cruise control MERCEDES-BENZ S63AMG 2008 W221 User Guide

424 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Briefly pull the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow4 (
page 420).
The cruise control resumes to the last
set speed or if no speed is stored, it will
set and store the current speed.
Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The last set speed appears in the multi-
function display for approximately
5 seconds, and the corresponding
speedometer segments from the se-
lected speed to the vehicle maximum
speed are illuminated.
DISTRONIC Plus*
When activated, the DISTRONIC Plus adap-
tive cruise control system increases driv-
ing convenience afforded by the cruise
control during travel on expressways and
other major roadways.

If the DISTRONIC Plus distance sensor
detects a slower moving vehicle direct-
ly ahead, your vehicle speed will be re-
duced so that you follow that vehicle at
a preset distance.

If there is no vehicle directly ahead of
you, DISTRONIC Plus will function in
the same way as the cruise control
(
page 419).
DISTRONIC Plus functions within a speed
range of 0 to 120 mph.When travelling in Canada in a vehicle not
registered in Canada, you must switch off
the radar sensor system* (
page 282).
Canadian law does not permit the use of
the radar sensor system* (
page 282) for
vehicles from outside of Canada. When you
switch off the radar sensor system*, the
following functions are deactivated:

BAS Plus* (page 69)

DISTRONIC Plus

Park Assist* (page 448)

PRE-SAFE® Brake* (page 76)
iThe last stored set speed is deleted when
the engine is turned off.

425 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Warning!G
DISTRONIC Plus is a convenience system.
Its speed adjustment reduction capability is
intended to make the cruise control more ef-
fective and usable when traffic speeds vary.
It is not however, intended to, nor does it, re-
place the need for extreme care. The re-
sponsibility for the vehicle speed and the
distance to the vehicle ahead, including
most importantly brake operation to assure
safe stopping distance, always remains with
the driver.
DISTRONIC Plus cannot take street and traf-
fic conditions into account.
Complex driving situations are not always
fully recognized by DISTRONIC Plus. This
could result in wrong or missing distance
warnings.
Warning!G
DISTRONIC Plus adaptive cruise control is
no substitute for active driving involvement.
It does not react to pedestrians or stationary
objects, nor does it recognize or predict the
curvature and lane layout or the movement
of vehicles ahead. DISTRONIC Plus can only
apply a maximum of 40% of the vehicle’s
braking power.
DISTRONIC Plus may not detect narrow ve-
hicles possibly driving in front of you, such
as motorcycles and vehicles driving in an
offset formation.
It is the driver’s responsibility at all times to
be attentive to road, weather and traffic con-
ditions and to provide the steering, braking
and other driving inputs necessary to retain
control of the vehicle.
High-frequency sources such as toll sta-
tions, speed measuring systems etc. can
cause the DISTRONIC Plus system to tem-
porarily cease functioning.
Warning!G
DISTRONIC Plus requires familiarity with its
operational characteristics. We strongly rec-
ommend that you review the following infor-
mation carefully before operating the
system.
Warning!G
DISTRONIC Plus cannot take street and traf-
fic conditions into account. Only use
DISTRONIC Plus if the road, weather and
traffic conditions make it advisable to travel
at a steady speed.
Warning!G
Use of DISTRONIC Plus can be dangerous
on slippery roads. Rapid changes in tire trac-
tion can result in wheel spin and loss of con-
trol.


432 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Starting off
When the vehicle in front of you starts off:
Remove your foot from the brake
pedal.
Pull DISTRONIC Plus lever briefly in di-
rection of arrow4.
or
Briefly step on the accelerator pedal.
Your vehicle starts off and adapts its speed
to the vehicle in front of you.Driving
If no vehicle is driving ahead of you,
DISTRONIC Plus functions like the cruise
control (
page 419).
When DISTRONIC Plus detects that the ve-
hicle in front of you is driving more slowly,
it brakes the vehicle in order to keep the
distance specified by you.
When DISTRONIC Plus detects that the ve-
hicle in front of you is driving faster, the ve-
hicle accelerates up to the set speed.Stopping
iIf DISTRONIC Plus is switched off,
PRE-SAFE® Brake* (page 76) will warn of an
impending collision if this function has been ac-
tivated with the instrument cluster control sys-
tem (
page 279).
Warning!G
When you step on the brake pedal, you
switch off DISTRONIC Plus except when the
vehicle is at a standstill. DISTRONIC Plus will
no longer brake your vehicle. You are always
responsible for maintaining a distance from
other vehicles, observing road speeds and
braking well in advance.
Warning!G
DISTRONIC Plus’s braking effect is canceled
and the vehicle can start to roll if

DISTRONIC Plus is switched off using
the DISTRONIC Plus lever

you accelerate

the system or the power supply is mal-
functioning, e.g. due to battery failure

the electrical components in the engine
compartment or the fuses have been
manipulated

the battery is disconnected


533 Operation
Driving instructions
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed of

All models except S 63 AMG and
S65AMG:
130 mph (210 km/h)

S 63 AMG:
S 65 AMG:
155 mph (250 km/h)

S 63 AMG with increased top speed*:
S 65 AMG with increased top speed*:
186 mph (300 km/h)
The factory equipped tires on your vehicle
may have a tire speed rating above the
maximum speed permitted by the elec-
tronic speed limiter.
Make sure your tires have the required tire
speed rating as specified for your vehicle in
the “Technical data” section (
page 718),
for example when purchasing new tires.
For information on how to identify the tire
speed rating on a tire’s sidewall, see “Tire
size designation, load and speed rating”
(
page 568).If you are uncertain about the correct read-
ing of the information given on a tire’s side-
wall, any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center will be glad to assist you.
Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid
abrupt acceleration, braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
or DISTRONIC Plus* system under such
conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
move gear selector lever to neutral
positionN. Try to keep the vehicle under
control by corrective steering action.Road salts and chemicals can adversely af-
fect braking efficiency. Increased pedal
force may become necessary to produce
the normal braking effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn
roads can bring road-salt impaired braking
efficiency back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven
on salt-treated roads, the braking efficien-
cy should be tested as soon as possible af-
ter driving is resumed.
iFor information on speed ratings for winter
tires, see (
page 571) and (page 580).
iFor information on driving with snow chains,
see “Snow chains” (
page 581).
Warning!G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of control loss.

604 Practical hints
What to do if …?
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
lPRE-SAFE® Brake*: The red dis-
tance warning lamp comes on
while driving.You are too close to the vehicle in front of
you to maintain selected speed.Apply the brakes immediately to in-
crease the following distance.
lDISTRONIC Plus* or PRE-SAFE®
Brake*: The red distance warn-
ing lamp comes on while driving
and an acoustic warning
sounds.You are gaining too rapidly on the vehicle
ahead of you.Apply the brakes immediately.
DISTRONIC Plus* or PRE-SAFE® Brake* has
recognized a stationary obstacle on your
probable line of travel.Apply the brakes immediately.
Carefully observe the traffic situation.
You may need to brake or maneuver to
avoid hitting an obstacle.
vThe yellow ESP® warning lamp
flashes while driving.The ESP® or electronic traction system has
come into operation because of detected
traction loss in at least one tire.
Cruise control and DISTRONIC Plus* are de-
activated.When driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.
While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.
Adapt your speed and driving to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
Do not deactivate the ESP®. Exceptions:
(
page 73).
Failure to follow these instructions increas-
es the risk of an accident.

614 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Text messages
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Apply brake
to shift
from 'P'You have tried to shift the auto-
matic transmission to D, R or N
without stepping on the brake.Step on brake.
Child seat
in wrong position
See Oper. Manual
(Canada only)The child seat is not positioned
correctly.Fasten the seat in the correct position.
The sensor for the child seat is
malfunctioning.Have the sensor for child seat detection checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Cruise control
- - - mph
(USA only)
Cruise control
- - - km/h
(Canada only)You have tried to switch on
cruise control below a speed of
20 mph (30 km/h).Drive faster than 20 mph (30 km/h) and save the speed.
ESP® is switched off.Switch on ESP® (page 75).
The automatic transmission is in
position P, R or N.Shift the automatic transmission toD (page 399).
The system is overheated.Wait until the system cools down.
The vehicle is secured in place
by the electronic parking brake.Release electronic parking brake (page 395).
Cruise control
inoperativeCruise control is malfunction-
ing.Have cruise control checked by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

639 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Turn on the ignition
to release the
parking brakeThe yellow indicator lamp for the electronic
parking brake comes on.
You have tried to release the electronic
parking brake, but the ignition was not
switched on.Switch on the ignition (page 344).
(USA only)
(Canada only)
Inoperative
See Oper. ManualESP® a s w e l l a s P R E - S A F E® are switched off
due to a malfunction. In addition, the v
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
comes on.
The ABS may not be operational and the fol-
lowing systems are not available:

BAS and BAS Plus*

PRE-SAFE® Brake*

Distronic Plus*

Cruise control

Hill start assist system
Continue driving with added caution.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases the
risk of an accident.

739 Index
Cruise control 419
Activating 420
Canceling 421
Driving downhill 421
Driving uphill 421
Message in display 614
Setting current speed 420
Setting to last stored speed
(“Resume” function) 423
Cup holder
In front seat armrest 498
In rear seat armrest 498
Curb weight 576
D
Date
Setting (COMAND) 236
Daytime running lamp mode 373
Setting 281
Deceleration
With DISTRONIC Plus* 428
Deep water see Standing water
Defrosting 472
Delayed switch-off
Exterior lighting (COMAND) 242
Interior lighting (COMAND) 248Department of Transportation see DOT
Destination entry (COMAND) 172
Destination memory (COMAND) 217
Difficulties
While driving 393
While starting 391
Digital speedometer 269
Additional speedometer 282
Dimensions, Vehicle 723
Direction of rotation, Tires 553
Displays
Additional speedometer 282
Digital speedometer 269
DISTRONIC Plus* 427
Maintenance service indicator 582
Multifunction display 264
Vehicle status message see
Multifunction display messages
Distance
Decreasing in DISTRONIC Plus* 437
Increasing in DISTRONIC Plus* 437
Setting in DISTRONIC Plus* 436
Distance to Empty (Range) 269
Distance warning lamp* 29, 604DISTRONIC Plus* 424
Activated 429
Activating 430
Calling up settings 428
Cleaning system sensor 589
Deactivated 429
Deactivating 435
Deceleration 428
Decreasing distance 437
Decreasing time interval 436
Displays in the multifunction
display 427
Distance warning lamp 29, 604
Driving hints 437
Increasing distance 437
Increasing time interval 436
Intermittent signal tone 427
Lever 430
Menu 428
Messages in display 615
Sensor cover 589
Setting a higher speed 433
Setting a slower speed 434
Setting following distance 436

740 Index
Setting the current speed 433
Setting to last stored speed
(“Resume” function) 435
Warning and indicator lamps 427
Document holder 502
Door
Control panel 34, 35, 38
Entry lamps 379
Inside door handle 341
Locking 334, 339
Locking with Tele Aid 517
Messages in display 617, 648
Opening from inside vehicle 341
Opening from outside 333, 338
Power closing assist 342
Unlocking 333, 338
Unlocking with Tele Aid 517
DOT 576
Downhill driving
Cruise control 421
Drink holder see Cup holder
Drinking and driving 527
Drive-dynamic multicontour seats*, front
Adjusting (COMAND) 262Driving 389
Abroad 535
Hydroplaning 531
In winter 533
Instructions 389, 527
Problems 393
Safety systems 66
Through standing water 534
With DISTRONIC Plus* 437
Driving maneuver (COMAND) 207
Driving off 530
Driving safety systems
4MATIC 75
ABS 66
Adaptive Brake Lights (S 600 and USA
only) 68
BAS 68
BAS Plus 69
EBP 71
Electronic traction system 72
ESP
®71Driving systems 419
ABC* 442
Airmatic 440
Cruise control 419
DISTRONIC Plus* 424
Driving safety systems 66
Dynamic Rear View Monitor* 453
Park Assist* 448
Parktronic system* 444
Vehicle level control (ABC*) 443
Vehicle level control (Airmatic) 441
Driving tips 406
Kickdown 406
DVD 112
Audio (COMAND) 112
Changer (COMAND) 116
Changer (Voice Control*) 313
Ejecting (COMAND) 117
Loading (COMAND) 115
Playback options (COMAND) 123
Selecting a medium (COMAND) 121
Selecting a track (COMAND) 122
Setting the audio format
(COMAND) 123
Video (COMAND) 124

746 Index
ESP®29, 599, 604
Front passenger front air bag off 50,
610
Fuel reserve 605
High beam headlamp 29
Maintenance service indicator 582
Park Assist* 29
Parktronic* 29
Seat belt telltale 29, 605
SRS 29, 607
TPMS* malfunction telltale 29, 608
Turn signals 29
Language (COMAND) 238
LATCH-type child seat anchors see
Children in the vehicle
Lever
For automatic transmission
(gear selector lever) 399
For cruise control 420
For DISTRONIC Plus* 430
License plate lamps
Messages in display 655
Replacing bulbs 679
Light alloy wheels, Cleaning 593Light sensor
Message in display 654
Lighter see Cigarette lighter
Lighting 371
Automatic headlamp mode 372
COMAND display illumination 87
Corner-illuminating lamps 376
Courtesy lighting 380
Daytime running lamp mode 373
Door entry lamps 379
High beam flasher 375
Instrument cluster illumination 417,
463
Interior 378
Manual headlamp mode 372
Trunk 380
Limp-home mode 416
Loading see Vehicle loading
Locator lighting (COMAND) 243
Lock button
Door handle (KEYLESS-GO*) 338,
388
Key, SmartKey 332
Key, SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* 335Locking 394
Automatic central locking
(COMAND) 245
Vehicle in an emergency 672
Locking knob 341
Loss of
Key, Mechanical 340
Key, SmartKey 340
Key, SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* 340
Service and Warranty Information
Booklet 711
Low beam headlamps
Replacing bulbs 679
Lowering
Vehicle 690
Lubricants 724
Lumbar support (COMAND) 260