2002 MERCEDES-BENZ S500 Srs

1 Contents
IntroductionProduct information .......................... 7
Operator’s manual ............................. 8
Where to find it ................................ 13
Reporting Safety Defects ................ 15Instruments and controlsInstruments and controls ............... 18
Door control panel ....................... 20
Overhead control panel ............... 21
Dashboard ..................................... 22
Center console .............................. 24OperationVehicle keys ...................................... 28
Start lock-out .................................... 31
General notes on the
central locking system ............... 32
Central locking system ................... 33
Radio frequency and
infrared remote control ............... 33
KEYLESS-GO ................................. 36Opening and closing windows
and sliding / pop-up roof
from outside ................................. 43
Panic button ................................. 45
Mechanical keys .......................... 45
Doors ................................................. 46
Power closing assist for
doors and trunk lid .................... 48
Central locking switch .................... 48
Automatic central locking .............. 50
Emergency unlocking in
case of accident .......................... 50
Trunk ..................................................51
Trunk lamp ....................................... 54
Trunk lid release switch ................ 55
Trunk lid release/close switch ...... 56
Trunk lid emergency release ........ 59
Antitheft alarm system ................... 60
Tow-away alarm ................................ 61
Easy-entry/exit feature .................. 63
Front seat adjustment ..................... 64
Removal and installation of
front seat head restraints .......... 68
Lumbar support ............................... 69Multicontour backrest ..................... 69
Seat heater ........................................ 71
Seat ventilation system ................... 74
Rear seat head restraints ................ 76
Power head restraints, rear ............ 77
Power seats, rear .............................. 78
Power seats, setting passenger
seat position from rear ............... 80
Seat belts and integrated
restraint system .......................... 81
Seat belts ........................................... 81
Seat belt nonusage
warning system ........................... 82
BabySmart
TM airbag
deactivation system .................... 88
Self-test BabySmart
TM without
special child seat installed ......... 88
Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS) ............................... 89
Emergency tensioning
retractor (ETR) ............................. 90
Airbags .............................................. 91

4 Contents
Instrument cluster displayMalfunction and indicator
lamps in the
instrument cluster ....................302
On-board diagnostic
system ..........................................302
Check engine malfunction
indicator lamp .............................302
Brake warning lamp ..................304
Supplemental restraint system
(SRS) indicator lamp ..................305
Fuel reserve warning .................305
ABS malfunction
indicator lamp .............................306
Electronic stability program
(ESP) — warning lamp ...............307
Distronic (DTR) –
warning lamp ..............................307
Seat belt nonusage
warning lamp ..............................308
Malfunction and indicator
lamp in the
center console ...........................308
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp .....308Malfunction and warning
messages in the
multifunction display .............. 309
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE ................. 310
BATTERY/ALTERNATOR ........... 311
ENTRANCE POSITION ...............312
BRAKE ASSIST ............................312
BRAKE LINING WEAR ............... 313
BRAKE FLUID ............................. 313
PARKING BRAKE ........................ 314
TRUNK OPEN .............................. 314
ELEC. STABIL. PROG.
(Electronic stability
program) ...................................... 315
COOLANT
(coolant level) .............................. 316
COOLANT
(coolant temperature) ................ 317
LIGHTING SYSTEM .................... 318
LIGHT SENSOR .......................... 320
ACTIVE BODY CONTROL
(ABC) ........................................... 320
TIRE PRESSURE ........................ 322
ENGINE OIL LEVEL ................... 324CRUISE CONTROL .....................325
KEY ...............................................325
DOOR ...........................................326
HOOD ...........................................326
TELE AID .....................................327
CHIP-CARD
(KEYLESS-GO) ............................328
SELECTOR LEVER ......................329
TELEPHONE – FUNCTION .......329
WASHER FLUID .........................330
AIR SPRING (AirMatic) ............. 331
DISTRONIC (DTR) ......................332
AIR CLEANER .............................333
Practical hintsFirst aid kit .....................................336
Stowing things in the vehicle ......336
Fuses ................................................337
Hood .................................................339
Checking engine oil level .............342
Automatic transmission
fluid level ...................................343
Active body control (ABC)
fluid level ...................................343

26 Contents – Operation
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
OperationVehicle keys ...................................... 28
Start lock-out .................................... 31
General notes on the
central locking system ............... 32
Central locking system ................... 33
Radio frequency and
infrared remote control ............... 33
KEYLESS-GO ................................. 36
Opening and closing windows
and sliding / pop-up roof
from outside .................................. 43
Panic button .................................. 45
Mechanical keys ........................... 45
Doors .................................................. 46
Power closing assist for
doors and trunk lid ..................... 48
Central locking switch .................... 48
Automatic central locking .............. 50
Emergency unlocking in
case of accident ........................... 50
Trunk ................................................. 51
Trunk lamp ....................................... 54Trunk lid release switch ................ 55
Trunk lid release/close switch ...... 56
Trunk lid emergency release ........ 59
Antitheft alarm system ................... 60
Tow-away alarm ................................ 61
Easy-entry/exit feature .................. 63
Front seat adjustment ..................... 64
Removal and installation of
front seat head restraints .......... 68
Lumbar support ............................... 69
Multicontour backrest .................... 69
Seat heater ......................................... 71
Seat ventilation system ................... 74
Rear seat head restraints ................ 76
Power head restraints, rear ........... 77
Power seats, rear ............................. 78
Power seats, setting passenger
seat position from rear .............. 80
Seat belts and integrated
restraint system ...........................81
Seat belts ...........................................81
Seat belt nonusage
warning system .......................... 82BabySmart
TM airbag
deactivation system .................... 88
Self-test BabySmart
TM without
special child seat installed ......... 88
Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS) ............................... 89
Emergency tensioning
retractor (ETR) ............................. 90
Airbags .............................................. 91
Safety guidelines for the
seat belt, emergency
tensioning retractor
and airbag .................................... 97
Infant and child
restraint systems ......................... 99
Steering wheel adjustment .......... 102
Rear view mirrors .......................... 103
Memory function ........................... 108
Key dependent
memory settings ........................ 111
Instrument cluster ..........................112
Multifunction steering wheel,
multifunction display ................118

86 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Wa r n i n g !
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY.• Seat belts can only work when used properly.
Never wear seat belts in any other way than as
described in this section, as that could result
in serious injuries in case of an accident.• E ach oc c upan t s houl d wear t hei r s ea t bel t a t al l
times, because seat belts help reduce the
likelihood of and potential severity of injuries
in accidents, including rollovers. The
integrated restraint system includes “SRS”
(driver airbag, front passenger airbag, side
impact airbags, head protection window
curtain airbags for side windows), “ETR” (seat
belt emergency tensioning retractors), and
front knee bolsters. The system is designed to
enhance the protection offered to properly
belted occupants in certain frontal (front
airbags) and side (side impact and window
curtain airbags) impacts which exceed preset
deployment thresholds.
• Never wear the shoulder belt under your arm,
against your neck or off your shoulder. In a
crash, your body would move too far forward.
That would increase the chance of head and
neck injuries. The belt would also apply too
much force to the ribs or abdomen, which
could severely injure internal organs such as
your liver or spleen.• Never wear belts over rigid or breakable
objects in or on your clothing, such as
eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as these might
cause injuries.• Position the lap belt as low as possible on your
hips and not across the abdomen. If the belt is
positioned across your abdomen, it could cause
serious injuries in a crash.• Each seat belt should never be used for more
than one person at a time. Do not fasten a seat
belt around a person and another person or
other objects.• Belts should not be worn twisted. In a crash,
you wouldn’t have the full width of the belt to
manage impact forces. The twisted belt against
your body could cause injuries.

89 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
Airbags are intended as a supplement to seat belts.
Airbags alone cannot protect as well as airbags plus
seat belts in impacts for which the airbags were
designed to operate, and do not afford any protection
whatsoever in crashes for which the airbags are not
designed to deploy.
The SRS uses two crash severity levels (thresholds) to
activate either the emergency tensioning retractor (ETR)
or front airbag or both. Activation depends on the
direction and severity of the impact exceeding the
preset thresholds and whether the seat belt is fastened.Seat belt fastened
•first threshold exceeded: ETR activates
•second threshold exceeded: airbag also activates
Seat belt not fastened
Front seats:
•first threshold exceeded: airbag activates, not ETR
Rear outer seats:
•first threshold exceeded: ETR activates
Driver and front passenger and rear outer seat systems
operate independently of each other.

90 Restraint systems
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data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Emergency tensioning retractor (ETR)
The seat belts for the front and rear outer seats are
equipped with emergency tensioning retractors. These
tensioning retractors are located in each belt’s inertia
reel and become operationally ready with the electronic
key in starter switch position 1 or 2.
The emergency tensioning retractors are designed to
activate only when the seat belts are fastened during
frontal impacts exceeding the first threshold of the SRS
and in rear impacts exceeding a preset severity level.
They remove slack from the belts in such a way that the
seat belts fit more snugly against the body restricting its
forward movement as much as possible.In cases of other frontal impacts, angled impacts, roll-
overs, certain side impacts, or other accidents without
sufficient frontal or rear impact forces, the emergency
tensioning retractors will not be activated. The driver
and passengers will then be protected by the fastened
seat belts and inertia reel in the usual manner.
Note:
The front passenger ETR activates only if the front
passenger seat is occupied.
Heavy objects on the front passenger seat can appear to
the “SRS” to indicate the presence of an occupant in
that seat which causes the passenger front airbag to
deploy and the ETR to activate in a crash exceeding the
appropriate threshold.

91 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Airbags
Front airbags1Driver airbag
2Front passenger airbag
The most effective occupant restraint system yet
developed for use in production vehicles is the seat belt.
In some cases, however, the protective effect of a seat
belt can be further enhanced by an airbag.
In conjunction with wearing the seat belts, the driver
and front passenger airbags can provide increased
protection for the driver and front passenger in certain
frontal impacts exceeding preset thresholds.
Side impact and head protection window curtain airbags
can provide increased protection to belted occupants on
the impacted side of the vehicle in side impacts
exceeding its preset threshold.
The operational readiness of the airbag system is
verified by the indicator lamp “SRS” in the instrument
cluster when turning the electronic key in starter switch
to position 1 or 2. If no fault is detected, the lamp will go
out after approximately 4 seconds; after the lamp goes
out, the system continues to monitor the components
and circuitry of the airbag system and will indicate a
malfunction by coming on again. If the lamp does not
33
P91.60-2289-27

92 Restraint systems
Te ch n i c a l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
come on at all or if it fails to extinguish after
approximately 4 seconds or if it comes on thereafter, a
malfunction in the system has been detected.
The following system components are monitored or
undergo a self-check: crash-sensor(s), airbag ignition
circuits, front seat belt buckles, emergency tensioning
retractors, seat sensor.
Initially, when the electronic key is turned from starter
switch position 0 to position 1 or 2, malfunctions in the
crash sensor are detected and indicated (the “SRS”
indicator lamp stays on longer than 4 seconds or does
not come on).
Have the system checked at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
In the operational mode, after the indicator lamp has
gone out following the initial check, interruptions or
short circuits in the airbag ignition circuit and in the
driver and front passenger seat belt buckle harnesses,
and low voltage in the entire system are detected and
indicated.Note:
See page 305 for information on the Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS) indicator lamp.
The driver and passenger front airbags are designed to
activate only in certain frontal impacts exceeding a
preset threshold. The front passenger airbag deploys
only if the front passenger seat is occupied and the
7 indicator lamp on the center console is not
illuminated.
Note:
Heavy objects on the front passenger seat can appear to
the “SRS” to indicate the presence of an occupant in
that seat which causes the passenger front airbag to
deploy in a crash exceeding the appropriate threshold.
Wa r n i n g !
In the event a malfunction of the “SRS” is indicated
as outlined above, the “SRS” may not be
operational. For your safety, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have the
system checked; otherwise the “SRS” may not be
activated when needed in an accident, which could
result in serious or fatal injury, or it might deploy
unexpectedly and unnecessarily which could also
result in injury.