econ MERCEDES-BENZ AMG GT S 2016 C190 Owner's Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: MERCEDES-BENZ, Model Year: 2016, Model line: AMG GT S, Model: MERCEDES-BENZ AMG GT S 2016 C190Pages: 290, PDF Size: 6.73 MB
Page 22 of 290

Introduction
The printedOperator's Manual provide sinfor-
mation about th esaf eoperation of your vehicle.
The Digital Operator's Manual additionally
describe sfurther function sand equipmen t
installed in your vehicle. The function sof th e
vehicl eand multimedia system are describe din
th eDigital Operator's Manual. You can call up
th eDigital Operator's Manual via th emultimedia
system.
iYou will no tincur any cost swhen calling up
th eDigital Operator's Manual. The Digital
Operator's Manual works without connecting
to th eInternet .
Ther eare three ways to access th etopic sof th e
Digital Operator's Manual:
RVisua lsearch
The visual search allows you to explor eyour
vehicl e"virtually". Starting from either th e
vehicl eexterio rvie wor interio rview, you can
access man yof th edifferen ttopic scovered
by th eDigital Operator's Manual. To access
th evehicl einterior section ,select th e"Vehi-
cle interior" view.
RKeywor dsearch
The keyword search allows you to search for a
keyword by enterin gcharacters. Further
information can be foun din th eDigital Oper -
ator's Manual in th e"COMAND "section
under th e"Character entr y(telephony)" key-
word.
RContent s
You can select individual section sin th econ-
tents
.
iThe Digital Operator's Manual is deactiva-
te dfor safet yreason swhile driving .
Operation
Calling up the Digital Operator's Man-
ual
XShow themain function bar by sliding th e
controller upwards 5.
XSelectth eVehicl emenuitem by turnin g
3 and pressin g7 thecontroller.
The vehicl emen uis displayed.
XSelec tth eOperator' sManualmenuitem by
turnin g3 and pressin g7 thecontroller .
XConfirm7 themessage about th ewarning
and safet ynotes.
The basic men ufor th eDigital Operator's
Manual appears.
Operating the Digital Operator's Man-
ual
General notes
Pleas eobserv eth einformation about th eoper -
ation of th econtroller (Ypage 201).
Content pages
The conten tpages can be accessed by mean sof
a visual search , akeyword search or usin gth e
contents .
XTo scroll forwards/backwards: turn3
th econtroller .
XTo displayin full-screen or animation: slide
8 thecontroller to th elef t:.
XTo select information texts or sav ebook -
marks: slide9 thecontroller to th e
right ;.
XTo select alink :slide 6thecontroller
downwards =.
XTo exitacontent page: select the%
symbol ?.
XTo call up th ebasic men uof th eDigital
Operator's Manual: selectÞsymbol A.
XTo switch functions to th emultimedi a
system :select th e% ?symbol repeat -
edly until you exit th eDigital Operator's Man -
ual.
20Digital Operator's Manual
Page 23 of 290

Protection of the environment
General notes
HEnvironmental note
Daimler's declared policy is one of compre-
hensive environmental protection.
The objectives are for the natural resources
that form the basis of our existence on this
planet to be used sparingly and in a manner
that takes the requirements of both nature
and humanity into account.
You too can help to protect the environment
by operating your vehicle in an environmen-
tally responsible manner.
Fuel consumption and the rate of engine,
transmission, brake and tire wear are affected by these factors:
Roperating conditions of your vehicle
Ryour personal driving style
You can influence both factors. You should
bear the following in mind:
Operating conditions:
Ravoid short trips as these increase fuel con-
sumption.
Ralways make sure that the tire pressures
are correct.
Rdo not carry any unnecessary weight.
Rremove roof racks once you no longer need
them.
Ra regularly serviced vehicle will contribute
to environmental protection. You should
therefore adhere to the service intervals.
Ralways have service work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Personal driving style:
Rdo not depress the accelerator pedal when
starting the engine.
Rdo not warm up the engine when the vehicle
is stationary.
Rdrive carefully and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front.
Ravoid frequent, sudden acceleration and
braking.
Rchange gear in good time and use each gear
only up to Ôof its maximum engine speed.
Rswitch off the engine in stationary traffic.
Rkeep an eye on the vehicle's fuel consump-
tion.
Environmental concerns and recom-
mendations
Wherever the operating instructions require you
to dispose of materials, first try to regenerate or
re-use them. Observe the relevant environmen-
tal rules and regulations when disposing of
materials. In this way you will help to protect the
environment.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
HEnvironmental note
Daimler AG also supplies reconditioned major
assemblies and parts which are of the same
quality as new parts. They are covered by the
same Limited Warranty entitlements as new
parts.
!Air bags and Emergency Tensioning Devi-
ces, as well as control units and sensors for
these restraint systems, may be installed in
the following areas of your vehicle:
Rdoors
Rdoor pillars
Rdoor sills
Rseats
Rcockpit
Rinstrument cluster
Rcenter console
Do not install accessories such as audio sys-
tems in these areas. Do not carry out repairs or welding. You could impair the operating
efficiency of the restraint systems.
Have aftermarket accessories installed at a
qualified specialist workshop.
You could jeopardize the operating safety of
your vehicle if you use parts, tires and wheels as
well as accessories relevant to safety which
have not been approved by Mercedes-Benz. This
could lead to malfunctions in safety-relevant
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts21
Introduction
Z
Page 27 of 290

Diagnostics connection
The diagnosticsconnection is only intended fo r
th econnection of diagnostic equipmen tat a
qualified specialis tworkshop .
GWARNING
If you connec tequipmen tto th ediagnostic s
connection in th evehicle, it may affec tth e
operation of th evehicle systems .As aresult ,
th eoperatin gsafet yof th evehicle could be
affected. There is aris kof an accident.
Do no tconnec tany equipmen tto adiagnos-
tics connection in th evehicle.
GWARNING
Objects in th edriver's footwell can restric tth e
peda ltrave lor obstruct adepressed pedal.
The operatin gand road safet yof th evehicle is
jeopardized. There is aris kof an accident.
Mak esur ethat all objects in th evehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they canno tente r
th edriver's footwell. Install th efloormat s
securely and as specifie din order to ensur e
sufficien tclearanc efo rth epedals. Do no tuse
loose floormat sand do no tplac efloormat son
to pof on eanother.
!If th eengin eis switched of fand equipmen t
on th ediagnostic sconnection is used ,th e
starter battery may discharge.
Connectin gequipmen tto th ediagnostic scon-
nection can lead to emission smonitorin ginfor-
mation bein greset ,fo rexample. Thi smay lead
to th evehicle failin gto mee tth erequirements of
th enext emission stest durin gth emain inspec-
tion .
Qualified specialist workshop
An authorized Mercedes-Ben zCente ris aquali-
fie dspecialis tworkshop .It has th enecessary
specialis tknowledge ,tools and qualification sto
correctl ycarry out th ewor krequire don your
vehicle. Thi sis especially th ecas efo rwor krel -
evant to safety.
Observ eth enote sin th eMaintenance Booklet .Always hav
eth efollowin gwor kcarrie dout at an
authorized Mercedes-Ben zCenter:
Rwor krelevant to safet y
Rserviceand maintenance wor k
Rrepair work
Ralterations, installation wor kand modifica-
tion s
Rworkon electronic component s
Correct use
If you remov eany warnin gstickers ,you or oth-
ers could fail to recogniz ecertain dangers.
Leave warnin gstickers in position .
Observ eth efollowin ginformation when drivin g
your vehicle:
Rth esafet ynote sin this manual
Rth evehicle technical dat a
Rtraffic rulesand regulation s
Rlaws and safetystandard spertainin gto moto r
vehicles
Problem swit hyou rvehicle
If you should experience aproblem wit hyour
vehicle, particularly on ethat you believe may
affec tit s saf eoperation ,we urg eyou to contact
an authorized Mercedes-Ben zCente rimmedi-
ately to hav eth eproblem diagnosed and recti -
fied. If th eproblem is no tresolved to your sat -
isfaction ,please discus sth eproblem again wit h
a Mercedes-Ben zCente ror contact us at on eof
th efollowin gaddresses.
In th eUSA
Customer Assistanc eCente r
Mercedes-Ben zUSA, LL C
On eMercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canad a
Customer Relation sDepartmen t
Mercedes-Ben zCanada, Inc.
98 Vanderhoo fAvenue
Toronto ,Ontario M4 G4C9
Reporting safet ydefect s
USAonly:
Operating safety25
Introduction
Z
Page 29 of 290

The vehicle is read out by employees of the ser-
vice network (including the manufacturer) using
special diagnostic testers. More detailed infor-
mation is obtained from it, if required.
After a malfunction has been rectified, the infor-
mation is deleted from the malfunction memory
or is continually overwritten.
When operating the vehicle, situations are con-
ceivable in which this technical data, in connec-
tion with other information (if necessary, under
consultation with an authorized expert), could
be traced to a person.
Examples include:
Raccident reports
Rdamage to the vehicle
Rwitness statements
Further additional functions that have been con-
tractually agreed upon with the customer allow
certain vehicle data to be conveyed by the vehi- cle as well. The additional functions include, for
example, vehicle location in case of an emer-
gency.
COMAND/mbrace
If the vehicle is equipped with COMAND or
mbrace, additional data about the vehicle's
operation, the use of the vehicle in certain sit-
uations, and the location of the vehicle may be
compiled through COMAND or the mbrace sys-
tem.
For additional information please refer to the
COMAND User Manual or the Digital Operator's
Manual and/or the mbrace Terms and Condi-
tions.
Event data recorders
This vehicle is equipped with an event data
recorder (EDR). This vehicle is equipped with an
event data recorder (EDR). The main purpose of
an EDR is to record, in certain crash or near
crash-like situations, such as an air bag deploy- ment or hitting a road obstacle, data that will
assist in understanding how a vehicle's systems
performed. The EDR is designed to record data
related to vehicle dynamics and safety systems for a short period of time, typically 30 seconds
or less. The EDR in this vehicle is designed to record
such data as:
RHow various systems in your vehicle were
operating
RWhether or not the driver and passenger
safety belts were buckled/fastened
RHow far (if at all) the driver was depressing the
accelerator and/or brake pedal and
RHow fast the vehicle was traveling.
These data can help provide a better under-
standing of the circumstances in which acci-
dents and injuries occur. NOTE: EDR data are
recorded by your vehicle only if a non-trivial
crash situation occurs; no data is recorded by
the EDR under normal driving conditions and no
personal data (e.g. name, gender, age and acci-
dent location) are recorded. However, other par- ties, such as law enforcement could combine
EDR data with the type of personally identifying
data routinely acquired during a crash investi-
gation.
Access to the vehicle and/or the EDR is needed
to read data that is recorded by the EDR, and
special equipment is required. In addition to the
vehicle manufacturer, other parties that have
the special equipment, such as law enforce-
ment, can read the information by accessing the
vehicle or the EDR.
EDR data may be used in civil and criminal mat-ters as a tool in accident reconstruction, acci-
dent claims and vehicle safety. Since the Crash
Data Retrieval CDR tool that is used to extract
data from the EDR is commercially available,
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC ("MBUSA") expressly
disclaims any and all liability arising from the
extraction of this information by unauthorized
Mercedes-Benz personnel.
MBUSA will not share EDR data with others
without the consent of the vehicle owners or, if
t
he vehicle is leased, without the consent of the
lessee. Exceptions to this representation
include responses to subpoenas by law enforce-
ment; by federal, state or local government; in
connection with or arising out of litigation involv-
ing MBUSA or its subsidiaries and affiliates; or,
as required by law.
Warning: The EDR is a component of the
Restraint System Module. Tampering with, alter-
ing, modifying or removing the EDR component
may result in a malfunction of the Restraint Sys-
tem Module and other systems.
State laws or regulations regarding EDRs that
conflict with federal regulation are pre-empted.
Data stored in the vehicle27
Introduction
Z
Page 37 of 290

Panic alarm
XTo activate:press!button :for at
least one second.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed.
XTo deactivate: press!button :again.
or
XPress the Start/Stop button.
The SmartKey must be in the vehicle.
or
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
Occupant safety
Introduction to the restraint system
The restraint system can reduce the risk of vehi- cle occupants coming into contact with parts of
the vehicle's interior in the event of an accident.
The restraint system can also reduce the forces to which vehicle occupants are subjected during
an accident.
The restraint system comprises:
RSeat belt system
RAir bags
The components of the restraint system work in
conjunction with each other. They can only
deploy their protective function if, at all times, all vehicle occupants:
Rhave fastened their seat belts correctly
(Ypage 38)
Rhave adjusted their seat properly
(Ypage 75).
As the driver, you also have to make sure that
the steering wheel is adjusted correctly.
Observe the information relating to the correct
driver's seat position (
Ypage 75). You also have to make sure that an air bag can
inflate properly if deployed (
Ypage 40).
An air bag supplements a correctly worn seat
belt. As an additional safety device, the air bag
increases the level of protection for vehicle
occupants in the event of an accident. For exam-
ple, if, in the event of an accident, the protection
offered by the seat belt is sufficient, the air bags are not deployed. When an accident occurs, only
the air bags that increase protection in that par-ticular accident situation are deployed. How-
ever, seat belts and air bags generally do not
protect against objects penetrating the vehicle
from the outside.
Information on restraint system operation can
be found under "Triggering of the Emergency
Tensioning Devices and air bags" (
Ypage 46).
See "Children in the vehicle" for information on
infants and children traveling with you in the
vehicle restraint systems for infants and chil-
dren (
Ypage 49).
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Modifications to the restraint system may
cause it to no longer work as intended. The
restraint system may then not perform its
intended protective function and may fail in an
accident or trigger unexpectedly, for example.
This poses an increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Never modify parts of the restraint system.
Never tamper with the wiring, the electronic
components or their software.
If it is necessary to modify an air bag system to
accommodate a person with disabilities, con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
details. USA only: for further information con-
tact our Customer Assistance Center at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1‑800‑367‑6372).
Restraint system warning lamp
The functions of the restraint system are
checked after the ignition is switched on and at regular intervals while the engine is running.
Therefore, malfunctions can be detected in
good time.
Occupant safety35
Safety
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Page 38 of 290

The6 restraint system warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up when the ignition is
switched on. It goes out no later than a few sec-
onds after the engine is started. The compo-
nents of the restraint system are in operational
readiness.
A malfunction has occurred if the 6restraint
system warning lamp:
Rdoes not light up after the ignition is switched
on
Rdoes not go out after a few seconds with the
engine running
Rlights up again while the engine is running
GWARNING
If restraint system is malfunctioning, restraint
system components may be triggered unin-
tentionally or might not be triggered at all in
the event of an accident with a high rate of
vehicle deceleration. This can affect the Emer- gency Tensioning Device or air bag, for exam-
ple. This poses an increased risk of injury or
even fatal injury.
Have the restraint system checked and
repaired in a qualified specialist workshop as
soon as possible.
PASSENGER AIR BAG indicator lamp
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp :and
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp ;are
part of the Occupant Classification System
(OCS).
The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front air bag.
RPASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up: the front-
passenger front air bag is enabled. If, in the
event of an accident, all deployment criteria are met, the front-passenger front air bag is
deployed.
RPASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lights up: the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated. It will
then not be deployed in the event of an acci-
dent.
Depending on the person in the front-passenger
seat, the front-passenger front air bag must
either be deactivated or enabled; see the fol-
lowing points. You must make sure of this both
before and during a journey.
RChildren in a child restraint system:
whether the front-passenger front air bag is
enabled or deactivated depends on the instal-
led child restraint system, and the age and
size of the child. Therefore, be sure to observe
the notes on the "Occupant Classification
System (OCS)" (
Ypage 42) and on "Chil-
dren in the vehicle" (Ypage 49). There you
will also find instructions on rearward and
forward-facing child restraint systems on the
front-passenger seat.
RAll other persons: depending on the classi-
fication of the person in the front-passenger
seat, the front-passenger front air bag is ena-
bled or deactivated (
Ypage 42). Be sure to
observe the notes on "Seat
belts“ (
Ypage 36) and "Air bags"
(Ypage 40). There you can also find infor-
mation on the correct seat position.
Seat belts
Introduction
Seat belts are the most effective means of
restricting the movement of vehicle occupants
in the event of an accident or the vehicle rolling
over. This reduces the risk of vehicle occupants
coming into contact with parts of the vehicle
interior or being ejected from the vehicle. Fur-
thermore, the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle
occupant in the best position in relation to the
air bag.
The seat belt system comprises:
RSeat belts
REmergency Tensioning Devices and seat belt
force limiters
If the seat belt is pulled out of the belt outlet
quickly or with a jerky movement, the belt
retractor locks. The belt strap cannot be extrac-
ted any further.
36Occupant safety
Safety
Page 42 of 290

ing lamp lights up for six seconds each time the
engine is started. If, after six seconds, the driveror front-passenger seat belt has not been fas-
tened and the doors are closed, the 7seat
belt warning lamp lights up. As soon as the driv-
er's and front-passenger seat belts are fastened
or a front door is opened again, the 7seat
belt warning lamp goes out.
If the driver's seat belt is not fastened after the
engine is started, an additional warning tone will sound. This warning tone stops after six seconds
or when the driver's seat belt is fastened.
If the vehicle's speed exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h) once and the driver's and front-
passenger seat belts are not fastened, a warning
tone sounds. A warning tone also sounds with
increasing intensity for 60 seconds or until the
driver or front passenger have fastened their
seat belts.
If the driver or front passenger unfasten their
seat belts during the journey, the seat belt warn-
ing is activated again.
iFor more information on the 7seat belt
warning lamp, see "Warning and indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster, seat belts"
(
Ypage 190).
Air bags
Introduction
The installation point of an air bag can be rec-
ognized by the AIR BAG symbol.
An air bag complements the correctly fastened
seat belt. It is no substitute for the seat belt. The
air bag provides additional protection in appli-
cable accident situations.
Not all air bags are deployed in an accident. The
different air bag systems function independ-
ently from one another (
Ypage 46).
However, no system available today can com-
pletely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
It is also not possible to rule out a risk of injury
caused by an air bag due to the high speed at
which the air bag must be deployed.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you do not sit in the correct seat position,
the air bag cannot protect as intended and
could even cause additional injury when
deployed. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
To avoid hazardous situations, always make
sure that all of the vehicle's occupants:
Rhave fastened their seat belts correctly,
including pregnant women
Rare sitting correctly and maintain the great-
est possible distance to the air bags
Rfollow the following instructions
Always make sure that there are no objects
between the air bag and the vehicle's occu-
pants.
RAdjust the seats properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the seat
is in an almost upright position.
RMove the driver's and front-passenger seats
as far back as possible. The driver's seat posi-
tion must allow the vehicle to be driven safely.
ROnly hold the steering wheel on the outside.
This allows the air bag to be fully deployed.
RAlways lean against the backrest while driv-
ing. Do not lean forwards or lean against the
door or side window. You may otherwise be in
the deployment area of the air bags.
RAlways keep your feet in the footwell in front
of the seat. Do not put your feet on the dash-
board, for example. Your feet may otherwise
be in the deployment area of the air bag.
RFor this reason, always secure persons less
than 5 ft (1.50 m) tall in suitable restraint sys- tems. Up to this height, the seat belt cannot
be worn correctly.
If a child is traveling in your vehicle, also
observe the following notes:
RAlways secure children under twelve years of age and less than 5 ft (1.50 m)tall in suitable
child restraint systems.
ROnly secure a child in a rearward-facing child restraint system on the front-passenger seat
wh en th
e front-passenger front air bag is
deactivated. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is permanently lit, the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated
(
Ypage 36).
RAlways observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant Classification System
(OCS)" (
Ypage 42) and on "Children in the
vehicle" (Ypage 49) in addition to the child
40Occupant safety
Safety
Page 45 of 290

Prerequisites
To be classified correctly, the front passenger
must sit:
Rwith the seat belt fastened correctly
Rin an almost upright position with their back
against the seat backrest
Rwith their feet resting on the floor, if possible
If the front passenger does not observe these
conditions, OCS may produce a false classifica-
tion, e.g. because the front passenger:
Rtransfers their weight by supporting them-
selves on a vehicle armrest
Rsits in such a way that their weight is raised
from the seat cushion
If you install a child restraint system on the
front-passenger seat, be sure to observe the
correct positioning of the child restraint system. Never place objects under or behind the child
restraint system, e.g. cushions.
Only then can OCS be guaranteed to function
correctly. Always observe the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instructions.
Occupant Classification System opera-
tion (OCS)
:PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp
;PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
The indicator lamps inform you whether the
front-passenger front air bag is deactivated or
enabled.
XPress the Start/Stop button once or twice, or turn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignition lock.
The system carries out self-diagnostics.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and PASSENGER
AIR BAG ON indicator lamps must light up simul-
taneously for approximately six seconds. The indicator lamps display the status of the
front-passenger front air bag.
RPASSENGER AIR BAG ON lights up: the front-
passenger front air bag is enabled. If, in the
event of an accident, all deployment criteria
are met, the front-passenger front air bag is
deployed.
RPASSENGER AIR BAG OFF lights up: the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated. It will
then not be deployed in the event of an acci-
dent.
If the status of the front-passenger front air bag changes while the vehicle is in motion, an air bag
display message appears in the instrument clus- ter (
Ypage 175). When the front-passenger
seat is occupied, always pay attention to the
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamps. Be aware of the status
of the front-passenger front air bag both before
and during the journey.
GWARNING
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is lit, the front-passenger front air bag is
disabled. It will not be deployed in the event of
an accident and cannot perform its intended
protective function. A person in the front-
passenger seat could then, for example, come
into contact with the vehicle's interior, espe-
cially if the person is sitting too close to the
dashboard. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
When the front-passenger seat is occupied,
always ensure that:
Rthe classification of the person in the front- passenger seat is correct and the front-
passenger front air bag is enabled or disa-
bled in accordance with the person in the
front-passenger seat
Rthe front-passenger seat has been moved
back as far back as possible.
Rthe person is seated correctly.
Make sure, both before and during the jour-
ney, that the status of the front-passenger
front air bag is correct.
GWARNING
If you secure a child in a rearward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat
Occupant safety43
Safety
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Page 49 of 290

continue to perform their protective function for
the vehicle occupants in the event of a crash.
GWARNING
Pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning Devices
that have been deployed are no longer opera-
tional and are unable to perform their inten-
ded protective function. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Therefore, have pyrotechnic Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices which have been triggered
immediately replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
An electric motor is used by PRE-SAFE
®to trig-
ger the tightening of the seat belt in hazardous
situations. This procedure is reversible.
If Emergency Tensioning Devices are triggered
or air bags are deployed, you will hear a bang,
and a small amount of powder may also be
released. The 6restraint system warning
lamp lights up.
Only in rare cases will the bang affect your hear-
ing. The powder that is released generally does
not constitute a health hazard, but it may cause
short-term breathing difficulties in people with
asthma or other respiratory problems. To avoid
this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle or
open the windows as soon as it is safe to do so.
Air bags and pyrotechnic Emergency Tensioning
Devices (ETDs) contain perchlorate material,
which may require special handling and regard
for the environment. National guidelines must
be observed during disposal. In California, 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 important physi-
cal data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as:
Rduration
Rdirection
Rintensity
Based on the evaluation of this data, the
restraint system control unit triggers the Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices during a frontal or
rear collision. An Emergency Tensioning Device can only be
triggered, if:
Rthe ignition is switched on
Rthe components of the restraint system are
operational; see "Restraint system warning
lamp" (
Ypage 35)
Rthe belt tongue has engaged in the belt buckle
of the respective 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:
RFront air bags as well as driver's and front-
passenger knee bags
RSide impact air bag and window curtain air
bag, if the system determines that deploy-
ment can offer additional protection to that
provided by the seat belt
The front-passenger front air bag is activated or
deactivated depending on the person on the
front-passenger seat. The front-passenger front
air bag can only deploy in an accident if the
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lamp is lit.
Observe the information on the PASSENGER AIR
BAG indicator lamps (
Ypage 36).
Your vehicle has two-stage front air bags. During the fi
rst deployment stage, the front air bag is
filled with propellant gas to reduce the risk of
injuries. The front air bag is fully deployed with
the maximum amount of propellant gas if a sec-
ond deployment threshold is reached within a
few milliseconds.
The activation threshold of the Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices and the air bag are determined
by evaluating the rate of vehicle deceleration or
acceleration which occurs at various points in
the vehicle. This process is pre-emptive in
nature. Deployment should take place in good
time at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or acceleration
and the direction of the force are essentially
determined by:
Rthe distribution of forces during the collision
Rthe collision angle
Rthe deformation characteristics of the vehicle
Rthe 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 deci-
sive role in the deployment of an air bag, Nor do
Occupant safety47
Safety
Z
Page 54 of 290

Drivingsafet ysystems
Overview of drivin gsafet ysystems
In this section ,you will fin dinformation about
th efollowin gdrivin gsafet ysystems :
RABS (Anti-loc kBrakin gSystem)
(Ypage 52)
RBA S (B rakeAssist System) (Ypage 52)
RCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLU S
(Ypage 53 )
RESP®(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Ypage 55)
REB D (Electroni cBrak eforc eDistribution )
(Ypage 57 )
RADAPTIV EBRAKE (Ypage 58 )
Important safet ynotes
If you fail to adapt your drivin gstyle or if you are
inattentive ,th edrivin gsafet ysystems can nei-
ther reduce th eris kof an acciden tno roverride
th elaws of physics. Driving safet ysystems are
merely aids designed to assist driving. You are
responsible fo rmaintainin gth edistanc eto th e
vehicle in front, fo rvehicle speed, fo rbraking in
goo dtime, and fo rstayin gin lane. Always adapt
your drivin gstyle to suit th eprevailin groad and
weather condition sand maintain asaf edistanc e
from th evehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The drivin gsafet ysystems described only wor k
as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quat econtact between th etires and th eroad
surface. Please pay special attention to th e
note son tires ,recommended minimum tire
tread depths, etc. (
Ypage 254).
In wintr ydrivin gconditions, always use winte r
tires (M+ Stires )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
! ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface conditions.
ABS works on slippery surfaces, even when you
only brake gently.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 52).
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 192) and dis-
play messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (
Ypage 167).
Brakes
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.
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.
52Driving safety systems
Safety