2015 MERCEDES-BENZ B-CLASS HATCHBACK traction control

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

Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth on
the road surface, there is a danger of aquaplan- ing occurring, even if:
R you are driving at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth
For this reason, drive in the following manner in the event of heavy rain or in conditions in which
aquaplaning can occur:
R lower your speed
R avoid tyre ruts
R avoid sudden steering movements
R brake carefully
Driving on flooded roads !
Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in front
or in the opposite direction create waves. This may cause the maximum permissible water
depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all cir-
cumstances. You could otherwise damage
the engine, the electronics or the transmis-
sion.
If you must drive on stretches of road on which
water has collected, please bear in mind that:
R in the case of standing water, the water level
must be no higher than the lower edge of the
vehicle body
R you should drive no faster than walking pace Winter driving
G
WARNING
If you increase the recuperation level on slip- pery road surfaces, the drive wheels may lose
their traction. This increases the risk of skid-
ding and having an accident.
Do not increase the recuperation level on slip-
pery road surfaces.
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and braking manoeuvres. Do not use
cruise control.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the DIRECT SELECT lever to position N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by using
corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on bridges.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
Further information on driving with snow chains (Y page 269).
Further information on driving with summer
tyres (Y page 268).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (Y page 268). Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. Change into transmis-
sion position D-
(Y page 132) on long and steep
downhill gradients. This increases recuperation
in overrun mode. This relieves the load on the
brake system and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions are appropriate for maintaining a steady
speed for a prolonged period. You can store any road speed above 30 km/h.
The speed indicated in the speedometer may
differ slightly from the speed stored. 150
Driving syste
msDriving and parking

Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of an accident
nor override the laws of physics. Cruise control
cannot take into account road, weather or traffic
conditions. Cruise control is only an aid. You are responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time, and for staying in lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or accel-
erating can cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever :
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To activate at the current speed/last stored
speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and varia-
ble SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control is
selected
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable SPEED-
TRONIC is selected When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for
five seconds.
Selecting cruise control X
To select cruise control: check whether LIM
indicator lamp ;is on or off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected.
X If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Cruise control is selected.
Activation conditions To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
R the electric parking brake must be released.
R you are driving faster than 30 km/h.
R ESP ®
must be switched on, but not interven-
ing.
R the transmission must be in position D.
R cruise control must be selected.
Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed Storing and maintaining the current
speed
You can store the current speed if you are driv-
ing faster than 30 km/h.
X Accelerate the vehicle to the desired speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle auto-
matically maintains the speed.
i Cruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by auto-
matically braking the vehicle.
Storing the current speed or calling up the
last stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up a stored speed and this is dif-
ferent from the current speed, the vehicle Driving systems
151Driving and parking
Z

Tyres
Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Rectify tyre pres‐
Rectify tyre pres‐
sure sure The tyre pressure is too low in at least one of the tyres, or the tyre
pressure difference between the wheels is too great.
X Check the tyre pressures at the next opportunity (Y page 270).
X If necessary, correct the tyre pressure.
X Restart the tyre pressure monitor (Y page 272).Check tyre(s)
Check tyre(s) The tyre pressure in one or more tyres has dropped significantly. The
wheel position appears in the multifunction display.
A warning tone also sounds.
G WARNING
Underinflated tyres pose the following risks:
R the tyres may burst, especially as the load and vehicle speed
increase
R the tyres may wear excessively and/or unevenly, which may greatly
impair tyre traction
R the driving characteristics, as well as steering and braking, may be
greatly impaired
There is a risk of an accident.
X Stop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
manoeuvres. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
X Safeguard the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 145).
X Check the tyres and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a flat
tyre (Y page 249).
X Check the tyre pressure (Y page 270).
X If necessary, correct the tyre pressure. Warning tyre defect Warning tyre defect The tyre pressure in one or more tyres has dropped suddenly. The
wheel position appears in the multifunction display.
G WARNING
If you drive with a flat tyre, there is a risk of the following hazards: R a flat tyre affects the ability to steer or brake the vehicle
R you could lose control of the vehicle
R continued driving with a flat tyre will cause excessive heat build-up
and possibly a fire
There is a risk of an accident.
X Stop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
manoeuvres. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
X Safeguard the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 145).
X Check the tyres and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a flat
tyre (Y page 249). Display
messages
209On-board computer and displays Z

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions ÷
The yellow ESP
®
warning
lamp flashes while the
vehicle is in motion. ESP
®
or traction control has intervened because there is a risk of
skidding or at least one wheel has started to spin.
Cruise control is deactivated.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as necessary when pulling
away.
X Accelerate more gently while the vehicle is in motion.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
.
In rare cases (Y page 66) it may be best to deactivate ESP ®
.
Observe the important safety notes on ESP ®
(Y page 65). å
The yellow ESP
®
OFF
warning lamp is lit while
the drive system is run-
ning. ESP
®
is deactivated. ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle if it starts to
skid or if a wheel starts to spin.
G WARNING
If ESP ®
is deactivated, ESP ®
is unable to stabilise the vehicle.
Further driving systems or driving safety systems are thus restricted. There is an increased danger of skidding and risk of an accident.
X Reactivate ESP ®
.
In rare cases (Y page 66) it may be best to deactivate ESP ®
.
Observe the important safety notes on ESP ®
(Y page 65).
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
If ESP ®
cannot be activated:
X Drive on carefully.
X Contact a qualified specialist workshop and have ESP ®
checked. Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
219On-board computer and displays Z

R
Run in new tyres at moderate speeds for the
first 100 km. They only reach their full per-
formance after this distance.
R Do not drive with tyres which have too little
tread depth. This otherwise significantly
reduces the traction on wet roads (aquaplan-
ing).
R Replace the tyres after six years at the latest,
regardless of wear. MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics)
With MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat char- acteristics), you can continue to drive your vehi-
cle even if there is a total loss of pressure in one or more tyres.
MOExtended tyres may only be used in conjunc-tion with an activated tyre pressure monitor and
only on wheels specifically tested by Mercedes- Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tyres with a
flat tyre (Y page 250).
Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not equip-
ped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It is there-
fore recommended that you additionally equip
your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you fit tyres that do not feature run-flat characteristics, e.g. win-
ter tyres. A TIREFIT kit can be obtained from a
qualified specialist workshop. Winter operation
General notes
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section (Y page 273). Driving with summer tyres
At temperatures below +7 †, summer tyres lose elasticity and therefore traction and braking
power. Change the tyres on your vehicle to
M+S tyres. Using summer tyres at very cold
temperatures could cause tears to form,
thereby damaging the tyres permanently.
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept responsibility for
this type of damage. G
WARNING
Damaged tyres can cause tyre inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tyres regularly for signs of damageand replace any damaged tyres immediately. M+S tyres
G
WARNING
M+S tyres with a tyre tread depth of less than 4 mm are not suitable for use in winter as they
do not provide sufficient traction. There is a
risk of accident.
M+S tyres with a tread depth of less than
4 mm must be replaced.
At temperatures below +7 †, use winter tyres or all-season tyres. Both types of tyre are identified
by the M+S marking.
Only winter tyres bearing the isnowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking provide
the best possible grip in wintry road conditions. Only these tyres will allow driving safety sys-
tems such as ABS and ESP ®
to function opti-
mally in winter. These tyres have been devel-
oped specifically for driving in snow.
Use M+S tyres of the same make and tread on all
wheels to maintain safe handling characteris-
tics.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tyres you have fit-
ted.
If you fit M+S tyres that have a lower maximum
permissible speed than that of the vehicle, affix
an appropriate warning sign in the driver's field of vision. This can be obtained at a qualified
specialist workshop.
When you have fitted the M+S tyres:
X Check the tyre pressures (Y page 269).
X Restart the tyre pressure monitor
(Y page 272). 268
Winter operationWheels and ty
res