Mercedes-Benz 2003 S 500 4MATIC Automobile User Manual


 
204
Controls in detail
Driving systems
Activating Distronic
You can activate Distronic if:
ț you are driving between 25 mph
(40 km/h) and 110 mph (180 km/h)
ț the ESP is activated ( page 78)
If Distronic has not been activated after
pressing the cruise control lever you will
see the message
---
in the multifunction
display.
In the following cases you cannot activate
Distronic:
ț up to two minutes after starting the en-
gine
ț when you brake
ț if you have set the parking brake
ț if the gear selector lever is in
position P, R, or N
ț if the ESP is switched off
Setting the current speed
̈ Accelerate or decelerate to the desired
speed.
̈ Briefly lift or depress the cruise control
lever.
Distronic is activated and the current
speed is set.
̈ Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Setting a higher speed
̈ Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow 1 (
page 203) to in-
crease vehicle speed in increments of
5 mph (Canada: 10 km/h)
The new speed is set.
The stored speed is displayed in the multi-
function display for approximately five sec-
onds (
page 203), and one or two
segments around the stored speed light up
on the speedometer (
page 201).
i
If you do not take your foot off of the
accelerator completely, the following
message will appear in the multifunc-
tion display:
DISTRONIC OVERRIDE
.
Distronic will not work to maintain the
distance to a slower moving vehicle in
front of you. Your vehicle speed will
then be determined only by the accel-
erator pedal position.
i
Depressing the accelerator pedal does
not deactivate Distronic. After brief ac-
celeration (e.g. for passing), the cruise
control will resume the last speed set.