length MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS SEDAN 2012 Owners Manual

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.
! Make sure that there are no objects in the
footwell or behind the seats when resetting
the seats. There is a risk that the seats
and/or the objects could be damaged.
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.
For more information, contact a qualified
specialist workshop.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 118).
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.
108SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

Avoiding a section of the route blocked
by a traffic jam
This function blocks a section of the route
ahead of you. You can set the length of the
blocked route section. If possible, COMAND
calculates a detour around the blocked
section of the route.
XTo activate navigation mode: press the
S function button once or twice.XTo show the menu: press W the COMAND
controller.XSelect Route in the navigation system
menu bar by turning cVd the COMAND
controller and press W to confirm.XSelect Detour and press W to confirm.XTo block a section of the route: select
More or Less repeatedly and confirm using
W until the desired section has been
selected.
i The total length of the section that can be
blocked is defined by the digital map. The
menu items are available accordingly.
XTo start route calculation: select Start
and press W to confirm.XTo delete the blocked section: select
Delete while the message is shown and
press W to confirm.
COMAND calculates the route without the
block.
Selecting an alternative route
With the "Alternative route" function, routes
other than the original one can be calculated.
XTo activate navigation mode: press the
S function button once or twice.XTo show the menu: press W the COMAND
controller.XSelect Route in the navigation system
menu bar by turning cVd the COMAND
controller and press W to confirm.XSelect Alternative Route and press W
to confirm.
You see the selected route. The display now
shows a split-screen view. On the left-hand
side, one or more alternative routes are
shown from start to destination. The
current route is highlighted dark blue; other
alternative routes appear light blue.:Distance, expected arrival time and
expected journey duration;Displays incidents which are on the route=Displays the selected route settingsXTo select the next or previous
alternative route: select Next or
Previous and press W to confirm.
Possible alternative routes are shown in the
following order: Current Route, Fast
Route , Eco Route , Short Route and
Alternative Route .XTo select the original route: select Back
a corresponding number of times and press
W to confirm.XTo start route guidance using the
selected alternative route: select Start
and press W to confirm.
COMAND accepts the alternative route.
i The change of route mode in the
alternative route menu only applies to the
current route guidance. For example, if the
original route was a short route, the next
route will also be calculated as a short
route. This is also the case if a dynamic
route is selected in the alternative route
menu.
Navigation175COMANDZ

Icon for real-time traffic reportsIconDescriptionTraffic reports in the map displayWarning (red)A warning appears, for example, relating to lost
cargo.Caution (yellow)A warning appears, for example, relating to
roadwork that does not affect the flow of traffic.Slow-moving trafficThis appears at the beginning of a traffic jam
(average speed 25 - 45 mph) if route guidance is
active and the route leads through an area of
congested traffic.
Yellow car icons may appear in conjunction with
this icon.Traffic jam on the
routeThis appears at the beginning of a traffic jam
(average speed 5 - 20 mph) if route guidance is
active and the route leads through an area of
congested traffic.
Red car icons may appear in conjunction with this
icon.Blocked route section
on the routeAppears at the beginning of a blocked route
section if route guidance is active and the route
leads through the blocked section.
The XXXX icons may appear in conjunction with
this icon.Yellow line
with arrowsIncidentsPossible traffic blocks (e.g. roadwork)
Appears on the side of the road affected (direction
of travel)Green line
with arrowsUnimpeded traffic
flowNo delays
Only appears on the side of the road (direction of
travel) on which traffic flow is unimpededSlow-moving traffic
(stop/start traffic)
(yellow vehicle)High volume of traffic, average speed
40 – 72 km/h (25 – 45 mph). In order to indicate
the volume of traffic, more than one symbol may
appear.Traffic jam on the
route (stop/start
traffic) (red vehicle)Very high volume of traffic, average speed
8 – 32 km/h (5 – 20 mph).XXXXBlocked route sectionUnusable section of road. In order to indicate the
length of the blocked section, more than one
symbol may appear.180NavigationCOMAND

Fast forward/rewindXWhile the display/selection window is
active, slide XVY and hold the COMAND
controller until the desired position has
been reached.
Music search
You can use the following characteristics to
search music:
R Keyword search
R Playlist
R Artists
R Albums
R Tracks
R Genres
R Year
XIn audio mode, select Search by sliding
V Æ or turning cVd the COMAND
controller and press W to confirm.
A selection list appears.XSelect the desired characteristic by sliding
V Æ and turning cVd the COMAND
controller and press W to confirm.
For the search, the media inserted is scanned
and the music track data is stored in a
COMAND database. A medium that has
already been scanned is not scanned again if
another search is carried out. The scanning
process may take some time for media with
a large capacity. The search can be carried
out after the scanning process is finished.
Selecting a folder
This function is only available in MP3 mode.
XSwitch on MP3 mode ( Y page 226).XSelect Search by sliding VÆ and turning
cVd the COMAND controller and press
W to confirm.XSelect Folder by sliding VÆ and turning
cVd the COMAND controller and press
W to confirm.
You will see the tracks in the folder.XSelect a track by turning cVd and press
W to confirm.
The track is played and the corresponding
folder is now the active folder.
Copying music files from audio CDs to
the hard disk
Audio files can be copied from CD to
COMAND's hard disk.
XSelect Audio by sliding VÆ and turning
cVd the COMAND controller and press
W to confirm.XSwitch on CD/audio DVD or MP3 mode
( Y page 226).XSelect a medium ( Y page 228).
The audio CD is played.XTo copy all music tracks: select REC by
sliding VÆ and turning cVd and confirm
with W.:Audio source;Destination=Total length of all tracks from the audio
source230AudioCOMAND

the high-beam headlamps are switched on
automatically. The K indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster also 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 K indicator lamp in
the instrument cluster goes out. The _
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
stays on.XTo deactivate: move the combination
switch back to its normal position.
The _ indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.GWARNING
The Adaptive Highbeam Assist is only an aid
intended to support you 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.
XDrive 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:
XHave the headlamps checked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Interior lighting
Overview of interior lighting
Front overhead control panel
:p Switches the left-hand reading lamp
on/off;u Switches the rear interior lighting
on/off=c Switches the front interior lighting
on/off?| Switches the automatic interior
lighting control on/offAp Switches the right-hand reading
lamp on/offInterior lighting285Lights and windshield wipersZ

Engaging the electric parking brake
automatically
The electric parking brake is automatically
applied if HOLD or DISTRONIC PLUS brakes
the vehicle until it is stationary and at least
one of the following conditions is fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off.
R the driver's door is open and the seat belt
is not fastened.
R the hood is released.
R the trunk lid is opened while the automatic
transmission is in position R.
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy
period.
The red F (USA only) or ! (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up.
i In addition to the electric parking brake,
P may also be engaged automatically.
Releasing the electric parking brake
automatically
The electric parking brake is released
automatically when the following conditions
are simultaneously fulfilled:
R the engine is running.
R the automatic transmission is in position
D or R.
R the hood is closed.
R your seat belt is fastened.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
If the automatic transmission is in position
R , the trunk lid must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following
conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
R the driver's door is closed.
R you have shifted out of position P or you
have previously driven faster than 3 km/h.
R you have shifted out of position P or you
have previously driven faster than 2 mph
(3km/h).
Emergency braking
The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency by using the electric parking
brake.
XWhile driving, push handle : of the electric
parking brake ( Y page 328).
i
The vehicle is braked as long as you keep
the handle of the electric parking brake
pressed. The longer the electric parking
brake handle is depressed, the greater the
braking force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds.
R the Please Release Parking Brake
message appears.
R the red F (USA only) or ! (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
When the vehicle has been braked to a
standstill, the electric parking brake is
engaged.
Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharge.
XConnect a trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist
workshop.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
six weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as
a result of lack of use.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop and
seek advice.Parking329Driving and parkingZ

:Lap;Lap time=Top speed during lap?Lap lengthAAverage lap speedXPress the 9 or : button to select a
different lap evaluation.
Telephone menu
Introduction
You can establish a Bluetooth ®
connection to
COMAND ( Y page 199).
GWARNING
The driver's attention to the road must always
be his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we
recommend that you pull over to a safe
location and stop before placing or taking a
telephone call. If you choose to use the
telephone while driving, please use the hands-
free device and only use the telephone when
road, weather and traffic conditions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle covers
a distance of 44 feet (approximately 14 m)
every second.
XSwitch on the mobile phone and COMAND
( Y page 137).XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Telephone
menu.You will see one of the following display
messages in the multifunction display:
R Telephone ready or the name of the
network provider: the mobile phone has
found a network and is ready to receive.
R No Service : no network is available, or the
mobile phone is searching for a network.
Accepting a call
If someone calls you when you are in the
Telephone menu, a display message
appears in the multifunction display, for
example:
XPress the 6 button on the steering
wheel to accept an incoming call.
If you are not in the Telephone menu, you
can still accept a call.
Rejecting or ending a call
XPress the ~ button on the steering
wheel.
If you are not in the Telephone menu, you can
still reject or end a call.
Dialing a number from the phone book
You can use the mobile phone to enter new
telephone numbers into the phone book (see
COMAND) (Y page 207). If your mobile phone
is able to receive calls, you can search for and
dial a number from the phone book.
When you establish a Bluetooth ®
connection
to COMAND, COMAND reads in the phone
book of the mobile phone. This can take some
time.
384Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays

XMake sure that the base of the jack is
positioned directly under the jacking point.XTurn crank ? clockwise until jack = sits
completely on jacking point ; and the
base of the jack lies evenly on the ground.XTurn handle ? until the tire is 1.2 in
(3 cm) from the ground at most.
Removing a wheel
XUnscrew the uppermost wheel bolt
completely.XScrew alignment bolt : into the thread
instead of the wheel bolt.XUnscrew the remaining wheel bolts fully.
! Do not place wheel bolts in sand or on a
dirty surface. The bolt and wheel hub
threads could otherwise be damaged when
you screw them in.
XRemove the wheel.Mounting a new wheelGWARNING
Oiled or greased wheel bolts or damaged
wheel bolts/hub threads can cause the wheel
bolts to come loose. As a result, you could
lose a wheel while driving. There is a risk of
accident.
Never oil or grease wheel bolts. In the event
of damage to the threads, contact a qualified
specialist workshop immediately. Have the
damaged wheel bolts or hub threads
replaced/renewed. Do not continue driving.
GWARNING
If you tighten the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
when the vehicle is raised, the jack could tip
over. There is a risk of injury.
Only tighten the wheel bolts or wheel nuts
when the vehicle is on the ground.
Always pay attention to the instructions and
safety notices in "Changing a wheel"
( Y page 515).
Only use wheel bolts that have been designed
for the wheel and the vehicle. For safety
reasons, Mercedes-Benz recommends that
you only use wheel bolts which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and the
respective wheel.
Be sure to use the original-length wheel bolts
when refitting the original wheel after it has
been repaired.
478Flat tireBreakdown assistance

short trips or if you leave it standing idle for
a lengthy period.
Only replace a battery with a battery that has
been recommended by Mercedes-Benz.
Consult a qualified specialist workshop if you
wish to leave your vehicle parked for a long
period of time.GWARNING
Hybrid vehicles: be sure to read the "HYBRID"
supplement. Otherwise, you could fail to
recognize dangers.
GWARNING
Comply with safety precautions and take
protective measures when handling batteries.
Risk of explosionFire, naked flames and
smoking are prohibited
when handling the battery.
Avoid creating sparks.Battery acid is caustic.
Avoid contact with the skin,
eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective
clothing, in particular
gloves, an apron and a face
mask.
Immediately rinse acid
splashes off with clean
water. Consult a doctor if
necessary.Wear eye protection.Keep children away.Observe this Operator's
Manual.HEnvironmental noteBatteries contain dangerous
substances. It is against the
law to dispose of them with
the household rubbish. They
must be collected separately
and recycled to protect the
environment.Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally friendly
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified
specialist workshop or a
special collection point for
used batteries.GWARNING
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting.
You might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking etc.
GWARNING
Do not place any metal objects on the battery
as this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof batteries only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Take care that you do not become statically
charged, e.g. by wearing synthetic clothing or
rubbing against textiles. For this reason, you
also should not pull or push the battery over
carpets or other synthetic materials.
Never touch the battery first. First, touch the
outside body of the vehicle in order to release
any possible electrostatic charges.
Battery481Breakdown assistanceZ

Jump-startingGWARNING
Failure to follow these directions will cause damage to the electronic components, and can lead
to a battery explosion and severe injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting or jump starting. You might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes, skin or
clothing. In case it does, immediately flush affected area with water, and seek medical help if
necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas, which is flammable and explosive. Keep flames or
sparks away from battery, avoid improper connection of jumper cables, smoking, etc.
Attempting to jump start a frozen battery can result in it exploding, causing personal injury.
Read all instructions before proceeding.
GWARNING
Hybrid vehicles: be sure to read the "HYBRID" supplement. Otherwise, you could fail to recognize
dangers.
GWARNING
Non-combusted fuel can collect in the exhaust system and ignite. There is a risk of fire. Avoid
repeated and lengthy starting attempts.
! Avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, the catalytic converter could be
damaged by the non-combusted fuel.
Do not use a rapid charging device to start the vehicle. If your vehicle's battery is discharged,
the engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jumper
cables. Observe the following points:
R The battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible,
jump-start the vehicle using a second battery or a jump-starting device.
R You may only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and catalytic converter are cold.
R Do not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
R jump-starting may only be performed from batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
R Only use jumper cables which have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
R If the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected
for a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the empty battery a little.
R Make sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
R the jumper cables are not damaged.
R bare parts of the terminal clamp do not come into contact with other metal parts while the
jumper cables are connected to the battery.
R the jumper cables cannot come into contact with parts such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
These parts move when the engine is started and while it is running.
Jump-starting483Breakdown assistanceZ