accident MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class 2012 W221 Owner's Guide

Even with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-
GO removed from the vehicle, the remote
trunk opening/closing switch can be
operated. Therefore, do not leave children
unattended in the vehicle, or with access to
an unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.GWARNING
Make sure the trunk lid is closed when the
engine is running and while driving. Among
other dangers, deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
gases may enter the vehicle interior resulting
in unconsciousness and death.
You can open and close the trunk lid from the
driver's seat when the vehicle is stationary
and unlocked.
XTo open: press remote operating switch for
trunk lid : until the trunk lid opens.XTo close: press remote operating switch
for trunk lid : until the trunk lid is closed.
Locking the trunk separately
You can lock the trunk separately. If you then
unlock the vehicle centrally, the trunk
remains locked and cannot be opened.
XClose the trunk lid.XTake the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey ( Y page 81).XInsert the mechanical key into the trunk lid
lock as far as the stop.XTurn the mechanical key clockwise from
position 1 to position 2.XRemove the mechanical key.XInsert the mechanical key into the
SmartKey.
Unlocking the trunk (mechanical key)
! The trunk lid swings upwards when
opened. Therefore, make sure that there is
sufficient clearance above the trunk lid.
If the trunk cannot be unlocked with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO, use the
mechanical key.
If you use the mechanical key to unlock and
open the trunk lid, the anti-theft alarm system
will be triggered ( Y page 75).
XTake the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey ( Y page 81).XInsert the mechanical key into the trunk lid
lock as far as the stop.Trunk91Opening/closingZ

term "sliding sunroof" refers to both types of
sliding sunroof.GWARNING
When opening or closing the sliding sunroof,
make sure that there is no danger of anyone
being harmed by the opening/closing
procedure.
The sliding sunroof is equipped with
automatic operation and the anti-entrapment
feature. If the movement of the sliding sunroof
is blocked during the closing procedure, the
sliding sunroof will stop and open slightly.
The sliding sunroof operates differently when
the sliding sunroof switch is pressed and held.
See the "Problems with the sliding sunroof"
section for more details.
The opening/closing procedure of the sliding
sunroof can be immediately halted by
releasing the sliding sunroof switch or, if the
sliding sunroof switch was moved past the
resistance point and released, by moving the
sliding sunroof switch in any direction.
GWARNING
The sliding sunroof is made out of glass. In the
event of an accident, the glass may shatter.
This may result in an opening in the roof.
In a vehicle rollover, occupants not wearing
their seat belts or not wearing them properly
may be thrown out of the opening. Such an
opening also presents a potential for injury for
occupants wearing their seat belts properly,
as entire body parts or portions of them may
protrude from the passenger compartment.
! Only open the sliding sunroof if it is free
of snow and ice. Otherwise, malfunctions
may occur.
Do not allow anything to protrude from the
sliding sunroof. Otherwise, the seals could
be damaged.
! The weather can change abruptly. It could
start to rain or snow. Make sure that the
sliding sunroof is closed when you leave the
vehicle. The vehicle electronics can be
damaged if water enters the vehicle
interior.
i Resonance noises can occur in addition
to the usual airflow noises when the sliding
sunroof is open. They are caused by minor
pressure fluctuations in the vehicle interior.
Change the position of the sliding sunroof
or open a side window slightly to reduce or
eliminate these noises.
Operating the sliding sunroof
Opening and closing
i You can continue to operate the sliding
sunroof after switching off the engine or
removing the SmartKey from the ignition
lock. This function is available for up to five
minutes or until the driver's or front-
passenger door is opened.
Overhead control panel
:To raise;To open=To close/lowerXTurn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2 in the
ignition lock.XPress or pull the 3 switch in the
corresponding direction.
i If you press the 3 switch beyond the
point of resistance, an automatic opening/
closing process is started in the
corresponding direction. You can stop
automatic operation by operating the
switch again.
96Sliding sunroofOpening/closing

Seats
Important safety notes
GWARNING
In order to avoid possible loss of vehicle
control, all seat, head restraint, steering
wheel and rear view mirror adjustments, as
well as fastening of seat belts, must be done
before setting the vehicle in motion.
GWARNING
Do not adjust the driver's seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never travel in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide under
the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under
it, the seat belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. This could cause serious or
fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat belts
provide the best restraint when the wearer is
in a position that is as upright as possible and
seat belts are properly positioned on the
body.
GWARNING
Your seat belt must be adjusted so that you
can correctly fasten your seat belt.
Observe the following points:
R adjust the seat backrest until your arms are
slightly angled when holding the steering
wheel.
R adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely. The
position should be as far back as possible
with the driver still able to operate the
controls properly.
R adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the center
of the head restraint supports the back of
the head at eye level.
R never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being
adjusted.
Failure to do so could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.GWARNING
The electrically adjustable seats can be
operated at any time. Therefore, do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. A child's
unsupervised access to a vehicle could result
in an accident and/or serious personal injury.
GWARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front seating
position. Thus, we strongly recommend that
children be placed in the rear seats whenever
possible. Regardless of seating position,
children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child. For additional
information, see "Children in the vehicle".
A child's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
GWARNING
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust the head restraint so that it is as close
to the head as possible and the center of the
head restraint supports the back of the head
at eye level. This will reduce the potential for
injury to the head and neck in the event of an
accident or similar situation.
Seats103Seats, steering wheel and mirrorsZ

Do not drive the vehicle without the seat head
restraints. Head restraints are intended to
help reduce injuries during an accident.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R keep liquids from spilling on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible.
R if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat
heating should also not be used to dry
the seats.
R clean the seat covers as recommended;
see the "Interior care" section.
R do not transport heavy loads on the
seats. Do not place sharp objects on the
seat cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools.
The seats should only be occupied by
passengers, if possible.
R when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating
materials, e.g. blankets, coats, bags,
seat covers, child seats or booster seats.
! When you move the seats, make sure that
there are no objects in the footwell or
behind the seats. Otherwise, you could
damage the seats and the objects.
i The head restraints in the front seats are
equipped with the NECK-PRO system. For
this reason, it is not possible to remove the
head restraints from the front seats.
For design reasons, the rear-compartment
head restraints cannot be removed.
Please contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center for more information.Adjusting the seats:Head restraint height;Seat height=Seat cushion angle?Seat cushion lengthASeat fore-and-aft adjustmentBBackrest angle
i If PRE-SAFE ®
has been activated, the
front-passenger seat and the electrically
adjustable rear seats are moved into a
more favorable position.
i You can store the seat settings using the
memory function ( Y page 113).
i To ensure the largest possible range of
seat settings, certain seat adjustment
functions will automatically activate other
seat adjustment functions.
i Depending on the seat fore-and-aft
setting, the head restraint height is
adjusted automatically.
Adjusting the rear seat electrically
You can only adjust the outer seats in the rear
electrically.
104SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

:Seat cushion angle;Backrest angle=Folding the head restraint up or back?Head restraint angleASeat fore-and-aft adjustment
Adjusting the front-passenger seat
from the driver's seat
GWARNING
When adjusting the front passenger seat,
make sure the seat, if occupied, is as far from
the front passenger front air bag as possible.
Otherwise, the passenger could be seriously
or even fatally injured in the event of an
accident or braking maneuver.
Make sure no one is caught or injured while
the seat is being adjusted.
Even with the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO removed from the starter switch
or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO removed
from the vehicle, the power seats can be
operated. Therefore, do not leave children
unattended in the vehicle, or with access to
an unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
! Do not move the front-passenger seat
fully forwards if there are objects in the
parcel net in the front-passenger footwell.
The objects could otherwise be damaged.
You can use the seat switches on the driver's
side to adjust the front-passenger seat.
XTo activate/deactivate: press button :.
If the indicator lamp in button : is lit, you
can access the following functions for the
front-passenger seat:
R seat adjustment
R seat heating/ventilation
R memory function
Adjusting the front-passenger seat
from the rear
GWARNING
When adjusting the front passenger seat,
make sure the seat, if occupied, is as far from
the front passenger front air bag as possible.
Otherwise, the passenger could be seriously
or even fatally injured in the event of an
accident or braking maneuver.
Make sure no one is caught or injured while
the seat is being adjusted.
Even with the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO removed from the starter switch
or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO removed
from the vehicle, the power seats can be
operated. Therefore, do not leave children
unattended in the vehicle, or with access to
an unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
! Do not move the front-passenger seat
fully forwards if there are objects in the
parcel net in the front-passenger footwell.
The objects could otherwise be damaged.
Seats105Seats, steering wheel and mirrorsZ

The electrical steering wheel adjustment
feature can be operated at any time.
Therefore, do not leave children unattended
in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. A child's unsupervised access to a
vehicle could result in an accident and/or
serious personal injury.
Adjusting the steering wheel
:To adjust the steering wheel position
(fore-and-aft adjustment);To adjust the steering wheel height
i Other topics:
R EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature
( Y page 110)
R storing settings ( Y page 113)
R operating the on-board computer
( Y page 373)
Steering wheel heating
Switching on/off
The steering-wheel heating heats the leather
areas of the steering wheel.
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.XTo switch on/off: turn the lever in the
direction of arrow : or ;.
Indicator lamp = lights up or goes out.
Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: when you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock,
the steering wheel heating is deactivated.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: when you switch
off the ignition and open the driver's door, the
steering wheel heating is deactivated.
i The steering wheel heating is deactivated
when the temperature in the vehicle
interior is higher than 86 ‡ (30 †).
i The steering wheel heating is switched off
automatically after about 24 minutes.
EASY-ENTRY/EXIT system
Important safety notes
The EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature makes getting
in and out of your vehicle easier.
You can activate and deactivate the EASY-
ENTRY/EXIT feature using COMAND
( Y page 262).
GWARNING
You must make sure no one can become
trapped or injured by the moving steering
wheel and driver's seat when the EASY-
ENTRY/EXIT feature is activated.
110Steering wheelSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

To stop steering wheel and seat movement,
do one of the following:
R move the seat adjustment switch.
R move the steering column adjustment
switch.
R press one of the memory function position
buttons or memory button M.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could open the driver's door and
unintentionally activate the EASY-ENTRY/
EXIT feature. This could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.GWARNING
Let the system complete the adjustment
procedure before setting the vehicle in
motion. All steering wheel adjustment must
be completed before setting the vehicle in
motion. Driving off with the steering wheel
still adjusting could cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle.
! Do not activate the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT
feature, if the seat backrest is reclined too
far backwards. This can damage the front
or rear seats. You must first move the
backrest to a vertical position.
Position of the steering wheel and the
driver's seat when the EASY-ENTRY/
EXIT feature is active
The steering wheel tilts upwards and the
driver's seat moves backwards if you:
R remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock
R open the driver's door when the SmartKey
is in the ignition lock or KEYLESS-GO is in
position 1
i The steering wheel only moves upwards if
it has not already reached the upper end
stop. The driver's seat only moves
backwards if it is not already in the
rearmost position.
Position of the steering wheel and the
driver's seat for driving
If you insert the SmartKey into the ignition
lock with the driver's door closed, depending
on the setting, the position of the steering
wheel and the driver's seat will be changed to
the previously set position.
The last position of the steering wheel or seat
is stored if:
R the ignition is switched off or
R the setting is stored with the memory
function.
Crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature
If the crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is
triggered in an accident, the steering column
will move upwards when the driver's door is
opened. This occurs irrespective of the
position of the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
This makes it easier to exit the vehicle and
rescue the occupants.
The crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is
only operational if the EASY-EXIT/ENTRY
feature is activated in the on-board computer.
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
Adjusting the exterior mirrors
GWARNING
Exercise care when using the passenger-side
exterior rear view mirror. The mirror surface
is convex (outwardly curved surface for a
wider field of view). Objects in mirror are
closer than they appear. Check your interior
rear view mirror and glance over your
shoulder before changing lanes.
The exterior mirrors are automatically heated
if the rear window defroster is switched on
and the outside temperature is low.
Mirrors111Seats, steering wheel and mirrorsZ

XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
1 or 2 in the ignition lock.XPress button ; for the right-hand exterior
mirror or button = for the left-hand
exterior mirror.
The indicator lamp lights up in the button
that has been pressed.XPress adjustment button : up, down, to
the right or to the left until the exterior
mirror is set to a position that provides you
with a good overview of traffic conditions.
Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
electrically
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
1 or 2 in the ignition lock.XBriefly press button :.
Both exterior mirrors fold in or out.
i Make sure that the exterior mirrors are
always folded out fully while the vehicle is
in motion, as they may otherwise vibrate.
Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
automatically
When the "Automatic mirror folding" function
is activated in COMAND ( Y page 262):
R the exterior mirrors fold in automatically as
soon as you lock the vehicle from the
outside.
R the exterior mirrors fold out again
automatically as soon as you unlock the
vehicle and then open the driver's or front-
passenger door.
i The mirrors do not fold out if they have
been folded in manually.
Exterior mirror out of position
If an exterior mirror has been pushed out of
position, proceed as follows:
XPress the mirror-folding button
( Y page 112) repeatedly until you hear the
mirrors engage in position.
The mirror housing is engaged again and
you can adjust the exterior mirrors as usual
( Y page 111).
Automatic anti-glare mirrors
GWARNING
If incident light from headlamps is prevented
from striking the sensor in the rear-view
mirror, for instance, by luggage piled too high
in the vehicle, the mirror's automatic anti-
glare function will not operate.
Incident light could then blind you. This may
distract you from the traffic conditions and,
as a result, you may cause an accident.
The rear-view mirror and the exterior mirror
on the driver's side automatically go into anti-
glare mode if the ignition is switched on and
incident light from headlamps strikes the
sensor in the rear-view mirror.
The mirrors do not go into anti-glare mode if
reverse gear is engaged or the interior lighting
is switched on.
112MirrorsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops ( Y page 31).
Introduction
Operating safety
General notes
GWARNING
Vehicles with HYBRID: ensure that you read
the "HYBRID" supplement. You may otherwise
fail to recognize dangers.
GWARNING
Making alterations to electronic components
can cause malfunctions.
Radio, satellite radio, amplifier, DVD changer,
navigation module, phone and voice control
are networked together. If one component is
not functional or if it has been incorrectly
removed/replaced, this could impair the
operation of other components.
This could seriously jeopardize the
operational safety of your vehicle.
We recommend that you always have
maintenance work on electronic components
carried out at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
GWARNING
In order to avoid distraction which could lead
to an accident, the driver should enter system
settings while the vehicle is at a standstill, and
operate the system only when permitted by
road, weather and traffic conditions.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your car covers a
distance of 44 feet (approximately 14 m) every
second.
COMAND supplies you with information to
help you select your route more easily and
guide you conveniently and safely to your
destination. For safety reasons, we
encourage the driver to stop the vehicle in a
safe place before answering or placing a call,
or consulting the COMAND screen to read
navigational maps, instructions, or
downloaded information.GWARNING
While the navigation system provides
directional assistance, the driver must remain
focused on safe driving behavior, especially
attention to traffic and street signs, and
should utilize the system's audio cues while
driving.
The navigation system does not supply any
information on stop signs, yield signs, traffic
regulations or traffic safety rules. Their
observance always remains in the driver's
personal responsibility. DVD maps do not
cover all areas nor all routes within an area.
i Canada only: This device complies with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,
and
2. this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.
i USA only: This device complies with Part
15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
116IntroductionCOMAND

GWARNING
Navigation announcements are intended to
direct you while driving without diverting your
attention from the road and driving.
Please always use this feature instead of
consulting the map display for directions.
Looking at the icons or map display can
distract you from traffic conditions and
driving, and increase the risk of an accident.
General information
Operational readiness of the navigation
system
The navigation system must determine the
position of the vehicle before first use or
whenever operational status is restored.
Therefore, you may have to drive for a while
before precise route guidance is possible.
GPS reception
Correct functioning of the navigation system
depends, amongst other things, on GPS
reception. In certain situations, GPS
reception may be impaired, there may be
interference or there may be no reception at
all, e.g. in tunnels or parking garages.
Entry restriction
On vehicles for certain countries, there is a
restriction on entering data.
The restriction is active from a vehicle speed
of over approximately 3 mph (5 km/h). As
soon as speed falls below approximately
2 mph (3 km/h), the restriction becomes
inactive.
When the restriction is active, certain entries
cannot be made. This will be indicated by the
fact that certain menu items are grayed out
and cannot be selected.
The following functions, for example, may
therefore not be available while the vehicle is
in motion:
R entering the destination city and street
R entering a destination via the map
Rentering points of interest in the vicinity of
a city or via a name search
R editing entries
R using the number keypad for direct entry
Switching to navigation modeXPress the S function button once or
twice.
or
XSelect Navi in the main function bar by
sliding ZV and turning cVd the COMAND
controller and press W to confirm.
In both cases, you will see the map either
with or without the menu shown.
Map showing the menu; route guidance inactive
:Current vehicle position
Map without the menu; route guidance inactive
:Current vehicle position;Map orientation selected=Map scale selected
" Route guidance active" means that you have
entered a destination and that COMAND has
calculated the route. The display then shows
Navigation151COMANDZ