2004 MERCEDES-BENZ S55AMG engine

298 OperationVehicle careEngine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from the intrusion of
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. Only use 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 ex-
terior rear view 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, side markers,
turn signal lenses

Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, 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 SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* is in close proximity, i.e.
within approx. 3 ft. (approx. 1 m), the
vehicle could be inadvertently locked
or unlocked.

306 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
?(USA only)±(Canada only)
The yellow malfunction
indicator lamp comes on
while driving.
There is a malfunction in:

The fuel management system


The ignition system


The emission control system


Systems which affect emissions
Such malfunctions may result in excessive
emissions values and may switch the en-
gine to its limp-home (emergency opera-
tion) mode.

Have the vehicle checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
An on-board diagnostic connector is
used by the service station to link the
vehicle to the shop diagnostics system.
It allows the accurate identification of
system malfunctions through the read-
out of diagnostic trouble codes. It is lo-
cated in the front left area of the
footwell next to the parking brake pedal.
The fuel cap is not closed tightly.

Close the fuel cap.
Your gas tank is empty.

After refuelling, start the engine three or
four times in succession.
The limp-home mode is canceled. You do
not need to have your vehicle checked.

308 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
v
The yellow ESP warning lamp
comes on while driving.
The ESP is deactivated.
Risk of accident!
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road, weather, and traffic conditions.

Switch the ESP back on (
page 81).
If the ESP cannot be switched back on, have
the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
The yellow fuel tank reserve
warning lamp comes on while
driving.
The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 269).
<
The red seat belt telltale illumi-
nates for a brief period after
starting the engine.
The warning lamp reminds you to fasten
seat belts.

Fasten your seat belt.
The warning lamp goes out.

316 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
ESP
NOT AVAILABLE!
SEE OPER. MANUAL
The ESP was deactivated the power supply
has been interrupted.
The ABS is still operational.

Synchronize the ESP. With the vehicle sta-
tionary and the engine running, turn the
steering wheel completely to the left and
then to the right to synchronize the ESP.
If the ESP message does not go out:

Continue driving with added caution.

Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases the
risk of an accident.
!When synchronizing the ESP, make
sure you can turn the steering wheel in
both directions as far as it will go with-
out the wheel hitting any objects, e.g.
aroad curb.

317 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
P
SHIFT
TO P
You have tried to turn off the engine with
the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button with
the gear selector lever not inP.

Place the gear selector lever in positionP.
PRE-SAFE
INACTIVE
SEE OPER. MANUAL
!
If BAS or ESP malfunction messages are
displayed simultaneously, PRE-SAFE has
been deactivated as a result of these mal-
functions. All other occupant safety sys-
tems, such as the airbags, are still available.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
PRE-SAFE itself has failed. All other occu-
pant safety systems, such as the airbags,
are still available.

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

320 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
#
BATTERY/ALTERNATOR
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The battery was charged with a battery
charger or jump started.

Have the battery checked at a service
station.
The battery is no longer charging.
Possible causes:

alternator malfunctioning


broken poly-V-belt

Stop immediately and check the
poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:

Do not continue to drive. Otherwise the
engine will overheat due to an inoperative
water pump which may result in damage
to the engine. Notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is intact:

Drive immediately to the nearest autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center. Adjust driv-
ing to be consistent with reduced braking
responsiveness.

321 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
2
BRAKE PAD WEAR
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The brake pads have reached their wear
limit.

Have the brake pads replaced as soon as
possible.
;(USA only)3(Canada only)
BRAKE FLUID
VISIT WORKSHOP!
There is insufficient brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle and no-
tify an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not solve
the problem.
;(USA only)!(Canada only)
PARK. BRAKE
RELEASE BRAKE!
You are driving with the parking brake en-
gaged.

Release the parking brake (
page 45).
Warning!
G
Driving with this message displayed can re-
sult in an accident. Have your brake system
checked immediately. Don’t add brake fluid
before checking the brake system. Overfill-
ing the brake fluid reservoir can result in
spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts and
the brake fluid catching fire. You can be se-
riously burned.
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks.
!Brake pad thickness must be visually
checked by a qualified technician at the
intervals specified in the Service Book-
let.

322 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
?
VISIT WORKSHOP!
There may be a malfunction in the:

Fuel injection system


Ignition system


Exhaust system


Fuel system

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
B
COOLANT
CHECK LEVEL!
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 278).

If you have to add coolant frequently,
have the cooling system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You can be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant
level warning. Extended driving with
the message and symbol displayed
may cause serious engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Do not drive without a sufficient
amount of coolant in the cooling sys-
tem. The engine will overheat, causing
major engine damage.