If the restraint system control unit detects a side
impact, the applicable components of the
restraint system are activated independently of each other.
On vehicles with off-road comfort suspension, a
side impact or vehicle overturn can be detected. The applicable components of the restraint sys-
tem are activated independently of each other
depending on the apparent type of accident.
R Sidebags on the side on which an impact
occurs, independently of the seat belt ten-
sioner and seat belt usage
Vehicles with the automatic front-passenger
front airbag deactivation system: the sidebag on the front-passenger side deploys under the
following conditions:
- an occupant is detected in the front-
passenger seat or
- the seat belt buckle tongue is engaged in
the belt buckle of the front-passenger seat
R Windowbag on the side on which an impact
occurs, independently of seat belt usage and
regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R Seat belt tensioners, if the system determines
that deployment can offer additional protec-
tion for the vehicle occupants in this situation
R Vehicles with off-road comfort suspension:
windowbags on the driver's and front-
passenger side in certain situations if the
vehicle overturns and if the system deter-
mines that deployment can offer additional
protection to that provided by the seat belt
i Not all airbags are deployed in an accident.
The different airbag systems work independ-
ently of each other.
How the airbag 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
R vehicles with off-road comfort suspension:
overturn PRE-SAFE
®
(anticipatory occupant
protection)
Introduction In certain hazardous situations, PRE-SAFE
®
takes pre-emptive measures to protect the vehi- cle occupants.
Important safety notes !
Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats. There is a risk
that the seats and/or the objects could be
damaged when PRE-SAFE ®
is activated.
Although your vehicle is equipped with PRE-
SAFE ®
, the possibility of injury in the event of an
accident cannot be ruled out. Always adapt your
driving style to suit the prevailing road and
weather conditions and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
Function PRE-SAFE
®
intervenes:
R in emergency braking situations, e.g. when
BAS is activated
R in critical driving situations, e.g. when physi-
cal limits are exceeded and the vehicle under-
steers or oversteers severely
R when Active Brake Assist intervenes power-
fully
PRE-SAFE ®
takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected:
R the front seat belts are pre-tensioned
R if the vehicle skids, the side windows and the
panorama sliding sunroof are closed
R vehicles with the memory function: the front-
passenger seat is adjusted if it is in an unfav-
ourable position
If the hazardous situation passes without result- ing in an accident, PRE-SAFE ®
slackens the belt
pre-tensioning. All settings made by PRE-SAFE ®
can then be reversed.
If the seat belt pre-tensioning is not reduced:
X Move the seat backrest or seat back slightly
when the vehicle is stationary.
Seat belt pre-tensioning is reduced and the
locking mechanism is released.
Seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of the
PRE-SAFE ®
convenience function. Information Occupant safety
55Safety Z
Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat –
if it is absolutely necessary to
secure a child in a child restraint system on the front-passenger seat:
X Always pay attention to the instructions under
"Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat" (Y page 60).
There you will find instructions on how to cor- rectly route the shoulder belt strap from the
vehicle belt outlet to the shoulder belt guide
on the child restraint system (Y page 61).
X Move the front-passenger seat as far back as
possible and fully retract the seat cushion
length.
If you secure a child in a forward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat,
you must also move the front-passenger seat to the highest position.
X Move the backrest to an almost vertical posi-
tion. The entire base of the child restraint system
must always rest on the seat cushion of the
front-passenger seat. The backrest of a
forward-facing child restraint system must, as
far as possible, rest flat against the backrest
of the front-passenger seat. The child
restraint system must not touch the roof or be
put under strain by the head restraint. Adjust the angle of the seat backrest and the head
restraint position accordingly. Also observe
the child restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions.
X If possible, move the seat cushion angle to the
highest, most vertical position (Y page 107).
Installing a child restraint system on a rear seat
X Move the backrest of the rear seat to an
almost vertical position (Y page 292).
Suitability of the seats for attaching a belt-secured child restraint system If you use a baby car seat of category 0 or 0+ or a rearward-facing child restraint system of category
I on a rear seat, you must adjust the driver's or front-passenger seat so that the seat does not touch the child restraint system.
If you use a category I, forward-facing child restraint system, you should remove the head restraintfrom the respective seat, if possible (Y page 109). The backrest of the child restraint system must,
as far as possible, lie flat against the backrest of the seat.
Make sure that the child's feet do not touch the front seat. If necessary, move the front seat forward
slightly.
For certain child restraint systems in weight categories II or III, this can mean that the area of use is restricted. The maximum size setting of the child restraint system may not be possible due to
possible contact with the roof.
Always observe the notes in the "Child restraint system" section (Y page 57)and the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instructions.
When you remove the child restraint system, you must replace the head restraints again immedi-
ately (Y page 108). All vehicle occupants must adjust their head restraints correctly before begin-
ning the journey.
Legend for the table:
XS eat that is unsuitable for children in this weight category.
US uitable for child restraint systems in the "Universal" category that are approved for use in this
weight category.
UF Suitable for forward-facing child restraint systems that belong to the "Universal" category and are approved for use in this weight category.
LS uitable for child restraint systems as recommended; see the "Recommended child restraint
systems" table (Y page 65). Suitable for semi-universal child restraint systems if the vehicle
and the seat are listed in the child restraint system manufacturer's vehicle model list. 62
Children in the vehicleSafety
Front-passenger seat
Weight category Front-passenger
front airbag enabled Front-passenger
front airbag disabled
0
up to 10 kg X
U
1
, L 1 0+
up to 13 kg X
U
1
, L 1 I
9 kg to 18 kg UF, L
U
1
, L 1
UF, L II
15 kg to 25 kg UF, L
U
1
, L 1
UF, L III
22 kg to 36 kg UF, L UF, L
Rear seats
Weight category Left, right Centre
0
up to 10 kg U, L
U
2
, L 2 0+
up to 13 kg U, L
U
2
, L 2 I
9 kg to 18 kg U, L
U
2
, L 2 II
15 kg to 25 kg U, L X
III
22 kg to 36 kg U, L X
Suitability of the seats for attaching ISOFIX child restraint systems
If you use a baby car seat of category 0 or 0+ or a rearward-facing child restraint system of category
I on a rear seat, you must adjust the driver's or front-passenger seat so that the seat does not touch the child restraint system.
If you use a category I, forward-facing child restraint system, you should remove the head restraintfrom the respective seat, if possible (Y page 109). The backrest of the child restraint system must,
as far as possible, lie flat against the backrest of the seat.
Make sure that the child's feet do not touch the front seat. If necessary, move the front seat forward
slightly.
For certain child restraint systems in weight categories II or III, this can mean that the area of use is restricted. The maximum size setting of the child restraint system may not be possible due to
possible contact with the roof.
Always observe the notes in the "Child restraint system" section (Y page 57)and the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instructions.
When you remove the child restraint system, you must replace the head restraints again immedi-
ately (Y page 108). All vehicle occupants must adjust their head restraints correctly before begin-
ning the journey.
1 The vehicle is equipped with an automatic front-passenger front airbag deactivation system. The PASSENGER
AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp must be lit.
2 Child restraint systems with a supporting bracket are not suitable for this seat. Children in the vehicle
63Safety Z
Legend for the table:
XI
SOFIX position that is not suitable for ISOFIX child restraint systems in this weight category
and/or size category.
IUF Suitable for forward-facing ISOFIX child restraint systems that belong to the "Universal" cat- egory and are approved for use in this weight category.
IL Suitable for ISOFIX child restraint systems as recommended; see the "Recommended child restraint systems" table (Y page 65).
The manufacturer will also recommend a suitable ISOFIX child restraint system. For this, your
vehicle and the seat must be listed in the child restraint system manufacturer's model list. For more information, contact the child restraint system manufacturer or visit their website. Weight category Size category Equipment Rear seat left,
right Carry cot
F ISO/L1 X
G ISO/L2 X
0
up to 10 kg
up to approximately 6 months E ISO/R1 IL
0+
up to 13 kg
up to approximately 15 months E ISO/R1 IL
D ISO/R2 IL
C ISO/R3
IL
3 I
9 kg to 18 kg
between approximately 9 months
and 4 years D ISO/R2 IL
C ISO/R3
IL
3 B ISO/F2 IUF
B1 ISO/F2X IUF
A ISO/F3 IUF
The child restraint system must not touch the roof or be put under strain by the head restraints.
Adjust the head restraint position accordingly. Also observe the child restraint system manufac-
turer's installation instructions.
Vehicles with the Style or Urban package or 4-way or 6-way front seats: set the front seat to the
highest position.
Vehicles with 2-way front seats: set the front seat to the foremost position.
Suitability of the seats for attaching an i-Size child restraint system If you use a baby car seat of category 0 or 0+ or a rearward-facing child restraint system of category
I on a rear seat, you must adjust the driver's or front-passenger seat so that the seat does not touch
the child restraint system.
If you use a category I, forward-facing child restraint system, you should remove the head restraint from the respective seat, if possible (Y page 109). The backrest of the child restraint system must,
as far as possible, lie flat against the backrest of the seat.
Make sure that the child's feet do not touch the front seat. If necessary, move the front seat forward
slightly.
3 If you are using a child restraint system of size category C (ISO/R3), make sure that the front seat backrest
does not rest against the child restraint system. 64
Children in the vehicleSafety
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 Active Brake Assist (Y page 69)
R Adaptive brake lights (Y page 71)
R ESP ®
(E lectronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 72)
R EBD (electronic brake forcedistribution)
(Y page 75)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 75)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 75)Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are
inattentive, the driving safety systems can nei-
ther reduce the risk of an accident nor override
the laws of physics. Driving safety systems 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 prevailing road and weather conditions and maintain 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. Please pay special attention to the
notes on tyres, recommended minimum tyre
tread depths etc. (Y page 335).
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 267) and display mes-
sages that may be shown on the instrument
cluster (Y page 235).
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.
Off-road ABS An ABS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated (Y
page 192).
At speeds below 30 km/h, the front wheels lock
cyclically during braking. The digging-in effect
achieved in the process reduces the stopping 68
Driving safety syste
msSafety
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps light
up continuously. The hazard warning lamps
switch off automatically if you travel faster than
10 km/ h.You can also switch off the hazard
warning lamps using the hazard warning button (Y page 118). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction, i.e.
power transmission between the tyres and the
road surface.
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating from
the direction desired by the driver, one or more
wheels are braked to stabilise the vehicle. The
engine output is also modified to keep the vehi- cle on the desired course within physical limits.
ESP ®
assists the driver when pulling away on
wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilise
the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
. On vehicles
with 4MATIC, 4ETS is part of ESP ®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, e.g. if the road surface is slippery on one side. In addi-
tion, more drive torque is transferred to the
wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you deactivate
ESP ®
.
Off-road 4ETS (Electronic Traction Sys-
tem) A 4ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated (Y page 192).
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 68). G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving
safety systems are switched off. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing your
vehicle with the front axle raised, it is important
that you observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 329).
If the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
continuously, ESP ®
is deactivated.
If the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp and the å
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Read the information on warning lamps
(Y page 269) and display messages that may be
shown in the instrument cluster (Y page 235).
Use only wheels with the recommended tyre
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General information
If the ÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
you begin the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp
flashes on the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X When pulling away, depress the accelerator
pedal only 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 pulling away again, the engine
starts automatically. ESP ®
remains in its previ-
ously selected status. Example:if ESP®
was
deactivated before the engine was switched off,
ESP ®
remains deactivated when the engine is
switched on again. 72
Driving safety systemsSafety
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.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut for
better traction on loose surfaces.
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
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.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
You can deactivate or activate ESP ®
via the on-
board computer(Y page 227) .
ESP ®
deactivated:
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp on the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
ESP ®
activated:
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp on the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the
instrument cluster flashes. 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 Active Brake Assist is not available; it is not
activated even if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
is not available; it is not activated
even if you brake firmly with assistance from
ESP ®
R STEER CONTROL is no longer active
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. Driving safety systems
73Safety Z
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
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.
Deactivating/activating 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 handling mode SPORT handling mode message appears in
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 in
the instrument cluster.
The ÷ OFF
OFF message appears in the multi-
function display.
X To activate ESP ®
:briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp on the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷ESP® ON
ON message appears in 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 the engine's torque is only restricted to a limi-
ted degree and the drive wheels may start to spin
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut for better traction on loose surfaces.
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 in the
instrument cluster does not flash. 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
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut for
better traction on loose surfaces.
R traction control is still activated
R Active Brake 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 ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly
Off-road ESP ® An ESP
®
system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated (Y page 192).74
Driving safety systemsSafety