warning lights MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS ESTATE 2011 User Guide

G
WARNING
Do not place electronic devices on the front-
passenger seat, e.g.:
R laptops, when switched on
R mobile phones
R cards with transponders, e.g. ski passes or
access cards
Signals from electronic equipment can cause
interference in the automatic child seat rec-
ognitio nsensor system. This can lead to a
system malfunction. This may cause the
4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp to light up without there being a child
seat with transponders for automatic child
seat recognition fitted. The front-passenger
airbag will not then deploy during an accident.
It is also possible that the 6SRS warning
lamp lights up and/or the 4PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp does not light up
briefly when you turn the key in the ignition
lock to position 2.
ISOFIX child seat securing system for
the rear seats ISOFIX is a standardised securing system for
specially designed child restraint systems on
the rear seats. Securing rings for two ISOFIX
child restraint systems are fitted on the left
and right of the rear seats. G
WARNING
Ac hild restraint system secured by the ISOFIX
child seat securing system does not provide
sufficient protection for children weighing
more than 22 kg. For this reason, do not
secure children weighing more than 22 kg in
a child restraint system secured by the ISOFIX
child seat securing system. If the child weighs
more than 22 kg, secure the child restraint
system using a three-point seat belt. G
WARNING
The child restraint system cannot perform its
protective function if it is not correctly fitted
to a suitable vehicle seat. The child cannot be restrained in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction. The
child could be seriously or even fatally injured.
For this reason, when fitting a child restraint
system, observe the manufacturer's installa-
tion instructions and the correct use of the
child restraint system.
For reasons of safety, only use child restraint
systems with the ISOFIX child seat securing
system on the rear seats.
We recommend that you use the ISOFIX child
restraint systems that have been recommen-
ded for Mercedes-Benz.
An incorrectly fitted child restraint system
could come loose and seriously or even fatally
injure the child or other vehicle occupants.
When fitting the child restraint system, always
make sure that it is engaged correctly in the
securing rings on both sides.
G
WARNING
Please note that if child restraint systems, or
their retaining systems, are damaged or sub-
jected to a load in an accident, they may not
be able to provide their protective function.
This could result in serious or even fatal inju-
ries to the secured child in the event of an
accident, heavy braking or a sudden change
in direction.
For this reason, have child restraint systems
and their anchorages which have been dam-
aged or subjected to a load in an accident
checked immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
! When fitting the child restraint system,
make sure that the seat belt for the centre
seat does not get trapped. Otherwise, the
seat belt could be damaged. Children in the vehicle
57Safety Z

Problems with child seat recognition
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The
4 PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp on the centre con-
sole is lit. As
pecial Mercedes-Benz child seat with a transponder for auto-
matic child seat recognition has been fitted to the front-passenger
seat. The front-passenger airbag has therefore been disabled as
desired. G
Risk of injury
There is no child seat fitted to the front-passenger seat. Automatic
child seat recognition is malfunctioning.
It is also possible that the 6SRS warning lamp lights up and/
or the 4PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp does not light
up briefly when you switch the ignition on.
X Remove electronic equipment from the front-passenger seat,
e.g.
R
laptop
R mobile phone
R cards with transponders, such as ski passes or access cards
If the 4 PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is still lit:
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. Integrated child seat
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
To reduce the risk of serious or even fatal
injury to the child in the event of a sudden
change in direction, braking or an accident:
R you must follow the manufacturer's instal-
lation instructions for the child seat when
fitting the integrated child seat (ICS) pad-
ded play table and side head restraint and
when fastening the seat belt.
R do not modify the integrated child seat, the
ICS padded play table or the side head
restraint. Do not use protective covers.
R make sure that the ICS padded play table
and the side head restraints do not become trapped or damaged. This could happen
when you
-
close the doors
- adjust the seat
- store the ICS padded play table and the
side head restraints
- transport heavy objects
R replace the integrated child seat, the pad-
ded play table and the side head restraints
if these were damaged or subjected to
heavy loads during an accident.
R note: children who weigh less than
12.5 kg require a different child restraint
system. Information about other child
restraint systems is available from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
R the vehicle's rear seat backrest must be
locked in position. 60
Children in the vehicleSafety

switched off, ESP
®
remains deactivated
when the engine is switched on again.
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 G
WARNING
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply.E SP®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited, and
the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of
the wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides bette rgrip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle.
X To deactivate:(Y page 241).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up. G
WARNING
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and åwarning
lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not availa-
ble due to a malfunction.
There is an increased risk of yourv ehicle skid-
ding in certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weather condi-
tions. X
To activate:(Y page 241).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
(AMG
vehicles) Activating/deactivating SPORT handling
mode
ESP
®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
i Vehicles with ECO start/stop function:
the ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
comes to a stop. When pulling away again,
the engine starts automatically. 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.
It may be best to activate SPORT handling
mode in the following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
Otherwise, you should only use SPORT han-
dling mode on designated race circuits. G
WARNING
Deactivate SPORT handling mode and acti-
vate ESP ®
as soon as the situations described
above no longer apply. Otherwise, SPORT
handling mode will only be able to stabilise
the vehicle to a limited degree if the vehicle
starts to skid or a wheel starts to spin.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
R ESP ®
only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
R the engine's torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels can spin. The
spinning of the wheels results in a cutting
action, which provides better grip. Driving safet
ysystems
73Safety Z

R
traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
If SPORT handling mode is activated and one
or more wheels start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. ESP ®
only stabilises the vehicle to a
limited degree. X
To activate: briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluste rlights up.
The SPORT handling mode message
appears in the multifunction display.
X To deactivate: briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrumen tcluster goes out.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is started.
i Vehicles with ECO start/stop function:
the ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
comes to a stop. When pulling away again,
the engine starts automatically. 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. 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 G
WARNING
Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle
if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts
to spin.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels are able to spin .The spin-
ning of the wheels results in a cutting
action, which provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; it is also
not activated if you brake firmly and ESP ®
intervenes.
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available;
nor is it activated if you brake firmly and
ESP ®
intervenes.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you brake
firmly.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrumentc luster does not flash. In such
situations, ESP ®
will not stabilise the vehicle. 74
Driving safety systemsSafety

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-
tifunctio ndisplay. G
WARNING
ESP ®
is deactivated if the åwarning lamp
in the instrument cluster lights up continu-
ously when the engine is running.
If the ÷ warning lamp and åwarning
lamp are lit continuously, ESP ®
is not availa-
ble due to a malfunction.
There is an increased risk of your vehicle skid-
ding in certain situations.
You should always adapt your driving style to
suit the prevailing road and weathe rcondi-
tions.
X To activate: briefly press button :.
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷ONmessage appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, you can only stabilise the vehicle/
trailer combination by depressing the brake
firmly.
In this situation, ESP ®
assists you and can
detect if the vehicle/trailer combination
begins to lurch. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down
by braking and limiting the engine output until
the vehicle/trailer combination has stabi-
lised.
Trailer stabilisation is active above speeds of
about 65 km/h. G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
trailer stabilisation will not be able to prevent
the trailer from swerving and will thus be
unable to reduce the risk of an accident .Trail- ers with a high centre of gravity can tip over
before ESP
®
can detect this.
Trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function. EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 69).
EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking. G
WARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the braking system
remains available with full brake boosting
effect. However, the rear wheels can still lock,
e.g. under full braking. This could cause you
to lose control of yourv ehicle and cause an
accident. You should therefore adapt your
driving style to the differen thandling charac-
teristics. ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In addi-
tion to th ebraking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE
also has the HOLD function (Y page 194) and
hill start assist (Y page 158). For further
information, see Driving tips (Y page 178). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 69).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimise
the risk of a frontal collision with a vehicle
ahead or reduce the effects of such a colli-
sion. If PRE-SAFE ®
Brake has detected a risk Driving safety systems
75Safety Z

of collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically as well as by automatic braking.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot prevent a collision
without your intervention.
This function will issue a warning if:
R at speeds of around 30 km/ho rmore, over
several seconds, the distance maintained
to the vehicle travelling in front is insuffi-
cient.
The · distance warning lamp then lights
up in the instrument cluster.
R at a speed of approximately 7km/h or
higher, you very quickly approach a vehicle
in front.
An intermittent warning tone will then
sound and the ·distance warning lamp
will light up in the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
From a speed of approximately 7km/h, if the
driver and passengers have fastened their
seat belts, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can brake the
vehicle automatically from a speed of up to
approximatel y200 km/h.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving conditions may cause
unnecessary warnings or the unnecessary
intervention of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake. To end this,
you can eithe rdepress the accelerator pedal
further, activate kickdown or release the
brake pedal.
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you manoeuvre to avoid the obstacle.
R there is no longer any danger of a rear-end
collision.
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle.
With the help of the radar sensor system,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect obstacles that are in front of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
At speeds up to approximately 70 km/h, PRE-
SAFE
®
Brake can also detect stationary
obstacles, for example, stopped or parked
vehicles.
If you approach an obstacle and PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects a risk of a collision, the system
will initially alert you both visually and acous-
tically. If you do not brake or take evasive
action, the system will warn you by automat-
ically braking the vehicle gently. If there is an
increased risk of collision, preventative
passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE ®
)
are activated (Y page 48). If, at speeds over
30 km/h, a risk of collision remains and you
do not brake, take evasive action or signifi-
cantly accelerate, automatic braking may be
performed up to a level of automatic emer-
gency braking. Automatic emergency braking
is not performed until immediately prior to an
acciden tthat can no longer be avoided. G
WARNING
Even if PRE-SAFE ®
Brake slows the vehicle
before an imminent rear-end collision, the
system cannot avert a collision without the
intervention of the driver. There is a risk of an
accident. Brake according to the situation or
take evasive action. Delayed intervention by
the driver can lead to an accident. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly iden-
tify objects and complex traffic conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R not give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident. Always pay par-
ticular attention to the traffic situation and be
ready to brake, especially if PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
warns you. Terminate the intervention in a
non-critical driving situation. 76
Driving safety systemsSafety

G
WARNING
Batteries are toxic and contain caustic sub-
stances. For this reason, keep batteries out of
the reach of children.
If a battery has been swallowed, visit a doctor
immediately. H
Environmental note Batteries contain pollutants.
It is illegal to dispose of them
with the household rubbish.
They must be collected sep-
arately and disposed of in an
environmentally responsible
recycling system.
Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or to a col-
lection point for used batter-
ies.
Checking the battery X
Press the &or% button.
The battery is working properly if the bat-
tery check lamp :lights up briefly
If battery check lamp :does not light up
briefly during the test, the battery is dis-
charged.
X Changing the battery (Y page 85)
i If the key battery is checked within the
signal receptio nrange of the vehicle, press- ing the
&or% button locks or
unlocks the vehicle.
Changing the battery You require a CR 2025 3 V cell battery.
X
Take the emergency key elemen tout of the
key (Y page 84). X
Press emergency key element ;into the
opening in the key in the direction of the
arrow until battery tray cover :opens.
When doing so, do no thold cover :shut.
X Remove battery tray 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 from lint, grease and all other forms of
contamination.
X Insert the front tabs of battery tray
cover :and then press to close it. Key
85Opening and closing Z

Exterior mirrors
Adjusting the exterior mirrors G
WARNING
The exterior mirrors reduce the size of the
image .Objects are actually closer than they
appear. You could misjudge the distance from
vehicles driving behind and cause an acci-
dent, e.g. when changing lane. For this rea-
son, make sure of the actual distance from the
vehicle driving behind by glancing over your
shoulder.
The convex exterior mirrors provide a larger
field of vision.
The exterior mirrors are automatically heated
if the rear window heating is switched on and
the outside temperature is low. X
Make sure that the key is in position 1or
2 in the ignition lock.
X Press button :for the left-hand exterior
mirror or button ;for the right-hand exte-
rior mirror.
The indicator lamp in the corresponding
butto nlights up in red.
The indicator lamp goes out again after
some time. You can adjust the selected
mirror using adjustment button =as long
as the indicator lamp is lit.
X Press adjustmen tbutton =up, down, or
to the left or right until you have adjusted
the exterior mirror to the correct position.
You should have a good overview of traffic
conditions. Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
electrically
X
Make sure that the key is in position 1or
2 in the ignition lock.
X Briefly press button :.
Both exterior mirrors fold in or out.
i Make sure that the exterior mirrors are
always folded out fully while driving .They
could otherwise vibrate.
Setting the exterior mirrors If the battery has been disconnected or com-
pletely discharged, the exterior mirrors must
be reset. The exterior mirrors will otherwise
not fold in when you select the "Fold in mir-
rors when locking" function in the on-board
computer .
X
Make sure that the key is in position 1in
the ignition lock.
X Briefly press button :.
Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
automatically If the "Fold in mirrors when locking" function
is activated in the on-board computer :
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. Mirrors
117Seats, steering wheel and mirrors Z

If you hear a warning tone when you leave the
vehicle, the lights may still be switched on.
X Turn the lights witch toÃ.
Dipped-beam headlamps X
To switch on the dipped-beam head-
lamps: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to L.
The L indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
Daytime driving lights You can activate or deactivate the daytime
driving lights function using the on-board
computer (Y page 244).
X Daytime driving lights: activate the day-
time driving lights function using the on-
board computer.
X Turn the light switch to Ã.
When the engine is on: depending on the
ambien tlight conditions, the daytime driv-
ing lights or the parking and dipped-beam
headlamps are switched on.
When the dipped-beam headlamps are
switched on, the Lindicator lamp in the
instrumen tcluster lights up.
Automatic headlamp mode X
To switch on automatic headlamp
mode: turn the light switch to Ã.
Key in position 1in the ignition lock: the
side lamps are switched on or off automat-
ically depending on the brightness of the
ambien tlight.
With the engine running: depending on the
brightness of the ambien tlight, the daytime
driving lights 13
or the dipped-beam head-
lamps are switched on or off automatically.
When the dipped-beam headlamps are
switched on, the Lindicator lamp in the
instrumen tcluster lights up. G
WARNING
If the light switch is set to Ã, the dipped-
beam headlamps will not come on automati-
cally if it is foggy. This could endanger you and
others. Therefore, tur nthe light switch to
L in fog.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid. The driver is responsible for the vehicle's
lighting at all times.
Foglamps Only vehicles with front foglamps have the
"Foglamps" function.
G
WARNING
If you suspect that driving conditions will be
foggy, turn the light switch to Lbefore you
start your journey. Your vehicle may other-
wise not be visible and you could endanger
yourself and others.
X To switch on the foglamps: turn the key
in the ignition lock to position 2or start the
engine.
X Turn the light switch to T,Lor
Ã.
X Press the Nbutton.
The green Nindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up.
X To switch off the front foglamps: press
the N button.
The green Nindicator lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
i If you switch the engine off (key in posi-
tion 1in the ignition lock) and then restart
it, the previous foglamp settings are
restored.
Rear foglamp X
To switch on the rear foglamp: turn the
key in the ignition lock to position 2or start
the engine.
X Turn the light switch to LorÃ.
13 Only if daytime driving lights have been activated via the on-board computer. Exterior lighting
123Lights and windscreen wipers Z

Main-beam headlamps
X
To switch on the main-beam head-
lamps: turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to LorÃ.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of
arrow :.
In the Ãposition, the main-beam head-
lamps are only switched on when it is dark
and the engine is running.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the main-beam head-
lamps are switched on.
X To switch off the main-beam head-
lamps: move the combination switch back
to its normal position.
The K indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Headlamp flasher X
To switch on: turn the key in the ignition
lock to position 1or 2or start the engine.
X Pull the combination switch in the direction
of arrow =. Hazard warning lamps The hazard warning lamps automatically
switch on if:
R
an airbag is deployed.
R the vehicle decelerates rapidly from a
speed of more than 70 km/h and comes to
a standstill.
X To switch on the hazard warnin glamps:
press button :.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on
a turn signal using the combination switch,
only the turn signal lamp on the corre-
sponding side of the vehicle will flash.
X To switch off the hazard warning
lamps: press button :.
The hazard warning lamps switch off auto-
matically if the vehicle reaches a speed of
over 10 km/h again after a full brake appli-
cation.
i The hazard warning lamps still operate if
the ignition is switched off. Intelligen
tLight System
Important notes The Intelligent Light System is a syste
mthat
adjusts the headlamps automatically to suit
the prevailing driving and weather conditions.
It offers advanced functions for improved illu-
mination of the road surface, 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 foglamps. 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 244). Exterior lighting
125Lights and windscreen wipers Z