Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are
inattentive, the driving safety systems can nei-
ther reduce the risk of an accident nor override the laws of physics. Driving safety systems are
merely aids designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for maintaining the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in
good time and for staying in lane. Always adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road and
weather conditions and maintain a safe 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. Please pay special attention to the
notes on tyres, recommended minimum tyre
tread depths etc. (Y page 310).
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary, snow
chains. Only in this way will the driving safety
systems described in this section work as effec-
tively as possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General notes ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way that
the wheels do not lock when you brake. This
allows you to continue steering the vehicle when braking.
The ! ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h,
regardless of road-surface conditions. ABS
works on slippery surfaces, even when you only
brake gently.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 66). 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 250) and display mes-
sages which may be shown in the instrument
cluster (Y page 217).
Braking X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uation is over.
X To make a full brake application: depress
the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a
pulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indication
of hazardous road conditions; this serves as a
reminder to take extra care while driving. BAS (Brake Assist)
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
Read the "Important safety notes" section
(Y page 66). 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. 66
Driving safety systemsSafety
Braking assistance appropriate to the situation
can also detect stationary objects, up to vehicle
speeds of around 70 km/h.
If braking assistance appropriate to the situa-
tion demands particularly high brake pressure,
preventative passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE ®
) are triggered simultaneously
(Y page 53).
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if: R you release the brake pedal
R a danger of collision with the vehicle in front
no longer exists
R no obstacle is detected in front of your vehicle
Braking assistance appropriate to the situation
is then deactivated.
Important safety notes i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 66).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, Adaptive Brake Assist may not
intervene in all critical conditions. The risk of
an accident remains.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist might:
R intervene unnecessarily
R not intervene
The risk of an accident remains.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. Due to the nature of the system, complex but
non-critical driving conditions may also cause
Active Brake Assist to intervene.
Even if Active Brake Assist is not available due to a malfunction in the radar sensor system, the
brake system is still available with full brake
boosting effect and BAS. Adaptive brake lights
The adaptive brake lights warn following traffic
in an emergency braking situation by: R flashing brake lamps
R the hazard warning lamps are activated
If you brake sharply from a speed of more than
50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS or BAS
PLUS, the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way,
traffic travelling behind you is warned in an even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more than
70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warning
lamps are activated automatically. If the brakes
are applied again, the brake lamps light up con-
tinuously. The hazard warning lamps switch off
automatically if you travel faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off the hazard warning
lamps using the hazard warning button
(Y page 109). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 66).
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. Driving safety systems
69Safety Z
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 66).
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
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 66). 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.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing your
vehicle with the front axle raised, it is important
that you observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 306).
If the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
continuously, ESP ®
is deactivated.
If the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp and the å
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Read the information on warning lamps
(Y page 252) and display messages that may be
shown in the instrument cluster (Y page 217).
Use only wheels with the recommended tyre
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly.
Characteristics of ESP ®General information
If the ÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
you begin the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active. If ESP
®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp
flashes on the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X When pulling away, depress the accelerator
pedal only 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 pulling away again, the engine
starts automatically. ESP ®
remains in its previ-
ously selected status. Example:if ESP®
was
deactivated before the engine was switched off,
ESP ®
remains deactivated when the engine is
switched on again.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®
(except
Mercedes ‑AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
i Read the "Important safety notes" section
(Y page 66).
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.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut for
better traction on loose surfaces.
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
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle 70
Driving safety systemsSafety
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to
spin.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®
You can deactivate or activate ESP ®
via the on-
board computer (Y page 209).
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 in the
instrument cluster flashes. 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 PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; it is not
activated even if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
R STEER CONTROL is no longer active
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(Mercedes ‑AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
i Read the "Important safety notes" section
(Y page 66).
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
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 Driving safety systems
71Safety Z
SPORT handling mode
SPORT handling mode
message appears in
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 in
the instrument cluster.
The ÷ OFF
OFF message appears in the multi-
function display.
X To activate ESP ®
:briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp on the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷ESP®
ON
ON message appears in 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
R the engine's torque is only restricted to a limi-
ted degree and the drive wheels may start to spin
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut for better traction on loose surfaces.
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 in the
instrument cluster does not flash. 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
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut for
better traction on loose surfaces.
R traction control is still activated R
Active Brake 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 ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation General notes
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 only stabilise the vehicle/trailer
combination 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. 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. 72
Driving safety systemsSafety
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 about:
R Unlocking the driver's door (Y page 85)
R Unlocking the boot (Y page 88)
R Locking the vehicle (Y page 85)
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
battery 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 79).
i If the key battery is checked within the sig-
nal 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 78). Key
79Opening and closing Z
:
Release lever
; To adjust the steering wheel height
= To adjust the steering wheel position (fore-
and-aft adjustment)
X Push release lever :down completely.
The steering column is unlocked.
X Adjust the steering wheel to the desired posi-
tion.
X Push release lever :up as far as it will go.
The steering column is locked.
X Check that the steering column is locked.
When doing so, try to push the steering wheel
up or down or try to move it in the fore-and-aft
direction. Mirrors
Rear-view mirror
X
Anti-dazzle mode: pivot anti-dazzle
switch :forwards or back. Exterior mirrors
Adjusting the exterior mirrors G
WARNING
You could lose control of the vehicle while
driving if you:
R adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel or
mirrors
R fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirrors and fasten your seat
belt before starting the engine. G
WARNING
The exterior mirrors reduce the size of the
image. Objects visible in the mirrors are
closer than they appear. You could misjudge
the distance from road users driving behind
you when changing lanes, for instance. There is a risk of an accident.
You should therefore always look over your
shoulder to determine the actual distance
from road users driving behind you. X
Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 133).
X Exterior mirror on the front-passenger side:
press button ;.
Exterior mirror on the driver's side: press but- ton :.
The indicator lamp in the corresponding but-
ton lights up in red.
The indicator lamp goes out again after some
time. You can adjust the selected exterior Mirrors
103Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z
Exterior lighting
General notes
For reasons of safety, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you drive with the lights switched on even during the daytime. In some countries,
operation of the headlamps varies due to legal
requirements and self-imposed obligations. Driving abroad
Symmetrical dipped beam It is not necessary to switch your headlamps to
symmetrical dipped beam when driving in coun- tries where vehicles are driven on the opposite
side of the road to the country in which the vehi- cle is registered. Legal requirements are fulfilled
without switching the headlamps to symmetri-
cal dipped beam. Setting the exterior lighting
Setting options Exterior lighting can be set using the:
R light switch
R combination switch (Y page 109)
R headlamp range adjustment (only vehicles
with halogen headlamps) (Y page 108)
R on-board computer (Y page 211)
Light switch Operation
1
W
Left-hand parking lamps
2 X
Right-hand parking lamps 3
T
Side lamps, licence plate and instru-
ment cluster lighting
4 Ã
Automatic headlamp mode, controlled
by the light sensor
5L Dipped-beam/main-beam headlamps
B R
Rear foglamp
If you hear a warning tone when you leave the
vehicle, the lights may still be switched on.
X Turn the light switch to the Ãposition.
The exterior lighting (except the side lamps or
parking lamps) switches off automatically if you: R remove the key from the ignition lock
R open the driver's door with the key in posi-
tion 0in the ignition lock
Automatic headlamp mode à is the preferred light switch position. The
light setting is automatically selected according
to the brightness of the ambient light (excep-
tion: poor visibility due to weather conditions
such as fog, snow or spray):
R Key in position 1in the ignition lock: the side
lamps are switched on or off automatically
depending on light conditions.
R With the engine running: depending on the
ambient light conditions, the daytime driving
lights or the side lamps and dipped-beam
headlamps are switched on or off automati-
cally
X To switch on automatic headlamp mode:
turn the light switch to the
Ãposition. G
WARNING
When the light switch is set to Ã, the
dipped-beam headlamps may not be switched on automatically if there is fog, snow or othercauses of poor visibility due to the weather
conditions such as spray. There is a risk of an
accident.
In such situations, turn the light switch to
L.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an aid.
The driver is responsible for the vehicle lighting at all times.
The daytime driving lights improve the visibility
of your vehicle during the day.
If the side lamps and dipped-beam headlamps
are switched on, the green indicator lamps T Exterior lighting
107Lights and windscreen wipers Z