2015 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class Transmission

After the vehicle has been washed, brake
carefully while paying attention to the traffic
conditions until full braking power is restored.
! 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
! 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.
! Make sure that:
R the side windows and the sliding sunroof
are fully closed.
R the ventilation/heating is switched off
(the OFF button has been pressed).
R the windshield wiper switch is at position
0.
R the 360° camera or rear view camera is
switched off.
The vehicle may otherwise be damaged.
! If the SmartKey is within the rear detec-
tion range of KEYLESS-GO, the following
situations, for example, could lead to the
unintentional opening of the trunk:
R using a car wash
R using a power washer
Make sure that the SmartKey is at least
10 ft (3 m) away from the vehicle.
! Make sure that the automatic transmis-
sion is in neutral position Nwhen washing
your vehicle in a tow-through car wash. The vehicle may otherwise be damaged.
R Operating with the SmartKey:
Do not remove the SmartKey from the
ignition lock. Do not open the driver's
door when the engine is switched off or
at very low speeds. Otherwise, when in transmission position
Dor Rthe auto-
matic transmission will automatically
switch to park position Pand block the
wheels.
R Operating with the Start/Stop button:
Do not open the driver's door when the
engine is switched off or at very low
speeds. Otherwise, when in transmission
position Dor Rthe automatic transmis-
sion will automatically switch to park
position Pand block the wheels.
Observe the following to make sure that the
automatic transmission stays in position N
neutral:
Operating with the SmartKey:
X Make sure that the ignition is switched on.
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake, if nec-
essary.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the Smart-
Key in the ignition lock.
Operating with the Start/Stop button:
X Make sure that the ignition is switched on.
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Engage park position P.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Remove Start/Stop button from ignition
lock (Y page 189).
X Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
X Switch on the ignition.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift to neutral N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake, if nec-
essary.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the Smart-
Key in the ignition lock. 412
CareMaintenance and care

R
you first remove the negative terminal
clamp and then the positive terminal
clamp. Never swap the terminal clamps.
Otherwise, the vehicle's electronic sys-
tem may be damaged.
R the transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. The vehi-
cle is secured against rolling away. You
can then no longer move the vehicle.
The batteries and the covers of the positive
terminal clamps must always be installed
securely during operation.
Comply with safety precautions and take pro-
tective measures when handling batteries. Risk of explosion.
Fire, open flames and smoking are
prohibited when handling the bat-
tery. Avoid creating sparks. Electrolyte or battery acid is corro-
sive. Avoid contact with skin, eyes
or clothing.
Wear suitable protective clothing,
especially gloves, apron and face-
guard.
Immediately rinse electrolyte or
acid splashes off with clean water. Contact a physician if necessary. Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Operator's Manual.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use batteries which have been tested and approved for your vehicle by
Mercedes-Benz. These batteries provide
increased impact protection to prevent vehi- cle occupants from suffering acid burns
should the battery be damaged in the event of
an accident.
In order for the battery to achieve the maxi-
mum 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 discon- nected at a qualified specialist workshop. You
can also charge the battery with a charger
recommended by Mercedes-Benz. Contact a
qualified specialist workshop for further infor- mation.
Have the battery condition of charge 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 spe-
cialist 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.
i Hybrid vehicles:
if the battery condition
of charge is sufficient, the high-voltage bat- tery can also supply the 12 V battery with
energy. This only happens if the condition
of charge of the 12 V battery requires this,
e.g. after using electrical consumers for an extended period with the engine switched
off. As the on-board voltage is continuously
monitored this can also be performed when the engine is switched off. The condition of
charge of the 12 V battery and the on-board
voltage are thereby kept stable for a longer period. High-voltage battery – important
safety notes
Only hybrid vehicles are equipped with a high-
voltage battery. Battery (vehicle)
429Roadside Assistance Z

Do not start the vehicle using a rapid charging device. If your vehicle's battery is discharged,
the engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jumper
cables. Observe the following points:
R The battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible,
jump-start the vehicle using a second battery or a jump-starting device.
R You may only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust system are cold.
R Keep away from fire and open flames.
R Do not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
R All vehicles except AMG vehicles: do not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the
battery thaw first.
R Only jump-start from batteries with a 12 V voltage rating.
R Only use jumper cables which have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
R Do not lean over the battery.
R If the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected
for a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the battery slightly.
R Make sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
R the jumper cables are not damaged.
R when the jumper cables are connected to the battery, uninsulated sections of the terminal
clamp do not come into contact with other metal sections.
R the jumper cables cannot come into contact with parts which can move when the engine is
running, such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
X Secure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Make sure that the ignition is switched off (Y page 189). All indicator lamps in the instrument
cluster must be off. When using the SmartKey, turn the SmartKey to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it (Y page 189).
X Switch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window defroster, lighting, etc.
X Open the hood. Example: ground point cover
X Turn fasteners :one Õturn and remove.
X Remove the cover whilst pressing down on cap ;of the washer fluid reservoir. Jump-starting
433RoadsideAssistance Z

Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Functions relevant to safety are restricted or
no longer available if:
R the engine is not running.
R the brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
R there is a malfunction in the voltage supply
or the vehicle's electrical system.
If your vehicle is being towed, much more
force may be necessary to steer or brake.
There is a risk of an accident.
In such cases, use a tow bar. Before towing,
make sure that the steering moves freely. G
WARNING
You can no longer steer the vehicle if the
steering wheel lock has been engaged. There is a risk of an accident.
Always switch off the ignition when towing the
vehicle with a tow cable or a tow bar. G
WARNING
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight is greater than the permissible gross weight of your vehicle, the:
R the towing eye could detach itself
R the vehicle/trailer combination could roll-
over.
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per- missible gross weight of your vehicle.
Information on your vehicle's gross vehicle
weight rating can be found on the vehicle
identification plate (Y page 488). !
When COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS, DISTRONIC PLUS or the HOLD func- tion is activated, the vehicle brakes auto-
matically in certain situations. To avoid
damage to the vehicle, deactivate these
systems in the following or similar situa-
tions:
R when towing the vehicle
R in the car wash
! Make sure that the electric parking brake
is released. If the electric parking brake is
faulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
! Secure the tow rope or tow bar to the
towing eye only. Otherwise, the vehicle
could become damaged.
! Do not use the towing eyes for recovery
purposes as this could damage the vehicle.
If in doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
! Shift the automatic transmission to
Nand
do not open the driver's or front passeng-
er's door during towing. The automatic
transmission may otherwise shift to posi-
tion P, which could damage the transmis-
sion.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
! The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of
30 mph (50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the entire vehicle must be raised and transported.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed away.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission dam- age, have it transported on a transporter or
trailer.
The automatic transmission must be in posi-
tion Nwhen the vehicle is being towed. Towing and tow-starting
435Roadside Assistance Z

If the automatic transmission cannot be shif-
ted to position N, have the vehicle transpor-
ted on a transporter or trailer.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock
R cannot release the electric parking brake
R cannot shift the automatic transmission to
position N
i Deactivate the automatic locking feature
(Y page 98). You could otherwise be locked
out when pushing or towing the vehicle.
Hybrid vehicles:
Hybrid vehicles may not be towed away but
only transported if:
R the multifunction display is not working or
R the ~ Malfunction
Malfunction display message
appears in the multifunction display
If the vehicle is in a dangerous area, it can be towed out of that area with both axles on the
ground. In this case, the towing distance may
not be greater than 50 mand must not exceed
a towing speed of 10 km/h. For longer dis-
tances, have the vehicle loaded and trans-
ported. Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye The brackets for the screw-in towing eyes are
located in the bumpers. They are at the rear
and at the front, under covers :.
X Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit/stowage tray (Y page 422).
X Press the mark on cover :inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Remove cover :from the opening.
X Screw in the towing eye clockwise as far as
it will go and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye X
Unscrew and remove the towing eye.
X Attach cover :to the bumper and press
until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit/
stowage tray. Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 435). 436
Towing and tow-startingRoadside Assistance

The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position
Pwhen you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
In order to ensure that the automatic trans-
mission stays in position Nwhen towing the
vehicle, you must observe the following
points:
X You must use the SmartKey instead of the
Start/Stop button (Y page 189).
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
the SmartKey in the ignition lock is in posi-
tion 0.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Leave the SmartKey in position 2in the
ignition lock.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 152).
i In order to signal a change of direction
when towing the vehicle with the hazard
warning lamps switched on, use the com-
bination switch as usual. In this case, only
the indicator lamps for the direction of
travel flash. After resetting the combina-
tion switch, the hazard warning lamp starts
flashing again. Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
Only vehicles without 4MATIC can be
towed with the rear axle raised.
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system. !
Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised, as doing so will damage the transmission.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed
away with both axles on the ground or be loa-
ded up and transported.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 152).
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X If necessary, turn the SmartKey in the igni-
tion lock to position 0and remove the
SmartKey from the ignition lock.
X Take the SmartKey with you when you leave
the vehicle.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is important that you observe the
safety instructions (Y page 435). Transporting the vehicle
Hybrid vehicles: transportation of the vehi-
cle should only be carried out by professional
recovery companies.
! You may only secure the vehicle by the
wheels, not by parts of the vehicle such as
axle or steering components. Otherwise,
the vehicle could be damaged.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P. Towing and tow-starting
437Roadside Assistance Z

X
Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and remove it.
X Secure the vehicle. Notes on 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed
away with both axles on the ground or be loa- ded up and transported.
If the vehicle's transmission, front, or rear
axle is damaged, have the vehicle transported
on a truck or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical
system: if the battery is defective, the auto-
matic transmission will be locked in position
P. To shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N, you must provide power to the vehi-
cle's electrical system in the same way as
when jump-starting (Y page 432).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. You could other-
wise damage the automatic transmission.
i Information on "Jump-starting"
(Y page 432). Fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you manipulate or bridge a faulty fuse or if
you replace it with a fuse with a higher amper- age, the electric cables could be overloaded.
This could result in a fire. There is a risk of an
accident and injury. Always replace faulty fuses with the specified
new fuses having the correct amperage.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognize by
the color and value. The fuse ratings are listed in the fuse allocation chart.
The fuse allocation chart is on the fuse box in
the trunk (Y page 440).
If a newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which
have the correct fuse rating for the system
concerned. Otherwise, components or sys-
tems could be damaged.
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the compo- nents on the circuit and their functions stop
operating. Before changing a fuse
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 220).
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Make sure that the ignition is switched off
(Y page 189).
or
X When using the SmartKey, turn the Smart-
Key to position 0in the ignition lock and
remove it (Y page 189).
All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
must be off.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes:
R Fuse box on the driver's side of the dash-
board
R Fuse box in the front-passenger footwell 438
FusesRoadside Assistance

Rotate the wheels before a clear wear pattern
has formed on the tires. Front tires typically
wear more on the shoulders and the rear tires in the center.
If your vehicle's tire configuration allows, you
can rotate the wheels according to the inter-
vals in the tire manufacturer's warranty book in your vehicle documents. If no warranty
book is available, the tires should be rotated
every 3,000 to 6,000 miles (5,000 to
10,000 km), or earlier if tire wear requires.
Ensure the direction of rotation is maintained.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is rotated. Check the tire pressure and, if nec- essary, restart the tire pressure loss warningsystem (Y page 452) or the tire pressure
monitor (Y page 451). Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk of hydroplaning. These advantages can only
be gained if the tires are installed correspond-
ing to the direction of rotation.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tire indicates its correct direction of rotation. Storing wheels
Store wheels that are not being used in a cool, dry and preferably dark place. Protect the
tires from oil, grease, gasoline and diesel. Mounting a wheel
Preparing the vehicle X
Stop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
X Apply the electric parking brake manually.
X Bring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
X Shift the transmission to position P.X
Make sure that "normal" level is selected
for AIRMATIC (Y page 246).
X Switch off the engine.
X Open the driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status
0. This is the same as the SmartKey having
been removed.
X Remove Start/Stop button from ignition
lock (Y page 189).
or, if the SmartKey is inserted in the ignition
lock:
X Remove the SmartKey from the ignition
lock.
X If included in the vehicle equipment,
remove the tire-change tool kit from the
vehicle.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
Securing the vehicle to prevent it from
rolling away If your vehicle is equipped with a wheel chock,
it can be found in the tire-change tool kit
(Y page 422).
The folding wheel chock is an additional
safety measure to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away, for example when changing a
wheel.
X Fold both plates upwards :.
X Fold out lower plate ;.
X Guide the lugs on the lower plate fully into
the openings in base plate =.466
Changing a wheelWheels and
tires