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

Function Page
:
Overhead control panel 39
;
PARKTRONIC warning dis-
play
211
=
Cruise control lever 190
?
Instrument cluster 32
A
Horn
B
DIRECT SELECT lever 171
C
Steering wheel gearshift
paddles
175
D
Nigh
tView Assist Plus 222
E
Light switch 125
F
Opens the bonnet
345 Function Page
G
Diagnostics connection 25
H
Releases the parking brake 184
I
Ignition lock 161
Start/Stop button 161
J
Adjusts the steering wheel
manually
K
Adjusts the steering wheel
electrically
117
Steering wheel heating 117
L
Combination switch 128
M
Parking brake 184
N
Climate control systems 142Cockpit
31At a glance

Warning and indicator lamps
Function Page
:
å
ESP®
OFF 302
;
%
Diesel engine: pre-
glow 163
=
N
Front foglamps 126
?
R
Rearfoglamp 127
A
J
Only for certain vehi-
cles: brakes (yellow) 300
B
M
SPORT handling
mode in AMG vehicles 303
C
#!
Turn signals 128
D
ä
ESP® 302
E
·
Distance warning 307 Function Page
F
K
Main-beam headlamp 129
G
÷
ESP® 302
H
ü
Seat belt 299
I
6
SRS 304
J
;
Engine diagnostics 305
K
J
Brakes (red) 300
L
h
Tyre pressure monitor 308
M
?
Coolant 305
N
!
ABS 301
O
8
Reserve fuel 30534
Instrument clusterAt a glance

Centre console
Centre console, upper section
Function Page
:
£
Hazard warning
lamps 129
;
ATA indicator lamp 78
=
4
PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp 57
?
Audio system/COMAND
Online; see the separate
operating instructions
A
c
Seat heating 115
B
s
Seat ventilation 116 Function Page
C
¤
ECO start/stop func-
tion 164
D
c
PARKTRONIC 211
E
Ü
Retracts the rear seat
head restraints 110
F
u
Saloon :rear window
roller sunblind 330
G
&
Auxiliary heating 15136
Centre consoleAt a glance

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). Panic alarm
X
To activate: press!button :for at
least one second.
An alarm sounds and the exterior lighting
flashes.
X To deactivate: press!button :
again.
or
X Insert the key into the ignition lock.
or
X Press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop button.
The KEYLESS-GO key must be in the vehi-
cle.
i The panic alarm function is only available
in Mexico. Occupant safety
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If service work is not carried out correctly, the
operating safety of your vehicle may be affec-
ted. This could cause you to lose control of
your vehicle and cause an accident. More-
over, the safety system smay no longer be
able to protect you or others as they are
designed to do.
Always have service work carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Modifications to or work performed incor-
rectly on the following parts can result in the
restraint systems no tfunctioning as intended:
R the restraint system, consisting of seat
belts and their anchorage points, belt ten-
sioners, belt force limiters and airbags
R the wiring
R networked electronic systems
Airbags and belt tensioners could fail to
deploy or be triggered in an acciden tdespite
the deceleration force being sufficien tto trig-
ger the systems, or could be triggered unin-
tentionally. For this reason, never make any
modifications to the restraint systems.
Therefore, you must not tamper with elec-
tronic components or their software.
The seat belts, together with SRS (Supple-
mental Restraint System), are complemen-
tary, co-ordinated restraint systems
(Y page 43). They reduce the risk of injury
in specific, pre-defined types of accident sit-
uations and thereby increase occupant
safety. However, seat belts and airbags gen-
erally do not protect against objects pene-
trating the vehicle from the outside. 42
Occupant safetySafety

To ensure that the restraint systems can
deliver their full potential protection, make
sure that:
R the seat and head restraint are adjusted
properly (Y page 106).
R the seat belt has been fastened properly
(Y page 51).
R the airbags can inflate unrestricted if
deployed (Y page 44).
R the steering wheel is adjusted properly
(Y page 117).
R the restraint systems have not been modi-
fied.
An airbag increases the protection of vehicle
occupants wearing a seat belt. However, air-
bags are only an additional restraint system
which complements, but does not replace,
the seat belt. All vehicle occupants must wear
their seat belt correctly at all times, even if
the vehicle is equipped with airbags. The air-
bags are not deployed in all types of acci-
dents .For example, if the protective capacity
of correctly fastened seat belts is not
increased by deploying the airbags, the air-
bags will not deploy.
Airbag deployment only provides increased
protection if the seat belt is worn correctly.
First, the seat belt helps to keep the vehicle
occupant in the best position in relation to the
airbag. Second, in a head-on collision, for
example, the seat belt prevents the vehicle
occupant from being propelled towards the
point of impact. SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
Introduction SRS consists of:
R
the 6 SRS warning lamp
R airbags
R the airbag control unit with crash sensors
R belt tensioners
R belt force limiters SRS reduces the risk of occupants coming
into contact with the vehicle's interior in the
event of an accident. It can also reduce the
forces to which occupant
sare subjected dur-
ing an accident.
SRS warning lamp G
WARNING
If SRS is malfunctioning, individual systems
may be triggered unintentionally or might not
be triggered in the event of an accident with
a high rate of vehicle deceleration.
A malfunction has occurred if:
R the 6 SRS warning lamp does not light
up when the ignitio nis switched on.
R the engine is running and the 6SRS
warning lamp does not go out after a few
seconds.
R the engine is running and the 6SRS
warning lamp lights up again.
In this case, have SRS checked immediately
at a qualified specialist workshop.
SRS functions are checked regularly when
you switch on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Therefore, malfunctions
can be detected in good time.
The 6 SRS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out no later than a few seconds
after the engine is started.
Triggering of belt tensioners, belt force
limiters and airbags During the first stage of a collision, the airbag
control unit evaluates important physical
data relating to vehicle deceleration or accel-
eration, such as:
R
duration
R direction
R magnitude
Based on the evaluation of this data, the air-
bag control unit pre-emptively triggers the
belt tensioners in the first stage. Occupant safety
43Safety Z

If there is an even higherr
ate of vehicle decel-
eration or acceleratio ninalongitudinal direc-
tion, the front airbags are also deployed.
Your vehicle has adaptive, two-stage front air-
bags. The airbag control unit evaluates vehi-
cle deceleration or acceleration in the event
of a collision. In the firs tdeployment stage,
the fron tairbag is filled with enough propel-
lant gas to reduce the risk of injuries. The
front airbag is fully deployed if a second
deploymen tthreshold is reached within a few
milliseconds.
The belt tensioner and airbag triggering
thresholds are variable and are adapted to the
rate of deceleration or acceleration of the
vehicle. This process is pre-emptive in nature.
The triggering process must take place in
good time at the start of the collision.
The rate of vehicle deceleration or accelera-
tion and the direction of the force are essen-
tially determined by:
R the distribution of forces during the colli-
sion
R the collision angle
R the deformation characteristics of the vehi-
cle
R the characteristics of the object with which
the vehicle has collided
Factors which can only be seen and measured
after a collision has occurred do not play a
decisive role in the deployment of an airbag,
nor do they provide an indication of airbag
deployment.
The vehicle may be deformed significantly,
e.g. the bonnet or the wing, without an airbag
being deployed. This is the case if only parts
which are relatively easily deformed are affec-
ted and the rate of deceleration is not high.
Conversely, airbags may be deployed even
though the vehicle suffers only minor defor-
mation. This is the case if, for example, very
rigid vehicle parts such as longitudinal body
members are hit, and sufficient deceleration
occurs as a result. i
The front belt tensioners can only be trig-
gered if the seat belt tongues on the front
seats are correctly engaged in the seat belt
buckles.
i Not all airbags are deployed in an acci-
dent. The different airbag systems work
independently of each other.
How the airbag system works is deter-
mined by the severity of the accident detec-
ted, especially the vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, and the apparent type of acci-
dent:
R head-on collision
R side impact
R overturn Airbags
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Airbags provide additional protection; they
are not, however, a substitute for seat belts.
Observe the following notes to reduce the risk
of serious or even fatal injury caused by airbag
deployment:
R all vehicle occupants –inparticular, preg-
nant women – must wear their seat belt
correctly at all times and lean back against
the backrest, which should be positioned
as close to the vertical as possible. The
head restraint must support the back of the
head at about eye level.
R always secure childre nless than
1.50mt all or unde r12years of age in suit-
able child restraint systems.
R all vehicle occupants must select a seat
position that is as far away from the airbag
as possible. The driver's seat position must
allow the vehicle to be driven safely. The
driver's chest should be as far away from
the centre of the driver's airbag cover as
possible. 44
Occupant safetySafety

R
move the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible. This is especially important if
you have secured a child in a child restraint
system on the front-passenger seat.
R vehicle occupants –inparticular, children
–m ust no tlean their heads into the area of
the window in which the sidebag/window-
bag is deployed.
R rearward-facing child restraint systems
must not be fitted to the front-passenger
seat unless the front-passenger airbag has
been disabled. On the front-passenger
seat, the front-passenger airbag is disabled
if a child restraint system with a trans-
ponder for automatic child seat recognition
is fitted to the front-passenger seat in a
vehicle equipped with automatic child seat
recognition. The 4PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp must be continuously
lit.
If the front-passenger seat of your vehicle
does not have automatic child seat recog-
nition, or your rearward-facing child
restraint system does not have a trans-
ponder for automatic child seat recogni-
tion, children must be secured in a child
restraint system on a suitable seat in the
rear. If you secure a forward-facing child
restraint system to the front-passenger
seat, you must move the front-passenger
seat as far back as possible.
R make sure there are no heavy or sharp-
edged objects in the pockets of clothing.
R do not lean forwards, e.g. over the cover of
the driver's/front-passenger front airbag,
particularly when the vehicle is in motion.
R do not put your feet on the dashboard.
R only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
This allows the airbag to be fully deployed.
You could be injured if the airbag is
deployed and you are holding the inside of
the steering wheel.
R do not lean on the doors from inside the
vehicle. R
make sure that there are no people, ani-
mals or objects between the vehicle occu-
pants and the area where the airbags are
deployed.
R do not place any objects between the seat
backrest and the door.
R do not hang any hard objects, e.g. coat
hangers, on the grab handles or coat hooks.
R do not attach accessories, e.g. cup holders,
to the doors.
It is not possible to rule out a risk of injury
being caused by an airbag, due to the high
speed at which the airbag must be deployed. G
WARNING
Airbag functionality can only be assured if the
following parts are not covered and no badges
or stickers are attached to them:
R padded steering wheel boss
R kneebag cover below the steering column
R front-passenger airbag cover
R outer side of fron tseat bolsters
R side trim next to the rear seat backrest
R roof frame cover between the fron tA-pillar
and the C-pillar in the rear compartment G
WARNING
Whe nana irbag deploys, a small amount of
powder is released .The powder may cause
short-term breathing difficulties to persons
suffering from asthma or other pulmonary
conditions.
In order to prevent potential breathing diffi-
culties, you should leave the vehicle as soon
as it is safe to do so. You can also open the
window to allow fresh air to enter the vehicle
interior. The powder does not constitute a
health hazard and does not indicate that there
is a fire in the vehicle. G
WARNING
The airbag parts are hot after the airbag has
been deployed. Do not touch them as you
could burn yourself. Occupant safety
45Safety
Z

Have the airbags replaced at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop
.Otherwise, occupants are
not protected by the airbags in the event of
another accident.
Airbag deployment slows down and restricts
the movement of the vehicle occupant.
If the airbags are deployed ,you will hear a
bang, and a small amount of powder may also
be released. Only in rare cases will the bang
affect your hearing. The powder that is
released generally does not constitute a
health hazard. The 6SRS warning lamp
lights up.
The airbag installation locations are identified
by the AIRBAG symbol.
Front airbags !
Do not place heavy objects on the front-
passenger seat. The system may then
detect that the seat is occupied and if there
is an accident, the restraint systems on the
front-passenger side could be deployed.
Have restraint systems that have been trig-
gered replaced. Driver's airbag
:deploys in front of the
steering wheel; front-passenger front air-
bag ;deploys in front of and above the glove
compartment.
The front airbags increase protection for the
driver's and front-passenger's head and
chest. They are deployed:
R
at the start of an accident with a high rate
of vehicle acceleration or deceleration in a
longitudinal direction
R if the system determines that airbag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R depending on whether the seat belt is being
used
R independently of other airbags in the vehi-
cle
If the vehicle overturns, the front airbags are
generally not deployed. The front airbags are
deployed if the system detects high vehicle
deceleration in a longitudinal direction.
Vehicles with automatic child seat recog-
nition in the front-passenger seat: front-
passenger airbag is only activated if the sys-
tem determines that the front-passenger seat
is occupied. The 4PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp on the centre console
does not light up (Y page 57).
If a child restraint system is fitted to the front-
passenger seat and the 4PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp does not light up
on the centre console:
R a child restraint system without transpond-
ers for automatic child seat recognition is
fitted or
R a child restraint system with transponders
is not properly fitted.
Driver's kneebag 46
Occupant safetySafety

Driver's kneebag
:deploys under the steer-
ing column. It is deployed together with the
front airbags. The driver's kneebag is
designed to operate together with the front
airbags in frontal impacts if certai nthresholds
are exceeded. The driver's kneebag operates
best in conjunction with correctly positioned
and fastened seat belts.
The driver's kneebag increases protection of
the driver against:
R knee injuries
R thigh injuries
R lower leg injuries
i The driver's kneebag is only available in
certain countries.
Sidebags G
WARNING
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-Ben zvehicles.
The seat covers must have a special tear seam
for sidebags/pelvisbags. Otherwise, the side-
bag/pelvisbag cannot deploy correctly and
would fail to provide the intended protection
in the event of an accident. Appropriate seat
covers can be obtained, for example, from a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Sidebags (example: Saloon)
Fron
tsidebags :and rear sidebags ;
deploy nex tto the outer seat cushions. When deployed, the sidebags offer additional
protection for the thorax of the vehicle occu-
pants on the side of the vehicle on which the
impact occurs. However, they do not protect
the:
R
head
R neck
R arms
The sidebags 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 use of the seat belt
R independently of the front airbags
R independently of the belt tensioners
If the vehicle overturns, the sidebags are gen-
erally not deployed. Sidebags are deployed if
the system detects high vehicle deceleration
or acceleration in a lateral direction and
determines that sidebag deployment can
offer additional protection to that provided by
the seat belt.
Pelvisbags G
WARNING
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-
bag/pelvisbag cannot deploy correctly and
would fail to provide the intended protection
in the event of an accident. Appropriate seat
covers can be obtained, for example, from a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Occupant safety
47Safety Z

Pelvisbag deployment enhances the level of
protection of the vehicle occupants on the
side of the vehicle on which the impact
occurs.
Pelvisbags
:deploy next to and below the
outer seat cushions. 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 use of the seat belt
R independently of the fronta irbags
R independently of the belt tensioners
If the vehicle overturns, the pelvisbags are
generally not deployed. Exception: if the sys-
tem detects high vehicle deceleration or
acceleration in a lateral direction and deter-
mines that deploymen tcan offer additional
protection to that provide dby the seat belt.
i Pelvisbags are only available in certain
countries. Windowbags Front-passenger side windowbags (example:
Saloon)
Windowbags
:enhance the level of protec-
tion fo rthe head, but not chest or arms, of the
vehicle occupants on the side of the vehicle
on which the impact occurs.
The windowbags are integrated into the side
of the roof frame and deployed in the area
from the A-pillar to the C-pillar.
Windowbags are deployed:
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 on the side on which an impact occurs
R on the driver's and the front passenger's
side if the vehicle overturns and the system
determines that windowbag deployment
can offer additional protection to that pro-
vided by the seat belt
R independently of the use of the seat belt
R regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R independently of the front airbags NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-
PRO luxury head restraints
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Only use head restraint covers which have
been tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz
for your vehicle model. 48
Occupant safetySafety