Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 12
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle .................. 17
Reporting safety defects...................... 18
Reporting safety defects ................ 18
Vehicle data recording......................... 19
Information regarding electronic
recording devices........................... 19
At a glance.......................................... 21
Cockpit ................................................. 22
Instrument cluster ................................ 24
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 26
Center console ..................................... 27
Upper part ...................................... 27
Lower part ...................................... 28
Overhead control panel ........................ 29
Door control panel................................ 30Getting started................................... 31
Unlocking ............................................. 32
Unlocking with the SmartKey.......... 32
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO* ......... 33
Starter switch positions .................. 34
Adjusting .............................................. 37
Seats............................................... 37
Steering wheel ................................ 40
Mirrors ............................................ 41Driving .................................................. 43
Fastening the seat belts ................. 43
Starting the engine ......................... 46
Switching on headlamps ................. 50
Turn signals .................................... 51
Windshield wipers ........................... 52
Problems while driving.................... 54
Parking and locking .............................. 55
Parking brake ................................. 56
Switching off headlamps................. 57
Turning off the engine ..................... 57
Locking ........................................... 58
Safety and Security........................... 59
Occupant safety ................................... 60
Air bags .......................................... 61
Seat belts ....................................... 66
Preventive occupant safety
(PRE-SAFE) ..................................... 70
Children in the vehicle .................... 71
Override switch for rear
passenger compartment ................. 78
Panic alarm .......................................... 79
Activating........................................ 79
Deactivating.................................... 79
Contents
Practical hints................................. 337
What to do if …?................................. 338
Lamps in instrument cluster ........ 338
Lamp in center console................ 346
Vehicle status messages
in the multifunction display .......... 347
Where will I find ...? ........................... 379
First aid kit ................................... 379
Vehicle jack, vehicle tool kit,
luggage bowl, spare wheel ........... 379
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 383
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 383
Locking the vehicle ...................... 384
Fuel filler flap ............................... 385
Opening/closing in an emergency..... 386
Tilt/sliding sunroof ...................... 386
Replacing SmartKey batteries ........... 387
SmartKey ..................................... 387
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 388
Replacing bulbs ................................. 389
Bulbs ............................................ 390
Replacing bulbs for front lamps ... 392
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps..... 394Replacing wiper blades....................... 396
Removing wiper blades ................. 396
Installing wiper blades .................. 397
Flat tire ............................................... 398
Preparing the vehicle .................... 398
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 398
Battery................................................ 403
Disconnecting the battery............. 404
Removing the battery.................... 404
Charging and reinstalling the battery ...
404
Reconnecting the battery.............. 405
Jump starting ...................................... 406
Towing the vehicle .............................. 408
Installing towing eye bolt .............. 410
Fuses .................................................. 411
Aids for replacing fuses ................ 411
Fuse boxes in passenger
compartment ................................ 412
Fuse boxes in engine
compartment ................................ 413
Technical data.................................. 415
Parts service ...................................... 416
Warranty coverage ............................. 417
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet ...................... 417
Identification labels ............................ 418
Layout of poly-V-belt drive.................. 419
S 430/S 500 (all models) ............. 419
S 55 AMG ..................................... 419
S 600 ............................................ 419
Engine ................................................ 420
Rims and tires .................................... 422
Same size tires ............................. 423
Mixed size tires ............................. 425
Spare wheel .................................. 426
Electrical system ................................ 427
Main dimensions and weights ............ 428
Main dimensions........................... 428
Weights......................................... 428
21 At a glance
Cockpit
Instrument cluster
Multifunction steering wheel
Center console
Overhead control panel
Door control panel
23 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Combination switch
Turn signals
Windshield wipers
High beam
51
52
135
2
Cruise control lever
Cruise control
Distronic*
221
214
217
3
Instrument cluster
24
4
Multifunction steering
wheel
26
5
Steering wheel gearshift
control (S 55 AMG only)
181
Item
Page
6
Lever for voice control sys-
tem*, see separate operat-
ing instructions
7
Front Parktronic* warning
indicator for right
front area
237
8
Overhead control panel
29
9
Glove box lock
244
a
Glove box lid release
244
b
Glove box
244
c
Center console
27, 28
d
Starter switch
34
e
Horn
Item
Page
f
Steering wheel adjustment
stalk
Heated steering wheel*
40
253
g
Parking brake pedal
48
h
Hood lock release
286
j
Parking brake release
48
k
Door control panel
30
l
Exterior lamp switch
131
m
Headlamp washer button*
186
n
Front Parktronic* warning
indicator for left front area
237
27 At a glance
Center console
Center console
Upper part
Item
Page
1
Switch for rear window
sunshade
191
2
Parktronic* deactivation
button
238
3
Airmatic or Active Body
Control (ABC)* button
231
4
Level control button
233
5
Central locking switch
113
87
Anti-theft alarm system in-
dicator lamp
87
6
Hazard warning flasher
on/off switch
136
7
Central unlocking switch
113
8
Electronic Stability Pro-
gram (ESP) control switch
83
Item
Page
9
Rear seat head restraints,
switch for folding down
120
a
Tow-away alarm switch
90
b
COMAND system (see
separate operating instruc-
tions)
c
Automatic climate control
206
d
Cover of:
Ashtray
Lighter
251
252
28 At a glanceCenter consoleLower part
Item
Page
1
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button
35
2
Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission
46
3
Front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp
73
4
Thumbwheel for setting
distance in Distronic*
224
5
Distance warning func-
tion* on/off button
224
6
Lower storage compart-
ments
7
Program mode selector for
automatic transmission
179
65 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
When you sell your vehicle we strongly
urge you to give notice to the subsequent
owner that it is equipped with an SRS by
alerting them to the applicable section in
the Operator’s Manual.
Front air bags
1Driver’s air bag
2Passenger front air bagDriver’s and front passenger air bags are
deployed:
in the event of certain frontal impacts
if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold
independently of the side impact
air bags
The air bags will not deploy in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment thresholds. You will then be protect-
ed by the fastened seat belts.
The passenger front air bag will only be de-
ployed if:
the front passenger seat is occupied
the 58 indicator lamp in the
lower part of the front center console is
not lit (
page 73)
the impact exceeds a preset deploy-
ment thresholdSide impact air bags
1Side impact air bags
!Do not place objects heavier than
20 lbs (9 kg) on the front passenger
seat. This could cause the front or side
impact air bag on the front passenger
side to deploy in a crash which exceeds
the system's deployment threshold.
73 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
BabySmart
TM1
air bag deactivation
system
The 58 indicator lamp is located on
the lower part of the center console.
1Indicator lamp
Special BabySmart
TM compatible child
seats, designed for use with the
Mercedes-Benz system and available at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center are
required for use with the BabySmart
TM
air bag deactivation system. With the spe-
cial child seat properly installed, the pas-
senger front air bag will not deploy.
Infants and small children should never
share a seat belt with another occupant.
During an accident, they could be crushed
between the occupant and seat belt.
Children too big for child restraint systems
must ride in back seats using regular seat
belts. Position shoulder belt across chest
and shoulder, not face or neck. A booster
seat may be necessary to achieve proper
belt positioning for children from 41 lbs until
they reach a height where a lap/shoulder
belt fits properly without a booster.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
When the child restraint is not in use, re-
move it from the vehicle or secure it with the
seat belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an ac-
cident.
Do not leave children, unattended in the ve-
hicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system. Unsupervised chil-
dren in a child restraint system may use ve-
hicle equipment and cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens Automo-
tive Corp.