2011 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class shift

Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M Solutionsh
Check Tire PressureGRisk of accident
The tire pressure in one or more tires has dropped significantly.
XStop the vehicle without making any sudden steering or braking
maneuvers. Pay attention to the traffic conditions as you do so.XIf necessary, change a wheel ( Y page 502).XCheck the tire pressure. If necessary, correct the tire pressure
( Y page 487).h
Correct Tire
PressureThe tire pressure is insufficient in at least one of the tires or the
tire pressure difference between the wheels is too great.XCheck the tire pressures at the next opportunity. If necessary,
correct the tire pressure ( Y page 487).
Vehicle
Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsShift to P or N
to startto Start
Engine to Start
EngineYou have attempted to start the engine with the transmission in
position R or D.XShift the transmission to position P or N.Auxiliary Battery
Malfunction
(white display
message)The auxiliary battery for the automatic transmission is no longer
being charged.XVisit a qualified specialist workshop.Auxiliary Battery
Malfunction
(red display message)The auxiliary battery for the automatic transmission is discharged.
If there is a malfunction in the vehicle's electrical system, you may
not be able to change the transmission position.XPull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions. Do not continue driving
under any circumstances.XConsult a qualified specialist workshop.Apply brake to
Shift from 'P'You have attempted to move the transmission selector lever to
position D, R or N without depressing the brake pedal.XDepress the brake pedal.Door Open
Vehicle Not in ParkThe driver's door is open and the transmission is in position R, N
or D.XShift the transmission to position P.XEngage the parking brake.Display messages409On-board computer and displaysZ

Display messagesPossible causes/consequences and M SolutionsService Required
Do Not Shift GearsYou cannot change the transmission position due to a malfunction.
A warning tone also sounds.
If transmission position D is selected:XDrive to a qualified specialist workshop without shifting the
transmission from position D.
If transmission position R, N or P is selected:
XConsult a qualified specialist workshop or breakdown service.Only Shift to 'P'
when Vehicle is
StationaryThe vehicle is moving.XPull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.XShift the transmission to position P.NThe trunk lid is open.XClose the trunk lid.MGRisk of accident
The hood is open.
XPull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.XEngage the parking brake.XClose the hood.CAt least one door is open.XClose all doors.D
Power Steering
Malfunction See
Oper. ManualGRisk of accident
The power steering assistance is faulty. You will need to use more
force to steer.
XCheck whether you are able to apply the extra force required.XIf you are able to steer safely: carefully drive on to a qualified
specialist workshop.XIf you are unable to steer safely: do not drive on. Contact the
nearest qualified specialist workshop.¥
Top up washer fluidThe washer fluid level in the washer fluid reservoir has dropped
below the minimum.XAdd washer fluid ( Y page 450).410Display messagesOn-board computer and displays

Rsolvents
R cleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces or protective
films with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice
scraper. You could otherwise scratch or
damage the surfaces and protective film.HEnvironmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible
manner.
! Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period right after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after
cleaning. Braking heats the brake discs and
brake pads, thus drying them. The vehicle
can then be parked up.
Exterior care
Automatic car wash
GWarning
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. This could cause an accident. For
this reason, you must drive particularly
carefully after washing the vehicle until the
brakes have dried.
GWarning
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Therefore,
deactivate the HOLD function and DISTRONIC
PLUS before the vehicle is washed in an
automatic car wash.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
! Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can
damage the paintwork or plastic parts.
If the vehicle is very dirty, pre-wash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
! In car washes with a towing mechanism,
make sure that AUTOTRONIC is in
transmission position N, otherwise the
vehicle could be damaged.
R Vehicles with a SmartKey:
Do not remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock. Do not open the driver's
door or front-passenger door when the
engine is switched off. Otherwise,
AUTOTRONIC selects park position P
automatically and locks the wheels. You
can prevent this by shifting AUTOTRONIC
to N beforehand.
R Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO:
Do not open the driver's door or front-
passenger door when the engine is
switched off. Otherwise, AUTOTRONIC
selects park position P automatically and
locks the wheels.
Observe the following to make sure that the
automatic transmission stays in position N:XMake sure the vehicle is stationary and the
ignition is switched off.XTurn the key to position 2 (Y page 299) in
the ignition lock.
Use the key instead of the Start/Stop
button on vehicles with KEYLESS-GO.XDepress and hold the brake pedal.XShift the automatic transmission to
position N.XRelease the brake pedal.XRelease the parking brake.XSwitch off the ignition and leave the key in
the ignition lock.
! Make sure that the side windows are
completely closed, that the ventilation/
heating is switched off and that the
windshield wiper switch is set to 0.
Otherwise, the rain/light sensor could be
activated, triggering unintended wiper
Care453Maintenance and careZ

XMake sure that the two vehicles do not touch.XSecure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.XShift the transmission to position P.XSwitch off all electrical consumers (e.g. radio, blower, etc.).XOpen the hood (Y page 446).
Position number A identifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-
starting device.
! Never swap the terminal connections.
XRemove the cover from positive terminal :.XConnect positive terminal : on your vehicle to positive terminal ; of donor battery A
using the jumper cable, beginning with your own battery.
XStart the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.XConnect negative terminal = of donor battery A to earth point ? of your vehicle using
the jumper cable, connecting the jumper cable to donor battery A first.
XStart the engine.XFirst, remove the jumper cable from earth point ? and negative terminal =, then from
positive terminal : and positive terminal ;, each time disconnecting from the battery on
your own vehicle first.
XHave the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center.
472Jump-startingRoadside assistance

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

Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
XRemove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (Y page 462).
GWarning
The exhaust tail pipe may be hot. You could
burn yourself if you touch the tail pipe. Be
particularly careful when removing the rear
cover.
The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, under the covers.
XPress the mark on cover : inwards, in the
direction of the arrow.
XTake cover : off the opening.XScrew the towing eye in clockwise to the
stop and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye
XLoosen the towing eye and unscrew it.XAttach cover : to the bumper and press
until it engages.
XPlace the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit.Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
Only possible for vehicles without
4MATIC.
When having your vehicle towed with the rear
axle raised, observe the important safety
notes (Y page 473).
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP® could
otherwise damage the brake system.
XSwitch on the hazard warning flashers
(Y page 276).
XTurn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove the SmartKey.
XWhen leaving the vehicle, take the
SmartKey or the KEYLESS-GO key with you.
Towing vehicles with both axles on
the ground
When having your vehicle towed, observe the
important safety notes (Y page 473).
GWarning
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. Adapt your driving accordingly.
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position P when you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock. In order
to ensure that the automatic transmission
stays in position N when towing, do the
following:
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary and
that the SmartKey is in position 0 in the
ignition lock.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
474Towing and tow-startingRoadside assistance

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