Deactivating/activating ESP®
Observe the "Important safety notes" section ().
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.
When 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: press button 1. The
ESP® OFF warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights up.
WARNING
When the ESP OFF warning lamp lights
up, ESP is switched off.
When the ESP warning lamp and the
ESP OFF warning lamp are on continuously,
ESP is not operational due to a malfunction.
When ESP is switched off or not operational, the vehicle's stability during standard driving maneuvers is reduced.
Adapt your driving style to suit the prevailing road conditions/weather conditions and to the non-operating status of ESP.
Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an extended period with ESP® deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
- To activate: press button 1. The
ESP® OFF warning lamp in the instrument cluster goes out.
See also:
Correct driver's seat position
Observe the safety guidelines on seat
adjustment
•► Check whether you have adjusted seat =
properly.
Electrical seat adjustment (Y page 100)
When adjusting the seat, make sure:
...
SmartKey
0 To remove the SmartKey (shift the transmission to position P)
1 Power supply for some consumers, such as the windshield wipers
2 Ignition (power supply for all consumers) and drive position
3 T ...
Summer tires
- Optionally, tires with a maximum speed of
over 149 mph (240 km/h) may have "ZR"
in the size description depending on the
manufacturer (e.g. 245/40 ZR 18).
The service specif ...