traction control MERCEDES-BENZ E-SEDAN 2016 Owners Manual

1, 2, 3 ...
4ETS (Electronic Traction System)see ETS/4ETS (Electronic Trac-
tion System)
4MATIC (permanent all-wheel
drive)
Function/notes ............................ .168
12 V socket
see Sockets
115 V socket ...................................... 251
360° camera
Cleaning ......................................... 268
Function/notes .............................1 73
A
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
Display message ............................ 192
Function/notes ................................ 75
Warning lamp ................................. 205
Access data of the mobile phone
network provider
Making entries ............................... 234
Selecting ........................................ 233
Accident
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................. 67
Activating/deactivating cooling
with air dehumidification ................. 133
Active Blind Spot Assist
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 190
Display message ............................ 191
Function/information .................... 180
Active Driving Assistance package .. 180
Active Lane Keeping Assist
Activating/deactivating (on-
board computer) ............................ 190
Display message ............................ 191
Function/information .................... 183
Active multicontour seat .................. 116
Active Parking Assist
Display message ............................ 191
Function/notes ............................. 170
Important safety notes .................. 170
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ................................. 84 Adaptive Brake Assist
Function/notes ................................ 80
Adaptive Damping System (ADS) ..... 167
Adaptive Highbeam Assist
Display message ............................ 191
Function/notes ............................. 122
Switching on/off ........................... 123
Address book
see also Digital Operator's Man-
ual .................................................. 214
Air bags
Deployment ..................................... 63
Display message ............................ 198
Front air bag (driver, front
passenger) ....................................... 56
Important safety notes .................... 54
Introduction ..................................... 54
Knee bag .......................................... 56
Occupant Classification System
(OCS) ............................................... 58
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indica-
tor lamp ........................................... 49
Pelvis air bag ................................... 57
Side impact air bag .......................... 56
Window curtai n a
ir bag .................... 57
Air-conditioning system
see Climate control
AIRMATIC
Function/notes ............................. 166
Alarm
ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system) ......... 87
Switching off (ATA) .......................... 87
Switching the function on/off
(ATA) ................................................ 87
Alarm system
see ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
Ambient lighting
Setting the brightness (on-board
computer) ...................................... 190
Setting the color (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 190
AMG adaptive sport suspension
system ................................................ 167
AMG menu (on-board computer) ..... 190
Animals in the vehicle ......................... 75
Anti-lock braking system
see ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
4Index

Setting the specified minimum
distance ......................................... 161
Stopping ........................................ 160
Doors
Automatic locking (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 190
Automatic locking (switch) ............... 95
Central locking/unlocking
(SmartKey) ....................................... 90
Control panel ................................... 45
Display message ............................ 191
Emergency locking ........................... 96
Emergency unlocking ....................... 96
Important safety notes .................... 95
Opening (from inside) ...................... 95
Drinking and driving ......................... 153
Drive program
Automatic ...................................... 144
Display ........................................... 142
Display (DIRECT SELECT lever) ...... 143
Manual ........................................... 144
Manual (AMG vehicles) .................. 144
SETUP (on-board computer) .......... 190
Drive program selector ..................... 144
Driver's door
see Doors
Driving abroad
Mercedes-Benz Service ................. 266
Driving on flooded roads .................. 155
Driving safety systems
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) ....... 75
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ............................. 84
Adaptive Brake Assist ...................... 80
BAS (Brake Assist System) .............. 76
BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic
Assist ............................................... 76
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS ................................................ 78
Distance warning function ............... 79
EBD (electronic brake force distri-
bution) ............................................. 84
ESP
®(Electronic Stability Pro-
gram) ............................................... 80
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction
System) ........................................... 81
Important safety information ........... 75
Overview .......................................... 75 PRE-SAFE
®Brake ............................. 84
STEER CONTROL ............................. 86
Driving systems
360°camera .................................. 173
Active Blind Spot Assist ................. 180
Active Driving Assistance pack-
age ................................................. 180
Active Lane Keeping Assist ............ 183
Active Parking Assist ..................... 170
AIRMATIC ...................................... 166
AMG adaptive sport suspension
system ........................................... 167
ATTENTION ASSIST ........................ 175
Blind Sp
ot Assist ............................ 178
Cruise control ................................ 155
Display message ............................ 191
DISTRONIC PLUS ........................... 156
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering
Assist and Stop&Go Pilot ............... 163
HOLD function ............................... 165
Lane Keeping Assist ...................... 179
Lane Tracking package .................. 177
PARKTRONIC ................................. 168
RACE START (AMG vehicles) .......... 166
Rear view camera .......................... 171
Traffic Sign Assist .......................... 176
Driving tips
AMG ceramic brakes ..................... 154
Automatic transmission ................. 144
Brakes ........................................... 154
Break-in period .............................. 136
Downhill gradient ........................... 154
Drinking and driving ....................... 153
Driving in winter ............................. 155
Driving on flooded roads ................ 155
Driving on wet roads ...................... 155
Exhaust check ............................... 154
Fuel ................................................ 153
General .......................................... 153
Hydroplaning ................................. 155
Icy road surfaces ........................... 155
Limited braking efficiency on sal-
ted roads ....................................... 154
Snow chains .................................. 291
Wet road surface ........................... 154
DVD video
Operating (on-board computer) ..... 190
Index9

or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified to
keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP
®assists the driver when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP®
can also stabilize the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System)
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (
Ypage 75).
ETS traction control is part of ESP
®. On vehi-
cles with 4MATIC, 4ETS 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. In addition, more drive torque is trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP
®.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (
Ypage 75).
GWARNING
If ESP
®is malfunctioning, ESP®is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further driv-
ing safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP
®checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or per-
formance tests may only be carried out on
a 2-axle dynamometer. Before you operate
the vehicle on such a dynamometer, please
consult a qualified workshop. You could
otherwise damage the drive train or the
brake system.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: observe the notes
on ESP
®(Ypage 283) when towing the vehi-
cle with a raised rear axle.
ESP
®is only deactivated if the åwarning
lamp is lit continuously. If the
÷ warning lamp and the åwarn-
ing lamp are lit continuously, ESP
®not avail-
able due to a malfunction.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(
Ypage 206) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(
Ypage 192).
iOnly use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP®function
properly.
Characteristics of ESP®
General information
If the ÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP
®is automatically
active.
If ESP
®intervenes, the ÷ESP®warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP
®intervenes:
XDo not deactivate ESP®under any circum-
stances.
XOnly depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
XAdapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving. The engine starts automati-
cally when the driver wants to pull away again.
ESP
®remains in its previously selected sta-
tus. Example: if ESP®was deactivated before
the engine was switched off, ESP®remains
deactivated when the engine is switched on
again.
Deactivating/activating ESP®(except
AMG vehicles)
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (
Ypage 75).
Driving safety systems81
Safety
Z

You can select between the following states
of ESP®:
RESP®is activated.
RESP®is deactivated.
GWARNING
If you deactivate ESP
®, ESP®no longer sta-
bilizes the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP
®in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
!Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP®deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
It may be best to deactivate ESP
®in the fol-
lowing situations:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
iActivate ESP®as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP®will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP
®
You can deactivate or activate ESP®via the
on-board computer (
Ypage 190).
ESP
®deactivated:
The å ESP
®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
ESP
®activated:
The å ESP
®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP
®is deactivated
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 stabilize the vehicle. If you deactivate ESP
®:
RESP®no longer improves driving stability.
Rengine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-
faces.
Rtraction control is still activated.
RESP®still provides support when you
brake.
Deactivating/activating ESP®(AMG
vehicles)
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (
Ypage 75).
You can select between the following states
of ESP
®:
RESP®is activated.
RSPORT handling mode is activated.
RESP®is deactivated.
GWARNING
When SPORT handling mode is activated,
there is a greater risk of skidding and acci-
dents.
Only activate SPORT handling mode in the sit-
uations described in the following.
GWARNING
If you deactivate ESP
®, ESP®no longer sta-
bilizes the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident.
Only deactivate ESP
®in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
!Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP®deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
82Driving safety systems
Safety

In the following situations, it may be better to
activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate
ESP
®:
Rwhen using snow chains
Rin deep snow
Ron sand or gravel
Ron specially designated roads when the
vehicle's own oversteering and understeer- ing characteristics are desired
Driving in SPORT handling mode or without
ESP
®requires an extremely qualified and
experienced driver.
iActivate ESP®as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP®will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
Deactivating/activating ESP
®
XTo activate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
The SPORT handling mode
message
appears in the multifunction display.
XTo deactivate SPORT handling mode:
briefly press button :.
The M SPORT handling mode warning
lamp in the instrument cluster goes out.
XTo deactivate ESP®: press button :until
the å ESP®OFF warning lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
The ÷ OFF
message appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
XTo activate ESP®: briefly press button :.
The å ESP®OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out. The ÷ON
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
Characteristics of activated SPORT han-
dling mode
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 stabilizes the vehicle to a
limited degree.
When SPORT handling mode is activated:
RESP®only improves driving stability to a
limited degree.
Rtraction control is still activated.
Rengine torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels are able to
spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-
faces.
RESP®still provides support when you brake
firmly.
Characteristics when ESP
®is deactivated
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 stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP
®:
RESP®no longer improves driving stability.
Rengine torque is restricted to a limited
degree and the drive wheels are able to
spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut-
ting action for better traction on loose sur-
faces.
Rtraction control is still activated.
RPRE-SAFE®is no longer available, nor is it
activated if you brake firmly and ESP®
intervenes.
Driving safety systems83
Safety
Z

Do not use cruise control:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rwhen there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
GWARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle acceler-
ates or decelerates. If you do not know the
stored speed, the vehicle could accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you
do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again.
Cruise control lever
:To activate or increase speed
;To activate or reduce speed
=To deactivate cruise control
?To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display
for five seconds.
Information in the Digital Operator's
Manual
In the Digital Operator's Manual you will find
information on the following topics:
RActivation conditions
RStoring, maintaining and calling up a speed
RSetting a speed
RDeactivating cruise control
DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes
DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. Vehi-
cles are detected with the aid of the radar
sensor system. DISTRONIC PLUS brakes
automatically so that the set speed is not
exceeded.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is espe-
cially important if the vehicle is laden. By
doing so, you will make use of the braking
effect of the engine. This relieves the load on
the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk
of a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot pre-
vent a collision without your intervention. An
intermittent warning tone will then sound and the distance warning lamp will light up in the
instrument cluster. Brake immediately in
order to increase the distance to the vehicle
in front or take evasive action provided it is
safe to do so.
For DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you when driv-
ing, the radar sensor system must be
switched on and operational; see "Radar sen- sor syste m" i
n the index.
DISTRONIC PLUS operates in range between
0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph (200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
156Driving system s
Driving an d parking

front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in your lane.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rwhen there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
Rthere is dirt on the sensors or anything else covering the sensors
Rthere is snow or heavy rain
Rthere is interference by other radar sources
Rthere are strong radar reflections, for
example, in parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehi- cle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may unexpect-
edly accelerate the vehicle to the stored
speed.
This speed may:
Rbe too high if you are driving in a filter lane
or an exit lane
Rbe so high in the right lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the left (left-hand drive
countries)
Rbe so high in the left lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the right (right-hand
drive countries)
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever
:To store the current speed or a higher
speed
;To store the current speed or a lower
speed
=To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
?To store the current speed or call up the
last stored speed
ATo set the specified minimum distance
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS
Activation conditions
In order to activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the fol-
lowing conditions must be fulfilled:
Rthe engine must be started. It may take up
to two minutes after pulling away before
DISTRONIC PLUS is operational.
Rthe parking brake must be released.
RESP®must be active, but not intervening.
RActive Parking Assist must not be activa-
ted.
Rthe transmission must be in position D.
Rthe driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened.
Rthe front-passenger door and rear doors
must be closed.
Rthe vehicle must not skid.
158Driving systems
Driving and parking

Tires
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
Check
Tires
The tire pressure in one or more tires has dropped significantly.
The wheel position is displayed in the multifunction display.
A warning tone also sounds.
GWARNING
With tire pressures which are too low, there is a risk of the fol-
lowing hazards:
Rthey may burst, especially as the load and vehicle speed
increase.
Rthey may wear excessively and/or unevenly, which may greatly
impair tire traction.
Rthe driving characteristics, as well as steering and braking, may
be greatly impaired.
There is a risk of an accident.
XStop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
XSecure the vehicle against rolling away (Ypage 151).
XCheck the tires and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a
flat tire (
Ypage 271).
XCheck the tire pressure (Ypage 294).
XIf necessary, correct the tire pressure.
Warning
Tire Malfunction
The tire pressure in one or more tires has dropped suddenly. The
wheel position is shown in the multifunction display.
GWARNING
If you drive with a flat tire, there is a risk of the following hazards:
Ra flat tire affects the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
Ryou could lose control of the vehicle.
Rcontinued driving with a flat tire will cause excessive heat build-
up and possibly a fire.
There is a risk of an accident.
XStop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.
XSecure the vehicle against rolling away (Ypage 151).
XCheck the tires and, if necessary, follow the instructions for a
flat tire (
Ypage 271).
200Displa y messages
On-board computer and displays

ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
÷
The yellow ESP
®warn-
ing lamp flashes while
the vehicle is in motion.
ESP®or traction control has intervened because there is a risk of
skidding or at least one wheel has started to spin.
Cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
XWhen pulling away, only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary.
XEase off the accelerator pedal while the vehicle is in motion.
XAdapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
XDo not deactivate ESP®.
In rare cases (
Ypage 81) it may be best to deactivate ESP®.
Observe the important safety notes on ESP
®(Ypage 81).
å
The yellow ESP
®OFF
warning lamp is lit while
the engine is running.
ESP®is deactivated.
GWARNING
If ESP®is switched off, ESP®is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
Further driving systems or driving safety systems are thus restric-
ted, e.g. Active Blind Spot Assist. The system does not perform
braking actions.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
XReactivate ESP®.
In rare cases (
Ypage 81) it may be best to deactivate ESP®.
Observe the important safety notes on ESP
®(Ypage 81).
XAdapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
If ESP
®cannot be activated:
XDrive on carefully.
XHave ESP®checked at a qualified 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.
GWARNING
When SPORT handling mode is switched on, ESP®is unable to
stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
XOnly switch to SPORT handling mode in accordance with the
conditions described in the "Activating/deactivating SPORT
handling mode" section (
Ypage 82).
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster207
On-board computer and displays
Z

other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive over
curbs, speed humps or similar elevations, try
to do so slowly and at an obtuse angle. Oth-
erwise, the tires, particularly the sidewalls,
may be damaged.
Regular checking of wheels and tires
GWARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of
your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
Regularly check the wheels and tires of your
vehicle for damage at least once a month, as
well as after driving off-road or on rough
roads. Damaged wheels can cause a loss of
tire pressure. Pay particular attention to dam-
age such as:
Rcuts in the tires
Rpunctures
Rtears in the tires
Rbulges on tires
Rdeformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tire tread depth and the
condition of the tread across the whole width
of the tire (
Ypage 289). If necessary, turn the
front wheels to full lock in order to inspect the
inner side of the tire surface.
All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not
mount anything onto the valve other than the
standard valve cap or other valve caps
approved by Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle.
Do not use any other valve caps or systems,
e.g. tire pressure monitoring systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tires
particularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tire
pressure as necessary (
Ypage 291).
Observe the notes on the emergency spare
wheel (
Ypage 329). The service life of tires depends, among other
things, on the following factors:
RDriving style
RTire pressure
RDistance covered
Notes on tire tread
GWARNING
Insufficient tire tread will reduce tire traction.
The tire is no longer able to dissipate water.
This means that on wet road surfaces, the risk
of hydroplaning increases, in particular where speed is not adapted to suit the driving con-
ditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tire pressure is too high or too low, tires
may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent locations on the tire tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tires.
Minimum tire tread depth for:
RSummer tires: âin (3 mm)
RM+S tires: ãin (4 mm)
For safety reasons, replace the tires before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tire tread depth is reached.
Marking :shows where the bar indicator
(arrow) for tread wear is integrated into the
tire tread.
Tread wear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. Six indicators are positioned on the tire
tread. They are visible once a tread depth of
Operation289
Wheels and tires
Z