2010 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS steering wheel

Selecting program mode C means:
RThe vehicle starts out more gentle, both
forward and reverse, except when driving
off with full throttle.
RTraction and driving stability are improved
on icy roads.
RUpshifts occur earlier even when you give
more gas. The engine then operates at
lower revolutions and the wheels are less
likely to spin.
Selecting program mode S means that
upshifts occur later.
One-touch gearshifting
With the automatic transmission in drive
position D and driving in automatic program
mode C or S, you can limit or extend the gear
range using the steering wheel gearshift
control.
AMG vehicles: For information on using the
steering wheel gearshift control in manual
program mode M, see “Manual shift program”
(Y page 324).
Steering wheel gearshift control (exampleillustration)
iYou cannot shift with the steering wheel
gearshift control when the automatic
transmission is in park position P, neutral
position N, or reverse gear R.
Limiting gear range GWarning!
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control.
XBriefly pull left gearshift control \000F.
The automatic transmission will shift into
the next lower gear as permitted by the
shift program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the automatic
transmission.
iTo avoid overrevving the engine when
downshifting, the automatic transmission
will not shift into a lower gear if the engine’s
maximum speed would be exceeded.
Extending gear range
XBriefly pull right gearshift control \000G.
The automatic transmission will shift into
the next higher gear as permitted by the
shift program. This action simultaneously
extends the gear range of the automatic
transmission.
iIf you press on the accelerator pedal
when the engine has reached the
revolution limit of the current gear range,
the automatic transmission will upshift
beyond any gear range limit selected.
Canceling gear range limit
XPull and hold right gearshift control \000G until
the gear range indicator disappears from
the multifunction display.
The automatic transmission will shift from
the current gear range directly into drive
position D.
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Shifting into optimal gear range XPull and hold left gearshift control \000F.
The automatic transmission will select the
gear range suited for optimal acceleration
and deceleration automatically. This will
involve shifting down one or more gears.
Manual shift program
The manual shift program is available on AMG
vehicles only.
Manual program mode M differs with regard
to spontaneity, response time, and shifting
smoothness from automatic program mode
S.
In manual program mode M, system-
controlled automatic gearshifting is switched
off. You need to change the gears by manually
upshifting or downshifting using the steering
wheel gearshift control.
Program mode selector switch on AMG vehicles
C ComfortFor standard drivingS SportFor sporty drivingM ManualFor manual gearshifting
The current program mode appears in the
multifunction display (Y page 322).
For information on automatic program mode
(C or S), see “Automatic shift program”
(Y page 322) and “One-touch gearshifting”
(Y page 323).
Activating manual shift programXPress the program mode selector switch
repeatedly until M appears in the
multifunction display.
The automatic transmission switches to
manual program mode M. Automatic
shifting is switched off. The gear range is
not limited.
You can change the gears manually with drive
position D selected. You can upshift or
downshift through the gears in succession.
iManual program mode M will not be
stored. When the engine is turned off with
manual program mode M selected, the
automatic transmission will go to
automatic program mode (C or S) when the
engine is restarted.
Upshifting
! In manual program mode M, the
automatic transmission will not upshift,
even if the engine has reached its
overrevving range. Shift up into the next
gear before the engine has reached its
overrevving range. Make absolutely certain
that the engine speed does not reach the
red marking on the tachometer. Otherwise
the engine could be damaged which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
XBriefly pull right gearshift control \000G
(Y page 323).
The automatic transmission shifts into the
next higher gear.
Upshift indicator
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GWarning!
When the DISTRONIC PLUS is braking, the
brake pedal is retracted (i.e. depressed
automatically). The pedals’ range of motion
must not be impeded by any obstacles:
R Do not place any objects in the footwell.
R Make sure that the floormats and carpets
are securely in place.
R 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/or others.
GWarning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS is a convenience
system. Its speed adjustment reduction
capability is intended to make cruise control
more effective and usable when traffic speeds
vary. It is not however, intended to, nor does
it, replace the need for extreme care.
The responsibility for the vehicle’s speed,
distance to the preceding vehicle and, most
importantly, brake operation to ensure a safe
stopping distance, always remains with the
driver.
The DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take street and
traffic conditions into account.
Complex driving situations are not always
fully recognized by the DISTRONIC PLUS. This
could result in wrong or missing distance
warnings.
GWarning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS adaptive cruise control
is not a substitute for active driving
involvement. It does not react to pedestrians
or on stationary objects, nor does it recognize
or predict the curvature and lane layout or the
movement of preceding vehicles. The
DISTRONIC PLUS can only apply a maximum
of 40% of the vehicle’s braking power.
The DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles possibly driving in front of you, such
as motorcycles and vehicles driving in an
offset formation.
It is the driver’s responsibility at all times to
be attentive to the road, weather and traffic
conditions. Additionally, the driver must
provide the steering, braking and other driving
inputs necessary to remain in control of the
vehicle.
High-frequency sources such as toll stations,
speed measuring systems etc. can cause the
DISTRONIC PLUS system to temporarily
cease functioning.GWarning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take road and
traffic conditions into account. Only use the
DISTRONIC PLUS if the road, weather and
traffic conditions make it advisable to travel
at a constant speed.
GWarning!
Use of the DISTRONIC PLUS can be
dangerous on slippery roads. Rapid changes
in tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.
The DISTRONIC PLUS does not function in
adverse sight and distance conditions. Do not
use the DISTRONIC PLUS during conditions of
fog, heavy rain, snow or sleet.
GWarning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take weather
conditions into account. Switch off the
DISTRONIC PLUS or do not switch it on if:
R roads are slippery or covered with snow or
ice. The wheels could lose traction while
braking or accelerating, and the vehicle
could skid.
R the DISTRONIC PLUS system sensor covers
are dirty or visibility is diminished due to
snow, rain or fog, for example. The distance
control system functionality could be
impaired.
Always pay attention to surrounding traffic
conditions even while the DISTRONIC PLUS is
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GWarning!
The system cannot detect objects located
above the area that the sensors scan. These
objects, e.g. protruding load, overhang, or
truck tail lifts, will be ignored when computing
the parking procedure. The Parking Guidance
might therefore provide untimely steering
instructions. This could cause a collision.
Thus, do not use the Parking Guidance in such
situations.
GWarning!
Make sure no persons or animals are in the
area in which you are maneuvering. You could
otherwise injure them.
! Special attention must be paid to objects
with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes
(e.g. trailer couplings, painted posts,
elevated crossbars or road curbs). Such
objects may not be detected by the system
and can damage the vehicle.
Use the Parking Guidance for parking spaces
that are
Rparallel to the direction of travel
Rlocated on straight streets, i.e. not in
curves
Ron the same level as the street, i.e. not on
sidewalks, for example.
Parking instructions:
ROn narrow streets, drive by the parking
space as close as possible.
RParking spaces that are dirty, overgrown or
located in front of trailers may not be
detected correctly.
RSnowfall or heavy rain may cause imprecise
measurement of the parking space.
RAlso observe the Parktronic system
warning indicator (Y page 349) while the
Parking Guidance is active.
RYou may not use the Parking Guidance
when transporting cargo that protrudes the
vehicle.
RDo not use the Parking Guidance when
driving with snow chains or when a spare
wheel is mounted.
RHow well your vehicle will be parked after
completion of the Parking Guidance
depends on the position and shape of the
vehicles parked in front of and behind the
parking space as well as the conditions of
the immediate surroundings. In certain
cases, the Parking Guidance may guide you
too far into the parking space or not far
enough. If this is the case, cancel the
parking procedure with the Parking
Guidance and correct the vehicle position
yourself.
Detecting a parking space
The Parking Guidance is active when driving
forward. The system operates at a vehicle
speed of up to 22 mph (35 km/h). It scans
automatically for and measures potential
parking spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
\000FDetected parking space on the left\000GParking space symbol\000

XWhen the vehicle is stationary, turn the
steering wheel until red lane \000

GWarning!
The ATTENTION ASSIST is only an aid to the
driver. It might not recognize fatigue or
increasing inattentiveness in time or fail to
recognize them at all. The system cannot
substitute a rested and attentive driver.
Fatigue can cause you to recognize dangers
too late, to misjudge potential dangers, or to
react slower. Therefore, make sure to be
rested before and during your trip. Take rests
early enough and regularly, especially during
long trips. Failure to do so could cause you to
recognize dangers too late which could result
in an accident and serious injury to you and/
or others.
The ATTENTION ASSIST interprets your
fatigue or increasing inattentiveness
considering the following criteria:
Rthe individual driving style, for example the
way you steer
Rthe driving conditions such as time of day
and duration of the ride
The ATTENTION ASSIST function is restricted
and warnings will be delayed or not issued at
all when
Rroad conditions are bad, e.g. heavy bumps
or potholes
Rcrosswinds are strong
Rdriving in a sporty manner with high speed
in curves or rapid acceleration
Rdriving slower than 50 mph (80 km/h) or
faster than 112 mph (180 km/h) most of
the time
Roperating the COMAND or making phone
calls via COMAND
Rchanging lanes or varying the vehicle
speed, i.e. you intervene actively
Warnings and displays in the
multifunction display
XSwitch on the ATTENTION ASSIST via the
control system (Y page 232).
ATTENTION ASSIST indicator \000F appears in
the multifunction display.
When the ATTENTION ASSIST is active, it will
warn you after 20 minutes of driving at the
earliest. An intermittent warning will then
sound twice and the message Attention
Assist: Time for a rest? appears in the
multifunction display.
XIf possible park your vehicle in a safe
location and take a rest.
XConfirm the message by pressing button
\000d on the multifunction steering wheel.
If you do not take a rest and the
ATTENTION ASSIST continues to recognize
fatigue or increasing inattentiveness, you will
be warned once more after 15 minutes at the
earliest.
During long trips, take regular and duly rests
that allow you to recover sufficiently.
The ATTENTION ASSIST will be reset and
restarts evaluating the degree of your fatigue
when
Ryou turn off the engine
Ryou release the seat belt and open the
driver’s door, e.g. during a rest or for a
driver change
Night View Assist Plus
The Night View Assist Plus illuminates the
road with infrared light in addition to the
normal headlamps.
A camera at the top of the windshield
measures the infrared light and shows a
black-and-white image in the multifunction
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and cannot check the function of the Night
View Assist Plus.
Image on multifunction display
When you switch on the Night View Assist
Plus, the dial for the speedometer changes on
the multifunction display. The speedometer
dial is shown as a bar on the lower edge of
the multifunction display. The line for main
menus is no longer available. If you would like
to change a setting using the steering wheel
buttons, you must first switch off the Night
View Assist Plus.
Pedestrian detection
The Night View Assist Plus detects
pedestrians by means of specific
characteristics, e.g. a human silhouette.
Pedestrian detection is activated when
Rthe Night View Assist Plus is switched on
Rthe vehicle speed is above approximately
6 mph (10 km/h)
Rdriving in darkness, e.g. on highways
without road lighting
\000FNight View Assist Plus image\000GDetected pedestrian\000

Lane Keeping Assist
The Lane Keeping Assist supports you at a
vehicle speed of above 40 mph when you
have set the display unit to miles in the
Display Unit Speed-/Odometer: menu in
the control system (Y page 235). When you
have set the display unit to km, the system
supports you at a vehicle speed of above
60 km/h. When the Lane Keeping Assist
detects lane markings, the system is
designed to alert you in case you leave your
lane unintentionally. A warning is usually
issued when a front wheel is on the lane
marking. An interval vibration in the steering
wheel that lasts for up to 1.5 seconds will
then alert you.
The Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in
front of your vehicle via camera \000F.
The system can distinguish various
conditions in order to alert you early enough
and to avoid unnecessary warnings when
crossing lane markings.
The warning is issued sooner when
Rcutting a curve on the outside of the turn
Rdriving on very wide lanes such as highway
lanes
Rthe system recognizes dividing lines
because crossing them is often crucial due
to soft shoulders or guardrails behind for
example
The warning is issued later however when
Rdriving on narrow lanes
Rcutting a curve on the inside of the turn
The system does not issue a warning when
Rsteering, braking, or accelerating in a
clearly active manner, e.g. when changing
lanes, passing, exiting a highway
Rcutting a narrow curve
Rmaking a very sharp turn
Ra driving safety system such as the ABS,
the BAS, or the ESC has been activated
When setting the turn signal in either
direction, the warning will be suppressed. The
system will issue a warning if a turn signal has
been on for an extended period of time.
GWarning!
The Lane Keeping Assist does not keep the
vehicle in the lane. The Lane Keeping Assist
is only an aid to the driver and may not always
recognize lane markings properly or fail to
recognize them at all.
The system may be impaired or unavailable
when
Rvisibility is poor, e.g. due to snow, rain, fog,
or heavy spray
Roncoming traffic, sun glare or reflection
from other vehicles
Rthe camera area of the windshield is dirty,
foggy, or otherwise obstructed
Rlane markings are not present
Rlane markings are worn, dark, or covered
e.g. by snow or dirt
Rthe distance to the preceding vehicle is too
short
Rwhen lane markings are ambiguous, for
example in road work sections
Rlane markings change rapidly, e.g. on
highway exits or turn-off lanes
Rlanes are narrow and winding
The Lane Keeping Assist cannot take road and
traffic conditions into account. It is the
driver’s responsibility at all times to be
attentive to road, weather and traffic
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