
of whether the front-passenger seat is occupied
or not.
Head bags
Head bags:deploy in the area of the side win-
dows at the front.
When deployed, the head bag enhances the
level of protection for the head. However, it does
not protect the:
Rchest
Rarms
In the event of a side impact, the head bag is
deployed on the side on which the impact
occurs.
If the system determines that they can offer
additional protection to that provided by the
seat belt, a head bag may be deployed in other
accident situations (
Ypage 54).
The head bag on the front-passenger side does
not deploy under the following conditions:
ROCS has detected that the front-passenger
seat is unoccupied.
Rthe front-passenger seat belt is not fastened.
If the belt tongue is engaged in the belt buckle,
the head bag on the front-passenger side
deploys if an appropriate accident situation
occurs. In this case, deployment is independent
of whether the front-passenger seat is occupied
or not.
Occupant Classification System
(OCS)
Introduction
The Occupant Classification System (OCS) cat-
egorizes the person in the front-passenger seat.
Depending on that result, the front-passenger front air bag and front-passenger knee bag are
either enabled or deactivated.
The system does not deactivate:
Rthe side impact air bag
Rthe headbag
Rthe Emergency Tensioning Devices
Prerequisite
To be classified correctly, the front passenger
must sit:
Rwith the seat belt fastened correctly
Rin an almost upright position with their back
against the seat backrest
Rwith their feet resting on the floor, if possible
If the front passenger does not observe these
conditions, OCS may produce a false classifica-
tion, e.g. because the front passenger:
Rtransfers their weight by supporting them-
selves on a vehicle armrest
Rsits in such a way that their weight is raised
from the seat cushion
If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat, be
sure to observe the correct positioning of the
child restraint system. Never place objects
under or behind the child restraint system, e.g. a
cushion. 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
forward-facing 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.
Only then can OCS be guaranteed to function
correctly. Always observe the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation and operating
instructions.
Occupant Classification System opera-
tion (OCS)
Occupant safety49
Safety
Z

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 254).
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
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 49). 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 found 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.
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
Children in the vehicle59
Safety
Z

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
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings ;on the
rear seats are covered by folding upholstered
lining =with Velcro fastening.
XFold upholstered lining =upwards.
XTurn support :by 90°.
Upholstered lining =remains folded
upwards.
XInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint system on both LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings ;.
After you have removed the LATCH-type (ISO-
FIX) child restraint system, you must turn sup-
port :on upholstered lining =by 90° again.
Then fold upholstery lining =down.
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 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.
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 49).
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
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 42) 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 you secure a child in 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 sys-
tem 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 shoulder belt strap is
60Children in the vehicle
Safety

correctly routed from the seat-belt extender of
the front-passenger seat to the shoulder belt
guide on the child restraint system. The shoul-
der belt strap must be routed forwards from the
retracted seat-belt extender for the front-
passenger seat.
Always observe the child restraint system man-
ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-
tions.
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.
Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
RABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
(Ypage 61)
RBAS ( Brake Assist System) (Ypage 62)
RBAS PLUS ( BrakeAssist System PLUS) with
Cross-Traffic Assist (Ypage 62)
RCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(Ypage 64)
RESP®( E lectronic StabilityProgram)
(Ypage 66)
REBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
(Ypage 68)
RADAPTIVE BRAKE (Ypage 68)
RPRE-SAFE®Brake (Ypage 68)
RSTEER CONTROL (Ypage 70)
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 only work as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quate contact between the tires and the road
surface. Pay particular attention to the informa-
tion regarding tires, recommended minimum
tire tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and tires"
section (
Ypage 302).
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.
Driving safety systems61
Safety
Z

Important safety notes
iObserveth e"Importan tsafet ynotes" sec -
tion (Ypage 61).
GWARNIN G
If AB Sis faulty, th ewheels could loc kwhen
braking .The steerabilit yand braking charac -
teristics may be severely impaired .Addition -
ally, further driving safet ysystems are deac -
tivated. Ther eis an increased danger of skid-
din gand accidents .
Drive on carefully. Hav eAB Schecke dimme-
diately at aqualified specialist workshop.
When AB Sis malfunctioning ,other systems ,
includin gdriving safet ysystems ,will also
become inoperative. Observ eth einformation
on th eAB Swarning lamp (
Ypage 235) and dis-
play message swhic hmay be shown in th e
instrumen tcluste r (
Ypage 205).
Braking
XIf ABS intervenes: continue to depress th e
brak epedal vigorously until th ebraking sit -
uation is over.
XTo make afull brak eapplication: depress
th ebrak epedal wit hfull force .
If AB Sintervenes when braking ,you will fee l a
pulsing in th ebrak epedal .
The pulsating brak epedal can be an indication
of hazardous road conditions, and function sas a
reminder to tak eextr acar ewhile driving .
BAS (Brake Assist System)
General information
BA Soperate sin emergenc ybraking situations.
If you depress th ebrak epedal quickly, BA S
automatically boosts th ebraking force ,thus
shortening th estopping distance.
Important safety notes
iObserv eth e"Importan tsafet ynotes" sec -
tion (Ypage 61) .
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.
Brakes
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.
BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS) with Cross-Traffic Assist
General information
BA SPLU Scan help you to minimiz eth eris kof a
collision wit h avehicl eor apedestrian and
reduce th eeffects of suc h acollision .If BA S
PLU Sdetects adanger of collision ,you are
assisted when braking .
iPay attention to theimportant safet ynote s
in th e"Drivin gsafet ysystems "section
(
Ypage 61).
BA SPLU Sis only available in vehicles wit hth e
Drivin gAssistanc ePlus package.
Fo rBA SPLU Sto assist you when driving ,th e
radar sensor system and th ecamera system
must be operational.
Wit hth ehelp of asensor system and acamera
system, BA SPLU Scan detec tobstacles:
Rthat are in th epat hof your vehicl efor an
extended period of time
Rthat cross th epat hof your vehicl e
In addition ,pedestrian sin th epat hof your vehi-
cle can be detected.
BA SPLU Sdetects pedestrian sby usin gtypical
characteristics suc has th ebody contours and
postur eof aperson standing upright .
If th eradar sensor system or th ecamera system
is malfunctioning ,BA SPLU Sfunction sare
restricted or no longer available. The brak esys-
te m is still available wit hcomplete brak eboost-
ing effec tand BAS.
62Driving safety systems
Safety

At speeds of up to approximately 44 mph
(70 km/h), BAS PLUS can 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 (Ypage 56).
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
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
Rthe vehicle is new or after a service on the
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS sys-
tem
Observe the notes in the section on breaking-
in (
Ypage 123).
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.
Activating/deactivating
The COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is
automatically active after switching on the igni-
tion.
You can activate or deactivate COLLISION PRE-
VENTION ASSIST PLUS in the on-board com-
puter (
Ypage 199). When deactivated, the dis-
tance warning function and the autonomous
braking function are also deactivated.
If COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is
deactivated, the æsymbol appears in the
assistance graphics display.
Distance warning function
General information
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Ypage 61).
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.
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.
64Driving safety systems
Safety

If adaptive Brake Assist demands particularly
high braking force, preventative passenger pro-
tection measures (PRE-SAFE
®) are activated
simultaneously (Ypage 56).
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
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.
ESP
®assists the driver when pulling away on
wet or slippery roads. ESP®can also stabilize
the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 61).
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, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side. In addition, more drive torque is transfer-
red to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP
®.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If ESP
®is malfunctioning, ESP®is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further driv-
ing safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP
®checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
If the å ESP
®OFF warning lamp lights up
continuously, then ESP®is deactivated.
If the ÷ ESP®warning lamp lights up contin-
uously, ESP®is not available due to a malfunc-
tion.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(
Ypage 235) and display messages which may
66Driving safety systems
Safety

no persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
!When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such as
flower pots or trailer drawbars. PARKTRONIC
does not detect such objects when they are in
the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. You
could damage the vehicle or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic car
wash, the compressed-air brakes on a truck
or a pneumatic drill could cause PARKTRONIC
to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on
uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when
you:
Rswitch on the ignition
Rshift the transmission to position D,R or N
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
Range of the sensors
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into con-
sideration that are:
Rbelow the detection range, e.g. people, ani-
mals or objects.
Rabove the detection range, e.g. overhanging
loads, truck overhangs or loading ramps.
:Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand side
(example)
:Approx. 24 in (approx. 60 cm) (corners)
;Approx. 32 in (approx. 80 cm) (corners)
=Approx. 48 in (approx. 120 cm) (center)
?Approx. 40 in (approx. 100 cm) (center)
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or slush.
They can otherwise not function correctly. Clean
the sensors regularly, taking care not to scratch
or damage them (
Ypage 284).
Minimum distance
CenterApprox. 8 in (approx. 20 cm)
CornersApprox. 6 in (approx. 15 cm)
If there is an obstacle within this range, the rel-
evant warning displays light up and a warning
tone sounds. If the distance falls below the min-
imum, the distance may no longer be shown.
162Driving systems
Driving an d parking