Button MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class 2011 W221 Owner's Manual

! Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP®
system operates automatically, the engine
and the ignition system must be switched
off (SmartKey in position 0 or 1 in the
ignition lock or Start/Stop button in
position 0 or 1) when:
R testing the electric parking brake on a
brake dynamometer.
R you intend to have the vehicle towed with
one of the axles raised.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake
system.
If your brake system is only subjected to
moderate loads, you should regularly test
your brake system's function by forcefully
depressing the brake pedal when driving at
high speed. This also improves the brake
pads' friction.GWarning
Make sure that you do not endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
A description of Brake Assist (BAS) can be
found on ( Y page 67) or of BAS PLUS on
( Y page 68).
High-performance brake system for
AMG vehicles
The high-performance brake system is only
installed on the S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG.
GWarning
New vehicle brake pads and discs, and
replacement brake pads and discs may take
several hundred miles of driving until they
provide optimum braking efficiency. Until that
time, you may need to use increased brake
pedal pressure while braking. Please be aware
of this and adjust your driving and braking
accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive high-demand braking will cause
correspondingly high brake wear. Please be
attentive to the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and brake condition
messages in the multifunction display.
Especially for high performance driving, it is
important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.
The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. This may lead to
noise when braking. This will depend on:
R speed
R braking force
R environmental conditions, such as
temperature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings
or brake discs, depends on the individual
driving style and operating conditions.
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
R you drive at low speeds
R the tires have adequate tread depth
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or
in conditions in which hydroplaning can occur
you must drive in the following manner:
R Lower your speed
R Avoid ruts
R Brake carefully
Driving on flooded roads
! Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving
through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic
components in the engine or AUTOTRONIC.
Water can also be drawn in by the engine's
air suction nozzles and this can cause
engine damage.
322Driving tipsDriving and parking

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.
Setting raised level
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is not lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. The vehicle
height is adjusted to raised level.
The Vehicle rising message appears in
the multifunction display.
The "Raised Level" setting is canceled if you:
Rdrive at speeds above approximately
75 mph (120 km/h)
Rdrive about 3 minutes at speeds above
50 mph (80 km/h)
The "Raised Level" remains saved when you
are not driving within these speed ranges.
Setting the normal level
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ; goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to normal level.
Suspension tuning
The Adaptive Damping System (ADS)
automatically controls the calibration of the
dampers and springs.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
Ryour driving style, e.g. sporty
Rthe road surface condition, e.g. bumps
Ryour individual selection, i.e. sports or
comfort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
XIf indicator lamp ; is not lit: press
button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. You have
selected the suspension for a sporty driving
style.
The AIRMATIC SPORT message appears in
the multifunction display.
Comfort tuning
In comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. Select
this mode if you prefer a more comfortable
driving style, but also when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. highways.
Driving systems337Driving and parkingZ

XIf indicator lamp ; is lit: press
button :.
Indicator lamp ; goes out. You have
selected the suspension for a comfortable
driving style.
The AIRMATIC COMFORT message appears
in the multifunction display.
Active Body Control (ABC)
Vehicle level
Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to improve driving safety and reduce
fuel consumption.
Depending on the vehicle height that has
been set, the vehicle automatically adjusts its
height, depending on the current speed. As
the speed is increased, the vehicle is lowered
up to 0.6 in (15 mm). As the speed is reduced,
the vehicle is raised up to the set vehicle
height.
GWarning
The vehicle is lowered when the engine is
switched off. Therefore, make sure that
nobody is in the vicinity of the wheel housing
or under the vehicle when you switch off the
engine. Otherwise, limbs could become
trapped.
! The vehicle is lowered when the engine is
switched off. Make sure when parking that
you position your vehicle so that it does not
make contact with the curb as the vehicle
is lowered. Your vehicle could otherwise be
damaged.
iAMG vehicles: the vehicle is lowered by
about 0.4 in (10 mm) when the engine is
switched off.
Setting the vehicle level
Select the "Normal" setting for normal road
surfaces and "Raised" for driving with snow
chains or on particularly poor road surfaces.
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.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Setting raised level
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is not lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. The vehicle
height is adjusted to raised level.
Setting the normal level
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ; goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to normal level.
Suspension tuning
The electronically controlled ABC suspension
system works continuously. This improves
driving safety and comfort.
The ABC suspension system is tuned
individually to each wheel and depends on:
Ryour driving style, e.g. sporty
Rthe road surface condition, e.g. bumps
338Driving systemsDriving and parking

Ryour individual selection, i.e. sports or
comfort
Rthe vehicle load
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode if you prefer a firmer
suspension tuning.
XIf indicator lamp ; is not lit: press
button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. You have
selected the suspension for a sporty driving
style.
The ABC Active Body Control SPORT
message appears in the multifunction
display.
Comfort tuning
In comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. Select
this mode if you prefer a more comfortable
driving style.
XIf indicator lamp ; is lit: press
button :.
Indicator lamp ; goes out. You have
selected the suspension for a comfortable
driving style.
The ABC Active Body Control
COMFORT message appears in the
multifunction display.
4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are
permanently driven. Together with ESP®, it
improves the traction of your vehicle
whenever a drive wheel spins due to
insufficient grip.
GWarning!
If a drive wheel is spinning due to insufficient
traction:
RWhile driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
RWhile driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
RAdapt 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.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised. This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
iIn wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary.
PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes
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.
Driving systems339Driving and parkingZ

Problems with PARKTRONICProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsOnly the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
You also hear a warning
tone for approximately
two seconds.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately
20 seconds, and the
indicator lamp in the
PARKTRONIC button
lights up.PARKTRONIC has malfunctioned and has switched off.XIf problems persist, have PARKTRONIC checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.Only the red segments
in the PARKTRONIC
warning displays are lit.
PARKTRONIC is
deactivated after
approximately 20
seconds.The PARKTRONIC sensors are dirty or there is interference.XClean the PARKTRONIC sensors ( Y page 456).XSwitch the ignition back on.The problem may be caused by an external source of radio or
ultrasound waves.XSee if PARKTRONIC functions in a different location.Parking Guidance
Important safety notes
Parking Guidance is an electronic parking aid
with ultrasound. Ultrasound is used to
measure the road on both sides of the vehicle.
A suitable parking space is indicated by the
parking symbol. You receive steering
instructions when parking. You may also use
PARKTRONIC ( Y page 339).
GWarning
Parking Guidance is merely an aid and may
display parking spaces that are not suitable
for parking, for example:
R no-parking areas
R parking spaces with unsuitable surfaces
(road surface)
R driveways
R entrances and exits
Parking Guidance detects and measures
potential parking spaces while driving past.
Changes to the parking space after this point
are not taken into account, for example if the
vehicle in front of or behind the parking space
changes position or objects in the parking
space are moved.
Even when using Parking Guidance, you are
still responsible for driving carefully. If you
rely on Parking Guidance alone, you could
cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
Safety always remains your responsibility and
you must continue paying careful attention to
your immediate surroundings when parking
and maneuvering.342Driving systemsDriving and parking

Canceling Parking GuidanceXPress the PARKTRONIC button on the
dashboard (Y page 341).
Parking Guidance is canceled immediately
and PARKTRONIC is deactivated.
Parking Guidance is canceled automatically if
it is no longer possible to guide you into the
parking space or if a malfunction occurs.
The parking space symbol disappears and the
Parking Guidance canceled message
appears in the multifunction display.
Rear view camera
Important safety guidelines
The rear view camera is an optical parking aid.
It shows the area behind your vehicle in the
COMAND display.
GWarning!
Make sure no persons or animals are in or
near the area in which you are parking/
maneuvering. Otherwise, they could be
injured.
The rear view camera is located in the handle
strip of the trunk lid.
:Rear view camera
View through the camera
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as a
mirror image, as in the rear-view mirror.
GWarning!
The rear view camera is only an aid and may
display obstacles
Rfrom a distorted perspective
Rinaccurately
Rmay not display obstacles at all
The rear view camera does not relieve you of
the responsibility to be cautious. Take care
and pay careful attention. The rear view
camera may not show objects which are
Rvery close to the rear bumper
Runder the rear bumper
Rabove the trunk handle
You are responsible for safety at all times and
must continue to pay attention to the
immediate surroundings when parking and
maneuvering. This includes the area behind,
in front of, and beside the vehicle. Otherwise
you could endanger yourself and/or others.
GWarning!
The rear view camera either will not function
or will not function to its full capability if
Rthe trunk lid is open
Rit is raining very hard, snowing or foggy
Rit is night or you are parking/maneuvering
your vehicle in an area where it is very dark
Rthe camera is exposed to a very bright white
light
Rthe immediate surroundings are
illuminated with fluorescent light (the
COMAND system display can flicker)
Rthere is a sudden change in temperature,
e.g. if you drive into a heated garage from
the cold (lens condensation)
Rthe camera lens is dirty or covered
Rthe rear of your vehicle is damaged
In this case, have the position and setting
of the camera checked by a qualified
specialist workshop. Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you contact a Mercedes-
Benz Center for this purpose.
346Driving systemsDriving and parking

stationary and cannot check whether Night
View Assist Plus is working.
When you activate Night View Assist Plus,
speed display A in the multifunction display
changes. Speed display A is shown as a bar
at the bottom edge of the multifunction
display. This line is no longer available for
basic menus. You have to deactivate Night
View Assist Plus if you wish to change a
setting using the buttons on the multifunction
steering wheel.
Pedestrian recognition
The Night View Assist Plus recognizes
pedestrians using typical characteristics, i.e.
a silhouette in the shape of a person.
Pedestrian recognition is then switched on
automatically if:
R Night View Assist Plus is activated.
R you are driving above
approximately 6 mph (10 km/h).
R the surroundings are dark, e.g. when
driving outside built-up areas without
street lighting.
If pedestrian recognition is active,
symbol ? appears. If a pedestrian is now
recognized, they are framed = and thereby
highlighted. If the pedestrian recognition
system has brought a pedestrian to your
attention, look through the windshield to
evaluate the situation. The actual distance to
objects and pedestrians cannot be gauged
accurately by looking at a screen.
It may be the case that objects are highlighted
as well as pedestrians.
GWarning!
The pedestrian detection may be impaired or
unavailable when
R pedestrians are obstructed fully or in part
by other objects such as parking vehicles
R the silhouette in the Night View Assist Plus
image is displayed incomplete or
interrupted, e.g. by significant light
reflection
R a pedestrian's silhouette is not rich enough
in contrast compared to the background
R pedestrians are not in erected position but,
for example, sit, crouch down, or lie
i Animals are not identified by pedestrian
recognition.
Setting the brightness of the
multifunction displayXTo make brighter or dimmer : make sure
that Night View Assist Plus is activated.XTurn control : counterclockwise or
clockwise.
Fogged up or dirty windshield
If the windshield in front of the camera is
fogged up or dirty on the inside or outside, the
Night View Assist Plus display is affected.
GWarning!
Please do not forget that your primary
responsibility is to drive the vehicle. A driver's
attention to the road must always be his/her
primary focus when driving. For your safety
and the safety of others, stop before trying to
remove window fogging or cleaning the
windshield in front of the Night View Assist
Plus camera.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet
(approximately 14 m) every second.
350Driving systemsDriving and parking

The coolant temperature gauge is in the
instrument cluster on the left-hand side.
Under normal operating conditions and with
the specified coolant level, the coolant
temperature may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
! If the coolant temperature is too high a
display message is shown.
If the coolant temperature rises above
248 ‡(120 †), do not drive any further as
this could damage the engine.
Tachometer
The red band in the tachometer indicates the
engine's overrevving range.
! Do not drive in the overrevving range, as
this could damage the engine.
The fuel supply is interrupted to protect the
engine when the red band is reached.
Outside temperature display
The outside temperature display is in the
multifunction display.
GWarning!
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
Changes in the outside temperature are
displayed after a short delay.
Operating the on-board computer
The on-board computer is activated as soon
as you turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
You can control the multifunction display and
the settings in the on-board computer using
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel.
:Multifunction display;~
Rejects or ends a call
6
Makes or accepts a call
Switches to the redial memory
WX
Adjusts the volume or operates the
RACETIMER in AMG vehicles
8
Mute
=?
Switches on the Voice Control
System; see the separate operating
instructions
?%Press briefly:
Back
Switches off the Voice Control
System
Hides display messages or calls up
the last Trip menu function used
Displays and operation365On-board computer and displaysZ

Trip menu
Standard display
XPress and hold the % button on the
steering wheel until the Trip menu with
odometer : and trip odometer ; is
shown.
Trip computer "From start" or "From
reset"
The values in the From Start submenu are
calculated from the start of a journey, while
the values in the From Reset submenu are
calculated from the last time the submenu
was reset.
XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Trip menu.
XPress 9 or : to select From Start
or From Reset.
Trip computer "After start" (example)
:Distance;Time=Average speed?Average fuel consumption
The From Start trip computer is reset
automatically when
Rthe ignition has been switched off for more
than four hours.
R999 hours have been exceeded.
R9999 miles have been exceeded.
When 9999 hours or 99999 miles have been
exceeded, the trip computer From Reset is
automatically reset.
Displaying the range and current fuel
consumption
XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Trip menu.
XPress the 9 or : button to select
Range.
The current fuel consumption22 and the
approximate range are displayed.
The approximate range which can be covered
depends on the fuel level and your current
driving style. If there is only a small amount
of fuel left in the fuel tank, the display shows
a vehicle being refueled C instead of the
range.
Digital speedometer
XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Trip menu.
XPress 9 or : to select the digital
speedometer.22Not AMG vehicles.368Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays

:Digital speedometer
Resetting values
You can reset the values of the following
functions:
Rtrip odometer
Rtrip computer "From start"
Rtrip computer "From reset"
XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Trip menu.
XPress 9 or : to select the function
that you wish to reset.
XPress a.
Resetting the trip odometer (example)
XPress : to select Yes and press a
to confirm.
Navi menu
Displaying navigation instructions
In the Navi menu, the multifunction display
shows navigation instructions. Further
information: (Y page 164).
XActivate COMAND (Y page 131).XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Navi menu.
Route guidance inactive:Direction of travel;Current road
Route guidance active
No change of direction announced
:Distance to the destination;Symbol for "follow the road's course"=Distance to the next change of direction?Current road
Change of direction announced without a
lane recommendation
:Road into which the change of direction
leads
;Symbol for change of direction=Distance to change of direction and visual
distance display
When a change of direction has been
announced, you will see visual distance
Menus and submenus369On-board computer and displaysZ