
You can thus avoid the risks that could arise asa result of:
Ran incorrectly categorized person in the front-passenger seat
Rdeactivating the front passenger front air bagunintentionally
Rthe unsuitable positioning of the childrestraint system, e.g. too close to the dash-board
Rearward-facing child restraint system
If circumstances require you to secure a child ina rearward-facing child restraint system on thefront-passenger seat, always make sure that thefront passenger front air bag is deactivated.Only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicatorlamp is lit continuously (Ypage 44), is the frontpassenger 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 64)
Rthe rear side windows (Ypage 64)
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 vehicle63
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 65)
RBAS (BrakeAssistSystem) (Ypage 66)
RActive Brake Assist (Ypage 66)
RESP®(ElectronicStabilityProgram)(Ypage 68)
REBD (ElectronicBrake forceDistribution)(Ypage 72)
RADAPTIVE BRAKE (Ypage 72)
RActive Brake Assist with cross-traffic function(Ypage 72)
RSTEER CONTROL (Ypage 75)
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 areresponsible for maintaining the distance to thevehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking ingood time, and for staying in lane. Always adaptyour driving style to suit the prevailing road andweather conditions and maintain a safe distancefrom 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. Pay particular attention to the informa-tion regarding tires, recommended minimumtire tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and tires"section (Ypage 330).
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 65).
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 alsobecome inoperative. Observe the informationon the ABS warning lamp (Ypage 259) and dis-play messages which may be shown in theinstrument cluster (Ypage 228).
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.
Driving safety systems65
Safety
Z

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.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 65).
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 untilthe emergency braking situation is over.ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once yourelease the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated.
Active Brake Assist
General information
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 65).
Active Brake Assist consists of a distance warn-ing function with an autonomous braking func-tion and Adaptive Brake Assist.
Active Brake Assist can help you to minimize therisk of a collision with the vehicle traveling infront or reduce the effects of such a collision.
If Active Brake Assist detects that there is a riskof collision, you will be warned visually andacoustically. If you do not react to the visual andaudible collision warning, autonomous brakingcan be initiated in critical situations. If you applythe brake yourself in a critical situation, Adap-tive Brake Assist of the Active Brake Assist sys-tem supports you.
Important safety notes
In particular, the detection of obstacles can beimpaired if:
RThere is dirt on the sensors or anything elsecovering 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
RA narrow vehicle is traveling in front, e.g. amotorbike
RA vehicle is traveling in front on a different line
RYou are driving a new vehicle or servicing onthe Active Brake Assist system has just beencarried out
Observe the important safety notes in the"Breaking-in notes" section (Ypage 130).
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle,have the configuration and operation of theradar sensor checked at a qualified specialistworkshop. This also applies to collisions at slowspeeds where there is no visible damage to thefront of the vehicle.
Activating/deactivating
Active Brake Assist is automatically active afterswitching on the ignition.
You can activate or deactivate Active BrakeAssist (Ypage 220) in the on-board computer.When deactivated, the distance warning func-tion and the autonomous braking function arealso deactivated.
If Active Brake Assist is deactivated, the

GWARNING
The distance warning function does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rwhen 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.
GWARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning
Rnot 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 warnsyou if you are rapidly approaching a vehicle infront. An intermittent warning tone will thensound, and the

reacting to moving objects that have alreadybeen detected as such at least once over theperiod of observation.
Up to a speed of approximately 44 mph(70 km/h), Adaptive Brake Assist reacts to sta-tionary obstacles.
If adaptive Brake Assist demands particularlyhigh braking force, preventative passenger pro-
tection measures (PRE-SAFE®) are activatedsimultaneously (Ypage 57).
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
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion for driving safety systems (Ypage 65).
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist can:
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.
GWARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rto crossing traffic
Rwhen cornering
As a result, the 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.
Always adapt your speed to suit the prevailing
road and traffic conditions.
Due to the nature of the system, particularlycomplicated but non-critical driving conditionsmay also cause Brake Assist to intervene.
If adaptive Brake Assist is not available due to amalfunction in the radar sensor system, thebrake system remains available with full brakeboosting effect and BAS.
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 65).
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.
4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 65).
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 65).
68Driving safety systems
Safety

Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle speedsabove 50 mph(80 km/h)when driving straightahead or cornering gently.
Important safety notes
Crosswind Assist does not work if ESP®isswitched off or deactivated because of a mal-function.
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General information
EBD monitors and controls the brake pressureon the rear wheels to improve driving stabilitywhile braking.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-tion (Ypage 65).
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 andwarning lamps (Ypage 259) as well as displaymessages (Ypage 230).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety andoffers increased braking comfort. In addition tothe braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE also hasthe HOLD function (Ypage 170) and hill startassist (Ypage 135).
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic
function
General information
iObserve the important safety notes in the"Driving safety systems" section (Ypage 65).
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic functioncan help you to minimize the risk of a collisionwith a vehicle in front or a pedestrian and reducethe effects of such a collision. If the Active BrakeAssist with cross-traffic function detects a riskof collision, you will be warned visually andacoustically and, if necessary, your brake appli-cation will be assisted according to the situa-tion. If you do not react, the system can alsoreact by braking automatically. In the event of adetected risk of collision due to crossing traffic,you will also be visually and acoustically warnedas well as assisted by the brake boosting effectaccording to the situation.
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function isonly 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 sensorsystem and the camera system must be opera-tional.
If the radar sensor system or the camera systemis malfunctioning, Active Brake Assist withcross-traffic function is restricted or no longeravailable. The brake system is still available withcomplete brake boosting effect and BAS.
The radar sensor system and camera systemhelp Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic func-tion to detect obstacles that are in the path ofyour vehicle for an extended period of time.
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your vehi-cle can be detected.
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic functiondetects pedestrians using typical characteris-tics such as body contours and the posture of aperson standing upright.
iObserve the restrictions described in the"Important safety notes" section(Ypage 72).
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
will initially brake your vehicle by a partial
72Driving safety systems
Safety

application of the brakes if a danger of colli-
sion is detected. There may be a collision
unless you brake yourself. Even after subse-
quent full application of the brakes a collision
cannot always be avoided, particularly when
approaching at too high a speed. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action, provided it is safe to do
so.
In the event of a partial application of the brakes,the vehicle is braked with up to 50% of the fullbraking pressure.
GWARNING
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
cannot always clearly identify objects and
complex traffic situations.
In such cases, Active Brake Assist with cross-
traffic function might:
Rissue an unnecessary warning or engage
Rneither give a warning nor intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be prepared to brake, especially
if Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic func-
tion alerts you. Terminate the intervention in a
non-critical driving situation.
GWARNING
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
cannot always clearly identify people, partic-
ularly if they are moving. Active Brake Assist
with cross-traffic function cannot intervene in
these cases. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be prepared to brake, especially
if Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic func-
tion alerts you.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance tothe vehicle in front and thus prevent a collision,you must apply the brakes yourself.
GWARNING
Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
does not react:
Rto small people, e.g. children
Rto animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rwhen cornering
As a result, Active Brake Assist with cross-
traffic function may not warn you or engage in
all critical situations. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, the rec-ognition can be impaired.
Recognition by the radar sensor system is alsoimpaired if:
Rthere is dirt on the sensors or anything elsecovering the sensors
Rthere is interference by other radar sources
Rthere are strong radar reflections, for exam-ple in parking garages
Ra narrow vehicle is traveling in front, e.g. amotorbike
Ra vehicle is traveling in front on a different line
Rvehicles moving quickly into the radar sensorsystem detection range
Recognition by the camera system is alsoimpaired in the event of:
Rdirt on the camera or if the camera is covered
Rglare on the camera system, e.g. from the sunbeing low in the sky
Rdarkness
Ror if:
-pedestrians move quickly, e.g. into the pathof the vehicle
-the camera system no longer recognizes apedestrian as a person due to special cloth-ing or other objects
-a pedestrian is concealed by other objects
-the typical outline of a pedestrian is notdistinguishable from the background
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle,have the configuration and operation of theradar sensors checked at a qualified specialistworkshop. This also applies to collisions at slow
Driving safety systems73
Safety
Z

speeds where there is no visible damage to thefront of the vehicle.
Following damage to the windshield, have theconfiguration and operation of the camera sys-tem checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Function
XTo activate or deactivate:activate or deac-tivate Active Brake Assist with cross-trafficfunction using the on-board computer(Ypage 220).If Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic func-tion is deactivated, the