2017 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS Owners Manual

ESP ®
(Electronic Stability Program)
General notes
i Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 66).
ESP ®
monitors driving stability and traction, i.e.
power transmission between the tires and the
road surface.
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 vehi-
cle 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 66).
ETS traction control is part of ESP ®
. On vehicles
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 transfer-
red 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.
If the

It may be best to deactivate ESP ®
in the follow-
ing situations: R
when using snow chains R
in deep snow R
on sand or gravel
Spinning the wheels results in a cutting action
which provides better grip.
i Activate ESP ®
as soon as the situations
described above no longer apply. ESP ®
will
otherwise not be able to stabilize the vehicle 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 ( Y
page 221).
ESP ®
deactivated:
The

Important safety notes Cros swin d Assist does not work if ESP ®
is
swit ched off or deactivated because of a mal-
function.
Crosswind Assist General information Veh icle s wit h MAGIC BODY CONTROL: informa-
tion on st abiliz ing the veh icle in the event of
cross win d ( Y
page 180).
St rong cross win d gusts can impair the abilit y of
your veh icle to driv e straight ahead. The cross-
win d driv ing assistance function integrated in
ESP ®
noticeably reduces these impairments.
ESP ®
intervenes automatical ly according to the
dire ction and intensity of the cross winds affect-
ing your veh icle .
ESP ®
intervenes wit h st abiliz ing braking to
assist you in ke epin g the veh icle in the lane.
Cros swin d Assist is active at veh icle spee ds
above 50 mph (80 km/h) when driv ing straight
ahead or cornering gently.
Important safety notes Cros swin d Assist does not work if ESP ®
is
swit ched off or deactivated because of a mal-
function.
EBD (electronic brake force distribu-
tion)
General information EBD monitors and controls the brake pressure
on the rear wheels to impr ove driv ing st abilit y
while braking.
Important safety notes
i Observe the "Im portant safety notes" sec-
tion ( Y
page 66).
G WAR NING
If EBD is malfunctioning, the rear wheels can
lock, e.g. under full braking. This increases the
risk of sk iddin g and an acc iden t.
You should therefore adapt your driv ing style
to the diff erent han dlin g characteristics. Have the brake system checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Observe information regarding indicator and
warning lamps ( Y
page 261) as well as display
messages ( Y
page 230).
ADAPTIVE BRAKE ADAPTIVE BRAKE enhances braking safety and
offers increased braking comfort. In addition to
the braking function, ADAPTIVE BRAKE also has
the HOLD function ( Y
page 178) and hill start
assist ( Y
page 148).
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake
General information PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can help you to minimize the
risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead or a
pedestrian, and reduce the effects of such a
collision. If PRE-SAFE ®
Brake has detected a risk
of collision, you will be warned visually and
acoustically as well as by automatic braking.
i Pay attention to the important safety notes
in the "Driving safety systems" section
( Y
page 66).
PRE ‑ SA FE ®
Brake is only availab le in vehicles
with the Dr ivin g Assistance Plus package.
For PRE-SAFE ®
Brake to assist you when driving,
the radar sensor system and the camera system
must be swit ched on and be operational.
With the help of the radar sensor system and the
camera system, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake can detect
obstacles that are in front of your vehicle for an
extended period of time.
In addition, pedestrians in the path of your vehi-
cle can be detected.
PRE-SAFE ®
Brake detects pedestrians using
typical characteristics such as the body con-
tours and posture of a person standing upright.
i Observe the restrictions desc ribe d in the
"Important safety notes" section
( Y
page 74).Driving safety systems 73
Safety Z

Important safety notes
G WARNIN G
PRE-SAF E ®
Brake will initially brak e your vehi-
cle by a partial application of th e brakes if a
danger of collision is detected. Ther e may be
a collision unless you brak e yourself . Even
after subsequen t full application of th e brakes
a collision canno t always be avoided, partic-
ularly when approachin g at to o high a speed.
Ther e is a ris k of an accident.
Always apply th e brakes yourself and tr y to
tak e evasive action , provide d it is saf e to do
so.
In th e event of a partial application of th e brakes,
th e vehicl e is braked wit h up to 50 % of th e full
braking pressure.
G WARNIN G
PRE-SAF E ®
Brake canno t always clearly iden -
tify objects and comple x traffic conditions.
In these cases, PRE-SAF E ®
Brake may:R
giv e an unnecessary warning and then
brak e th e vehicl eR
no t giv e a warning or interven e
Ther e is a ris k of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to th e traffic
situation and be read y to brake, especially if
PRE-SAF E ®
Brake warn s you. Terminate th e
intervention in a non-critical driving situation .
G WARNIN G
PRE-SAF E ®
Brake canno t always clearly iden -
tify people, especially if they are moving . In
these cases, PRE-SAF E ®
Brake canno t inter-
vene. Ther e is a ris k of an accident.
Always pay particular attention to th e traffic
situation and be read y to brake, especially if
PRE-SAF E ®
Brake warn s you.
In order to maintai n th e appropriat e distanc e to
th e vehicl e in fron t and thus preven t a collision ,
you must apply th e brakes yourself . G WARNIN G
PRE-SAF E ®
Brake does no t react:R
to small people, e.g. children R
to animals R
to oncomin g vehicles R
to crossing traffic R
when cornering
As a result , PRE-SAF E ®
Brake may neither
giv e warning s no r interven e in all critical sit -
uations. Ther e is a ris k of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to th e traffic sit -
uation and be read y to brake.
In th e event of snowfall or heav y rain , th e rec -
ognition can be impaired.
Recognition by th e radar sensor system is also
impaire d if: R
there is dirt on th e sensor s or anythin g else
covering th e sensor sR
there is interferenc e by other radar source sR
there are stron g radar reflections, for exam-
ple in parking garages R
a narrow vehicl e is traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike R
a vehicl e is traveling in fron t on a differen t lin e
relative to th e center of your vehicl e
Recognition by th e camera system is also
impaire d in th e event of: R
dirt on th e camera or if th e camera is coveredR
glar e on th e camera system, e.g. from th e sun
bein g low in th e sk yR
darkness R
or if: -
pedestrian s mov e quickly, e.g. int o th e pat h
of th e vehicl e -
th e camera system no longer recognizes a
pedestri an as a p erson due to special cloth -
ing or other objects -
a pedestrian is concealed by other objects -
th e typical outlin e of a person is no t distin-
guishable from th e backgroun d
Followin g damag e to th e fron t en d of th e vehicle,
hav e th e configuration and operation of th e
radar sensor s checke d at a qualified specialist
workshop. This also applie s to collision s at slow
speeds wher e there is no visible damag e to th e
fron t of th e vehicle.74
Driving safety systems
Safety

Following damage to the windshield, have the
configuration and operation of the camera sys-
tem checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Function X
To activate/deactivate: activate or deacti-
vate PRE-SAFE ®
Brake in the on-board com-
puter ( Y
page 223).
If the PRE-SAFE ®
Brake is not activated, the

i The immobilizer is always deactivated when
you start the engine.
In the event that the engine cannot be started
(yet the vehicle's battery is charged), the sys-
tem is not operational. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA) or
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
ATA (anti-theft alarm system) X
To arm: lock the vehicle with the SmartKey or
KEYLESS-GO.
Indicator lamp C flashes. The alarm system
is armed after approximately ten seconds. X
To disarm: unlock the vehicle with the Smart-
Key or KEYLESS-GO.
or X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
or X
Press the Start/Stop button.
The SmartKey must be in the vehicle.
A visual and audible alarm is triggered if the
alarm system is armed and you open: R
a door R
the vehicle with the mechanical key R
the trunk lid R
the hood X
To stop the alarm with the SmartKey:
press the 6 or 7 button on the Smart-
Key.
The alarm is stopped.
or X
Remove the Start/Stop button from the igni-
tion lock. X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
The alarm is stopped. X
To stop the alarm using KEYLESS-GO:
grasp the outside door handle. The SmartKey
must be outside the vehicle.
The alarm is stopped.
or X
Press the Start/Stop button on the dash-
board. The SmartKey must be inside the vehi-
cle.
The alarm is stopped.
The alarm is not switched off, even if you close
the open door that triggered it, for example.
i If the alarm continues for more than
30 seconds, the mbrace emergency call sys-
tem automatically notifies the Customer
Assistance Center. This is done either by text
message or data connection.
The emergency call system sends a message
or establishes a data connection provided
that: R
you have subscribed to the mbrace service. R
the mbrace service has been activated
properly. R
the necessary mobile phone network is
available.76
Protection against theft
Safety

SmartKey
Important safety notes
G WARNING
If children are left unsupervised in the vehicle,
they could: R
open the doors, thus endangering other
people or road users. R
get out and disrupt traffic. R
operate the vehicle's equipment.
Additionally, children could set the vehicle in
motion if, for example, they: R
release the parking brake. R
shifting the automatic transmission out of
park position PR
Start the engine.
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 or animals unattended in the
vehicle. Always keep the SmartKey out of
reach of children.
G WARNING
If you attach heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey, the SmartKey could be uninten-
tionally turned in the ignition lock. This could
cause the engine to be switched off. There is a
risk of an accident.
Do not attach any heavy or large objects to the
SmartKey. Remove any bulky key rings before
inserting the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
! Keep the SmartKey away from strong mag-
netic fields. Otherwise, the remote control
function could be affected.
Strong magnetic fields can occur in the vicin-
ity of powerful electrical installations.
Do not keep the SmartKey: R
with electronic devices, e.g. a mobile phone
or another SmartKey. R
with metallic objects, e.g. coins or metal foil. R
inside metallic objects, e.g. a metal case.
This can affect the functionality of the Smart-
Key. Do not keep the SmartKey in the temperature-
controlled cup holder ( Y
page 292). On vehicles
with the KEYLESS-GO start function, do not
keep it on the parcel shelf or in the trunk. Oth-
erwise, the SmartKey may not be detected, e.g.
when starting the engine using the Start/Stop
button.
A brief radio connection between the vehicle
and the SmartKey determines whether a valid
SmartKey is in, or in the direct vicinity of, the
vehicle. This occurs, for example: R
when starting the engine R
while driving R
when using HANDS-FREE ACCESS R
when the external door handles are touched R
during convenience closing
SmartKey functions
C
7 Locks the vehicleD
T Opens/closes the trunk lid

signal can be activated and deactivated via the
multimedia system; see the Digital Operator's
Manual.
You will receive visual and acoustic locking con-
firmation if all components were able to be
locked.
When the locator lighting is activated via the
multimedia system, it lights up when it is dark
after the vehicle is unlocked with the SmartKey;
see the Digital Operator's Manual. X
To open the trunk lid automatically from
outside the vehicle: press and hold the T
button until the trunk lid opens. X
To open the trunk lid automatically from
outside the vehicle: if the SmartKey is loca-
ted in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle,
press the T button on the SmartKey.
When the trunk lid closes you can then
release the button.
KEYLESS-GO
General notes Bear in mind that the engine can be started by
any of the vehicle occupants if there is a Smart-
Key in the vehicle ( Y
page 147).
Locking/unlocking centrally You can start, lock or unlock the vehicle using
KEYLESS-GO. To do this, you only need carry the
SmartKey with you. You can combine the func-
tions of KEYLESS-GO with those of a conven-
tional SmartKey. Unlock the vehicle by using
KEYLESS-GO, for instance, and lock it using the
7 button on the SmartKey.
The driver's door and the door at which the han-
dle is used, must both be closed. The SmartKey
must be outside the vehicle. When locking or
unlocking with KEYLESS-GO, the distance
between the SmartKey and the corresponding
door handle must not be greater than 3 ft (1 m).
A brief radio connection between the vehicle
and the SmartKey determines whether a valid
SmartKey is in, or in the direct vicinity of, the
vehicle. This occurs, for example: R
when starting the engine R
while driving R
when using HANDS-FREE ACCESS R
when the external door handles are touched R
during convenience closing
X
To unlock the vehicle: touch the inner sur-
face of the door handle. X
To lock the vehicle: touch sensor surface C
or D .
Make sure that you do not touch the inner
surface of the door handle. X
Convenience closing feature: touch
recessed sensor surface D for an extended
period.
Further information on the convenience clos-
ing feature ( Y
page 92). X
To unlock the trunk lid: pull the handle on
the trunk lid.
Deactivating and activating If you do not intend to use a SmartKey for an
extended period of time, you can deactivate the
KEYLESS-GO function of the SmartKey. The
SmartKey will then use very little power, thereby
conserving battery power. For the purposes of
activation/deactivation, the vehicle must not be
nearby. X
To deactivate: press the 7 button on the
SmartKey twice in rapid succession.
The battery check lamp ( Y
page 80) of the
SmartKey flashes twice briefly and lights up
once, then KEYLESS-GO is deactivated. X
To activate: press any button on the Smart-
Key.
or X
Insert the SmartKey into the ignition lock.
KEYLESS-GO and all of its associated features
are available again.78
SmartKey
Opening and closing