steering MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS ESTATE 2009 User Guide

(Y
page 45). This means that there is not a
child restraint system with automatic child
seat recognition* fitted to the front-
passenger seat or that a child restraint sys-
tem with automatic child seat recognition*
has been fitted to the front-passenger seat
incorrectly.
Driver's knee airbag
i The driver's knee airbag is only available
in certain countries.
The driver's knee airbag can help reduce the
risk of injury to the knees, thighs and lower
legs. Driver's knee airbag
:is always deployed
along with the driver's front airbag and
inflates underneath the steering column.
Sidebags G
Risk of injury
If you wish to use seat covers, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that, for safety reasons, you
only use seat covers that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The seat covers must have a special tear seam
for sidebags/pelvisbags. Otherwise, the side-
bags/pelvisbags cannot deploy correctly and
would fail to provide the intended protection
in the event of an accident. Appropriate seat
covers can be obtained from a Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre. G
Risk of injury
Sensors to control the airbags are located in
the doors. Therefore, do not make any modi- fications to the doors or door trim, e.g. retro-
fitting loudspeakers. Damage to the doors
can affect operation of the sidebags.
The purpose of sidebag deployment is to
enhance the level of protection for the thorax
(but not the head, neck or arms) of the vehicle
occupants on the side of the vehicle on which
the impact occurs. Example: Saloon
Front sidebags
:or rear-compartment side-
bags* ;deploy next to the outer seat cush-
ions. They are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion, e.g. in a side impact
R independently of the seat belt use
R independently of the front airbags
R independently of the belt tensioners
Pelvisbags
i Pelvisbags are only available in certain
countries. G
Risk of injury
If you wish to use seat covers, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that, for safety reasons, you
only use seat covers that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
The seat covers must have a special tear seam
for sidebags/pelvisbags. Otherwise, the side-
bags/pelvisbags cannot deploy correctly and
would fail to provide the intended protection Occupant safety
41Safety
* optional
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X
To activate: press button ;.
Indicator lamp :lights up. The rear side
windows can only be operated using the
switches on the driver's door.
X To deactivate: press button;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. You can oper-
ate the rear side windows using the
switches in the rear compartment. Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R ABS ( Anti-lock Braking System)
R BAS ( Brake Assist System)
R BAS PLUS* ( Brake Assist System Plus*)
R Adaptive brake lamps
R ESP ®
( Electronic Stability Program)
R EBV (electronic brake-power distribution)
R ADAPTIVE BRAKE
R PRE-SAFE Brake* (vehicles with Distronic
Plus*)
i In wintry driving conditions, always use
winter tyres (M+S tyres) and if necessary,
snow chains. Only in this way will the driv-
ing safety systems described in this section
work as effectively as possible. G
Risk of accident
The risk of an accident is significantly
increased by driving too fast. This is particu-
larly the case when cornering as well as on
wet or slippery roads or when driving too close
to the vehicle in front.
The driving safety systems described in this
section can neither reduce this risk nor over-
ride the laws of physics.
For this reason, always adapt your driving
style to suit prevailing road and weather con-
ditions. Maintain sufficient distance from
other road users and objects on the road. Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
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.
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h
upwards, regardless of road-surface condi-
tions. ABS works on slippery surfaces, even
when you only brake gently. G
Risk of accident
Do not depress the brake pedal several times
in quick succession (pumping). Depress the
brake firmly and evenly. Pumping the brake
pedal reduces the braking effect.
Braking If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel
the brake pedal pulsating.
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. G
Risk of accident
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. This limits the steerability of the vehi- 58
Driving safety systemsSafety
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Opening and closing
...........................70
Boot/luggage compartment ..............72
Key positions ....................................... 75
Seats .................................................... 76
Steering wheel .................................... 84
Mirrors ................................................. 86
Memory functions* .............................87
Seat belts ............................................. 89
Lights ................................................... 93
Windscreen wipers .............................99
Side windows .................................... 100
Driving and parking ..........................103
Transmission ..................................... 110
Instrument cluster ............................117
On-board computer ..........................118
Driving systems ................................ 137
Air conditioning ................................. 171
Sliding sunroof .................................. 184
Loading and stowing ........................187
Features ............................................. 207 69Controls
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!
To prevent damage, you must insert the
head restraints fully into their guides and
engage the belt buckles in their guides. X
Press release catch :and push the head
restraints in fully.
X Fold backrest ;of the folding bench seat
into its original position until it engages. Steering wheel
Points to remember
Depending on the vehicle equipment, you can
adjust the steering wheel either manually or
electrically*. G
Risk of injury
The electrically adjustable steering wheel*
can be adjusted when the key is removed
from the ignition lock. Therefore, do not leave
children unsupervised in the vehicle as they
could become trapped as the steering wheel
is adjusted. G
Risk of accident
Only adjust the steering wheel when the vehi-
cle is stationary and do not pull away until the
steering wheel adjustment mechanism is
locked in position. Otherwise, you might drive
without the steering wheel adjustment mech-
anism being locked in position and be distrac-
ted from road and traffic conditions by an
unexpected movement of the steering wheel
and cause an accident. However, the steerability of the vehicle is not
affected.
When you adjust the steering wheel, make
sure that:
R the steering wheel can be reached with
your arms slightly bent
R you can move your legs freely
R you can see all the displays in the instru-
ment cluster clearly Adjusting the steering wheel man-
ually
:
Release lever
; Height adjustment
= Fore-and-aft adjustment
X Push release catch :down completely.
The steering column is unlocked.
X Adjust the steering wheel to the desired
position.
X Push release lever :up completely.
The steering wheel is locked in position. 84
Steering wheelControls
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Adjusting the steering wheel electri-
cally*
:
Height adjustment
; Fore-and-aft adjustment
You can find more information under:
R EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature (Y page 85)
R storing settings (Y page 87) Steering wheel heating*
X
To switch on or off: make sure that the
key is in position 2in the ignition lock.
X Turn the lever in direction of arrow :
or ;.
Indicator lamp =lights up or goes out.
i The steering-wheel heating does not
switch off automatically. Easy-entry/exit feature*
The EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature makes getting
in and out of your vehicle easier.
The steering wheel swings upwards when
you:
R remove the key from the ignition lock
R open the driver's door when the key is in
position 0or 1in the ignition lock
When the key is inserted into the ignition lock
with the driver's door closed, the steering
wheel is automatically moved to the previ-
ously set position. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
when you activate the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT fea-
ture.
If there is a risk of someone becoming trap-
ped, stop the adjustment procedure. To halt
the procedure:
R move the steering column adjustment
switch in the opposite direction to that in
which the steering wheel is moving
R press one of the memory function position
buttons
Never leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle. They could open the driver's door and,
thereby, unintentionally activate the EASY-
ENTRY feature and become trapped.
The last position of the steering wheel is
stored after you manually adjust it or when
you store a memory position (Y page 87).
You can activate and deactivate the EASY-
ENTRY/EXIT feature via the on-board com-
puter (Y page 136).
i The crash-responsive EASY-EXIT fea-
ture* can only be activated after an acci-
dent if the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature is
activated in the on-board computer.
If the crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature
is triggered in an accident, the steering
wheel column will move upwards when the
driver's door is opened, irrespective of the Steering wheel
85Controls
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i
Make sure that the exterior mirrors are
always folded out fully while the vehicle is
in motion; otherwise, they may vibrate.
Resetting the exterior mirrors If the battery has been disconnected or has
become discharged, the exterior mirrors
must be reset. Otherwise, the exterior mirrors
will not fold in when you select the "Fold in
mirrors when locking" function in the on-
board computer (Y page 136).
X Make sure that the key is in position 1in
the ignition lock.
X Briefly press button :.
Automatically folding exterior mirrors
in or out* If the "Fold in mirrors when locking" function
is activated in the on-board computer
(Y
page 136):
R the exterior mirrors fold in automatically as
soon as you lock the vehicle from the out-
side.
R the exterior mirrors fold out again automat-
ically as soon as you unlock the vehicle and
then open the driver's or front-passenger
door.
i If you have activated this function and fold
in the exterior mirrors using button :, they
will not be folded out automatically. You
can only fold out the exterior mirrors again
using button :. Automatic anti-dazzle mirrors*
The rear-view mirror and the exterior mirror
on the driver's side automatically go into anti-
dazzle mode if the ignition is switched on and
incident light from headlamps strikes the sen-
sor in the rear-view mirror.
The mirrors do not go into anti-dazzle mode if
reverse gear is engaged or the interior lighting
is switched on. G
Risk of accident
If the incident light from headlamps cannot
strike the sensor in the rear-view mirror, for
instance, when the rear window blind* is
extended, the mirror's automatic anti-dazzle
function will not operate.
Incident light could then dazzle you. This may
distract you from the traffic conditions, and
you may, thereby, cause an accident. In this
case, adjust the rear-view mirror manually. Memory functions*
Storing settings
Using the memory button you can store up to
three different settings, e. g. for three differ-
ent people.
The following settings are stored as a single
memory preset:
R position of the seat, backrest and head
restraint
R active multicontour seat*: dynamic func-
tion level
R driver's side: steering wheel position
R driver's side: position of the exterior mir-
rors on the driver's and front-passenger
sides G
Risk of injury
The memory function can still be used when
the key has been removed. For this reason,
children should never be left unsupervised in
the vehicle. Otherwise, they could become
trapped when moving the seat or the steering
wheel. G
Risk of accident
Only use the memory function on the driver’s
side when the vehicle is stationary. Other-
wise, you could be distracted from the traffic
conditions by the steering wheel and seat
moving of their own accord, and as a result
cause an accident. Memory functions*
87Controls
* optional
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X
Adjust the seat ( Ypage 76).
X On the driver's side, also adjust the steer-
ing wheel (Y page 84) and the mirrors
(Y page 86).
X Press memory button Mand press storage
position switch 1,2or 3within three sec-
onds.
The settings are stored in the selected pre-
set position. A tone sounds when the set-
tings have been completed. Calling up a stored setting
X Press the corresponding storage position
button 1,2or 3.
The seat, steering wheel and exterior mirror
are set in the stored position.
i The setting procedure is interrupted as
soon as you release the storage position
switch. Parking position for the exterior mir-
ror on the front-passenger side*
To make it easier to park, you can set and
store the front-passenger side exterior mirror
position in such a way that you can see the
rear wheel on that side as soon as you engage
reverse gear. Setting and storing the parking position
X
Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
that the key is in position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press button ;for the exterior mirror on
the front-passenger side.
X Engage reverse gear.
The exterior mirror on the front-passenger
side moves to the preset parking position.
X Use adjustment button =to adjust the
exterior mirror to a position which allows
you to see the rear wheel and the kerb.
The parking position is stored.
i If you shift the automatic transmission
into another gear, the exterior mirror on the
front-passenger side returns to the driving
position.
i You can also store the parking position
using the memory button M?:
X With the key in position 2in the igni-
tion lock and with the exterior mirror
on the front-passenger side activated,
use adjustment button =to set the
exterior mirror such that the rear
wheel and kerb are visible.
X Press memory button M? and one of
the arrows on adjustment button =
within three seconds.
The parking position is stored if the
exterior mirror does not move.
If the mirror moves out of position, repeat
the steps. 88
Memory functions*Controls
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Example: vehicles with a rear bench seat: the pas-
sengers on the left and right rear seats have their
seat belts fastened
You can also cancel the messages immedi-
ately (Y page 252).
i The status indicator for the rear-compart-
ment seat belts is only available for certain
countries. Correct driver's seat position
G
Risk of accident
Only adjust the driver's seat when the vehicle
is stationary. You will otherwise be distracted
from the road and traffic conditions and you
could lose control of the vehicle as a result of
the seat moving. This could cause an acci-
dent. G
Risk of accident
Only adjust the steering wheel when the vehi-
cle is stationary and do not pull away until the
steering wheel adjustment mechanism is
locked in position. Otherwise, you might drive
without the steering wheel adjustment mech-
anism being locked in position and be distrac-
ted from road and traffic conditions by an
unexpected movement of the steering wheel
and cause an accident.
However, the steerability of the vehicle is not
affected.
X Check whether seat =and the head
restraint are adjusted properly
(Y page 76).
Make sure that:
R you are as far away from the driver's front
airbag as possible.
R you are sitting in a normal upright posi-
tion.
R you can fasten the seat belt properly.
R you have moved the backrest to an
almost vertical position.
R you have set the seat angle so that your
thighs are gently supported.
R you can depress the pedals properly.
R you have adjusted the head restraint so
that the back of your head is supported
at eye level by the central area of the
head restraint.
X Check whether steering wheel :is adjus-
ted properly (Y page 84).
Make sure that:
R you can hold the steering wheel with your
arms slightly bent.
R you can move your legs freely.
R you can see all the displays in the instru-
ment cluster clearly.
X Check whether you have fastened seat
belt ;properly (Y page 89). 92
Seat beltsControls
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X
To switch on: press button:.
All turn signals flash.
X To switch on the hazard warning lamps
on one side: also push the combination
switch beyond the pressure point in the
direction of arrow EorG (Ypage 94).
The indicator lamp on the corresponding
side flashes.
X To switch off: press button:.
The hazard warning lamp switches off auto-
matically after full brake application if the
vehicle then reaches a speed of over
10 km/h again.
Intelligent Light System* (bi-xenon
headlamps*) The Intelligent Light System is a system which
adjusts the headlamps automatically to suit
the prevailing driving and weather conditions.
The bi-xenon headlamps offer enhanced func-
tions to improve illumination of the road sur-
face, e.g. depending on the vehicle speed or
weather conditions. The system includes the
active light function, cornering light function,
motorway mode and extended range fog-
lamps. The system is only active when it is
dark.
You can activate or deactivate the "Intelligent
Light System" using the on-board computer
(Y page 132).
Active light function The active light function is a system that
moves the headlamps according to the steer-
ing movements of the front wheels. In this way, relevant areas remain illuminated while
driving. This allows you to recognise pedes-
trians, cyclists and animals.
Cornering light function
The cornering light function improves the illu-
mination of the road surface in the broad
direction you are turning, e.g. making it easier
to see in tight corners. It can only be activated
when the dipped-beam headlamps are
switched on.
Active:
R
if you are driving at speeds below
40 km/h, the cornering light function is
activated either by the turn signal or by the
steering wheel being turned.
R if you are driving at speeds between
40 km/h and 70 km/h, the cornering light
function is activated by the steering wheel
being turned.
Not active: if you are driving at speeds above
70 km/h or you switch off the turn signal or
move the steering wheel to the straight-
ahead position.
The cornering lamp may remain lit for a short
time, but is automatically switched off after
no more than three minutes. Lights
97Controls
* optional
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Parking
G
Risk of accident
Only remove the key from the ignition lock
when the vehicle is stationary, as you cannot
steer the vehicle with the key removed.
Never leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle. They could release the parking brake. This
could lead to a serious or fatal accident. G
Risk of fire
Make sure that the exhaust system does not
under any circumstances come into contact
with easily ignitable material such as dry grass
or petrol. Otherwise, the flammable material
may ignite and set the vehicle on fire.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be applied
R on vehicles with manual transmission,
engage first gear or reverse gear
R on vehicles with automatic transmission*,
the transmission must be in position Pand
the key must be removed from the ignition
lock
R on steep uphill or downhill gradients, turn
the front wheels towards the kerb
Parking brake X
To apply: depress parking brake ;firmly.
The J warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running. X
To release: depress the brake pedal and
keep it depressed.
On vehicles with automatic transmission*,
the selector lever/parking lock is released.
X Pull release handle :.
The J warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. Switching off the engine
G
Risk of accident
If the engine is not running, there is no power
assistance for the steering and brakes. Steer-
ing and braking will then require significantly
greater effort.
As a result, you might lose control of the vehi-
cle, cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
Therefore, do not switch off the engine while
you are driving.
Vehicles with manual transmission X
Shift to either first or reverse gear.
X Turn the key to position 0(Y page 75) in
the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
Vehicles with automatic transmission* X
Standard vehicles: shift the transmission
to position P. X
AMG vehicles: press thePbutton :. Driving and parking
107Controls
* optional
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