2016 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS CABRIOLET traction control

1, 2, 3 ...
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) see ETS/4ETS (Electronic Trac-
tion System)
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel
drive) .................................................. 184
4MATIC off-road system ...................184
12 V socket
see Socket (12 V)
360° camera
Cleaning ......................................... 320
Display in the multimedia system .. 199
Function/notes ............................ .197 A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) Display message ............................ 242
Function/notes ................................ 67
Warning lamp ................................. 275
Accident
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................. 59
Activating media mode
General notes ................................ 294
Activating/deactivating air-recir-
culation mode ................................... .129
Activating/deactivating cooling
with air dehumidification ................. 127
Active Blind Spot Assist
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 233
Display message ............................ 260
Function/notes ............................ .207
Active Lane Keeping Assist
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 234
Display message ............................ 259
Function/notes ............................ .210
Active light function ......................... 117
Active Light System
Display message ............................ 253
Active Parking Assist
Cancelling ...................................... 192
Detecting parking spaces .............. 189
Display message ............................ 260
Exiting a parking space .................. 191 Function/notes ............................
.188
Important safety notes .................. 188
Parking .......................................... 190
Towing a trailer .............................. 188
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ................................. 76
Adaptive Brake Assist
Function/notes ................................ 71
Adaptive brake lights .......................... 72
Adaptive Damping System
Function/notes ............................ .183
Adaptive Damping System (ADS) ..... 183
Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus
Display message ............................ 254
Function/notes ............................ .117
Switching on/off ........................... 118
AdBlue ®
Additive ......................................... 364
Display message ............................ 257
Displaying level and range ............. 232
Filling capacity ............................... 365
Important safety notes .................. 364
Low outside temperatures ............. 364
Purity ............................................. 364
Topping up ..................................... 156
Additional speedometer ................... 236
Additives (engine oil) ........................ 366
Address book
See also Digital Owner's Manual ... 284
Adjusting the headlamp range ......... 116
Adjusting the volume
Multimedia system ........................ 285
Air conditioning
General notes ................................ 125
Air filter (white display message) .... 257
Air pressure
see Tyre pressure
Air vents
Important safety notes .................. 130
Rear ............................................... 131
Setting .......................................... .130
Setting the blower output of the
AIRSCARF vents ............................ .131
Setting the centre air vents ........... 131
Setting the side air vents .............. .131
Switching AIRSCARF on/off .......... 107
Air-conditioning system
see Climate control 4
Index

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

You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration,
steering and braking manoeuvres. Do not use
cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Vehicles with manual transmission: shift
to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the transmission to position
N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by using
corrective steering.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in wooded areas or on bridges. The vehicle could
skid if you fail to adapt your driving style. Always adapt your driving style and drive at a speed to
suit the prevailing weather conditions.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point.
Further information on driving with snow chains
(Y page 345).
Further information on driving with summer
tyres (Y page 344).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (Y page 344). Driving systems
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive stands for inno-
vative driver assistance and safety systems
which enhance comfort and support the driver in critical situations. With these intelligent co-ordi-
nated systems Mercedes-Benz has set a mile-
stone on the path towards autonomous driving.
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive embraces all
elements of active and passive safety in one well
thought-out system – for the safety of the vehi-
cle occupants and that of other road users.
Further information on driving safety systems
(Y page 66). Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. Shift to a lower gear in
good time on long and steep downhill gradients.
Take particular note of this when driving a laden vehicle and when towing a trailer. By doing so,
you will make use of the braking effect of the
engine. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions are appropriate for maintaining a steadyspeed for a prolonged period. You can store anyroad speed above 30 km/h. If you have set a
permanent limit speed, you cannot set the
speed any higher than the fixed limit speed
(Y page 171).
Important safety notes Cruise control can neither reduce the risk of an
accident if you fail to adapt your driving style nor
override the laws of physics. Cruise control can- not take into account road, weather or traffic
conditions. Cruise control is only an aid. You are
responsible for maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for brak-
ing in good time and for staying in lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions that do not allow
you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads.
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or accel-
erating can cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow.
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the speed stored. Driving systems
167Driving and parking Z

G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot always clearly rec-
ognise other road users and complex traffic
conditions.
In such cases, DISTRONIC PLUS may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R neither give a warning nor intervene
R accelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be prepared to
brake, particularly if DISTRONIC PLUS warns
you. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with up to 50% of the maximum possible deceleration.
If this deceleration is not sufficient,
DISTRONIC PLUS alerts you with a visual and
acoustic warning. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Apply the brakes yourself in these situations
and try to take evasive action.
! When DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD func-
tion is activated, the vehicle brakes automat- ically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS and the HOLD function in
the following or similar situations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
DISTRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk of
an accident if you fail to adapt your driving style
nor override the laws of physics. DISTRONIC
PLUS cannot take into account road, weather or traffic conditions. DISTRONIC PLUS is only an
aid. You are responsible for maintaining a safe
distance, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in lane. Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
R in traffic conditions that do not allow you to
maintain a constant speed, e.g. in heavy traf-
fic or on winding roads
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or accel-
erating can cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow vehi-
cles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or vehi-
cles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R strong radar reflections, e.g. in multi-storey
car parks
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehicle
in front, it may unexpectedly accelerate to the
speed stored.
This speed can:
R be too high for a filter lane or a slip road
R be so high in the right lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving on the left (in countries where
they drive on the right)
R be so high in the left lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving on the right (in countries where
they drive on the left)
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever :
To activate or increase speed
; Setting the specified minimum distance
= LIM indicator lamp 172
Driving systemsDriving and parking

i
The mode can also be set using the
DYNAMIC SELECT switch (Y page 141).
This is only possible if:
R with the AMG RIDE CONTROL sports sus-
pension button on the centre console, and
R with the DYNAMIC SELECT switch, the
same mode is selected for the suspension.
This is the case, for example, when both are
set to Comfort mode.
If the ignition is switched off for less than four
hours, the previously selected drive program is
activated when the engine is next started. If the ignition is switched off for more than four hours,
Comfort mode is activated when the engine is
next started.
Sport mode The firmer suspension setting in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty driv-
ing style, e.g. on winding country roads.
X Press button :once.
Indicator lamp =lights up. You have selected
Sport mode.
The AMG Ride Control SPORT
AMG Ride Control SPORT message
appears in the multifunction display.
Sport + mode The very firm suspension setting in Sport +
mode ensures optimum contact with the road.
Select this mode only when driving on race cir-
cuits.
If indicator lamps ;and =are off:
X Press button :twice.
Indicator lamps ;and =light up. You have
selected Sport + mode. The
AMG Ride Control SPORT + AMG Ride Control SPORT + message
appears in the multifunction display.
If indicator lamp =lights up:
X Press button :once.
Second indicator lamp ;lights up. You have
selected Sport + mode.
The AMG Ride Control SPORT + AMG Ride Control SPORT + message
appears in the multifunction display.
Comfort mode In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics of
your vehicle are more comfortable. Select this
mode if you prefer a more comfortable driving
style, but also when driving fast on straight
roads, e.g. motorways.
X Press button :repeatedly until indicator
lamps ;and =go out.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG Ride Control COMFORT AMG Ride Control COMFORT message
appears in the multifunction display. 4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures permanent drive for all four
wheels. Together with ESP ®
, it improves the
traction of your vehicle whenever a drive wheel
spins due to insufficient grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are inattentive, 4MATIC can neither reduce the risk
of an accident nor override the laws of physics.
4MATIC does not take into account
R the road and weather conditions
R the traffic situation
4MATIC is only an aid. You are responsible for
the distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle
speed, for braking in good time and for staying in
lane.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R When pulling away, only depress the acceler-
ator pedal as far as is necessary.
R accelerate less when driving.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle raised.
This may damage the transfer case. Damage
of this sort is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz implied warranty. All wheels must
remain either on the ground or be fully raised.
Observe the instructions for towing the vehi- 184
Driving systemsDriving and parking