2015 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class automatic transmission

gram selector button
:to change the
drive program.
The selected drive program appears in the
multifunction display. X
AMG vehicles: press program selector
button :repeatedly until the letter of the
desired drive program appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
The program selector button influences: R the drive program (Y page 202)
R the engine management
In AMG vehicles, drive program Eis called
drive program C.
When the engine is started, the automatic
transmission always switches to automatic
drive program E(drive program Cin AMG
vehicles).
All vehicles (except AMG vehicles and
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles) E
Economy Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
You can also activate manual drive program
M
using the steering wheel paddle shifters
(Y page 202). In manual drive program M,
you can briefly change gear yourself by using the steering wheel paddle shifters. AMG vehicles C
Controlled
Efficiency Comfortable, economical
driving
S
Sport Sporty driving style
M
Manual Manual gear shifting
Permanent drive program
Mis only available
for AMG vehicles.
Further information about permanent drive
program M(Y page 203).
You can also activate manual drive program
M using the steering wheel paddle shifters
(Y page 202). In manual drive program M,
you can briefly change gear yourself by using
the steering wheel paddle shifters.
For further information on the automatic drive
program, see (Y page 202). Steering wheel paddle shifters
You can activate manual drive program
Min
the E(C in AMG vehicles) and Sautomatic
drive programs using steering wheel paddle
shifters :and ;(Ypage 202). In manual
drive program M, you can briefly change gear
yourself by using the steering wheel paddle
shifters.
AMG vehicles: you can also activate manual
drive program Mwith the program selector
button (Y page 203). In manual drive pro-
gram M, you can permanently change gear
yourself by using the steering wheel paddle
shifters. Automatic transmission
201Driving and parking Z

Automatic drive program
Automatic drive program E Drive program
E(drive program Con MAG
vehicles) is characterized by the following:
R comfort-oriented engine settings.
R optimal fuel consumption resulting from
the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner.
R the vehicle pulling away more gently in
forward and reverse gears, unless the
accelerator pedal is depressed fully.
R increased sensitivity. This improves driving
stability on slippery road surfaces, for
example.
R the automatic transmission shifting up
sooner. This results in the vehicle being
driven at lower engine speeds and the
wheels being less likely to spin.
Automatic drive program S Drive program
Sis characterized by the fol-
lowing:
R sporty engine settings
R the vehicle pulling away in first gear
R the automatic transmission shifting up
later.
R the fuel consumption possibly being higher
as a result of the later automatic transmis- sion shift points.
Manual drive program M General notes
In this drive program, you can briefly change
gear yourself by using the steering wheel pad-
dle shifters. The transmission must be in posi- tion D.
You can activate manual drive program Min
the E(C in AMG vehicles) and Sautomatic
drive programs.
AMG vehicles: as well as temporary drive
program M, you can also activate permanent drive program
M. Further information about
permanent drive program M(Y page 203).
Activating X Shift the transmission to position D.
X Pull the left or right steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 201).
Manual drive program Mis temporarily acti-
vated.
All vehicles except AMG vehicles: M and
the selected gear appear in the multifunc-
tion display.
Further information on activating manual
drive program Mon PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles
(Y page 286).
Shifting gears
If you pull on the left or right steering wheel
paddle shifter, the automatic transmission
switches to manual drive program Mfor a
limited amount of time. Depending on which
paddle shifter is pulled, the automatic trans-
mission immediately shifts into the next gear down or up, if permitted.
X To shift up: pull the right-hand steering
wheel paddle shifter (Y page 201).
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear.
If the maximum engine speed on the cur-
rently engaged gear is reached and you
continue to accelerate, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts up in
order to prevent engine damage.
AMG vehicles: the automatic transmission
will not shift up to the next gear when the
engine speed is very low.
X To shift down: pull on the left-hand steer-
ing wheel paddle shifter (Y page 201).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear.
If the engine exceeds the maximum engine speed when shifting down, the automatic
transmission protects against engine dam- age by not shifting down. 202
Automatic trans
missionDriving and parking

Automatic down shifting occurs when
coasting.
Shift recommendation The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec- ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display.
X Shift to recommended gear ;according
to gearshift recommendation :when
shown in the multifunction display of the
instrument cluster.
Deactivating
If you have activated manual drive program
M , it will remain active for a certain amount of
time. Under certain conditions the minimum
amount of time is extended, e.g. in the case of lateral acceleration, during an overrun phase
or when driving on steep terrain.
If manual drive program Mhas been deacti-
vated, the automatic transmission shifts into
the automatic drive program that was last
selected.
You can also deactivate manual drive pro-
gram Myourself:
X Pull on the right-hand steering wheel pad-
dle shifter and hold it in place (Y page 201).
or X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to switch the
transmission position. or
X Use the program selector button to change
the drive program (Y page 200).
Manual drive program Mis deactivated.
The automatic transmission switches to
the previously activated drive program E
(drive program Con AMG vehicles) or S. Manual drive program (AMG vehicles)
General information In this drive program, you can permanently
change gear yourself by using the steering
wheel paddle shifters. The transmission must
be in position D.
Manual drive program Mis different from
drive program Swith regard to spontaneity,
responsiveness and smoothness of gear
changes.
As well as this permanent drive program M,
you can also activate temporary drive pro-
gram M(Y page 202).
Switching on the manual drive program In manual drive program
M, you can change
gear using the steering wheel paddle shifters
if the transmission is in position D. You can
see the currently selected drive program and
which gear is engaged in the multifunction
display.
X Press the program selector button
(Y page 200) repeatedly until Mappears in
the multifunction display.
Upshifting !
In manual drive program
M, the automatic
transmission does not shift up automati-
cally even when the engine limiting speed
for the current gear is reached. When the
engine limiting speed is reached, the fuel
supply is cut to prevent the engine from
overrevving. Always make sure that the
engine speed does not reach the red area of Automatic transmission
203Driving and parking Z

the tachometer. There is otherwise a risk of
engine damage. :
Gear indicator
; Upshift indicator
Before the engine speed reaches the red area, an upshift indicator will be shown in the mul-
tifunction display.
X If the color in the speedometer multifunc-
tion display changes to red and the UP UPdis-
play message is shown, shift up a gear
using the right-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter.
The automatic transmission shifts up to the
next gear if this is permissible.
Downshifting X
Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter (Y page 201).
The automatic transmission shifts down to
the next gear if this is permissible.
Maximum acceleration X Pull the left-hand steering wheel paddle
shifter until the transmission selects the
optimum gear according to the speed.
If you slow down or stop without shifting
down, the automatic transmission automati-
cally shifts down.
Switching off the manual drive program X
Press the program selector button
(Y page 200) repeatedly until Cor S
appears in the multifunction display. 204
Automatic transmissionDriving an
d parking

?
Vehicle socket
A Indicator lamp Ý
X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to shift the
automatic transmission to P.
X Switch the ignition off.
X Press the charge socket flap in the direc-
tion of arrow :.
The charge socket flap swings up.
X Slide fastener ;to the right.
Vehicle socket flap =is open.
X Insert the power supply plug into the elec-
trical outlet to the stop.
X Insert the charging cable connector into
vehicle socket ?to the stop.
The high-voltage battery is being charged.
Ý indicator lamp Aon vehicle
socket ?flashes slowly green.
i The vehicle must not be moved during
charging or when the charging cable is con- nected.
i Depending on the temperature, the fan
and battery cooling system may audibly
switch on during the charging process.
Removing the charging cable When the charge level display reaches 100%
in the multifunction display, the battery is
fully charged (Y page 281).
i After the charging cable has been discon-
nected, the indicator lamp in the vehicle
socket remains lit for some time before
switching off. When the battery is fully charged:
X Unlock the vehicle.
Ý indicator lamp Aon vehicle
socket ?lights up green.
X Press and hold button Bon the charging
cable connector and remove the charging
cable from the vehicle socket.
X Close vehicle socket flap =.
X Close charge socket flap :.
X Remove the charging cable from the elec-
trical outlet.
X Stow the charging cable safely in the vehi-
cle (Y page 212). Charging the high-voltage battery
from the wallbox
General notes It is recommended that you charge your vehi-
cle using a wallbox or at a charging station.
Use the optional quick charging cable when
charging at a wallbox. The charging cable is
stored in a bag in the trunk.
Only use charging cables that have been tes- ted and approved by the manufacturer for
charging the high-voltage battery in an elec-
tric vehicle.
Pay attention to the "Important safety notes"
(Y page 209). Charging the high-voltage battery (plug-in hybrid vehicles)
215Driving and parking Z

Connecting the charging cable
:
To open the charge socket flap
; Fastener
= Vehicle charge socket flap
? Vehicle socket
A Indicator lamp Ý
X Use the DIRECT SELECT lever to shift the
automatic transmission to P.
X Switch the ignition off.
X Press the charge socket flap in the direc-
tion of arrow :.
The charge socket flap swings up.
X Slide fastener ;to the right.
Vehicle socket flap =is open.
X Insert the charging cable connector into
vehicle socket ?to the stop.
The high-voltage battery is being charged.
Ý indicator lamp Aon vehicle
socket ?flashes slowly green.
i The vehicle must not be moved during
charging or when the charging cable is con- nected. i
Depending on the temperature, the fan
and battery cooling system may audibly
switch on during the charging process.
Removing the charging cable When the charge level display reaches 100%
in the multifunction display, the battery is
fully charged (Y page 281).
i After the charging cable has been discon-
nected, the indicator lamp in the vehicle
socket remains lit for some time before
switching off. When the battery is fully charged:
X Unlock the vehicle.
Ý indicator lamp Aon vehicle
socket ?lights up green.
X Press and hold button Bon the charging
cable connector and remove the charging
cable from the vehicle socket.
X Close vehicle socket flap =.
X Close charge socket flap :. Charging the high-voltage battery at
the charging station
The connection for the vehicle at a charging
station is identical to the connection on a
wallbox. Read the "Charging a high-voltage
battery at a wallbox" section (Y page 215).
Before beginning the charging process at a
charging station without communication
capabilities, you must first activate the sta-
tion. You can do this by using an RFID card or 216
Charging the high-voltage battery (plug-in hybrid vehicles)Driving and parking

code (VVC) issued by the Mercedes-Benz
Center after purchase. With this new
code you can set up the access to your
vehicle. This is described in the "Setting
up a personal area" section on the "Vehi-
cle Homepage". There, you may also
deactivate the existing access of the pre- vious owner.
Calling up functions in the "My
Mercedes Electric - Vehicle Homepage" The "Vehicle Homepage" allows you access to
vehicle information and your vehicle's func-
tions using remote query and remote config-
uration.
The following functions can be accessed via
the "Vehicle Homepage":
R request the current condition of charge of
the high-voltage battery
R program the departure time (Y page 310)
R set/activate the "Pre-entry climate control
at departure time" function (REMOTE CLI-
MATE CONTROL), (see the separate
COMAND operating instructions)
Information on additional functions and oper- ating instructions can be found on the "Vehi-
cle Homepage".
Connecting the vehicle to the Internet i
This function is not available in all coun-
tries and requires activated access to the
mbrace emergency call system.
i This function is only available if the vehi-
cle is equipped with a telephone module.
You can use the "Vehicle Homepage" if the
vehicle has a connection to the Internet via
the telephone module. The telephone module uses CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)
and transmits the necessary data by radio.
The vehicle automatically recognizes whether a connection to the Internet via the telephone
module is possible or not. No presets are
necessary. i
Restrictions in reception are possible if
the vehicle is in an underground car park,
for example. Restrictions may also occur in areas with poor mobile network coverage.
To enable the transfer of data via the tele-
phone module, you do not need a SIM card. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi-cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields. G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
R start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle.
! Always secure the vehicle correctly
against rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle
or its drivetrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against rolling away unintentionally:
R the electric parking brake must be applied.
R the transmission must be in position Pand
the SmartKey must be removed from the
ignition lock. 220
ParkingDriving and parking

R
the front wheels must be turned towards
the curb on steep uphill or downhill gradi-
ents.
R the empty vehicle must be secured at the
front axle with a wheel chock or similar, for
example, on uphill or downhill gradients.
R a laden vehicle must also be secured at the
rear axle with a wheel chock or similar, for
example, on uphill or downhill gradients. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
If the engine cannot be switched off as descri-
bed here, see "Emergency engine cutoff"
(Y page 440).
Using the SmartKey X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
If you switch the engine off with the trans-
mission in position Ror D, the automatic
transmission shifts to Nautomatically.
If you then open the driver's door or the
front-passenger door or remove the Smart-
Key from the ignition, the automatic trans-
mission shifts to Pautomatically.
If you shift the automatic transmission to N
before switching off the engine, the auto-
matic transmission remains in Neven if the driver's door or the front-passenger door is
opened.
Using the Start/Stop button X
Apply the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Press the Start/Stop button (Y page 189).
The engine stops and all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
When the driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1. When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to key
position 0: "Key removed".
If you turn off the engine with the Start/
Stop button, the automatic transmission
shifts to N. If you then open one of the front
doors, the automatic transmission shifts to P.
If you drive through a car wash with a con-
veyor, you can:
R switch on the ignition using the Start/
Stop button and shift the transmission to
N
R insert the SmartKey into the ignition
lock, switch on the ignition and shift the
transmission to N
In the event of 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 of the ECO start/stop auto-
matic engine switch-off function. Parking
221Driving an d parking Z