tow MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS SEDAN 2013 Owner's Manual

X
Press DEF refill bottle = down.
The DEF tank is filled. This may take up to
one minute.
i If the DEF refill bottle is no longer pressed
down, the filling process stops and the
partially emptied bottle can be removed.
X Release DEF refill bottle =.
X Turn DEF refill bottle = counter-clockwise
and remove it.
X Place DEF filler cap ;
on the filler neck and
turn it clockwise. X
Insert DEF cap : as shown and turn it
clockwise as far as it will go.
X Place the "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel in the emergency spare wheel well
above the DEF tank.
X Insert the "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel fastening and tighten clockwise.
X Fold the trunk floor down.
X Close the trunk lid.
X Drive at a speed above 10 mph (16 km/h)
.
The Check Additive See Operator's
Manual message goes out after
approximately one minute.
i If the Check Additive See
Operator's Manual message remains
shown in the multifunction display, add an
additional bottle of DEF.
i Then, have the DEF supply checked at a
qualified specialist workshop and
completely refilled if necessary. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Do not park this vehicle in areas where
combustible
materials can come into contact
with the hot exhaust system. Combustible
materials, such as grass, hay or leaves could
be ignited by the hot exhaust system and
cause a vehicle fire. Do not park the vehicle
on dry grassland or harvested grain fields.
Unintended vehicle movement can cause
serious personal injury or damage to the
vehicle or the vehicle drivetrain. To reduce
such risks, always do the following before
turning off the engine and leaving the vehicle:
R keep your right foot on the brake pedal.
R engage the electric parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission into park
position P.
R slowly release the brake pedal.
R when parked on an incline, always turn the
front wheels towards the road curb.
R turn the SmartKey in the ignition lock to
position 0 and remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock, or press the KEYLESS-GO
Start/Stop button.
R take the SmartKey with you and lock the
vehicle when leaving. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Do not turn off the engine before the vehicle
has
come to a complete stop. With the engine
not running, there is no power assistance for
the brake and steering systems. In this case,
it is important to keep in mind that a
considerably higher degree of effort is
necessary to brake and steer the vehicle. Parking
323
Driving and parking Z

more firmly. Maintain a safe distance from
vehicles in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the
vehicle washed, brake firmly while paying
attention to the traffic conditions. This will
warm
up the brake discs, thereby drying them
more quickly and protecting them against
corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt
treated roads G
WARNING
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause a delay in the
braking effect, resulting in a significantly
longer braking distance, which could lead to
an accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully, without
putting other road users at risk, when you
are driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new

trip, so that salt residues are removed
from the brake discs.
Servicing the brakes !
If
the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and you hear a
warning tone while the engine is running,
the brake fluid level may be too low.
Observe additional warning messages in
the multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked
immediately. This work should be carried
out at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. This work
should be carried out at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Have the brake pads replaced and the brake
fluid renewed at a qualified specialist
workshop,

e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. G
WARNING
If brake pads or brake fluid other than those
recommended are used, the braking
properties of the vehicle can be degraded to
an extent that safe braking is substantially
impaired. This could result in an accident.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or
performance

tests may only be carried out
on a 2-axle dynamometer. If you are
planning to have the vehicle tested on such
a dynamometer, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center to obtain further
information first. Otherwise, you could
damage the drive train or the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP®
system operates automatically, the engine
and the ignition must be switched off
(SmartKey in position 0 or 1 in the ignition
lock or Start/Stop button in position 0 or
1) when the electric parking brake is being
tested on a brake dynamometer.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake
system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP®
system operates automatically, the engine
and the ignition system must be switched
off (SmartKey in position 0 or 1 in the
ignition lock or Start/Stop button in
position 0 or 1) when:
R testing the electric parking brake on a
brake dynamometer.
R you intend to have the vehicle towed with
one of the axles raised.328
Driving tips
Driving and parking

Only use the cruise control if the road, traffic,
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a constant speed.
R
The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on winding roads or in heavy
traffic
because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a constant speed.
R The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on slippery roads. Rapid
changes in tire traction can result in wheel
spin and loss of control.
R Deactivate the cruise control when driving
in fog.
The "Resume" function should only be
operated if the driver is fully aware of the
previously set speed and wishes to resume
this particular preset speed.
Cruise control lever :
To switch on or to increase the speed
; To switch on or to reduce the speed
= To deactivate cruise control
? To switch on with the current speed or
with the last stored speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display
for five seconds and is indicated in the
speedometer

by a triangle. The speedometer
dial lights up between the set speed and the
maximum speed. Storing and maintaining the current
speed You can store the current speed if you are
driving faster than 20 mph (30 km/h)

.
X Accelerate the vehicle to the desired
speed.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever
up : or down ;.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle
automatically maintains the speed.
i Cruise
control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by
automatically applying the brakes.
Storing the current speed or calling up
the last stored speed G
WARNING
The set speed stored in memory should only
be set again if prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Possible
acceleration or deceleration differences
arising from returning to the preset speed
could

cause an accident and/or serious injury
to you and others.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the current speed or regulates the
speed of the vehicle to the previously
stored speed. Driving systems
331
Driving and parking Z

Immediately brake the vehicle to increase
your distance to the preceding vehicle. The
warning sound is intended as a final caution
in which you should intercede with your own
braking inputs to avoid a potentially
dangerous situation. Do not wait for the
operation of the warning signal to intercede
with your own braking. This will result in
potentially dangerous emergency braking
which
will not always result in an impact being
avoided.
Tailgating increases the risk of an accident. G
WARNING
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with a
maximum deceleration of 13 ft/s 2
(4 m/s 2
).
This is equivalent to approximately 40 % of
your vehicle's maximum possible
deceleration.
You need to brake yourself to prevent a
collision.

DISTRONIC PLUS brakes the vehicle
to restore the set distance from the vehicle
ahead or the set speed. G
WARNING
If you do not receive visual or acoustic
warning signals during a critical traffic
situation, DISTRONIC PLUS has either not
recognized the collision risk, has been
deactivated or is malfunctioning.
Remember,

whether or not DISTRONIC PLUS
is operating, it is ultimately always the drivers
responsibility to apply the brakes in order to
control the vehicle and avoid a collision. Cruise control lever :
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
; To store the current speed or a lower
speed
= To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
? To store the current speed or to call up
the last stored speed
A To set the specified minimum distance
Switching on DISTRONIC PLUS, storing
the current speed and maintaining it Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The vehicle can be braked when DISTRONIC
PLUS
is activated. For this reason, deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS if the vehicle is to be set in
motion by other means (e.g. in a car wash or
by towing).
In order to activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the
following conditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine must be started. It may take up
to two minutes after pulling away before
DISTRONIC PLUS is operational.
R the electric parking brake must be
released.
R ESP ®
must be activated but not
intervening.
R the transmission must be in position D.
R the hood must be closed. Driving systems
335
Driving and parking Z

R
the driver's door must be closed when you
shift from P to D or your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door and rear doors
must be closed.
R the vehicle must not skid.
Activating while driving
When driving at speeds below 20 mph
(30 km/h), you can only activate DISTRONIC
PLUS if the vehicle in front has been detected
and is shown in the multifunction display. If
the vehicle in front is no longer detected and
shown, DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated and
a warning tone sounds.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?, or briefly press up : or down ;.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed
up : or down ; until the desired speed
is set.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your

vehicle adapts its speed to that of the
vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
i If
you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC PLUS Override
message is shown in the multifunction
display. The set distance to a slower-
moving vehicle in front will then not be
maintained. You will be driving at the speed
you determine by the position of the
accelerator pedal.
Activating when driving towards a
stationary vehicle
If the vehicle in front of you is stationary, you
can only activate DISTRONIC PLUS once your
vehicle is stationary as well.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?, or briefly press up : or down ;.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
i DISTRONIC
PLUS can only be activated at
under 20 mph (30 km/h) if a vehicle in front has been detected. Therefore, the
DISTRONIC PLUS distance display in the
instrument cluster should be activated
(Y page 383).
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed
up : or down ; until the desired speed
is set.
i You
can use the cruise control lever to set
the stored speed and the control on the
cruise control lever to set the specified
minimum distance (Y page 338).
Pulling away
X If the vehicle in front pulls away:
remove
your foot from the brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front.
Driving
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control.
If

a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
DISTRONIC causes your vehicle to brake. This
maintains the preset distance to the vehicle
in front.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a faster-moving
vehicle in front, it increases the driving speed
of your vehicle, but only up to the desired
speed you have stored. G
WARNING
If you depress the brake, DISTRONIC PLUS is
deactivated unless your vehicle is stationary.
DISTRONIC

PLUS then no longer brakes your
vehicle. In such cases, control the distance
from vehicles travelling in front with the brake
alone. You could otherwise cause an accident
and thereby injure yourself and others. The
driver remains fully responsible for the
vehicle's distance from other vehicles, the 336
Driving systems
Driving and parking

X
Press the cruise control lever up : for a
higher
speed or down ; for a lower speed.
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.
X Release the cruise control lever.
The

new speed is stored. DISTRONIC PLUS
is activated and adjusts the vehicle's speed
to the new speed stored.
Making adjustments in 1 mph (Canada:
1 km/h) increments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure

point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Making adjustments in 5 mph (Canada:
10 km/h) increments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever
beyond the pressure point, up : for a
higher

speed or down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Storing the current speed or calling up
a stored speed G
WARNING
The set speed stored in memory should only
be set again if prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Possible
acceleration or deceleration differences
arising from returning to the preset speed
could

cause an accident and/or serious injury
to you and others.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ?.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. The first
time it is activated, the current speed is
stored.

Otherwise, it sets the vehicle cruise
speed to the previously stored value. Sets the specified minimum distance You can set the specified minimum distance
for

DISTRONIC PLUS by varying the time span
between one and two seconds. With this
function, you can set the minimum distance
that DISTRONIC PLUS keeps to the vehicle in
front, dependent on vehicle speed. You can
see this distance in the multifunction display
(Y page 339). G
WARNING
It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to
select the appropriate setting given road
conditions, traffic, driver's preferred driving
style and applicable laws and driving
recommendations

for safe following distance. X
To increase: turn control ; in direction
=.
DISTRONIC

PLUS then maintains a greater
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
X To decrease: turn control ; in
direction :.
DISTRONIC

PLUS then maintains a shorter
distance between your vehicle and the
vehicle in front.
i Make sure that you maintain a sufficient
and

safe distance from the vehicle in front.
Adjust the distance to the vehicle in front if
necessary. 338
Driving systems
Driving and parking

Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS
There are several ways to deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS:
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever
forwards :.
or
X Brake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
When you deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS, the
DISTRONIC PLUS Off message is shown in
the multifunction display for approximately
five seconds.
i The
last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
i DISTRONIC PLUS is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you
accelerate to overtake, DISTRONIC PLUS
adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished
overtaking.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically
deactivated if:
R you engage the electric parking brake or if
the vehicle is automatically secured with
the electric parking brake.
R you are driving slower than
15 mph (25 km/h) and there is no vehicle
in front, or if the vehicle in front is no longer
detected.
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
.
R the transmission is in the P, R or N position.
R you switch off the radar sensor system
(Y page 387). R
you pull the cruise control lever towards
you in order to pull away and the front-
passenger door or one of the rear doors is
open.
R the vehicle has skidded.
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. The DISTRONIC PLUS
Off message is shown in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds. G
WARNING
The DISTRONIC PLUS switches off and
releases the brakes when the vehicle
decelerates below the minimum speed of
20

mph (30 km/h) by operation of the system
unless the DISTRONIC PLUS detects a vehicle
directly ahead of you. At that time the driver
must apply the brakes in order to reduce
vehicle speed further or bring it to a stop.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS Important safety notes
The

following contains descriptions of certain
road and traffic conditions in which you must
be particularly attentive. In such situations,
brake if necessary. DISTRONIC PLUS is then
deactivated. G
WARNING
The DISTRONIC PLUS works to maintain the
speed
selected by the driver unless a moving
obstacle proceeding directly ahead of it in the
same travel direction is detected (e.g.
following another vehicle ahead of you at your
set distance).
This means that:
R Your vehicle can pass another vehicle after
you have changed lanes.
R While in a sharp turn or if the preceding
vehicle is in a sharp turn, the DISTRONIC
PLUS could lose sight of the preceding
vehicle. Your vehicle could then accelerate
to the previously selected speed.340
Driving systems
Driving and parking

i
If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again. G
WARNING
The vehicle's brakes are applied when the
HOLD function is activated. For this reason,
deactivate
the HOLD function if the vehicle is
to be set in motion by other means (e.g. in a
car wash or by towing).
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated
automatically if:
R
you accelerate and the transmission is in
position D or R.
R you shift the transmission to position P.
R you apply the brakes again with a certain
amount of pressure until HOLD disappears
from the instrument cluster.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
i After a time, the electric parking brake
secures

the vehicle and relieves the service
brake. G
WARNING
Never get out of the vehicle when the HOLD
function is activated.
The HOLD function must never be operated
or

deactivated by a passenger or from outside
the vehicle.
The HOLD function does not replace the
electric parking brake and must not be used
for parking.
The braking effect of the HOLD function is
canceled and the vehicle could roll away if:
R the HOLD function is deactivated by
depressing the accelerator pedal or the
brake pedal.
R there is a malfunction in the system or an
interruption in the power supply, e.g.
battery failure. R
the electrical system in the engine
compartment, the battery or the fuses are
tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected. AIRMATIC
Vehicle level Important safety notes
Your vehicle regulates its height
automatically.

All-round self-leveling 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 1.00
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 1.00 in (25 mm) when
compared with normal level
R lowered: the vehicle is lowered by about
0.40 in (10 mm) when compared with the
normal level
The "Normal" and "Raised" vehicle levels can
be set manually. Driving systems
343
Driving and parking Z

Suspension tuning
The electronically controlled ABC suspension
system works continuously. This improves
driving safety and comfort.
The ABC suspension system 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
R the vehicle load
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 if you prefer a firmer
suspension tuning.
X
If indicator lamp ; is not lit: press
button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. You have
selected
the suspension for a sporty driving
style.
The ABC Active Body Control SPORT
message appears in the multifunction
display.
Comfort tuning
In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. Select
this mode if you prefer a more comfortable
driving style. X
If indicator lamp ; is lit: press
button :.
Indicator lamp ; goes out. You have
selected the suspension for a comfortable
driving style.
The ABC Active Body Control
COMFORT message appears in the
multifunction display. 4MATIC (permanent four-wheel drive)
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are
permanently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle
whenever a drive wheel spins due to
insufficient grip. G
WARNING
If a drive wheel is spinning due to insufficient
traction:
R While driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R While driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R Adapt your speed and driving style to the
prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The 4MATIC cannot prevent accidents
resulting from excessive speed.
! Never tow the vehicle with one axle
raised.

This may damage the transfer case.
Damage of this sort is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. All
wheels must remain either on the ground
or be fully raised. Observe the instructions
for towing the vehicle with all wheels in full
contact with the ground.
i In wintry driving conditions, the maximum
effect of 4MATIC can only be achieved if
you use winter tires (M+S tires), with snow
chains if necessary. 346
Driving systems
Driving and parking

Guidance only shows parking spaces on the
passenger
side in the default setting. Parking
spaces on the driver's side are displayed as
soon as the turn signal on the driver's side is
activated. To park on the driver's side, you
must leave the driver's side turn signal
switched on until you have engaged reverse
gear. If a parking space is detected, parking
symbol ; changes to blue. Additionally, an
arrow pointing right = or left : is shown.
Parking Guidance will only detect parking
spaces:
R that are closed in at the back
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
R that are at least 5 ft (1.5 m) wide
R that are at least 4.3 ft (1.3 m) longer than
your vehicle
A parking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are
approximately 50 ft (15 m) away from it.
Parking The following instructions refer to parking in
a space on the front-passenger side. To park
in a space on the driver's side, mirror the
instructions.
G
WARNING
The Parking Guidance is only an aid and may
not detect all obstacles. The Parking
Guidance does not relieve you of the
responsibility

to pay attention. You are always
responsible for safety and must continue to
pay attention to your immediate surroundings
when parking and maneuvering. Otherwise,
you could endanger yourself and others. X
Stop the vehicle when the blue parking
space symbol shows the desired parking
space in the instrument cluster.
X Engage reverse gear.
The multifunction display shows the
message: Check surroundings
Confirm with OK.
X Press a on the multifunction steering
wheel to confirm.
The display in the instrument cluster
switches to Parking Guidance. :
Green lane
; White bracket marking the target position
X Depending on the distance, you may have
to reverse along the lane towards the
parking space. This is indicated by green
lane :.
Continue

backing up until you hear a tone.
Stop; the parking position has been
reached and is marked by white
bracket ; with an arrow for the target
position. 352
Driving systems
Driving and parking