2012 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class Owner's Manual

Seats
Important safety notes
GWARNING
In order to avoid possible loss of vehicle
control, all seat, head restraint, steering
wheel and rear view mirror adjustments, as
well as fastening of seat belts, must be done
before setting the vehicle in motion.
GWARNING
Do not adjust the driver's seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never travel in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide under
the seat belt in a collision. If you slide under
it, the seat belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. This could cause serious or
fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat belts
provide the best restraint when the wearer is
in a position that is as upright as possible and
seat belts are properly positioned on the
body.
GWARNING
Your seat belt must be adjusted so that you
can correctly fasten your seat belt.
Observe the following points:
R adjust the seat backrest until your arms are
slightly angled when holding the steering
wheel.
R adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely. The
position should be as far back as possible
with the driver still able to operate the
controls properly.
R adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the center
of the head restraint supports the back of
the head at eye level.
R never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being
adjusted.
Failure to do so could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.GWARNING
The electrically adjustable seats can be
operated at any time. Therefore, do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. A child's
unsupervised access to a vehicle could result
in an accident and/or serious personal injury.
GWARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in the rear
seating positions than in the front seating
position. Thus, we strongly recommend that
children be placed in the rear seats whenever
possible. Regardless of seating position,
children 12 years old and under must be
seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child. For additional
information, see "Children in the vehicle".
A child's risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and/
or the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
GWARNING
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust the head restraint so that it is as close
to the head as possible and the center of the
head restraint supports the back of the head
at eye level. This will reduce the potential for
injury to the head and neck in the event of an
accident or similar situation.
Seats103Seats, steering wheel and mirrorsZ

Do not drive the vehicle without the seat head
restraints. Head restraints are intended to
help reduce injuries during an accident.
! To avoid damage to the seats and the seat
heating, observe the following information:
R keep liquids from spilling on the seats. If
liquid is spilled on the seats, dry them as
soon as possible.
R if the seat covers are damp or wet, do not
switch on the seat heating. The seat
heating should also not be used to dry
the seats.
R clean the seat covers as recommended;
see the "Interior care" section.
R do not transport heavy loads on the
seats. Do not place sharp objects on the
seat cushions, e.g. knives, nails or tools.
The seats should only be occupied by
passengers, if possible.
R when the seat heating is in operation, do
not cover the seats with insulating
materials, e.g. blankets, coats, bags,
seat covers, child seats or booster seats.
! When you move the seats, make sure that
there are no objects in the footwell or
behind the seats. Otherwise, you could
damage the seats and the objects.
i The head restraints in the front seats are
equipped with the NECK-PRO system. For
this reason, it is not possible to remove the
head restraints from the front seats.
For design reasons, the rear-compartment
head restraints cannot be removed.
Please contact an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center for more information.Adjusting the seats:Head restraint height;Seat height=Seat cushion angle?Seat cushion lengthASeat fore-and-aft adjustmentBBackrest angle
i If PRE-SAFE ®
has been activated, the
front-passenger seat and the electrically
adjustable rear seats are moved into a
more favorable position.
i You can store the seat settings using the
memory function ( Y page 113).
i To ensure the largest possible range of
seat settings, certain seat adjustment
functions will automatically activate other
seat adjustment functions.
i Depending on the seat fore-and-aft
setting, the head restraint height is
adjusted automatically.
Adjusting the rear seat electrically
You can only adjust the outer seats in the rear
electrically.
104SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

:Seat cushion angle;Backrest angle=Folding the head restraint up or back?Head restraint angleASeat fore-and-aft adjustment
Adjusting the front-passenger seat
from the driver's seat
GWARNING
When adjusting the front passenger seat,
make sure the seat, if occupied, is as far from
the front passenger front air bag as possible.
Otherwise, the passenger could be seriously
or even fatally injured in the event of an
accident or braking maneuver.
Make sure no one is caught or injured while
the seat is being adjusted.
Even with the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO removed from the starter switch
or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO removed
from the vehicle, the power seats can be
operated. Therefore, do not leave children
unattended in the vehicle, or with access to
an unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
! Do not move the front-passenger seat
fully forwards if there are objects in the
parcel net in the front-passenger footwell.
The objects could otherwise be damaged.
You can use the seat switches on the driver's
side to adjust the front-passenger seat.
XTo activate/deactivate: press button :.
If the indicator lamp in button : is lit, you
can access the following functions for the
front-passenger seat:
R seat adjustment
R seat heating/ventilation
R memory function
Adjusting the front-passenger seat
from the rear
GWARNING
When adjusting the front passenger seat,
make sure the seat, if occupied, is as far from
the front passenger front air bag as possible.
Otherwise, the passenger could be seriously
or even fatally injured in the event of an
accident or braking maneuver.
Make sure no one is caught or injured while
the seat is being adjusted.
Even with the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO removed from the starter switch
or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO removed
from the vehicle, the power seats can be
operated. Therefore, do not leave children
unattended in the vehicle, or with access to
an unlocked vehicle. A child's unsupervised
access to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
! Do not move the front-passenger seat
fully forwards if there are objects in the
parcel net in the front-passenger footwell.
The objects could otherwise be damaged.
Seats105Seats, steering wheel and mirrorsZ

You can use the override button to disable
this function ( Y page 67).
The button is located in the rear door on the
front-passenger side.:To select the front-passenger seat or rear-
compartment seat;Seat height=Head restraint height?Backrest angleASeat fore-and-aft adjustmentXTo select the front-passenger seat:
press button :.
The front-passenger seat is selected if the
indicator lamp in the button lights up.XAdjust the front-passenger seat with
buttons ;, = , ? and A.XTo select the rear-compartment seat:
press button :.
The rear-compartment seat is selected
again.
Adjusting the head restraints
Adjusting the head restraint height
electrically
XTo adjust the head restraint height: slide
the switch for head restraint adjustment
( Y page 104) up or down in the direction of
the arrow.Adjusting the NECK-PRO head
restraints
Adjusting
XPull or push the bottom of NECK-PRO head
restraint :.
Resetting
The NECK-PRO head restraints are moved
forwards in the event of a rear collision in the
direction of travel and have to be reset
afterwards ( Y page 56).
Adjusting NECK-PRO luxury head
restraints
Adjusting
GWARNING
When folding back the side cushions, do not
hold the area between the side cushion and
the cushion holder. There is a danger of
becoming trapped.
You can adjust side bolsters : of the NECK-
PRO luxury head restraints individually.
106SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

XTo adjust the side bolsters of the head
restraint: push or pull side bolsters : into
the desired position.XTo move forwards and backwards: pull
or push the NECK-PRO luxury head
restraints in the direction of arrow ;.
Resetting
The NECK-PRO luxury head restraints are
moved forwards in the event of a rear collision
in the direction of travel and have to be reset
afterwards ( Y page 56).
Rear seat head restraints
GWARNING
For safety reasons, always drive with the rear
head restraints in the upright position when
the rear seats are occupied.
Keep the area around head restraints clear of
articles (e.g. clothing) to not obstruct the
folding operation of the head restraints.
GWARNING
Make sure the rear seat head restraints
engage when placing them upright manually.
Otherwise their protective function cannot be
ensured.
The back of the head will not be supported in
the event of a collision. That could cause
serious or even fatal injuries. Rear seat
occupants can be seriously injured or killed.
Folding back the rear seat head restraints
from the front
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
1 or 2 in the ignition lock.XPress button :.
Folding the rear seat head restraints into
position electrically (outer head
restraints)
XPress and hold button : until the head
restraints have folded into position.
i If a rear-seat passenger inserts the seat
belt into the buckle, the head restraint on
the corresponding outer seat folds up
automatically.
Folding the rear seat head restraints into
position manually
Only the center rear seat head restraint can
be folded into position manually.
XPull the head restraint up until it engages.
Adjusting the luxury head restraints in the
rear compartment
GWARNING
When folding back the side cushions, never
reach between the side cushion and the
mounting post. You could otherwise be
trapped.
Seats107Seats, steering wheel and mirrorsZ

You can adjust side bolsters : of the luxury
head restraint individually.
XTo adjust the side bolsters of the head
restraint: push or pull side bolsters : into
the desired position.XTo adjust the head restraint angle: hold
the head restraint by the upper edge and
slide it forwards or back in the direction of
arrow ;.
Adjusting the multicontour seat
You can adjust the multicontour seat using
COMAND ( Y page 270).
Adjusting the multicontour seat in the
rear compartment
You can use the buttons on the center
console to adjust the multicontour seats for
the outer seats in the rear compartment.
XTo select a rear-compartment seat: push
or pull rocker switch : or C forwards or
backwards.
The indicator lamp in the selected button
lights up briefly.XTo adjust the side bolsters of the seat
backrest: push or pull rocker switch B
forwards or backwards.XTo adjust the backrest contour: push or
pull rocker switch A forwards or
backwards.XTo adjust the position of the backrest
contour: push or pull rocker switch ?
forwards or backwards.XTo activate/deactivate the gentle
massage function: push or pull rocker
switch = forwards or backwards.XTo activate/deactivate the strong
massage function: push or pull rocker
switch ; forwards or backwards.
Adjusting the active multicontour
seat
You can adjust the active multicontour seat
using COMAND ( Y page 272).
i If PRE-SAFE ®
has been activated, the air
pressure in the air chambers (the side
bolsters of the seat cushion and backrest)
of the multicontour seat or active
multicontour seat is increased.
Adjusting the lumbar support
You can adjust the lumbar support using
COMAND ( Y page 269).
Switching the seat heating on/off
Switching on/off
The three red indicator lamps in the button
indicate the heating level you have selected.
108SeatsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

iIf the battery voltage is too low, the seat
heating may switch off.
The system automatically switches down
from level 3 to level 2 after approximately
eight minutes.
The system automatically switches down
from level 2 to level 1 after approximately ten
minutes.
The system automatically switches off
approximately 20 minutes after it is set to
level 1.
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.XTo switch on: press button : repeatedly
until the desired heating level is set.XTo switch off: press button : repeatedly
until all the indicator lamps go out.
Problems with the seat heating
The seat heating has switched itself off
prematurely. The vehicle's electrical system
voltage is too low because too many electrical
consumers are switched on.
XSwitch off electrical consumers which you
do not need, such as the rear window
defroster or interior lighting.
Switching the seat ventilation on/off
Switching on/off
The three blue indicator lamps in the buttons
indicate the ventilation level you have
selected.
i If the battery voltage is too low, the seat
ventilation may switch off.XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.XTo switch on: press button : repeatedly
until the desired ventilation level is set.
i You can open the side windows and the
sliding sunroof using the "Convenience
opening" feature ( Y page 93). The seat
ventilation of the driver's seat
automatically switches to the highest level.
XTo switch off: press button : repeatedly
until all the indicator lamps go out.
Problems with the seat ventilation
The seat ventilation has switched off
prematurely. The vehicle's electrical system
voltage is too low because too many electrical
consumers are switched on.
XSwitch off electrical consumers which you
do not need, such as the rear window
defroster or interior lighting.
Steering wheel
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driving.
Adjusting the steering wheel while driving
could cause the driver to lose control of the
vehicle.
Steering wheel109Seats, steering wheel and mirrorsZ

The electrical steering wheel adjustment
feature can be operated at any time.
Therefore, do not leave children unattended
in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. A child's unsupervised access to a
vehicle could result in an accident and/or
serious personal injury.
Adjusting the steering wheel
:To adjust the steering wheel position
(fore-and-aft adjustment);To adjust the steering wheel height
i Other topics:
R EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature
( Y page 110)
R storing settings ( Y page 113)
R operating the on-board computer
( Y page 373)
Steering wheel heating
Switching on/off
The steering-wheel heating heats the leather
areas of the steering wheel.
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
2 in the ignition lock.XTo switch on/off: turn the lever in the
direction of arrow : or ;.
Indicator lamp = lights up or goes out.
Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO: when you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock,
the steering wheel heating is deactivated.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: when you switch
off the ignition and open the driver's door, the
steering wheel heating is deactivated.
i The steering wheel heating is deactivated
when the temperature in the vehicle
interior is higher than 86 ‡ (30 †).
i The steering wheel heating is switched off
automatically after about 24 minutes.
EASY-ENTRY/EXIT system
Important safety notes
The EASY-ENTRY/EXIT feature makes getting
in and out of your vehicle easier.
You can activate and deactivate the EASY-
ENTRY/EXIT feature using COMAND
( Y page 262).
GWARNING
You must make sure no one can become
trapped or injured by the moving steering
wheel and driver's seat when the EASY-
ENTRY/EXIT feature is activated.
110Steering wheelSeats, steering wheel and mirrors