and to have any malfunctioning air bags
repaired. This will help to make sure the air bags
continue to perform their protective function for the vehicle occupants in the event of a crash. G
WARNING
Emergency Tensioning Devices that have
deployed pyrotechnically are no longer opera- tional and are unable to perform their inten-
ded protective function. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Have pyrotechnically triggered Emergency
Tensioning Devices replaced immediately at a qualified specialist workshop.
If Emergency Tensioning Devices are triggered
or air bags are deployed, you will hear a bang,
and a small amount of powder may also be
released. The 0075restraint system warning
lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hear-
ing. The powder that is released generally does
not constitute a health hazard, but it may cause
short-term breathing difficulties in people with
asthma or other respiratory problems. Provided it is safe to do so, you should leave the vehicle
immediately or open the window in order to pre- vent breathing difficulties.
Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning
Devices (ETDs) contain perchlorate material,
which may require special handling and regard
for the environment. National guidelines must
be observed during disposal. In California, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/
Perchlorate/index.cfm .
Method of operation During the first stage of a collision, the restraint
system control unit evaluates important physi-
cal data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as:
R duration
R direction
R intensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices during a frontal or
rear collision. An Emergency Tensioning Device can only be
triggered, if:
R the ignition is switched on
R the components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further information
under: "Restraint system warning lamp"
(Y page 39)
R the seat belt buckle tongue has engaged in
the belt buckle of the respective front seat
The Emergency Tensioning Devices in the rear
compartment are triggered independently of the lock status of the seat belts.
If the restraint system control unit detects a
more severe accident, further components of
the restraint system are activated independ-
ently of each other in certain frontal collision
situations:
R Front air bags and driver's knee bag
R Window curtain air bag, if the system deter-
mines that deployment can offer additional
protection to that provided by the seat belt
The front-passenger front air bag is activated or deactivated depending on the person on the
front-passenger seat. The front-passenger front air bag can only deploy in an accident if the
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is off.
Observe the information on the PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamps (Y page 39).
Your vehicle has two-stage front air bags. During
the first deployment stage, the front air bag is
filled with propellant gas to reduce the risk of
injuries. The front air bag is fully deployed with
the maximum amount of propellant gas if a sec- ond deployment threshold is reached within a
few milliseconds.
The activation threshold of the Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices and the air bag are determined by evaluating the rate of vehicle deceleration or
acceleration which occurs at various points in
the vehicle. This process is pre-emptive in
nature. Deployment should take place in good
time at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration
and the direction of the force are essentially
determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the collision
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehicle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a deci- Occupant safety
51Safety Z
sive role in the deployment of an air bag. Nor do
they provide an indication of air bag deploy-
ment.
The vehicle can be deformed considerably, with-
out an air bag being deployed. This is the case if only parts which are relatively easily deformed
are affected and the rate of deceleration is not
high. Conversely, air bags may be deployed even
though the vehicle suffers only minor deforma-
tion. This is the case if, for example, very rigid
vehicle parts such as longitudinal body mem-
bers are hit, and sufficient deceleration occurs
as a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a side
impact, the relevant restraint system compo-
nents are deployed independently of each other.
R Side impact air bags on the side where the
impact takes place, independently of the
Emergency Tensioning Device and the use of the seat belt on the driver's seat and outer
seats in the second row
The side impact air bag on the front-
passenger side deploys under the following
conditions:
- the OCS system detects that the front-
passenger seat is occupied or
- the seat belt buckle tongue is engaged in
the belt buckle of the front-passenger seat
R Window curtain air bag on the side of impact,
independently of the use of the seat belt and
independently of whether the front-
passenger seat is occupied
R Emergency Tensioning Devices, if the system
determines that deployment can offer addi-
tional protection in this situation
i Not all air bags are deployed in an accident.
The different air bag systems work independ- ently of each other.
How the air bag system works is determined
by the severity of the accident detected,
especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration and the apparent type of accident:
R Frontal collision
R Side impact Automatic measures after an acci-
dent
Immediately after an accident, the following
measures are implemented, depending on the
type and severity of the impact:
R the hazard warning lamps are activated
R the emergency lighting is activated
R the vehicle doors are unlocked
R the front side windows are lowered
R the drive system and the high-voltage electri-
cal system are switched off
R vehicles with mbrace: automatic emergency
call Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
Accident statistics show that children secured
in the rear seats are safer than children secured
in the front-passenger seat. For this reason,
Mercedes-Benz strongly advises that you install a child restraint system on a rear seat. Children
are generally better protected there.
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 5 ft (1.50 m)in height is traveling in the
vehicle:
R always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The child restraint system must be appropri-
ate to the age, weight and size of the child
R be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes in this section in addition to the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
instructions
R be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant classification system
(OCS)" (Y page 45) G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle, they could:
R open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
R get out and disrupt traffic.
R operate the vehicle's equipment. 52
Children in the vehicleSafety
Active Brake Assist
General information i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 58).
Active Brake Assist consists of a distance warn-
ing function with an autonomous braking func-
tion and braking assistance appropriate to the
situation.
Active Brake Assist can help you to minimize the risk of a collision with the vehicle traveling in
front or reduce the effects of such a collision.
If Active Brake Assist detects that there is a risk
of collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. If you do not react to the visual and audible collision warning, autonomous braking
can be initiated in critical situations. If you apply
the brake yourself in a critical situation, Adap-
tive Brake Assist supports you with braking
assistance appropriate to the situation.
Important safety notes Detection of hazardous situations can be par-
ticularly impaired by:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R there is snow or heavy rain
R there is interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle is traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle is traveling in front on a different line
R new vehicles or after servicing is carried out
on the Active Brake Assist system
Observe the important safety notes in the
"Breaking-in notes" section (Y page 108).
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle, have the configuration and operation of the
radar sensor checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. This also applies to collisions at low
speeds where no visible damage to the front of
the vehicle is apparent.
Activating/deactivating Active Brake Assist is active after every ignition
cycle.
You can activate or deactivate Active Brake
Assist (Y page 162) in the on-board computer. When deactivated, the distance warning func-
tion and the autonomous braking function are
also deactivated.
If Active Brake Assist is deactivated, the 00D4
symbol appears in the assistance graphic dis-
play.
Distance warning function General information
The distance warning function can help you to
minimize the risk of a front-end collision with a
vehicle ahead or reduce the effects of such a
collision. If the distance warning function
detects that there is a risk of a collision, you will
be warned visually and acoustically.
Important safety notesi Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 58). G
WARNING
The distance warning function does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
Thus, the distance warning function cannot
provide a warning in all critical situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and do not rely solely on the distance
warning function. 60
Driving safety systemsSafety
Function
Starting at a speed of approximately 4 mph
(7 km/h), the distance warning function warns
you if you rapidly approach a vehicle in front. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound, and
the 00BA distance warning lamp will light up in
the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately in order 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, particularly
complicated 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 44 mph
(70 km/ h), the distance warning function can
also react to stationary obstacles, such as stop-
ped or parked vehicles.
Autonomous braking function If the driver does not react to the distance warn-
ing signal in a critical situation, Active Brake
Assist can assist the driver with the autonomous braking function.
The autonomous braking function:
R gives the driver more time to react to critical
driving situations
R can help the driver to avoid an accident or
R reduces the effects of an accident
The autonomous braking function is available in
the following speed ranges:
R 4 - 65 mph (7 - 105 km/ h)for moving objects
R 4 - 31 mph (7 - 50 km/h) for stationary
objects
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving conditions
may also cause the Autonomous Braking Func-
tion to intervene. Braking assistance appropriate to the
situation General information
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 58).
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
brake pressure necessary to avoid a collision. If
you apply the brakes forcefully, the braking
assistance adapts to the situation and automat-
ically increases the brake pressure to a degree
appropriate to the traffic situation.
Braking assistance appropriate to the situation
provides braking assistance in hazardous situa- tions at speeds above 4 mph (7 km/h). It uses
radar sensor technology to assess the traffic
situation.
Situation-dependent braking assistance is capa-
ble of reacting to moving objects that have
already been recognized as such at least once
over the period of observation, up to vehicle
speeds of around 155 mph (250 km/h).
Braking assistance appropriate to the situation
can also detect stationary objects, up to vehicle speeds of around 44 mph 70 km/h.
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 there is no longer any danger of a collision.
R no obstacle is detected in front of your vehi-
cle.
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 58). G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles Driving safety systems
61Safety
Z
The braking performance of the electric motor
using recuperative braking is, in some operating modes, either reduced or not effective:
R when the condition of charge of the high-volt-
age battery increases
R if the high-voltage battery is not yet at a nor-
mal operating temperature
R when driving close to the vehicle's maximum
design speed
R when the vehicle is almost stationary
R in transmission position N
R during and after ESP stability control
If you do not make an additional effort to apply
the brake yourself, the braking effect may not be sufficient. If necessary, counteract the reduced
regenerative braking effect by applying the
brake yourself.
Radar-based recuperation The vehicle uses the Active Brake Assist sensors
during radar-based recuperation ( DAUTO
). The
sensors detect the distance to the vehicle ahead
and its speed. The intensity of recuperation is
then automatically adjusted to the current traf-
fic situation.
The range can then be increased by storing
energy efficiently. Adjustment is infinitely vari-
able from overrun mode (no recuperation) to
maximum recuperation.
Maintain sufficient distance to the vehicle in
front. Mercedes-Benz recommends that you
activate Active Brake Assist as a visual and
acoustic aid.
Examples of radar-based recuperation:
R Approaching a slower vehicle, a decelerating
vehicle or when following a vehicle downhill.
Your vehicle decelerates slightly and increa-
ses recuperation.
R Driving when no vehicle is detected in front or
when a vehicle is detected in the far distance or an accelerating vehicle is detected. Your
vehicle switches to overrun mode at higher
speeds.
R Driving on a steep downhill slope. Accelera-
tion downhill is reduced and recuperation is
increased. This is comparable with shifting
down when driving downhill. X
To activate radar-based recuperation: pull
steering wheel paddle shifter 0043or0044
towards you and hold for about one second.
X To deactivate radar-based recuperation:
briefly pull steering wheel paddle shifter 0043
or 0044 towards you.
If you change between radar-based and manual
recuperation, the following levels are activated
depending on the selection via the steering
wheel paddle shifters: 0043
Steering wheel
paddle shifter - selects
D-
(maximum
recuperation) 0044
Steering wheel
paddle shifter + selects
D+
(overrun) In particular, the function of the radar sensors
can be impaired in the case of:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R there is snow or heavy rain
R there is interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle is traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle is traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle,
have the radar sensor settings and operation
checked at a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. This also applies to collisions at
slow speeds where there is no visible damage to the front of the vehicle.
If the radar sensors are not available, the system switches automatically to level Dwith moderate
recuperation. Have the radar sensors checked
at a qualified specialist workshop immediately.
Automatic adjustment of recuperation
on downhill gradients The vehicle can detect steep downhill gradients.
To reduce acceleration downhill and to charge
the high-voltage battery, recuperation is
increased steplessly. This is comparable to the
engine brake in a combustion engine when you
downshift a gear on a downhill gradient.
Automatic adjustment of recuperation on down-
hill gradients is available in level DAUTO
or on 116
TransmissionDriving and parking
Parking Pilot
General notes Parking Pilot is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasound. It measures the road on both sides
of the vehicle. A parking symbol indicates a suit-
able parking space. Active steering intervention
can assist you during maneuvering and parking. Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is also available
(Y page 139).
Important safety notes Parking Pilot is only an aid. It is not a replace-
ment for your attention to your immediate sur-
roundings. You are always responsible for safe
maneuvering, parking and exiting a parking
space. Make sure that no persons, animals or
objects are in the maneuvering range.
When Parking Assist PARKTRONIC is deactiva-
ted, Parking Pilot is also unavailable. G
WARNING
While parking or pulling out of a parking
space, the vehicle swings out and can drive
onto areas of the oncoming lane. This could
result in a collision with another road user.
There is a risk of an accident.
Pay attention to other road users. Stop the
vehicle if necessary or cancel the Parking Pilot parking procedure.
! If unavoidable, you should drive over obsta-
cles such as curbs slowly and not at a sharp
angle. Otherwise, you may damage the
wheels or tires.
Parking Pilot may also display spaces not suita- ble for parking, e.g.:
R where parking or stopping is prohibited
R in front of driveways or entrances and exits
R on unsuitable surfaces
Parking tips:
R On narrow roads, drive as close to the parking
space as possible.
R Parking spaces that are littered or overgrown
might be identified or measured incorrectly.
R Parking spaces that are partially occupied by
trailer drawbars might not be identified as
such or be measured incorrectly. R
Snowfall or heavy rain may lead to a parking
space being measured inaccurately.
R Pay attention to the warning messages of
Parking Pilot PARKTRONIC during the parking
procedure (Y page 140).
R You can intervene to correct the steering pro-
cedure at any time. Parking Pilot will then be
canceled.
R When transporting a load that protrudes from
your vehicle, you must not use Parking Pilot.
R Never use Parking Pilot when snow chains are
mounted.
R Make sure that the tire pressures are always
correct. This has a direct influence on the
parking characteristics of the vehicle.
Use Parking Pilot for parking spaces that are:
R parallel to the direction of travel
R on straight roads, not bends
R on the same level as the road, e.g. not on the
pavement
Detecting parking spaces Objects located above the detection range of
Parking Pilot will not be detected when the park-
ing space is measured. These are not taken into
account when the parking procedure is calcula-
ted, e.g. overhanging loads, truck overhangs or
loading ramps. G
WARNING
If there are objects above the detection range:
R Parking Pilot may steer in too early
R the vehicle may not stop in front of these
objects
You may cause a collision as a result. There is a risk of an accident.
If objects are located above the detection
range, stop and deactivate Parking Pilot.
For further information on the detection range
(Y page 139).
Parking Pilot does not assist you parking in
spaces parallel to the direction of travel if:
R the parking space is on a curb
R the parking space is apparently blocked, for
example by foliage or grass paving blocks 142
Driving systemsDriving and parking
case if the vehicles are driving on the inner side
of their lane.
Due to the nature of the system:
R warnings may be issued in error when driving
close to crash barriers or similar solid lane
borders.
R warnings may be interrupted when driving
alongside particularly long vehicles, e.g.
trucks, for a prolonged time.
Warning display 0043
Warning display
Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds below
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). Vehicles in
the monitoring range are then not indicated.
When Blind Spot Assist is activated, indicator
lamp 0043in the exterior mirrors lights up yellow
at speeds of up to 20 mph (30 km/h). At speeds
above 20 mph (30 km/h), the indicator lamp
goes out and Blind Spot Assist is operational.
If a vehicle is detected within the blind spot
monitoring range at speeds above 20 mph
(30 km/h), warning lamp 0043on the correspond-
ing side lights up red. This warning is always
emitted when a vehicle enters the blind spot
monitoring range from behind or from the side.
When you overtake a vehicle, the warning only
occurs if the difference in speed is less than
7 mph (12 km/h).
The yellow indicator lamp goes out if reverse
gear is engaged. In this event, Blind Spot Assist is no longer active.
The brightness of the indicator/warning lamps
is adjusted automatically according to the ambi-
ent light. Collision warning If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range of
Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the corre-
sponding turn signal, a double warning tone
sounds. Red warning lamp 0043flashes. If the turn
signal remains on, vehicles detected are indica-
ted by the flashing of red warning lamp 0043.
There are no further warning tones.
Switching on Blind Spot Assist X
Make sure that Blind Spot Assist is activated
in the on-board computer (Y page 163).
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the ignition
lock.
Warning lamps 0043in the exterior mirrors light
up red for approximately 1.5 seconds and
then turn yellow. Driving systems
151Driving and parking Z