Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2009 Owners Manual - Manual (Page 74)

Driving safety systems
72
You could lose control of your vehicle and
cause an accident.
Please be aware of these limits when you
switch off the ESP
® .
Do not switch off the ESP ® when a spare
wheel is mounted.
To improve the vehicle’s traction, switch off
the ESP
® in driving situations in which it
would be advantageous to have the drive
wheels spin and thus cut into surfaces for
better grip such as:
R when driving with snow chains
R in deep snow
R in sand or gravel
G Warning!
Switch on the ESP ® immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not
apply anymore. Otherwise the ESP
® will not
stabilize the vehicle when it is starting to
skid or a wheel is spinning.
When you switch off the ESP ® ,
R the ESP ® will not stabilize the vehicle
R the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and thus cut
into surfaces for better grip
R the ETS will still apply the brakes to a
spinning wheel
R the ESP ® continues to operate when you
are braking hard
R you cannot activate the cruise control
R the cruise control switches off if activated
i When the ESP ® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP ®
warning lamp v in the instrument
cluster does not flash. The ESP ® will then
not stabilize the vehicle.
1 ESP ® SPORT switch
X Switching off: With the engine running,
press ESP
® SPORT switch 1 until the
ESP ® warning lamp v and the ESP OFF
warning lamp ¯ in the instrument
cluster come on.
The message ESP Off appears in the
multifunction display.
G Warning!
When the ESP ® warning lamp v and the
ESP OFF warning lamp ¯ are illuminated
continuously, the ESP
® is switched off.
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 of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP ® switched
off. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
X Switching on: With the engine running,
press ESP
® SPORT switch 1 briefly.
The ESP ® warning lamp v and the ESP
OFF warning lamp ¯ in the instrument
cluster go out. The message ESP On
appears in the multifunction display.
Safety and security