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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 44).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 switched on
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 Mercedes me connect: auto-
matic emergency call Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 5 ft (1.50 m) in height is traveling in the
vehicle: R always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The child restraint system must be appropri-
ate to the age, weight and size of the child.
R be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes in this section in addition to the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
instructions.
R always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant classification system
(OCS)". (Y page 48) G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion, for example by:
R releasing the parking brake
R shifting the transmission to the neutral
position
R starting the engine
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. 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 unsupervised in the vehicle. G
WARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle. G
WARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro- tect it with a blanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been exposed to direct
sunlight, let it cool down before securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in the vehicle.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants have
their seat belts fastened correctly and are sitting properly. Particular attention must be paid to
children.
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
(Y page 42) and the notes on correct use of seat
belts (Y page 43).
A booster seat may be necessary to achieve
proper seat belt positioning for children over
40 lbs (18 kg) until they reach a height where a Children in the vehicle
55Safety Z
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three-point seat belt can be properly fastened
without a booster seat. Special seatbelt retractor
G
WARNING
If the seat belt is released while driving, the
child restraint system will no longer be
secured properly. The special seat belt retrac- tor is disabled and the inertia real draws in a
portion of the seat belt. The seat belt cannot
be immediately refastened. There is an
increased risk of injury, possibly even fatal.
Stop the vehicle immediately, paying atten-
tion to road and traffic conditions. Reactivate
the special seat belt retractor and secure the
child restraint system properly.
The seat belt on the front-passenger's side is
equipped with a special seat belt retractor.
When activated, the special seat belt retractor
ensures that the seat belt cannot slacken once
the child seat is secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
X Make sure you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
X Pull the seat belt smoothly out of the seat belt
guide.
X Engage seat belt tongue in belt buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor: X Pull the seat belt out fully and let the inertia
reel retract it again.
While the seat belt is retracting, you should
hear a ratcheting sound. The special seat belt
retractor is enabled.
X Push the child restraint system down so that
the seat belt is tight and does not loosen.
Removing the child restraint system and deac-
tivating the special seat belt retractor:
X Make sure you observe the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation instruc-
tions.
X Press the release button of the seat belt
buckle and route the seat belt tongue towards
the seat belt guide.
The special seat belt retractor is deactivated. Child restraint system
The use of seat belts and child restraint systems
is required by law in:
R all 50 states
R the U.S. territories
R the District of Columbia
R all Canadian provinces G
WARNING
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. G
WARNING
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" (Y page 218). G
WARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems which have been damaged or subjected to a load in an accident can no longer protect 56
Children in the vehicleSafety
Page 59 of 298

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 system of child restraint systems is the seat belt system.
If you install a child restraint system on the front
passenger seat, be sure to observe the instruc-
tions and safety notes on the "Occupant Clas-
sification System (OCS)" (Y page 48). There you
will also find information on disabling the front
passenger front air bag.
All child restraint systems must meet the fol-
lowing standards:
R U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 225
R Canadian 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. Child restraint system on the front
passenger seat
General notes If you install a child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat, always observe the
instructions and safety notes on the "Occupant
Classification System (OCS)" (Y page 48).You can thus avoid the risks that could arise as
a result of:
R an incorrectly categorized person in the front-
passenger seat
R deactivating the front passenger front air bag
unintentionally
R the unsuitable positioning of the child
restraint system, e.g. too close to the dash-
board
Rearward-facing child restraint system If circumstances require you to secure a child in
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 lit continuously (Y page 41), 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. The entire base of the child
restraint system must always rest on the seat
cushion of the front-passenger seat. The back-
rest 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 accord- ingly. Always make sure that the shoulder belt
strap is correctly routed from the front-
passenger seat belt guide to the shoulder belt
guide on the child restraint system. The shoul-
der belt strap must be routed forward and down
from the front-passenger seat belt guide.
Always observe the child restraint system man-
ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-
tions. Children in the vehicle
57Safety Z
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Pets in the vehicle
G
WARNING
If you leave animals unsupervised or unse-
cured in the vehicle, they may press buttons
or switches, for instance.
In this way, animals may:
R activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
R switch systems on or off and thereby
endanger other road users
Furthermore, unsecured animals may be flung
around inside the vehicle in the event of an
accident or abrupt steering or braking maneu- ver, and thereby injure vehicle occupants.
There is a risk of accident and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle.
Always secure animals properly when driving,
for instance with a suitable pet carrier. Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems: R ABS ( Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 58)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) (Y page 59)
R Active Brake Assist (Y page 59)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 62)
R EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
(Y page 64)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 64)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. Please pay special attention to the
notes on tires, recommended minimum tire
tread depths, etc. (Y page 263).
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 0025 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 58). 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 201) and dis-58
Driving safety systemsSafety
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play messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 175).
Brakes 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. 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 58). 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 58).
Active Brake Assist consists of a distance warn-
ing function with an autonomous braking func-
tion and a situation-dependent brake boosting
effect.
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
collision warning or the warning tone, autono-
mous braking can be initiated in critical situa-
tions. If you apply the brake yourself in a critical situation, Active Brake Assist supports you with
a situation-dependent brake boosting effect.
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 important safety notes in the
"Breaking-in notes" section. (Y page 109)
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 thefront of the vehicle.
Activating/deactivating Active Brake Assist is automatically active after
switching on the ignition. Driving safety systems
59Safety Z
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You can activate or deactivate Active Brake
Assist (Y page 168) in the on-board computer.
When deactivated, the distance warning func-
tion and the autonomous braking function are
also deactivated.
If Active Brake Assist is deactivated, the 00D4
symbol appears in the assistance graphic dis-
play.
Distance warning function General information
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. If the distance warning function
detects that there is a risk of a collision, you will
be warned visually and acoustically.
Important safety notes i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 58).G
WARNING
The distance warning function does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
The distance warning function may not give
warnings in all critical situations. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
Always adapt your speed to suit the prevailing
road and traffic conditions. G
WARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident. Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and do not rely solely on the distance
warning function.
Function
Starting at a speed of approximately 4 mph
(7 km/h), the distance warning function warns
you if you rapidly approach a vehicle in front. An intermittent warning tone will then sound, and
the 00BA distance warning lamp will light up in
the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving conditions
may also cause the system to display a warning. 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.
Up to a speed of approximately 44 mph
(70 km/h), the distance warning function can
also react to stationary obstacles, such as stop-
ped or parked vehicles.
Autonomous braking function If the driver does not react to the distance warn-
ing signal in a critical situation, Active Brake
Assist can assist the driver with the autonomous braking function.
The autonomous braking function:
R gives the driver more time to react to critical
driving situations
R can help the driver to avoid an accident or
R reduces the effects of an accident
Vehicles without Active Distance Assist
DISTRONIC: the autonomous braking function
is available in the following speed ranges:
R 4 - 65 mph (7 - 105 km/h) for moving objects
R 4 - 31 mph (7 - 50 km/h) for stationary
objects 60
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Vehicles with Active Distance Assist
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 54).
Situation-dependent brake boosting
effect General information
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 58).
With the help of the radar sensor system, Active Brake Assist can detect obstacles that are in the
path of your vehicle for an extended period of
time.
If Active Brake Assist detects a risk of collision
with the vehicle in front, it calculates the brake
pressure necessary to avoid a collision. If you
apply the brakes forcefully, the situation-
dependent brake boosting effect automatically
increases the brake pressure to a degree appro- priate to the traffic situation.
The situation-dependent brake boosting effect
provides braking assistance in hazardous situa-
tions at speeds above 4 mph (7 km/h). It uses
radar sensor technology to assess the traffic
situation.
The situation-dependent brake boosting effect
is capable of reacting to moving objects that
have already been detected as such at least
once over the period of observation, up to a
speed of around 155 mph (250 km/h).
The situation-dependent brake boosting effect
reacts to stationary obstacles up to a speed of
approximately 44 mph (70 km/h).
If the situation-dependent brake boosting effect demands particularly high brake pressure, pre-
ventative passenger protection measures (PRE-
SAFE ®
) are triggered simultaneously
(Y page 54). X
Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency 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 vehicle
The situation-dependent brake boosting effect
is then deactivated.
Important safety notes i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 58). 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. 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.
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
61Safety Z
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ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 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.
ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 58).
ETS 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 i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 58). 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.
ESP ®
is only deactivated if the 00BBwarning
lamp is lit continuously.
When SPORT handling mode is activated, the
0074 warning lamp lights up in the instrument
panel. When the
00BBand0089 warning lamps light up
continuously, ESP ®
is not available due to a mal-
function.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 201) and display messages which may
be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 175).
Only use wheels with the recommended tire
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General information
If the 00E5 ESP®
warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the 00E5ESP®
warning lamp
flashes in the instrument cluster.
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. Exam-
ple: if ESP ®
was deactivated before the engine
was switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated
when the engine is switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 58).
You can select between the following states of
ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated
R SPORT handling mode is activated
R ESP ®
is deactivated 62
Driving safety systemsSafety