2016 MERCEDES-BENZ CLA COUPE traction control

1, 2, 3 ...
4ETS (Electronic Traction System) see ETS/4ETS (Electronic Trac-
tion System)
4MATIC
Display message ............................ 244
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel
drive) .................................................. 176
12 V socket
see Sockets A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) Display message ............................ 217
Function/notes ................................ 66
Important safety notes .................... 66
Warning lamp .................................2 50
Accident
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................. 53
Activating media mode
General notes ................................ 266
Activating/deactivating air-recir-
culation mode ................................... .124
Activating/deactivating cooling
with air dehumidification ................. 121
Active Brake Assist
Activating or deactivating .............. 209
Display message ............................ 223
Function/notes ................................ 67
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ................................. 73
Adaptive brake lights .......................... 69
Adaptive Damping System
Function/notes ............................ .176
Adaptive Highbeam Assist
Display message ............................ 231
Function/notes ............................ .109
Switching on/off ........................... 110
Additional speedometer ................... 210
Additives (engine oil) ........................ 331
Address book
See also Digital Owner's Manual ... 259
Adjusting the headlamp range ......... 108
Adjusting the volume
COMAND Online ............................ 260 Adjusting volume
Audio 20 ........................................ 260
Air conditioning
General notes ................................ 117
Air filter (white display message) .... 234
Air pressure
see Tyre pressure
Air vents
Important safety notes .................. 130
Rear ............................................... 131
Setting the centre air vents ........... 131
Setting the side air vents .............. .131
Air-conditioning system
see Climate control
Airbag
Automatic front-passenger front
airbag deactivatio n .......................... 47
Introduction ..................................... 44
PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator
lamps ............................................... 40
Airbags
Display message ............................ 226
Front airbag (driver, front
passenger) ....................................... 45
Important safety guidelines ............. 44
Kneebag .......................................... .46
Sidebag ............................................ 46
Triggering ......................................... 51
Windowbag ...................................... 46
Alarm
ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system) ......... 73
Switching off (ATA) .......................... 73
Switching the function on/off
(ATA) ................................................ 73
Alarm system
see ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
AMG
Performance Seat .......................... 101
RIDE CONTROL sports suspen-
sion ................................................ 175
AMG menu (on-board computer) ..... 213
AMG Performance exhaust sys-
tem ..................................................... 139
AMG RIDE CONTROL
General Information ....................... 175
Anti-glare film .................................... 279
Anti-lock braking system
see ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) 4
Index

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

engine. This relieves the load on the brake sys-
tem and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
When the engine is running, you can use the
cruise control lever to limit the speed to any
speed between 30 km/h and the technically
permitted maximum speed of the vehicle. If the
set value of the permanent limiter is lower, then this value applies (Y page 166).
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions are appropriate for maintaining a steady speed for a prolonged period.
The speed indicated in the speedometer may
differ slightly from the speed stored.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of an accident
nor override the laws of physics. Cruise control
cannot take into account road, weather or traffic conditions. Cruise control 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.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which 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 in poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow.
If a new driver takes over, advise the new driver
of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever :
To activate or increase speed
; LIM indicator lamp =
To activate at the current speed/last stored
speed
? To activate or reduce speed
A To switch between cruise control and the
variable speed limiter
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and the variable speed limiter with the cruise control lever.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp off: cruise control is
selected
R LIM indicator lamp on: variable limiter is
selected.
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for
five seconds.
Selecting cruise control X
To select cruise control: check whether LIM
indicator lamp ;is on or off.
If it is off, cruise control is already selected.
X If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow A.
LIM indicator lamp ;in the cruise control
lever goes out. Cruise control is selected.
Activation conditions To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
R the electric parking brake must be released.
R you are driving faster than 30 km/h.
R ESP ®
must be switched on, but not interven-
ing.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission, the
selector lever must be in position D.
R on vehicles with manual transmission, a gear
must be engaged.
R cruise control must be selected.
Storing, maintaining and calling up a
speed Storing and maintaining the current
speed
You can store the current speed if you are driv-
ing faster than 30 km/h. Driving systems
163Driving and parking Z

Do not use Distance Pilot DISTRONIC:
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 in poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may not detect nar-
row vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
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, e.g. in multi-storey
car parks
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC no longer detects a vehicle in front, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC 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 on the right lane that you pass
vehicles driving in the left lane
R be so high in the left lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving in the right lane
If a new driver takes over, advise the new driver
of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever :
To store the current speed or a higher speed
; To set the specified minimum distance
= LIM indicator lamp
? To store the current speed or call up the last
stored speed
A To store the current speed or a lower speed B
To switch between Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC and the variable limiter
C To deactivate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
With the cruise control lever, you can operate
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC and the variable lim-
iter.
LIM indicator lamp =on the cruise control lever
indicates which system you have selected:
R LIM indicator lamp= =off:distance Pilot
DISTRONIC is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp= =on:variable limiter is
selected.
Selecting Distance Pilot DISTRONIC X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp =is off.
If it is off, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is already selected.
X If it is not, press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow B.
LIM indicator lamp =in the cruise control
lever goes out. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is
selected.
Activating Distance Pilot DISTRONIC Activation conditions
! When Distance Pilot DISTRONIC or the
HOLD function is activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations.
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC and the HOLD
function in the following or similar situations:
R when towing away
R in a car wash
To activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC, the fol-
lowing conditions must be fulfilled:
R The engine must be running. It may take up to
two minutes of driving before Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC is ready for use.
R The electric parking brake must be released.
R ESP ®
must be switched on, but not interven-
ing.
R Parking Pilot must not be activated.
R The transmission must be in position D.
R The driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened. 168
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

is an increased risk of skidding and having an
accident. Make sure that no persons, animals
or obstacles are within range of the vehicle.
RACE START enables optimum acceleration
from a standing start. For this, a suitably high-
grip road surface is required; the tyres and vehi-
cle must also be in good condition.
i Observe the safety notes on driving safety
systems (Y page 66).
Be sure to read the safety notes and informa-
tion on ESP ®
(Y page 69).
Activation conditions You can activate RACE START if:
R the doors, the bonnet and the boot lid are
closed
R the engine is running and the transmission,
traction control and engine are at operating
temperature
R the steering wheel is in the straight-ahead
position
R the vehicle is stationary and the brake pedal is
depressed (left foot)
R the transmission is in position D
R one of the drive programs S,S+ orRACE is
selected (Y page 141)
Activating RACE START X
Depress the brake pedal with your left foot
and keep it depressed.
X Pull and hold both steering wheel gearshift
paddles.
X The RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP RACE START Confirm: Paddle UP
Cancel: Paddle DOWN
Cancel: Paddle DOWN message appears in
the multifunction display.
X Release both steering wheel gearshift pad-
dles.
i If the activation conditions are no longer ful-
filled, RACE START is cancelled. The RACE
RACE
START not possible See Owner's Man‐
START not possible See Owner's Man‐
ual
ual message appears in the multifunction
display. X
To cancel: pull the left steering wheel shift
paddle (Y page 150).
or X To confirm: pull the right steering wheel shift
paddle (Y page 150).
The RACE START available Depress
RACE START available Depress
accelerator
accelerator message appears in the multi-
function display.
i If you do not depress the accelerator pedal
within a few seconds, RACE START is cancel-
led. The multifunction display shows the
RACE START cancelled RACE START cancelled message.
X Fully depress the accelerator pedal.
The engine speed increases.
The RACE RACE START
START Release
Release brake
braketo
tostart
start
message appears in the multifunction display.
i If the brake pedal is not released after a
short while, RACE START is cancelled. The
multifunction display shows the RACE RACESTART
START
cancelled
cancelled message.
X Take your foot off the brake, but keep the
accelerator pedal depressed.
The vehicle pulls away at maximum acceler-
ation.
The RACE RACE START
START active
active message appears in
the multifunction display.
RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 50 km/h.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if you
release the accelerator pedal during RACE
START or if any of the activation conditions are
no longer fulfilled. The RACE START not pos‐
RACE START not pos‐
sible sible orRACE START cancelled
RACE START cancelled message
appears in the multifunction display.
i After using it several times in short succes-
sion, RACE START will be unavailable until a
certain distance has been driven. AMG RIDE CONTROL
General notes The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort. Driving systems
175Driving and parking Z

Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Check tyre(s)
Check tyre(s) The tyre pressure in one or more tyres has dropped significantly. The
wheel position appears in the multifunction display.
A warning tone also sounds.
G WARNING
Underinflated tyres pose the following risks:
R the tyres may burst, especially as the load and vehicle speed
increase
R the tyres may wear excessively and/or unevenly, which may greatly
impair tyre traction
R the driving characteristics, as well as steering and braking, may be
greatly impaired
There is a risk of an accident.
X Stop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
manoeuvres. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 155).
X Check the tyres and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a flat
tyre (Y page 294).
X Check the tyre pressure (Y page 315).
X If necessary, correct the tyre pressure. Warning tyre defect Warning tyre defect The tyre pressure in one or more tyres has dropped suddenly. The
wheel position appears in the multifunction display.
G WARNING
If you drive with a flat tyre, there is a risk of the following hazards: R a flat tyre impairs the ability to steer or brake the vehicle
R you could lose control of the vehicle
R continued driving with a flat tyre will cause excessive heat build-up
and possibly a fire
There is a risk of an accident.
X Stop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
manoeuvres. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 155).
X Check the tyres and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a flat
tyre (Y page 294). Tyre Tyre
press.
press. monitor
monitor
currently unavaila‐
currently unavaila‐
ble ble No signals can be received from the tyre pressure sensors due to
strong RF interference. The tyre pressure monitor is temporarily mal-
functioning.
X Drive on.
The tyre pressure monitor restarts automatically as soon as the
cause has been rectified. 240
Display
messagesOn-board computer and displays