2005 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS air suspension

229 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Airmatic
Airmatic automatically selects the opti-
mum suspension tuning and ride height for
your vehicle. Airmatic consists of two com-
ponents:

Adaptive Damping System (ADS)


Level control system
The ADS automatically selects the opti-
mum damping for the respective driving
conditions. At the same time the suspen-
sion is set to either sporty or regular.Suspension tuning
The suspension tuning is set according to:


Your driving style


Road surface conditions


Your choice of suspension style,
“sport” or “convenience”, which you
select using the damping switch.
The following suspension styles are avail-
able:


Convenience
Both indicator lamps1 are off.


Sports 1
One indicator lamp1 is on.


Sports 2
Both indicator lamps1 are on.1Indicator lamps
2Damping switch

Start the engine.

Press the damping switch2 until the
desired suspension style is set.iThe selected suspension style is stored
in memory, even after the SmartKey is
removed from the starter switch.

231 Controls in detail
Driving systems
The indicator lamp is then lit. The dis-
play switches off when the vehicle is
raised.

Press switch2 again to lower the ve-
hicle. The indicator lamp is off.
The selected vehicle level setting remains
stored in memory even if the engine is
turned off and restarted except when you


exceed a speed of 75 mph (120 km/h)
or


maintain a speed of between 50 mph
(80 km/h) and 75 mph (120 km/h) for
more than 5 minutes
The vehicle then lowers to regular level.
The message:
AIRMATIC
LEVELING CANCELLEDappears in the multifunction display and
the indicator lamp is off. The display
switches off when the vehicle is raised.
Active Body Control (ABC)*
The ABC system automatically selects the
optimum suspension tuning and ride
height for your vehicle.
Suspension tuning
The suspension tuning is set according to:

Your driving style


Road surface conditions


The vehicle loading


Your choice of suspension style,
“sporty” or “regular”, which you select
using the ABC button
The selected suspension style is stored
in memory, even after the SmartKey is
removed from the starter switch.The ABC button with the indicator lamps is
located on the upper part of the front cen-
ter console.
1Indicator lamp
2ABC button

Start the engine.

232 Controls in detailDriving systemsSuspension for sporty driving style
The setting for sporty driving is selected
when indicator lamp1 is illuminated.
Press button2.
Indicator lamp1 comes on.
Suspension for regular driving style
The setting for regular driving is selected
when indicator lamp1 is off.

Press button2.
Indicator lamp1 goes out. Vehicle level control with ABC*
Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to:


reduce fuel consumption


increase vehicle safety
The vehicle chassis ride height is raised or
lowered according to the selected level
setting and to the vehicle speed:


With increasing speed, ride height is re-
duced by up to approximately 1.4 in
(35 mm).


With decreasing speed, the ride height
is again raised to the selected vehicle
level.Select the level 1 and 2 settings only when
required by current driving conditions.
Otherwise:


Fuel consumption may increase


Handling may be impairediThese height adjustments are so small
that you may not notice any change.Warning!
G
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands
and feet away from wheel housing area, and
stay away from under the vehicle when low-
ering the vehicle chassis.

463 Index
Seating capacity 301
Seats 114
Adjusting 37
Adjusting lumbar support 123
Adjusting shoulder support 123
Easy entry/exit feature 114
Heater 125
Massage function 123
Multicontour backrest* 122
Rear power seat bench* 117
Rear seats 117
Securing cargo
Cargo tie-down hooks 241
Selector lever
Lock 46, 173
Message in display 353
Self-test
BabySmart
TM air bag deactivation
system 74
Tele Aid 256
Service
Major service (Service B) 328
Minor service (Service A) 328
When due 328
Service (maintenance) 328
Service and warranty information 10Service indicator 328
Service life (tires) 297
Service System see FSS 328
Setting
Convenience functions 169
Cruise control 215
Daytime running lamp mode 165
Digital clock 25
Distronic* time interval 224
Following distance in Distronic* 224
Higher speed in cruise control 216
Higher speed in Distronic* 222
Individual vehicle settings 160
Interior illumination delayed
switch-off 167
Lamps and lighting (control
system) 164
Language, multifunction display 164
Locator lighting 166
Lower speed in cruise control 216
Lower speed in Distronic* 223
Miles/kilometers in
speedometer 163Parking position for exterior rear view
mirrors 171
Slower speed in cruise control 216
Slower speed in Distronic* 223
SmartKey dependent memory 169
Speed in Distronic* 222
Speedometer display mode 163
Suspension tuning 231
Temperature (interior) 195
Temperature indicator 163
Tire inflation pressure units 164
To last stored speed (“Resume” func-
tion) in cruise control 216
To last stored speed in Distronic* (“Re-
sume” function) 223
Units
Speedometer 163
Temperature 163
Tire inflation pressure 164
Vehicle level control 230, 232
Setting current speed 215
Setting front passenger seat position from
rear* 118