Important safety notes
i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 70). 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.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: switch off the igni-
tion when the parking brake is being tested
using a dynamometer.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or per-
formance tests may only be carried out on
a 2-axle dynamometer. Before operating
the vehicle on such a dynamometer, please
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
You could otherwise damage the drive train
or the brake system.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing your
vehicle with the rear axle raised, it is impor-
tant that you observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 359).
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and the åwarn-
ing lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 291) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 262).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly. 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 ®
(except
AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
You can select between the following sta-
tuses 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. Driving safety systems
73Safety Z
X
To activate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up. The
SPORT handling mode
SPORT handling mode message appears
in the multifunction display.
X To deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster goes out.
X To deactivate ESP ®
:press button :until
the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
The ÷ OFF
OFF message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
X To activate ESP ®
:briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷
ESP ®
ON
ON message appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
Characteristics of activated SPORT han-
dling mode
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilises 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 engine torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels are able to spin
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur- faces.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
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 engine torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels are able to 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
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 about 65 km/h. Driving safety systems
75Safety Z
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance
to the vehicle in front and thus prevent a col-
lision, you must apply the brakes yourself. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may neither
give warnings nor intervene in all critical sit-
uations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, detec-
tion can be impaired.
Detection by the radar sensor system is also
impaired in the event of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in
multi-storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different
line
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the radar sensor settings and oper- ation checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop. This also applies to collisions at slow
speeds where there is no visible damage to
the front of the vehicle. Function X
To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-board
computer (Y page 250).
If the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is not activated, the
æ symbol appears in the multifunction
display.
This function will issue a warning if:
R at a speed of around 30 km/h or more the
distance maintained to the vehicle travel-
ling in front is insufficient for several sec-
onds.
The · distance warning lamp then lights
up in the instrument cluster.
R at a speed of approximately 7 km/h or
more, you rapidly approach a vehicle in
front.
An intermittent warning tone will then
sound and the ·distance warning lamp
will light up in the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately to defuse the situation.
or X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
The PRE-SAFE ®
Brake function can also brake
the vehicle automatically under the following
conditions:
R the driver and front passenger have their
seat belts fastened
and
R the vehicle speed is between approx-
imately 7 km/h and 200 km/h
At speeds of up to approximately 70 km/h
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also detect stationary
objects. Examples of stationary objects are
stopped or parked vehicles.
You can prevent the intervention of PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake at any time by:
R depressing the accelerator pedal further
R activating kickdown
R releasing the brake pedal Driving safety systems
77Safety 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 26). Correct driver's seat position
G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle while
driving if you:
R adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel or
mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirrors and fasten your seat
belt before starting the engine. X
Observe the safety guidelines on seat
adjustment (Y page 105).
X Make sure that seat =is correctly adjus-
ted.
Electrical seat adjustment (Y page 106)
When adjusting the seat, make sure that:
R you are as far away from the driver's airbag
as possible
R you are sitting in a normal upright position
R you can fasten the seat belt properly
R you have moved the backrest to an almost
vertical position
R you have set the seat angle so that your
thighs are gently supported
R you can depress the pedals properly
X Check whether the head restraint is adjus-
ted correctly.
When doing so, make sure that you have
adjusted the head restraint so that the back
of your head is supported at eye level by the centre of the head restraint.
X Observe the safety guidelines on steering
wheel adjustment (Y page 113).
X Make sure that steering wheel :is adjus-
ted correctly.
Adjust the steering wheel manually
(Y page 113)
Adjust the steering wheel electrically
(Y page 114)
When adjusting the steering wheel, make
sure that:
R you can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent
R you can move your legs freely
R you can see all the displays in the instru-
ment cluster clearly
X Observe the safety guidelines for seat belts
(Y page 44).
X Check whether you have fastened seat
belt ;properly (Y page 46).104
Correct driver's seat positionSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Adaptive Highbeam Assist does not recognise road users:
R who have no lights, e.g. pedestrians
R who have poor lighting, e.g. cyclists
R whose lighting is blocked, e.g. by a barrier
In very rare cases, Adaptive Highbeam Assist
recognises road users too late or not at all. In
this, or in similar situations, the automatic
main-beam headlamps will not be deactivated
or activated regardless. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always carefully observe the traffic conditions and switch off the main-beam headlamps in
good time.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist cannot take into
account road, weather or traffic conditions.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist is only an aid. You
are responsible for adjusting the vehicle's
lighting to the prevailing light, visibility and
traffic conditions.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be restricted if there is:
R poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
R dirt on the sensors or if the sensors are
obscured
Activating Adaptive Highbeam Assist :
Main-beam headlamps
; Turn signal, right =
Headlamp flasher
? Turn signal, left
X To switch on: turn the light switch to Ã.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of arrow :.
The _ indicator lamp in the multifunc-
tion display lights up when it is dark and the light sensor activates the dipped-beam
headlamps.
If you are driving at speeds above approx-
imately 45 km/h:
The headlamp range is set automatically
depending on the distance between the
vehicle and other road users.
If you are driving at speeds above approx-
imately 55 km/h and no other road users
are detected:
The main-beam headlamps are switched on
automatically. The Kindicator lamp in
the instrument cluster also lights up.
If you are driving at speeds below 45 km/h
or other road users are detected or the
roads are adequately lit:
The main-beam headlamps are switched off automatically. The Kindicator lamp in
the instrument cluster goes out. The _
indicator lamp in the multifunction display
remains lit.
X To switch off: move the combination
switch back to its normal position or move
the light switch to another position.
The _ indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. Headlamps misted up on the inside
Certain climatic and physical conditions may
cause moisture to form in the headlamp. This
moisture does not affect the functionality of
the headlamp. Exterior lighting
129Lights and windscreen wipers Z
Control panel for THERMATIC automatic climate control (2-zone)
:
To set the temperature, left (Y page 145)
; To demist the windscreen (Y page 146)
= To switch the ZONE function on/off (Y page 146)
? To activate/deactivate cooling with air dehumidification (Y page 143)
A To switch the rear window heating on/off (Y page 147)
B To set the temperature, right (Y page 145)
C To activate/deactivate air-recirculation mode (Y page 148)
D To set the air distribution (Y page 145)
E To increase the airflow (Y page 146)
F To reduce the airflow (Y page 146)
G To switch climate control on/off (Y page 142)
H To set climate control to automatic mode (Y page 144)Information about using THERMATIC
automatic climate control
Automatic climate control The following contains notes and recommen-
dations on optimum use of THERMATIC auto- matic climate control.
R Activate climate control using the Ãand
¿ buttons. The indicator lamps above
the à and¿ buttons light up.
R Set the temperature to 22 †.
R Only use the "Windscreen demisting" func-
tion briefly until the windscreen is clear
again. R
Only use air-recirculation mode briefly, e.g.
if there are unpleasant outside odours or
when in a tunnel. The windows could oth-
erwise mist up as no fresh air is drawn into
the vehicle in air-recirculation mode.
R Use the ZONE function to adopt the tem-
perature settings on the driver's side for
the front-passenger side as well. The indi-
cator lamp above the ábutton goes
out.
R Vehicles with COMAND Online: if you
change the settings of the climate control
system, the climate status display appears for approximately three seconds at the bot- Overview of climate control systems
139Climate control
tom of the screen in the COMAND display.
See also the separate COMAND Online
operating instructions. You will see the cur- rent settings of the various climate controlfunctions.
ECO start/stop function During automatic engine switch-off, the cli-
mate control only operates at a reduced capa- city. If you require the full climate control out-
put, you can switch off the ECO start/stop
function by pressing the ECO button
(Y page 164). 140
Overvie
w of climate cont rol systemsClimate control
Control panel for THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control (3-zone)
Front control panel
: To set the temperature, left (Y page 145)
; To demist the windscreen (Y page 146)
= To activate/deactivate the residual heat function (Y page 149)
? To activate/deactivate cooling with air dehumidification (Y page 143)
A To switch the rear window heating on/off (Y page 147)
B To set the temperature, right (Y page 145)
C To switch the ZONE function on/off (Y page 146)
D To switch climate control on/off (Y page 142)
E To set the air distribution (Y page 145)
F To increase the airflow (Y page 146)
G To reduce the airflow (Y page 146)
H To set the climate mode (Y page 144)
I To activate/deactivate air-recirculation mode (Y page 148)
J To set climate control to automatic mode (Y page 144)
Rear control panel
K To increase the airflow (Y page 146)
L To reduce the airflow (Y page 146)
M Display
N To reduce the temperature (Y page 145)
O To increase the temperature (Y page 145) Overview of climate control systems
141Climate control