2008 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class light

77 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
PRE-SAFE
® Brake* (vehicles with
DISTRONIC Plus* only)
PRE-SAFE
® Brake* can assist you in mini-
mizing the risk of a rear-end collision with
a vehicle in front of you and in reducing the
severity of an accident. At speeds over ap-
prox 20 mph (30 km/h), it will


warn you of a possible collision


automatically begin to brake the vehi-
cle lightly in a speed range of up to
112 mph (180 km/h)


activate preventative occupant safety
measures (PRE-SAFE
®) (page 57)
Warning!
G
If you see the ESP
® warning lampv
flashing in the speedometer, proceed as fol-
lows:


While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible


While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor


Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
!
Do not tow with one axle raised.
Otherwise the transfer case can be damaged,
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim-
ited Warranty.
!
Performance testing must only be conduct-
ed on a two-axle dynamometer.
Otherwise the transfer case can be damaged,
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim-
ited Warranty.
!
Because the ESP
® operates automatically,
the engine and the ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0 or1 or
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button* in position0
or1) when the parking brake is being tested on a
brake test dynamometer.
Active braking action through ESP
® may other-
wise seriously damage the front or rear axle
brake system.
Operational tests with the engine running can
only be conducted on a two-axle dynamometer.
Warning!
G
PRE-SAFE
® Brake is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The responsibility for the vehicle
speed and the distance to the vehicle ahead,
including most importantly brake operation
to assure safe stopping distance, always re-
mains with the driver.


79 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
When the distance to the forward vehicle is
too small, the distance warning lampl
lights up in the instrument cluster. If you
approach the forward vehicle very quickly,
you will hear a warning tone.
If you do not apply the brakes yourself or
maneuver around a sensed obstacle, the
vehicle will automatically initiate light
braking. PRE-SAFE
® (page 57) is activat-
ed when the distance to the vehicle ahead
at your current speed is so close that
PRE-SAFE
® Brake will not be capable of
slowing the vehicle sufficiently.
Warning!
G
PRE-SAFE
® Brake will only respond with
brake assistance if it has clearly detected an
object. Detection can be impeded by


dirty or covered sensors


snowfall or heavy rain


disturbance from other radar sources


strong radar reflection such as in park-
ing garages
PRE-SAFE
® Brake uses radar signals that
are not reflected well by narrow objects and
absorptive materials. For this reason BAS
Plus will not react to


persons and animals


approaching traffic or cross-traffic
PRE-SAFE
® Brake may not detect narrow ve-
hicles driving in front of you, such as motor-
cycles and vehicles driving offset from your
vehicle center.
Warning!
G
PRE-SAFE
® Brake brakes your vehicle with a
maximum of 13 ft/s
2 (4 m/s
2). This corre-
sponds to about 40% of the maximum decel-
eration ability of your vehicle. This
automatic braking is intended only to ini-
tiate the braking if the driver has not already
done so. The driver must apply the brakes in
order to prevent a collision.
PRE-SAFE
® Brake applies the brake pedal
automatically which results in the brake
pedal moving. Therefore keep driver’s foot
area clear at all times, including the area un-
der the brake pedal. Objects stored in this
area may impair pedal movement which
could interfere with the braking ability of the
PRE-SAFE® Brake.
Do not place your foot under the brake pedal
– your foot could become caught.

81 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
PRE-SAFE
® Brake does not always clearly
interpret complex traffic situations. If a vi-
sual and/or acoustic warning is issued in
an uncritical driving situation, or if the ve-
hicle brakes lightly, you can interrupt the
PRE-SAFE® Brake maneuver by


pressing down all the way on the accel-
erator or using kickdown


releasing the brake pedalThe PRE-SAFE
® Brake maneuver is termi-
nated immediately when


you avoid the obstacle by evasive
steering


you drive less than 9 mph (15 km/h)


an obstacle can no longer be identified
ahead of you


the system no longer senses the risk of
a collisionAfter a hard collision or damage to the
front of the vehicle from an accident, have
the settings and operation of the radar
sensors checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
i
PRE-SAFE
® Brake will remain passive while
DISTRONIC Plus* is switched on (
page 451).

93 Control systems
COMAND introduction
Video DVD
Page
Vehicle
Page
Commands/menusVideo DVD
132
Exterior Lighting Delayed Switch-off
264
Submenu overview
134
Locator Lighting
265
Switching to video DVD mode
134
Exterior Mirror Convenience Settings
266
Pause playback
136
Automatic Locking
267
DVD menu
138
Easy Entry/Exit Feature
268
Video AUX
130
Interior Lighting Delayed Switch-off
270
Interior Ambient Light
269
Rear Window Sunshade
271
Trunk Opening-height Restriction*
272

120 Control systemsCOMAND audio CD/audio DVD/MP3Notes about handling CDs/DVDs

Only hold discs by the edge.


Handle discs carefully to prevent play-
back problems.


Avoid getting scratches, fingerprints
and dust on discs.


Clean discs from time to time with a
commercially-available cleaning cloth.
Do not wipe them with a circular mo-
tion, but only in straight lines from the
center outwards.


Only use a pen designed for such a pur-
pose to label discs.


Place discs back in their boxes after
use.


Protect discs from heat and direct sun-
light.
Inserting CDs and DVDs Loading the CD/DVD changer
The CD/DVD changer can hold up to a to-
tal of 6 audio CDs or DVDs.
1Disc slot
2Load button (all magazine trays)
3Magazine tray buttons 1 – 6Warning!
G
Only insert a CD or DVD when the vehicle is
stationary. There is a risk of accident by be-
ing distracted from road and traffic condi-
tions if you load a CD/DVD while the vehicle
is in motion.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.i
If the CD/DVD has a printed side, this must
face upwards when the CD/DVD is inserted. If
neither side is printed, the side to be played
should face downwards.
i
Each magazine tray button3 indicates the
status of the corresponding magazine tray by
means of an LED.


LED off = magazine tray is empty


LED constantly lit = magazine tray is loaded


LED flashes = CD/DVD changer requesting
disc to be loaded

133 Control systems
COMAND video DVD
Notes about handling DVDs

Only hold discs by the edge.


Handle discs carefully to prevent play-
back problems.


Avoid getting scratches, fingerprints
and dust on discs.


Clean discs from time to time with a
commercially-available cleaning cloth.
Do not wipe them with a circular mo-
tion, but only in straight lines from the
center outwards.


Only use a pen designed for such a pur-
pose to label discs.


Place discs back in their boxes after
use.


Protect discs from heat and direct sun-
light.
Functional limitations
Depending on the DVD, it is possible that
certain functions or actions may be tempo-
rarily or permanently unavailable. If you try
to utilize such functions or carry out such
actions, you will see the 7 symbol in the
display.
Inserting or ejecting DVDs
Inserting a DVD (
page 120).
or

Ejecting a DVD (
page 122).
!
Do not affix stickers or labels to the discs.
These could peel away and damage COMAND.
COMAND is designed to hold discs which com-
ply with the IEC 60908 standard. You can there-
fore only use discs with a maximum thickness of
1.3 mm.
If you insert thicker discs, e.g. those that contain
data on both sides (DVD on one side and audio
data on the other), they cannot be ejected and
can damage COMAND.
Do not use discs with an 8 cm diameter, even if
they have an adapter.
Only use round discs with a 12 cm diameter.
Warning!
G
Only insert or eject a DVD when the vehicle
is stationary. There is a risk of accident by
being distracted from road and traffic condi-
tions if you load a DVD while the vehicle is in
motion.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.

140 Control systemsCOMAND video DVD
Changing the setting: Slide qmr or
turn ymz, until you reach the desired
setting.

Saving a setting: Press n.

Exiting the menu: Slide omp.
Subtitles and camera angles
Select “Video”
“Video”
“Video
DVD”.

Show the menu system, if necessary
(page 135).

Select “DVD-V”
“DVD Functions”.

Select “Subtitles” or “Camera angle”.
In both cases a selection list will ap-
pear. The dotRin front of an entry
indicates the current language.

Changing the setting: Slide qmr or
turn ymz, until you reach the desired
setting.

Saving a setting: Press n.

Exiting the menu: Slide omp.
Interactive content
Selecting an action: Slide qmr or
omp, or turn ymz, until you reach the
desired setting.

Initiating an action: Press n.
A menu appears, the first entry “Se-
lect” is highlighted.

Press n.
i
This function is not available for all DVDs.
The number of settings you can make is deter-
mined by the content of the DVD. It may also be
possible to make the settings in the DVD menu
(
page 138).
i
DVDs may include interactive content (e.g. a
video game). In a video game you can control the
play by selecting and initiating actions. The type
and number of actions depends on the DVD.


161 Control systems
COMAND telephone*
Closing the COMAND phone book
In the smart speller, select “Back”.
or

Press back button L in the center
console (
page 88).
Selecting an entry in the COMAND
phone book
Selecting entries using the smart speller

Switch from the list to the smart speller
if necessary.

Changing smart speller language:
Select !.

Select desired language.

Changing smart speller character
set: Select #.
Depending on the previous setting, you
will change to letters with special char-
acters or to numbers with special char-
acters.

Entering characters: Select the char-
acters of the entry you are searching
for one by one.

Deleting individual characters: Se-
lect ) and briefly press n.
Each time you enter or delete a charac-
ter, the closest match will be displayed
at the top of the list.

Deleting an entire entry: Select )
and press and hold n until the entry is
deleted.

Canceling search: Switch from the
smart speller to the list.
The entry at the top of the list is auto-
matically highlighted.Selecting using the list

If necessary, switch from the smart
speller to the list.

Rotate ymz or slide qmr until the de-
sired entry is highlighted.
Selecting subentries

Select an entry with the + symbol and
press n.
The + symbol changes to / and the
subentries are displayed.

Rotate ymz or slide qmr until the de-
sired subentry is highlighted.