2015 MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class SEDAN Owner's Manual

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If the rear seat backrests are not locked, they
could fold forwards in the event of an acci-
dent, heavy braking or sudden changes of
direction. As a result, child restraint systems
cannot perform their intended protective
function. Rear seat backrests that are not
locked can also cause additional injuries, e.g. in the event of an accident. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Always lock rear seat backrests after instal-
ling a Top Tether belt. Observe the lock veri-
fication indicator. Adjust the rear seat backr-
ests so that they are in an upright position.
If the rear seat backrest is not engaged and
locked, this will be shown in the multifunction
display in the instrument cluster. A warning
tone also sounds.
Top Tether anchorages Top Tether anchorage points
0087are installed
in the rear compartment behind the head
restraints on the parcel shelf. X
Move head restraint 0043upwards.
X Fold up cover 0044of Top Tether anchorage
0087.
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with Top Tether. Always
comply with the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation instructions
when doing so.
X Route Top Tether belt 0083under head
restraint 0043between the two head restraint
bars.
X Hook Top Tether hook 0085of Top Tether belt
0083 into Top Tether anchorage 0087.
Make sure that Top Tether belt 0083is not
twisted.
X Tension Top Tether belt 0083. Always comply
with the child restraint system manufactur- er's installation instructions when doing so.
X Fold down cover 0044of Top Tether anchor-
age 0087.
X Move head restraint 0043back down again
slightly if necessary (Y page 111).
Make sure that you do not interfere with the
correct routing of Top Tether belt 0083. Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat
General notes Accident statistics show that children
secured in the rear seats are safer than chil-
dren secured in the front-passenger seat. For
this reason, Mercedes-Benz strongly advises Children in the vehicle
63Safety Z

that you install a child restraint system on a
rear seat.
If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system to the front-passenger seat,
be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant classification system (OCS)" (Y page 51).
You can thus avoid the risks that could arise
as a result of:
R an incorrectly categorized person in the
front-passenger seat
R the unintentional deactivation of the front-
passenger front air bag
R the unsuitable positioning of the child
restraint system, e.g. too close to the dash- board
Rearward-facing child restraint system If it is absolutely necessary to install a rear-
ward-facing child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat, always make sure that
the front-passenger front air bag is deactiva-
ted. Only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is permanently lit (Y page 43)
is the front-passenger front air bag deactiva-
ted.
Always observe the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation and operating
instructions.
Forward-facing child restraint system If it is absolutely necessary to install a
forward-facing child restraint system to the
front-passenger seat, always move the front- passenger seat as far back as possible. Fully
retract the seat cushion length. The entire
base of the child restraint system must
always rest on the seat cushion of the front-
passenger seat. The backrest of the child
restraint system must, as far as possible, lie
flat against the backrest of the front-
passenger seat. The child restraint system
must not touch the roof or be put under strain
by the head restraint. Adjust the angle of the seat backrest and the head restraint position accordingly. Always make sure that the shoul-
der belt strap is correctly routed from the
vehicle belt sash guide to the shoulder belt
guide on the child restraint system. The shoul-
der belt strap must be routed forwards and
downwards from the vehicle belt sash guide.
If necessary, adjust the vehicle belt sash
guide and the front-passenger seat accord-
ingly.
Always observe the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation and operating
instructions. Child-proof locks
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are traveling in the 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.
Override feature for: R the rear doors (Y page 65)
R the rear side windows (Y page 65) G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
R start the engine. 64
Children in the vehicleSafety

In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. 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. 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 the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro- tect 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.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors You secure each door individually with the
child-proof locks on the rear doors. A door
secured with a child-proof lock cannot be
opened from inside the vehicle. When the vehicle is unlocked, the door can be opened
from the outside.
X To activate: press the child-proof lock
lever up in the direction of arrow 0043.
X Make sure that the child-proof locks are
working properly.
X To deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow 0044.
Override feature for the rear side win-
dows X
To activate/deactivate: press button0044.
If indicator lamp 0043is lit, operation of the
rear side windows is disabled. Operation is
only possible using the switches in the driv- er's door. If indicator lamp 0043is off, oper-
ation is possible using the switches in the
rear compartment. Pets in the vehicle
G
WARNING
If you leave animals unattended or unsecured in the vehicle, they could press buttons or
switches, for example.
As a result, they could:
R activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
R activate or deactivate systems, thereby
endangering other road users
Unsecured animals could also be flung around
the vehicle in the event of an accident or sud- Pets in the vehicle
65Safety
Z

den steering or braking, thereby injuring vehi-
cle occupants. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals properly during
the journey, e.g. use a suitable animal trans-
port box. 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 66)
R BAS (Brake AssistSystem) (Y page 67)
R BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist ( Brake
Assist System PLUS with Cross-Traffic
Assist) (Y page 67)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(distance warning function and adaptive
Brake Assist) (Y page 69)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 71)
R EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
(Y page 73)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 74)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 74)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 76)Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or
become distracted, the driving safety sys-
tems can neither reduce the risk of accident
nor override the laws of physics. Driving
safety systems are merely aids designed to
assist driving. You are responsible for the dis-
tance 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 a safe distance from the vehicle in front. Drive
carefully.
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 notes on tires, recommended minimum
tire tread depths, etc. (Y page 358).
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 ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi- cle when braking.
The 0025 ABS 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" sec-
tion (Y page 66). 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.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 286) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 251).66
Driving safety systemsSafety

ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface condi-
tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently.
Braking X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously 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 indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions, and func-
tions as a reminder to take extra care while
driving. BAS (Brake Assist System)
General information BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. 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 66). G
WARNING
If BAS is 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. BAS is deactivated. BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS) with Cross-Traffic Assist
General information i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 66).
BAS PLUS is only available on vehicles with
the Driving Assistance package.
For BAS PLUS to assist you when driving, the radar sensor system and the camera system
must be operational.
With the help of a sensor system and a cam-
era system, BAS PLUS can detect obstacles:
R that are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time
R that cross the path of your vehicle
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your
vehicle can be detected.
BAS PLUS detects pedestrians by using typi-
cal characteristics such as the body contours and posture of a person standing upright.
If the radar sensor system or the camera sys-
tem is malfunctioning, BAS PLUS functions
are restricted or no longer available. The
brake system is still available with complete
brake boosting effect and BAS.
i Observe the restrictions described in the
"Important safety notes" sec-
tion“ (Y page 67).
BAS PLUS can help you to minimize the risk of
a collision with a vehicle or a pedestrian and
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. Driving safety systems
67Safety
Z

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 sit- uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
BAS PLUS does not react:
R to small people, e.g. children
R to animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R when cornering
As a result, BAS PLUS may not intervene in all
critical situations. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, the rec-
ognition can be impaired.
Recognition by the radar sensor system is
also impaired in the event of:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R there is 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
R vehicles quickly moving into the radar sen-
sor system detection range
Recognition by the camera system is also
impaired in the event of:
R dirt on the camera or if the camera is cov-
ered
R there is glare on the camera system, e.g.
from the sun being low in the sky R
darkness
R if:
- pedestrians move quickly, e.g. into the
path of the vehicle
- the camera system no longer recognizes
a pedestrian as a person due to special
clothing or other objects
- a pedestrian is concealed by other
objects
- the typical outline of a person is not dis-
tinguishable from the background
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at low speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
Following damage to the windshield, have the configuration and operation of the camera
system checked at a qualified specialist work- shop.
Function To avoid a collision, BAS PLUS calculates the
brake force necessary if:
R you approach an obstacle, and
R BAS PLUS has detected a risk of collision
When driving at a speed under 20 mph
(30 km/h): if you depress the brake pedal,
BAS PLUS is activated. The increase in brake pressure will be carried out at the last possi-
ble moment.
When driving at a speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h): if you depress the brake pedal
sharply, BAS PLUS automatically raises the
brake pressure to a value adapted to the traf-
fic situation.
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in haz-
ardous situations with vehicles in front within a speed range between 4 mph (7 km/h) and
155 mph (250 km/h). 68
Driving safety systemsSafety

At speeds of up to approximately 44 mph
(70 km/h), BAS PLUS can react to:
R stationary objects in the path of your vehi-
cle, e.g. stopped or parked vehicles
R pedestrians in the path of your vehicle
R objects crossing your path and that are
recognized in the detection range of the
sensors
i If BAS PLUS demands particularly high
braking force, preventative passenger pro-
tection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are activa-
ted simultaneously.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
BAS PLUS is deactivated and the brakes func-
tion as usual again, if:
R you release the brake pedal.
R there is no longer a risk of collision.
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
R you activate kickdown. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS
General information COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS con-
sists of a distance warning function with an
autonomous emergency braking function and
adaptive Brake Assist.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS can
help you to minimize the risk of a front-end
collision with a vehicle ahead 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 critical situation, the COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS adaptive Brake
Assist assists you.
Important safety notes In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R there is snow or heavy rain
R there is 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
R new vehicles or after a service on the COL-
LISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS system
Observe the notes in the section on break-
ing-in (Y page 156).
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensor checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at low speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
Distance warning function Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 66). 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. Driving safety systems
69Safety Z

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 and do not rely solely on the distance
warning function.
Function X To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate the distance warning function in the
on-board computer (Y page 245).
If the distance warning function is not activa-
ted, the 00D4symbol appears in the assis-
tance graphics display.
The distance warning function can help you to minimize the risk of a front-end collision with
a vehicle ahead 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.
Starting at a speed of around 4 mph (7 km/h),
the distance warning function warns you if
you rapidly approach a vehicle in front. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound,
and the 00BAdistance warning lamp will light
up in the instrument cluster.
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 condi-
tions may also cause the system to display a
warning.
With the help of the radar sensor system, the
distance warning function can detect obsta- cles that are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time.
Up to a speed of around 44 mph (70 km/h),
the distance warning function can also react
to stationary obstacles, such as stopped or
parked vehicles.
If you approach an obstacle and the distance
warning function detects a risk of a collision,
the system will initially alert you both visually
and acoustically.
Autonomous braking function If the driver does not react to the distance
warning signal in a critical situation, COLLI-
SION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS can assist
with the autonomous braking function.
The autonomous braking function:
R gives the driver more time to react to criti-
cal driving situations
R can help the driver to avoid an accident or
R reduces the effects of an accident
Vehicles without DISTRONIC PLUS: the
autonomous braking function is available in
the following speed ranges:
R 5 - 65 mph (7 - 105 km/h) for moving
objects
R 5 - 31 mph (7 - 50 km/h) for stationary
objects
Vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS: the auton-
omous braking function is available in the fol- lowing speed ranges:
R 5 - 124 mph (7 - 200 km/h) for moving
objects
R 5 - 31 mph (7 - 50 km/h) for stationary
objects
If the autonomous braking function requires a
particularly high braking force, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
)
are activated simultaneously.
Adaptive Brake Assist i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 66). 70
Driving safety systemsSafety