2015 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class shift

The AMG brake systems are designed for
heavy loads. This may lead to noise when
braking. This will depend on:
R speed
R braking force
R environmental conditions, such as temper-
ature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings or brake discs, depends on the individual driv-
ing style and operating conditions.
For this reason, it is impossible to state a
mileage that will be valid under all circum-
stances. An aggressive driving style will lead
to high wear. You can obtain further informa-
tion about this from your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
New and replaced brake pads and discs only
reach their optimum braking effect after sev-
eral hundred kilometers of driving. Compen-
sate for this by applying greater force to the
brake pedal. Keep this in mind, and adapt
your driving and braking accordingly during
this break-in period.
Excessive heavy braking results in corre-
spondingly high brake wear. Observe the
brake wear warning lamp in the instrument
cluster and note any brake status messages
in the multifunction display. Especially for
high performance driving, it is important to
maintain and have the brake system checked regularly. Driving on wet roads
Hydroplaning If water has accumulated to a certain depth
on the road surface, there is a danger of
hydroplaning occurring, even if:
R you drive at low speeds.
R the tires have adequate tread depth. For this reason, in the event of heavy rain or in
conditions in which hydroplaning may occur,
you must drive in the following manner:
R lower your speed.
R avoid ruts.
R avoid sudden steering movements.
R brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads !
Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic compo-
nents in the engine or the automatic trans- mission. Water can also be drawn in by the
engine's air suction nozzles and this can
cause engine damage. Winter driving
G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. G
DANGER
If the exhaust pipe is blocked or adequate
ventilation is not possible, poisonous gases
such as carbon monoxide (CO) may enter the vehicle. This is the case, e.g. if the vehicle
becomes trapped in snow. There is a risk of
fatal injury.
If you leave the engine or the auxiliary heating
running, make sure the exhaust pipe and area
around the vehicle are clear of snow. To
ensure an adequate supply of fresh air, open a window on the side of the vehicle that is not
facing into the wind. 228
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Have your vehicle winterproofed at a qualified
specialist workshop at the onset of winter.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery road
surfaces. Avoid sudden acceleration, steering
and braking maneuvers. Do not use the cruise
control or DISTRONIC PLUS.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Shift the transmission to position N.
The outside temperature indicator is not
designed to serve as an ice-warning device
and is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Changes in the outside temperature are dis-
played after a short delay.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
You should pay special attention to road con-
ditions when temperatures are around freez-
ing point.
For more information on driving with snow
chains, see (Y page 445).
For more information on driving with summer tires, see (Y page 444).
Observe the notes in the "Winter operation"
section (Y page 444). Driving systems
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive stands for
innovative driver assistance and safety sys-
tems which enhance comfort and support the
driver in critical situations. With these intelli-
gent co-ordinated systems Mercedes-Benz
has set a milestone on the path towards
autonomous driving.
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive embraces all elements of active and passive safety in one
well thought out system – for the safety of the
vehicle occupants and that of other road
users. Further information on driving safety systems
(Y page 76). Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains a constant road
speed for you. It brakes automatically in order
to avoid exceeding the set speed. Change into a lower gear in good time on long and steep
downhill gradients. This is especially impor-
tant if the vehicle is laden. By doing so, you
will make use of the braking effect of the
engine. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly.
Use cruise control only if road and traffic con-
ditions make it appropriate to maintain a
steady speed for a prolonged period. You can store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
Important safety notes If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise
control can neither reduce the risk of an acci-
dent nor override the laws of physics. Cruise
control cannot take into account the road,
traffic and weather conditions. Cruise control is only an aid. You are responsible for the dis-
tance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle speed,
for braking in good time and for staying in
your lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed e.g.
in heavy traffic or on winding roads
R on slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new
driver of the speed stored. Driving systems
229Driving and parking Z

speed of the vehicle to the previously
stored speed.
Setting a speed Keep in mind that it may take a brief moment
until the vehicle has accelerated or braked to the speed set.
X Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ;for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up :or down ;the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (10 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up :or down ;the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you accel- erate to overtake, cruise control adjusts
the vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking. Deactivating cruise control There are several ways to deactivate cruise
control:
X Briefly press cruise the control lever for-
wards :.
or X Brake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if: R you engage the electric parking brake
R you are driving at less than 20 mph
(30 km/h)
R ESP ®
intervenes or you deactivate ESP ®
R you shift the transmission to position N
while driving
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise Con‐
Cruise Con‐
trol Off trol Off message in the multifunction dis-
play for approximately five seconds.
i When you switch off the engine, the last
speed stored is cleared. DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and
automatically helps you maintain the dis-
tance to the vehicle detected in front. Vehi-
cles are detected with the aid of the radar
sensor system. DISTRONIC PLUS brakes
automatically so that the set speed is not
exceeded. Driving systems
231Driving and parking Z

R
the driver's door must be closed when you
shift from Pto Dor your seat belt must be
fastened.
R the front-passenger door and rear doors
must be closed.
Switching on X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ;or press it up :or down =.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/ h increments):briefly
press the cruise control lever up :to the
pressure point for a higher speed, or down
= for a lower speed.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up or down, the last speed stored
is increased or reduced.
or X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (10 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up :past
the pressure point for a higher speed, or
down =for a lower speed.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up or down, the last speed stored
is increased or reduced.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Your vehicle adapts its speed to that of the vehicle in front, but only up to the desired
stored speed.
i If you do not fully release the accelerator
pedal, the DISTRONIC DISTRONIC PLUS
PLUSPassive
Passive mes-
sage appears in the multifunction display. The set distance to a slower-moving vehicle
in front will then not be maintained. You will
be driving at the speed you determine by
the position of the accelerator pedal.
You can also activate DISTRONIC PLUS when
stationary. The lowest speed that can be set is
20 mph (30 km/h).
X Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you ;or press it up :or down =.
DISTRONIC PLUS is selected.
Activating at the current speed/last
stored speed G
WARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it differs
from the current speed, the vehicle acceler-
ates or decelerates. If you do not know the
stored speed, the vehicle could accelerate or brake unexpectedly. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Pay attention to the road and traffic condi-
tions before calling up the stored speed. If you do not know the stored speed, store the
desired speed again. X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you :.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. The first
time it is activated, the current speed is
stored. Otherwise, it sets the vehicle cruise speed to the previously stored value. 234
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

R
the battery is disconnected.
R the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
If you wish to exit the vehicle, always turn off
DISTRONIC PLUS and secure the vehicle
against rolling away.
For further information on deactivating
DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 238).
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that the vehicle in
front is stopping, it brakes your vehicle until it is stationary.
Once your vehicle is stationary, it remains
stationary and you do not need to depress the
brake.
After a time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake.
Depending on the specified minimum dis-
tance, your vehicle will come to a standstill at a sufficient distance behind the vehicle in
front. The specified minimum distance is set
using the control on the cruise control lever.
When the HOLD function is activated, the
transmission is shifted automatically to posi-
tion Pif:
R the driver's seat belt is not fastened and the
driver's door is open.
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function.
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if DISTRONIC PLUS is activated
when the vehicle is stationary and:
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
If a malfunction in the electric parking brake
occurs, then the transmission may also be
shifted into position Pautomatically. Setting a speed
X
Press the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ;for a lower speed.
X To adjust the set speed in 1 mph incre-
ments (1 km/h increments): briefly
press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up :or down ;the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
X To adjust the set speed in 5 mph incre-
ments (10 km/ h increments):briefly
press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;to the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is
pressed up :or down ;, the last speed
stored is increased or reduced.
i If you accelerate to overtake, DISTRONIC
PLUS adjusts the vehicle's speed to the last
speed stored after you have finished over-
taking.
Setting the specified minimum distance You can set the specified minimum distance
for DISTRONIC PLUS by varying the time span between one and two seconds. With this func-
tion, you can set the minimum distance that
DISTRONIC PLUS keeps to the vehicle in
front, dependent on vehicle speed. You can
see this distance in the multifunction display
(Y page 237).
i Make sure that you maintain the mini-
mum distance to the vehicle in front as 236
Driving systemsDriving an
d parking

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 time, the electric parking brake
secures the vehicle and relieves the service
brake. The HOLD function is then deacti-
vated. When the HOLD function is activated, the
transmission is shifted automatically to posi-
tion Pif:
R the driver's seat belt is not fastened and the
driver's door is open
R the engine is switched off, unless it is auto-
matically switched off by the ECO start/
stop function
The electric parking brake secures the vehicle automatically if DISTRONIC PLUS is activated
when the vehicle is stationary and:
R a system malfunction occurs.
R the power supply is not sufficient.
If a malfunction in the electric parking brake
occurs, then the transmission may also be
shifted into position Pautomatically. Magic Body Control
General notes MAGIC BODY CONTROL consists of Active
Body Control (ABC), ROAD SURFACE SCAN
as well as automatic vehicle stabilization in
the event of a crosswind.
Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to improve driving safety and reduce
fuel consumption. The suspension mode is
adjusted according to your selection (sports
or comfort), the road surface conditions and
the vehicle load. A multifunction camera
detects bumps in the road surface before the
vehicle drives over them. This reduces chas-
sis movements.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
When the vehicle is being lowered, people
could become trapped if their limbs are
between the vehicle body and the wheels or
underneath the vehicle. There is a risk of
injury. Driving systems
243Driving and parking
Z

!
When parking, pay particular attention to
objects above or below the sensors, such
as flower pots or trailer drawbars.
PARKTRONIC does not detect such objects
when they are in the immediate vicinity of
the vehicle. You could damage the vehicle
or the objects.
The sensors may not detect snow and other
objects that absorb ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic sources such as an automatic
car wash, the compressed-air brakes on a
truck or a pneumatic drill could cause
PARKTRONIC to malfunction.
PARKTRONIC may not function correctly on uneven terrain.
PARKTRONIC is activated automatically when you:
R switch on the ignition
R shift the transmission to position D,Ror N
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It is reactivated at lower
speeds.
Range of the sensors General notes
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into con-
sideration that are:
R below the detection range, e.g. people, ani-
mals or objects.
R above the detection range, e.g. overhang-
ing loads, truck overhangs or loading
ramps. :
Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand
side (example) The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or
slush. They can otherwise not function cor-
rectly. Clean the sensors regularly, taking
care not to scratch or damage them
(Y
page 415).
Front sensors Center Approx. 40 in (approx.
100 cm)
Corners Approx. 24 in (approx.
60 cm) Driving systems
249Driving and parking Z

:
Detected parking space on the left
; Parking symbol
= Detected parking space on the right
Active Parking Assist is switched on automat-
ically when driving forwards. The system is
operational at speeds of up to approximately 22 mph (35 km/h). While in operation, the
system independently locates and measures
parking spaces on both sides of the vehicle.
Active Parking Assist will only detect parking spaces:
R parallel or at right angles to the direction of
travel
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
and at least 59 in (1.5 m) wide
R that are parallel to the direction of travel
and at least 39.5 in (1.0 m) longer than your
vehicle
R that are at right angles to the direction of
travel and at least 39.5 in (1.0 m) wider
than your vehicle
i Note that Active Parking Assist cannot
measure the size of a parking space if it is at
right angles to the direction of travel. You
will need to judge whether your vehicle will
fit in the parking space.
When driving at speeds below 19 mph
(30 km/h), you will see the parking symbol as a status indicator in the instrument cluster.
When a parking space has been detected, an arrow towards the right or the left also
appears. By default, Active Parking Assist
only displays parking spaces on the front-
passenger side. Parking spaces on the driv- er's side are displayed as soon as the turn
signal on the driver's side is activated. When
parking on the driver's side, this must remain switched on until you acknowledge the use of
Active Parking Assist by pressing the a
button on the multifunction steering wheel.
The system automatically determines
whether the parking space is parallel or at
right angles to the direction of travel.
A parking space is displayed while you are
driving past it, and until you are approx-
imately 50 ft (15 m) away from it.
Pa rking G
WARNING
If you leave the vehicle when it is only being
braked by Active Parking Assist it could roll
away if:
R there is a malfunction in the system or in
the voltage supply.
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses have
been tampered with.
R the battery is disconnected.
R the accelerator pedal has been depressed,
e.g. by a vehicle occupant.
There is a risk of an accident.
Before leaving the vehicle, always secure it
against rolling away.
i When PARKTRONIC detects obstacles,
Active Parking Assist brakes automatically
during the parking process. You are respon- sible for braking in good time.
X Stop the vehicle when the parking space
symbol shows the desired parking space in
the instrument cluster.
X Shift the transmission to position R.
The Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
Start Park Assist? Yes: OK No:
% message appears in the multifunction
display. Driving systems
253Driving and parking Z