2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class Engine temperature

X To deactivate: press the g rocker
switch up or down.
The indicator lamp in the g rocker
switch goes out.
i Air-recirculation mode switches off
automatically:
R after approximately five minutes if
outside temperatures are under about
41 ‡ (5 †)
R after approximately five minutes if
cooling with air dehumidification is
deactivated
R after approximately 30 minutes if outside
temperatures are over about
41 ‡ (5 †)
Switching the residual heat on/off
It is possible to make use of the residual heat
of the engine to continue heating the
stationary vehicle for up to 30 minutes after
the engine has been switched off. The heating
time depends on the temperature that has
been set.
i The blower will run at a low speed
regardless of the airflow setting.
i If you activate the "residual heat" function
at high temperatures, only the ventilation
will be activated. The blower runs at
medium speed.
XTurn the key to position 0 in the ignition
lock or remove it.XTo switch on: press the Ì rocker
switch up or down.
The indicator lamp in the Ì rocker
switch lights up.XTo switch off: press the Ì rocker
switch up or down.
The indicator lamp in the Ì rocker
switch goes out.i Residual heat is deactivated
automatically:
R after about 30 minutes
R when the ignition is switched on
R if the battery voltage drops
R if the coolant temperature is too low
Setting the air vents
Important safety notes
GWarning
When operating the climate control, the air
that enters the passenger compartment
through the air vents can be very hot or very
cold (depending on the set temperature). This
could cause burns or frostbite to unprotected
skin in the immediate area of the air vents.
Always keep sufficient distance between
unprotected parts of the body and the air
vents. If necessary, use the air distribution
adjustment to direct the air to air vents in the
vehicle interior that are not in the immediate
area of unprotected skin.
In order to ensure the direct flow of fresh air
through the air vents into the vehicle interior,
please observe the following notes:
R keep the air inlet grille on the hood free of
blockages, such as ice, snow or leaves
R never cover the vents or air inlet and outlet
grilles in the vehicle interior.
i For virtually draft-free ventilation, adjust
the sliders of the air vents to the center
position.
294Setting the air ventsClimate control

gear when the engine is idling normally and
when your right foot is firmly on the brake
pedal.GWarning!
HYBRID vehicles: It is imperative that you read
the HYBRID Supplemental Operating
Instructions included in your vehicle literature
portfolio. You may otherwise not receive all
necessary safety information and warning for
the operation of your vehicle.
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to
the desired drive position when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train.
! S 63 AMG: at low engine oil temperatures
below 68 ‡ (+20 † ), the maximum engine
speed is restricted in order to protect the
engine. To protect the engine and maintain
smooth engine operation, avoid driving at
full throttle when the engine is cold.
SmartKey positions
SmartKey
gTo remove the SmartKey1Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers2Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position3To start the engine
As soon as the ignition is switched on, all the
indicator lamps in the instrument cluster light
up. The indicator lamps of the high-beam
headlamps or the turn signal lamps only light
up if the high-beam headlamps or the turn
signal lamps are switched on. If an indicator
lamp does not light up when the ignition is
switched on, check it and replace it if
necessary. If an indicator lamp does not go
out after the engine is started or if it lights up
while the vehicle is in motion, see
( Y page 413).
XRemove the SmartKey when the engine is
switched off.
The battery may otherwise discharge.
If you cannot turn the SmartKey in the ignition
lock, the vehicle battery may not be charged
sufficiently.
XCheck the vehicle battery and charge if
necessary ( Y page 470).
or
XJump-start the vehicle ( Y page 471).
i
The SmartKey can be turned in the
ignition lock even if it is not the correct
SmartKey for the vehicle. The ignition is not
switched on. The engine cannot be started.
KEYLESS-GO
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO are equipped with
a SmartKey with an integrated KEYLESS-GO
function and a detachable Start/Stop button.
The Start/Stop button must be inserted in the
ignition lock and the SmartKey must be in the
vehicle.
Pressing the Start/Stop button several times
in succession corresponds to the different
key positions in the ignition lock. This is only
Driving299Driving and parkingZ

XRelease the brake pedal.XCarefully depress the accelerator pedal.
The electric parking brake (Y page 317) is
automatically released.
The red F indicator lamp (USA only) or
the red ! indicator lamp (Canada only)
in the instrument cluster goes out.
iThe vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic
locking feature .
iUpshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start. This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Hill start assist
Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient.
It holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have removed your foot from the brake pedal.
This gives you enough time to move your foot
from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal
and depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll.
GWarning
Never leave the vehicle when it is held by hill
start assist. After approximately one second,
hill start assist will no longer brake your
vehicle and it could roll away.
XTake your foot off the brake pedal.
iOnce you have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
XPull away.
Hill start assist will not function if:
Ryou are pulling away on a level road or a
downhill gradient.
Rthe transmission is in position N.
Rthe electric parking brake is applied.
RESP® is malfunctioning.
ECO start/stop function
General notes
The ECO start/stop function is only available
for the S 63 AMG.
The ECO start/stop function is only available
in drive program C.
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving.
The engine starts automatically when you pull
away again. The ECO start/stop function
thereby helps you to reduce the fuel
consumption and emissions of your vehicle.
:ECO symbol;ECO start/stop display message
The ECO start/stop function is activated each
time the engine is switched on. If all the
requirements are fulfilled for automatic
engine switch-off (Y page 303), green ECO
symbol : is shown in the multifunction
display and Stop/Start active ;
appears. If all the requirements are not
fulfilled, ECO symbol : is shown in yellow
and Stop/Start inactive ; appears.
If the ECO start/stop function is deactivated
(Y page 303), ECO symbol : is not shown.
GWarning
If the engine is switched off and the ECO
symbol is shown in green in the multifunction
display, the engine has been switched off
automatically. All of the vehicle's systems
remain active. If you open the door, unfasten
302DrivingDriving and parking

your seat belt or remove your foot from the
brake pedal, the engine will automatically
start. The vehicle may begin moving. You
could suffer serious or even fatal injury or
cause an accident resulting in injury or death.
Never leave the vehicle while the ECO symbol
in the multifunction display is shown in green
or yellow. Always secure the vehicle against
rolling away before leaving it.
! Always switch the ignition off and take the
key with you when leaving the vehicle.
Automatic engine switch-off
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is
braked to a standstill and the brake remains
depressed with the transmission in position
D or N.
i You can still activate HOLD when the
vehicle is stationary, even if the engine has
been switched off automatically. It is then
not necessary to continue applying the
brakes during the automatic stop phase.
When you depress the accelerator pedal,
the engine starts automatically and the
braking effect of the HOLD function is
deactivated. Depress the accelerator pedal
carefully, as the engine must be started
first.
The engine is only switched off if:
R the outside temperature is within the range
which is suitable for the system.
R the engine is at normal operating
temperature.
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached.
R the battery is sufficiently charged.
R the system detects that the windshield is
not fogged up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the hood is closed.
Rno engine relevant diagnostics are active.
R the driver's door is closed and the seat belt
is fastened.
Automatic engine start
The engine is started automatically if you:
R release the brake pedal when HOLD is not
activated and the transmission is in
position D or N
R shift the transmission to position R
R depress the accelerator pedal
R switch off the ECO start/stop function or
switch to drive program S or M
R unfasten your seat belt or open the driver's
door
The engine is also started automatically if:
R the vehicle starts to roll.
R the brake system requires this.
R the system detects moisture on the
windshield when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the temperature in the vehicle interior
deviates from the set range.
R the battery's condition of charge is too low.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function
General notes
You can activate and deactivate the ECO
start/stop function using COMAND
( Y page 257).
i You can also use the programmable
button ( Y page 118) to activate and
deactivate the ECO start/stop function if
you have assigned this function to the
button.
Deactivating
XDeactivate the ECO start/stop function
using COMAND ( Y page 257):
The ECO symbol goes out and the Stop/
Start deactivated display message is
shown in the multifunction display.Driving303Driving and parkingZ

ProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsThe engine is not
running smoothly and
is misfiring.
There is a malfunction in the engine electronics or a mechanical
component of the engine management system.
XOnly depress the accelerator pedal slightly.XHave the cause rectified immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic
converter and damage it.
The coolant
temperature gauge
shows a value above
248 ‡(120 †).
The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
XStop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.
XCheck the coolant level (Y page 450). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and add coolant if necessary.Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
GWarning
It is dangerous to shift AUTOTRONIC out of
parking position P or neutral position N if the
engine speed is higher than idle speed. If your
foot is not firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could accelerate quickly forward or in
reverse. You could lose control of the vehicle
and hit someone or something. Only shift into
gear when the engine is idling normally and
when your right foot is firmly on the brake
pedal.
GWarning!
Keep in mind that turning off the engine alone
only will shift AUTOTRONIC into neutral
position N automatically.
Always shift AUTOTRONIC into park position
P before turning off the engine.
Otherwise the vehicle could roll away which
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
GWarning!
HYBRID vehicles: It is imperative that you read
the HYBRID Supplemental Operating
Instructions included in your vehicle literature
portfolio. You may otherwise not receive all
necessary safety information and warning for
the operation of your vehicle.
DIRECT SELECT lever
Overview of transmission positions
The DIRECT SELECT lever is on the right of the
steering column.
PPark position with parking lockRReverse306Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

! Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP®
system operates automatically, the engine
and the ignition system must be switched
off (SmartKey in position 0 or 1 in the
ignition lock or Start/Stop button in
position 0 or 1) when:
R testing the electric parking brake on a
brake dynamometer.
R you intend to have the vehicle towed with
one of the axles raised.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake
system.
If your brake system is only subjected to
moderate loads, you should regularly test
your brake system's function by forcefully
depressing the brake pedal when driving at
high speed. This also improves the brake
pads' friction.GWarning
Make sure that you do not endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
A description of Brake Assist (BAS) can be
found on ( Y page 67) or of BAS PLUS on
( Y page 68).
High-performance brake system for
AMG vehicles
The high-performance brake system is only
installed on the S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG.
GWarning
New vehicle brake pads and discs, and
replacement brake pads and discs may take
several hundred miles of driving until they
provide optimum braking efficiency. Until that
time, you may need to use increased brake
pedal pressure while braking. Please be aware
of this and adjust your driving and braking
accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive high-demand braking will cause
correspondingly high brake wear. Please be
attentive to the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and brake condition
messages in the multifunction display.
Especially for high performance driving, it is
important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.
The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. This may lead to
noise when braking. This will depend on:
R speed
R braking force
R environmental conditions, such as
temperature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings
or brake discs, depends on the individual
driving style and operating conditions.
Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning
If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
R you drive at low speeds
R the tires have adequate tread depth
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or
in conditions in which hydroplaning can occur
you must drive in the following manner:
R Lower your speed
R Avoid ruts
R Brake carefully
Driving on flooded roads
! Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving
through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic
components in the engine or AUTOTRONIC.
Water can also be drawn in by the engine's
air suction nozzles and this can cause
engine damage.
322Driving tipsDriving and parking

Winter driving
General information
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, at the onset of
winter.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section ( Y page 323).
Slippery road surfaces
GWarning
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe
and from around the vehicle with the engine
running. Otherwise, deadly carbon monoxide
(CO) gases may enter vehicle interior
resulting in unconsciousness and death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, open
a window slightly on the side of the vehicle
not facing the wind.
GWarning!
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
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.
You should drive particularly carefully on
slippery road surfaces. Avoid sudden
acceleration, steering and braking
maneuvers. Do not use cruise control or
DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:XShift the transmission to position N.
i
For more information on driving with
snow chains, see ( Y page 482).
GWarning
Make sure that you do not endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
Driving abroad
An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network
is also available in other countries. The
Service Hotline's current telephone numbers
for use when you are abroad are to be found
in the "Service24h" section of the Service
Booklet.
Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes
Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select shift range
1 , 2 or 3 in good time. By doing so, you will
make use of the braking effect of the engine,
which relieves the load on the brake system
and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic
conditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
GWarning
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always
Driving systems323Driving and parkingZ

Vehicle equipment
i This manual describes all the standard
and optional equipment of your vehicle
which was available at the time of
purchase. Country-specific differences are
possible. Bear in mind that your vehicle
may not feature all functions described
here. This also refers to safety-related
systems and functions.
Important safety notes
You will find an illustration of the instrument
cluster in the "At a glance" section
( Y page 32).
GWarning
A driver's attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others,
selecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions permit
it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h ), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximately
14 m) every second.
GWarning!
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see
information about your driving conditions,
such as
R speed
R outside temperature
R warning/indicator lamps
R malfunction/warning messages
R failure of any systems
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, do so with added
caution. Contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center as soon as possible.GWarning!
HYBRID vehicles: It is imperative that you read
the HYBRID Supplemental Operating
Instructions included in your vehicle literature
portfolio. You may otherwise not receive all
necessary safety information and warning for
the operation of your vehicle.
GWarning
Malfunction and warning messages are only
indicated for certain systems and are
intentionally not very detailed. The
malfunction and warning messages are
simply a reminder with respect to the
operation of certain systems. They do not
replace the owner's and/or driver's
responsibility to maintain the vehicle's
operating safety. Have all required
maintenance and safety checks performed on
the vehicle. Bring the vehicle to an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center to address the
malfunction and warning messages.
Displays and operation
Coolant temperature gauge
GWarning
Driving when your engine is overheated can
cause some fluids which may have leaked into
the engine compartment to catch fire. You
could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns which can occur just by opening
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of the
vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle until
the engine has cooled down.
364Displays and operationOn-board computer and displays