
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP
®
can also stabilise the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 72).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
. On vehi-
cles with 4MATIC, 4ETS is a component 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 if you deacti-
vate ESP ®
.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 72). 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.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing
away your vehicle with the front axle raised,
please observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 364).
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.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 306) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 266). Only use wheels with the recommended tyre
sizes. Only then will ESP
®
function properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General notes
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 accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
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 if the vehicle stops
moving. When pulling away again, the engine starts automatically. ESP ®
remains in its pre-
viously selected status. Example:if ESP®
was deactivated before the engine was
switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when
the engine is switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(except
Mercedes ‑AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
You can select between the following sta-
tuses 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. Driving safety systems
77Safety Z

It may be best to deactivate ESP
®
in the fol-
lowing 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 vehi-
cle 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 256).
ESP ®
deactivated:
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
ESP ®
activated:
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument 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 situa-
tions, 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 cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur- faces.
R Traction control is still activated
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no lon-
ger 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 assis-
tance from ESP ®
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly Deactivating/activating ESP
®
(Mercedes‑AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 72).
You can select between the following sta-
tuses of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated
R SPORT handling mode is activated
R ESP ®
is deactivated
ESP ®
is activated every time the engine is
switched on, regardless of whether ESP ®
was
deactivated before the engine was switched
off. G
WARNING
When SPORT handling mode is activated,
there is a greater risk of skidding and acci-
dents.
Only activate SPORT handling mode in the sit- uations described in the following. 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.
In the following situations, it may be better to activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate
ESP ®
:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
R on specially designated roads when the
vehicle's own oversteering and understeer-
ing characteristics are desired
Driving in SPORT handling mode or without
ESP ®
requires an extremely qualified and
experienced driver.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will 78
Driving safety systemsSafety

otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®X
To activate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster lights up. The
SPORT handling mode SPORT handling mode message appears
in the multifunction display.
X To deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrument cluster goes out.
X To deactivate ESP ®
:press button :until
the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
The ÷ OFF
OFF message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
X To activate ESP ®
:briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷
ESP ®
ON
ON message appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
Characteristics of activated SPORT han-
dling mode
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one or more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilises the vehicle to a
limited degree. When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree
R Traction control is still activated
R Engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-faces.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly
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 does not flash. 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 cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur- faces.
R Traction control is still activated
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no lon-
ger 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 assis-
tance from ESP ®
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation General notes
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, ESP
®
assists you in this situation. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and limit-
ing the engine output until the vehicle/trailer combination has stabilised. Driving safety systems
79Safety Z

if the vehicle is jacked up on one side, for
example.
Activating X
Make sure that:
R the doors are closed
R the tailgate is closed
Only then is tow-away protection primed.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or KEYLESS-
GO.
Tow-away protection is primed after
approximately 60 seconds.
Switching off X
Unlock the vehicle with the key or KEY-
LESS-GO.
or X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
Tow-away protection is switched off auto-
matically.
Deactivating X
Remove the key from the ignition lock.
or X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start func-
tion or KEYLESS-GO: switch off the engine
using the Start/Stop button and open the
driver's door.
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up briefly.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or KEYLESS-
GO.
Tow-away protection is deactivated. Tow-away protection remains deactivated
until:
R the vehicle is unlocked again
R a door is opened and closed again and
R the vehicle is locked again
To prevent a false alarm, deactivate tow-away protection if you lock your vehicle and it:
R is being transported
R is being loaded onto a ferry or car trans-
porter, for example
R is parked on a movable surface, e.g. in a
split-level garage Interior motion sensor
Function When the interior motion sensor is primed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered if move-
ment is detected in the vehicle interior. This
can occur if someone reaches into the vehicle interior, for example.
Activating X
Make sure that:
R the side windows are closed
R the panorama sliding sunroof is closed
R there are no objects, e.g. mascots, hang-
ing on the rear-view mirror or on the grab handles on the roof trim
This will prevent false alarms.
X Make sure that:
R the doors are closed
R the panorama sliding sunroof is closed
R the tailgate is closed
Only then is the interior motion sensor
primed.
X Lock the vehicle with the key or KEYLESS-
GO.
The interior motion sensor is primed after
approximately 30 seconds. 82
Protection against theftSafety

opened from the inside. Switch off the alarm
(Y page 81). 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 functions
:
& Locks the vehicle
; F Opens the tailgate
= % Unlocks the vehicle
X To unlock centrally: press the%but-
ton.
If you do not open the vehicle within
approximately 40 seconds of unlocking:
R the vehicle locks again
R protection against theft is reactivated
X To lock: press the &button.
The key centrally locks/unlocks:
R the doors
R the tailgate
R the fuel filler flap
When unlocking, the turn signals flash once.
When locking, they flash three times.
When the locator lighting is activated in Audio
20/COMAND Online, it lights up when it is
dark after the vehicle is unlocked with the
remote control (see separate operating
instructions). You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked. The audiblesignal can be activated or deactivated using
the on-board computer (Y page 260).
X To open the tailgate automatically from
outside the vehicle: press and hold button
F until the tailgate opens (Y page 98).
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO or KEYLESS-
GO start function: X To close the tailgate automatically from
outside the vehicle: if the key is located in
the immediate vicinity of the vehicle, press
the F button on the key (Y page 98).
When the tailgate closes you can then
release the button. KEYLESS-GO
General notes Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a key
in the vehicle.
Locking and unlocking You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you need to carry
the key with you. You can combine the KEY-
LESS-GO functions with the functions of a
conventional key. Unlock the vehicle by using KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock it using
the & button on the key.
The driver's door and the door at which the
handle is used must both be closed. The key
must be outside the vehicle. When locking or unlocking with KEYLESS-GO, the distance
between the key and the corresponding door
handle must not be greater than 1 m.
A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the key
determines whether a valid key is in the vehi- cle. This occurs, for example:
R when starting the engine
R whilst driving Key
87Opening and closing Z

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.
For further information on the convenience closing feature (Y page 103).X
To unlock the tailgate: pull tailgate han-
dle :.
Deactivating and activating If you do not intend to use the vehicle for an
extended period of time, you can deactivate
KEYLESS-GO. The key will then use very little power, thereby conserving battery power. For the purposes of activation or deactivation,
the vehicle does not have to be nearby.
X To deactivate: press the&button on
the key twice in rapid succession.
The battery check lamp of the key flashes
twice briefly and lights up once, then KEY-
LESS-GO is deactivated (Y page 90).
X To activate: press any button on the key.
or
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
KEYLESS-GO and all of its associated fea-
tures are available again. KEYLESS-GO start function
General notes Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a key
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 alone.
X To change the setting: press and hold
down the %and& buttons simulta-
neously for about six seconds until the bat-
tery indicator lamp flashes twice
(Y page 90).
If the setting of the locking system is changed
within the signal range of the vehicle, press-
ing the &or% button:
R locks or
R unlocks the vehicle
The key now functions as follows:
X To unlock: press the%button once.
X To unlock centrally: press the%but-
ton twice.
X To lock centrally: press the&button. 88
KeyOpening and closing

H
Environmental note Batteries contain pollutants.
It is illegal to dispose of them with the household rubbish.
They must be collected sep-
arately and disposed of in anenvironmentally responsible
recycling system. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or to a col-
lection point for used batter-
ies.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the battery replaced at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Checking the battery X
Press the &or% button.
The battery is working properly if battery
check lamp :lights up briefly.
The battery is discharged if battery check
lamp :does not light up briefly.
X Replace the battery (Y page 90).
i If the key battery is checked within the
signal reception range of the vehicle, press- ing the &or% button:
R locks or
R unlocks the vehicle
i You can obtain a battery from any quali-
fied specialist workshop. Replacing the battery You require a CR 2025 3 V cell battery.
X Take the emergency key element out of the
key (Y page 89). X
Press emergency key element ;into the
opening in the key in the direction of the
arrow until battery tray cover :opens.
When doing so, do not hold cover :shut.
X Remove battery tray cover :. X
Repeatedly tap the key against your palm
until battery =falls out.
X Insert the new battery with the positive ter-
minal facing upwards. Use a lint-free cloth
to do so.
X Make sure that the surface of the battery is
free of lint, grease and other contamina-
tion.
X Insert the front tabs of battery tray cover :
and then press to close it.
X Insert emergency key element into the key
(Y page 89).
X Check the function of all key buttons on the
vehicle. 90
KeyOpening and closing

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions There is a fault with KEYLESS-GO.
X Lock/unlock the vehicle using the remote control function of
the key.
X Have the vehicle and key checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
If the vehicle can also not be locked/unlocked using the remote
control function:
X Lock (Y page 95) or unlock (Y page 96) the vehicle using the
emergency key element.
X Have the vehicle and key checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop. The engine cannot be
started using the key. 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 359).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 360).
or
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. The engine cannot be
started using the Start/
Stop button. The key is
in the vehicle. The vehicle is locked.
X Unlock the vehicle and try to start the vehicle again. The key battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
X Check the key battery (Y page 90) and replace it if necessary
(Y page 90).
If this does not work: X Start your vehicle with the key in the ignition lock. There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
X Start your vehicle with the key in the ignition lock. 92
KeyOpening and closing