
Operation of automatic front-passenger
airbag deactivation :
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
; PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
The indicator lamps inform you whether the
front-passenger front airbag is disabled or ena-
bled.
X Press the Start/Stop button once or twice, or
turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
The system carries out a self-diagnosis.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and PASSENGER
AIR BAG ON indicator lamps must light up simul- taneously for approximately six seconds.
The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front airbag:
R PASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up for 60 sec-
onds, then both indicator lamps are off
(PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and OFF): the front-
passenger front airbag is able to deploy in the event of an accident.
R PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lights up: the front-
passenger front airbag is disabled. It will then
not be deployed in the event of an accident.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is off, only the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp shows the status of the front-passenger
front airbag. The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indi- cator lamp may be lit continuously or be off.
If the status of the front-passenger front airbag
changes while the vehicle is in motion, an airbag
display message appears on the instrument
cluster (Y page 180). When the front-passenger
seat is occupied, always pay attention to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp. Be
aware of the status of the front-passenger front
airbag both before and during the journey. If a person sits in the passenger seat, he/she
must be:
R seated with the seat belt fastened correctly
R in an almost upright position with his/her
back against the seat backrest
R with his/her feet resting on the floor, if pos-
sible
If the front passenger does not observe these
conditions, the automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivation system may be influenced,
e.g. because the front passenger:
R transfers his/her weight by supporting him-
self/herself on a vehicle armrest
R sits in such a way that his/her weight is raised
from the seat cushion
The front-passenger front airbag may be disa-
bled by mistake as a result of these or similar
actions. In this case, the PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF indicator lamp lights up permanently. The
front-passenger front airbag then does not
deploy during an accident. G
WARNING
If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is lit, the front-passenger front airbag is disa-
bled. It will not be deployed in the event of an
accident and cannot perform its intended pro-
tective function. A person in the front-
passenger seat could then, for example, come
into contact with the vehicle's interior, espe-
cially if the person is sitting too close to the
dashboard. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
When the front-passenger seat is occupied,
always make sure that:
R the classification of the person in the front-
passenger seat is correct and that the front-
passenger front airbag is enabled or disa-
bled in accordance with the person in the
front-passenger seat.
R the front-passenger seat has been moved
back as far back as possible.
R the person is seated correctly.
Make sure, both before and during the jour-
ney, that the status of the front-passenger
front airbag is correct. 42
Occupant safetySafety

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
the engine is switched off and the fuel supply
is cut off
R vehicles with the Mercedes-Benz emergency
call system: automatic emergency call Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 1.50 min height is travelling in the vehi-
cle:
R always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The child restraint system must be appropri-
ate 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 automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation system (Y page 41).G
WARNING
If you leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle, they could set the vehicle in motion by, for example:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the transmission into neutral
R starting the engine
They could also operate the vehicle's equip-
ment and become trapped. 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. G
WARNING
If persons (particularly children) are exposed
to heat or cold for a prolonged period, there is a risk of serious or even fatal injuries. Never
leave persons (particularly children) unatten-
ded in the vehicle. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is placed in direct sunlight, the parts could become very hot. Children could be suffer burns by touching
these parts, in particular on the metallic parts
of the child restraint system. There is a risk of
injury.
If you and your child leave the vehicle, always make sure that the child restraint system is
not in direct sunlight. Cover it with a blanket,for example. If the child restraint system has
been exposed to direct sunlight, leave it to
cool down before securing the child in it.
Never leave children unattended in the vehi-
cle.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants have
their seat belts fastened correctly and are sitting properly. Particular attention must be paid to
children.
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
(Y page 36) and the information on the correct
use of the seat belt (Y page 37). Child restraint system
Observe the instructions for correct use of the
child restraint system (Y page 51).
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you use only a child restraint system
recommended by Mercedes-Benz
(Y page 52). G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is incorrectly fit-
ted on the seat position suitable for this pur-
pose, it cannot perform its intended protec-
tive function. In the event of an accident,
sharp braking or a sudden change in direction, the child may not be held securely. There is an
increased risk of serious or even fatal injuries.
Observe the manufacturer's installation
instructions and the correct use for the child
restraint system. Make sure that the entire
surface of the child restraint system is resting
on the seat surface. Never place objects
under or behind the child restraint system,
e.g. cushions. Only use child restraint sys-
tems with the original cover designed for
them. Only replace damaged covers with gen- uine covers. Children in the vehicle
49Safety Z

Recommended category L child restraint systems
Weight categories Manufac-
turer Type Approval num-
ber(E1 ...) Order number
(A 000 ...)
2 Category 0:
up to 10 kg
up to approximately
6 months
Britax
Römer BABY SAFE plus II 04 301146 970 20 00
970 36 00
Category 0+:
up to 13 kg
up to approximately
15 months
Britax
Römer BABY SAFE plus II 04 301146 970 20 00
970 36 00
Category I:
9 kg to 18 kg
between approx-
imately 9 months and
4 years Britax
Römer DUO plus 04 301133 970 16 00
04 301133 970 21 00
970 37 00
Category II/III:
15 kg to 36 kg
between approx-
imately 4 years and
12 years
Britax
Römer KIDFIX 04 301198 970 18 00
970 22 00
04 301198 970 19 00
970 38 00
Britax
Römer KIDFIX XP 04 301304 970 61 00
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 54)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) (Y page 54)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(Y page 55)
R Adaptive brake lights (Y page 57)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 57)
2 Colour code 9H95. Driving safety systems
53Safety Z

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

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. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS
General information i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 54).
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS consists of a distance warning function with an autono-
mous braking function and Adaptive Brake
Assist.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS can help you to minimise the danger of collision with thevehicle in front or reduce the effects of such a
collision.
If COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
detects a danger of collision, you will be warned
visually and audibly. If you do not react to the
visual and audible collision warning, autono-
mous braking can be initiated in critical situa-
tions. If you apply the brake yourself in a critical situation, COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS Adaptive Brake Assist assists you.
Important safety notes In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired in the following situations:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in multi-
storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle R
a vehicle travelling in front on a different line
R new vehicles or after the COLLISION PRE-
VENTION ASSIST PLUS system has been serv-
iced
Observe the important safety notes in the
"Running-in notes" section (Y page 101).
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle, have the setting and operation of the radar sen-sor checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
This also applies to collisions at low speeds
where there is no visible damage to the front of
the vehicle.
Activating/deactivating The COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is
automatically active when the ignition is
switched on.
You can activate or deactivate COLLISION PRE-
VENTION ASSIST PLUS in the on-board com-
puter. (Y page 164) When the system is deac-
tivated, the distance warning function and the
autonomous braking function are also deactiva-
ted.
If COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is
deactivated, the æsymbol appears in the
assistance graphics display.
Distance warning function General information
The distance warning function can help you to
minimise the risk of a rear-end collision with thevehicle in front or reduce the effects of such a
collision. If the distance warning function
detects a risk of collision with the vehicle in
front, you will be warned visually and audibly.
Important safety notes i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 54). 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. Driving safety systems
55Safety
Z

7 km/h. It uses the radar sensor system to
assess the traffic situation.
Up to a speed of approximately 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 obser-
vation.
Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h, Adap-
tive Brake Assist reacts to stationary obstacles.
If Adaptive Brake Assist demands a particularly
high braking force, preventative passenger pro-
tection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated
simultaneously (Y page 48).
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if: R you release the brake pedal
R danger of collision with the vehicle in front no
longer exists
R no obstacle is detected in front of your vehicle
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 54).G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist can:
R intervene unnecessarily
R not intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering As a result, the Adaptive Brake Assist may not
intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving conditions
may also cause Adaptive Brake Assist to inter-
vene.
If Adaptive Brake Assist is not available due to a malfunctioning radar sensor system, the brake
system remains available with full brake boost-
ing effect and BAS. Adaptive brake lights
The adaptive brake lights warn following traffic
in an emergency braking situation: R by flashing brake lamps
R the hazard warning lamps are activated
If you brake sharply from a speed of more than
50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS or BAS PLUS, the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way,
traffic travelling behind you is warned in an even
more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more than
70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warning
lamps are activated automatically. If the brakes
are applied again, the brake lamps light up con- tinuously. The hazard warning lamps switch off
automatically if you travel faster than 10 km/h.You can also switch off the hazard warning
lamps using the hazard warning button
(Y page 90). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 54).
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. Driving safety systems
57Safety Z

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 (Y page 54). 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 197) as well as display
messages (Y page 174). ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety and
offers increased braking comfort. In addition to
the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE also fea-
tures the hill start assist function (Y page 104).Protection against theft
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO start func-
tion or KEYLESS-GO: switch the ignition off
and open the driver's door.
X To activate with the key: remove the key
from the ignition lock.
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 deactivate: unlock the vehicle with the
key or KEYLESS-GO.
or X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
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 switch the alarm off with the key: press
the % or& button on the key.
The alarm is deactivated.
or X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
The alarm is deactivated.
X To deactivate the alarm using KEYLESS-
GO: grasp the outside door handle. The key
must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is deactivated.
or X Press the Start/Stop button. The key must be
inside the vehicle.
The alarm is deactivated.
The alarm is not switched 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 emergency60
Protection against theftSafety