2003 MERCEDES-BENZ S600 ESP

80 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsSwitching off the ESP
To improve the vehicle's traction, turn off
the ESP in driving situations where it would
be advantageous to have the drive wheels
spin and thus cut into surfaces for better
grip such as:

starting out on slippery surfaces and in
deep snow in conjunction with snow
chains


sand or gravelThe switch is located on the center con-
sole.
1ESP off / on

Press ESP switch1 until the ESP warn-
ing lamp
v
in the speedometer
lights up.
ESP is deactivated.
If one or more wheels are spinning, the
ESP warning lampv
in the speedome-
ter flashes, regardless of the speed.
Traction control brakes a spinning wheel
even when ESP is deactivated.
ESP always operates when you are brak-
ing, even when it has been deactivated.Switching on ESP

Press switch1.
The ESP warning lamp
v
in the in-
strument cluster goes out. You are now
again in normal driving mode.
Warning!
G
The ESP should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the circum-
stances described below. Disabling of the
system will reduce vehicle stability in stan-
dard driving maneuvers.iDistronic* cannot be activated when
ESP has been deactivated.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP switched
off. This may cause serious damage to
the drivetrain which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Warning!
G
When the ESP warning lamp
v
is
illuminated continuously, the ESP is
switched off.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP.

81 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Four wheel electronic traction system (4MATIC) with the ESP
Models with all-wheel drive only:
The 4MATIC improves the vehicle’s ability
to use available traction, e.g. during winter
operation in mountains under snowy con-
ditions, by applying power to all four
wheels.
Warning!
G
If you see the ESP warning lamp
v
flash-
ing in the speedometer dial, proceed as fol-
lows:


While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible


While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor


Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP cannot prevent accidents resulting
from excessive speed.!Do not tow with one axle raised.
Otherwise the transfer case can be
damaged, which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Performance testing must only be con-
ducted on a 2-axle dynamometer.
Otherwise the transfer case can be
damaged, which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.!Because of the ESP’s automatic opera-
tion, the engine must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0
or1) when the parking brake is being
tested on a brake test dynamometer.
Active braking action through the ESP
may otherwise seriously damage the
front or rear axle brake system.
Operational tests with the engine run-
ning can only be conducted on a 2-axle
dynamometer.

83 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Arming the alarm system
The alarm system is armed after locking
the vehicle with the SmartKey or KEY-
LESS-GO*. The turn signal lamps blink
three times to indicate that the alarm sys-
tem is activated. The indicator lamp in the
central locking switch (
page 25) will
blink after approximately 10 seconds
when the alarm system is completely
armed.Disarming the alarm system
The alarm system is disarmed when you
unlock your vehicle with the SmartKey or
KEYLESS-GO*. The turn signal lamps blink
once to indicate that the alarm system is
deactivatedCanceling the alarm
To cancel the alarm:
With the SmartKey

Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
or

Press the
Œ
or
‹
button.
With KEYLESS-GO*

Grasp the outside door handle.
or

Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button.
iIf the alarm stays on for more than
20 seconds, an emergency call is initi-
ated automatically by the Tele Aid sys-
tem provided that Tele Aid service was
subscribed to and properly activated,
and that necessary cellular service and
GPS coverage are available.
iIf the turn signal lamps do not blink
three times, a door or the hood may not
be closed properly.
Close the respective element and lock
the vehicle again.

86 Controls in detailLocking and unlockingIn the “Controls in detail” section you will
find detailed information on how to oper-
ate the equipment installed on your vehi-
cle. If you are already familiar with the
basic functions of your vehicle, this section
will be of particular interest to you.
To quickly familiarize yourself with the ba-
sic functions of the vehicle, see “Getting
started” (
page 29). The corresponding
page numbers are given at the beginning of
each segment.
For information on locking and unlocking,
refer to the Getting started section on
(
page 30) and (
page 50).
Locking and unlockingSmartKey
Your vehicle comes supplied with two
SmartKeys with remote controls and a re-
movable mechanical key. The locking tabs
for the mechanical key portion of the two
SmartKeys are a different color to help dis-
tinguish each SmartKey unit.
The SmartKey provides an extended oper-
ating range. To prevent theft, however, it is
advisable to only unlock the vehicle when
you are in close proximity to it.
The SmartKey centrally locks and unlocks:

the doors


the trunk


the fuel filler flap
SmartKey with remote controls1‹
Lock button
2
Š
Unlock button for trunk lid
3Mechanical key locking tab
4
Œ
Unlock button
5Battery check lamp
6
Â
Panic button (
page 75)
!To prevent possible malfunction, avoid
exposing the SmartKey to high levels of
electromagnetic radiation.
iYou can also open and close the power
windows (
page 190) and slid-
ing/pop-up roof (
page 194) using
the SmartKey.

97 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking

Briefly press the emergency release
button.
The trunk unlocks and the trunk lid
opens.
Closing the trunk lid
Lower trunk lid by pulling firmly on
handle1 (
page 96).
2Extending handle

Push the trunk lid down gently at the
extending handle2 until it engages into
the lock.The power closing assist automatically en-
sures that the lid is pulled closed com-
pletely (
page 102).
The extending handle2 is retracted after a
few seconds.
!The emergency release button does
not open the trunk lid if the vehicle bat-
tery is discharged or disconnected.iIf the emergency release button is
pressed and the vehicle was centrally
locked, the exterior lamps will flash and
the alarm will sound as the trunk lid
opens.
To cancel the alarm, insert the
SmartKey in the starter switch or press
button
Œ
or
‹
on the SmartKey.
Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the trunk
lid opening when closing the trunk. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.Warning!
G
Only drive with the trunk closed as, among
other dangers such as visibility blockage,
exhaust fumes may enter the vehicle interi-
or.

100 Controls in detailLocking and unlockingTrunk lid closing switch in trunk
1Trunk lid closing switch
Press closing switch1.
The trunk lid closes automatically.
If the trunk lid comes into contact with an
object while closing (e.g. luggage that has
been piled too high) in the upper motion
sequence, the closing procedure is
stopped and the trunk re-opens slightly.Closing and locking the trunk with
KEYLESS-GO*
On vehicles with trunk lid opening/closing
system and KEYLESS-GO, you can close
the trunk lid and lock the vehicle simulta-
neously.
1Trunk lid closing switch
2KEYLESS-GO switch

Make sure that you have the SmartKey
and the KEYLESS-GO card with you.
Warning!
G
Monitor the closing procedure carefully to
ensure that no one is in danger of being in-
jured. To prevent possible personal injury,
always keep hands and fingers away from
the trunk opening when closing the trunk.
Be especially careful when small children
are around. To stop the closing procedure,
press the remote trunk lid switch (on driv-
er’s door control panel), the trunk lid closing
switch1, or the
Š
button on the
SmartKey.
iDo not place the SmartKey in the open
trunk. You may lock yourself out.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*: To pre-
vent a possible inadvertent lockout, the
trunk lid will open automatically if a
KEYLESS-GO card is recognized in the
area of the rear shelf or inside the
trunk.

101 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking

Press switch2 in the trunk lid.
The trunk lid closes automatically and
the vehicle is locked. The turn signals
flash three times to confirm locking.Limiting opening height of trunk
You can limit the opening angle of the
trunk lid. The trunk lid then opens only to
approximately the height of the roof edge.
This can be useful when there is not
enough overhead clearance space, for ex-
ample. The trunk lid opening height can be
limited when transporting goods on a roof
rack (e.g. presence of an MB sport luggage
container). When activated, the trunk lid
opens to approximately the height of the
roof edge.

With the trunk lid closed, press the re-
mote control switch (
page 99) and
hold for at least five seconds.
Depending on its previous status, the
opening height restriction is then
switched either on or off.
iTo prevent a possible inadvertent lock-
out, the trunk lid will open automatical-
ly if a KEYLESS-GO card is recognized
in the area of the rear shelf or inside
the trunk.Warning!
G
Monitor the closing procedure carefully to
ensure that no one is in danger of being in-
jured. To prevent possible personal injury,
always keep hands and fingers away from
the trunk opening when closing the trunk.
Be especially careful when small children
are around. To stop the closing procedure,
press the trunk lid closing switch1 in the
trunk lid, the
Š
button on the SmartKey,
or the remote trunk lid switch (on driver’s
door control panel).
iIf the trunk lid comes into contact with
an object while closing (e.g. luggage
that has been piled too high), the clos-
ing procedure is stopped and the trunk
re-opens slightly.
The closing procedure can be stopped
at anytime by once again pressing the
closing switch in the trunk lid, the re-
mote control switch in the driver’s
door, or the
Š
button on the Smart-
Key.

102 Controls in detailLocking and unlockingPower closing assist for doors and trunk lid
Power closing assist for doors
Press the doors gently past the initial
engage position into the lock.
The doors close automatically.
Power closing assist for trunk lid

Press the trunk lid gently into its lock.
The trunk closes automatically.
Automatic central locking
The doors and the trunk automatically lock
when the ignition is switched on and the
wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of ap-
proximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.You can deactivate the automatic locking
using the control system (
page 155).
iIt is not necessary to slam the door or
trunk lid closed. A pneumatic pow-
er-assisted mechanism draws doors
and trunk lid closed quietly and auto-
matically once door and trunk lid has
been latched. When the pneumatic
power-assisted mechanism has
stopped, doors and/or trunk can be
re-opened.
Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
or trunk opening when closing a door or the
trunk lid. Be especially careful when small
children are around.
The pneumatic power closing assist mecha-
nism cannot be interrupted once it has been
engaged.
To prevent personal injury, never actuate
the closing assist mechanism by tampering
with the door or trunk lid latch.
iThe doors unlock automatically after an
accident if the force of the impact ex-
ceeds a preset threshold.
The vehicle automatically locks when
the ignition is switched on and the
wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of
approximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or
more. You could therefore lock yourself
out when the vehicle

is pushed


is on a test stand