steering wheel MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class 2008 W221 Comand Manual

Contents
Off-road and off-map .................... 241
Navigation announcements .......... 243
COMAND navigation system
(during route guidance)...................... 244
Cancel route guidance ................. 244
Continuing cancelled
route guidance ............................. 244
Route browser .............................. 244
Displaying info .............................. 245
Displaying route information ........ 246
Detour function ............................ 246
COMAND navigation system
(real-time traffic) ................................ 248
Real-time traffic notifications
in the map .................................... 248
Displaying real-time
traffic reports ............................... 249
Example message ........................ 250
COMAND navigation system
(destination memory) ......................... 251
Saving a destination in
the destination memory ............... 251
Deleting a destination
from the destination memory ....... 253
Own address ................................ 254COMAND navigation system
(last destinations) .............................. 258
Saving a destination permanently
in the destination memory ........... 258
Saving the vehicle position in
the list of last destinations ........... 258
Saving the crosshair position in
the list of last destinations ........... 258
Deleting one of
the last destinations..................... 258
COMAND system settings ................. 259
System settings menu overview ... 259
Display settings............................ 259
Time settings................................ 259
Voice Control settings .................. 261
Setting the system language ........ 262
Assigning the favorite button ....... 263
Reset............................................ 263
COMAND vehicle menu ..................... 264
Setting night security illumination 264
Locator lighting on/off ................. 265
Exterior mirror
convenience settings ................... 266
Automatic locking on/off ............. 267
Activating easy-entry/exit feature 268
Setting interior ambient lighting... 269Setting interior lighting
delayed switch-off ........................ 270
Extending or retracting rear
window sunshade ........................ 271
Trunk opening-height
restriction* on/off ....................... 272
COMAND automatic climate control . 273
Setting temperature ..................... 274
Adjusting air distribution .............. 275
Adjusting air volume .................... 275
Central climate control menu via
COMAND ..................................... 276
Operating rear climate control*
from the front .............................. 279
COMAND seats ................................. 282
Operating seats via COMAND ...... 282
Lumbar support ........................... 283
Multicontour seats*, front ........... 283
Drive-dynamic multicontour
seats*, front................................. 285
Instrument cluster control system..... 287
Multifunction display.................... 287
Multifunction steering wheel........ 288
Menus .......................................... 289
Trip menu ..................................... 291
Navi menu .................................... 292

Contents
Multicontour seats*, rear ............. 383
Easy-entry/exit feature ................ 384
Steering wheel ................................... 386
Steering wheel adjustment........... 386
Heated steering wheel* ............... 387
Mirrors ............................................... 388
Interior rear view mirror ............... 388
Exterior rear view mirrors ............. 388
Power folding exterior rear
view mirrors ................................. 389
Auto-dimming rear view mirrors ... 390
Activating exterior rear
view mirror parking position ......... 391
Memory function................................ 392
Storing positions into memory ..... 393
Recalling positions from memory . 393
Storing exterior rear view
mirror parking position ................. 394
Fastening the seat belts..................... 395
Proper use of seat belts ............... 397
Seat belt height adjustment
automatically ................................ 397
Seat belt height adjustment
manually ....................................... 398
Lighting .............................................. 399
Exterior lamp switch ..................... 399High beam .................................... 403
Headlamp cleaning system .......... 403
Corner-illuminating lamps ............ 404
Hazard warning flasher ................ 405
Interior lighting............................. 406
Door entry lamps ......................... 407
Trunk lamp ................................... 407
Windshield wipers .............................. 408
Switching on/off
windshield wipers......................... 408
Intermittent wiping....................... 409
Single wipe................................... 409
Wiping with windshield
washer fluid.................................. 409
Power windows .................................. 410
Opening and closing
power windows ............................ 410
Rear side window sunshades* ..... 412
Summer opening feature.............. 412
Convenience closing feature ........ 413
Driving and parking............................ 416
Starting the engine....................... 416
Driving off .................................... 419
Turn signals .................................. 420
Problems while driving ................. 420
Parking ......................................... 421Turning off the engine .................. 424
Releasing seat belts ..................... 425
Automatic transmission ..................... 426
Gear selector lever....................... 426
Shifting procedure ....................... 429
Transmission positions ................ 430
Driving tips................................... 433
Gear ranges ................................. 435
Automatic shift program .............. 436
Steering wheel gearshift control .. 438
Manual shift program
(S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG only) ... 440
Emergency operation
(Limp-Home Mode) ...................... 443
Instrument cluster ............................. 444
Adjusting instrument cluster
display illumination ...................... 444
Coolant temperature gauge ......... 444
Tachometer .................................. 445
Outside temperature indicator ..... 445
Fuel gauge ................................... 445
Driving systems ................................. 446
Cruise control .............................. 446
DISTRONIC Plus* ......................... 451
Airmatic ....................................... 468
Active Body Control (ABC)* ......... 470

27 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Combination switch

High beam


Corner-illuminating lamps


Windshield wipers


Turn signals
403
404
408
420
2
Lever for

Cruise control


DISTRONIC Plus*
447
451
3
Horn
4
Multifunction steering wheel
288
5
Instrument cluster
28
6
Steering wheel gearshift con-
trol
438
7
Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission
416
Item
Page
8
Control panel with

Front passenger front
air bag indicator lamp


Vehicle level control
switch


Electronic Stability Pro-
gram (ESP
®) switch


Parktronic*/Park Assist*
deactivation switch


Swivel COMAND display


COMAND/instrument
cluster display
illumination
51
469,
471
74
475,
480
89
444
9
COMAND display
87
a
Overhead control panel
33
b
Automatic climate control
Center console, upper part
501
32
Item
Page
c
Glove box lock
526
d
Cover of compartment with

CD/DVD changer


PCMCIA card slot
120
121
e
Center console, lower part
30
f
Starter switch
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button
370
371
g
Steering wheel adjustment
Heated steering wheel*
386
387
h
Electronic parking brake
422
j
Door control panel
34
k
Hood lock release
573
l
Night View Assist*
491
m
Exterior lamp switch
399

34 At a glanceDriver’s door control panel
Item
Page
1
Inside door handle
367
2
Central unlocking switch
367
3
Central locking switch
367
4
Memory function (for storing
seat, exterior mirror, and
steering wheel settings)
392
5
Selector button for front
passenger seat
376
6
Seat heating
Seat ventilation*
377
378
7
Seat adjustment
373
Item
Page
8
Exterior rear view mirror
adjustment
Mirror folding function
388
389
9
Switches for opening/ closing
door windows
Switches for opening/ closing
rear door window sunshades*
410
412
a
Remote trunk opening/clos-
ing* switch
511
b
Override switch for rear pas-
senger compartment
64

42 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyAir bagsWarning!
G
Air bags are designed to reduce the poten-
tial of injury and fatality in certain frontal im-
pacts (front air bags), side impacts (side
impact air bags and window curtain air bags)
or rollovers (window curtain air bags). How-
ever, no system available today can com-
pletely eliminate injuries and fatalities.
The deployment of the air bags temporarily
releases a small amount of dust from the air
bags. This dust, however, is neither injurious
to your health, nor does it indicate a fire in
the vehicle. The dust might cause some tem-
porary breathing difficulty for people with
asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid
this, you may wish to get out of the vehicle
as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have any
breathing difficulty but cannot get out of the
vehicle after the air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.
Warning!
G
To reduce the risk of injury when the front
air bags inflate, it is very important for the
driver and front passenger to always be in a
properly seated position and to wear their
respective seat belt.
For maximum protection in the event of a
collision always be in normal seated position
with your back against the backrest. Fasten
your seat belt and make sure that it is prop-
erly positioned on your body (
page 395).
Since the air bag inflates with considerable
speed and force, a proper seating and hands
on steering wheel position will help to keep
you at a safe distance from the air bag.
Occupants who are unbelted, out of position
or too close to the air bag can be seriously
injured or killed by an air bag as it inflates
with great force in the blink of an eye:


Sit properly belted in a position that is
as upright as possible with your back
against the seat backrest.


Adjust the driver’s seat as far as possi-
ble rearward, still permitting proper op-
eration of vehicle controls. The distance
from the center of the driver’s breast-
bone to the center of the air bag cover
on the steering wheel must be at least
10 inches (25 cm) or more. You should
be able to accomplish this by a combina-
tion of adjustments to the seat and
steering wheel. If you have any prob-
lems, please contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.


Do not lean your head or chest close to
the steering wheel or dashboard.


Keep hands on the outside of steering
wheel rim. Placing hands and arms in-
side the rim can increase the risk and
potential severity of hand/arm injury
when driver’s front air bag inflates.


Adjust the front passenger seat as far as
possible rearward from the dashboard
when the seat is occupied.

45 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
When you sell your vehicle we strongly
urge you to give notice to the subsequent
owner that it is equipped with an SRS by
alerting them to the applicable section in
the Operator’s Manual.


Do not hang items such as coat hangers
from the coat hooks or handles over the
door. These items may turn into projec-
tiles and cause head and other injuries
when the window curtain air bag is
deployed.


Air bag system components will be hot
after an air bag has inflated. Do not
touch.


Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard, or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.


In addition, improper repair work on the
SRS creates a risk of rendering the SRS
inoperative or causing unintended air
bag deployment. Work on the SRS must
therefore only be performed by qualified
technicians. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.


No modifications of any kind may be
made to any components or wiring of
the SRS. This includes changing or re-
moving any component or part of the
SRS, the installation of additional trim
material, badges, etc. over the steering
wheel hub, front passenger front air bag
cover, outboard sides of the seat back-
rests, door trim panels, or door frame
trims, and installation of additional
electrical/electronic equipment on or
near SRS components and wiring. Keep
area between air bags and occupants
free from objects (e.g. packages, purs-
es, umbrellas, etc.).


For your protection and the protection
of others, when scrapping the air bag
unit or emergency tensioning device,
our safety instructions must be fol-
lowed. These instructions are available
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.


Given the considerable deployment
speed, required inflation volume, and
the textile structure of the air bags,
there is the possibility of abrasions or
other, potentially more serious injuries
resulting from air bag deployment.
Warning!
G
Only use seat covers which have been
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle model. Using other seat covers
may interfere with or prevent the
deployment of the front side impact air bags
or the rear side impact air bags. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for avail-
ability.

68 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsBraking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal, indicating that the ABS is in
the regulating mode. 
Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal while experiencing the pul-
sation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving.
Emergency brake maneuver

Keep continuous full pressure on the
brake pedal.For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 628).
Adaptive Brake
Adaptive Brake provides a high level of
braking safety as well as increased braking
comfort. It is coupled with ABS, ESP
® and
BAS. Adaptive Brake takes driver and vehi-
cle characteristics into consideration, thus
achieving an optimal braking effect.
Warning!
G
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the BAS,
BAS Plus* and ESP
® are also switched off.
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the wheels
may lock during hard braking, reducing
steering capability and extending the brak-
ing distance.
Warning!
G
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency
beyond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction
afforded. The ABS cannot prevent acci-
dents, including those resulting from exces-
sive speed in turns, following another
vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.
Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents.
The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reckless or dan-
gerous manner which could jeopardize the
user’s safety or the safety of others.

72 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsEBP
The Electronic Brake Proportioning (EBP)
enhances braking effectiveness by allow-
ing the rear brakes to supply a greater pro-
portion of the braking effort in straight line
braking without a loss of vehicle stability.
ESP
®
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®) is
operational as soon as the engine is run-
ning 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 spin-
ning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By ap-
plying brakes to the appropriate wheel 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 instru-
ment cluster flashes when the ESP
® is en-
gaged.
The ESP
® warning lamp v in the instru-
ment cluster comes on when you switch on
the ignition (
page 370). It goes out when
the engine is running.
Warning!
G
When the EBP is malfunctioning, the ABS,
BAS, BAS Plus* and ESP
® are also switched
off.
If the EBP is malfunctioning, the brake sys-
tem will still function with full brake boost.
However, the rear wheels could lock up dur-
ing emergency braking situations, for exam-
ple. You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident. Adapt your driving style
to the changed driving characteristics.
Warning!
G
Never switch off the ESP
® when you see the
ESP
® warning lamp v flashing in the in-
strument cluster. In this case proceed as fol-
lows:


While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.


While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.


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 result-
ing from excessive speed.

89 Control systems
COMAND introduction
Instrument cluster multifunction
display
This section describes features and con-
trols via the COMAND controller, display
and shortcut buttons only.
Please refer to the “Instrument cluster
control system” section of this manual
(page 287) for function descriptions and
operation of the instrument cluster multi-
function display and multifunction steering
wheel buttons as they relate to COMAND
features described in this section.Adjusting COMAND display
illumination
1Knob

Brightening illumination: Turn
knob1 clockwise.

Dimming illumination: Turn knob1
counterclockwise.Swiveling COMAND display
1Button for swiveling display to the left
2Button for swiveling display to the right
You can swivel the COMAND display to the
left or right. The buttons are on the
right-hand side of the instrument cluster.
i
The layout of the menus may vary depending
on your vehicle’s equipment. This manual shows
the menus for a fully equipped vehicle.

99 Control systems
COMAND introduction
Volume of navigation announcements
You can adjust the volume of the naviga-
tion announcements independently from
the volume of the respective audio source.
During a navigation announcement:
turn thumbwheel,.
or

pressæ or ç on the multifunc-
tion steering wheel.
Adjusting volume for telephone calls
In hands-free mode, you can adjust the vol-
ume of a telephone call while the call is
currently active.
During a telephone call:

turn thumbwheel,.
or

pressæ or ç on the multifunc-
tion steering wheel.Selecting sound settings
You can select different sound settings for
each individual audio source. The respec-
tive sound menu can be found via the sub-
menu for which you wish to make settings.
Example:
“Audio”
“Audio”
“FM/AM Radio”

“Sound” Adjusting treble or bass

Select “Sound”
“Treble” or “Bass”.
The setting last selected is indicated by
an outlined bar.
Adjusting treble and bass1Setting last selected
2Current setting
Changing setting: Slide rmq or
rotateymz until desired treble or bass
setting is reached.

Exiting menu: Press n, L or
slideomp.
The setting is saved.