inside after the vehi- cle has been locked from the outside. The
anti-theft alarm system is triggered if the door
is opened from the inside. Switch off the
alarm (Y page 85).
All countries: G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they may be able to set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position Por shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. G
WARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the key, the key could be unintentionally turned in the
ignition lock. This could cause the engine to
be switched off. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
key. Remove any bulky keyrings before insert-
ing the key into the ignition lock.
! Keep the key away from strong magnetic
fields. Otherwise, the remote control func-
tion could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the
vicinity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not keep the key: R with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile
phone or another key
R with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal
film
R inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
This can affect the key's functionality.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start function: do not keep the key on the parcel shelf or in
the boot. Otherwise, the key may not be
detected, e.g. when starting the engine using
the Start/Stop button. 90
KeyOpening and closing
A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the key
determines whether a valid key is in the vehi- cle. This occurs, for example:
R when starting the engine
R whilst driving
R when the external door handles are
touched
R during convenience closing Key functions
:
& Locks the vehicle
; F Opens/closes the boot lid
= % Unlocks the vehicle
X To unlock centrally: press button=.
If you do not open the vehicle within
approximately 40 second s of unlocking:
R the vehicle is locked again
R protection against theft is reactivated.
X To lock centrally: press button:.
The key centrally locks/unlocks:
R the doors
R the boot lid
R the fuel filler flap
When unlocking, the turn signals flash once.
When locking, they flash three times.
You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked. The audible signal can be activated and deactivated via
COMAND Online or Audio 20 (see the sepa-
rate operating instructions). When the locator lighting is activated via
COMAND Online or Audio 20, it lights up
when it is dark after the vehicle is unlocked
with the remote control (see the separate
operating instructions).
X To open the boot lid automatically from
outside the vehicle: press and hold but-
ton ;until the boot lid opens.
X To open the boot lid automatically from
outside the vehicle: if the key is located in
the immediate vicinity of the vehicle: press
the F button on the key.
You can release the button as soon as the
boot lid starts to close. KEYLESS-GO
General notes Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a key
in the vehicle.
Locking and unlocking centrally You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry
the key with you. You can combine the KEY-
LESS-GO functions with the functions of a
conventional key. Unlock the vehicle by using KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock it using
the & button on the key.
The driver's door and the door at which the
handle is used, must both be closed. The key
must be outside the vehicle. When locking or unlocking with KEYLESS-GO, the distance
between the key and the corresponding door
handle must not be greater than 1 m.
A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the key
determines whether a valid key is in the vehi- cle. This occurs, for example:
R when starting the engine
R whilst driving Key
91Opening and closing Z
R
when the external door handles are
touched
R during convenience closing X
To unlock the vehicle: touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
X To lock the vehicle: touch sensor sur-
face :or;.
Make sure that you do not touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
X Convenience closing feature: touch
recessed sensor surface ;for an exten-
ded period.
For further information on the convenience closing feature (Y page 107).
X To unlock the boot lid: pull the boot lid
handle.
Deactivating If you do not intend to use the vehicle for a
longer period of time, you can deactivate KEY- LESS-GO. The key will then use very little
power, thereby conserving battery power. For
the purposes of activation/deactivation, the
vehicle must not be nearby.
X To deactivate: press the&button on
the key twice in rapid succession.
The battery check lamp of the key lights up
twice briefly and KEYLESS-GO is deactiva-
ted.
X To activate: press any button on the key or
insert the key into the ignition lock.
KEYLESS-GO and all of its associated fea-
tures are available again. KEYLESS-GO start function
Bear in mind that the engine can be started by any of the vehicle occupants if there is a key
in the vehicle. Changing the settings of the locking
system
You can change the settings of the locking
system. This means that only the driver's door and the fuel filler flap are unlocked when the
vehicle is unlocked. This is useful if you fre-
quently travel alone.
X To change the setting: press and hold
down the %and& buttons simulta-
neously for about six seconds until the bat- tery indicator lamp flashes twice
(Y page 94).
If the setting of the locking system is changed
within the signal range of the vehicle, press-
ing the &or% button:
R locks or
R unlocks the vehicle
The key now functions as follows:
X To unlock the driver's door: press the
% button once.
X To unlock centrally: press the%but-
ton twice.
X To lock centrally: press the&button.
The KEYLESS-GO function is changed as fol-
lows:
X To unlock the driver's door: touch the
inner surface of the door handle on the
driver's door.
X To unlock centrally: touch the inner sur-
face of the door handle on the front-
passenger door or the rear door.
X To lock centrally: touch the outer sensor
surface on one of the door handles.
X To restore the factory settings: press
and hold down the %and& buttons
simultaneously for approximately six sec- 92
KeyOpening and closing
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions The engine cannot be
started using the key. The on-board voltage is too low.
X Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
X Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary
(Y page 416).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 418).
or
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine cannot be
started using the Start/
Stop button. The key is
in the vehicle. The vehicle is locked.
X Unlock the vehicle and try to start the vehicle again. The key battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
X Check the key battery (Y page 94) and replace it if necessary
(Y page 94).
If this does not work: X Start your vehicle with the key in the ignition lock. There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
X Start your vehicle with the key in the ignition lock. You have lost a key. X
Have the key deactivated at a qualified specialist workshop.
X Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
X If necessary, have the locks changed as well. You have lost the emer-
gency key element. X
Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
X If necessary, have the locks changed as well. Doors
Important safety notes
United Kingdom only: G
WARNING
When the double locks are activated, the
doors can no longer be opened from the
inside. People in the vehicle can no longer get out, e.g. in hazardous situations. There is a
risk of injury. Therefore, do not leave any people unsuper-
vised in the vehicle, particularly children, eld- erly people or people in need of special assis-
tance. Do not activate the double lock when
people are in the vehicle.
If the vehicle has been locked from the out-
side, the double-lock function is activated as
standard. It is then not possible to open the
doors from inside the vehicle. You can deac-
tivate the double lock function by deactivat-
ing the interior motion sensor (Y page 86).96
DoorsOpening and closing