MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS SEDAN 2018 Owner's Manual
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Active Di stance Assist DI STRONICstatus dis‐
play and route-based speed adjustment
1Ac tive Dis tance Assist DISTRONIC selected,
set speci fied dis tance
2Ac tive Dis tance Assist DISTRONIC deacti va‐
te d, speed stored
3Ac tive Dis tance Assist DISTRONIC acti ve,
speed stored, no vehicle de tected (gr ayvehi‐
cle symbol)
4Ac tive Dis tance Assist DISTRONIC acti ve,
speed stored, vehicle de tected (green vehi‐
cle symbol)
5Ac tive Dis tance Assist DISTRONIC and route-
based speed adjustment active, speed
st ored
% On free ways or high-speed major roads, the
green çvehicle symbol is displa yed cycli‐
cally when theve hicle is ready topull away.
Speedome ter
The stored speed is highlighted on the speedom‐
et er. If the speed of theve hicle ahead or the
speed adjustment is less than thestored speed
due tothero ute event ahead, the segments in
th e speedome ter light up. Activation or deacti va‐
tion of Active Dis tance Assist DISTRONIC as well
as alterations in the sa ved speed and the dis‐
ta nce tobe maintained, are displa yed in the indi‐
vidual control feedback of the multifunction dis‐
pla y. Ac
tive Steering Assist status display
1Gr ay steering wheel: Active Steering Assist
switched on and passive
2Green steering wheel: Active Steering Assist
switched on and active
3Ye llow steering wheel flashing: transition
from active topassive status (sy stem limita‐
tion de tected or prom pttothe driver to
actively con firm )
During the transition from the active topassive
st atus, theè symbol is shown as enlar ged
and flashes yello w. Once the sy stem is passive
th eè symbol is shown as gr ayinthe multi‐
function displa y.
Driving and parking 209
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Information on HillStart Assist
Hill Start Assist holds theve hicle for a short
time when pulling away on a hill under thefo l‐
lowing conditions:
RThe transmission is in position hork.
RThe elect ric park ing brake is released.
This gives you enough time tomo veyour foot
from the brake pedal tothe accelera tor pedal
and depress it before theve hicle begins toroll.
&
WARNING Risk of accident and injury
caused bytheve hicle rolling away
Af ter a short time, Hill Start Assist no longe r
holds theve hicle and it can rollaw ay.
#Therefore, swiftly mo veyour foot from
th e brake pedal tothe accelerator
pedal. Ne ver attem pttolea vetheve hi‐
cle if it is being held byHill Start Assist.
HOLD function
HOLD function
The HOLD function holds theve hicle at a stand‐
st ill without requ iring youto depress the brake
pedal, e.g. when pulling away on steep slopes.
Sy stem limitations
RThe incline must not be greaterth an 30%.
Ac tivating/deactivating the HOLD function
&
WARNING Risk of an accident due tothe
HOLD function being activated when you
lea vetheve hicle
If yo u lea vetheve hicle while only the HOLD
function is braking theve hicle, theve hicle
can rollaw ay inthefo llowing situations:
RIf th ere is a malfunction in the sy stem or
in the po wer supply.
RIfth e HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelera tor pedal or the
brake pedal, e.g. byave hicle occupant.
RIfth e electrics in the engine compart‐
ment, the battery or the fuses are tam‐
pered with or if the battery is disconnec‐
te d.
#Alw ays deactivate the HOLD function
and secure theve hicle against rolling
aw ay before leaving theve hicle.
* NO
TEDama gefrom au tomatic braking
When Active Brake Assi st,Ac tive Dis tance
Assist DISTRONIC or the HOLD function are
activated, theve hicle brakes autonomously
in cer tain situations.
To avo id damage totheve hicle, deactivate
th ese sy stems in thefo llowing or similar sit‐
uations:
#During towing
#In a car wash
Requirements:RThe vehicle is stationar y.
RThe driver's door is closed or the seat belt on
th e driver's side is fastened.
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Driving and pa rking
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RThe engine isrunning or has been au tomati‐
cally switched off bythe ECO start/ stop
function.
RThe electric parking brake is released.
RAc tive Dis tance Assist DISTRONIC is deacti‐
va ted.
RThe transmission is in position h,kori.
Ac tivating the HOLD function
#Dep ress the brake pedal and af ter a short
time quickly depress fur ther until theë
display appears in the multifunction displa y.
#Release the brake pedal.
Deactivating the HOLD function
#Depress the accelerator pedal topull away.
or
#Depress the brake pedal until theë dis‐
play disappears from the multifunction dis‐
pla y. The HOLD function is deactivated in
thefo llow‐
ing situations:
RAc tive Dis tance Assist DISTRONIC is acti va‐
te d.
RThe transmission is switched toposition j.
RThevehicle is secured with the electric park‐
ing brake.
In thefo llowing situations, theve hicle is held by
th e transmission position jorby the electric
parking brake:
RThe seat belt is unfas tened and the driver's
door is opened.
RThe engine is switched off.
RThere is a malfunction in the sy stem or the
po we r supply is insuf ficient.
AIR BODY CONT ROL
AIR BODY CONT ROL function
AIR BODY CONTROL is an air suspension sy stem
with variable damping for impr oved driving com‐ fo
rt. The all-round le vel control sy stem ensures
th e best possible suspension and const ant
ground clearance, even wi tha laden vehicle.
When driving at speed, theve hicle is lo wered
automatically toimpr ovedriving saf etyand to
re duce fuel consum ption. The option of manually
adjusting theve hicle le vel is also available.
AIR BODY CONTROL comprises:
RAir suspension with automatic all-round le vel
control
RSpeed-dependent lo wering toreduce fuel
consum ption
RManual le vel adjustment
RADS PLUS (Adaptive Damping Sy stem with
const ant damping forc e adjustment)
RDY NA MIC SELECT switch and le vel button
Driving and parking 21
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Available suspension settings
Drive prog ramC haracteristics
S
(Sport)
RThe suspension tuning is firm er.
RThe vehicle is lo weredby 0.4 in (10 mm) compared tothe normal le vel.
RWhen driving at speeds abo ve75 mph (120 km/h), theve hicle is lo weredby a fur ther 0.4 in (10 mm).
RThe vehicle is not lo wered any fur ther if you are tr aveling at higher speeds.
RWhen driving at speeds below 50 mph (80 km/h), theve hicle is raised again.
C
(Comfort)
E
(Econo my)
RThe suspension tuning is comfor table.
RThe vehicle is set tothe normal le vel.
RWhen driving at speeds abo ve77 mph(125 km/h), theve hicle is lo weredby 0.4 in (10 mm) compared tothe
normal le vel.
RWhen driving at speeds below 50 mph (80 km/h), theve hicle is raised again.
RWhen driving at speeds abo ve100mp h (160 km/h), theve hicle is lo weredby a fur ther 0.4 in (10 mm).
RWhen driving at speeds between 75mph (120 km/h) and 100mp h(1 60 km/h), theve hicle is raised again by
0.4 in (10 mm).
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Driving and pa rking
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Settingtheve hicle le vel
&
WARNING Risk of accident because
ve hicle le vel is too high
If yo udriv e at a higher vehicle le vel,th e driv‐
ing characteristics may be impaired due to
th e higher vehicle center of gr avity.
The vehicle may tip over more quickly on a
bend, forex ample.
#Alw ays select as low a vehicle le vel as
possible and adapt your drivin gst yle
accordingl y.
&
WARNING Risk of entrapment from vehi‐
cle lo wering
When lo wering theve hicle, people could
become trapped if their limbs are between
th eve hicle body and the tires or underneath
th eve hicle.
#Make sure no one is underneath the
ve hicle or in the immediate vicinity of
th e wheel ar ches when youlowe rth e
ve hicle.
&
WARNING Risk of entrapment from vehi‐
cle lo wering
Ve hicles with AIR BODY CONT ROL or
le ve l control sy stem: When you unload lug‐
ga ge or lea vetheve hicle, theve hicle firs t
ri ses slightly and then returns tothe set le vel
shortly af terw ards.
Yo u or an yone else in the vicinity of the
wheel ar ches or the underbody could thus
become trapped.
The vehicle can also be lo wered af ter being
loc ked.
#When leaving theve hicle, make sure
th at nobody is in the vicinity of the
wheel ar ches or the underbody.
Re quirements:RThe vehicle has been star ted.
RThe vehicle must not be moving fasterthan
50 mph(8 0 km/h). Ra
ising theve hicle
#Press button 1.
Indicato r lamp2lights up.
The vehicle is raised by1 in (25 mm) com‐
pared tothe normal le vel.
Yo ur selection issave d.
Driving and parking 21
3
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Thevehicle is lo wered again in thefo llowing sit‐
uations:
RWhen driving fasterthan 75 mph
(120 km/h).
RWhen driving between 50 mph (80 km/h)
and 75mph(120 km/h) for app roxima tely
th re e minutes.
RAf ter selecting a drive program using the
DY NA MIC SELECT switch.
The vehicle is adjus tedto the height of the last
active drive prog ram.
Lo weri ngtheve hicle
#Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2goes out. The vehicle is
adjus tedto the height of the last active drive
program.
MAGIC BODY CONT ROL
MAGIC BODY CONT ROL function
MAGIC BODY CONTROL is an electrohydraulic
suspension with variable damping for impr oved
driving comfort. The all-round le vel control sys‐
te m ensures the best possible suspension and
const ant ground clearance, even wi tha laden
ve hicle. When driving at speed, theve hicle is
lo we red automatically toimpr ove driving saf ety
and toreduce fuel consum ption. The suspension
tuning is adjus ted depending on thero ad sur‐
fa ce, vehicle load and the drive program selec‐
te d. The ROAD SURFA CE SCAN function detects
areas of une venness in thero ad before you drive
ove rth em bymeans of a multifunction camera.
This reduces chassis mo vements. The option of
manually adjust ingtheve hicle le vel is also avail‐
able.
The damping is adjus ted individually toeach
wheel and depends on:
RThe driving style, e.g. sporty
RThe road sur face condition, e.g. bump s
RThe individual selection of "Sport", "Com‐
fort", "CURVE" or "Economy"
MAGIC BODY CONTROL comprises:
RActive Body Control ABC
RRO AD SURFA CE SCAN
RCurveinclination function CURVE
RAutomatic le vel control sy stem
RAu tomatic vehicle stabilization in theeve nt of
sidewinds
RSpeed-dependent lo wering toreduce fuel
consum ption
RManual le vel adjustment
RDY NA MIC SELECT switch and le vel button
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Available suspension settings
Drive prog ramC haracteristics
S
(Sport)
RThe suspension tuning is firm er.
RWhen driving at speeds between 40 mph(6 5 km/h) and 87mph (140 km/h), theve hicle is lo weredsteadily by
a fur ther 0.6 in (15 mm) and remains at this le vel up tothe maximum vehicle speed.
RWhen returning tospeeds between 87mph(1 40 km/h) and 40 mph(6 5 km/h), theve hicle is raised again by
0.6 in (15 mm).
RRO AD SURFA CE SCAN is deactivated.
C
(Comfo rt)
RThe suspension tuning is comfor table.
RThe vehicle is set tothe normal le vel.
RRO AD SURFA CE SCAN is active.
CV
(Cur ve)
RThe suspension tuning is comfor table.
RThe vehicle is set tothe normal le vel.
RThe cur veinclination function is active.
RRO AD SURFA CE SCAN is active.
E
(Economy)
RThe suspension tuning is comfor table.
RThe vehicle is set tothe normal le vel.
RRO AD SURFA CE SCAN is deactivated.
Driving and parking 21
5
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Crosswind Assist
The crosswindstabilization:
ROperates bychanging wheel loads thro ugh
adjusting the ABC spring stru ts.
RRe duces disruptions when driving stra ight
ahead.
RSupports coun terste ering.
RIs active in the speed range between 50 mph
(80 km/h) and 130mp h (2 10km/h) when
driving stra ight ahead or cornering gently.
RO AD SURFA CE SCAN
% This function is not available in all countries.
RO AD SURFA CE SCAN:
RMonitorsthero ad in front of theve hicle
using multifunction camera 1.
RIs active when drive program Comfortor
CURVE is selected.
RDetects une venness in thero ad sur face, e.g.
bump s, before theve hicle drives overth em.
RRe duces chassis mo vements. Sy
stem limitations
RO AD SURFA CE SCAN can be impaired in the
fo llowing situations or can stop functioning:
RIf th ero ad is insuf ficiently lit, e.g. at night.
RIn sno w,rain, fog, heavy spr ay, if there is
gl are, in direct sunlight or in greatly varying
ambient light.
RIf th e windshield in the area of multifunction
camera 1is dirty, fogged up, damaged or
co vered.
RIfth ero ad sur face has no optic stru cture or
re flects light.
RIf th e dis tance totheve hicle in front is too
short.
RIf sections of thero ute ha veave ry small
ra dius of cur vature.
RIn dynamic driving maneu ver,e.g. if you
accelerate or brake theve hicle sharply.
RAt speeds below 5 mph (7 km/h) or abo ve
11 2mp h (180 km/h).
RIfth eve hicle is at a raised le vel or in drive
prog ram Sport.
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Driving and pa rking
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Observethe no tes on cleaning the multifunction
camera (→page 389).
Setting theve hicle le vel
&
WARNING Risk of entrapment from vehi‐
cle lo wering
When lo wering theve hicle, people could
become trapped if their limbs are between
th eve hicle body and the tires or underneath
th eve hicle.
#Make sure no one is underneath the
ve hicle or in the immediate vicinity of
th e wheel ar ches when youlowe rth e
ve hicle.
&
WARNING Risk of entrapment from vehi‐
cle lo wering
Ve hicles with AIR BODY CONT ROL or
le ve l control sy stem: When you unload lug‐
ga ge or lea vetheve hicle, theve hicle firs t
ri ses slightly and then returns tothe set le vel
shortly af terw ards.
You or an yone else in the vicinity of the
wheel ar ches or the underbody could thus
become trapped.
The vehicle can also be lo wered af ter being
loc ked.
#When leaving theve hicle, make sure
th at nobody is in the vicinity of the
wheel ar ches or the underbody.
Re quirements:RThe vehicle has been star ted.
RThe vehicle must not be moving fasterthan
75 mph(120 km/h).
ROnly when lo weringtheve hicle: whenthe
ve hicle is stationar y,all the doors ha vetobe
closed. Ra
ising theve hicle
#Press button 1.
Indicato r lamp2lights up.
The vehicle is raised by1.2 in (30 mm) com‐
pared tothe normal le vel.
Yo ur selection issave d.
Driving and parking 217
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Thevehicle is lo wered again in thefo llowing sit‐
uations:
RWhen driving fasterthan 75 mph
(120 km/h).
RWhen driving between 50 mph (80 km/h)
and 75mph(120 km/h) for app roxima tely
th re e minutes.
RAf ter selecting a drive program using the
DY NA MIC SELECT switch.
The vehicle is adjus tedto the height of the last
active drive prog ram.
Lo weri ngtheve hicle
#Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2goes out. The vehicle is
adjus tedto the height of the last active drive
program.
Pa rking Assist PARKTRONIC
Function of Parking Assist PARKTRONIC
Parking Assist PARKTRONI Cis an electronic
parkin gassi stance sy stem with ultrasound. It
monitors the area around your vehicle using six
sensors 1inthe front bumper and six sensors
in there ar bumper. Parking Assist PARKTRONI C
indicates visuall yand audibl yth e dis tance
between your vehicle and an object.
Pa rking Assist PARKTRONI Cis on lyan aid. It is
not a substitute foryo ur attention tothe sur‐
ro undings. The responsibility for safe maneu ver‐
ing and parking remains with you. Make sure
th at there are no persons, animals or objects in th
e maneuvering area while maneuvering and
parking in/exiting parking spaces.
In thest andard setting, an intermitte ntwa rning
to ne sounds from a di stance of appr oximately
1. 0 ft (0.3 m) toan obs tacle. A continuous tone
sounds from a di stance of appr oximately 0.7 ft
(0.2 m). You can set thewa rning tone in the mul‐
timedia sy stem so that it will sound earlier at a
grea ter dis tance of appr oximately 3.3 ft(1.0 m)
(
→page 221).
If Pa rking Assist PARKTRONI Cis deacti vated,
Ac tive Parking Assist is una vailable.
Pa rking Assist PARKTRONIC displ ayinthe
mu ltimedia sy stem
If Ac tive Parking Assist is not ac
tivated and an
obs tacle is de tected in the path of theve hicle, a
pop-up window forPa rking Assist PARKTRONI C
1 appear sin the multimedia sy stem at speeds
up toappr oximately 6 mph (10 km/h).
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Driving and pa rking