2003 MERCEDES-BENZ S600 keyless

234 Controls in detailUseful features
1Rear door lighters
Turn SmartKey in the starter switch to
position1 or2.

Lightly touch the back of the ashtray to
open it (
page 233).

Push in cigarette lighter1.
The lighter will pop out automatically
when hot.
Warning!
G
Never touch the heating element or sides of
the lighter; they are extremely hot. Hold the
knob only.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take the
KEYLESS-GO* card (if so equipped) with you
and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children
unattended in the vehicle, or with access to
an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of
vehicle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.iThe lighter socket can be used to ac-
commodate electrical accessories up
to a maximum 85 W.
Warning!
G
Never touch the heating element or sides of
the lighter; they are extremely hot. Hold the
knob only.
To avoid possible injury to children sitting in
the rear seat, deactivate the operation of
the rear door windows, see (
page 74). De-
activation of the rear windows also deacti-
vates the lighters.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take the
KEYLESS-GO* card (if so equipped) with you
and lock the vehicle. Do not leave children
unattended in the vehicle, or with access to
an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of
vehicle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

237 Controls in detail
Useful features
Tele Aid The Tele Aid system
(Tele
matic A
larm I
dentification on D
e-
mand)
The Tele Aid system consists of three
types of response:


Automatic and manual emergency


Roadside Assistance, and


Information
The Tele Aid system is operational provid-
ing that the vehicle’s battery is charged,
properly connected, not damaged and cel-
lular and GPS coverage is available.
The speaker volume of a Tele Aid call can
be adjusted using the volume control on
the multifunction steering wheel. To turn
volume up, press button
æ
. Press
button
ç
to turn volume down.

To activate, press the SOS button, the
Roadside Assistance button
•
or
the Information button
¡
, depend-
ing on the type of response required.Shortly after the completion of your ac-
quaintance call, you will receive a user ID
and password via first call mail. By visiting
www.mbusa.com and selecting “Tele Aid”
(USA only), you will have access to account
information, remote door unlock, and
more.
!The initial activation of the Tele Aid sys-
tem may only be performed by com-
pleting the subscriber agreement and
placing an acquaintance call using the
SOS button. Failure to complete either
of these steps will result in a system
that is not activated. If the system is
not activated, the indicator lamp in the
SOS button stays on after turning
SmartKey in starter switch to
position2 or pressing KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button (if so equipped)
twice to position2 (
page 33). The
message
TELE AID – NOT ACTIVATED

will be shown in the multifunction dis-
play for approximately 10 seconds.
If you have any questions regarding ac-
tivation, please call the Response Cen-
ter at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA) or
1-888-923-8367 (in Canada).
iThe SOS button is located above the in-
side rear view mirror.
The Roadside Assistance button
•

and the Information button
¡
are
located below the center armrest cov-
er.

254 OperationDriving instructions
Tires
Tread wear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and be-
come visible at a tread depth of approxi-
mately
1⁄16 in (1.5 mm), at which point the
tire is considered worn and should be re-
placed.The tread wear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
Specified tire pressures must be main-
tained. This applies particularly if the tires
are subjected to high loads (e.g. high
speeds, heavy loads, high ambient temper-
atures).
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Firmly depress parking brake pedal.


Move the selector lever to positionP.


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheel towards the road curb.


Turn the SmartKey to starter switch
position0 and remove, or press
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button (vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*).


Take the SmartKey or the KEYLESS-GO
*
card (if so equipped) with you and lock
vehicle when leaving.
Warning!
G
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possi-
ble damage to your vehicle has occurred,
you should turn on the hazard warning flash-
ers, carefully slow down, and drive with cau-
ti o n t o an a re a wh ic h i s a s a fe dis ta n c e f ro m
the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have it towed to the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Center or tire dealer for re-
pairs.
Warning!
G
Do not allow your tires to wear down too far.
As tread depth approaches
1⁄16 in (1.5 mm),
the adhesion properties on a wet road are
sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.

261 Operation
At the gas station
At the gas station
The fuel filler flap is located on the
right-hand side of the vehicle towards the
rear. Locking/unlocking the vehicle with
the remote control or the KEYLESS-GO*
card automatically locks/unlocks the fuel
filler flap.

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.

Open the fuel filler flap by pushing at
the point indicated by the arrow.
The fuel filler flap springs open.

Turn the fuel cap to the left and hold on
to it until possible pressure is released.

Take off the cap and set it in the recess
on the fuel filler flap.
To prevent fuel vapors from escaping
into open air, fully insert filler nozzle
unit.

Only fill your tank until the filler nozzle
unit cuts out – do not top up or overfill.

Replace the fuel cap by turning it to the
right.
You will hear when the fuel cap is tight-
ened.

Close the fuel filler flap.
Warning!
G
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious inju-
ry. Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid
inhaling fumes and skin contact, extinguish
all smoking materials. Never allow sparks,
flame or smoking materials near gasoline!
Warning!
G
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create pres-
sure in the system which could cause a gas
discharge. This could cause the gas to spray
back out when removing the fuel pump noz-
zle, which could cause personal injury.
iS 600: Use only premium unleaded
gasoline with a minimum Posted Oc-
tane Rating of 93 (average of
98 RON / 88 MON).
S430, S500 and S55AMG: Use only
premium unleaded gasoline with a min-
imum Posted Octane Rating of 91 (av-
erage of 96 RON / 86 MON).
Information on gasoline quality can
normally be found on the fuel pump.
More information on gasoline can be
found in the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet.

283 Operation
Vehicle care
Scratches, corrosive deposits, corrosion or
damage due to negligent or incorrect care
cannot always be removed or repaired with
the car-care products recommended here.
In such cases it is best to seek aid at your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The following topics deal with the cleaning
and care of your vehicle and give important
“how-to” information as well as references
to Mercedes-Benz approved car-care prod-
ucts.
Additional information can be found in the
booklet “Vehicle Care Guide“.
Power washer
When using a power washer for cleaning
the vehicle always observe the manufac-
turer’s operating instructions.Tar stains
Quickly remove tar stains before they dry
and become more difficult to remove. A tar
remover is recommended.
Paintwork, painted body components
Mercedes-Benz approved Paint Care
should be applied when water drops on the
paint surface do not “bead up”, normally
every 3 to 5 months, depending on climate
and washing detergent used.
Mercedes-Benz approved Paint Cleaner
should be applied if the paint surface
shows signs of embedded dirt (i.e. loss of
gloss).
Do not apply any of these products or wax
if your vehicle is parked in the sun or if the
hood is still hot.
Use the appropriate MB-Touch-Up Stick
for quick and provisional repairs of minor
paint damage (i.e. chips from stones, vehi-
cle doors etc.).
iVehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of
water, and a KEYLESS-GO* card is in
close proximity, i.e. within approx. 3 ft.
(approx. 1 m), the vehicle could be in-
advertently locked or unlocked. !Never use a round nozzle to power
wash tires. The intense jet of water can
result in damage to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.
Always keep the jet of water moving
across the surface. Do not aim directly
at electrical parts, electrical connec-
tors, seals, or other rubber parts.

284 OperationVehicle careEngine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from contact with
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as MB Anticor-
rosion Wax should be applied to the engine
compartment after every engine cleaning.
Before applying, all control linkage bush-
ings and joints should be lubricated. The
poly-V-belt and all pulleys should be pro-
tected from any wax.
Vehicle washing
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight. Use only a mild car wash
detergent, such as Mercedes-Benz ap-
proved Car Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water. Direct only a very weak
spray towards the ventilation intake. Use
plenty of water and rinse the sponge and
chamois frequently. Rinse with clear water and thoroughly dry
with a chamois. Do not allow cleaning
agents to dry on the finish.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in out-
side mirrors prior to running the vehicle
through an automatic car wash to prevent
damage to the mirrors.
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the underbody, do not for-
get to clean the inner sides of the wheels.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of very dirty
chrome-plated parts, use a chrome clean-
er.
Headlamps, tail lamps, turn signal
lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo,
with plenty of water.
To prevent scratches, never apply strong
force and use only a soft, non-scratchy
cloth when cleaning the lenses. Do not at-
tempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry cloth
or sponge.
iVehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of
water, and a KEYLESS-GO* card is in
close proximity, i.e. within approx. 3 ft.
(approx. 1 m), the vehicle could be in-
advertently locked or unlocked.

296 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Messages in the display
The control system shows warning and
malfunction messages in the multifunction
display.
Certain warning and malfunction messag-
es are accompanied by an audible signal.
Address these messages accordingly and
follow the additional instructions given in
this Operator’s Manual.
Selecting the malfunction memory menu in
the control system (
page 130) displays
both cleared and uncleared messages.
High-priority messages appear in the mul-
tifunction display in red color.
Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset buttonJ
(page 22).Other high-priority messages and messag-
es of less immediate priority (regular dis-
play colors) can be cleared from the
multifunction display using the reset
button
J
(page 22) and are then stored
in the malfunction message memory
(
page 145).
On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of all the messages that may
appear in the display. High priority mes-
sages appear on a red background.Warning!
G
All categories of messages contain impor-
tant information which should be taken note
of and, where a malfunction is indicated, ad-
dressed as soon as possible at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Failure to repair condition noted may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty, or result in property dam-
age or personal injury.
Warning!
G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative.
Contact your nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.iTurning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position2, or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button twice
to position2 causes all lamps as well
as the multifunction display to come
on. Ensure that they are all in working
order before starting your journey.

303 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
F
CHIP CARD
CHECK BATTERY
KEYLESS-GO*card batteries are dis-
charged.

Change the batteries (
page 328).
CHIP CARD
NOT RECOGNIZED!
KEYLESS-GO*card is not recognized while
the engine is running because

the card is not in the vehicle


there is strong radio-frequency interfer-
ence

Stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so.

Search for the card.
Otherwise the vehicle cannot be central-
ly locked nor can the engine be started
again after it has been stopped.
KEYLESS-GO*card is momentarily not rec-
ognized.

Change the position of the card in
the vehicle.

Operate the vehicle with the
SmartKey in the ignition if necessary.
CHIP CARD
DETECTED IN VEHICLE
KEYLESS-GO*card left in the vehicle was
recognized while locking the vehicle from
the outside.

Take the card out of the vehicle.
CHIP CARD
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The KEYLESS-GO* system is malfunction-
ing.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.