2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class transmission

Problems with the transmissionProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsThe acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear.The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into 2nd gear and reverse gear.XStop the vehicle.XShift the transmission to position P.XSwitch off the engine.XWait at least 10 seconds before restarting the engine.XShift the transmission to position D or R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into 2nd gear; if R is
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.XHave the transmission checked at a qualified specialist
workshop immediately.Transfer case
This section is only valid for vehicles with 4-
wheel drive (4MATIC). Power is always
transmitted to both axles.
! Performance tests may only be carried
out on a 2-axle dynamometer. The brake
system or transfer case could otherwise be
damaged. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for a performance
test. Mercedes-Benz recommends that you
use an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for this purpose.
! To prevent ESP ®
from intervening, the
ignition must be switched off (SmartKey or
the Start/Stop button in position 0 or 1) if:
R the electric parking brake is being tested
on a brake dynamometer.
R the vehicle is being towed with only one
axle raised (not permitted for vehicles
with 4MATIC).
The brake system could otherwise be
damaged.Refueling
Important safety notes
GWarning
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious
personal injury.
Never allow sparks, flames or smoking
materials near gasoline.
Turn off the engine before refueling.
Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid
inhaling fumes and any skin or clothing
contact.
Direct skin contact with fuels and the
inhalation of fuel vapors are damaging to your
health.
GWarning
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create
pressure in the system which could cause a
gas discharge. This could cause the gasoline
to spray back out when removing the fuel
pump nozzle, which could cause personal
injury.
Refueling313Driving and parkingZ

Problems with the fuel and fuel tankProblemPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsFuel is leaking from the
vehicle.GRisk of explosion or fire
The fuel line or the fuel tank is defective.
XTurn the key to position 0(Y page 299) in the ignition lock
immediately and remove it.XDo not restart the engine under any circumstances.XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.The fuel filler flap
cannot be opened.The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
or
The key batteries are discharged.XUnlock the vehicle ( Y page 76).
or
XUnlock the vehicle using the mechanical key ( Y page 79).The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is
jammed.XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.Parking
Important safety notes
GWarning!
Do not park in areas where the hot exhaust
system could come into contact with
combustible materials. Combustible
materials such as grass, hay or leaves could
be ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
Unintended vehicle movement could cause
serious personal injury or damage to the
vehicle or the vehicle drivetrain. To reduce
such risks, always do the following before
turning off the engine and leaving the vehicle:
R Keep right foot on the brake pedal.
R Engage the electronic parking brake.
R Shift the automatic transmission into park
position P.
R Slowly release the brake pedal.
R When parked on an incline, always turn the
front wheels towards the road curb.
R Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position 0 and remove the SmartKey from
the starter switch, or press the KEYLESS-
GO start/stop button.
R Take the SmartKey with you and lock the
vehicle when leaving.
Switching off the engine
Important safety notes
GWarning
Do not turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. With the engine
not running, there is no power assistance for
the brake and steering systems. In this case,
it is important to keep in mind that a
considerably higher degree of effort is
necessary to brake and steer the vehicle.
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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.
iIf you cannot turn off the engine as
described here, see "Emergency engine
shutdown" (Y page 477).
Vehicles with automatic transmission
XApply the electric parking brake.XShift the transmission to position P.
Using the SmartKey
XTurn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove it.
The parking lock is activated.
iIf you turn off the engine with the
SmartKey and then remove it from the
ignition lock or open a front door, the
automatic transmission switches to P
automatically.
Using KEYLESS-GO
XPress the Start/Stop button (Y page 299).
When the driver's door is closed, the Start/
Stop button is in position 1. When the
driver's door is opened, the Start/Stop
button moves to position 0. This
corresponds to removing the SmartKey.
iIf you turn off the engine with the Start/
Stop button, the automatic transmission
shifts to N. If you then open the driver's or
front-passenger door, the automatic
transmission shifts to P automatically.
iIn an emergency, you can turn off the
engine while the vehicle is in motion by
pressing and holding the Start/Stop button
for three seconds. This function operates
independently of the ECO start/stop
automatic engine switch-off function.
If you have started the engine with the Start/
Stop button and it cannot be switched off as
described:
Xremove the Start/Stop button from the
ignition lock.
Xinsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The engine stops. The ignition lock is in
position 0.
Electric parking brake
GWarning!
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it with
you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could
release the parking brake and/or shift the
automatic transmission out of park position
P, either of which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
Releasing the electric parking brake
manually
XSwitch on the ignition.XPull handle :.
The red F indicator lamp (USA only) or
the red ! indicator lamp (Canada only)
in the instrument cluster goes out.
The electric parking brake can only be
released when the SmartKey in the ignition
Parking317Driving and parkingZ

lock is in position 1 or if the ignition is
switched on using the Start/Stop button.
Releasing the electric parking brake
automatically
The electric parking brake is released
automatically when the following conditions
are simultaneously fulfilled:
R the engine is running.
R the automatic transmission is in position
D or R.
R the hood is closed.
R your seat belt is fastened.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
If the automatic transmission is in position
R , the trunk lid must be closed.
For the parking brake to be released
automatically if your seat belt is not fastened,
the following conditions must be fulfilled:
R the driver's door is closed.
R you shift out of P or you have previously
driven faster than 2 mph (3 km/h).
Engaging the electric parking brake
manually
XPush handle :.
The red F indicator lamp (USA only) or
the red ! indicator lamp (Canada only)
in the instrument cluster lights up.
i The electric parking brake can also be
applied even if the SmartKey has been
removed.
Engaging the electric parking brake
automatically
The electric parking brake is automatically
applied if HOLD or DISTRONIC PLUS brakes
the vehicle until it is stationary and at least
one of the following conditions is fulfilled:
R the engine is switched off.
R the driver's door is open and the seat belt
is not fastened.
R the hood is released.
R the trunk lid is opened while the automatic
transmission is in position R.
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy
period.
The red F indicator lamp (USA only) or the
red ! indicator lamp (Canada only) in the
instrument cluster lights up.
i In addition to the electric parking brake,
P may also be engaged automatically.
Emergency braking with the electric
parking brake
The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency using the electric parking brake.
XWhile driving, push handle : of the electric
parking brake ( Y page 317).
i
The vehicle is braked as long as you keep
the handle of the electric parking brake
pressed. The longer the electric parking
brake handle is depressed, the greater the
braking force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds.
R the Release parking brake message
appears.
R red F indicator lamp (USA only) or
red ! indicator lamp (Canada only)
appears in the instrument cluster
When the vehicle has been braked to a
standstill, the electric parking brake is
engaged.
Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than four weeks, the battery may be damaged
by exhaustive discharge.
XDisconnect the battery or connect it to a
trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist
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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

Setting a speedGWarning
Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has made the necessary
adjustments.
Increase or decrease the set vehicle speed to
a value that the prevailing road conditions and
legal speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden
and unexpected acceleration or deceleration
of the vehicle could cause an accident and/
or serious injury to you and others.
XPress the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.XKeep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is reached.XRelease the cruise control lever.
The new speed is stored.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. For
example, if you accelerate briefly to
overtake, cruise control adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking.
Setting in 1 mph (Canada: 1 km/h)
increments
XBriefly press the cruise control lever to the
pressure point, up : for a higher speed or
down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.
Setting in 5 mph (Canada: 10 km/h)
increments
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
beyond the pressure point, up : for a
higher speed or down ; for a lower speed.
The last speed stored is increased or
reduced.Deactivating cruise control
There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
forwards =.
or
XBrake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
R you engage the electric parking brake.
R you are driving below 20 mph (30 km/h).
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
.
R you shift the transmission to position N
while driving.
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear
a warning tone. You will see the Cruise
control off message in the multifunction
display for approximately five seconds.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine.
DISTRONIC PLUS
Important safety notes
DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the
distance to the vehicle detected in front. 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.
If a slower-moving vehicle is detected in front,
DISTRONIC PLUS causes your vehicle to
brake and maintain a preset distance to the
vehicle in front.
GWarning!
HYBRID vehicles: It is imperative that you read
the HYBRID Supplemental Operating
Driving systems325Driving and parkingZ

distance, which creates a danger of a
collision.
Immediately brake the vehicle to increase
your distance to the preceding vehicle. The
warning sound is intended as a final caution
in which you should intercede with your own
braking inputs to avoid a potentially
dangerous situation. Do not wait for the
operation of the warning signal to intercede
with your own braking. This will result in
potentially dangerous emergency braking
which will not always result in an impact being
avoided.
Tailgating increases the risk of an accident.GWarning
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes your vehicle with a
maximum deceleration of 13 ft/s(4 m/s 2
).
This corresponds to approximately 40% of
your vehicle's maximum possible braking
power.
You must apply the brakes yourself to avoid a
collision. DISTRONIC PLUS brakes the vehicle
to restore the set distance to the vehicle in
front or to restore the set speed.
GWarning!
If you do not receive visual or acoustic
warning signals during a critical traffic
situation, DISTRONIC PLUS has either not
recognized the collision risk, has been
deactivated or is malfunctioning.
Remember, whether or not DISTRONIC PLUS
is operating, it is ultimately always the drivers
responsibility to apply the brakes in order to
control the vehicle and avoid a collision.
Cruise control lever:To store the current speed or a higher
speed;To store the current speed or a lower
speed=To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS?To store the current speed or to call up
the last stored speedATo set the specified minimum distance
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS, storing
and maintaining the current speed
Important safety notes
GWarning!
When the DISTRONIC PLUS is switched on,
the vehicle can be braked. You should
therefore switch off the DISTRONIC PLUS if
the vehicle must be towed.
You can activate DISTRONIC PLUS under the
following circumstances:
R the engine has been started and you have
been driving for up to two minutes
R your vehicle is not secured by the electric
parking brake
R ESP ®
is activated
R the transmission is in position D
R the hood is closed
R the driver's door is closed and you shift the
transmission from position P to D or your
seat belt is fastened
328Driving systemsDriving and parking

Deactivating DISTRONIC PLUS
There are several ways to deactivate
DISTRONIC PLUS:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever
forwards :.
or
XBrake, unless the vehicle is stationary.
iThe last speed stored remains stored until
you switch off the engine.
iDISTRONIC PLUS is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you
accelerate to overtake, DISTRONIC PLUS
adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished
overtaking.
DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically
deactivated if:
Ryou engage the electric parking brake or if
the vehicle is automatically secured with
the electric parking brake.
Ryou are driving slower than
15 mph (25 km/h) and there is no vehicle
in front, or if the vehicle in front is no longer
detected.
RESP® intervenes or you deactivate ESP®.
Rthe transmission is in the P, R or N position.
Ryou switch off the radar sensor system
(Y page 378).
Ryou pull the cruise control lever towards
you in order to pull away and the front-
passenger door or one of the rear doors is
open.
Rthe vehicle has skidded.
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS off message in the
multifunction display for approximately five
seconds.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS
Important safety guidelines
The following contains descriptions of certain
road and traffic conditions in which you must
be particularly attentive. In such situations,
brake if necessary. DISTRONIC PLUS is then
deactivated.
GWarning!
The DISTRONIC PLUS works to maintain the
speed selected by the driver unless a moving
obstacle proceeding directly ahead of it in the
same travel direction is detected (e.g.
following another vehicle ahead of you at your
set distance).
This means that:
RYour vehicle can pass another vehicle after
you have changed lanes.
RWhile in a sharp turn or if the preceding
vehicle is in a sharp turn, the DISTRONIC
PLUS could lose sight of the preceding
vehicle. Your vehicle could then accelerate
to the previously selected speed.
The DISTRONIC PLUS regulates only the
distance between your vehicle and those
directly ahead of it. It may not register
stationary objects in the road, e.g.:
Ra stopped vehicle in a traffic jam
Ra disabled vehicle
Ran oncoming vehicle
The driver must always be alert, observe all
traffic and intercede as required by means of
steering or braking the vehicle.
Driving systems333Driving and parkingZ