2004 MERCEDES-BENZ S430 steering wheel

361 Practical hints
Flat tire
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle as far as possible from
moving traffic on a hard surface.

Turn on the hazard warning flashers.

Turn the steering wheel so that the
front wheels are in a straight ahead
position.

Set the parking brake.

Move the gear selector lever toP.
Vehicles with SmartKey:

Turn off the engine (
page 53).

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.Vehicles with SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*:

Turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* button on the gear se-
lector lever once (
page 54).

Open the driver’s door (this puts the
starter switch in position0, same as
with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch). The driver’s door then
can be closed again.

Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Mounting the spare wheel
iOpen door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
Warning!
G
Never operate the vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.
The spare wheel rim is for temporary use
only. Use for over a total of 12 000 miles
(20 000 km) (aggregate of all uses) may
cause wheel rim failure leading to an acci-
dent and possible injuries.
The spare wheel should only be used tempo-
rarily and replaced with a regular road wheel
as quickly as possible.
S 55 AMG and Sport Package* only:
The spare wheel is for temporary use only.
When driving with spare wheel mounted, en-
sure proper tire pressure and do not exceed
vehicle speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).
The dimensions of the spare wheel are dif-
ferent from those of the road wheels. As a
result, the vehicle handling characteristics
change when driving with a mounted spare
wheel. Adapt your driving style accordingly.

372 Practical hintsTowing the vehicle
!
To be certain to avoid a possibility of
damage to the drive train, however, we
recommend the drive shaft be discon-
nected at the rear axle drive flange (ve-
hicles with 4MATIC: disconnected at
the front and rear axle drive flanges) for
any towing beyond a short tow to a
nearby garage.Warning!
G
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:

the engine will not run


there is a malfunction in the power sup-
ply or in the vehicle’s electrical system
as that will be necessary to adequately con-
trol the towed vehicle.
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make certain that the SmartKey
is in starter switch position2.
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the switch. In this
case, the steering is locked. To unlock, re-
move SmartKey from starter switch and re-
insert.Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.iThe gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP and the SmartKey
will not turn in the starter switch if the
battery is disconnected or discharged.
See notes on the battery (
page 366)
or on jump starting (
page 369).
iTo signal turns while being towed with
the hazard warning flasher in use, turn
SmartKey in starter switch to
position2 and activate the combina-
tion switch for the left or right turn sig-
nal in the usual manner – only the
selected turn signal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the haz-
ard warning flasher will operate again.

402 Technical termsCAC
(C
ustomer A
ssistance C
enter)
Mercedes-Benz customer service cen-
ter, which can help you with any ques-
tions about your vehicle and provide
assistance in the event of a break-
down.
CAN system
(C
ontroller A
rea N
etwork)
Data bus network serving to control ve-
hicle functions such as door locking or
windshield wiping.
Cockpit
All instruments, switches, buttons and
indicator/warning lamps in the passen-
ger compartment needed for vehicle
operation and monitoring.COMAND
(C
ockpit M
anagement and D
ata Sys-
tem)
Information and operating center for
vehicle sound and communications
systems, including the radio and navi-
gation system, as well as other optional
equipment (CD changer, telephone,
etc.).
Control system
The control system is used to call up
vehicle information and to change
component settings. Information and
messages appear in the multifunction
display. The driver uses the buttons on
the multifunction steering wheel to
navigate through the system and to ad-
just settings.
Cruise control
Driving convenience system for auto-
matically maintaining the vehicle speed
set by the driver.Distronic*
A driving convenience cruise control
system which helps the driver maintain
a pre-selected speed:


If there is no vehicle directly ahead,
the system operates in the same
way as conventional ->cruise con-
trol.


If a slower moving vehicle is ahead,
Distronic will reduce your vehicle
speed to the extent permitted by re-
duced throttle and up to 20% brak-
ing power to maintain the preset
minimum following distance.
Engine number
The number set by the manufacturer
and stamped on the cylinder block to
uniquely identify each engine pro-
duced.

403 Technical terms
Engine oil viscosity
Measurement for the inner friction (vis-
cosity) of the oil at different tempera-
tures. The higher the temperature an
oil can tolerate without becoming thin,
or the lower the temperature it can tol-
erate without becoming viscous, the
better the viscosity.
ESP
(E
lectronic S
tability P
rogram)
Improves vehicle handling and direc-
tional stability.
ETD
(E
mergency T
ensioning D
evice)
Device which deploys in certain frontal
and rear collisions exceeding the sys-
tem's threshold to tighten the seat
belts.
->SRSFSS
(F
lexible S
ervice S
ystem)
Service indicator in the multifunction
display that informs the driver when
the next vehicle maintenance service is
due.
Gear range
Number of gears which are available to
the automatic transmission for shifting.
The automatic gear shifting process
can be adapted to specific operating
conditions using the selector lever.
GPS
(G
lobal P
ositioning S
ystem)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special re-
ceivers. Employs DVD digital maps for
navigation.
Instrument cluster
The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision, in-
cluding the tachometer, speedometer,
engine temperature and fuel gauge.KEYLESS-GO*
System for entering and operating the
vehicle without the use of a SmartKey.
Kickdown
Depressing the accelerator past the
point of resistance shifts the transmis-
sion down to the lowest possible gear.
This very quickly accelerates the vehi-
cle and should not be used for normal
acceleration needs.
Lock button
Button on the door which indicates
whether the door is locked or un-
locked. Pushing the lock button down
on an individual door from inside will
lock that door.
Memory function*
Used to store three individual seat,
steering wheel and exterior mirror posi-
tions for each SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO*.

404 Technical termsMON
(M
otor O
ctane N
umber)
The Motor Octane Number for gasoline
as determined by a standardized meth-
od. It is an indication of a gasoline's
ability to resist undesired detonation
(knocking). The average of both the
MON (Motor Octane Number) and
->RON (Research Octane Number) is
posted at the pump, also known as AN-
TI-KNOCK INDEX.
Multifunction display
Display field in the speedometer used
to present information provided by the
control system.
Multifunction steering wheel
Steering wheel with buttons for operat-
ing the control system.Overspeed range
Engine speeds within the red marking
of the tachometer dial. Avoid this en-
gine speed range, as it may result in se-
rious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Parktronic*
System which uses visual and acoustic
signals to assist the driver during park-
ing maneuvers.
Poly-V-belt drive
Drives engine components (alternator,
AC compressor, etc.) from the engine.Power train
Collective term designating all compo-
nents used to generate and transmit
motive power to the drive axles, includ-
ing:


Engine


Clutch/torque converter


Transmission


Transfer case


Drive shaft


Differential


Axle shafts/axles
Program mode selector switch
Used to switch the automatic transmis-
sion between standard operationS and
comfort operationC.
S 55 AMG with steering wheel gearshift
control and manual shift program: in
addition toS andC (see above), you
can useM for manual operation

407 Index
A
ABC 220, 401
Messages in display 313, 318
Setting vehicle level 219, 221
ABS 77, 401
Malfunction indicator lamp 304
Messages in display 314
Warning lamp 304
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 170
Accident
In case of 50
Activating
Air conditioner (cooling) 191
Air conditioning 190
Air recirculation mode 187
Anti-theft alarm system 84
Central locking (control system) 159
Charcoal filter 188
Distance warning function* 215
Distronic* 211
Easy-entry/exit feature 160
ESP 81
Exterior lamps 125Exterior rear view mirror parking
position 175
Front and rear fog lamp 126, 127
Hazard warning flasher 129
Headlamps 47
High beams 128
Ignition 31
Ignition with KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button 33
Immobilizer 53, 83
Limiting opening height of
trunk lid* 159
Rear window defroster 189
Residual heat 191
Seat heater 114, 116
Seat ventilation* 117
Tow-away alarm 85
Windshield wipers 48
Activating steering wheel gearshift control
Downshifting 169, 172
Upshifting 169, 172
Adding
Coolant 279
Engine oil 277
Additional turn signals 353Adjustable air vents, rear passenger
compartment 192
Adjusting 34
Air distribution 184
Air volume 186
Backrest tilt 35
Drive-dynamic seat 163
Exterior rear view mirror 38
Head restraint height 36
Head restraint tilt 36
Instrument cluster illumination 131
Interior rear view mirror 38
Lumbar support 112
Mirrors 38
Multicontour backrest* 112
Power seat bench* 118
Seat cushion depth 35, 112
Seat cushion tilt 35
Seat fore and aft adjustment 35
Seat height 35
Seat in the lumbar region 113
Seat in the shoulder region 112
Seats 34
Steering column height 37
Steering column in or out 37

408 Index
Steering column up or down 37
Steering wheel 37
Air conditioning
Turning off 190
Turning on 190
Air pressure see Tire inflation
pressure 283
Air recirculation mode 187
Activating 187
Deactivating 188
Air vents, rear passenger compartment
Adjustable 192
Air volume
Adjusting 186
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp 311
Airbags 59
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system 71, 401
Children 60
Front 63
Passenger 63
Safety guidelines 62
Side impact 63
Window curtain 63AIRMATIC 218
Alarm
Audible 76, 84
Canceling 84
Visual 83
Alarm system
Anti-theft 83
Alignment bolt 364
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 345, 401
Antiglare
Automatic 174
Antilock brake system (ABS) 401
Anti-theft alarm system
Arming 84
Canceling alarm 84
Disarming 84
Anti-theft systems 83
Anti-theft alarm system 83
Immobilizer 83
Tow-away alarm 85
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning 263
Armrest
Storage compartment in front of 232,
233, 234Ashtray 238
At the gas station 269
ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) 278
AUDIO menu 139
Operating
Cassette player 141
Selecting radio station 140
Selecting satellite radio* station
(USA only) 140
Audio system
CD mode 142
Automatic antiglare for rear view
mirror 174
Automatic central locking
Activating/deactivating
(control system) 159
Automatic climate control 180
Air recirculation mode 187
Defrosting 187
Rear window defroster 189
Setting the temperature 183
Automatic headlamp mode 125

409 Index
Automatic lighting control
Activating 129
Deactivating 130
Automatic locking when driving 106
Automatic transmission 164
Accelerator position 170
Comfortable program mode 170
Deactivating steering wheel gearshift
control 173
Emergency operation
(Limp Home Mode) 173
Fluid level 278
Gear ranges 166
Gear selector lever position 167
Gear shifting malfunctions 173
Kickdown 170
One-touch gearshifting 165
Program mode selector switch 170
Selector lever position 164
Starting the engine 43
Steering wheel gearshift control
(Speedshift) S 55 AMG 168
Transmission fluid 278
Winter program mode 171
Auxiliary fuse box 374B
BabySmart
TM
Airbag deactivation system 71
Compatible child seats 71, 401
Self-test 71
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system 401
Backrest supports
Lumbar region 113
Shoulder region 112
Backup lamps 354, 358
Bulbs 354
BAS 78, 401
Messages in display 315
Batteries, SmartKey
Changing 350
Check lamp 90, 91
Replacing 349
Battery discharged
Jump starting 369
Battery, SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
Changing 351
Check lamp 95Battery, vehicle 280, 366
Charging 367
Disconnecting 367
Reconnecting 368
Reinstalling 367
Removing 367
Bi-Xenon headlamps 401
Block heater (Canada only) 293
Blocking
Rear window operation 74
Brake assist system (BAS) 401
Brake fluid 270, 394
Brake lamp bulbs 354
Brake lamp, high mounted 354
Brake pads
Message in display 321
Brakes 260
Warning lamp 305
Break-in period 258
Bulbs, replacing 353
Additional turn signals 353
Backup lamps 354
Brake lamps 354