2006 Mercedes-benz CL Class Owners Manual

Read and observe the additional warning no- tices printed in the “Safety and Security” section (컄 page 66).

Getting started Driving

컄컄

According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seat- ing positions. Infants and small children must ride in back seats and be seated in an appropriate infant or child restraint system, which is properly secured with the vehicle’s seat belt and top tether strap, or secured via lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in accordance with the child seat manufactur- er’s instructions.

A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is significantly increased if the child restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle and the child is not properly secured in the child restraint.

46

Getting started Driving

Proper use of seat belts 앫 Do not twist the belt when fastening. 앫 Adjust seat belt so that the shoulder

portion is located as close as possible to the middle of the shoulder (it should not touch the neck). Never pass the shoulder portion of the belt under your arm.

앫 Position the lap belt as low as possible

on your hips (over hip joint) and not across the abdomen.

앫 Place the seat backrest in a nearly up-

right position.

앫 Never use a seat belt for more than one

person at a time.

앫 Do not fasten a seat belt around a per-

son and another object at the same time.

앫 When using a seat belt to secure infant

or toddler restraints or children in booster seats, always follow the child seat manufacturer’s instructions.

앫 Check your seat belt during travel to

make sure it is properly positioned.

앫 Make sure the seat belt is always fitted snugly. Take special care of this when wearing loose clothing.

Warning!

Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They could tear.

Do not allow the belt to get caught in the door or in the seat adjustment mechanism. This could damage the belt.

Never attempt to make modifications to seat belts. This could impair the effective- ness of the belts.

Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may severely weaken them. In a crash, they may not be able to provide adequate protection.

Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly stressed in an accident must be replaced. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen- ter.

47

1 Release button 2 Buckle 3 Latch plate 왘 With a smooth motion, pull the belt

from the seat belt outlet.

왘 Place the shoulder portion of the belt across the top of your shoulder and the lap portion across your hips.

왘 Push latch plate 3 into buckle 2 until

it clicks.

왘 If necessary, tighten the lap portion to

a snug fit by pulling shoulder portion up.

Getting started Driving

Starting the engine

Automatic transmission

Warning!

Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon monoxide, and inhaling it can cause unconsciousness and possible death.

Do not run the engine in confined areas (such as a garage) which are not properly ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas fumes are entering the vehicle while driving, have the cause determined and corrected immediately. If you must drive under these conditions, drive with at least one window fully open.

48

Gearshift pattern for automatic transmission P Park position with gear selector lever

lock

R Reverse gear N Neutral position D Drive position For more information, see the “Controls in detail” section (컄 page 165).

Starting with the SmartKey 왘 Make sure the gear selector lever is set

to P.

왘 Do not depress accelerator. 왘 Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch to position 3 and hold until the engine starts (컄 page 34).

You can also use the “touch-start” function. Turn the SmartKey to position 3 and release it again immedi- ately. The engine then starts automati- cally.

For information on turning off the engine with the SmartKey, see “Turning off with the SmartKey” (컄 page 59).

Starting with KEYLESS-GO*

Warning!

As long as the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is in your vehicle, the vehicle can be started. Therefore, never leave children unattended in the vehicle, as they could otherwise acci- dentally start the engine.

When leaving the vehicle, always take the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO with you and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat- tended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.

You can start your vehicle without the SmartKey in the starter switch using the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button on the gear selector lever. The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be located in the vehicle.

KEYLESS-GO start/stop button 1 USA only 2 Canada only

Getting started Driving

왘 Make sure the gear selector lever is set

to P.

왘 Depress the brake pedal during the

starting procedure. Do not depress ac- celerator. The gear selector lever lock is released. 왘 Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button

once. The engine starts automatically if the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is in the vehicle.

For information on turning off the engine with KEYLESS-GO, see “Turning off the en- gine with KEYLESS-GO*” (컄 page 59).

49

Getting started Driving

Starting difficulties If the engine does not start as described, carry out the following steps: 왘 If you are starting the engine with the

SmartKey: Turn SmartKey in starter switch to position 0 and repeat starting procedure.

왘 If you are starting the engine with

KEYLESS-GO*: Close any doors that may be open to allow for better detec- tion of the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.

or 왘 Start the engine with the SmartKey as radio signals from another source may be interfering with the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.

왘 Repeat the starting procedure

(컄 page 48). Remember that extended starting attempts can drain the vehicle battery.

왘 Get a jump start (컄 page 394).

50

If the engine does not start after several starting attempts, there could be a mal- function in the engine electronics or in the fuel supply system. 왘 Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz

Center.

Parking brake

Warning!

When leaving the vehicle, always remove the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* from the starter switch, take it with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat- tended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could release the parking brake, which could result in an acci- dent and/or serious injury.

왘 Release the parking brake by pulling on

handle 2. The warning lamp ; (USA only) or 3 (Canada only) in the instrument cluster goes out.

1 Parking brake pedal 2 Release handle

Driving

왘 Depress the brake pedal.

The gear selector lever lock is released. 왘 Move gear selector lever in position D

or R.

Warning!

It is dangerous to shift the gear selector le- ver out of P or N if the engine speed is high- er than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could accel- erate quickly forward or in reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle and hit someone or something. Only shift into gear when the engine is idling normally and when your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.

Warning!

On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in order to obtain braking action. This could result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi- cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre- vent this type of loss of control.

In order to avoid damaging the trans- mission, 앫 wait for the gear selection process to complete before setting the vehi- cle in motion.

앫 place the gear selector lever in

position P or R only when the vehi- cle is stopped.

왘 Release the brake pedal. 왘 Carefully depress the accelerator

pedal.

Getting started Driving

Once the vehicle is in motion, the automatic central locking system engages and the locking knobs drop down.

If you hear a warning signal and the message:

RELEASE PARKING BRAKE appears in the multifunction display when driving off, you have forgotten to release the parking brake. Release the parking brake.

After a cold start, the automatic transmis- sion shifts at a higher engine revolution. This allows the catalytic converter to reach its operating temperature faster.

Do not run cold engine at high engine speeds. Running a cold engine at high engine speeds may shorten the service life of the engine.

51

Getting started Driving

Simultaneously depressing the acceler- ator pedal and applying the brake re- duces engine performance and causes premature brake and drivetrain wear.

You can open a locked door from the inside. Open doors only when condi- tions are safe to do so. You can deactivate the automatic lock- ing using the control system (컄 page 162).

For more information, see “Driving instruc- tions” (컄 page 259).

52

Switching on headlamps

Low beam headlamps The exterior lamp switch is located on the dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.

High beam The combination switch is located on the left of the steering column.

Combination switch 1 High beam 2 High beam flasher

Exterior lamp switch 1 Off 2 Low beam headlamps on 왘 Turn the exterior lamp switch to B. The green indicator lamp C in the exterior lamp switch comes on.

For more information, see “Exterior lamp switch” (컄 page 125).

왘 Push combination switch in the direc-

Turn signals

The combination switch is located on the left of the steering column.

tion of arrow 1. The high beam headlamps are switched on. The high beam headlamp indicator A in the tachometer comes on.

For more information, see “Lighting” (컄 page 125).

Combination switch 1 Turn signals, right 2 Turn signals, left

Getting started Driving

왘 Press the combination switch up 1 or

down 2. The corresponding turn signal indicator lamp L or K flashes in the in- strument cluster (컄 page 24).

The combination switch resets automati- cally after major steering wheel move- ments.

To signal minor directional changes, e.g. passing or changing lanes, move combination switch to point of resis- tance only and release. The turn signal flashes three times.

53

Getting started Driving

Windshield wipers

The combination switch is located on the left of the steering column.

Combination switch 1 Single wipe

Wiping with windshield washer fluid

2 Switching on windshield wipers 왘 Switch on the ignition (컄 page 34).

54

Do not operate the windshield wipers when the windshield is dry. Dust that accumulates on a windshield might scratch the glass and/or damage the windshield wipers blades when wiping occurs on a dry windshield. If it is nec- essary to operate the windshield wip- ers in dry weather conditions, always operate the windshield wipers with windshield washer fluid (컄 page 55).

Switching on windshield wipers 왘 Turn the combination switch to the de- sired position depending on the inten- sity of the rain. 0 Windshield wipers off Intermittent wiping II Normal wiper speed III Fast wiper speed

Intermittent wiping

Do not leave windshield wipers in intermittent setting when the vehicle is taken to an automatic car wash or during windshield cleaning. Windshield wipers will operate in the presence of water sprayed on the windshield, and windshield wipers may be damaged as a result.

Intermittent wiping interval is dependent on wetness of windshield. 왘 Turn the combination switch to

position I.

After the initial wipe, pauses between wipes are automatically controlled by the rain sensor.

i Intermittent wiping is interrupted when the vehicle is at a standstill and a front door is opened. This protects persons getting into or out of the vehicle from being sprayed. Intermittent wiping will be continued when 앫 all doors are closed and 앫 the gear selector lever is in

position D or R or

앫 the wiper setting is changed using

the combination switch

Single wipe 왘 Press the combination switch briefly in the direction of arrow 1 to the resis- tance point. The windshield wipers wipe one time without washer fluid.

Wiping with windshield washer fluid 왘 Press the combination switch in the di- rection of arrow 1 past the resistance point. The windshield wiper operates with washer fluid.

To prevent smears on the windshield, wipe with windshield washer fluid every now and then even when it is raining.

If anything blocks the windshield wip- ers (leaves, snow, etc.), switch them off immediately. 앫 For safety reasons, stop the vehicle

in a safe location, 앫 remove SmartKey from the

starter switch

or 앫 turn off the engine by pressing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop

Getting started Driving

button (컄 page 35) and open the driver’s door (with the driv- er’s door open, starter switch is in position 0, same as with SmartKey removed from the starter switch)

before attempting to remove any blockage.

앫 Remove blockage. 앫 Turn the windshield wipers on

again.

If windshield wipers fail to function at all in the combination switch position I: 앫 Set the combination switch to the

next higher wiper speed.

앫 Have the windshield wipers

checked at the nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

For information on filling up the washer reservoir, see “Windshield washer system and headlamp cleaning system” (컄 page 282).

55

Getting started Driving

Problems while driving

The engine runs erratically and misfires 앫 An ignition cable may be damaged. 앫 The engine electronics may not be op-

erating properly.

앫 Unburned gasoline may have entered the catalytic converter and damaged it.

왘 Give very little gas. 왘 Have the problem repaired by an au- thorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.

56

The coolant temperature is above 248°F (120°C) The coolant is too hot and is no longer cooling the engine. 왘 Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible and turn off the en- gine. Allow engine and coolant to cool. 왘 Check the coolant level and add cool-

ant if necessary (컄 page 280).

Excessive coolant temperature triggers a warning message in the multifunction display (컄 page 348).

In case of accident If the vehicle is leaking gasoline: 왘 Do not start the engine under any cir-

cumstances.

왘 Notify local fire and/or police authori-

ties.

If the extent of the damage cannot be de- termined: 왘 Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz

Center.

If no damage can be determined on the 앫 major assemblies 앫 fuel system 앫 engine mount: 왘 Start the engine in the usual manner.

Getting started Parking and locking

왔 Parking and locking You have now completed your first drive. You have properly stopped and parked your vehicle. End your drive as follows:

Warning!

With the engine not running, there is no power assistance for the brake and the steering systems. In this case, it is impor- tant to keep in mind that a considerably higher degree of effort is necessary to brake and steer the vehicle.

Warning!

앫 Move the gear selector lever to

position P.

Do not park this vehicle in areas where com- bustible materials such as grass, hay or leaves can come into contact with the hot exhaust system, as these materials could be ignited and cause a vehicle fire.

To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re- sult of vehicle movement, before turning off the engine and leaving the vehicle always: 앫 Keep right foot on brake pedal. 앫 Firmly depress parking brake pedal.

앫 Slowly release brake pedal. 앫 When parked on an incline, turn front

wheels towards the road curb.

앫 Turn the SmartKey to starter switch

position 0 and remove, or press KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button (컄 page 35).

앫 Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* with you and lock vehicle when leaving.

57

Getting started Parking and locking

Parking brake

Warning!

When parked on an incline, turn front wheels towards the road curb.

When leaving the vehicle, always remove the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* from the starter switch, take it with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat- tended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could release the parking brake and/or move the gear selec- tor lever to position P, either of which could result in an accident and/or serious injury.

Switching off headlamps

왘 Turn the exterior lamp switch to M

(컄 page 52).

For more information, see “Exterior lamp switch” (컄 page 125).

Turning off the engine

Warning!

왘 Place the gear selector lever in

position P.

1 Parking brake pedal 2 Release handle 왘 Step firmly on parking brake 1.

When the engine is running, the indica- tor lamp ; (USA only) or 3 (Canada only) in the instrument cluster will be illuminated.

Getting out of your vehicle with the gear se- lector lever not fully engaged in position P is dangerous. Also, when parked on an incline, position P alone may not prevent your vehi- cle from moving, possibly hitting people or objects.

Always set the parking brake in addition to shifting to position P (컄 page 48).

Always set the parking brake in addi- tion to shifting to position P. On slopes, turn the front wheels to- wards the curb.

58

Turning off with the SmartKey 왘 Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch (컄 page 34) to position 0 and remove it. The immobilizer is activated.

The SmartKey can only be removed from the starter switch with the gear selector lever in position P.

With the SmartKey removed and the driver’s door open, a warning sounds if the vehicle’s exterior lamps are not switched off.

Turning off the engine with KEYLESS-GO* 왘 Place the gear selector lever in

position P.

왘 Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but- ton (컄 page 35) to shut off the engine. With the driver’s door closed, the start- er switch is now in position 1. With the driver’s door opened, the starter switch is set to position 0, same as SmartKey removed from starter switch (컄 page 34).

If you hear a warning signal, you have either 앫 forgotten to turn off the lights be-

fore opening the driver’s door or

앫 tried to turn off the engine while the

gear selector lever is not in P.

Turn off the lights or place the gear selector lever in P.

Getting started Parking and locking

Releasing seat belts

왘 Press the seat belt release button

(컄 page 47). Allow the retractor to completely re- wind the seat belt by guiding the latch plate.

Make sure the seat belt retracts fully so that the seat belt and/or latch plate cannot get caught or pinched in the door or in the seat mechanism. This can damage the seat belt and impair the effectiveness of the seat belt, and/or cause damage to the door and/or door trim panel. Such damage is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. Damaged seat belts must be replaced. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

59

Getting started Parking and locking

Locking

Warning!

To prevent possible personal injury, always keep hands and fingers away from the door openings when closing the doors. Be espe- cially careful when small children are around.

Before closing doors, make sure there is no possibility of someone getting caught in a door during closing.

Warning!

When leaving the vehicle, always remove the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* from the starter switch, take it with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat- tended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi- cle equipment may cause an accident and/or serious personal injury.

60

Opening a door causes the windows on that side of the car to open slightly. They will return to the up position when the door is closed.

Locking with the SmartKey 왘 After exiting the vehicle, press the lock

button ‹ on the SmartKey (컄 page 32). With the trunk and all doors closed, all turn signal lamps flash three times. The locking knobs in the doors move down. The anti-theft alarm system is armed. For more information, see “Locking and unlocking” (컄 page 90).

Locking with KEYLESS-GO*

1 Lock button 왘 After exiting the vehicle, take the

SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO with you and press lock button 1 on an outside door handle or on the trunk lid (컄 page 99). With the trunk and all doors closed, all turn signal lamps flash three times. The locking knobs in the doors move down. The anti-theft alarm system is armed. For more information, see “Locking and unlocking” (컄 page 94).

Safety and Security Occupant safety

Panic alarm

Driving safety systems

Anti-theft systems

61

Safety and Security Occupant safety

In this section you will learn the most im- portant facts about the restraint systems of the vehicle. The restraint systems are: 앫 Seat belts 앫 Emergency tensioning device 앫 Air bags 앫 Child seats 앫 Child seat recognition 앫 Lower anchors and tethers for children

(LATCH)

As independent systems, their protective effects work in conjunction with each other.

For information on infants and children traveling with you in the vehicle and re- straint systems for infants and chil- dren, see “Children in the vehicle” (컄 page 72).

62

The 1 indicator lamp in the instrument cluster comes on 앫 for about 4 seconds when you turn the

SmartKey in the starter switch to position 1 or press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button (컄 page 35) once. It then goes out briefly, comes on again and remains lit until you start the en- gine.

앫 for about 4 seconds when you start the

engine by turning the SmartKey or pressing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button.

The 1 indicator lamp remains lit if the SmartKey is turned to position 2 and left there or the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button is pressed twice. The indicator lamp will go out when you start the engine.

The restraint systems are fully operational if the 1 indicator lamp is not lit when the engine is running. A malfunction in the system has been de- tected if the 1 indicator lamp: 앫 fails to extinguish after approximately

4 seconds

앫 does not come on at all 앫 comes on after the engine was started 앫 comes on while driving For safety reasons, we strongly recom- mend that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have the system checked. For more information, see “Practical hints” (컄 page 335).

Warning!

Air bags

In the event that the 1 indicator lamp comes on during driving or does not come on at all, the SRS self-check has detected a malfunction. For your safety, we strongly recommend that you visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have the system checked; otherwise the SRS may not be activated when needed in an acci- dent, which could result in serious or fatal injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and unnecessarily which could also result in injury.

In addition, improper repair work on the SRS creates a risk of rendering the SRS inopera- tive or causing unintended air bag deploy- ment. Work on the SRS must therefore only be performed by qualified technicians. Con- tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

Warning!

Air bags are designed to reduce the poten- tial of injury and fatality in certain frontal im- pacts (front air bags), side impacts (side impact air bags and head protection window curtain air bags) or rollovers (head protec- tion window curtain air bags). However, no system available today can totally eliminate injuries and fatalities.

The activation of the air bags temporarily re- leases a small amount of dust from the air bags. This dust, however, is neither inju- rious to your health, nor does it indicate a fire in the vehicle. The dust might cause some temporary breathing difficulty for peo- ple with asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the vehicle after the air bag inflates, then get fresh air by opening a window or door.

Safety and Security Occupant safety

Warning!

To reduce the risk of injury when the front air bags inflate, it is very important for the driver and front passenger to always be in a properly seated position and to wear your seat belts.

For maximum protection in the event of a collision always be in normal seated position with your back against the seat backrest. Fasten your seat belt and make sure it is properly positioned on your body.

Since the air bag inflates with considerable speed and force, a proper seating and hands on steering wheel position will help to keep you at a safe distance from the air bag. Oc- cupants who are unbelted, out of position or too close to the air bag can be seriously in- jured or killed by an air bag as it inflates with great force in the blink of an eye: 앫 Sit properly belted in a nearly upright

position with your back against the seat backrest.

컄컄

63

Safety and Security Occupant safety

컄컄

앫 Adjust the driver’s seat as far as possi- ble rearward, still permitting proper op- eration of vehicle controls. The distance from the center of the driver’s breast- bone to the center of the air bag cover on the steering wheel must be at least 10 in (25 cm) or more. You should be able to accomplish this by a combina- tion of adjustments to the seat and steering wheel. If you have any prob- lems, please see an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

앫 Do not lean with your head or chest close to the steering wheel or dash- board.

앫 Keep hands on the outside of steering wheel rim. Placing hands and arms in- side the rim can increase the risk and potential severity of hand/arm injury when driver front air bag inflates.

앫 Adjust the front passenger seat as far as possible rearward from the dashboard when the seat is occupied.

앫 Occupants, especially children, should never lean their heads in the area of the door where the side air bag inflates.

64

This could result in serious injuries or death should the air bag be triggered. Always sit nearly upright, properly use the seat belts and appropriate size in- fant or child restraint system.

앫 Children 12 years old and under must never ride in the front seat, except in a Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmartTM compatible child seat, which operates with the BabySmartTM system installed in the vehicle to deacti- vate the passenger front air bag when it is properly installed. Otherwise they will be struck by the air bag when it inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious or fa- tal injury will result.

Failure to follow these instructions can re- sult in severe injuries to you or other occu- pants.

If you sell your vehicle, it is important that you make the buyer aware of this safety in- formation. Be sure to give the buyer this Operator’s Manual.

Warning!

Accident research shows that the safest place for children in an automobile is in the rear seat. Should you choose to place a child 12 years old or under in the front passenger seat of your vehicle, you must properly use a BabySmartTM child restraint which will turn off the passenger front air bag. BabySmartTM will not, however, turn off any side impact air bag.

It should be noted that with respect to both front and rear side impact air bags there is a possibility for a side air bag related injury if occupants, especially children, are not prop- erly seated or restrained when next to a side air bag which needs to deploy rapidly in a side impact in order to do its job.

To help avoid the possibility of injury, please follow these guidelines:

(1) Occupants, especially children, should

never place their bodies or lean their heads in the area of the door where the side air bag inflates. This could result in

serious injuries or death should the side air bag be activated.

(2) Always sit nearly upright, properly use the seat belts and use an appropriately sized infant or child restraint system for all children 12 years old or under.

(3) Always wear seat belts properly.

If you believe that, even with the use of these guidelines, it would be safer for your rear seat occupants to have the rear mount- ed side air bags deactivated, then deactiva- tion can be accomplished upon your written request to do so at your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center at an additional cost.

Please contact your local authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call our Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372) for details.

Air bags are designed to activate only in certain frontal (front air bags) im- pacts, side impacts (side impact and head protection window curtain air bags) which exceed preset thresh- olds and in certain rollovers (head pro- tection window curtain air bags). Only during these events will they provide their supplemental protection. The driver and passengers should al- ways wear their seat belts. Otherwise it is not possible for air bags to provide their supplemental protection. In case of other types of impacts and impacts below air bag deployment thresholds, air bags will not be activat- ed. The driver and passenger will then be protected to the extent possible by a properly fastened seat belt. A proper- ly fastened seat belt is also needed to provide the best possible protection in a rollover.

Safety and Security Occupant safety

We caution you not to rely on the pres- ence of the air bags in order to avoid wearing your seat belt. Your vehicle was originally equipped with air bags that are designed to acti- vate in certain impacts exceeding a preset threshold to reduce the poten- tial and severity of injury. It is important for your safety and that of your passen- gers that you replace deployed air bags and repair any malfunctioning air bags to make sure the vehicle will continue to provide supplemental crash protec- tion for occupants.

65

Safety and Security Occupant safety

Safety guidelines for the seat belt, emergency tensioning device and air bag

Warning!

앫 Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly stressed in an accident must be replaced and their anchoring points must also be checked. Use only belts in- stalled or supplied by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

앫 Air bags and emergency tensioning de- vices (ETDs) are designed to function on a one-time-only basis. An air bag or ETD that was activated must be replaced. 앫 No modifications of any kind may be made to any components or wiring of the SRS. This includes changing or re- moving any component or part of the SRS, the installation of additional trim material, badges, etc. over the steering wheel hub, passenger front air bag

66

cover, outboard sides of the front seat backrests, door trim panels, or door frame trims, and installation of addition- al electrical/electronic equipment on or near SRS components and wiring. Keep area between air bags and occupants free from objects (e.g. packages, purs- es, umbrellas, etc.).

앫 Do not pass belts over sharp edges.

They could tear.

앫 Do not make any modification that could

change the effectiveness of the belts. 앫 Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may severely weaken them. In a crash they may not be able to provide ade- quate protection.

앫 Do not hang items such as coat hangers from the coat hooks or handles over the door. These items may turn into projec- tiles and cause head and other injuries when curtain air bag is deployed.

앫 Never place your feet on the instrument panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always keep both feet on the floor in front of the seat.

앫 Air bag system components will be hot

after the air bag has inflated. Do not touch.

앫 In addition, improper repair work on the SRS creates a risk of rendering the SRS inoperative or causing unintended air bag deployment. Work on the SRS must therefore only be performed by qualified technicians. Contact an autho- rized Mercedes-Benz Center.

앫 For your protection and the protection of others, when scrapping the air bag unit or emergency tensioning device, our safety instructions must be fol- lowed. These instructions are available from your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

앫 Given the considerable deployment

speed and the textile structure of the air bags, there is the possibility of abra- sions or other injuries resulting from air bag deployment.

When you sell your vehicle, we strongly urge you to give notice to the subsequent owner that it is equipped with an SRS by alerting them to the applicable section in the Operator’s Manual.

Front air bags

1 Driver’s front air bag 2 Passenger front air bag

Driver’s and passenger front air bags are deployed: 앫 in the event of certain frontal impacts 앫 if impact exceeds a preset deployment

threshold

앫 independently of the side impact

air bags

The air bags will not deploy in impacts which do not exceed the system’s deploy- ment thresholds. You will then be protect- ed by the fastened seat belts. The passenger front air bag will only be de- ployed if: 앫 the front passenger seat is occupied 앫 the 58 indicator lamp in the

lower part of the front center console is not lit (컄 page 74)

앫 the impact exceeds a preset deploy-

ment threshold

Safety and Security Occupant safety

Do not place objects heavier than 20 lbs (9 kg) on the front passenger seat. This could cause the front or side impact air bag on the front passenger side to deploy in a crash which exceeds the system’s deployment threshold.

Side impact air bags

1 Side impact air bags

67

Safety and Security Occupant safety

The side impact air bags are deployed: 앫 in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-

ment threshold

The side window curtain air bags are de- ployed: 앫 in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-

앫 on the impacted side of the vehicle 앫 independently of the front air bags The side impact air bags are not deployed in impacts which do not exceed the sys- tem’s deployment threshold. The front passenger side impact air bag will only deploy if the system senses that the front passenger seat is occupied.

Window curtain air bags

ment threshold

앫 on the impacted side of the vehicle 앫 independently of the front air bags 앫 in certain vehicle rollovers The side window curtain air bags are not deployed in impacts which do not exceed the system’s deployment threshold. The window curtain air bags fill up the area indicated by the arrows.

Seat belts

When the engine is started, the seat belt telltale < illuminates to remind you and your passengers to fasten your seat belts. If the driver’s seat belt is not fastened be- fore the engine is started, the seat belt telltale < illuminates and a warning chime sounds for approximately 6 seconds when the engine is started. Always wear your seat belt. All vehicle oc- cupants always need to have their seat belts fastened and wear them properly. In addition, applicable motor vehicle safety laws require you to wear seat belts. Even where this is not the case, we strongly rec- ommend that all vehicle occupants have their seat belts fastened and wear them properly. For more information, see “Fastening the seat belts” (컄 page 45).

1 Window curtain air bag

68

i For information on infants and children traveling with you in the vehicle and re- straint systems for infants and chil- dren, see “Children in the vehicle” (컄 page 72).

Warning!

Always fasten your seat belt before driving off. Always make sure your passengers are properly restrained, even those sitting in the rear and pregnant women.

Failure to wear and properly fasten and po- sition your seat belt greatly increases your risk of injuries and their likely severity in an accident. You and your passengers should always wear seat belts.

Safety and Security Occupant safety

If you are ever in an accident, your injuries can be considerably more severe without your seat belt properly buckled. Without your seat belt buckled, you are much more likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed.

In the same crash, the possibility of injury or death is lessened if you are properly wearing your seat belt. Air bags can only protect as they are designed if the occupants are prop- erly wearing their seat belts.

Warning!

Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat backrest in an excessively reclined position as this can be dangerous. You could slide under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under it, the belt would apply force at the ab- domen or neck. That could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat belt provide the best restraint when the wearer is in a nearly upright position and the belt is properly positioned on the body.

Warning!

Never let more people ride in the vehicle than there are seat belts available. Be sure everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly re- strained with a separate seat belt. Never use a seat belt for more than one person at a time.

69

Safety and Security Occupant safety

Warning!

Warning!

Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly stressed in an accident must be replaced and their anchoring points must also be checked.

Only use seat belts which have been ap- proved by Mercedes-Benz.

Do not make any modifications to the seat belts. This can lead to failure of the seat belts.

Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may severely weaken them. In a crash, they may not be able to provide adequate protection.

Have all work carried out only by qualified technicians. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY 앫 Seat belts can only work when used

properly. Never wear seat belts in any other way than as described in this sec- tion, as that could result in serious inju- ries in case of an accident.

앫 Each occupant should wear their seat

belt at all times, because seat belts help reduce the likelihood of and potential severity of injuries in accidents, includ- ing rollovers. The integrated restraint system includes SRS (driver’s air bag, passenger front air bag, side impact air bags, head protection window cur- tain air bags for side windows), ETD (seat belt emergency tensioning device), and front seat knee bolsters. The sys- tem is designed to enhance the protec- tion offered to properly belted occupants in certain frontal (front air bags and ETD) and side (side impact, window curtain air bags and ETD) im- pacts which exceed preset deployment thresholds and in certain rollovers

70

(window curtain air bags and ETD).

앫 Never wear the shoulder belt under your arm, against your neck or off your shoul- der. In a crash, your body would move too far forward. That would increase the chance of head and neck injuries. The belt would also apply too much force to the ribs or abdomen, which could se- verely injure internal organs such as your liver or spleen.

앫 Never wear belts over rigid or breakable objects in or on your clothing, such as eyeglasses, pens, keys, etc., as these might cause injuries.

앫 Position the lap belt as low as possible on your hips and not across the abdo- men. If the belt is positioned across your abdomen, it could cause serious injuries in a crash.

앫 Never use a seat belt for more than one person at a time. Do not fasten a seat belt around a person and another per- son or other objects.

앫 Belts should not be worn twisted. In a crash, you wouldn’t have the full width of the belt to manage impact forces. The twisted belt against your body could cause injuries.

앫 Pregnant women should also use a

lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion should be positioned as low as possible on the hips to avoid any possible pres- sure on the abdomen.

앫 Never place your feet on the instrument panel, dashboard or on the seat. Always keep both feet on the floor in front of the seat.

Emergency tensioning device (ETD), seat belt force limiter The seat belts for the front and rear outer seats are equipped with emergency ten- sioning devices and belt force limiters. The ETD is designed to activate in the fol- lowing cases: 앫 in frontal or rear-end impacts exceed-

ing a preset severity level

앫 in certain vehicle rollovers 앫 if the restraint systems are operational

and functioning correctly, see 1 indicator lamp (컄 page 62).

The ETDs for the front seats will only activate if the respective front seat belt is fastened (latch plate properly insert- ed into buckle). The ETDs for the rear outer seats will activate with or without the respective seat belt fastened.

In an impact, emergency tensioning devic- es remove slack from the belts in such a way that the seat belts fit more snugly against the body. Belt force limiters reduce the force exerted by the seat belts on oc- cupants during a crash.

Safety and Security Occupant safety

Warning!

An emergency tensioning device (ETD) that was activated must be replaced.

When disposing of the emergency tension- ing device, our safety instructions must be followed. These are available at your autho- rized Mercedes-Benz Center.

Do not place objects heavier than 20 lbs (9 kg) on the front passenger seat. This could cause the front or side impact air bag on the front passenger side and, with the seat belt fastened to secure the object, the ETD to deploy in a crash which exceeds the system’s de- ployment threshold.

Automatic comfort-fit feature seat belt An automatic comfort-fit feature for front seats reduces the retracting force of the seat belts when they are in normal use.

71

Safety and Security Occupant safety

Children in the vehicle

If an infant or child is traveling with you in the vehicle: 앫 Secure the child using an infant or child

restraint appropriate to the age and size of the child.

앫 Make sure the infant or child is proper- ly secured at all times while the vehicle is in motion.

Infant and child restraint seats and infor- mation on choosing an appropriate re- straint system can be obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Center.

72

Infant and child restraint systems Use only a BabySmartTM compatible child restraint for the front passenger seat in this vehicle. We recommend all infants and children be properly restrained at all times while the vehicle is in motion. All lap-shoulder belts except the driver’s seat belt have special seat belt retractors for secure fastening of child restraints. To fasten a child restraint, follow child re- straint instructions for mounting. Then pull the shoulder belt out completely and let it retract. During seat belt retraction, a ratch- eting sound can be heard to indicate that the special seat belt retractor is activated. The belt is now locked. Push down on child restraint to take up any slack. To deactivate, release seat belt buckle and let seat belt retract completely. The seat belt can again be used in the usual man- ner.

For more information on child seats with mounting fittings for tether an- chorages, see “Installation of infant and child restraint systems” (컄 page 76). For information on LATCH-type child seat mounts (컄 page 77).

Warning!

Never release the seat belt buckle while the vehicle is in motion, since the special seat belt retractor will be deactivated.

The use of infant or child restraints is required by law in all 50 states, the Dis- trict of Columbia, the U.S. territories and all Canadian provinces. Infants and small children should be seated in an appropriate infant or child restraint system properly secured by

a lap-shoulder belt or, if so equipped, a child restraint lower anchorage system that complies with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213 and 225 and Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 213 and 210.2. A statement by the child restraint man- ufacturer of compliance with this stan- dard can be found on the instruction label on the restraint and in the instruc- tion manual provided with the restraint. When using any infant or child restraint system, be sure to carefully read and follow all manufacturer’s instructions for installation and use. Please read and observe warning labels affixed to inside of vehicle and to infant or child restraints.

Warning!

Children 12 years old and under must never ride in the front seat, except in a Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmartTM compatible child seat, which operates with BabySmartTM System installed in the vehicle to deactivate the passenger front air bag when it is properly installed. Otherwise they will be struck by the air bag when it inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious or fatal in- jury will result.

According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seat- ing positions. Infants and small children must ride in back seats and be seated in an appropriate infant or child restraint system, which is properly secured with the vehicle’s seat belt and top tether strap, or secured via lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in accordance with the child seat manufactur- er’s instructions.

Safety and Security Occupant safety

Infants and small children should never share a seat belt with another occupant. During an accident, they could be crushed between the occupant and seat belt.

Children too big for child restraint systems must ride in back seats using regular seat belts. Position shoulder belt across chest and shoulder, not face or neck. A booster seat may be necessary to achieve proper belt positioning for children from 41 lbs until they reach a height where a lap/shoulder belt fits properly without a booster.

A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is significantly increased if the child restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle and the child is not properly secured in the child restraint.

When the child restraint is not in use, re- move it from the vehicle or secure it with the seat belt to prevent the child restraint from becoming a projectile in the event of an ac- cident.

컄컄

73

Special BabySmartTM compatible child seats, designed for use with the Mercedes-Benz system and available at any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center are required for use with the BabySmartTM air bag deactivation system. With the spe- cial child seat properly installed, the pas- senger front air bag will not deploy. The 58 indicator lamp 1 located on the lower part of the front center con- sole will be illuminated, except with the SmartKey removed or in starter switch position 0.

The system does not deactivate the side impact air bag and the emergency tensioning device.

Self-test BabySmartTM without special child seat installed After turning the SmartKey in the starter switch to position 1 or 2 or pressing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button (컄 page 35) once or twice, the 58 indicator lamp comes on for approximately 6 seconds and then goes out. If the 58 indicator lamp should not come on or is continuously lit, the system is not functioning. You must see an autho- rized Mercedes-Benz Center before seat- ing any child on the front passenger seat. For more information, see “Practical hints” (컄 page 336).

Safety and Security Occupant safety

컄컄

Do not leave children unattended in the ve- hicle; even if the children are secured in a child restraint system. Unsupervised chil- dren in a child restraint system may use ve- hicle equipment and cause an accident and/or serious personal injury.

BabySmartTM air bag deactivation system The 58 indicator lamp is located on the lower part of the center console.

1 58 indicator lamp

74

Safety and Security Occupant safety

Warning!

Warning!

Warning!

The BabySmartTM air bag deactivation sys- tem will ONLY work with a special child seat designed to operate with it. It will not work with child seats which are not BabySmartTM compatible.

Never place anything between seat cushion and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces the effectiveness of the deactivation sys- tem. The bottom of the child seat must make full contact with the passenger seat cushion. An incorrectly mounted child seat could cause injuries to the child in case of an accident, instead of protecting the child.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation of special child seats.

When using a BabySmartTM compatible child seat on the front passenger seat, the pas- senger front air bag will not deploy only if the 58 indicator lamp remains illu- minated.

Make sure to check the 58 indica- tor lamp every time you use the special sys- tem child seat. Should the 58 indicator lamp go out while the restraint is installed, please check installation. If the 58 indicator lamp remains out, do not use the BabySmartTM restraint to trans- port children on the front passenger seat un- til the system has been repaired.

Do not place powered-on laptops, cell phones, electronic tags such as those used in ski passes and like electronic devices on the front passenger seat. Signals from such devices may interfere with the BabySmartTM system. Such signal interference, for exam- ple, may cause the 58 indicator lamp not to come on or be continuously lit during self-test, indicating that the system is not functioning.

75

i For safety, make sure the hook 2 has attached to the ring 3 beyond the safety catch, as illustrated.

Once the top tether anchorage hook is at- tached, the child restraint itself can be se- cured. Tighten the top tether strap according to the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions. 왘 Reinstall cover after removing the teth-

er strap.

Safety and Security Occupant safety

Installation of infant and child restraint systems This vehicle is equipped with tether an- chorages for a top tether strap at each of the rear seating positions.

Head restraint must be positioned such that the top tether strap can pass freely between the head restraint and the top of seat back. 왘 Make sure the tether strap is not

twisted.

1 Cover of top anchorage ring 왘 Remove cover 1 from anchorage ring. 왘 Store cover 1 in a convenient place

(e.g. glove box).

왘 Guide tether strap between head re-

straint and top of seat back.

2 Hook 3 Anchorage ring 왘 Securely fasten hook 2, which is part

of the tether strap, to anchorage ring 3.

76

Child seat anchors – LATCH type This vehicle is equipped with two LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) type anchors (at each of the rear seats) for the installation of a LATCH child seat with the matching anchor fittings. If you have not installed a child seat, the LATCH mounting anchor fittings are cov- ered with an upholstery blend.

2 Indicates the position of the anchors 3 Anchors 왘 Install child seat according to the man-

ufacturer’s instructions.

1 Upholstery blend 왘 Remove upholstery blend 1 and store

it in the rear center armrest.

Safety and Security Occupant safety

The child seat must be firmly attached in the right and left side anchor fittings. Non-LATCH type child seats may also be used and can be installed using the vehicle’s seat belt system. Install child seat according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Warning!

Children too big for child restraint systems must ride in back seats using regular seat belts. Position shoulder belt across chest and shoulder, not face or neck. A booster seat may be necessary to achieve proper belt positioning for children from 41 lbs until they reach a height where a lap/shoulder belt fits properly without a booster.

Install child seat according to manufactur- er’s instructions.

The child seat must be firmly attached in the right and left side anchors 3.

컄컄

77

Safety and Security Occupant safety

컄컄

An incorrectly mounted child seat may come loose during an accident which could result in serious injury or death to the child.

Damaged or impact damaged child seats or child seat mounting fittings must be re- placed.

Do not leave children unattended in the ve- hicle, even if the children are secured in a child restraint system.

78

Blocking of rear side windows opera- tion

Warning!

The override switch is on the driver’s door.

1 Override switch

Activating override switch 왘 Slide override switch 1 to the right.

A dot becomes visible. The functions in the rear are disabled.

Operation of the rear side windows with the switches located in the driver’s door is still possible.

Activate the override switch when children are riding in the back seats of the vehicle. The children may otherwise injure them- selves, e.g. by becoming trapped in the side window opening.

When leaving the vehicle, always remove the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* from the starter switch, take it with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat- tended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi- cle equipment may cause an accident and/or serious personal injury.

Deactivating override switch 왘 Slide override switch 1 to the left.

The functions in the rear are enabled again.

왔 Panic alarm An audible alarm and blinking exterior lamps will operate for approximately 21/2 minutes.

1 Â button

Activating

왘 Press and hold button 1 for at least

1 second.

Deactivating

왘 Press button 1 again. or 왘 Insert the SmartKey or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* in starter switch.

or 왘 Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop

button (컄 page 35). The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* must be inside the vehicle.

USA only: This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful

interference, and

Safety and Security Panic alarm

(2) this device must accept any inter-

ference received, including interfer- ence that may cause undesired operation.

Any unauthorized modification to this device could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Canada only: This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause interfer-

ence, and

(2) this device must accept any inter-

ference received, including interfer- ence that may cause undesired operation of the device.

Any unauthorized modification to this device could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

79

Safety and Security Driving safety systems

In this section you will find information on the following driving safety systems: 앫 ABS (Antilock Brake System) 앫 BAS (Brake Assist System) 앫 ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)

In winter operation, the maximum ef- fectiveness of the ABS, BAS, and the ESP® is only achieved with winter tires (컄 page 313), or snow chains as re- quired.

80

Warning!

ABS

The following factors increase the risk of ac- cidents: 앫 Excessive speed, especially in turns 앫 Wet and slippery road surfaces 앫 Following another vehicle too closely The ABS, BAS and ESP® cannot reduce this risk.

Always adjust your driving style to the pre- vailing road and weather conditions.

Warning!

Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm, steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump- ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of the ABS and significantly reduces braking effectiveness.

The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates the brake pressure so that the wheels do not lock during braking. This allows you to maintain the ability to steer your vehicle. The ABS is functional above a speed of ap- proximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent of road surface conditions. On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will re- spond even to light brake pressure.

Safety and Security Driving safety systems

The - indicator lamp in the instrument cluster (컄 page 24) comes on when you switch on the ignition (컄 page 34). It goes out when the engine is running.

Braking At the instant one of the wheels is about to lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the brake pedal, indicating that the ABS is in the regulating mode. 왘 Keep firm and steady pressure on the brake pedal while experiencing the pul- sation.

Continuous steady brake pedal pressure yields the advantages provided by the ABS, namely braking power and the ability to steer the vehicle. The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica- tion of hazardous road conditions and functions as a reminder to take extra care while driving.

Emergency brake maneuver 왘 Keep continuous full pressure on the

brake pedal.

Warning!

The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase braking or steering efficiency be- yond that afforded by the condition of the vehicle brakes and tires or the traction af- forded. The ABS cannot prevent accidents, including those resulting from excessive speed in turns, following another vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning. Only a safe, atten- tive, and skillful driver can prevent acci- dents. The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a reck- less or dangerous manner which could jeop- ardize the user’s safety or the safety of others.

For more information, see “Practical hints” (컄 page 328).

BAS

The Brake Assist System (BAS) operates in emergency situations. If you apply the brakes very quickly, the BAS automatically provides full brake boost, thereby poten- tially reducing the braking distance. 왘 Apply continuous full braking pressure until the emergency braking situation is over. The ABS will prevent the wheels from locking.

When you release the brake pedal, the brakes function again as normal. The BAS is then deactivated.

Warning!

If the BAS is malfunctioning, the brake sys- tem is still functioning normally, but without the additional brake boost available that BAS would normally provide in an emergen- cy braking maneuver. Therefore, the braking distance may increase.

81

Safety and Security Driving safety systems

Warning!

ESP®

The BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase braking efficiency beyond that af- forded by the condition of the vehicle brakes and tires or the traction afforded. The BAS cannot prevent accidents, including those resulting from excessive speed in turns, fol- lowing another vehicle too closely, or hydro- planing. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents. The capabili- ties of a BAS equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a reckless or dangerous manner which could jeopardize the user’s safety or the safety of others.

For more information, see the “Practical hints” (컄 page 328).

The Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) is operational as soon as the engine is run- ning and monitors the vehicle’s traction (force of adhesive friction between the tires and the road surface) and handling. The ESP® recognizes when a wheel is spin- ning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By ap- plying brakes to the appropriate wheel and by limiting the engine output, the ESP® works to stabilize the vehicle. The ESP® is especially useful while driving off and on wet or slippery road surfaces. The ESP® also stabilizes the vehicle during braking maneuvers. The ESP® warning lamp v in the instru- ment cluster flashes when the ESP® is en- gaged. The ESP® warning lamp v in the instru- ment cluster comes on when you switch on the ignition (컄 page 34). It goes out when the engine is running.

82

Warning!

Never switch off the ESP® when you see the ESP® warning lamp v flashing in the in- strument cluster. In this case proceed as fol- lows: 앫 While driving off, apply as little throttle

as possible.

앫 While driving ease up on the accelera-

tor.

앫 Adapt your speed and driving style to

the prevailing road conditions.

Failure to observe these guidelines could cause the vehicle to skid. The ESP® cannot prevent accidents result- ing from excessive speed.

! Because of the ESP’s® automatic oper- ation, the engine and ignition must be shut off (SmartKey in starter switch position 0 or 1 or KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button in position 0 or 1) when 앫 the parking brake is being tested on

a brake test dynamometer

앫 the vehicle is being towed with the

front/rear axle raised

Active braking action through the ESP® may otherwise seriously damage the brake system.

For more information, see “Practical hints” (컄 page 332).

Warning!

The ESP® cannot prevent the natural laws of physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can it increase the traction afforded. The ESP® cannot prevent accidents, including those resulting from excessive speed in turns, or hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca- pabilities of an ESP® equipped vehicle must never be exploited in a reckless or danger- ous manner which could jeopardize the us- er’s safety or the safety of others.

Distronic* is switched off when the ESP® engages.

The ESP® will only function properly if