2014 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS-Class Owner's Manual

Special seat belt retractor
G
WARNING
If the seat belt is released while driving, the
child restraint system will no longer be
secured properly. The special seat belt
retractor is disabled and the inertia real draws
in ap ortion of the seat belt. The seat belt
cannot be immediately refastened. There is
an increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Stop the vehicle immediately, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.
Reactivate the special seat belt retractor and
secure the child restraint system properly.
All seat belts except the driver's seat belt are
equipped with aspecial seat belt retractor.
When activated, the special seat belt
retractor ensures that the seat belt will not
slacken once the child restraint system has
been secured.
Installing achild restraint system:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Pull the seat belt smoothly from the seat
belt retractor.
X Engage the seat belt tongue in the belt
buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor:
X Pull the seat belt out fully and let the seat
belt retractor retract it again.
While the seat belt is retracting, you should
hear aratcheting sound. The special seat
belt retractor is activated.
X Push down on the child restraint system to
take up any slack.
Removing achild restraint system/
deactivating the special seat belt retractor:
X Always comply with the manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X Press the seat belt release button and
guide the belt tongue to the belt outlet.
The special seat belt retractor is
deactivated. LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchors
in the rear G
WARNING
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint systems
do not offer sufficient protective effect for
children whose weight is greater than 48 lbs
(22 kg). The child could, for example, not be
restrained correctly in the event of an
accident. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
If the child weighs more than 48 lbs (22 kg),
also secure the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with the vehicle seat belt.
Also secure the child restraint system with the
Top Tether belt, if available.
When installing achild restraint system, be
sure to observe the manufacturer's
installation instructions and the instructions
for correctu se of the child restraint system. Securing ring
When installing the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system, fold protective caps 0010of
securing rings 001Ainwards.
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat
securing system. Comply with the
manufacturer's instructions when
installing.
The LATCH-type (ISOFIX) system is a
standardized securing system for specially
designed child restraint systems on the rear
seats. Securing rings for two LATCH-type
(ISOFIX) child restraint systems are installed
on the left and right of the rear seats. Children in the vehicle
63Safety Z

Secure child restraint systems withou
ta
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat securing
system using the seat belts in the vehicle.
When installing child restraint systems, you
must observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions.
Top Tether Top Tether anchorages
G
WARNING
Alway slock the rear seat backrests in their
upright positio nwhen the rear seats are
occupied by passengers. Lock the rear seat
backrests in their upright position before
installing the Top Tether straps or when the
cargo compartmentisn ot in use. Make sure
that rear seat backrests are secured properly
by pushing and pulling on the seat backrests.
If the seat backrest is not locked properly, the
seat backrest could fold forward. The child
restraint system is no longer supported
properly or held in position and can no longer
fulfill its function. This could cause serious or
even fatal injuries. Top Tether provides an additional connection
between
achild restraint system, secured
with aLATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat mount,
and the rear seat. This helps reduce the risk
of injury even further.
The Top Tether anchorage points are located
in the rear compartmentb ehind the head
restraints.
X Move head restraint 001Aupwards.
X Fold up cover 0010of Top Tether anchorage
0024.
X Route Top Tether belt 001Eunder head
restraint 001Abetween the two head restraint
bars.
X Hook Top Tether hook 0021intoT op Tether
anchorage 0024.
X Make sure that Top Tether belt 001Eis not
twisted.
X Fold down cover 0010of Top Tether
anchorage 0024.
X Slide down head restraint 001Auntil it
engages (Y page 101).
Make sure that you do not interfere with the
correct routin gofTop Tether belt 001E.
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with Top Tether .Comply
with the manufacturer's installation
instructions when doing so. Make sure that
Top Tether belt 001Eis tight. Child-proof locks
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment. 64
Children in the vehicleSafety

Additionally, children could set the vehicl
ein
motion if, for example, they:
R release the parking brake.
R shifting the automatic transmission ou tof
park position P
R Start the engine.
There is arisk of an acciden tand 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. G
WARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, ther eisarisk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle. G
WARNING
If children are traveling in the vehicle, they
could:
R open doors, thus endangering other people
or road users
R exit the vehicle and be caught by oncoming
traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped
There is arisk of an acciden tand injury.
Always activate the child-proof lock sand
override feature if children are traveling in the
vehicle. When leaving the vehicle, always take
the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unattended in the vehicle.
You can activate the following child-proof
locks:
R rear doors (Y page 65)
R rear side windows (Y page 65) Child-proof locks for the rear doors G
WARNING
Children could open arear door from inside
the vehicle. This could result in serious
injuries or an accident. Therefore, when
children ride in the rear always secure the rear
doors with the child-proof locks. You secure each door individually with the
child-proof lock
sonthe rear doors. Adoor
secured with achild-proof lock cannot be
opened from inside the vehicle. When the
vehicle is unlocked, the door can be opened
from the outside.
X To activate: press the child-proof lock
lever up in the direction of arrow 001A.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow 0010.
Overrid efeature for the rear side
windows G
WARNING
When children ride on the vehicle's rear seats,
activate the override switch. Otherwise, the
children could be injured, e.g. by trapping
themselves in the rear side window. Children in the vehicle
65Safety Z

X
To activate/deactivate: press button0010.
If indicator lamp 001Ais lit, operatio nofthe
rear side windows is disabled. Operation is
only possible using the switches in the
driver's door. If indicator lamp 001Ais off,
operation is possible using the switches in
the rear compartment. Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 66)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) (Y page 67)
R BAS PLUS ( BrakeAssist System Plus)
(Y page 67)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 68)
R EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
(Y page 71)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 72)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 72) 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,f
or vehicle speed and for braking in
good time. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road, weather and traffic
conditionsa nd maintain asafe distanc efrom
th ev ehicle in front. Drive carefully.
i The driving safety systems describe donly
work as effectivel yaspossible when there
is adequat econtac tbetween th etires and
th er oad surface. Pleas epay special
attentio ntothenote sont ires,
recommende dminimu mtire tread depths,
etc .(Ypage 334).
In wintry drivin gconditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
sno wchains. Only in this way will the
drivin gsafet ysystems described in this
section work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Brakin
gSystem)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Importan tsafet ynotes"
sectio n(Ypage 66). G
WARNING
If ABSisf aulty, 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.H ave ABS checked
immediately at aqualified 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 267) and
displaym essages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 238).
ABS regulates brake pressure in such away
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the
vehicle when braking. 66
Driving safety systemsSafety

ABS works fro
maspeed of abou t5mph
(8 km/h )upwar ds,regardless of road-surface
conditions .ABS works on slippery surfaces,
eve nify ou only brake gently.
The yellow 001CABS 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 makeaf ull brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
ap ulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions, and
functions as areminder to take extrac are
while driving. BAS (Brake Assist System)
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 66). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergenc ybraking situation is
increased. There is arisk of an accident.
In an emergenc ybraking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
BAS operates in emergenc ybraking
situations. If you depress the brake pedal
quickly, BAS automatically boosts the braking
force, thus shortening the stopping distance.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated. BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS)
General information i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 66).
BAS PLUS is only available in vehicles
equipped with DISTRONIC PLUS.
For BAS PLUS to assist you when driving, the
radar sensor system must be:
R activated (Y page 232)
R operational
With the help of the radar sensor system, BAS
PLUS can detect obstacles that are in the
path of your vehicle for an extended period of
time.
If the radar sensor system is malfunctioning,
BAS PLUS will not be available. The brake
system is still available with complete brake
boosting effect and BAS.
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in
hazardous situations at speeds greater than
4m ph (7 km/h).
At speeds of up to approximately 40 mph
(70 km/h) ,BAS PLUS can also react to
stationary objects. Examples of stationary
object sare stopped or parked vehicles.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
BAS PLUS cannot alwaysc learly identify
object sand complex traffic situations. BAS
PLUS cannot intervene in these cases. There
is ar isk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
BAS PLUS does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossin gtraffic
R when cornering Driving safety systems
67Safety
Z

As
aresult, BAS PLUS may not intervene in all
critical situations. There is arisk of an
accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensor soranythin gelse
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 an arrow vehicle travelin ginfront, e.g. a
motorbike
R av ehicle travelin ginfrontonad ifferent line
relative to the center of your vehicle
Following damage to the fron tend of the
vehicle, have the configuratio nand operation
of the rada rsensor schecked at aqualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where ther eisno
visible damage to the fron tofthe vehicle.
Braking assistance To prevent
acollision with the vehicle in front,
BAS PLUS calculates the brake force
necessary if:
R you approach an obstacle, and
R BAS PLUS has detected arisk of collision
When driving at aspeed under 20 mph
(30 km/h):ify ou depress the brake pedal,
BAS PLUS is activated. The increase in brake
pressure will be carried out at the last
possible moment.
When driving at aspeed greater than
20 mph (30 km/h):ify ou depress the brake
pedal sharply, BAS PLUS automatically raises
the brake pressure to avalue adapted to the
traffic situation.
If BAS PLUS demands particularly high
braking force, preventative passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE
®
)a re
activated simultaneously.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergenc ybraking situation is over.
ABS prevent sthe wheels from locking.
BAS PLUS is deactivated and the brakes
function as usual if:
R you release the brake pedal
R there is no longer arisk of collision
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 66). 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 abrake dynamometer.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may
otherwise destroy the brake system.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: observe the notes
on ESP ®
(Y page 330) when towing the
vehicle with araised rear axle.
ESP ®
is deactivated if the 0009warning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up
continuously when the engine is running.
If the 0011 warning lamp and the 0009
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to amalfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 269) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 238). 68
Driving safety systemsSafety

If ESP
®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desire dbythe 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 0011ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrumentc luster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivat eESP®
under any
circumstances.
X Only depres sthe accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
X Adapt your drivin gstyle to suit the
prevailing road and weathe rconditions.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) ETS/4ETS traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels
individuall yifthey 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
transferred to the wheel or wheels with
traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(except
AMG vehicles) G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
,E SP ®
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 spinnin gthe driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
X To deactivate:(Y page 227).
The 0009 ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To activate: (Ypage 227).
The 0009 ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
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 engine was switched
off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when the
engine is switched on again.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the 0011ESP®
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 engine torque is not limited and the drive
wheels are able to spin. The spinning
wheels produce acutting effect for better
traction. Driving safety systems
69Safety Z

Deactivating/activating ESP
®
(AMG
vehicles) Activating/deactivating SPORT handling
mode G
WARNING
Whe nSPORT handling mode is activated,
there is agreater risk of skidding and
accidents.
Only activat eSPORT handling mode in the
situations described in the following. X
To activate: briefly press button 001A.
The 0005 SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
The SPORT handling mode message
appears in the multifunction display.
SPORT handling mode is designed for
driving on designated roads when the
vehicle's own oversteering and
understeering characteristics are desired.
Drivin ginSPORT handling mode requires
an extremely qualified and experienced
driver who is able to cope with these critical
driving conditions.
X To deactivate: briefly press button 001A.
The 0005 SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster goes out.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started. It may be best to activat
eSPORT handling
mode in the following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the 0011ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilizes the vehicle to a
limited degree.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
R engine torque is only restricted to alimited
degree, and the drive wheels are able to
spin. The spinnin gwheels produce a
cutting effect for better traction.
Vehicles with ECO start/stop function: the
ECO start/stop function switches the engine
off automatically when the vehicle comes to
as top. The engine start sautomatically when
the driver wants to pull away again. ESP ®
remains in its previously selected status. For
example, if ESP ®
was deactivated before the
engine was switched off, ESP ®
remains
deactivated when the engine is switched on
again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
,E SP ®
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 spinnin gthe driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain. 70
Driving safety systemsSafety