Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems overview
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
R
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
(
Y
page 68)
R
BAS (Brake Assist System) (
Y
page 69)
R
Active Brake Assist (
Y
page 69)
R
Adaptive brake lights (
Y
page 71)
R
ESP
®
(Electronic Stability Program)
(
Y
page 72)
R
EBD (electronic brake force distribution)
(
Y
page 75)
R
ADAPTIVE BRAKE (
Y
page 75)
R
STEER CONTROL (
Y
page 75)
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 335).
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 information
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 on 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
brake only gently.
Important safety notes
i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (
Y
page 68).
G
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 267) and display mes-
sages that may be shown on the instrument
cluster (
Y
page 235).
Brakes
X
If ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal with force until the braking sit-
uation is over.
X
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.
Off-road ABS
An ABS system specifically suited to off-road
terrain is activated automatically once the off-
road program is activated (
Y
page 192).
At speeds below 30 km/h, the front wheels lock
cyclically during braking. The digging-in effect
achieved in the process reduces the stopping
68
Driving safety systems
Saf
et
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