Get Safety -> Driving safety systems Guide for Mercedes CLA 4 Door First Generation (2013-2018)

If you and your child leave the vehicle, always

make sure that the child restraint system is

not in direct sunlight. Cover it with a blanket,

for example. If the child restraint system has

been exposed to direct sunlight, leave it to

cool down before securing the child in it.

Never leave children unattended in the vehi-

cle.

Child-proof locks for the rear doors

You can secure each door individually with the

child-proof locks on the rear doors. A door

secured with a child-proof lock cannot be

opened from inside the vehicle. When the vehi-

cle is unlocked, the door can be opened from the

outside.

To activate: press the child-proof lock lever

up in the direction of arrow :.

Make sure that the child-proof lock is working

properly.

To deactivate: press the child-proof lock

lever down in the direction of arrow ;.

Override feature for the rear side win-

dows

To enable/disable: press button :.

If indicator lamp ; is lit, operation of the rear

side windows is disabled. Operation is only

possible using the switches in the driver's

door. If indicator lamp ; is off, operation is

possible using the switches in the rear com-

partment.

Pets in the vehicle

WARNING

If you leave animals unsupervised or unse-

cured in the vehicle, they may push a button

or a switch, for example.

They could:

activate vehicle equipment and become

trapped, for example

switch vehicle systems on or off, thus

endangering other road users

In the event of an accident, sudden braking or

abrupt changes of direction, unsecured ani-

mals could be flung around the vehicle, injur-

ing the vehicle occupants. There is a risk of an

accident and injury.

Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-

cle. Always secure animals correctly during a

journey, e.g. in an animal transport box.

Driving safety systems

Driving safety systems overview

In this section, you will find information about

the following driving safety systems:

ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)

(Y page 66)

BAS (Brake Assist System) (Y page 66)

Active Brake Assist (Y page 67)

Adaptive brake lights (Y page 69)

ESP

(Electronic Stability Program)

(Y page 69)

EBD (electronic brake force distribution)

(Y page 72)

ADAPTIVE BRAKE (Y page 73)

STEER CONTROL (Y page 73)

Driving safety systems

Safety

Important safety notes

If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are

inattentive, the driving safety systems can nei-

ther reduce the risk of an accident nor override

the laws of physics. Driving safety systems are

merely aids designed to assist driving. You are

responsible for maintaining the distance to the

vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in

good time and for staying in lane. Always adapt

your driving style to suit the prevailing road and

weather conditions and maintain a safe distance

from the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.

The driving safety systems described work as

effectively as possible only when there is ade-

quate contact between the tyres and the road

surface. Please pay special attention to the

notes on tyres, recommended minimum tyre

tread depths etc. (Y page 310).

In wintry driving conditions, always use winter

tyres (M+S tyres) and, if necessary, snow

chains. Only in this way will the driving safety

systems described in this section work as effec-

tively as possible.

ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)

General notes

ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way that

the wheels do not lock when you brake. This

allows you to continue steering the vehicle when

braking.

The ! ABS warning lamp in the instrument

cluster lights up when the ignition is switched

on. It goes out when the engine is running.

ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h,

regardless of road-surface conditions. ABS

works on slippery surfaces, even when you only

brake gently.

Important safety notes

Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-

tion (Y page 66).

WARNING

If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when

braking. The steerability and braking charac-

teristics may be severely impaired. Addition-

ally, further driving safety systems are deac-

tivated. There is an increased danger of skid-

ding and accidents.

Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-

diately at a qualified specialist workshop.

If ABS is malfunctioning, other systems, includ-

ing driving safety systems, will also become

inoperative. Observe the information on the ABS

warning lamp (Y page 250) and display mes-

sages which may be shown in the instrument

cluster (Y page 217).

Braking

If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the

brake pedal with force until the braking sit-

uation is over.

To make a full brake application: depress

the brake pedal with full force.

If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a

pulsing in the brake pedal.

The pulsating brake pedal can be an indication

of hazardous road conditions; this serves as a

reminder to take extra care while driving.

BAS (Brake Assist)

General notes

BAS operates in emergency braking situations.

If you depress the brake pedal quickly, BAS

automatically boosts the braking force, thus

shortening the stopping distance.

Important safety notes

Read the "Important safety notes" section

(Y page 66).

WARNING

If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance

in an emergency braking situation is

increased. There is a risk of accident.

In an emergency braking situation, depress

the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents

the wheels from locking.

Driving safety systems

Safety

Braking

Keep the brake pedal depressed firmly until

the emergency braking situation is over.

ABS prevents the wheels from locking.

The brakes will function as usual once you

release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated.

Active Brake Assist

General information

Read the "Important safety notes" section

(Y page 66).

Active Brake Assist consists of a distance warn-

ing function with an autonomous braking func-

tion and braking assistance appropriate to the

situation.

Active Brake Assist can help you to minimise the

risk of a collision with the vehicle travelling in

front or reduce the effects of such a collision.

If Active Brake Assist detects that there is a risk

of collision, you will be warned visually and

acoustically. If you do not react to the visual and

audible collision warning, autonomous braking

can be initiated in critical situations. If you apply

the brake yourself in a critical situation, Adap-

tive Brake Assist supports you with braking

assistance appropriate to the situation.

Important safety notes

Detection of hazardous situations can be par-

ticularly impaired by:

dirt on the sensors or obscured sensors

snow or heavy rain

interference by other radar sources

strong radar reflections, for example, in multi-

storey car parks

a narrow vehicle travelling in front, e.g. a

motorcycle

a vehicle travelling in front on a different line

new vehicles or after servicing is carried out

on the Active Brake Assist system

Read the important safety notes in the "Run-

ning-in notes" section (Y page 132).

Following damage to the front end of the vehicle,

have the configuration and operation of the

radar sensor checked at a qualified specialist

workshop. This also applies to collisions at low

speeds where no visible damage to the front of

the vehicle is apparent.

Activating/deactivating

Active Brake Assist is active after every ignition

cycle.

You can activate or deactivate Active Brake

Assist (Y page 209) in the on-board computer.

When the system is deactivated, the distance

warning function and the autonomous braking

function are also deactivated.

If Active Brake Assist is deactivated, the æ

symbol appears in the assistance graphic dis-

play.

Distance warning function

General information

The distance warning function can help you to

minimise the risk of collision with the vehicle in

front or reduce the effects of such a collision. If

the distance warning function detects a risk of

collision with the vehicle in front, you will be

warned visually and audibly.

Important safety notes

Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-

tion for driving safety systems (Y page 66).

WARNING

The distance warning function does not react:

to people or animals

to oncoming vehicles

to crossing traffic

when cornering

Thus, the distance warning function cannot

provide a warning in all critical situations.

There is a risk of an accident.

Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-

uation and be ready to brake.

WARNING

The distance warning function cannot always

clearly identify objects and complex traffic

situations.

Driving safety systems

Safety

In such cases, the distance warning function

may:

give an unnecessary warning

not give a warning

There is a risk of an accident.

Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-

uation; do not rely on the distance warning

function alone.

Function

The distance warning function issues a warning

at speeds:

of approximately 30 km/h or more if, over

several seconds, the distance to the vehicle

travelling in front is insufficient for the driving

speed. The · distance warning lamp will

then light up on the instrument cluster.

of approximately 7 km/h or more if you rap-

idly approach a vehicle in front. An intermit-

tent warning tone will then sound and the

· distance warning lamp will light up on

the instrument cluster.

Brake immediately to increase the distance

from the vehicle in front.

Take evasive action provided it is safe to do

so.

Due to the nature of the system, certain com-

plex but non-critical driving conditions may also

cause the system to display a warning.

With the help of the radar sensor system, the

distance warning function can detect obstacles

that are in the path of your vehicle for an exten-

ded period of time.

Up to a speed of approximately 70 km/h, the

distance warning function can also react to sta-

tionary obstacles, such as stopped or parked

vehicles.

Autonomous braking function

If the driver does not react to the distance warn-

ing signal in a critical situation, Active Brake

Assist can assist the driver with the autonomous

braking function.

The autonomous braking function:

gives the driver more time to react to critical

driving situations

can help the driver to avoid an accident or

reduces the effects of an accident

Vehicles without Distance Pilot DISTRONIC:

the autonomous braking function is available in

the following speed ranges:

7–105 km/h for moving objects

7 - 50 km/h for stationary objects

Vehicles with Distance Pilot DISTRONIC: the

autonomous braking function is available in the

following speed ranges:

7 - 200 km/h for moving objects

7 - 50 km/h for stationary objects

Due to the nature of the system, complex but

non-critical driving conditions may also cause

the autonomous braking function to engage.

If the autonomous braking function demands

particularly high braking force, preventative

passenger protection measures (PRE-SAFE

)

are activated simultaneously (Y page 53).

Braking assistance appropriate to the

situation

General information

Read the "Important safety notes" section

(Y page 66).

With the help of the radar sensor system, Adap-

tive Brake Assist can detect obstacles that are in

the path of your vehicle for an extended period

of time.

If Adaptive Brake Assist detects a risk of colli-

sion with the vehicle in front, it calculates the

brake pressure necessary to avoid a collision. If

you apply the brakes forcefully, the braking

assistance adapts to the situation and automat-

ically increases the brake pressure to a degree

appropriate to the traffic situation.

Braking assistance appropriate to the situation

provides braking assistance in hazardous situa-

tions at speeds above 7 km/h. It uses the radar

sensor system to assess the traffic situation.

Braking assistance appropriate to the situation

is capable of reacting to moving objects which

have already been recognised as such at least

once over the period of observation, up to vehi-

cle speeds of around 250 km/h.

Driving safety systems

Safety

Braking assistance appropriate to the situation

can also detect stationary objects, up to vehicle

speeds of around 70 km/h.

If braking assistance appropriate to the situa-

tion demands particularly high brake pressure,

preventative passenger protection measures

(PRE-SAFE

) are triggered simultaneously

(Y page 53).

Keep the brake pedal depressed until the

emergency braking situation is over.

ABS prevents the wheels from locking.

The brakes will work normally again if:

you release the brake pedal

a danger of collision with the vehicle in front

no longer exists

no obstacle is detected in front of your vehicle

Braking assistance appropriate to the situation

is then deactivated.

Important safety notes

Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-

tion for driving safety systems (Y page 66).

WARNING

Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:

to people or animals

to oncoming vehicles

to crossing traffic

when cornering

As a result, Adaptive Brake Assist may not

intervene in all critical conditions. The risk of

an accident remains.

Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-

uation and be ready to brake.

WARNING

Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly

identify objects and complex traffic situa-

tions.

In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist might:

intervene unnecessarily

not intervene

The risk of an accident remains.

Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-

uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the

intervention in a non-critical driving situation.

Due to the nature of the system, complex but

non-critical driving conditions may also cause

Active Brake Assist to intervene.

Even if Active Brake Assist is not available due to

a malfunction in the radar sensor system, the

brake system is still available with full brake

boosting effect and BAS.

Adaptive brake lights

The adaptive brake lights warn following traffic

in an emergency braking situation by:

flashing brake lamps

the hazard warning lamps are activated

If you brake sharply from a speed of more than

50 km/h or if braking is assisted by BAS or BAS

PLUS, the brake lamps flash rapidly. In this way,

traffic travelling behind you is warned in an even

more noticeable manner.

If you brake sharply from a speed of more than

70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warning

lamps are activated automatically. If the brakes

are applied again, the brake lamps light up con-

tinuously. The hazard warning lamps switch off

automatically if you travel faster than 10 km/h.

You can also switch off the hazard warning

lamps using the hazard warning button

(Y page 109).

ESP

(Electronic Stability Program)

General notes

Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-

tion (Y page 66).

ESP

monitors driving stability and traction, i.e.

power transmission between the tyres and the

road surface.

If ESP

detects that the vehicle is deviating from

the direction desired by the driver, one or more

wheels are braked to stabilise the vehicle. The

engine output is also modified to keep the vehi-

cle on the desired course within physical limits.

ESP

assists the driver when pulling away on

wet or slippery roads. ESP

can also stabilise

the vehicle during braking.

Driving safety systems

Safety

ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System)

Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-

tion (Y page 66).

ETS traction control is part of ESP

. On vehicles

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, e.g. if

the road surface is slippery on one side. In addi-

tion, more drive torque is transferred to the

wheel or wheels with traction.

Traction control remains active if you deactivate

ESP

Important safety notes

Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-

tion (Y page 66).

WARNING

If ESP

is malfunctioning, ESP

is unable to

stabilise the vehicle. In addition, other driving

safety systems are switched off. This increa-

ses the risk of skidding and an accident.

Drive on carefully. Have ESP

checked at a

qualified specialist workshop.

Vehicles without 4MATIC: when towing your

vehicle with the front axle raised, it is important

that you observe the notes on ESP

(Y page 306).

If the å ESP

OFF warning lamp lights up

continuously, ESP

is deactivated.

If the ÷ ESP

warning lamp and the å

warning lamp are lit continuously, ESP

is not

available due to a malfunction.

Read the information on warning lamps

(Y page 252) and display messages that may be

shown in the instrument cluster (Y page 217).

Use only wheels with the recommended tyre

sizes. Only then will ESP

function properly.

Characteristics of ESP

General information

If the ÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before

you begin the journey, ESP

is automatically

active.

If ESP

intervenes, the ÷ ESP

warning lamp

flashes on the instrument cluster.

If ESP

intervenes:

Do not deactivate ESP

under any circum-

stances.

When pulling away, depress the accelerator

pedal only as far as is necessary.

Adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing

road and weather conditions.

ECO start/stop function

The ECO start/stop function switches the

engine off automatically if the vehicle stops

moving. When pulling away again, the engine

starts automatically. ESP

remains in its previ-

ously selected status. Example: if ESP

was

deactivated before the engine was switched off,

ESP

remains deactivated when the engine is

switched on again.

Activating/deactivating ESP

(except

Mercedes‑AMG vehicles)

Important safety notes

Read the "Important safety notes" section

(Y page 66).

You can select between the following ESP

sta-

tuses:

ESP

is activated

ESP

is deactivated

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.

The spinning of the wheels results in a cut for

better traction on loose surfaces.

It may be best to deactivate ESP

in the follow-

ing situations:

when snow chains are used

in deep snow

on sand or gravel

Activate ESP

as soon as the situations

described above no longer apply. ESP

will

otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle

Driving safety systems

Safety

if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to

spin.

Activating/deactivating ESP

You can deactivate or activate ESP

via the on-

board computer (Y page 209).

ESP

deactivated:

The å ESP

OFF warning lamp on the instru-

ment cluster lights up.

ESP

activated:

The å ESP

OFF warning lamp on the instru-

ment 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 situations,

ESP

will not stabilise the vehicle.

If you deactivate ESP

ESP

no longer improves driving stability

engine torque is no longer limited and the

drive wheels may start to spin

traction control is still activated

PRE-SAFE

is no longer available; it is not

activated even if you brake firmly with assis-

tance from ESP

STEER CONTROL is no longer active

ESP

still provides support when you brake

firmly.

Deactivating/activating ESP

(Mercedes‑AMG vehicles)

Important safety notes

Read the "Important safety notes" section

(Y page 66).

You can select between the following ESP

sta-

tuses:

ESP

is activated

SPORT handling mode is activated

ESP

is deactivated

ESP

is activated every time the engine is star-

ted, regardless of whether ESP

was deactiva-

ted before the engine was switched off.

WARNING

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.

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.

In the following situations, it may be better to

activate SPORT handling mode or deactivate

ESP

when snow chains are used

in deep snow

on sand or gravel

on specially designated roads when the vehi-

cle's own oversteering and understeering

characteristics are desired

Driving in SPORT handling mode or without

ESP

requires a highly qualified and experi-

enced driver.

Activate ESP

as soon as the situations

described above no longer apply. ESP

will

otherwise not be able to stabilise the vehicle

if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel starts to

spin.

Activating/deactivating ESP

To activate SPORT handling mode: briefly

press button :.

The M SPORT handling mode warning

lamp on the instrument cluster lights up. The

Driving safety systems

Safety

SPORT handling modeSPORT handling mode message appears in

the multifunction display.

To deactivate SPORT handling mode:

briefly press button :.

The M SPORT handling mode warning

lamp on the instrument cluster goes out.

To deactivate ESP

: press button : until

the å ESP

OFF warning lamp lights up in

the instrument cluster.

The ÷

OFFOFF message appears in the multi-

function display.

To activate ESP

: briefly press button :.

The å ESP

OFF warning lamp on the

instrument cluster goes out. The ÷ ESP

ONON message appears in the multifunction dis-

play.

Characteristics when SPORT handling

mode is activated

If SPORT handling mode is activated and one or

more wheels start to spin, the ÷ ESP

warn-

ing lamp on the instrument cluster flashes. In

such situations, ESP

will stabilise the vehicle

only to a limited degree.

When SPORT handling mode is activated:

ESP

improves driving stability only to a limi-

ted degree

traction control is still activated

the engine's torque is only restricted to a limi-

ted degree and the drive wheels may start to

spin

The spinning of the wheels results in a cut for

better traction on loose surfaces.

ESP

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 situa-

tions, ESP

will not stabilise the vehicle.

If you deactivate ESP

ESP

no longer improves driving stability

engine torque is no longer limited and the

drive wheels may start to spin

The spinning of the wheels results in a cut for

better traction on loose surfaces.

traction control is still activated

Active Brake Assist is no longer available; it is

not activated even if you brake firmly with

assistance from ESP

PRE-SAFE

is no longer available; it is not

activated even if you brake firmly with assis-

tance from ESP

ESP

still provides support when you brake

firmly.

ESP

trailer stabilisation

General notes

If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to

lurch, ESP

assists you in this situation. ESP

slows the vehicle down by braking and limiting

the engine output until the vehicle/trailer com-

bination has stabilised.

Important safety notes

WARNING

If road and weather conditions are poor,

trailer stabilisation 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 your driving style to the prevail-

ing road and weather conditions.

If your vehicle/trailer combination begins to

lurch, you can only stabilise the vehicle/trailer

combination by depressing the brake firmly.

ESP

trailer stabilisation is active above speeds

of approximately 65 km/h.

ESP

trailer stabilisation does not work if ESP

is deactivated or disabled because of a malfunc-

tion.

EBD (electronic brake force distribu-

tion)

General notes

EBD monitors and controls the brake pressure

on the rear wheels to improve driving stability

while braking.

Driving safety systems

Safety

Important safety notes

Read the "Important safety notes" section

(Y page 66).

WARNING

If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can

lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases 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 250) as well as display

messages (Y page 219).

ADAPTIVE BRAKE

ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety and

offers increased braking comfort. In addition to

the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE also has

the HOLD function (Y page 172) and hill start

assist (Y page 136).

STEER CONTROL

General information

STEER CONTROL helps you by transmitting a

noticeable steering force to the steering wheel

in the direction required for vehicle stabilisation.

This steering support is provided in particular if:

both right wheels or both left wheels are on a

wet or slippery road surface when you brake

the vehicle begins to skid

Important safety notes

Read the "Important safety notes" section

(Y page 66).

No steering support is provided from STEER

CONTROL, if:

ESP

is malfunctioning

the steering is malfunctioning

If ESP

is malfunctioning, you will be assisted

further by the electrical power steering.

Protection against theft

Immobiliser

The immobiliser prevents your vehicle from

being started without the correct key.

To activate with the key: remove the key

from the ignition lock.

To activate with KEYLESS-GO start func-

tion or KEYLESS-GO: switch the ignition off

and open the driver's door.

To deactivate: switch on the ignition.

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.

The immobiliser is always deactivated when

you start the engine.

ATA (Anti-Theft Alarm system)

To prime: lock the vehicle with the key or

KEYLESS-GO.

Indicator lamp : flashes. The alarm system

is primed after approximately 15 seconds.

To deactivate: unlock the vehicle with the

key or KEYLESS-GO.

Insert the key into the ignition lock.

A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the

alarm system is primed and you open:

a door

the vehicle with the emergency key element

the boot lid

the bonnet

Protection against theft

Safety

Safety -> Driving safety systems for Your Mercedes CLA 4 Door First Generation (2013-2018)

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