2006 MERCEDES-BENZ C55AMG engine

53 Getting started
Driving
In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:
Do not start the engine under any cir-
cumstances.
Notify local fire and/or police authori-
ties.
If the extent of the damage cannot be de-
termined:
Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If no damage can be determined on the

Major assemblies

Fuel system

Engine mount
Start the engine in the usual manner.

54 Getting started
Parking and locking
You have now completed your first drive.
You have properly stopped and parked
your vehicle. End your drive as follows.Parking brake
1Release handle
2Parking brake pedal
Step firmly on parking brake pedal2.
When the engine is running, the brake
warning lamp; (USA only)
or3(Canada only) in the
instrument cluster comes on.
Warning!G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
system. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the
vehicle.
Warning!G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.

Firmly depress parking brake pedal.

Move the gear selector lever to
positionP.

Slowly release brake pedal.

When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 and remove the SmartKey
from the starter switch.

Take the SmartKey and lock the vehicle
when leaving.

56 Getting started
Parking and locking
Turning off engine
Place the gear selector lever in
positionP.
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0.
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
The immobilizer is activated.
Releasing seat belts
Press the seat belt release button
(
page 43).
Allow the retractor to completely
rewind the seat belt by guiding the
latch plate.
Locking
i
Always set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to positionP.
On slopes, turn the front wheels
towards the road curb.
i
The SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in positionP.
!
M a k e s u r e t h e s e a t b e l t r e t r a c t s f u l l y s o
that the seat belt and/or latch plate
cannot get caught or pinched in the
door or in the seat mechanism. This
can damage the seat belt and impair
the effectiveness of the seat belt,
and/or cause damage to the door
and/or door trim panel. Such damage
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Damaged seat belts must be replaced.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are
around.
Before closing doors, make sure there is no
possibility of someone getting caught in a
door during closing.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave
children unattended in the vehicle, or with
access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsuper-
vised use of vehicle equipment may cause
an accident and/or serious personal injury.

60 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
In this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts

Emergency tensioning device

Air bags

Child seats

Child seat recognition

Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH)
As independent systems, their protective
effects work in conjunction with each
other.The1 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 24) comes on:

for about 4 seconds when you turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch to
position1.

for about 4 seconds when you start the
engine by turning the SmartKey.The1 indicator lamp goes out shortly
after you start the engine. This shows that
the restraint systems are operational.
A malfunction in the system has been
detected if the1 indicator lamp:
fails to extinguish after approximately
4 seconds.

does not come on at all.

comes on after the engine was started
or while driving.
For safety reasons, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to
have the system checked.
For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 356).i
For information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and
restraint systems for infants and
children, see “Children in the vehicle”
(
page 72).
i
The1 indicator lamp remains lit if
the SmartKey in the starter switch is
turned to position2 and left there. The
indicator lamp will go out when you
start the engine.

69 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Depending on vehicle production date,
your vehicle is equipped with either a seat
belt reminder system or an enhanced seat
belt reminder system as follows:
Seat belt reminder system
When the engine is started the seat belt
telltale < illuminates for a maximum of
6 seconds and a warning chime sounds to
remind you and your passengers to fasten
your seat belts.
For more information on the seat belt
telltale <, see “Practical hints”
(
page 355).Enhanced seat belt reminder system
When the engine is started the seat belt
telltale< illuminates for a maximum of
6 seconds and a warning chime sounds to
remind you and your passengers to fasten
your seat belts.
If after these 6 seconds the driver’s or the
front passenger’s seat belt (with the front
passenger seat occupied and with all
doors closed) are not fastened,

and the vehicle speed does not exceed
15 mph (25 km/h), the seat belt tell-
tale < remains illuminated for as
long as either the driver’s or front pas-
senger’s seat belt is not fastened.

Never use a seat belt for more than one
person at a time. Do not fasten a seat
belt around a person and another per-
son or other objects.

Belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you wouldn’t have the full width
of the belt to manage impact forces. The
twisted belt against your body could
cause injuries.

Pregnant women should also use a
lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible
on the hips to avoid any possible pres-
sure on the abdomen.

Never place your feet on the instrument
panel, dashboard or on the seat. Always
keep both feet on the floor in front of the
seat.

82 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
In this section you will find information on
the following driving safety systems:

ABS (Antilock Brake System)

BAS (Brake Assist System)

ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of ap-
proximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will
respond even to light brake pressure.
The- indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 24) comes on when you
switch on the ignition. It goes out when the
engine is running.
Warning!G
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns

Wet and slippery road surfaces

Following another vehicle too closely
The ABS, BAS and ESP
® cannot reduce this
risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the
prevailing road and weather conditions.
i
In winter operation, the maximum
effectiveness of the ABS and ESP® is
only achieved with winter tires
(
page 336), or snow chains as re-
quired.
Warning!G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

84 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
BAS
The Brake Assist System (BAS) operates in
emergency situations. If you apply the
brakes very quickly, the BAS automatically
provides full brake boost, thereby poten-
tially reducing the braking distance.
Apply continuous full braking pressure
until the emergency braking situation is
over.
The ABS will prevent the wheels from
locking.
When you release the brake pedal, the
brakes function again as normal. The BAS
is then deactivated.
ESP®
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) is
operational as soon as the engine is run-
ning and monitors the vehicle’s traction
(force of adhesive friction between the
tires and the road surface) and handling.
The ESP
® recognizes when a wheel is
spinning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By
applying brakes to the appropriate wheel
and by limiting the engine output, the ESP
®
works to stabilize the vehicle. The ESP® is
especially useful while driving off and on
wet or slippery road surfaces. The ESP
®
also stabilizes the vehicle during braking
maneuvers.
The ESP
® warning lampv in the
speedometer flashes when the ESP® is
engaged.
The ESP
® warning lampv in the
speedometer comes on when you switch
on the ignition. It goes out when the engine
is running.
Warning!G
If the BAS is malfunctioning, the brake sys-
tem is still functioning normally, but without
the additional brake boost available that
BAS would normally provide in an emergen-
cy braking maneuver. Therefore, the braking
distance may increase.
Warning!G
The BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking efficiency beyond that
afforded by the condition of the vehicle
brakes and tires or the traction afforded.
The BAS cannot prevent accidents, includ-
ing those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, following another vehicle too closely,
or hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The
capabilities of a BAS equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the
user’s safety or the safety of others.

85 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 354) and
(
page 361).
Warning!G
Never switch off the ESP® when you see the
ESP® warning lampv flashing in the
speedometer. In this case, proceed as
follows:

While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.

While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.

Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
Warning!G
The ESP® cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
®
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The
capabilities of an ESP
® equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reckless or dan-
gerous manner which could jeopardize the
user’s safety or the safety of others.
i
The ESP® will only function properly if
you use wheels of the recommended
tire size (
page 429).
!
Because of the ESP®’s automatic
operation, the engine must be turned
off (SmartKey in starter switch
position0 or1) when

the parking brake is being tested on
a brake test dynamometer

the vehicle is being towed with the
front axle raised
Active braking action through the ESP
®
may otherwise seriously damage the
brake system.