For more information about children traveling
with you in the vehicle and on child restraint
systems, see "Children in the vehicle"
(Y page 56). Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Modifications to the restraint system may
cause it to no longer work as intended. The
restraint system may then not perform its
intended protective function and may fail in an accident or trigger unexpectedly, for example.
This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Never modify parts of the restraint system.
Never tamper with the wiring, the electronic
components or their software.
If it is necessary to modify an air bag system to
accommodate a person with disabilities, con- tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
details. USA only: for further information con- tact our Customer Assistance Center at
1-800-FOR-MERCede s (1‑800‑367 ‑6372). Restraint system warning lamp
The functions of the restraint system are
checked after the ignition is switched on and
at regular intervals while the engine is run-
ning. Therefore, malfunctions can be detec-
ted in good time.
The 6 restraint system warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up when the igni- tion is switched on. It goes out no later than afew seconds after the vehicle is started. The
components of the restraint system are in
operational readiness.
A malfunction has occurred if the 6
restraint system warning lamp:
R does not light up after the ignition is
switched on
R does not go out after a few seconds with
the engine running
R lights up again while the engine is running G
WARNING
If restraint system is malfunctioning, restraint system components may be triggered unin-
tentionally or might not be triggered at all in
the event of an accident with a high rate of
vehicle deceleration. This can affect the Emer- gency Tensioning Device or air bag, for exam-
ple. This poses an increased risk of injury or
even fatal injury.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired in a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible. PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamp
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
:
and PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp ;are part of the Occupant Classifica-
tion System (OCS).
The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front air bag.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up: the
front-passenger front air bag is enabled. If,
in the event of an accident, all deployment
criteria are met, the front-passenger front
air bag is deployed.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lights up: the
front-passenger front air bag is deactiva-
ted. It will then not be deployed in the event
of an accident. Occupant safety
41Safety Z
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 63)
R BAS (Brake Assist System) (Y page 64)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(Y page 64)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 67)
R EBD (Electronic Brake forceDistribution)
(Y page 70)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 70)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 70) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you
are inattentive, the driving safety systems can
neither 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 stay-ing in lane. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions 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 318).
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 ! 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 63). 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 250) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 218).
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. Driving safety systems
63Safety Z
ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 63).
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) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 63).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
. On vehi-
cles with 4MATIC, 4ETS 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 trans-
ferred 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" sec-
tion (Y page 63). G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further driv- ing 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 without 4MATIC:
when towing
your vehicle with the front axle raised, it is
important that you observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 313).
ESP ®
is only deactivated if the åwarning
lamp is lit continuously.
If the ÷ warning lamp and the åwarn-
ing lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 252) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 218).
Only use wheels with the recommended tire
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General information
If the
÷ ESP®
warning lamp goes out
before beginning the journey, ESP ®
is auto-
matically 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 Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving. The engine starts automati-
cally when the driver wants to pull away again. ESP ®
remains in its previously selected sta-
tus. Example: if ESP®
was deactivated before
the engine was switched off, ESP ®
remains
deactivated when the engine is switched on
again. Driving safety systems
67Safety Z
R
PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available, nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP ®
intervenes.
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no lon-
ger available; nor is it activated if you brake
firmly with assistance from ESP ®
.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
ESP ®
trailer stabilization General information
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
swerve, ESP
®
assists you in this situation.
ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and
limiting the engine output until the vehicle/
trailer combination has stabilized.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilization will not be able to prevent the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high center of gravity can
tip over before ESP ®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail- ing road and weather conditions.
If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer
combination) begins to lurch, you can only
stabilize the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilization is active above
speeds of about 65 km/h.
ESP ®
trailer stabilization does not work if
ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of a
malfunction. EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General information EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 63). 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.
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 250) as well as dis-
play messages (Y page 220). ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In addi- tion to the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE
also has the HOLD function (Y page 178)and
hill start assist (Y page 145). 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. 70
Driving safety systemsSafety
X
To lock centrally: press button:.
The SmartKey centrally locks/unlocks: R the doors
R the trunk lid
R the fuel filler flap
The turn signals flash once when unlocking
and three times when locking.
i You can also set an audible signal to con-
firm that the vehicle has been locked. The
audible signal can be activated and deacti-
vated using the on-board computer
(Y page 213).
X To open the trunk lid automatically:
press and hold button ;until the trunk lid
opens (Y page 84). KEYLESS-GO
General notes Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a
SmartKey in the vehicle.
Locking/unlocking centrally You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry
the SmartKey with you. You can combine the
functions of KEYLESS-GO with those of a con- ventional SmartKey. Unlock the vehicle by
using KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock it
using the &button on the SmartKey.
The driver's door and the door at which the
handle is used, must both be closed. The
SmartKey must be outside the vehicle. When
locking or unlocking with KEYLESS-GO, the
distance between the SmartKey and the cor-
responding door handle must not be greater
than 3 ft (1 m). A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the
SmartKey determines whether a valid Smart- Key is in the vehicle. This occurs, for example:
R when starting the engine
R whilst driving
R when the external door handles are
touched
R during convenience closing X
To unlock the vehicle: touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
X To lock the vehicle: touch sensor sur-
face :or;.
Make sure that you do not touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
X Convenience closing feature: touch
recessed sensor surface ;for an exten-
ded period.
Further information on the convenience
closing feature (Y page 88). X
To unlock the trunk lid: pull the handle on
the trunk lid. SmartKey
75Opening and closing Z
Deactivating and activating
If you do not intend to use the vehicle for a
longer period of time, you can deactivate KEY-
LESS-GO. The SmartKey will then use very lit- tle power, thereby conserving battery power.
For the purposes of activation/deactivation,
the vehicle must not be nearby.
X To deactivate: press the&button on
the SmartKey twice in rapid succession.
The battery check lamp of the SmartKey
(Y page 77) lights up twice briefly and
KEYLESS-GO is deactivated.
X To activate: press any button on the
SmartKey or insert the SmartKey into the
ignition lock.
KEYLESS-GO and all of its associated fea-
tures are available again. KEYLESS-GO start function
Bear in mind that the engine can be started by any of the vehicle occupants if there is a
SmartKey in the vehicle. Changing the settings of the locking
system
You can change the settings of the locking
system. This means that only the driver's door and the fuel filler flap are unlocked when the
vehicle is unlocked. This is useful if you fre-
quently travel on your own.
X To change the setting: simultaneously
press the %and& buttons for
approximately 6 seconds until the battery
check lamp (Y page 77) flashes twice.
i If the setting of the locking system is
changed within the signal range of the vehi- cle, pressing the &or% button:
R locks or
R unlocks the vehicle The SmartKey now functions as follows:
X To unlock the driver's door: press the
% button once.
X To unlock centrally: press the%but-
ton twice.
X To lock centrally: press the&button.
The KEYLESS-GO function is changed as fol-
lows:
X To unlock the driver's door: touch the
inner surface of the door handle on the
driver's door.
X To unlock centrally: touch the inner sur-
face of the door handle on the front-
passenger door or the rear door.
X To lock centrally: touch the outer sensor
surface on one of the door handles.
X To restore the factory settings: simulta-
neously press the %and& buttons
for approximately 6 seconds until the bat-
tery check lamp flashes twice
(Y page 77). Mechanical key
General notes If the vehicle can no longer be locked or
unlocked with the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO, use the mechanical key.
If you use the mechanical key to unlock and
open the driver's door or the trunk lid, the
anti-theft alarm system will be triggered
(Y page 71).
There are several ways to turn off the alarm:
X To turn the alarm off with the SmartKey:
press the %or& button on the
SmartKey.
or X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
or
X To deactivate the alarm with KEYLESS-
GO: press the Start/Stop button in the igni- 76
SmartKeyOpening and closing
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions KEYLESS-GO is malfunctioning.
X Lock/unlock the vehicle using the remote control function of
the SmartKey.
X Have the vehicle and SmartKey checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
If the vehicle can also not be locked/unlocked using the remote
control function:
X Unlock (Y page 83) or lock (Y page 83) the vehicle using the
mechanical key.
X Have the vehicle and SmartKey checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. The engine cannot be
started using the
SmartKey. The on-board voltage is too low.
X Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
X Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary
(Y page 307).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 309).
or
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine cannot be
started using the Start/
Stop button. The
SmartKey is in the vehi-
cle. The vehicle is locked.
X Unlock the vehicle and try to start the vehicle again. The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
X Check the SmartKey battery (Y page 77) and replace it if nec-
essary (Y page 78).
If this does not work:
X Start your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock. There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
X Start your vehicle with the SmartKey in the ignition lock. 80
SmartKeyOpening and closing
Unlocking the driver's door (mechan-
ical key)
If the vehicle can no longer be locked or
unlocked with the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO,
use the mechanical key.
If you use the mechanical key to unlock and
open the driver's door, the anti-theft alarm
system will be triggered (Y page 71).
X Take the mechanical key out of the Smart-
Key (Y page 76).
X Insert the mechanical key into the lock of
the driver's door as far as it will go. X
Turn the mechanical key counter-clockwise
as far as it will go to position 1.
The door is unlocked.
X Turn the mechanical key back and remove
it.
X Insert mechanical key into the SmartKey
(Y page 77). Locking the vehicle (mechanical key)
If the vehicle can no longer be locked with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO, use the mechani-
cal key.
X Open the driver's door.
X Close the front-passenger door, the rear
doors and the trunk lid.
X Press the locking button on the driver’s
door (Y page 82).
X Check whether the locking knobs on the
front-passenger door and the rear doors are still visible. Press down the locking
knobs by hand, if necessary.
X Close the driver's door.
X Take the mechanical key out of the Smart-
Key (Y page 76).
X Insert the mechanical key into the lock of
the driver's door as far as it will go. X
Turn the emergency key element clockwise
as far as it will go to position 1.
X Turn the mechanical key back and remove
it.
X Make sure that the doors and the trunk lid
are locked.
X Insert mechanical key into the SmartKey
(Y page 77).
i If you lock the vehicle as described above,
the fuel filler flap is not locked. The anti-
theft alarm system is not armed. Trunk
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Exhaust
gases can enter the vehicle interior if the
trunk lid is open when the engine is running,
especially if the vehicle is in motion. There is a risk of poisoning.
Always switch off the engine before opening
the trunk lid. Never drive with the trunk lid
open. Trunk
83Opening and closing Z