Page 332 of 474

330 OperationVehicle careCleaning and care of vehicle
In operation, even while parked, your vehi-
cle is subjected to varying external influ-
ences which, if gone unchecked, can 
attack the paintwork as well as the under-
body and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but 
also by:
Air pollution
Road salt
Tar
Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:
Grease and oil
Fuel
Coolant
Brake fluid
Bird droppings
Insects
Tree resins, etc.
Frequent washing reduces and/or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of 
the above adverse influences.More frequent washings are necessary to 
deal with unfavorable conditions:
near the ocean
in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust 
emissions)
during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to 
time for stone chipping or other damage. 
Any damage should be repaired as soon as 
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody 
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody 
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoat-
ed.Your vehicle has been treated at the 
factory with a wax-base rustproofing in the 
body cavities which will last for the lifetime 
of the vehicle. Post-production treatment 
is neither necessary nor recommended by 
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility 
of incompatibility between materials used 
in the production process and others ap-
plied later.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous. 
Some are poisonous, others are flammable. 
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s 
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle. 
     
        
        Page 338 of 474

336 OperationVehicle careUpholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing 
clothing that have the tendency to give off 
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause 
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper 
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration 
will be prevented.
Leather upholstery 
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp cloth 
and dry thoroughly or clean with 
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather Care. 
Exercise particular care when cleaning per-
forated leather as its underside should not 
become wet.Nubuck leather upholstery (S 55 AMG)
The nubuck leather upholstery is treated 
with a protective coating. Wipe nubuck 
leather upholstery with damp microfiber 
cloth to remove dust and other light stains. 
Carefully dab nubuck leather upholstery 
with a dry microfiber cloth to remove oil 
stains.Plastic and rubber parts
Do not use oil or wax on these parts.
Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use damp 
cloth to clean wood trims in your vehicle. 
Do not use solvents like tar remover or 
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as 
these may be abrasive. 
!Do not use Mercedes-Benz approved 
Leather Care or any solvents to clean 
nubuck leather upholstery.
Avoid hard scrubbing on nubuck leath-
er upholstery. 
     
        
        Page 351 of 474

349 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Text messagesDisplay 
Possible cause
Possible solution
ABC
ACTIVE BODY CONTROL
DRIVE CAREFULLY!
The capability of the ABC system is restrict-
ed. This can impair the handling.
Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz center as 
soon as possible.
The vehicle is losing oil.
Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe to do 
so.
ACTIVE BODY CONTROL
STOP, CAR TOO LOW
The vehicle is parked on an extremely 
uneven surface.
Press the vehicle level control button to se-
lect level 2 (
page 232).
ABC is malfunctioning.
Stop and press the vehicle level control but-
ton to select a higher vehicle level 
(page 232).
Do not turn steering wheel too far to avoid 
damaging the front fenders.
Listen for scraping noises.
Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz center as 
soon as possible.
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE
VISIT WORKSHOP
The display for ABC or the ABC system itself 
is malfunctioning.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as 
soon as possible. 
     
        
        Page 364 of 474
362 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display 
Possible cause
Possible solution
: 
USA only:ADD 1.0 QT. ENGINE 
OIL
AT FILLING STATIONCanada only:ADD 1.0 LITER ENGINE 
OIL
AT FILLING STATION
The engine oil level is too low.
Add engine oil (
page 291) and check 
the engine oil level (page 288).
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
STOP, ENGINE OFF!
There is no oil in the engine. 
There is a danger of engine damage.
Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt as 
soon as possible.
Turn off the engine.
Add engine oil (
page 291) and check 
the engine oil level (page 288).
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
REDUCE OIL LEVEL
You have added too much engine oil. 
There is a risk of damaging the engine or 
the catalytic converter.
Have excess oil siphoned or drained off. 
Observe all legal requirements with re-
spect to its disposal. 
     
        
        Page 365 of 474

363 Practical hints
What to do if …?
When the message 
ADD 1.0 QT. ENGINE 
OIL  AT FILLING STATION
 (Canada: 
1 Liter
) appears while the engine is run-
ning and at operating temperature, the en-
gine oil level has dropped to approximately 
the minimum level.When this occurs, the warning will first 
come on intermittently and then stay on if 
the oil level drops further.
Visually check for oil leaks. If no obvious oil 
leaks are noted, drive to the nearest ser-
vice station where the engine oil should be 
topped to the required level with an ap-
proved oil specified in the Factory Ap-
proved Service Products pamphlet. 
Display 
Possible cause
Possible solution
: 
ENGINE OIL
VISIT WORKSHOP
It may be that there is water in the engine 
oil.
Have the engine oil level checked 
(page 288).
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
VISIT WORKSHOP
The engine oil has dropped to a critical 
level.
Check the engine oil level (
page 288) 
and add engine oil as required 
(
page 291).
If you must add engine oil frequently, 
have the engine checked for possible 
leaks.
ENGINE OIL SENSOR
VISIT WORKSHOP
The measuring system is malfunctioning.
Have the measuring system checked by 
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!The engine oil level warnings should 
not be ignored. Extended driving with 
the symbol displayed could result in 
serious engine damage that is not 
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited 
Warranty. 
     
        
        Page 393 of 474

391 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Notes on bulb replacement
Only use 12 volt bulbs of the same type 
and with the specified watt rating. 
Switch lights off before changing a bulb 
to prevent short circuits. 
Always use a clean lint-free cloth when 
handling bulbs. 
Your hands should be dry and free of oil 
and grease.
If the newly installed bulb does not 
come on, visit an authorized 
Mercedes-Benz Center.Have the LEDs and bulbs for the following 
lamps replaced by an authorized 
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Additional turn signal lamps in the exte-
rior rear view mirrors
Bi-Xenon lamps*
High mounted brake lamp
Brake lamps
Rear side marker lamps
Rear parking lamps
Warning!
G
Keep bulbs out of reach of children.
Bulbs and bulb sockets can be very hot. Al-
low the lamp to cool down before changing 
a bulb.
Halogen lamps contain pressurized gas. A 
bulb can explode if you:
touch or move it when hot
drop the bulb
scratch the bulb
Wear eye and hand protection.
Because of high voltage in Xenon lamps, it is 
dangerous to replace the bulb or repair the 
lamp and its components. We recommend 
that you have such work done by a qualified 
technician.
iHave the headlamp adjustment 
checked regularly. 
     
        
        Page 403 of 474

401 Practical hints
Flat tire
Removing the wheel
1Alignment bolt
Unscrew upper-most wheel bolt and re-
move.
Replace this wheel bolt with alignment 
bolt1 supplied in the tool kit.
Remove the remaining bolts.
Remove the wheel.Mounting the new wheel
Clean contact surfaces of wheel and 
wheel hub.
Guide the spare wheel onto the align-
ment bolt and push it on.
Insert wheel bolts and tighten them 
slightly.
Unscrew the alignment bolt, install last 
wheel bolt and tighten slightly.
!Do not place wheel bolts in sand or dirt. 
This could result in damage to the bolt 
and wheel hub threads.
!To avoid paint damage, place wheel flat 
against hub and hold it there while in-
stalling first wheel bolt.Warning!
G
Always replace wheel bolts that are dam-
aged or rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts.
Damaged wheel hub threads should be re-
paired immediately. Do not continue to drive 
under these circumstances! Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call 
Roadside Assistance.
Incorrect wheel bolts or improperly tight-
ened wheel bolts can cause the wheel to 
come off. This could cause an accident. 
Make sure you are using the correct wheel 
bolts.
Warning!
G
Use only genuine equipment 
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts. Other wheel 
bolts may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the ve-
hicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle could 
tip over. 
     
        
        Page 431 of 474

429 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
CapacitiesVehicle components and their respective 
lubricants must match. Therefore use only 
brands tested and approved by us.Please refer to the Factory Approved Ser-
vice Products pamphlet, or inquire at your 
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine with oil filter
S 430
S 500
S 55 AMG
S 600
8.5 US qt. (8.0 l)
8.5 US qt. (8.0 l)
7.9 US qt. (7.5 l)
9.5 US qt. (9.0 l)
Approved engine oils
Automatic transmission
S 600
9.1 US qt. (8.6 l)
8.1 US qt. (7.7 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Fluid
Rear axle
S55AMG
S 600
1.7 US qt. (1.6 l)
2.1 US qt. (2.0 l) 
2.1 US qt. (2.0 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
Front axle
S 430 4MATIC
S 500 4MATIC
0.63 US qt. (0.6 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90 
Transfer case
S 430 4MATIC
S 500 4MATIC
0.62 US qt. (0.585 l)
MB Transfer Case Oil
Hydraulic system for ADS or ABC
4.2 US qt. (4.0 l)
MB Hydraulic Fluids
Power steering
approx. 1.1 US qt. (1.0 l)
MB Power Steering Fluid (Pentosin 
CHF 11S)