
Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS (Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 68)
R BAS (Brake AssistSystem) (Y page 69)
R BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist ( Brake
Assist System PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist)
(Y page 69)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(Y page 70)
R Adaptive brake lights (Y page 73)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 73)
R EBD (electronic brake forcedistribution)
(Y page 77)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 77)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 77)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 79)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 356).
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 68). 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 283) and display mes-
sages that may be shown on the instrument
cluster (Y page 250).
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. 68
Driving safety syste
msSafety

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.
X Brake immediately to increase the distance
from the vehicle in front.
or X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
Due to the nature of the system, certain com-
plex but non-critical driving conditions may also
cause the system to display a warning.
With the help of the radar sensor system, the
distance warning function can detect obstacles
that are in the path of your vehicle for an exten-
ded period of time.
Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h, the
distance warning function can also react to sta-
tionary obstacles, such as stopped or parked
vehicles.
Autonomous braking function If the driver does not react to the distance warn-
ing signal in a critical situation, COLLISION PRE- VENTION ASSIST PLUS can assist with the
autonomous braking function.
Vehicles without DISTRONIC PLUS: the
autonomous braking function is available in the
following speed ranges:
R 7–105 km/h for moving objects
R 7–50 km/h for stationary objects
Vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS: the autono-
mous braking function is available in the follow-
ing speed ranges:
R 7–200 km/h for moving objects
R 7–50 km/h for stationary objects
Due to the nature of the system, complex but
non-critical driving conditions may also cause
the autonomous braking function to engage. If the autonomous braking function demands
particularly high braking force, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
)
are activated simultaneously (Y page 55).
Adaptive Brake Assist General information
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68).
With the help of the radar sensor system, Adap- tive Brake Assist can detect obstacles that are in
the path of your vehicle for an extended period
of time.
If Adaptive Brake Assist detects a risk of colli-
sion with the vehicle in front, it calculates the
braking force necessary to avoid a collision. If
you apply the brakes forcefully, Adaptive Brake
Assist will automatically increase the braking
force to a level suitable for the traffic conditions.
Adaptive Brake Assist provides braking assis-
tance in hazardous situations at speeds above
7 km/h. It uses the radar sensor system to
assess the traffic situation.
Up to a speed of approximately 250 km/h,
Adaptive Brake Assist is capable of reacting to
moving objects that have already been detected
as such at least once over the period of obser-
vation.
Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h, Adap-
tive Brake Assist reacts to stationary obstacles.
If Adaptive Brake Assist demands a particularly
high brake pressure, preventative passenger
protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated
simultaneously (Y page 55).
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
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 68).72
Driving safety systemsSafety

G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist can:
R intervene unnecessarily
R not intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
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 117). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68).
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 68).
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 68). 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. Driving safety systems
73Safety
Z

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.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(Mercedes‑AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68).
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
OFF message appears on the mul-
tifunction display. Driving safety systems
75Safety Z

G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify people, especially if they are moving. In
these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot inter-
vene. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you.
To maintain the appropriate distance to the
vehicle in front and thus prevent a collision, you
must apply the brakes yourself. 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 241).
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. 78
Driving safety systemsSafety

X
To switch the hazard warning lamps on or
off: press the :button.
All the indicator lamps will flash when the
hazard warning lamps are switched on. If you
now switch on an indicator lamp using the
combination switch, only the indicator lamp
on the corresponding side of the vehicle will
flash.
The hazard warning lamps switch on automati-
cally if:
R an airbag has been triggered or
R the vehicle decelerates rapidly from a speed
of above 70 km/h and comes to a standstill
The hazard warning lamps switch off automati-
cally if the vehicle reaches a speed of above
10 km/h again after a full brake application.
The hazard warning lamps continue to operate
even if the ignition is switched off. Intelligent Light System
General notes The Intelligent Light System is a system that
adjusts the headlamps to suit the prevailing
driving and weather conditions. It offers
advanced functions for improved illumination of the road surface, e.g. depending on the vehicle
speed or weather conditions. The system
includes the active light function, cornering light
function, motorway mode and extended-range
fog lamps. The system is active only when it is
dark.
You can activate/deactivate the Intelligent
Intelligent
Light System Light System function using the on-board
computer (Y page 243).
Active light function The active light function is a system that moves
the headlamps according to the steering move-
ments of the front wheels. In this way, relevant
areas remain illuminated while you are driving.
This allows you to recognise pedestrians,
cyclists and animals sooner.
Active: when the lights are switched on.
Vehicles with Lane Keeping Assist: the active
light function evaluates the course of the lane in which you are driving and adjusts the light in
advance. Cornering light function The cornering light function improves the illu-
mination of the road over a wide angle in the
direction you are turning, enabling better visi-
bility in tight bends, for example. It can be acti-
vated only when the dipped-beam headlamps
are switched on.
Active:
R if you are driving at speeds below 40 km/h
and switch on the turn signal or turn the steer-
ing wheel
R if you are driving at speeds between 40 km/h
and 70 km/h and turn the steering wheel
The cornering light function may remain lit for a short time, but is automatically switched off
after no more than three minutes.
Cornering light function with roundabout
function:
The cornering light function is activated on both
sides before entering a roundabout through an
evaluation of the current GPS position of the
vehicle. It remains active until after the vehicle
has left the roundabout. In this way, pedestrians crossing the road, for example, are illuminated
by your vehicle in good time.
Only vehicles with the COMAND multimedia sys-
tem have this function.
Motorway mode Motorway mode increases the range of the
beam.
Active:if you are driving at a speed above
110 km/h and do not make any large steering
movements for at least 1000 m or if you are
driving at a speed above 130 km/h.
Not active: if you are driving at speeds below
80 km/h following activation.
Extended range fog lamps The extended-range fog lamps reduce the glare
experienced by the driver and improve the illu-
mination of the edge of the carriageway.
Active: if you are driving at speeds below
70 km/h and you switch on the rear fog lamp.
Not active: if, following activation, you are driv-
ing at speeds above 100 km/h or if you switch
off the rear fog lamp. 118
Exterior lightingLights and
windscreen wipers

For this reason, you should always switch off
the windscreen wipers in dry weather. 1
$ Windscreen wipers off
2 Ä Intermittent wiping, normal
3 Å Intermittent wiping, frequent
4 ° Continuous wipe, slow
5 ¯ Continuous wipe, fast
B í Single wipe
î Wipe with washer fluid
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 144).
X Turn the combination switch to the corre-
sponding position.
Vehicles with a rain sensor: in theÅor
Ä position, the appropriate wiping frequency
is automatically set according to the intensity of
the rain. In the Åposition, the rain sensor is
more sensitive than in the Äposition, caus-
ing the windscreen wiper to wipe more fre-
quently.
If the wiper blades are worn, the windscreen will no longer be wiped properly. This could mean
you are unable to observe the traffic conditions. Replacing the wiper blades
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the windscreen wipers begin to move while
you are changing the wiper blades, you can be trapped by the wiper arm. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windscreen wipers and
ignition before changing the wiper blades. !
Never open the bonnet if a windscreen
wiper arm has been folded away from the
windscreen.
Never fold a windscreen wiper arm without a
wiper blade back onto the windscreen.
Hold the windscreen wiper arm firmly when
you change the wiper blade. If you release the
windscreen wiper arm without a wiper blade
and it falls onto the windscreen, the wind-
screen may be damaged by the force of the
impact.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the wiper blades changed at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
! To avoid damaging the windscreen wiper
blades, make sure that you touch only the
wiper arm of the windscreen wiper.
Replacing the windscreen wiper blades Moving the wiper blades to the vertical
position
On vehicles without KEYLESS-GO or KEY-
LESS‑GO start function:
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock (Y page 144).
X Set the windscreen wipers to the °posi-
tion on the combination switch.
X When the wiper arms have reached the verti-
cal position, turn the key to position 0in the
ignition lock and remove it.
X Fold the wiper arm away from the windscreen.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO or KEY-
LESS‑GO start function:
X Switch off the engine.
X Remove your foot from the brake pedal.
X Set the windscreen wipers to the °posi-
tion on the combination switch.
X Press the Start/Stop button repeatedly until
the windscreen wipers start.
X When the wiper arms have reached the verti-
cal position, press the Start/Stop button.
X Fold the wiper arm away from the windscreen. 124
Windscreen wipersLights and windscreen wipers

Key positions with the Start/Stop button
:
Start/Stop button
; Ignition lock
When you switch on the ignition, all the indicator lamps on the instrument cluster light up. For
warning and indicator lamps, see (Y page 280).
If Start/Stop button :has not yet been
pressed, this is the same as the key having been removed.
X To switch on the power supply: press
Start/Stop button :once.
The power supply is switched on. You can now
activate the windscreen wipers, for example.
The power supply is switched off again if:
R the driver's door is opened and
R you press Start/Stop button :twice when in
this position
X To switch on the ignition: press Start/Stop
button :twice.
The ignition is switched on.
The ignition is switched off again if:
R you do not start the engine from this position
within 15 minutes
R you press Start/Stop button :once when in
this position
The power supply is switched off again if:
R the driver's door is opened and
R you press Start/Stop button :once when in
this position
Removing the Start/Stop button
You can remove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock and start the vehicle as normal
using the key.
It is possible to switch between Start/Stop but- ton mode and key operation only when the
transmission is in position j.X
Remove Start/Stop button :from ignition
lock ;.
You do not have to remove the Start/Stop but-
ton from the ignition lock when you leave the
vehicle. You should, however, always take the
key with you when leaving the vehicle. As long as
the key is in the vehicle:
R the vehicle can be started using the Start/
Stop button
R the electrically powered equipment can be
operated Starting the vehicle
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they can:
R open doors and endanger other persons or
road users
R climb out and be injured by the traffic
R operate vehicle equipment and, for exam-
ple, trap themselves.
Children could also set the vehicle in motion, for example by:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
R starting 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 unattended in the vehicle. Always
keep the key out of reach of children. G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation. Driving
145Driving and pa rking Z