Override feature for the rear side win-
dows X
To enable/disable: press button:.
If indicator lamp ;is lit, operation of the rear
side windows is disabled. Operation is only
possible using the switches in the driver's
door. If indicator lamp ;is off, operation is
possible using the switches in the rear com-
partment. Pets in the vehicle
G
WARNING
If you leave animals unsupervised or unse-
cured in the vehicle, they may push a button
or a switch, for example.
They could:
R activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
R switch vehicle systems on or off, thus
endangering other road users
In the event of an accident, sudden braking or
abrupt changes of direction, unsecured ani-
mals could be flung around the vehicle, injur-
ing the vehicle occupants. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals correctly during a
journey, e.g. in an animal transport box. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS (A nti-lock Braking System)
(Y page 61)
R BAS (Brake AssistSystem) (Y page 62)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(Y page 62)
R Adaptive brake lights (Y page 65)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 65)
R EBD (e lectronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 66)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 67)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 67) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are
inattentive, the driving safety systems can nei-
ther reduce the risk of an accident nor override
the laws of physics. Driving safety systems are
merely aids designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for maintaining the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in
good time, and for staying in lane. Always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and weather conditions and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described only work as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quate contact between the tyres and the road
surface. Please pay special attention to the
notes on tyres, recommended minimum tyre
tread depths etc. (Y page 266).
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary, snow
chains. Only in this way will the driving safety
systems described in this section work as effec-
tively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General notes ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way that
the wheels do not lock when you brake. This Driving safety systems
61Safety Z
allows you to continue steering the vehicle when
braking.
The ! ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h,
regardless of road-surface conditions. ABS
works on slippery surfaces, even when you only
brake gently.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61). G
WARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired. Addition-
ally, further driving safety systems are deac-
tivated. There is an increased danger of skid- ding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
If ABS is malfunctioning, other systems, includ-
ing driving safety systems, will also become
inoperative. Observe the information on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 216) and display mes-
sages which may be shown in the instrument
cluster (Y page 190).
Brakes X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uation 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; this serves as a
reminder to take extra care while driving. BAS (Brake Assist)
General notes 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" sec-
tion (Y page 61). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of 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 depressed firmly 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. BAS is deactivated. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61).
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS consists of a distance warning function with an autono-
mous braking function and Adaptive Brake
Assist.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS can help you to minimise the risk of a collision with the
vehicle in front or reduce the effects of such a
collision.
If COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
detects that there is a risk of a collision, you will
be warned visually and acoustically. If you do not react to the visual and audible collision warning,autonomous braking can be initiated in critical
situations. If you apply the brake yourself in a 62
Driving safety systemsSafety
critical situation, the COLLISION PREVENTION
ASSIST PLUS Adaptive Brake Assist assists you.
Important safety notes Detection of hazardous situations can be par-
ticularly impaired by:
R
dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain
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
R new vehicles or after a service on the COLLI-
SION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS system
Observe the important safety notes in the
"Running-in notes" section (Y page 125).
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 slow speeds where there is no visible damage to thefront of the vehicle.
Activating/deactivating The COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is
automatically active after switching on the igni-
tion.
You can activate or deactivate COLLISION PRE-
VENTION ASSIST PLUS in the on-board com-
puter (Y page 183). When deactivated, the dis-
tance warning function and the autonomous
braking function are also deactivated.
If COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is
deactivated, the æsymbol appears in the
assistance graphics display.
Distance warning function General notes
The distance warning function can help you to
minimise the risk of a collision with the vehicle in
front or reduce the effects of such a collision. If the distance warning function detects that there
is a risk of a collision, you will be warned visually and acoustically. Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 61). G
WARNING
The distance warning function does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
Thus, the distance warning function cannot
provide a warning in all critical situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation; do not rely on the distance warning
function alone.
Function The distance warning function issues a warning at speeds:
R of approximately 30 km/h or more, if, over
several seconds, the distance maintained to
the vehicle travelling in front is insufficient.
The · distance warning lamp then lights
up in the instrument cluster.
R of approximately 7 km/h or more, if you rap-
idly approach a vehicle in front. An intermit-
tent warning tone will then sound, and the
· distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument cluster. Driving safety systems
63Safety Z
X
Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving conditions
may also cause the system to display a warning.
With the help of the radar sensor system, the
distance warning function can detect obstacles
that are in the path of your vehicle for an exten-
ded period of time.
Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h, the
distance warning function can also react to sta-
tionary obstacles, such as stopped or parked
vehicles.
Autonomous braking function If the driver does not react to the distance warn-
ing signal in a critical situation, COLLISION PRE- VENTION ASSIST PLUS can assist with the
autonomous braking function.
The autonomous braking function:
R gives the driver more time to react to critical
driving situations
R can help the driver to avoid an accident or
R reduces the effects of an accident
The autonomous braking function is available in
the following speed ranges:
R 7 - 105 km/h for moving objects
R 7 - 50 km/h for stationary objects
Due to the nature of the system, complicated
but non-critical driving conditions may also
cause the Autonomous Braking function to
intervene.
If the autonomous braking function demands
particularly high braking force, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
)
are activated simultaneously (Y page 48).
Adaptive Brake Assist General notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61).
With the help of Adaptive Brake Assist, the dis-
tance warning signal can detect obstacles that
are in the path of your vehicle for an extended
period of time. If Adaptive Brake Assist detects a risk of colli-
sion with the vehicle in front, it calculates the
braking force necessary to avoid a collision. If
you apply the brakes forcefully, Adaptive Brake
Assist will automatically increase the braking
force to a level suitable for the traffic conditions.
Adaptive Brake Assist provides braking assis-
tance in hazardous situations at speeds above
7 km/h. It uses radar sensor technology to
assess the traffic situation.
Up to a speed of approximately 250 km/h,
Adaptive Brake Assist is capable of reacting to
moving objects that have already been detected
as such at least once over the period of obser-
vation.
Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h, Adap-
tive Brake Assist reacts to stationary obstacles.
If Adaptive Brake Assist demands particularly
high braking force, preventative passenger pro-
tection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated
simultaneously (Y page 48).
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 collision
R no obstacle is detected in front of your vehicle
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 61). G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist can:
R intervene unnecessarily
R not intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. 64
Driving safety systemsSafety
G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, the Adaptive Brake Assist may not intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving conditions
may also cause Brake Assist to intervene.
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. Adaptive brake lights
The adaptive brake lights warn following traffic
in an emergency braking situation:
R by flashing brake lamps
R the hazard warning lamps are activated
If you brake sharply from a speed of more than
50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS or BAS
PLUS, the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way,
traffic travelling behind you is warned in an even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more than
70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warning
lamps are activated automatically. If the brakes
are applied again, the brake lamps light up con- tinuously. The hazard warning lamps switch off
automatically if you travel faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off the hazard warning
lamps using the hazard warning button
(Y page 100). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61). ESP
®
monitors driving stability and traction, i.e.
power transmission between the tyres 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 stabilise the vehicle. The
engine output is also modified to keep the vehi- cle on the desired course within physical limits.
ESP ®
assists the driver when pulling away on
wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise
the vehicle during braking.
ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually 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 transfer-
red to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you deactivate
ESP ®
.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61). 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.
When towing your vehicle with the front axle
raised, observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 262).
When towing your vehicle away with the rear
axle raised, observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 262).
If the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
continuously, ESP ®
is deactivated.
If the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp and the å
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction. Driving safety systems
65Safety Z
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 218) and display messages which may
be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 190).
Only use wheels with the recommended tyre
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly.
Characteristics of ESP ®Characteristics of ESP
®
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 acceler-
ator pedal as far as is necessary.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing
road and weather conditions.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®Important safety notes
You can select between the following statuses
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.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the follow-
ing 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. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to
spin. Deactivating/activating ESP
®
You can deactivate or activate ESP ®
via the on-
board computer (Y page 182).
ESP ®
deactivated:
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
ESP ®
activated:
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
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 flashes. In such situations,
ESP ®
will not stabilise 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 COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no longer
available; nor is it activated if you brake firmly
with assistance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
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
firmly EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General notes 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" sec-
tion (Y page 61). G
WARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the risk of skidding and an accident. 66
Driving safety systemsSafety
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 216) as well as display
messages (Y page 192). 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 154) and hill start
assist (Y page 128). STEER CONTROL
General notes STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a
noticeable steering force to the steering wheel
in the direction required for vehicle stabilisation.
This steering support is provided in particular if:
R both right wheels or both left wheels are on a
wet or slippery road surface when you brake
R the vehicle starts to skid
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61).
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if: R ESP ®
is malfunctioning
R the steering is faulty
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, you will be assisted
further by the electrical power steering. Recuperative Brake System
G
WARNING
In the event of malfunctions in the Recupera- tive Brake System, the following may occur: R
the braking performance of the electric
motor may be either reduced or not effec-
tive
R brake pedal resistance may be lower than
usual
R pedal travel may be longer than usual
If you do not make an additional effort to apply the brake yourself, the braking effect may not
be sufficient. There is a risk of an accident.
In the event of a malfunction, depress the
brake pedal further. The brake system is still
fully functional.
Observe the important safety notes on driving
safety systems (Y page 61).
The Recuperative Brake System converts the
kinetic energy when braking into electrical
energy. The electric motor is used as an alter-
nator during braking. This electrical energy is
then stored in the high-voltage battery.
You can find information about manually adjust- able recuperation under "Steering wheel gear-
shift paddles" (Y page 132).
If the warning light in the instrument cluster is lit up, there is a motor malfunction or a brake mal-
function.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 215) as well as display
messages (Y page 190). Protection against theft
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
X To activate with the key: remove the key
from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO start func-
tion or 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 key
with you and lock the vehicle. Anyone can start
the drive system if a valid key has been left
inside the vehicle.
i The immobiliser is always deactivated when
you start the drive system. Protection against theft
67Safety Z
Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all models,
series and optional equipment for your vehi-
cle that were available at the time of going to
press. National variations are possible. Note
that your vehicle may not be equipped with all
of the functions described. This is also the
case for systems and functions relevant to
safety.
i Read the information on qualified specialist
workshops: (Y page 23). Key
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open doors, thereby endangering other per-
sons or road users
R get out and be struck by oncoming traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
In addition, the children could also set the
vehicle in motion by, for example:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the transmission out of park posi-
tion P
R starting the vehicle's drive system
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children and animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Keep the keys out of the reach of children. G
WARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the key, the key could be unintentionally turned in the
ignition lock. This could cause the engine to
be switched off. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
key. Remove any bulky keyrings before insert-
ing the key into the ignition lock. !
Keep the key away from strong magnetic
fields. Otherwise, the remote control function could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the vicin-
ity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not keep the key: R with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile phone
or another key
R with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal film
R inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start function: do
not keep the key in the luggage compartment.
Otherwise, the key may not be detected, e.g.
when starting the drive system using the Start/
Stop button.
United Kingdom only: G
WARNING
When the double locks are activated, the
doors can no longer be opened from the
inside. People in the vehicle can no longer get out, e.g. in hazardous situations. There is a
risk of injury.
Therefore, do not leave any people unsuper-
vised in the vehicle, particularly children, eld-
erly people or people in need of special assis-
tance. Do not activate the double lock when
people are in the vehicle.
If the vehicle has been locked from the outside, the double lock function is activated as stand-
ard. It is then not possible to open the doors
from inside the vehicle. You can deactivate the
double lock function by deactivating the interior
motion sensor (Y page 69). The doors can then
be opened from the inside after the vehicle has
been locked from the outside. You can open the rear doors from inside the vehicle if they are not
secured by the child-proof locks (Y page 60).
The anti-theft alarm system is triggered if the
door is opened from the inside. Switch off the
alarm (Y page 68). G
WARNING
If persons (particularly children) are exposed
to heat or cold for a prolonged period, there is a risk of serious or even fatal injuries. Never
leave persons (particularly children) unatten-
ded in the vehicle. Key
71Opening and closing Z