2004 MERCEDES-BENZ S500 hood open

ContentsUseful features .................................. 231
Storage compartments................. 231
Ashtrays ....................................... 238
Cigarette lighters.......................... 239
Heated steering wheel* ............... 240
Telephone*................................... 241
Tele Aid ........................................ 242
Garage door opener ..................... 250
Infrared reflecting windshield ....... 256
Operation......................................... 257
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ......... 258
Driving instructions............................ 259
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 259
Drinking and driving ..................... 259
Pedals .......................................... 259
Power assistance ......................... 259
Brakes .......................................... 260
Driving off .................................... 261
Parking ......................................... 261
Tires ............................................. 262
Hydroplaning ................................ 263
Tire traction.................................. 263
Tire speed rating .......................... 263
Winter driving instructions ........... 264
Standing water ............................. 265
Passenger compartment .............. 266
Driving abroad.............................. 266
Control and operation of radio
transmitters ................................. 266
Catalytic converter ....................... 267
Emission control .......................... 267
Coolant temperature .................... 268At the gas station .............................. 269
Refueling ...................................... 269
Check regularly and before a
long trip ....................................... 270
Engine compartment ......................... 272
Hood ............................................ 272
Engine oil ..................................... 273
Transmission fluid level................ 278
Active Body Control* (ABC*)
fluid level ..................................... 278
Coolant ........................................ 278
Battery ......................................... 280
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*......... 281
Tires and wheels................................ 282
Important guidelines .................... 282
Life of tires................................... 283
Direction of rotation..................... 283
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 283
Rotating wheels ........................... 291
Winter driving .................................... 292
Winter tires .................................. 292
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 293
Snow chains................................. 293

83 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Anti-theft systems
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
Activating

With the SmartKey: Removing the
SmartKey from the starter switch acti-
vates the immobilizer.


With KEYLESS-GO*: Turning off the en-
gine by means of the start/stop button
on the gear selector lever activates the
immobilizer.Deactivating


With the SmartKey: Inserting the
SmartKey in the starter switch deacti-
vates the immobilizer.


With KEYLESS-GO*: Starting the en-
gine by means of the start/stop button
on the gear selector lever deactivates
the immobilizer.
Anti-theft alarm system
Once the alarm system has been armed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered when
someone:

opens a door


opens the trunk


opens the hood
The alarm will stay on even if the activating
element (a door, for example) is immedi-
ately closed.
The alarm system will also be triggered
when


someone attempts to raise the vehicle


the vehicle is opened with the
mechanical key
iIn case the engine cannot be started
(yet the vehicle’s battery is charged),
the system is not operational. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or call
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA), or
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).

132 Controls in detailInstrument clusterCoolant temperature gauge
During severe operating conditions,
e.g. stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to 248°F (120°C),
i.e. close to the red zone of the tempera-
ture gauge.
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature above 248°F
(120°C), i.e. in the red zone of the coolant
temperature gauge. Doing so may cause
serious engine damage which is not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited War-
ranty.
Trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip
odometer display.

If it is not displayed, press the è or
ÿ button on the multifunction
steering wheel repeatedly until the trip
odometer appears (
page 134).

Press and hold reset button on the in-
strument cluster (
page 22) until the
trip odometer is reset.
Warning!
G


Driving when your engine is badly over-
heated can cause some fluids which
may have leaked into the engine com-
partment to catch fire. You could be se-
riously burned.


Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns and can occur just
by opening the hood. Stay away from
the engine if you see or hear steam com-
ing from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.
iExcessive coolant temperature triggers
a warning in the multifunction display
(page 323).

268 OperationDriving instructions
Coolant temperature
During severe operating conditions,
e.g. stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to approximately
248°F (120°C).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature over 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious en-
gine damage which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
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 only with at least one win-
dow fully open at all times.
Warning!
G


Driving when your engine is badly over-
heated can cause some fluids, which
may have leaked into the engine com-
partment, to catch fire. You could be se-
riously burned.


Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns and can occur just
by opening the hood. Stay away from
the engine if you see or hear steam com-
ing from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.

270 OperationAt the gas station
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.
Check regularly and before a long trip
1Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*
2Coolant level
3Brake fluid
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.
iOnly use premium unleaded gasoline
with a minimum Posted Octane Rating
of 91 (average 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.iLeaving the engine running and the fuel
cap open can cause the ? malfunc-
tion indicator lamp to illuminate.
For more information, see the “Practi-
cal hints” section (
page 306).
iOpening the hood, see (
page 272).


272 OperationEngine compartment
Engine compartmentHood
Opening
The hood lock release lever is located in
the driver’s footwell to the left of the park-
ing brake pedal.
1Release lever

Pull release lever 1 in direction of ar-
row.
The hood is unlocked and handle2
will extend out of the radiator grille.
2Handle for opening the hood

Pull handle 2 to its stop out of radiator
grille.

Pull up on the hood (do not pull up on
the handle) and then release it.
The hood will be automatically held
open at shoulder height by gas-filled
struts.
Warning!
G
Do not pull the release lever while the vehi-
cle is in motion. Otherwise the hood could
be forced open by passing air flow.
!To avoid damage to the windshield wip-
ers or hood, never open the hood if the
wiper arms are folded forward away
from the windshield.
Warning!
G
To help prevent personal injury, stay clear of
moving parts when the hood is open and the
engine is running. Make sure the hood is
properly closed before driving. When closing
the hood, use extreme caution not to catch
hands or fingers.
The radiator fan may continue to run for ap-
proximately 30 seconds or even restart af-
ter the engine has been turned off. Stay
clear of fan blades.

273 Operation
Engine compartment
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of ap-
proximately 1 ft. (30 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.

Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Higher oil consumption can
occur when

the vehicle is new


the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.
Warning!
G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates that the engine is
overheated, do not open the hood. Move
away from vehicle and do not open the hood
until the engine has cooled down. If neces-
sary, call the fire department.Warning!
G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components (ig-
nition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnostic
socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running


while starting the engine


if ignition is “on” and the engine is
cranked manually
Warning!
G
Be careful that you do not close the hood on
anyone.
iDo not use any special lubricant addi-
tives, as these may damage the drive
assemblies. Using special additives not
approved by Mercedes-Benz will re-
strict your warranty entitlement.
More information on this subject is
available at any Mercedes-Benz
Center.

276 OperationEngine compartmentChecking the engine oil level with the
oil dipstick (S 430, S 500, and
S55AMG only)
When checking the oil level the vehicle
must

be parked on level ground


be at normal operating temperature


have been stationary for at least five
minutes with the engine turned off
To check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:

Open the hood (
page 272).

Pull out oil dipstick1 (
page 277).

Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.

Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the dip-
stick guide tube.

Pull out oil dipstick1 again after ap-
proximately three seconds to obtain
accurate reading.
Oil dipstickThe oil level is correct when it is between
the lower (min) and upper (max) mark of
the oil dipstick.

If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil see (
page 277).
For more information on engine, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 391) and
(
page 393).
For more information on messages in the
display concerning engine oil, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 326).
iThe engine oil level can be checked by
either the oil dipstick or via the multi-
function display in the instrument clus-
ter (
page 274). The amount of engine
oil needed is shown more precisely in
the multifunction display.
iThe filling quantity between the upper
and lower marks on the oil dipstick is
approximately 2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).