2012 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class Owner's Manual

Qualified specialist workshop
An authorized Mercedes-Benz Center is a
qualified specialist workshop. It has the
necessary specialist knowledge, tools and
qualifications to correctly carry out the work
required on your vehicle. This is especially the
case for work relevant to safety.
Observe the notes in the service booklet.
Always have the following work carried out at
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center:
R work relevant to safety
R service and maintenance work
R repair work
R alterations, installation work and
modifications
R work on electronic components
Proper use
GWARNING
There are various warning stickers affixed to
your vehicle. Their purpose is to alert you and
others to various dangers. Therefore, do not
remove any warning stickers unless the
sticker clearly states that you may do so.
If you remove any warning stickers, you or
others could fail to recognize certain dangers
and be injured.
The proper use of the vehicle requires that
you familiarize yourself with the following
information and rules:
R safety notes in this Operator's Manual
R technical data in this Operator's Manual
R traffic rules and regulations
R laws and safety standards pertaining to
motor vehicles
Problems with your vehicle
If you should experience a problem with your
vehicle, particularly one that you believe may
affect its safe operation, we urge you to
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately to have the problem diagnosed
and rectified. If the problem is not resolved to
your satisfaction, please discuss the problem
again with a Mercedes-Benz Center or
contact us at one of the following addresses.
In the USA
Customer Assistance Center
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Customer Relations Department
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9
Reporting malfunctions relevant to
safety
For the USA only:
The following text is reproduced as required
of all manufacturers according to Title 49,
Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part 575
pursuant to the National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act of 1966.
Reporting safety defects
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause
injury or death, you should immediately
inform the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) in addition to
notifying Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a
safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it
may order a recall and remedy campaign.
However, NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you, your
dealer, or Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
Introduction31Z

To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at
1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); go
to: http://www.safercar.gov ; or write to:
Administrator, NHTSA Headquarters,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, West Building,
Washington, DC 20590.
You can also obtain additional information
about vehicle safety from:
http://www.safercar.gov .
Limited Warranty
! Follow the instructions in this manual
about the proper operation of your vehicle
as well as about possible vehicle damage.
Damage to your vehicle that arises from
culpable contraventions against these
instructions are not covered either by
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty or by the
New or Used-Vehicle Warranty of
Daimler AG.
Data stored in the vehicle
Information about electronic data
acquisition in the vehicle
( Including notice pursuant to California Code
§ 9951)
Your vehicle records electronic data. If your
vehicle is equipped with mbrace 1
, data is
transmitted in the event of an accident.
This information helps, for example, to test
vehicle systems after an accident and to
continually improve vehicle safety.
Daimler AG can access this data and submit
it:
R for safety research or vehicle diagnosis
purposes
R with the consent of the vehicle owner
R on the instruction of prosecuting
authorities
R for use in arbitration of disputes that
involve Daimler AG, its affiliates or its sales
and service organizations
R as otherwise required or permitted by law.
Please observe the mbrace 1
purchase
agreement for further details on the recording
and transfer of data by this system.1 The system is called TELE AID in Canada.32Introduction

Cockpit ................................................. 34
Instrument cluster ..............................35
On-board computer and COMAND .....37
Center console .................................... 38
Overhead control panel ......................39
Door control panel .............................. 40
Rear seats ............................................ 4233At a glance

CockpitFunctionPage:Steering wheel paddle
shifters
314
;Combination switch279=Cruise control lever331?HornAInstrument cluster35BDIRECT SELECT lever310CControl panel for:Vehicle level343Suspension tuning344PARKTRONIC347Swiveling the COMAND
display
124
COMAND display
brightness
124
Instrument lighting124FunctionPageDOverhead control panel39EAutomatic climate control290FIgnition lock303Start/Stop button303GAdjusts the steering wheel109Steering wheel heating110HElectric parking brake324IOn-board diagnostics
socketJOpens the hood456KNight View Assist Plus357LLight switch27634CockpitAt a glance

Instrument cluster
Displays
FunctionPage:Coolant temperature372;Fuel gauge=PARKTRONIC347?Multifunction display374SpeedometerATransmission position312BTachometer373CDrive program314DParking Guidance350FunctionPageEUnit of measurement for
the speedometer
386
FOutside temperature373GAdditional speedometer386HHOLD function342Ä PRE-SAFE ®
Brake73IAdaptive Highbeam Assist280Lane Keeping Assist or
Active Lane Keeping Assist362, 367ATTENTION ASSIST356Instrument cluster35At a glance

Warning and indicator lampsFunctionPage:Turn signal279;Electric parking brake (red)422F (USA only)! (Canada only)=Electric parking brake
(yellow)
422
F (USA only)! (Canada only)?Seat belt420AESP®424BDistance warning428CBrakes422$
(USA only)J (Canada only)FunctionPageDESP®
OFF424ETire pressure monitor429FDiesel engine: preglow305GCheck engine427HABS423ISRS426JHigh-beam headlamps279KReserve fuel42836Instrument clusterAt a glance

On-board computer and COMANDFunctionPage:% Back or deactivates
the Voice Control System;=; Selects a menu3759: Selects a
function or scrolls through
lists
375
a Confirms selection or
fades out display messages=Multifunction display374?~382Rejects or ends a call382Exits phone book/redial
memory6Makes or accepts a callSwitches to the redial
memoryWX Adjusts the
volume or operates
RACETIMER on AMG
vehicles
380
8 MuteFunctionPageA? Switches on the Voice
Control System; see the
separate operating
instructionsBSwivels the COMAND
display
124
Adjusts the brightness of
the instrument lighting and
the COMAND display
124
CCOMAND display121DCD and DVD player/
changer
220
ECOMAND controller and
COMAND function buttons118, 119On-board computer and COMAND37At a glance

Center consoleFunctionPage:Function button for the
radio and CD/DVD/SD
card
119
;Back button119=Hazard warning lamps279?Lumbar support269Multicontour seat270AFunction button for the
telephone and navigation
system
151
BSwitches COMAND on/off133FunctionPageCAdjusts the volume134DProgrammable button120ETelephone keypad120FRear window roller sunblind439GRetracts the rear seat head
restraints
107
HSelects the drive program314ICOMAND controller11838Center consoleAt a glance