MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS 2010 Owners Manual

Rthe radar sensors are switched off
Ryou pull the DISTRONIC PLUS lever in
direction of arrow \000

The DISTRONIC PLUS regulates only the
distance between your vehicle and those
directly ahead of it. It may not register
stationary objects in the road, e.g.:
Ra stopped vehicle in a traffic jam
Ra disabled vehicle
Ran oncoming vehicle
The driver must always be alert, observe all
traffic and intercede as required by means of
steering or braking the vehicle.
GWarning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS should not be used in
snowy or icy road conditions.
The most likely cause for a malfunctioning
system is a dirty sensor (located in the hood
grille and in the bumper), especially at times
of snow and ice or heavy rain.
In such a case, the 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 sensors, see
(Y page 443).
iIf 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; the DISTRONIC PLUS is available
again.
Another cause might be that the radar
sensors have been manually switched off in
the instrument cluster control system. Please
verify that the radar sensors are switched on
(Y page 236).
Turns and bends
In turns or bends, the DISTRONIC PLUS may
not detect a preceding vehicle, or it may
detect one too soon. This may cause your
vehicle to brake late or unexpectedly.
Offset driving
A vehicle traveling in your lane but offset from
your direct line of travel may not be detected
by the DISTRONIC PLUS. There will be
insufficient distance to the preceding vehicle.
Lane changing
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The DISTRONIC PLUS has not yet detected
the vehicle changing lanes. There will be
insufficient distance to the lane-changing
vehicle.
Narrow vehicles
Because of their narrow profile, the vehicles
traveling near the outer edges of the lane
have not yet been detected by the DISTRONIC
PLUS. There will be insufficient distance to
the preceding vehicles.
Obstacles and stationary vehicles
The DISTRONIC PLUS does not brake for
obstacles or stationary vehicles. If, for
example, the vehicle detected in front of you
changes lanes to bypass an obstacle or
stationary vehicle in front of it, the
DISTRONIC PLUS will not brake for the
obstacle or stationary vehicle.
Cross-traffic
The DISTRONIC PLUS may inadvertently
detect crossing vehicles. If you switch on the
DISTRONIC PLUS, for example, at a traffic
light with cross traffic, the vehicle may
suddenly start to drive off.
Hill-start assist system
On uphill grades, the hill-start assist system
maintains the pressure in the brake system
for approximately 1 second after you have
released the brake pedal. Therefore, you can
start off smoothly without the vehicle moving
immediately after releasing the brake pedal.
GWarning!
The hill-start assist system is not designed to
function as a parking brake. It does not
prevent the vehicle from moving when parked
on an incline.
Always engage the electronic parking brake
in addition to shifting the automatic
transmission into park position P.
The hill-start assist system is inactive
Rwhen starting off on a level road or downhill
grades
Rwith the automatic transmission in neutral
position N
Rwith the electronic parking brake engaged
Rif the ESC has switched off due to a
malfunction
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HOLD function
The HOLD function can assist you
Rwhen driving off, especially on steep slopes
Rwhen maneuvering on steep slopes
Rwhen waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
Upon depressing the accelerator pedal, the
braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function is deactivated.
GWarning!
HYBRID vehicles: It is imperative that you read
the HYBRID Supplemental Operating
Instructions included in your vehicle literature
portfolio. You may otherwise not receive all
necessary safety information and warning for
the operation of your vehicle.
Activation conditions
You can activate the HOLD function when
Rthe vehicle is stationary
Rthe engine is running
Ryour seat belt is fastened or the driver’s
door is closed
Rthe electronic parking brake is released
Rthe hood is closed
Rthe automatic transmission is in neutral
position N, drive position D, or reverse gear
R
When the automatic transmission is in
reverse gear R, the trunk lid must be
closed.
Rthe DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated
(Y page 338).
Activating HOLD XMake sure the activation conditions are
met.
XDepress the brake pedal.XContinue to depress the brake pedal with
increased pedal pressure until the message
HOLD appears in the multifunction display.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
now release the brake pedal.
HOLD function activated
iThe brake pedal does not return to the
rest position completely while the HOLD
function is activated.
iIf the HOLD function is not activated when
depressing the brake pedal, wait briefly and
repeat the above steps.
GWarning!
The vehicle’s brakes are applied when the
HOLD function is activated. Therefore,
deactivate the HOLD function, for example,
when the vehicle is pulled through an
automatic car wash or being towed.
Deactivating HOLD
The HOLD function is switched off when
Ryou depress the accelerator pedal with the
automatic transmission in drive position D
or reverse gear R
Ryou shift the automatic transmission into
park position P
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Ryou depress the brake pedal fully again
until the message HOLD in the multifunction
display disappears
Ryou engage the electronic parking brake
Ryou activate the DISTRONIC PLUS
iAfter a while, the vehicle will be secured
by the electronic parking brake to relieve
the service brake.
GWarning!
The braking effect of the HOLD function is
canceled and the vehicle can start to roll if
Rthe HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelerator pedal or the
brake pedal
Rthe HOLD function or the power supply is
malfunctioning, e.g. due to battery failure
Rthe electrical components in the engine
compartment or the fuses have been
manipulated
Rthe battery is disconnected
GWarning!
Never get out of the vehicle while the HOLD
function is activated!
The HOLD function must never be operated
or deactivated by passengers or from outside
the vehicle.
The HOLD function does not replace the
electronic parking brake. It must not be used
to secure the vehicle when parking.
Deactivate the HOLD function when leaving
or parking the vehicle. Use the electronic
parking brake to secure the vehicle.
When the HOLD function is activated, the
automatic transmission shifts into park
position P automatically when
Ropening the driver’s door and releasing the
seat belt
Rturning off the engine
Ropening the hood
Ra system malfunction occurs
Rthe on-board voltage is insufficient
The HOLD function is deactivated.
AIRMATIC
Introduction
The AIRMATIC lets you select the chassis and
suspension setup. The chassis and
suspension setup adjusts the damping
behavior and the ride height for your vehicle.
The AIRMATIC consists of two components.
The Adaptive Damping System (ADS)
(Y page 343) and the vehicle level control
(Y page 344).
Adaptive Damping System (ADS)
The Adaptive Damping System (ADS) is
controlled electronically and operates
continuously. It adjusts the damping
characteristics to the current operating and
driving conditions. The damping is adjusted
individually for each wheel. Driving safety and
tire comfort are increased.
The fine tuning of the damping is dependent
on
Ryour driving style
Rroad surface conditions
Ryour personal settings
The selected setting remains stored in
memory even if the SmartKey is removed
from the starter switch.
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XStart the engine.
Sporty damping adjustment
The firmer suspension tuning in sport driving
mode provides enhanced road contact.
Select this mode for example, on winding
highways.
XIf indicator lamp \000G is not lit: Press ADS
switch \000F.
Indicator lamp \000G comes on. The sport
driving mode with a firmer suspension
tuning is selected. The message
AIRMATIC SPORT appears in the
multifunction display.
Comfort damping adjustment
Vehicle handling in comfort driving mode is
softer. Select this mode when you prefer a
more comfortable driving style on straight
freeways.
XIf indicator lamp \000G is lit: Press ADS
switch \000F.
Indicator lamp \000G goes out. The comfort
driving mode is selected. The message
AIRMATIC COMFORT appears in the
multifunction display.
Vehicle level control
Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height.
The all-around vehicle level control provides
best possible suspension and constant
ground clearance. The vehicle lowers at high
speed automatically in order to increase
driving safety and to reduce fuel
consumption.
The following vehicle levels are available:
Rnormal
Rraised; the vehicle is raised by
approximately 1.0 in (25 mm) compared to
normal level
Rlowered; the vehicle is lowered by
approximately 0.4 in (10 mm) compared to
normal level
You can choose between normal or raised
level when the vehicle is stationary and the
engine is running.
The vehicle chassis ride height is raised or
lowered according to the selected level
setting and to the vehicle speed. With
increasing speed, ride height is reduced by up
to approximately 0.8 in (20 mm). With
decreasing speed, the ride height is again
raised to the selected vehicle level.
iThese height adjustments are so small
that you may not notice any change.
Adjusting vehicle level manually
GWarning!
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands and
feet away from wheel housing area, and stay
away from under the vehicle when lowering
the vehicle chassis.
Select the normal level for driving on normal
roads. Select the raised level for driving on
rough roads or with snow chains. Select the
raised level only when required by current
driving conditions. Otherwise, the handling
may be impaired and the fuel consumption
may increase.
The selected vehicle level setting remains
stored in memory even if the SmartKey is
removed from the starter switch.
Selecting raised level
XStart the engine.
When indicator lamp \000G is off:
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XBriefly press vehicle level control
switch 0046.
Indicator lamp 0047 comes on. The vehicle
adjusts from normal level to raised level.
The message: Vehicle Rising appears in
the multifunction display when adjusting
from normal level to raised level. The
message disappears when the vehicle is
raised. Indicator lamp 0047 is then lit.
When the vehicle is in raised level, pressing
vehicle level control switch 0046 will return
the vehicle to normal level.
The vehicle is lowered to the normal level
automatically when
R the vehicle speed is above 75 mph
(120 km/h)
R the vehicle speed stays between 50 mph
(80 km/h) and 75 mph (120 km/h) for
approximately 3 minutes.
Indicator lamp 0047 in
vehicle level control switch 0046 goes out.
If you do not drive in this speed range, the
selected vehicle level setting remains stored
in memory even if the SmartKey is removed
from the starter switch.
Selecting normal level
XStart the engine.
When indicator lamp 0047 is on:
XBriefly press vehicle level control
switch 0046.
Indicator lamp 0047 goes out. The vehicle
adjusts from raised level to normal level.
ABC
The ABC system is an active, computer-
controlled system that adjusts the
suspension hydraulically at all four wheels in
response to various driving situations. It
selects the optimum suspension tuning and
ride height for your vehicle automatically.
Vehicle level control
Your vehicle adjusts its ride height
automatically to increase vehicle safety and
to reduce fuel consumption.
The vehicle chassis ride height is raised or
lowered according to the selected level
setting and to the vehicle speed. With
increasing speed, the ride height is reduced
by up to approximately 0.6 in (15 mm). With
decreasing speed, the ride height is again
raised to the selected vehicle level.
These height adjustments are so small that
you may not notice any change.
GWarning!
When you turn off the engine, the entire
vehicle is lowered. You should therefore make
sure that no one is near the wheel housing or
under the vehicle when you turn off the
engine. Otherwise, parts of the individuals
body could be trapped.
! When you turn off the engine, the entire
vehicle is lowered. When parking, position
your vehicle in such a way that it will not
scrape against a curb, for example, when it
is lowered. Your vehicle could otherwise be
damaged.
i S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG only:
When you turn off the engine, the entire
vehicle is lowered by 0.4 in (10 mm).
Setting the vehicle level
GWarning!
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands and
feet away from wheel housing area, and stay
away from under the vehicle when lowering
the vehicle chassis.
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The following vehicle level settings can be
selected when the vehicle is stationary and
the engine is running:
LevelUse forIndicator
lamp
NormalFor driving on
normal roads.
The
indicator
lamp is off.
RaisedFor driving on
rough roads or
with snow chains
(Y page 433).
The
indicator
lamp is on.
Select the “Raised” level setting only when
required by current driving conditions.
Otherwise the fuel consumption may
increase and/or the handling may be
impaired.
iThe selected setting remains stored in
memory, even when the engine is turned
off and restarted.
XStart the engine.
Selecting a higher level
If indicator lamp \000G is off:
XPress vehicle level control switch \000F.
Indicator lamp \000G comes on. The vehicle is
raised to a higher level.
Selecting a normal level
If indicator lamp \000G is on:
XPress vehicle level control switch \000F.
Indicator lamp \000G goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to a normal level.
Suspension tuning
The suspension tuning of the ABC system is
adjusted for each wheel individually and
depends on:
Ryour driving style
Rthe road condition, such as bumps etc.
Ryour individual selection, sporty or
comfortable
Rthe vehicle loading
iThe selected setting remains stored in
memory, even when the engine is turned
off and restarted.
XStart the engine.
Sporty suspension tuning
The firmer chassis and suspension setup in
sport driving mode provides enhanced road
contact. Select this mode when you prefer a
firmer chassis and suspension setup.
XWhen indicator lamp \000G is off: Press
button \000F.
Indicator lamp \000G comes on. The sporty
chassis and suspension setup is selected.
The message ABC Active Body Control
SPORT appears in the multifunction display.
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Comfort suspension tuning
Vehicle handling in comfort driving mode is
softer. Select this mode when you prefer a
more comfortable driving style.XWhen indicator lamp 0047 is on: Press
button 0046.
Indicator lamp 0047 goes out. The
comfortable chassis and suspension setup
is selected.
The message ABC Active Body Control
COMFORT appears in the multifunction
display.
All-wheel drive (4MATIC)
In vehicles with all-wheel drive (4MATIC),
both axles are powered at all times when the
vehicle is being operated. The 4MATIC
improves traction in conjunction with the ESC
( Y page 66) and the Electronic Traction
System (ETS/4-ETS) ( Y page 67).
GWarning!
If a drive wheel is spinning due to insufficient
traction:
R While driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R While driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R Adapt your speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The 4MATIC cannot prevent accidents
resulting from excessive speed.
! Do not tow with one axle raised. Doing so
could damage the transfer case, which is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty. All wheels must be on or off the
ground. Observe instructions for towing the
vehicle with all wheels on the ground.
! Only conduct operational or performance
tests on a two-axle dynamometer. If such
tests are necessary, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. You could
otherwise seriously damage the brake
system and/or the transfer case which is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
i In winter operation, the maximum
effectiveness of the 4MATIC is only
achieved with winter tires ( Y page 432) or
snow chains as required.
Parktronic system
The Parktronic system with Parking Guidance
is an electronic parking aid with ultrasonic
sensors designed to assist the driver during
parking maneuvers. The Parktronic system
indicates the relative distance between the
vehicle and an obstacle visually and audibly.
The Parktronic system is activated
automatically when
R you switch on the ignition
and
R you release the electronic parking brake
or
R you start the engine
and
R shift the automatic transmission into drive
position D, reverse gear R, or neutral
position N
The Parktronic system deactivates at speeds
above approximately 11 mph (18 km/h). At
lower speeds, the Parktronic system
activates again.
The Parktronic system also deactivates when
you shift the automatic transmission into
park position P or engage the electronic
parking brake and turn off the engine.
The Parktronic system monitors the
surroundings of your vehicle with six sensors
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in the front bumper and four sensors in the
rear bumper.
Example illustration, sensors in the front bumper
To function properly, sensors \000F must be free
of dirt, ice, snow and slush. Clean
sensors \000F regularly. Be careful not to
scratch or damage sensors \000F, see “Cleaning
the driving systems sensors” (Y page 443).
GWarning!
The Parktronic 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.
GWarning!
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering. Otherwise, they could be
injured.
! Special attention must be paid to objects
with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes
(e.g. trailer couplings, painted posts,
elevated crossbars or road curbs). Such
objects may not be detected by the system
and can damage the vehicle.
During parking maneuvers, pay special
attention to objects located above or below
the height of the sensors (e.g. street curbs,
painted posts, or trailer hitches etc.). The
Parktronic system will not detect such
objects at close range and damage to your
vehicle or the object may result.
! Ultrasonic signals from outside sources
(e.g. truck air brakes, car wash, or
jackhammers) may impair the operation of
the Parktronic system.
Range of the sensors
Front sensors
Centerapprox. 40 in (100 cm)Cornersapprox. 24 in (60 cm)
Rear sensors
Centerapprox. 48 in (120 cm)Cornersapprox. 32 in (80 cm)
Minimum distance
Centerapprox. 8 in (20 cm)Cornersapprox. 6 in (15 cm)
If the Parktronic system detects an obstacle
in this range, all the distance warning
segments illuminate and you hear a warning
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