How the air bag system works is deter-
mined by the severity of the accident detec-ted, especially the vehicle deceleration or
acceleration and the apparent type of acci-dent:
R frontal collision
R side impact
R rollover
PRE-SAFE®(anticipatory occupant
protection system)
Introduction
In certain hazardous situations, PRE-SAFE ®
takes pre-emptive measures to protect the
vehicle occupants.
Important safety notes
!Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell under or behind the seats when
moving the seats back. There is a risk that
the seats and/or the objects could be dam- aged.
Despite your vehicle being equipped with the
PRE-SAFE ®
system, the possibility of per-
sonal injuries occurring as a result of an acci- dent cannot be eliminated. Always adapt your
driving style to suit the prevailing road and
weather conditions and maintain a safe dis-
tance from the vehicle in front. Drive care-
fully.
Function
PRE-SAFE ®
intervenes:
R in emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when phys-
ical limits are exceeded and the vehicle
understeers or oversteers severely
R vehicles with the Driving Assistance pack-
age: when a driver assistance system inter-
venes powerfully or the radar sensor sys- tem detects an imminent danger of colli-
sion in certain situations
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detec-ted:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned.
R if the vehicle skids, the side windows are
closed so that only a small gap remains.
R if the vehicle skids, the panorama roof with
power tilt/sliding panel and the side win-
dows are closed so that only a small gap
remains.
R the front-passenger seat is adjusted if it is
in an unfavorable position.
R vehicles with a multicontour seat: the air
pressure in the side bolsters of the seat
backrest is increased.
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens
the belt pre-tensioning. On vehicles with mul-
ticontour seats, the air pressure in the side
bolsters is reduced again. All settings made
by PRE-SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belt pre-tensioning is not reduced: X Move the seat backrest or seat back
slightly when the vehicle is stationary.
The seat belt pre-tensioning is reduced and
the locking mechanism is released.
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE ®
convenience function. Infor-
mation about the convenience function can
be found under "Belt adjustment"( Y page 47).
PRE-SAFE®PLUS (anticipatory occu-
pant protection system PLUS)
Introduction
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance package.
Using the radar sensor system, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS is able to detect that a head-on or rear-
end collision is imminent. In certain hazard-
Occupant safety59
Safety
Z
ous situations, PRE-SAFE®
PLUS takes pre-
emptive measures to protect the vehicle
occupants.
Important safety notes
The intervention of PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS cannot
prevent an imminent collision.
The driver is not warned when PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS intervenes.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS does not intervene if the
vehicle is backing up.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS does not perform braking
actions while the vehicle is in motion or when
Parking Guidance is active.
Function
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS intervenes in certain situa-
tions if the radar sensor system detects an
imminent head-on or rear-end collision.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS takes the following meas-
ures depending on the hazardous situation
detected:
R if the radar sensor system detects that a
head-on collision is imminent, the seat
belts are pre-tensioned.
R if the radar sensor system detects that a
rear-end collision is imminent:
- the brake pressure is increased if the
driver applies the brakes when the vehi-
cle is stationary.
- the seat belts are pre-tensioned.
The PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS braking application is
canceled:
R if the accelerator pedal is depressed when
a gear is engaged
R if the risk of a collision passes or is no lon-
ger detected
R if DISTRONIC PLUS indicates an intention
to pull away
If the hazardous situation passes without
resulting in an accident, the original settings
are restored.
Automatic measures after an acci- dent
Immediately after an accident, the following
measures are implemented, depending on
the type and severity of the impact:
R the hazard warning lamps are activated
R the emergency lighting is activated
R the vehicle doors are unlocked
R the front side windows are lowered
R the electrically adjustable steering wheel is
raised
R the engine is switched off and the fuel sup-
ply is cut off
R vehicles with mbrace: automatic emer-
gency call
Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
Accident statistics show that children
secured in the rear seats are safer than chil-
dren secured in the front-passenger seat. For
this reason, Mercedes-Benz strongly advises
that you install a child restraint system on a
rear seat. Children are generally better pro-
tected there.
If a child younger than 12 years and under 5 ft
(1.50 m) in height is traveling in the vehicle:
R always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles. The child restraint system must be
appropriate to the age, weight and size of
the child
R be sure to observe the instructions and
safety notes in this section in addition to
the child restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions
R be sure to observe the instructions and
safety notes on the "Occupant classifica-
tion system (OCS)" ( Ypage 51)
60Children in the vehicle
Safety
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
R start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
GWARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro-tect it with a blanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been exposed to direct
sunlight, let it cool down before securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended inthe vehicle.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants have
their seat belts fastened correctly and are sit- ting properly. Particular attention must be
paid to children.
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt ( Y page 44) and the notes on correct use of
seat belts ( Ypage 45).
A booster seat may be necessary to achieve
proper seat belt positioning for children over 41 lbs (18 kg) or until they reach a height
where a lap/shoulder belt can be fastened
properly without a booster seat.
Special seat belt retractor
GWARNING
If the seat belt is released while driving, the
child restraint system will no longer be
secured properly. The special seat belt retrac-
tor is disabled and the inertia real draws in a
portion of the seat belt. The seat belt cannot
be immediately refastened. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Stop the vehicle immediately, paying atten-
tion to road and traffic conditions. Reactivate
the special seat belt retractor and secure the
child restraint system properly.
All seat belts except the driver's seat belt are equipped with a special seat belt retractor.
When activated, the special seat belt retrac-
tor ensures that the seat belt will not slackenonce the child restraint system has been
secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
X Always comply with the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instruc- tions.
X Pull the front seat belt smoothly out of the
seat-belt extender and the rear seat belt
out of the belt outlet.
X Engage the seat belt tongue in the belt
buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor: X Pull the seat belt out fully and let the inertia
reel retract it again.
While the seat belt is retracting, you should hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat
belt retractor is activated.
X Push the child seat restraint system down
so that the seat belt is tight and does not
loosen.
Children in the vehicle61
Safety
Z
tem is equipped with a Top Tether belt, this
should always be used.
Top Tether anchorages
The Top Tether anchorage points are installed
in the rear compartment behind the head
restraints on the parcel shelf.
X Move head restraint :upwards.
X Fold up cover ;of Top Tether anchorage
= .
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with Top Tether. Always
comply with the child restraint system
manufacturer's installation instructions
when doing so.
X Route Top Tether belt Aunder head
restraint :between the two head restraint
bars.
X Hook Top Tether hook ?of Top Tether belt
A into Top Tether anchorage =.
Make sure that Top Tether belt Ais not
twisted. X
Tension Top Tether belt A. Always comply
with the child restraint system manufactur- er's installation instructions when doing so.
X Fold down cover ;of Top Tether anchor-
age =.
X If necessary, move head restraint :back
down again slightly ( Ypage 98). Make
sure that you do not interfere with the cor-
rect routing of Top Tether belt A.
Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat
General notes
Accident statistics show that children
secured in the rear seats are safer than chil-
dren secured in the front-passenger seat. For this reason, Mercedes-Benz strongly advises
that you install the child restraint system on a
rear seat.
If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat,
be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant Classification System (OCS)" ( Ypage 51).
You can thus avoid the risks that could arise
as a result of:
R an incorrectly categorized person in the
front-passenger seat
R the unintentional deactivation of the front-
passenger front air bag
R the unsuitable positioning of the child
restraint system, e.g. too close to the dash-
board
Rearward-facing child restraint system
If it is absolutely necessary to install a rear-
ward-facing child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat, always make sure that
the front-passenger front air bag is deactiva-
ted. Only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is permanently lit ( Ypage 43)
is the front-passenger front air bag deactiva-
ted.
64Children in the vehicle
Safety
The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there is
adequate contact between the tires and the
road surface. Pay particular attention to the
information regarding tires, recommended
minimum tire tread depths etc. in the "Wheelsand tires" section ( Ypage 240).
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
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Ypage 65).
GWARNING
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 ( Ypage 179) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster ( Ypage 166).
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
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Ypage 65).
GWARNING
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.
66Driving safety systems
Safety
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 ( Ypage 114).
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
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems ( Ypage 65).
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex trafficsituations.
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 ( Ypage 164).
If the distance warning function is not activa-
ted, the æsymbol 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 ·distance 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 systems69
Safety
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
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Ypage 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)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Ypage 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
GWARNING
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 234) when towing the vehi-
cle with a raised rear axle.
ESP ®
is only deactivated if the åwarning
lamp is lit continuously.
If the ÷ warning lamp lights up continu-
ously, ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunc-
tion.
Observe the information on warning lamps ( Y page 181) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster( Y page 166).
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 automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
Driving safety systems71
Safety
Z
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.
Deactivating/activating ESP®
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Ypage 65).
You can select between the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated.
GWARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilizes 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 fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
iActivate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the vehi- cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
!Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
You can deactivate or activate ESP ®
via the
on-board computer.
X To deactivate: (Y page 72).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To activate: (Y page 72).
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 stabilize 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 ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Crosswind Assist (vehicles without
MAGIC BODY CONTROL)
General information
Vehicles with MAGIC BODY CONTROL: infor-
mation on stabilizing the vehicle in the event
of crosswind ( Ypage 140).
Strong crosswinds can cause your vehicle to
deviate from a straight course. The crosswind
driving assistance function integrated into ESP ®
significantly reduces these effects.
72Driving safety systems
Safety