engine MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS ESTATE 2012 Owner's Manual

Deactivating/activating ESP
®G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
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®
OF Fw arning lamp light sup 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-
steering and understeering characteristics
are desired. Driving without ESP ®
requires
an extremely qualified and experienced
driver who is able to cope with these critical
driving conditions.
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
engine is started.
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 driving stability.
R traction control is still activated.
R PRE-SAFE ®
is no longer available; nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP ®
inter-
venes.
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is no longer available; it
is also not activated if you brake firmly and
ESP ®
intervenes.
R ABSs till provides support when you brake.
R engine torque is no longe rlimited and the
drive wheels are able to spin .The spinning
of the wheels results in a cutting action for
better traction.
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 pre-
viously selected status. Example :ifESP®
was
deactivated before the engine was switched
off, ESP ®
remains deactivated when the
engine is switched on again.
ESP ®
trailer stabilisation G
WARNING
If road and weather conditions are poor,
traile rstabilisation will not be able to prevent
the vehicle/trailer combination from swerv-
ing .Trailers with a high centre of gravity can
tip over before ESP ®
can detect this. There is
a risk of an accident.
Always adapt yourd riving style to the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
If yourv ehicle/trailer combination begins to
lurch, you can only stabilise the vehicle/ Driving safet
ysystems
75Safety Z

trailer combination by depressing the brake
firmly.
In this situation, ESP
®
assists you and can
detect if the vehicle/traile rcombination
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.
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 70). G
WARNING
If EBD has malfunctioned, the rear wheels can
still lock, e.g. under full 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 a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 301) as well as dis-
play messages (Y page 271).
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. In addi-
tion to the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE
also has the HOLD function (Y page 205) and
hill start assist (Y page 164). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 70).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimise
the risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead or
reduce the effects of such a collision. If PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake detects a risk 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 at speeds up to approx-
imatel 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. 76
Driving safety systemsSafety

X
To activate/deactivate: activate or deac-
tivate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-board
computer (Y page 256).
When PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is activated, the
Ä symbol appears in multifunctio ndis-
play, as long as the HOL Dfunction is deac-
tivated (Y page 205). On vehicles with the
Active Parking Assist driving system, the
Ä symbol is displayed when position P
is engaged or you are driving faste rthan
35 km/h.
For PRE-SAFE ®
Brake to assist you when driv-
ing, the radar sensor system must be
switched on (Y page 262) and be opera-
tional.
The radar sensor system is switched off auto-
matically in the vicinity of radio telescope
facilities in the following vehicles:
R vehicles with COMAND Online and naviga-
tion
R vehicles with Audio 20 and Becker ®
MAP
PILOT
Becker ®
MAP PILOT must be connected;
see the separate operating instructions.
The radar sensor system must be switched off
using the on-board computer in the vicinity of
radio telescope facilities in the following vehi-
cles:
R vehicles without COMAND Online and nav-
igation
R vehicles without Audio 20 and Becker ®
MAP PILOT
R vehicles for Australia
For information on switching off the radar
sensor system using the on-board computer,
see (Y page 262).
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensors checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle. Anti-theft systems
Immobiliser
X To activate with the key: remove the key
from the ignition lock.
X To activate with KEYLESS-GO: switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.
X To deactivate: switch on the ignition.
The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct key.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the key
with you and lock the vehicle. Anyone can
start the engine if a valid key has been left
inside the vehicle.
i The immobiliser is always deactivated
when you start the engine. ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
X
To prime: lock the vehicle with the key or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp :flashes. The alarm sys-
tem is primed after approximately
15 seconds.
X To switch off: unlock the vehicle with the
key or KEYLESS-GO.
Av isual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is primed and you open:
R a door
R the vehicle with the emergency key ele-
ment
R the boot lid/tailgate
R the bonnet 78
Anti-theft systemsSafety

Useful information
i This Owner's Manual describes all mod-
els, series and optional equipment for your
vehicle that were available at the time of
going to press. National variations are pos-
sible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the functions descri-
bed. This is also the case for systems and
functions relevant to safety.
i Read the information on qualified special-
ist workshops: (Y page 25). Key
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only for the United Kingdom: if the vehicle
has been locked with the key or with KEY-
LESS-GO, the double lock function is activa-
ted as standard. It is then not possible to open
the doors from inside the vehicle.
Therefore, do not leave any people behind in
the vehicle, particularly children, elderly peo-
ple or people requiring special assistance. As
a result, they may not be able to free them-
selves in the event of an emergency. They
could be seriously or even fatally injured by
prolonged exposure to extremely high or low
temperatures, for example. In this case, res-
cuing people from outside the vehicle is diffi-
cult.
Deactivate the interior motion sensor before
you lock the vehicle. The doors can then be
opened from the inside after the vehicle has
been locked from the outside. G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could: R
open a door from inside the vehicle at any
time, even if it has been locked
R start the vehicle using akey which has been
left in the vehicle
R release the parking brake
They could thereby endanger themselves and
others. Never leave children unsupervised in
the vehicle. Always take the key with you
when leaving the vehicle, even if you are only
leaving it for a short time. G
WARNING
If a key ring is too heavy or too large, the
weight acting on the key could cause it to turn
in the ignition lock or catch on the steering
wheel. This could cause the engine to be
switched off suddenly. You may lose control
of the vehicle and cause an accident. Do not
attach any heavy or large key rings to the key
that is inserted in the ignition.
R Do not keep the key:
-with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile
phone or another key
- with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal
foil
- inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case
This can affect the key's functionality.
Keep the key away from strong magnetic
fields. Otherwise, the remote control function
could be affected. 82
KeyOpening and closing

Key functions
:
& To loc kthe vehicle
; F To unlock the boot lid/tailgate
= % To unlock the vehicle
X To unlock centrally: press the%but-
ton.
If you do not open the vehicle within
approximately 40 seconds of unlocking:
R the vehicle is locked again.
R the anti-theft system is primed again.
X To lock centrally: press the&button.
The key centrally locks/unlocks:
R the doors
R the boot lid/tailgate
R the fuel filler flap
When unlocking, the turn signals flash once.
When locking, they flash three times.
You can also set an audible signal to confirm
that the vehicle has been locked. The audible
signal can be activated and deactivated using
the on-board computer (Y page 262).
When it is dark, the surround lighting also
comes on if it is activated in the on-board
computer (Y page 260). KEYLESS-GO
General notes Bear in mind that the engine can be started
by any of the vehicle occupants if there is a
KEYLESS-GO key in the vehicle. Locking and unlocking centrally You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry
the key with you. When you touch the surface
of the sensors on the vehicle's outside door
handles, KEYLESS-GO establishes a radio
connection between the vehicle and the key.
When the engine is started and whilst you are
driving, KEYLESS-GO also checks whether a
valid key is in the vehicle by periodically
establishing radio contact.
You can combine the KEYLESS-GO functions
with those of a conventional key, e.g. using
KEYLESS-GO to unlock and pressing the
&
button to lock.
When locking or unlocking with KEYLESS-GO,
the distance between the key and the corre-
sponding door handle must not be greater
than 1 m. X
To unlock the vehicle: touch the inner
surface of the door handle.
X To lock the vehicle: touch sensor sur-
face :.
X Convenience closing feature: touch
recessed sensor surface ;for an exten-
ded period.
X To unlock the boot lid/tailgate: pull the
handle on the boot lid/tailgate.
Further information on the convenience clos-
ing feature (Y page 97). Key
83Opening and closing Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
You have lost the emer-
gency key element. X
Report the loss immediately to the vehicle insurers.
X If necessary, have the locks changed as well. The engine cannot be
started using the key. the on-board voltage is too low.
X
Switch off non-essential consumers, e.g. seat heating or interior
lighting, and try to start the engine again.
If this does not work:
X Check the starter battery and charge it if necessary
(Y page 369).
or
X Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 370).
or
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop. Only vehicles without a
DIRECT SELECT lever:
The engine cannot be
started using the key. The steering lock is mechanically blocked.
X
Remove the key and reinsert it into the ignition lock. While doing
this, turn the steering wheel in both directions. The engine cannot be
started using KEYLESS-
GO. The key is in the
vehicle. Ad
oor is open. Therefore, the key cannot be detected as easily.
X Close the door and try to start the vehicle again. There is interference from a powerful source of radio waves.
X
Start your vehicle with the key in the ignition lock. Doors
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only for the United Kingdom: if the vehicle
has been locked with the key or with KEY-
LESS-GO, the double lock function is activa-
ted as standard. It is then not possible to open
the doors from inside the vehicle.
Therefore, do not leave any people behind in
the vehicle, particularly children, elderly peo-
ple or people requiring special assistance. As
a result, they may not be able to free them-
selves in the event of an emergency. They
could be seriously or even fatally injured by
prolonged exposure to extremely high or low
temperatures, for example. In this case, res- cuing people from outside the vehicle is diffi-
cult.
Deactivate the interior motion sensor before
you lock the vehicle. The doors can then be
opened from the inside after the vehicle has
been locked from the outside.
G
WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could:
R open a door from inside the vehicle at any
time, even if it has been locked
R start the vehicle using akey which has been
left in the vehicle
R release the parking brake 88
DoorsOpening and closing

1
Locking
X Turn the emergency key element clockwise
as far as it will go to position 1.
i On right-hand-drive vehicles, turn the
emergency key element anti-clockwise.
X Turn the emergency key element back and
remove it.
X Make sure that the doors and the boot lid/
tailgate are locked.
X Insert the emergency key element into the
key. Boot/luggage compartment
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Exhaust fumes could enter the vehicle interior
if the engine is running and the boot lid/tail-
gate is open. This could poiso nyou. There-
fore, you should make sure that the boot lid/
tailgate is always closed when the engine is
running.
! The boot lid/tailgate swings upwards and
to the rear when opened. Therefore, make
sure that there is sufficient clearance
above and behind the boot lid/tailgate.
i Opening dimensions of the boot lid/tail-
gate (Y page 444).
Do not leave the key in the boot/luggage
compartment. You could otherwise lock your-
self out. Saloon without the boot lid remote clos-
ing feature: the boot lid can be:
R opened and closed manually from outside
R opened automatically from outside
R opened automatically from inside
R unlocked with the emergenc ykey element
Saloon with the boot lid remote closing
feature: the boot lid can be:
R opened and closed manually from outside
R opened and closed automatically from out-
side
R opened and closed automatically from
inside
R unlocked with the emergency key element
On the Estate, you can:
R open and close the tailgate manually from
outside
R open the tailgate manually from inside
(Estate with a folding bench seat)
R open and close the tailgate automatically
from outside
R open and close the tailgate automatically
from inside
R limit the opening angle of the tailgate
R unlock the tailgate using the emergency
key element Opening/closing from the outside
To open Example: Saloon, handle Boot/luggage compartment
91Opening and closing Z

G
WARNING
Childre nmay injure themselves if they open
or close the side windows.
Never leave childre nunsupervised in the vehi-
cle .Always take the key with you when leaving
the vehicle, even if you are only leaving it for
a short time. G
WARNING
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system. The children could:
R be seriously or even fatally injured on parts
of the vehicle
R be seriously or even fatally injured by pro-
longed exposure to extremely high or
extremely low temperatures
If children open a door, they could:
R seriously or even fatally injure other people
R get out of the vehicle and injure them-
selves, or be seriously or even fatally
injured by a passing vehicle
Activate the child-proof locks/override fea-
ture if children are travelling in the vehicle.
They could otherwise open doors or side win-
dows while the vehicle is in motion and
thereby injure themselves or others. Opening and closing the side win-
dows
The switches for all side windows are located
on the driver's door. There is also a switch on
each door for the corresponding side window.
The switches on the driver's door take prec-
edence. :
Front left
; Front right
= Rear right
? Rear left
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X To open: press the corresponding switch.
X To close: pull the corresponding switch.
i If you press the switch beyond the point
of resistance, an automatic opening/clos-
ing process is started in the corresponding
direction .You can stop automatic opera-
tion by pressing again.
i You can continue to operate the side win-
dows after switching off the engine or
removing the key. This function remains
active for five minutes or until the driver's
or front-passenger door is opened.
i The side windows cannot be operated
from the rear when the override feature for
the side windows is activated (Y page 69). Convenience opening feature
General notes You can ventilate the vehicle before you start
driving. To do this, the key is used to carry out
the following functions simultaneously:
R unlock the vehicle
R open the side windows 96
Side windowsOpening and closing

Change the positio
nofthe sliding sunroof
or open a side window slightly to reduce or
eliminate these noises.
Your vehicle may be fitted with a sliding sun-
roof or a panorama sliding sunroof. In this
section, the term "sliding sunroof" refers to
both types of sliding sunroof. Operating the sliding sunroof
Opening and closing Overhead control panel
:
To raise
; To open
= To close/lower
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press or pull the 3switch in the corre-
sponding direction.
i If you press the 3switch beyond the
point of resistance, an automatic opening/
closing process is started in the corre-
sponding direction. You can stop automatic
operation by pressing again.
The sun protection cover automatically opens
along with the sliding sunroof. You can open
or close the sun protection cover manually
when the sliding sunroof is raised or closed.
i You can continue to operate the sliding
sunroof after switching off the engine or
removing the key. This function remains
active for five minutes or until you open a
front door. Rain-closing feature If the key is in position
0in the ignition lock
or if it is removed, the sliding sunroof closes
automatically:
R if it starts to rain
R at extreme outside temperatures
R after six hours
R if there is a malfunction in the power supply
The rear of the sliding sunroof is then raised
in order to ventilate the vehicle interior.
i If the sliding sunroof is obstructed while
being closed by the rain-closing feature, it
opens again slightly. The rain-closing fea-
ture is then deactivated.
The sliding sunroof does not close if:
R it is raised at the rear.
R it is blocked.
R no rain is falling on the area of the wind-
screen being monitored by the rain sensor,
e.g. because the vehicle is under a bridge
or in a carport.
Resetting !
If the sliding sunroof still cannot be
opened or closed fully after resetting, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
Reset the sliding sunroof if it does not move
smoothly.
X Turn the key to position 1or 2in the ignition
lock.
X Raise the sliding sunroof fully at the rear
(Y page 100).
X Keep the 3switch pressed for another
second.
X Make sure that the sliding sunroof can be
fully opened and closed again
(Y page 100).
X If this is not the case, repeat the steps
above again. 100
Sliding sunroofOpening and closing

R
combination switch (Y page 128)
R on-board compute r(Ypage 259)
Light switch Operation
1W
Left-hand parking lamps
2X Right-hand parking lamps
3T Side lamps, licence plate and instru-
ment cluster lighting
4Ã Automatic headlamp mode, control-
led by the light sensor
5L Dipped-beam/main-beam head-
lamps
BR Rear foglamp
CN Foglamp (only vehicles with front
foglamps).
If you hear a warning tone when you leave the
vehicle, the lights may still be switched on.
X Turn the light switch to Ã.
The exterior lighting (except the side lamps/
parking lamps) switches off automatically if
you:
R remove the key from the ignition lock
R open the driver's door with the key in posi-
tion 0
Automatic headlamp mode G
WARNING
If the light switch is set to Ãand it is foggy,
snowing or there is poor visibility, the dipped-
beam headlamps will not come on automati- cally. This could endanger you and others. In
such situations turn the light switch to
L.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid. The driver is responsible for the vehicle's
lighting at all times. 1W
Left-hand parking lamps
2X Right-hand parking lamps
3T Side lamps, licence plate and instru-
ment cluster lighting
4Ã Automatic headlamp mode, control-
led by the light sensor
5L Dipped-beam/main-beam head-
lamps
BR Rear foglamp
CN Foglamp (only vehicles with front
foglamps).
à is the preferred light switch setting. The
light setting is automatically selected accord-
ing to the brightness of the ambient light
(exception :poor visibility due to weather con-
ditions such as fog, snow or spray):
R Key in position 1in the ignition lock: the
side lamps are switched on or off automat-
ically depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.
R With the engine running: if you have acti-
vated the daytime driving lights function via
the on-board computer, the daytime driving
lights or the dipped-beam headlamps and
side lamps are switched on or off automat-
ically depending on the brightness of the
ambient light. Exterior lighting
125Lights and windscreen wipers Z