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
Drive on carefully. Have ESP
®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
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 283 )and display messages that may be
shown in the instrument cluster (Y page 250).
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 68). 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 ® X
To deactivate: press button:.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp on the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To activate: press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp on the
instrument 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 74
Driving safety systemsSafety
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
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
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
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. 76
Driving safety systemsSafety
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
Correct driver's seat position
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. Observe the following when adjusting steering
wheel
:, seat belt ;and driver's seat =:
R You are as far away from the driver's airbag as
possible.
R You are sitting in an upright position.
R Your thighs are slightly supported by the seat
cushion.
R Your legs are not entirely stretched and you
can depress the pedals properly.
R The back of your head is supported at eye
level by the centre of the head restraint.
R You can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent.
R You can move your legs freely.
R You can see all the displays in the instrument
cluster clearly. R
You have a good overview of traffic condi-
tions.
R The seat belt is pulled snugly against the body
and must be routed across the centre of your
shoulder and across your hips in the pelvic
area.
Further related subjects:
R Adjusting the seats mechanically and electri-
cally (Y page 103).
R Adjusting the seats electrically (Y page 103).
R Adjusting the steering wheel mechanically
(Y page 108).
R Adjusting the steering wheel electrically
(Y page 109).
R Fastening the seat belt correctly (Y page 45).
R Adjusting the rear-view mirror and exterior
mirrors (Y page 111).
R You can store the seat, steering wheel, exte-
rior mirror and head-up display settings with
the memory function (Y page 113). Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If children adjust the seats, they could
become trapped, especially if they are unat-
tended. There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never leave
children unattended in the vehicle.
The seats can still be adjusted when there is no
key in the ignition lock. G
WARNING
When adjusting a seat, you or another vehicle occupant could become trapped by the guiderail of the seat, for instance. There is a risk of
injury.
Make sure that no one has any part of their
body within the sweep of the seat when
adjusting it.
Observe the safety notes on "Airbags"
(Y page 46) and "Children in the vehicle"
(Y page 56). Seats
101Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z
The light setting is automatically selected
according to the brightness of the ambient light,
but not in the event of poor visibility due to
weather conditions such as fog, snow or spray.
R With the key in position 1in the ignition lock,
the side lamps are switched on or off auto-
matically depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.
R The daytime driving lights or the side lamps
and dipped-beam headlamps are switched on
or off automatically while the engine is run-
ning depending on the ambient light condi-
tions.
X To switch on the automatic headlamps:
turn the light switch to the Ãposition.
The daytime driving lights improve the visibility
of your vehicle during the day.
When the side lamps and dipped-beam head-
lamps are switched on, the green Tside
lamps and Ldipped-beam headlamps indi-
cator lamps on the instrument cluster light up.
Dipped-beam headlamps 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.
When the ignition is switched on and the light
switch is in the Lposition, the side lamps
and dipped-beam headlamps are switched on
even if the light sensor does not sense dark
ambient light conditions. This is advantageous
when there is fog or rain.
X To switch on the dipped-beam headlamps:
turn the key in the ignition lock to position 2
or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to the Lposition.
The green Lindicator lamp on the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
Rear fog lamp The rear fog lamp improves the visibility of your
vehicle for the traffic behind in the event of
heavy fog. You must observe the legal require- ments for the country in which you are currently
driving when operating the rear fog lamp.
X To switch on the rear fog lamp: turn the key
in the ignition lock to position 2or start the
engine.
X Turn the light switch to the LorÃ
position.
X Press the Rbutton.
The yellow Rindicator lamp on the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
Side lamps ! When the battery is discharged heavily, the
side lamps or parking lamps are automatically
switched off to facilitate an engine start.
Always park your vehicle safely and in a well lit area, in accordance with the relevant legal
stipulations. Avoid using the Tside lamps
for periods lasting several hours. Where pos-
sible, switch on the right Xor left W
parking lamp.
X To switch on the side lamp: turn the light
switch to the Tposition.
The green Tindicator lamp on the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
Parking lamps Switching on the parking lamps ensures that the
corresponding side of the vehicle is illuminated.
X To switch on the parking lamp: turn the key
to position 0in the ignition lock or remove the
key.
X Turn the light switch to the W(left-hand
side of the vehicle) or X(right-hand side of
the vehicle) position. 116
Exterior lightingLights and windscreen wipers