traction control MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS ESTATE 2014 Owners Manual

ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction
System) ........................................... 81
Important safety guidelines ............
.76
Overview .......................................... 75
PRE-SAFE® Brake ............................84
RBS (Recuperative Brake Sys-
tem) ................................................ .44
Driving system
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering
Assist and Stop&Go Pilot .............. .234
Driving systems
360°camera .................................. 253
Active Blind Spot Assist ................. 266
Active Lane Keeping Assist ............ 269
Active Parking Assist ..................... 243
AIRMATIC ...................................... 238
ATTENTION ASSIST ........................ 258
Blind Spot Assist ............................ 263
Cruise control ................................ 220
Display message ............................ 339
Distronic Plus ................................ 226
Driving Assistance package ........... 266
HOLD function ............................... 236
Lane Keeping Assist ..................... .265
Lane package ................................ 263
PARKTRONIC ................................. 240
Reversing camera .......................... 248
SPEEDTRONIC ............................... 223
Traffic Sign Assist .......................... 260
Driving tips
Aquaplaning ................................... 218
Automatic transmission ................. 200
Brakes .......................................... .217
DISTRONIC PLUS ........................... 233
Downhill gradient ........................... 217
Driving abroad ............................... 134
Driving in winter ............................ .219
Driving on flooded roads ................ 219
Driving on wet roads ..................... .218
Fuel ................................................ 215
General .......................................... 215
Icy road surfaces ........................... 219
Limited braking efficiency on sal-
ted roads ....................................... 218
New brake disks ............................ 218
New brake pads/linings ................ 218
Running-in tips ............................... 184
Snow chains .................................. 435 Symmetrical dipped bea
m............. 134
The first 1500 km .......................... 184
Towing a trailer .............................. 287
Wet road surface ........................... 218
DVD video
Operating (on-board computer) ..... 305 E
EASY-ENTRY feature Function/note s............................. 126
EASY-EXIT feature
Function/note s............................. 126
EASY-PACK luggage compartment
management system ........................ 379
EBD (electronic brake force distri-
bution)
Display message ............................ 320
Function/note s................................ 84
ECO display
Function/note s............................. 215
On-board computer ....................... 300
ECO start/stop function
Automatic engine start .................. 191
Automatic engine switch-off .......... 190
Climate control
(THERMOTRONIC ).......................... 160
Deactivating/activating ................. 191
General information ....................... 190
Important safety notes .................. 190
Introduction ................................... 190
Electric motor
Power display ................................ 275
see Hybrid operation
Electric motor power display ........... 275
Electromagnetic compatibility
Declaration of conformity ................ 27
Electronic Stability Program
see ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)
Emergency
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................. 63
Emergency key
Unlocking the driver's door .............. 99
Emergency key element
Function/note s................................ 93
Inserting .......................................... 93
Locking vehicle .............................. 100 10
Index

tions may also cause Brake Assist to inter-
vene.
If Adaptive Brake Assist is not available due to a malfunction in the radar sensor system, thebrake system remains available with full
brake boosting effect and BAS.
With the help of Adaptive Brake Assist, the
distance warning signal can detect obstacles
that are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time.
If Adaptive Brake Assist detects a risk of col-
lision with the vehicle in front, it calculates
the braking force necessary to avoid a colli-
sion. If you apply the brakes forcefully, Adap-
tive Brake Assist will automatically increase
the braking force to a level suitable for the
traffic conditions.
X Keep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will work normally again if: R you release the brake pedal
R there is no longer any danger of a collision
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle
Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.
If Adaptive Brake Assist demands particularly high braking force, preventative passenger
protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are activa-
ted simultaneously.
Up to a speed of approximately 250 km/h,
Adaptive Brake Assist is capable of reacting
to moving objects that have already been
detected as such at least once over the period of observation.
Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h,
Adaptive Brake Assist reacts to stationary
obstacles. Adaptive brake lamps
The adaptive brake lights warn following traf- fic in an emergency braking situation:
R by flashing brake lamps
R by activating the hazard warning lamps
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS
or BAS PLUS, the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way, traffic travelling behind you is
warned in an even more noticeable manner.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warn-
ing lamps are activated automatically. If the
brakes are applied again, the brake lamps
light up continuously. The hazard warning
lamps switch off automatically if you travel
faster than 10 km/h. You can also switch off the hazard warning lamps using the hazard
warning button (Y page 137). ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 76).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction,
i.e. power transmission between the tyres
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 stabilise 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 stabilise the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 76).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
. On vehi-
cles with 4MATIC, 4ETS is a component of
ESP ®
. Driving safety systems
81Safety Z

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 trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you deacti-
vate ESP ®
.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 76). G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving
safety systems are switched off. This increa-
ses the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
! If you test the parking brake using a brake
dynamometer, switch the ignition off.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may oth-
erwise destroy the brake system.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, observe the notes on ESP ®
(Y page 426).
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up and:
R the vehicle is moving
R the ECO start/stop function is activated
If the ÷ warning lamp lights up continu-
ously, ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunc-
tion.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 359) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 317).
Only use wheels with the recommended tyre
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly. Characteristics of ESP
® General notes
If the
÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X When pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle stops
moving. When pulling away again, the engine
starts automatically. ESP ®
remains in its pre-
viously selected status. Example:if ESP®
was deactivated before the engine was
switched off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when
the engine is switched on again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 76).
You can select between the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated
R ESP ®
is deactivated G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilises the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP ®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following. 82
Driving safety systemsSafety

It may be best to deactivate ESP
®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to
spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
You can deactivate or activate ESP ®
via the
on-board computer.
X To deactivate: (Ypage 309).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To activate: (Ypage 309).
The å 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 ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability
R the driven wheels can spin
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-faces.
R traction control is still activated
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; nor is it
activated if you brake firmly with assis-
tance from ESP ®
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available; it
is also not activated if you brake firmly with
assistance from ESP ®
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly. ESP
®
trailer stabilisation General notes
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, ESP
®
assists you in this situation. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and limit-
ing the engine output until the vehicle/trailer combination has stabilised.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing. Trailers with a high centre of gravity can
tip over before ESP ®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt your driving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, you can only stabilise the vehicle/
trailer combination by depressing the brake
firmly.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation is active above
speeds of approximately 65 km/h.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation does not work if
ESP ®
is deactivated or disabled because of a
malfunction.
Crosswind Assist General notes
Strong crosswind gusts can impair the road-
holding of your vehicle when driving straight
ahead. The crosswind driving assistance
function integrated in ESP ®
noticeably
reduces these impairments.
Depending on the direction and intensity of
the side wind, ESP ®
is activated automati-
cally.
ESP intervenes with stabilising braking to
assist you in keeping the vehicle in the lane.
Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle speeds
above 80 km/h when driving straight ahead
or cornering gently. Driving safety systems
83Safety Z

Driving systems
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive stands for
innovative driver assistance and safety sys-
tems which enhance comfort and support the
driver in critical situations. With these intelli-
gent co-ordinated systems Mercedes-Benz
has set a milestone on the path towards
autonomous driving.
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive embraces all elements of active and passive safety in one
well thought-out system – for the safety of thevehicle occupants and that of other road
users.
Further information on driving safety systems
(Y page 75). Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order to avoid exceeding the set speed. Change into
a lower gear in good time on long and steep
downhill gradients. Take particular note of
this when driving a laden vehicle and when
towing a trailer. By doing so, you will make
use of the braking effect of the engine. This
relieves the load on the brake system and
prevents the brakes from overheating and
wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con- ditions are appropriate for maintaining a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any road speed above 30 km/h.
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise
control cannot take into account road,
weather or traffic conditions. Cruise control is
only an aid. You are responsible for the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good time, and for staying in
lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed
(e.g. in heavy traffic or on winding roads)
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or
accelerating can cause the drive wheels to
lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever :
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; LIM indicator lamp
= To store the current speed and to call up
the last stored speed
? To store the current speed or a lower
speed
A To switch between cruise control and var-
iable SPEEDTRONIC
B To deactivate cruise control
You can operate cruise control and variable
SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control lever. 220
Driving syste
msDriving and parking

in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time, and for staying in lane.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on smooth or slippery roads. Braking or
accelerating can cause the drive wheels to lose traction and the vehicle could then
skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired in the case of:
R dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other radar sources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example, in multi-storey car parks
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehi- cle in front, it may unexpectedly accelerate tothe speed stored.
This speed can:
R be too high for a filter lane or a slip road
R be so high in the right lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the left (left-hand drive
countries)
R be so high in the left lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the right (right-hand
drive countries)
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new driver of the speed stored. Cruise control lever :
To activate or increase speed
; To set the specified minimum distance
= LIM indicator lamp
? To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
A To activate or reduce speed
B To switch between DISTRONIC PLUS and
variable SPEEDTRONIC
C To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
You can operate DISTRONIC PLUS and varia- ble SPEEDTRONIC with the cruise control
lever.
LIM indicator lamp =on the cruise control
lever indicates which function you have selec- ted:
R LIM indicator lamp =
= off: DISTRONIC
PLUS is selected.
R LIM indicator lamp = =on: variable
SPEEDTRONIC is selected.
Selecting DISTRONIC PLUS X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp :is off. Driving systems
227Driving and parking Z

with snow chains or on particularly poor road
surfaces. Your selection remains stored even
if you remove the key from the ignition lock.
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is not lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The vehicle is
raised by 25 mm compared to the normal
level.
The Vehicle rising Vehicle rising message appears in
the multifunction display.
i The message disappears after ten sec-
onds, irrespective of the level reached. If
necessary, the vehicle is raised further.
The "Raised level" setting is cancelled if you:
R drive faster than 120 km/h
R drive for approximately three minutes at a
speed over 80 km/h
The "Raised level" remains saved when you
are not driving within these speed ranges.
Setting the normal vehicle level
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to the height of the currently
selected drive program (Y page 201).
Suspension setting General notes
The Adaptive Damping System automatically
controls the calibration of the dampers.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection, i.e. sport or com-
fort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. Sport mode
In the "Sport" and "Sport Plus" drive pro-
grams, the firmer suspension setting ensures even better contact with the road. Select this
mode when employing a sporty driving style,
e.g. on winding country roads.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
select the Sor S+ drive program with the
AGILITY SELECT switch (Y page 201).
Vehicles with manual transmission:
select the Sor S+ drive program with the
AGILITY SELECT switch (Y page 195).
The vehicle is lowered by 15 mm compared to the normal level.
Comfort mode
In the "Eco" and "Comfort" drive programs,
the driving characteristics of your vehicle are
more comfortable. Therefore, select this
mode if you prefer a more comfortable driving
style. Select Comfort mode also when driving
fast on straight roads, e.g. on straight
stretches of motorway.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
select the Eor Cdrive program with the
AGILITY SELECT switch (Y page 201).
Vehicles with manual transmission:
select the Eor Cdrive program with the
AGILITY SELECT switch (Y page 195).
The vehicle is raised to the normal level.
When driving at speeds above 125 km/h, the
vehicle is automatically lowered by 15 mm in the Eand Cdrive programs. When driving at
speeds below 80 km/h, the vehicle is raised
again. 4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle when-
ever a drive wheel spins due to insufficient
grip.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, 4MATIC
can neither reduce the risk of an accident nor Driving systems
239Driving and parking Z

Display messages
Possible causes/consequences and
M
MSolutions Rectify tyre pres‐
Rectify tyre pres‐
sure sure The tyre pressure is too low in at least one of the tyres, or the tyre
pressure difference between the wheels is too great.
X Check the tyre pressures at the next opportunity (Y page 437).
X If necessary, correct the tyre pressure.
X Restart the tyre pressure monitor (Y page 439).Check tyre(s)
Check tyre(s) The tyre pressure in one or more tyres has dropped significantly.
The wheel position is displayed in the multifunction display.
A warning tone also sounds.
G WARNING
Underinflated tyres pose the following risks:
R the tyres may burst, especially as the load and vehicle speed
increase
R the tyres may wear excessively and/or unevenly, which may
greatly impair tyre traction
R the driving characteristics, as well as steering and braking, may
be greatly impaired
There is a risk of an accident.
X Stop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
manoeuvres. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
X Safeguard the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 211).
X Check the tyres and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a
flat tyre (Y page 412).
X Check the tyre pressure (Y page 437).
X If necessary, correct the tyre pressure. Warning Warning
tyre
tyredefect
defect The tyre pressure in one or more tyres has dropped suddenly. The
wheel position is displayed in the multifunction display.
G WARNING
If you drive with a flat tyre, there is a risk of the following hazards:
R a flat tyre affects the ability to steer or brake the vehicle
R you could lose control of the vehicle
R continued driving with a flat tyre will cause excessive heat build-
up and possibly a fire
There is a risk of an accident.
X Stop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
manoeuvres. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
X Safeguard the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 211).
X Check the tyres and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a
flat tyre (Y page 412).346
Display
messagesOn-board computer and displays

Warning/
indicator
lamp
N N
Signal type
Possible causes/consequences and M
MSolutions J÷
å!
N
The red brake warning lamp, the yellow ESP ®
and ESP ®
OFF warning lamp
and the yellow ABS warning lamp are lit while the engine is running.
Hybrid vehicle: The red brake warning lamp, the yellow ESP ®
and ESP ®
OFF
warning lamp and the yellow ABS warning lamp are shown in driving condition READY.
ABS and ESP ®
are unavailable due to a fault. Therefore BAS, BAS PLUS, COL-
LISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS, EBD, PRE ‑SAFE®
, PRE‑SAFE ®
PLUS,
PRE‑SAFE ®
Brake, HOLD function, hill start assist, ESP ®
trailer stabilisation,
crosswind driving assistance, adaptive brake lights, STEER CONTROL, Active Lane Keeping Assist and Active Blind Spot Assist are also unavailable.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
G WARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the functions
listed above. The front and rear wheels could therefore lock, for example, if you
brake hard.
The steerability and braking characteristics may be severely affected. The
braking distance may increase in an emergency braking situation.
If ESP ®
is not operational, ESP ®
is unable to stabilise the vehicle.
There is an increased danger of skidding and risk of an accident.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. ÷
N
The yellow ESP ®
warning lamp flashes while the vehicle is in motion.
ESP ®
or traction control has intervened because there is a risk of skidding or
at least one wheel has started to spin.
Cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as necessary when pulling away.
X Accelerate more gently while the vehicle is in motion.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
.
In rare cases (Y page 82), it may be best to deactivate ESP ®
.
Observe the important safety notes on ESP ®
(Y page 82). Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
359On-board computer and displays Z

Therefore, only use tyre types and sizes
approved for your vehicle model. Observe the
tyre load rating and speed rating required for your vehicle.
Pay special attention to country-specific
requirements for tyre approval. These
requirements can stipulate a specific tyre
type for your vehicle. Furthermore, the use of certain tyre types in certain regions and areas
of operation can be highly beneficial. You can find further information regarding tyres at
specialist tyre retailers, at qualified specialist
workshops or at any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
R Only fit tyres and wheels of the same type
and make.
Exception: it is permissible to fit a different type or make in the event of a flat tyre.
Observe the "MOExtended tyres (tyres with
run-flat characteristics)" section
(Y page 413).
R Only fit tyres of the correct size onto the
wheels.
R Run in new tyres at moderate speeds for
the first 100 km. They only reach their full
performance after this distance.
R Do not drive with tyres which have too little
tread depth. This otherwise significantly
reduces the traction on wet roads (aqua-
planing).
R Replace the tyres after six years at the lat-
est, regardless of wear.
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (Y page 463). MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics)
With MOExtended tyres (tyres with run-flat
characteristics), you can continue to drive
your vehicle even if there is a total loss of
pressure in one or more tyres.
MOExtended tyres may only be used in con-
junction with an activated tyre pressure loss
warning system or with an activated tyre pres- sure monitor and on wheels specifically tes-
ted by Mercedes-Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tyres with
a flat tyre (Y page 413).
i Vehicles with MOExtended tyres are not
equipped with a TIREFIT kit at the factory. It
is therefore recommended that you addi-
tionally equip your vehicle with a TIREFIT kit if you fit tyres that do not feature run-flat
characteristics, e.g. winter tyres. A TIREFIT
kit can be obtained from a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Winter operation
General notes
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section (Y page 442). Driving with summer tyres
At temperatures below +7 †, summer tyres
lose elasticity and therefore traction and
braking power. Change the tyres on your vehi- cle to M+S tyres. Using summer tyres at very
cold temperatures could cause tears to form, thereby damaging the tyres permanently.
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept responsibility
for this type of damage. G
WARNING
Damaged tyres can cause tyre inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tyres regularly for signs of damageand replace any damaged tyres immediately. M+S tyres
G
WARNING
M+S tyres with a tyre tread depth of less than 4 mm are not suitable for use in winter as they 434
Winter operationWheels and tyres