ESP MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class COUPE 2013 CL204 User Guide

As the ai
rbag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating position
and correct positioning of the hands on the
steering wheel will help to keep you at a safe
distance from the air bag. Occupants who are
no tw earing their seat belt, are not seated
properly or are too close to the air bag can be
seriously injured or killed by an air bag, as it
inflates with great force instantaneously:
R sit with the seat belt fastened correctly and
in a position that is as upright as possible
with your back against the backrest.
R move the driver's seat as far back as
possible, still permitting proper operation
of vehicle controls. The distance from the
center of the driver's chest to the center of
the air bag cover on the steering wheel
must be at least 10 inches (25 cm). You
should be able to accomplish this by
adjusting the seat and steering wheel. If
you have any difficulties, please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
R do not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
R only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
Placing hands and arms inside the rim can
increase the risk and potential severity of
hand/arm injury if the driver front air bag
inflates.
R adjust the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible from the dashboard when the
seat is occupied.
R occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their heads
in the area of the door or the rear side trim
panel where the side impact air bag
inflates .This could result in serious or fatal
injuries should the side impact air bag be
deployed. Always sit as upright as possible,
wear the seat belt properly and use an
appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injuries to you or other occupants. If you sell your vehicle, it is important that you
make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator's Manual.
G
WARNING
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children in an automobile is in a rear seat.
As ide impact air bag related injury may occur
if occupants, especially children, are not
properly seated or restraine dwhen next to a
side impact 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) Always sit as upright as possible and use the seat belts properly.
Make sure that children 12 years
old and under use an appropriately
sized child restraint, infant
restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and
weight of the child.
(2) Always wear seat belts properly.
The air bags are only deployed if the air bag
control unit detects the need for deployment.
Only in the event of such a situation, will the
air bags provide their supplemental
protection.
If the driver and front passenger do not wear
their seat belts, it is not possible for the air
bags to provide their supplemental
protection.
In the event of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, the air bags will not deploy.T he
driver and passenger will then be protected
to the extentp ossible by a properly fastened
seat belt. Aproperly fastened seat belti s also
needed to provide the best possible
protection if the vehicle rolls over.
Air bags are not a substitute for seat belts.
Always wear your seat belt, regardless of
whether or not your vehicle is equipped with
air bags. Occupant safety
43Safety Z

If the
0019001B indicator lamp is not
illuminated, the front passenger front air bag
is activated and will be deployed
R in the event of certain frontal impacts
R if the impact exceeds a predetermined
triggering threshold
R independent of the side impact air bag or
pelvis air bag
If the front passenger front air bag is
deployed, the rate of inflation will be
influenced by
R the rate of vehicle deceleration as assessed
by the air bag control unit
R the front passenger's weight category as
identified by the OCS
For further information, see "Air bag display
messages" (Y page 215). G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than on the front-passenger seat. Thus,
we strongly recommend that childre nbe
placed in the rear seats whenever possible.
Regardless of seating position, children 12
years old and under must be seated and
properly secured in an appropriate infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
The infan torchild restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle's seat belt, the seat
belt and Top Tether strap, or lower anchors
and Top Tether strap, fully in accordance with
the child seat manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front-
passenger seat:
R Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the
front-passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard appropriate
child restraint on the front-passenger seat.
R Ac hild in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front-passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front-passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision which
could occur under some circumstances,
even with the air bag technology installed
in your vehicle. The only means to eliminate
this risk completely is never to place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in the front-
passenger seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint on the rear
seat.
R If you install a rear-facing child restraint on
the front-passenger seat, make sure the
0019001B indicator lamp is illuminated,
indicating that the front-passenger front air
bag is deactivated. Should the 0019001B
indicator lamp not illuminate or go out while
the restraint is installed, please check
installation. Periodically check the
0019001B indicator lamp while driving to
make sure that the 0019001Bindicator
lamp is illuminated. If the 0019001B
indicator lamp goes out or remains out, do
not transport a child on the front-passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.
Ac hild in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front-passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front-passenger
front air bag inflates. 48
Occupant safetySafety

Children in the vehicle
Child restraint systems
Important safety notes We recommend that all infants and children
be properly secured in an infant or child
restraint system at all times while the vehicle
is in motion.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in all 50
states, the District of Columbia, the U.S.
territories and all Canadian provinces.
Infants and small childre
nmust be seated in
an appropriate infant or child restraint system
recommended for the size and weigh tofthe
child. The infant or child restraint system
must be properly secured in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions. All infant or
child restraint systems must comply with the
U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 225 and Canadian Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards 213 and 210.2.
Confirmation that the child restraint system
corresponds to the standards can be found
on an instruction label on the child restraint
system. This confirmation can also be found
in the installation instructions that are
included with the child restraint system.
Always read and follow the manufacturer's
instructions when using an infant or child
restraint system or booster seat.
Observe all warning signs in the vehicle
interior and on the infant or child restraint. G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front seating
position. Thus, we strongly recommend that
children be placed in the rear seats whenever
possible. Regardless of seating position,
children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an appropriate
infant restraint, toddler restraint, or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight of
the child. The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle's seat belt, the seat
belt and top tether strap, or lower anchors and
top tether strap, fully in accordance with the
child seat manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front
passenger seat:
R Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the front
passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
with the weight of a standard appropriate
child restraint on the front passenger seat.
R For children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the front passenger
front air bag may or may not be activated.
Always make sure the 0019001Bindicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
R Ac hild in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision which
could occur under some circumstances,
even with the air bag technology installed
in your vehicle. The only means to
completely eliminate this risk is to never
place a child in a rear-facing child restraint
in the front seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in a backseat.
R If you must install a rear-facing child
restraint on the front passenger seat
because circumstances require you to do
so, make sure the 0019001Bindicator
lamp is illuminated, indicating that the front 58
Children in the vehicleSafety

X
Press down the rear of cover 0003in the
direction of the arrow.
Cover 0003is raised slightly at the front.
X Fold up cover 0003of Top Tether anchorage
0022. X
Hook Top Tether hook 0021into Top Tether
anchorage 0022.
X Depending on the model and version, and
according to the manufacturer's
installation instructions, route Top Tether
belt 001Fon the left and right past head
restraint 0002.
or
X Route Top Tether belt 001Fover the center of
the head restraint.
X Make sure that Top Tether belt 001Fis not
twisted.
X Install the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint system with Top Tether. Comply
with the manufacturer's installation
instructions when doing so. Make sure that
Top Tether belt 001Fis tight. Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS (Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
R BAS (Brake AssistSystem)
R BAS PLUS ( BrakeAssist System Plus)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram) R
EBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or
become distracted, the driving safety
systems can neither reduce the risk of
accident nor override the laws of physics.
Driving safety systems are merely aids
designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed and for braking in
good time. Always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather
conditions and maintain asafe distance from
the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
i The driving safety systems described only
work as effectively as possible when there
is adequate contact between the tires and
the road surface. Please pay special
attention to the note son tires,
recommended minimu mtire tread depths,
etc. (Y page 300).
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)
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Importan tsafety notes"
sectio n(Ypage 62). G
WARNING
If ABSi s faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking
characteristics may be severely impaired.
Additionally, further driving safety systems
are deactivated. There is an increased danger
of skidding and accidents. 62
Driving safety systemsSafety

At
as pee dless than 20 mp h(30 km/h) : if
you depress the brake pedal, BASP LUS is
activated. Braking is performed as late as
possible.
At a speed greater than 20 mph
(30 km/h):ify ou depress the brake pedal
sharply, BAS PLUS automatically raises the
brake pressure to a value adapted to the
traffic situation.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
BAS PLUS is deactivated and the brakes
function as usual, if:
R you release the brake pedal.
R there is no longer any danger of a rear-end
collision.
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle. G
WARNING
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify
objects and complex traffic situations. BAS
PLUS cannot intervene in these cases. There
is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle G
WARNING
BAS PLUS does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As aresult, BAS PLUS may not intervene in all
critical situations. There is a risk of an
accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
Following damage to the fron tend of the
vehicle, have the configuratio nand operation
of the rada rsensors checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the fron tofthe vehicle. ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 62).
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 vehicle 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.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 62).
ETS/4ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels
individually if they spin. This enables you to
pull away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, 64
Driving safety systemsSafety

for example if the road surface is slippery on
one side
.Inaddition, more drive torque is
transferred to the wheel or wheels with
traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 62). G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further
driving safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! When testing the electric parking brake
on a braking dynamometer, switch off the
ignition. Application of the brakes by
ESP ®
may otherwise destroy the brake
system.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: observe the notes
on ESP ®
(Y page 295) when towing the
vehicle with a raised rear axle.
ESP ®
is deactivated if the 0015warning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up
continuously when the engin eis running.
If the 000D warning lamp and the 0015
warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not
available due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 238) and displaym essages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 209).
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly. Characteristics of ESP General information
ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the 000DESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any
circumstances.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far
as necessary when pulling away.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
Vehicles with the ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving. The engine starts
automatically when the driver wants to pull
away again. ESP ®
remains in its previously
selected status. Example:if ESP®
was
deactivated before the engin ewas switched
off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when the
engine is switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(except
AMG vehicles) Important safety notes
i
Observe the "Important safety notes"
sectio n(Ypage 62).
You can select between the following
statuses of ESP:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer
stabilizes the vehicle. There is an increased
risk of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations
described in the following. Driving safet
ysystems
65Safety Z

It may be best to deactivate ESP
®
in the
following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the
vehicle if the vehicle starts to skid or a
wheel starts to spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
You can activate and deactivate ESP ®
using
the on-board computer.
X To deactivate: (Ypage 199).
The 0015 ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To activate: (Ypage 199).
The 0015 ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the 000DESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels are able to spin. The
spinning of the wheels results in a cutting
action, which provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake. Deactivating/activating ESP
®
(AMG
vehicles) Important safety notes
You can select betwee
nthe following
statuses of ESP:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R SPORT handling mode is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. G
WARNING
When SPORT handling mode is activated,
there is a greater risk of skidding and
accidents.
Only activate SPORT handling mode in the
situations described in the following. G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer
stabilizes the vehicle. There is an increased
risk of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations
described in the following.
In the following situations, it may be better to
activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate
ESP ®
:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
R on designated roads when the vehicle's
own oversteering and understeering
characteristics are desired
Driving in SPORT handling mode or without
ESP ®
requires an extremely qualified and
experienced driver.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply.E SP®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the
vehicle if the vehicle starts to skid or a
wheel starts to spin. 66
Driving safety systemsSafety

Deactivating/activating ESP
®X
To activate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button 0002.
The 0003 SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrumen tcluster lights up.
The SPORT handling mode message
appears in the multifunction display.
X To deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button 0002.
The 0003 SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrumen tcluster goes out.
X To deactivate ESP ®
:press button 0002until
the 0015 ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
The 000DOFF message appears in the
multifunction display.
X To activate ESP ®
:briefly press button 0002.
The 0015 ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrumen tcluster goes out. The 000D
ESP ®
ON message appears in the
multifunction display.
Characteristics of activated SPORT
handling mode
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the 000DESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes .ESP ®
only stabilizes the vehicl eto a
limited degree.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
R traction control is still activated. R
the engine's torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels can spin in a
controlled manner. The spinning of the
wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the 000DESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels are able to spin without
restriction .The spinning of the wheels
results in a cutting action, which provides
better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available;
nor is it activated if you brake with
assistance from ESP ®
.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake. EBD (electronic brake force
distribution)
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 62). G
WARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the rear wheels can
still lock, e.g. under full braking. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have
the brake system checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 236) as well as
display messages (Y page 210). Driving safety systems
67Safety Z

G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will initially brake your
vehicle by a partial application of the brakes
if a dange rofcollision is detected. There may
be a collision unless you also brake.
Automatic emergenc ybraking cannot prevent
a collision. There is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic
conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R not give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other rada rsources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering As a result, PRE-SAFE
®
Brake may neither
give warnings nor intervene in all critical
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
In order to maintain an appropriate distance
from the vehicle in front and thus prevent a
collision, you must apply the brakes yourself.
X To activate/deactivate: activate or
deactivate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-
board computer (Y page 199).
When PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is activated, the
0001 symbol appears in the multifunction
display as long as the HOLD function is
deactivated (Y page 168).
On vehicles with Parking Guidance, the
0001 symbol is displayed when position P
is engaged or you are driving faster than
22 mph (35 km/h).
Following damage to the front end of the
vehicle, have the configuration and operation
of the radar sensors checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the front of the vehicle. Theft deterrent locking system
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. The
engine can be started by anyone with a valid
SmartKey that is left inside the vehicle.
X To activate with the SmartKey: remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
i The immobilizer is always deactivated
when you start the engine. Theft deterrent locking system
69Safety Z

0002
000A To lock the vehicle
0003 0004 To unlock the trunk lid
0022 000B To unlock the vehicle
The turn signals flash once when unlocking
and three times when locking.
When it is dark, the surround lighting also
comes on if it is activated in the on-board
computer (Y page 202).
You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked. The audible
signal can be activated and deactivated using
the on-board computer (Y page 203).
X To unlock centrally: press the000B
button.
If you do not open the vehicle within
approximately 40 seconds of unlocking:
R the vehicle is locked again.
R the theft deterren tlocking system is armed
again.
X To lock centrally: press the000Abutton. KEYLESS-GO
General notes Bear in mind that the engine can be started
by any of the vehicle occupants if there is a
KEYLESS-GO key in the vehicle.
Locking/unlocking centrally You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry
the SmartKey with you. You can combine the functions of KEYLESS-GO with those of a
conventional SmartKey. Unlock the vehicle
by using KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock
it using the
000Abutton on the SmartKey.
When locking or unlockin gwith KEYLESS-GO,
the distance between the SmartKey and the
corresponding door handle must not be
greater than 3 ft (1 m).
KEYLESS-GO checks whether a valid
SmartKey is in the vehicle by periodically
establishing a radio connection between the
vehicle and the SmartKey. This happens:
R when the external door handles are
touched
R when starting the engine
R while the vehicle is in motion X
To unlock the vehicle: touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
X To lock the vehicle: touch sensor
surface 0002.
X Convenience closing feature: touch
recessed sensor surface 0003for an
extended period.
Further information on the convenience
closing feature (Y page 85).
If you pull on the handle of the trunk lid, only
the trunk of the vehicle is unlocked. Changing the settings of the locking
system
You can change the settings of the locking
system. This means that only the driver's door
and the fuel filler flap are unlocked when the SmartKey
73Opening and closing Z