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Child restraint system
The use of seat belts and child restraint systems
is required by law in:
Rall 50 states
Rthe U.S. territories
Rthe District of Columbia
Rall Canadian provinces
If you install a rearward-facing child restraint
system on the center rear seat, the rear arm rest
must be folded back as far as possible.
You can obtain further information about the
correct child restraint system from any author-
ized Mercedes-Benz Center.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is installed incor-
rectly on a suitable seat, it cannot protect as
intended. The child cannot then be restrained
in the event of an accident, heavy braking or
sudden changes of direction. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Make sure that you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions and the notes on use. Please ensure,
that the base of the child restraint system is
always resting completely on the seat cush-
ion. Never place objects, e.g. cushions, under or behind the child restraint system. Only use
child restraint systems with the original cover
designed for them. Only replace damaged
covers with genuine covers.
GWARNING
If the child restraint system is installed incor-
rectly or is not secured, it can come loose in
the event of an accident, heavy braking or a
sudden change in direction. The child
restraint system could be thrown about, strik-
ing vehicle occupants. There is an increased
risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Always install child restraint systems prop-
erly, even if they are not being used. Make
sure that you observe the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instructions.
You will find further information on stowing
objects, luggage or loads under "Loading guide-
lines" (
Ypage 233).
GWARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems which have been damaged or subjected
to a load in an accident can no longer protect
as intended. The child cannot then be
restrained in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction. There is an increased risk of injury, possibly even
fatal.
Replace child restraint systems which have
been damaged or subjected to a load in an
accident as soon as possible. Have the secur-
ing systems on the child restraint system
checked at a qualified specialist workshop,
before you install a child restraint system
again.
The securing systems of child restraint systems
are:
Rthe seat belt system
Rthe LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings
Rthe Top Tether anchorages
If it is absolutely necessary to carry a child on
the front-passenger seat, be sure to observe the
information on the "Occupant Classification
System (OCS)" (
Ypage 46). There you will also
find information on deactivating the front-
passenger front air bag.
All child restraint systems must meet the fol-
lowing standards:
RU.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 225
RCanadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 210.2
Confirmation that the child restraint system cor-
responds to the standards can be f
ound on an
instruction label on the child restraint system.
This confirmation can also be found in the instal-
lation instructions that are included with the
child restraint system.
Observe the warning labels in the vehicle inte-
rior and on the child restraint system.
Children in the vehicle55
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LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat secur-
ing system
GWARNING
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint systems
do not offer sufficient protective effect for
children whose weight is greater than 48 lbs
(22 kg) who are secured using the safety belt integrated in the child restraint system. In the
event of an accident, a child might not be
restrained correctly. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
If the child weighs more than 48 lbs (22 kg),
only use LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
systems with which the child is also secured
with the vehicle seat belt. Also secure the
child restraint system with the Top Tether
belt, if available.
Always comply with the manufacturer's instal-
lation and operating instructions for the child
restraint system used.
Before every trip, make sure that the LATCH-
type (ISOFIX) child restraint system is engaged
correctly in both LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings
!When installing the child restraint system,
make sure that the seat belt for the middle
seat does not get trapped. The seat belt could
otherwise be damaged.
XInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint system on both LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings :.
ISOFIX is a standardized securing system for
specially designed child restraint systems on
the rear seats. LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings for two LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint systems are installed on the left and right of the
rear seats.
Non-LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seats may also
be used and can be installed using the vehicle's
seat belt system. Install the child seat according
to the manufacturer's instructions.
Top Tether
Introduction
Top Tether provides an additional connection
between the child restraint system secured with
a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) system and the vehicle.
This helps reduce the risk of injury even further.
If the child restraint system is equipped with a
Top Tether belt, this should always be used.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the rear seat backrests are not locked, they
could fold forwards in the event of an acci-
dent, heavy braking or sudden changes of
direction. As a result, child restraint systems
cannot perform their intended protective
function. Rear seat backrests that are not
locked can also cause additional injuries, e.g.
in the event of an accident. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Always lock rear seat backrests after instal-
ling a Top Tether belt. Observe the lock veri-
fication indicator. Adjust the rear seat backr-
ests so that they are in an upright position.
If the rear backrest is not engaged and locked,
the red lock verification indicator will be visible
(
Ypage 236).
56Children in the vehicle
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Top Tether anchorages
The Top Tether anchorage points are installed in
the rear compartment behind the head
restraints on the parcel shelf.
XPress down the rear of cover ;in the direc-
tion of the arrow.
Cover ;is raised slightly at the front.
XFold cover ;upwards.
Vehicles with adjustable head restraints:
XMove head restraint :upwards.
XRoute Top Tether belt Aunder head
restraint :between the two head restraint
bars.
Vehicles without adjustable head restraints:
XTop Tether belt with one belt strap: route
Top Tether belt Acentrally over head
restraint :.
or
XTop Tether belt with two belt straps: route
one Top Tether belt Ato the left and one to
the right past the side of head restraint :.
All vehicles:
XInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint system with Top Tether. Always comply with the child restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions when doing so.
XHook Top Tether hook
?of Top Tether belt
A into Top Tether anchorage =.
Make sure that:
RTop Tether hook ?is hooked into Top
Tether anchorage =as shown.
RTop Tether belt Ais not twisted.
RTop Tether belt Ais routed between the
rea r seat backrest and the cargo compart-
ment cover if the cargo compartment cover
is installed.
XTension Top Tether belt A. Always comply
with the child restraint system manufactur-
er's installation instructions when doing so.
Vehicles with adjustable head restraints:
XIf necessary, move head restraint :back
down again slightly . Make sure that you do
not interfere with the correct routing of Top
Tether belt A.
Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat
General 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
the child restraint system on a rear seat.
If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat,
always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant Classification System
(OCS)" (
Ypage 46).
You can thus avoid the risks that could arise as a result of:
Ran incorrectly categorized person in the front-
passenger seat
Rthe unintentional deactivation of the front-
passenger front air bag
Rthe unsuitable positioning of the child
restraint system, e.g. too close to the dash-
board
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Rearward-facing child restraint system
If it is absolutely necessary to install a rearward-
facing child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat, always make sure that the
front-passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is permanently lit (
Ypage 40) is the front-
passenger front air bag deactivated.
Always observe the child restraint system man-
ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-
tions.
Forward-facing child restraint system
If it is absolutely necessary to install a forward-
facing child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat, always move the front-
passenger seat as far back as possible. Fully
retract the seat cushion length. The entire base
of the child restraint system must always rest on
the seat cushion of the front-passenger seat.
The backrest of the child restraint system must
lie as flat as possible against the backrest of the front-passenger seat. The child restraint system
must not touch the roof or be subjected to a load
by the head restraint. Adjust the angle of the
seat backrest and the head restraint position
accordingly. Always make sure that the shoul-
der belt strap is correctly routed from the vehi-
cle belt outlet to the shoulder belt guide on the
child restraint system. The shoulder belt strap
must be routed forwards and downwards from
the vehicle belt outlet. If necessary, adjust the
vehicle belt outlet and the front-passenger seat
accordingly.
Always observe the child restraint system man-
ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-
tions.
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are traveling in the vehicle, they
could:
Ropen doors, thus endangering other people
or road users
Rexit the vehicle and be caught by oncoming
traffic
Roperate vehicle equipment and become
trapped
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Always activate the child-proof locks and
override feature if children are traveling in the vehicle. When leaving the vehicle, always take
the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unattended in the vehicle.
Override feature for:
Rthe rear doors (Ypage 59)
Rthe rear side windows (Ypage 59)
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
Rstart the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
GWARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
58Children in the vehicle
Safety
Page 61 of 318

GWARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro- tect it with a blanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been exposed to direct
sunlight, let it cool down before securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors
You secure each door individually with the child-
proof locks on the rear doors. A door secured
with a child-proof lock cannot be opened from
inside the vehicle. When the vehicle is unlocked,the door can be opened from the outside.
XTo activate: press the child-proof lock lever
up in the direction of arrow :.
XMake sure that the child-proof locks are work-
ing properly.
XTo deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow ;.
Override feature for the rear side win-
dows
XTo activate/deactivate:press button:.
If indicator lamp ;is lit, operation of the rear
side windows is disabled. Operation is only
possible using the switches in the driver's
door. If indicator lamp ;is off, operation is
possible using the switches in the rear com-
partment.
Pets in the vehicle
GWARNING
If you leave animals unattended or unsecured
in the vehicle, they could press buttons or
switches, for example.
As a result, they could:
Ractivate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
Ractivate or deactivate systems, thereby
endangering other road users
Unsecured animals could also be flung around
the vehicle in the event of an accident or sud-
den steering or braking, thereby injuring vehi-
cle occupants. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals properly during
the journey, e.g. use a suitable animal trans-
port box.
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Drivingsafet ysystems
Overview of drivin gsafet ysystems
In this section ,you will fin dinformation about
th efollowin gdrivin gsafet ysystems :
RABS (Anti-loc kBrakin gSystem)
(Ypage 60)
RBA S (B rakeAssist System) (Ypage 60)
RActive Brak eAssis t (Ypage 61 )
RESP®(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Ypage 63)
REB D (Electroni cBrak eforc eDistribution )
(Ypage 66 )
RADAPTIV EBRAKE (Ypage 66 )
RSTEERCONTROL (Ypage 66)
Important safet ynotes
If you fail to adapt your drivin gstyle or if you are
inattentive ,th edrivin gsafet ysystems can nei-
ther reduce th eris kof an acciden tno roverride
th elaws of physics. Driving safet ysystems are
merely aids designed to assist driving. You are
responsible fo rmaintainin gth edistanc eto th e
vehicle in front, fo rvehicle speed, fo rbraking in
goo dtime, and fo rstayin gin lane. Always adapt
your drivin gstyle to suit th eprevailin groad and
weather condition sand maintain asaf edistanc e
from th evehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The drivin gsafet ysystems described only wor k
as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quat econtact between th etires and th eroad
surface. Please pay special attention to th e
note son tires ,recommended minimum tire
tread depths, etc. (
Ypage 282).
In wintr ydrivin gconditions, always use winte r
tires (M+ Stires )and if necessary, snow chains.
Only in this way will the driving safety systems
described in this section work as effectively 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 in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface conditions.
ABS works on slippery surfaces, even when you
only brake gently.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 60).
GWARNING
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.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp (
Ypage 218) and dis-
play messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (
Ypage 189).
Braking
XIf ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking sit-
uation is over.
XTo 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, and functions as a reminder to take extra care while driving.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
General information
BAS operates in emergency braking situations.
If you depress the brake pedal quickly, BAS
automatically boosts the braking force, thus
shortening the stopping distance.
60Driving safety systems
Safety
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Important safety notes
iObserveth e"Importan tsafet ynotes" sec -
tion (Ypage 60).
GWARNIN G
If BA Sis malfunctioning ,th ebraking distanc e
in an emergenc ybraking situation is
increased. Ther eis aris kof an accident.
In an emergenc ybraking situation ,depress
th ebrak epedal wit hfull force .AB Sprevents
th ewheels from locking.
Braking
XKee pth ebrak epedal firmly depressed until
th eemergenc ybraking situation is over.
AB Sprevents th ewheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release th ebrak epedal .BA Sis deactivated.
Active Brake Assist
General information
iObserv eth e"Importan tsafet ynotes" sec -
tion (Ypage 60).
Active Brake Assist consist sof adistanc ewarn -
ing function wit han autonomous braking func-
tion and braking assistanc eappropriat eto th e
situation .
Active Brake Assist can help you to minimiz eth e
ris kof acollision wit hth evehicl etraveling in
fron tor reduce th eeffects of suc h acollision .
If Active Brake Assist detects that there is aris k
of collision ,you will be warned visually and
acoustically. If you do no treac tto th evisual and
audible collision warning ,autonomous braking
can be initiate din critical situations. If you apply
th ebrak eyourself in acritical situation ,Adap-
tive Brake Assist support syou wit hbraking
assistanc eappropriat eto th esituation .
Important safety notes
Detection of hazardous situation scan be par-
ticularly impaired by:
Rthere is dirt on th esensor sor anythin gelse
covering th esensor s
Rthere is snow or heav yrain
Rthere is interferenc eby other radar source s
Rthere are strongradar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages
Ra narrow vehicl eis traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
Ra vehicl eis traveling in fron ton adifferen tlin e
Rne wvehicles or after servicing is carrie dout
on th eActive Brake Assist system
Observ eth eimportant safet ynote sin th e
"Breaking-in notes" section (
Ypage 120).
Followin gdamag eto th efron ten dof th evehicle,
hav eth econfiguration and operation of th e
radar sensor checke dat aqualified specialist
workshop. This also applie sto collision sat low
speeds wher eno visible damag eto th efron tof
th evehicl eis apparent.
Activating/deactivating
Active Brake Assist is active after every ignition
cycle.
You can activat eor deactivat eActive Brake
Assist (
Ypage 182) in th eon-board computer.
When deactivated, th edistanc ewarning func-
tion and th eautonomous braking function are
also deactivated.
If Active Brake Assist is deactivated, th eæ
symbol appear sin th eassistanc egraphic dis-
play.
Distance warning function
Gene ral information
The distanc ewarning function can help you to
minimiz eth eris kof afront-en dcollision wit h a
vehicl eahead or reduce th eeffects of suc h a
collision .If th edistanc ewarning function
detects that there is aris kof acollision ,you will
be warned visually and acoustically.
Import ant safety notes
iObserveth e"Importan tsafet ynotes" sec -
tion for driving safet ysystems (Ypage 60).
GWARNIN G
The distanc ewarning function does no treact:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncomin gvehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rwhen cornering
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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.
GWARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning
Rnot 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.
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 · distance warning lamp will light up in
the instrument cluster.
XBrake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
XTake 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:
Rgives the driver more time to react to critical
driving situations
Rcan help the driver to avoid an accident or
Rreduces the effects of an accident
Vehicles without Distance Pilot DISTRONIC:
the autonomous braking function is available in
the following speed ranges:
R4 - 65 mph (7 - 105 km/h) for moving objects
R4 - 31 mph (7 - 50 km/h) for stationary
objects
Vehicles with Distance Pilot DISTRONIC: the
autonomous braking function is available in the
following speed ranges:
R4 - 124 mph (7 - 200 km/h) for moving
objects
R4 - 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
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 60).
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).
62Driving safety systems
Safety