2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class Sport

Optical and acoustic collision warning
When you switch on the appropriate turn
signals to change lanes, and a vehicle is
detected in the side monitoring range of
Active Blind Spot Assist, you receive an
optical and acoustic collision warning. You
then hear a double warning tone, and red
warning lamp : flashes. If the turn signal
remains on, detected vehicles are indicated
by the flashing of red warning lamp :. There
are no further warning tones.
Course-correcting brake application
If Active Blind Spot Assist detects a risk of
lateral collision in the monitoring range,
under certain circumstances, it will brake the
vehicle briefly on one side. This is designed to
help you avoid a collision.
This function is available in the range between
20 mph and 120 mph (30 km/h and
200 km/h).
When a course-correcting brake application
occurs, red warning lamp : flashes in the
exterior mirror and the following message, for
example, appears in the multifunction
display:
GWarning
Active Blind Spot Assist is only an aid
designed to assist driving. It is not a substitute
for attentive driving. In some cases, the
course-correcting brake application is not
sufficient to avoid a collision. In such a case,
you must steer, brake or accelerate.
In very rare cases, the system may
erroneously detect a danger of collision in the
area of crash barriers or similar lane borders
and apply the brakes. Active Blind Spot Assist
does not detect all traffic situations and road
users. Always make sure that there is
sufficient distance to the side for other traffic
or obstacles. An inappropriate brake
application may be interrupted at any time if
you steer slightly in the opposite direction or
accelerate.
You are responsible for the vehicle's speed,
braking in good time, and steering correctly.
Always adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
Either a very slight course-correcting brake
application, or none at all, may occur if:
Rother vehicles and/or objects, such as
crash barriers, are detected in the
immediate vicinity of your vehicle.
Ra vehicle approaches you too closely at the
side.
Ryou have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds.
Ryou brake or accelerate decisively.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, such as
ESP® or PRE-SAFE® Brake.
RESP® is deactivated.
Ra loss of tire pressure or a defective tire has
been detected and displayed.
Activating Active Blind Spot Assist
XMake sure that the radar sensor system
(Y page 378) and Active Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 376) are activated in the on-board
computer.
XTurn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
Warning lamps : light up red in the
exterior mirrors for approximately 1.5
seconds and then turn yellow.
358Driving systemsDriving and parking

No warning vibration occurs if:
Ryou clearly and actively steer, brake, or
accelerate.
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
Ryou switch on the turn signals. In this event,
the warnings are suppressed for a certain
period of time.
Lane-correcting brake application
If you leave your lane under certain
circumstances, the vehicle will brake briefly
on one side. This is designed to help you bring
the vehicle back into the original lane.
This function is available in the range between
40 mph and 120 mph (60 km/h and
200 km/h).
A lane-correcting brake application can only
be made after driving over a solid,
recognizable lane marking. You will be
warned beforehand by means of an
intermittent vibration in the steering wheel.
In addition, a lane with lane markings on both
sides must be recognized. The brake
application also slightly reduces driving
speed.
If a lane-correcting brake application occurs,
the following message appears in the
multifunction display:
iA further lane-correcting brake
application can only occur after your
vehicle has returned to the original lane.
GWarning
Active Lane Keeping Assist does not keep
your vehicle in its lane. It is only an aid
designed to assist driving. It is not a substitute
for attentive driving. In some cases, the lane-
correcting brake application is not sufficient
to bring your vehicle back to the original lane.
In such cases, you must steer the vehicle
yourself to ensure that it does not leave the
lane.
Active Lane Keeping Assist does not detect
road and traffic conditions. Always make sure
that there is sufficient distance to the side for
other traffic or obstacles. In rare cases,
unclear markings or particular structures on
the roadway can be recognized as solid lane
markings. An inappropriate brake application,
e.g. after intentionally driving over a solid lane
marking, may be interrupted at any time by
steering slightly in the opposite direction.
Active Lane Keeping Assist cannot take
account of weather conditions.
You are responsible for the vehicle's speed,
braking in good time, and steering correctly.
Always adapt your driving style to suit the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to
recognize dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
No lane-correcting brake application occurs
if:
Ryou clearly and actively steer, brake, or
accelerate.
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend.
Ryou switch on the turn signals.
Ra driving safety system intervenes, such as
ESP®, PRE-SAFE® Brake or Active Blind
Spot Assist.
Ryou have adopted a sporty driving style with
high cornering speeds or high rates of
acceleration.
RESP® is deactivated.
Rthe transmission is not in position D.
Ra loss of tire pressure or a defective tire has
been detected and displayed.
360Driving systemsDriving and parking

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.
Loading guidelines
GWarning!
Always fasten items being carried as securely
as possible. Use cargo tie-down rings and
fastening materials appropriate for the weight
and size of the load.
In an accident, during hard braking or sudden
maneuvers, loose items will be thrown around
inside the vehicle. This can cause injury to
vehicle occupants unless the items are
securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a collision
or sudden maneuver, exercise care when
transporting cargo. Do not pile luggage or
cargo higher than the seat backrests.
The trunk is the preferred place to carry
objects.
Never drive a vehicle with the trunk open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in
unconsciousness and death.
The handling characteristics of a laden
vehicle are dependent on the distribution of
the load within the vehicle. For this reason,
you should observe the following notes when
transporting a load:
R when transporting a load, never exceed the
maximum permissible gross vehicle weight
or the permissible axle loads for the vehicle
(including occupants). The values are
specified on the vehicle identification plate
on the B-pillar of the driver's door.
R position heavy loads as far forwards as
possible and as low down in the trunk as
possible.
R the load must not protrude above the upper
edge of the seat backrests.
R always place the load against the rear seat
backrests.
R always place the load behind unoccupied
seats if possible.
R secure the load with sufficiently strong and
wear-resistant lashing material. Pad sharp
edges for protection.
Stowage compartments
Important safety notes
GWarning!
To help avoid personal injury during a collision
or sudden maneuver, exercise care when
storing objects in the vehicle. Put luggage or
cargo in the trunk if possible.
Do not pile luggage or cargo higher than the
seat backrests.
Keep compartment lids closed. This will help
to prevent stored objects from being thrown
about and injuring vehicle occupants during
R braking
R vehicle maneuvers
R an accident
Stowage compartments in the front
Glove box
i Depending on the vehicle's equipment,
you will find the following installed in the
glove box: an audio and video AUX jack, a
USB socket or Media Interface, a universal
interface for portable audio equipment, e.g.
for an iPod or USB device, and a bracket for
a remote control (see the COMAND section
of this Operator's Manual.
422Stowage compartmentsLoading, stowing and features

Stowage box in the rear seat backrest
! Do not sit or lean your bodyweight on the
armrests when they are folded out as you
could damage them.
XTo open: fold down the rear seat armrest.XPull handle : and fold down cover ;.
iIt will be easier to open the cover when
the rear seats are in the basic position.
Storage bags
GWarning!
Storage bags are intended for storing light-
weight items only.
Heavy objects, objects with sharp edges or
fragile objects may not be transported in the
storage bag. In an accident, during hard
braking, or sudden maneuvers, they could be
thrown around inside the vehicle and cause
injury to vehicle occupants.
Storage bags cannot protect transported
goods in the event of an accident.
Storage bags are located in the rear
compartment on the driver's and front-
passenger seat backrests.
Stowage areas
Parcel nets
GWarning
Parcel nets are intended for storing light-
weight items only, such as road maps, mail,
etc.
Heavy objects, objects with sharp edges, or
fragile objects may not be transported in the
parcel nets. In an accident, during hard
braking, or sudden maneuvers, they could be
thrown around inside the vehicle and cause
injury to vehicle occupants.
Parcel nets cannot protect transported goods
in the event of an accident.
Parcel nets are located in the front-passenger
footwell and on the left and right-hand sides
of the trunk.
Securing cargos
Cargo tie down rings
Observe the following notes on securing
loads:
Rsecure the load using the cargo tie down
rings.
Rdo not use elastic straps or nets to secure
a load, as these are only intended as an
anti-slip protection for light loads.
Rdo not route tie downs across sharp edges
or corners.
Rpad sharp edges for protection.
There are four cargo tie down rings in the
trunk.
Stowage areas425Loading, stowing and featuresZ

pressed the SOS button. Carefully leave the
vehicle and move to a safe location. The
Response Center will automatically contact
local emergency officials with the vehicle's
approximate location if they receive an
automatic SOS signal and cannot make voice
contact with the vehicle occupants.
Roadside Assistance call buttonXOpen the stowage compartment under the
armrest ( Y page 423).XPress and hold Roadside Assistance
button : for more than two seconds.
A call to a Mercedes-Benz Roadside
Assistance Representative is initiated. The
indicator lamp in Roadside Assistance
button : flashes while the call is active.
The Connecting Call message appears in
the COMAND display and COMAND is
muted.
If a connection can be established, the Call
Connected message appears in the
COMAND display.
If a mobile phone network is available and
there is sufficient GPS reception, the mbrace
system transmits data to the Response
Center, for example:
R current location of the vehicle
R vehicle identification number
R vehicle model
R vehicle color
i The COMAND display shows that an
mbrace call is active. You can switch to the
navigation menu by pressing the
S button on COMAND during the call.
Spoken commands are not available.
A voice connection is established between
the Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Representative and the vehicle occupants.XDescribe the type of assistance needed.
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
Representative either sends a qualified
Mercedes-Benz technician or organizes for
your vehicle to be transported to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. You may
be charged for services such as repair work
and/or towing. Further details are available
in your mbrace manual.
i If the indicator lamp in MB info call
button : flashes continuously and it was
not possible to establish a voice
connection to the Response Center, then
the mbrace system has failed to initiate a
Roadside Assistance call (e.g. the
corresponding cellular phone network is
not available). The Call Failed message
appears in the multifunction display.
The COMAND display shows the Call
could not be connected! message.
Press W to confirm the message.
XTo end a call: press the ~ button on the
multifunction steering wheel.
or
XPress the corresponding button for ending
a phone call on the COMAND telephone
keypad.
i Sign and Drive services 30
: you are not
charged for services such as jump-starting,
providing a few gallons of fuel for a fuel tank
that has been run dry or changing a flat tire
with the vehicle's own spare tire.
30 USA only.Features435Loading, stowing and featuresZ

Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
GWarning
Hybrid vehicles: ensure that you read the
"HYBRID" supplement. You may otherwise fail
to recognize dangers.
GWarning
If you tow the vehicle, you must use a rigid
towing bar if:
R the engine will not run.
R there is a malfunction in the brake system.
R there is a malfunction in the power supply
or the vehicle's electrical system.
With the engine not running, there is no power
assistance for the brake and steering
systems. You will then need considerably
more force to steer and to brake and the
brake pedal travel will be longer. If necessary,
depress the brake pedal with maximum force.
Before towing away, make sure that the
steering can be moved and is not locked.
If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum
permissible gross vehicle weight of your
vehicle.
GWarning
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Therefore,
deactivate HOLD and DISTRONIC PLUS if the
vehicle is to be towed.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
! You may only tow the vehicle a maximum
distance of 30 miles (50 km). A towing
speed of 30 mph (50 km/h) must not be
exceeded.
For towing distances over 30 miles
(50 km), the vehicle must loaded onto a
transporter.
! Make sure that the electric parking brake
is released. If the electric parking brake is
faulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
this purpose.
! Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could
be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
as this could damage the vehicle. If in
doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! Drive slowly and smoothly when towing.
Excessive tractive power could otherwise
damage the vehicles.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
! When towing vehicles with KEYLESS-GO,
use the key instead of the Start/Stop
button. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission may shift to position P when
the driver's or front-passenger door are
opened, which could lead to damage to the
transmission.
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be started by tow-starting. This
could otherwise damage the transmission.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised. This could
otherwise damage the transmission.
The automatic transmission must be in
position N when the vehicle is being towed.
Make sure that the battery is connected and
charged. You will otherwise not be able to:
R turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
R shift the automatic transmission to
position N.
i Switch off the automatic locking feature
before the vehicle is towed ( Y page 261).
Otherwise, you could lock yourself out of
the vehicle when pushing or towing the
vehicle.Towing and tow-starting473Roadside assistanceZ

On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the
SmartKey instead of the Start/Stop button
( Y page 299).XDepress and hold the brake pedal.XShift the automatic transmission to
position N.XRelease the brake pedal.XRelease the electric parking brake.XSwitch on the hazard warning flashers
( Y page 276).XLeave the SmartKey inserted in the ignition
lock in position 2.
i
When towing with the hazard warning
flashers switched on, use the combination
switch as usual to signal in which direction
you are changing. In this case, only the
indicator lamps for the direction of travel
flash. When you reset the combination
switch, the hazard warning flashers start
flashing again.
Transporting the vehicle
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.XShift the automatic transmission to
position N.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded:
XPrevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.XShift the automatic transmission to
position P.XTurn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove the SmartKey.XSecure the vehicle.
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components.
Otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged.
Fuses
Important safety notes
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the
components on the circuit and their functions
will fail.
GWarning
Only use fuses approved by Mercedes-Benz
with the specified amperage for the system in
question and do not attempt to repair or
bridge a blown fuse. Using other than
approved fuses or using repaired or bridged
fuses may cause an overload leading to a fire,
and/or cause damage to electrical
components and/or systems. Have the cause
determined and remedied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognize by
the color and value. The fuse ratings are listed
in the fuse allocation chart. An authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center will be happy to
advise you.
i If a fuse has blown, visit a breakdown
service or an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which
have the correct fuse rating for the system
concerned. Otherwise, components or
systems could be damaged.
Before changing a fuse
XPark the vehicle and apply the electric
parking brake.XSwitch off all electrical consumers.XRemove the key from the ignition lock.Fuses475Roadside assistanceZ

Trailer load/noseweight
The trailer load/noseweight affects the gross
weight of the vehicle. If a trailer is attached,
the trailer load/noseweight is included in the
load along with occupants and luggage. The
trailer load/noseweight is usually
approximately 10% of the gross weight of the
trailer and its cargo.
Your Mercedes-Benz is designed for
transporting persons and their luggage.
Mercedes-Benz does not recommend towing
a trailer with your vehicle.
Maximum tire load
GWarning
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the Tire
and Loading Information placard on the
driver's door B-pillar. Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout. Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
i The actual values for tires are specific to
each vehicle and may deviate from the
values in the illustration.
Maximum tire load : is the maximum
permitted weight for which the tire is
approved.
Further information on tire loads
( Y page 495).
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards
Overview of tire quality standards
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
are U.S. government specifications. Their
purpose is to provide drivers with uniform
reliable information on tire performance data.
Tire manufacturers have to grade tires using
three performance factors: tread wear :,
tire traction ; and heat resistance =. All
tires sold in North America are provided with
the corresponding quality class mark on the
sidewall of the tire, even though these
regulations do not apply to Canada.
i The actual values for tires are specific to
each vehicle and may deviate from the
values in the illustration.
Where applicable, the tire grading
information can be found on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and maximum
tire width.
For example:
Tread wearTractionTemperature200AAA
All passenger car tires must conform to the
statutory safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
494Uniform Tire Quality Grading StandardsTires and wheels