Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hear-
ing. In general, the powder released is not haz-
ardous to health but may cause short-term
breathing difficulties to persons suffering from
asthma or other pulmonary conditions. Provided
it is safe to do so, you should leave the vehicle
immediately or open the window in order to pre- vent breathing difficulties.
Operation During the first stage of a collision, the restraint
system control unit evaluates important physi-
cal data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as:
R duration
R direction
R intensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the seat
belt tensioners in the event of a head-on or rear collision.
A seat belt tensioner can be triggered only if:
R the ignition is switched on
R the components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further information
under: "Restraint system warning lamp"
(Y page 35)
R the seat belt buckle tongue has engaged in
the belt buckle of the respective seat
If the restraint system control unit detects a
high-severity accident, in certain head-on colli-
sions, additional components of the restraint
system are deployed independently of each
other:
R front airbags as well as driver's and front-
passenger kneebag
R windowbag, if the system determines that
deployment can offer additional protection to
that provided by the seat belt
Depending on the person in the front-passenger
seat, the front-passenger front airbag is either
disabled or enabled. The front-passenger front
airbag can be deployed in an accident only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is off.
Observe the information on the PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps (Y page 35).
Your vehicle has two-stage front airbags. In the
first deployment stage, the front airbag is filled
with propellant gas to reduce the risk of injuries. The front airbag is fully deployed if the second deployment stage is activated within a few mil-
liseconds.
The activation threshold for the seat belt ten-
sioners and airbags is determined based on the
evaluation of the vehicle's rate of deceleration
or acceleration at various points in the vehicle.
This process is pre-emptive in nature. The trig-
gering/deployment process should take place
in good time at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration
and the direction of the force are essentially
determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the collision
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehicle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors that can be seen and measured only
after a collision has occurred do not play a deci-
sive role in the deployment of an airbag, nor do
they provide an indication of airbag deployment.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly with-out an airbag being deployed. This is the case if
only parts that are relatively easily deformed are
affected and the rate of deceleration is not high. Conversely, an airbag may be deployed even
though the vehicle suffers only minor deforma-
tion. This is the case if, for example, very rigid
vehicle parts such as longitudinal body mem-
bers are hit, and sufficient deceleration occurs
as a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a side
impact or if the vehicle overturns, the applicable components of the restraint system are activa-
ted independently of each other depending on
the apparent type of accident.
R Sidebag on the side on which an impact
occurs, independently of the seat belt ten-
sioner and seat belt usage
The sidebag on the front-passenger side
deploys under the following conditions:
- an occupant is detected in the front-
passenger seat or
- the seat belt buckle tongue is engaged in
the belt buckle of the front-passenger seat
R Windowbag on the side on which an impact
occurs, independently of seat belt usage and
regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied Occupant safety
47Safety Z
R
Seat belt tensioners, if the system determines
that deployment can offer additional protec-
tion for the vehicle occupants in this situation
R Windowbags on the driver's and front-
passenger side in certain situations if the
vehicle overturns and if the system deter-
mines that deployment can offer additional
protection to that provided by the seat belt
i Not all airbags are deployed in an accident.
The different airbag systems work independ-
ently of each other.
How the airbag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, and the apparent type of accident:
R frontal collision
R side impact
R overturn PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection)
Introduction In certain hazardous situations, PRE-SAFE
®
takes pre-emptive measures to protect the vehi-
cle occupants.
Important safety notes !
Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats. There is a risk
that the seats and/or the objects could be
damaged when PRE-SAFE ®
is activated.
Although your vehicle is equipped with a PRE-
SAFE ®
system, the possibility of injury in the
event of an accident cannot be ruled out. 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. Function PRE-SAFE
®
intervenes:
R in emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when physi-
cal limits are exceeded and the vehicle under- steers or oversteers severely
R on vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS: if Adaptive
Brake Assist intervenes powerfully
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned
R if the vehicle skids, the side windows are
closed
R vehicles with the memory function for the
front-passenger seat: the front-passenger
seat is adjusted if it is in an unfavourable
position
If the hazardous situation passes without result- ing in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens the belt
pre-tensioning. 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.
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. Informa-
tion about the convenience function can be
found under "Belt adjustment" (Y page 38). Automatic measures after an acci-
dent
Immediately after an accident, the following
measures may be 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 vehicles with a memory function: the electri-
cally adjustable steering wheel is raised when
the driver's door is opened 48
Occupant safetySafety
R
EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 60)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 60)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 distancefrom 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. Please pay special attention to the
notes on tyres, recommended minimum tyre
tread depths etc. (Y page 261).
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 54). 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.
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 197) and display mes-
sages which may be shown in the instrument
cluster (Y page 172).
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. BAS (Brake Assist System)
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 54). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of accident. 54
Driving safety systemsSafety
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 seat adjustment (Y page 79)
R Electrical seat adjustment (Y page 80)
R Adjusting the steering wheel mechanically
(Y page 82) or electrically (Y page 83).
R Adjusting the steering wheel (Y page 83).
R Fastening the seat belt correctly (Y page 38).
R Adjusting the rear-view mirror and exterior
mirrors (Y page 84).
R Store the seat, steering wheel and exterior
mirror settings using the memory function
(Y page 87). 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
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.
Observe the safety notes on "Airbags"
(Y page 39) and "Children in the Vehicle"
(Y page 49). 78
SeatsSeats, steering wheel and
mirrors
X
Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of arrow :.
In the Ãposition, the main-beam head-
lamps are only switched on when it is dark and the engine is running.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the main-beam head-
lamps are switched on.
X To switch off the main-beam headlamps:
move the combination switch back to its nor-
mal position.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Vehicles with Adaptive Highbeam Assist: when
Adaptive Highbeam Assist is active, it controls
switching on/off of the main-beam headlamps
(Y page 90).
X To flash the headlamps: pull the combina-
tion switch in the direction of arrow =.Hazard warning lamps
X
To switch on the hazard warning
lamps:press button
:.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on a
turn signal using the combination switch, only the turn signal lamp on the corresponding
side of the vehicle will flash.
X To switch off the hazard warning
lamps:press button
:.
The hazard warning lamps switch on automati-
cally if:
R an airbag is deployed or
R the vehicle decelerates rapidly from a speed
of above 70 km/h and comes to a standstill
The hazard warning lamps switch off automati-
cally if the vehicle reaches a speed of above
10 km/h again after a full brake application. i
The hazard warning lamps continue to oper-
ate even if the ignition is switched off. Adaptive Highbeam Assist
General notes You can use this function to set the headlamps
to switch automatically between dipped beam
and main beam. The system recognises vehicles
with their lights on, either approaching from the opposite direction or travelling in front of your
vehicle, and consequently switches the head-
lamps from main beam to dipped beam.
The system automatically adapts the dipped-
beam headlamp range depending on the dis-
tance to the other vehicle. Once the system no
longer detects any other vehicles, it switches on the main-beam headlamps again.
The system's optical sensor is located behind
the windscreen near the overhead control
panel.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Adaptive Highbeam Assist does not recognise 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
On very rare occasions, Adaptive Highbeam
Assist may fail to recognise other road users
that have lights, or may recognise them too
late. In this, or in similar situations, the auto-
matic main-beam headlamps will not be deac-
tivated or will be activated despite the pres-
ence of other road users. There is a risk of an accident.
Always carefully observe the traffic conditions and switch off the main-beam headlamps in
good time.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist cannot take into
account road, weather or traffic conditions.
Adaptive Highbeam Assist is only an aid. You are
responsible for adjusting the vehicle's lighting
to the prevailing light, visibility and traffic con-
ditions. 90
Exterior lightingLights and windscreen wipers
Overview of climate control systems
General notes
Observe the settings recommended on the fol-
lowing pages. The windows could otherwise
mist up.
To prevent the windows from misting up:
R switch off climate control only briefly
R switch on air-recirculation mode only briefly
R switch on the cooling with air dehumidifica-
tion function
R switch on the windscreen demisting function
briefly, if required
Climate control regulates the temperature and
air humidity in the vehicle interior. The interior
filter cleans the air, thus improving the interior
climate.
The cooling with air dehumidification function is
only available when the engine is running. Opti- mum climate control is only achieved with the
side windows closed.
i Ventilate the vehicle for a brief period during
warm weather, e.g. using the convenience opening feature (Y
page 75). This will speed
up the cooling process and the desired inte-
rior temperature will be reached more
quickly.
i The integrated filter filters out most parti-
cles of dust and soot and completely filters
out pollen. It also reduces gaseous pollutants and odours. A clogged filter reduces the
amount of air supplied to the vehicle interior.
For this reason, you should always observe
the interval for replacing the filter, which is
specified in the Service Booklet. As this
depends on environmental conditions, e.g.
heavy air pollution, the interval may be
shorter than stated in the Service Booklet.
i It is possible that the blower may be activa-
ted automatically 60 minutes after the engine
has been switched off depending on various
factors, e.g. the outside temperature. The
vehicle is then ventilated for 30 minutes to dry the automatic climate control. Control panel for THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control (2-zone)
:
To set the temperature, left (Y page 97)
; To set the air distribution (Y page 97)
= To set the airflow (Y page 98)
To switch climate control off (Y page 96)
? To set climate control to automatic mode (Y page 97)
A To demist the windscreen (Y page 98) Overview of climate control systems
95Climate control
Hill start assist is not active if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient
R the transmission is in position N
R the electric parking brake is applied
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning ECO start/stop function
Introduction The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is stopped
under certain conditions.
When the vehicle pulls away again, the engine
starts automatically. The ECO start/stop func-
tion thereby helps you to reduce the fuel con-
sumption and emissions of your vehicle.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the engine is switched off automatically and you exit the vehicle, the engine is restarted
automatically. The vehicle may begin moving. There is a risk of accident and injury.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
the ignition and secure the vehicle against
rolling away.
General notes :
ECO start/stop display
If the è ECO symbol is shown in green in the
multifunction display, the ECO start/stop func-
tion switches the engine off automatically once
the vehicle stops moving.
The ECO start/stop function is available only in
drive program C. The ECO start/stop function is switched on
whenever you restart the engine using the key or the Start/Stop button. This is the case if:
R the ignition was switched off for more than
four hours or
R the ECO start/stop function had been
switched on before the engine was switched
off
If the ECO start/stop function has been man-
ually deactivated (Y page 106) or a malfunction
has caused the system to be deactivated, the
è symbol is not displayed.
Automatic engine switch-off The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if:
R the ECO start/stop function is activated
(Y page 106) and
R you brake the vehicle to a standstill in trans-
mission position D
The ECO start/stop function is operational and
the è ECO symbol is displayed in green in the
multifunction display if:
R the indicator lamp in the ECO button is lit
green
R the outside temperature and the atmospheric
air pressure are within a range that is suitable for the system
R the engine and the transmission are at a suf-
ficient temperature for the ECO start/stop
function
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached
R the battery is sufficiently charged
R the system does not detect moisture on the
windscreen when the air-conditioning system
is switched on
R the bonnet is closed
R the driver's door is closed and the driver's
seat belt is fastened
If the conditions for automatic engine switch-off are not all fulfilled, the èECO symbol is
shown in yellow.
All the vehicle's systems remain active when the
engine is switched off automatically.
The HOLD function can also be activated if the
engine has been switched off automatically. It is then not necessary to continue applying the
brakes during the automatic stop phase. When
you depress the accelerator pedal, the engine Driving
105Driving and parking Z
starts automatically and the braking effect of
the HOLD function is deactivated.
Automatic engine start The engine is started automatically if:
R you switch off the ECO start/stop function by
pressing the ECO button
R you switch to drive program RACE
(AMG GT S), S+orS(Y page 108)
R in transmission position D, the brake pedal is
released and the HOLD function is not active
R you depress the accelerator pedal
R you engage reverse gear R
R you move the transmission out of position P
R you unfasten your seat belt or open the driv-
er's door
R the vehicle starts to roll
R the brake system requires this
R the temperature in the vehicle interior devi-
ates from the set range
R the system detects moisture on the wind-
screen when the air-conditioning system is
switched on
R the battery's charge status is too low
Shifting the transmission to position Pdoes not
start the engine.
If you shift the transmission from Rto D, the
ECO start/stop function is available again once the è ECO symbol reappears in green in the
multifunction display.
Switching the ECO start/stop function
off/on X
To switch off: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;and the èECO symbol
in the multifunction display go out.
X To switch on: press ECO button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up.
If all conditions for automatic engine switch-
off (Y page 105) are fulfilled, the èECO
symbol is shown in green in the multifunction display.
If the conditions for automatic engine switch-
off (Y page 105) are not all fulfilled, the è
ECO symbol is shown in yellow in the multi-
function display. If this is the case, the ECO
start/stop function is not available.
If indicator lamp ;is off, the ECO start/stop
function has been switched off manually or as
the result of a malfunction. The engine will then
not be switched off automatically when the vehi-
cle stops.
The ECO start/stop function is switched off if:
R you switch to drive program RACE
(AMG GT S), S+orS(Y page 108)
R you switch to manual mode M(Y page 113) AMG sports exhaust system
You can choose between different AMG sports
exhaust system volumes using the position of
the exhaust flap.
If the ignition is switched off for less than four
hours, the previously selected setting is activa-
ted when the engine is next started. If the igni-
tion is switched off for more than four hours, the quietest setting is activated when the engine is
next started. 106
DrivingDriving and parking