2012 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class steering

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

To stop steering wheel and seat movement,
do one of the following:
R move the seat adjustment switch.
R move the steering column adjustment
switch.
R press one of the memory function position
buttons or memory button M.
Do not leave children unattended in the
vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could open the driver's door and
unintentionally activate the EASY-ENTRY/
EXIT feature. This could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.GWARNING
Let the system complete the adjustment
procedure before setting the vehicle in
motion. All steering wheel adjustment must
be completed before setting the vehicle in
motion. Driving off with the steering wheel
still adjusting could cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle.
! Do not activate the EASY-ENTRY/EXIT
feature, if the seat backrest is reclined too
far backwards. This can damage the front
or rear seats. You must first move the
backrest to a vertical position.
Position of the steering wheel and the
driver's seat when the EASY-ENTRY/
EXIT feature is active
The steering wheel tilts upwards and the
driver's seat moves backwards if you:
R remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock
R open the driver's door when the SmartKey
is in the ignition lock or KEYLESS-GO is in
position 1
i The steering wheel only moves upwards if
it has not already reached the upper end
stop. The driver's seat only moves
backwards if it is not already in the
rearmost position.
Position of the steering wheel and the
driver's seat for driving
If you insert the SmartKey into the ignition
lock with the driver's door closed, depending
on the setting, the position of the steering
wheel and the driver's seat will be changed to
the previously set position.
The last position of the steering wheel or seat
is stored if:
R the ignition is switched off or
R the setting is stored with the memory
function.
Crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature
If the crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is
triggered in an accident, the steering column
will move upwards when the driver's door is
opened. This occurs irrespective of the
position of the SmartKey in the ignition lock.
This makes it easier to exit the vehicle and
rescue the occupants.
The crash-responsive EASY-EXIT feature is
only operational if the EASY-EXIT/ENTRY
feature is activated in the on-board computer.
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors
Adjusting the exterior mirrors
GWARNING
Exercise care when using the passenger-side
exterior rear view mirror. The mirror surface
is convex (outwardly curved surface for a
wider field of view). Objects in mirror are
closer than they appear. Check your interior
rear view mirror and glance over your
shoulder before changing lanes.
The exterior mirrors are automatically heated
if the rear window defroster is switched on
and the outside temperature is low.
Mirrors111Seats, steering wheel and mirrorsZ

XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
1 or 2 in the ignition lock.XPress button ; for the right-hand exterior
mirror or button = for the left-hand
exterior mirror.
The indicator lamp lights up in the button
that has been pressed.XPress adjustment button : up, down, to
the right or to the left until the exterior
mirror is set to a position that provides you
with a good overview of traffic conditions.
Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
electrically
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in position
1 or 2 in the ignition lock.XBriefly press button :.
Both exterior mirrors fold in or out.
i Make sure that the exterior mirrors are
always folded out fully while the vehicle is
in motion, as they may otherwise vibrate.
Folding the exterior mirrors in or out
automatically
When the "Automatic mirror folding" function
is activated in COMAND ( Y page 262):
R the exterior mirrors fold in automatically as
soon as you lock the vehicle from the
outside.
R the exterior mirrors fold out again
automatically as soon as you unlock the
vehicle and then open the driver's or front-
passenger door.
i The mirrors do not fold out if they have
been folded in manually.
Exterior mirror out of position
If an exterior mirror has been pushed out of
position, proceed as follows:
XPress the mirror-folding button
( Y page 112) repeatedly until you hear the
mirrors engage in position.
The mirror housing is engaged again and
you can adjust the exterior mirrors as usual
( Y page 111).
Automatic anti-glare mirrors
GWARNING
If incident light from headlamps is prevented
from striking the sensor in the rear-view
mirror, for instance, by luggage piled too high
in the vehicle, the mirror's automatic anti-
glare function will not operate.
Incident light could then blind you. This may
distract you from the traffic conditions and,
as a result, you may cause an accident.
The rear-view mirror and the exterior mirror
on the driver's side automatically go into anti-
glare mode if the ignition is switched on and
incident light from headlamps strikes the
sensor in the rear-view mirror.
The mirrors do not go into anti-glare mode if
reverse gear is engaged or the interior lighting
is switched on.
112MirrorsSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

Parking position for the exterior
mirror on the front-passenger side
Setting and storing the parking position
You can position the front-passenger side
exterior mirror in such a way that you can see
the rear wheel on that side as soon as you
engage reverse gear. You can store this
position.
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary and
that the SmartKey is in position 2 in the
ignition lock.XPress button = for the exterior mirror on
the front-passenger side.XEngage reverse gear.
The exterior mirror on the front-passenger
side moves to the preset parking position.XUse adjustment button ; to adjust the
exterior mirror to a position that allows you
to see the rear wheel and the curb.
The parking position is stored.
i If you shift the transmission to another
position, the exterior mirror on the front-
passenger side returns to the driving
position.
i You can also store the parking position
using memory button M : .
XMake sure that the SmartKey is in
position 2 in the ignition lock.XWith the exterior mirror on the front-
passenger side activated, use
adjustment button ; to adjust the
exterior mirror to a position whichallows you to see the rear wheel and
the curb.XPress memory button M : and one of
the arrows on adjustment button ;
within three seconds.
The parking position is stored if the
exterior mirror does not move.
If the mirror moves out of position, repeat
the steps.
Calling up a stored parking position
setting
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.XAdjust the exterior mirror on the front-
passenger side with the corresponding
button ( Y page 111).XEngage reverse gear.
The exterior mirror on the front-passenger
side moves to the stored parking position.
The exterior mirror on the front-passenger
side moves back to its original position:
R as soon as you exceed a speed of 9 mph
(15 km/h).
R about ten seconds after you have
disengaged reverse gear
R if you press button ? for the exterior
mirror on the driver's side
Memory function
Storing settings
With the memory function, you can store up
to three different settings, e.g. for three
different people.
The following settings are stored as a single
memory preset:
R seat, backrest, head restraint position and
contour of the backrest in the lumbar
region
R active multicontour seat: activated/
deactivated
Memory function113Seats, steering wheel and mirrorsZ

Rmulticontour seat: the side bolsters of the
seat cushion and the backrest as well as
the contour of the backrest in the lumbar
and shoulder regions
R driver's side: steering wheel position
R driver's side: position of the exterior
mirrors on the driver's and front-passenger
sidesGWARNING
Do not activate the memory function while
driving. Activating the memory function while
driving could cause the driver to lose control
of the vehicle.
XAdjust the seat ( Y page 104).XOn the driver's side, adjust the steering
wheel (Y page 110) and the exterior mirrors
( Y page 111).XPress memory button M and then press
storage position button 1, 2 or 3 within
three seconds until you hear an
acknowledgment tone.
The settings are stored in the selected
storage position.
Calling up a stored setting
XPress and hold the relevant storage
position button 1, 2 or 3 until the seat,
steering wheel and exterior mirrors are in
the stored position.
i If you release the storage position button,
the seat, steering wheel and mirror setting
functions stop immediately. The
multicontour seat setting or lumbar
support adjustment is still carried out.114Memory functionSeats, steering wheel and mirrors

For example, the "Navi" function can be used
from the driver's side while the "Video"
function is used on the front-passenger side.
Use the remote control to operate COMAND
from the front-passenger side with
SPLITVIEW.
Please bear the following in mind
R Your vehicle may be equipped with
SPLITVIEW, depending on its date of
production. The use of SPLITVIEW is
currently not permitted in the following
states: AL, AZ, CO, IL, LA, MA, MD, NH, PA,
VA, VT, WA, WI, and WV or in the Canadian
provinces of Manitoba, Newfoundland,
New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
It is the driver's responsibility to observe
ALL regional legally prescribed regulations.
If your vehicle is registered in a state or
province in which SPLITVIEW is not
approved, this function must be
deactivated. Please contact an authorized
specialist dealer to check whether
SPLITVIEW is approved in your state or
province.
R Volume adjustment for the cordless
headphones can be carried out on the
headphones. Before putting on the
headphones, make sure that the volume
has not been set too high.
R The remote control can be used for the
volume adjustment of corded headphones.
R You can only use media from the driver's
and front-passenger sides separately if the
media are from different sources. Example:
on the driver's side, an audio CD is being
played by the DVD changer. This means
that on the front-passenger side, the DVD
changer cannot be used to play a different
disc type, for instance a video DVD.
However, other media can be used at the
same time on the front-passenger side,
including radio, memory card, MUSIC
REGISTER, Media Interface, USB or AUX.
R If you use the same medium on both sides,
settings for this medium can be carried out
from either side.R There must be intervisibility between the
headphones and the display so that
COMAND can optimally transmit music and
speech via the infrared signal on the front-
passenger's headphones. For this reason,
please also observe that the headphones
have left and right sides, and use them
correctly.
R Only entertainment functions, i.e. audio
and video, can be used separately via
SPLITVIEW.
R The multifunction steering wheel can only
be used for functions which relate to the
driver's side.
Switching SPLITVIEW on/offXTo switch on SPLITVIEW: select
Vehicle from the main function bar by
turning cVd the COMAND controller and
press W to confirm.
The "Vehicle" menu appears.XSelect SPLITVIEW ON .
SPLITVIEW symbol : appears in the
display, and display ; switches to
SPLITVIEW OFF .XTo switch off SPLITVIEW: select
Vehicle from the main function bar by
turning cVd the COMAND controller and
press W to confirm.
The "Vehicle" menu appears.XSelect SPLITVIEW OFF .
Display ; switches to SPLITVIEW ON .
i
If COMAND has already been switched
on, you can also use the remote control to
At a glance123COMANDZ