2013 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class park assist

the brake syste
mchecked at a qualified
specialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps (Y page 428) as well as
display messages (Y page 395).
EBD monitors and controls the brake
pressure on the rear wheels to improve
driving stability while braking. ADAPTIVE BRAKE
ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety
and offers increased braking comfort. In
addition to the braking function, ADAPTIVE
BRAKE also has the HOLD function
(Y page 346) and hill start assist
(Y page 310). PRE-SAFE
®
Brake
i Observe the "Important safety notes"
section (Y page 73).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is only available in vehicles
with DISTRONIC PLUS.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize
the risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead or
reduce the effects of such a collision. If PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake has detected a risk of collision,
you will be warned visually and acoustically
as well as by automatic braking. PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot prevent a collision without your
intervention.
Above a speed of around 4mph (7 km/h), this
function warns you if you are very quickly
approaching a vehicle in front. An
intermitten twarning tone will then sound and
the 000D distance warning lamp will light up
in the instrument cluster.
X Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
X Take evasive action provide ditis safe to do
so. If the driver and front passenger have their
seat belt fastened, PRE-SAFE
®
Brake can also
brake the vehicle automatically at speeds
from approximately 4 mph (7 km/h) to
approximately 124 mph (200 km/h).
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving conditions may cause
unnecessary warnings or the unnecessary
intervention of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake.
You can prevent the intervention of the PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake at any time by:
R depressing the accelerator pedal further
R activating kickdown
R releasing the brake pedal.
The braking action of PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is
ended automatically if:
R you maneuver to avoid the obstacle.
R there is no longer any danger of a rear-end
collision.
R there is no longer an obstacle detected in
front of your vehicle.
With the help of the radar sensor system,
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect obstacles that
are in front of your vehicle for an extended
period of time.
At speeds of up to 40 mph (70 km/h), PRE-
SAFE ®
Brake can also detect stationary
obstacles, for example, stopped or parked
vehicles.
If you approach an obstacle and PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects a risk of collision, the system
will initially alert you both visually and
acoustically.Ify ou do not brake or take
evasive action, the system will warn you by
automatically braking the vehicle gently. If
there is an increased risk of collision,
preventive passenger protection measures
(PRE-SAFE ®
) are activated (Y page 59). If, at
speeds over 20 mph (30 km/h), a risk of
collision remains and you do not brake, take
evasive action or significantly accelerate,
automatic braking may be performed up to
the level of emergency braking. Automatic
emergency braking is not performed until Driving safety systems
77Safety Z

immediately prior to an accident that can no
longer be avoided.
G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake will initially brak eyour
vehicle by a partial application of the brakes
if a danger of collision is detected. There may
be a collision unless you also brake.
Automatic emergenc ybraking cannot prevent
a collision. There is a risk of an accident.
Always apply the brakes yourself and try to
take evasive action. G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic
conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may:
R give an unnecessary warning and then
brake the vehicle
R not give a warning or intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake, especially if
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake warns you. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if there is:
R dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R snow or heavy rain
R interference by other rada rsources
R the possibility of strong radar reflections,
for example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
relative to the center of your vehicle G
WARNING
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles R
to crossing traffic
R when cornering
As a result, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake may neither
give warnings nor intervene in all critical
situations. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic
situation and be ready to brake.
In order to maintain the appropriate distance
to the vehicle in front and thus prevent a
collision, you must apply the brakes yourself.
X To activate/deactivate: activate or
deactivate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-
board computer (Y page 386).
After activation, the 0001symbol is
displayed on the left in the instrument
cluster.
For PRE-SAFE ®
Brake to assist you when
driving, the radar sensor system must be
switched on (Y page 389) and be
operational.
Following damage to the front end of the
vehicle, have the configuration and operation
of the radar sensors checked at a qualified
specialist workshop. This also applies to
collisions at low speeds where there is no
visible damage to the front of the vehicle.
i USA only: This device has been approved
by the FCC as a "Vehicular RadarS ystem".
The rada rsensor is intended for use in an
automotive radar system only. Removing,
altering or tampering with the device will
void any warranties, and is not permitted
by the FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or
use the device 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 78
Driving safet
ysystemsSafety

the parking lock released. If you do not
depress the brake pedal, yo
ucan move the
DIRECT SELECT lever but the parking lock
remains engaged.
X Depress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Carefully depress the accelerato rpedal.
The electric parking brake (Y page 328) is
automatically released.
The red 0005(USA only) or 000A(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
i The vehicle locks centrally once you have
pulled away. The locking knobs in the doors
drop down.
You can open the doors from the inside at
any time.
You can also deactivate the automatic
locking feature (Y page 269).
i Upshifts take place at higher engine
speeds after a cold start .This helps the
catalytic converter to reach its operating
temperature more quickly.
Hill starta ssist Hill start assist helps you when pulling away
forwards or in reverse on an uphill gradient.
It holds the vehicle for a short time after you
have removed your foot from the brake pedal.
This gives you enough time to move your foot
from the brake pedal to the accelerator pedal
and to depress it before the vehicle begins to
roll. G
WARNING
Never leave the vehicle when it is held by hill
start assist. After approximately one second,
hill start assist will no longer brake your
vehicle and it could roll away. X
Take your foot off the brake pedal.
i Once you have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist will not function if:
R you are pulling away on a level road or on
a downhill gradient.
R the transmission is in position N.
R the electric parking brake is applied.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. ECO start/stop function
General notes i
Hybrid vehicles: the ECO start/stop
function cannot be deactivated.
The ECO start/stop function is only available
for the S 63 AMG.
The ECO start/stop function is only available
in drive program C.
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving.
The engine starts automatically when the
driver wants to pull away again. The ECO
start/stop function thereby helps you to
reduce the fuel consumption and emissions
of your vehicle.
The ECO start/stop function is activated each
time the engine is switched on. If all
conditions for automatic engine switch-off
are fulfilled (Y page 311), the green 0010
symbol is shown in the multifunction display
and the Stop/Start active message
appears. If not all the conditions are fulfilled,
the 0010 symbol is shown in yellow and the
Stop/Start inactive message is shown.
If the ECO start/stop function is deactivated
(Y page 311), the 0010symbol is not shown. 310
DrivingDriving and parking

DEF (BlueTEC vehicles only)
Important notes on use To function properly, BlueTEC exhaus
tgas
aftertreatment must be operated with the
reducing agen tDEF. Adding DEF is one of the
tasks performed during maintenance. Under
normal operating conditions, a tank of DEF
lasts until the next service due date.
When the DEF level is too low, the CheckAdditive See Operator's Manual
message is shown in the multifunction
display.
When the DEF supply sinks to a minimum
level, the Remaining Starts: 16 message
is shown in the multifunctio ndisplay.
When the Remaining Starts: 16 message
is shown in the multifunction display, you can
start the engine 16 more times. If DEF is not
added, it will the nnot be possible to restart
the engine. Fill the DEFt ank with about1gal
(3.8l) of DEF or have the DEF tank refilled at
a qualified specialist workshop.
Use the special DE Frefill bottle when filling
between maintenance intervals. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-BenzC enter with any
questions or, if necessary, contact Roadside
Assistance (Y page 29).
If the outside temperature is lower than 12 ‡
(002711 †), damage may occur when adding
DEF. If DEF is frozen and there is an active
warning indicator, adding may not be
possible. Park the vehicle in a warmer place,
e.g. in a garage, until DEFh as become fluid
again .Itwill the nbe possible to add DEF
again. Alternatively, have the DEFt ank refilled
at a qualified specialist workshop.
Further informatio nabout BlueTEC exhaust
gas aftertreatment and DEFi s available at any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Adding DEF G
WARNING
Make sure
R DEF does not come into contact with skin,
eyes, or clothing
R to keep DEF out of the reach of children
If you and/or others have come into contact
with DEF:
R If DEF has gotten into contact with eyes,
flush with plenty of water immediately and
seek medical help.
R Cleana ffected skin immediately with plenty
of water.
R If DEF was swallowed, rinse mouth
immediately with plenty of water and drink
plenty of water. Consult a physician. G
WARNING
If you open the DEF tank cap, small amounts
of ammonia vapo rmay be released. This
depends in particular upon the age of the DEF.
Ammonia vapors have a pungent odor and are
particularly irritating to:
R skin
R mucous membranes
R eyes
You may experience a burning sensation in
your eyes, nose and throat, as well as
coughing and watering of the eyes.
Do not inhale any ammonia vapors that may
be released. Fill the DE Ftank only in well-
ventilated areas.
! Only use DEF in accordance with
ISO 22241. Do not mix any additives with
DEF, and do no tdilute DE Fwith water .This
may destroy the BlueTEC exhaust gas
aftertreatment system.
! Rinse surfaces that have come into
contact with DEF immediately with water or
remove DEF using a damp cloth and cold
water. If the DEF has already crystallized,
use a sponge and cold water to clean it. DEF Refueling
325Driving and parking Z

X
Turn DEFr efill bottle 0026counter-clockwise
and remove it.
X Place DEFf iller cap0003on the filler nec kand
turn it clockwise. X
Insert DEF cap 0002as shown and tur nit
clockwise as far as it will go.
X Place the "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel in the emergency spare wheel well
above the DEF tank.
X Inser tthe "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel fastening and tighten clockwise.
X Fold the trunk floor down.
X Close the trunk lid.
X Drive faster than 10 mph (16 km/h).
The Check Additive See Operator's Manual message goes out after
approximately one minute.
i If the Check Additive See Operator's Manual message remains
shown in the multifunction display, add an
additional bottle of DEF.
Further information on DEF (Y page 533).Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Do not park this vehicle in areas where
combustible materials can come into contact
with the hot exhaust system. Combustible
materials, such as grass, hay or leaves could
be ignited by the hot exhaust system and cause a vehicle fire. Do not park the vehicle
on dry grassland or harvested grain fields.
Unintended vehicle movement can cause
serious personal injury or damage to the
vehicle or the vehicle drivetrain. To reduce
such risks, always do the following before
turning off the engine and leaving the vehicle:
R
keep your right foot on the brake pedal.
R engage the electric parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission into park
position P.
R slowly release the brake pedal.
R when parked on an incline, always turn the
front wheels towards the road curb.
R turn the SmartKey in the ignition lock to
position 0and remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock, or press the KEYLESS-GO
Start/Stop button.
R take the SmartKey with you and lock the
vehicle when leaving. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Do not turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. 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. G
WARNING
Keep in mind that turning off the engine alone
only will shift the automatic transmission into
neutral position Nautomatically.
Always shift the automatic transmission into
park position Pbefore turning off the engine.
Otherwise the vehicle could roll away which
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury. Parking
327Driving and parking Z

If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
six weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as
a resultofl
ack of use.
X Visi taqualified specialist workshop and
seek advice. Driving tips
General driving tips
Important safety notes G
WARNING
Always remembe rthat you must concentrate
primarily on driving the vehicle. The driver's
concentration must always be directed
primarily at road traffic. For your own safety
and that of others, we recommend that you
stop the vehicle at a safe place and in
accordance with the traffic conditions before
making or accepting a phone call.
Comply with all legal requirements if you use
the telephone while driving. Use the hands-
free system and only use the telephone when
road, weather and traffic conditions permit. In
some jurisdictions, it is forbidden for drivers
to use mobile phones while driving.
Only operate COMAND (Cockpit Management
and Data System) in compliance with all legal
requirements and when the road, weather and
traffic conditions permit. You may otherwise
not be able to observe the traffic conditions,
endangering yourself and others.
Remember that your vehicle covers a distance
of 44 ft (approximately 14 m)a second when
it is traveling at only 30 mph (approximately
50 km/h).
Drive sensibly –save fuel Observe the following tips to save fuel:
X
The tires should always be inflated to the
recommended tire pressure.
X Remove unnecessary loads.
X Remove roof racks whe nthey are not
needed. X
Warm up the engine at low engine speeds.
X Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
X Have all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or by the service
interval display.
Fuel consumption also increases when
driving in cold weather, in stop-and-go traffic
and in mountainous terrain.
Drinking and driving G
WARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and
driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and
judgment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal
accident are greatly increased when you drink
or take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
Pedals G
WARNING
Make sure absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedals' range of movement.
Keep the driver's footwell clear of all
obstacles. If there are any floormats or
carpets in the footwell, make sure that the
pedals still have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers,
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.
Rolling with the engine switched off G
WARNING
There is no power assistance for the steering
and the brake when the engine is not running. 330
Driving tipsDriving and parking

If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the
functionality of yourb rakes at regular
intervals. To do so, press firmly on the brake
pedal when driving at a high speed. This
improves the grip of the brake pads. G
WARNING
Make sure that you do not endange rother
road users when you apply the brakes.
You can find a description of Brake Assist
(BAS) on ( Ypage 74) or of BAS PLUS on
(Y page 74).
High-performance brake system for
AM Gvehicles The high-performance brake system is
installed only on the S63AMG and S65AMG. G
WARNING
New vehicle brake pads and discs, and
replacement brake pads and discs may take
several hundred miles of driving until they
provide optimum braking efficiency. Until that
time, you may need to use increased brake
pedal pressure while braking. Please be aware
of this and adjust your driving and braking
accordingly during this break-in period.
Excessive high-demand braking will cause
correspondingly high brake wear. Please be
attentive to the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster and brake condition
messages in the multifunction display.
Especially for high performance driving, it is
important to maintain and have the brake
system checked regularly.
The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. This may lead to
noise when braking. This will depend on:
R speed
R braking force
R environmental conditions, such as
temperature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake discs, depends on the individual
driving style and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a
mileage that will be valid under all
circumstances. An aggressive driving style
will lead to high wear. You can obtain further
information about this from your authorized
Mercedes-Ben
zCenter. Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
R
you drive at low speeds.
R the tires have adequate tread depth.
For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or
in conditions in which hydroplaning can
occur, you must drive in the following
manner:
R lower your speed.
R avoid ruts.
R brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads !
Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving
through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic
components in the engin eorthe automatic
transmission. Water can also be drawn in
by the engine's air suction nozzles and this
can cause engine damage. Winter driving
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the vehicle becomes trapped in snow,
ensure that snow is kept away from the Driving tips
333Driving and parking
Z

exhaust pipe and from around the vehicle as
long as the engine is running. Otherwise,
poisonous carbon monoxide (CO) may enter
the vehicle, resulting in loss of consciousness
and even death.
To assure sufficien
tfresh air ventilation, open
a window slightly on the side of the vehicle
not facing the wind.
Have yourv ehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 500).
Driving with summer tires Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 500).
Slippery road surfaces G
WARNING
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the
freezing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges. G
WARNING
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift in
order to obtain braking action .This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehicle
control. Your vehicle's ABS will not prevent
this type of loss of control.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road
surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering
and braking maneuvers. Do not use the cruise
control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the transmission to position N.
i For more information on driving with
snow chains, see (Y page 501). G
WARNING
Make sure that you do not endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes. Driving systems
Cruise control
Important safety notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select shift range
1, 2or 3in good time. By doing so, you will
make use of the braking effect of the engine,
which relieves the load on the brake system
and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic
conditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can
store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h). G
WARNING
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always
remain responsible for the vehicle's speed
and for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise control if the road, traffic,
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a constant speed.
R The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on winding roads or in heavy
traffic because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a constant speed.
R The use of the cruise control can be
dangerous on slippery roads. Rapid
changes in tire traction can result in wheel
spin and loss of control.
R Deactivate the cruise control when driving
in fog. 334
Driving systemsDriving and parking