2005 MERCEDES-BENZ S500 Starting

86 Safety and SecurityAnti-theft systemsImmobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
Activating
With the SmartKey
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
The immobilizer is activated.
With KEYLESS-GO*

Turn off the engine by means of the
start/stop button (
page 35) on the
gear selector lever.

Open the driver’s door.
The immobilizer is activated.Deactivating
With the SmartKey

Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
The immobilizer is deactivated.With KEYLESS-GO*

Start the engine by means of the
start/stop button (
page 35) on the
gear selector lever.
The immobilizer is deactivated.
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).

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.

113 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Locking and unlocking from the inside
You can lock or unlock the doors and the
trunk from inside using the central locking
or unlocking switch. This can be useful, for
example, if you want to lock the vehicle be-
fore starting to drive.
The fuel filler flap will not be locked or un-
locked with the central locking or unlock-
ing switch, respectively.The switches are located on the upper part
of the front center console.
1Central locking switch
2Central unlocking switch
Locking

Press central locking switch1.
If the front passenger door is closed,
the vehicle locks.
Unlocking

Press central unlocking switch2.
The vehicle unlocks.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
iYou can open a locked door from the
inside. Open door only when conditions
are safe to do so.
If the vehicle was previously centrally
locked with the SmartKey or the with
KEYLESS-GO*, it will not unlock using
the central unlocking switch2.
If the vehicle was previously locked
with the central locking switch1:

While in the global remote control
mode, the vehicle is unlocked com-
pletely when a door is opened from
the inside.


While in the selective remote con-
trol mode, only the door opened
from inside is unlocked.

185 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Deactivating manual shift program
Press the program mode selector
switch (
page 183) repeatedly
until
Cor
S appears in the tachometer
display.
or

Restart the engine.
The transmission will go to the
automatic program mode (C orS).
The manual program modeM is not
stored.Emergency operation (Limp Home
Mode)
If vehicle acceleration worsens or the
transmission no longer shifts, the trans-
mission is most likely operating in limp
home (emergency operation) mode. In this
mode only second gear and reverse gear
can be activated.
Stop the vehicle.

Move gear selector lever toP.

Turn off the engine.

Wait at least ten seconds before
restarting.

Restart the engine.

Move gear selector lever to positionD
(for second gear) orR.

Have the transmission checked at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.

195 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control
Nearly all dust particles, pollutants and
odors are filtered out before outside air en-
ters the passenger compartment through
the air distribution system.
The air conditioning will not engage (no
cooling) if the ± mode is selected
(page 202).
Setting the temperature
Use temperature controls aand8
(page 194) to separately adjust the air
temperature on each side of the passenger
compartment. You should raise or lower
the temperature setting in small incre-
ments, preferably starting at 72°F (22°C).
Increasing/decreasing

Press button a or 8 repeatedly until
the display shows the desired tempera-
ture.
The automatic climate control system
will correspondingly adjust the interior
air temperature.
Warning!
G
Follow the recommended settings for heat-
ing and cooling given on the following pag-
es. Otherwise the windows could fog up,
impairing visibility and endangering you and
others.
iThe current climate control settings
(ON/OFF, temperature, air volume, ac-
tivated charcoal filter, etc.) are stored
for each SmartKey before it is removed
from the starter switch or when the ve-
hicle is locked using the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* (
page 108).
If the vehicle interior is hot, ventilate
the interior before driving off.
Keep the air intake grille in front of the
windshield free of snow, leaves, sticks,
and any other debris.
Do not obstruct air volume by placing
objects on the air volume-through ex-
haust slots below the rear window.
iWhen operating the climate control
system in automatic mode, you will
only rarely need to adjust the tempera-
ture, air volume and air distribution.

222 Controls in detailDriving systemsActivating Distronic
You can activate Distronic if:

you are driving between 25 mph
(40 km/h) and 110 mph (180 km/h)


the ESP is activated (
page 82)
If Distronic has not been activated after
pressing the cruise control lever you will
see the message
---
in the multifunction
display.
In the following cases you cannot activate
Distronic:


up to two minutes after starting the en-
gine


when you brake


if you have set the parking brake


if the gear selector lever is in
positionP, R, or N


if the ESP is switched offSetting the current speed

Accelerate or decelerate to the desired
speed.

Briefly lift the cruise control lever in di-
rection of arrow1 or depress in direc-
tion of arrow2.
Distronic is activated and the current
speed is set.

Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.Setting a higher speed

Briefly tip the cruise control lever in di-
rection of arrow1 (
page 221) to in-
crease vehicle speed in increments of
5 mph (Canada: 10 km/h).
The new speed is set.
The stored speed is displayed in the
multifunction display for approximately
five seconds (
page 221), and one or
two segments around the stored speed
come on the speedometer
(
page 219).
iIf you do not take your foot off of the
accelerator completely, the following
message will appear in the multifunc-
tion display: DISTRONIC OVERRIDEDistronic will not work to maintain the
distance to a slower moving vehicles in
front of you. Your vehicle speed will
then be determined only by the accel-
erator pedal position.
iDepressing the accelerator pedal does
not deactivate Distronic. After brief ac-
celeration (e.g. for passing), the cruise
control resumes the last speed set.

234 Controls in detailDriving systemsNormal level (see table)
Speed-dependent lowering of vehicle
chassis (approximate values):

Between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 40 mph
(65 km/h) – none


Between 40 mph (65 km/h) and
87 mph (140 km/h) – lowered
progressively by approximately 0.6 in
(15 mm).Raised level 1 (see table)
Speed-dependent lowering of vehicle
chassis (approximate values):


Between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 38 mph
(60 km/h) - raised by approximately
0.4in (10mm)


Between 38 mph (60 km/h) and
118 mph (190 km/h) - lowered
progressively by approximately 1.0 in
(25 mm)Raised level 2 (see table)
Speed-dependent lowering of vehicle
chassis (approximate values):


Between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 18 mph
(30 km/h) - raised by approximately
0.8 in (20 mm)


Between 18 mph (30 km/h) and
38 mph (60 km/h) – lowered progres-
sively by approximately 0.4 in (10 mm)


Between 38 mph (60 km/h) and
118 mph (190 km/h) – lowered pro-
gressively by additional approximately
1.0 in (25 mm)
iPressing the button twice in quick suc-
cession will cause the vehicle to imme-
diately raise or lower according to the
starting level.
The selected vehicle level setting re-
mains stored in memory even if the en-
gine is turned off and restarted.

267 Controls in detail
Useful features
Step 7:
To program the remaining two buttons,
repeat the steps above starting with
step 3.Rolling code programming
To train a garage door opener (or other roll-
ing code devices) with the rolling code fea-
ture, follow these instructions after
completing the “Programming” portion
(steps 1 through 6) of this text. (A second
person may make the following training
procedures quicker and easier.)
Step 8:

Locate “training” button on the garage
door opener motor head unit.
Exact location and color of the button
may vary by garage door opener brand.
Depending on manufacturer, the “train-
ing” button may also be referred to as
“learn” or “smart” button. If there is dif-
ficulty locating the transmitting button,
refer to the garage door opener opera-
tor’s manual. Step 9:

Press “training” button on the garage
door opener motor head unit.
The “training light” is activated.
You have 30 seconds to initiate the follow-
ing step.
Step 10:

Firmly press, hold for two seconds and
release the programmed integrated
signal transmitter button (2, 3
or4).
Step 11:

Press, hold for two seconds and re-
lease same button a second time to
complete the training process.
Some garage door openers (or other rolling
code equipped devices) may require you to
perform this procedure a third time to
complete the training.
iIf the indicator lamp1 flashes rapidly
for about two seconds and then turns
to a constant light, continue with pro-
gramming steps 8 through 12 as your
garage door opener may be equipped
with the “rolling code feature”.