
The ECO display summarizes the driving char-
acteristics from the start of the journey to its
completion. For this reason, the bars change
dynamically at the beginning of the journey. On
longer journeys, there are fewer changes. For
more dynamic changes, carry out a manual
reset.
Show the ECO display (
Ypage 191).
Braking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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.
Downhill gradients
!On long and steep gradients, you must
reduce the load on the brakes by shifting to a
lower gear in good time. This allows you to
take advantage of the engine's braking effect.
This helps you to avoid overheating the
brakes and wearing them out excessively.
When you take advantage of engine braking, a
drive wheel may not turn for some time, e.g.
on a slippery road surface. This could cause
damage to the drive train. This type of damage
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz war-
ranty.
Heavy and light loads
GWARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
!Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately. Drive
on for a short while. This allows the airflow to
cool the brakes more quickly.
Wet roads
If you have driven for a long time in heavy rain
without braking, there may be a delayed reac-
tion from the brakes when braking for the first
time. This may also occur after the vehicle has
been washed or driven through deep water.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a greater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet road or having the vehicle
washed, brake firmly while paying attention to
the traffic conditions. This will warm up the
brake discs, thereby drying them more quickly
and protecting them against corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads
If you drive on salted roads, a layer of salt resi-
due may form on the brake discs and brake
pads. This can result in a significantly longer
braking distance.
RIn order to prevent any salt build-up, apply the
brakes occasionally while paying attention to
the traffic conditions.
RCarefully depress the brake pedal and the
beginning and end of a journey.
RMaintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead.
Servicing the brakes
!The brake fluid level may be too low, if:
Rif the red brake warning lamp lights up in
the instrument cluster and
Ryou hear a warning tone while the engine is
running
Observe additional warning messages in the
multifunction display.
The brake fluid level may be too low due to
brake pad wear or leaking brake lines.
146Driving tips
Driving and parking

critical situations. With these intelligent co-ordi-
nated systems Mercedes-Benz has set a mile-
stone 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 vehi-
cle occupants and that of other road users.
Further information on driving safety systems
(
Ypage 61).
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 important 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 overheating and wearing too
quickly.
You can use cruise control if you want to drive at
a steady speed for a prolonged period of time.
You can store any road speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
Important safety notes
If you fail to adapt your driving style, cruise con-
trol can neither reduce the risk of an accident
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 maintaining a safe
distance to the vehicle in front, for vehicle
speed, for braking in good time and for staying in
lane.
Do not use cruise control:
Rin road and traffic conditions which do not
allow you to maintain a constant speed, e.g. in
heavy traffic or on winding roads
Ron slippery road surfaces. Braking or accel-
erating could cause the drive wheels to lose
traction and the vehicle could then skid
Rwhen 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.
Cruise control lever
:Activates or increases speed
;Activates or reduces speed
=Deactivates cruise control
?Activates at the current speed/last stored
speed
When you activate cruise control, the stored
speed is shown in the multifunction display for
five seconds. In the speedometer, the segments
light up from the stored speed to the end of the
scale.
Storing and maintaining the current
speed
You can store the current speed if you are driv-
ing faster than 20 mph (30 km/h).
XAccelerate the vehicle to the desired speed.
XBriefly press the cruise control lever up :or
down ;.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The vehicle auto-
matically maintains the stored speed.
iCruise control may be unable to maintain
the stored speed on uphill gradients. The
stored speed is resumed when the gradient
evens out. Cruise control maintains the
stored speed on downhill gradients by auto-
matically applying the brakes.
Calling up the last speed stored
GWARNING
If you call up the stored speed and it is lower
than the current speed, the vehicle deceler-
ates. If you do not know the stored speed, the vehicle could decelerate unexpectedly. There
is a risk of an accident.
Driving systems149
Driving and parking
Z

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.
XBriefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you?.
XRemove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
The first time cruise control is activated, it
stores the current speed or regulates the
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.
XPress the cruise control lever up :for a
higher speed or down ;for a lower speed.
XTo adjust the set speed in1 mphincre-
ments (1 km/hincrements): 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.
XTo adjust the set speed in5 mphincre-
ments (10 km/hincrements): briefly press
the cruise control lever up :or down ;
beyond the pressure point.
Every time the cruise control lever is pressed up : or down ;, the last speed stored is
increased or reduced.
iCruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you acceler-
ate 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 con-
trol:
XBriefly press the cruise control lever forwards
= .
or
XBrake.
Cruise control is automatically deactivated if:
Ryou engage the electric parking brake
Ryou are driving at less than 20 mph (30 km/ h)
RESP®intervenes or you deactivate ESP®
Ryou shift the transmission to positionNwhile
driving.
If cruise control is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Cruise Con‐
trol Offmessage in the multifunction display
for approximately five seconds.
When you switch off the engine, the last speed
stored is cleared.
DISTRONIC PLUS
General notes
DISTRONIC PLUS regulates the speed and auto-
matically helps you maintain the distance from
the vehicle detected in front. Vehicles are detec-
ted with the aid of the radar sensor system.
DISTRONIC PLUS brakes automatically so that
the set speed is not exceeded.
Change into a lower gear in good time on long
and steep downhill gradients. This is especially
important 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 overheating and wear-
ing too quickly.
If DISTRONIC PLUS detects that there is a risk of
a collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically. DISTRONIC PLUS cannot prevent a
collision without your intervention. An intermit-
tent warning tone will then sound and the dis-
tance warning lamp will light up in the instru-
ment cluster. Brake immediately in order to
increase the distance to the vehicle in front or
take evasive action provided it is safe to do so.
DISTRONIC PLUS operates in the speed range
between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 120 mph
(200 km/h).
Do not use DISTRONIC PLUS while driving on
roads with steep gradients.
As DISTR ONIC P
LUS transmits radar waves, it
can resemble the radar detectors of the respon-
sible authorities. You can refer to the relevant
chapter in the Operator's Manual if questions
are asked about this.
iUSA only: This device has been approved by
the FCC as a "Vehicular Radar System". The
radar sensor is intended for use in an auto-
motive radar system only. Removal, tamper-
ing, or altering of the device will void any war-
ranties, and is not permitted by the FCC. Do
150Driving system s
Driving an d parking

Filling capacities
The followingvalue srefer to an oil chang e
includin gth eoil filter.
ModelCapacit y
Mercedes ‑AMG
S 63 4MATIC9.0US qt (8.5l)
Mercedes‑AMG
S 6511.1 US qt (10.5 l)
Allot her models8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
Additives
!Do not use any additives in the engine oil.
This could damage the engine.
Brake fluid
GWARNING
The brake fluid constantly absorbs moisture
from the air. This lowers the boiling point of
the brake fluid. If the boiling point of the brake
fluid is too low, vapor pockets may form in the
brake system when the brakes are applied
hard. This would impair braking efficiency.
There is a risk of an accident.
You should have the brake fluid renewed at
the specified intervals.
Comply with the important safety notes for ser-
vice products when handling brake fluid
(
Ypage 329).
The brake fluid change intervals can be found in
the Maintenance Booklet.
Only use brake fluid approved by Mercedes-
Benz according to MB-Freigabe or MB-Approval
331.0.
Information about approved brake fluid can be
obtained at any qualified specialist workshop or on the Internet at
http://bevo.mercedes-benz.co m.
iHave the brake fluid regularly replaced at a
qualified specialist workshop and the replace-
ment confirmed in the Maintenance Booklet.
Coolant
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If antifreeze comes into contact with hot com- ponents in the engine compartment, it may
ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Let the engine cool down before you add anti-
freeze. Make sure that antifreeze is not spilled
next to the filler neck. Thoroughly clean the
antifreeze from components before starting
the engine.
!Only add coolant that has been premixed
with the desired antifreeze protection. You
could otherwise damage the engine.
Further information on coolants can be found
in the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Ser-
vice Products, MB BeVo 310.1, e.g. on the
Internet at http://bevo.mercedes-benz.com.
Or contact a qualified specialist workshop.
!Always use a suitable coolant mixture, even
in countries where high temperatures prevail.
Otherwise, the engine cooling system is not
sufficiently protected from corrosion and
overheating.
iHave the coolant regularly replaced at a
qualified specialist workshop and the replace-
ment confirmed in the Maintenance Booklet.
The coolant is a mixture of water and anti-
freeze/corrosion inhibitor. It is responsible for
the following:
RAnti-corrosion protection
RAntifreeze protection
RRaising the boiling point
If the coolant has antifreeze protection down to
-35 ‡ (-37 †), the boiling point of the coolant
during operation is approximately 266 ‡
(130 †).
The antifreeze concentrate/corrosion inhibitor
concentration in the engine cooling system
should:
Rbe at least 50%. This will protect the engine
cooling system against freezing down to
approximately -35 ‡ (-37 †).
Rnot exceed 55% (antifreeze protection down
to -49 ‡ [-45 †]). Otherwise, heat will not be
dissipated as effectively.
332Service products and filling capacities
Technical data