Objects in the vehicle interior may prevent
an air bag from functioning correctly. Before
starting your journey and to avoid risks resulting
from the speed of the air bag as it deploys, make
sure that: R
there are no people, animals or objects
between the vehicle occupants and an air bag R
there are no objects between the seat, door
and B-pillar R
there are no hard objects, e.g. coat hangers,
hanging on the grab handles or coat hooks R
no accessories, such as cup holders, are
attached to the vehicle within the deployment
area of an air bag, e.g. to doors, side windows,
rear side trim or side walls R
no heavy, sharp-edged or fragile objects are in
the pockets of your clothing. Store such
objects in a suitable place
G WARNING
If you modify the air bag cover or affix objects
such as stickers to it, the air bag can no longer
function correctly. There is an increased risk
of injury.
Never modify an air bag cover or affix objects
to it.
G WARNING
Sensors to control the air bags are located in
the doors. Modifications or work not per-
formed correctly to the doors or door panel-
ing, as well as damaged doors, can lead to the
function of the sensors being impaired. The air
bags might therefore not function properly
anymore. Consequently, the air bags cannot
protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. There is an increased risk of
injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the doors.
Always have work on the doors or door pan-
eling carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Front air bags
! Do not place heavy objects on the front-
passenger seat. This could cause the system
to identify the seat as being occupied. In the
event of an accident, the restraint systems on the front-passenger side may be triggered
and have to be replaced.
Driver's air bag C deploys in front of the steer-
ing wheel. Front-passenger front air bag D
deploys in front of and above the glove box.
When deployed, the front air bags offer addi-
tional head and thorax protection for the occu-
pants in the front seats.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
informs you about the status of the front-
passenger front air bag ( Y
page 45).
The front-passenger front air bag will only
deploy if: R
the system, based on the OCS weight sensor
readings, detects that the front-passenger
seat is occupied ( Y
page 51). The
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp is
not lit ( Y
page 52) R
the restraint system control unit predicts a
high accident severity
Driver's knee bag
Driver's knee bag C deploys under the steering
column. The driver's knee bag is deployed
together with the front air bag.50
Occupant safety
Safety
If the seat belt pre-tensioning is not reduced: X
Move the seat backrest or seat back slightly
when the vehicle is stationary.
The seat belt pre-tensioning is reduced and
the locking mechanism is released.
The seat-belt adjustment is an integral part of
the PRE-SAFE ®
convenience function. Informa-
tion about the convenience function can be
found under "Belt adjustment" ( Y
page 48).
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS (anticipatory occu-
pant protection system PLUS)
Introduction PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS is only available in vehicles
with the Driving Assistance PLUS package.
Using the radar sensor system, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS is able to detect that a head-on or rear-end
collision is imminent. In certain hazardous sit-
uations, PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS takes pre-emptive
measures to protect the vehicle occupants.
Important safety notes The intervention of PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS cannot
prevent an imminent collision.
The driver is not warned about the intervention
of PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS.
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS does not intervene if the vehi-
cle is backing up.
When driving, or when parking or exiting a park-
ing space with assistance from Parking Pilot,
PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS will not apply the brakes.
Function PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS intervenes in certain situa-
tions if the radar sensor system detects an
imminent head-on or rear-end collision. PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS takes the following measures
depending on the hazardous situation detected: R
if the radar sensor system detects that a
head-on collision is imminent, the seat belts
are pre-tensioned. R
if the radar sensor system detects that a rear-
end collision is imminent: -
the brake pressure is increased if the driver
applies the brakes when the vehicle is sta-
tionary. -
the seat belts are pre-tensioned.
The PRE-SAFE ®
PLUS braking application is can-
celed: R
if the accelerator pedal is depressed when a
gear is engaged R
if the risk of a collision passes or is no longer
detected R
if Distance Pilot DISTRONIC indicates an
intention to pull away
If the hazardous situation passes without result-
ing in an accident, the original settings are
restored.
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent Immediately after an accident, the following
measures are implemented, depending on the
type and severity of the impact: R
the hazard warning lamps are activated R
the emergency lighting is activated R
the vehicle doors are unlocked R
the front side windows are lowered R
vehicles with a memory function: the electri-
cally adjustable steering wheel is raised when
the driver's door is opened R
the engine is switched off and the fuel supply
is cut off R
vehicles with mbrace: automatic emergency
call
Children in the vehicle
Important safety 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 installChildren in the vehicle 59
Safety Z
Drivin g safet y systems
Overview of drivin g safet y systemsIn this section , you will fin d information about
th e followin g drivin g safet y systems :R
AB S ( A n ti-loc k B rakin g S ystem)
( Y
page 66)R
BA S ( B rak e A ssist S ystem) ( Y
page 67)R
Active Brak e Assis t ( Y
page 67 )R
ES P ®
( E lectronic S t ability P r ogram)
( Y
page 70)R
EB D ( E lectroni c B rak e forc e D istribution )
( Y
page 72 )R
ADAPTIV E BRAKE ( Y
page 72 )R
Active Brak e Assis t wit h cross-traffic function
( Y
page 72)R
Steerin g Pilo t STEE R CONTROL
( Y
page 75 )
Important safet y notesIf you fail to adapt your drivin g style or if you are
inattentive , th e drivin g safet y systems can nei-
ther reduce th e ris k of an acciden t no r override
th e laws of physics. Driving safet y systems are
merely aids designed to assist driving. You are
responsible fo r maintainin g th e distanc e to th e
vehicle in front, fo r vehicle speed, fo r braking in
goo d time, and fo r stayin g in lane. Always adapt
your drivin g style to suit th e prevailin g road and
weather condition s and maintain a saf e distanc e
from th e vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The drivin g safet y systems described only wor k
as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quat e contact between th e tires and th e road
surface. Pay particular attention to th e informa-
tion regardin g tires , recommended minimum
tire tread depths etc. in th e "Wheels and tires "
section ( Y
page 351).
In wintr y drivin g conditions, always use winte r
tires (M+ S tires )a nd if necessary, snow chains.
Only in this way will the driving safety systems
described in this section work as effectively as
possible. ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General information ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way that
the wheels do not lock when you brake. This
allows you to continue steering the vehicle when
braking.
The % ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface conditions.
ABS works on slippery surfaces, even when you
only brake gently.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 66).
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.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp ( Y
page 277) and dis-
play messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster ( Y
page 244).
Braking X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously 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, and functions as a
reminder to take extra care while driving.66
Driving safety systems
Safety
Off-road ABS An ABS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated on: R
Vehicles without the Offroad Engineering
package ( Y
page 214)R
Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age ( Y
page 215)
At speeds below 20 mph (30 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
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 66).
G WARNING
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 X
Keep 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. Active Brake Assist
General information
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 66).
Active Brake Assist consists of a distance warn-
ing function with an autonomous braking func-
tion and situation-dependent braking assis-
tance
Active Brake Assist can help you to minimize the
risk of a collision with the vehicle traveling in
front or reduce the effects of such a collision.
If Active Brake Assist detects that there is a risk
of 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, Adap-
tive Brake Assist supports you with situation-
dependent braking assistance.
Active Brake Assist is only available in certain
countries.
Important safety notes In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired if: R
there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors R
there is snow or heavy rain R
there is interference by other radar sources R
there are strong radar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages R
a narrow vehicle is traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike R
a vehicle is traveling in front on a different line R
you are driving a new vehicle or servicing on
the Active Brake Assist system has just been
carried out
Observe the notes in the section on breaking-
in ( Y
page 134).
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.Driving safety systems 67
Safety Z
Vehicles with Distance Pilot DISTRONIC: the
autonomous braking function is available in the
following speed ranges: R
4 - 124 mph (7 - 200 km/h) for moving
objects R
4 - 31 mph (7 - 50 km/h) for stationary
objects
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving conditions
may also cause the Autonomous Braking Func-
tion to intervene.
If the autonomous braking function requires a
particularly high braking force, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
)
are activated simultaneously ( Y
page 58).
Situation-dependent braking assis-
tance General information
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 66).
With the help of the radar sensor system, Adap-
tive Brake Assist can detect obstacles that are in
the path of your vehicle for an extended period
of time.
If Adaptive Brake Assist detects a risk of colli-
sion with the vehicle in front, it calculates the
brake pressure necessary to avoid a collision. If
you apply the brakes forcefully, situation-
dependent braking assistance adapts to the sit-
uation and automatically increases the brake
pressure to a degree appropriate to the traffic
situation.
Situation-dependent braking assistance pro-
vides braking assistance in hazardous situations
at speeds above 4 mph (7 km/h). It uses radar
sensor technology to assess the traffic situa-
tion.
Situation-dependent braking assistance is capa-
ble of reacting to moving objects that have
already been detected as such at least once
over the period of observation, up to vehicle
speeds of around 155 mph (250 km/h).
Situation-dependent braking assistance reacts
to stationary obstacles up to a speed of approx-
imately 44 mph (70 km/h).
If situation-dependent braking assistance
demands particularly high brake pressure, pre-
ventative passenger protection measures (PRE-
SAFE ®
) are triggered simultaneously
( Y
page 58). X
Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
e mergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if: R
you release the brake pedal. R
there is no longer any danger of a collision. R
no obstacle is detected in front of your vehi-
cle.
Situation-dependent braking assistance is then
deactivated.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems ( Y
page 66).
G WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist might: R
intervene unnecessarily R
not 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.
G WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react: R
to people or animals R
to oncoming vehicles R
to crossing traffic R
when cornering
As a result, 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, complex but
non-critical driving conditions may also cause
Active Brake Assist to intervene.
Even if Active Brake Assist is not available due to
a malfunction in the radar sensor system, the
brake system is still available with full brake
boosting effect and BAS.Driving safety systems 69
Safety Z
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 66).
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) 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 ®
.
In appropriate driving situations, activate the
offroad program: X
Vehicles without the Offroad Engineering
package ( Y
page 214)X
Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age ( Y
page 215)
Offroad 4ETS (Electronic Traction Sys-
tem) An ETS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once an off-
road program is activated: R
Vehicles without the Offroad Engineering
package ( Y
page 214)R
Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age ( Y
page 215) Important safety notes
G WARNING
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.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: only operate the
vehicle for a maximum of ten seconds on a
brake test dynamometer. Switch off the igni-
tion.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or perform-
ance tests may only be carried out on a 2-axle
dynamometer. Before you operate the vehicle
on such a dynamometer, please consult a
qualified workshop. You could otherwise
damage the drive train or the brake system.
ESP ®
is only deactivated if the
If ESP ®
intervenes:X
Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances. X
Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away. 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 when the vehicle stops
moving. The engine starts automatically when
the driver wants to pull away again. ESP ®
remains in its previously selected status, e.g. if
ESP ®
was deactivated before the engine was
automatically switched off.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 66).
You can select between the following states of
ESP ®
: R
ESP ®
is activated.R
ESP ®
is deactivated.
G WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilizes the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the follow-
ing situations: R
when using snow chains R
in deep snow R
on sand or gravel
Spinning the wheels results in a cutting action
which provides better grip.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the vehicle if
the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to
spin. ! Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated. You
could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
X
To deactivate: press button C .
The
Offroad ESP ®
(vehicles with Offroad
Engineering package) An ESP ®
system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated on: R
Vehicles without the Offroad Engineering
package ( Y
page 214)R
Vehicles with the Off-Road Engineering pack-
age ( Y
page 215)
Offroad ESP ®
intervenes with a delay if there is
oversteering or understeering, thus improving
traction.
Crosswind Assist General information Strong crosswind gusts can impair the ability of
your vehicle to drive straight ahead. The cross-
wind driving assistance function integrated in
ESP ®
noticeably reduces these impairments.
ESP ®
intervenes automatically according to the
direction and intensity of the crosswinds affect-
ing your vehicle.
ESP ®
intervenes with stabilizing braking to
assist you in keeping the vehicle in the lane.
Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle speeds
above 50 mph (80 km/h) when driving straight
ahead or cornering gently.
Important safety notes Crosswind Assist does not work if ESP ®
is
switched off or deactivated because of a mal-
function.
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
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems ( Y
page 66). G WARNING
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 ( Y
page 277) as well as display
messages ( Y
page 246).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety and
offers increased braking comfort. In addition to
the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE also has
the HOLD function ( Y
page 182) and hill start
assist ( Y
page 139).
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic
function
General information
i Pay attention to the important safety notes
in the "Driving safety systems" section
( Y
page 66).
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
can help you to minimize the risk of a collision
with a vehicle in front or a pedestrian and reduce
the effects of such a collision. If the Active Brake
Assist with cross-traffic function detects a risk
of collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically and, if necessary, your brake appli-
cation will be assisted according to the situa-
tion. If you do not react, the system can also
react by braking automatically. In the event of a
detected risk of collision due to crossing traffic,
you will also be visually and acoustically warned
as well as assisted by the brake boosting effect
according to the situation.
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function is
only available in vehicles with the Driving Assis-
tance Plus package.
For Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic func-
tion to assist you when driving, the radar sensor
system and the camera system must be opera-
tional.72
Driving safety systems
Safety