weather conditions and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described only work
as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quate contact between the tires and the road
surface. Please pay special attention to the
notes on tires, recommended minimum tire
tread depths, etc. (
Ypage 285).
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tires (M+S tires) 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 61).
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 227) and dis-
play messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (
Ypage 203).
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.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 61).
GWARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
Braking
XKeep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated.
BAS PLUS (Brake Assist PLUS) with
Cross-Traffic Assist
General information
BAS PLUS can help you to minimize the risk of a
collision with a vehicle or a pedestrian and
reduce the effects of such a collision. If BAS
62Driving safety systems
Safety
workshop. This also applies to collisions at slow
speeds where there is no visible damage to the
front of the vehicle.
Following damage to the windshield, have the
configuration and operation of the camera sys-
tem checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Function
To avoid a collision, BAS PLUS calculates the
brake force necessary if:
Ryou approach an obstacle, and
RBAS PLUS has detected a risk of collision
When driving at a speed under 20 mph
(30 km/h): if you depress the brake pedal, BAS
PLUS is activated. The increase in brake pres-
sure will be carried out at the last possible
moment.
When driving at a speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h): if you depress the brake pedal
sharply, BAS PLUS automatically raises the
brake pressure to a value adapted to the traffic
situation.
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in haz-
ardous situations with vehicles in front within a
speed range between 4 mph (7 km/h) and
155 mph (250 km/h).
Up to a speed of approximately 44 mph
(70 km/h), BAS PLUS may react to:
Rstationary objects in the path of your vehicle,
e.g. stopped or parked vehicles
Rpedestrians in the path of your vehicle
Robstacles crossing your path, which move in
the detection range of the sensors and are
recognized by them
iIf BAS PLUS demands particularly high brak-
ing force, preventative passenger protection
measures (PRE-SAFE
®) are activated simulta-
neously.
XKeep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
BAS PLUS is deactivated and the brakes func-
tion as usual, if:
Ryou release the brake pedal.
Rthere is no longer a risk of collision.
Rno obstacle is detected in front of your vehi-
cle.
Ryou depress the accelerator pedal.
Ryou activate kickdown.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS
General information
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 61).
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS consists
of a distance warning function with an autono-
mous braking function and adaptive Brake
Assist.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS 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 COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
detects that there is a risk of a 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, the COLLISION PREVENTION
ASSIST PLUS adaptive Brake Assist assists you.
Important safety notes
In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired if:
Rthere is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
Rthere is snow or heavy rain
Rthere is interference by other radar sources
Rthere are strong radar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages
Ra narrow vehicle is traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
Ra vehicle is traveling in front on a different line
Rnew vehicles or after a service on the COLLI-
SION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS system
Observe the notes in the section on breaking-
in (
Ypage 127).
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 slow
speeds where there is no visible damage to the
front of the vehicle.
64Driving safety systems
Safety
If the autonomous braking function requires a
particularly high braking force, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE
®)
are activated simultaneously.
Adaptive Brake Assist
General information
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 61).
With the help of adaptive Brake Assist, the dis-
tance warning signal 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
4 mph (7 km/h). It uses radar sensor technology
to assess the traffic situation.
Up to a speed of approximately 155 mph
(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 observation.
Up to a speed of approximately 44 mph
(70 km/h), adaptive Brake Assist reacts to sta-
tionary obstacles.
If adaptive Brake Assist demands particularly
high braking force, preventative passenger pro-
tection measures (PRE-SAFE
®) are activated
simultaneously (Ypage 55).
XKeep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if:
Ryou release the brake pedal.
Rthere is no longer any danger of a collision.
Rno obstacle is detected in front of your vehi-
cle.
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Ypage 61).
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist can:
Rintervene unnecessarily
Rnot 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.
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rwhen 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, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving conditions
may also cause Brake Assist to intervene.
If adaptive Brake Assist is not available due to a
malfunction in the radar sensor system, the
brake system remains available with full brake
boosting effect and BAS.
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 61).
ESP
®monitors driving stability and traction, i.e.
power transmission between the tires 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 stabilize the vehicle. The
engine output is also modified to keep the vehi-
cle on the desired course within physical limits.
66Driving safety systems
Safety
Deactivating/activating ESP®
You can deactivateor activat eES P®via th eon -
boar dcomputer (Ypage 196).
ESP®deactivated :
The å ESP®OF Fwarnin glamp in th einstru-
men tcluster lights up.
ESP
®activated :
The å ESP®OF Fwarnin glamp in th einstru-
men tcluster goe sout .
Characteristics when ESP®is deactivate d
If ESP®is deactivated and on eor mor ewheels
start to spin ,th e÷ ESP®warnin glamp in th e
instrumen tcluster flashes .In suc hsituations,
ES P
®will no tstabiliz eth evehicle.
If you deactivat eES P®:
RESP®no longer improves drivin gstability.
REngin etorque is no longer limite dand th e
drive wheels are able to spin .
The spinning of th ewheels result sin acutting
action fo rbette rtraction on loos esurfaces.
RTraction control is still activated.
RCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST is no longer
available; no ris it activated if you brak efirmly
wit hassistanc efrom ES P
®.
RPRE-SAF E®is no longer available, no ris it
activated if you brak efirmly and ES P®inter-
venes.
RPRE-SAF E®Brake is no longer available, it is
also no tactivated if you brak efirmly and ES P®
intervenes.
RESP®still provides support when you brak e
firmly.
ESP®trailer stabilization
General information
If your vehicle/trailer combination begin sto
swerve, ES P®assistsyou in this situation .ES P®
slows th evehicl edown by brakin gand limiting
th eengin eoutput until th evehicle/trailer com-
bination has stabilized.
Important safet ynotes
GWARNIN G
If roa dand weather condition sare poor,
trailer stabilization will no tbe able to preven t
th evehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailer swit h a highcenter of gravit ycan
ti p ove rbefore ES P®can detec tthis. There is
a ris kof an accident.
Always adapt your drivin gstyle to th eprevail -
in g roa dand weather conditions.
If your vehicl ewit htrailer (vehicle/trailer com-
bination )begin sto lurch, you can only stabiliz e
th evehicle/trailer combination by depressin g
th ebrak efirmly.
ES P
®trailer stabilization is active abov espeeds
of about 65 km/h.
ES P
®trailer stabilization doe sno twor kif ES P®
is deactivated or disabled because of amalfunc -
tion .
EBD (electronic brak eforce distribu-
tion)
General information
EB Dmonitors and control sth ebrak epressur e
on th erea rwheels to improv edrivin gstabilit y
while braking.
Important safet ynotes
iObserv eth e"Importan tsafet ynotes" sec -
tion fo rdrivin gsafet ysystems (Ypage 61).
GWARNIN G
If EB Dis malfunctioning, th erea rwheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increase sth e
ris kof skiddin gand an accident.
You should therefore adapt your drivin gstyle
to th edifferen thandlin gcharacteristics .Hav e
th ebrak esystem checke dat aqualified spe -
cialist workshop .
Observ einformation regarding indicato rand
warnin glamp s (
Ypage 227) as well as display
message s (Ypage 204).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE
i
Observ eth e"Importan tsafet ynotes" sec -
tion (Ypage 61).
ADAPTIV EBRAKE enhance sbrakin gsafet yand
offer sincrease dbrakin gcomfort .In addition to
68Driving safety systems
Safety
STEER CONTROL
General information
STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a
noticeable steering force to the steering wheel
in the direction required for vehicle stabilization.
This steering assistance is provided in particular
if:
RESP®is deactivated
Rboth right wheels or both left wheels are on a
slippery road surface when you brake heavily
Rthe vehicle starts to skid
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 61).
No steering support is provided by STEER CON- TROL, if:
RESP®is malfunctioning.
Rthe lighting is faulty.
Power steering will, however, continue to func-
tion.
Protection against theft
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
XTo activate with the SmartKey: remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XTo activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.
XTo deactivate: switch on the ignition.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Anyone
can start the engine if a valid SmartKey has been
left inside the vehicle.
iThe immobilizer is always deactivated when
you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be started
(yet the vehicle's battery is charged), the sys-
tem is not operational. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA) or
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (anti-theft alarm system)
XTo arm: lock the vehicle with the SmartKey or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm system
is armed after approximately 15 seconds.
XTo deactivate: unlock the vehicle with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open:
Ra door
Rthe vehicle with the mechanical key
Rthe trunk lid
Rthe hood
XTo switch the alarm off with the Smart-
Key: press the %or& button on the
SmartKey.
The alarm is switched off.
or
XRemove the Start/Stop button from the igni-
tion lock.
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The alarm is switched off.
XTo stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The SmartKey
must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is switched off.
or
XPress the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The SmartKey must be inside the vehi-
cle.
The alarm is switched off.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you close
the open door that triggered it, for example.
Protection against theft71
Safety
Z
SmartKey
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Ropen the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users.
Rget out and disrupt traffic.
Roperate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshifting the automatic transmission out of
park position P
RStart the engine.
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 or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
GWARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey could be uninten-
tionally turned in the ignition lock. This could
cause the engine to be switched off. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings before
inserting the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
!Keep the SmartKey away from strong mag-
netic fields. Otherwise, the remote control
function could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the vicin-
ity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not keep the SmartKey:
Rwith electronic devices, e.g. a mobile phone
or another SmartKey.
Rwith metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal foil.
Rinside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case.
This can affect the functionality of the Smart- Key.
SmartKey functions
:& To lock the vehicle
;FTo unlock the trunk lid
=%To unlock the vehicle
XTo unlock centrally: press the%button.
If you do not open the vehicle within approx-
imately 40 seconds of unlocking:
Rthe vehicle is locked again.
Ranti-theft protection is reactivated.
XTo lock centrally: press the&button.
The SmartKey centrally locks/unlocks:
Rthe doors
Rthe trunk lid
Rthe fuel filler flap
The turn signals flash once when unlocking and
three times when locking.
You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked. The audible
signal can be activated and deactivated using
the on-board computer (
Ypage 200).
When it is dark, the surround lighting also comes
on if it is activated in the on-board computer
(
Ypage 199).
KEYLESS-GO
General notes
Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a KEY-
LESS-GO key in the vehicle (
Ypage 130).
Locking/unlocking centrally
You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry the
SmartKey with you. You can combine the func-
SmartKey73
Opening and closing
Z
tions of KEYLESS-GO with those of a conven-
tional SmartKey. Unlock the vehicle by using
KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock it using the
&button on the SmartKey.
When locking or unlocking with KEYLESS-GO,
the distance between the SmartKey and the cor-
responding door handle must not be greater
than 3 ft (1 m).
A check which periodically establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the Smart-
Key determines whether a valid SmartKey is in
the vehicle. This occurs, for example:
Rwhen the external door handles are touched
Rwhen starting the engine
Rwhile the vehicle is in motion
XTo unlock the vehicle: touch the inner sur-
face of the door handle.
XTo lock the vehicle: touch sensor sur-
face :.
XConvenience closing feature: touch
recessed sensor surface ;for an extended
period.
XTo unlock the trunk lid: pull the handle on
the trunk lid.
The vehicle only unlocks the trunk lid.
Deactivating and activating
If you do not intend to use a SmartKey for an
extended period of time, you can deactivate the
KEYLESS-GO function of the SmartKey. The
SmartKey will then use very little power, thereby
conserving battery power. For the purposes of
activation/deactivation, the vehicle must not be
nearby.
XTo deactivate: press the&button on the
SmartKey twice in rapid succession.
The battery check lamp of the SmartKey
(
Ypage 76) flashes twice briefly and lights
up once, then KEYLESS-GO is deactivated.
XTo activate: press any button on the Smart-
Key.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
KEYLESS-GO and all of its associated features
are available again.
Changing the settings of the locking
system
You can change the settings of the locking sys-
tem. This means that only the driver's door and
the fuel filler flap are unlocked when the vehicle
is unlocked. This is useful if you frequently travel
alone.
XTo change the setting: simultaneously press
the % and& buttons on the SmartKey
for approximately six seconds until the bat-
tery check lamp flashes twice (
Ypage 76).
If the setting of the locking system is changed
within the signal range of the vehicle, pressing
the & or% button:
Rlocks or
Runlocks the vehicle
The SmartKey now functions as follows:
XTo unlock: press the%button once.
XTo unlock centrally: press the%button
twice.
XTo lock centrally: press the&button.
74SmartKey
Opening and closing
The KEYLESS-GO function is changed as fol-
lows:
XTo unlock the driver's door:touch the inner
surface of the door handle on the driver's
door.
XTo unlock centrally: touch the inner surface
of the front-passenger door handle.
XTo lock centrally: touch the outer sensor
surface on one of the door handles.
XTo restore the factory settings: press and
hold down the %and& buttons simul-
taneously for approximately six seconds until
the battery check lamp flashes twice
(
Ypage 76).
Mechanical key
General notes
If the vehicle can no longer be locked or
unlocked with the SmartKey, use the mechani-
cal key.
If you use the mechanical key to unlock and
open the driver's door or the trunk lid, the anti-
theft alarm system will be triggered. Switch off
the alarm (
Ypage 71).
If you unlock the vehicle using the mechanical
key, the fuel filler flap will not be unlocked auto-
matically.
XTo unlock the fuel filler flap: insert the
SmartKey into the ignition lock.
Removing the mechanical key
XPush release catch :in the direction of the
arrow and at the same time remove mechan- ical key ;from the SmartKey. For further information about:
Runlocking the driver's door (Ypage 80)
Runlocking the trunk (Ypage 81)
Rlocking the vehicle (Ypage 80)
Inserting the mechanical key
XPush mechanical key
;completely into the
SmartKey until it engages and release
catch :is back in its basic position.
SmartKey battery
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Batteries contain toxic and corrosive substan- ces. If batteries are swallowed, it can result in
severe health problems. There is a risk of fatalinjury.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children. If
a battery is swallowed, seek medical attention
immediately.
HEnvironmental note
Batteries contain dangerous
substances. It is against the
law to dispose of them with
the household rubbish. They
must be collected separately and recycled to protect the
environment.
Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally friendly
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or a special
collection point for used bat-
teries.
The SmartKey batteries contain perchlorate
material, which may require special handling
and regard for the environment. National guide-
lines must be observed during disposal. In Cal-
ifornia, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/index.cfm.
SmartKey75
Opening and closing
Z