steering MERCEDES-BENZ CLS 2018 User Guide

R
no accessories, such as cup holders, are
attached to the vehicle within the deployment
area of an air bag, e.g. to doors, side windows,
rear side trim or side walls. R
no heavy, sharp-edged or fragile objects are in
the pockets of your clothing. Store such
objects in a suitable place.
G WARNING
If you modify the air bag cover or affix objects
such as stickers to it, the air bag can no longer
function correctly. There is an increased risk
of injury.
Never modify an air bag cover or affix objects
to it.
G WARNING
Sensors to control the air bags are located in
the doors. Modifications or work not per-
formed correctly to the doors or door panel-
ing, as well as damaged doors, can lead to the
function of the sensors being impaired. The air
bags might therefore not function properly
anymore. Consequently, the air bags cannot
protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. There is an increased risk of
injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the doors.
Always have work on the doors or door pan-
eling carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Front air bags
Driver's air bag C deploys in front of the steer-
ing wheel. Front-passenger front air bag D
deploys in front of and above the glove box. When deployed, the front air bags offer addi-
tional head and thorax protection for the occu-
pants in the front seats.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
informs you about the status of the front-
passenger front air bag ( Y
page 42).
The front-passenger front air bag will only
deploy if: R
the system, based on the OCS weight sensor
readings, detects that the front-passenger
seat is occupied ( Y
page 49)R
the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
does not light up ( Y
page 49)R
the restraint system control unit predicts a
high accident severity
Knee bags
Driver's knee bag C deploys under the steering
column and front-passenger knee bag D under
the glove box. The driver's and front-passenger
knee bags are triggered together with the front
air bags.
The driver's and front-passenger knee bags
offer additional thigh, knee and lower leg pro-
tection for the occupants in the front seats.
Side impact air bags
G WARNING
Unsuitable seat covers can obstruct or pre-
vent deployment of the air bags integrated
into the seats. Consequently, the air bags
cannot protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. In addition, the operation of
the occupant classification system (OCS)
could be adversely affected. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.Occupant safety 47
Safety Z

Aut oma tic measures after an acci-
dent Immediately after an accident, th e followin g
measures are implemented, depending on th e
typ e and severity of th e impact :R
th e hazard warning lamp s are activatedR
th e emergenc y lighting is activatedR
th e vehicl e door s are unlocke dR
th e fron t side windows are loweredR
vehicles wit h a memory function : th e electri-
call y adjustable steering whee l is raisedR
th e engin e is switched off and th e fuel supply
is cut off R
vehicles wit h mbrace : automatic emergenc y
call
Children in the vehicle
Import ant safety notesAcciden t statistics sho w that children secured
in th e rear seat s are safer than children secured
in th e front-passenger seat . Fo r this reason ,
Mercedes-Benz strongly advises that you instal l
a child restrain t system on a rear seat . Children
are generally bette r protected there .
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 5 ft (1.5 0 m) in height is traveling in the
vehicle: R
always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The child restraint system must be appropri-
ate to the age, weight and size of the child R
be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes in this section in addition to the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
instructions R
be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant classification system
(OCS)" ( Y
page 49)
G WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example: R
release the parking brake. R
shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P .R
start the engine. In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
G WARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected
to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
G WARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro-
tect it with a blanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been exposed to direct
sunlight, let it cool down before securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
Always ensure that all vehicle occupants have
their seat belts fastened correctly and are sitting
properly. Particular attention must be paid to
children.
Observe the safety notes on the seat belt
( Y
page 43) and the notes on correct use of seat
belts ( Y
page 44).
A booster seat may be necessary to achieve
proper seat belt positioning for children over
41 lbs (18 kg) until they reach a height where a
three-point seat belt can be properly fastened
without a booster seat.
Special seat belt retractor
G WARNING
If the seat belt is released while driving, the
child restraint system will no longer be58
Children in the vehicle
Safety

G WARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro-
tect it with a blanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been exposed to direct
sunlight, let it cool down before securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors
You secure each door individually with the child-
proof locks on the rear doors. A door secured
with a child-proof lock cannot be opened from
inside the vehicle. When the vehicle is unlocked,
the door can be opened from the outside. X
To activate: press the child-proof lock lever
up in the direction of arrow C .X
Make sure that the child-proof locks are work-
ing properly. X
To deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow D . Override feature for the rear side win-
dows X
To activate/deactivate: press button D .
If indicator lamp C is lit, operation of the rear
side windows is disabled. Operation is only
possible using the switches in the driver's
door. If indicator lamp C is off, operation is
possible using the switches in the rear com-
partment.
Pets in the vehicle
G WARNING
If you leave animals unattended or unsecured
in the vehicle, they could press buttons or
switches, for example.
As a result, they could: R
activate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example R
activate or deactivate systems, thereby
endangering other road users
Unsecured animals could also be flung around
the vehicle in the event of an accident or sud-
den steering or braking, thereby injuring vehi-
cle occupants. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals properly during
the journey, e.g. use a suitable animal trans-
port box.Pets in the vehicle 63
Safety Z

Drivin g safet y systems
Overview of drivin g safet y systemsIn this section , you will fin d information about
th e followin g drivin g safet y systems :R
AB S ( A n ti-loc k B rakin g S ystem)
( Y
page 64)R
BA S ( B rak e A ssist S ystem) ( Y
page 65)R
BA S PLU S ( B rake A s sis t S ystem PLUS) wit h
Cross-Traffic Assis t ( Y
page 65)R
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLU S
( Y
page 67 )R
ES P ®
( E lectronic S t ability P r ogram)
( Y
page 69)R
EB D ( E lectroni c B rak e forc e D istribution )
( Y
page 72 )R
ADAPTIV E BRAKE ( Y
page 72 )R
PRE-SAF E ®
Brak e ( Y
page 72 )
Important safet y notesIf you fail to adapt your drivin g style or if you are
inattentive , th e drivin g safet y systems can nei-
ther reduce th e ris k of an acciden t no r override
th e laws of physics. Driving safet y systems are
merely aids designed to assist driving. You are
responsible fo r maintainin g th e distanc e to th e
vehicle in front, fo r vehicle speed, fo r braking in
goo d time, and fo r stayin g in lane. Always adapt
your drivin g style to suit th e prevailin g road and
weather condition s and maintain a saf e distanc e
from th e vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The drivin g safet y systems described only wor k
as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quat e contact between th e tires and th e road
surface. Pay particular attention to th e informa-
tion regardin g tires , recommended minimum
tire tread depths etc. in th e "Wheels and tires "
section ( Y
page 292).
In wintr y drivin g conditions, always use winte r
tires (M+ S tires )a nd 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
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 64).
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.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp ( Y
page 229) and dis-
play messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster ( Y
page 204).
Braking X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously 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 indication
of hazardous road conditions, and functions as a
reminder to take extra care while driving.64
Driving safety systems
Safety

Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(Mercedes ‑ AM G vehicles )Important safet y notes
i Observ e th e "Important safet y notes" sec -
tion ( Y
page 64).
You can selec t between th e followin g states of
ES P ®
: R
ES P ®
is activated.R
SPORT handlin g mode is activated.R
ES P ®
is deactivated.
G WARNING
Whe n SPORT handlin g mode is activated,
there is a greater ris k of skidding and acci-
dents .
Only activat e SPORT handlin g mode in th e sit -
uation s described in th e following.
G WARNING
If you deactivat e ES P ®
, ES P ®
no longer sta-
bilizes th e vehicle. There is an increase d ris k
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivat e ES P ®
in th e situation s descri-
bed in th e following.
! Avoid spinnin g th e driven wheels fo r an
extended period wit h ES P ®
deactivated. You
could otherwise damage th e drivetrain .
In th e followin g situations, it may be bette r to
activat e SPORT handlin g mode or deactivat e
ES P ®
: R
when usin g snow chain sR
in dee p snowR
on san d or grave lR
on specially designated roads when th e vehi-
cle's own oversteering and understeering
characteristics are desire d
Spinning th e wheels result s in a cutting action
whic h provides bette r grip.
Driving in SPORT handlin g mode or without
ES P ®
require s an extremely qualified and expe-
rienced driver .
i Activat e ES P ®
as soo n as th e situation s
described abov e no longer apply . ES P ®
will
otherwise no t be able to stabilize th e vehicle if th e vehicle start s to skid or a whee l start s to
spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
X
To activate SPORT handling mode: briefly
press butto n C .
The t SPORT handlin g mode warnin g
lamp in th e instrumen t cluster lights up. The
SPORT handling mod e
messag e appears in
th e multifunction display. X
To deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press butto n C .
The t SPORT handlin g mode warnin g
lamp in th e instrumen t cluster goe s out .X
To deactivate ESP ®
: press butto n C until
th e

Correct driver's seat position
G WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do
the following while driving: R
adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors R
fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt
before starting the engine.
Observe the following when adjusting steering
wheel C , seat belt D and driver's seat

G WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do
the following while driving: R
adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors R
fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt
before starting the engine.
G WARNING
If you adjust the seat height carelessly, you or
other vehicle occupants could be trapped and
thereby injured. Children in particular could
accidentally press the electrical seat adjust-
ment buttons and become trapped. There is a
risk of injury.
While moving the seats, make sure that your
hands or other body parts do not get under the
lever assembly of the seat adjustment sys-
tem.
G WARNING
When you adjust a seat, you or other vehicle
occupants could become trapped, e.g. on the
seat guide rail. There is a risk of injury.
Make sure when adjusting a seat that no one
has any body parts in the sweep of the seat.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information: R
keep liquids from spilling on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible. R
if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat heat-
ing should also not be used to dry the seats. R
clean the seat covers as recommended;
see "Interior care". R
do not transport heavy loads on the seats.
Do not place sharp objects on the seat
cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools. The
seats should only be occupied by passen-
gers, if possible. R
when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating materi- als, e.g. blankets, coats, bags, seat covers,
child seats or booster seats.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell under or behind the seats when mov-
ing the seats back. There is a risk that the
seats and/or the objects could be damaged.
i The head restraints in the front seats are
installed with the NECK-PRO system
( Y
page 55). For this reason, it is not possible
to remove the head restraints from the front
seats.
For more information, contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
i Further related subjects: R
Rear bench seat through-loading feature
( Y
page 245)
Adjusting the seats electrically
C
Head restraint height D
Seat cushion angle

Adjusting the head restraints
Import ant safety notes
G WARNIN G
You could lose control of your vehicl e if you do
th e followin g while driving:R
adjust th e driver's seat , head restraint,
steering whee l or mirror sR
faste n th e seat belt
There is a ris k of an accident.
Adjus t th e driver's seat , head restraint, steer -
ing whee l and mirror and faste n your seat belt
before starting th e engine.
G WARNIN G
If th e head restraints are no t installed or no t
adjusted correctly, they canno t provid e pro -
tection as intended. There is an increased ris k
of injury in th e head and neck area, e.g. in th e
event of an acciden t or when braking .
Always drive wit h th e head restraints instal -
led. Befor e drivin g off , mak e sur e for every
vehicl e occupant that th e center of th e head
restrain t support s th e bac k of th e head at
about eye level.
Do no t rotate th e head restraints of th e fron t and
rear seats. Otherwise , you canno t adjust th e
height and angle of th e head restraints to th e
correc t position .
Using th e fore-and-af t adjustment, adjust th e
head restrain t so that it is as close as possibl e to
your head .
Observ e th e important safet y note s regarding
th e seat s ( Y
page 93). Adjusting the head restraint height
elect ri cally X
Slide switch for head restrain t height adjust -
men t C up or down in th e direction of th e
arrow.
Adjusting the luxury head restraints
X
To adjust th e sid e bolsters of th e hea d
restraint: push or pull right and/o r left-han d
side bolste r C int o th e desired position .X
To adjust th e angle of th e hea d restraint:
push or pull th e head restrain t in th e direction
of arrow D .
i Adjus t th e head restrain t so that th e bac k of
your head is as close to th e head restrain t as
possible.
Rear seat head restraints
Important safety notes
G WARNIN G
Fo r your protection , drive only wit h properly
positioned head restraints .
Adjus t th e head restraints so that they are as
close as possibl e to your head . This willSeats 95
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

Switching the seat ventilation on/off
Driver's and front-passenger seat
The three blue indicator lamps in the buttons
indicate the ventilation level you have selected. X
Turn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2 in the
ignition lock ( Y
page 123). X
To switch on: press button C repeatedly
until the desired ventilation level is set. X
To switch off: press button C repeatedly
until all the indicator lamps go out.
i If the battery voltage is too low, the seat
ventilation may switch off.
i You can open the side windows and the slid-
ing sunroof using the "Convenience opening"
feature ( Y
page 88). The seat ventilation of
the driver's seat automatically switches to the
highest level.
Problems with the seat heating or seat ventilation Problem
Possible causes/consequences and P Solutions
The seat heating or seat
ventilation has switched
off prematurely or can-
not be switched on. The on-board voltage is too low because too many electrical consum-
ers are switched on. X
Switch off electrical consumers that you do not need, such as the
rear window defroster or interior lighting.
Once the battery is sufficiently charged, the seat heating or seat
ventilation can be switched back on manually.
Steering wheel
Important safety notes
G WARNING
You could lose control of your vehicle if you do
the following while driving: R
adjust the driver's seat, head restraint,
steering wheel or mirrors R
fasten the seat belt
There is a risk of an accident.
Adjust the driver's seat, head restraint, steer-
ing wheel and mirror and fasten your seat belt
before starting the engine.
G WARNING
Children could injure themselves if they
adjust the steering wheel. There is a risk of
injury. When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
The electrically adjustable steering wheel can
still be adjusted when there is no SmartKey in
the ignition lock.98
Steering wheel
Seats, steering wheel and mirrors

Adjusting the steering wheel elect ri -
cally
C
To adjust th e steering whee l heightD
To adjust th e steering whee l position (fore-
and-af t adjustment)
i Further relate d subjects :R
EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature ( Y
page 100)R
Storing setting s ( Y
page 104)
Steering wheel heating
Switching on/off X
Turn th e SmartKey to position 2 in th e ignition
loc k ( Y
page 123). X
To switch on/off: tur n th e lever in th e direc -
tion of arrow C or D .
Indicato r lamp