2016 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class SEDAN Owner's Manual

Always install child restraint systems prop-
erly, even if they are not being used. Make
sure that you observe the child restraint sys-
tem manufacturer's installation instructions.
You will find further information on stowing
objects, luggage or loads under "Loading guide-
lines" (
Ypage 325).
GWARNING
Child restraint systems or their securing sys-
tems which have been damaged or subjected
to a load in an accident can no longer protect
as intended. The child cannot then be
restrained in the event of an accident, heavy
braking or sudden changes of direction. There is an increased risk of injury, possibly even
fatal.
Replace child restraint systems which have
been damaged or subjected to a load in an
accident as soon as possible. Have the secur-
ing systems on the child restraint system
checked at a qualified specialist workshop,
before you install a child restraint system
again.
The securing systems of child restraint systems
are:
Rthe seat belt system
Rthe LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings
Rthe Top Tether anchorages
If it is absolutely necessary to carry a child on
the front-passenger seat, be sure to observe the
information on the "Occupant Classification
System (OCS)" (
Ypage 53). There you will also
find information on deactivating the front-
passenger front air bag.
All child restraint systems must meet the fol-
lowing standards:
RU.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 225
RCanadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
213 and 210.2
Confirmation tha t the ch
ild restraint system cor-
responds to the standards can be found on an
instruction label on the child restraint system.
This confirmation can also be found in the instal-
lation instructions that are included with the
child restraint system. Observe the warning labels in the vehicle inte-
rior and on the child restraint system.
Vehicles with seat belt extenders:
when
securing a child in a child restraint system on a rear seat, observe the following instructions:
Rmake sure that the seat belt on the child
restraint system is fastened according to the
manufacturer's installation instructions for
the child restraint system.
Rfor child restraint systems with a belt clamp:
engage the belt tongue in the buckle before
you tighten the seat belt using the belt clamp.
Vehicles with a rear reclining seat: when
installing a child restraint system, move the rear
reclining seat backrest to an almost vertical
position. The rear reclining seat backrest must
rest against the child restraint system. Observe
the notes on the cushion air bag (
Ypage 53).
Vehicles with belt bags: only use a child
restraint system which has been approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Always obser ve the i
nstruc-
tions and safety notes on belt bags for the outer
seat belts in the rear (
Ypage 48).
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seat secur-
ing system
GWARNING
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint systems
do not offer sufficient protective effect for
children whose weight is greater than 48 lbs
(22 kg) who are secured using the safety belt integrated in the child restraint system. In the
event of an accident, a child might not be
restrained correctly. This poses an increased
risk of injury or even fatal injury.
If the child weighs more than 48 lbs (22 kg),
only use LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
systems with which the child is also secured
with the vehicle seat belt. Also secure the
child restraint system with the Top Tether
belt, if available.
Always comply with the manufacturer's instal-
lation and operating instructions for the child
restraint system used.
Before every trip, make sure that the LATCH-
type (ISOFIX) child restraint system is engaged
correctly in both LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings
Children in the vehicle63
Safety
Z

!When installing the child restraint system,
make sure that the seat belt for the middle
seat does not get trapped. The seat belt could
otherwise be damaged.
LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing rings ;on the
rear seats are covered by a Velcro-fastened
upholstered lining :.
XVehicles with a rear reclining seat: adjust
the rear reclining seat backrest down a little
before installing the LATCH-type (ISOFIX)
child restraint system.
XVehicles without rear reclining seat: fold
upholstered lining :upwards.
XVehicles with a rear reclining seat: remove
upholstered lining :.
XVehicles without a rear reclining seat: turn
the support on the rear side of upholstered
lining :by 90°.
Upholstered lining :remains folded
upwards.
XInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
system on both LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings ;.
XVehicles with a rear reclining seat: move
the rear reclining seat backrest to an upright
position. The rear reclining seat backrest
must rest against the child restraint system.
GWARNING
Vehicles with electrically adjustable rear
bench seats:
If you adjust the seat after installing a child
restraint system:
Rthe seat belt could slacken or become too
tight
Rthe child restraint system could become
loose, incorrectly positioned or damaged
As a result, the child restraint system may not be able to provide the intended level of pro-
tection. This poses an increased risk of injury
or even fatal injury.
Never adjust the seat after installing the child
restraint system.
Vehicles without rear reclining seat: after
you have removed the LATCH-type (ISOFIX)
child restraint system, you must turn the sup-
port on the rear side of upholstered lining :by
90° again. Then fold upholstery lining :down.
ISOFIX is a standardized securing system for
specially designed child restraint systems on
the rear seats. LATCH-type (ISOFIX) securing
rings ;for two LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child
restraint systems are installed on the left and
right rear seats.
Vehicles with rear seat armrest: adjust the
rear seat armrest so that LATCH-type (ISOFIX)
securing rings ;for the LATCH-type (ISOFIX)
child restraint system are accessible.
Non-LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child seats may also
be used and can be installed using the vehicle's
seat belt system. Install the child seat according
to the manufacturer's instructions.
Top Tether
Introduction
Top Tether provides an additional connection
between the child restraint system secured with
a LATCH-type (ISOFIX) system and the vehicle.
This helps reduce the risk of injury even further.
If the child restraint system is equipped with a
Top Tether belt, this should always be used.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the rear seat backrests are not locked, they
could fold forwards in the event of an acci-
dent, heavy braking or sudden changes of
direction. As a result, child restraint systems
cannot perform their intended protective
function. Rear seat backrests that are not
locked can also cause additional injuries, e.g.
in the event of an accident. This poses an
increased risk of injury or even fatal injury.
64Children in the vehicle
Safety

Always lock rear seat backrests after instal-
ling a Top Tether belt. Observe the lock veri-
fication indicator. Adjust the rear seat backr-
ests so that they are in an upright position.
GWARNING
Vehicles with electrically adjustable rear
bench seats:
If you adjust the seat after installing a child
restraint system:
Rthe seat belt could slacken or become too
tight
Rthe child restraint system could become
loose, incorrectly positioned or damaged
As a result, the child restraint system may not
be able to provide the intended level of pro-
tection. This poses an increased risk of injury
or even fatal injury.
Never adjust the seat after installing the child
restraint system.
If the rear seat backrest is not engaged and
locked, this will be shown in the multifunction
display in the instrument cluster. A warning tone
also sounds.
Top Tether anchorages
The Top Tether anchorage points are installed in
the rear compartment behind the head
restraints on the parcel shelf.
XMove the head restraint up (Ypage 116).
XFold up cover :of the Top Tether anchorage.
XInstall the LATCH-type (ISOFIX) child restraint
system with Top Tether. Always comply with
the child restraint system manufacturer's
installation instructions when doing so.
XRoute Top Tether belt ?under the head
restraint between the two head restraint bars.
XHook Top Tether hook =of Top Tether
belt ?into Top Tether anchorage ;.
Make sure that Top Tether belt ?is not twis-
ted.
XTension Top Tether belt ?. Always comply
with the child restraint system manufactur-
er's installation instructions when doing so.
XFold down cover :of the Top Tether anchor-
age.
XIf necessary, move the head restraint back
down again slightly (Ypage 116). Make sure
that you do not interfere with the correct rout-
ing of Top Tether belt ?.
Child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat
General notes
Accident statistics show that children secured
in the rear seats are safer than children secured
in the front-passenger seat. For this reason,
Mercedes-Benz strongly advises that you install
the child restraint system on a rear seat.
If it is absolutely necessary to install a child
restraint system on the front-passenger seat,
always observe the instructions and safety
notes on the "Occupant Classification System
(OCS)" (
Ypage 53).
Children in the vehicle65
Safety
Z

You can thus avoid the risks that could arise as
a result of:
Ran incorrectly categorized person in the front-
passenger seat
Rthe unintentional deactivation of the front-
passenger front air bag
Rthe unsuitable positioning of the child
restraint system, e.g. too close to the dash-
board
Rearward-facing child restraint system
If it is absolutely necessary to install a rearward-
facing child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat, always make sure that the
front-passenger front air bag is deactivated.
Only if the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp is permanently lit (
Ypage 46) is the front-
passenger front air bag deactivated.
Always observe the child restraint system man-
ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-
tions.
Forward-facing child restraint system
If it is absolutely necessary to install a forward-
facing child restraint system on the front-
passenger seat, always move the front-
passenger seat as far back as possible. 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 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. Always make sure that the shoul-
der belt strap is correctly routed from the vehi-
cle belt outlet to the shoulder belt guide on the
child restraint system. The shoulder belt strap
must be routed forwards and downwards from
the vehicle belt outlet. If necessary, adjust the
vehicle belt outlet and the front-passenger seat
accordingly.
Always observe the child restraint system man-
ufacturer's installation and operating instruc-
tions.
Child-proof locks
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If children are traveling in the vehicle, they
could:
Ropen doors, thus endangering other people
or road users
Rexit the vehicle and be caught by oncoming
traffic
Roperate vehicle equipment and become
trapped
There is a risk of an accident and injury.
Always activate the child-proof locks and
override feature if children are traveling in the vehicle. When leaving the vehicle, always take
the key with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unattended in the vehicle.
Override feature for:
Rthe rear doors (Ypage 67)
Rthe rear side windows (Ypage 67)
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
Rstart 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.
GWARNING
If persons, particularly children are subjected to prolonged exposure to extreme heat or
cold, there is a risk of injury, possibly even
fatal. Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle.
66Children in the vehicle
Safety

GWARNING
If the child restraint system is subjected to
direct sunlight, parts may get very hot. Chil-
dren may burn themselves on these parts,
particularly on the metal parts of the child
restraint system. There is a risk of injury.
If you leave the vehicle, taking the child with
you, always ensure that the child restraint
system is not exposed to direct sunlight. Pro- tect it with a blanket, for example. If the child
restraint system has been exposed to direct
sunlight, let it cool down before securing the
child in it. Never leave children unattended in
the vehicle.
Child-proof locks for the rear doors
You secure each door individually with the child-
proof locks on the rear doors. A door secured
with a child-proof lock cannot be opened from
inside the vehicle. When the vehicle is unlocked,the door can be opened from the outside.
XTo activate: press the child-proof lock lever
up in the direction of arrow :.
XMake sure that the child-proof locks are work-
ing properly.
XTo deactivate: press the child-proof lock
lever down in the direction of arrow ;.
Override feature for the rear side win-
dows
XTo activate/deactivate:press button;.
If indicator lamp :is lit, operation of the rear
side windows is disabled. Operation is only
possible using the switches in the driver's
door. If indicator lamp :is off, operation is
possible using the switches in the rear com-
partment.
When the override feature is activated, the con-
trols in the rear compartment are disabled for:
Rthe rear side windows
Radjustment of the front-passenger seat from
the rear compartment
Rthe sunblinds:
-of the rear side windows
-of the rear window
-in the roof
Pets in the vehicle
GWARNING
If you leave animals unattended or unsecured
in the vehicle, they could press buttons or
switches, for example.
As a result, they could:
Ractivate vehicle equipment and become
trapped, for example
Ractivate or deactivate systems, thereby
endangering other road users
Unsecured animals could also be flung around
the vehicle in the event of an accident or sud-
den steering or braking, thereby injuring vehi-
Pets in the vehicle67
Safety
Z

cle occupants. There is a risk of an accident
and injury.
Never leave animals unattended in the vehi-
cle. Always secure animals properly during
the journey, e.g. use a suitable animal trans-
port box.
Driving safety systems
Overview of driving safety systems
In this section, you will find information about
the following driving safety systems:
RABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
(Ypage 68)
RBAS ( Brake Assist System) (Ypage 69)
RBAS PLUS ( BrakeAssist System PLUS) with
Cross-Traffic Assist (Ypage 69)
RCOLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS
(Ypage 71)
RESP®( E lectronic StabilityProgram)
(Ypage 73)
REBD ( Electronic Brake force Distribution)
(Ypage 75)
RADAPTIVE BRAKE (Ypage 75)
RPRE-SAFE®Brake (Ypage 75)
RSTEER CONTROL (Ypage 77)
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you are
inattentive, the driving safety systems can nei-
ther reduce the risk of an accident nor override the laws of physics. Driving safety systems are
merely aids designed to assist driving. You are
responsible for maintaining the distance to the
vehicle in front, for vehicle speed, for braking in
good time, and for staying in lane. Always adapt
your driving style to suit the prevailing road and weather conditions and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front. Drive carefully.
The driving safety systems described only work as effectively as possible when there is ade-
quate contact between the tires and the road
surface. Pay particular attention to the informa-
tion regarding tires, recommended minimum
tire tread depths etc. in the "Wheels and tires"
section (
Ypage 384). In wintry driving conditions, always use winter
tires (M+S tires) and if necessary, snow chains.
Only in this way will the driving safety systems
described in this section work as effectively as
possible.
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
General information
ABS regulates brake pressure in such a way that
the wheels do not lock when you brake. This
allows you to continue steering the vehicle when
braking.
The ! ABS warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is switched
on. It goes out when the engine is running.
ABS works from a speed of about 5 mph
(8 km/h), regardless of road-surface conditions.
ABS works on slippery surfaces, even when you
only brake gently.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 68).
GWARNING
If ABS is faulty, the wheels could lock when
braking. The steerability and braking charac-
teristics may be severely impaired. Addition-
ally, further driving safety systems are deac-
tivated. There is an increased danger of skid-
ding and accidents.
Drive on carefully. Have ABS checked imme-
diately at a qualified specialist workshop.
When ABS is malfunctioning, other systems,
including driving safety systems, will also
become inoperative. Observe the information
on the ABS warning lamp (
Ypage 316) and dis-
play messages which may be shown in the
instrument cluster (
Ypage 278).
Braking
XIf ABS intervenes: continue to depress the
brake pedal vigorously until the braking sit-
uation is over.
XTo make a full brake application: depress
the brake pedal with full force.
68Driving safety systems
Safety

If ABS intervenes when braking, you will feel a
pulsing in the brake pedal.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indication
of hazardous road conditions, and functions as a
reminder to take extra care while driving.
BAS (Brake Assist System)
General information
BAS operates in emergency braking situations.
If you depress the brake pedal quickly, BAS
automatically boosts the braking force, thus
shortening the stopping distance.
Important safety notes
iObserve the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion (Ypage 68).
GWARNING
If BAS is malfunctioning, the braking distance
in an emergency braking situation is
increased. There is a risk of an accident.
In an emergency braking situation, depress
the brake pedal with full force. ABS prevents
the wheels from locking.
Braking
XKeep the brake pedal firmly depressed until
the emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
The brakes will function as usual once you
release the brake pedal. BAS is deactivated.
BAS PLUS (Brake Assist System
PLUS) with Cross-Traffic Assist
General information
BAS PLUS can help you to minimize the risk of a
collision with a vehicle or a pedestrian and
reduce the effects of such a collision. If BAS
PLUS detects a danger of collision, you are
assisted when braking.
iPay attention to the important safety notes
in the "Driving safety systems" section
(
Ypage 68). BAS PLUS is only available in vehicles with the
Driving Assistance Plus package.
For BAS PLUS to assist you when driving, the
radar sensor system and the camera system
must be operational.
With the help of a sensor system and a camera
system, BAS PLUS can detect obstacles:
Rthat are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time
Rthat cross the path of your vehicle
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your vehi-
cle can be detected.
BAS PLUS detects pedestrians by using typical
characteristics such as the body contours and
posture of a person standing upright.
If the radar sensor system or the camera system
is malfunctioning, BAS PLUS functions are
restricted or no longer available. The brake sys-
tem is still available with complete brake boost-
ing effect and BAS.
iObserve the restrictions described in the
"Important safety notes" sec-
tion“ (
Ypage 69).
Important safety notes
GWARNING
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify
objects and complex traffic situations.
In such cases, BAS PLUS may:
Rintervene unnecessarily
Rnot intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation.
GWARNING
BAS PLUS cannot always clearly identify peo- ple, this is especially the case if they are mov-
ing. BAS PLUS cannot intervene in these
cases. There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake.
Driving safety systems69
Safety
Z

GWARNING
BAS PLUS does not react:
Rto small people, e.g. children
Rto animals
Rto oncoming vehicles
Rwhen cornering
As a result, BAS PLUS may not intervene in all
critical situations. There is a risk of an acci-
dent.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake.
In the event of snowfall or heavy rain, the rec-
ognition can be impaired.
Recognition by the radar sensor system is also
impaired in the event of:
Rthere is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
Rthere is interference by other radar sources
Rthere are strong radar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages
Ra narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
Ra vehicle traveling in front on a different line
Rvehicles quickly moving into the radar sensor
system detection range
Recognition by the camera system is also
impaired in the event of:
Rdirt on the camera or if the camera is covered
Rthere is glare on the camera system, e.g. from
the sun being low in the sky
Rdarkness
Rif:
-pedestrians move quickly, e.g. into the path
of the vehicle
-the camera system no longer recognizes a
pedestrian as a person due to special cloth- ing or other objects
-a pedestrian is concealed by other objects
-the typical outline of a person is not distin-
guishable from the background
Following damage to the front end of the vehicle,
have the configuration and operation of the
radar sensors checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. This also applies to collisions at slow
speeds where there is no visible damage to the
front of the vehicle. Following damage to the windshield, have the
configuration and operation of the camera sys-
tem checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Function
To avoid a collision, BAS PLUS calculates the
brake force necessary if:
Ryou approach an obstacle, and
RBAS PLUS has detected a risk of collision
When driving at a speed under 20 mph
(30 km/h): if you depress the brake pedal, BAS
PLUS is activated. The increase in brake pres-
sure will be carried out at the last possible
moment.
When driving at a speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h): if you depress the brake pedal
sharply, BAS PLUS automatically raises the
brake pressure to a value adapted to the traffic
situation.
BAS PLUS provides braking assistance in haz-
ardous situations with vehicles in front within a
speed range between 4 mph (7 km/h) and
155 mph (250 km/h).
At speeds of up to approximately 44 mph
(70 km/h), BAS PLUS can react to:
Rstationary objects in the path of your vehicle,
e.g. stopped or parked vehicles
Rpedestrians in the path of your vehicle
Robstacles crossing your path, which move in
the detection range of the sensors and are
recognized by them
iIf BAS PLUS demands particularly high brak-
ing force, preventative passenger protection
measures (PRE-SAFE
®) are activated simulta-
neously (Ypage 59).
XKeep the brake pedal depressed until the
emergency braking situation is over.
ABS prevents the wheels from locking.
BAS PLUS is deactivated and the brakes func-
tion as usual again, if:
Ryou release the brake pedal.
Rthere is no longer a risk of collision.
Rno obstacle is detected in front of your vehi-
cle.
Ryou depress the accelerator pedal.
Ryou activate kickdown.
70Driving safety systems
Safety