child seat MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS SEDAN 2012 Owners Manual

CareCarpets .......................................... 472
Car wash ........................................ 466
Display ........................................... 470
Exterior lights ................................ 469
Gear or selector lever ....................472
Interior ........................................... 470
Matte finish ................................... 468
Night View Assist Plus ...................471
Notes ............................................. 466
Paint .............................................. 468
Plastic trim .................................... 471
Power washer ................................ 467
Rear view camera .......................... 470
Roof lining ...................................... 472
Seat belt ........................................ 472
Seat cover ..................................... 472
Sensors ......................................... 470
Steering wheel ............................... 472
Tail pipes ....................................... 470
Trim pieces .................................... 472
Washing by hand ........................... 467
Wheels ........................................... 468
Windows ........................................ 469
Wiper blades .................................. 469
Wooden trim .................................. 472
Cargo tie down rings ......................... 437
Car pool lanes .................................... 173
Car wash (care) ................................. 466
Category Satellite radio ................................ 222
CD
Copy protection ............................. 234
Fast forward/fast rewind ...............230
General information .......................234
Inserting ........................................ 225
Inserting/loading (Rear Seat
Entertainment System) ..................255
Mode, switching to ........................226
Multisession .................................. 233
Notes on discs ............................... 234
Operating the player/changer
(on-board computer) ......................381
Pause function ............................... 227
Playback options ........................... 232
Player/changer operation
(COMAND) ..................................... 225Removing/ejecting (Rear Seat
Entertainment System) ..................256
Safety notes .................................. 225
Selecting a media type ..................228
Selecting a track ............................ 229
Sound settings (balance, bass,
fader, treble) .................................. 139
Center console ..................................... 41
Central locking Automatic locking feature
(COMAND) ..................................... 269
Locking/unlocking (SmartKey) ........82
Changing batteries (remote
control, headphones) ........................ 251
Changing bulbs High-beam headlamps (vehicles
with halogen daytime running
lamps) ............................................ 288
High-beam headlamps (vehicles
with LED daylight lamps) ...............288
Important safety notes ..................286
Overview of bulb types ..................287
Changing direction
Announcement phase ....................171
Change of direction phase .............171
Preparation phase .........................171
Character bar ..................................... 133
Characters Entering ......................................... 134
Entering (address book, phone
book) ............................................. 136
Entering (navigation) ......................133
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes ....................70
Rear doors ....................................... 71
Children
In the vehicle ................................... 66
Restraint systems ............................ 66
Child seat
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat
anchors ............................................ 68
Special seat belt retractor ...............68
Top Tether ....................................... 69
Cigarette lighter ................................ 442
Cleaning Mirror turn signal ........................... 470Index7

Manual control ............................... 286
Overview ........................................ 285
Reading lamp ................................. 285
Intermediate stop
Deleting ......................................... 166
Entering ......................................... 165
iPod ®
Alphabetical track selection ..........242
Connecting to the Media
Interface ........................................ 238
Selecting a category/playlist .........241
Supported variants ........................238
J
Jack Storage location ............................ 474
Using ............................................. 476
Jump starting (engine) ...................... 483
K
Key see SmartKey
KEYLESS-GO
Convenience closing feature ............97
Locking ............................................ 83
Start/Stop button .......................... 307
Starting the engine ........................309
Unlocking ......................................... 83
Key positions
KEYLESS-GO .................................. 307
SmartKey ....................................... 307
Kickdown
Driving tips .................................... 317
Manual drive program ....................320
L
Lamps see Warning and indicator lamps
Lane-change assistant
see Blind Spot Assist
Lane detection (automatic)
see Lane Keeping Assist
Lane Keeping Assist
Activating/deactivating .................387
Display message ............................ 413
Function/information ....................365
Lap time (RACETIMER) ...................... 382
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat
anchors ................................................ 68
Letter bar see Character bar
License plate lamp (display
message) ............................................ 404
Light function, active Display message ............................ 405
Lighting
see Lights
Lights
Automatic headlamp mode ............281
Cornering light function .................284
Display message ............................ 403
Driving abroad ............................... 280
Fog lamps ...................................... 282
Hazard warning lamps ...................283
High beam flasher .......................... 283
High-beam headlamps ...................283
Light switch ................................... 280
Low-beam headlamps ....................281
Rear fog lamp ................................ 282
Standing lamps .............................. 280
Switching Adaptive Highbeam
Assist on/off ................................. 388
Switching the daytime running
lamps on/off (on-board
computer) ...................................... 387
Switching the daytime running
lamps on/off (switch) ....................281
Turn signals ................................... 283
see Changing bulbs
see Interior lighting
Light sensor (display message) ....... 405
Loading guidelines ............................ 434
Locator lighting setting (COMAND) . 268
Locking see Central locking
Locking (doors)
Automatic ........................................ 89
Emergency locking ........................... 91
From inside (central locking
button) ............................................. 89
Locking centrally
see Central locking
Locking verification signal (on-
board computer) ............................... 38814Index

Roadside Assistance (breakdown) .... 29
Roller blind see Roller sunblind
Roller sunblind
Panorama roof with power tilt/
sliding panel .................................. 100
Rear side windows ...........................96
Rear window .................................. 441
Rear window (COMAND) ................266
Roller sunblind of the panorama
roof with power tilt/sliding panel Operating (front roller sunblind) ....101
Operating (rear roller sunblind) ......101
Roof carrier ........................................ 438
Roof lining and carpets (cleaning
guidelines) ......................................... 472
Roof load (maximum) ........................ 531
Route (navigation) Displaying the distance to the
destination ..................................... 176
Route overview .............................. 176
Selecting an alternative route ........175
Setting route options (avoiding:
highways, toll roads, tunnels,
ferries) ........................................... 156
Setting the route type (short
route, fast route, dynamic route or
economic route) ............................ 156
Starting calculation ........................160
see Route guidance (navigation)
Route guidance
Canceling ....................................... 173
Continuing ..................................... 173
Destination reached ......................174
Lane recommendations .................172
Off-road ......................................... 177
Traffic reports ................................ 178
Route guidance (navigation) ............ 379
Route guidance (on-board
computer) .......................................... 379
Route information see Dynamic route guidance/TMC
S
Safety Children in the vehicle .....................66
Child restraint systems ....................66
Occupant Classification System
(OCS) ............................................... 54
Overview of occupant safety
systems ........................................... 48
Safety notes
Audio CD/DVD and MP3 mode .....225
Operating safety ............................ 120
Video DVD mode ........................... 245
Safety systems
see Driving safety systems
SatRadio ............................................. 221
Displaying information ...................224
Registering .................................... 221
Selecting a category ......................222
Screen
Selecting for remote control (Rear
Seat Entertainment System) ..........144
Switching on/off (Rear Seat
Entertainment System) ..................129
see Display
SD memory card
Loading .......................................... 226
Seat belts
Adjusting the driver's and front-
passenger seat belt .........................64
Adjusting the height ......................... 64
Automatic comfort-fit feature ..........66
Belt force limiters ............................ 65
Cleaning ......................................... 472
Correct usage .................................. 62
Emergency Tensioning Devices ........ 65
Fastening ......................................... 63
Important safety guidelines .............61
Releasing ......................................... 64
Safety guidelines ............................. 49
Special seat belt retractor ...............68
Switching belt adjustment on/off
(on-board computer) ......................388
Warning lamp ................................. 422
Warning lamp (function) ................... 64
Seats
Active multicontour seat ........ 112, 276
Adjusting (electrically) ...................108
Adjusting (rear compartment) ........108
Adjusting lumbar support ..............112
Adjusting the head restraint ..........110
Cleaning the cover .........................472
Correct driver's seat position ........10620Index

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).
Occupant safety
Overview of occupant safety
In this section, you will learn the most
important facts about the restraint system
components of the vehicle.
The restraint system consists of:
R seat belts
R child restraint systems
R LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat anchors
Additional protection is provided by:
R SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
R NECK-PRO head restraints/NECK-PRO
luxury head restraints
R PRE-SAFE ®
R Air bag system components with:
- PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
- front-passenger seat with Occupant
Classification System (OCS)
The different air bag systems work
independently of each other. The protective
functions of the system work in conjunction
with each other. Not all air bags are deployed
in an accident.
GWARNING
Modifications to or work improperly
conducted on restraint system components
or their wiring, as well as tampering with
interconnected electronic systems, can lead
to the restraint systems no longer functioning
as intended.
Air bags or Emergency Tensioning Devices
(ETDs), for example, could deploy
inadvertently or fail to deploy in accidents
although the deceleration threshold for air
bag deployment is exceeded. Therefore,
never modify the restraint systems. Do not
tamper with electronic components or their
software.
i See "Children in the vehicle"
( Y page 66) for more information on
infants and children traveling with you in
the vehicle and restraints for infants and
children.
SRS (Supplemental Restraint System)
Introduction
SRS consists of:
R the 6 SRS warning lamp
R air bags
R air bag control unit (with crash sensors)
R Emergency Tensioning Devices
R belt force limiters
SRS reduces the risk of occupants coming
into contact with the vehicle's interior in the
event of an accident. It can also reduce the
effect of the forces to which occupants are
subjected during an accident.
SRS warning lamp
SRS functions are checked regularly when
you switch on the ignition and when the
engine is running. Therefore, malfunctions
can be detected in good time.
The 6 SRS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out no later than a few seconds
after the engine is started.
48Occupant safetySafety

you have any difficulties, please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
R do not lean your head or chest close to the
steering wheel or dashboard.
R only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
Placing hands and arms inside the rim can
increase the risk and potential severity of
hand/arm injury if the driver front air bag
inflates.
R adjust the front-passenger seat as far back
as possible from the dashboard when the
seat is occupied.
R occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their heads
in the area of the door where the side
impact air bag inflates. This could result in
serious or fatal injuries should the side
impact air bag be deployed. Always sit as
upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriately sized
infant restraint, toddler restraint or booster
seat recommended for the size and weight
of the child.
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injuries to you or other occupants.
If you sell your vehicle, it is important that you
make the buyer aware of this safety
information. Be sure to give the buyer this
Operator's Manual.GWARNING
Accident research shows that the safest place
for children in an automobile is in a rear seat.
There is a possibility for a side impact air bag-
related injury if occupants, especially
children, are not properly seated or restrained
when next to a side impact air bag which
needs to deploy rapidly in a side impact in
order to do its job.
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1)Occupants, especially children,
should never place their bodies or
lean their heads in the area of the
door where the side impact air baginflates. This could result in
serious injuries or death should
the side impact air bag be
deployed.(2)Always sit as upright as possible,
wear the seat belt properly and use
an appropriately sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the
size and weight of the child. and
for children 12 years old and
under, use an appropriately sized
infant restraint, toddler restraint,
or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child.(3)Always wear seat belts properly.
If you believe that, even with the use of these
guidelines, it would be safer for your rear seat
occupants to have the rear mounted side
impact air bags deactivated, then
deactivation can be carried out upon your
written request at an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center at an additional cost.
Please contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call the Customer Assistance
Center (in the USA) at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372), or Customer Service (in
Canada) at 1-800-387-0100 for details.
The air bags are only deployed if the air bag
control unit detects the need for deployment.
Only in the event of such a situation will they
provide their supplemental protection.
The driver and passenger should always wear
their seat belts. Otherwise, it is not possible
for the air bags to provide their supplemental
protection.
In the event of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, the air bags will not deploy. The
driver and passengers will then be protected
to the extent possible by a properly fastened
seat belt. A properly fastened seat belt is also
needed to provide the best possible
protection in a rollover.
Occupant safety51SafetyZ

Window curtain air bags : are deployed:
R on the side on which an impact occurs
R at the start of an accident with a high rate
of lateral vehicle deceleration or
acceleration, e.g. in a side impact
R regardless of whether the front-passenger
seat is occupied
R independently of seat belt use
R if the vehicle overturns and the system
determines that window curtain air bag
deployment can offer additional protection
to that provided by the seat belt
R independently of the front air bags
Window curtain air bags : will not deploy in
impacts with deceleration rates which do not
exceed the system's preset deployment
thresholds for vehicle deceleration or
acceleration. You will then be protected by
the fastened seat belt.
Occupant Classification System
(OCS)
How the Occupant Classification
System works
The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
categorizes the occupant on the front-
passenger seat by means of a weight sensor.
The front-passenger front air bag is
deactivated automatically for certain weight
categories. The 42 indicator
lamp shows you the current status. If the
42 indicator lamp is illuminated,
the front-passenger front air bag is
deactivated.
The system does not deactivate:
R the side impact air bag
R the window curtain air bag
R the Emergency Tensioning Devices
To be classified correctly, the front passenger
must sit:
R with the seat belt fastened correctly
R in a position that is as upright as possible
with their back against the seat backrest
R with their feet on the floor
If the front-passenger's weight is transferred
to another object in the vehicle (e.g. by
leaning on armrests), OCS may not be able to
approximate the occupant's weight category.
If the front-passenger seat, the seat cover or
the seat cushion are damaged, have the
necessary repair work carried out at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you only use seat
accessories that have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Both the driver and the passenger should
always use the 42 indicator
lamp as an indication of whether or not the
passenger is properly positioned.GWARNING
If the 42 indicator lamp lights up
when an adult or someone larger than a small
individual is in the front-passenger seat, have
the front passenger reposition himself or
herself in the seat until the 42
indicator lamp goes out.
In the event of a collision, the air bag control
unit will not allow front-passenger front air
bag deployment when the OCS has classified
the front-passenger seat occupant as
weighing as much as or less than a typical 12-
month-old child in a standard child restraint
or if the front-passenger seat is classified as
being empty.
When the OCS senses that the front-
passenger seat occupant is classified as
being up to or less than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child in a standard child
restraint, the 42 indicator lamp
will illuminate when the engine is started and
remain illuminated, indicating that the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
54Occupant safetySafety

When the OCS senses that the front-
passenger seat is classified as being empty,
the 42 indicator lamp will
illuminate when the engine is started and
remain illuminated, indicating that the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
When the OCS senses that the front-
passenger seat occupant is classified as
being heavier than the weight of a typical 12-
month-old child seated in a standard child
restraint or as being a small individual (such
as a young teenager or a small adult), the
42 indicator lamp will illuminate
for approximately 6 seconds when the engine
is started and then, depending on occupant
weight sensor readings from the front-
passenger seat, remain illuminated or go out.
With the 42 indicator lamp
illuminated, the front-passenger front air bag
is deactivated. With the 42
indicator lamp out, the front-passenger front
air bag is activated.
When the OCS senses that the front-
passenger seat occupant is classified as an
adult or someone larger than a small
individual, the 42 indicator lamp
will illuminate for approximately 6 seconds
when the engine is started and then go out,
indicating that the front-passenger front air
bag is activated.
If the 42 indicator lamp is
illuminated, the front-passenger front air bag
is deactivated and will not be deployed.
If the 42 indicator lamp is not
illuminated, the front-passenger front air bag
is activated and will be deployed:
R in the event of certain frontal impacts
R if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold
R independently of the side impact air bagsIf the front-passenger front air bag is
deployed, the rate of inflation will be
influenced by:
R the rate of vehicle deceleration as assessed
by the air bag control unit
R the front passenger's weight category as
identified by OCS
For further information, see "Air bag display
messages" ( Y page 401).GWARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than on the front-passenger seat. 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
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
The infant or child restraint system must be
properly secured with the vehicle's seat belt,
the seat belt and Top Tether strap, or lower
anchors and Top Tether strap, fully in
accordance with the child seat
manufacturer's instructions.
Occupants, especially children, should always
sit as upright as possible, wear the seat belt
properly and use an appropriate sized infant
restraint, toddler restraint, or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child.
Children can be killed or seriously injured by
an inflating air bag. Note the following
important information when circumstances
require you to place a child in the front-
passenger seat:
R Your vehicle is equipped with air bag
technology designed to deactivate the
front-passenger front air bag in your vehicle
when the system senses the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child or less along
Occupant safety55SafetyZ

with the weight of a standard appropriate
child restraint on the front-passenger seat.
R A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front-passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front-passenger
front air bag inflates in a collision which
could occur under some circumstances,
even with the air bag technology installed
in your vehicle. The only means to eliminate
this risk completely is never to place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint in the front-
passenger seat. We therefore strongly
recommend that you always place a child
in a rear-facing child restraint on the rear
seat.
R If you install a rear-facing child restraint on
the front-passenger seat, make sure the
42 indicator lamp is
illuminated, indicating that the front-
passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Should the 42 indicator lamp
not illuminate or go out while the restraint
is installed, please check installation.
Periodically check the 42
indicator lamp while driving to make sure
the 42 indicator lamp is
illuminated. If the 42 indicator
lamp goes out or remains out, do not
transport a child on the front-passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.
A child in a rear-facing child restraint on the
front-passenger seat will be seriously
injured or even killed if the front-passenger
front air bag inflates.
R If you place a child in a forward-facing child
restraint on the front-passenger seat:
- move the seat as far back as possible
- use the proper child restraint
recommended for the age, size and
weight of the child
- secure child restraint with the vehicle's
seat belt according to the child seat
manufacturer's instructions
R For children larger than a typical 12-month-
old child, the front-passenger front air bag
can be activated or deactivated.If the driver's air bag deploys, this does not
mean that the front-passenger front air bag
will also deploy.
The OCS may have detected that the seat:
R is either empty or occupied by a person
with a weight up to that of a typical twelve-
month-old child seated in a standard child
restraint
R is occupied by a small individual, such as a
young teenager or a small adult
R is occupied by a child in a child restraint
system, whose weight is greater than that
of a typical twelve-month-old child.
These are examples of when the OCS
deactivates the front-passenger front air bag.
Deactivation takes place although the
collision fulfills the criteria for deploying the
driver's air bag.
If the SmartKey has been removed from the
ignition lock or is in position 0,
42 indicator lamp : does not
light up.
GWARNING
If the red SRS 6 indicator lamp in the
instrument cluster and the 42
indicator lamp are lit at the same time, there
is a malfunction in the OCS. The front
passenger front air bag will be deactivated in
this case. Have the system checked by
qualified technicians as soon as possible.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Only have the seat repaired or replaced at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
56Occupant safetySafety

In order to ensure proper operation of the air
bag system and OCS:
R Sit with the seat belt properly fastened in a
position that is as upright as possible with
your back against the seat backrest.
R When seated, a passenger should not
position him/herself in such a way as to
cause the passenger's weight to be lifted
from the seat cushion as this may result in
the OCS being unable to correctly
approximate the passenger's weight
category.
R Read and observe all warnings in this
chapter.
System self-test
The 42 indicator lamp
illuminates when you:
R turn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2 in the
ignition lock
R press the KEYLESS-GO Start/Stop button
once or twice
If an adult occupant is sitting properly on the
front-passenger seat and the OCS classifies
the occupant as an adult, the
42 indicator lamp will illuminate
and go out again after approximately six
seconds.
If the seat is not occupied and the OCS
classifies the front passenger seat as being
unoccupied, the 42 indicator
lamp will illuminate and not go out.
GWARNING
If the 4 2 indicator lamp does
not illuminate, the system is not functioning.
You must contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center before seating any child on the
front passenger seat.
For more information, see "Problems with the
Occupant Classification System"
( Y page 58).
GWARNING
Never place anything between seat cushion
and child seat (e.g. a pillow), since it reduces
the effectiveness of the OCS. The underside
and rear side child restraint system must be
placed entirely on the seat cushion and the
backrest of the front-passenger seat
backrest.
If necessary, adjust the tilt of the passenger
seat backrest.
An incorrectly mounted child seat could cause
injuries to the child in case of an accident,
instead of increasing protection for the child.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for
installation of child restraint systems.
Occupant safety57SafetyZ

Problems with the Occupant Classification SystemProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsThe 42
indicator lamp
illuminates and
remains illuminated.
The person on the
front-passenger seat:
R has the weight of a
typical adult
R has been determined
by the system not to
be a childThe OCS is malfunctioning.XHave the OCS checked as soon as possible at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction
display ( Y page 401).GWARNING
If the 42 indicator lamp illuminates and remains illuminated when the weight of a
typical adult or someone larger than a small individual has been detected on the passenger seat,
the system then determines the occupant cannot be a child. Do not allow any occupant to use
the passenger seat until the system has been repaired.
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsThe 42
indicator lamp does not
illuminate and/or does
not remain illuminated.
The front-passenger
seat is:
R unoccupied
R occupied with a
weight up to that of a
typical twelve-
month-old child in a
standard child
restraint systemThe OCS is malfunctioning.XMake sure there is nothing between the seat cushion and the
child seat.XCheck the installation of the child restraint system.XMake sure that no objects are applying additional weight onto
the seat.XIf the 42 indicator lamp does not illuminate, have
the OCS checked as soon as possible at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not transport a child on the front-
passenger seat as long as the OCS is not functioning.XObserve the additional display messages in the multifunction
display ( Y page 401).GWARNING
If the 42 indicator lamp does not illuminate or remains out with the weight of a
typical 12-month-old child in a standard child restraint or less, or is unoccupied, on the front-
passenger seat, do not transport a child on the front-passenger seat until the system has been
repaired.
58Occupant safetySafety