2016 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS CABRIOLET ESP

G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of 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 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. BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS) with Cross-Traffic Assist
General information BAS PLUS can help you to minimise the danger
of collision with a vehicle or a pedestrian and
reduce the effects of such a collision. If BAS
PLUS detects a danger of collision, you are
assisted when braking.
i Observe the important safety notes in the
"Driving safety systems" section (Y page 67).
BAS PLUS is available only on vehicles with the
Driving Assistance package.
For BAS PLUS to assist you when driving, the
radar sensor system and the camera system
must be operational.
With the help of a sensor system and a camera
system, BAS PLUS can detect obstacles:
R that are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time
R that cross the path of your vehicle
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your vehi-
cle can be detected.
BAS PLUS detects pedestrians using typical
characteristics such as the body contours and
posture of a person standing upright.
If the radar sensor system or the camera system
is malfunctioning, BAS PLUS functions are
restricted or no longer available. The brake sys- tem is still available with complete brake boost-ing effect and BAS. i
Observe the restrictions described in the
"Important safety notes" section
(Y page 68).
Important safety notes G
WARNING
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify
objects and complex traffic situations.
In such cases, BAS PLUS may:
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
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify peo- ple, this is especially the case if they are mov-
ing. BAS PLUS cannot intervene in these
cases. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
BAS PLUS does not react:
R to small people, e.g. children
R to animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R when cornering
As a result, BAS PLUS may not intervene in all
critical situations. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, detection
can be impaired.
Detection by the radar sensor system is also
impaired in the following situations:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, for example, in multi-
storey car parks 68
Driving safety systemsSafety

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, complex but
non-critical driving conditions may also cause
Brake Assist to engage.
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 by activating the hazard warning lamps
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 116). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 67). 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.
ESP ®
assists the driver when pulling away on
wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise
the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 67).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
. On vehicles
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, e.g. if the road surface is slippery on one side. In addi-
tion, more drive torque is transferred to the
wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you deactivate
ESP ®
.
Important safety notes i
Read the "Important safety notes" section
(Y page 67). G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving
safety systems are switched off. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 337).
If the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
continuously, ESP ®
is deactivated.
If the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp lights up contin-
uously, ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunc-
tion.
Read the information on warning lamps
(Y page 275) and display messages that may be
shown in the instrument cluster (Y page 242).72
Driving safety systemsSafety

Only use wheels with the recommended tyre
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly.
Characteristics of ESP ®General notes
If the ÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
engages, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp
flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
engages:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X When pulling away, only depress the acceler-
ator pedal as far as is necessary.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing
road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle stops
moving. When the vehicle pulls away again, the
engine starts automatically. ESP ®
remains in its
previously selected status, e.g. if ESP ®
was
deactivated before the engine was automati-
cally switched off.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®
(except
Mercedes‑AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 67).
You can select between the following ESP ®
sta-
tuses:
R ESP ®
is activated
R ESP ®
is deactivated G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises 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 follow-
ing situations:
R when snow chains are used
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
Spinning the wheels results in a cutting action,
which enhances traction.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to
spin.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®
You can activate or deactivate ESP ®
via the on-
board computer (Y page 232).
ESP ®
deactivated:
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp on the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
ESP ®
activated:
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp on the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp on
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels may start to spin
R traction control is still activated
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no longer
available; it is not activated even if you brake
firmly with assistance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; it is not
activated even if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available; it is
not activated even if the brakes are firmly
applied with assistance from ESP ®
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly. Driving safety systems
73Safety Z

Deactivating/activating ESP
®
(Mercedes ‑AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 67).
You can select between the following ESP ®
sta-
tuses:
R ESP ®
is activated
R SPORT handling mode is activated
R ESP ®
is deactivated
ESP ®
is activated every time the engine is star-
ted, regardless of whether ESP ®
was deactiva-
ted before the engine was switched off. G
WARNING
When SPORT handling mode is activated,
there is a greater risk of skidding and acci-
dents.
Only activate SPORT handling mode in the sit- uations described in the following. G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
In the following situations, it may be better to
activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate
ESP ®
:
R when snow chains are used
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
R on specially designated roads when the vehi-
cle's own oversteering and understeering
characteristics are desired
Spinning the wheels results in a cutting action,
which enhances traction.
Driving in SPORT handling mode or without
ESP ®
requires a highly qualified and experi-
enced driver.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to
spin.
Activating/deactivating ESP ® X
To activate SPORT handling mode: briefly
press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp on the instrument cluster lights up. The
SPORT SPORT handling
handling mode
modemessage appears on
the multifunction display.
X To deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp on the instrument cluster goes out.
X To deactivate ESP ®
:press button :until
the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up on
the instrument cluster.
The ÷ OFF OFFmessage appears on the mul-
tifunction display.
X To activate ESP ®
:briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp on the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷ON
ON
message appears on the multifunction dis-
play.
Characteristics when SPORT handling
mode is activated
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one or
more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warn-
ing lamp on the instrument cluster flashes. In
such situations, ESP ®
will stabilise the vehicle
only to a limited degree.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
improves driving stability only to a limi-
ted degree
R traction control is still activated 74
Driving safety syste
msSafety

R
engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels may start to spin
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp on
the instrument cluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels may start to spin
R traction control is still activated
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no longer
available; it is not activated even if you brake
firmly with assistance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; it is not
activated even if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available; it is
not activated even if the brakes are firmly
applied with assistance from ESP ®
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation General information
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation is not available in
Mercedes-AMG vehicles.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, ESP ®
assists you in this situation. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and limiting
the engine output until the vehicle/trailer com- bination has stabilised.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high centre of gravity can
tip over before ESP ®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions. If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, you can stabilise the vehicle/trailer com-
bination only by depressing the brake firmly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation is active above speeds
of approximately 65 km/h.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of a malfunc- tion.
Crosswind Assist General notes
Strong crosswind gusts can impair the ability of your vehicle to drive straight ahead. The cross-
wind driving assistance function integrated in
ESP ®
noticeably reduces these impairments.
Depending on the direction and intensity of the
side wind, ESP ®
is activated automatically.
ESP ®
engages with a stabilising application of
the brakes to assist you in keeping the vehicle in the lane.
Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle speeds
above 80 km/h when the vehicle is driving
straight ahead or cornering gently.
Important safety notes
Crosswind Assist does not work if ESP ®
is deac-
tivated or disabled because of a malfunction. 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 67). 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 Driving safety systems
75Safety
Z

the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 275) as well as display
messages (Y page 244). ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety and
offers increased braking comfort. In addition to
the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE also has
the HOLD function (Y page 179) and hill start
assist (Y page 136). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
General information PRE-SAFE
®
Brake can help you to minimise the
risk of collision with the vehicle in front or a
pedestrian and to reduce the effects of such a
collision. If PRE-SAFE ®
Brake has detected a
danger of collision, you will be warned visually
and audibly as well as by automatic braking.
i Observe the important safety notes in the
"Driving safety systems" section (Y page 67).
PRE‑SAFE ®
Brake is available only in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance Plus package.
For PRE-SAFE ®
Brake to assist you when driving,
the radar sensor system and the camera system
must be switched on and operational.
With the help of the radar sensor system and the
camera system, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect
obstacles that are in front of your vehicle for an
extended period of time.
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your vehi-
cle can be detected.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects pedestrians using
typical characteristics such as the body con-
tours and posture of a person standing upright.
i Observe the restrictions described in the
"Important safety notes" section
(Y page 76). Important safety notes G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will initially brake your vehi-
cle by a partial application of the brakes if a
danger of collision is detected. There may be
a collision unless you brake yourself. Even
after subsequent full application of the brakes
a collision cannot always be avoided, partic-
ularly when approaching at too high a speed.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action, provided it is safe to do
so.
If you partially apply the brakes, the vehicle is
braked with up to 50% of the full brake pressure. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify objects and complex traffic conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify people, especially if they are moving. In
these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot inter-
vene. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you.
To maintain the appropriate distance to the
vehicle in front and thus prevent a collision, you
must apply the brakes yourself. 76
Driving safety systemsSafety

You can prevent the engagement of PRE-SAFE
®
Brake at any time by:
R depressing the accelerator pedal further
R activating kickdown
R releasing the brake pedal
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is ended
automatically if:
R you manoeuvre to avoid the obstacle
R the danger of collision has passed
R an obstacle is no longer detected in front of
your vehicle STEER CONTROL
General information STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a
noticeable steering force to the steering wheel
in the direction required for vehicle stabilisation.
This steering support is provided in particular if:
R both right wheels or both left wheels are on a
wet or slippery road surface when you brake
R the vehicle begins to skid
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 67).
No steering support is provided from STEER
CONTROL, if:
R ESP ®
is deactivated
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning
R the steering is faulty
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, you will be assisted
further by the electrical power steering. Protection against theft
Immobiliser
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
X To activate with the key: remove the key
from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO start func-
tion or KEYLESS-GO: switch the ignition off
and open the driver's door.
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 activate: lock the vehicle with the key or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm system
is activated after approximately ten seconds.
X To deactivate: unlock the vehicle with the
key or KEYLESS-GO.
or X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
or X Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start function
or KEYLESS-GO: press the Start/Stop but-
ton.
The key must be in the vehicle.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is activated and you open: R a door
R the vehicle with the emergency key element
R the boot lid
R the bonnet
R the stowage compartment / telephone com-
partment under the armrest in vehicles with
automatic transmission
X To stop the alarm with the key: press the
% or& button on the key.
The alarm stops.
or 78
Protection against theftSafety

Removing the emergency key element
X
Push release catch :in the direction of the
arrow and, at the same time, remove emer-
gency key element ;from the key.
Further information on locking/unlocking the
driver's door (Y page 89).
Inserting the emergency key element X
Push emergency key element ;completely
into the key until it engages and release
catch :is back in its basic position. Battery of the key
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Batteries contain toxic and corrosive substan- ces. If batteries are swallowed, it can result in
severe health problems. There is a risk of fatal injury.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children. If
a battery is swallowed, seek medical attention immediately. H
Environmental note Batteries contain pollutants.
It is illegal to dispose of them with the household rubbish.
They must be collected sep-
arately and disposed of in an environmentally responsible
recycling system.
Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or to a col-
lection point for used batter-
ies.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the
batteries replaced at a qualified specialist work- shop.
Checking the battery X
Press the &or% button.
The battery is working properly if battery
check lamp :lights up briefly.
The battery is discharged if battery check
lamp :does not light up briefly.
X Replace the battery (Y page 84).
If the key battery is checked within the signal
reception range of the vehicle, pressing the
& or% button:
R locks or
R unlocks the vehicle
i You can obtain a battery from any qualified
specialist workshop.
Replacing the battery You require a CR 2025 3 V cell battery.
X Take the emergency key element out of the
key (Y page 84). 84
KeyOpening and closing