2013 MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS SEDAN air conditioning

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). Overview of climate control systems
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Severe conditions (e.g. strong air pollution)
may require replacement of the filter before
its

scheduled replacement interval. A clogged
filter will reduce the air volume to the interior
and the windows could fog up, impairing
visibility and endangering you and others.
Have a blocked filter replaced at a Mercedes-
Benz Center as soon as possible. G
WARNING
Follow the recommended settings for heating
and cooling given on the following pages.
Otherwise, the windows could fog up,
impairing visibility and endangering you and
others.
The automatic climate control controls the
temperature and the humidity in the vehicle
interior and filters undesirable substances
from the air.
The automatic climate control is only
operational when the engine is running 16
.
Optimum operation is only achieved if you
drive with the side windows and sliding
sunroof/panorama roof with power tilt/
sliding panel closed. You can also set some automatic climate
control

functions via COMAND (Y page 265).
i Ventilate the vehicle for a brief period
during warm weather, e.g. using the
convenience opening feature ( Y page 93).
This will speed up the cooling process and
the desired vehicle interior temperature
will be reached more quickly.
i The integrated filter can filter out most
particles of dust and completely filters out
pollen. A clogged filter reduces the amount
of air supplied to the vehicle interior. For
this reason, you should always observe the
interval for replacing the filter, which is
specified in the Service Booklet. As it
depends on environmental conditions, e.g.
heavy air pollution, the interval may be
shorter than stated in the Service Booklet.
i It is possible that the blower may be
activated automatically 40 minutes after
the SmartKey is removed. The vehicle is
then ventilated for 30 minutes to dry the
air-conditioning system.
16 The residual heat function can only be activated/deactivated if the ignition is switched off.290
Overview of climate control systems
Climate control

Windows fogged up on the outside
X
Switch on the windshield wipers.
X Activate automatic climate control.
i You should only select this setting until
the windshield is clear again. Rear window defroster
Activating/deactivating G
WARNING
Any accumulation of snow and ice should be
removed from the rear window before driving.
Visibility could otherwise be impaired,
endangering you and others.
The rear window defroster has a high current
draw. You should therefore switch it off as
soon as the window is clear as it only switches
off automatically after several minutes.
If the battery voltage is too low, the rear
window defroster may switch off.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
X Press the ¤ rocker switch up or down.
The indicator lamp in the ¤ rocker
switch lights up or goes out.
Problems with the rear window
defroster The rear window defroster has deactivated
itself prematurely or cannot be activated.
X
Switch off any consumers that are not
required, e.g. reading lamps or interior
lighting.
When the battery is sufficiently charged,
the rear window defroster is activated
again automatically. Activating/deactivating air-
recirculation mode
You can deactivate the flow of fresh air if
unpleasant odors are entering the vehicle from outside. The air already inside the
vehicle will then be recirculated. G
WARNING
Fogged windows impair visibility,
endangering you and others. If the windows
begin to fog on the inside, switching off the
air recirculation mode immediately should
clear interior window fogging. If interior
window fogging persists, make sure the air
conditioning is activated, or press the ¬
button.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
X To activate: press the g rocker switch
up or down.
The indicator lamp in the g rocker
switch lights up.
i Air-recirculation mode is activated
automatically at high outside
temperatures. The indicator lamp in the
g rocker switch is not lit when
automatic air-recirculation mode is
activated.
Outside air is added after about 30
minutes.
X To deactivate: press the g rocker
switch up or down.
The indicator lamp in the g rocker
switch goes out.
i Air-recirculation mode deactivates
automatically:
R after approximately five minutes if
outside

temperatures are less than about
41 ‡ (5 †)
R after approximately five minutes if
cooling with air dehumidification is
deactivated
R after approximately 30 minutes if outside
temperatures are over about
41 ‡ (5 †) Operating the climate control system
297
Climate control Z

Setting the side air vents
X
To open/close: turn thumbwheel = up or
down.
i Side window defroster vent : is never
completely shut, even if side air vent ; is
shut. Setting the glove box air vent
When automatic climate control is activated,
the glove box can be ventilated, for instance
to cool its contents. The level of airflow
depends on the airflow and air distribution
settings.
! Close the air vent when heating the
vehicle.
At high outside temperatures, open the air
vent and activate the "cooling with air
dehumidification" function. Otherwise,
temperature-sensitive items stored in the
glove box could be damaged. X
To open: turn thumbwheel : counter-
clockwise
from position 3 to position 2.
X To close: turn thumbwheel : clockwise
from position 2 to position 3. Setting the rear-compartment air
vents
Setting the center vents in the rear
compartment :
Rear-compartment air vent, left
; Rear-compartment air vent, right
= Rear-compartment air vent thumbwheel,
right
? Rear control panel for automatic climate
control
A Rear-compartment air vent thumbwheel,
left
X To open/close: turn thumbwheel = or
A to the right or left.
i In
vehicles without rear-compartment air-
conditioning system: close the rear-
compartment air vents when heating mode
is activated, as no warm air flows through
the rear vents in the basic heating setting. Setting the air vents
299
Climate control Z

or yellow. Always secure the vehicle against
rolling away before leaving it.
! Always
switch the ignition off and take the
key with you when leaving the vehicle.
Automatic engine switch-off The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically if the vehicle is
braked to a standstill and the brake remains
depressed with the transmission in position
D or N.
i You can still activate the HOLD function
when the vehicle is stationary, even if the
engine has been switched off
automatically. It is then not necessary to
continue applying the brakes during the
automatic stop phase. When you depress
the accelerator pedal, the engine starts
automatically

and the braking effect of the
HOLD function is deactivated. Depress the
accelerator pedal carefully, as the engine
must be started first.
The engine is only switched off if:
R the outside temperature is within the range
which is suitable for the system.
R the engine is at normal operating
temperature.
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached.
R the battery is sufficiently charged.
R the system detects that the windshield is
not fogged up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the hood is closed.
R no engine-relevant diagnostics are active.
R the driver's door is closed and the seat belt
is fastened. Automatic engine start The engine is started automatically if you:
R
release the brake pedal when HOLD is not
activated and the transmission is in
position D or N
R shift the transmission to position R
R depress the accelerator pedal
R switch off the ECO start/stop function or
switch to drive program S or M
R unfasten

your seat belt or open the driver's
door
The engine is also started automatically if:
R the vehicle starts to roll.
R the brake system requires this.
R the system detects moisture on the
windshield when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the temperature in the vehicle interior
deviates from the set range.
R the charge level of the battery is too low.
Deactivating/activating the ECO start/
stop function General information
You can deactivate and activate the ECO
start/stop function using COMAND
(Y page 261).
i
You can also use the programmable
button ( Y page 120) to activate and
deactivate the ECO start/stop function if
you have assigned this function to the
button.
Deactivating
X Deactivate the ECO start/stop function
using COMAND (Y page 261):
The ¤ ECO symbol goes out and the
Stop/Start deactivated display
message is shown in the multifunction
display.
i If
drive program S or M has been selected,
the ECO start/stop function is always
deactivated. Driving
307
Driving and parking Z

X
To make brighter or dimmer : make sure
that Night View Assist Plus is activated.
X Turn control : counter-clockwise or
clockwise.
Fogged up or dirty windshield If the windshield in front of the camera is
fogged
up or dirty on the inside or outside, the
Night View Assist Plus display is affected. G
WARNING
Please do not forget that your primary
responsibility
is to drive the vehicle. A driver's
attention to the road must always be his/her
primary focus when driving. For your safety
and the safety of others, stop before trying to
remove window fogging or cleaning the
windshield in front of the Night View Assist
Plus camera.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet
(approximately 14 m) every second.
X To defrost: check the automatic air
conditioning
settings (Y page 296) and fold
down the camera cover (Y page 467).
X To defrost the inside of the windshield:
fold down the camera cover ( Y page 467)
and clean the windshield

(Y page 466). Driving systems
359
Driving and parking Z

Display messages Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsÁ
Night View Assist
Currently
Unavailable The temperature of the camera is too high.
X
Wait until you see the Night View Assist Available
Again display message.
You can also:
X Fold the camera cover down ( Y page 467).
X Adjust the air distribution of the automatic air conditioning
upwards. Á
Night View Assist
Lights
Must Be Set
to AUTO or ON A condition for activating Night View Assist Plus has not been
fulfilled.
X
Turn the light switch to c or L.Á
Night View Assist
Not

In Reverse Gear A condition for activating Night View Assist Plus has not been
fulfilled.
X
Shift the transmission to P, N or D.Á
Night View Assist
Lights

ON or AUTO,
Not in R Gear A condition for activating Night View Assist Plus has not been
fulfilled.
X
Turn the light switch to c or L.
X Shift the transmission to P, N or D.Á
Night View Assist
Only When It Is
Dark You have attempted to activate Night View Assist Plus in the
daytime.
Night View Assist Plus can only be activated when it is dark.
¨
Vehicle Rising Your vehicle is adjusting to the level you have selected.
¨
Vehicle Rising
Please

Wait Briefly The vehicle level is too low when the vehicle is stationary. A
warning tone also sounds.
X
Do not pull away.
The vehicle level is set when the display message disappears. ¨
STOP Car Too Low You have pulled away while the vehicle level is still too low.
AIRMATIC sets the vehicle to the selected level after a short
period.
X
Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions.
X Apply the electric parking brake.
X Wait until the display message disappears before pulling away. Display messages
409
On-board computer and displays Z

Kilopascal (kPa)
Metric unit for tire pressure. 6.9 kPa is the
equivalent of 1 psi. Another unit for tire
pressure is bar. There are 100 kilopascals
(kPa) to 1 bar. Load index
In
addition to the load bearing index, the load
index may also be imprinted on the sidewall
of the tire. This specifies the load bearing
capacity more precisely. Curb weight
The weight of a vehicle with standard
equipment including the maximum capacity
of

fuel, oil and coolant. It also includes the air-
conditioning system and optional equipment
if these are installed in the vehicle, but does
not include passengers or luggage. Maximum load rating
The maximum load rating in kilograms or
pounds is the maximum weight for which a
tire is approved. Maximum permissible tire pressure
Maximum permissible tire pressure for one
tire. Maximum load on one tire
Maximum load on one tire. This is calculated
by

dividing the maximum axle load of one axle
by two. PSI (pounds per square inch)
A standard unit of measure for tire pressure. Aspect ratio
Relationship between tire height and tire
width in percent. Tire pressure
This is pressure inside the tire applying an
outward

force to each square inch of the tire's
surface. The tire pressure is specified in
pounds per square inch (psi), in kilopascal
(kPa) or in bar. The tire pressure should only
be corrected when the tires are cold. Tire pressure of cold tires
The tires are cold:
R if the vehicle has been parked without
direct

sunlight on the tires for at least three
hours and
R if the vehicle has not been driven more than
1 mile (1.6 km). Tread
The part of the tire that comes into contact
with the road. Bead
The tire bead ensures that the tire sits
securely

on the wheel. There are several steel
wires in the bead to prevent the tire from
coming loose from the wheel rim. Sidewall
The
part of the tire between the tread and the
bead. Weight of optional extras
The
combined weight of those optional extras
that weigh more than the replaced standard
part and more than 2.3 kilograms (5 lbs). 512
Definition of terms for tires and loading
Wheels and tires

intervals than those prescribed. You could
otherwise
cause engine damage or damage
to the exhaust gas aftertreatment.
Follow the instructions in the service
interval display regarding the oil change.
Otherwise, you may damage the engine and
the exhaust gas aftertreatment.
The table shows which engine oils have been
approved for your vehicle. Model Engine
model MB
Approval
S 550
36
S 550 4MATIC 36 278 229.5
S 600
275
S 63 AMG
157
229.5
37 S 65 AMG
275
S 350 BlueTEC
4MATIC
642 228.51,
229.31,
229.51
i
MB approval is indicated on the oil
containers.
Additives !
Do
not use any additives in the engine oil.
This could damage the engine.
Engine oil viscosity Viscosity describes the flow characteristics
of

a fluid. If an engine oil has a high viscosity,
this means that it is thick; a low viscosity
means that it is thin.
Select an engine oil with an SAE (viscosity)
classification suitable for the prevailing
outside temperatures. The following table
shows the correct SAE classification to be
used. The low-temperature characteristics of
engine oils can deteriorate significantly, e.g.
as a result of aging, soot and fuel deposits. It is therefore strongly recommended that you
carry out regular oil changes using an
approved

engine oil with the appropriate SAE
classification. Refrigerant of the air-conditioning
system
The air-conditioning system is filled with
R134a refrigerant and a special PAG
lubricant.
! Never use refrigerant R 12 (CFC) or
mineral lubricants. Otherwise, you could
damage the air-conditioning system. Brake fluid
G
WARNING
Over a period of time, the brake fluid absorbs
moisture from the air; this lowers its boiling
point.
If

the boiling point of the brake fluid is too low,
vapor pockets may form in the brake system
when the brakes are applied hard (e.g. when
driving downhill). This would impair braking
efficiency.
You should have the brake fluid renewed at
regular intervals. The brake fluid change
intervals can be found in the Service Booklet.
Only use brake fluid approved by Mercedes-
Benz. Information about approved brake
36 BlueEFFICIENCY
37 Restriction: only SAE 0W-40

or SAE 5W-40 engine oils may be used.528
Service products and capacities
Technical data