Adaptive brake, Safety and security – Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2009 Owners Manual User Manual
Page 70
Driving safety systems
68
Adaptive Brake provides a high level of
braking safety as well as increased braking
comfort. It is coupled with the ABS, the
ESP
®
and the BAS. Adaptive Brake takes
driver and vehicle characteristics into
consideration, thus achieving an optimal
braking effect.
For more information on the brake system,
see (
The Electronic Brake Proportioning (EBP)
enhances braking effectiveness by allowing
the rear brakes to supply a greater proportion
of the braking effort in straight line braking
without a loss of vehicle stability.
If the EBP 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.
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®
) is
operational as soon as the engine is running
and monitors the vehicle’s traction (force of
adhesive friction between the tires and the
road surface) and handling.
The ESP
®
recognizes when a wheel is
spinning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By
applying brakes to individual wheels and by
limiting the engine output, the ESP
®
works to
stabilize the vehicle. The ESP
®
is especially
useful while driving off and on wet or slippery
road surfaces. The ESP
®
also stabilizes the
vehicle during braking and steering
maneuvers.
The ESP
®
warning lamp
v
in the
instrument cluster comes on when you switch
on the ignition. It goes out when the engine
is running.
The ESP
®
warning lamp
v
in the
instrument cluster flashes when the ESP
®
is
engaged.
Never switch off the ESP
®
when you see the
ESP
®
warning lamp v flashing in the
instrument cluster. In this case proceed as
follows:
R
When driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.
R
While driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R
Adapt your speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid. The ESP
®
cannot
prevent accidents resulting from excessive
speed.
!
Vehicles with 4MATIC:
Only conduct operational or performance
tests on a two-axle dynamometer. If such
tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake
system or the transfer case which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
!
Vehicles with 4MATIC:
Safety and security