2008 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class Vehicle

394 Controls in detailMemory functionStoring exterior rear view mirror park-ing position
For easier parking, you can adjust the pas-
senger-side exterior rear view mirror so
that you can see the right rear wheel as
soon as you engage reverse gearR.
For information on activating the parking
position, see “Activating exterior rear view
mirror parking position” (
page 391).
1Memory button M
2Adjustment button
3Selector switch for right or left exterior
mirror

Stop the vehicle.

Make sure the ignition is switched on
(page 370).

Press switch3 until the exterior mir-
ror on the front passenger side is se-
lected.

Adjust the passenger-side exterior rear
view mirror with button2 so that you
see the rear wheel and the road curb.

Press memory button M.

Within 3 seconds, press one of the
adjustment buttons2.
The parking position is stored if the
mirror does not move.
i
If the mirror does move, repeat the above
steps. After the setting is stored, you can move
the mirror again.

395 Controls in detail
Fastening the seat belts
Fastening the seat belts
Warning!
G
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure all of your passengers
are properly restrained.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and
position your seat belt greatly increases
your risk of injuries and their likely severity
in an accident. You and your passengers
should always wear seat belts.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
can be considerably more severe without
your seat belt properly buckled. Without
your seat belt buckled, you are much more
likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are wearing your
seat belt. The air bags can only provide the
protection they were designed to afford if
the occupants are using their seat belts
(page 42).
Warning!
G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing position. Thus, we strongly recommend
that children be placed in the rear seats
whenever possible. Regardless of seating
position, children 12 years old and under
must be seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child. For addi-
tional information, see “Children in the vehi-
cle” (
page 58).
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
Warning!
G
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are seat belts available. Be sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly re-
strained with a separate seat belt. Never use
a seat belt for more than one person at a
time.Warning!
G
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position
as this can be dangerous. You could slide
under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the seat belt would apply force at
the abdomen or neck. That could cause se-
rious or even fatal injuries. The seat back-
rest and seat belt provide the best restraint
when the wearer is in a nearly upright posi-
tion and the seat belt is properly positioned
on the body.

396 Controls in detailFastening the seat belts
1Seat belt outlet
2Latch plate
3Buckle
4Release button

Pull the seat belt smoothly from the
seat belt outlet 1.

Place the shoulder portion of the seat
belt across the top of your shoulder
and the lap portion across your hips.

Push latch plate2 into buckle3 until
it clicks.

If necessary, adjust the seat belt to the
correct height (
page 398) (depend-
ing on vehicle production date).

If necessary, tighten the lap portion to
a snug fit by pulling shoulder portion
up.

To release the seat belt, press release
button4 and guide latch plate back to
seat belt outlet.
Warning!
G
Read and observe the additional warning no-
tices printed in the “Safety and Security”
section (
page 40).

398 Controls in detailFastening the seat beltsSeat belt height adjustment manually
Depending on vehicle production date, you
can adjust the height of the seat belt for
the driver’s and front passenger seat. The
seat belts for the rear outer seats are ad-
justed automatically.
1Seat belt height adjuster
2Release button

Raising: Slide the seat belt height
adjuster1 upward.
The seat belt height adjuster1 engag-
es in different positions.

Lowering: Press and hold release
button2.

Slide the seat belt height adjuster1
downward.

Release button and make sure the seat
belt height adjuster1 engages into
place.

399 Controls in detail
Lighting
Lighting
Exterior lamp switch
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.
i
If you drive in countries where vehicles drive
on the other side of the road than the country in
which the vehicle is registered, you must have
the headlamps modified for symmetrical low
beams. Relevant information can be obtained at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
i
The active Bi-Xenon headlamps monitor
your steering angle and driving speed, then auto-
matically shift their beams to either side to bet-
ter follow the curvature of the road ahead,
increasing usable illumination over conventional
headlamps.
1‚
Standing lamps, left (turn left two
stops)
2ˆ
Standing lamps, right (turn left
one stop)
3M
Off
Daytime running lamp mode
(page 401)
4*
Automatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
(page 401)
5C
Parking lamps (also tail lamps, li-
cense plate lamps, side marker
lamps, instrument panel lamps)
6B
Low beam headlamps or high
beam headlamps
7‡
Front fog lamps
8†
Rear fog lamp
i
If you hear a warning signal you have forgot-
ten to switch off the low beam headlamps or the
parking lamps before opening the driver’s door.
In addition the message “Please Switch Off
Lights” appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the low beam headlamps or the park-
ing lamps.
If the message “Turn Lights Off or Remove Key”
appears in the multifunction display remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch or switch off
the automatic headlamp mode.
!
Failure to switch off the exterior lamps when
leaving the vehicle may result in a discharged
battery.

400 Controls in detailLightingLow beam headlamps
The low beam headlamps can be switched
on and off with the exterior lamp switch us-
ing the manual headlamp mode. 
Switching on: Turn the exterior lamp
switch to positionB.
The following lamps switch on:

Low beam headlamps


Tail and parking lamps


License plate lamps


Side marker lampsAutomatic headlamp mode
The following lamps switch on and off au-
tomatically depending on the brightness of
the ambient light:


Low beam headlamps


Tail and parking lamps


License plate lamps


Side marker lamps
Warning!
G
If the exterior lamp switch is set to*,
the headlamps will not be automatically
switched on under foggy conditions.
To minimize risk to you and to others, acti-
vate headlamps by turning exterior lamp
switch to B when driving or when traffic
and/or ambient lighting conditions require
you to do so.
In low ambient lighting conditions, only
switch from position * to B with the
vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from * to B will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions
may result in an accident.

401 Controls in detail
Lighting

Turn the exterior lamp switch to
position*.
With the SmartKey in starter switch po-
sition 1 or the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button pressed once, the
tail and parking lamps, the license
plate lamps and the side marker lamps
will switch on and off depending on the
brightness of the ambient light.
When the engine is running the low
beam headlamps, the tail and parking
lamps, the license plate lamps and the
side marker lamps will switch on and
off depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.Daytime running lamp mode
In Canada the daytime running lamp mode
is mandatory and therefore in a constant
mode.
By default, the daytime running lamp mode
is deactivated. Activate the daytime run-
ning lamp mode using the control system,
see “Setting daytime running lamp mode
(USA only)” (
page 306).

Turn exterior lamp switch to
positionM or*.
When the engine is running, the low
beam headlamps are switched on.
In low ambient light conditions, the fol-
lowing lamps will switch on additional-
ly:

Tail and parking lamps


License plate lamps


Side marker lampsCanada only
When the engine is running, and you shift
from a driving position to neutral
positionN or park positionP, with the ve-
hicle at a standstill the low beam head-
lamps will switch off with a delay of 3
minutes.
When the engine is running, and you


turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionC, the low beam head-
lamps, the tail and parking lamps, the
license plate lamps and the side mark-
er lamps switch on.


turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB, the manual headlamp
mode has priority over the daytime run-
ning lamp mode.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid to the driver. The driver is responsible for
the operation of the vehicle’s lights at all
times.i
Canada only:
High beam headlamps are only available with the
exterior lamp switch in positionB.
i
With the daytime running lamp mode activat-
ed and the engine running, the low beam head-
lamps cannot be switched off manually.
i
With the exterior lamp switch in position
M or *, you cannot switch on the high
beam headlamps.
The high beam flasher is available at all times.
For nighttime driving you should turn the exterior
lamp switch to positionB to permit activa-
tion of the high beam headlamps.

402 Controls in detailLighting
The corresponding exterior lamps
switch on (
page 399).
USA only
When the engine is running, and you turn
the exterior lamp switch to position C
orB, the manual headlamp mode has
priority over the daytime running lamp
mode.
The corresponding exterior lamps switch
on (
page 399).Locator lighting and night security illu-
mination
The locator lighting and night security illu-
mination are described in the COMAND ve-
hicle section under “Setting locator
lighting” (
page 265) and “Setting night
security illumination” (
page 264).
Fog lampsFront fog lamps

Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionC orB (
page 399).

Pull out exterior lamp switch to first
stop.
The front fog lamps are switched on.
The green indicator lamp‡ in the
exterior lamp switch comes on
(page 399).

Push in the exterior lamp switch.
The front fog lamps are switched off.
The green indicator lamp‡ in the
exterior lamp switch goes out.
i
With the daytime running lamp mode
activated and the exterior lamp switch in
position M, you cannot switch on the high
beam headlamps.
The high beam flasher is available at all times.
For nighttime driving you should turn the exterior
lamp switch to positionB or * to permit
activation of the high beam headlamps.
Warning!
G
In low ambient lighting or foggy conditions,
only switch from position * to B with
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from * to B will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions
may result in an accident.i
Fog lamps will operate with the parking
lamps and/or the low beam headlamps on. Fog
lamps should only be used in conjunction with
low beam headlamps. Consult your State or
Province Motor Vehicle Regulations regarding
permissible lamp operation.
i
Fog lamps cannot be switched on manually
with exterior lamp switch in position*. To
activate the fog lamps, turn exterior lamp switch
to positionB first.