Driving Safety Systems - Mercedes-Benz Vito 111 CDI/BlueTEC Operating Instructions Manual

Driving safety systems

70
Driving safety systems
Overview
This section contains information on the follow-
ing driving safety systems:
EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution)
R
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
R
BAS (Brake Assist System)
R
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ESP (Electronic Stability Program)
R
Adaptive brake lights
R
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 the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, braking in good time
and for staying in your lane. Always adapt your
driving style to the prevailing road and weather
conditions and maintain a sufficient, safe dis-
tance from other road users. Drive carefully.
Please note that the driving safety systems
described only work optimally when:
there is adequate contact between the tyres
R
and the road surface
you use winter tyres (M+S tyres), with snow
R
chains if necessary, when the road conditions
are wintry
the speed information determined by the
R
vehicle is within the legally prescribed display
accuracy
Pay particular attention to the information
regarding tyres, coding of the wheel size groups,
tyre tread and winter operation under "Wheels
Y
and tyres" ( page 355).
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General notes
ABS controls the braking pressure so that the
wheels do not lock when braking. This maintains
the steerability of your vehicle while braking.
The ! warning lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up when the ignition is switched on. The
lamp goes out when the engine starts running.
Important safety notes
Observe the important safety guidelines for the
driving safety system (
ABS works from a speed of about 8 km/h
upwards, regardless of road surface conditions.
On a slippery road surface, ABS intervenes even
if you only brake gently.
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, the ! warning lamp
Y
( page 282) lights up while the engine is run-
ning and the display shows a message:
on vehicles without steering wheel buttons
R
Y
( page 244)
on vehicles with steering wheel buttons
R
Y
( page 260)
BAS, Hill Start Assist and ESP
safety systems and other driving systems also
fail. Observe the notes on the ! warning
lamp and the display messages.
Braking
If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a
pulsating in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indication
of hazardous road conditions and functions as a
reminder to take extra care while driving.
X
If ABS intervenes: keep the brake pedal
firmly depressed until the braking situation
has passed.
X
To make a full brake application: depress
the brake pedal with full force.
BAS (Brake Assist)
General notes
Brake Assist operates in emergency braking sit-
uations. If you depress the brake pedal quickly,
Y
page 70).
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and its driving