2014 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA warning

!When testing the electric parking brake
on a braking dynamometer, switch off the
ignition. Application of the brakes by
ESP®may otherwise destroy the brake
system.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC: switch off the
ignition when the electric parking brake is
being tested on a brake dynamometer.
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.
!Do not tow vehicles with 4MATIC with the
front or rear axle raised.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing your
vehicle with the front axle raised, it is
important that you observe the notes on
ESP®(Ypage 307).
Vehicles with 4MATIC: when towing your
vehicle with both axles on the ground, it is
important that you observe the notes on
ESP®(Ypage 307).
ESP®is deactivated if theESP®OFF
warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights
up continuously when the engine is running.
If theESP®warning lamp and the
ESP®OFF warning lamp are lit
continuously, ESP®is not available due to a
malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Ypage 244) and displaymessages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Ypage 213).
iOnly use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP®function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP®
General information
If theESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP®is automatically
active.
If ESP®intervenes, theESP®warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP®intervenes:
XDo not deactivate ESP®under any
circumstances.
XOnly depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
XAdapt 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 enginewas switched
off, ESP®remains deactivated when the
engine is switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP®(AMG
vehicles)
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section(Ypage 61).
You can select between the following states
of ESP®:
RESP®is activated.
RSPORT handling mode is activated.
RESP®is deactivated.
GWARNING
When SPORT handling mode is activated,
there is a greater risk of skidding and
accidents.
66Driving safetysystems
Safety

Only activate SPORT handling mode in the
situations described in the following.
GWARNING
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.
In the following situations, it may be better to
activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate
ESP®:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
Ron designated roads when the vehicle's
own oversteering and understeering
characteristics are desired
Driving in SPORT handling mode or without
ESP®requires an extremely qualified and
experienced driver.
iActivate ESP®as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP®will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the
vehicle if the vehicle starts to skid or a
wheel starts to spin.
!Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP®deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP®
XTo activate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button.
TheSPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
TheSPORT handling modemessage
appears in the multifunction display.
XTo deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button.
TheSPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster goes out.
XTo deactivate ESP®:press buttonuntil
theESP®OFF warning lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
TheOFFmessage appears in the
multifunction display.
XTo activate ESP®:briefly press button.
TheESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The
ESP®ONmessage appears in the
multifunction display.
Characteristics of activated SPORT
handling mode
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, theESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP®only stabilizes the vehicle to a
limited degree.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
RESP®only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
Rtraction control is still activated.
Rengine torque is only restricted to a limited
degree, and the drive wheels are able to
spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a
cutting action for better traction on loose
surfaces.
RESP®still provides support when you
brake.
Driving safety systems67
Safety
Z

Characteristics when ESP®is deactivated
If ESP®is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, theESP®warning lamp in
the instrumentcluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP®will not stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP®:
RESP®no longer improves driving stability.
Rengine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a
cutting action for better traction on loose
surfaces.
Rtraction control is still activated.
RPRE-SAFE®is no longer available, nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP®
intervenes.
RCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSISTis no
longer available; nor is it activated if you
brake firmly with assistance from ESP®.
RCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no
longer available; nor is it activated if you
brake firmly with assistance from ESP®.
RESP®still provides support when you
brake.
Deactivating/activating ESP®(except
AMG vehicles)
Important safety notes
You can select between the following states
of ESP®:
RESP®is activated.
RESP®is deactivated.
GWARNING
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.
It may be best to deactivate ESP®in the
following situations:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
iActivate ESP®as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply.ESP®will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the
vehicle if the vehicle starts to skid or a
wheel starts to spin.
!Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP®deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP®
You can deactivate or activate ESP®via the
on-board computer.
XTo deactivate:(Ypage 203).
TheESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
XTo activate:(Ypage 203).
TheESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP®is deactivated
If ESP®is deactivated and one or more wheels
startto spin, theESP®warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP®will not stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP®:
RESP®no longer improves driving stability.
Rengine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a
cutting action for better traction on loose
surfaces.
Rtraction control is still activated.
RESP®still provides support when you
brake.
68Driving safety systems
Safety

ESP®trailer stabilization
General information
If your vehicle/trailer combinationbegins to
swerve, ESP®assists you in this situation.
ESP®slows the vehicle down by braking and
limiting the engine output until the vehicle/
trailer combination has stabilized.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilization will not be able to prevent
the vehicle/trailer combination from
swerving.Trailers with a high center of gravity
can tip over before ESP®can detect this.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always adapt yourdriving style to the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
If yourvehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer
combination) begins to lurch, you can only
stabilize the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
ESP®trailer stabilization is active above
speeds of about 40 mph (65 km/h).
ESP®trailer stabilization does not work if
ESP®is deactivated or disabled because of a
malfunction.
EBD (electronic brake force
distribution)
General information
EBD monitors and controls the brake
pressure on the rear wheels to improve
driving stability while braking.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section for driving safety systems
(Ypage 61).
GWARNING
If EBDhas malfunctioned, the rear wheels can
still lock, e.g.underfull 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 (Ypage 242) as well as
display messages (Ypage 215).
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
(Ypage 172) and hill start assist
(Ypage 138). For further information, see
Driving tips (Ypage 158).
STEER CONTROL
General information
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:
Rboth right wheels or both left wheels are on
a wet or slippery road surface when you
brake.
Rthe vehicle starts to skid.
Important safety notes
If ESP®is malfunctioning, you will not receive
steering support from STEER CONTROL.
Power steering will, however, continue to
function.
Driving safety systems69
Safety
Z

Useful information
iThis 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.
iRead the information on qualified
specialist workshops: (Ypage 25).
SmartKey
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park positionP
RStart the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
GWARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
GWARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey 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 SmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings
before inserting the SmartKey into the
ignition lock.
!Keep the SmartKey away from strong
magnetic fields. Otherwise, the remote
control function could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the
vicinity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not keep the SmartKey:
Rwith electronic devices, e.g. a mobile
phone or another SmartKey
Rwith metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal
foil
Rinside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
SmartKey functions
\nTo lock the vehicle
To open the trunk lid
"To unlock the vehicle
XTo unlock centrally:press button".
72SmartKey
Opening and closing

XPush release catchin the direction of
the arrow and at the same time remove
mechanical keyfrom the SmartKey.
For further information about:
Runlocking the driver's door (Ypage 79)
Runlocking the trunk (Ypage 82)
Rlocking the vehicle (Ypage 79)
SmartKey battery
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Batteries contain toxic and corrosive
substances. If batteries are swallowed, it can
result in severe health problems. There is a
risk of fatal injury.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children. If
a battery is swallowed, seek medical attention
immediately.
The SmartKey batteries contain perchlorate
material, which may require special handling
and regard for the environment. National
guidelines must be observed during disposal.
In California, seewww.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/
index.cfm.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the batteries replaced at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Checking the battery
XPress the\norbutton.
The battery is working properly if battery
check lamplights up briefly.
The battery is discharged if battery check
lampdoes not light up briefly.
XChange the battery (Ypage 74).
iIf the SmartKey battery is checked within
the signal reception range of the vehicle,
pressing the\norbutton:
Rlocks or
Runlocks the vehicle
iYou can get a battery at any qualified
specialist workshop.
Replacing the battery
You require a CR 2025 3 V cell battery.
XTake the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Ypage 73).
XPress mechanical keyinto the opening
in the SmartKey in the direction of the
arrow until battery tray coveropens.
When doing so, do not hold covershut.
XRemove battery tray cover.
74SmartKey
Opening and closing

ProblemPossible causes/consequences and
Solutions
The engine cannot be
started using the
SmartKey.
The on-board voltage is too low.
XSwitch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
XCheck the starter battery and charge it if necessary
(Ypage 299).
or
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 303).
or
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine cannot be
started using the
SmartKey.
The steering lock is mechanically blocked.
XRemove the SmartKey and reinsert it into the ignition lock. While
doing this, turn the steering wheel in both directions.
Doors
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park positionP
RStart the engine.
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
GWARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
You should preferably place luggage or loads
in the cargo compartment. Observe the
loading guidelines (Ypage 254).
Unlocking and opening doors from
the inside
iWhen a door is opened, the side window
on that side opens slightly. When the door
is closed, the side window closes again.
!The side windows will not open/close if
the battery is discharged or if the side
windows have iced up. It will then not be
possible to close the door. Do not attempt
to force the door closed. You could
otherwise damage the door or the side
window.
Doors77
Opening and closing
Z

XTurn the mechanical key clockwise as far
as it will go to position.
XTurn the mechanical key back and remove
it.
XMake sure that the doors and the trunk lid
are locked.
XInsert the mechanical key into the
SmartKey.
iIf 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
GWARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Exhaust
gases can enter the vehicle interior if the
trunk lid is open when the engine is running,
especially if the vehicle is in motion.There is
a risk of poisoning.
Always switch off the engine before opening
the trunk lid. Never drive with the trunk lid
open.
GWARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
!The trunk lid swings upwards when
opened. Therefore, make sure that there is
sufficient clearance above the trunk lid.
iThe opening dimensions of the trunk lid
can be found in the "Vehicle data" section
(Ypage 351).
You should preferably place luggage or loads
in the cargo compartment. Observe the
loading guidelines (Ypage 254).
Do not leave the SmartKey in the trunk. You
could otherwise lock yourself out.
The trunk lid can be:
Ropened and closed manually from outside
Runlocked from inside with the mechanical
key
Opening/closing manually from
outside
Opening
XPress thebutton on the SmartKey.
XPull handle.
XRaise the trunk lid.
80Trunk
Opening and closing