2003 MERCEDES-BENZ S500 4MATIC belt

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 12
Operating your vehicle outside the
USA or Canada............................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle .................. 17
Reporting safety defects...................... 18
Reporting safety defects ................ 18At a glance......................................... 19
Cockpit ................................................ 20
Instrument cluster ............................... 22
Multifunction steering wheel ............... 24Center console ..................................... 25
Upper part ...................................... 25
Lower part ...................................... 26
Overhead control panel ........................ 27
Door control panel................................ 28
Getting started................................... 29
Unlocking ............................................. 30
Unlocking with the SmartKey.......... 30
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO* ......... 32
Adjusting .............................................. 34
Seats............................................... 34
Steering wheel ................................ 37
Mirrors ............................................ 38
Driving .................................................. 40
Fastening the seat belts.................. 40
Starting the engine ......................... 42
Switching on headlamps ................. 46
Turn signals and high beam ............ 46
Windshield wipers ........................... 47
Problems while driving .................... 48
Parking and locking .............................. 50
Parking brake.................................. 50
Switching off headlamps................. 51
Turning off engine ........................... 52
Safety and Security........................... 55
Occupant safety ................................... 56
Airbags ........................................... 57
Seat belts ....................................... 62
Preventive occupant safety
(PRE-SAFE) ..................................... 66
Children in the vehicle .................... 67
Override switch for rear passenger
compartment .................................. 74
Panic alarm .......................................... 75
Activating........................................ 75
Deactivating.................................... 75
Driving safety systems ......................... 76
ABS ................................................. 76
BAS ................................................. 78
ESP ................................................. 78
Four wheel electronic traction system
(4MATIC) with the ESP .................... 81
Anti-theft systems ................................ 82
Immobilizer ..................................... 82
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 82
Tow-away alarm .............................. 84

Contents
Technical data................................. 357
Spare parts service ............................ 358
Warranty coverage............................. 359
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet ..................... 359
Identification labels ........................... 360
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 361
S 430 / S 500.............................. 361
S 55 AMG..................................... 361
S 600 ........................................... 361
Engine................................................ 362
Rims and tires.................................... 364
Same size tires............................. 365
Mixed size tires ............................ 366
Spare wheel ................................. 367
Electrical system ............................... 368
Main dimensions ............................... 369
Weights.............................................. 370
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc. .......... 371
Capacities .................................... 371
Engine oils.................................... 373
Engine oil additives ...................... 373
Air conditioning refrigerant .......... 373
Brake fluid .................................... 373
Premium unleaded gasoline ......... 374Fuel requirements ......................... 374
Gasoline additives......................... 374
Coolants ....................................... 375
Windshield and headlamp washer
system .......................................... 377
Consumer information ........................ 378
Uniform tire quality grading .......... 378
Technical terms................................ 381Index.................................................. 387

23 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
1
Coolant temperature
gauge
128
2
Fuel gauge with:Fuel reserve warning lamp
294
3
L
Left turn signal
indicator lamp
K
Right turn signal
indicator lamp
46
4
Speedometer with:v
Electronic Stability
Program (ESP)
warning lamp
l
Distance* warning
lamp
1
1Vehicles without Distronic*: Warning lamp without
function. It illuminates with SmartKey in starter
switch position2. It should go out when the engine
is running.
290
5
Tachometer
129
Item
Page
6
Right display with:-
Antilock Brake Sys-
tem (ABS) malfunc-
tion indicator lamp
290
A
High beam head-
lamp indicator
46
<
Seat belt nonusage
warning lamp
289
7
J
Reset button
127
8
Display with:
Program mode
164
Gear range
indicator
162
Digital clock (see
COMAND operat-
ing instructions)
9
Multifunction display
with:
Trip odometer
130
Main odometer
130
Stored speed for:Cruise control
196
Distronic*
142
10
Outside temperature in-
dicator
129
11
Left display with:1
Supplemental
restraint system
indicator lamp
292
;
Brake warning
lamp, except
Canada
293
3
Brake warning
lamp, Canada only
293
?
Engine malfunction
indicator lamp
294
12
Knob for instrument
cluster illumination
127
Item
Page

34 Getting startedAdjusting
Adjusting
Seats
Warning!
G
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and
rear view mirror adjustments, as well as fas-
tening of seat belts, must be done before
the vehicle is put into motion.
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
back reclined. Sitting in an excessively re-
clined position can be dangerous. You could
slide under the seat belt in a collision. If you
slide under it, the belt would apply force at
the abdomen or neck. That could cause se-
rious or fatal injuries. The seat backrest and
seat belts provide the best restraint when
the wearer is in an upright position and belts
are properly positioned on the body.
Your seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten your seat belt.
Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being ad-
justed.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take the
KEYLESS-GO* card (if so equipped) with
you, and lock your vehicle.
The power seats can also be operated with
the driver’s or passenger door open. Do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsu-
pervised use of vehicle equipment may
cause an accident and/or serious personal
injury.

35 Getting started
Adjusting
Seat adjustment
The seat adjustment switches are located
on the front doors.
1Head restraint height
2Seat height
3Seat cushion tilt
4Seat cushion depth
5Seat fore and aft adjustment
6Seat backrest tilt
Warning!
G
Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat, which operates with
the BabySmart
TM system installed in the ve-
hicle to deactivate the front passenger air-
bag when it is properly installed. Otherwise
they will be struck by the airbag when it in-
flates in a crash. If this happens, serious or
fatal injury will result.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. Infants and small children
must ride in back seats and be seated in an
appropriate infant or child restraint system,
which is properly secured with the vehicle's
seat belt and top tether strap, or secured via
lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in
accordance with the child seat manufactur-
er’s instructions.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.

40 Getting startedDriving
Driving
Fastening the seat belts
Warning!
G
Do not lay any objects in the driver’s foot-
well. Be careful that floor mats or carpets in
the driver’s footwell have sufficient clear-
ance for the pedals.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate.
Warning!
G
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure your passengers are
properly restrained, even those sitting in the
rear and pregnant women.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and po-
sition your seat belt greatly increases your
risk of injuries and their likely severity in an
accident. You and your passenger should al-
ways wear seat belts.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
can be considerably more severe without
your seat belt properly buckled. Without
your seat belt buckled, you are much more
likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are wearing your
seat belt. The airbags can only protect as ex-
pected if the occupants are using their seat
belts (
page 56).
Warning!
G
Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat, which operates with
the BabySmart
TM system installed in the ve-
hicle to deactivate the front passenger air-
bag when it is properly installed. Otherwise
they will be struck by the airbag when it in-
flates in a crash. If this happens, serious or
fatal injury will result.


41 Getting started
Driving
1Release button
2Buckle
3Latch plate
Pull the seat belt smoothly from the
seat belt presenter.

Place the belt over your shoulder.

Push latch plate3 into buckle2 until it
clicks.

If necessary, tighten the lap portion to
a snug fit by pulling shoulder portion
up.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. Infants and small children
must ride in back seats and be seated in an
appropriate infant or child restraint system,
which is properly secured with the vehicle's
seat belt and top tether strap, or secured via
lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in
accordance with the child seat manufactur-
er’s instructions.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.Warning!
G
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are seat belts available. Be sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly re-
strained with a separate seat belt.
Warning!
G
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest reclined. Sitting in an excessively
reclined position can be dangerous. You
could slide under the seat belt in a collision.
If you slide under it, the belt would apply
force at the abdomen or neck. That could
cause serious or even fatal injuries. The seat
backrest and seat belt provide the best re-
straint when the wearer is in an upright po-
sition and the belt is properly positioned on
the body.Warning!
G
Read and observe the additional warning no-
tices printed in the “Safety and Security”
section (
page 60).

42 Getting startedDrivingProper use of seat belts

Do not twist the belt when fastening.


Adjust seat belt so that the shoulder
portion is located as close as possible
to the middle of the shoulder (it should
not touch the neck or pass under the
arm).


Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips (over hip joint) and not
across the abdomen.


Place the seat backrest in a nearly up-
right position.


Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time.


Do not fasten a seat belt around a per-
son and another object at the same
time.


Check your seat belt during travel to
ensure that it is properly positioned.


Ensure that the seat belt is always fit-
ted snugly. You should avoid wearing
bulky clothing, such as winter coats,
when traveling in the vehicle.
Starting the engine
Warning!
G
Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to
seat belts. This could impair the effective-
ness of the belts.
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide, and inhaling it can cause uncon-
sciousness and lead to death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while driving,
have the cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive with at least one window
fully open.