fuel consumption MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS SEDAN 2012 Owners Manual

ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction
System) ................................................ 76
Exhaust check ................................... 331
Exhaust tail pipe (cleaning
instructions) ...................................... 470
Exterior lighting see Exterior lighting
Exterior mirror parking position
Adjusting (COMAND) .....................266
Exterior mirrors
Adjusting ....................................... 116
Dipping (automatic) .......................117
Folding in/out (automatically) .......116
Folding in/out (electrically) ...........116
Out of position (troubleshooting) ...116
Storing settings (memory
function) ........................................ 118
Storing the parking position ..........117
Eyeglasses compartment ................. 435
F
Factory setting (reset function) ....... 154
Fader, setting .................................... 139
Fast forward Audio mode (CD, DVD, MP3) .........230
Rear Seat Entertainment System ...260
Video DVD ..................................... 247
Fast rewind
Audio mode (CD, DVD, MP3) .........230
Rear Seat Entertainment System ...260
Video DVD ..................................... 247
Favorites (COMAND) ......................... 124
Filler cap see Fuel filler flap
First-aid kit ......................................... 474
Flat tire Changing a wheel/mounting the
spare wheel ................................... 475
MOExtended run-flat system .........480
Preparing the vehicle .....................475
Raising the vehicle .........................476
Floormat ............................................. 455
Freeway information ......................... 191
Front fog lamps ................................. 282
Display message ............................ 404
Switching on/off ........................... 282
Front-passenger seat
Adjusting from the driver's seat ..... 109
Adjusting from the rear
compartment ................................. 109
Front windshield
see Windshield
Fuel
Additives ........................................ 526
Displaying the current
consumption .................................. 378
Displaying the range ......................378
Driving tips .................................... 330
Fuel gauge ....................................... 37
Grade (gasoline) ............................ 525
Important safety notes ..................525
Premium-grade unleaded gasoline . 525
Problem (malfunction) ...................324
Quality (diesel) ............................... 526
Refueling ........................................ 321
Tank content/reserve fuel .............525
Fuel filler flap, opening/closing ....... 322
Fuel filter (display message) ............ 409
Fuel level Calling up the range (on-board
computer) ...................................... 378
Fuel tank
Capacity ........................................ 525
Problem (malfunction) ...................324
Function buttons (COMAND) ............ 123
Fuses Allocation chart ............................. 488
Before changing ............................. 488
Dashboard fuse box .......................488
Engine emergency stop .................490
Fuse box in the engine
compartment ................................. 489
Fuse box in the rear compartment . 488
Important safety notes ..................487
G
Garage door opener Clearing the memory .....................455
Notes ............................................. 452
12Index

the parking lock released. If you do not
depress the brake pedal, you can move the
DIRECT SELECT lever but the parking lock
remains engaged.XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.XShift the transmission to position D or R.XRelease the brake pedal.XCarefully depress the accelerator pedal.
The electric parking brake ( Y page 328) is
automatically released.
The red F (USA only) or ! (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic
locking feature ( Y page 269).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Hill start assist
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient.
It holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have removed your foot from the brake pedal.
This gives you enough time to move your foot
from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal
and to depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll.
GWARNING
Never leave the vehicle when it is held by hill
start assist. After approximately one second,
hill start assist will no longer brake your
vehicle and it could roll away.
XTake your foot off the brake pedal.
i Once you have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
XPull away.
Hill start assist will not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or on
a downhill gradient.
R the transmission is in position N.
R the electric parking brake is applied.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning.
ECO start/stop function
General information
i Hybrid vehicles: the ECO start/stop
function cant be deactivated.
The ECO start/stop function is only available
for the S 63 AMG.
The ECO start/stop function is only available
in drive program C.
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving.
The engine starts automatically when the
driver wants to pull away again. The ECO
start/stop function thereby helps you to
reduce the fuel consumption and emissions
of your vehicle.
The ECO start/stop function is activated each
time the engine is switched on. If all the
requirements are fulfilled for automatic
engine switch-off ( Y page 311), the green
¤ symbol is shown in the multifunction
display and Stop/Start active appears. If
all the requirements are not fulfilled, the
¤ symbol is shown in yellow and Stop/
Start inactive appears.
If the ECO start/stop function is deactivated
( Y page 311), the ¤ symbol is not shown.
310DrivingDriving and parking

E Economy
C Controlled
EfficiencyComfortable, economical
drivingS SportSporty driving styleM ManualManual gearshifting
i
For further information on the automatic
drive program, see ( Y page 318).
AMG vehicles: only change from automatic
drive program C or S to manual drive program
M when the vehicle is stationary.
XPress program selector button :
repeatedly until the letter for the desired
gearshift program appears in the
multifunction display.
i When the engine is started, the automatic
transmission always switches to automatic
drive program E (drive program C in AMG
vehicles).
Steering wheel paddle shifters
:Left-hand steering wheel paddle shifter;Right-hand steering wheel paddle shifter
You can restrict or derestrict the shift range
by using the steering wheel paddle shifters.
You can change gear yourself by using the
steering wheel paddle shifters in the manual
drive program.
Automatic drive program
Drive program E (drive program C on AMG
vehicles) is characterized by the following:
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin
Drive program S is characterized by the
following:
R sporty engine settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later
R the fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic
transmission shift points
Shift ranges
Introduction
When the automatic transmission is in
position D, it is possible to restrict or
derestrict the shift range ( Y page 318).
The shift range selected is shown in the
multifunction display. The automatic
transmission shifts only as far as the selected
gear.
Shift range=You can use the engine's braking
effect.318Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Driving tips
General driving tips
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Always remember that you must concentrate
primarily on driving the vehicle. The driver's
concentration must always be directed
primarily at road traffic. For your own safety
and that of others, we recommend that you
stop the vehicle at a safe place and in
accordance with the traffic conditions before
making or accepting a phone call.
Comply with all legal requirements if you use
the telephone while driving. Use the hands-
free system and only use the telephone when
road, weather and traffic conditions permit. In
some jurisdictions, it is forbidden for drivers
to use mobile phones while driving.
Only operate COMAND (Cockpit Management
and Data System) in compliance with all legal
requirements and when the road, weather and
traffic conditions permit. You may otherwise
not be able to observe the traffic conditions,
endangering yourself and others.
Remember that your vehicle covers a distance
of 44 ft (approximately 14 m) a second when
it is traveling at only 30 mph (approximately
50 km/h).
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Observe the following tips to save fuel:
XThe tires should always be inflated to the
recommended tire pressure.XRemove unnecessary loads.XRemove roof racks when they are not
needed.XWarm up the engine at low engine speeds.XAvoid frequent acceleration or braking.XHave all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or by the service
interval display.Fuel consumption also increases when
driving in cold weather, in stop-and-go traffic
and in mountainous terrain.
Drinking and drivingGWARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and
driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and
judgment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal
accident are greatly increased when you drink
or take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
Pedals
GWARNING
Make sure absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedals' range of movement.
Keep the driver's footwell clear of all
obstacles. If there are any floormats or
carpets in the footwell, make sure that the
pedals still have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers,
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.
Rolling with the engine switched off
GWARNING
There is no power assistance for the steering
and the brake when the engine is not running.
Steering and braking requires significantly
more effort and you could lose control of the
vehicle and cause an accident as a result.
Do not turn off the engine while the vehicle is
in motion.
330Driving tipsDriving and parking

Rthe electrical system in the engine
compartment, the battery or the fuses are
tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
If you leave the vehicle or park it, deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
AIRMATIC
Vehicle level
Important safety notes
Your vehicle regulates its height
automatically. All-round level control ensures
the best possible suspension and constant
ground clearance, even with a laden vehicle.
When you drive fast, the vehicle is lowered
automatically to improve driving safety and to
reduce fuel consumption.
The following vehicle levels are possible on
vehicles without 4MATIC:
R Normal
R raised: the vehicle is raised by about 1 in
(25 mm) when compared with the normal
level
R lowered: the vehicle is lowered by about
0.60 in (15 mm) when compared with the
normal level
The following vehicle levels are possible on
vehicles with 4MATIC:
R normal: in Comfort mode, the vehicle is
raised by about 0.40 in (10 mm) when
compared with Sport mode
R raised: in Comfort mode, the vehicle is
raised by about 0.60 in (15 mm) and in
Sport mode by about 1 in (25 mm) when
compared with normal level
R lowered: the vehicle is lowered by about
0.40 in (10mm) when compared with the
normal level
The "Normal" and "Raised" vehicle levels can
be set manually.
The "Lowered” vehicle level is set
automatically:
R in vehicles without 4MATIC at speeds
above 60 mph (100 km/h)
R in vehicles with 4MATIC at speeds above
50 mph (80 km/h).
Setting the vehicle level
Select the "Normal" setting for normal road
surfaces and "Raised" for driving with snow
chains or on particularly poor road surfaces.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.GWARNING
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands and
feet away from wheel housing area, and stay
away from under the vehicle when lowering
the vehicle chassis.
Setting raised level
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is not lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. The vehicle
height is adjusted to raised level.
The Vehicle Rising message appears in
the display.
The "Raised level" setting is canceled if you:
R drive at speeds above 75 mph (120 km/h)
R drive for about three minutes at speeds
above 50 mph (80 km/h).
The "Raised level" remains active when you
are not driving within these speed ranges.
Driving systems347Driving and parkingZ

Setting the normal levelXStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ; goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to normal level.
Suspension tuning
General notes
The Adaptive Damping System (ADS)
automatically controls the calibration of the
dampers and springs.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection, i.e. sports or
comfort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Sports tuning
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
XIf indicator lamp ; is not lit: press
button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. Sports
suspension tuning is selected.
The AIRMATIC SPORT message appears in
the multifunction display.Comfort tuning
In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable.
Therefore, select this mode if you favor a
more comfortable driving style. Select
comfort mode also when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. on straight stretches of
freeway.XIf indicator lamp ; is lit: press
button :.
Indicator lamp ; goes out. Comfort tuning
is selected.
The AIRMATIC COMFORT message appears
in the multifunction display.
Active Body Control (ABC)
Vehicle level
Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to improve driving safety and reduce
fuel consumption.
Depending on the vehicle height that has
been set, the vehicle automatically adjusts its
height dependent on the current speed. As
speed increases, the vehicle is lowered by up
to 0.6 in (15 mm). As the speed is reduced,
the vehicle is raised up to the set vehicle
height.
GWARNING
The vehicle is lowered when the engine is
switched off. Therefore, make sure that
nobody is in the vicinity of the wheel housing
or under the vehicle when you switch off the
engine. Otherwise, limbs could become
trapped.
! The vehicle is lowered when the engine is
switched off. When parking, position your
vehicle so that it does not make contact
with the curb as the vehicle is lowered. Your
vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
i For AMG vehicles: when the engine is
switched off, the vehicle is lowered by
approx. 0.4 in (10 mm).
348Driving systemsDriving and parking

Trip menu
Standard displayXPress and hold the % button on the
steering wheel until the Trip menu with
odometer : and trip odometer ; is
shown.
Trip computer "From start" or "From
reset"
The values in the From Start submenu are
calculated from the start of a journey, while
the values in the From Reset submenu are
calculated from the last time the submenu
was reset ( Y page 379).
XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Trip menu.XPress the 9 or : button to select
After start or After reset .
Example: trip computer "From start"
:Distance;Time=Average speed?Average fuel consumption
The From Start trip computer is reset
automatically when:
R the ignition has been switched off for more
than four hours.
R 999 hours have been exceeded.
R 9999 miles have been exceeded.
When 9,999 hours or 99,999 miles have been
exceeded, the trip computer is automatically
reset From Reset .
Displaying the range and current fuel
consumptionXPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Trip menu.XPress the 9 or : button to select
Range .
You can see the current fuel consumption
(except for AMG vehicles) and the
approximate range.
The approximate range that can be covered
depends on the fuel level and your current
driving style. If there is only a small amount
of fuel left in the fuel tank, the display shows
a vehicle being refueled C instead of the
range.
Digital speedometer
XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Trip menu.XPress 9 or : to select the digital
speedometer.378Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays

changes by 18 ‡ (10 †), the tire pressure
changes by approximately 10 kPa (0.1 bar/
1.5 psi). Take this into account when
checking the pressure of warm tires and only
correct the tire pressure if it is too low for the
current operating conditions. If you check the
tire pressure when the tires are warm, the
resulting value will be higher than if the tires
were cold. This is normal. Do not reduce the
tire pressure to the value specified for cold
tires. The tire pressure would otherwise be
too low.
Observe the recommended tire pressures for
cold tires:
R on the Tire and Loading Information placard
on the B-pillar on the driver's side
R in the tire pressure table on the inside of
the fuel filler flap
R printed in yellow on the rim of the
emergency/collapsible spare wheel
(depending on vehicle equipment)
Underinflated or overinflated tires
Underinflation
GWARNING
Tires with pressure that is too low can
overheat and burst as a consequence. In
addition, they also suffer from excessive and/
or irregular wear, which can severely impair
the braking properties and the driving
characteristics. There is a risk of an accident.
Avoid tire pressures that are too low in all the
tires, including the spare wheel.
Underinflated tires may:
R wear quickly and unevenly
R have an adverse effect on fuel consumption
R overheat, leading to tire defects
R have an adverse effect on handling
characteristics
OverinflationGWARNING
Tires with excessively high pressure can burst
because they are damaged more easily by
road debris, potholes etc. In addition, they
also suffer from irregular wear, which can
severely impair the braking properties and the
driving characteristics. There is a risk of an
accident.
Avoid tire pressures that are too high in all the
tires, including the spare wheel.
Overinflated tires may:
R have an adverse effect on handling
characteristics
R wear quickly and unevenly
R be more susceptible to damage
R have an adverse effect on ride comfort
R increase the braking distance
Maximum tire pressures
Never exceed the maximum permissible tire
inflation pressure. Always observe the
recommended tire pressure for your vehicle
when adjusting the tire pressure
( Y page 495).
:Example: maximum permissible tire
pressure
i The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
498Tire pressureWheels and tires

Mercedes-Benz specifically for your
vehicle.
These tires have been specially adapted for
use with the control systems, such as ABS
or ESP ®
, and are marked as follows:
R MO = Mercedes-Benz Original
R MOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Extended
(tires featuring run-flat characteristics)
R MO1 = Mercedes-Benz Original (only
certain AMG tires)
Mercedes-Benz Original Extended tires
may only be used on wheels that have been
specifically approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Only use tires, wheels or accessories
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Certain characteristics, e.g. handling,
vehicle noise emissions or fuel
consumption, may otherwise be adversely
affected. In addition, when driving with a
load, tire dimension variations could cause
the tires to come into contact with the
bodywork and axle components. This could
result in damage to the tires or the vehicle.
Mercedes-Benz accepts no liability for
damage resulting from the use of tires,
wheels or accessories other than those
tested and approved.
Information on tires, wheels and approved
combinations can be obtained from any
qualified specialist workshop.
i The recommended pressures for various
operating conditions can be found:
R on the Tire and Loading Information
placard with the recommended tire
pressures on the B-pillar on the driver's
side
R in the tire pressure table on the inside of
the fuel filler flap
Observe the notes on recommended tire
pressures under various operating
conditions ( Y page 495).
Check tire pressures regularly, and only
when the tires are cold. Comply with themaintenance recommendations of the tire
manufacturer in the vehicle document
wallet.
i Notes on the vehicle equipment – always
equip the vehicle:
R with tires of the same size on a given axle
(left/right)
R with the same type of tires at a given time
(summer tires, winter tires, MOExtended
tires)
i On the following pages, you can find
information on approved wheel rims and
tire sizes for equipping your vehicle with
winter tires. Winter tires are not available
ex factory as standard equipment or
optional extras.
If you would like to equip your vehicle with
approved winter tires, you may also, in
certain circumstances, require rims of the
appropriate size. The sizes of the approved
winter tires may deviate from those of the
original tires. This is dependent on the
model and the equipment installed at the
factory.
The tires and wheel rims, as well as further
information, can be obtained at a qualified
specialist workshop.
i Overview of abbreviations used in the
following tire tables:
R BA: both axles
R FA: front axle
R RA: rear axle
In the following table, the wheel/tire
combinations are allocated to the vehicle
models through variants, e.g. V1, V2 etc.:V1S 550 27V2S 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC, S 550
4MATIC 27V3S 600V4AMG vehicles27
BlueEFFICIENCY516Wheel and tire combinationsWheels and tires