
Pets in the vehicle
G
WARNING
If you leave animals unsupervised or unse-
cured in the vehicle, they may push a button
or a switch, for example.
They could:
R activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
R switch vehicle systems on or off, thus
endangering other road users
In the event of an accident, sudden braking or
abrupt changes of direction, unsecured ani-
mals could be flung around the vehicle, injur-
ing the vehicle occupants. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals correctly during a
journey, e.g. in an animal transport box. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS (Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 70)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) (Y page 71)
R BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist ( Brake
Assist System PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist)
(Y page 71)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(Y page 73)
R Adaptive brake lights (Y page 75)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 76)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 78)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 78)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 78)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 80) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are
inattentive, the driving safety systems can nei-
ther 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 staying in lane. Always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and
weather 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 ade-
quate contact between the tyres and the road
surface. Pay particular attention to the informa- tion regarding tyres, recommended minimum
tyre tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and tyres" section (Y page 405).
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary, snow
chains. Only in this way will the driving safety
systems described in this section work as effec-
tively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General notes ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way that
the wheels do not lock when you brake. This
allows you to continue steering the vehicle 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.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h,
regardless of road-surface conditions. ABS
works on slippery surfaces, even when you only brake gently.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 70). 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- 70
Driving safety systemsSafety

tivated. There is an increased danger of skid-
ding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
If ABS is malfunctioning, other systems, includ-
ing driving safety systems, will also become
inoperative. Observe the information on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 341) and display mes-
sages which may be shown in the instrument
cluster (Y page 301).
Braking X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force 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 indication
of hazardous road conditions; this serves as a
reminder to take extra care while driving.
Off-road ABS An ABS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once an off-
road program is activated:
R Vehicles without the Off-Road Engineering
package (Y page 254)
R Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age (Y page 254)
At speeds below 30 km/h the front wheels lock cyclically during braking. The digging-in effect
achieved in the process reduces the stopping
distance when driving off-road. This limits steer-
ing capability. BAS (Brake Assist)
General notes BAS operates in emergency braking situations.
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 70). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of 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 depressed firmly 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 notes BAS PLUS can help you to minimise 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.
i Pay attention to the important safety notes
in the "Driving safety systems" section
(Y page 70).
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 camera
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 vehi- cle can be detected.
BAS PLUS detects pedestrians using typical
characteristics such as the body contours and
posture of a person standing upright. Driving safety systems
71Safety Z

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/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) ETS traction control is part of ESP
®
. On vehicles
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 transfer-
red to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you deactivate
ESP ®
.
In appropriate driving situations, activate the
off-road programs:
X Vehicles without the Off-Road Engineering
package (Y page 254)
X Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age (Y page 254)
Off-road 4ETS (Electronic Traction Sys-
tem) An ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once an off-
road program is activated:
R Vehicles without the Off-Road Engineering
package (Y page 254)
R Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age (Y page 254)
Important safety notes 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.
! Only operate the vehicle for a maximum of
ten seconds on a brake dynamometer. Switch
off the ignition.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
! A function or performance test should only
be carried out on a twin-axle dynamometer.
Before you operate the vehicle on such a
dynamometer, please consult a qualified
workshop. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
When ESP ®
is deactivated, the åESP®
OFF
warning lamp lights up continuously.
If the ÷ warning lamp and the åwarning
lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not available
due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 343) and display messages which may
be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 301).
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, 76
Driving safety systemsSafety

ESP
®
remains deactivated when the engine is
switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 70).
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 ®X
To deactivate: press button:.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. X
To activate: press button :.
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 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
Off-road ESP ®
(vehicles with Off-Road
Engineering package) An ESP
®
system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once an off-
road program is activated.
R Vehicles without the Off-Road Engineering
package (Y page 254)
R Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age (Y page 254)
Off-road ESP ®
intervenes with a delay if there is
oversteering or understeering, thus improving
traction.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation General notes
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation is not available in
Mercedes-AMG vehicles.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, ESP ®
assists you in this situation. ESP ® Driving safety systems
77Safety Z

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.
Trailer stabilisation is active above speeds of
about 60 km/h.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of a malfunc- tion.
Crosswind Assist General notes
Strong crosswind gusts can impair the road-
holding of your vehicle when driving straight
ahead. The crosswind driving assistance func-
tion integrated in ESP ®
noticeably reduces
these impairments.
Depending on the direction and intensity of the
side wind, ESP ®
is activated automatically.
ESP ®
intervenes with stabilising braking to
assist you in keeping the vehicle in the lane.
Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle speeds
above 80 km/h when driving straight ahead or
cornering gently.
Important safety notes Crosswind Assist does not work if ESP ®
is deac-
tivated or disabled because of a malfunction. 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 70). 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 341) as well as display
messages (Y page 303). ADAPTIVE BRAKE
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 219) and hill start
assist (Y page 161). 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 70).
PRE‑SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance Plus package. 78
Driving safety systemsSafety

Important safety notes
i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 70).
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if: R ESP ®
is deactivated
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning
R the steering is faulty
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, you will be assisted
further by the electrical power steering. Protection against theft
Immobiliser
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.
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
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 with the key: unlock the vehi-
cle using the key.
or X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
X To switch off with KEYLESS-GO: unlock the
vehicle using KEYLESS-GO.
or
X Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The key must be inside the vehicle.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is primed and you open:
R a door
R the vehicle with the emergency key element
R the tailgate
R the bonnet
X To stop the alarm with the key: press the
% or& button on the key.
The alarm stops.
or X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
The alarm stops.
X To stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The key must
be outside the vehicle.
The alarm stops.
or X Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The key must be inside the vehicle.
The alarm stops.
The alarm does not switch off, even if you close the open door that has triggered it, for example.
i If the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, the Mercedes‑ Benz emergency
call system automatically sends a message to
the Customer Assistance Centre. This is done by means of a text message or a data con-
nection. The emergency call system sends a
message or establishes a data connection
provided that:
R you have subscribed to the Mercedes ‑Benz
emergency call system
R the Mercedes‑Benz emergency call system
has been activated properly
R the necessary mobile phone network is
available Protection against theft
81Safety Z

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all models,
series and optional equipment for your vehi-
cle that were available at the time of going to
press. National variations are possible. Note
that your vehicle may not be equipped with all
of the functions described. This is also the
case for systems and functions relevant to
safety.
i Read the information on qualified specialist
workshops: (Y page 28). Key
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.
All countries: G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they can:
R open doors and endanger other persons or
road users
R climb out and be injured by the traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and, for exam-
ple, trap themselves.
Children could also set the vehicle in motion, for example by:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R starting the engine. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle. Always
keep the key out of reach of children. G
WARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the key, the key could be unintentionally turned in the
ignition lock. This could cause the engine to
be switched off. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
key. Remove any bulky keyrings before insert-
ing the key into the ignition lock.
! Keep the key away from strong magnetic
fields. Otherwise, the remote control function could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the vicin-
ity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not keep the key: R with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile phone
or another key
R with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal film
R inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
This can affect the key's functionality.
Do not keep the KEYLESS-GO or KEYLESS-GO
Start function key in the temperature-controlled
cup holder. Otherwise, the KEYLESS-GO or KEY- LESS-GO Start function key will not be detected.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start function: do
not keep the key in the luggage compartment.
Otherwise, the key may not be detected, e.g.
when starting the engine using the Start/Stop
button.
Only for the United Kingdom: if the vehicle
has been locked with the key 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. 84
KeyOpening and closing

Key functions
:
& Locks the vehicle
; F Opens/closes the tailgate
= % Unlocks the vehicle
X To unlock centrally: press the%button.
If you do not open the vehicle within approx-
imately 40 seconds of unlocking:
R the vehicle locks again
R protection against theft is reactivated
X To lock centrally: press the&button.
The key centrally locks and unlocks the follow-
ing components: R the doors
R the tailgate
R the fuel filler flap
When unlocking, the turn signals flash once.
When locking, they flash three times.
You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked. The audible
signal can be activated or deactivated using the
on-board computer (Y page 295).
Only when all the components have been
locked, does the optical or acoustic locking con- firmation sound.
If activated in COMAND Online or Audio 20, the
locator lighting also lights up in the dark (see
separate operating instructions).
X To open the tailgate automatically from
outside the vehicle:
press and hold theF
button until the tailgate opens.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO or KEYLESS-GO start
function and EASY-PACK tailgate:
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.
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-
LESS-GO key in the vehicle (Y
page 160).
Locking and unlocking centrally 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 KEYLESS-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 han- dle 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.
KEYLESS-GO checks whether a valid key is in
the vehicle by periodically establishing a radio
connection between the vehicle and the key.
This happens:
R when starting the engine
R whilst driving
R when the external door handles are touched
R during convenience closing Key
85Opening and closing Z