2016 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS ECU

the vehicle's high-voltage electrical system
checked by a qualified specialist workshop.
The components of the vehicle's high-voltage
electrical system are marked with yellow warn-
ing stickers. The cables of the vehicle's high-
voltage electrical system are orange in color.
Vehicles with an electric motor generate much
less driving noise than vehicles with internal
combustion engines. As a result, your vehicle
may not be heard by other road users in certain
situations. This can happen, for example, when
you are parking and your vehicle is not seen by
other road users. This requires you to adopt a
particularly anticipatory driving style, as it is
necessary to allow for the possibility that other
road users may behave erratically.
Declarations of conformity
Vehicle components which receive
and/or transmit radio waves USA: "The wireless devices of this vehicle com-
ply with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is
subject to the two following two conditions: 1)
These devices may not cause harmful interfer-
ence, and 2) These devices must accept any
interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation. Changes
or modifications not expressly approved by the
party responsible for compliance could void the
user’s authority to operate the equipment."
Canada: "The wireless devices of this vehicle
comply with Industry Canada license-exempt
RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions: (1) These devices may
not cause interference, and (2) These devices
must accept any interference, including inter-
ference that may cause undesired operation of
the device."
Diagnostics connection
The diagnostics connection is only intended for
the connection of diagnostic equipment at a
qualified specialist workshop.
G WARNING
If you connect equipment to the diagnostics
connection in the vehicle, it may affect the operation of the vehicle systems. As a result,
the operating safety of the vehicle could be
affected. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not connect any equipment to a diagnos-
tics connection in the vehicle.
G WARNING
Objects in the driver's footwell can restrict the
pedal travel or obstruct a depressed pedal.
The operating and road safety of the vehicle is
jeopardized. There is a risk of an accident.
Make sure that all objects in the vehicle are
stowed correctly, and that they cannot enter
the driver's footwell. Install the floormats
securely and as specified in order to ensure
sufficient clearance for the pedals. Do not use
loose floormats and do not place floormats on
top of one another.
! If the engine is switched off and equipment
on the diagnostics connection is used, the
starter battery may discharge.
Connecting equipment to the diagnostics con-
nection can lead to emissions monitoring infor-
mation being reset, for example. This may lead
to the vehicle failing to meet the requirements of
the next emissions test during the main inspec-
tion.
Qualified specialist workshop An authorized Mercedes-Benz Center is a quali-
fied specialist workshop. It has the necessary
specialist knowledge, tools and qualifications to
correctly carry out the work required on your
vehicle. This is especially the case for work rel-
evant to safety.
Observe the notes in the Maintenance Booklet.
Always have the following work carried out at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center: R
work relevant to safety R
service and maintenance work R
repair work R
alterations, installation work and modifica-
tions R
work on electronic components R
work on the hybrid drive system28
Introduction

Correct use If you remove any warning stickers, you or oth-
ers could fail to recognize certain dangers.
Leave warning stickers in position.
Observe the following information when driving
your vehicle: R
the safety notes in this manual R
the vehicle technical data R
traffic rules and regulations R
laws and safety standards pertaining to motor
vehicles
Problems with your vehicle If you should experience a problem with your
vehicle, particularly one that you believe may
affect its safe operation, we urge you to contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immedi-
ately to have the problem diagnosed and recti-
fied. If the problem is not resolved to your sat-
isfaction, please discuss the problem again with
a Mercedes-Benz Center or contact us at one of
the following addresses.
In the USA
Customer Assistance Center
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada
Customer Relations Department
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9
Reporting safety defects USA only:
The following text is published as required of
manufacturers under Title 49, Code of U.S. Fed-
eral Regulations, Part 575 pursuant to the
"National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of
1966".
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect
which could cause a crash or could cause injury
or death, you should immediately inform the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) in addition to notifying Mercedes-Benz
USA, LLC. If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may
open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order
a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA
cannot become involved in individual problems
between you, your dealer, or Mercedes-Benz
USA, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle
Safety Hotline toll-free at
1-888-327-4236(TTY: 1-800-424-9153 ); go to
http://www.safercar.gov ; or write to: Admin-
istrator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20590.
You can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from
http://www.safercar.gov
Limited Warranty
! Follow the instructions in this manual about
the proper operation of your vehicle as well as
about possible vehicle damage. Damage to
your vehicle that arises from culpable contra-
ventions against these instructions is not cov-
ered either by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty or by the New or Used-Vehicle War-
ranty.
QR codes for the rescue card The QR codes are secured in the fuel filler flap
and on the opposite side on the B-pillar. In the
event of an accident, rescue services can use
the QR code to quickly find the appropriate res-
cue card for your vehicle. The current rescue
card contains the most important information
about your vehicle in a compact form, e.g. the
routing of the electric cables.
You can find more information under http://
portal.aftersales.i.daimler.com/public/
content/asportal/en/communication/
informationen_fuer/QRCode.html.
Data stored in the vehicle
Data storage
A wide range of electronic components in your
vehicle contain data memories. Introduction 29
Z

Deactivate the hybrid system manually if: R
the u restraint system warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up after an accident R
the vehicle is badly damaged, e.g. after an
accident, and the restraint system compo-
nents were not activated R
the vehicle is badly damaged and has to be
towed or transported X
If possible, move the vehicle out of the
danger zone: shift the automatic transmis-
sion into position N .X
Release the electric parking brake. X
Roll the vehicle to a safe place and park it
safely.
Get assistance from others if necessary.
i The vehicle is locked automatically when
the ignition is switched on and the wheels are
turning. There is therefore a risk of being
locked out if the vehicle is being pushed or
tested on a dynamometer. X
Switch the ignition off. X
Shift the automatic transmission to park posi-
tion P ( Y
page 170).
Depress the electric parking brake
( Y
page 190).
Secure the vehicle against rolling away
( Y
page 406). X
To use the high-voltage switch-off device:
open the trunk lid. X
Lift the trunk floor upwards ( Y
page 329).X
Remove the right-hand paneling in the trunk.
X
Press release clip C in the direction of the
arrow and pull it out. X
Pull the high voltage switch-off device D
apart until it engages in the stop position.
If the hybrid drive system has been deactivated
due to reasons mentioned above, have it checked at a qualified specialist workshop
before reactivation.
High-voltage battery
G WARNING
In the event of a vehicle fire, the internal pres-
sure of the high-voltage battery can exceed a
critical value. In this case flammable gas
escapes through a ventilation valve on the
underbody. The gas can ignite. There is a risk
of injury.
Leave the danger zone immediately. Secure
the danger area at a suitable distance, whilst
observing legal requirements.
G WARNING
If the housing of the high-voltage battery has
been damaged, electrolyte and gases may
leak out. These are poisonous and caustic.
There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing.
Immediately rinse electrolyte splashes off
with water and seek medical attention
straight away.
! Exhaustive discharge caused by the vehicle
standing idle for lengthy periods can damage
the high-voltage battery.
Hybrid vehicles: if the vehicle is idle for
lengthy periods, run it for a few minutes once
every six weeks to charge up the high-voltage
battery. During the charging process, switch
off all electrical consumers, e.g. the auto-
matic climate control or the seat heating.
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles: make sure that
the high-voltage battery is connected to a
charging station during long periods when the
vehicle is standing idle.
PLUG-IN HYBRID vehicles: charging the high-
voltage battery ( Y
page 180).
Engine compartment
Before opening the hood: X
Apply the electric parking brake. X
Shift the automatic transmission to park posi-
tion P . X
Switch the ignition off.Hybrid vehicles 43
Safety Z

X
Remove th e Start/Sto p butto n from th e igni-
tion loc k ( Y
page 162).
or X
If th e SmartKey is inserted in th e ignition lock:
remove th e SmartKey from th e ignition lock.X
Observ e th e warning note s on th e ris k of elec -
tric shock ( Y
page 42) .X
Observ e th e warning notice s about th e hoo d
( Y
page 352).
RBS driving safety system (Recupera-
tive Brake System) The Recuperative Brake Syste m support s you
when braking wit h an electronically-controlled
brak e boos t mod e and enables th e recovery of
kinetic energ y (recuperation).
G WARNIN G
If th e Recuperative Braking Syste m malfunc -
tions, braking resistanc e may be reduce d and
brak e pedal travel may be longer than usual. If
you subsequentl y depress th e brak e pedal as
usual, th e braking effec t may no t be sufficient.
There is a ris k of an accident.
In th e event of this malfunction , continue to
depress th e brak e pedal . Stop th e vehicl e in
accordanc e wit h th e traffic conditions. If nec-
essary, contact a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Further information about th e Recuperative
Brake Syste m ( Y
page 240).
Panic alarm X
To activate: press 3 butto n C for at
least on e second.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if th e
alarm system is armed. X
To deactivate: press 3 butto n C again .
or X
Press th e Start/Sto p button.
The SmartKey mus t be in th e vehicle.
Occupant safety
Introduction to the restraint system The restrain t system can reduce th e ris k of vehi-
cle occupant s comin g int o contact wit h part s of
th e vehicle's interior in th e event of an accident.
The restrain t system can also reduce th e force s
to whic h vehicl e occupant s are subjecte d during
an accident.
The restrain t system comprises :R
seat belt system R
air bags R
child restrain t system R
child seat securin g systems
The component s of th e restrain t system wor k in
conjunction wit h eac h other . The y can only
deplo y their protective function if, at all times , all
vehicl e occupants: R
hav e fastene d their seat belt s correctl y
( Y
page 48) R
hav e adjusted their seat and head restrain t
properly ( Y
page 105).
As th e driver, you also hav e to mak e sur e that
th e steering whee l is adjusted correctly.
Observ e th e information relating to th e correc t
driver' s seat position ( Y
page 104).
You also hav e to mak e sur e that an air bag can
inflat e properly if deployed ( Y
page 50).
An air bag supplement s a correctl y wor n seat
belt . As an additional safet y device , th e air bag
increases th e level of protection for vehicl e
occupant s in th e event of an accident. Fo r exa m-
p
le, if, in th e event of an accident, th e protection
offere d by th e seat belt is sufficient, th e air bags
are no t deployed. When an acciden t occurs, only
th e air bags that increas e protection in that par-
ticular acciden t situation are deployed. How-
ever, seat belt s and air bags generally do no t
protect against objects penetrating th e vehicl e
from th e outside .44
Occupant safety
Safety

Important safety notes The use of seat belt s and child restrain t systems
is require d by law in:R
all 50 state sR
th e U.S. territoriesR
th e Distric t of ColumbiaR
all Canadian province s
Even wher e this is no t require d by law, all vehicl e
occupant s should correctl y faste n their seat
belt s before starting th e journey.
G WARNIN G
If th e seat belt is incorrectl y fastened, it can -
no t protect as intended. Furthermore , an
incorrectl y fastene d seat belt can caus e addi-
tional injury, for example, in an accident, dur-
ing braking or when abruptl y changing direc-
tion . This poses an increased ris k of injury or
eve n fatal injury.
Mak e sur e that all vehicl e occupant s are
seated properly wit h a correctl y fastene d seat
belt .
G WARNIN G
The seat belt does no t offer th e intended level
of protection if you have no t moved th e back-
res t to an almost vertical position . When brak -
ing or in th e event of an accident, you could
slide underneat h th e seat belt and sustain
abdomen or neck injuries, for example. This
poses an increased ris k of injury or eve n fatal
injury.
Adjus t th e seat properly before beginning
your journey. Always ensur e that th e backrest
is in an almost vertical position and that th e
shoulder section of your seat belt is routed
across th e center of your shoulder .
G WARNIN G
Objects next to th e fron t seat that bloc k th e
belt buckle or th e moving belt anchorage on
th e fron t seat impair th e function of th e Emer-
gency Tensioning Devices. The Emergency
Tensioning Devices may no t function as inten -
ded and th e seat belt may no longer provide
th e intended protection . This poses an
increased ris k of injury or eve n fatal injury. Before starting th e journey, mak e sur e that
there are no objects aroun d th e belt buckle or
between th e fron t seat and door .
G WARNIN G
Person s under 5 ft (1.50 m) in height canno t
faste n th e seat belt correctl y without an addi-
tional suitable restrain t system. If th e seat
belt is incorrectl y fastened, it canno t protect
as intended. Furthermore , an incorrectl y fas -
tene d seat belt can caus e additional injury, for
example, in an accident, during braking or an
abrup t chang e of direction . This poses an
increased ris k of injury or eve n fatal injury.
Fo r this reason , always secure person s under
5 ft (1.50 m) in height in suitable restrain t
systems .
If a child younger than twelve years old and
under 5 ft (1.5 0 m) in height is traveling in the
vehicle: R
always secure the child in a child restraint
system suitable for this Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cle. The child restraint system must be appro-
priate to the age, weight and size of the child R
always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the belt bags for the outer seat belts
in the rear ( Y
page 48) R
always observe the instructions and safety
notes on "Children in the vehicle"
( Y
page 61) in addition to the child restraint
system manufacturer's installation and oper-
ating instructions R
be sure to observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant classification system
(OCS)" ( Y
page 53)
G WARNING
The seat belts may not perform their intended
protective function if: R
they are damaged, modified, extremely
dirty, bleach or dyed R
the seat belt buckle is damaged or
extremely dirty R
the Emergency Tensioning Devices, belt
anchorages or inertia reels have been modi-
fiedOccupant safety 47
Safety Z

Seat belts may sustain non-visible damage in
an accident, e.g. due to glass splinters. Modi-
fied or damaged seat belts may tear or fail,
e.g. in an accident. Modified Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices could accidentally trigger or
fail to deploy when necessary. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
Never modify the seat belts, Emergency Ten-
sioning Devices, belt anchorages or inertia
reels. Make sure that the seat belts are
undamaged, not worn out and clean. Follow-
ing an accident, have the seat belts checked
immediately at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
Only use seat belts that have been approved for
your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
Proper use of the seat belts Pay attention to the safety notes about the seat
belt ( Y
page 47).
All vehicle occupants must fasten the seat belt
correctly before setting off. Make sure that all
occupants are wearing their seat belts correctly
for the entire journey.
When fastening the seat belt, make sure that: R
The seat belt tongue is inserted into the belt
buckle that belongs to the seat. R
The seat belt is tightened across your body.
Avoid wearing bulky clothing, e.g. a winter
coat. R
The seat belt is not twisted.
Only then can the forces produced in the
event of an accident be evenly distributed
across the belt. R
The shoulder section of the belt must always
be routed across the center of the shoulder.
The shoulder section of the belt should not
come into contact with your neck and must
not be routed under the arm. Where possible,
adjust the seat belt to the appropriate height. R
The lap belt must be taut and as low as pos-
sible over your lap.
The lap belt must always pass across your hip
joints and never across your stomach or
abdomen. Pregnant women must take partic-
ular care. If necessary, the lap belt can be
pushed down across the hip joints and pulled
tight using the shoulder section. R
The seat belt is not routed over sharp, pointed
or fragile objects.
If these item s a re on or in your clothing, e.g.
e
yeglasses, pens, keys, etc., stow these items
in a more suitable location. R
Only one person should use each seat belt at
any one time.
On no account should babies or children
travel sitting on the lap of another vehicle
occupant. During an accident, they could be
crushed between the occupant and seat belt. R
Objects are not secured with a seat belt if the
seat belt is being used by one of the vehicle’s
occupants.
Also make sure that there are no objects, e.g.
cushions, between the occupant and the seat.
Seat belts are solely intended for the protection
and restraint of the vehicle occupants. To
secure objects, luggage or loads, always
observe the "Loading guidelines" ( Y
page 325).
Rear beltbags
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 50).
Depending on the vehicle's equipment, the
outer rear seat belts are equipped with a belt
bag. This can be seen from the BELTBAG iden-
tification on the rear seat belt.
G WARNING
In an accident, the belt bag may damage a
non-approved child restraint system. As a
result, the child restraint system may not be
able to provide the intended level of protec-
tion. This poses an increased risk of injury or
even fatal injury.
For this reason, a child restraint system with
an integrated seat belt should always be
installed using LATCH-type (ISOFIX). In a vehi-
cle with optional belt bags for the rear seats,
you should only ever use a booster seat with
integrated backrest that has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz in conjunction
with a belt bag. Never use a seat belt equipped
with a belt bag to secure a forward or rear-
ward-facing child restraint system or a boos-
ter seat that has not been approved. For infor-
mation on approved child restraint systems,48
Occupant safety
Safety

To avoid hazardous situations, always make
sure that all of the vehicle's occupants: R
have fastened their seat belts correctly,
including pregnant women R
are sitting correctly and maintain the great-
est possible distance to the air bags R
follow the following instructions
Always make sure that there are no objects
between the air bag and the vehicle's occu-
pants. R
Adjust the seats properly before beginning
your journey. Always make sure that the seat
is in an almost upright position. The center of
the head restraint must support the head at
about eye level. R
Move the driver's and front-passenger seats
as far back as possible. The driver's seat posi-
tion must allow the vehicle to be driven safely. R
Only hold the steering wheel on the outside.
This allows the air bag to be fully deployed. R
Always lean against the backrest while driv-
ing. Do not lean forwards or lean against the
door or side window. You may otherwise be in
the deployment area of the air bags. R
Always keep your feet in the footwell in front
of the seat. Do not put your feet on the dash-
board, for example. Your feet may otherwise
be in the deployment area of the air bag. R
For this reason, always secure persons less
than 5 ft (1.50 m) tall in suitable restraint sys-
tems. Up to this height, the seat belt cannot
be worn correctly.
If a child is traveling in your vehicle, also
observe the following notes: R
Always secure children under twelve years of
age and less than 5 ft (1.50 m) tall in suitable
child restraint systems. R
Child restraint systems should be installed on
the rear seats. R
Only secure a child in a rearward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat
when the front-passenger front air bag is
deactivated. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF
indicator lamp is permanently lit, the fro nt-
p a
ssenger front air bag is deactivated
( Y
page 46). R
Always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant Classification System
(OCS)" ( Y
page 53) and on "Children in the vehicle" ( Y
page 61 )i n addition to the child
restraint system manufacturer's installation
and operating instructions.
Objects in the vehicle interior may prevent
an air bag from functioning correctly. Before
starting your journey and to avoid risks resulting
from the speed of the air bag as it deploys, make
sure that: R
there are no people, animals or objects
between the vehicle occupants and an air
bag. R
there are no objects between the seat, door
and B-pillar. R
no hard objects, e.g. coat hangers, hang on
the grab handles or coat hooks. R
no accessories, such as cup holders, are
attached to the vehicle within the deployment
area of an air bag, e.g. to doors, side windows,
rear side trim or side walls. R
no heavy, sharp-edged or fragile objects are in
the pockets of your clothing. Store such
objects in a suitable place.
G WARNING
If you modify the air bag cover or affix objects
such as stickers to it, the air bag can no longer
function correctly. There is an increased risk
of injury.
Never modify an air bag cover or affix objects
to it.
G WARNING
Sensors to control the air bags are located in
the doors. Modifications or work not per-
formed correctly to the doors or door panel-
ing, as well as damaged doors, can lead to the
function of the sensors being impaired. The air
bags might therefore not function properly
anymore. Consequently, the air bags cannot
protect vehicle occupants as they are
designed to do. There is an increased risk of
injury.
Never modify the doors or parts of the doors.
Always have work on the doors or door pan-
eling carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop.Occupant safety 51
Safety Z

If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat, be
sure to observe the correct positioning of the
child restraint system. Never place objects
under or behind the child restraint system, e.g.
cushions. Fully retract the seat cushion length.
The entire base of the child restraint system
must always rest on the seat cushion of the
front-passenger seat. The backrest of the
forward-facing child restraint system must lie as
flat as possible against the backrest of the front-
passenger seat.
The child restraint system must not touch the
roof or be subjected to a load by the head
restraint. Adjust the angle of the seat backrest
and the head restraint position accordingly.
Only then can OCS be guaranteed to function
correctly. Always observe the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation and operating
instructions.
Occupant Classification System opera-
tion (OCS)
C
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator lampD
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp
The indicator lamps indicate whether the front-
passenger front air bag is activated or deactiva-
ted. X
Press the start/stop button once or twice, or
turn the SmartKey to position 1 or 2 in the
ignition lock.
The system carries out a self-diagnosis test.
The PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF and PASSENGER
AIR BAG ON indicator lamps must light up simul-
taneously for about six seconds.
The indicator lamps then display the status of
the front-passenger front air bag: R
PASSENGER AIRBAG ON lights up: the front-
passenger front airbag is enabled. If, in the case of an accident, all deployment criteria
are met, the front-passenger front air bag is
deployed. R
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF lights up: the front-
passenger front airbag is disabled. It will then
not be deployed in the event of an accident.
If the status of the front-passenger front air bag
changes whilst the vehicle is in motion, an air
bag display message may appear in the instru-
ment cluster ( Y
page 289). Always observe the
PASSENGER AIR BAG ON and PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF indicator lamps when the front-
passenger seat is occupied. Make sure that the
status of the front-passenger front air bag is
correct before and during a journey.
G WARNING
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is lit, the front-passenger front air bag is
disabled. It will not be deployed in the event of
an accident and cannot perform its intended
protective function. A person in the front-
passenger seat could then, for example, come
into contact with the vehicle's interior, espe-
cially if the person is sitting too close to the
dashboard. This poses an increased risk of
injury or even fatal injury.
When the front-passenger seat is occupied,
always ensure that: R
the classification of the person in the front-
passenger seat is correct and the front-
passenger front air bag is enabled or disa-
bled in accordance with the person in the
front-passenger seat R
the front-passenger seat has been moved
back as far back as possible. R
the person is seated correctly.
Make sure, both before and during the jour-
ney, that the status of the front-passenger
front air bag is correct.
G WARNING
If you secure a child in a rearward-facing child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat
and the PASSENGER AIR BAG ON indicator
lamp is lit up, the front-passenger front air bag
may deploy in an accident. The child could be54
Occupant safety
Safety