Distronic plus MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class 2011 W221 User Guide

Winter driving
General information
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, at the onset of
winter.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section ( Y page 323).
Slippery road surfaces
GWarning
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe
and from around the vehicle with the engine
running. Otherwise, deadly carbon monoxide
(CO) gases may enter vehicle interior
resulting in unconsciousness and death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, open
a window slightly on the side of the vehicle
not facing the wind.
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.
GWarning
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle's ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control.
You should drive particularly carefully on
slippery road surfaces. Avoid sudden
acceleration, steering and braking
maneuvers. Do not use cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:XShift the transmission to position N.
i
For more information on driving with
snow chains, see ( Y page 482).
GWarning
Make sure that you do not endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
Driving abroad
An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network
is also available in other countries. The
Service Hotline's current telephone numbers
for use when you are abroad are to be found
in the "Service24h" section of the Service
Booklet.
Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select shift range
1 , 2 or 3 in good time. By doing so, you will
make use of the braking effect of the engine,
which relieves the load on the brake system
and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic
conditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
GWarning
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always
Driving systems323Driving and parkingZ

Setting a speedGWarning
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration
of the vehicle could cause an accident and/
or serious injury to you and others.
XPress the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.XKeep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.XRelease the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For
example, if you accelerate briefly to
overtake, cruise control adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking.
Setting in 1 mph (Canada: 1 km/h)
increments
XBriefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Setting in 5 mph (Canada: 10 km/h)
increments
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
beyond the pressure point, up : for a
higher speed or down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
forwards =.
or
XBrake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you engage the electric parking brake.
R you are driving below 20 mph (30 km/h).
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
.
R you shift the transmission to position N
while driving.
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the Cruise
control off message in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine.
DISTRONIC PLUS
Important safety notes
DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the
distance to the vehicle detected in front. It
brakes automatically in order to avoid
exceeding the set speed.
On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is laden, you must
select shift range 1, 2 or 3 in good time. By
doing so, you will make use of the braking
effect of the engine, which relieves the load
on the brake system and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
DISTRONIC PLUS causes your vehicle to
brake and maintain a preset distance to the
vehicle in front.
GWarning!
HYBRID vehicles: It is imperative that you read
the HYBRID Supplemental Operating
Driving systems325Driving and parkingZ

Instructions included in your vehicle literature
portfolio. You may otherwise not receive all
necessary safety information and warning for
the operation of your vehicle.GWarning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS requires familiarity with
its operational characteristics. We strongly
recommend that you review the following
information carefully before operating the
system.
GWarning
When DISTRONIC brakes, the brake pedal is
pulled back (i.e. operated automatically). The
area around the pedal must not be blocked by
obstacles:
R do not place any objects in the footwell.
R ensure that floormats and carpets are fixed
securely. In particular, do not place several
floormats on top of one another.
R do not place your foot under the brake
pedal, as it could become trapped.
Non-compliance could lead you to cause an
accident in which you and/or others could be
seriously injured.
GWarning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS is a convenience
system. Its speed adjustment reduction
capability is intended to make cruise control
more effective and usable when traffic speeds
vary. It is not however, intended to, nor does
it, replace the need for extreme care.
The responsibility for the vehicle's speed,
distance to the preceding vehicle and, most
importantly, brake operation to ensure a safe
stopping distance, always remains with the
driver.
The DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take street and
traffic conditions into account.
Complex driving situations are not always
fully recognized by the DISTRONIC PLUS. This
could result in wrong or missing distance
warnings.
If you want DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you,
the radar sensor system must be activated
( Y page 378) and operational.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control in the speed range between
20 mph (Canada: 30 km/h) and
120 mph (Canada: 200 km/h). If there is a
vehicle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS is
operational in the speed range between
0 mph (Canada: 0 km/h) and
120 mph (Canada: 200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DISTRONIC PLUS emits radar waves, it can
simulate radar detectors used by police
authorities. You can refer to the applicable
chapter in the Operator's Manual if there is
any question concerning this.
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 device 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.GWarning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS adaptive cruise control
is not a substitute for active driving
involvement. It does not react to pedestrians
or on stationary objects, nor does it recognize
or predict the curvature and lane layout or the
movement of preceding vehicles. The
DISTRONIC PLUS can only apply a maximum
of 40% of the vehicle's braking power.
The DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles possibly driving in front of you, such
as motorcycles and vehicles driving in an
offset formation.
326Driving systemsDriving and parking

It is the driver's responsibility at all times to
be attentive to the road, weather and traffic
conditions. Additionally, the driver must
provide the steering, braking and other driving
inputs necessary to remain in control of the
vehicle.
High-frequency sources such as toll stations,
speed measuring systems etc. can cause the
DISTRONIC PLUS system to temporarily
cease functioning.GWarning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take road and
traffic conditions into account. Only use the
DISTRONIC PLUS if the road, weather and
traffic conditions make it advisable to travel
at a constant speed.
GWarning!
Use of the DISTRONIC PLUS can be
dangerous on slippery roads. Rapid changes
in tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.
The DISTRONIC PLUS does not function in
adverse sight and distance conditions. Do not
use the DISTRONIC PLUS during conditions of
fog, heavy rain, snow or sleet.
GWarning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take weather
conditions into account. Switch off the
DISTRONIC PLUS or do not switch it on if:
R roads are slippery or covered with snow or
ice. The wheels could lose traction while
braking or accelerating, and the vehicle
could skid.
R the DISTRONIC PLUS system sensor covers
are dirty or visibility is diminished due to
snow, rain or fog, for example. The distance
control system functionality could be
impaired.
Always pay attention to surrounding traffic
conditions even while the DISTRONIC PLUS is
switched on. Otherwise, you may not be able
to recognize dangerous situations until it is
too late. This could cause an accident in which
you and/or others could be injured.GWarning!
The "Resume" function should only be
operated if the driver is fully aware of the
previously set speed and wishes to resume
this particular preset speed.
GWarning
Your undivided attention to street and traffic
conditions is necessary at all times whether
DISTRONIC PLUS is active or not.
The use of DISTRONIC PLUS can be
dangerous on winding roads or in heavy traffic
because conditions do not allow safe driving
at a constant speed.
DISTRONIC PLUS does not react to stationary
objects on the road (for example, a vehicle
stopped in traffic or an abandoned vehicle).
DISTRONIC PLUS likewise does not react to
oncoming vehicles.
Deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS:
R when changing to the right lane, if the
vehicles in the left lane are driving slower
R when driving into a filter lane or an
expressway exit
R in complex driving situations, for example
at roadworks on an expressway
In these situations DISTRONIC PLUS will
maintain the set speed if it is not deactivated.
DISTRONIC PLUS is intended only for
maintaining a set speed and a set distance
from the objects moving in front of the
vehicle.
GWarning!
An intermittent warning sounds and the
distance warning lamp · in the instrument
cluster is illuminated if the DISTRONIC PLUS
system calculates that the distance to the
vehicle ahead and your vehicle's current
speed indicate that the DISTRONIC PLUS will
not be capable of slowing the vehicle
sufficiently to maintain the preset following
Driving systems327Driving and parkingZ

distance, which creates a danger of a
collision.
Immediately brake the vehicle to increase
your distance to the preceding vehicle. The
warning sound is intended as a final caution
in which you should intercede with your own
braking inputs to avoid a potentially
dangerous situation. Do not wait for the
operation of the warning signal to intercede
with your own braking. This will result in
potentially dangerous emergency braking
which will not always result in an impact being
avoided.
Tailgating increases the risk of an accident.GWarning
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with a
maximum deceleration of 13 ft/s(4 m/s 2
).
This corresponds to approximately 40% of
your vehicle's maximum possible braking
power.
You must apply the brakes yourself to avoid a
collision. DISTRONIC PLUS brakes the vehicle
to restore the set distance to the vehicle in
front or to restore the set speed.
GWarning!
If you do not receive visual or acoustic
warning signals during a critical traffic
situation, DISTRONIC PLUS has either not
recognized the collision risk, has been
deactivated or is malfunctioning.
Remember, whether or not DISTRONIC PLUS
is operating, it is ultimately always the drivers
responsibility to apply the brakes in order to
control the vehicle and avoid a collision.
Cruise control lever:To store the current speed or a higher
speed;To store the current speed or a lower
speed=To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS?To store the current speed or to call up
the last stored speedATo set the specified minimum distance
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS, storing
and maintaining the current speed
Important safety notes
GWarning!
When the DISTRONIC PLUS is switched on,
the vehicle can be braked. You should
therefore switch off the DISTRONIC PLUS if
the vehicle must be towed.
You can activate DISTRONIC PLUS under the
following circumstances:
R the engine has been started and you have
been driving for up to two minutes
R your vehicle is not secured by the electric
parking brake
R ESP ®
is activated
R the transmission is in position D
R the hood is closed
R the driver's door is closed and you shift the
transmission from position P to D or your
seat belt is fastened
328Driving systemsDriving and parking

Rthe front-passenger door and the rear
doors are closed
R the vehicle has not skidded
Activating while driving
When driving at speeds below
20 mph (30 km/h), you can only activate
DISTRONIC PLUS if the vehicle in front has
been detected and is shown in the
multifunction display. If the vehicle in front is
not shown in the multifunction display and is
no longer detected, because it has changed
lanes, for example, DISTRONIC PLUS is
deactivated and a tone sounds.XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ? or press it up : or down ; to the
pressure point.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.XKeep the cruise control lever pressed
up : or down ; until the desired speed
is set.XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC PLUS Override
message appears in the multifunction
display. The set distance to a slower-
moving vehicle in front will then not be
maintained. You will be driving at the speed
you determine by the position of the
accelerator pedal.
Activating when driving towards a
stationary vehicle
If the vehicle in front of you is stationary, you
can only activate DISTRONIC PLUS once your
vehicle is stationary as well.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
i DISTRONIC PLUS can only be activated at
under 20 mph (30 km/h) if a vehicle in front
has been detected. Therefore, the
DISTRONIC PLUS distance display in the
instrument cluster should be activated.XKeep the cruise control lever pressed
up : or down ; until the desired speed
is set.
i You can use the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the control on the
cruise control lever to set the specified
minimum distance ( Y page 331).
Pulling away
XIf the vehicle in front pulls away: remove
your foot from the brake pedal.XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
or
XAccelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
Driving
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
DISTRONIC PLUS causes your vehicle to
brake and maintain a preset distance to the
vehicle in front.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a faster-moving
vehicle in front, it increases the driving speed,
but only up to the desired speed you have
stored.
GWarning!
When you step on the brake pedal, you switch
off the DISTRONIC PLUS except when the
vehicle is at a standstill. The DISTRONIC PLUS
will no longer brake your vehicle. You are
always responsible for maintaining a distance
from other vehicles, observing road speeds
and braking well in advance.
Driving systems329Driving and parkingZ

Changing lanes
If you wish to change to the passing lane (in
left-hand-drive vehicles, the passing lane is
the left-hand lane), DISTRONIC PLUS
supports you if:
R you are driving above 40 mph (60 km/h)
R DISTRONIC PLUS is maintaining the
distance to a vehicle in front
R you switch on the appropriate turn signals
R DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger
of collision
If these conditions are met, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted
if changing lanes takes too long or if the
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front becomes too small.GWarning
DISTRONIC PLUS and Active Blind Spot Assist
are only aids designed to assist driving.
They do not relieve you of the responsibility
of paying attention. The driver remains fully
responsible for the vehicle's distance from
other vehicles, the vehicle's speed and for
braking in good time. Always pay attention to
traffic conditions and your surroundings.
Otherwise, you may fail to recognize dangers
in time, cause an accident and injure yourself
and others.
Stopping
GWarning
Never get out of the vehicle when DISTRONIC
PLUS is activated.
DISTRONIC PLUS must also never be
operated, activated or deactivated by a
passenger or from outside the vehicle.
DISTRONIC PLUS does not replace the
electric parking brake and must not be used
for parking.
The DISTRONIC PLUS braking effect is
canceled and the vehicle can start moving if:
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated using the
cruise control lever.
R you accelerate.
R
there is a malfunction in the system or an
interruption in the power supply, e.g.
battery failure.
R the electrical system in the engine
compartment, the battery or the fuses are
tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
If you wish to leave the vehicle or park it,
deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the
vehicle against rolling away.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle
in front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until
it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.
i Depending on the specified minimum
distance, your vehicle will come to a
standstill at a sufficient distance behind the
vehicle in front. The specified minimum
distance is set using the control on the
cruise control lever.
Setting a speedGWarning
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration
of the vehicle could cause an accident and/
or serious injury to you and others.
330Driving systemsDriving and parking

XPress the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.
XKeep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.
XRelease the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored. DISTRONIC PLUS
is activated and adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the new speed stored.
Setting in 1 mph (Canada: 1 km/h)
increments
XBriefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Setting in 5 mph (Canada: 10 km/h)
increments
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
beyond the pressure point, up : for a
higher speed or down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Storing the current speed or calling up
a stored speed
GWarning
The set speed stored in memory should only
be set again if prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Possible
acceleration or deceleration differences
arising from returning to the preset speed
could cause an accident and/or serious injury
to you and others.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated and adopts
either the current speed or adjusts to the
last speed stored when it is activated for
the first time.
Setting the specified minimum distance
You can set the specified minimum distance
for DISTRONIC PLUS by varying the time span
between one and two seconds. With this
function, you can set the minimum distance
that DISTRONIC PLUS keeps to the vehicle in
front, dependent on vehicle speed. You can
see this distance in the multifunction display
(Y page 332).
GWarning!
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
recommendations for safe following distance.
XTo increase: turn control ; in direction
=.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a greater
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
XTo decrease: turn control ; in
direction :.
DISTRONIC PLUS then maintains a shorter
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
iMake sure that you maintain the
minimum distance to the vehicle in front as
required by law. Adjust the distance to the
vehicle in front if necessary.
Driving systems331Driving and parkingZ

DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the
speedometer
When you switch on DISTRONIC PLUS,
triangle ; shows the stored speed.
iFor design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from
the speed set for DISTRONIC PLUS.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle in front,
the speedometer dial lights up between
speed of the vehicle in front : and stored
speed ;.
DISTRONIC PLUS displays in the
multifunction display
General notes
In the Assistance menu (Y page 375) of the
on-board computer, you can select the
distance display and activate or deactivate
PRE-SAFE® Brake.
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is
deactivated
XSelect the Distance display function
using the on-board computer
(Y page 375).
When DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you
will see the following in the multifunction
display:
:Symbol for activated PRE-SAFE® Brake;Vehicle in front, if detected=Distance indicator, current distance to
the vehicle in front
?Specified minimum distance to the
vehicle in front, adjustable
AOwn vehicle
Display when DISTRONIC PLUS is
activated
XSelect the Distance display function
using the on-board computer
(Y page 375).
You will see the stored speed for about five
seconds when you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
After this time, you will see the following in
the multifunction display while DISTRONIC
PLUS is activated:
:DISTRONIC PLUS activated;Own vehicle=Specified minimum distance to the
vehicle in front, adjustable
?Vehicle in front, if detected332Driving systemsDriving and parking

Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS
There are several ways to deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
forwards :.
or
XBrake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
iThe last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
iDISTRONIC PLUS is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you
accelerate to overtake, DISTRONIC PLUS
adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished
overtaking.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically
deactivated if:
Ryou engage the electric parking brake or if
the vehicle is automatically secured with
the electric parking brake.
Ryou are driving slower than
15 mph (25 km/h) and there is no vehicle
in front, or if the vehicle in front is no longer
detected.
RESP® intervenes or you deactivate ESP®.
Rthe transmission is in the P, R or N position.
Ryou switch off the radar sensor system
(Y page 378).
Ryou pull the cruise control lever towards
you in order to pull away and the front-
passenger door or one of the rear doors is
open.
Rthe vehicle has skidded.
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS off message in the
multifunction display for approximately five
seconds.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS
Important safety guidelines
The following contains descriptions of certain
road and traffic conditions in which you must
be particularly attentive. In such situations,
brake if necessary. DISTRONIC PLUS is then
deactivated.
GWarning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS works to maintain the
speed selected by the driver unless a moving
obstacle proceeding directly ahead of it in the
same travel direction is detected (e.g.
following another vehicle ahead of you at your
set distance).
This means that:
RYour vehicle can pass another vehicle after
you have changed lanes.
RWhile in a sharp turn or if the preceding
vehicle is in a sharp turn, the DISTRONIC
PLUS could lose sight of the preceding
vehicle. Your vehicle could then accelerate
to the previously selected speed.
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.
Driving systems333Driving and parkingZ