2015 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class traction control

Drive program
Automatic ...................................... 202
Manual .......................................... .202
Manual (AMG vehicles) .................. 203
SETUP (on-board computer) .......... 314
Driver's door
see Doors
Driver's/front-passenger seat
Stowage compartment .................. 374
Driving abroad
Mercedes-Benz Service ................. 411
Symmetrical low bea m.................. 150
Driving Assistance package ............. 270
Driving safety systems
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) ....... 76
ADAPTIVE BRAK E............................. 84
Adaptive Brake Assist ...................... 81
BAS (Brake Assist System) .............. 77
BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic
Assist ............................................... 77
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
PLUS ................................................ 79
Distance warning function ............... 80
EBD (electronic brake force distri- bution) ............................................. 83
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Pro-
gram) ............................................... 81
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction
System) ........................................... 82
Important safety information ........... 76
Overview .......................................... 76
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake ............................. 84
Recuperative Brake System ............. 48
STEER CONTROL ............................. 86
Driving systems
360°camera .................................. 260
Active Blind Spot Assist ................. 270
Active Body Control ABC ............... 244
Active Lane Keeping Assist ............ 273
Active Parking Assist ..................... 251
AIRMATIC ...................................... 246
ATTENTION ASSIST ........................ 264
Cruise control ................................ 229
Display message ............................ 341
DISTRONIC PLUS ........................... 231
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering
Assist and Stop&Go Pilot ............... 240 Driving Assistance packag
e........... 270
HOLD function ............................... 242
Night View Assist Plus ................... 266
PARKTRONIC ................................. 248
Rear view camera .......................... 256
Driving tips
AMG ceramic brakes ..................... 227
Automatic transmission ................. 200
Brakes ........................................... 226
Break-in period .............................. 188
DISTRONIC PLUS ........................... 238
Downhill gradient ........................... 226
Drinking and driving ....................... 224
Driving abroad ............................... 150
Driving in winter ............................. 228
Driving on flooded roads ................ 228
Driving on wet roads ...................... 228
Exhaust check ............................... 224
Fuel ................................................ 224
General .......................................... 224
Hydroplaning ................................. 228
Icy road surfaces ........................... 228
Limited braking efficiency on sal-
ted roads ....................................... 226
Snow chains .................................. 445
Symmetrical low beam .................. 150
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ..... 188
Wet road surface ........................... 226
DVD video
Operating (on-board computer) ..... 305 E
EASY-ENTRY feature Function/note s............................. 139
EASY-EXIT feature
Crash-responsive ........................... 140
Function/note s............................. 139
EBD (electronic brake force distri-
bution)
Display message ............................ 320
Function/note s................................ 83
ECO display
Function/note s............................. 225
On-board computer ....................... 300
ECO start/stop function
Automatic engine start .................. 194
Automatic engine switch-off .......... 193 Index
9

Deactivating/activating ................. 194
General information ....................... 193
Important safety note s.................. 193
Introduction ................................... 193
Electronic Stability Program
see ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
Emergency
Automatic measures after an acci-
dent ................................................. 68
Emergency release
Driver's door .................................... 98
Trunk ............................................. 105
Vehicle ............................................. 98
Emergency Tensioning Devices
Activation ......................................... 65
Emissions control
Service and warranty information .... 25
Engine
Check Engine warning lamp ........... 363
Display message ............................ 336
ECO start/stop function ................ 193
Engine number ............................... 489
Irregular running ............................ 196
Jump-starting ................................. 432
Starting problems .......................... 196
Starting the engine with the
SmartKey ....................................... 192
Starting with the Start/Stop but-
ton ................................................. 192
Switching off .................................. 221
Switching off with the Start/Stop
button ............................................ 221
Switching off with the vehicle key .. 221
Tow-starting (vehicle) ..................... 438
Engine electronics
Problem (malfunction) ................... 196
Engine emergency stop .................... 440
Engine oil
Adding ........................................... 407
Additives ........................................ 492
Checking the oil level ..................... 405
Checking the oil level using the
dipstick .......................................... 405
Checking the oil level using the
on-board computer ........................ 407
Display message ............................ 338
Filling capacity ............................... 492
Notes about oil grade s................... 491 Notes on oil level/consumption .... 405
Temperature (on-board com-
puter) ............................................. 314
Viscosity ........................................ 492
ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Pro-
gram)
AMG menu (on-board computer) ... 314
Characteristics ................................. 82
Deactivating/activating ................... 82
Display message ............................ 317
ETS/4ETS ........................................ 82
Function/note s................................ 81
General notes .................................. 81
Important safety information ........... 82
Warning lamp ................................. 360
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction Sys-
tem) ...................................................... 82
Exhaust
see Exhaust pipe
Exhaust check ................................... 224
Exhaust pipe
Cleaning ......................................... 417
Exhaustive discharging (high-volt-
age battery) ....................................... 429
Exterior lighting
Cleaning ......................................... 415
see Lights
Exterior mirrors
Adjusting ....................................... 141
Dipping (automatic) ....................... 142
Folding in/out (automatically )....... 141
Folding in/out (electrically) ........... 141
Out of position (troubleshooting) ... 142
Setting ........................................... 141
Storing settings (memory func-
tion) ............................................... 144
Storing the parking position .......... 142
Eyeglasses compartment ................. 373 F
Features ............................................. 378
Filler cap
see Fuel filler flap
Filling capacities (Technical data) ... 489
Flat tire
Changing a wheel/mounting the
spare whee l................................... 465 10
Index

If ESP
®
detects that the vehicle is deviating
from the direction desired by the driver, one
or more wheels are braked to stabilize the
vehicle. The engine output is also modified to keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP ®
assists the driver when
pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP ®
can also stabilize the vehicle during braking.
ETS/4ETS (Electronic Traction System) i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 76).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
. On vehi-
cles with 4MATIC, 4ETS is part of ESP ®
.
Traction control brakes the drive wheels indi-
vidually if they spin. This enables you to pull
away and accelerate on slippery surfaces, for
example if the road surface is slippery on one side. In addition, more drive torque is trans-
ferred to the wheel or wheels with traction.
Traction control remains active, even if you
deactivate ESP ®
.
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If ESP ®
is malfunctioning, ESP ®
is unable to
stabilize the vehicle. Additionally, further driv- ing safety systems are deactivated. This
increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
Drive on carefully. Have ESP ®
checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Vehicles without 4MATIC: observe the notes
on ESP ®
(Y page 437) when towing the vehi-
cle with a raised rear axle.
ESP ®
is only deactivated if the åwarning
lamp is lit continuously.
If the ÷ warning lamp lights up continu-
ously, ESP ®
is not available due to a malfunc-
tion.
Observe the information on warning lamps
(Y page 360) and display messages which
may be shown in the instrument cluster
(Y page 317). Only use wheels with the recommended tire
sizes. Only then will ESP ®
function properly.
Characteristics of ESP ® General information
If the
÷ ESP warning lamp goes out before
beginning the journey, ESP ®
is automatically
active.
If ESP ®
intervenes, the ÷ESP®
warning
lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
If ESP ®
intervenes:
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
under any circum-
stances.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the prevail-
ing road and weather conditions.
ECO start/stop function
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically when the vehicle
stops moving. The engine starts automati-
cally when the driver wants to pull away again. ESP ®
remains in its previously selected sta-
tus. Example: if ESP®
was deactivated before
the engine was switched off, ESP ®
remains
deactivated when the engine is switched on
again.
Deactivating/activating ESP ® Important safety notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 76).
You can select between the following states
of ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
is activated.
R ESP ®
is deactivated. G
WARNING
If you deactivate ESP ®
, ESP ®
no longer sta-
bilizes the vehicle. There is an increased risk
of skidding and an accident. 82
Driving safety systemsSafety

Only deactivate ESP
®
in the situations descri-
bed in the following.
It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the fol-
lowing situations:
R when using snow chains
R in deep snow
R on sand or gravel
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the vehi-
cle if the vehicle starts to skid or a wheel
starts to spin.
! Avoid spinning the driven wheels for an
extended period with ESP ®
deactivated.
You could otherwise damage the drivetrain.
Deactivating/activating ESP ®
You can deactivate or activate ESP ®
via the
on-board computer.
X To deactivate: (Ypage 82).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up.
X To activate: (Ypage 82).
The å ESP®
OFF warning lamp in the
instrument cluster goes out.
Characteristics when ESP ®
is deactivated
If ESP ®
is deactivated and one or more wheels
start to spin, the ÷ESP®
warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes. In such situa-
tions, ESP ®
will not stabilize the vehicle.
If you deactivate ESP ®
:
R ESP ®
no longer improves driving stability.
R engine torque is no longer limited and the
drive wheels are able to spin.
The spinning of the wheels results in a cut- ting action for better traction on loose sur-faces.
R traction control is still activated.
R ESP ®
still provides support when you
brake. Crosswind Assist (vehicles without
MAGIC BODY CONTROL) General information
Vehicles with MAGIC BODY CONTROL: infor-
mation on stabilizing the vehicle in the event
of crosswind (Y
page 243).
Strong crosswinds can cause your vehicle to
deviate from a straight course. The crosswind
driving assistance function integrated into
ESP ®
significantly reduces these effects.
ESP ®
intervenes automatically according to
the direction and intensity of the crosswinds
affecting your vehicle.
ESP intervenes with stabilizing braking to
assist you in keeping the vehicle in the lane.
Crosswind Assist is active at vehicle speeds
above 50 mph (80 km/h) when driving
straight ahead or cornering gently.
Important safety notes
Crosswind Assist does not work if ESP ®
is
deactivated or disabled because of a mal-
function. EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General information EBD monitors and controls the brake pres-
sure on the rear wheels to improve driving
stability while braking.
Important safety notes i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Y page 76). G
WARNING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the risk of skidding and an accident.
You should therefore adapt your driving style
to the different handling characteristics. Have the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Driving safety systems
83Safety Z

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

!
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
If you fail to adapt your driving style,
DISTRONIC PLUS can neither reduce the risk
of accident nor override the laws of physics.
DISTRONIC PLUS cannot take into account
the road, traffic and weather conditions.
DISTRONIC PLUS 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 your lane.
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS:
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
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect narrow
vehicles driving in front, e.g. motorcycles, or
vehicles driving on a different line.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired if:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R there is snow or heavy rain
R there is interference by other radar sources
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example, in parking garages
If DISTRONIC PLUS no longer detects a vehi- cle in front, DISTRONIC PLUS may unexpect-
edly accelerate the vehicle to the stored
speed. This speed may:
R be too high if you are driving in a filter lane
or an exit lane
R be so high in the right lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the left (left-hand drive
countries)
R be so high in the left lane that you pass
vehicles driving on the right (right-hand
drive countries)
If there is a change of drivers, advise the new driver of the speed stored.
Cruise control lever :
To activate or increase speed
; To activate or reduce speed
= To deactivate DISTRONIC PLUS
? To activate at the current speed/last
stored speed
A To set the specified minimum distance
Activating DISTRONIC PLUS Activation conditions
In order to activate DISTRONIC PLUS, the fol-
lowing conditions must be fulfilled:
R the engine must be started. It may take up
to two minutes after pulling away before
DISTRONIC PLUS is operational.
R the electric parking brake must be
released.
R ESP ®
must be active, but not intervening.
R Active Parking Assist must not be activa-
ted.
R the transmission must be in position D. Driving systems
233Driving and parking Z

Warning/
indicator
lamp
N
N Signal type
Possible causes/consequences and M MSolutions $J
÷!
N
$ (USA only), J(Canada only): the red brake warning lamp, the
yellow ESP ®
warning lamp and the yellow ABS warning lamp are lit while the
engine is running.
ABS and ESP ®
are not available due to a malfunction. Therefore BAS, BAS
PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist, COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS, EBD,
PRE‑SAFE ®
, PRE‑SAFE ®
PLUS, PRE‑SAFE ®
Brake, the HOLD function, hill start
assist, Crosswind Assist, STEER CONTROL, Active Lane Keeping Assist and
Active Blind Spot Assist are also unavailable.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
G WARNING
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the functions
listed above. The front and rear wheels could therefore lock if you brake hard,
for example.
The steerability and braking characteristics may be severely affected. The
braking distance in an emergency braking situation can increase.
If ESP ®
is not operational, ESP ®
is unable to stabilize the vehicle.
There is an increased risk of skidding and an accident.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. ÷
N
The yellow ESP ®
warning lamp flashes while the vehicle is in motion.
ESP ®
or traction control has intervened because there is a risk of skidding or
at least one wheel has started to spin.
Cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
X When pulling away, only depress the accelerator pedal as far as necessary.
X Ease off the accelerator pedal while the vehicle is in motion.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
.
In rare cases (Y page 82), it may be best to deactivate ESP ®
.
Observe the important safety notes on ESP ®
(Y page 82). 360
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument clusterOn-board computer and displays

When parking your vehicle, make sure that
the tires do not get deformed by the curb or
other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive over
curbs, speed humps or similar elevations, try to do so slowly and at an obtuse angle. Oth-
erwise, the tires, particularly the sidewalls,
may be damaged. Regular checking of wheels and tires
G
WARNING
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control of your vehicle. There is a risk of accident.
Check the tires regularly for signs of damage
and replace any damaged tires immediately.
Regularly check the wheels and tires of your
vehicle for damage at least once a month, as well as after driving off-road or on rough
roads. Damaged wheels can cause a loss of
tire pressure. Pay particular attention to dam-
age such as:
R cuts in the tires
R punctures
R tears in the tires
R bulges on tires
R deformation or severe corrosion on wheels
Regularly check the tire tread depth and the
condition of the tread across the whole width of the tire (Y page 443). If necessary, turn the
front wheels to full lock in order to inspect the
inner side of the tire surface.
All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture. Do not
mount anything onto the valve other than the standard valve cap or other valve caps
approved by Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle.
Do not use any other valve caps or systems,
e.g. tire pressure monitoring systems.
Regularly check the pressure of all the tires
particularly prior to long trips. Adjust the tire pressure as necessary (Y page 445).The service life of tires depends, among other
things, on the following factors:
R Driving style
R Tire pressure
R Distance covered Notes on tire tread
G
WARNING
Insufficient tire tread will reduce tire traction.
The tire is no longer able to dissipate water.
This means that on wet road surfaces, the risk of hydroplaning increases, in particular where speed is not adapted to suit the driving con-
ditions. There is a risk of accident.
If the tire pressure is too high or too low, tires
may exhibit different levels of wear at differ-
ent locations on the tire tread. Thus, you
should regularly check the tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the entire
width of all tires.
Minimum tire tread depth for:
R Summer tires: âin (3 mm)
R M+S tires: ãin (4 mm)
For safety reasons, replace the tires before
the legally prescribed limit for the minimum
tire tread depth is reached. Bar indicator
:for tread wear is integrated
into the tire tread.
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. Six indicators are positioned on the tire
tread. They are visible once a tread depth of
approximately áin (1.6 mm) has been Operation
443Wheels and tires Z