Contents
Introduction....................................... 13
Product information ............................. 13
Operator’s Manual ............................... 14
Service and warranty information .. 14
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 15
Maintenance .................................. 15
Roadside Assistance ...................... 15
Change of address or ownership.... 16
Operating your vehicle outside the
USA or Canada............................... 16
Where to find it .................................... 17
Symbols ............................................... 18
Operating safety .................................. 19
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 19
Problems with your vehicle .................. 20
Reporting safety defects...................... 21
Reporting safety defects ................ 21
Vehicle data recording......................... 22
Information regarding electronic
recording devices........................... 22
At a glance.......................................... 23
Exterior view ......................................... 24
Cockpit ................................................. 26
Instrument cluster ................................ 28
Control systems ................................... 30
Center console ..................................... 32
Upper part ...................................... 32
Overhead control panel ........................ 33
Driver’s door control panel ................... 34
Rear door control panel ........................ 35
Storage compartments ......................... 36
Rear passenger compartment .............. 38Safety and Security............................ 39
Occupant safety ................................... 40
Air bags........................................... 42
Occupant Classification System ..... 47
Seat belts........................................ 52
Active head restraints ..................... 56
Preventive occupant safety
(PRE-SAFE
®).................................... 57
Children in the vehicle .................... 58
Override switch for rear passenger
compartment .................................. 64Panic alarm .......................................... 66
Activating........................................ 66
Deactivating.................................... 66
Driving safety systems ......................... 67
ABS ................................................. 67
Adaptive Brake ............................... 68
Adaptive Brake Lights
(S 600 and S 65 AMG, USA only).... 69
BAS ................................................. 69
BAS Plus* ....................................... 70
EBP ................................................. 72
ESP
®............................................... 72
Four wheel electronic traction
system (4MATIC) with the ESP
®..... 76
PRE-SAFE
® Brake* (vehicles with
DISTRONIC Plus* only) ................... 77
Anti-theft systems ................................ 82
Immobilizer ..................................... 82
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 82
Canceling the alarm ........................ 83
32 At a glanceCenter consoleUpper part
Item
Page
1
Thumbwheel for air volume
control for left center air vent
500
2
Thumbwheel for air volume
control for right center air
vent
500
3
AUTO mode for air distribu-
tion and volume, left
503
4
Temperature control, left
504
5
Manual fan speed adjust-
ment, left
504
6
Front defroster
504
7
Air recirculation
506
8
Climate control on/off
503
9
Residual engine heat and
ventilation (REST)
509
a
Rear window defroster
506
Item
Page
b
Manual fan speed adjust-
ment, right
504
c
Temperature control, right
504
d
AUTO mode for air distribu-
tion and volume, right
503
e
Alarm system indicator lamp
83
f
Cupholder
530
g
Cover of compartment with:
Ashtray
Lighter
536
537
h
Cover of compartment with
CD/DVD changer
PCMCIA card slot
120
121
39 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Panic alarm
Driving safety systems
Anti-theft systems
66 Safety and SecurityPanic alarm1Â button
Activating
Press and hold  button for at least
1 second.
An audible alarm and flashing exterior
lamps will operate briefly.
Deactivating
Press  button again.
or
Insert the SmartKey or the SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* in starter switch.
or
Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (
page 372).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be inside the vehicle.
i
USA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interfer-
ence, and
(2) this device must accept any interference re-
ceived, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
i
Canada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference re-
ceived, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
82 Safety and SecurityAnti-theft systemsImmobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
with you, and lock the vehicle. The engine
can be started by anyone with a valid
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
that is left inside the vehicle.
Activating
With the SmartKey: Remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch.
With the KEYLESS-GO*: Turn off the
engine (
page 372) and open the driv-
er’s door.
Deactivating
Switch on the ignition (
page 370).
Anti-theft alarm system
Once the alarm system has been armed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered when
someone opens:
a door
the trunk
the hood
The alarm will stay on even if the activating
element (a door, for example) is immedi-
ately closed.
The alarm system will also be triggered
when
the vehicle is opened with the
mechanical key
a door is opened from the inside
To cancel the alarm after it has been trig-
gered, see “Canceling the alarm”
(
page 83).
i
Starting the engine will also deactivate the
immobilizer.
In case the engine cannot be started (yet the ve-
hicle’s battery is charged), the system is not op-
erational. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA), or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
83 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
1Indicator lamp
Arming: Lock your vehicle with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO*.
The turn signal lamps flash three times
to indicate that the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp1 flashes to indi-
cate that the alarm system is armed.
Disarming: Unlock your vehicle with
the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO*.
The turn signal lamps flash once to in-
dicate that the alarm system is dis-
armed.
Canceling the alarm
To cancel the alarm, do one of the follow-
ing:
Insert the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* in the starter switch.
Press the Œ or ‹ button on the
SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*.
In vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Grasp an outside door handle.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be within 3 ft (1 m) of the vehicle.
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton (
page 372).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be inside the vehicle.
i
If the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Response Center is ini-
tiated automatically by the Tele Aid system
(
page 542) provided Tele Aid service was sub-
scribed to and properly activated, and that nec-
essary mobile phone, power supply and GPS
coverage are available.
i
If the turn signal lamps does not flash three
times one of the following elements may not be
properly closed:
a door
the trunk
Close the respective element and lock the vehi-
cle again.
i
The alarm system will rearm automatically
again after approximately 40 seconds if no door
was opened.
359 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Factory setting
Global unlocking: Press buttonŒ.
All turn signal lamps flash once.
An acoustic signal sounds once
(if equipped and feature activated).
The locking knobs in the doors
move up.
The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.
i
USA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interfer-
ence, and
(2) this device must accept any interference re-
ceived, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
i
Canada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference re-
ceived, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
i
You can also open and close the door win-
dows and tilt/sliding sunroof, or the tilt/ sliding
panel* using the SmartKey (
page 412).
!
If you cannot lock or unlock the vehicle with
the SmartKey, then either the batteries in the
SmartKey are discharged, the SmartKey is mal-
functioning or the vehicle batteries are drained.
Check the batteries in the SmartKey and re-
place them if necessary (
page 712).
Use the mechanical key to unlock the driv-
er’s door (
page 708) and the trunk
(
page 709).
Use the mechanical key to lock the driver’s
door (
page 709) and the trunk
(
page 517).
Have the vehicle batteries and their connec-
tions checked (
page 729).
If the SmartKey is malfunctioning, contact Road-
side Assistance or an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
i
Your vehicle may be equipped with an
acoustic lock and unlock confirmation signal fea-
ture. If your vehicle is equipped with this feature
and the feature is activated, an acoustic signal
will sound when the vehicle is locked or unlocked
using the SmartKey.
To determine whether or not your vehicle is
equipped with this feature, contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center. If equipped and
you wish to activate or deactivate the feature, or
adjust its signal volume, also contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
360 Controls in detailLocking and unlockingThe vehicle will lock again automatically
and rearm the anti-theft alarm system
within approximately 40 seconds of un-
locking if:
neither a door nor the trunk is opened
the SmartKey is not inserted in the
starter switch
the central locking/unlocking switch is
not activated
Global locking: Press button‹.
With the trunk and both doors closed:
All turn signal lamps flash three
times.
An acoustic signal sounds three
times (if equipped and feature acti-
vated).
The locking knobs in the doors
move down.
The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.Selective setting
If you frequently travel alone, you may wish
to reprogram the SmartKey so that press-
ing buttonŒ only unlocks the driver’s
door and the fuel filler flap.
Press and hold buttonsŒ and‹
simultaneously for about 5 seconds un-
til battery check lamp5 (
page 358)
flashes twice.
The SmartKey will then function as fol-
lows:
Unlocking driver’s door and fuel fill-
er flap: Press buttonŒ once.
All turn signal lamps flash once.
An acoustic signal sounds once
(if equipped and feature activated).
For more information, see “Factory
setting” (
page 359).
The locking knob in the driver’s
door moves up.
The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.
Global unlocking: Press buttonŒ
twice.
All turn signal lamps flash once.
An acoustic signal sounds once
(if equipped and feature activated).
The locking knobs in the doors
move up.
The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.
Global locking: Press button‹.
With the trunk and both doors closed:
All turn signal lamps flash three
times.
An acoustic signal sounds three
times (if equipped and feature acti-
vated).
The locking knobs in the doors
move down.
The anti-theft alarm system is
armed.