Deactivating/activating ESP® (except AMG vehicles)
WARNING
ESP® should not be deactivated during
normal driving other than in the
circumstances described below. Disabling
the system will reduce vehicle stability in
driving maneuvers.
Do not deactivate ESP® when the emergency or spare wheel is mounted.
ESP® is activated automatically when the engine is started.
It may be best to deactivate ESP® in the
following situations:
- when using snow chains
- in deep snow
- on sand or gravel
WARNING
Switch on ESP® immediately if one of the
previously stated conditions is no longer met.
Otherwise, ESP® cannot stabilize the vehicle if it begins to lurch or when a wheel spins.
If you deactivate ESP®:
- ESP® no longer improves driving stability.
- the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of
the wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
- traction control is still activated.
- ESP® still provides support when you
brake.
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 stabilize the vehicle.
•► To deactivate:. The ESP® OFF warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
WARNING
When the ESP® OFF warning lamp
is lit,
ESP® is deactivated.
If the ESP® warning lamp and the ESP® OFF warning lamp remain lit, ESP® is not available due to a malfunction.
When ESP® is deactivated or not operational, vehicle stability in standard driving maneuvers is reduced.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing road conditions and to the non-operating status of the ESP®.
Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an extended period with ESP® deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
•► To activate:.
The ESP® OFF warning lamp in the instrument cluster goes out.
See also:
Vehicle remote opening
If you have unintentionally locked your
vehicle (e.g. the SmartKey is still in the
vehicle) and a replacement SmartKey is not
available, the vehicle can be opened by a
Mercedes-Benz Customer A ...
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Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
Solutions
The transmission has problems shifting gear.
The transmission is losing oil.
Have the transmission checked at a qualif ...
Automatic car wash
WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. This could cause an accident. For
this reason, you must drive particularly
carefully after washing the vehicle until the
b ...