2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class Limit

Rdisturbance from other radar sources
R strong radar reflection such as in parking
garages
BAS PLUS uses radar signals that are not
reflected well by narrow objects and
absorptive materials. For this reason BAS
PLUS will not react to persons, animals, and
approaching traffic or cross-traffic.
BAS PLUS may not detect narrow vehicles
driving in front of you, such as motorcycles
and vehicles driving offset from your vehicle
center.
Following a collision or accident-related
damage to the front end of the vehicle, have
the configuration and operation of the radar
sensors checked at an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
If BAS PLUS is not available due to a
malfunction in the radar sensor system, the
brake system remains available with full
brake boosting effect and BAS.
Adaptive brake lights
i Adaptive brake lamps are only available in
the USA and only on the S 600 and S65
AMG.
If you brake sharply from a speed of more
than 30 mph (50 km/h) or if braking is
assisted by BAS or BAS PLUS, the brake
lamps flash rapidly. In this way, traffic
traveling behind you is warned in an even
more noticeable manner.
If you brake from a speed of more than
40 mph (70 km/h) to a standstill, the hazard
warning lamps are switched on automatically
when the vehicle is stationary. If the brakes
are applied again, the brake lamps light up
continuously. The hazard warning lamps
switch off automatically if you drive faster
than 6 mph (10 km/h) again. You can also
switch off the hazard warning lamps using the
hazard warning lamp button ( Y page 276).
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Important safety notesGWarning
Observe "Important safety notes"
( Y page 66).
If ESP ®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. If necessary, the engine output is also
modified to keep the vehicle on the desired
course within physical limits. ESP ®
assists
the driver when pulling away on wet or
slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize the
vehicle during braking.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ warning lamp
flashes in the instrument cluster.
GWarning
Under no circumstances should you
deactivate ESP ®
when the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes. Proceed as follows:
R when driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
R while driving, ease up on the accelerator
pedal.
R adapt your speed to suit the prevailing road
and weather conditions.
failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid. ESP ®
cannot
prevent accidents resulting from excessive
speed.
! Vehicles without 4MATIC: switch the
ignition off when:
R the electric parking brake is being tested
using a brake dynamometer.
R the vehicle is being towed with the front/
rear axle raised.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may
otherwise destroy the brake system.
Driving safety systems69SafetyZ

! Vehicles with 4MATIC: switch off the
ignition when the electric parking brake is
being tested on a brake dynamometer.
Application of the brakes by ESP ®
may
otherwise destroy the brake system.
i Only use wheels with the recommended
tire sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function
properly.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System)GWarning
Observe "Important safety notes"
( Y page 66).
Traction control is part of ESP ®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels
individually if they spin. This enables you to
pull away and accelerate on slippery surfaces,
for example if the road surface is slippery on
one side. On vehicles with 4MATIC, more
drive torque is also transferred to the wheel
or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
Activating/deactivating ESP ®
GWarning!
The ESP should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the
circumstances described below. Disabling
the system will reduce vehicle stability in
driving maneuvers.
Do not switch off the ESP when a spare wheel
is mounted.
GWarning
S 63 AMG: ESP ®
should not be deactivated
during normal driving.
Deactivating the system results in the
following:
R no restriction to the engine torque
R loss of system-supported traction control
"ESP OFF" is designed for driving on closed
tracks when the vehicle's own oversteering
and understeering characteristics are desired
and requires an extremely qualified and
experienced driver who is able to handle
these critical driving situations.
You could lose control of your vehicle and
cause an accident.
Beware of these limits if you deactivate
ESP ®
.
Do not deactivate ESP ®
when the emergency
or spare wheel is mounted.
ESP ®
is activated automatically when the
engine is running.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the
following situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravelGWarning!
Switch on the ESP immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not apply
anymore. Otherwise the ESP will not stabilize
the vehicle when it is starting to skid or a
wheel is spinning.
When you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R the engine's torque is no longer limited and
the drive wheels can spin. The spinning of
the wheels results in a cutting action, which
provides better grip.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake.
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ warning lamp in the
instrument cluster flashes. In such situations,
ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
XTo deactivate: (Y page 375).
The å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.70Driving safety systemsSafety

iMake sure that you have the SmartKey on
your person and that it has not been left in
the vehicle.XClose the front-passenger door.XMake sure that the doors and the trunk are
locked.
i If you lock the vehicle as described above,
the fuel filler flap is not locked. The anti-
theft alarm system is not primed.
Trunk
Important safety notes
Do not leave the SmartKey in the trunk. You
could otherwise lock yourself out.
GWarning
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock. Always take
the SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave children unsupervised in the
vehicle, even if they are secured in a child
restraint system, and do not give them access
to an unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. They could:
R injure themselves on vehicle parts
R be seriously or fatally injured by extreme
heat or cold
R injure themselves or have an accident with
vehicle equipment that may still be in
operation even after the SmartKey has
been removed from the ignition, such as the
seat adjustment, steering wheel
adjustment or memory function.
If children open a door, they could cause
severe or even fatal injury to other persons; if
they get out of the vehicle, they could injure
themselves when doing so or be seriously or
even fatally injured by any passing traffic.
Do not expose the child restraint system to
direct sunlight. The child restraint system's
metal parts, for example, could become very
hot, and a child could be burned on these
parts.GWarning!
Do not carry heavy or hard objects in the
passenger compartment or trunk unless they
are firmly secured in place.
Unsecured or improperly positioned cargo
increases a child's risk of injury in the event
of
R strong braking maneuvers
R sudden changes of direction
R an accident
GWarning
Make sure the trunk lid is closed when the
engine is running and while driving. Among
other dangers, deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
gases may enter the vehicle interior resulting
in unconsciousness and death.
! The trunk lid swings upwards when
opened. Therefore, make sure that there is
sufficient clearance above the trunk lid.
You can limit the opening angle of the trunk
lid. This could be useful, for example, if there
is insufficient space above the trunk lid. You
can switch the trunk lid opening height
restriction function on or off via COMAND
( Y page 261).
For the trunk lid to be opened fully, there must
be a minimum clearance from floor to ceiling
of 5.90 ft (1.80 m).
The trunk lid can be:
R opened and closed manually from outside
R opened and closed automatically from
outside
R opened and closed automatically from
inside
R locked separately
R unlocked with the mechanical key
R opened using the emergency release
button inside the trunk
Trunk85Opening and closingZ

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.
Introduction
Operating safety
General notes
GRisk of accident and injury
Vehicles with HYBRID: ensure that you read
the "HYBRID" supplement. You may otherwise
fail to recognize dangers.
GWarning
Any alterations of electronic components or
software can cause malfunctions.
Radio, satellite radio, amplifier, DVD changer,
navigation module, telephone and Voice
Control systems are interconnected.
Therefore, if one of the components is not
operational, or has not been removed/
replaced properly, the function of other
components could be impaired.
Such conditions might seriously impair the
operating safety of your vehicle.
We recommend to have any service work on
electronic components carried out by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
GWarning
In order to avoid distraction which could lead
to an accident, the driver should enter system
settings while the vehicle is at a standstill, and
operate the system only when permitted by
road, weather and traffic conditions.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your car covers a
distance of 44 feet (approximately 14 m) every
second.
COMAND supplies you with information to
help you select your route more easily and
guide you conveniently and safely to your
destination. For safety reasons, we
encourage the driver to stop the vehicle in a
safe place before answering or placing a call,
or consulting the COMAND screen to read
navigational maps, instructions, or
downloaded information.GWarning
While the navigation system provides
directional assistance, the driver must remain
focused on safe driving behavior, especially
attention to traffic and street signs, and
should utilize the system’s audio cues while
driving.
The navigation system does not supply any
information on stop signs, yield signs, traffic
regulations or traffic safety rules. Their
observance always remains in the driver’s
personal responsibility. DVD maps do not
cover all areas nor all routes within an area.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Both of the following conditions must
be fulfilled to be approved for use:
(1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and(2) This device must accept all external
interference, including interference that may
cause undesired operating problems.GWarning
Change or modification not expressly
approved by the party responsible for
compliance could void the user's authority to
operate this equipment.
! Note: This equipment has been tested
and found to comply with the limits for a
Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15
of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed
to provide reasonable protection against
harmful interference when the equipment
114IntroductionCOMAND

is operated in a commercial environment.
This equipment generates, uses and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications.GWarning
This equipment complies with FCC radiation
exposure limits set forth for uncontrolled
equipment and meets the FCC radio
frequency (RF) Exposure Guidelines in
Supplement C to OET65.
This equipment has very low levels of RF
energy that is deemed to comply without
maximum permissive exposure evaluation
(MPE). But it is desirable that it should be
installed and operated with at least 8 inches
(20 cm) and more between the radiator and a
person's body (excluding extremities: hands,
wrists, feet and legs.)
Correct use
Observe the following information when using
COMAND:
R the safety notes in this manual
R all road traffic regulations
i Improper work on electronic components
or other systems (such as radio, DVD
changer) and their software may result in
malfunction or failure. Even systems that
have not been modified could be affected
because the electronic systems are
connected. Electronic malfunctions can
seriously jeopardize the operational safety
of your vehicle.
i Only have work or changes to electronic
components carried out at a qualified
specialist workshop which has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools
to carry out the work required. Daimler
recommends that you use an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for this purpose. In
particular, work relevant to safety or on
safety-related systems must be carried out
at a qualified specialist workshop.
i Protection against theft: this device is
equipped with technical provisions to
protect it against theft. Further information
on protection against theft can be obtained
from an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Vehicle equipment
These operating instructions describe all
standard and optional equipment available
for your vehicle at the time of going to print.
Country-specific deviations are possible.
Please note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all features described. This
includes safety-related systems and
functions. The equipment in your vehicle may
therefore differ from some of the descriptions
or illustrations. The original purchase
agreement lists all systems installed in your
vehicle. Contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center if you have any questions about
equipment or operation.
Function restrictions
For safety reasons, some COMAND functions
are restricted or unavailable while the vehicle
is in motion. You will notice this, for example,
because you will either not be able to select
certain menu items or because COMAND will
display a message to this effect.
To protect the integrated hard drive against
damage, COMAND deactivates the drive at
very high temperatures. The following
functions will be temporarily unavailable:
R navigation system
R Voice Control System
R address book
R MUSIC REGISTER
Introduction115COMANDZ

NaviAudioTelephoneVideoVehicleModeFM/AM radioVideo DVDECOMap orientationSatRadioAUXMulticontour
seat/lumbar
settingsPoint of interest
symbols on the mapDiscVideo offRear window
blindRoad signs on the
mapMemory cardEASY-ENTRY/
EXIT systemText information on
mapMUSIC
REGISTERExterior
lighting
delayed
switch-off timeO Speed Limit AssistMedia
InterfaceInterior
lighting
delayed
switch-offO Topographical
mapUSBAmbient
lightingO City viewRearO Automatic
mirror fold-in
functionO Freeway
informationAUXO Locator
lightingO Audio fadeoutAudio offO Automatic
lockingSIRIUS serviceO Interior
motion sensorMap versionO Tow-away
protectionO Trunk lid
opening height
restrictionSPLITVIEW
SPLITVIEW allows the driver and front
passenger to use separate COMAND
functions at the same time. Depending on the
viewing angle of the display (from the driver's
seat or from the front passenger seat), you
will see two different displays.
For example, the "Navi" function can be
viewed from the driver's side while the video120At a glanceCOMAND

:Current vehicle position;Crosshair=Details of the crosshair position?Map scale selected
Display = depends on the settings selected
in "Map information in the display"
(Y page 182). The current street name can
be shown, provided the digital map contains
the necessary data, or the coordinates of the
crosshair if the geo-coordinate display is
switched on and the GPS signal is strong
enough.
Moving the map and selecting the
destination
XTo scroll the map: slide the COMAND
controller XVY, ZVÆ or aVb.
XTo set the map scale: as soon as you turn
cVd the COMAND controller, the scale bar
appears.
XTurn cVd until the desired scale is set.
Turning clockwise zooms out from the map,
turning counter-clockwise zooms in.
XTo select a destination: press W the
COMAND controller once or several times.
You will see either the address entry menu
with the destination address or, if COMAND
is unable to assign a unique address, a
selection list.
XSelect a destination by turning cVd the
COMAND controller and press W to
confirm.
If the destination is within the limits of the
digital map, COMAND attempts to assign
the destination to the map.
If the destination can be assigned, you will
see the address entry menu with the
address of the destination. If not, you will
see the Destination from Map entry.
XTo start route calculation: select Start
and press W to confirm.
Entering an intermediate stop
Introduction
When route guidance is active, you can enter
an intermediate stop. Intermediate stops can
be predefined destinations from the following
categories that COMAND offers for selection:
RMercedes-Benz Service Center
RHospital
RGas Station
RParking Lot
RRestaurant
However, you can also enter destinations
other than the predefined ones. To do this,
select the menu item Other.
You can use the intermediate stop function to
influence route guidance to the main
destination. When you have reached your
intermediate stop, COMAND automatically
recalculates the route to the main
destination.
158NavigationCOMAND

Route guidance
General information
GWarning
COMAND calculates the route to the
destination without taking into account the
following, for example:
RTraffic lights
RStop and right-of-way signs
RLane merging
RParking or stopping prohibited areas
ROther road and traffic rules and regulations
RNarrow bridges
COMAND may give incorrect navigation
commands if the data in the digital map does
not correspond with the actual road/ traffic
situation. For example, if the traffic routing
has been changed or the direction of a one-
way road has been reversed.
For this reason, you must always observe
applicable road and traffic rules and
regulations during your journey. Road and
traffic rules and regulations always have
priority over the navigation commands
generated by the system.
Route guidance begins once a route has been
calculated (Y page 154).
COMAND guides you to your destination by
means of navigation commands in the form
of audible navigation announcements and
route guidance displays.
The route guidance displays can only be seen
if the display is switched to navigation mode.
If you do not follow the navigation
announcements or if you leave the calculated
route, COMAND automatically calculates a
new route to the destination.
If the digital map contains the corresponding
information, the following applies:
Rwhen selecting a route, COMAND tries to
avoid roads that only have limited access,
e.g. roads closed to through traffic and non-
residents.
Rroads that have time restrictions (e.g.
closed on Sundays and public holidays) are
avoided for route guidance.
Changing direction
Introduction
Changes of direction have three phases:
RPreparation phase
RAnnouncement phase
RChange-of-direction phase
Preparation phase
COMAND prepares you for the upcoming
change of direction. Based on the example
display below, there is an audible
announcement. You see the full-screen map.
Example display: preparation phase
:Next road;Route=Current vehicle position (the tip of the
triangle indicates the vehicle’s direction
of travel)
?Current street
Display ? depends on the setting selected
for "Text information in map" (Y page 182).
Announcement phase
COMAND announces the imminent change of
direction. Based on the example display
below, the change of direction is announced
with the Please turn right in 900 ft.
and follow the message.
164NavigationCOMAND