2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class warning lights

! 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

GWarning
When the å ESP®
OFF warning lamp is lit,
ESP ®
is deactivated.
If the ÷ ESP®
warning lamp and the
å ESP®
OFF warning lamp remain lit,
ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunction.
When ESP ®
is deactivated or not operational,
vehicle stability in standard driving
maneuvers is reduced.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevailing
road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP ®
.
! Avoid spinning a drive wheel for an
extended period with ESP ®
switched off.
This could cause serious damage to the
drive train.
XTo activate: (Y page 375).
The å warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
EBD (Electronic Brake-force
Distribution)
GWarning
Observe "Important safety notes"
( Y page 66).
EBD monitors and controls the brake
pressure on the rear wheels to improve
driving stability while braking.
GWarning
If the EBD malfunctions, the brake system will
still function with full brake boost. However,
the rear wheels could lock up during
emergency braking situations, for example.
You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident.
Adapt your driving style to the changed
driving characteristics.
Adaptive Brake
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In
addition to the braking function, ADAPTIVE
BRAKE also has the HOLD function
( Y page 335) and hill start assist
( Y page 302). For further information, see
Driving tips ( Y page 320).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake (vehicles with
DISTRONIC PLUS)
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize
the risk of a frontal collision with a vehicle
ahead or reduce the effects of such a
collision.
At speeds above approximately
20 mph (30 km/h), this function warns you
when you are rapidly approaching the vehicle
in front. An intermittent warning tone sounds
and the · distance warning lamp lights up
in the instrument cluster.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving conditions may cause the
system to display an unnecessary warning.
If the driver and front-passenger have
fastened their seat belts, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
can also can also perform the following at
speeds of above approximately
20 mph (30 km/h):
R brake the vehicle automatically at speeds
up to approximately 124 mph (200 km/h)
R trigger preventative passenger protection
measures (PRE-SAFE ®
) ( Y page 53)
GWarning!
An intermittent warning sounds and the
distance warning lamp · in the instrument
cluster is illuminated if the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
calculates that the distance to the vehicle
ahead and your vehicle's current speed
indicate that the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will not be
capable of slowing the vehicle sufficiently to
maintain the preset following distance, which
creates a danger of a collision.
Driving safety systems71SafetyZ

GWarning
Batteries contain toxic and caustic
substances. For this reason, keep batteries
out of the reach of children.
If a battery has been swallowed, seek medical
help immediately.
GWarning
The SmartKey batteries contain perchlorate
material, which may require special handling
and regard for the environment. Observe
government disposal guidelines. California
residents, see www.dtsc.ca.gov/
HazardousWaste/Perchlorate/
index.cfm .
Checking the battery
XPress the & or % button.
The SmartKey battery is working properly if
battery charge indicator lamp : lights up
briefly.
If battery charge indicator lamp : does not
light up briefly during the test, the SmartKey
battery is discharged.
XReplace the SmartKey battery
( Y page 80).
i
You can obtain a SmartKey battery at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
i If the SmartKey battery is checked within
signal range of the vehicle, pressing the
& or % button results in the vehicle
being locked or unlocked respectively.
Changing the battery
You require a CR 2025 3 V cell battery.
XTake the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey ( Y page 79).XPress mechanical key ; into the opening
in the SmartKey in the direction of the
arrow until battery tray cover : opens. Do
not hold the cover closed while doing so.XRemove the cover of the battery tray.XRepeatedly tap the SmartKey against your
palm until battery = falls out.XInsert the new battery with the positive
pole facing upwards. Use a lint-free cloth to
do so.XInsert the front tabs of the battery tray's
cover first and then press to close it.XCheck the function of all SmartKey buttons
on the vehicle.80SmartKeyOpening and closing

XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
1 or 2 in the ignition lock.XPress button ; for the right-hand exterior
mirror or button = for the left-hand
exterior mirror.
The indicator lamp lights up in the button
that has been pressed.XPress adjustment button : up, down, to
the right or to the left until the exterior
mirror is set in a way which provides you
with a good overview of traffic conditions.
Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
electrically
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
1 or 2 in the ignition lock.XBriefly press button :.
Both exterior mirrors fold in or out.
i Make sure that the exterior mirrors are
always folded out fully while the vehicle is
in motion, as they may otherwise vibrate.
Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
automatically
When the "Automatic mirror folding" function
is activated in COMAND ( Y page 258):
R the exterior mirrors fold in automatically as
soon as you lock the vehicle from the
outside.
R the exterior mirrors fold out again
automatically as soon as you unlock the
vehicle and then open the driver's or front-
passenger door.
i The mirrors do not fold out if they have
been folded in manually.
Exterior mirror out of position
If an exterior mirror has been pushed out of
position, proceed as follows:
XPress the mirror-folding button
( Y page 110) repeatedly until you hear the
mirrors engage in position.
The mirror housing is engaged again and
you can adjust the exterior mirrors as usual
( Y page 109).
Automatic anti-glare mirrors
GWarning!
The auto dimming function does not react if
incoming light is not aimed directly at sensors
in the interior rear view mirror.
The interior rear view mirror and the exterior
rear view mirror on the driver's side do not
react, for example, if the rear window
sunshade is in raised position.
Light hitting the mirror(s) at certain angles
(incident light) could blind you. As a result,
you may not be able to observe traffic
conditions and could cause an accident.
The rear-view mirror and the exterior mirror
on the driver's side automatically go into anti-
glare mode if the ignition is switched on and
incident light from headlamps strikes the
sensor in the rear-view mirror.
110MirrorsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

COMAND calculates the route to the
destination without taking account of the
following:
R Traffic lights
R Stop and right-of-way-signs
R Lane merging
R Parking or stopping prohibited areas
R Other road and traffic rules and regulations
R Narrow bridgesGWarning
COMAND may give incorrect navigation
commands if the data in the digital map does
not correspond with the actual road/traffic
situation. Digital maps do not cover all areas
nor all routes within an area. 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.
GWarning
Navigation announcements are intended to
direct you while driving without diverting your
attention from the road and driving.
Please always use this feature instead of
consulting the map display for directions.
Looking at the icons or map display can
distract you from traffic conditions and
driving, and increase the risk of an accident.
General information
Operational readiness of the navigation
system
The navigation system must determine the
position of the vehicle before first use or
whenever operational status is restored.
Therefore, you may have to drive for a while
before precise route guidance is possible.
GPS reception
Among other things, correct functioning of
the navigation system depends on GPS
reception. In certain situations, GPS
reception may be impaired, there may be
interference or there may be no reception at
all, e.g. in tunnels or parking garages.
Input restriction
On vehicles for certain countries, there is a
restriction on entering data.
The restriction is active at vehicle speeds
above approximately 3 mph (5 km/h). The
restriction is deactivated as soon as the
speed falls below 2 mph (3 km/h).
When the restriction is active, certain entries
cannot be made. This will be indicated by the
fact that certain menu items are grayed out
and cannot be selected.
The following entries are not possible, for
example:
R entering the destination city and street
R entering a destination via the map
R entering in the vicinity of a city or via a
name search
R editing entries
R direct entry using the number keypad
Other entries are still possible, such as
entering points of interest in the vicinity of the
destination or current position.
Switching on navigation modeXPress the S function button once or
twice.
or
XSelect Navi in the main function bar by
sliding ZV and turning cVd the COMAND
controller and press W to confirm.
In both cases, you will see the map either
with or without the menu shown.Navigation149COMANDZ

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

Vehicle equipment
iThis 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.
Exterior lighting
Important safety notes
For reasons of safety, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you drive with the lights
switched on even during the daytime. In some
countries, operation of the headlamps varies
due to legal requirements and self-imposed
obligations.
Notes on driving abroad
Convert to symmetrical low beam when
driving abroad: switch the headlamps to
symmetrical low beam in countries in which
traffic drives on the opposite side of the road
from the country where the vehicle is
registered. This prevents oncoming traffic
from being dazzled. Symmetrical lights do not
illuminate as large an area of the edge of the
road.
Have the headlamps converted at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, as close to the border
as possible before driving in these countries.
Convert to asymmetrical low beam after
returning: have the headlamps converted
back to asymmetrical low beam at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, as soon as possible
after crossing the border when returning.
Light switch
Operation
1WLeft-hand standing lamps2XRight-hand standing lamps3$Lights off/daytime running lamps4cAutomatic headlamp mode/daytime
running lamps
5TSide lamps, license plate and
instrument lighting
6LLow-beam/high-beam headlamps7NFog lamps148RRear fog lamps
The turn signals, high-beam headlamps and
the high-beam flasher are operated using the
combination switch (Y page 274).
! Switch off the parking lamps and standing
lamps when you leave the vehicle. This
prevents the battery from discharging.
The exterior lighting (except the side lamps/
standing lamps) switches off automatically if
you:
Rremove the key from the ignition lock
Ropen the driver's door with the key in
position 0
If you hear a warning tone when you leave the
vehicle, the lights may still be switched on.
XTurn the light switch to $ or c.
or
XIf the rear fog lamp is switched on: press
the light switch in to the stop.14Only vehicles with Bi-Xenon headlamps without Intelligent Light System* are equipped with front fog lamps.272Exterior lightingLights and windshield wipers* optional

When the low-beam headlamps are
switched on, the T indicator lamp on
the light switch lights up.
Front fog lamps and rear fog lamp
Front fog lamps
GWarning!
If you suspect that driving conditions will be
foggy, turn the light switch to L before you
start your journey. Otherwise, your vehicle
may not be visible and you could endanger
yourself and others.
GWarning!
In low ambient lighting or foggy conditions,
only switch from position c to L with
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from c to L will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions may
result in an accident.
XTo switch on the front fog lamps: turn
the key in the ignition lock to position 2 or
start the engine.XTurn the light switch to L or T . If the
light switch is set to c, you cannot
switch on the fog lamps.XPull the light switch out to the first detent.
The green N indicator lamp on the light
switch lights up.XTo switch off the front fog lamps: press
the light switch in as far as it will go.
The green N indicator lamp on the light
switch goes out.
Rear fog lamps
XTo switch on the rear fog lamp: turn the
key in the ignition lock to position 2 or start
the engine.XTurn the light switch to L or T
(vehicles with fog lamps) or turn the light
switch to L (vehicles without fog
lamps). When the light switch is set toc , you cannot switch on the rear fog
lamp.XTurn the light switch to L. When the
light switch is set to T, you cannot
switch on the rear fog lamp.XPull the light switch out to the second stop
(vehicles with fog lamps) or pull it out to the
stop (vehicles without fog lamps).
The yellow R indicator lamp on the light
switch lights up.XTo switch off the rear fog lamp: press the
light switch in as far as it will go.
The yellow R indicator lamp on the light
switch goes out.
Combination switch
Turn signal
:High-beam headlamps;Right turn signal=High-beam flasher?Left turn signalXTo indicate briefly: press the combination
switch briefly to the pressure point in the
direction of arrow ; or ?.
The corresponding turn signal flashes three
times.XTo indicate: press the combination switch
beyond the pressure point in the direction
of arrow ; or ?.274Exterior lightingLights and windshield wipers