2018 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS ESP

When you take advantage of engine braking, a
drive wheel may not turn for some time, e.g.
on a slippery road surface. This could cause
damage to the drive train. This type of damage is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz war-
ranty.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately. Drive
on for a short while. This allows the airflow to
cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first
time. This may also occur after the vehicle has
been washed or driven through deep water.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehicle
washed, brake firmly while paying attention to
the traffic conditions. This will warm up the
brake discs, thereby drying them more quickly
and protecting them against corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt resi-
due may form on the brake discs and brake
pads. This can result in a significantly longer
braking distance.
RIn order to prevent any salt build-up, apply the
brakes occasionally while paying attention to
the traffic conditions.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
!The brake fluid level may be too low, if:
Rif the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and
Ryou hear a warning tone while the engine is
running
Observe additional warning messages in the
multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked immediately.
Consult a qualified specialist workshop to
arrange this.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or per-
formance tests may only be carried out on a 2-
axle dynamometer. If you wish to operate the
vehicle on such a dynamometer, please con-
sult a qualified specialist workshop in
advance. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC: the ESP®system
operates automatically. If the electric parking
brake is tested on a brake dynamometer, the
engine and ignition must be switched off: turn
the SmartKey in the ignition lock to position
u or1 or press the Start/Stop button
repeatedly in accordance with the given
SmartKey positions.
Braking triggered automatically by ESP
®may
cause severe damage to the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the brake
system must be carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the functional-
ity of your brakes at regular intervals.
Information on BAS (Brake Assist System)
(
Ypage 66) and Active Brake Assist with cross-
traffic function (Ypage 73).
Driving tips167
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For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends only installing the following brake disks
and brake pads/linings:
Rbrake disks that have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz
Rbrake pads/linings that have been approved
by Mercedes-Benz or that are of an equivalent
standard of quality
Other brake disks or brake pads/linings can
compromise the safety of your vehicle.
Always replace all brake disks and brake pads/
linings on an axle at the same time. Always
install new brake pads/linings when replacing
brake disks.
The vehicle is equipped with lightweight brake
disks to which the wheel assembly with rim and
threaded connection is matched.
The use of brake disks other than those
approved by Mercedes-Benz can change the
track width and is subject to approval, if appli-
cable.
Shock-type loads when handling the brake
discs, such as when changing wheels, can lead
to a reduction in comfort when driving with light-
weight brake discs. Avoid shock-type loads on
the lightweight brake disks, particularly on the
brake plate.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use
brake fluid that has been specially approved for
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz, or which corre-
sponds to an equivalent quality standard. Brake
fluid which has not been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles or which is not of an
equivalent quality could affect your vehicle's
operating safety.
High-performance and ceramic brakes
(Mercedes-AMG vehicles)
The AMG brake systems are designed for heavy
loads. This may lead to noise when braking. This
will depend on:
RSpeed
RBraking force
REnvironmental conditions, such as tempera-
ture and humidity
The wear of individual components of the brake
system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake
discs, depends on the individual driving style
and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a mile-
age that will be valid under all circumstances. An aggressive driving style will lead to high wear.
You can obtain more information on this from a
qualified specialist workshop.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after several
hundred kilometers of driving. Compensate for
this by applying greater force to the brake pedal.
Keep this in mind, and adapt your driving and
braking accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in correspond-
ingly high brake wear. If the brake pads/linings
have reached their wear limit, the multifunction
display shows a corresponding message. Espe-
cially for high performance driving, it is impor-
tant to maintain and have the brake system
checked regularly.
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth on
the road surface, there is a danger of hydro-
planing occurring, even if:
Ryou drive at low speeds
Rthe tires have adequate tread depth
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or in
conditions in which hydroplaning may occur,
you must drive in the following manner:
Rlower your speed
Ravoid ruts
Ravoid sudden steering movements
Rbrake carefully
Driving on flooded roads
!Bear in mind that vehicles traveling in front
or in the opposite direction create waves. This
may cause the maximum permissible water
depth to be exceeded.
Failure to observe these notes may result in
damage to the engine, electrical systems and
transmission.
If you have to drive on stretches of road on which
water has collected, please bear in mind that:
Rin the case of standing water, the water level may be no higher than the lower edge of the
vehicle body
Ryou should drive no faster than walking pace
168Driving tips
Driving and parking

Winter driving
GWARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
GDANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a
window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind.
Have your vehicle winter-proofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road sur-
faces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and
braking maneuvers. Do not use cruise control or
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to position i.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freezing
point do not guarantee that the road surface is
free of ice. The road may still be icy, especially in
wooded areas or on bridges. The vehicle could
skid if you fail to adapt your driving style. Always
adapt your driving style and drive at a speed to
suit the prevailing weather conditions.
You should pay special attention to road condi-
tions when temperatures are around freezing
point. For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (
Ypage 336).
For more information on driving with summer
tires, see (
Ypage 335).
Observe the notes i n the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (
Ypage 335).
Driving systems
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive stands for inno-
vative driver assistance and safety systems
which enhance comfort and support the driver in
critical situations. With these intelligent co-ordi- nated systems Mercedes-Benz has set a mile-
stone on the path towards autonomous driving.
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive embraces all
elements of active and passive safety in one well thought out system – for the safety of the vehi-
cle occupants and that of other road users.
Further information on driving safety systems
(
Ypage 65).
Cruise control
General notes
Cruise control maintains a constant road speed
for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed. Change into a lower
gear in good time on long and steep downhill
gradients. This is especially important if the
vehicle is laden. By doing so, you will make use
of the braking effect of the engine. This relieves
the load on the brake system and prevents the
brakes from overheating and wearing too
quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a steady
speed for a prolonged period. You can store any
road speed above 20 mph (30 km/h).
Important safety notes
Cruise control can neither reduce the risk of an
accident if you fail to adapt your driving style nor
override the laws of physics. Cruise control can-
not take into account the road, traffic and
weather conditions. Cruise control is only an
aid. You are responsible for maintaining a safe
distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle
Driving systems169
Driving and parking
Z

the cruise control lever up:or down ;to
the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up : or down ;the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
XTo adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (10 km/h increments): briefly press
the cruise control lever up :or down ;
beyond the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed
up : or down ;the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
iCruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you acceler-
ate to overtake, cruise control adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored after
you have finished overtaking.
Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise con-
trol:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever forward
=.
or
XBrake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
Ryou engage the electric parking brake
Ryou are driving at less than 20 mph (30 km/h)
RESP®intervenes or you deactivate ESP®
Ryou shift the transmission to position i
while driving
If cruise control is deactivated, a warning tone
sounds. You will see the Cruise Control Off
message in the multifunction display for approx-
imately five seconds. The message on the mul-
tifunction display disappears and the segments
on the speedometer go out.
iWhen you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
General notes
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC regulates the speed
and automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. Vehicles
are detected with the aid of the radar sensor
system. Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brakes auto-
matically so that the set speed is not exceeded. Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is especially
important if the vehicle is laden. By doing so, you
will make use of the braking effect of the engine.
This relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and wear-
ing too quickly.
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC detects that there is a risk of a collision, you will be warned visually
and acoustically. Without your intervention, Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot prevent a colli-
sion. An intermittent warning tone will then
sound and the distance warning lamp will light
up in the instrument cluster. Brake immediately in order to increase the distance to the vehicle in
front or take evasive action provided it is safe to
do so.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC operates in the range
between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph
(200 km/h).
Do not use Distance Pilot DISTRONIC whi
le driv-
ing on roads with steep gradients.
Since Distance Pilot DISTRONIC transmits radar
waves, it can resemble the radar detectors of
the responsible authorities. You can refer to the
relevant chapter in the Operator's Manual if
questions are asked about this.
iUSA only: This device has been approved by
the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System". The
radar sensor is intended for use in an auto-
motive radar system only. Removal, tamper-
ing, or altering of the device will void any war-
ranties, and is not permitted by the FCC. Do
not tamper with, alter, or use in any non-
approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
iCanada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,
and
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the device
will void any warranties, and is not permitted.
Do not tamper with, alter, or use in any no
n-
approved way.
Driving system s171
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Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC does not react to:
Rpeople or animals
Rstationary objects on the road, e.g. stopped
or parked vehicles
Roncoming vehicles and crossing traffic
As a result, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may
neither give warnings nor intervene in such
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake.
GWARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot always
clearly identify other road users and complex
traffic situations.
In such cases, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
Rneither give a warning nor intervene
Raccelerate or brake unexpectedly
There is a risk of an accident.
Continue to drive carefully and be ready to
brake, especially if Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
warns you.
GWARNING
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC brakes your vehicle with up to 50% of the maximum possible
deceleration. If this deceleration is not suffi-
cient, Distance Pilot DISTRONIC alerts you
with a visual and acoustic warning. There is a
risk of an accident.
Apply the brakes yourself in these situations
and try to take evasive action.
!When Distance Pilot DISTRONIC or the
HOLD function are activated, the vehicle
brakes automatically in certain situations. To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
these systems in the following or similar sit-
uations:
Rwhen towing the vehicle
Rin the car wash
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC can neither reduce
the risk of an accident if you fail to adapt your
driving style nor override the laws of physics.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC cannot take into
account road, weather or traffic conditions. Dis-
tance Pilot DISTRONIC is only an aid. You are
responsible for maintaining a safe distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for brak-
ing in good time and for staying in lane.
Do not use Distance Pilot DISTRONIC:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rin poor visibility, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC may not detect nar-
row vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
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
If Distance Pilot DISTRONIC no longer detects a
vehicle in front, it may unexpectedly accelerate
to the speed stored.
This speed may:
Rbe too high if you are driving in a turning lane
or an exit lane
Rbe so high in the right lane that you pass vehi- cles driving on the left (in countries where
they drive on the right)
Rbe so high in the left lane that you pass vehi-
cles driving on the right (in countries where
they drive on the left)
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
172Driving systems
Driving an d parking

Cruise control lever
:Activates or increases speed
;Activates or reduces speed
=Deactivates Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
?Activates at the current speed/last stored
speed
ASets a specified minimum distance
When you activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC,
the stored speed will appear on the multifunc-
tion display for five seconds.
Speedometer with segments: when Distance
Pilot DISTRONIC is activated, the segments of
the stored speed light up to the end of the scale
or to a permanently set speed limit.
Activating Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
Activation conditions
To activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC, the fol-
lowing conditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe engine must be started. It may take up to
two minutes of driving before Distance Pilot
DISTRONIC is ready for use.
Rthe electric parking brake must be released.
RESP®must be activated, but not intervening
at present.
RParking Pilot must not be activated.
Rthe transmission must be in position h.
Rthe driver's door must be closed when you
shift the transmission from positionjtoh
or your seat belt must be fastened.
Rthe front-passenger door and rear doors must
be closed.
Rthe vehicle must not slide.
Activating
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?or push it up :or down ;.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is activated.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
The vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the Distance
PilotSuspendedmes-
sage appears on the multifunction display.
The set distance to a slower-moving vehicle in
front will then not be maintained. You will be
driving at the speed you determine by the
position of the accelerator pedal.
You can also activate Distance Pilot DISTRONIC
when stationary. The lowest speed that can be
set is 20 mph (30 km/h).
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?or push it up :or down ;.
Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is activated.
Activating at the current speed/last
stored speed
GWARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle acceler-
ates or decelerates. If you do not know the
stored speed, the vehicle could accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you
do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
The first time Distance Pilot DISTRONIC is
activated, it stores the current speed or reg-
ulates the speed of the vehicle to the previ-
ously stored speed.
Driving systems173
Driving and parking
Z

Drivingwit hDistance Pilo tDISTRONI C
Pullingawa yan ddrivin g
XTo pull awa ywit hDistance Pilo t
DISTRONIC: removeyour foot from th ebrake
pedal.
XBriefly pull th ecruise contro llever toward s
you ?.
or
XAccelerat ebriefly.
The vehicle pulls away and adapt sits speed to
that of th evehicle in front. If no vehicle is
detecte din front, your vehicle accelerates to
th estored speed.
The vehicle can also pull away when it is facin g
an unidentifie dobstacl eor is drivin gon adiffer-
en tlin efrom another vehicle. The vehicle then
brake sautomatically.
If Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC doe sno tdetec t a
vehicle in front, th esyste moperates lik ecruise
control.
If Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC detects that th e
vehicle in fron thas slowed down ,it brake sth e
vehicle. In this way, th especifie dminimum dis -
tanc eyou hav eselecte dis maintained.
If Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC detects afaster-
movin gvehicle in front, it increase sth edrivin g
speed to th eset speed.
Selecting th edrive program
Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC supports asport y
drivin gstyle when you hav eselecte dth eS or S+
drive program (
Ypage 150). Acceleration
behin dth evehicle in fron tor to th eset speed is
then noticeably more dynamic .If you hav e
selecte dth eC or Edrivin gprogram, th evehicle
accelerates more gently. Thi ssetting is recom -
mended in stop-and-start traffic .
Changinglanes
If you chang eto th eovertakin glane, Distanc e
Pilo tDISTRONIC supports you if:
Ryou are drivin gfaste rthan 45 mph (70 km/h)
Ryou switch on th eappropriat etur nsignal
RDistanc ePilo tDISTRONI Cdoes no tcurrentl y
detec t adanger of collision
If these condition sare fulfilled ,your vehicl eis
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted if
changin glanes takes to olon gor if th edistanc e
between your vehicl eand th evehicl ein fron t
become sto osmall. Whe
nyou chang elanes, Distanc ePilo t
DISTRONI Cmonitors th elef tlan e(on left-hand-
drive vehicles) or th eright lan e(on right-hand -
drive vehicles).
Stopping
GWARNIN G
If you leav eth evehicl ewhen it is only bein g
braked by Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC, it could
rol laway if:
Rthere is amalfunction in th esystem or in
th evoltag esupply.
RDistanc ePilo tDISTRONI Cis switched off
usin gth ecruise control lever, e.g. by avehi-
cle occupant or from outside th evehicl e
Rtheelectrica lsystem in th eengin ecom-
partment, th ebattery or th efuses are tam -
pered with.
Rth ebattery is disconnected
Rth evehicl eis accelerated, e.g. by avehicl e
occupant .
There is aris kof an accident.
Befor eleavin gth evehicle, always deactivat e
Distanc ePilo tDISTRONI Cand secure th e
vehicl eagainst rollin gaway.
Further information on deactivatin gDistanc e
Pilo tDISTRONI C (
Ypage 176).
If Distanc ePilo tDISTRONI Cdetects that th e
vehicl ein fron tis stopping ,it brakes your vehicl e
to astop.
Once your vehicl eis stationary, it remain ssta-
tionary and you do no tneed to depress th e
brake.
Afte r atime, th eelectric parkin gbrak esecures
th evehicl eand relieves th eservic ebrake.
Dependin gon th especified minimum distance,
your vehicl ewill come to astandstill at asuf fi-
ci

ent distanc ebehind th evehicl ein front. The
specified minimum distanc eis set usin gth e
control on th ecruise control lever.
174Driving systems
Driving and parking

Displaysin th eassistanc egraphic
Display when Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC
is deactivated
:Vehicl ein front, if detecte d
;Distanceindicator, curren tdistanc eto th e
vehicl ein fron t
=Specified minimum distanc eto th evehicl e
in front; adjustable
?Your vehicl e
Display when Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC
is activated
:Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC active (tex tonly
appears when th ecruise control lever is
actuated)
;Vehicl ein front, if detecte d
=Specified minimum distanc eto th evehicl e
in front; adjustable
?Your vehicl e
XTo call up th eassistanc egraphic: select
th eAssistanc eGraphi c
function usin gth e
on-boar dcomputer (Ypage 221).
The multifunction display shows th estore d
speed fo rapproximately fiv eseconds when
you activat eDistanc ePilo tDISTRONIC.
Deactivating Distanc ePilot DISTRONIC
There are severa lways to deactivat eDistanc e
Pilo tDISTRONIC:
XBriefly push cruise control lever forwar d:.
or
XBrake ,unless th evehicl eis stationary
Whe nyou deactivat eDistanc ePilo tDISTRONIC,
th eDistance Pilot Off
message will appear
on th emultifunction display fo rapproximately
fiv eseconds.
The last speed store dremain sstore duntil you
switch of fth eengine.
Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC is no tdeactivated if
you depress th eaccelerato rpedal.
Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC is automatically deac -
tivated if:
Ryou engage th eelectric parkin gbrak eor if th e
vehicl eis automatically secured wit hth eelec -
tric parkin gbrak e
RESP®intervenes or you deactivat eES P®
Ryou shift th etransmissio nto position j,k
or i
Ryou pull th ecruise control lever toward syou
in order to pull away and th efront-passenger
doo ror on eof th erea rdoors is ope n
Rthevehicl eslip s
Ryou activat eParking Pilo t
If ,in these cases, Distanc ePilo tDISTRONIC is
deactivated, awarnin gtone sounds. The Dis‐
tancePilotOffmessage will then be shown
on th emultifunction display fo rapproximately
fiv eseconds.
176Driving systems
Driving an d parking