Restraint system warning lamp
The functions of the restraint system arechecked after the ignition is switched on and atregular intervals while the engine is running.Therefore, malfunctions can be detected ingood time.
The urestraint system warning lamp on theinstrument cluster lights up when the ignition isswitched on. It goes out no later than a few sec-onds after the vehicle is started. The compo-nents of the restraint system are in operationalreadiness.
A malfunction has occurred if the urestraintsystem warning lamp:
Rdoes not light up after the ignition is switchedon
Rdoes not go out after a few seconds with theengine running
Rlights up again while the engine is running
GWARNING
If the restraint system is malfunctioning,
restraint system components may be trig-
gered unintentionally or may not deploy as
intended during an accident. This can affect
for example the Emergency Tensioning
Device or the air bag. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired in a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible.
PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamp
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp CandPASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp Darepart of the Occupant Classification System(OCS).
The indicator lamps display the status of thefront-passenger front air bag.
RPASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up for 60 sec-onds, subsequently both indicator lamps areoff (PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and OFF): thefront-passenger front air bag is able to deployin the event of an accident.
RPASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lights up: the front-passenger front air bag is deactivated. It willthen not be deployed in the event of an acci-dent.
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp isoff, only the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicatorlamp shows the status of the front-passengerfront air bag. The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFFindicator lamp may be lit continuously or be off.
Depending on the person in the front-passengerseat, the front-passenger front air bag musteither be deactivated or enabled; see the fol-lowing points. You must make sure of this bothbefore and during a journey.
RChildren in a child restraint system:whether the front-passenger front air bag isenabled or deactivated depends on the instal-led child restraint system, and the age andsize of the child. Therefore, be sure to observethe notes on the "Occupant ClassificationSystem (OCS)" (Ypage 47) and on "Chil-dren in the vehicle" (Ypage 54). There youwill also find instructions on rearward andforward-facing child restraint systems on thefront-passenger seat.
RAll other persons:depending on the classi-fication of the person in the front-passengerseat, the front-passenger front air bag is ena-bled or deactivated (Ypage 47). Be sure toobserve the notes on "Seatbelts“ (Ypage 41) and "Air bags"(Ypage 45). There you can also find infor-mation on the correct seat position.
Seat belts
Introduction
Seat belts are the most effective means ofrestricting the movement of vehicle occupantsin the event of an accident or the vehicle rollingover. This reduces the risk of vehicle occupantscoming into contact with parts of the vehicleinterior or being ejected from the vehicle. Fur-thermore, the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle
Occupant safety41
Safety
Z
sive role in the deployment of an air bag. Nor dothey provide an indication of air bag deploy-ment.
The vehicle can be deformed considerably, with-out an air bag being deployed. This is the case ifonly parts which are relatively easily deformedare affected and the rate of deceleration is nothigh. Conversely, air bags may be deployed eventhough the vehicle suffers only minor deforma-tion. This is the case if, for example, very rigidvehicle parts such as longitudinal body mem-bers are hit, and sufficient deceleration occursas a result.
If the restraint system control unit detects a sideimpact or if the vehicle rolls over, the applicablecomponents of the restraint system aredeployed independently of each other depend-ing on the apparent type of accident.
RSide impact air bags on the side where theimpact takes place, independently of theEmergency Tensioning Device and the use ofthe seat belt on the driver's seat and outerseats in the second row
The side impact air bag on the front-passenger side deploys under the followingconditions:
-the OCS system detects that the front-passenger seat is occupied or
-the seat belt buckle tongue is engaged inthe belt buckle of the front-passenger seat
RWindow curtain air bag on the side of impact,independently of the use of the seat belt andindependently of whether the front-passenger seat is occupied
REmergency Tensioning Devices, if the systemdetermines that deployment can offer addi-tional protection in this situation
RWindow curtain air bags on the driver's andfront-passenger side in certain situationswhen the vehicle rolls over, if the systemdetermines that deployment can offer addi-tional protection to that provided by the seatbelt
iNot all air bags are deployed in an accident.The different air bag systems work independ-ently of each other.
How the air bag system works is determinedby the severity of the accident detected,especially the vehicle deceleration or accel-eration and the apparent type of accident:
RHead-on collision
RSide impact
RRollover
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent
Immediately after an accident, the followingmeasures are implemented, depending on thetype and severity of the impact:
Rthe hazard warning lamps are switched on
Rthe emergency lighting is activated
Rthe vehicle doors are unlocked
Rthe front side windows are lowered
Rthe engine is switched off and the fuel supplyis cut off
Rvehicles with Mercedes me connect: auto-matic emergency call
Children in the vehicle
Important safety notes
Accident statistics show that children securedin the rear seats are safer than children securedin the front-passenger seat. For this reason,Mercedes-Benz strongly advises that you installa child restraint system on a rear seat. Childrenare generally better protected there.
If a child younger than twelve years old andunder 5 ft (1.50 m) in height is traveling in thevehicle:
Ralways secure the child in a child restraintsystem suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.The child restraint system must be appropri-ate to the age, weight and size of the child.
Rbe sure to observe the instructions and safetynotes in this section in addition to the childrestraint system manufacturer's installationinstructions.
Ralways observe the instructions and safetynotes on the "Occupant classification system(OCS)". (Ypage 47)
54Children in the vehicle
Safety
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking positionP.
Rstart 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.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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 havetheir seat belts fastened correctly and are sittingproperly. Particular attention must be paid tochildren.
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt(Ypage 42) and the notes on correct use of seatbelts (Ypage 43).
A booster seat may be necessary to achieveproper seat belt positioning for children over40 lbs (18 kg) until they reach a height where a
three-point seat belt can be properly fastenedwithout a booster seat.
Special seatbelt retractor
GWARNING
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.
All seat belts in the vehicle, except the driver'sseat belt, are equipped with a special seat beltretractor. When activated, the special seat beltretractor ensures that the seat belt cannotslacken once the child seat is secured.
Installing a child restraint system:
XMake sure you observe the child restraintsystem manufacturer's installation instruc-tions.
XPull the seat belt smoothly from the belt out-let.
XEngage seat belt tongue in belt buckle.
Activating the special seat belt retractor:
XPull the seat belt out fully and let the inertiareel retract it again.While the seat belt is retracting, you shouldhear a ratcheting sound. The special seat beltretractor is enabled.
XPush the child restraint system down so thatthe seat belt is tight and does not loosen.
Removing the child restraint system and deac-tivating the special seat belt retractor:
XMake sure you observe the child restraintsystem manufacturer's installation instruc-tions.
XPress the release button of the seat beltbuckle and guide the seat belt tongue backtowards the belt sash guide.The special seat belt retractor is deactivated.
Children in the vehicle55
Safety
Z
You can thus avoid the risks that could arise asa result of:
Ran incorrectly categorized person in the front-passenger seat
Rthe unintentional deactivation of the front-passenger front air bag
Rthe unsuitable positioning of the childrestraint system, e.g. too close to the dash-board
Rearward-facing child restraint system
If it is absolutely necessary to install a rearward-facing child restraint system on the front-passenger seat, always make sure that thefront-passenger front air bag is deactivated.Only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicatorlamp is permanently lit (Ypage 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 it is absolutely necessary to install a forward-facing child restraint system on the front-passenger seat, always move the front-passenger seat as far back as possible. Fullyretract the seat cushion length. The entire baseof the child restraint system must always rest onthe seat cushion of the front-passenger seat.The backrest of the child restraint system mustlie as flat as possible against the backrest of thefront-passenger seat. The child restraint systemmust not touch the roof or be subjected to a loadby the head restraint. Adjust the angle of theseat backrest and the head restraint positionaccordingly. Always make sure that the shoul-der belt strap is correctly routed from the vehi-cle belt outlet to the shoulder belt guide on thechild restraint system. The shoulder belt strapmust be routed forward and down from the vehi-cle belt outlet. If necessary, adjust the vehiclebelt outlet and the front-passenger seat accord-ingly.
Always observe the child restraint system man-ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-tions.
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are traveling in the vehicle, they
could:
Ropen doors, thus endangering other people
or road users
Rexit the vehicle and be caught by oncoming
traffic
Roperate vehicle equipment and become
trapped
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Always activate the child-proof locks and
override feature if children are traveling in the
vehicle. When leaving the vehicle, always take
the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unattended in the vehicle.
Override feature for:
Rthe rear doors (Ypage 60)
Rthe rear side windows (Ypage 60)
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking positionP.
Rstart 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.
GWARNING
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.
Children in the vehicle59
Safety
Z
Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information aboutthe following driving safety systems:
RABS (Anti-lockBrakingSystem)(Ypage 61)
RBAS (BrakeAssistSystem) (Ypage 61)
RActive Brake Assist (Ypage 62)
RESP®(ElectronicStabilityProgram)(Ypage 64)
REBD (ElectronicBrake forceDistribution)(Ypage 67)
RADAPTIVE BRAKE (Ypage 68)
RSTEER CONTROL (Ypage 68)
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you areinattentive, the driving safety systems can nei-ther reduce the risk of an accident nor overridethe laws of physics. Driving safety systems aremerely aids designed to assist driving.
You are responsible for maintaining the distanceto the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, forbraking in good time, and for staying in lane.Always adapt your driving style to suit the pre-vailing road and weather conditions and main-tain a safe distance from the vehicle in front.Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described only workas effectively as possible when there is ade-quate contact between the tires and the roadsurface. Please pay special attention to thenotes on tires, recommended minimum tiretread depths, etc. (Ypage 291).
In wintry driving conditions, always use wintertires (M+S tires)and if necessary, snow chains.Only in this way will the driving safety systemsdescribed in this section work as effectively aspossible.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General information
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way thatthe wheels do not lock when you brake. Thisallows you to continue steering the vehicle whenbraking.
The %ABS warning lamp in the instrumentcluster lights up when the ignition is switchedon. 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 youonly brake gently.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 61).
GWARNING
If ABS is malfunctioning, the wheels could
lock when braking. The steerability and brak-
ing characteristics would be severely affec-
ted. There is an increased danger of skidding
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 alsobecome inoperative. Observe the informationon the ABS warning lamp (Ypage 222)and dis-play messages which may be shown in theinstrument cluster (Ypage 194).
Braking
XIf ABS intervenes:continue to depress thebrake pedal vigorously until the braking sit-uation is over.
XTo make a full brake application:depressthe brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel apulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indicationof hazardous road conditions, and functions as areminder 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, BASautomatically boosts the braking force, thusshortening the stopping distance.
Driving safety systems61
Safety
Z
Situation-dependent braking assistance is capa-ble of reacting to moving objects that havealready been detected as such at least onceover the period of observation, up to vehiclespeeds of around 155 mph (250 km/h).
Situation-dependent braking assistance canalso detect stationary objects, up to vehiclespeeds of around 44 mph (70 km/h).
XKeep the brake pedal depressed until theemergency braking situation is over.ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if:
Ryou release the brake pedal
Rthere is no longer any danger of a collision
Rno obstacle is detected in front of your vehicle
Situation-dependent braking assistance is thendeactivated.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion for driving safety systems (Ypage 61).
GWARNING
Active Brake Assist does not react:
Rto persons, bicycles, motorcycles or ani-
mals
Rto approaching vehicles
Rto cross traffic
Ron bends
As a result, Active Brake Assist cannot inter-
vene in all critical situations. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be prepared to brake.
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist might:
Rintervene unnecessarily
Rnot intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
Due to the nature of the system, complex butnon-critical driving conditions may also causeActive Brake Assist to intervene.
Even if Active Brake Assist is not available due toa malfunction in the radar sensor system, thebrake system is still available with full brakeboosting effect and BAS.
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 61).
ESP®monitors driving stability and traction, i.e.power transmission between the tires and theroad surface.
If ESP®detects that the vehicle is deviating fromthe direction desired by the driver, one or morewheels are braked to stabilize the vehicle. Theengine 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 stabilizethe vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 61).
ETS traction control is part of ESP®. On vehicles
with 4MATIC, 4ETS is part of ESP®.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-vidually if they spin. This enables you to pullaway and accelerate on slippery surfaces, forexample if the road surface is slippery on oneside. 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 61).
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.
64Driving safety systems
Safety
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Please observe the information on warning andindicator lamps (Ypage 222)
(Ypage 222) as well as on display messages(Ypage 196).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety andoffers increased braking comfort. In addition tothe braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE also hasthe HOLD function (Ypage 158) and hill startassist (Ypage 126).
STEER CONTROL
General information
STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting anoticeable steering force to the steering wheelin the direction required for vehicle stabilization.
This steering assistance is provided in particularif:
Rboth right wheels or both left wheels are on awet or slippery road surface when you brake
Rthe vehicle begins to skid
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 61).
No steering assistance is provided from STEERCONTROL, if:
RESP®is malfunctioning
Rthe steering is malfunctioning
If ESP®is malfunctioning, you will be assistedfurther by the electrical power steering.
Protection against theft
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle frombeing started without the correct SmartKey.
XTo activate with the SmartKey:remove theSmartKey from the ignition lock.
XTo activate with KEYLESS-GO start-func-tion or KEYLESS-GO:switch the ignition offand open the driver's door.
XTo deactivate:switch on the ignition.
When leaving the vehicle, always take theSmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Anyonecan start the engine if a valid SmartKey has beenleft inside the vehicle.
iThe immobilizer is always deactivated whenyou start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be started(yet the vehicle's battery is charged), the sys-tem is not operational. Contact an authorizedMercedes-Benz Center or call1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA) or1-800-387-0100(in Canada).
ATA (anti-theft alarm system)
XTo arm:lock the vehicle with the SmartKey orKEYLESS-GO.Indicator lamp Cflashes. The alarm systemis armed after approximately 15 seconds.
XTo disarm:unlock the vehicle with the Smart-Key or KEYLESS-GO.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if thealarm system is armed and you open:
Ra door
Rthe vehicle with the mechanical key
Rthe trunk lid
Rthe hood
68Protection against theft
Safety
SmartKey
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
Roperate the vehicle's equipment
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they:
Rrelease the parking brake
Rshift the automatic transmission out of park
position ]
Rstart the engine
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave children or animals unattended in
the vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. This
also applies for the Digital Vehicle Key if the
"Digital Vehicle Key" function is activated via
Mercedes me connect.
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 controlfunction 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 phoneor another SmartKey
Rwith metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal foil
Rinside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO start function:donot keep the SmartKey in the trunk. Otherwise,
the SmartKey may not be detected, e.g. whenstarting the engine using the Start/Stop button.
SmartKey functions
C 7To lock the vehicle
D TTo open the trunk lid