All infant or child restraint systems must meet
the following standards:
R U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards 213 and 225
R Canadia nMotor 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 you release the seat belt when driving, the
special seat belt retractor is deactivated.
The released seat belt cannot be engaged
again while driving, because the inertia reel
pulls in the seat belt a small distance. The
child restraint system is no longer properly
secured. There is an increased risk of serious
injury or even fatal injury.
Always keep the seat belt of the activated
special seat belt retractor engaged when
driving.
All seat belts except the driver's seat belt are
equipped with a special 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 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.
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) who are secured using the safety belt
integrated in the child restraint system. In the
event of an accident, a child might not be
restrained correctly. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
If the child weighs more than 48 lbs (22 kg),
only use LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
systems with which the child is also secured
with the vehicle seat belt. Also secure the
child restraint system with the Top Tether
belt, if available.
When installing a child restraint system, be
sure to observe the manufacturer's Children in the vehicle
63Safety Z
quickly, BASa
utomatically boosts the braking
force, thus shortening the stopping distance.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Importan tsafety notes"
sectio n(Ypage 66). G
WARNING
If BASi s malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
Braking X
Keep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal.B AS is deactivated.BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS)
General information i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
sectio n(Ypage 66).
BASP LUS is only available in vehicles
equipped with DISTRONIC PLUS.
For BAS PLUS to assist you, the radars ensor
system must be 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,
BASP LUS will not be available. The brake
system is still available with complete brake
boosting effect and BAS.
BAS PLUS can help you to minimize the risk
of a collision with a vehicle or reduce the
effects of such a collision. If BAS PLUS detects a danger of collision, you are assisted
when braking.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify
objects and complex traffic situations.
In such cases, BAS PLUS may:
R intervene unnecessarily
R not intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
BAS PLUS does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As aresult, BAS PLUS may not 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.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, the
recognition can be impaired.
Recognition by the radar sensor system is
also impaired in the event of:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in fron tonadifferent 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 rsensors checked at a qualified 68
Driving safet
ysystemsSafety
20 mph (30 km/h) and uses the radar sensor
system to evaluate the traffic situation.
With the help of Adaptive Brake Assist, the
distance warning signal can detect obstacles
that are in the path of you rvehicle for an
extended period of time.
Should you approach an obstacle and
Adaptive Brake Assist has detected a risk of
collision, Adaptive Brake Assist calculates the
braking force necessary to avoid a rear-end
collision. Should you apply the brakes
vigorously, Adaptive Brake Assist will
automatically increase the braking force to a
level suitable for the traffic conditions.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if:
R you release the brake pedal
R there is no longer any danger of a rear-end
collision
R no obstacle is detected in fron tofyour
vehicle
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
If Adaptive Brake Assist requires particularly
high brake pressure, preventive passenger
protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are
deployed simultaneously.
Up to vehicle speeds of around 155 mph
(250 km/h), adaptive Brake Assist is capable
of reacting to moving objects that have
already been recognized as such at least once
over the period of observation. Adaptive
Brake Assist does not react to stationary
obstacles.
If Adaptive Brake Assist is not available due
to a malfunction in the radar sensor system,
the brake system remains available with full
brake boosting effect and BAS.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
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 a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle
Following damage to the front end of the
vehicle, have the configuration and operation
of the radar sensor checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the front of the vehicle. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 66).
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 ®
.
In appropriate driving situations, activate the
off-road program (Y page 248). Driving safety systems
71Safety Z
years old and under mus
tbe seated and
properly secured in an appropriately sized
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. For additional information, see the
"Children in the vehicle" section.
Ac hild's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R keep liquids from spilling on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible.
R if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat
heating should also not be used to dry
the seats.
R clean the seat covers as recommended;
see "Interior care".
R do not transport heavy loads on the
seats. Do not place sharp objects on the
seat cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools.
The seats should only be occupied by
passengers, if possible.
R when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating
materials, e.g. blankets, coats, bags,
seat covers, child seats or booster seats.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats when resetting
the seats. There is a risk that the seats
and/or the objects could be damaged.
i It is not possible to remove the head
restraints from the front seats. The rear-
compartmenth ead restraints, however,
can be removed (Y page 108).
For more information, contact a qualified
specialist workshop. i
Further related subjects:
R Important safety notes on air bags
(Y page 44)
R Cargo compartment enlargement
(folding down the rear bench seat)
(Y page 335)
R Securing children in the vehicle
(Y page 60) Adjusting the seats electrically
0002
Head restraint height
0003 Seat cushion angle
0023 Seat height
0022 Seat fore-and-aft adjustment
0020 Backrest angle
i Vehicles with memory function: if PRE-
SAFE ®
has been triggered, the front-
passenger seat will be moved to a better
position if it was previously in an
unfavorable position.
i You can store the seat settings using the
memory function (Y page 117). Adjusting the head restraints
General notes Pay attention to the important safety notes
(Y
page 105).
Do not rotate the head restraints of the front
and rear seats. Otherwise, you cannot adjust 106
SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignitio nwhile driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect.Y ou will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
R overheat and cause a fire
R lose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident .Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to
the desired drive position when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train.
! AMG vehicles: at low engine oil
temperatures below 68 ‡(+20 †), the
maximu mengine speed is restricted in
order to protect the engine .To protec tthe
engine and maintain smooth engine
operation, avoid driving at full throttle when
the engine is cold. Key positions
SmartKey 000E
To remove the SmartKey
0005 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers
0006 Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
0007 To start the engine
As soon as the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrumentc luster light
up. If an indicator lamp does not go out after
starting the engine or lights up while driving,
see (Y page 318).
If the SmartKey is in position 0in the ignition
lock for an extended period of time, it can no
longer be turned in the ignition lock .The
steering is then locked. To unlock, remove the
SmartKey and reinsert it into the ignition lock.
The steering is locked when you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X Remove the SmartKey when the engine is
switched off.
The starter battery could otherwise be
discharged.
If you cannot turn the SmartKey in the ignition
lock, the starter battery may not be charged
sufficiently.
X Check the starter battery and recharge if
necessary (Y page 388).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 389). Driving
157Driving and parking Z
Closing the DEF filler cap
X
Mount DEF filler cap 0003on the filler neck
and turn it clockwise.
X To close the fuel fille rflap, press it in the
direction of arrow 0002.
X Drive faster than 10 mph (16 km/h).
The Check Additive See Operator's Manual message goes out after
approximately one minute.
i If the Check Additive See Operator's Manual message continues
to be shown in the multifunction display,
you must add more DEF. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If flammable materials such as leaves, grass
or twigs are exposed to prolonged contac tto
parts of the exhaust system that heat up, they
could ignite. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable
materials come into contact with parts of the
vehicle which are hot. Take particular care not
to park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields. G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant function sare only available
with limitations, or not at all.T his could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake boosting effect.Y
ou will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, they could set it in motion by, for
example:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
the parking position P
R starting the engine.
They could also operate the vehicle's
equipment. There is a risk of an accident and
injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly
against rolling away.O therwise, the vehicle
or its drivetrai ncould be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied.
R the transmission must be in position Pand
the SmartKey must be removed from the
ignition lock.
R on steep uphill or downhill gradients, turn
the front wheels towards the curb.
R on steep uphill or downhill gradients, the
front axle of an empty vehicle must be
secured, for example with awheel chock.
R on steep uphill or downhill gradients, the
rear axle of a laden vehicle must be
additionally secured, for example with a
wheel chock. Parking
179Driving and parking Z
Parking the vehicle for
along period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
X Connecting a trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist
workshop.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
six weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as
a result of lack of use.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice. Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignitio nwhile driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect,
for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect.Y ou will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving. G
WARNING
If you operate mobile communication
equipment while driving, you will be
distracted from traffic conditions. You could
also lose control of the vehicle. There is a risk
of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicle
is stationary.
Observe the legal requirements for the
country in which you are driving. Some
jurisdictions prohibit the driver from using a
mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
If you make a call while driving, always use
hands-free mode. Only operate the telephone when the traffic situation permits. If you are
unsure, pull over to a safe location and stop
before operating the telephone.
Bear in mind that at a speed of only 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h) the vehicle covers
a distance of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) per
second.
Drive sensibly
–save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel:
X
The tires should always be inflated to the
recommended tire pressure.
X Remove unnecessary loads.
X Remove roof carriers whe nthey are not
needed.
X Warm up the engine at low engine speeds.
X Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
X Have all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or by the service
interval display.
Fuel consumption also increases when
driving in cold weather, in stop-start traffic
and in hilly terrain.
Drinking and driving G
WARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and
driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and
judgment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal
accident is greatly increased when you drink
or take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
Emission control G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling 182
Driving tipsDriving and parking
Safety systems
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
0001 Solutions
0011
(USA only)
0008 (Canada only)
The red brake system
warning lamp comes on
while the engine is
running. A warning tone
also sounds. G
WARNING
The brake boosting effect is malfunctioning and the braking
characteristics may be affected.
There is a risk of an accident.
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions. Do not continue driving
under any circumstances.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 179).
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display. 0011
(USA only)
0008 (Canada only)
The red brake system
warning lamp comes on
while the engine is
running. A warning tone
also sounds. There is not enough brake fluid in the brake fluid reservoir.
G WARNING
The braking effect may be impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions. Do not continue driving
under any circumstances.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 179).
X Do not add brake fluid. Adding more will not remedy the
malfunction.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display. 318
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument clusterOn-board computer and displays