sensor MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class 2008 W221 Comand Manual

451 Controls in detail
Driving systems

Briefly pull the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow4 (
page 447).
The cruise control resumes to the last
set speed or if no speed is stored, it will
set and store the current speed.

Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The last set speed appears in the multi-
function display for approximately
5 seconds, and the corresponding
speedometer segments from the se-
lected speed to the vehicle maximum
speed are illuminated.
DISTRONIC Plus*
When activated, the DISTRONIC Plus adap-
tive cruise control system increases driv-
ing convenience afforded by the cruise
control during travel on expressways and
other major roadways.

If the DISTRONIC Plus distance sensor
detects a slower moving vehicle direct-
ly ahead, your vehicle speed will be re-
duced so that you follow that vehicle at
a preset distance.


If there is no vehicle directly ahead of
you, DISTRONIC Plus will function in
the same way as the cruise control
(page 446).
DISTRONIC Plus functions within a speed
range of 0 to 120 mph
(Canada: 0 to 200 km/h).When travelling in Canada in a vehicle not
registered in Canada, you must switch off
the radar sensor system. Canadian law
does not permit the use of the radar sensor
system for vehicles from outside of Cana-
da. When you switch off the radar sensor
system, the following functions are deacti-
vated:


BAS Plus* (
page 70)


PRE-SAFE
® Brake* (
page 77)


DISTRONIC Plus* (
page 451)


Park Assist* (
page 476)


Advanced Parking Guidance*
(page 481)


Blind Spot Assist* (
page 495)
i
The last stored set speed is deleted when
the engine is turned off.

453 Controls in detail
Driving systems
DISTRONIC Plus does not act upon adverse
sight distance conditions. Do not use
DISTRONIC Plus during conditions of fog
and heavy rain, snow or sleet.Warning!
G
DISTRONIC Plus cannot take weather condi-
tions into account. Switch off
DISTRONIC Plus or do not turn it on if:

roads are slippery or covered with snow
or ice. The wheels could lose traction
while braking or accelerating, and the
vehicle could skid.


the sensor is dirty or visibility is
diminished due to snow, rain or fog. The
distance control could be impaired.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even while DISTRONIC Plus is switched on.
Otherwise, you may not be able to recognize
dangerous situations until it is too late and
could cause an accident resulting in person-
al or fatal injury to you or others.
Warning!
G
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.Warning!
G
Close attention to road and traffic condi-
tions is imperative at all times, regardless of
whether or not DISTRONIC Plus is activated.
Use of DISTRONIC Plus can be dangerous
on winding roads as conditions do not allow
safe driving at a steady speed.
DISTRONIC Plus may not react to stationary
objects in the roadway (e.g. a stopped vehi-
cle in a traffic jam or a disabled vehicle).
DISTRONIC Plus will also not respond to on-
coming vehicles.
Switch off DISTRONIC Plus:

when changing from the left to the right
lane if vehicles are moving more slowly
in the left lane


when entering a turn lane or highway off
ramp


in complex driving situations, such as in
highway construction zones
In these situations, DISTRONIC Plus will
continue to maintain the set speed unless
deactivated.
DISTRONIC Plus is designed and intended
only to maintain a set speed and keep a set
distance from moving objects in front of it.
i
Do not use DISTRONIC Plus if you are driv-
ing on a road with steep uphill or downhill slopes.
i
Due to its radar-emitting nature DISTRONIC
Plus may have an appearance similar to a radar
detector to law enforcement officials. You may
want to refer to this section of your Operator’s
Manual when asked.

454 Controls in detailDriving systems
DISTRONIC Plus displays in multifunc-
tion display
1Speed of the vehicle ahead
2Set speed
3Distance warning lamp
If DISTRONIC Plus is activated, the
marker2 indicates the set speed.When DISTRONIC Plus detects a vehicle
driving ahead of you, the ring on the speed-
ometer dial lights up between the speed of
the vehicle ahead of you and set speed2.
If DISTRONIC Plus calculates that there is
a danger of collision:


The distance warning lampl in the
instrument cluster comes on.


An intermittent warning sounds.

Immediately brake the vehicle to avoid
a collision.
Under no circumstances should the
driver await the intermittent warning
sound before braking. See the follow-
ing warning note.
The intermittent warning sound ceases
and the distance warning lampl
goes out when the necessary distance
to the vehicle ahead is again
established.
i
USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC as a
“Vehicular Radar System”. The radar sensor is
intended for use in an automotive radar system
only. Removal, tampering, or altering of the de-
vice will void any warranties, and is not permitted
by the FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
i
Canada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference re-
ceived, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the device will
void any warranties, and is not permitted. Do not
tamper with, alter, or use in any non-approved
way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
i
The vehicle speed displayed on the speed-
ometer can briefly vary from the speed setting
on the DISTRONIC Plus system.

458 Controls in detailDriving systemsIn the following cases you cannot activate
DISTRONIC Plus:

up to 2 minutes after starting the en-
gine


if the engine is switched off


if you step on the brake pedal while
driving


the vehicle is secured with the elec-
tronic parking brake


if the gear selector lever is in park
positionP, reverse gearR, or neutral
positionN


if ESP
® is switched off


if the hood is open


if the driver’s door is open and the driv-
er has not fastened his or her seat belt


if the radar sensors are switched off
(page 307).Switching on while driving

Tap DISTRONIC Plus lever up1 or
down2 until desired speed is set.
DISTRONIC Plus is switched on.
or

Pull DISTRONIC Plus lever briefly in di-
rection of arrow4 to call up speed
last set (
page 463).
DISTRONIC Plus is switched on.

Take your foot off the accelerator ped-
al.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to the ve-
hicle ahead, observing the set speed as
a maximum value.
i
Under 20 mph (30 km/h), you can only
switch on DISTRONIC Plus if the vehicle ahead of
you has been detected and is shown on the mul-
tifunction display. If you no longer see the vehi-
cle in front of you on the multifunction display
and if it is no longer detected because it has
changed lanes, for example, DISTRONIC Plus
switches off and you will hear a signal.
i
If you do not completely lift your foot off the
accelerator pedal, the message“DISTRONIC
PLUS Override” appears on the multifunction
display. The distance to a slower-driving vehicle
will not be set. You will drive at the speed you
dictate by pressing the accelerator pedal.

464 Controls in detailDriving systems

you set the automatic transmission to
park positionP, reverse gearR, or neu-
tral positionN while driving


the radar sensors are switched off
(page 307)


the vehicle rolls backward
The segments in the multifunction display
go out, an acoustic signal sounds, and the
message “DISTRONIC PLUS Off” appears in
the multifunction display for approximately
5 seconds.
If the vehicle has been stopped by
DISTRONIC Plus and a malfunction occurs
in the system, the message “Brake Immedi-
ately” will appear on the multifunction dis-
play. Step on the brake immediately to
prevent the vehicle from rolling.
DISTRONIC Plus is then switched off and
the message disappears.Setting the following distance in
DISTRONIC Plus
You can set the specified following dis-
tance for DISTRONIC Plus by varying the
time setting between 1.0 and 2.0 seconds.
Using this time setting and the current set
speed of your vehicle, DISTRONIC Plus cal-
culates and sets the required following dis-
tance to the vehicle ahead. The set
distance will be shown in the multifunction
display.
Warning!
G
DISTRONIC Plus switches off and releases
the brakes when the vehicle decelerates be-
low the minimum speed of 20 mph
(30 km/h) by operation of the system un-
less DISTRONIC Plus detects a vehicle di-
rectly ahead of you. At that time the driver
must apply the brakes in order to reduce ve-
hicle speed further or bring it to a stop.!
Setting the automatic transmission toN
while driving cancels the DISTRONIC Plus. How-
ever, the automatic transmission should not be
set toN while driving except to coast when the
vehicle is in danger of skidding (e.g. on icy
roads).
i
Depressing the accelerator pedal does not
deactivate DISTRONIC Plus. After brief accelera-
tion (e.g. for passing), DISTRONIC Plus will re-
sume the last speed set.
Warning!
G
It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to
select the appropriate setting given road
conditions, traffic, driver’s preferred driving
style and applicable laws and driving recom-
mendations for safe following distance.

466 Controls in detailDriving systemsThe most likely cause for a malfunctioning
system is a dirty sensor (located behind
the hood grille), especially at times of snow
and ice or heavy rain. In such a case,
DISTRONIC Plus will switch off, and the
message:
“DISTRONIC PLUS
Currently Unavailable
See Oper. Manual”
appears in the multifunction display.
For cleaning and care of the
DISTRONIC Plus sensor, see “Cleaning the
DISTRONIC Plus*/ PRE-SAFE
® Brake*
system sensors (USA only)” (page 619).Another cause might be that the radar sen-
sors have been manually switched off in
the instrument cluster control system.
Please verify that the radar sensors are
switched on (
page 307).Turns and bends
In turns or bends, DISTRONIC Plus may not
detect a moving vehicle in front, or it may
detect one too soon. This may cause your
vehicle to brake late or unexpectedly.
Warning!
G
DISTRONIC Plus should not be used in
snowy or icy road conditions.
i
If the message:
“DISTRONIC PLUS
Currently Unavailable
See Oper. Manual”
disappears during driving and the last speed
stored flashes for approximately 5 seconds, the
dirt (e.g. slush) has dissolved; DISTRONIC Plus is
again available.

473 Controls in detail
Driving systems
The Parktronic system is an electronic
parking aid with ultrasonic sensors that
helps you while parking.
It visually and audibly indicates the relative
distance between the vehicle and an ob-
stacle.
The Parktronic system is automatically ac-
tivated when you switch on the ignition, re-
lease the electronic parking brake or start
the engine and engage drive positionD, re-
verse gearR or neutral positionN.The Parktronic system deactivates at
speeds over approximately 11 mph
(18 km/h). At lower speeds the Parktronic
system turns on again.
The Parktronic system also deactivates
when you set the automatic transmission
to park positionP or secure the vehicle in
place with the electronic parking brake
and switch off the engine.
The Parktronic system monitors the sur-
roundings of your vehicle with six sensors
in the front bumper and four sensors in the
rear bumper.
1Sensors in the front bumper (Only visi-
ble without DISTRONIC Plus*)Range of the sensors!
The operational function of the Parktronic
system can be affected by dirty sensors, espe-
cially at times of snow and ice.
Make sure that the area on the bumpers around
the sensors is free of dirt, ice and/or slush,
otherwise Parktronic may not function properly,
see “Cleaning the Parktronic* system sensors”
(
page 619).
i
Interference caused by other ultrasonic sig-
nals (e.g. working jackhammers, car wash, or the
air brakes of trucks) can cause the system to
send erratic indications, and should be taken
into consideration.
i
To function properly, the sensors must be
free of dirt, ice, snow and slush. Clean the sen-
sors regularly, being careful not to scratch or
damage the sensors, see “Cleaning the Park-
tronic* system sensors” (
page 619).

474 Controls in detailDriving systemsFront sensors
Rear sensorsMinimum distance
If the system detects an obstacle in this
range, all the distance warning segments
illuminate and you hear a warning signal. If
the obstacle is closer than the minimum
distance, the actual distance may no long-
er be indicated by the system.Warning indicators
Visual signals indicate to the driver the rel-
ative distance between the sensors and an
obstacle.
The warning indicator for the front area is
in the instrument cluster. The warning indi-
cator for the rear area is on the roof liner in
the rear.
1Left side of the vehicle
2Right side of the vehicle
3Indicator
Each warning indicator is divided into five
yellow and two red distance segments for
either side of the vehicle.
If yellow indicators 3 under the segments
are lit, Parktronic is ready to measure.Center
approx. 40 in (100 cm)
Corners
approx. 24 in (60 cm)
Center
approx. 48 in (120 cm)
Corners
approx. 32 in (80 cm)
!
During parking maneuvers, pay special at-
tention to objects located above or below the
height of the sensors (e.g. street curbs, painted
posts, or trailer hitches etc.). The Parktronic sys-
tem will not detect such objects at close range
and damage to your vehicle or the object may re-
sult.
Ultrasonic signals from outside sources (e.g.
truck air brakes, car wash, or jackhammers) may
impair the operation of the Parktronic system.
Center
approx. 8 in (20 cm)
Corners
approx. 6 in (15 cm)

476 Controls in detailDriving systems
Switching off the Parktronic sys-
tem: Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2 comes on.

Switching on the Parktronic system:
Press button 1 again.
Indicator lamp 2 goes out.
Parktronic system malfunction
If only the red distance segments illumi-
nate and an acoustic warning sounds,
there is a malfunction in the Parktronic
system. The Parktronic system will auto-
matically switch off after 20 seconds and
the indicator lamp in the Parktronic switch
comes on.

Have the Parktronic system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
If only the red distance segments illumi-
nate and no acoustic warning sounds, the
Parktronic system sensors are dirty or
there is an interference from other radio or
ultrasonic signals. The Parktronic system
will automatically switch off after 20 sec-
onds and the indicator lamp in the Park-
tronic switch comes on.

Switch off the ignition (
page 370).

Clean the Parktronic system sensors
(page 619).

Switch on the ignition.
or

Check the Parktronic system operation
at another location to rule out interfer-
ence from outside radio or ultrasonic
signals.
Park Assist*
i
The Parktronic system is automatically
switched on when the ignition is switched on
(
page 370).
Warning!
G
Park Assist is a supplemental system. It is
not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always remains with the driver.Warning!
G
Make sure no persons or animals are in the
area in which you are maneuvering. You
could otherwise injure them.!
Special attention must be paid to objects
with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes (e.g.
trailer couplings, painted posts, elevated cross-
bars or road curbs). Such objects may not be de-
tected by the system and can damage the
vehicle.

477 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Park Assist is an electronic parking aid
with radar sensors that helps you while
parking.When travelling in Canada in a vehicle not
registered in Canada, you must switch off
the radar sensor system. Canadian law
does not permit the use of the radar sensor
system for vehicles from outside of Cana-
da. When you switch off the radar sensor
system, the following functions are deacti-
vated:


BAS Plus* (
page 70)


PRE-SAFE
® Brake* (
page 77)


DISTRONIC Plus* (
page 451)


Park Assist* (
page 476)


Advanced Parking Guidance*
(page 481)


Blind Spot Assist* (
page 495)
It visually and audibly indicates the relative
distance between the vehicle and an ob-
stacle.
i
USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC as a
“Vehicular Radar System”. The radar sensor is
intended for use in an automotive radar system
only. Removal, tampering, or altering of the de-
vice will void any warranties, and is not permitted
by the FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
i
Canada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference re-
ceived, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Removal, tampering, or altering of the device will
void any warranties, and is not permitted. Do not
tamper with, alter, or use in any non-approved
way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
!
The operational function of the Park Assist
system can be affected by dirty sensors, espe-
cially at times of snow and ice.
Make sure that the area on the bumpers around
the sensors is free of dirt, ice and/or slush,
otherwise Park Assist may not function properly,
see “Cleaning the driving systems sensors”
(
page 620).
!
High-frequency sources such as toll sta-
tions, speed measuring systems, etc. can cause
the Park Assist system to malfunction. You can
switch off the Park Assist using the Park Assist
button (
page 480) or switch off the radar sen-
sors (
page 307) to prevent possible malfunc-
tion.