2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class belt

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
318ParkingDriving and parking

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

example, the detected vehicle turns a corner
and reveals an obstacle or stationary vehicle,
DISTRONIC PLUS will not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS may detect vehicles that
are crossing your lane by mistake. Activating
DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights with
crossing traffic, for example, could cause
your vehicle to pull away unintentionally.
HOLD function
General notes
The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
Rwhen pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
Rwhen maneuvering on steep slopes
Rwhen waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is canceled and the HOLD
function deactivated when you depress the
accelerator pedal to pull away.
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.
Activation conditions
You can activate the HOLD function if:
Rthe vehicle is stationary.
Rthe driver's door is closed or if your seat
belt is fastened.
Rthe electric parking brake is released.
Rthe hood is closed.
Rthe transmission is in position R, N or D.
The trunk lid must be closed in position R.
RDISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
Activating the HOLD function
XMake sure that the activation conditions
are met.
XDepress the brake pedal.XQuickly depress the brake pedal further
until HOLD display : appears in the
instrument cluster.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
iIf depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
GWarning
The vehicle's brakes are applied when the
HOLD function is activated. For this reason,
deactivate the HOLD function if the vehicle is
to be set in motion by other means (e.g. in a
car wash or by towing).
Driving systems335Driving and parkingZ

recognize dangers too late which could result
in an accident and serious injury to you and/
or others.
ATTENTION ASSIST assesses your level of
fatigue or lapses in concentration by taking
the following criteria into account:
Ryour personal driving style, e.g. steering
characteristics
Rdriving conditions, e.g. time, driving time
The functionality of ATTENTION ASSIST is
restricted and warnings may be delayed or
not occur at all:
Rif the road condition is poor, e.g. if the
surface is uneven or if there are potholes
Rif there is a strong side wind
Rif you have adopted a sporty driving style
with high cornering speeds or high rates of
acceleration
Rif you are predominantly driving slower
than 50 mph (80 km/h) or faster than
112 mph (180 km/h)
Rif you are currently operating or making a
call using COMAND
Rif the time has been set incorrectly
Rin active driving situations, such as when
you change lanes or change your speed
Warning and display messages in the
multifunction display
XActivate ATTENTION ASSIST using the on-
board computer (Y page 376).
Symbol : appears in the multifunction
display.
If ATTENTION ASSIST is active, it will not warn
you until at least 20 minutes after your
journey has begun. You then hear an
intermittent warning tone twice and the
Attention Assist Time for a break?
message appears in the multifunction
display.
XIf necessary, take a break.XPress a to confirm the message.
On long journeys, take regular breaks in good
time to allow yourself to rest properly. If you
do not take a break and ATTENTION ASSIST
still detects fatigue or increasing lapses in
concentration, you will be warned again after
15 minutes at the earliest.
ATTENTION ASSIST is reset when you
continue your journey, and it starts assessing
your tiredness again if:
Ryou switch off the engine.
Ryou take off your seat belt and open the
driver's door, e.g. for a change of drivers or
to take a break.
Night View Assist Plus
Important safety notes
In addition to the illumination provided by the
normal headlamps, Night View Assist Plus
uses infrared light to illuminate the road. A
camera at the top of the windshield picks up
the infrared light and displays a black-and-
white image in the multifunction display. The
image shown in the multifunction display
corresponds to a road lit up by high-beam
headlamps. This enables you to see the road's
course and any obstacles in good time. If
pedestrian recognition is activated,
pedestrians recognized by the system are
highlighted in the Night View Assist Plus
display.
GWarning
Night View Assist Plus is only an aid designed
to assist driving. It is not a substitute for
attentive driving. Do not rely solely on the
Night View Assist Plus display. Continue to
look through the windshield. You are
responsible for safety and must drive in
348Driving systemsDriving and parking

Maintenance menu
In the Service menu you can:
R call up display messages ( Y page 380)
R check the tire pressure electronically
( Y page 487)
R call up the service due date ( Y page 452)
R check the oil level ( Y page 447)
Menu settings
Introduction
In the Settings menu, you have the following
options:
R switching the daytime running lamps on/
off
R switching Adaptive Highbeam Assist on/
off
R showing or hiding the additional
speedometer
R selecting the units for speed and distance
R switching the belt adjustment on/off
R activating/deactivating the radar sensor
system
Switching the daytime running lamps
on/off
This function is not available in Canada.
If you have activated the Day Running
Lights function and the light switch is set to
$ or c , the daytime running lamps are
switched on automatically when the engine is
running.
In the dark, the following also light up:
R the side lamps
R the tail lamps
R the license plate lamp
R the side marker lamp
If you turn the light switch to a different
position, the corresponding lights are
switched on. If you switch off the daytime
running lamps at night, make sure that the
light switch is set to L or c .
The factory setting is Enabled.XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Settings
menu.XPress the 9 or : button to select
Day Running Lights .XPress the a button to confirm.XTo activate/deactivate: press a
again.
Switching Adaptive Highbeam Assist
on/off
XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Settings
menu.XPress the : or 9 button to select
Adapt. High-beam Asst. .XPress the a button to confirm.XTo activate/deactivate: press a
again.
Switching the additional speedometer
on or off
An additional digital speedometer can be
shown in the multifunction display.
Vehicles with a kilometer speedometer: the
digital speedometer has mph units.
Vehicles with a miles speedometer: the digital
speedometer has km/h units.
XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Settings
menu.XPress 9 or : to select Add.
Speedometer .XPress the a button to confirm.XPress the a button to save the setting.
Selecting the unit of measurement for
distance
The Display Unit Speed-/Odometer
function allows you to choose whether
certain displays appear in km/h or mph.
Menus and submenus377On-board computer and displaysZ

The selected unit of measurement for
distance applies to:
R the analog speedometer
R the digital speedometer in the Trip menu
R the odometer and the trip odometer
R the trip computer
R the navigation instruction in the Navi menu
R DISTRONIC PLUS
R ASSYST PLUS service interval display
The digital speedometer shows alternative
speed units ( Y page 377).XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Settings
menu.XPress 9 or : to select Units.XPress the a button to confirm.XPress the a button to save the setting.
The unit switches km/h and mph.
Switching the belt adjustment on/off
Further information on belt adjustment:
( Y page 58).
XPress = or ; on the steering wheel
to select the Settings menu.XPress the 9 or : button to select
Belt Adjustment .XPress the a button to confirm.XTo activate/deactivate: press a
again.
Activating/deactivating the acoustic
locking confirmation
If you activate the Acoustic Lock Feedb.
function, an audible signal sounds when the
vehicle is locked or unlocked. When
unlocking, the signal sounds once. When
locking, it sounds three times.
XPress the = or ; button on the
steering wheel to select the Settings
menu.XPress 9 or : to select Acoustic
Lock Feedb. .XPress the a button to confirm.XTo activate/deactivate: press a
again.
Activating/deactivating the radar
sensor system
The following systems are switched off when
the radar sensor system is deactivated:
R DISTRONIC PLUS ( Y page 325)
R BAS PLUS ( Y page 68)
R PRE-SAFE ®
Brake ( Y page 71)
R Blind Spot Assist ( Y page 352)
R Active Blind Spot Assist ( Y page 356)
i USA only: This device has been approved
by the FCC as a “Vehicular Radar System”.
The radar sensor is intended for use in an
automotive radar system only. Removal,
tampering, or altering of the device will void
any warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
i Canada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause interference,
and
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
378Menus and submenusOn-board computer and displays

! The coolant level is too low. Avoid making long journeys with too little coolant in the cooling
system. The engine will otherwise be damaged.
The display messages and the corresponding symbol that indicate that the coolant level is
too low must not be ignored.Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions?
Coolant Low Stop
Vehicle Turn
Engine OffThe coolant is too hot.XPull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.XMake sure that the air supply to the radiator is not blocked, e.g.
by snow, slush or ice.XWait until the display message disappears before restarting the
engine. There is otherwise a risk of engine damage.XPay attention to the coolant temperature display.XIf the temperature increases again, visit a qualified specialist
workshop immediately.The poly-V-belt may have torn.XPull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.XOpen the hood.XCheck whether the poly-V-belt is torn.
If the poly-V-belt is torn:
! Do not continue driving. The engine could otherwise overheat.
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
If the poly-V-belt is OK:
XWait until the display message disappears before restarting the
engine. There is otherwise a risk of engine damage.XPay attention to the coolant temperature display.XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.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.
! If the coolant temperature exceeds 248 ‡(120 †) do not continue driving. The engine will
otherwise be damaged.
398Display messagesOn-board computer and displays

Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M Solutions?The engine fan is faulty.XAt coolant temperatures below 248 ‡ (120 †), continue driving
to the next qualified specialist workshop.XAvoid subjecting the engine to heavy loads, e.g. driving in
mountainous terrain, and stop-start driving.#The battery is not being charged.
Possible causes are:
R a faulty alternator
R a torn poly-V-belt
R a malfunction in the electronicsXPull over and stop the vehicle safely and switch off the engine,
paying attention to road and traffic conditions.XOpen the hood.XCheck whether the poly-V-belt is torn.
If the poly-V-belt is torn:
! Do not continue driving. The engine could otherwise overheat.
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.
If the poly-V-belt is OK:
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.4
Check Engine Oil at
Next RefuelingVehicles with oil dipstick: the oil level has dropped to a critical
level.XCheck the oil level ( Y page 447).XIf necessary, add the engine oil ( Y page 449).XHave the engine checked for leaks if engine oil has to be added
more often than usual.4
Check Engine Oil
Level(Add 1 quart)
(USA only)
Check Engine Oil
Level(Add 1 Liter)
(Canada only)Vehicles without an oil dipstick: the engine oil level is too low.XCheck the oil level ( Y page 447).XIf necessary, add the engine oil ( Y page 447).XHave the engine checked for leaks if engine oil has to be added
more often than usual.
Information on approved engine oils can be obtained from any qualified specialist workshop
or on the Internet at http://www.mbusa.com (USA only).
! The oil level is too low. Avoid long journeys with too little engine oil. There is a risk of
engine damage.
Display messages399On-board computer and displaysZ