
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 58)
RBAS ( Brake Assist System) (Ypage 59)
RESP®(E lectronic StabilityProgram)
(Ypage 59)
REBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
(Ypage 61)
RADAPTIVE BRAKE (Ypage 61)
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 257).
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 yellow !ABS warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up when the ignition is
switched on. It goes out when the engine is run- ning.
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 58).
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 194) and dis-
play messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (
Ypage 175).
58Driving safety systems
Safety

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.
Off-road ABS
ESP®automatically activates the ABS system
specifically suited to off-road terrain.
At speeds below 37 mph (60 km/h), the front
wheels lock cyclically during braking. The dig-
ging-in effect achieved in the process reduces
the stopping distance on off-road terrain. This
limits steering capability.
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 58).
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.
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 58).
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.
4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 58).
4ETS traction control 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
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 58).
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.
Driving safety systems59
Safety
Z

XTo deactivate:press button:.
The å ESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
XTo activate: press button :.
The å ESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument 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 stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP®:
RESP®no longer improves driving stability.
REngine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
RTraction control is still activated.
RESP®still provides support when you brake
firmly.
RMercedes-AMG vehicles: and are driving a
speed at above 62 mph (100 km/h), ESP®still
intervenes when one wheel reaches its grip
limit even though it is deactivated.
RAll other models: and are driving at a speed
above 37 mph (60 km/h), ESP®still inter-
venes when one wheel reaches its grip limit
even though it is deactivated.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: if ESP
®is deactiva-
ted, it is reactivated automatically if you are
driving at a speed above 62 mph (100 km/h) or
you exceed a certain lateral acceleration.
All other models: if ESP
®is deactivated, it is
re
activated automatically if you are driving at a
speed above 37 mph (60 km/h) or you exceed a
certain lateral acceleration.
Trailer stabilization
General information
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
swerve, ESP®assists you in this situation. ESP®
slows the vehicle down by braking and limiting
the engine output until the vehicle/trailer com-
bination has stabilized.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilization will not be able to prevent
the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high center of gravity can
tip over before ESP
®can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer com-
bination) begins to lurch, you can only stabilize
the vehicle/trailer combination by depressing
the brake firmly.
ESP
®trailer stabilization is active above speeds
of approximately 37 mph (60 km/h).
ESP
®trailer stabilization does not work if ESP®
is deactivated or malfunctioning.
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General information
EBD monitors and controls the brake pressure
on the rear wheels to improve driving stability
while braking.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 58).
GWARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the
risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (
Ypage 194) as well as display
messages (Ypage 176).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE provides increased braking
safety. In addition to the braking function,
ADAPTIVE BRAKE also has the HOLD function
(
Ypage 142) and hill start assist (Ypage 107).
Driving safety systems61
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. 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 starting the engine
Rwhile driving
SmartKey functions
:&
Locks the vehicle
;%Unlocks the vehicle
The SmartKey centrally locks/unlocks:
Rthe doors
Rthe rear door
Rthe fuel filler flap
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.
Rprotection against theft is reactivated.
XTo lock centrally: press the&button.
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 170).
You will receive visual and acoustic locking con-
firmation if all components were able to be
locked.
When the surround lighting is activated via the
on-board computer, it lights up when it is dark
after the vehicle is unlocked with the SmartKey (
Ypage 169).
SmartKey63
Opening and closing
Z

Problems with the SmartKey
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
You can no longer lock or
unlock the vehicle using
the SmartKey.The SmartKey battery is discharged or nearly discharged.
XCheck the SmartKey battery (Ypage 65) and replace it if necessary
(Ypage 65).
If this does not work:
XLock or unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Ypage 68).
There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
XLock or unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Ypage 68).
The SmartKey is faulty.
XLock or unlock the vehicle using the mechanical key (Ypage 68).
XHave the SmartKey checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
The engine cannot be
started using the Smart-
Key.The on-board voltage is too low
XSwitch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
XCheck the starter battery and charge it if necessary (Ypage 248).
or
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 249).
or
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
You have lost a Smart-
Key.XHave the SmartKey deactivated at a qualified specialist workshop.
XReport the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
XIf necessary, have the locks changed as well.
You have lost the
mechanical key.XReport the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
XIf necessary, have the locks changed as well.
Doors
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.
66Doors
Opening and closing

XMake sure that wiper blade;is seated cor-
rectly.
XFold wiper arm :back onto the windshield.
Problems with the windshield wipers
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and MSolutions
The windshield wipers
are jammed.Leaves or snow, for example, are obstructing windshield wiper move-
ment. The wiper motor has been deactivated.
XSwitch off the engine.
XRemove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XRemove the cause of the obstruction.
XSwitch the windshield wipers back on.
The windshield wipers
fail completely.The windshield wiper drive is malfunctioning.
XSelect another wiper speed on the combination switch.
XHave the windshield wipers checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
The windshield washer
fluid from the spray noz-
zles no longer hits the
center of the windshield.The spray nozzles are misaligned.
XHave the spray nozzles adjusted at a qualified specialist workshop.
Windshield wipers95
Lights and windshield wipers
Z

since no fresh air is drawn into the vehicle in
air-recirculation mode.
ECO start/stop function
During automatic engine switch-off, the climate
control system only operates at a reduced capa-
city. If you require the full climate control output,
you can switch off the ECO start/stop function
by pressing the ECO button (
Ypage 108).
Operating the climate control system
Activating/deactivating climate con-
trol
General notes
When the climate control is switched off, the air
supply and air circulation are also switched off. The windows could fog up. Therefore, switch off
climate control only briefly.
Activate climate control primarily using the
Ã
button (
Ypage 99).
Activating/deactivating
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock (Ypage 105).
XTo activate: press theÃbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ãbutton lights
up. Airflow and air distribution are set to auto-
matic mode.
XTo deactivate: press the^button.
The indicator lamp in the ^button lights
up.
Switching cooling with air dehumidification on/off
General notes
If you deactivate the "Cooling with air-dehumidification" function, the air inside the vehicle will not
be cooled. The air inside the vehicle will also not be dehumidified. The windows can fog up more
quickly. Therefore, only deactivate the "Cooling with air-dehumidification" function briefly.
The "Cooling with air dehumidification" function is only available when the engine is running.
The air inside the vehicle is cooled and dehumidified according to the temperature selected.
Condensation may drip from the underside of the vehicle when it is in cooling mode. This is normal
and not a sign that there is a malfunction.
Activating/deactivating
XTo activate: press the¿orÁ button.
The indicator lamp in the ¿orÁ button lights up.
XTo deactivate: press the¿orÁ button.
The indicator lamp in the ¿orÁ button goes out. The "Cooling with air dehumidification"
function has a delayed switch-off feature.
Problems with the "Cooling with air dehumidification" function
!If the cooling with air dehumidification does not switch on, it is possible that the climate control
system has lost coolant.
Have the cooling with air dehumidification checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
98Operating the climate control system
Climate control

There is a risk of an accident.
Wear suitable footwear to ensure correct
usage of the pedals.
GWARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
GWARNING
If the parking brake has not been fully
released when driving, the parking brake can:
Roverheat and cause a fire
Rlose its hold function.
There is a risk of fire and an accident. Release
the parking brake fully before driving off.
!Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use the
engine's full performance until it has reached
operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to the
desired drive position when the vehicle is sta-
tionary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery roads.
You could otherwise damage the drive train.
!Avoid high engine speeds when the engine
is cold. The engine's service life could other-
wise be significantly shortened. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
!Mercedes-AMG vehicles: at low engine oil
temperatures below 68 ‡ (+20 †), the max-
imum engine speed is restricted in order to
protect the engine. To protect the engine and
maintain smooth engine operation, avoid driv-
ing at full throttle when the engine is cold.
Key positions
gTo remove the SmartKey
1Power supply for some consumers, such as
the windshield wipers
2Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
3To start the engine
As soon as the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light
up. If an indicator lamp does not go out after
starting the engine or lights up while driving, see
(
Ypage 193).
If the SmartKey is in position gin the ignition
lock for a longer period, it can no longer be
turned in the ignition lock. The steering is then
locked. To unlock, remove the SmartKey and
reinsert it into the ignition lock.
The steering is locked when you remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XRemove the SmartKey when the engine is
switched off.
The starter battery could otherwise be dis-
charged.
If you cannot turn the SmartKey in the ignition
lock, the starter battery may not be charged
sufficiently.
XCheck the starter battery and charge it if nec-
essary (Ypage 248).
or
XJump-start the vehicle (Ypage 249).
You can only remove the SmartKey if:
Rthe SmartKey is in position gin the ignition
lock
Rthe automatic transmission selector lever is
in j
Driving105
Driving and parking
Z