MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS 2023 Owners Manual

When connecting and disconnecting thebattery, always observe the sequence of
battery terminals described.During starting assistance, always take
care to connect only battery terminals of
identical polarity.During starting assistance, observe the sequence described for connecting and
disconnecting the jumper cables.Do not connect or disconnect the bat-
tery terminals with the engine running.&WARNING Risk of explosion due to a mix-
ture of explosive gases
A mixture of explosive gases can escape from
the battery during charging and jump starting.
Fire, open "Oames, smoking and creating
sparks must be avoided.Make sure that there is su"Pcient ventila-
tion.Do not stand over the battery.&WARNING Risk of explosion from a frozen
battery
A discharged battery may freeze at tempera-
tures slightly above or below freezing point.
During starting assistance or battery charging,
battery gas can be released.
Always allow a battery to thaw before
charging it or performing starting assis-
tance.
If the indicator/warning lamps on the instrument cluster do not light up at low temperatures, it is
very likely that the discharged battery has frozen.
In this case, you may neither jump-start the vehi-
cle nor charge the battery.
The service life of a battery that has been thawedmay be dramatically shortened. The starting char-
acteristics may be impaired, especially at low
temperatures.
It is recommended that you have a thawed battery checked at a quali"Ned specialist workshop.
Plug-in hybrid
If your vehicle has been started with starting
assistance, it may not be possible to use the elec- tric drive system for approximately 30 minutes.
Starting assistance is not considered to be a nor- mal operating condition.
All vehicles*NOTE Damage caused by numerous or
extended attempts to start the engine
Numerous or extended attempts to start the
engine may damage the catalytic converter
due to non-combusted fuel.
Avoid numerous and extended attempts
to start the engine.
Observe the following points during starting assis-
tance and when charging the battery:
= Use only undamaged jumper cable / charging
cables with a su"Pcient cross-section and
insulated terminal clamps.
= Non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps
must not come into contact with other metal
Breakdown assistance429

parts while the jumper cable / charging cable
is connected to the battery/jump-start con-
nection point.
= The jumper cable / charging cable must not
come into contact with any parts that may move when the engine is running.
= Always make sure that neither you nor the bat-
tery is electrostatically charged.
= Keep away from "Nre and naked "Oames.
= Do not lean over the battery.
Observe the additional following points when
charging the battery:
= Use only battery chargers tested and
approved for Mercedes-Benz.
= Read the battery charger\bs operating instruc-
tions before charging the battery.
Observe the additional following points during
starting assistance:
= Starting assistance may be provided only
using vehicles, batteries or other jump start
devices with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
= The vehicles must not touch.=Vehicles with gasoline engines: jump-start the
vehicle only when the engine and exhaust sys- tem are cold.
Starting assistance and charging the 12 V battery
Preparing for starting assistance / the charging
process
Secure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.Shi"s the transmission to position ].Switch o"M the vehicle and all electrical con-
sumers.Open the hood.Open cover 1.Slide protective cover 2 of POSITIVE contact
3 on the jump-start connection point in the
direction of the arrow.430Breakdown assistance

Starting assistanceConnect the POSITIVE contacts of the vehi-cles with the jumper cable. Start with your own vehicle "Nrst.Start the engine of the donor vehicle and run
it at idle speed.Connect the negative terminal of the second
battery to ground point of your vehicle 4using the jumper cable. Start with the donor
vehicle "Nrst.Start the engine of your own vehicle.Let the engines run for several minutes.Before disconnecting the jumper cables,
switch on an electrical consumer in your own
vehicle, e.g. the rear window defroster or the lighting.
When starting assistance has "Nnished:
First, remove the jumper cable from the
ground point of your own vehicle and the neg-
ative terminal of the second battery, then remove the jumper cable from the POSITIVE
contacts of both vehicles. Always start with
your own vehicle "Nrst.Close protective cover 2 of POSITIVE con-
tact 3 and close cover 1.
Plug-in hybrid: if your vehicle has been started
with starting assistance, it may not be possible to use the electric drive system for approximately 30minutes.
Further information can be obtained at a quali"Ned
specialist workshop.
Charging the 12 V batteryConnect the POSITIVE contacts of the vehicle and the charger with the charging cable. Start
with the vehicle "Nrst.Connect the NEGATIVE contact of the charger
and ground point 4 on the vehicle with the
charging cable. Start with the charger "Nrst.Start the charging process.
When the charging process is complete:
Remove the charging cable from ground point
4 on the vehicle and the NEGATIVE contact
of the charger "Nrst and then from the POSI-
TIVE contacts on the vehicle and charger.
Always start with the vehicle "Nrst.Close protective cover 2 of POSITIVE con-
tact 3 and close cover 1.Breakdown assistance431

Replacing the 12 V batteryObserve the notes on the 12 V battery(  page 425).
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you have the
12 V battery replaced at a quali"Ned specialist
workshop, e.g. at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Observe the following notes if you want to replace
the battery yourself:
= Always replace a faulty battery with a battery
that meets the speci"Nc vehicle requirements.
The vehicle is equipped with a battery using AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) technology or a
lithium-ion battery. Full vehicle functionality is
guaranteed only with an AGM battery or lith- ium-ion battery. For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use only batteries
that have been tested and approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
= Carry over detachable parts, such as vent
hoses, elbow "Ntting or terminal covers from
the battery being replaced.
= Make sure that the vent hose is always con-
nected to the original opening on the side of
the battery.
Install any existing or supplied cell caps.
Otherwise, gases or battery acid could
escape.
= Make sure that detachable parts are recon-
nected in the same way.
Tow starting or towing away
Permitted towing methods (not plug-in hybrid)
*NOTE Damage from automatic braking
If one of the following functions is activated,
the vehicle will brake automatically in certain
situations:
= Active Brake Assist
= Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
= HOLD function
= Active Parking Assist
To avoid damage to the vehicle, deactivate
these systems in the following or similar situa-
tions:During towing.In a car wash.
Mercedes-Benz recommends transporting your vehicle in the case of a breakdown, rather than towing it away.
For towing with both axles on the ground, use a tow rope or tow rod. Do not use tow bar systems(  page 320).
*NOTE Damage to the vehicle due to tow-
ing away incorrectlyObserve the instructions and notes on
towing away.
Towing with a raised axle: towing should be per-
formed by a towing company.
432Breakdown assistance

Vehicles with rear wheel drivePermitted towing methodsBoth axles on
the groundYes, for a maximum of
31 miles (50 km) at 31 mph
(50 km/h)Front axle
raisedNoRear axle
raisedYes, if the steering wheel is
"Nxed in the center position
with a steering wheel lock
4MATIC vehicles
Permitted towing methodsBoth axles on
the groundYes, for a maximum of
31 miles (50 km) at 31 mph
(50 km/h)Front axle
raisedNoRear axle
raisedNoPermitted towing methods (plug-in hybrid)\bThe following information does not apply to
Mercedes-AMG E Performance vehicles.*NOTE Mercedes-AMG vehiclesObserve the notes in the Supplement.
You could otherwise fail to recognize
dangers.
Mercedes-Benz recommends transporting your vehicle in the case of a breakdown, rather than towing it away.
For towing with both axles on the ground, use a tow rope or tow rod. Do not use tow bar systems.
*NOTE Damage to the vehicle due to tow-
ing away incorrectlyObserve the instructions and notes on
towing away.
Observe the information on towing and transport-
ing the vehicle in the vehicle Operator\bs Manual.
In the following situations, only transporting the vehicle is permitted:
= the driver\bs display is not working
= the

Vehicles with rear wheel drivePermitted towing methodsBoth axles on the
groundYes, for a maximum of
31 miles (50 km) at
31 mph (50 km/h),
only forwards with the
driver in the vehicleFront axle raisedNoRear axle raisedYes, if the steering
wheel is "Nxed in the
center position with a
steering wheel lock4MATIC vehiclesPermitted towing methodsBoth axles on the
groundYes, for a maximum of
31 miles (50 km) at
31 mph (50 km/h),
only forwards with the
driver in the vehicleFront axle raisedNoRear axle raisedNo
Towing the vehicle with both axles on the ground
Observe the notes on the permitted towing methods.Make sure that the battery is connected and
charged.
When the battery is discharged, the following actions cannot be performed:
= the vehicle cannot be started.
= the electric parking brake cannot be released
or applied
= The transmission cannot be shi"sed to position
\\ or ]\bIf the transmission cannot be shi"sed to posi-
tion \\ or the driver\bs display in the instru-
ment cluster does not show anything, have
the vehicle transported (  page 436). A tow-
ing vehicle with li"sing equipment is required
for vehicle transportation.*NOTE Damage due to towing away at
excessively high speeds or over long dis-
tances
The drivetrain could be damaged when towing
at excessively high speeds or over long distan-
ces.
A towing speed of 30 mph (50 km/h)
must not be exceeded.A towing distance of 30 miles (50 km)
must not be exceeded.434Breakdown assistance

&WARNING Risk of accident when towing a
vehicle which is too heavy
If the vehicle to be tow-started or towed away
is heavier than the permissible gross mass of
your vehicle, the following situations can
occur:
= The towing eye may become detached.
= The vehicle/trailer combination may
swerve or rollover.
Before tow-starting or towing away,
check if the vehicle to be tow-started or
towed away exceeds the permissible
gross mass.
If a vehicle must be tow-started or towed away, its
weight must not exceed the permissible gross
mass of the towing vehicle.
Information on the permissible gross mass of
the vehicle can be found on the vehicle identi-
"Ncation plate ( page 476).Do not open the driver\bs door or front
passenger door; the transmission will other-
wise automatically shi"s to ].Install the towing eye (  page 438).Fasten the towing device.*NOTE Damage due to incorrect connec-
tion of the tow barOnly connect the tow rope or tow bar to
the towing eyes.Deactivate the automatic locking mechanism .Do not activate the HOLD function.Deactivate tow-away alarm (  page 112).Deactivate Active Brake Assist (  page 278).Shi"s the transmission to position \\.Release the electric parking brake.&WARNING Risk of accident due to limited
safety-related functions during the towing
process
Safety-related functions are limited or no lon-
ger available in the following situations:
= The vehicle is switched o"M.
=
The brake system or power steering sys-
tem is malfunctioning.
= The energy supply or the on-board electri-
cal system is malfunctioning.
When your vehicle is towed away, signi"Ncantly
more e"Mort may be required to steer and
brake than is normally required.Use a tow bar.Make sure that the steering wheel can
move freely before towing the vehicle
away.*NOTE Damage due to excessive tractive
power
If you pull away sharply, the tractive power
may be too high and the vehicles could be
damaged.
Pull away slowly and smoothly.Breakdown assistance435

Loading the vehicle for transport
Requirements
= The vehicle is stationary.
= The vehicle is switched o"M.
= The driver\bs display is in the initial state with
no menus open (  page 321). Transport is
also possible with a warning message visible.
= The 12 V battery is charged.
Plug-in hybrid: transportation of vehicles should
only be carried out by professional recovery com-
panies.
Select vehicle transport .\bThe noise certi"Ncation mode is intended
exclusively for the technical test organization.
It restricts the drive power of the vehicle and
must not be used in customer operation.If necessary, set the system language
(  page 363).Observe the notes on towing away
(  page 434).Connect the towing device to the towing eye
in order to load the vehicle.Switch on the power supply (  page 202).Shi"s the transmission to position \\.\bThe transmission may be locked in position
] in the event of damage to the electrics. To
shi"s to \\, provide the on-board electrical
system with power (  page 430).*NOTE Possible damage to the vehicle
when loading or unloading
When loading or unloading, the vehicle must
be raised to transport level.
If the transport settings are not shown or the
Vehicle Not Ready for Loading message is
displayed, the vehicle may not be loaded or
unloaded.
If required, raise the vehicle to transport
level again.A vehicle that cannot be raised to trans-
port level may not be loaded or unloaded using a ramp. Consult a quali"Ned special-
ist workshop.&WARNING Risk of accident due to activa-
ted transport level
If the vehicle is raised to transport level, driv-
ing and driving safety systems have only limi-
ted availability and the view from the vehicle is restricted.
Driving safety is severely restricted and there
is a risk of an accident!
Do not use transport level in normal road
operation.Only activate and use transport level to
load the vehicle and when not on public
roads.436Breakdown assistance

Ensure that no persons or obstacles are
located in the area surrounding the vehi-
cle.
Raising the vehicle to transport level
Press the G button for at least "Nve sec-
onds.Immediately press and hold the v button
for at least one second.
The For Transport Level Switch On Vehicle
message is displayed.Switch on the vehicle(  page 203).
The transport settings are displayed.Swipe downward to select Transport Level
and press v.
The vehicle is raised and the Vehicle raising...
Do not drive onto ramp yet message is dis-
played for 5 seconds. The raising process can
last up to 60 seconds and can be canceled
with the G button.When raising, do not switch o"M the vehicle.
While the vehicle is being raised, you can maneu-
ver at a maximum speed of 25 mph (40 km/h).
Before loading the vehicle, wait until the trans-
port level has been reached and the Trans-
port Level status is shown.\bIf the vehicle is raised to transport level, the
transport settings will continue to be shown
even a"ser a restart. Operation of the driver\bs
display is restricted.
When the vehicle is at transport level, it is lowered
again in the following situations:
= When driving faster than 25 mph (40 km/h).
= The 12 V battery is discharged.
The vehicle is adjusted to the height of the last active level.
Transporting the vehicleLoad the vehicle onto the transporter.Shi"s the transmission to position ].Use the electric parking brake to secure the
vehicle against rolling away.Switch o"M the vehicle and the power supply.Only secure the vehicle by the wheels.
4MATIC vehicles
Make sure that the front and rear axles come
to rest on the same transportation vehicle.Breakdown assistance437

*NOTE Damage to the drive train due to
incorrect positioning of the vehicleDo not position the vehicle above the
connection point of the transport vehi- cle.
Unloading the vehicle
Make sure that the vehicle is raised to trans-port level before unloading.
Lowering the vehicle a"ser unloading
Switch on the power supply.Start the vehicle.In Transport Settings, swipe up to select the
Standard Level and press v.
The vehicle is adjusted to the height of the last active level and the Lowering Vehicle