Contents
Automatic transmission ..................... 173
One-touch gearshifting................. 175
Gear ranges ................................. 176
Gear selector lever position ......... 177
Automatic shift program .............. 179
Driving tips ................................... 180
Steering wheel gearshift control
(Speedshift) S 55 AMG................. 181
Manual shift program S 55 AMG .. 183
Emergency operation
(Limp Home Mode) ...................... 185
Good visibility .................................... 186
Headlamp cleaning system*
(Standard on S 500, S 600,
S 55 AMG).................................... 186
Rear view mirrors ......................... 186
Electrically folding exterior
rear view mirrors .......................... 188
Windshield wipers ........................ 189
Sun visors .................................... 190
Rear window sunshade* .............. 191
Rear door window sunshade* ...... 191Automatic climate control .................. 192
Setting the temperature................ 195
Adjusting air distribution............... 196
Adjusting air volume ..................... 198
Maximum cooling MAXCOOL ........ 198
Defrosting ..................................... 199
Air recirculation mode .................. 199
Charcoal filter ............................... 200
Rear window defroster .................. 201
Deactivating the climate
control system .............................. 202
Air conditioning............................. 202
Residual heat and ventilation ........ 203
Ventilated storage compartment .. 204
Rear passenger compartment
adjustable air vents....................... 204
Rear passenger compartment
climate control* ............................ 205
Power windows .................................. 207
Opening and closing the power
windows........................................ 207
Synchronizing the power
windows........................................ 209
Summer opening feature .............. 209
Convenience closing feature......... 210Power tilt/sliding sunroof .................. 211
Opening and closing the power
tilt/sliding sunroof........................ 211
Synchronizing the power
tilt/sliding sunroof........................ 213
Driving systems .................................. 214
Cruise control ............................... 214
Distronic* ..................................... 217
Airmatic ........................................ 229
Active Body Control (ABC)* .......... 231
Parktronic system*
(Parking assist) ............................. 235
Loading .............................................. 240
Roof rack* .................................... 240
Loading instructions ..................... 241
Cargo tie-down hooks ................... 241
Useful features ................................... 242
Vanity mirrors ............................... 242
Storage compartments ................. 243
Ashtrays........................................ 251
Cigarette lighters .......................... 252
Heated steering wheel* ................ 253
Telephone* ................................... 254
Tele Aid ......................................... 255
Garage door opener ...................... 264
Infrared reflecting windshield ....... 270
26 At a glanceMultifunction steering wheel
Item
Page
1
Multifunction display
143
Operating control
system
143
2
Selecting the submenu or
setting the volume:
Press button
æup/to increase
çdown/to decrease
144
3
Telephone*:
Press button
sto take a call
to dial a call
tto end a call
to reject an in-
coming call
153
Item
Page
4
Menu systems:
Press button
èfor next menu
ÿfor previous menu
144
5
Moving within a menu:
Press button
jfor next display
kfor previous display
144
29 At a glance
Overhead control panel
Overhead control panel
Item
Page
1
Left reading lamp on/off
138
2
Rear interior lighting
on/off
138
3
Right reading lamp on/off
138
4
Interior lighting control
137
5
Tilt/sliding sunroof
211
6
Hands-free microphone for
Tele Aid (emergency call
system), telephone*, and
voice control system* (see
separate operating instruc-
tions)
255
7
Rear view mirror
41
8
Garage door opener
264
9
Tele Aid (emergency call
system) button
257
75 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Installation of infant and child restraint
systems
This vehicle is equipped with tether an-
chorages for a top tether strap at each of
the rear seating positions.1Cover of top anchorage ring
Remove cover1 from anchorage ring.
Store cover1 in a convenient place
(e.g. glove box).
Guide tether strap between head re-
straint and top of seat back.
Head restraints must be positioned such
that the top tether strap can pass freely
between the head restraint and top of seat
back.
Make sure the tether strap is not twisted.2Hook
3Anchorage ring
Securely fasten hook2, which is part
of the tether strap, to anchorage
ring3.
Once the top tether anchorage hook is at-
tached, the child restraint itself can be se-
cured. Tighten the top tether strap
according to the child restraint manufac-
turer’s instructions.
Warning!
G
Do not place powered-on laptops, cell
phones and like electronic devices on the
front passenger seat. Signals from such de-
vices may interfere with the BabySmart
TM
system. Such signal interference may cause
the
58
indicator lamp not to come
on during self-test or be continuously lit, in-
dicating that the system is not functioning.
iFor safety reasons, make sure hook2
has attached to ring3 beyond the
safety catch, as illustrated.
98 Controls in detailLocking and unlockingImportant notes on using KEYLESS-GO
You can also use the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO like a normal
SmartKey (
page 92).
You can combine KEYLESS-GO func-
tions with normal SmartKey functions
(e.g. unlocking with KEYLESS-GO and
locking with the ‹ button).
Always carry the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO with you.
Never store the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO together with:
Electronic items such as a cellular
phone or another SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO
Metallic objects such as coins or
metal foil
Doing so could impair the function of
the KEYLESS-GO system.
To lock or unlock the vehicle, the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be
located outside the vehicle within ap-
proximately 3 ft. (1 m) of a door or the
trunk lid.
In order to start the engine with the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO:
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
must be located in the vehicle.
All doors must be closed.
The brake pedal must be firmly de-
pressed. Do not depress the accel-
erator.
If you have started the engine with the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
(page 35), you can only turn it off
again with this button, even if you have
put the SmartKey in the starter switch
in the meantime.
This does not apply if, after starting, the
gear selector lever is still in positionP
and the SmartKey is then inserted in
the starter switch. The SmartKey will
then have priority over the
KEYLESS-GO function and the vehicle’s
electrical system will operate accord-
ing to the position of the SmartKey in
the starter switch, even stopping the
engine.
If the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is
positioned farther away from the vehi-
cle, the system may no longer recog-
nize the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO.
The vehicle then cannot be locked or
the engine started via the KEYLESS-GO
system.
144 Controls in detailControl systemMultifunction steering wheel
The displays in the multifunction display
and the settings in the control system are
controlled using the buttons on the multi-
function steering wheel.
1
Multifunction display in the speed-
ometerOperating the control system
2
Selecting the submenu or setting
the volumeæ
up/to increase
ç
down/to decrease
3
Telephone*s
to take a call
t
to end a call
4
Menu systemsè
for next menu
ÿ
for previous menu
5
Moving within a menuj
for next display
k
for previous display
147 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Menu1
Standard dis-
play
Menu2
AUDIO
Menu3
Telephone*
Menu4
NAVI
Menu5
Distronic*
Menu6
Trip computer
Menu7
Vehicle status
message memory
Menu8
Settings
(page 148)
(page 148)
(page 153)
(page 155)
(page 156)
(page 157)
(page 159)
(page 160)
Commands/submenusCall up mainte-
nance service
display
Select radio
station
Load phone
book
Activate
route guid-
ance
Call up set-
tings
Fuel consump-
tion statistics
after start
Call up vehicle mal-
function, warning
and system status
messages stored in
memory
Reset to fac-
tory settings
Check tire in-
flation pres-
sure*
Select satellite
radio station*
(USA only)
Search for
name in
phone book
Fuel consump-
tion statistics
since the last
reset
Instrument
cluster
submenu
Check engine
oil level
Select CD
track
Select
number last
dialed
Call up range
Lighting
submenu
Digital speed-
ometer
Select MP3-CD
track
Vehicle
submenuConvenience
submenu
153 Controls in detail
Control system
TEL menu*
You can use the functions in the
TEL
menu
to operate your telephone, provided it is
connected to a hands-free system and
switched on.
Switch on the telephone and COMAND.
Press buttonÿ orè on the
steering wheel repeatedly until you see
the
TEL
menu in the multifunction dis-
play.Which messages will appear in the multi-
function display field depends on whether
your telephone is switched on or off:
If the telephone is off, the message in
the multifunction display is:
TEL OFF
.
If the telephone is on:
The telephone will then search for a
network. During this time the multi-
function display reads
NO SERVICE
.
As soon as the telephone has found a
network,
READY
is indicated in the mul-
tifunction display.
The standby message indicates that your
telephone is ready for use and you can op-
erate it using the control system.
Warning!
G
A driver’s attention to the road must always
be his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we rec-
ommend that you pull over to a safe location
and stop before placing or taking a tele-
phone call. If you choose to use the tele-
phone while driving, please use the
hands-free device and only use the tele-
phone when weather, road and traffic condi-
tions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a cellular telephone while driving a ve-
hicle.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury.