they provide an indication of air bag deploy-
ment.
The vehicle can be deformed considerably, with-
out an air bag being deployed. This is the case if
only parts which are relatively easily deformed
are affected and the rate of deceleration is not
high. Conversely, air bags may be deployed eventhough 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 that the vehicle is rolling over, the rel-
evant restraint system components are activa-
ted independently of one another depending on
the apparent type of accident. If the system
determines a need for additional protection for
the vehicle occupants, the Emergency Tension-
ing Devices are triggered.
RSide impact air bag on the side of impact,
independently of the Emergency Tensioning
Device and the use of the seat belt on the
driver's seat
The side impact air bag on the front-
passenger side deploys under the following
conditions:
-the OCS system detects that the front-
passenger seat is occupied or
-the belt tongue is engaged in the belt
buckle of the front-passenger seat
iNot all air bags are deployed in an accident.
The different air bag systems work independ-
ently of each other.
How the air bag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration and the apparent type of accident:
RFrontal collision
RSide impact
RRollover
PRE-SAFE®(anticipatory occupant
protection system)
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 under or behind the seats when mov-
ing the seats back. There is a risk that the
seats and/or the objects could be damaged.
Despite your vehicle being equipped with the
PRE-SAFE
®system, the possibility of personal
injuries occurring as a result of an accident can-
not be eliminated. 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:
Rin emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated
Rin critical driving situations, e.g. when physi-
cal limits are exceeded and the vehicle under-
steers or oversteers severely
Ron vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS: if adaptive
Brake Assist intervenes powerfully
PRE-SAFE
®takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected:
Rthe seat belts are pre-tensioned.
Rif the vehicle skids, the side windows are
closed.
Rvehicles with the memory function for the
front-passenger seat: the front-passenger
seat is adjusted if it is in an unfavorable posi-
tion.
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:
XMove 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. Informa-
tion about the convenience function can be
found under "Belt adjustment" (
Ypage 39).
48Occupant safety
Safety
Automa tic measures after an acci-
dent
Immediately after an accident, th efollowin g
measures are implemented, depending on th e
typ eand severity of th eimpact :
Rthehazard warning lamp sare activated
Rth eemergenc ylighting is activated
Rth evehicl edoor sare unlocke d
Rthefron tside windows are lowered
Rth eengin eis switched off
Rvehicles wit hmbrace: automatic emer-
gency call
Children in the vehicle
Import ant safety notes
Ifachild younger than 12 years and under 5ft
(1.50 m) in height is traveling in th evehicle:
Ralways secure th echild in achild restrain t
system suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The child restrain tsystem mus tbe appropri-
ate to th eage, weigh tand siz eof th echild
Rbe sur eto observ eth einstruction sand safet y
note sin this section in addition to th echild
restrain tsystem manufacturer' sinstallation
instruction s
Rbe sureto observ eth einstruction sand safet y
note son th e"Occupant classification system
(OCS)" (
Ypage 42 )
GWARNIN G
If you leav echildren unsupervised in th evehi-
cle ,they could set it in motion ,for exampl eby:
Rreleasin gth eparking brak e
Rshifting thetransmission to th eneutral
position
Rstarting th eengin e
In addition ,they may operate vehicl eequip -
men tand become trapped .There is aris kof
an acciden tand injury.
When leaving th evehicle, always tak eth e
SmartKey wit hyou and loc kth evehicle. Never
leav echildren unsupervised in th evehicle.
GWARNIN G
If persons, particularly children are subjecte d
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is aris kof injury, possibl yeve n
fatal. Never leav echildren unattended in th e
vehicle.
GWARNIN G
If th echild restrain tsystem is subjecte dto
direc tsunlight, part smay get ver yhot .Chil-
dre nmay burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on th emetal part sof th echild
restrain tsystem. There is aris kof injury.
If you leav eth evehicle, taking th echild wit h
you, always ensur ethat th echild restrain t
system is no texposed to direc tsunlight. Pro -
tect it wit h ablanket, for example. If th echild
restrain tsystem has been exposed to direc t
sunlight, let it cool down before securin gth e
child in it .Never leav echildren unattended in
th evehicle.
Always ensur ethat all vehicl eoccupant shav e
their seat belt sfastene dcorrectl yand are sitting
properly. Particular attention mus tbe paid to
children .
Observ eth esafet ynote son th eseat belt
(
Ypage 37 )and th einformation on th ecorrec t
use of th eseat belt (Ypage 38).
A booste rseat may be necessar yto achiev e
proper seat belt positioning for children ove r
41 lbs (18 kg) or until they reac h aheight wher e
a lap/shoulder belt can be fastene dproperly
without abooste rseat .
Special seat belt ret ractor
GWARNIN G
If th eseat belt is release dwhile driving, th e
child restrain tsystem will no longer be
secured properly. The special seat belt retrac -
to ris disabled and th einertia real draw sin a
portion of th eseat belt .The seat belt canno t
be immediately refastened. There is an
increased ris kof injury, possibl yeve nfatal.
Stop th evehicl eimmediately, payin gatten -
tion to road and traffic conditions. Reactivat e
Children in the vehicle49
Safety
Z
Drivingsafet ysystems
Overview of drivin gsafet ysystems
In this section ,you will fin dinformation about
th efollowin gdrivin gsafet ysystems :
RABS (Anti-loc kBrakin gSystem)
(Ypage 52)
RBA S (B rakeAssist System) (Ypage 52)
RCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLU S
(Ypage 53 )
RESP®(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Ypage 55)
REB D (Electroni cBrak eforc eDistribution )
(Ypage 57 )
RADAPTIV EBRAKE (Ypage 58 )
Important safet ynotes
If you fail to adapt your drivin gstyle or if you are
inattentive ,th edrivin gsafet ysystems can nei-
ther reduce th eris kof an acciden tno roverride
th elaws of physics. Driving safet ysystems are
merely aids designed to assist driving. You are
responsible fo rmaintainin gth edistanc eto th e
vehicle in front, fo rvehicle speed, fo rbraking in
goo dtime, and fo rstayin gin lane. Always adapt
your drivin gstyle to suit th eprevailin groad and
weather condition sand maintain asaf edistanc e
from th evehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The drivin gsafet ysystems described only wor k
as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quat econtact between th etires and th eroad
surface. Please pay special attention to th e
note son tires ,recommended minimum tire
tread depths, etc. (
Ypage 254).
In wintr ydrivin gconditions, always use winte r
tires (M+ Stires )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 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 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface conditions.
ABS works on slippery surfaces, even when you
only brake gently.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 52).
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 192) and dis-
play messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (
Ypage 167).
Brakes
XIf ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking sit-
uation is over.
XTo 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, and functions as a
reminder to take extra care while driving.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
General information
BAS operates in emergency braking situations.
If you depress the brake pedal quickly, BAS
automatically boosts the braking force, thus
shortening the stopping distance.
52Driving safety systems
Safety
Important safety notes
iObserveth e"Importan tsafet ynotes" sec -
tion (Ypage 52).
GWARNIN G
If BA Sis malfunctioning ,th ebraking distanc e
in an emergenc ybraking situation is
increased. Ther eis aris kof an accident.
In an emergenc ybraking situation ,depress
th ebrak epedal wit hfull force .AB Sprevents
th ewheels from locking.
Braking
XKee pth ebrak epedal firmly depressed until
th eemergenc ybraking situation is over.
AB Sprevents th ewheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release th ebrak epedal .BA Sis deactivated.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS
General information
iObserv eth e"Importan tsafet ynotes" sec -
tion (Ypage 52).
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLU Sconsist s
of adistanc ewarning function wit han autono -
mous braking function and adaptive Brake
Assist .
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLU Scan help
you to minimiz eth eris kof afront-en dcollision
wit h a vehicl eahead or reduce th eeffects of
suc h a collision .
If COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLU S
detects that there is aris kof acollision ,you will
be warned visually and acoustically. If you do no t
reac tto th evisual and audible collision warning ,
autonomous braking can be initiate din critical
situations. If you apply th ebrak eyourself in a
critical situation ,th eCOLLISION PREVENTION
ASSIST PLU Sadaptive Brake Assist assist syou.
Important safety notes
In particular, th edetection of obstacles can be
impaire dif:
Rthere is dirt on th esensor sor anythin gelse
covering th esensor s
Rthere is snow or heav yrain
Rthere is interferenc eby other radar source s
Rthere are strongradar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages
Ra narrow vehicl etraveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
Ra vehicl etraveling in fron ton adifferen tlin e
Rne wvehicles or after aservic eon th eCOLLI-
SION PREVENTION ASSIST PLU Ssystem
Observ eth eimportant safet ynote sin th e
"Breaking-in notes" section (
Ypage 101).
Followin gdamag eto th efron ten dof th evehicle,
hav eth econfiguration and operation of th e
radar sensor checke dat aqualified specialist
workshop. This also applie sto collision sat slow
speeds wher ethere is no visible damag eto th e
fron tof th evehicle.
Switching on/off
The COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLU Sis
automatically active after switching on th eigni-
tion .
You can activat eor deactivat eCOLLISION PRE -
VENTION ASSIST PLU Sin th eon-board com-
puter (
Ypage 160). When deactivated, th edis-
tance warning function and th eautonomous
braking function are also deactivated.
If COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLU Sis
deactivated, th eæ symbol appear sin th e
assistanc egraphic sdisplay.
Distance warning function
Gene ral information
The distanc ewarning function can help you to
minimiz eth eris kof afront-en dcollision wit h a
vehicl eahead or reduce th eeffects of suc h a
collision .If th edistanc ewarning function
detects that there is aris kof acollision ,you will
be warned visually and acoustically.
Import ant safety notes
iObserveth e"Importan tsafet ynotes" sec -
tion for driving safet ysystems (Ypage 52).
Driving safety systems53
Safety
Z
Assist will automatically increase the braking
force to a level suitable for the traffic conditions.
Adaptive Brake Assist provides braking assis-
tance in hazardous situations at speeds above
4 mph (7 km/h). It uses radar sensor technology
to assess the traffic situation.
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 sta-
tionary obstacles.
If adaptive Brake Assist demands particularly
high braking force, preventative passenger pro-
tection measures (PRE-SAFE
®) are activated
simultaneously (Ypage 48).
XKeep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if:
Ryou release the brake pedal.
Rthere is no longer any danger of a collision.
Rno obstacle is detected in front of your vehi-
cle.
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Ypage 52).
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist can:
Rintervene unnecessarily
Rnot 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.
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rwhen 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
malfunction in the radar sensor system, the
brake system remains available with full brake
boosting effect and BAS.
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 52).
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 vehi-
cle 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 (Electronic Traction System)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 52).
ETS traction control 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
Driving safety systems55
Safety
Z
GWARNING
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 (
Ypage 192) as well as display
messages (Ypage 169).
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 (
Ypage 104).
Protection against theft
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
XTo activate with KEYLESS-GO start-func-
tion or KEYLESS-GO: switch the ignition off
and open the driver's door.
XTo activate with the SmartKey: remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XTo deactivate: switch on the ignition.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Anyone
can start the engine if a valid SmartKey has been
left inside the vehicle.
iThe immobilizer is always deactivated when
you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be started
(yet the vehicle's battery is charged), the sys- tem is not operational. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA) or
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (anti-theft alarm system)
XTo arm: lock the vehicle with the SmartKey or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm system
is armed after approximately 15 seconds.
XTo disarm: unlock the vehicle with the Smart-
Key or KEYLESS-GO.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open:
Ra door
Rthe vehicle with the mechanical key
Rthe tailgate
Rthe hood
XTo turn the alarm off with the SmartKey:
press the %or& button on the Smart-
Key.
The alarm is switched off.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off.
XTo stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The SmartKey
must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
or
XPress the Start/Stop button. The SmartKey
must be inside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you close
the open door that triggered it, for example.
iIf the alarm continues for more than
30 seconds, the mbrace emergency call sys-
tem automatically notifies the Customer
Assistance Center. This is done either by text
message or data connection.
58Protection against theft
Safety
SmartKey
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
RStart the engine.
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 or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
GWARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey could be uninten-
tionally 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
SmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings before
inserting the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
!Keep the SmartKey away from strong mag-
netic 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 SmartKey:
Rwith electronic devices, e.g. a mobile phone
or another SmartKey.
Rwith metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal foil.
Rinside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case.
This can affect the functionality of the Smart- Key. Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start function:
do
not keep the SmartKey on the cargo compart-
ment cover or in the cargo compartment. Oth-
erwise, the SmartKey may not be detected, e.g.
when starting the engine using the Start/Stop
button.
A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the Smart-
Key determines whether a valid SmartKey is in
the vehicle. This occurs, for example:
Rwhen starting the engine
Rwhilst driving
Rwhen using HANDS-FREE ACCESS
Rwhen the external door handles are touched
Rduring convenience closing
SmartKey functions
:& To lock the vehicle
;FTo open the tailgate
=%To unlock the vehicle
XTo unlock centrally: press the%button.
If you do not open the vehicle within approx-
imately 40 seconds of unlocking:
Rthe vehicle is locked again.
Rthe anti-theft alarm system is armed again.
XTo lock centrally: press the&button.
The key centrally locks and unlocks the doors
and 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 and deactivated via the
multimedia system (see the Digital Operator's
Manual).
60SmartKey
Opening and closing
When the locator lighting is activated via the
multimedia system, it lights up when it is dark
after the vehicle is unlocked with the SmartKey.
Information on activating and deactivating the
locator lighting can be found in the Digital Oper-
ator's Manual.
XTo open the tailgate:press and hold the
F button until the tailgate opens.
KEYLESS-GO
General notes
Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a Smart-
Key in the vehicle (
Ypage 104).
Locking/unlocking centrally
You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry the
SmartKey with you. You can combine the func-
tions of KEYLESS-GO with those of a conven-
tional SmartKey. Unlock the vehicle by using
KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock it using the
& button on the SmartKey.
The driver's door and the door at which the han-
dle is used, must both be closed. The SmartKey
must be outside the vehicle. When locking or
unlocking with KEYLESS-GO, the distance
between the SmartKey and the corresponding
door handle must not be greater than 3 ft (1 m).
A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the Smart-
Key determines whether a valid SmartKey is in
the vehicle. This occurs, for example:
Rwhen starting the engine
Rwhile driving
Rwhen using HANDS-FREE ACCESS
Rwhen the external door handles are touched
Rduring convenience closing
XTo unlock the vehicle: touch the inner sur-
face of the door handle.
XTo lock the vehicle: touch sensor surface :
or ;.
Make sure that you do not touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
XConvenience closing feature: touch
recessed sensor surface ;for an extended
period.
Further information on the convenience clos-
ing feature (
Ypage 72).
Deactivating and activating
If you do not intend to use the vehicle for a lon-
ger period of time, you can deactivate KEYLESS-
GO. The SmartKey will then use very little power,
thereby conserving battery power. For the pur-
poses of activation/deactivation, the vehicle
must not be nearby.
XTo deactivate: press the&button on the
SmartKey twice in rapid succession.
The battery check lamp of the SmartKey
flashes twice briefly and lights up once, then
KEYLESS-GO is deactivated (
Ypage 63).
XTo activate: press any button on the Smart-
Key.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
KEYLESS-GO and all of its associated features
are available again.
KEYLESS-GO start function
General notes
Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a Smart-
Key in the vehicle (
Ypage 104).
SmartKey61
Opening and closing
Z