traction control MERCEDES-BENZ CLS COUPE 2012 Owners Manual

Driver's door
see Door
Drive system
Active Blind Spot Assis t................. 201
Driving abroad
Service24h .................................... 301
Symmetrical dipped bea m............. 110
Driving on flooded roads ..................164
Driving safety system BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS) .............................................. .64
Electroni cBrake-force Distribu-
tio n.................................................. 68
ESP ®
(Electroni cStability Pro-
gram) ............................................... 65
ETS/4ETS (Electroni cTraction
System) ........................................... 66
Important safety guidelines .............62
Driving safety systems
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) .......63
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ............................. 68
Adaptive brake lamps ......................65
BAS (Brake Assist System) ..............63
Overview .......................................... 62
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake ............................ .68
Driving system
Active Lan eKeepin gAssist. ........... 204
Active Parking Assist .....................187
Driving systems
Active Driving Assistance pack-
age ................................................. 201
AIRMATIC ...................................... 181
AMG RIDE CONTROL sports sus-
pension .......................................... 183
ATTENTION ASSIST ........................192
Blind Spot Assist ............................ 197
Cruise control ................................ 165
Display message ............................ 243
Distronic Plu s................................ 170
HOLD function ............................... 179
Lane Keeping Assist ......................199
Lane package ................................ 197
Nigh tView Assist Plus ...................194
PARKTRONI C................................. 185
RAC ESTART (AMG vehicles) ..........180
Reversing camera ..........................190Speed Limi
tAssist ......................... 193
SPEEDTRONIC ............................... 168
Driving tips
AMG cerami cbrakes ..................... 163
Aquaplaning ................................... 164
Automatic transmission .................151
Brakes ........................................... 162
Downhill gradient ........................... 162
Driving abroad ............................... 110
Driving in winter ............................ .164
Driving on flooded road s................ 164
Driving on wet road s...................... 164
General .......................................... 161
Icy road surfaces ........................... 165
Limited braking efficiency on sal-
ted road s....................................... 163
New brake pads/linings ................163
Running-in tips ............................... 140
Snow chains .................................. 331
Symmetrical dipped bea m............. 110
Wet road surface ........................... 163
DVD audio
Operating (on-board computer) .....216
DVD video
Operating (on-board computer) .....216 E
EASY-ENTRY feature Activating/deactivating .................226
Function/notes ............................. 104
EASY-EXIT feature
Crash-responsive ........................... 104
Function/notes ............................. 104
Switching on/off ........................... 226
EASY-PACKc onvenience box ...........277
EBD (electronic brake force distri-
bution) Display message ............................ 234
Function/notes ................................ 68
ECOd isplay
Function/notes ............................. 161
On-board computer .......................213
ECOs tart/stop function
Deactivating/activating .................145
General information .......................144
Electrical fuses
see Fuses Index
9

If ESP
®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X When pulling away, only depres sthe accel-
erator pedalasf ar as is necessary.
X Adapt yourd riving style to suitt he prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tyre sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) Traction control is part of ESP
®
.
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. On vehicles with 4MATIC, more drive
torque is also transferred to the wheel or
wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you deacti-
vate ESP ®
.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(except
AMG vehicles) G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
,E SP ®
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.
X To deactivate: (Ypage 219).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrumentc luster lightsup.
X To activate: (Ypage 219).
The å ESP®
OFF warnin glamp in the
instrumen tcluster goes out.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle stops moving. When pulling away again, the engine
start
sautomatically. ESP ®
remain sinits pre-
viously selected status. Example: if ESP ®
was
deactivated befor ethe engine was switched
off ,ESP ®
remain sdeactivated when the
engine is switched on again.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or mor ewheels
start to spin ,the ÷ ESP®
warnin glamp in
the instrumen tcluster flashes .Insuch situa-
tions, ESP ®
will no tstabilis ethe vehicle.
It ma ybeb esttod eactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using sno wchains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
If yo udeactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longe rimproves driving stability.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
R engine torque is not limited and the drive
wheels are abletos pin. The spinning of the
wheels results in acutting action for better
traction.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(AMG
vehicles) Activating/deactivating SPORT handling
mode
G
WARNING
When SPORT handling mode is activated,
there is agreater risk of skidding and acci-
dents.
Only activate SPORT handling mode in the sit-
uations described in the following. 66
Driving safety systemsSafety

X
To activate: brieflypress button :.
The M SPORThandling mod ewarning
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
The SPORT handling mode message
appear sinthe multifunctio ndisplay.
handlin gmode is designed for drivin gon
designated roads when the vehicle's own
oversteerin gand understeerin gcharacter-
istics are desired. Driving in SPORT han-
dling mode requires an extremely qualified
and experienced driver who is able to cope
with these critical driving conditions.
X To deactivate: briefly press button :.
The M handling mode warning lamp in
the instrumentc luster goes out.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
It may be best to activat eSPORT handling
mode in the followin gsituations:
R when using sno wchains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
If SPORT handlin gmode is activated and one
or mor ewheels start to spin ,the ÷ ESP®
warnin glamp in the instrumen tcluster
flashes .ESP ®
onl ystabilise sthe vehicl etoa
limite ddegree.
If SPOR Thandling mod eisactivated:
R ESP ®
onl yimprove sdriving stability to a
limite ddegree.
R traction control is stil lactivated. R
ESP ®
stil lprovides support when you
brake.
R engine torque is restricte dtoalimited
degree and the drive wheels are able to
spin. The spinnin gofthe wheels results in
ac utting action for better traction.
Vehicles with the ECO start/stop function:
the ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
comes to astop. When pulling away again, the
engine startsa utomatically. ESP ®
remains in
its previously 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 ® G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
,E SP ®
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. X
To deactivate: press button:until the
å ESP®
OFF warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster.
The ÷OFF message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
Deactivate ESP ®
when driving on designa-
ted roads when the vehicle's own over-
steerin gand understeerin gcharacteristics
are desired. Drivin gwithout ESP ®
requires
an extremely qualified and experienced Driving safety systems
67Safety Z

driver who is able to cope with these critical
drivin
gconditions.
X To activate: briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷ON message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engin eisstarted.
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.
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
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves drivin gstability.
R traction contro lisstill activated.
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP ®
inter-
venes.
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brak eisnol onger available; it
is also not activated if you brake firmly and
ESP ®
intervenes.
R ABSs tillp rovide ssuppo rt when yo ubrake.
R engine torque is no longe rlimited and the
drive wheels are able to spin .The spinning
of the wheels results in acuttin gaction for
better traction.
Vehicles with ECO start/stop function: the
ECO start/stop function switches the engine
off automatically when the vehicle comes to
as top. When pulling away again, the engine
starts automatically .ESP ®
remains in its pre-
viously selected status. Example :ifESP®
was
deactivate dbefore the engine wa sswitched
off, ESP ®
remains deactivate dwhent he
engine is switche donagain. EBD (electroni
cbrake forc edistribu-
tion)
i Observe the "Importan tsafet ynotes "sec-
tio n(Ypage 62). G
WARNING
If EB Dhas malfunctioned ,the rear wheels can
still lock, e.g .unde rfull braking .This increa-
ses 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 aqualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 261) as well as dis-
play messages (Y page 234).
EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking. ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort.Ina ddi-
tion to the brakin gfunction ,ADAPTIVE BRAKE
also ha sthe HOLD functio n(Ypage 179 )and
hill start assist (Y page 144). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
i Observ ethe "Important safety notes "sec-
tio n(Ypage 62).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is onl yavailable in vehicles
with DISTRONI CPLUS.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can hel pyou to minimise
the ris kofacollision with avehicle ahea dor
reduce the effects of such acollision. If PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake detects ariskofc ollision, you
will be warned visually and acoustically as
well as by automatic braking. PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot prevent acollision without your
intervention. 68
Driving safety systemsSafety

opened or closed. You or the object
scould be
drawn in or become trapped between the side
window and the door frame as the window
moves. If there is arisk of entrapment, oper-
ate the Wswitchtom ove the side window
in the opposit edirection.
Make sure that nobody can becom etrapped
as the slidin gsunroof/panorama slidin gsun-
roof is opened and closed. If there is arisk of
entrapment, operat ethe 3 switchtom ove
the slidin gsunroof/panorama slidin gsunroof
in the opposit edirection.
X Convenience closing feature: press and
hold the gbutton until the side win-
dows and the sliding sunroof/panorama
sliding sunroof are closed.
The indicator lamp in the gbutton lights
up. Air-recirculation mode is activated.
X Convenience opening feature: press and
hold the gbutton until the side win-
dows and the sliding sunroof/panorama
sliding sunroof are opened. The side win-
dows and the sliding sunroof/panorama
sliding sunroof move back to their original
position.
The indicator lamp in the gbutton goes
out. Air-recirculation mode is deactivated.
i If you open the side windows or the sliding
sunroof/panorama sliding sunroof man-
ually after closing the mwith the conveni-
enc eclosing feature, the ywill remain in this
position when opened using the conveni-
enc eopening feature. Activating/deactivating th
eresidual
heat function
The residual heat function is only available
with THERMOTRONI Cautomatic climate con-
trol.
It is possible to mak euse of the residual heat
of the engine to continue heatin gthe station-
ary vehicle for up to 30 minutes after the
engine has been switched off .The heating time depends on the temperature that has
been set for the vehicle interior.
X
To activate: press theÌbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ìbutton lights
up.
i The blower will run at alow speed regard-
less of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the residual heat function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated. The blower runs at
medium speed.
X To deactivate: press theÌbutton.
The indicator lamp in the Ìbutton goes
out.
i It is possible that the residual heat func-
tion may be activated automatically an hour
after the key has been removed. The vehi-
cle is then ventilated for 30minutes to dry
the air-conditioning system.
Residual heat is deactivated automatically:
R after approximately 30 minutes
R when the ignition is switched on
R if the battery voltage drops Auxiliary heating
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Exhaust fumes are produced when the auxili-
ary heating is in operation. Inhaling these
exhaust fumes can be poisonous. You should
therefore switch off the auxiliary heating in
confined spaces without an extraction sys-
tem, e.g. agarage. G
WARNING
When operating the auxiliary heating parts of
the vehicle can get very hot. Make sure that
the exhaust system does not under any cir-
cumstances come into contact with easily
ignitable material such as dry grass or fuels.
The material could otherwise ignite and set 132
Operating the climate control systemClimatec
ontrol

Select this mod
ewhene mploying asporty
driving style ,e.g. on winding country roads.
X Press button :once.
Indicato rlamp ?light sup. You have selec-
te dS port mode.
The AMG Rid eContro lSPORT message
appear sinthemultifunction display.
Sport +mode
The ver yfirms etting of the suspension tuning
in Sport +mode ensures the best possible
contact with the road. Select this mode only
when driving on race circuits.
If indicator lamps =and ?are off:
X Press button :twice.
Indicator lamps =and ?light up. You
have selected Sport +mode.
The AMG Ride Control SPORT + message
appears in the multifunction display.
If indicator lamp ?lights up:
X Press button :once.
Secondi ndicator lamp =lights up. You
have selected Sport +mode.
The AMG Ride Control SPORT + message
appears in the multifunction display.
Comfort mode
In comfor tmode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. There-
fore, select this mode if you prefer amore
comfortable driving style. Select comfort
mode also when driving fast on straight roads,
e.g. on straight stretches of motorway.
X Press button :repeatedly until indicator
lamps =and ?go out.
You have selected Comfort mode.
The AMG Ride Control COMFORT mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display.
Storing and calling up settings
Once the suspension tuning and drive pro-
gram have been selected, you can store and
call up your settings using AMG button ;.X
To store: press AMG button ;until you
hear atone.
X To call up: press AMG button ;.
The stored suspension tuninga nd drive
program are selected.
X To display: briefly press AMG button ;.
Your selection appears in the multifunction
display. 4MATIC (permanent all-wheel drive)
G
WARNING
4MATIC cannot reduce the risk of an accident
if you drive too fast.
If ad rive wheel spins due to insufficien tgrip:
R only depress the accelerator peda lasfar as
necessary when pulling away.
R accelerate less when driving.
R adapt yourd riving style to suitr oad and
traffic conditions.
! 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+ Styres), wit hsnow
chain sifnecessary.
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manentl ydriven .Together wit hESP®
,it
improves th etraction of your vehicl ewhen-
eve rad rive wheel spins due to insufficient
grip. 184
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
h
Tyr
ep ressure Cau‐ tio
nT yrem alfunc‐ tion The tyr
epressur einoneor mor etyres has dropped suddenly.
Aw arning tone also sounds.
G WARNING
If you driv ewithaf lat tyre, there is ariskoft he following hazards:
R Af lat tyre affects the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
R You could lose control of the vehicle.
R Continued driving with aflat tyre will cause excessive heat build-
up and possibly afire.
There is arisk of an accident.
X Stop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
manoeuvres. Pay attention to the traffic conditionsasy ou do
so.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 159).
X If there is aflat tyre, inspect the tyres (Y page 312).h
Tyre pressure
Check tyre(s) The tyre pressure in one or more tyres has dropped significantly.
G WARNING
With tyre pressures which are too low, there is arisk of the fol-
lowing hazards:
R the tyres may burst, especiallyast he load and vehicle speed
increase.
R they 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 arisk of an accident.
X Stop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
manoeuvres. Pay attention to the traffic conditionsasy ou do
so.
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away (Y page 159).
X If there is aflat tyre, inspect the tyres (Y page 312).
X Check the tyre pressure (Y page 334).
X If necessary, correct the tyre pressure. h
Please correct
tyre pressure 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 334).
X If necessary, correct the tyre pressure. Display messages
253On-board computer and displays Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
÷
The yellowE
SP®
warn-
ing lamp flashes while
the vehicle is in motion. ESP
®
or traction control has intervened because there is arisk 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 ®
.
For exceptions, see: (Y page 65).å
The yellowE
SP®
OFF
warning lamp is lit while
the engine is running. ESP
®
is deactivated.
G WARNING
If ESP ®
is switched off, ESP ®
is unable to stabilise the vehicle.
The danger of skidding and having an accident increases.
X Reactivate ESP ®
.
For exceptions, see: (Y page 65).
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
If ESP ®
cannot be activated:
X Drive on carefully.
X Have ESP ®
checked at aqualified specialist workshop. M
AMG vehicles only:
The yellow SPORT han-
dling mode warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running.
SPORT handling mode is activated.
G WARNING
When SPORT handling mode is switched on, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilise the vehicle.
The danger of skidding and having an accident increases.
X Only switch to SPORT handling mode in accordance with the
condition swritten in the "Activating/deactivating SPORT han-
dling mode" section (Y page 66).264
Warning and indicator lampsint
he instrument clusterOn-board computer and displays

other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive over
kerbs, speed humps or similar elevations, try
to do so slowly and at an obtuse angle. Oth-
erwise, the tyres, particularly the sidewalls,
may be damaged. Regular checking of wheels and tyres
G
WARNING
Damaged tyres can cause tyre inflation pres-
sure loss. As aresult, you could lose control
of your vehicle. There is arisk of accident.
Check the tyres regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tyres immediately.
Regularly check the wheels and tyres of your
vehicle for damage at least once amonth, as
well as after driving off-road or on rough
roads. Damaged wheels can cause aloss of
tyre pressure. Pay particular attention to
damage such as:
R cuts in the tyres
R punctures
R tears in the tyres
R bulges on tyres
R deformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tyre tread depth and the
condition of the tread across the whole width
of the tyre (Y page 329). If necessary, turn
the front wheels to full lock in order to inspect
the inner side of the tyre surface.
All wheels must have avalve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not fit
anything ontot he valve other than the stand-
ard valve cap or other valve caps approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle. Do not fit any
other valve caps or systems, e.g. tyre pres-
sure monitoring systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tyres,
particularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tyre
pressure as necessary (Y page 331).
Observe the notes on the emergenc yspare
wheel (Y page 351). The service life of tyres depends on various
factors, including the following:
R
driving style
R tyre pressure
R tyre mileage Tyret
read G
WARNING
Insufficient tyre tread will reduce tyre trac-
tion. The tyre is no longer able to dissipate
water. This means that on wet road surfaces,
the risk of aquaplaning increases, in particular
where speed is not adapted to suit the driving
conditions. There is arisk of accident.
If the tyre pressure is too high or too low, tyres
may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent locations on the tyre tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tyres.
Minimum tyre tread depth for:
R summer tyres: 3mm
R M+S tyres: 4mm
For safety reasons, replace the tyres before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tyre tread depth is reached.. Selecting, fitting and replacing tyres
R Only fit tyres and wheels of the same type
and make.
R Only fit tyres of the correc tsize ontot he
wheels.
R Run in new tyres at moderate speeds for
the first 100 km. They only reach their full
performanc eafter 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. Operation
329Wheels and tyres Z

Snow chains
G
WARNING
If you have fitted snow chains to the front
wheels, they may scrape against the vehicle
body or chassis components. This could
cause damage to the vehicle or the tyres.
There is arisk of an accident.
To avoid hazardous situations:
R never fit snow chains on the front wheels
R fit snow chains to the rear wheels in pairs.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use snow chains that
have been specially approved for your vehicle
by Mercedes-Benz, or that are of acorre-
sponding standard of quality.
If you intendtof it snow chains, please bear
the following points in mind:
R snow chains cannot be fitted to all wheel-
tyre combinations. Permissible wheel-tyre
combination s(Ypage 341).
R only use snow chains when the road sur-
face is completely snow-covered. Remove
the snow chains as soon as possible when
you come to aroad that is not snow-cov-
ered.
R local regulations may restrictt he use of
snow chains. Observe the appropriate reg-
ulations if you wish to fit snow chains.
R do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 50 km/h.
R on vehicles with AIRMATIC, you must drive
at raised vehicle level if snow chains have
been fitted (Y page 181).
i You may wish to deactivate ESP ®
when
pulling away with snow chains fitted
(Y page 66). This way you can allow the
wheels to spin in acontrolled manner, ach-
ieving an increased driving force (cutting
action).
For more information on driving with an emer-
gency spare wheel, see (Y page 351). Tyrep
ressure Tyrep
ressur especifications G
WARNING
Tyres with too low or too high tyre pressure
contain the following hazards:
R they can burst, in particular if the vehicle is
heavily laden or when driven at high
speeds.
R the tyres can wear excessively and/or
unevenly, which can severely impair tyre
traction.
R the driving, steering and braking character-
istics may be severely impaired.
There is arisk of accident.
Follow recommended tyre inflation pressures
and check the pressure of all the tyres includ-
ing the spare wheel:
R at least every two weeks
R if the load changes
R before beginning along journey
R for changed operating conditions, e.g. off-
road driving
If necessary, correct the tyre pressure. G
WARNING
If you fit unsuitable accessories onto tyre
valves, the tyre valves may be overloaded and
malfunction, which can cause tyre pressure
loss. Due to their design, retrofitted tyre pres-
sure monitors keep the tyre valve open. This
can also result in tyre pressure loss. There is
ar isk of accident.
Only screw standard valve caps or valve caps
specifically provided by Mercedes-Ben zfor
your vehicle onto the tyre valve. G
WARNING
If the tyre pressure drops repeatedly, the
wheel, valve or tyre may be damaged. Tyre
pressure that is too low may result in atyre
blow-out. There is arisk of accident. Tyrep
ressure
331Wheels and tyres
Z