2017 MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class MAYBACH ignition

Parking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi-
cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields.
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.
!Always secure the vehicle correctly against
rolling away. Otherwise, the vehicle or its driv-
etrain could be damaged.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
Rthe electric parking brake must be applied.
Rthe transmission must be in position Pand the
SmartKey must be removed from the ignition
lock.
Rthe front wheels must be turned towards the
curb on steep uphill or downhill gradients.
Rthe empty vehicle must be secured at the
front axle with a wheel chock or similar, for
example, on uphill or downhill gradients.
Ra laden vehicle must also be secured at the
rear axle with a wheel chock or similar, for
example, on uphill or downhill gradients.
Switching off the engine
GWARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
XApply the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XWith the SmartKey:turn the SmartKey to
position 0in the ignition lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
XWith the Start/Stop button: press the
Start/Stop button (Ypage 145).
The engine stops and all the indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster go out.
When the driver's door is closed, this corre-
sponds to SmartKey position 1. When the
driver's door is open, this corresponds to
SmartKey position 0: "Key removed".
If you switch the engine off with the transmis-
sion in position Ror D, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts to Nautomatically.
With the SmartKey: if you then open the driv-
er's door or the front-passenger door or remove the SmartKey from the ignition, the automatic
transmission shifts to Pautomatically.
With the Start/Stop button: if you then open
the driver's door or the front-passenger door,
the automatic transmission shifts to Pautomat-
ically.
If you want the automatic transmission to
remain in neutral N, e.g. when having the vehicle
cleaned in an automatic car wash with a towing system:
XRemove the Start/Stop button from the igni-
tion lock.
XInsert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
XSwitch on the ignition.
XDepress the brake pedal and keep it
depressed.
XShift to neutral N.
XRelease the brake pedal.
162Parking
Driving and parking

XReleaseth eelectric parking brake.
XSwitc hoff th eignition and leav eth eSmartKey
in th eignition lock.
The engin ecan be switched off in an emergenc y
while th evehicl eis in motion by pressin gand
holding th eStart/Sto pbutto nfor three sec -
onds. This function operate sindependentl yof
th eECO start/sto pautomatic engin eswitch-off
function .
Electric parking brake
General notes
GWARNIN G
If you leav echildren unsupervised in th evehi-
cle ,they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease th eparking brake.
Rshif tth eautomatic transmission out of th e
parking position P.
Rstart theengine.
In addition ,they may operate vehicl eequip-
men tand become trapped .There is aris kof
an acciden tand injury.
When leaving th evehicle, always tak eth e
SmartKey wit hyou and loc kth evehicle. Never
leav echildren unsupervised in th evehicle.
The function of th eelectric parking brak eis
dependen ton th eon-board voltage. If th eon -
boar dvoltag eis low or there is amalfunction in
th esystem, it may no tbe possibl eto apply th e
release dparking brake.
XIf this is th ecase, only park th evehicl eon
level ground and secure it to preven tit rollin g
away.
XShift th eautomatic transmission to position
P.
It may no tbe possibl eto release an applie d
parking brak eif th eon-board voltag eis low or
there is amalfunction in th esystem. Contac t a
qualified specialist workshop.
The electric parking brak eperforms afunction
test at regular intervals while th eengin eis
switched off .The sounds that can be hear dwhile
this is occurrin gare normal.
Applying or releasing manually
XTo engage: push handle :.
When th eelectric parking brak eis applied,
th ered F (USAonly) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp lights up in th einstru-
men tcluster.
The electric parking brak ecan also be applie d
when th eSmartKey is removed.
XTo release: pull handle:.
The red F(USAonly) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp in th einstrumen tcluste r
goes out .
The electric parking brak ecan only be released:
Rwhen th eSmartKey is in position 1or 2in th e
ignition loc k (Ypage 145) or
Rif theignition was switched on usin gth e
Start/Sto pbutto n
Applying automatically
The electric parking brak eis automatically
applie dwhen th etransmission is in position P
and :
Rtheengin eis switched off or
Rth edriver is no twearing aseat belt and th e
driver' sdoor is opened
To preven tth eelectric parking brak efrom bein g
automatically applied, pull handle :.
The electric parking brak eis also engage dauto -
matically if:
RDISTRONI CPLU Sbrings th evehicl eto a
standstill or
Rth eHOLD function is keepin gth evehicl esta-
tionary
RActive Parking Assis tis keepin gth evehicl e
stationary
Parking163
Driving and parking
Z

In addition, at least one of the following condi-
tions must be fulfilled:
Rthe engine is switched off
Rthe driver is not wearing a seat belt and the
driver's door is opened
Rthere is a system malfunction
Rthe power supply is insufficient
Rthe vehicle is stationary for a lengthy period
The red F(USA only) or !(Canada only)
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster lights
up.
The electric parking brake is not automatically
engaged if the engine is switched off by the ECO
start/stop function.
Releasing automatically
The electric parking brake is released automat-
ically when all of the following conditions are
fulfilled:
Rthe engine is running.
Rthe transmission is in position Dor R.
Rthe seat belt has been fastened
Ryou depress the accelerator pedal
If the automatic transmission is in position R,
the trunk lid must be closed.
If your seat belt is not fastened, the following
conditions must be fulfilled to automatically
release the electric parking brake:
Rthe driver's door is closed.
Ryou have shifted out of transmission position
P or you have previously driven faster than
2 mph (3 km/h).
Ensure that you do not depress the accelerator
pedal unintentionally. Otherwise the parking
brake will be released and the vehicle will start
to move.
Emergency braking
The vehicle can also be braked during an emer-
gency by using the electric parking brake.
XWhile driving, push handle :of the electric
parking brake (Ypage 163).
The vehicle is braked as long as you keep
handle :of the electric parking brake
pressed. The longer electric parking brake
handle :is depressed, the greater the brak-
ing force. During braking:
Ra warning tone sounds
Rthe
Please Release Parking Brakemes-
sage appears
Rthe red F(USA only) or !(Canada
only) indicator lamp in the instrument cluster flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a stand-
still, the electric parking brake is engaged.
Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
four weeks, the battery may be damaged by
exhaustive discharging.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than six
weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as a
result of lack of use.
XVisit a qualified specialist workshop and seek
advice.
Hybrid vehicles: observe the notes on the high-
voltage battery in the separate Operator's Man-
ual.
Driving tips
General driving tips
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk
of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
GWARNING
If you operate mobile communication equip-
ment while driving, you will be distracted from traffic conditions. You could also lose control
of the vehicle. There is a risk of an accident.
Only operate this equipment when the vehicle
is stationary.
164Driving tips
Driving and parking

!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. Have the brake system checked immediately.
Consult a qualified specialist workshop to
arrange this.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC: function or per-
formance tests may only be carried out on a 2-
axle dynamometer. If you wish to operate the
vehicle on such a dynamometer, please con-
sult a qualified specialist workshop in
advance. You could otherwise damage the
drive train or the brake system.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC: the ESP®system
operates automatically. The engine and the
ignition must therefore be switched off (the
SmartKey must be in position 0or 1in the
ignition lock or the Start/Stop button must be
in position 0or 1) if the electric parking brake
is tested on a brake dynamometer.
Braking triggered automatically by ESP
®may
cause severe damage to the brake system.
!Vehicles without 4MATIC: the ESP®sys-
tem operates automatically. The engine and
the ignition must therefore be switched off
(the SmartKey must be in position 0or 1in the
ignition lock or the Start/Stop button must be
in position 0or 1) if:
Rthe electric parking brake is tested using a
brake dynamometer.
Rthe vehicle is towed with one axle raised.
Braking triggered automatically by ESP®may
cause severe damage to the brake system.
All checks and maintenance work on the brake
system must be carried out at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Have brake pads installed and brake fluid
replaced at a qualified specialist workshop.
If the brake system has only been subject to
moderate loads, you should test the functional-
ity of your brakes at regular intervals.
Information on BAS (Brake Assist) (
Ypage 66)
and BAS PLUS (Brake Assist PLUS) (Ypage 67).
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends only installing the following brake disks
and brake pads/linings:
Rbrake disks that have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz
Rbrake pads/linings that have been approved
by Mercedes-Benz or that are of an equivalent
standard of quality
Other brake disks or brake pads/linings can
compromise the safety of your vehicle.
Driving tips167
Driving and parking
Z

The electric parking brake secures the vehicle
automatically if the HOLD function is activated
when the vehicle is stationary and:
Ra system malfunction occurs.
Rthe power supply is not sufficient.
If a malfunction in the electric parking brake
occurs, then the transmission may also be shif-
ted 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 con-
sumption. 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 chassis movements.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or
in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered.
!The vehicle is lowered when the engine is
switched off. When parking, position your
vehicle so that it does not make contact with
the curb as the vehicle is lowered. Your vehi-
cle could otherwise be damaged.
Crosswind Assist
The crosswind stabilization operates by chang-
ing wheel loads through adjusting the ABC
spring struts. It reduces impairments in handling
when driving in a straight line and assists during
countersteering. Crosswind Assist is active in the speed range
between 50 mph (80 km/h)
and
130 mph (210 km/h) when driving straight
ahead or cornering gently.
Active Body Control ABC
Vehicle level
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: depending on the
vehicle level that has been selected, the vehicle
automatically adjusts its height dependent on
the current speed. The vehicle is lowered by up
to 0.4 in (10 mm) below the normal level as the
speed increases. As the speed is reduced, the
vehicle is raised up to the set vehicle height.
All other models: depending on the vehicle
level that has been set, the vehicle automatically
adjusts its height dependent on the current
speed. The vehicle is lowered by up to 0.6 in
(15 mm) as the speed increases. As the speed is
reduced, the vehicle is raised up to the set vehi-
cle height.
Select the "Normal" setting for normal road con-
ditions and "Raised" for driving with snow chains
or in particularly poor road conditions.
Setting the vehicle level
XTo raise the vehicle: press button:.
Indicator lamp ;lights up.
XTo lower the vehicle: press button:again.
Indicator lamp ;goes out.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
Suspension tuning
The electronically controlled ABC suspension
system detects the vehicle level and the vehicle
load and adjusts the setting accordingly. You
can also choose between a particularly sporty or
a comfortable tuning.
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Driving and parking

The ABC suspension system is tuned individu-
ally to each wheel and depends on:
Ryour driving style, e.g. sporty
Rthe road surface condition, e.g. bumps
Ryour individual selection, i.e. sports or com-
fort
Rthe vehicle load
Rthe force of the side wind
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
The firmer setting of the suspension tuning in
SPORT mode ensures even better contact with
the road. The steering response behavior is
sporty. Select this mode when employing a
sporty driving style on flat roads, e.g. on high-
ways.
Selecting the sports suspension setting
XWhen indicator lamp;is off: press but-
ton :repeatedly until only indicator lamp ;
is on.
Sports suspension tuning is selected.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: theAMG Suspen‐
sionSystemSPORTmessage appears in the
multifunction display.
All other models: theActive Body Con‐
trol SPORTmessage appears on the multi-
function display.
In COMFORT mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are especially comfortable. The
steering response behavior is balanced. Select
this mode if you favor a comfortable driving
style.
Selecting the comfortable suspension setting
XWhen indicator lamp;is off: press but-
ton :repeatedly until only indicator lamp ;
is on.
Comfortable suspension tuning is selected. Mercedes-AMG vehicles:
theAMG Suspen‐
sion System COMFORTmessage appears in
the multifunction display.
All other models: theActive Body Con‐
trol COMFORTmessage appears on the mul-
tifunction display.
ROAD SURFACE SCAN
iThis function is not available in all countries.
The ROAD SURFACE SCAN function monitors
the road in front of the vehicle using multifunc-
tion camera :at the top of the windshield. This
function is automatically active if you select
comfort suspension tuning. The system is
operational at speeds of up to 81 mph
(130 km/h).
This function allows bumps in the road surface
to be detected before the vehicle drives over
them. The spring struts are then actuated, with
the result that chassis movements are signifi-
cantly reduced when driving over bumps.
The system is deactivated when you select the
raised vehicle level or sports mode.
The system may be impaired or may not function
if:
Rthe road surface is insufficiently lit
Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. snow, rain, fog or
spray
Rthere is glare, e.g. from the sun or from
oncoming traffic
Rthe windshield is dirty, fogged up or covered,
for instance by a sticker, in the vicinity of the
camera
Rthe road surface has no texture or is reflec-
tive, e.g. in the case of newly laid asphalt,
concrete slabs or puddles
Rthe distance to the vehicle in front is too short
Driving systems181
Driving and parking
Z

Rsections of the route have a very small radius
of curvature
Rif you accelerate hard or brake sharply
AIRMATIC
General notes
AIRMATIC is an air suspension with variable
damping for improved driving comfort. All-round
level control ensures the best possible suspen-
sion and constant ground clearance, even with a
laden vehicle. When you drive fast, the vehicle is
lowered automatically to improve driving safety
and to reduce fuel consumption. There is also
the option to manually adjust the vehicle level.
AIRMATIC consists of level setting, level control
and the Adaptive Damping System ADS PLUS.
Important safety notes
GWARNING
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.
Make sure no one is underneath the vehicle or
in the immediate vicinity of the wheel arches
when the vehicle is being lowered.
Vehicle level
Setting the raised vehicle level
It is possible to choose between the "Normal"
and "Raised" vehicle levels. Select the "Normal"
setting for normal road surfaces and "Raised"
for driving with snow chains or on particularly poor road surfaces. Your selection remains
stored even if you remove the SmartKey from
the ignition lock.
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is not lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The vehicle is
raised by 1.0 in (25 mm) compared to the
normal level.
The Vehicle
Risingmessage appears in the
multifunction display.
iThe message disappears after ten seconds,
irrespective of the level reached. If necessary,
the vehicle is raised further.
The "Raised level" setting is canceled if you:
Rdrive at a speed over approximately 75 mph
(120 km/h)
Rdrive for approximately three minutes at a
speed above 50 mph (80 km/h)
Setting the normal vehicle level
XStart the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is lit:
XPress button :.
Indicator lamp ;goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to normal level.
Suspension tuning
General notes
The Adaptive Damping System ADS PLUS auto-
matically controls the calibration of the damp-
ers.
The damping is tuned individually to each wheel
and depends on:
Ryour driving style, e.g. sporty
Rthe road surface condition, e.g. bumps
Ryour individual selection, i.e. sports or com-
fort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
iYou can choose between the sporty and
comfortable mode. One of the two modes is
always active.
182Driving systems
Driving and parking

cle with all wheels in full contact with the
ground.
In wintry driving conditions, the maximum effect
of 4MATIC can only be achieved if you use winter
tires (M+S tires), with snow chains if necessary.
PARKTRONIC
Important safety notes
PARKTRONIC is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors. It monitors the area around
your vehicle using six sensors in the front
bumper and six sensors in the rear bumper.
PARKTRONIC indicates visually and audibly the
distance between your vehicle and an object.
PARKTRONIC is only an aid. It is not a replace-
ment for your attention to your immediate sur-
roundings. You are always responsible for safe
maneuvering, parking and exiting a parking
space. When maneuvering, parking or pulling
out of a parking space, make sure that there are
no persons, animals or objects in the area in
which you are maneuvering.
!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:
Rswitch on the ignition
Rshift the transmission to position D,R or N
PARKTRONIC is deactivated at speeds above
11 mph (18 km/h). It i
s reactivated at lower
speeds.
Range of the sensors
PARKTRONIC does not take objects into con-
sideration that are:
Rbelow the detection range, e.g. people, ani-
mals or objects.
Rabove the detection range, e.g. overhanging
loads, truck overhangs or loading ramps.
:Sensors in the front bumper, left-hand side
(example)
:Approx. 24 in (approx. 60 cm) (corners)
;Approx. 32 in (approx. 80 cm) (corners)
=Approx. 48 in (approx. 120 cm) (center)
?Approx. 40 in (approx. 100 cm) (center)
The sensors must be free from dirt, ice or slush.
They can otherwise not function correctly. Clean
184Driving systems
Driving and parking