2014 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS warning

Deactivating/activating ESP®(AMG
vehicles)
Activating/deactivating SPORT handling
mode
GWARNING
WhenSPORT handling mode is activated,
there isagreater risk of skidding and
accidents.
Only activateSPORT handling mode in the
situations described in the following.
XTo activate:briefly press button.
TheSPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
TheSPORT handling modemessage
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.
DrivinginSPORT handling mode requires
an extremely qualified and experienced
driver who is able to cope with these critical
driving conditions.
XTo deactivate:briefly press button.
TheSPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster goes out.
ESP®is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
It may be best to activateSPORT handling
mode in the following situations:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
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.
RESP®still provides support when you
brake.
Rengine torque is only restricted toalimited
degree, and the drive wheels are able to
spin. The spinningwheels 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
astop. The engine startsautomatically 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®
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.
!Avoid spinningthe driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP®deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
70Driving safety systems
Safety

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

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

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
abattery is swallowed, seek medical attention
immediately.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the batteries replaced ataqualified specialist
workshop.
Checking the battery
XPress theorbutton.
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 79).
iIf the SmartKey battery is checked within
the signal reception range of the vehicle,
pressing theorbutton:
Rlocks or
Runlocks the vehicle
iYou can getabattery at any qualified
specialist workshop.
Replacing the battery
You requireaCR20253Vcell battery.
XTake the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Ypage 78).
Battery compartmentcover
Mechanical key
XPress mechanical keyinto the opening
in the SmartKey in the direction of the
arrow until battery compartmentcover
opens. Do not hold battery compartment
coverclosed while doing so.
XRemove battery compartmentcover.
$Battery
XRepeatedly tap the SmartKey against your
palm until battery$falls out.
XInsert the new battery with the positive
terminal facing upwards. Usealint-free
cloth to do so.
XMake sure that the surface of the battery is
free of lint, grease and other contaminants.
SmartKey79
Opening and closing
Z

ProblemPossible causes/consequences andSolutions
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 324).
or
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 326).
or
XConsultaqualified specialist workshop.
The engine cannot be
started using KEYLESS-
GO. The SmartKey is in
the vehicle.
Adoor is open. Therefore, the SmartKey cannot be detected as
easily.
XClose the door and try to start the vehicle again.
There is interferencefromapowerful source of radio waves.
XStart your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
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.
Rshiftingthe automatic transmission out of
park positionP
RStart the engine.
There isarisk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, alwaystake 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 isarisk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
Unlocking and opening doors from
the inside
You can openadoor from inside the vehicle
even if it has been locked. If the vehicle has
been locked with the SmartKey or with
KEYLESS-GO, openingadoor from the inside
will trigger the anti-theft alarm system.
Switch off the alarm (Ypage 74).
You can only open the rear doors from inside
the vehicle if they are not secured by the
child-proof locks (Ypage 65).
82Doors
Opening and closing

You could therefore lock yourself out if:
Rthe vehicle is being pushed.
Rthe vehicle is being towed.
Rthe vehicle is onaroller dynamometer.
You can also switchthe automatic locking
function on and off using the on-board
computer (Ypage 232).
Unlocking thedriver'sdoor
(mechanical key)
If the vehicle can no longer be unlocked with
the SmartKey, use the mechanical key.
XTake the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Ypage 78).
XInsert the mechanical key intothe lock of
the driver's door as far as it will go.

To unlock
XTurn the mechanical key counter-clockwise
to position
.
The door is unlocked.
XTurn the mechanical key back and remove
it.
XInsert the mechanical key intothe
SmartKey.
If you use the mechanical key to unlockand
open the driver's door, the anti-theftalarm
system will be triggered(Ypage 74).
Locking thevehicle (mechanical key)
If the vehicle can no longer be locked with the
SmartKey, use the mechanical key.
XOpen the driver's door.
XClose the front-passenger door, the rear
doors and the trunk lid.
XPress the locking button (Ypage 83).
XCheck whether the locking knobs on the
front-passenger door and the rear doors
are still visible. Press down the locking
knobs manually, if necessary (Ypage 82).
XClose the driver's door.
XTake the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Ypage 78).
XInsert the mechanical key intothe lock of
the driver's door as far as it will go.

To lock
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 intothe
SmartKey.
Trunk
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide.Exhaust
gases can enter the vehicleinteriorifthe
trunk lidisopenwhen the engine is running,
84Trunk
Opening and closing