bags continue to perform their protective func-
tion for the vehicle occupants in the event of a
crash. G
WARNING
Emergency Tensioning Devices that have
deployed pyrotechnically are no longer
operational and are unable to perform their
intended protective function. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Have pyrotechnically triggered Emergency
Tensioning Devices replaced immediately at
a qualified specialist workshop.
If Emergency Tensioning Devices are triggered
or air bags are deployed, you will hear a bang,
and some powder may also be released. The
6 restraint system warning lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your
hearing. The powder that is released generally
does not constitute a health hazard, but it may
cause short-term breathing difficulties in peo-
ple with asthma or other respiratory problems.
Provided it is safe to do so, you should leave
the vehicle immediately or open the window in
order to prevent breathing difficulties.
Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tension-
ing Devices (ETDs) contain perchlorate mate-
rial, which may require special handling and
regard for the environment. National guide-
lines must be observed during disposal. In Cal-
ifornia, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/index.cfm .
Method of operation During the first stage of a collision, the
restraint system control unit evaluates impor-
tant physical data relating to vehicle decelera-
tion or acceleration, such as:
R duration
R direction
R intensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices during a head-on or
rear-end collision. An Emergency Tensioning Device can only be
triggered, if:
R the ignition is switched on
R the components of the restraint system are
operational. You can find further information
under "Restraint system warning lamp"
(Y page
46)
R the seat belt buckle tongue has engaged in
the belt buckle of the respective front seat
If the restraint system control unit detects a
more severe accident, further components of
the restraint system are activated independ-
ently of each other in certain frontal collision
situations:
R Front air bags
R Window curtain air bag, if the system deter-
mines that deployment can offer additional
protection to that provided by the seat belt
Depending on the person in the front-
passenger seat, the front-passenger front air
bag is either enabled or disabled. The front-
passenger front air bag can be deployed in an
accident only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is off. Observe the information
on the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp (Y page 47).
Your vehicle has two-stage front air bags.
The activation threshold of the Emergency
Tensioning Devices and the air bags is deter-
mined by evaluating the rate of vehicle decel-
eration or acceleration which occurs at various
points in the vehicle. This process is pre-emp-
tive in nature. Deployment should take place
in good time at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion and the direction of the force are essen-
tially determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the collision
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehi-
cle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a
decisive role in the deployment of an air bag.
Nor do they provide an indication of air bag
deployment.
The vehicle can be deformed considerably,
without an air bag being deployed. This is the
case if only parts which are relatively easily
deformed are affected and the rate of deceler- Occupant safety
59
Safety Z
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General notes ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle when braking.
The ò warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter lights up when the ignition is switched on.
The lamp goes out when the engine starts run-
ning.
Important safety notes Observe the important safety guidelines for
the driving safety system (
Y page
66).
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface condi-
tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently. 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
skidding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
If ABS is malfunctioning, the ò warning
lamp
(Y page 230) lights up while the engine
is running and the display shows a message:
R on vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Y page 196)
R on vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Y page 210)
BAS, Hill Start Assist and ESP ®
and its driving
safety systems and other driving systems also
fail. Observe the notes on the ò warning
lamp and the display messages.
Braking If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a
pulsating 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. X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uation is over.
X To make a full brake application: depress
the brake pedal with full force. BAS (Brake Assist System)
General notes 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 Observe the important safety guidelines for
the driving safety system
(Y page 66). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking dis-
tance 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.
If BAS is malfunctioning, the ÷ warning
lamp lights up while the engine is running
(Y page
230) and the display shows a mes-
sage:
R on vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Y page 200)
R on vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Y page 214)
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. Driving safety systems
67
Safety Z
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General notes EBD monitors and controls the brake pressure
to the rear wheels. This enables EBD to
improve handling during braking.
Important safety notes Observe the important safety guidelines for
the driving safety system
(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 characteris-
tics. Have the brake system checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
If EBD is malfunctioning, the $ warning
lamp
(Y page 229) lights up while the engine
is running and the display shows a message:
R on vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Y page 199)
R on vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Y page 213)
Other driving systems and driving safety sys-
tems then also fail. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes ESP
®
monitors driving stability and detects a
tendency of the vehicle to understeer or over-
steer (skidding) in good time. 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 out-
put is also modified to keep the vehicle on the
desired course within physical limits. ESP ®
can
also stabilize the vehicle during braking.
ESP ®
also monitors traction, i.e. power trans-
mission between the tires and the road sur-
face. The integrated traction control supports
you when pulling away or accelerating on wet,
slippery or slick roads. Should the drive
wheels spin, traction control brakes them indi- vidually. In addition, greater drive torque is
transmitted to the wheel or wheels with trac-
tion. If traction on the road surface is not suffi-
cient, even ESP
®
will not allow you to pull
away without difficulty. The type of tires and
total weight of the vehicle as well as the gradi-
ent of the road also play a crucial role. Trac-
tion control remains active if you deactivate
ESP ®
.
If the h warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out before beginning the journey,
ESP ®
is automatically active.
The h warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter flashes when ESP ®
intervenes:
X do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X when driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
X adapt your speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Important safety notes Observe the important safety guidelines for
the driving safety system (
Y page
66). G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning it will not provide
any vehicle stabilization. There is an
increased risk of skidding or of an accident.
Exercise caution when continuing to drive.
Have ESP ®
checked at a qualified specialist
workshop.
! Do not run the vehicle on a roller dyna-
mometer (e.g. for performance tests). If you
must operate the vehicle on a roller dyna-
mometer, please consult a qualified special-
ist workshop in advance. You could other-
wise damage the drive train or the brake
system.
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, the h warning
lamp
(Y page 230) lights up continuously
while the engine is running and the display
shows a message.
R on vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Y page 200)
R on vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Y page 214) 68
Driving safety systems
Safety
ESP
®
is deactivated if the å warning lamp
in the instrument cluster is lit when the engine
is running.
Only use wheels with the recommended tire
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly.
Deactivating or activating ESP ®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
described in the following.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations descri-
bed above no longer apply. Otherwise, ESP ®
assistance for stabilizing the vehicle will
remain significantly reduced, even if the vehi-
cle starts to skid.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R the å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up
R the ÷ warning lamp in the instrument
cluster flashes if the wheels are spinning
R ESP ®
assistance for stabilizing the vehicle in
the lower speed range up to approximately
37 mph (60 km/h
) is significantly reduced
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin. The spinning
of the wheels results in a cutting action for
better traction on loose surfaces
R traction control is still activated
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
Depending on the equipment in the vehicle,
you can activate or deactivate ESP ®
when the
engine is running by using the å button or
by using the on-board computer:
R on vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Y page 179)
R on vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Y page 190) å button (equipment-dependent)
X To activate/deactivate: when the engine
is running, press the å button.
The å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when ESP ®
is deactivated.
Trailer stabilization Observe the important safety guidelines for
the driving safety system (
Y page
66). G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilization will not be able to pre-
vent the vehicle/trailer combination from
swerving. Trailers with a high center of grav-
ity can tip over before ESP ®
can detect this.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
ESP ®
trailer stabilization counteracts critical
driving situations in good time and thereby
provides considerable assistance when driving
with a trailer. Trailer stabilization is part of
ESP ®
.
If the sensor system and evaluation logic
detect trailer swinging movements, ESP ®
trailer stabilization firstly brakes individual
vehicle wheels in a targeted manner. It thus
counteracts swinging movements. If the
swinging movements do not stop, the vehicle
is braked until the vehicle/trailer combination
is stabilized. If necessary, the vehicle's engine
output is limited.
If your vehicle with trailer (vehicle/trailer com-
bination) starts to swerve, you will be able to
stabilize the vehicle/trailer combination only
by braking. ESP ®
trailer stabilization helps you Driving safety systems
69
Safety Z
X
Slide release catch : in the direction of the
arrow and, at the same time, remove
mechanical key ; from the key completely.
Inserting the mechanical key X
Push mechanical key ; completely into the
key until it engages and release catch : is
back in its basic position.
Unlocking/locking the vehicle using
the mechanical key The door lock for unlocking in an emergency is
on the driver’s door.
X To unlock the driver's door: insert the
mechanical key fully into the driver's door
lock and turn it counter-clockwise.
The driver’s door is unlocked.
X To lock the vehicle: lock all doors except
the driver's door from the inside. To do this,
push down the door-locking knobs.
X Insert the mechanical key fully into the driv-
er's door lock and turn it clockwise.
The driver's door is locked. Battery of the key
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Batteries contain toxic and corrosive sub-
stances. If batteries are swallowed, it can
result in severe health problems. There is a
risk of fatal injury.
Keep batteries out of the reach of children.
If a battery is swallowed, seek medical
attention immediately. H
Environmental note Batteries contain pollutants.
It is illegal to dispose of
them with the household
rubbish. They must be col-
lected separately and dis-
posed of in an environmen- tally responsible recycling
system. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or to a col-
lection point for used bat-
teries.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have
the battery changed at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Checking the battery X
Press the & or % button.
If indicator lamp : lights up briefly, the bat-
tery is sufficiently charged.
If indicator lamp : does not light up briefly,
the battery is empty.
X Change the battery ( Y page 73).
If the key battery is checked within the signal
range of the vehicle, pressing the & or
% button results in:
R lock or
R unlock the vehicle
i The battery may be obtained at any quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Changing the battery You need a type CR 2025 3 V cell battery.
X Pull out the mechanical key from the key
(Y page
72). Key
73
Opening and closing Z
Exterior mirrors
Adjusting manually X
Before starting off, manually adjust the exte-
rior mirrors in such a way that you can get a
good overview of road and traffic conditions.
Adjusting electrically X
Before pulling away, turn the key to position
1 or 2 in the ignition lock.
X Press the Z button for the left exterior
mirror or the \ button for the right exte-
rior mirror.
The indicator lamp for the button switches
on and the selected exterior mirror can be
adjusted.
The indicator lamp goes out again after
some time.
X If the indicator lamp for the Z or \
button lights up, press button 7 up or
down, to the right or left.
Adjust the exterior mirrors in such a way
that you have a good overview of traffic con-
ditions.
After the engine has been started, the exterior
mirrors are automatically heated if the rear
window defroster is switched on and the out-
side temperature is low.
Disengaged exterior mirrors If an exterior mirror has been pushed out of
position, proceed as follows:
X
Move the exterior mirror into the correct
position manually.
The mirror housing engages again and the
exterior mirrors can be adjusted again as
usual. Exterior mirror heating
i Vehicles without rear window
defroster: when the temperature is below
15 °C the mirror heating switches on auto-
matically after engine start and remains on.
i Vehicles with rear window heater: at
temperatures below
15 °C the mirror heater
switches on automatically for ten minutes
after engine start. In addition, mirror heating
can be switched on together with the rear
window defroster.
X To switch the mirror heating on man-
ually:
turn the key to position 2 in the igni-
tion lock.
X Press the ¤ button on the control panel.
If the indicator lamp in the ¤ button
lights up, both the mirror heating and the
rear window defroster are switched on.
The rear window defroster switches off auto-
matically after a few minutes. Memory function
General notes
With the memory function, you can store up to
three different seat settings, e.g. for three dif-
ferent people. The position of the seat, seat
backrest and head restraint are stored as a
single memory preset. Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you use the memory function on the driv-
er's side while driving, you could lose con-
trol of the vehicle as a result of the adjust-
ments being made. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Only use the memory function on the driv-
er's side when the vehicle is stationary. G
WARNING
When the memory function adjusts the seat,
you and other vehicle occupants – particu-
larly children – could become trapped. There
is a risk of injury. Memory function
97
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z
Useful information
This Operator's Manual describes all models
as well as standard and optional equipment of
your vehicle that were available at the time of
going to print. Country-specific variations are
possible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the described functions.
This also applies to systems and functions rel-
evant to safety.
Read the information on qualified specialist
workshops (Y page
32).Exterior lighting
Important safety notes
For reasons of safety, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you drive with the lights switched
on even during the daytime. There may be dif-
ferences in operation due to legal require-
ments and voluntary recommendations in
some countries. Light switch
Operation 1W
Left-hand standing lamp
2X Right-hand standing lamp
3T Parking lamps, license plate and
instrument cluster lighting
4$ Lights off and daytime running lamps
à With light sensor: automatic driving
lights, controlled by the light sensor
5L Low-beam or high-beam headlamps
BN Fog lamps
CR Rear fog lamp
If you hear a warning tone when you leave the
vehicle, the lights may still be switched on.
X Turn the light switch to the $ or Ã
position.
The exterior lighting (except the parking/
standing lamps) switches off automatically in
the following situations:
R if you remove the key from the ignition lock.
R if you open the driver's door with the key in
position g in the ignition lock. Exterior lighting
99
Lights and windshield wipers
Low-beam headlamps
When the ignition is switched on and the light
switch is in the
L position, the parking
lamps and low-beam headlamps are switched
on even if the light sensor does not sense dark
ambient light. This is particularly useful when
there is fog or rain.
X To switch on: turn the key to position 2 in
the ignition lock or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to the L position.
The L indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
Daytime running lamps X
To switch on: turn the light switch to the
$ or à position.
Automatic headlamp mode G
WARNING
When the light switch is set to Ã, the
low-beam headlamps may not be switched
on automatically if there is fog, snow or
other causes of poor visibility due to the
weather conditions such as spray. There is a
risk of an accident.
In such situations, turn the light switch to
L.
Automatic headlamp mode is only a driving
aid. You are responsible for the vehicle lighting
at all times.
When the parking lamps and low-beam head-
lamps are switched on, the green T (park-
ing lamps) and L (low-beam headlamps)
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light
up.
à is the preferred light switch setting. The
light setting is automatically selected accord-
ing to the brightness of the ambient light
(exception: poor visibility due to weather con-
ditions, such as fog, snow or spray):
R Key in position 1 in the ignition lock: the
parking lamps are switched on or off auto-
matically depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.
R When the engine is on: depending on the
ambient light, the daytime running lamps or the parking lamps and low-beam headlamps
are switched on/off automatically.
X To switch on automatic headlamp mode:
turn the light switch to
Ã.
Fog lamps/rear fog lamp You can only switch the fog lamps on or off
manually in vehicles which have fog lamps
installed.
Front fog lamps help you to see and be seen in
conditions of poor visibility due to fog or pre-
cipitation. They can only be operated together
with the parking lamps or with the low-beam
headlamps.
The rear fog lamp improves visibility of your
vehicle for the traffic behind in the event of
heavy fog. Observe the legal requirements of
the country you are currently in when using
the rear fog lamp.
X Turn the light switch to L or Ã.
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock or start the engine.
X To switch the front fog lamps on/off:
press the N button.
When the green
N indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster goes on, the fog lamps
are switched on.
X To switch the rear fog lamp on/off: press
the R button.
When the yellow R indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster goes on, the rear fog
lamp is switched on.
Standing lamps !
If the battery charge is very low, the stand-
ing lamps will switch off automatically to
enable the next engine start. Always park
your vehicle in accordance with legal regula-
tions, in a secure and adequately lit loca-
tion. Avoid leaving the T parking lamps
on for several hours. If possible, switch on
the right X or left W standing lamp.
Switching on the standing lamps ensures that
the corresponding side of the vehicle is illumi-
nated. 100
Exterior lightingLights and windshield wipers