2013 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class service

consumption may be higher than this when
the vehicle is new or if you frequently drive at
high engine speeds.
On vehicles with a 12-cylinder engine, the oil
level can be checked using the on-board
computer. On all othe rmodels, the oil
dipstick must be used to check the engine oil
level.
Depending on the engine, the oil dipstick may
be in a different location.
When checking the oil level:
R park the vehicle on a level surface.
R the engine should be switched off for
approximately five minutes if the engine is
at normal operating temperature.
R if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature, e.g. if the engine was only
started briefly: wait about 30 minutes
before carrying out the measurement. Checking the oil level using the oil
dipstick Example: vehicles with a gasoline engine
Example: vehicles with 4MATIC
X
Pull oil dipstick 0002out of the dipstick guide
tube.
X Wipe off oil dipstick 0002.
X Slowly slide oil dipstick 0002into the guide
tube to the stop, and take it out again.
If the level is between MIN mark 0026and
MAX mark 0003, the oil level is correct.
X If the oil level has dropped to MIN mark
0026 or below, add 1.1 US qt (1.0 liter) of
engine oil.
Checking the oil level using the on-
board computer Measurement
X
Make sure that the SmartKey is in position
2in the ignition lock.
X Press the 000Cor0009 button to select the
Service menu.464
Engine compartmentMaintenance and care

H
Environmental note
When adding oil, take care not to spill any. If
oil enters the soil or waterways, it is harmful
to the environment.
! Only use engine oils and oil filters that
have been approved for vehicles with a
service system. You can obtain a list of the
engine oils and oil filters tested and
approved in accordance with the
Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service
Products at any Mercedes-Benz Service
center.
Damage to the engine or exhaust system is
caused by the following:
R using engine oils and oil filters that have
not been specifically approved for the
service system
R replacing engine oil and oil filters after
the interval for replacemen tspecified by
the service system has been exceeded
R using engine oil additives.
! Do not add too much oil. adding too much
engine oil can result in damage to the
engine or to the catalytic converter. Have
excess engine oil siphoned off. Example: engine oil cap
X
Turn cap 0002counter-clockwise and remove
it.
X Add engine oil.
Vehicles with oil level measurement
function in the on-board computer: observe
the information in the on-board computer
when doing so. Vehicles with an oil
dipstick: if the oil level is at or below the MIN mark on the dipstick, add 1.1 US qt
(1.0 liters) of engine oil.
X Replace cap 0002on the filler neck and turn
clockwise.
Ensure that the cap locks into place
securely.
X Check the oil level again with the oil
dipstic k(Ypage 464) or the on-board
computer (Y page 464).
Further information on engine oil
(Y page 534). Checking and adding other service
products
Checking the coolant level G
WARNING
In order to avoid any potentially serious burns:
R use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system, or
if the coolant temperature display indicates
that the coolant is overheated.
R do not remove the pressure cap on the
coolant reservoir if the coolant temperature
is above 158 ‡(70 †). Allow the engine to
cool dow nbefore removing the cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and is
under pressure.
R using a rag, slowly turn the cap
approximately 1
/ 2 turn to relieve excess
pressure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out under
pressure.
R do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. Engine compartment
467Maintenance and care Z

Only check the brake fluid level when the
vehicle is stationary and on a level surface. If the brake fluid level is between MIN
marking 0003and MAX marking 0002on the brake
fluid reservoir, it is correct. Maintenance
Service interval display
Displaying service messages X
Switch on the ignition.
X Press 0009or000C on the steering wheel
to select the Service menu.
X Press 000Aor000B to select the ASSYST PLUS submenu and press
0011to confirm.
The service due date appears in the
multifunction display.
Hiding aservice message X
Press the 0001or0011 button on the
steering wheel.
Service messages Information on the type of service and service
intervals (see separate Maintenance
Booklet).
You can obtain further information from an
authorized Mercedes-Ben zCenter or at
http://www.mbusa.com (USA only).
The service interval message informs you of
the nexts ervice due date. The multifunction display shows a service
message for several seconds, e.g.:
Next service A Due in .. Days Service A Due
Service A Exceeded By .. Days
The letter indicates how much time the
workshop will require to carry out the service
work. The letters displayed range from
A for
a short service duration to H for a long service
duration.
The service interval display does not take into
accoun tany periods of time during which the
battery is disconnected.
Maintaining the time-dependent service
schedule:
X Note down the service due date displayed
in the multifunctio ndisplay before
disconnecting the battery.
or
X Subtract the battery disconnection periods
fro mt he service date shown on the display
after reconnecting the battery.
i The service interval display does not
provide any information regarding the
engine's oil level. Observe the notes on the
engine oil level (Y page 463).
Information about Service Resetting the service interval display
Aq
ualified specialist workshop, e.g. an
authorized Mercedes-Ben zCenter, will reset
the service interval display after the
necessary service work has been carried out.
Further information, on maintenance for
example, can be obtained at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or directly from
Mercedes-Benz.
! If the service interval display has been
reset unintentionally, have the setting
corrected at a Mercedes-Benz Center.
Have service work carried out as described
in the Maintenance Booklet. This may
otherwise lead to increased wear and Maintenance
469Maintenance and care Z

damage to the major assemblies or the
vehicle.
Driving abroad
An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network
is also available in other countries. You can
obtain further information from any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Care
Notes on care
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents
recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz. G
WARNING
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the
particular container .Always open your
vehicle's doors or windows when cleaning the
inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not
designed for cleaning your vehicle.
Always lock away cleaning products and keep
them out of reach of children.
! For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any
of the following:
R dry, rough or hard cloths
R abrasive cleaning agents
R solvents
R cleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces or protective
films with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice
scraper. You could otherwise scratch or
damage the surfaces and protective film. H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible
manner.
! Do not park the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosio nofthe brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after
cleaning. Braking heats the brake discs and
the brake pads/linings, thus drying them.
The vehicle can then be parked. Exterior care
Automatic car wash G
WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. This could cause an accident. For
this reason, you must drive particularly
carefully after washing the vehicle until the
brakes have dried.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
! Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless
Automatic Car Wash as these use special
cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can
damage the paintwork or plastic parts.
If the vehicle is very dirty, pre-wash it before
cleaning it in an automatic car wash.
! In car washes with a towing mechanism,
make sure that the automatic transmission
is in transmission position N, otherwise the
vehicle could be damaged.
R Vehicles with a SmartKey:
Do not remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock. Do not open the driver's
door or front-passenger door when the
engine is switched off. Otherwise, the
automatic transmission selects park 470
CareMaintenance and care

Risk of explosion
Fire, open flames and
smoking are prohibited
when handling the battery.
Avoid creating sparks. Battery acid is caustic.
Avoid contact with the skin,
eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective
clothing, in particular
gloves, an apro
nand a face
mask.
Immediately rinse acid
splashes off with clean
water. Consult a doctor if
necessary. Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Operator's
Manual.
G
WARNING
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in severe injury or death.
Never lean ove rbatteries while connecting.
You migh tget injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
Ab attery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking etc. G
WARNING
Do no tplace any metal objects on the battery
as this could result in a shor tcircuit.
Use leak-proof batteries only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Take care that you do not become statically
charged, e.g. by wearin gsynthetic clothing or
rubbing against textiles .For this reason, you
also should not pull or push the battery over
carpets or other synthetic materials.
Never touch the battery first. First, touch the
outside body of the vehicle in order to release
any possible electrostatic charges.
Do not rub the battery with rags or cloths. The
battery could explode if touched due to
electrostatic charge or due to spark
formation. H
Environmental note Batteries contain dangerous
substances. It is against the
law to dispose of them with
the household rubbish. They
must be collected separately
and recycled to protect the
environment.
Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally friendly
manner
.Take discharged
batteries to a qualified
specialist workshop or a
special collectio npoint for
used batteries.
! Have the battery checked regularly at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Observe the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or contact a qualified
specialist workshop for more information.
! You should have all work involving the
battery carried out at aqualified specialist
workshop. In the exceptional case that it is
necessary for you to disconnect the battery
yourself, make sure that: Battery
485Breakdown assistance Z

R
you switch of fthe engine and remove the
SmartKey. On vehicles with KEYLESS-
GO, ensure that the ignition is switched
off. Check that all the indicator lamps in
the instrumentc luster are off.Otherwise,
electroni ccomponents, such as the
alternator, may be damaged.
R you first remove the negative terminal
clamp and then the positive terminal
clamp. Never swap the terminal clamps.
Otherwise, the vehicle's electronic
system may be damaged.
R the transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. The
vehicle is secured against rolling away.
You can then no longer move the vehicle.
The battery and the cover of the positive
terminal clamp must be installed securely
during operation.
In order for the battery to achieve the
maximum possible service life, it must always
be sufficiently charged.
Like other batteries, the vehicle battery may
discharge over time if you do not use the
vehicle. In this case, have the battery
disconnected at a qualified specialist
workshop. You can also charge the battery
with a charger recommended by Mercedes-
Benz.C ontact a qualified specialist workshop
for further information.
Have the battery charge level checked more
frequently if you use the vehicle mainly for
short trips or if you leave it standing idle for
a lengthy period. Consult a qualified specialist
workshop if you wish to leave your vehicle
parked for a long period of time.
i Remove the SmartKey if you park the
vehicle and do not require any electrical
consumers. The vehicle will then use very
little energy, thus conserving battery
power. Charging the battery
G
WARNING
Never charge a battery still installed in the
vehicle unless a battery charger unit approved
by Mercedes-Benz is being used. Gases may
escape during charging and cause explosions
that may result in paint damage, corrosion or
personal injury.
Ab attery charge runit specially adapted for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz is available as an
accessory. It permits the charging of the
battery in its installed position. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for further
informatio nand availability.
Charge the battery in accordance with the
separate instructions for the battery charger. G
WARNING
There is a ris kofacid burns during the
charging process due to the gases which
escape from the battery .Do not lean over the
battery during the charging process. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. Avoid contact with the
skin, eyes or clothing.
! Only charge the installed battery with a
battery charger which has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. These battery
chargers allow the battery to be charged
while still installed in the vehicle.
! Only use battery chargers with a
maximum charging voltage of 14.8 V.
! Only charge the battery using the jump-
starting connection point.
The jump-starting connection point is in the
engine compartment (Y page 488).
X Open the hood (Y page 462).
X Connect the battery charger to the positive
terminal and ground point in the same
order as when connecting the donor 486
BatteryBreakdown assistance

R
Do not drive with tires which have too little
tread depth, as this significantly reduces
the tractio nonwet roads (hydroplaning).
R Replace the tires after six years at the
latest, regardless of wear. This also applies
to the spare wheel/emergency spare
wheel.
The service life of tires depends on the
following factors amongst other things:
R driving style
R tire pressure
R distance covered MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties)
MOExtended tires (tires with run-flat
properties) allow you to continue driving your
vehicle even if one or more tires are entirely
deflated.
MOExtended tires may be used only in
conjunction with the activated tire pressure
loss warning system or the activated tire
pressure monitoring system and only on
wheels specifically tested by Mercedes-Benz.
Notes on driving with MOExtended tires in the
event of a flat tire can be found in the
"Breakdown assistance" section
(Y page 483). Winter operation
Points to note
Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Observe the notes in the "Changing a wheel"
section (Y page 521). Driving with summer tires
At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), the
elasticity of summer tires and therefore also
the traction and brakin gcapability are
reduced considerably. Moun tM+S tires on you
rvehicle. Using summer tires at very cold
temperatures could cause cracks to form,
thereby damaging the tires permanently.
Mercedes-Benzc annot accept responsibility
for this type of damage. M+S tires
At temperatures below 45 ‡ (+7 †), use
winter tires or all-season tires. Both types of
tire are identified by th eM+S marking.
Only winter tires bearing the 0001snowflake
symbol in addition to the M+S marking
provide the best possible grip in wintry road
conditions. Only these tires will allow driving
safety systems such as ABS and ESP ®
to
function optimally in winter. These tires have
bee ndeveloped specifically for driving in
snow.
Use M+S tires of the same make and tread on
all wheels to maintain safe handling
characteristics. G
WARNING
M+S tires with a tire tread depth of less than
000A in (4 mm) are not suitable for use in winter
and do not provide sufficient traction. There
is a risk of an accident.
M+S tires with a tread depth of less than 000A
in (4 mm) must be replaced immediately.
Always observe the maximum permissible
speed specified for the M+S tires you have
mounted.
When you have mounted M+S tires:
X Check the tire pressures (Y page 505).
X Restart the tire pressure monitor
(Y page 505).
After mounting a spare wheel or an
emergency spare wheel, do not drive faster
than 50 mph (80 km/h). G
WARNING
The wheel or tire size as well as the tire type
of the spare wheel or emergency spare wheel
and the wheel to be replaced may differ. 500
Winter operationWheels and tires

2. this device must accep
tany interference
received, including interference tha tmay
cause undesired operatio nofthe device.
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.O peration is subjectto
the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
2. this device must accep tany interference
received, including interference tha tmay
cause undesired operatio nofthe device.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
Checking tire pressure electronically X
Make sure that the SmartKey is in
position 2(Ypage 307) in the ignition lock.
X Press the 0009or000C button on the
steering wheel to select the Servicemenu.
X Press the 000Aor000B button to select
Tire Pressure .
X Press the 0011button.
The current tire pressure for each wheel will
be displayed in the multifunction display.
If the vehicle has been parked for longer than
20minutes, the Tire pressures will be displayed after driving for a few
minutes message appears.
After a teach-in period, the tire pressure
monitor automatically recognizes new wheels
or new sensors. As long as a clear allocation
of the tire pressure values to the individual
wheels is not possible, the Tire PressureMonitor Active display message is shown
instead of the tire pressure display. The tire
pressures are already being monitored.
i If a spare wheel/emergency spare wheel
is mounted, the system may continue to show the tire pressure of the wheel that has
been removed for a few minutes. If this
occurs, note that the value displayed for
the position where the spare tire is
mounted is not the same as the spare
wheel/emergency spare wheel's current
tire pressure.
Tire pressure monitor warning
messages If the tire pressure monitor detects a
significant pressure loss on one or more tires,
a warning message is shown in the
multifunction display.
Awarning tone also
sounds and the tire pressure warning lamp
lights up in the instrumen tcluster.
Each tire that is affected by a significant loss
of pressure is highlighted with a color.
If the Correct Tire Pressure message
appears in the multifunction display:
X Check the tire pressure on all four wheels
and correct it if necessary.
i If the wheel positions on the vehicle are
interchanged, the tire pressures may be
displayed for the wrong positions for a
shor ttime. This is rectified after a few
minutes of driving, and the tire pressures
are displayed for the correc tpositions.
Restarting the tire pressure monitor When you restart the tire pressure monitor,
all existing warning messages are deleted and
the warning lamps go out. The monitor uses
the currently set tire pressures as the
reference values for monitoring.
The tire pressure monitor must be restarted
when you set the tire pressure to a new value
(as a result of changed drive or load
characteristics, for example). The tire
pressure monitor then monitors the new tire
pressure values.
i
Canada only: in most cases, the tire
pressure monitor recognizes the new
reference values automatically. However, Tire pressure
507Wheels and tires Z