2014 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS Owners Manual

XTo deactivate:press buttonuntilthe
ESP®OFF warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster.
TheOFFmessage appearsinthe
multifunctiondisplay.
Deactivate ESP®when drivingon
designated roads when the vehicle's own
oversteeringand understeering
characteristics are desired. Drivingwithout
ESP®requiresanextremely qualified and
experienced driverwho is able to cope with
these critical driving conditions.
XTo activate:briefly press button.
The ESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrumentcluster goes out. TheON
message appears in the multifunction
display.
ESP®is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
If ESP®is deactivated and one or morewheels
start to spin,theESP®warninglamp in
the instrumentcluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP®will not stabilize the vehicle.
It may be best to deactivateESP®in the
followingsituations:
Rwhen using snowchains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
If you deactivateESP®:
RESP®no longer improves drivingstability.
Rtraction control is still activated.
RPRE-SAFE®is no longer available, nor is it
activated if you brakefirmly and ESP®
intervenes.
RPRE-SAFE®Brake is no longer available, it
is also not activated if you brakefirmly and
ESP®intervenes.
RESP®still provides support when you
brake.
Rengine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.The spinning
wheels produceacuttingeffect for better
traction.
Vehicles with ECO start/stop function: the
ECO start/stop function switches the engine
off automatically when the vehicle comes to
astop. The engine starts automatically 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.
EBD (electronic brake force
distribution)
iObserve the "Important safety notes"
section (Ypage 66).
GWARNING
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
the brake system checked ataqualified
specialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Ypage 267) as well as
displaymessages (Ypage 240).
EBD monitors and controls the brake
pressure on the rear wheels to improve
driving stability while braking.
Driving safety systems71
Safety
Z

ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVEBRAKE enhancesbraking safety
and offers increased braking comfort.In
addition to thebraking function,ADAPTIVE
BRAKE also has theHOLDfunction
(Ypage 186) and hill start assist
(Ypage 150).
PRE-SAFE®Brake
Generalinformation
iObservethe"Importantsafetynotes"
section(Ypage 66).
PRE-SAFE®Brakeisonly available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
If PRE-SAFE®Brakeistoaid you, the radar
sensorsystem mustbe:
Ractivated (Ypage 232)
Roperational
With the help of the radar sensor system,
PRE-SAFE®Brakecan detectobstacles that
are in frontofyour vehicle for an extended
period of time.
PRE-SAFE®Brakecan help you to minimize
the risk ofacollision withavehicle ahead or
reduce the effects of suchacollision. If PRE-
SAFE®Brakehas detectedarisk of collision,
you will be warned visually and acoustically
as well as by automatic braking. PRE-SAFE®
Brakecannot preventacollision withoutyour
intervention.
At speeds of up to approximately 40 mph
(70 km/h)PRE-SAFE®Brake can also detect
stationary objects. Examples of stationary
objectsare stopped or parked vehicles.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
PRE-SAFE®Brake will initially brake your
vehicle byapartial application of the brakes
ifadanger of collision is detected. There may
beacollision unless you also brake.
Automatic emergencybraking cannot prevent
acollision. There isarisk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action.
GWARNING
PRE-SAFE®Brake cannot alwaysclearly
identify objects and complextraffic
conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE®Brake may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
Rnot giveawarning or intervene
There isarisk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be readytobrake, especially if
PRE-SAFE®Brake warns you.Terminate the
intervention inanon-critical driving situation.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
Rdirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
Rsnow or heavy rain
Rinterference by other radarsources
Rthere are strongradar reflections, for
example in parking garages
Ranarrow vehicle traveling in front,e.g. a
motorbike
Ravehicle traveling in front onadifferent line
relative to the center of your vehicle
GWARNING
PRE-SAFE®Brake does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossingtraffic
Rwhen cornering
Asaresult, PRE-SAFE®Brake may neither
give warnings nor intervene in all critical
situations. There isarisk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
72Driving safety systems
Safety

In order to maintain the appropriatedistance
to the vehicle in front and thus prevent a
collision, you must apply the brakes yourself.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving conditionsmay cause
unnecessarywarningsortheunnecessary
intervention of PRE-SAFE®Brake.
Followingdamagetothe front end of the
vehicle, have the configurationand operation
of the radarsensorschecked ataqualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where thereisno
visible damage to the frontofthe vehicle.
Function
XTo activate/deactivate:activate or
deactivate PRE-SAFE®Brake in the on-
board computer (Ypage 228).
If the PRE-SAFE®Brake is not activated, the

symbol appears in the multifunction
display.
If you approachavehicle in front very quickly,
this function warns you fromaspeed of
approximately4mph (7 km/h). An
intermittent warning tone sounds and the
distance warning signal lamp in the
instrumentcluster lightsup.
XBrake immediately to defuse the situation.
or
XTake evasiveaction provided it is safe to do
so.
Fromaspeed of approximately4mph
(7 km/h), if the driver and frontpassenger
have fastened their seat belts, PRE-SAFE®
Brakecan brake the vehicle automatically at
speeds up to approximately 124 mph
(200 km/h).
You can preventthe intervention of the PRE-
SAFE®Brakeatany time by:
Rdepressingthe accelerator pedal further.
Ractivating kickdown.
Rreleasing the brake pedal.
The brakingaction of PRE-SAFE®Brakeis
ended automatically if:
Ryou maneuver to avoid the obstacle.
Rthereisnolonger any danger ofarear-end
collision.
Rthereisnolonger an obstacle detected in
frontofyour vehicle.
If you approach an obstacle and PRE-SAFE®
Brakedetectsarisk ofacollision, the system
will alert you both visually and acoustically. If
you do not brake or takeevasive action,the
system will warn you by automatically braking
the vehicle gently. If thereisanincreased risk
of collision, preventative passenger
protection measures (PRE-SAFE®)are
activated (Ypage 54). Ifarisk of collision
remains at speeds of over 20 mph
(30 km/h) and you do not brake, takeevasive
action or significantly accelerate, automatic
brakingmay be performed up to and including
emergency braking. Automatic emergency
brakingisnot performed until immediately
prior to an accidentthat can no longer be
avoided.
Theftdeterrent locking system
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
XTo activate with the SmartKey:remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XTo activate with KEYLESS-GO:switchthe
ignition off and open the driver'sdoor.
XTo deactivate:switchonthe ignition.
When leaving the vehicle, always takethe
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Anyone can start the engineifavalid
SmartKey has been left inside the vehicle.
iThe immobilizer is always deactivated
when you start the engine.
In the event that the enginecannot be
started when the starter battery is fully
charged, the immobilizer may be faulty.
Theft deterrent locking system73
Safety
Z

ContactanauthorizedMercedes-Benz
Centerorcall 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA) or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (anti-theftalarm system)
XTo arm:lockthe vehicle with the SmartKey
or KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lampflashes. The alarm
system is armed after approximately
15 seconds.
XTo disarm:unlock the vehicle with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO.
Avisual and audible alarm is triggeredifthe
alarm system is armed and you open:
Radoor
Rthe vehicle with the mechanical key
Rthe trunk lid
Rthe hood
XTo turn thealarmoff with the
SmartKey:press theorbutton
on the SmartKey.
The alarm is switched off.
or
XInsert the SmartKey intothe ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off.
XTo stop thealarmusing KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The
SmartKey must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
or
XPress the Start/Stop button on the
dashboard. The SmartKey must be inside
the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you
close the open door that triggered it, for
example.
iIf the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, the mbrace emergency call
system automatically sendsamessage to
the Customer Assistance Center by text
message or data connection.The
emergency call system sends the message
provided that:
Ryou have subscribed to the mbrace
service
Rthe mbrace service has been activated
properly
Rthe necessary mobile phone network is
available
74Theft deterrent locking system
Safety

Useful information..............................76
SmartKey.............................................76
Doors....................................................82
Trunk....................................................84
Side windows......................................88
Sliding sunroof....................................92
75
Opening and closing

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 notethat your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systemsand functions.
iRead the information on qualified
specialist workshops: (Ypage 26).
SmartKey
Important safetynotes
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'sequipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parkingbrake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park positionP
RStart the engine.
There isarisk of an accidentand injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always takethe
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 exposuretoextreme heat or
cold, thereisarisk 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 isarisk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objectsto
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.
RDo not keep the SmartKey:
-with electronic devices, e.g.amobile
phone or another SmartKey
-with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal
foil
-inside metallic objects, e.g.ametal case
This can affect the functionality of the
SmartKey.
SmartKey functions
To lock the vehicle
To unlock the trunk lid
$To unlock the vehicle
XTo unlock centrally:press the
button.
76SmartKey
Opening and closing

If you do not open the vehicle within
approximately 40 seconds of unlocking:
Rthe vehicle is locked again.
Rthe theft deterrent locking system is
armed again.
XTo lockcentrally:pressthebutton.
The SmartKey centrally locks/unlocks:
Rthedoors
Rthetrunk lid
Rthefuel filler flap
The turnsignals flash oncewhen unlocking
and three times when locking.
You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked. The audible
signal can be activated and deactivated using
the on-board computer (Ypage 232).
When it is dark, the surround lighting also
comes on if it is activated in the on-board
computer (Ypage 231).
KEYLESS-GO
General notes
Bear in mind that the engine can be started
by any of the vehicle occupants if there is a
KEYLESS-GO key in the vehicle.
Locking/unlocking centrally
You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry
the SmartKey with you. You can combine the
functions of KEYLESS-GO with those of a
conventional SmartKey. Unlock the vehicle
by using KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock
it using thebutton on the SmartKey.
When locking or unlocking with KEYLESS-GO,
the distance between the SmartKey and the
corresponding door handle must not be
greater than3ft(1m).
KEYLESS-GO checkswhetheravalid
SmartKey is in the vehicle by periodically
establishingaradio connection between the
vehicle and the SmartKey. This happens:
Rwhen the external door handles are
touched
Rwhen startingthe engine
Rwhile the vehicle is in motion
XTo unlock the vehicle:touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
XTo lock the vehicle:touch sensor
surface.
XConvenience closing feature:touch
recessed sensor surfacefor an
extended period.
XTo unlock the trunk lid:pull the handle on
the trunk lid.
Further information on the convenience
closing feature (Ypage 90).
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
frequently travel on your own.
XTo change the setting:press and hold
down theandbuttons on the
SmartKey simultaneously for
SmartKey77
Opening and closing
Z

approximately six seconds until thebattery
check lamp flashes twice (Ypage 79).
iIf thesettingofthelockingsystem is
changed within thesignal range of the
vehicle,pressingtheorbutton:
Rlocks or
Runlocksthevehicle
The SmartKey nowfunctionsasfollows:
XTo unlock thedriver's door:pressthe
buttononce.
XTo unlock centrally:pressthe
buttontwice.
XTo lock centrally:pressthebutton.
The KEYLESS-GO function is changed as
follows:
XTo unlock thedriver's door:touch the
inner surface of thedoor handle on the
driver'sdoor.
XTo unlock centrally:touch theinner
surface of thedoor handle on thefront-
passenger door or therear door.
XTo lock centrally:touch theoutersensor
surface on one of the door handles.
XTo restorethe factorysettings:press
and hold down theandbuttons
simultaneously for approximately six
seconds until the batterychecklamp
flashes twice (Ypage 79).
Mechanicalkey
General notes
If thevehicle can no longer be lockedor
unlocked withtheSmartKey, use the
mechanical key.
If you use themechanical keytounlock and
open thedriver'sdoor or thetrunk lid, the
anti-theftalarm system will be triggered
(Ypage 74).
There are several ways to turnoff the alarm:
XTo turn the alarm off with the
SmartKey:press theorbutton
on the SmartKey.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
or
XTo deactivate the alarm with KEYLESS-
GO:press the Start/Stop button in the
ignition lock. The SmartKey must be in the
vehicle.
or
XLock or unlock the vehicle using KEYLESS-
GO. The SmartKey must be outside the
vehicle.
If you unlock the vehicle using the mechanical
key, the fuel filler flapwill not be unlocked
automatically.
XTo unlock thefuel filler flap:insert the
SmartKey intothe ignition lock.
Removing themechanical key
Release catch
Mechanical key
XPush release catchin the direction of
the arrow and at the same timeremove
mechanical keyfromthe SmartKey.
78SmartKey
Opening and closing