2013 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class brake

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

Seats
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
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. G
WARNING
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.T his 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. G
WARNING
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. G
WARNING
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. Achild's
unsupervised access to a vehicle could result
in an accident and/or serious personal injury. G
WARNING
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained on the rear
seats than on the front-passenger seat. Thus,
we strongly recommend that children be
placed in the rear seat whenever possible.
Regardless of seating position, children 12
years old and under must be seated and
properly secured in an appropriately sized
child restraint system or booster seat
recommended for the size and weight of the
child. For additional information, see the
"Children in the vehicle" section.
Ac hild'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. G
WARNING
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. Seats
107Seats, steering wheel and mirrors
Z

X
Turn the light switch to 000Eor000D.
or
X If the rear fog lamp is switched on: press
the light switch in to the stop.
Low-beam headlamps X
To switch on the low-beam headlamps:
turn the SmartKey in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to 000A.
The 0012 indicator lamp on the light switch
lights up.
X To switch off the low-beam
headlamps: turn the light switch to 000E.
Daytime running lamps Daytime running lamps in Canada
The daytime running lamps function is
required by law in Canada. It cannot therefore
be deactivated.
X Turn the light switch to 000Eor000D.
With the engine running: depending on the
ambient light, the daytime running lamps or
the low-beam headlamps are switched on.
When the low-beam headlamps are
switched on, the 0012indicator lamp on
the light switch lights up.
When the engine is running and the vehicle is
stationary or if the electronic parking brake is
applied: if you move the selector lever from a
drive position to P, the daytime running
lamps/low-beam headlamps go out after
three minutes.
When the engine is running, the vehicle is
stationary and in high ambient light
brightness: if you turn the light switch
to 0012, you turn on the daytime running
lamps and parking lamps.
If the engine is running and you turn the light
switch to 000A, the manual settings take
precedence over the daytime running lamps. Daytime running lamps in the USA
In the USA, the daytime running lamps are
deactivated upon delivery from the factory.
X
To activate the daytime running
lamps: activate the daytime running lamps
function in the on-board computer
(Y page 387).
X Turn the light switch to 000Eor000D.
With the engine running: depending on the
ambient light, the daytime running lamps or
the low-beam headlamps are switched on.
When the low-beam headlamps are
switched on, the 0012indicator lamp on
the light switch lights up.
If the engine is running and you turn the light
switch to 0012or000A, the manual settings
take precedence over the daytime running
lamps.
Automatic headlamp mode X
To switch on automatic headlamp
mode: turn the light switch to 000D.
SmartKey in position 1in the ignition lock:
the parking lamps are switched on or off
automatically depending on the brightness
of the ambient light.
With the engine running: depending on the
brightness of the ambient light, the daytime
running lamps 12
or the parking lamps and
low-beam headlamps are switched on or off
automatically.
When the low-beam headlamps are
switched on, the 0012indicator lamp on
the light switch lights up. G
WARNING
If the light switch is set to 000D, the low-beam
headlamps will not come on automatically if
it is foggy. This could endanger you and
others. Therefore, turn the light switch to
000A in fog.
12 Only if daytime running lamps have been activated via the on-board computer. Exterior lighting
281Lights and windshield wipers
Z

Combination switch
Turn signals 0002
High-beam headlamps
0003 Right tur nsignal
0026 High-beam flasher
0025 Left turn signal
X To indicate briefly: press the combination
switch briefly to the pressure point in the
direction of arrow 0003or0025.
The corresponding tur nsignal flashes three
times.
X To indicate: press the combination switch
beyond the pressure point in the direction
of arrow 0003or0025.
High-beam headlamps X
To switch on th ehigh-beam headlamps:
turn the SmartKey in the ignition lock to
position 2or start the engine.
X Turn the light switch to 000A.
X Press the combination switc hbeyond the
pressure point in the direction of
arrow 0002.
The 0009 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
X To switch off the high-beam
headlamps: move the combination switch
back to its normal position.
The 0009 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. High-beam flasher X
To switch on: turn the SmartKey in the
ignition lock to position 1or 2or start the
engine.
X Pull the combination switch in the direction
of arrow 0026. Hazard warning lamps
The hazard warning lamps automatically
switch on if:
R
an air bag is deployed.
R the vehicle is slowed down rapidly from a
speed of over 45 mph (70 km/h) and
comes to a halt.
X To switch on the hazard warning lamps:
press button 0002.
All turn signals flash. If you now switch on
a turn signal using the combination switch,
only the turn signal lamp on the
corresponding side of the vehicle will flash.
X To switch off the hazard warning
lamps: press button 0002.
If the vehicle returns to a speed of over
6m ph (10 km/h) after a full application of the
brakes, the hazard warning lamps are
deactivated automatically.
i The hazard warning lamps still operate if
the ignition is switched off. Exterior lighting
283Lights and windshield wipers Z

Hold the windshield wiper arm firmly when
you change the wiper blade. If you release
the windshield wiper arm withou
tawiper
blade and it falls onto th ewindshield, the
windshield may be damaged by the force of
the impact.
Mercedes-Ben zrecommends that you have
the wiper blades replaced by aqualified
specialist workshop, e.g. at an authorized
Mercedes-Ben zCenter.
! Always position the windshield wiper
arms vertically before folding them away
from the windshield. By doing so, you will
avoid damage to the hood.
! To avoid damaging the wiper blades,
make sure that you touch only the wiper
arm of the wiper.
Changing the windshield wiper blades Moving the wiper blades to
avertical
position
Vehicles without KEYLESS-GO
X Turn the SmartKey to position 1or 2in the
ignitio nlock.
X Set the windshield wipers to
position 0014.
X When the wiper arms have reached a
vertical position, turn the SmartKey to
position 0and remove it from the ignition
lock.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO
X Switch off the engine.
X Remove your foot from the brake pedal.
X Set the windshield wipers to
position 0014.
X Press the Start/Stop button repeatedly
until the windshield wipers start.
X When the wiper arms have reached a
vertical position, press the Start/Stop
button. Removing the wiper blades
X
Fold the wiper arm away from the
windshield until it engages.
X Set the wiper blade at right angles to the
wiper arm. X
Remove the wiper blade from the retaining
pin on the wiper arm in the direction of the
arrow.
Installing the wiper blades
X Push the new wiper blade ontot he
retaining pin on the wiper arm in the
opposite direction to the arrow.
Make sure that the wiper blade slides fully
onto the retaining pin on the wiper arm.
X Turn the wiper blade parallel to the wiper
arm.
X Fold the wiper arm back onto the
windshield. Problems with the windshield wipers
The windshield wipers are obstructed Leaves or snow, for example, may be
obstructing the windshield wiper movement.
The wiper motor has been deactivated.
X
For safety reasons, you should remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
or
X Switch off the engine using the Start/Stop
button and open the driver's door.
X Remove the cause of the obstruction.
X Switch the windshield wipers back on. 290
Windshield wipersLights and windshield wipers

Useful information
i This Operator's Manual describes all
models and all standard and optional
equipment of your vehicle available at the
time of publication of the Operator's
Manual. Country-specific differences are
possible. Please note that your vehicle may
not be equipped with all features
described. This also applies to safety-
related systems and functions.
i Please read the information on qualified
specialist workshops (Y page 31).Breaking-in notes
The first 1,000miles (1,500 km)
The more you look after the engine when it is
new, the more satisfied you will be with its
performance in the future.
R You should therefore drive at varying
vehicle and engine speeds for the first
1,000miles (1,500km).
R Avoid heavy loads, e.g. driving at full
throttle, during this period.
R Change gear in good time, before the
tachometer needle is 0001of the way to the
red area of the tachometer.
R Do not manually shift to a lower gear to
brake the vehicle.
R If possible, do not depress the accelerator
pedal past the point of resistance
(kickdown).
R Only select shift ranges 3,2or 1when
driving slowly, e.g. in mountainous terrain.
R If possible, for the first 1,000miles
(1,500km), drive in drive program E(in
AMG vehicles in drive program C).
After 1,000 miles (1,500km), you can
increase the engine speed gradually and bring
the vehicle up to full speed. Additional breaking-in notes for AMG
vehicles:
R
do not drive faster than 85 mph
(140 km/h) for the first 1,000 miles
(1,500 km).
R only allow the engine to reach a maximum
engine speed of 4,50 0rpm briefly.
R change gear in good time.
i You should also observe these breaking-
in notes if the engine or parts of the drive
train on your vehicle have been replaced.
i Always observe the respective speed
limits. Driving
Important safety notes
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 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. G
WARNING
On slippery road surfaces, never downshif tin
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. G
WARNING
It is dangerous to shift the automatic
transmission out of parking position Por
neutral position Nif the engine speed is
higher than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly
on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You 306
DrivingDriving and parking

could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something .Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foo tis firmly on the brake pedal. G
WARNING
HYBRID vehicles: It is imperative that you read
the HYBRID Supplemental Operating
Instructions included in your vehicle literature
portfolio. You may otherwise not receive all
necessary safety information and warning for
the operation of your vehicle.
! Warm up the engine quickly. Do not use
the engine's full performance until it has
reached operating temperature.
Only shift the automatic transmission to
the desired drive position when the vehicle
is stationary.
Where possible, avoid spinning the drive
wheels when pulling away on slippery
roads. You could otherwise damage the
drive train.
! S63A MG: at low engine oil temperatures
below 68 ‡(+20 †), the maximum engine
speed is restricted in order to protect the
engine. To protect the engine and maintain
smooth engine operation, avoid driving at
full throttle when the engine is cold. SmartKey positions
SmartKey 0010
To remove the SmartKey
0005 Power supply for some consumers, such
as the windshield wipers
0006 Ignition (power supply for all consumers)
and drive position
0007 To star tthe engine
i The SmartKey can be turned in the
ignition lock even if it is not the correct
SmartKey for the vehicle. The ignition is not
switched on. The engine cannot be started.
KEYLESS-GO General information
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO are equipped with
aS
martKey featuring an integrated KEYLESS-
GO function and a detachable Start/Stop
button.
The Start/Stop button must be inserted into
the ignitio nlock and the SmartKey must be in
the vehicle.
Pressing the Start/Stop button several times
in succession corresponds to the different
SmartKey positions in the ignition lock. This
is only the case if you are not depressing the
brake pedal.
If you depress the brake pedal and press the
Start/Stop button, the engine starts
immediately.
The Start/Stop button can be removed from
the ignition lock. Then, you can insert the
SmartKey into the ignition lock. Driving
307Driving and parking Z