steering wheel MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS 2018 User Guide

As a result, they could:
Ractivate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
Ractivate or deactivate systems, thereby
endangering other road users
Unsecured animals could also be flung around
the vehicle in the event of an accident or sud-
den steering or braking, thereby injuring vehi- cle occupants. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals properly during
the journey, e.g. use a suitable animal trans-
port box.
Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
RABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
(Ypage 58)
RBAS ( Brake Assist System) (Ypage 59)
RESP®(E lectronic StabilityProgram)
(Ypage 59)
REBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
(Ypage 61)
RADAPTIVE BRAKE (Ypage 61)
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are
inattentive, the driving safety systems can nei-
ther reduce the risk of an accident nor override
the laws of physics. Driving safety systems are
merely aids designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for maintaining the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time, and for staying in lane. Always adapt
your driving style to suit the prevailing road and weather conditions and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described only work as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quate contact between the tires and the road
surface. Pay particular attention to the informa-
tion regarding tires, recommended minimum tire tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and tires"
section (
Ypage 257).
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tires (M+S tires) and if necessary, snow chains.
Only in this way will the driving safety systems
described in this section work as effectively as
possible.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General information
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way that the wheels do not lock when you brake. This
allows you to continue steering the vehicle when
braking.
The yellow !ABS warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up when the ignition is
switched on. It goes out when the engine is run- ning.
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface conditions.
ABS works on slippery surfaces, even when you
only brake gently.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 58).
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 also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp (
Ypage 194) and dis-
play messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (
Ypage 175).
58Driving safety systems
Safety

Braking
XIf ABS intervenes:continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking sit-
uation is over.
XTo make a full brake application: depress
the brake pedal with full force.
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a
pulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indication
of hazardous road conditions, and functions as a
reminder to take extra care while driving.
Off-road ABS
ESP®automatically activates the ABS system
specifically suited to off-road terrain.
At speeds below 37 mph (60 km/h), the front
wheels lock cyclically during braking. The dig-
ging-in effect achieved in the process reduces
the stopping distance on off-road terrain. This
limits steering capability.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
General information
BAS operates in emergency braking situations.
If you depress the brake pedal quickly, BAS
automatically boosts the braking force, thus
shortening the stopping distance.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 58).
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 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.
ESP®(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 58).
ESP
®monitors driving stability and traction, i.e.
power transmission between the tires and the
road surface.
If ESP
®detects that the vehicle is deviating from
the direction desired by the driver, one or more
wheels are braked to stabilize the vehicle. The
engine output is also modified to keep the vehi-
cle on the desired course within physical limits.
ESP
®assists the driver when pulling away on
wet or slippery roads. ESP®can also stabilize
the vehicle during braking.
4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 58).
4ETS traction control is part of ESP
®.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one
side. In addition, more drive torque is transfer-
red to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP
®.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 58).
GWARNING
If ESP
®is malfunctioning, ESP®is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further driv-
ing safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP
®checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Driving safety systems59
Safety
Z

Correct driver's seat position
:Steering wheel
;Seat belts
=Backrest
XObserve the safety guidelines on seat adjust-
ment (Ypage 74).
XMake sure that seat=is adjusted properly.
Electrical seat adjustment (
Ypage 76)
When adjusting the seat, make sure that:
Ryou are as far away from the driver's air bag as
possible
Ryou are sitting in a normal upright position
Ryou can fasten the seat belt properly
Ryou have moved the backrest to an almost
vertical position
Ryou have set the seat cushion angle so that
your thighs are gently supported
Ryou can depress the pedals properly
XCheck whether the head restraint is adjusted
properly (Ypage 76).
When doing so, make sure that you have
adjusted the head restraint so that the back of
your head is supported at eye level by the
center of the head restraint.
XObserve the safety guidelines on steering
wheel adjustment (Ypage 74).
XMake sure that steering wheel :is adjusted
properly.
Adjusting the steering wheel electrically
(
Ypage 80). When adjusting the steering wheel, make sure
that:
Ryou can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent
Ryou can move your legs freely
Ryou can see all the displays in the instrument
cluster clearly
XObserve the safety guidelines for seat belts
(Ypage 40).
XCheck whether you hav
e fastened seat
belt ;properly (Ypage 41).
The seat belt should:
Rfit snugly across your body
Rbe routed across the middle of your shoulder
Rbe routed across your hips in the pelvic area
XBefore starting off, adjust the rear-view mirror
and the exterior mirrors in such a way that you
have a good view of road and traffic condi-
tions (
Ypage 82).
XVehicles with a memory function: save the
seat, steering wheel and exterior mirror set-
tings with the memory function (
Ypage 84).
Seats
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Children could become trapped if they adjust
the seats, particularly when unattended.
There is a risk of injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
The seats can still be adjusted when there is no
SmartKey in the ignition lock.
GWARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on the seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure when adjusting a seat that no one
has any body parts in the sweep of the seat.
Observe the safety notes on "Air bags"
(
Ypage 44) and "Children in the vehicle"
(Ypage 50).
74Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt before starting the engine.
GWARNING
If the head restraints are not installed or not
adjusted correctly, they cannot provide pro-
tection as intended. There is an increased risk
of injury in the head and neck area, e.g. in the event of an accident or when braking.
Always drive with the head restraints instal-
led. Before driving off, make sure for every
vehicle occupant that the center of the head
restraint supports the back of the head at
about eye level.
Make sure that you do not rotate the head
restraints of the front and rear seats when
adjusting the head restraints. Otherwise, you
cannot adjust the height and angle of the head
restraints correctly.
Adjust the head restraint so that it is as close as
possible to your head.
GWARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you or
other vehicle occupants could be trapped and
thereby injured. Children in particular could
accidentally press the electrical seat adjust-
ment buttons and become trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
While moving the seats, make sure that your
hands or other body parts do not get under the
lever assembly of the seat adjustment sys-
tem.
GWARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on the seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure when adjusting a seat that no one
has any body parts in the sweep of the seat.
!To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
Rkeep liquids from spilling on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible.
Rif the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat heat-
ing should also not be used to dry the seats.
Rclean the seat covers as recommended;
see "Interior care".
Rdo not transport heavy loads on the seats.
Do not place sharp objects on the seat
cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools. The
seats should only be occupied by passen-
gers, if possible.
Rwhen the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating materi-
als, e.g. blankets, coats, bags, seat covers,
child seats or booster seats.
!Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell under or behind the seats when mov-
ing the seats back. There is a risk that the
seats and/or the objects could be damaged.
!When the rear bench seat is folded for-
wards, the front seats cannot be moved to
their rearmost position. You could otherwise
damage the seats and the rear bench seat.
!Make sure that the sun visor is folded up
before adjusting the backrest and head
restraint height. The head restraint and sun
visor could otherwise collide when the head
restraint is fully extended.
iIf the front door is open, the seats can be
adjusted for up to 30 minutes after the igni-
tion has been switched off.
iThe rear-compartment head restraints can
be removed (Ypage 77).
For more information, contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
iYou can find further information about
enlarging the cargo compartment (folding the
rear bench seat forwards) on (
Ypage 213).
Seats75
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z

Adjusting the seats electrically
!
Mak esur ethat th ecup holder on th ecenter
console is folded down before you mov eth e
front-passenger seat forwards.
:Hea drestrain theight
;Seat height
=Seat cushion angle
?Seat fore-and-af tadjustmen t
ABackrest angle
iYou can store th eseat setting susin gth e
memory function (Ypage 84).
Adjusting the head restraints
Import ant safety notes
GWARNIN G
If th ehead restraints are no tinstalled or no t
adjusted correctly, they canno tprovid epro -
tection as intended. There is an increased ris k
of injury in th ehead and neck area, e.g. in th e
event of an acciden tor when braking .
Always drive wit hth ehead restraints instal -
led. Befor edrivin goff ,mak esur efor every
vehicl eoccupant that th ecenter of th ehead
restrain tsupport sth ebac kof th ehead at
about eye level.
Observ eth efollowin gwhen adjusting th ehead
restraints :
XDo notrotate th ehead restraints of th efron t
and rear seats.
Otherwise ,you canno tadjust th eheight and
angle of th ehead restraints correctly.
XAdjus tth ehead restrain tso that it is as close
as possibl eto your head .
Adjusting the front seat head restraint
height
:Headrestrain theight
;Seat height
=Seat cushion angle
?Seat fore-and-af tadjustmen t
ABackrest angle
XSlide head restrain tadjustmen tbutto n: up
or down in th edirection of th earrow.
Adjusting the luxury head restraints
XTo adjust th esid ebolsters of th ehea d
restraint: push or pull right and/o rleft-han d
side bolste r: intoth edesired position .
XTo adjust theangle of th ehea drestraint:
push or pull th ehead restrain tin th edirection
of arrow ;.
Resetting the front seat head restraints
It is necessar yto reset th efron tseat head
restraints after th evoltag esupply has been
interrupted, e.g. if th ebattery has been com-
pletely discharged or disconnected.
76Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

XMake sure that the cup holder on the center
console is folded down (Ypage 215).
XMove the seat as far forward as possible andthe head restraint in as far as possible.
Rear seat head restraints
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the head restraints are not installed or not
adjusted correctly, they cannot provide pro-
tection as intended. There is an increased risk
of injury in the head and neck area, e.g. in the event of an accident or when braking.
Always drive with the head restraints instal-
led. Before driving off, make sure for every
vehicle occupant that the center of the head
restraint supports the back of the head at
about eye level.
Observe the following when adjusting the head
restraints:
XDo not rotate the head restraints of the front
and rear seats.
Otherwise, you cannot adjust the height and
angle of the head restraints correctly.
XAdjust the head restraint so that it is as close
as possible to your head.
Adjusting the rear seat head restraint
height
XOnce the head restraint is fully lowered, press
release catch :.
XTo raise:pull the head restraint up to the
desired position.
XTo lower: press release catch :and push
the head restraint down until it is in the
desired position.
Installing/removing the rear seat head
restraints
XTo remove: pull the head restraint up to the
stop.
XPress release catch :and pull the head
restraint out of the guides.
XTo re-install: place the head restraint in the
guides of the backrest.
iThe notches on the guide rod must be on the
left-hand side when viewed in the direction of
travel.
XPush the head restraint down until you hear it
engage in position.
Adjusting the multicontour seat
:To adjust the thigh cushion
;To adjust the backrest contour in the lumbar
region
=To adjust the backrest contour in the upper
back region
?To adjust the side bolsters of the seat back-
rest
You can adjust the contour of the front seats
individually so as to provide optimum support
for your back and sides.
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position 1
or 2in the ignition lock (Ypage 105).
Seats77
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z

Adjusting the 4-way lumbar support
You can adjust thecontour of th efron tseat
backrest sindividually to provid eoptimum sup-
por tfor your back.
:Raises th ebackrest contour
;Soften sth ebackrest contour
=Lowers th ebackrest contour
?Harden sth ebackrest contour
Switching the seat heating on/off
Gene ral notes
GWARNIN G
Repeatedly switching on th eseat heating can
caus eth eseat cushion and backrest pads to
become ver yhot .The healt hof person swit h
limite dtemperature sensitivit yor alimite d
abilit yto reac tto high temperatures may be
affecte dor they may eve nsuffer burn-like
injuries. There is aris kof injury.
Therefore ,do no tswitch th eseat heating on
repeatedly.
!Hea taccumulation can occur if th eseat
heating is switched on and there are objects
or underlays placed on th eseats, e.g. seat
cushion sor child seats.
This can lead to damag eto th eseat surface.
Mak esur ethat no objects or underlays are
placed on th eseat swhen th eseat heating is
switched on .
The red indicator lamp sin th ebutto nindicat e
th eheating level you hav eselected.
XMak esur ethat th eSmartKey is in position 2
in th eignition lock.
iIf th ebattery voltag eis to olow, th eseat
heating may switch off .
On eor mor eof th eindicator lamp sin th eseat
heating butto nare flashing.
Switching the front-seat heating on/off
XTo switch on: press button: repeatedly
until th edesired heating level is set .
XTo switch off:press butto n: repeatedly
until all th eindicator lamp sgo out .
iThe system automatically switches from
level 3to level 2after approximately eigh t
minutes.
The system automatically switches down
from level 2to level 1after approximately te n
minutes.
The system automatically switches off
approximately 35 minute safter it is set to
level 1.
Switching the rea r-seat heating on/off
XTo switch on: press button: repeatedly
until th edesired heating level is set .
XTo switch off:press butto n: repeatedly
until all th eindicator lamp sgo out .
78Seats
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

iThe system automatically switches from
level 3to level 2after approximately eight
minutes.
The system automatically switches down
from level 2to level 1after approximately ten
minutes.
The system automatically switches off
approximately 35 minutes after it is set to
level 1.
Switching the seat ventilation on/off
Switching on/off
Seat ventilation is only available for the front
seats.
The three blue indicator lamps in the buttons
indicate the ventilation level you have selected.
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position 2
in the ignition lock (Ypage 105).
XTo switch on: press button:repeatedly
until the desired ventilation level is set.
iIf you open the side windows and the sliding
sunroof using the SmartKey (Ypage 70), the
driver's seat ventilation automatically
switches to the highest level.
XTo switch off: press button:repeatedly
until all the indicator lamps go out.
iIf the battery voltage is too low, the seat
ventilation may switch off.
Problems with the seat heating/seat ventilation
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and MSolutions
The seat heating or seat
ventilation has switched
off prematurely or can-
not be switched on.The on-board voltage is too low because too many electrical consum-
ers are switched on.
XSwitch off electrical consumers that you do not need, such as the
rear window defroster or interior lighting.
Once the battery is sufficiently charged, the seat heating or seat
ventilation can be switched back on manually.
Steering wheel
Important safety notes
GWARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do the following while driving:
Radjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors
Rfasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt
before starting the engine.
GWARNING
Children could injure themselves if they
adjust the steering wheel. There is a risk of
injury.
Steering wheel79
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z

When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
The electrically adjustable steering wheel can
still be adjusted when there is no SmartKey in
the ignition lock.
Adjusting the steering wheel
:Adjusts the steering wheel position (fore-
and-aft adjustment)
;Adjusts the steering wheel height
iIf the driver's door is open, the steering
wheel can be adjusted for up to 30 minutes
after the ignition has been switched off.
iFurther related subjects:
REASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature (Ypage 81)
RStoring settings (Ypage 84)
Steering wheel heating
Switching on/off
:To switch on the steering wheel heating
;To switch off the steering wheel heating
=Indicator lamp
The steering wheel heating warms the leather
areas on the steering wheel.
XTo switch on: make sure that the SmartKey is
in position 1or 2in the ignition lock.
XTurn the lever in the direction of arrow :.
Indicator lamp =lights up.
XTo switch off: make sure that the SmartKey
is in position 1or 2in the ignition lock.
XTurn the lever in the direction of arrow ;.
Indicator lamp =goes out.
iThe steering wheel heating does not switch
off automatically.
iThe steering wheel heating may switch off
temporarily if:
Rthe temperature in the vehicle interior is
above 86 ‡ (30 †)
Rthe temperature of the steering wheel is
above 95 ‡ (35 †)
Indicator lamp =remains on.
iThe steering wheel heating is deactivated if
you remove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
80Steering wheel
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

Problems with the steering wheel heat-
ing
If steering wheel heating indicator lamp=is
flashing, the steering wheel heating has
switched off automatically. The vehicle's elec-
trical system voltage is too low because too
many electrical consumers are switched on.
XSwitch off electrical consumers that you do
not need, such as the rear window defroster
or interior lighting.
Once the battery is sufficiently charged, the
steering wheel heating will switch back on
automatically.
Steering wheel EASY-ENTRY/EXIT fea-
ture
Important safety notes
GWARNING
When the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature adjusts
the steering wheel and the driver's seat, you
and other vehicle occupants – particularly
children – could become trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
While the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature is mak-
ing adjustments, make sure that no one has
any body parts in the sweep of the seat and
the steering wheel.
If somebody becomes trapped:
Rpress one of the memory function position
buttons, or
Rpress one of the memory function memory
buttons, or
Rmove the switch for steering wheel adjust-
ment in the opposite direction to that in
which the steering wheel is moving
The adjustment process is stopped.
GWARNING
If you drive off while the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT
feature is making adjustments, you could lose
control of the vehicle. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always wait until the adjustment process is
complete before driving off.
!Do not activate the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT fea-
ture, if the seat backrest is reclined too far
backwards. This can damage the front or rear
seats. You must first move the backrest to a
vertical position.
The EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature makes getting in
and out of your vehicle easier.
You can activate and deactivate the EASY-
ENTRY/EXIT feature in the on-board computer
(
Ypage 170).
Position of the steering wheel when the
EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature is active
The steering wheel moves upwards and towards
the dashboard if:
Ryou remove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock or
Ryou open the driver's door and the SmartKey
is in position 0or 1in the ignition lock
iThe steering wheel only moves upwards and
towards the dashboard if it has not already
reached the upper steering limiter.
Position of the steering wheel for driv-
ing
The steering wheel is moved to the last selected position when:
Rthe driver's door is closed
Ryou insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock
The last position of the steering column is stored
when you switch off the ignition or when you
store the setting with the memory function
(
Ypage 84).
Mirrors
Rear-view mirror
XAdjust the rear-view mirror in such a way that
you have a good view of road and traffic con- ditions behind you.
Mirrors81
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z