2014 MERCEDES-BENZ E-Class CABRIOLET ESP

The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle's seat belt, the seat
belt and top tether strap, or lower anchors and
top tether strap, fully in accordance with the
child seat manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front
passenger seat:
R Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the front
passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard appropriate
child restraint on the front passenger seat.
R For children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the front passenger
front air bag may or may not be activated.
Always make sure the 0018001Aindicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
R Ac hild in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision which
could occur under some circumstances,
even with the air bag technology installed
in your vehicle. The only means to
completely eliminate this risk is to never
place a child in a rear-facing child restraint
in the front seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in a backseat.
R If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat
because circumstances require you to do
so, make sure the 0018001Aindicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the 0018001Aindicator lamp not
illuminate or go out while the restraint is
installed, please chec kinstallation.
Periodically check the 0018001Aindicator
lamp while driving to make sure the 0018
001A indicator lamp is illuminated. If the
0018001Aindicator lamp goes out or
remains out, do not transport a child on the
front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.
Ac hild in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates.
R If you have to place a child in a forward-
facing child restraint on the front passenger
seat, move the seat as far back as possible,
use the proper child restraint
recommended for the age, size and weight
of the child, and secure child restraint with
the vehicle's seat belt according to the
child seat manufacturer's instructions. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is installed
incorrectly on a suitable seat, it cannot
protect as intended. The child cannot then be
restrained in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction. There
is an increased risk of injury, possibly even
fatal.
Make sure that you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation
instructions and the notes on use. Please
ensure, that the base of the child restraint
system is always resting completely on the
seat cushion. Never place objects, e.g.
cushions, under or behind the child restraint
system. Only use child restraint systems with
the original cover designed for them. Only
replace damaged covers with genuine covers. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is installed
incorrectly or is not secured, it can come Children in the vehicle
63Safety
Z

Protect it with a blanket, for example. If the
child restraint system has been exposed to
direct sunlight, let it cool down before
securing the child in it. Never leave children
unattended in the vehicle.
If an infant or child is traveling in the vehicle:
R Secure the child with a child or infant seat
restraint system appropriate to the age and
weight of the child.
R Make sure that the infant or child is
properly secured at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you always
properly secure all infant sand children with
a child or infant seat restraint system for the
trip.
The use of sea tbelts and infan tand child
restraint systems is required by law in:
R all 50 states
R the U.S. territories
R the District of Columbia
R all Canadia nprovinces
Infants and children must always be seated in
an appropriate infant or child restraint system
recommended for the size and weight of the
child .The infant or child restraint system
must be properly secured in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions.
All infant or child restraint systems must meet
the following standards:
R U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 225
R CanadianM otor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 210.2
Confirmation that the child restraint system
corresponds to the standards can be found
on an instruction label on the child restraint
system. This confirmation can also be found
in the installation instructions that are
included with the child restraint system.
Always read and follow the manufacturer's
instructions when using an infant or child
restraint system or booster seat. Observe the warning labels in the vehicle
interior or on the infant or child restraint.
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 a portion 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.
Installing a child 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 a ratcheting sound. The special seat
belt retractor is activated.
X Push down on the child restraint system to
take up any slack.
Removing a child 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.
For more information about releasing the seat
belt with the release button, see "Releasing
seat belts" (Y page 60). Children in the vehicle
65Safety Z

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, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle. G
WARNING
If children are travelin ginthe 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 a risk of an accident and injury.
Always activate the child-proof locks and
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 child-proof lock for the
rear side windows (Y page 68).
Override feature 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. X
To activate/deactivate: press button0003.
If indicator lamp 0002is lit, operation of the
rear side windows is disabled. Operation is
only possible using the switches in the
driver's door. If indicator lamp 0002is 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 69)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) (Y page 69)
R BAS PLUS (Brake AssistSystem PLUS) with
Cross-Traffic Assist (Y page 70)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST (distance
warning function and adaptive Brake
Assist) (Y page 71)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 74)
R EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
(Y page 75)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 76)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 76) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or
become distracted, the driving safety
systems can neither reduce the risk of 68
Driving safety systemsSafety

acciden
tnor 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, for vehicle speed and for braking in
good time. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road, weather and traffic
conditions and maintain asafe distance from
the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
i The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there
is adequate contact between the tires and
the road surface. Please pay special
attention to the note son tires,
recommended minimu mtire tread depths,
etc. (Y page 344).
In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tires (M+S tires) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the
driving safety systems described in this
section work as effectively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General information AB
Sr egulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the
vehicle when braking.
The yellow 0017ABS warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up when the ignition
is switched on. It goes out when the engine is
running.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 68). G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, 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. Have ABS checked
immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
When ABSi s malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 278) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 249).
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface
conditions. ABS works on slippery surfaces,
even if you only brake gently.
Braking X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking
situation is over.
X To make a full brake application:
depress the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
a pulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an
indication of hazardous road conditions, and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving. BAS (Brake AssistS
ystem)
General information BAS operates in emergency braking
situations. If you depress the brake pedal
quickly, BAS automatically boosts the braking
force, thus shortening the stopping distance.
Important safety notes
i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 68). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident. Driving safety systems
69Safety
Z

ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
sectio n(Ypage 68).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tires and
the road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the 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.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) ETS/4ETS traction control is part of ESP
®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels
individually if they 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 ®
.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 68). 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 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.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: observe the notes
on ESP ®
(Y page 337) when towing the
vehicle with a raised rear axle.
ESP ®
is deactivated if the 0015warning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up
continuously when the engin eis running.
If the 000C warning lamp and the 0015
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 279) and displaym essages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 249).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General information
If the
000C ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the 000CESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any
circumstances.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions. 74
Driving safet
ysystemsSafety

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 engine was switched
off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when the
engine is switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP Important safety notes
You can select between the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. G
WARNING
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:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply.E SP®
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 ®
X To deactivate: (Ypage 241).
The 0015 ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. X
To activate:(Y page 241).
The 0015 ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
star tto spin, the 000CESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R engine 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.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake. 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
i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section for driving safety systems
(Y page 68). G
WARNING
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 at a qualified
specialist workshop. Driving safety systems
75Safety Z

Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y
page 278) as well as
display messages (Y page 251).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
(Y page 201) and hill start assist
(Y page 168). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
General information i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 68).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available for
vehicles with the Driving Assistance package.
For PRE-SAFE ®
Brake to assist you when
driving, the radar sensor system and the
camera system must be switched on and be
operational.
With the help of the radar sensor system and
the camera system, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can
detect obstacles that are in front of your
vehicle for an extended period of time.
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your
vehicle can be detected.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects pedestrians using
typical characteristics such as the body
contours and posture of aperson standing
upright.
i Observe the restrictions described in the
"Important safety notes"
section“ (Y page 76).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize
the risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead or
a pedestrian, and reduce the effects of such
a collision. If PRE-SAFE ®
Brake has detected
a risk of collision, you will be warned visually
and acoustically as well as by automatic
braking. Important safety notes G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will initially brake your
vehicle by a partial application of the brakes
if a danger of collision is detected. There may
be a collision unless you brake yourself. Even
after subsequent full application of the brakes
a collision cannot always be avoided,
particularly when approaching at too high a
speed. There is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action, provided it is safe to do
so. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic
conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R not give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
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
collision, you must apply the brakes yourself. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react:
R to small people, e.g. children
R to 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
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake. 76
Driving safet
ysystemsSafety

You can prevent the intervention of the PRE-
SAFE
®
Brake at any time by:
R depressing the accelerator pedal further.
R activating kickdown.
R releasing the brake pedal.
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you maneuver to avoid the obstacle.
R there is no longer a risk of collision.
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle. 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:
R both right wheels or both left wheels are on
a slippery road surface when you brake
heavily.
R the vehicle starts to skid.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Importan tsafety notes"
sectio n(Ypage 68).
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, you will not receive
steering support from STEER CONTROL.
Power steering will, however, continue to
function. Theft deterrent locking system
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey. X
To activate with the SmartKey: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Anyone can start the engine if a valid
SmartKey has been left inside the vehicle.
i The immobilizer is always deactivated
when you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be
started when the starter battery is fully
charged, the immobilizer may be faulty.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Cente rorcall 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA) or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada). ATA (anti-theft alarm system)
X
To arm: lockthe vehicle with the SmartKey
or KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp 0002flashes. The alarm
system is armed after approximately
15 seconds.
X To disarm: unlock the vehicle with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO.
Av isual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open:
R a door
R the vehicle with the mechanical key
R the trunk lid
R the hood 78
Theft deterrent locking systemSafety