2008 MERCEDES-BENZ S63AMG display

430 Controls in detail
Driving systems
DISTRONIC Plus lever
The DISTRONIC Plus system is operated by
means of the DISTRONIC Plus lever.
1Setting current or higher speed
Adjustment in 1 mph or 5 mph
increments
2Setting current or lower speed
Adjustment in 1 mph or 5 mph
increments
3Canceling DISTRONIC Plus
4Activating DISTRONIC Plus or resum-
ing to last set speed
5Setting target distanceActivating DISTRONIC PlusYou can activate DISTRONIC Plus when:

you are driving slower than 20 mph and
DISTRONIC Plus has detected a vehicle
ahead of you

you are driving above 20 mph
If DISTRONIC Plus has not been activated
after pressing the DISTRONIC Plus lever,
you will see the message: “DISTRONIC
PLUS - - - mph” in the multifunction display.
In the following cases you cannot activate
DISTRONIC Plus:

up to 2 minutes after starting the en-
gine

if the engine is switched off

if you step on the brake pedal while
driving

the vehicle is secured with the elec-
tronic parking brake

if the gear selector lever is in
positionP, R, or N
Warning!G
When DISTRONIC Plus is braking, the brake
pedal is retracted (i.e. depressed automati-
cally). The pedals’ range of motion must not
be impeded by any obstacles:

Do not place any objects in the footwell.

Make sure that the floor mats and car-
pets are securely in place.

Do not rest your foot underneath the
brake pedal, as it could otherwise be
trapped.
You could otherwise cause an accident and
injure yourself and others.
Warning!G
When DISTRONIC Plus is switched on, the
vehicle can be braked. You should therefore
switch off DISTRONIC Plus if the vehicle
must be towed.
iThe maximum speed you can set is
120 mph.

431 Controls in detail
Driving systems

if ESP® is switched off

if the hood is open

if the driver’s door is open and the driv-
er has not fastened his or her seat belt

if the radar sensors are switched off
(
page 282).
Switching on while driving
Tap DISTRONIC Plus lever up1 or
down2 until desired speed is set.
DISTRONIC Plus is switched on.
or
Pull DISTRONIC Plus lever briefly in di-
rection of arrow4 to call up speed
last set (
page 435).
DISTRONIC Plus is switched on.
Take your foot off the accelerator ped-
al.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to the ve-
hicle ahead, observing the set speed as
a maximum value.Switching on when approaching a sta-
tionary vehicle
If the vehicle in front of you is stationary,
you can only switch on DISTRONIC Plus if
your vehicle is also at a standstill.
Tap DISTRONIC Plus lever up1 or
down2 until desired speed is set.
DISTRONIC Plus is switched on.
or
Pull DISTRONIC Plus lever briefly in di-
rection of arrow4 to call up speed
last set (
page 435).
DISTRONIC Plus is switched on.
iUnder 20 mph, you can only switch on
DISTRONIC Plus if the vehicle ahead of you has
been detected and is shown on the multifunction
display. If you no longer see the vehicle in front
of you on the multifunction display and if it is no
longer detected because it has changed lanes,
for example, DISTRONIC Plus switches off and
you will hear a signal.
iIf you do not completely lift your foot off the
accelerator pedal, the message“DISTRONIC
PLUS override” appears on the multifunction dis-
play. The distance to a slower-driving vehicle will
not be set. You will drive at the speed you dictate
by pressing the accelerator pedal.
iIt is helpful to switch on the DISTRONIC Plus
display in the instrument cluster (
page 428)
since you can only switch on DISTRONIC Plus un-
der a speed of 20 mph when a vehicle has been
detected in front of you.
iYou can adjust the set speed using the
DISTRONIC Plus lever and the target distance
using the distance setting switch on the
DISTRONIC Plus lever (
page 436).

433 Controls in detail
Driving systems
When DISTRONIC Plus detects that the ve-
hicle in front of you is stopping, the vehicle
brakes until it also stops.
Once DISTRONIC Plus has stopped your
vehicle and it is at a standstill, it remains
stationary; the brake pedal does not need
to be depressed.Setting the current speed
Accelerate or decelerate to the desired
speed.
Briefly lift the DISTRONIC Plus lever in
the direction of arrow1 or depress in
the direction of arrow2.
DISTRONIC Plus is activated and the
current speed is set.
Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.Setting a higher speed
You can increase the set speed in two stag-
es.
Adjustment in 1 mph increments
Briefly lift the DISTRONIC Plus lever to
the resistance point in direction of
arrow1 (
page 430).
Release the DISTRONIC Plus lever.
The vehicle speed increases in incre-
ments of 1 mph.
Warning!G
Never get out of the vehicle while
DISTRONIC Plus is switched on!
DISTRONIC Plus must never be operated or
switched off by passengers or from outside
the vehicle.
DISTRONIC Plus is not a substitute for the
electronic parking brake and may not be
used for parking.
When you get out of the vehicle or switch off
the engine, deactivate DISTRONIC Plus and
secure the vehicle from rolling away by en-
gaging the electronic parking brake.
iAfter a short while, your vehicle is secured in
place by the electronic parking brake so that the
operating brake can be relieved of load.
iDepending on the following distance set us-
ing the distance setting switch on the
DISTRONIC Plus lever, your vehicle will stop ap-
proximately 13.1 ft away from the vehicle in
front of you.
iIf you do not take your foot off of the accel-
erator completely, the following message
“DISTRONIC PLUS override” will appear in the
multifunction display.
The distance to a slower moving vehicle in front
of you will not be set. Your vehicle speed will
then be determined only by the accelerator ped-
al position.
iThe set speed value is increased in 1 mph in-
crements each time you lift the DISTRONIC Plus
lever to the resistance point.

436 Controls in detail
Driving systems

the radar sensors are switched off
(
page 282)

the vehicle rolls backward
The segments in the multifunction display
go out, an acoustic signal sounds, and the
message “DISTRONIC PLUS Off” appears in
the multifunction display for approximately
5 seconds.
If the vehicle has been stopped by
DISTRONIC Plus and a malfunction occurs
in the system, the message “Brake immedi-
ately” will appear on the multifunction dis-
play. Step on the brake immediately to
prevent the vehicle from rolling.
DISTRONIC Plus is then switched off and
the message disappears.Setting the following distance in
DISTRONIC Plus
You can set the specified following dis-
tance for DISTRONIC Plus by varying the
time setting between 1.0 and 2.0 seconds.
Using this time setting and the current set
speed of your vehicle, DISTRONIC Plus cal-
culates and sets the required following dis-
tance to the vehicle ahead. The set
distance will be shown in the multifunction
display.
Warning!G
DISTRONIC Plus switches off and releases
the brakes when the vehicle decelerates be-
low the minimum speed of 20 mph by oper-
ation of the system unless DISTRONIC Plus
detects a vehicle directly ahead of you. At
that time the driver must apply the brakes in
order to reduce vehicle speed further or
bring it to a stop.
!Setting the automatic transmission toN
while driving cancels the DISTRONIC Plus. How-
ever, the automatic transmission should not be
set toN while driving except to coast when the
vehicle is in danger of skidding (e.g. on icy
roads).
iDepressing the accelerator pedal does not
deactivate DISTRONIC Plus. After brief accelera-
tion (e.g. for passing), DISTRONIC Plus will re-
sume the last speed set.
Warning!G
It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to
select the appropriate setting given road
conditions, traffic, driver’s preferred driving
style and applicable laws and driving recom-
mendations for safe following distance.

438 Controls in detail
Driving systems
The most likely cause for a malfunctioning
system is a dirty sensor (located behind
the hood grille), especially at times of snow
and ice or heavy rain. In such a case,
DISTRONIC Plus will switch off, and the
message:
“DISTRONIC PLUS
currently unavailable
See Oper. Manual”
appears in the multifunction display.
For cleaning and care of the
DISTRONIC Plus sensor, see “Cleaning the
DISTRONIC Plus*/ PRE-SAFE
® Brake*
system sensors (USA only)” (
page 589).Another cause might be that the radar sen-
sors have been manually switched off in
the instrument cluster control system.
Please verify that the radar sensors are
switched on (
page 282).Turns and bends
In turns or bends, DISTRONIC Plus may not
detect a moving vehicle in front, or it may
detect one too soon. This may cause your
vehicle to brake late or unexpectedly.
iIf the message:
“DISTRONIC PLUS
currently unavailable
See Oper. Manual”
disappears during driving and the last speed
stored flashes for approximately 5 seconds, the
dirt (e.g. slush) has dissolved; DISTRONIC Plus is
again available.

441 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Vehicle level control with Airmatic
Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to:

increase vehicle safety

reduce fuel consumption
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 0.8 in
(20 mm).

With decreasing speed, the ride height
is again raised to the selected vehicle
level.The following vehicle level settings can be
selected when the vehicle is stationary:
Select the “Raised” level setting only when
required by current driving conditions.
Otherwise:

Fuel consumption may increase.

Handling may be impaired.1Vehicle level control switch
2Indicator lamp
Start the engine.
Briefly press switch1 to change from
one level setting to the other.
The message:
“Vehicle rising”
appears in the multifunction display
when changing from normal level to
raised level.
The indicator lamp2 is then lit. The
display switches off when the vehicle is
raised.
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.
iThese height adjustments are so small that
you may not notice any change.
Level
NormalFor driving on normal roads.
The indicator lamp is off.
RaisedFor driving on rough roads or
with snow chains. The indica-
tor lamp is on.


453 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Switching off Park Assist system:
Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2 comes on.
Switching on Park Assist system:
Press button 1 again.
Indicator lamp 2 goes out.
Dynamic Rear View Monitor*
The Dynamic Rear View Monitor is an elec-
tronic and visual parking aid. It shows you
the area behind the vehicle on the
COMAND display.
In addition, the Dynamic Rear View Moni-
tor contains guide lines to help you with re-
verse parking (back-in parking) and
parallel parking.
The area behind the vehicle is displayed as
a reverse-mirror image similar to the view
in a rear-view mirror.The Dynamic Rear View Monitor is in the
handle strip of the trunk lid.
1Dynamic Rear View Monitor
iThe Park Assist system is automatically
switched on when the ignition (
page 344) and
radar sensors are switched on (
page 282).
iThe Dynamic Rear View Monitor is also
called “Park Assist” in COMAND display.

454 Controls in detail
Driving systems
View through the camera
iThe image from the Dynamic Rear View
Monitor is shown on the COMAND display
(
page 31).
Warning!G
Please note that objects which do not touch
the ground, such as the bumper of a vehicle
parked behind you, a trailer hitch, or the
back of a truck, may appear to be further
away than they actually are. In this case, you
should not use the guide lines to judge dis-
tance. The use of the guide lines to judge
distance increases the risk of impacting the
objects.
Warning!G
The Dynamic Rear View Monitor is a supple-
ment system. It is not intended to, nor does
it replace, the need for extreme care. The re-
sponsibility during parking and other driving
maneuvers always remains with the driver.
The Dynamic Rear View Monitor may show
obstacles with a distorted perspective, in-
correctly or not at all.
Special attention must be paid to objects
outside of the camera’s field of view such as
those located very close to or below the rear
bumper, or above the recessed grip of the
luggage compartment lid. Such objects may
not be detected by the system and can dam-
age the vehicle.
The Dynamic Rear View Monitor does not
warn you about impending collisions with
objects. The driver is always responsible for
safety and must continue to pay attention to
the immediate surroundings while parking
or maneuvering the vehicle. This applies not
only to the area behind the vehicle, but also
to the area in front of and to the sides of the
vehicle. Failure to do so could result in injury
to persons and/or damage to the vehicle or
other property. We also recommend that the
driver use the Parktronic system* or Park
Assist* when parking or maneuvering the
vehicle.