
You can also switch off the hazard warning
lamps using the hazard warning button
(Y page 116). 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) 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.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or perform-
ance tests may only be carried out on a 2-axle dynamometer. Before operating the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a qualified specialist workshop. You could oth-
erwise damage the drive train or the brake
system.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing your
vehicle with the rear axle raised, observe the
notes on ESP ®
(Y page 317).
If the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
continuously, then ESP ®
is deactivated.
If the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp and the å
ESP ®
OFF warning lamp are lit continuously,
ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 256) and display messages which may
be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 230).
i 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 acceler-
ator pedal as far as is necessary.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing
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 previ-
ously selected status. 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

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 221).
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 PRE-SAFE ®
Brake 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
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 limiting
the engine output until the vehicle/trailer com- bination has stabilised.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high centre 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/trailer combination begins to
lurch, you can only stabilise the vehicle/trailer
combination by depressing the brake firmly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation is active above speeds
of approximately 65 km/h.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of a malfunc- tion. 68
Driving safety syste
msSafety

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 for driving safety systems (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.
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 256) as well as display
messages (Y page 231). ADAPTIVE BRAKE
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 61).
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 177) and hill start
assist (Y page 142). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
General notes PRE-SAFE
®
Brake can help you to minimise the
risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead or a
pedestrian, and reduce the effects of such a
collision. If PRE-SAFE ®
Brake has detected a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically as well as by automatic braking.
i Pay attention to the important safety notes
in the "Driving safety systems" section
(Y page 61). PRE
‑SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance Plus package.
For PRE-SAFE ®
Brake to assist you when driving,
the radar sensor system and the camera system must be switched on and operational.
With the help of the radar sensor system and the
camera system, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect
obstacles that are in front of your vehicle for an extended period of time.
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your vehi-
cle can be detected.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects pedestrians using
typical characteristics such as the body con-
tours and posture of a person standing upright.
i Observe the restrictions described in the
"Important safety notes" section
(Y page 69).
Important safety notes G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will initially brake your vehi-
cle by a partial application of the brakes if a
danger of collision is detected. There may be
a collision unless you brake yourself. Even
after subsequent full application of the brakes
a collision cannot always be avoided, partic-
ularly when approaching at too high a speed.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action, provided it is safe to do
so.
In the event of a partial application of the brakes, the vehicle is braked with up to 50% of the full
braking pressure. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify objects and complex traffic conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if Driving safety systems
69Safety
Z

and
R the vehicle speed is between approximately
7 km/h and 200 km/h
At a speed of up to approximately 70 km/h,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can also detect:
R stationary objects in the path of your vehicle,
e.g. stopped or parked vehicles
R pedestrians in the path of your vehicle
i If there is an increased risk of a collision,
preventive passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE ®
) are triggered (Y page 47).
If the risk of a collision with the vehicle in front
remains and you do not brake, take evasive
action or accelerate significantly, the vehicle
may perform automatic emergency braking up
to the point of full brake application. Automatic
emergency braking is not performed until imme- diately prior to an imminent accident.
You can prevent the intervention of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake at any time by:
R depressing the accelerator pedal further
R activating kickdown
R releasing the brake pedal
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is ended
automatically if:
R you manoeuvre to avoid the obstacle
R there is no longer a risk of collision
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle 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 ESP ®
is deactivated
R both right wheels or both left wheels are on a
slippery road surface when you brake heavily
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 by STEER CON-
TROL, if:
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning
R the steering is faulty
Power steering will, however, continue to func-
tion. 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: 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 engine if a valid key has been left inside the
vehicle.
i The immobiliser is always deactivated when
you start the engine. ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
X
To prime: lock the vehicle with the key or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm system
is primed after approximately 15 seconds.
X To switch off: unlock the vehicle with the key
or KEYLESS-GO.
or X Insert the key into the ignition lock. Protection against theft
71Safety Z

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions 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 312).
or X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 313).
or X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Only for vehicles with
manual transmission:
The engine cannot be
started using the key. The steering lock is mechanically blocked.
X Remove the key and reinsert it into the ignition lock. While doing
this, turn the steering wheel in both directions. The engine cannot be
started using KEYLESS-
GO. The key is in the
vehicle. The vehicle is locked.
X Unlock the vehicle and try to start the vehicle again. There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
X Start your vehicle with the key in the ignition lock. You have lost a key. X
Have the key deactivated at a qualified specialist workshop.
X Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
X If necessary, have the locks changed as well. You have lost the emer-
gency key element. X
Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
X If necessary, have the locks changed as well. Doors
Important safety notes
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 73). The doors can then
be opened from the inside after the vehicle has
been locked from the outside. The anti-theft
alarm system is triggered if the door is opened
from the inside. Switch off the alarm
(Y page 71).
All countries: 80
DoorsOpening and closing

function has been deactivated. You can deacti-
vate the double lock function by deactivating the
interior motion sensor (Y page 72).
For all countries: when a locked door is opened
from inside the vehicle, the previous unlocking
process will be observed if the vehicle has been:
R locked with the locking button for the central
locking or
R locked automatically
The vehicle will be fully unlocked if it had previ-
ously been fully unlocked. Only the door which
has been opened from the inside is unlocked if
only the driver's door had been previously
unlocked. Automatic locking feature
X
To deactivate: press and hold button :for
about five seconds until a tone sounds.
X To activate: press and hold button ;for
about five seconds until a tone sounds.
If you press one of the two buttons and do not
hear a tone, the relevant setting has already
been selected.
The vehicle is locked automatically when the
ignition is switched on and the wheels are turn-
ing.
You could therefore be locked out if:
R the vehicle is being pushed.
R the vehicle is being towed.
R the vehicle is being tested on a dynamometer.
You can also activate and deactivate the auto-
matic locking function using the on-board com- puter (Y page 225). Unlocking/locking the driver's door
using the emergency key element
i If you want to centrally lock the vehicle using
the emergency key element, begin by press-
ing the locking button for the interior locking
mechanism while the driver's door is open.
Then proceed to lock the driver's door using
the emergency key element. X
To unlock: turn the emergency key element
anti-clockwise as far as it will go to position
1.
X To lock: turn the emergency key element
clockwise as far as it will go to position 1.
Right-hand-drive vehicle: turn the emergency
key element in the opposite direction in both
cases.
If you use the emergency key element to unlock
and open the driver's door, the anti-theft alarm
system will be triggered. Switch off the alarm
(Y page 71). Boot
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Exhaust
gases can enter the vehicle interior if the boot
lid is open when the engine is running, espe-
cially if the vehicle is in motion. There is a risk of poisoning.
Always switch off the engine before opening
the boot lid. Never drive with the boot lid
open. 82
BootOpening and closing

Correct driver's seat position
G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle while
driving if you:
R adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel or
mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirrors and fasten your seat
belt before starting the engine. Observe the following when adjusting steering
wheel
:, seat belt ;and driver's seat =:
R you are as far away from the driver's airbag as
possible
R you are sitting in a normal upright position
R your thighs are slightly supported by the seat
cushion
R your legs are not entirely stretched and you
can depress the pedals properly
R the back of your head is supported at eye level
by the centre of the head restraint
R you can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent
R you can move your legs freely R
you can see all the displays in the instrument
cluster clearly
R you should have a good overview of traffic
conditions
R the seat belt is pulled snugly against the body
and must be routed across the centre of your
shoulder and across your hips in the pelvic
area
Further related subjects:
R Manual and electrical seat adjustment
(Y page 100)
R Electrical seat adjustment (Y page 101)
R Adjusting the steering wheel mechanically
(Y page 107) or electrically (Y page 107).
R Fastening the seat belt correctly (Y page 40).
R Adjusting the rear-view mirror and exterior
mirrors (Y page 110).
R Storing the seat, steering wheel and exterior
mirror settings using the memory function
(Y page 112). Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If children adjust the seats, they could
become trapped, especially if they are unat-
tended. There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
The seats can still be adjusted when there is no
key in the ignition lock. G
WARNING
The head restraints cannot provide the inten-
ded protection unless they are fitted and
adjusted correctly. There is an increased risk of injury to the head and neck in the event of
an accident or sudden braking, for example.
Always drive with the head restraints fitted.
Ensure that the centre of the head restraints
support the back of each vehicle occupant's
head at eye level before driving off. Seats
99Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

Observe the safety notes on "Airbags"
(Y
page 42) and "Children in the vehicle"
(Y page 49). G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle while
driving if you:
R adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel or
mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirrors and fasten your seat
belt before starting the engine. G
WARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you or other vehicle occupants could be trapped andthereby injured. Children in particular could
accidentally press the electrical seat adjust-
ment buttons and become trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
While moving the seats, make sure that your
hands or other body parts do not get under the
lever assembly of the seat adjustment sys-
tem. G
WARNING
When adjusting a seat, you or another vehicle occupant could become trapped by the guiderail of the seat, for instance. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure that no one has any part of their
body within the sweep of the seat when
adjusting it.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R do not spill any liquids on the seats. If liquid
is spilled on the seats, dry them as soon as possible.
R if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat heat-
ing should also not be used to dry the seats.
R clean the seat covers as recommended;
see "Interior care".
R do not transport heavy loads on the seats.
Do not place sharp objects on the seat cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools. The
seats should only be occupied by passen-
gers, if possible.
R when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating materi-
als, e.g. blankets, coats, bags, seat covers,
child seats or booster seats.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell under or behind the seats when mov- ing the seats back. There is a risk that the
seats and/or the objects could be damaged.
i The head restraints in the front seats are
fitted with the NECK-PRO system (Y page 47).
For this reason, it is not possible to remove
the head restraints from the front seats.
For more information, contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Adjusting the seats manually and
electrically :
Backrest angle
; Seat height
= Seat cushion angle
? Seat fore-and-aft adjustment
X Seat fore-and-aft adjustment: lift lever?
and slide the seat forwards or backwards.
X Release lever ?again.
Make sure that you hear the seat engage in
position.
X To adjust the seat cushion angle: turn
handwheel =in the desired direction. 100
SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors