ESP MERCEDES-BENZ R-Class 2011 W251 Owner's Guide
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: MERCEDES-BENZ, Model Year: 2011, Model line: R-Class, Model: MERCEDES-BENZ R-Class 2011 W251Pages: 364, PDF Size: 16.5 MB
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XTo deactivate: press button :.
The  d  warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.GWarning
When the  d ESP®
 warning lamp is
illuminated continuously, the ESP ®
 is
switched off or is not operational due to a
malfunction. Vehicle stability in standard
driving maneuvers is reduced.
Adapt your speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions and to the non-
operating status of the ESP ®
.
!  Avoid spinning a drive wheel for an
extended period with ESP ®
 switched off.
This could cause serious damage to the
drive train.
XTo activate:  press button  :.
The  d  warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
ESP ®
 trailer stabilization
If your trailer begins to lurch, you can only
stabilize the vehicle/trailer combination by
depressing the brake firmly.
In this situation, ESP ®
 assists you and can
detect if the trailer begins to lurch. ESP ®
slows the vehicle down by braking and
limiting the engine output until the vehicle/
trailer combination has stabilized.
Trailer stabilization is active from a speed
above 40 mph (65 km/h).
GWarning!
The system will not be able to assist when the
trailer jackknifes
R if the ESP ®
 has switched off due to a
malfunction
R on wet or icy roads
R on roads with slippery surface
R in sand or gravel
Trailers with a high center of gravity may tip
over before the system recognizes swaying of
the trailer.
Trailer stabilization does not work if ESP ®
 is
deactivated or disabled because of a
malfunction.
EBD
GWarning
Observe "Important safety instructions"
( Y  page 67).
EBD monitors and controls the brake
pressure on the rear wheels to improve
driving stability while braking.
GWarning!
If the EBD malfunctions, the brake system will
still function with full brake boost. However,
the rear wheels could lock up during
emergency braking situations, for example.
You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident.
Adapt your driving style to the changed
driving characteristics.
Distance warning function (vehicles
with DISTRONIC)
This function warns you from a speed of
approximately 20 mph (30 km/h), if:
R for a period of several seconds, the
distance to the vehicle in front is too short
for the speed at which you are traveling.
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The ·  distance warning lamp in the
instrument cluster will light up.
R you are approaching the vehicle in front
rapidly. An intermittent warning tone will
then sound and the  · distance warning
lamp in the instrument cluster will light up.
You must apply the brakes yourself in order
to maintain the appropriate distance to the
vehicle in front and prevent a collision.GWarning!
If the distance warning lamp  · in the
instrument cluster comes on while driving
and/or an intermittent warning sounds,
immediate attention on the part of the driver
is required. As required by the traffic
situation, apply the brakes and navigate
around a possible obstacle. However, do not
drive by relying on the distance warning
function, as this will result in an emergency
braking application. This will not always
enable you to avoid a collision, especially
when traveling on varying road surface
conditions and with varying driver reaction.
Complex driving situations are not always
fully recognized by the distance warning
function. This could result in wrong or missing
distance warnings.
XTo activate/deactivate:  activate or
deactivate the distance warning function in
the on-board computer ( Y page 210).
After activation, the  Ä symbol is
displayed in the lower multifunction
display.
Anti-theft systems
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents your vehicle from
being started without the correct SmartKey.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. The
engine can be started by anyone with a valid
SmartKey that is left inside the vehicle.
XTo activate with the SmartKey:  remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.XTo activate with KEYLESS-GO:  switch the
ignition off and open the driver's door.XTo deactivate:  switch on the ignition.
i
The immobilizer is always deactivated
when you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be
started when the starter battery is fully
charged, the immobilizer may be faulty.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in
USA) or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open:
R a door
R the vehicle with the mechanical key
R the tailgate
R the hood
The alarm is not switched off, even if you
close the open door that has triggered it, for
example.
i If the alarm stays on for more than 30 
seconds, the emergency call system
mbrace (USA only) or Tele Aid (Canada
only) initiates a call to the Customer
Assistance Center automatically. The
emergency call system initiates the call
provided that:
R you have subscribed to the mbrace/Tele
Aid service
R the mbrace/Tele Aid service has been
activated properly
R the mobile phone, power supply and GPS
necessary are available
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GWarning!
Batteries are toxic and contain caustic
substances. For this reason, keep batteries
out of the reach of children.
If a battery has been swallowed, visit a doctor
immediately.
GWarning
SmartKey batteries contain perchlorate
material, which may require special handling
and regard for the environment. Check with
your local government's disposal guidelines.
California residents, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/
index.cfm.
Checking the battery
XPress the & or % button.
The battery is working properly if battery
charge indicator lamp : lights up briefly.
If battery charge indicator lamp : does not
light up briefly during the test, the key
batteries are discharged.
XChanging the key battery (Y page 78).
iConsult any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for a key battery.
iIf the battery is tested within the signal
range of the vehicle, you can open or close
the vehicle by pressing & or %
respectively.
Changing the battery
You require a CR 2025 3 V cell battery.
XTake the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (Y page 77).
XPress the mechanical key into the opening
in the SmartKey in the direction of
arrow ; until cover : of the battery tray
opens. Do not hold the cover closed while
doing so.
XRemove the cover of the battery tray.XRepeatedly tap the SmartKey against your
palm until battery = falls out.
XInsert the new battery with the positive
pole facing upwards. Use a lint-free cloth to
do so.
XInsert the front tabs of the battery tray's
cover first and then press to close it.
XCheck the function of all SmartKey buttons
on the vehicle.
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even if the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch or removed from the vehicle,
such as seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment, or the memory function
If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned by these
parts.GWarning!
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment or cargo
compartment unless they are firmly secured
in place.
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child’s risk of injury in the event
of
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident
GWarning!
Make sure the tailgate is closed when the
engine is running and while driving. Among
other dangers, deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
gases may enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
!  The tailgate swings upwards and to the
rear when opened. Therefore, make sure
that there is sufficient clearance above and
behind the tailgate.
To open the tailgate completely, a minimum
clearance of 7.20 ft (2.20 m) above the
ground is necessary.
You can:
R open and close the tailgate manually from
outside
R open and close the tailgate automatically
from outside
R open the tailgate manually from inside
Ropen and close the tailgate automatically
from inside
R limit the opening angle of the tailgate
Opening and closing from the outside
Opening
You can only open the tailgate after unlocking
it first.
XPress the  % button on the key.XPull handle  :.XRaise the tailgate.
Closing
GWarning!
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the cargo
compartment opening when closing the
tailgate. Be especially careful when small
children are around.
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XPull the tailgate down using one of
recesses  :.XPush the tailgate closed from outside the
vehicle.XLock the vehicle if necessary with
the  &  button on the key or with
KEYLESS-GO ( Y page 75).
Automatic opening and closing from
the outside
Important safety guidelines
GWarning!
Make sure the tailgate is closed when the
engine is running and while driving. Among
other dangers, deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
gases may enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
!  The tailgate swings upwards and to the
rear when opened. Therefore, make sure
that there is sufficient clearance above and
behind the tailgate.
To open the tailgate completely, a minimum
clearance of 7.20 ft (2.20 m) above the
ground is necessary.
Opening
You can open the tailgate automatically with
the key or the handle in the tailgate.
XPress and hold the  F button on the key
until the tailgate opens.
or
XWhen the tailgate is unlocked, pull the
handle and let it go again immediately.
Closing
GWarning!
Monitor the closing procedure carefully to
make sure no one is in danger of being
injured. To prevent possible personal injury,
always keep hands and fingers away from the
cargo compartment opening when closing the
tailgate. Be especially careful when small
children are around. To stop the closing
procedure, do one of the following:
R Press or pull the remote tailgate opening/
closing switch on the driver’s door.
R Press the tailgate closing switch.
R Press the KEYLESS-GO locking/closing
switch.
R Pull outside handle on the tailgate.
R When no SmartKey is inserted in the starter
switch (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: Make
sure the vehicle’s on-board electronics
have status  0): Press button  F on the
SmartKey.
You can close the tailgate automatically using
the key, the closing button 6
 or the locking
button 7
.XTo close:  press closing button  : on the
tailgate.
or
XPress and hold the  F button on the key
until the tailgate closes.XTo close and lock simultaneously:
Press locking button  ; on the tailgate.
i
The tailgate can only be opened and
closed with the key if there is no key in the
ignition lock.
6 For vehicles with the EASY-PACK tailgate only.
7 For vehicles with the EASY-PACK tailgate and KEYLESS-GO only.84TailgateOpening and closing
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If the tailgate touches an object while
closing, the closing procedure is
interrupted and the tailgate reopens.
i Only with KEYLESS-GO: if you leave a
KEYLESS-GO key in the cargo
compartment, the tailgate will not lock.
The tailgate is not closed unless a
KEYLESS-GO key is detected.
Opening the tailgate from the inside
GWarning!
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle. Children could open the tailgate from
the inside, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
!  Always make sure there is sufficient
space when opening.
You can unlock and open the tailgate from
inside the vehicle.
The handle is on the lower part of the tailgate
window on the right-hand side when viewed
in the direction of travel.
XPress handle  : in the direction of
arrow  ; as far as it will go and hold it there.XFrom this position, pull handle  : in the
direction of arrow  = as far as it will go and
hold it there.XSwing the tailgate upwards.
i Vehicles with the EASY-PACK tailgate:
If you do not open the tailgate after
unlocking, it will lock again automatically
after a few seconds.
Automatic opening and closing from
the inside
You can open and close the tailgate from the
driver's seat when the vehicle is stationary.
GWarning!
Maintain sight of the area around the rear of
the vehicle while operating the tailgate with
the door-mounted remote tailgate switch.
Monitor the closing procedure carefully to
make sure no one is in danger of being
injured.
To interrupt the closing procedure, press or
pull the door-mounted remote tailgate switch.
GWarning!
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the cargo
compartment opening when closing the
tailgate. Be especially careful when small
children are around.
GWarning!
Make sure the tailgate is closed when the
engine is running and while driving. Among
other dangers, deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
gases may enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
GWarning!
Maintain sight of the area around the rear of
the vehicle while operating the tailgate with
the door-mounted remote tailgate switch.
Monitor the opening procedure carefully to
make sure no one is in danger of being
injured.
To interrupt the opening procedure, press or
pull the door-mounted remote tailgate switch.
When the SmartKey is not inserted in the
starter switch (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO:
Make sure the vehicle’s on-board electronics
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If children open a door, they could injure other
persons or get out of the vehicle and injure
themselves or be injured by following traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and the child could be burned by these
parts.GWarning!
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger or cargo compartment unless they
are firmly secured in place.
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child’s risk of injury in the event
of
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident
GWarning!
When opening or closing the windows, make
sure there is no danger of anyone being
harmed by the opening/closing procedure.
The door windows are equipped with the
express operation and automatic reversal
function. If in express operation mode a door
window encounters an obstruction that
blocks its path, the automatic reversal
function will stop the door window and open
it slightly.
The door windows operate differently when
the switch is pulled and held. See the "Closing
when a door window is blocked" section in
this chapter for details.
The closing of a door window can be
immediately halted by releasing the switch or,
if the switch was pulled past the resistance
point and released, by either pressing or
pulling the respective switch.
The closing of the hinged quarter windows can
be immediately halted by pressing or pulling
the switch.
If a window encounters an obstruction that
blocks its path in a circumstance where you
are closing the windows by pressing and
holding button  & on the SmartKey or by
pressing and holding the lock button (vehicles
with KEYLESS-GO) on an outside door handle,
the automatic reversal function will not
operate.
Activate the override switch when children
are riding in the back seats of the vehicle. The
children may otherwise injure themselves,
e.g. by becoming trapped in the window
opening.GWarning!
Do not keep any part of your body up against
the window pane when opening a window. The
downward motion of the pane may pull that
part of your body down between the window
pane and the door frame and trap it there. If
there is a risk of entrapment, release the
switch and pull it to close the window.
Opening and closing the side
windows
:Front left;Front right=Rear right?Rear left
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.
i Operation of the side windows in the rear
compartment is not possible when the
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override switch for the side windows is
activated.XTurn the key to position  2 in the ignition
lock.
i You can continue to operate the side
windows after you switch off the engine.
This function remains active for five
minutes or until one of the front doors is
opened.
XTo open:  press the corresponding switch.XTo close:  pull the corresponding switch.
i
If you press the switch beyond the point
of resistance, an automatic opening/
closing process is started in the
corresponding direction. You can stop
automatic operation by pressing again.
Opening and closing the hinged side
windows
You can operate the hinged side windows
electrically.
The hinged side windows can only be
operated from the driver's seat.
GWarning!
Make sure that nobody can become trapped
as you close the hinged side windows. If there
is a risk of somebody becoming trapped,
release the switch or push the switch again to
reopen the side window.
Door control panel
XMake sure that the key is in position  2 in
the ignition lock.XTo open:  press switch  : and release.
Both hinged side windows open fully.XTo close:  pull switch  : and release.
Both hinged side windows close fully.XTo stop the closing procedure:  press
switch  : again.
The hinged side window opens fully.
i If the hinged side windows are blocked
when closing, the closing procedure is
interrupted and the hinged side windows
open again slightly.
i For safety reasons, the hinged side
windows can only be opened again after
four seconds.
Resetting the side windows
You must reset each side window if:
R the battery has been disconnected or has
become discharged.
R the side window can no longer be fully
opened or closed.
XClose all the doors.XTurn the key to position  2 in the ignition
lock.XPull on the corresponding switch on the
door control panel until the side window is
completely closed ( Y page 87).XHold the switch for an additional second.
If the side window opens again slightly:
XPull the corresponding switch again
immediately and hold it for approximately
one second.88Side windowsOpening and closing
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Using KEYLESS-GO
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be
outside the vehicle but no more than 3 ft (1 m)
away from a door.
XClose all the doors.XKeep locking button  : on the door handle
pressed until the side windows and the tilt/
sliding sunroof or panorama roof with
power tilt/sliding panel are fully closed.XMake sure that all the side windows and the
tilt/sliding sunroof or panorama roof with
power tilt/sliding panel are closed.
On vehicles with a panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel:
XPress and hold locking button  : again
until the roller sunblinds of the panorama
roof with power tilt/sliding panel close.XTo interrupt convenience closing:
release locking button  : on the door
handle.
Problems with the side windows
Problem: a side window cannot be closed 
because objects are trapped between the 
side window and the door frame.
XRemove the objects.XClose the side window.Problem: a side window cannot be closed 
because objects in the guide rail are 
preventing the window from being raised.XRemove the objects.XClose the side window.
Problem: a side window cannot be closed, 
and you cannot see the cause.
GWarning!
Closing the side windows with increased force
or without the anti-entrapment feature could
lead to serious or even fatal injury. Make sure
that nobody can become trapped when
closing the side windows.
If a side window is obstructed during closing
and reopens again slightly:
XImmediately after the window blocks, pull
on the corresponding switch again until the
side window has closed.
The side window is closed with increased
force.
If a side window is obstructed again during
closing and reopens again slightly:
XImmediately after the window blocks, pull
on the corresponding switch again until the
side window has closed.
The side window is closed without the anti-
entrapment feature.GWarning!
Pulling and holding the switch to close the
door window immediately after it had been
blocked two times will cause the door window
to close without the anti-entrapment feature
for as long as you hold the switch.
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The tilt/sliding panel operates differently
when the roof panel switch is pressed and
held. See the relevant section in this chapter
for details.
The opening/closing procedure of the tilt/
sliding panel can be immediately halted by
releasing the roof panel switch or, if the roof
panel switch was moved past the resistance
point and released, by moving the roof panel
switch in any direction.GWarning!
The panorama roof with tilt/sliding panel is
made out of glass. In the event of an accident,
the glass may shatter. This may result in an
opening in the roof.
In a vehicle rollover, occupants not wearing
their seat belts or not wearing them properly
may be thrown out of the opening. Such an
opening also presents a potential for injury for
occupants wearing their seat belts properly as
entire body parts or portions of them may
protrude from the passenger compartment.
!  Only open the sliding sunroof if it is free
of snow and ice. Otherwise, malfunctions
may occur.
Do not allow anything to protrude from the
sliding sunroof. Otherwise, the seals could
be damaged.
!  If the sliding sunroof cannot be opened or
closed due to a malfunction, contact a
qualified specialist workshop, e.g. an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!  Do not forget that the weather can
change abruptly. Make certain that the
sliding sunroof is closed when you leave the
vehicle. The vehicle electronics can be
damaged if water enters the vehicle
interior.
i Resonance noises can occur in addition
to the usual airflow noises when the sliding
sunroof is open. They are caused by minor
pressure fluctuations in the vehicle interior.
Change the position of the sliding sunroof
or open a side window slightly to reduce or
eliminate these noises.
Operating the sliding sunroof
Opening and closing 
i You can still operate the tilt/sliding
sunroof even if you switch off the engine or
remove the SmartKey. This function
remains active for five minutes or until one
of the front doors is opened.
Overhead control panel
:To raise;To open=To closeXSwitch on the ignition.XPush or pull the  2 switch in the
corresponding direction.
i If you press the  2 switch beyond the
point of resistance, an automatic opening/
closing process is started in the
corresponding direction. You can stop
automatic operation by pressing again.
Automatic opening/raising is only available
if the tilt/sliding sunroof is in the closed
position.
You can open/close the cover for the
sunblind manually when the tilt/sliding
sunroof is raised/closed.
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