MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class 2013 W221 Owner's Manual

Useful information
............................280
Exterior lighting ................................ 280
Interior lighting ................................. 285
Replacing bulbs ................................. 286
Windshield wipers ............................289 279Lights and windshield wipers

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).Exterior lighting
Important safety notes
For reasons of safety, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you drive with the lights
switched on even during the daytime. In some
countries, operation of the headlamps varies
due to legal requirements and self-imposed
obligations. Information about driving abroad
To convert to symmetrical low beam
when driving abroad: switch the headlamps
to symmetrical low beam in countries in
which traffic drives on the opposite side of the
road from the country where the vehicle is
registered. This prevents glare to oncoming
traffic. Symmetrical lights do not illuminate
as large an area of the edge of the road.
Have the headlamps converted at a qualified
specialist workshop as close to the border as
possible before driving in these countries.
To convert to asymmetrical low beam
after returning: have the headlamps
converted back to asymmetrical low beam at
a qualified specialist workshop as soon as
possible after crossing the border and
returning to the original country. Light switch
Operation Depending on the date of manufacture of your
vehicle, the
000Dor0004 symbol for the
automatic headlamp mode/daytime running
lamps is located on the light switch. 0005000E
Left-hand standing lamps
00060010 Right-hand standing lamps
0007000E Lights off/daytime running lamps
000B000D Automatic headlamp mode/daytime
running lamps
000C0012 Parking lamps, license plate and
instrumen tcluste rlighting
000D000A Low-beam/high-beam headlamps
000E000B Front fog lamps 11
000F000D Rear fog lamp
The tur nsignals, high-beam headlamps and
the high-beam flasher are operated using the
combination switch (Y page 283).
! Switch off the parking lamps and standing
lamps when you leave the vehicle. This
prevents the battery fro mdischarging.
The exterior lighting (except the parking/
standing lamps) switches off automatically if
you:
R remove the SmartKey fro mthe ignition lock
R open the driver's door with the SmartKey
in position 0
If you hear a warning tone when you leave the
vehicle, the lights may still be switched on.
11 Only vehicles with Bi-Xenon headlamps without the Intelligent Light System are equipped with front fog lamps. 280
Exterior lightingLights and windshield wipers

X
Turn the light switch to 000Eor000D.
or
X If the rear fog lamp is switched on: press
the light switch in to the stop.
Low-beam headlamps X
To switch on the low-beam headlamps:
turn the SmartKey in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to 000A.
The 0012 indicator lamp on the light switch
lights up.
X To switch off the low-beam
headlamps: turn the light switch to 000E.
Daytime running lamps Daytime running lamps in Canada
The daytime running lamps function is
required by law in Canada. It cannot therefore
be deactivated.
X Turn the light switch to 000Eor000D.
With the engine running: depending on the
ambient light, the daytime running lamps or
the low-beam headlamps are switched on.
When the low-beam headlamps are
switched on, the 0012indicator lamp on
the light switch lights up.
When the engine is running and the vehicle is
stationary or if the electronic parking brake is
applied: if you move the selector lever from a
drive position to P, the daytime running
lamps/low-beam headlamps go out after
three minutes.
When the engine is running, the vehicle is
stationary and in high ambient light
brightness: if you turn the light switch
to 0012, you turn on the daytime running
lamps and parking lamps.
If the engine is running and you turn the light
switch to 000A, the manual settings take
precedence over the daytime running lamps. Daytime running lamps in the USA
In the USA, the daytime running lamps are
deactivated upon delivery from the factory.
X
To activate the daytime running
lamps: activate the daytime running lamps
function in the on-board computer
(Y page 387).
X Turn the light switch to 000Eor000D.
With the engine running: depending on the
ambient light, the daytime running lamps or
the low-beam headlamps are switched on.
When the low-beam headlamps are
switched on, the 0012indicator lamp on
the light switch lights up.
If the engine is running and you turn the light
switch to 0012or000A, the manual settings
take precedence over the daytime running
lamps.
Automatic headlamp mode X
To switch on automatic headlamp
mode: turn the light switch to 000D.
SmartKey in position 1in the ignition lock:
the parking lamps are switched on or off
automatically depending on the brightness
of the ambient light.
With the engine running: depending on the
brightness of the ambient light, the daytime
running lamps 12
or the parking lamps and
low-beam headlamps are switched on or off
automatically.
When the low-beam headlamps are
switched on, the 0012indicator lamp on
the light switch lights up. G
WARNING
If the light switch is set to 000D, the low-beam
headlamps will not come on automatically if
it is foggy. This could endanger you and
others. Therefore, turn the light switch to
000A in fog.
12 Only if daytime running lamps have been activated via the on-board computer. Exterior lighting
281Lights and windshield wipers
Z

The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid. The driver is responsible for the vehicle's
lighting at all times. G
WARNING
When it is dark or foggy, turn the light switch
quickly from 000Dto000A.O therwise, the
headlamps could switch off temporarily and
you could cause an accident.
Front fog lamps G
WARNING
If you suspect tha tdriving conditions will be
foggy, turn the light switch to 000Abefore you
start yourj ourney. Your vehicle may
otherwise not be visible and you could
endanger yourself and others. G
WARNING
In low ambient lighting or foggy conditions,
only switch from position 000Dto000A with
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from 000Dto000A will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions may
result in an accident.
X To switch on the front fog lamps: turn
the SmartKey in the ignition lock to position
2 or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to 000Aor0012. If the
light switch is set to 000D, you cannot
switch on the fog lamps.
X Pull the light switch out to the first detent.
The green 000Bindicator lamp on the light
switch lights up.
X To switch off the front fog lamps: press
the light switch in as far as it will go.
The green 000Bindicator lamp on the light
switch goes out. Rear fog lamp X
To switch on the rear fog lamp: turn the
SmartKey in the ignition lock to position 2
or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to 000Aor0012
(vehicles with front fog lamps), or turn the
light switch to 000A(vehicles without front
fog lamps). If the light switch is set to
000D, you cannot switch on the rear fog
lamp.
X Turn the light switch to 000A. If the light
switch is set to 0012, you cannot switch on
the rear fog lamp.
X Pull the light switch out to the second stop
(vehicles with front fog lamps) or pull it out
to the stop (vehicles without front fog
lamps).
The yellow 000Dindicator lamp on the light
switch lights up.
X To switch off the rear fog lamp: press the
light switch in as far as it will go.
The yellow 000Dindicator lamp on the light
switch goes out.
Headlam pcleaning system If the "Wipe with washer fluid" function is
operated five times (Y
page 289) while the
lights are on and the engine is running, the
headlamps are cleaned automatically. When
you switch off the ignition, the automatic
headlamp cleaning syste mis reset and
counting is resumed from 0. 282
Exterior lightingLights and windshield wipers

Combination switch
Turn signals 0002
High-beam headlamps
0003 Right tur nsignal
0026 High-beam flasher
0025 Left turn signal
X To indicate briefly: press the combination
switch briefly to the pressure point in the
direction of arrow 0003or0025.
The corresponding tur nsignal flashes three
times.
X To indicate: press the combination switch
beyond the pressure point in the direction
of arrow 0003or0025.
High-beam headlamps X
To switch on th ehigh-beam headlamps:
turn the SmartKey in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to 000A.
X Press the combination switc hbeyond the
pressure point in the direction of
arrow 0002.
The 0009 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
X To switch off the high-beam
headlamps: move the combination switch
back to its normal position.
The 0009 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. High-beam flasher X
To switch on: turn the SmartKey in the
ignition lock to position 1or 2or start the
engine.
X Pull the combination switch in the direction
of arrow 0026. Hazard warning lamps
The hazard warning lamps automatically
switch on if:
R
an air bag is deployed.
R the vehicle is slowed down rapidly from a
speed of over 45 mph (70 km/h) and
comes to a halt.
X To switch on the hazard warning lamps:
press button 0002.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on
a turn signal using the combination switch,
only the turn signal lamp on the
corresponding side of the vehicle will flash.
X To switch off the hazard warning
lamps: press button 0002.
If the vehicle returns to a speed of over
6m ph (10 km/h) after a full application of the
brakes, the hazard warning lamps are
deactivated automatically.
i The hazard warning lamps still operate if
the ignition is switched off. Exterior lighting
283Lights and windshield wipers Z

Cornering ligh
tfunction The cornering light function improves the
illumination of the road over a wide angle in
the direction you are turning, enabling better
visibility in tight bends, for example. The
cornering light function can only be activated
whe nthe low-beam headlamps are switched
on.
Active:
R if you are driving at speeds below 25 mph
(40 km/h) and switch on the turn signals
or turn the steering wheel
R if you are driving at speeds between
25 mph (40 km/h) and 45 mph (70 km/h)
and turn the steering wheel
Not active: if you are driving at speeds above
25 mph (40 km/h) or switch off the turn
signals or turn the steering wheel to the
straight-ahead position.
The cornering light function may remain lit for
a short time, but is automatically switched off
after no more than three minutes. Adaptive Highbeam Assist
You can use this function to set the
headlamps to change between low bea mand
high beam automatically. The system
recognizes vehicles with thei rlights on, either
approaching fro mthe opposite direction or
traveling in front of your vehicle, and
consequently switches the headlamps from
high beam to low beam. The system automatically adapts the low-
beam headlamp range depending on the
distance to the other vehicle. Once the
system no longer detects any other vehicles,
it reactivates the high-beam headlamps.
The system's optical sensor is located behind
the windshield near the overhead control
panel. X
To activate: activate the Adaptive
Highbeam Assist function using the on-
board computer (Y page 388).
X Turn the light switch to 000D.
X Press the combination switch beyond the
pressure point in the direction of arrow 0002
(Y page 283).
If it is dark and the light sensor activates
the low-beam headlamps, the 0003
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up.
If you drive at speeds above approximately
28 mph (45 km/h):
the headlamp range is set automatically
depending on the distance between the
vehicle and other road users.
If you are driving at speeds above
approximately 35 mph (55 km/h) and no
other road users have been detected: 284
Exterior lightingLights and windshield wipers

the high-beam headlamps are switched on
automatically. The 0009indicator lamp in
the instrument cluste ralso lights up.
If you drive at speeds below approximately
30 mph (45 km/h) or if other road users
are identified or if the roads are sufficiently
illuminated:
the high-beam headlamps are switched off
automatically. The 0009indicator lamp in
the instrumen tcluster goes out. The 0003
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
stays on.
X To deactivate: move the combination
switch back to its normal position.
The 0003 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. G
WARNING
The Adaptive Highbeam Assist is only an aid
intended to suppor tyou while driving. The
driver is and remains responsible for proper
vehicle lighting in accordance with the
prevailing light, sight and traffic conditions.
The system may be impaired or unavailable
when
R visibility is poor, e.g. due to snow, rain, fog,
or heavy spray
R the optical sensor area of the windshield is
dirty, fogged up, or covered by a sticker for
example
The system cannot recognize the following
road users:
R Road users without a lighting system of
their own, e.g. pedestrians
R Road users with dim lighting of their own,
e.g. cyclists
R Road users whose lighting is obstructed,
e.g. road users behind a guardrail
R In some seldom cases, even road users with
a lighting system of their own may be
recognized too late or not at all.
The automatic high-beam headlamps will then
not be deactivated or it will be activated in
spite of preceding or oncoming road users. This could endanger you and/or others and
cause an accident
.Always pay close attention
to the traffic situation and switch off the high
beam manually if necessary. Headlamps fogged up on the inside
The headlamps may fog up on the inside if
there is high atmospheric humidity.
X Drive with the headlamps switched on.
The level of moisture diminishes,
depending on the length of the journey and
the weather conditions (humidity and
temperature).
If the level of moisture does not diminish:
X Have the headlamps checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. Interior lighting
Overview of interior lighting
Front overhead control panel
0002
0011 Switches the left-hand reading lamp
on/off
0003 0001 Switches the rear interior lighting
on/off
0026 0004 Switches the front interior lighting
on/off
0025 0018 Switches the automatic interior
lighting control on/off
0023 0011 Switches the right-hand reading
lamp on/off Interior lighting
285Lights and windshield wipers Z

Rear-compartmen
toverhead control panel
0002 Reading lamp
0003 Press 0011consecutively:
to switch the reading lamp and interior
lighting on
to switch only the reading lamp on
to switch the reading lamp off
0026 Interior lighting Interior lighting control
Important notes In order to prevent the vehicle's battery from
discharging, the interior lighting functions are
automatically deactivated after some time
except for when the SmartKey is in position
2
in the ignition lock.
Automatic interio rlighting control X
To switch on/off: press the0018button.
The OFF indicator lamp shows whether the
automatic interior lighting control is
deactivated (indicator lamp on) or
activated (indicator lamp off).
The interior lighting automatically switches
on if you:
R unloc kthe vehicle
R open a door
R remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock
The interior light is activated for a short while
when the SmartKey is removed from the
ignition lock. You can activate this delayed
switch-off using COMAND (Y page 267).Manual interior lighting control X
To switch the front interior lighting on/
off: press the 0004button.
X To switch the rear interior lighting on/
off: press the 0001button.
X To switch the reading lamps on/off:
press the 0011button. Replacing bulbs
Important safety notes
Xenon bulbs G
DANGER
Xenon bulbs carry a high voltage. You could
get an electric shock and be seriously or even
fatally injured if you touch the electric
contacts on Xenon bulbs. Therefore, never
remove the cover from Xenon bulbs.
Do not change the Xenon bulbs yourself, but
have them replaced at a qualified workshop.
If your vehicle is equipped with Xenon bulbs,
you can recognize this by the following: the
cone of light from the Xenon bulbs moves
from the top to the bottom and back again
when you start the engine. For this to be
observed, the lights must be switched on
before starting the engine.
Bulbs and lamps are an important aspect of
vehicle safety. You must therefore make sure
that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly.
Other bulbs There are bulbs other than the Xenon bulbs
that you cannot replace. Replace only the
bulbs listed (Y
page 287). Have the bulbs that
you cannot replace yourself changed at a
qualified specialist workshop.
If you require assistance changing bulbs,
consult a qualified specialist workshop.
Do not touch the glass tube of new bulbs with
your bare hands. Even minor contamination 286
Replacing bulbsLights and windshield wipers

can burn into the glass surface and reduce
the service life of the bulbs. Always use a lint-
free cloth or only touch the base of the bulb
when installing.
Only use bulbs of the correct type.
If the new bulb still does not light up, consult
a qualified specialist workshop.
Bulbs and lamps are an important aspect of
vehicle safety .You must therefore make sure
that these function correctly at all times.
Have the headlamp setting checked regularly. G
WARNING
Bulbs and lamps can become very hot. For
this reason, allow them to cool down before
changing them. Otherwise, you could burn
yourself when you touch them.
Keep bulbs out of the reach of children.
Otherwise, they could, for example, damage
the bulbs and injure themselves.
Never use a bulb which has been dropped.
Such a bulb may explode and injure you.
Halogen bulbs are pressurized and could
explode when you change them, especially if
they are very hot. You should therefore wear
eye protection and gloves when you are
changing them. Overview: changing bulbs/bulb types
You can change the following bulbs. The bulb
type can be found in the legend. Bi-Xenon headlamps (vehicles with halogen
daytime running lamps)
0002
High-beam spot lamp: H7 55 W Bi-Xenon headlamps (vehicles with LED daytime
running lamps)
0002
High-beam spot lamp 13
: H11 55 W
0003 Infrared light (Night View Assist Plus):
H11 55 W
13 Due to their location, have the bulbs in the left-hand headlamp changed at a qualified specialist workshop,
e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Replacing bulbs
287Lights and windshield wipers Z

Changing the front bulbs
High-bea mspot lamp (vehicles with
halogen daytime running lamps) X
Switch off the lights.
X Ope nthe hood.
X Turn housing cover 0002counter-clockwise
and pull it out.
X Turn bulb holder 0003counter-clockwise and
pull it out.
X Take the bulb out of bulb holder 0003.
X Insert the new bulb into bulb holder 0003.
X Insert bulb holder 0003.
Left-hand headlamp: cable outlet 0026must
be pointing up and to the right.
Right-hand headlamp: cable outlet 0026must
be pointing down and to the left.
X Turn bulb holder 0003clockwise.
Handle 0025of bulb holder 0003is horizontal.
X Align housing cover 0002and turn it
clockwise until it engages. High-beam spot lamp (vehicles with
LED-daytime running lamps)/infrared
light (Night View Assist Plus) Due to their location, have the bulbs in the
left-hand headlamp changed at a qualified
specialist workshop.
X Switch off the lights.
X Open the hood.
X Turn housing cover 0002counterclockwise
and pull it out.
X Turn bulb holder 0003counterclockwise and
pull it out.
X Push the two detents on the right and left
of bulb holder 0003and pull the bulb from
bulb holder 0003.
X Insert the new bulb into bulb holder 0003until
it engages.
X Insert bulb holder 0003into the guide in the
headlamp.
Cable outlet 0026must be pointing down and
to the right.
X Turn bulb holder 0003clockwise.
Cable outlet 0026must be pointing down and
to the left.
X Align housing cover 0002and turn it
clockwise until it engages. 288
Replacing bulbsLights and windshield wipers