ABS MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS SALOON 2014 User Guide

er's door. If indicator lamp
:is off, oper-
ation is possible using the switches in the
rear compartment. Pets in the vehicle
G
WARNING
If you leave animals unsupervised or unse-
cured in the vehicle, they may push a button
or a switch, for example.
They could:
R activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
R switch vehicle systems on or off, thus
endangering other road users
In the event of an accident, sudden braking or
abrupt changes of direction, unsecured ani-
mals could be flung around the vehicle, injur-
ing the vehicle occupants. There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals correctly during a
journey, e.g. in an animal transport box. Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock BrakingSystem)
(Y page 74)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System) (Y page 75)
R BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist ( Brake
Assist System PLUS with Cross-Traffic
Assist) (Y page 75)
R COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(distance warning function and adaptive
Brake Assist) (Y page 77)
R Adaptive brake lamps (Y page 80)
R ESP ®
(Electronic StabilityProgram)
(Y page 80) R
EBD ( electronic brake force distribution)
(Y page 82)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 82)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (Y page 82)
R STEER CONTROL (Y page 85) Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you
are inattentive, the driving safety systems can neither 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 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,
weather and traffic 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
adequate contact between the tyres and the
road surface. Please pay special attention to
the notes on tyres, recommended minimum
tyre tread depths etc. (Y page 428).
In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tyres (M+S tyres) 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 notes ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way
that the wheels do not lock when you brake.
This allows you to continue steering the vehi-
cle 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. 74
Driving safety systemsSafety

Important safety notes
i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74). G
WARNING
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.
If ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information on the ABS warning lamp (Y page 355) and
display messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (Y page 315).
ABS works from a speed of about
8 km/hupwards, regardless of road-surface
conditions. ABS works on slippery surfaces,
even when you only brake gently.
Braking X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uation is over.
X To 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 indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions, and func-
tions as a reminder to take extra care while
driving. BAS (Brake Assist)
General notes BAS operates in emergency braking situa-
tions. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
BAS automatically boosts the braking force,
thus shortening the stopping distance. Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74). G
WARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
Braking X
Keep the brake pedal depressed firmly 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. BAS PLUS (Brake Assist PLUS) with
Cross-Traffic Assist
General notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74).
BAS PLUS is only available on vehicles with
the Driving Assistance package.
For BAS PLUS to assist you when driving, the radar sensor system and the camera system
must be operational.
With the help of a sensor system and a cam-
era system, BAS PLUS can detect obstacles:
R that are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time
R that cross the path of your vehicle
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your
vehicle can be detected.
BAS PLUS detects pedestrians using typical
characteristics such as the body contours
and posture of a person standing upright.
If the radar sensor system or the camera sys- tem is malfunctioning, BAS PLUS functions
are restricted or no longer available. The Driving safety systems
75Safety Z

When driving at a speed above 30 km/h
: if
you depress the brake pedal sharply, BAS
PLUS automatically increases the brake pres- sure to a degree suited to the traffic situation.
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in haz- ardous situations with vehicles in front within
a speed range between 7 km/h and
250 km/h.
At speeds of up to approximately 70 km/h,
BAS PLUS can react to:
R stationary objects in the path of your vehi-
cle, e.g. stopped or parked vehicles
R pedestrians in the path of your vehicle
R obstacles crossing your path, which move
in the detection range of the sensors and
are recognised by them
i If BAS PLUS demands particularly high
braking force, preventative passenger pro-
tection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) are activa-
ted simultaneously.
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 func-
tion as usual again if:
R you release the brake pedal
R there is no longer a risk of collision
R no obstacle is detected in front of your
vehicle
R you depress the accelerator pedal
R you activate kickdown COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS
General notes COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS con-
sists of a distance warning function with an
autonomous emergency braking function and
adaptive Brake Assist.
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS can
help you to minimise the risk of a collision with the vehicle in front or reduce the effects
of such a collision.
If COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
detects that there is a risk of a collision, you
will be warned visually and acoustically. If you
do not react to the visual and audible collision warning, autonomous braking can be initiated
in critical situations. If you apply the brake
yourself in a critical situation, the COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS adaptive Brake
Assist assists you.
Important safety notes 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 strong radar reflections, for example, in
multi-storey car parks
R a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a
motorcycle
R a vehicle travelling in front on a different
line
R new vehicles or after a service on the COL-
LISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS system
Please observe the information in the sec-
tion on running-in the vehicle
(Y page 180).
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensor checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
Distance warning function Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 74). Driving safety systems
77Safety Z

Vehicles with DISTRONIC PLUS:
the auton-
omous braking function is available in the fol- lowing speed ranges:
R 7 - 200 km/h for moving objects
R 7 - 50 km/h for stationary objects
If the autonomous braking function demands particularly high braking force, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
)
are activated simultaneously.
Adaptive Brake Assist i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 74).
Adaptive Brake Assist provides braking assis- tance in hazardous situations at speeds
above 7 km/h. It uses radar sensor technol-
ogy to assess the traffic situation. G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist can:
R intervene unnecessarily
R not intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, the Adaptive Brake Assist may not intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated but non-critical driving condi- 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 detec- ted 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. Driving safety systems
79Safety Z

Checking the battery
X
Press the &or% button.
The battery is working properly if battery
check lamp :lights up briefly.
The battery is discharged if battery check
lamp :does not light up briefly.
X Replace the battery (Y page 94).
If the key battery is checked within the signal reception range of the vehicle, pressing the
& or% button:
R locks or
R unlocks the vehicle
i You can obtain a battery from any quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Replacing the battery You require a CR 2025 3 V cell battery.
X Take the emergency key element out of the
key (Y page 93). X
Press emergency key element ;into the
opening in the key in the direction of the
arrow until battery compartment cover :opens. When doing so, do not hold battery
compartment cover
:shut.
X Remove battery compartment cover :. X
Repeatedly tap the key against your palm
until battery =falls out.
X Insert the new battery with the positive ter-
minal facing upwards. Use a lint-free cloth
to do so.
X Make sure that the surface of the battery is
free of lint, grease and other contamina-
tion.
X Insert the front tabs of battery compart-
ment cover :into the housing and then
press to close it.
X Insert emergency key element ;into the
key.
X Check the function of all key buttons on the
vehicle. 94
KeyOpening and closing

override the laws of physics. 4MATIC cannot
take account of road, weather and traffic con-
ditions. 4MATIC is only an aid. You are
responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in the lane.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R when pulling away, only depress the accel-
erator pedal as far as is necessary
R accelerate less when driving
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case. Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz implied warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground or
be fully raised. Observe the instructions for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tyres (M+S tyres), with snow
chains if necessary. PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It monitors the area
around your vehicle using six sensors in the
front bumper and six sensors in the rear
bumper. PARKTRONIC indicates visually and
audibly the distance between your vehicle
and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a substi- tute for your attention to the immediate sur-
roundings. The responsibility for safe
manoeuvring and parking remains with you.
Make sure that there are no persons, animals
or objects in range while manoeuvring and
parking.
! When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and
objects which absorb ultrasonic sources.
Ultrasonic sources, such as an automatic
car wash, a lorry's compressed-air brakes
or a pneumatic drill, could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on uneven terrain.
! Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC meas-
ures the minimum detection range to an
obstacle from the bumper, not the ball cou-
pling.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically if
you: R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror N
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
18 km/h. It is reactivated at lower speeds.
PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer.
Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take into account
obstacles located:
R below the detection range, e.g. persons,
animals or objects
R above the detection range, e.g. overhang-
ing loads, tail sections or loading ramps of
goods vehicles 236
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Always steer, apply the brakes or accelerate
the vehicle yourself, especially if Lane Keep-
ing Assist alerts you.
If you fail to adapt your driving style, Lane
Keeping Assist can neither reduce the risk of
an accident nor override the laws of physics.
Lane Keeping Assist cannot take into account road, weather or traffic conditions. Lane
Keeping Assist is only an aid. You are respon-
sible for the distance to the vehicle in front,
for vehicle speed, for braking in good time,
and for staying in lane.
Lane Keeping Assist does not keep your vehi- cle in its lane.
The system may be impaired or may not func-
tion if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insuffi-
cient illumination of the road, or due to
snow, rain, fog or spray
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun or reflection from other vehicles
(e.g. if the road surface is wet)
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up, dam-
aged or covered, for instance by a sticker,
in the vicinity of the camera
R no, or several, unclear lane markings are
present for one lane, e.g. in a construction
area
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge
R the road is narrow and winding
R there are highly variable shade conditions
on the road Activating Lane Keeping Assist
X
Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :lights up. The Lane Lane
Keeping Assist on
Keeping Assist onmessage appears in
the multifunction display. If all conditions
have been satisfied, there may be a warn-
ing.
If you drive at speeds above 60 km/h and
lane markings are detected, the lines in the assistance graphic display (Y page 306)
are shown in green. Lane Keeping Assist is
ready for use.
X To deactivate: press button;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. Lane Keeping
Assist is deactivated. The Lane Keeping
Lane Keeping
Assist off Assist off message appears in the multi-
function display.
Selecting Standard or Adaptive setting
X In the Assistance
Assistance menu on the on-board
computer, select the Lane Keeping
Lane Keeping
Assist
Assist function (Y page 309).
X Select Standard
Standard orAdaptive
Adaptive.
Standard
When Standard Standard is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this case, the warnings are suppressed for
a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
. 262
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

Adaptive
When
Adaptive Adaptive is selected, no warning vibra-
tion occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this case, the warnings are suppressed for
a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
R you brake hard.
R you steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lane quickly.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
In order that you are warned only when nec-
essary and in good time if you cross the lane marking, the system recognises certain con-
ditions and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a motor-
way.
R the system recognises solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend. Driving Assistance PLUS package
General notes The Active Driving Assistance PLUS package
consists of DISTRONIC PLUS (Y
page 222),
Active Blind Spot Assist (Y page 263) and
Active Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 266).
Active Blind Spot Assist General notes
Active Blind Spot Assist monitors the areas
on either side of the vehicle that are not visi-
ble to the driver with two lateral, rear-facing
radar sensors. A warning display in the exte-
rior mirrors draws your attention to vehicles detected in the monitored area. If you then
switch on the corresponding turn signal to
change lanes, you will also receive a visual
and audible collision warning. If a risk of side
impact is detected, corrective braking may
help you avoid a collision. Active Blind Spot
Assist evaluates the free space in the direc-
tion of travel and to the side before making a course-correcting brake application. For this,Active Blind Spot Assist uses the forward-
facing radar sensors.
Active Blind Spot Assist supports you from a
speed of approximately 30 km/h.
Important safety notes
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid and is
not a substitute for attentive driving. G
WARNING
Active Blind Spot Assist does not react to
vehicles:
R overtaking too closely on the side, placing
them in the blind spot area
R if the difference in the speed of approach
and overtaking is too great
As a result, Active Blind Spot Assist may nei-
ther give warnings nor intervene in such sit-
uations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and maintain a safe distance at the side of the vehicle.
Radar sensors
The Active Blind Spot Assist radar sensors are
integrated into the front and rear bumpers
and behind a cover in the radiator grille. Make sure that the bumpers and the cover in the
radiator grille are free of dirt, ice or slush. The
rear sensors must not be covered, e.g. by
bicycle racks or overhanging loads. Following
a severe impact or in the event of damage to the bumpers, have the function of the radar
sensors checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. Active Blind Spot Assist may oth-
erwise no longer function properly. Driving systems
263Driving and parking Z

No lane-correcting brake application occurs
if:
R you clearly and actively steer, brake or
accelerate
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend
R you have switched on the turn signal
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ESP ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake or Active Blind
Spot Assist
R you have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds or high rates of
acceleration
R ESP ®
is deactivated
R the transmission is not in position D
R on vehicles with a trailer tow hitch, the
electrical connection to the trailer has been
correctly established
R a loss of tyre pressure or a defective tyre
has been detected and displayed
R an obstacle in the lane in which you are
driving has been detected
Active Lane Keeping Assist may not detect
other road users or traffic situations. An inap- propriate brake application may be interrup-
ted at any time if:
R you steer slightly in the opposite direction
R you switch on the turn signal
R you clearly brake or accelerate
A lane-correcting brake application is inter-
rupted automatically if:
R a driving safety system intervenes, such as
ESP ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake or Active Blind
Spot Assist
R lane markings are no longer detected Activating Active Lane Keeping Assist X
Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :lights up. The Lane Lane
Keeping Assist on
Keeping Assist onmessage appears in
the multifunction display. If all conditions
have been satisfied, a warning or steering
intervention may be made.
If you drive at speeds above 60 km/h and
lane markings are detected, the lines in the assistance graphic display (Y page 306)
are shown in green. Active Lane Keeping
Assist is ready for use.
X To deactivate: press button;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. Active Lane
Keeping Assist is deactivated. The Lane Lane
Keeping Assist off
Keeping Assist off message appears in
the multifunction display.
Selecting Standard or Adaptive setting
X In the Assistance
Assistance menu on the on-board
computer, select the Active Lane Keep‐
Active Lane Keep‐
ing Assist
ing Assist function (Ypage 309).
X Select Standard
Standard orAdaptive
Adaptive.
When Standard
Standard is selected, no warning
vibration occurs if:
R you have switched on the turn signals. In
this event, the warnings are suppressed
for a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such
as ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
When Adaptive Adaptive is selected, no warning
vibration occurs if: 268
Driving systemsDriving and parking

R
you have switched on the turn signals. In
this event, the warnings are suppressed
for a certain period of time.
R a driving safety system intervenes, such
as ABS, BAS or ESP ®
.
R you accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown.
R you brake hard.
R you steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lane quickly.
R you cut the corner on a sharp bend.
In order that you are warned only when nec-
essary and in good time if you cross the lane marking, the system recognises certain con-
ditions and warns you accordingly.
The warning vibration occurs earlier if:
R you approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
R the road has very wide lanes, e.g. a motor-
way.
R the system recognises solid lane markings.
The warning vibration occurs later if:
R the road has narrow lanes.
R you cut the corner on a bend.
Towing a trailer
If you couple up a trailer, make sure that you have correctly established the electrical con-
nection. This can be accomplished by check- ing the trailer lighting. Hybrid operation
Points to remember
General notes Hybrid technology combines a fuel efficient
internal combustion engine with a powerful
electric motor. The hybrid system automati-
cally selects the most efficient operating
mode for every driving situation. Drive the
vehicle in the usual manner.
To save fuel, the hybrid system switches off
the combustion engine as often as possible
during the journey when power output requirements are low. When power output
requirements are low, the electric motor pow-
ers the vehicle. When power output require-
ments are high, the combustion engine is
switched on, even during a journey. When the vehicle is stationary, the combustion engine
is usually switched off. Consequently, there is
usually no engine idling as with combustion
engine vehicles.
For pulling away and accelerating, the electric motor supports the internal combustion
engine using the power stored in the high-
voltage battery. In addition, the power is used
for partially electric driving, operation of the
electric coolant compressor and to support
the 12 V on-board electrical system. In this
way the hybrid drive helps to reduce your
vehicle's fuel consumption.
Observe the driving tips on hybrid operation
(Y page 278).
RBS (Recuperative Brake System) If you release the accelerator pedal when the
vehicle is in motion, overrun recuperation is
initiated. The electric motor is operated as a
generator when in overrun mode and when
you brake. Hybrid technology converts the
kinetic energy of the vehicle into electricity
and stores it in the high-voltage battery. Important safety notes
All of the vehicle's systems remain active, if: R the vehicle is stationary,
R the combustion engine is switched off and
R the READY-indicator in the instrument clus-
ter is lit.
If you remove your foot from the brake pedal
while in transmission position D or R, the
vehicle could pull away automatically.
Observe the notes on the READY display of
the ECO start/stop function (Y page 279).
Vehicles with an electric motor generate sig-
nificantly less noise than vehicles with inter-
nal combustion engines. As a result, in certain Hybrid operation
269Driving and parking Z