2016 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS CABRIOLET warning light

R
ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 72)
R EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 75)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 76)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 76)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 78) Important safety notes
The driving safety systems can neither reduce
the risk of an accident if you fail to adapt your
driving style or are not paying attention nor
override the laws of physics. Driving safety sys-
tems 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 pre-
vailing road and weather conditions and main-
tain a safe distance from the vehicle in front.
Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described work as
effectively as possible only when there is ade-
quate contact between the tyres and the road
surface. Pay particular attention to the informa-
tion regarding tyres, recommended minimum
tyre tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and tyres" section (Y page 342).
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 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 on 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
brake only gently. Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 67). 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 275) and display mes-
sages that may be shown on the instrument
cluster (Y page 242).
Brakes 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 67). Driving safety systems
67Safety Z

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 132).
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle, have the configuration and operation of the
radar sensor 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 233). 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 on the
assistance display.
Distance warning function General information
The distance warning function can help you to
minimise the risk of a rear-end collision with a
vehicle ahead 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 67). 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.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation; do not rely on the distance warning
function alone.
Function The distance warning function issues a warning at speeds:
R of approximately 30 km/h or more if, over
several seconds, the distance maintained to
the vehicle travelling in front is insufficient.
The · distance warning lamp will then
light up on the instrument cluster.
R of approximately 7 km/h or more if you are
rapidly approaching a vehicle in front. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and
the · distance warning lamp will light up
on the instrument cluster. 70
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

G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react:
R to small people, e.g. children
R to animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may neither
give warnings nor intervene in all critical sit-
uations. There is a risk of an accident.
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
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different line
Detection by the camera system is also impaired
in the following situations:
R dirt on the camera or obscured camera
R glare on the camera system, e.g. from the sun
being low in the sky
R darkness
R if:
- pedestrians move quickly, e.g. into the path
of the vehicle
- the camera system no longer detects a
pedestrian as a person due to special cloth-
ing or other objects
- a pedestrian is concealed by other objects
- the typical outline of a pedestrian is not
distinguishable from the background
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle, have the radar sensor settings and operation
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. Following damage to the windscreen, have the
configuration and operation of the camera sys-
tem checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Function X
To activate/deactivate: activate or deacti-
vate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-board com-
puter (Y page 233).
If the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is not activated, the
æ symbol appears on the multifunction
display.
This function will issue a warning if: R at a speed of around 30 km/h or more, the
distance maintained to the vehicle travelling
in front is insufficient for several seconds
The · distance warning lamp will then
light up on the instrument cluster.
R at a speed of around 7 km/h or more, you
rapidly approach a vehicle in front or a pedes-
trian
An intermittent warning tone will then sound
and the ·distance warning lamp will light
up on the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately to rectify the situation.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
The PRE-SAFE ®
Brake function can also brake
the vehicle automatically under the following
conditions:
R the driver and front passenger have their seat
belts fastened
R the vehicle speed is between approximately
7 km/h and 200 km/h
At speeds of up to approximately 70 km/h, PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake can also detect:
R stationary objects in the path of your vehicle,
e.g. stopped or parked vehicles
R pedestrians in the path of your vehicle
i If an increased danger of collision exists,
preventative passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE ®
) are triggered (Y page 57).
If the danger of collision with the vehicle in front remains and you do not brake, take evasive
action or accelerate quickly, the vehicle may
perform automatic emergency braking up to the point of full brake application. Automatic full
brake application is not performed until imme-
diately prior to an imminent accident. Driving safety systems
77Safety Z

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

Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions You have lost a key. X
Have the key deactivated at a qualified specialist workshop.
X Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
X If necessary, have the locks changed as well. You have lost the emer-
gency key element. X
Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
X If necessary, have the locks changed as well. Doors
Important safety notes
United Kingdom only: G
WARNING
When the double locks are activated, the
doors can no longer be opened from the
inside. People in the vehicle can no longer get out, e.g. in hazardous situations. There is a
risk of injury.
Therefore, do not leave any people unsuper-
vised in the vehicle, particularly children, eld-
erly people or people in need of special assis-
tance. Do not activate the double lock when
people are in the vehicle.
If the vehicle has been locked from the outside, the double lock function is activated as stand-
ard. It is then not possible to open the doors
from inside the vehicle. You can deactivate the
double lock function by deactivating the interior
motion sensor (see Digital Owner's Manual).
The doors can then be opened from the inside
after the vehicle has been locked from the out-
side. The anti-theft alarm system is triggered if
the door is opened from the inside. Switch off
the alarm (Y page 78).
All countries: G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open doors, thereby endangering other per-
sons or road users
R get out and be struck by oncoming traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example In addition, the children could also set the
vehicle in motion, for example, if they:
R release the parking brake
R shift the automatic transmission out of park
position P or shift manual transmission into
neutral
R start the engine
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 and animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Keep the keys out of the reach of children. Unlocking and opening the doors
from the inside
When a door is opened, the side window on that side opens slightly. When the door is closed, the
side window is raised again.
! The side windows will not open/close if the
battery is discharged or if the side windows
have iced up. It will then not be possible to
close the door. Do not attempt to force the
door to close. You could otherwise damage
the door or the side window.
United Kingdom only: if the vehicle has been
locked with the key or with KEYLESS-GO, the
double lock function is activated as standard. It is then not possible to open the doors from
inside the vehicle. You can deactivate the dou-
ble lock function by deactivating the interior
motion sensor (see Digital Owner's Manual).
The doors can then be opened from the inside
after the vehicle has been locked from the out-
side. The anti-theft alarm system is triggered if
the door is opened from the inside. Switch off
the alarm (Y page 78).
For all countries except the United Kingdom: Doors
87Opening and closing Z