2014 MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS COUPE ESP

X
If you want to pull away with
DISTRONIC PLUS: remove your foot from
the brake pedal.
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you :.
or
X Accelerate briefly.
Your vehicle pulls away and adapts its
speed to that of the vehicle in front. If no
vehicle is detected in front, your vehicle
accelerates to the set speed.
i The vehicle can also pull away when it is
facing an unidentified obstacle or is driving
on a different line from another vehicle. The vehicle then brakes automatically. There is
a risk of an accident. Be ready to brake at all
times.
If there is no vehicle in front, DISTRONIC
PLUS operates in the same way as cruise
control.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in front has slowed down, it brakes your vehicle.
In this way, the distance you have selected is maintained.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects a faster-moving
vehicle in front, it increases the driving speed.
However, the vehicle is only accelerated up to the speed you have stored.
Selecting the drive program
DISTRONIC PLUS supports a sporty driving
style when you select the Sdrive program
(Y page 171). Acceleration behind the vehicle
in front or to the set speed is then noticeably
more dynamic. If you have selected the E
driving program, the vehicle accelerates
more gently. This setting is recommended in
stop-and-start traffic. Changing lanes
If you change to the overtaking lane,
DISTRONIC PLUS supports you if:
R you are driving faster than 70 km/h
R you switch on the respective turn signal
R DISTRONIC PLUS does not detect a danger
of collision
If these conditions are met, your vehicle is
accelerated. Acceleration will be interrupted
if changing lanes takes too long or if the dis-
tance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front becomes too small.
i When you change lanes, DISTRONIC
PLUS monitors the left lane (on left-hand-
drive vehicles) or the right lane (on right-
hand-drive vehicles).
Road and traffic conditions i
The following function is not operational
in all countries.
DISTRONIC PLUS uses additional information
from your navigation system so that it can
adapt to certain traffic situations. This is the
case if, while following a vehicle, DISTRONIC
PLUS is active and you:
R approach or drive around a roundabout
R approach a T-junction
R turn off at a motorway exit
Even if the vehicle in front leaves the detec-
tion range, DISTRONIC PLUS temporarily
maintains the current driving speed and does not accelerate. This is based on the current
map data in the navigation system. Driving systems
195Driving and parking Z

DISTRONIC PLUS is automatically deactiva-
ted if:
R you apply the electric parking brake or if the
vehicle is automatically secured with the
electric parking brake
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R the transmission is in the P,Ror Nposition
R you pull the cruise control lever towards
you in order to pull away and the front-
passenger door or one of the rear doors is
open
R the vehicle has skidded
R you activate Active Parking Assist
If DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, you will
hear a warning tone. You will see the
DISTRONIC PLUS off
DISTRONIC PLUS off message in the multi-
function display for approximately five sec-
onds.
Tips for driving with DISTRONIC PLUS General notes
Pay particular attention in the following traffic
situations:
R Cornering, entering and exiting a bend
R Vehicles which are not driving in the middle
of their lane
R Other vehicles changing lane
R Narrow vehicles
R Obstructions and stationary vehicles
R Crossing vehicles
In such situations, brake if necessary.
DISTRONIC PLUS is then deactivated. Cornering, entering and exiting a bend The ability of DISTRONIC PLUS to detect vehi-
cles when cornering is limited. Your vehicle
may brake unexpectedly or late.
Vehicles which are not driving in the mid- dle of their lane DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect vehicles
which are not driving in the middle of their
lane. The distance to the vehicle in front will
be too short.
Other vehicles changing lane Driving systems
199Driving and parking Z

account lane markings, e.g. when following
vehicles in a traffic jam.
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot do not pro- vide any support if these conditions do not
exist.
DISTRONIC PLUS must be active in order for
the function to be available.
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot can neither reduce the risk of
an accident nor override the laws of physics.
It cannot take account of road, weather and
traffic conditions. DISTRONIC PLUS with
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot is only an
aid. You are responsible for the distance to
the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for
braking in good time, and for staying in lane.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot does not detect road and traf-
fic conditions. If you are following a vehicle
which is driving towards the edge of the car-
riageway, your vehicle could come into con-
tact with the kerb or other road boundaries. In the case of deviations in road markings,
beware of other road users, e.g. cyclists, that are directly next to your vehicle.
Obstacles such as traffic pylons on the lane or
projecting out into the lane are not detected.
An inappropriate steering intervention, e.g.
after intentionally driving over a lane marking, can be corrected at any time if you steer
slightly in the opposite direction.
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and
Stop&Go Pilot cannot continuously keep your
vehicle in lane. In some cases, the steering
intervention is not sufficient to bring the vehi-
cle back to the lane. In such cases, you must steer the vehicle yourself to ensure that it
does not leave the lane. The system may be impaired or may not func-
tion if:
R there is poor visibility, e.g. due to insuffi-
cient illumination of the road, or due to
snow, rain, fog or spray
R there is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic,
the sun or reflection from other vehicles
(e.g. if the road surface is wet)
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up, dam-
aged or covered, for instance by a sticker,
in the vicinity of the camera
R no, or several, unclear lane markings are
present for one lane, e.g. in a construction
area
R the lane markings are worn away, dark or
covered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
small and the lane markings thus cannot be
detected
R the lane markings change quickly, e.g.
lanes branch off, cross one another or
merge
R the road is narrow and winding
R there are highly variable shade conditions
on the road
The system is switched to passive and no lon- ger assists you by performing steering inter-
ventions if:
R you actively change lane
R you switch on the turn signal
R you take your hands off the steering wheel
or do not steer for a prolonged period of
time
i Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are
activated again automatically after a lane
change is completed.
Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot do not pro- vide any support:
R on very sharp corners
R a loss of tyre pressure or a defective tyre
has been detected and displayed
Pay attention also to the important safety
notes for DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 192). Driving systems
201Driving and parking Z

The steering interventions are carried out
with a limited steering moment. The system
requires the driver to keep his hands on the
steering wheel and to steer himself.
If you do not steer yourself or if you take your
hands off the steering wheel for a prolonged
period of time, the system will first alert you
with a visual warning. A steering wheel sym-
bol appears in the multifunction display. If you have still not started to steer and have not
taken hold of the steering wheel after five
seconds at the latest, a warning tone also
sounds to remind you to take control of the
vehicle. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are switched to passive. DISTRONIC PLUS
remains active.
Activating Steering Assist and Stop&Go
Pilot X
Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :lights up. The DTR+: DTR+:
steering assist. on
steering assist. onmessage appears
in the multifunction display. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are activated.
Information in the multifunction display If Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are acti-
vated but not ready for a steering interven-
tion, steering wheel symbol :appears in grey. If the system provides you with support
by means of steering interventions, sym-
bol :is shown in green.
Deactivating Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot X
Press button ;.
Indicator lamp :goes out. The DTR+: DTR+:
steering assist. off
steering assist. off message appears
in the multifunction display. Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are deactivated.
When DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated, Steer- ing Assist and Stop&Go Pilot are deactivated
automatically. HOLD function
General notes The HOLD function can assist the driver in the
following situations:
R when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when manoeuvring on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is cancelled and the HOLD function is deactivated when you depress theaccelerator pedal to pull away. 202
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Important safety notes
G
WARNING
When leaving the vehicle, it can still roll away despite being braked by the HOLD function if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply
R the HOLD function is deactivated by the
accelerator pedal being depressed, e.g. by
a vehicle occupant
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are tam-
pered with
R the battery is disconnected
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always deactivate
the HOLD function and secure the vehicle
from rolling away.
Further information on deactivating the HOLD function (Y page 203).
! If DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD function
is activated, the vehicle brakes automati-
cally in certain situations. To prevent dam-
age to the vehicle, deactivate DISTRONIC
PLUS and the HOLD function in the follow-
ing or other similar situations:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
Activation conditions You can activate the HOLD function if all of
the following conditions are fulfilled:
R the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running or if it has been auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
R the driver's door is closed or your seat belt
is fastened
R the electric parking brake is released
R the transmission is in position D,Ror N
R DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated Activating the HOLD function
X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake pedal.
X Quickly depress the brake pedal further
until :appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
The HOLD function is activated. You can
release the brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate the HOLD function,
wait briefly and then try again.
Deactivating the HOLD function The HOLD function is deactivated automati-
cally if:
R you accelerate and the transmission is in
position Dor R.
R you shift the transmission to position P.
R you depress the brake pedal again with a
certain amount of pressure until ëdis-
appears from the multifunction display.
R you secure the vehicle using the electric
parking brake.
R you activate DISTRONIC PLUS.
i After a short period, the vehicle is secured
by the electric parking brake, thus relieving
the service brake. The HOLD function is
then deactivated. Driving systems
203Driving and parking Z

While driving, the raised level can only be
selected at speeds of under 120 km/h.
Setting the raised vehicle level
X Start the engine.
X If indicator lamp ;
;is not lit: press but-
ton :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The vehicle
height is adjusted to the raised level. Setting the normal vehicle level
X Start the engine.
X If indicator lamp ;
;is lit: press but-
ton :.
Indicator lamp ;goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to normal level.
Suspension setting
The electro-hydraulically controlled ABC sus- pension system works continuously. This
improves driving safety and comfort. The sys- tem detects the vehicle level and the vehicle
load and adjusts the setting accordingly. You
can also choose between a particularly sporty
(SPORT), a comfortable (COMFORT) as well as a comfortable mode with cornering func-
tion (CURVE).
The ABC suspension system is tuned individ-
ually 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. sporty or com-
fort or comfort with the CURVE dynamic
cornering function
R the vehicle load
R the force of the side wind
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. The firmer suspension setting in SPORT mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
The steering response behaviour is sporty.
Select this mode on winding country roads or
motorways, for example.
Selecting the sports suspension tuning
X When indicator lamp ; ;is off: press but-
ton :repeatedly until only indicator
lamp ;is on.
You have selected the suspension setting
for a sporty driving style.
All vehicles except AMG vehicles: the
Active Body Control SPORT Active Body Control SPORT message
appears in the multifunction display.
AMG vehicles: theAMG Ride Control AMG Ride Control
SPORT
SPORT message appears in the multifunc-
tion display. Driving systems
205Driving and parking Z

In COMFORT mode, the driving characteris-
tics of your vehicle are especially comforta-
ble. The steering response behaviour is bal-
anced. Select this mode if you prefer a com-
fortable driving style.
Selecting the standard comfort mode sus-
pension tuning
X When indicator lamp ;
; is off: press but-
ton :repeatedly until only indicator
lamp ;is on.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. You have selec-
ted the suspension setting for a comforta-
ble driving style.
All vehicles except AMG vehicles: the
Active Active Body
BodyControl
Control COMFORT
COMFORTmessage
appears in the multifunction display.
AMG vehicles: theAMG Ride Control
AMG Ride Control
COMFORT
COMFORT message appears in the multi-
function display. In the CURVE driving mode, the vehicle tilts
actively when cornering. The tilt function and
the comfort suspension tuning increase driv-
ing comfort in corners. CURVE is available in
the speed range between 40 km/h and 180 km/h. Select this mode on winding roads
in particular. Outside of this speed range, the
CURVE driving mode corresponds to the com- fort mode.
Selecting CURVE driving mode
X Press button :repeatedly until both indi-
cator lamps ;and =light up.
CURVE driving mode is selected.
ROAD SURFACE SCAN i
This function is not available in all coun-
tries. The ROAD SURFACE SCAN function monitors
the road in front of the vehicle using a multi-
function camera :at the top of the wind-
screen. This function is automatically active if
you select comfort suspension tuning. The
system is operational at speeds of up to
130 km/h.
This function allows bumps in the road sur-
face to be detected before the vehicle drives over them. The spring struts are then actu-
ated, with the result that chassis movements
are significantly reduced when driving over
bumps.
The system is deactivated when you select
the raised vehicle level, sports mode or the
dynamic cornering function.
The system may be impaired or may not func-
tion if:
R the road surface is insufficiently lit
R there is poor visibility, e.g. snow, rain, fog or
spray 206
Driving systemsDriving and parking

R
there is glare, e.g. from the sun or from
oncoming traffic
R the windscreen is dirty, misted up or cov-
ered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicinity of the camera
R the road surface has no texture or is reflec-
tive, e.g. in the case of newly laid asphalt,
concrete slabs or puddles
R the distance to the vehicle in front is too
short
R sections of the route have a very small
radius of curvature
R you accelerate hard or brake sharply AIRMATIC
General notes AIRMATIC is an air suspension system with
variable damping for improved driving com-
fort. All-round level control ensures the best
possible suspension and constant ground
clearance, even with a laden vehicle. When
you drive fast, the vehicle is lowered auto-
matically to improve driving safety and to
reduce fuel consumption. There is also the
option to manually adjust the vehicle level.
AIRMATIC consists of level setting, level con-
trol and the Adaptive Damping System ADS
PLUS.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
People's limbs may become trapped if they
are located underneath the vehicle or
between the vehicle body and the tyres when the vehicle is lowering. There is a danger of
injury.
When lowering the vehicle, make sure no one
is underneath the vehicle or in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches. Vehicle level Setting the raised vehicle level
It is possible to choose between the "Normal"
and "Raised" vehicle levels. Select the "Nor-
mal" setting for normal road surfaces and
"Raised" for driving with snow chains or on
particularly poor road surfaces. Your selec-
tion remains stored even if you remove the
key from the ignition lock.
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is not lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The vehicle is
raised by 30 mm compared to the normal
level.
The Vehicle rising
Vehicle rising message appears in
the multifunction display.
i The message disappears after ten sec-
onds, irrespective of the level reached. If
necessary, the vehicle is raised further.
The "Raised level" setting is cancelled if you:
R drive at a speed over approximately
120 km/h
R drive for approximately three minutes at a
speed over 80 km/h.
Setting the normal vehicle 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
207Driving and parking Z