After the system self-test, the PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF or PASSENGER AIR BAG ON
indicator lamp display the status of the front- passenger front air bag (Y page 52).
For more information about the OCS, see
"Problems with the Occupant Classification
System" (Y page 56). Occupant safety
55Safety Z
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 356).
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 65). 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 281) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 247).
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 65). 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. 66
Driving safety systemsSafety
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 146).
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 65).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. 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 240).
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- Driving safety systems
69Safety Z
The brakes will work normally again if:
R you release the brake pedal.
R there is no longer any danger of a collision.
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle.
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
If adaptive Brake Assist demands particularly
high braking force, preventative passenger
protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are activa-
ted simultaneously.
Up to a speed of approximately 155 mph
(250 km/h) , adaptive Brake Assist is capable
of reacting to moving objects that have
already been detected as such at least once
over the period of observation.
Up to a speed of approximately 44 mph
(70 km/h), adaptive Brake Assist reacts to
stationary obstacles. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 65).
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 65).
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 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: observe the notes
on ESP ®
(Y page 350) when towing the vehi-
cle with a raised rear axle.
ESP ®
is only deactivated if the 00BBwarning
lamp is lit continuously.
If the 00E5 warning lamp lights up continu-
ously, ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunc-
tion.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 283) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 247).
Only use wheels with the recommended tire
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General information
If the
00E5 ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the 00E5ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster. Driving safety systems
71Safety Z
Following damage to the windshield, have the
configuration and operation of the camera
system checked at a qualified specialist work- shop.
Function X
To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-board
computer (Y page 241).
If the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is not activated, the
00D4 symbol appears in the multifunction
display.
Starting at a speed of around 4 mph (7 km/h),
this function warns you if you rapidly
approach a vehicle in front. An intermittent
warning tone will then sound and the 00BA
distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately to defuse the situation.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
i If there is an increased risk of collision,
preventive passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated.
If the risk of 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. Auto- matic emergency braking is not performed
until immediately prior to an imminent acci-
dent.
You can prevent the intervention of the 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 maneuver 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 information STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a
noticeable steering force to the steering
wheel in the direction required for vehicle
stabilization.
This steering assistance is provided in partic-
ular if:
R both right wheels or both left wheels are on
a wet or slippery road surface when you
brake.
R the vehicle starts to skid.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 65).
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if: R ESP ®
is malfunctioning.
R the lighting is faulty.
Power steering will, however, continue to
function. Protection against theft
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey. X To activate with the SmartKey: remove
the SmartKey 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. Protection against theft
75Safety Z
Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional equip- ment of your vehicle available at the time of
publication of the Operator's Manual.
Country-specific differences are possible.
Please note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all features described. This
also applies to safety-related systems and
functions.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops (Y page 25). Correct driver's seat position
G
WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
R adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
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 mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine. X
Observe the safety guidelines on seat
adjustment (Y page 103).
X Check whether you have adjusted seat 0087
properly (Y page 104).
When adjusting the seat, make sure that:
R you are as far away from the driver's air bag
as possible
R you are sitting in a normal upright position
R you can fasten the seat belt properly
R you have moved the backrest to an almost
vertical position
R you have set the seat cushion angle so that
your thighs are gently supported
R you can depress the pedals properly
X Check whether the head restraint is adjus-
ted properly.
When doing so, make sure that you have
adjusted the head restraint so that the back of your head is supported at eye level by the center of the head restraint.
X Observe the safety guidelines on steering
wheel adjustment (Y page 110).
X Make sure that steering wheel 0043is adjus-
ted properly (Y page 110).
When adjusting the steering wheel, make
sure that:
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 instru-
ment cluster clearly
X Observe the safety guidelines for seat belts
(Y page 44).
X Check whether you have fastened seat
belt 0044properly (Y page 46).
The seat belt should:
R fit snugly across your body
R be routed across the middle of your shoul-
der
R be routed in your pelvic area across the hip
joints 102
Correct driver's seat positionSeats, steering wheel and mirrors
G
WARNING
Children could become trapped if they acti-
vate the memory function, particularly when
unattended. There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. Storing settings
With the memory function, you can store up
to three different settings, e.g. for three dif-
ferent people.
The following settings are stored as a single
memory preset:
R seat, backrest, head restraint position and
contour of the backrest in the lumbar
region
R active multicontour seat: side bolsters of
the backrest, shoulder of the backrest, con-
tour of the backrest, dynamic function level
R seat heating: distribution of the heated sec-
tions of the seat cushion and backrest
R driver's side: position of the exterior mir-
rors on the driver's and front-passenger
sides
R position of the head-up display X
Adjust the seat accordingly (Y page 104).
X On the driver's side, adjust the steering
wheel (Y page 110) and the exterior mirrors
(Y page 114).
X Press memory button Mand one of the
storage position buttons 1,2or 3within
three seconds.
The settings are stored in the selected pre- set position. A tone sounds when the set-
tings have been completed. Calling up a stored setting
X Press and hold the corresponding storage
position button 1,2or 3until:
R Seat
R Steering wheel
R Exterior mirrors
R Head-up display
are in the stored position.
i If you release the storage position button,
the seat, steering wheel and mirror setting
functions stop immediately. The multicon-
tour seat setting or the 4-way lumbar sup-
port is still carried out. Memory function
117Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus does not rec-
ognize road users:
R who have no lights, e.g. pedestrians
R who have poor lighting, e.g. cyclists
R whose lighting is blocked, e.g. by a barrier
In very rare cases, Adaptive Highbeam Assist
Plus may not recognize road users who do
have lights, or may recognize them too late. In
this or similar situations, the automatic high-
beam headlamps will not be deactivated or
will be activated regardless. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always carefully observe the traffic conditions and switch off the high-beam headlamps in
good time.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus cannot take
into account road, weather or traffic condi-
tions. Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus is only
an aid. You are responsible for adjusting the
vehicle's lighting to the prevailing light, visi-
bility and traffic conditions.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be restricted if there is:
R poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
R dirt on the sensors or the sensors are
obscured Switching Adaptive Highbeam Assist
PLUS on/off 0043
High-beam headlamps
0044 Turn signal, right
0087 High-beam flasher
0085 Turn signal, left
X To switch on: turn the light switch to 0058.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of arrow 0043.
The 00CE indicator lamp in the multifunc-
tion display lights up if it is dark and the
light sensor activates the low-beam head-
lamps.
If you are driving at speeds above approx-
imately 16 mph (25 km/h):
The headlamp range is set automatically
depending on the distance between the
vehicle and other road users.
If you are driving at speeds above approx-
imately 19 mph (30 km/h) and no other
road users have been detected:
The high-beam headlamps are switched on
automatically. The 0057indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster also lights up.
If you are driving at speeds above approx-
imately 28 mph (45 km/h)and other road
users have been detected:
Partial high-beam is selected automati-
cally. The 0057indicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster also lights up.
If you are driving at speeds below approx-
imately 25 mph (40 km/h):
The partial high-beam headlamps are
switched off automatically. If no other road 124
Exterior lightingLights and windshield wipers