2013 MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS SEDAN lock

use a sponge and cold water to clean it. DEF
residues crystallize after time and
contaminate the affected surfaces.
! DEF
is not a fuel additive and must not be
added to the fuel tank. If DEF is added to
the fuel tank, this can lead to engine
damage.
i If you are adding between maintenance
intervals, add approximately 1 gallon (3.8 l)
of DEF to the DEF tank. One gallon (3.8 l)
of DEF is approximately 2 DEF refill bottles.
Then, have the DEF supply checked and
filled completely if necessary. For this
purpose, Mercedes-Benz recommends a
qualified specialist workshop.
Further information on DEF (Y page 527).
The filler neck for DEF is located under the
"Minispare" emergency spare wheel in the
trunk floor.
X Switch off the ignition.
X Open the trunk.
X Lift up the trunk floor ( Y page 436).X
Turn the "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel fastening in the direction of the
arrow and remove it.
X Remove the "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel. X
Turn DEF cap : counter-clockwise and
remove it. X
Turn DEF filler cap ; counter-clockwise
and open it.
Filler

cap ; is secured with a plastic strap. X
Unscrew the covering cap from DEF refill
bottle =.
X Place DEF refill bottle = on the filler neck
as shown and screw on clockwise hand-
tight.
! Only screw on the DEF refill bottle hand-
tight. It could otherwise be damaged. 322
Refueling
Driving and parking

X
Press DEF refill bottle = down.
The DEF tank is filled. This may take up to
one minute.
i If the DEF refill bottle is no longer pressed
down, the filling process stops and the
partially emptied bottle can be removed.
X Release DEF refill bottle =.
X Turn DEF refill bottle = counter-clockwise
and remove it.
X Place DEF filler cap ;
on the filler neck and
turn it clockwise. X
Insert DEF cap : as shown and turn it
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 Insert the "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel fastening and tighten clockwise.
X Fold the trunk floor down.
X Close the trunk lid.
X Drive at a speed above 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.
i Then, have the DEF supply checked at a
qualified specialist workshop and
completely refilled if necessary. 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 0 and 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. Parking
323
Driving and parking Z

G
WARNING
Keep in mind that turning off the engine alone
only will shift the automatic transmission into
neutral position N automatically.
Always shift the automatic transmission into
park position P before turning off the engine.
Otherwise the vehicle could roll away which
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
i If you cannot turn off the engine as
described here, see "Engine emergency
stop" ( Y page 487).
Vehicles with automatic transmission X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
Using the SmartKey
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
i If you turn off the engine with the
SmartKey and then remove it from the
ignition lock or open a front door, the
automatic transmission shifts to P
automatically.
Using KEYLESS-GO
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page
303).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
i When the driver's door is closed, this
corresponds

to SmartKey position 1. When
the driver's door is open, it corresponds to
SmartKey position 0 or "SmartKey
removed".
i If you use the Start/Stop button to switch
off the engine, the automatic transmission
shifts to N automatically. If you then open
the driver's or front-passenger door, the
automatic transmission shifts to P.
i In an emergency, the engine can be
turned off while the vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding the Start/Stop button
for three seconds. This function operates
independently from the ECO start/stop
automatic engine switch-off function.
Electric parking brake
General information G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey
from the starter switch, take it with
you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Children could
release the parking brake and/or shift the
automatic transmission out of park position
P, either of which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury. Applying/releasing manually
X
To apply: press handle :.
The red F (USA only) or ! (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
i The electric parking brake can also be
applied when the SmartKey is removed.
X To release: switch on the ignition.
X Pull handle :.
The red F (USA only) or ! (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
i The electric parking brake cannot be
released

unless the SmartKey is in position324
Parking
Driving and parking

1 in the ignition lock or if the ignition has
been switched on using the Start/Stop
button.
Engaging the electric parking brake
automatically The electric parking brake is automatically
applied if HOLD or DISTRONIC PLUS brakes
the vehicle until it is stationary and at least
one of the following conditions is fulfilled:
R
the engine is switched off.
R the driver's door is open and the seat belt
is not fastened.
R the hood is released.
R the
trunk lid is opened while the automatic
transmission is in position R.
R the vehicle is stationary for a lengthy
period.
The red F (USA only) or ! (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up.
i In addition to the electric parking brake,
P may also be engaged automatically.
Releasing the electric parking brake
automatically The electric parking brake is released
automatically when the following conditions
are simultaneously fulfilled:
R
the engine is running.
R the automatic transmission is in position
D or R.
R the hood is closed.
R your seat belt is fastened.
R you depress the accelerator pedal.
If the automatic transmission is in position
R, the trunk lid must be closed. If your seat belt is not fastened, the following
conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
R
the driver's door is closed.
R you shift out of P or you have previously
driven faster than 3 km/h

.
R you have shifted out of P or you have
previously driven faster than 2 mph
(3 km/h).
Emergency braking The vehicle can also be braked during an
emergency using the electric parking brake.
X
While driving, push handle :
of the electric
parking brake ( Y page 324).
i The
vehicle is braked as long as you keep
the handle of the electric parking brake
pressed. The longer the electric parking
brake handle is depressed, the greater the
braking force.
During braking:
R a warning tone sounds.
R the Please Release Parking Brake
message appears.
R the red F (USA only) or ! (Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up.
When the vehicle has been braked to a
standstill, the electric parking brake is
engaged. Parking the vehicle for a long period
If
you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharge.
X Connect a trickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center. Parking
325
Driving and parking Z

more firmly. Maintain a safe distance from
vehicles in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the
vehicle washed, brake firmly while paying
attention to the traffic conditions. This will
warm
up the brake discs, thereby drying them
more quickly and protecting them against
corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt
treated roads G
WARNING
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause a delay in the
braking effect, resulting in a significantly
longer braking distance, which could lead to
an accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully, without
putting other road users at risk, when you
are driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new

trip, so that salt residues are removed
from the brake discs.
Servicing the brakes !
If
the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and you hear a
warning tone while the engine is running,
the brake fluid level may be too low.
Observe additional warning messages in
the multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
Have the brake system checked
immediately. This work should be carried
out at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. All checks and maintenance work on the
brake system must be carried out at a
qualified specialist workshop. This work
should be carried out at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Have the brake pads replaced and the brake
fluid renewed at a qualified specialist
workshop,

e.g. an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. G
WARNING
If brake pads or brake fluid other than those
recommended are used, the braking
properties of the vehicle can be degraded to
an extent that safe braking is substantially
impaired. This could result in an accident.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or
performance

tests may only be carried out
on a 2-axle dynamometer. If you are
planning to have the vehicle tested on such
a dynamometer, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center to obtain further
information first. Otherwise, you could
damage the drive train or the brake system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP®
system operates automatically, the engine
and the ignition must be switched off
(SmartKey in position 0 or 1 in the ignition
lock or Start/Stop button in position 0 or
1) when the electric parking brake is being
tested on a brake dynamometer.
Braking maneuvers triggered automatically
by ESP ®
may seriously damage the brake
system.
! Vehicles with 4MATIC: as the ESP®
system operates automatically, the engine
and the ignition system must be switched
off (SmartKey in position 0 or 1 in the
ignition lock or Start/Stop button in
position 0 or 1) when:
R testing the electric parking brake on a
brake dynamometer.
R you intend to have the vehicle towed with
one of the axles raised.328
Driving tips
Driving and parking

Instructions included in your vehicle literature
portfolio. You may otherwise not receive all
necessary
safety information and warning for
the operation of your vehicle. G
WARNING
The DISTRONIC PLUS requires familiarity with
its operational characteristics. We strongly
recommend that you review the following
information carefully before operating the
system. G
WARNING
When DISTRONIC brakes, the brake pedal is
pulled
back (i.e. operated automatically). The
area around the pedal must not be blocked by
obstacles:
R do not place any objects in the footwell.
R ensure that floormats and carpets are fixed
securely. In particular, do not place several
floormats on top of one another.
R do not place your foot under the brake
pedal, as it could become trapped.
Non-compliance could lead you to cause an
accident in which you and/or others could be
seriously injured. G
WARNING
The DISTRONIC PLUS is a convenience
system. Its speed adjustment reduction
capability is intended to make cruise control
more

effective and usable when traffic speeds
vary. It is not however, intended to, nor does
it, replace the need for extreme care.
The responsibility for the vehicle's speed,
distance to the preceding vehicle and, most
importantly, brake operation to ensure a safe
stopping distance, always remains with the
driver.
The DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take street and
traffic conditions into account.
Complex driving situations are not always
fully recognized by the DISTRONIC PLUS. This
could result in wrong or missing distance
warnings. If you want DISTRONIC PLUS to assist you,
the radar sensor system must be activated
(Y page 387) and operational.
If there is no vehicle driving in front of you,
DISTRONIC PLUS functions like cruise
control at a speed range between 20 mph
(Canada: 30 km/h) and 120 mph
(Canada: 200 km/h)

. If a vehicle is driving in
front of you, it functions at a speed range
between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph
(Canada: 200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DISTRONIC PLUS transmits radar waves,
it can resemble the radar detectors of the
responsible authorities. You can refer to the
applicable section in the Operator's Manual if
there are any questions concerning this.
i USA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC
as a “Vehicular Radar System”. The radar
sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removal, tampering, or
altering of the device will void any
warranties, and is not permitted by the
FCC. Do not tamper with, alter, or use in
any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment. G
WARNING
The DISTRONIC PLUS adaptive cruise control
is not a substitute for active driving
involvement. It does not react to pedestrians
or

on stationary objects, nor does it recognize
or predict the curvature and lane layout or the
movement of preceding vehicles. The
DISTRONIC PLUS can only apply a maximum
of 40% of the vehicle's braking power.
The DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles possibly driving in front of you, such
as motorcycles and vehicles driving in an
offset formation.
It is the driver's responsibility at all times to
be attentive to the road, weather and traffic Driving systems
333
Driving and parking
Z

The "Lowered” vehicle level is set
automatically:
R
in vehicles without 4MATIC at speeds
above 60 mph (100 km/h)
R in vehicles with 4MATIC at speeds above
50 mph (80 km/h)
Setting the vehicle level
Select the "Normal" setting for normal road
surfaces and "Raised" for driving with snow
chains or on particularly poor road surfaces.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock. G
WARNING
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands and
feet away from wheel housing area, and stay
away from under the vehicle when lowering
the vehicle chassis. Setting raised level
X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is not lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. The vehicle
height is adjusted to raised level.
The Vehicle rising message appears in
the multifunction display.
The "Raised level" setting is canceled if you:
R drive at speeds above approximately
75 mph (120 km/h)
R drive about 3 minutes at speeds above
50 mph (80 km/h) The "Raised level" remains active when you
are not driving within these speed ranges.
Setting the normal level
X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ; goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to normal level.
Suspension tuning General notes
The Adaptive Damping System (ADS)
automatically controls the calibration of the
dampers and springs.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R
your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection, i.e. sports or
comfort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock. Sports tuning
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding country roads.
X
If indicator lamp ; is not lit: press
button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. Sports
suspension tuning is selected. 344
Driving systemsDriving and parking

The AIRMATIC SPORT message appears in
the multifunction display.
Comfort tuning
In Comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. Select
this mode if you prefer a more comfortable
driving style, but also when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. highways.
X If indicator lamp ; is lit: press
button :.
Indicator
lamp ; goes out. Comfort tuning
is selected.
The AIRMATIC COMFORT message appears
in the multifunction display. Active Body Control (ABC)
Vehicle level Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to improve driving safety and reduce
fuel consumption.
Depending on the vehicle height that has
been

set, the vehicle automatically adjusts its
height dependent on the current speed. As
speed increases, the vehicle is lowered by up
to 0.6 in (15 mm). As the speed is reduced,
the vehicle is raised up to the set vehicle
height. G
WARNING
The vehicle is lowered when the engine is
switched off. Therefore, make sure that
nobody

is in the vicinity of the wheel housing
or under the vehicle when you switch off the
engine. Otherwise, limbs could become
trapped.
! The vehicle is lowered when the engine is
switched off. Make sure when parking that
you position your vehicle so that it does not
make contact with the curb as the vehicle
is lowered. Your vehicle could otherwise be
damaged. i
For AMG vehicles: when the engine is
switched off, the vehicle is lowered by
approx. 0.4 in (10 mm).
Setting the vehicle level
Select the "Normal" setting for normal road
surfaces and "Raised" for driving with snow
chains or on particularly poor road surfaces. G
WARNING
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands and
feet away from wheel housing area, and stay
away from under the vehicle when lowering
the vehicle chassis.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock. Setting raised level
X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is not lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ; lights up. The vehicle
height is adjusted to raised level.
Setting the normal level
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ; is lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ; goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to normal level. Driving systems
345
Driving and parking Z