2006 MERCEDES-BENZ S350 sensor

282 OperationDriving instructionsCatalytic converter
Your Mercedes-Benz is equipped with
monolithic-type catalytic converters, an
important element in conjunction with the
oxygen sensors to achieve substantial con-
trol of the pollutants in the exhaust emis-
sions. Keep your vehicle in proper
operating condition by following our rec-
ommended maintenance instructions as
outlined in your Maintenance Booklet.
Emission control
Certain systems of the engine serve to
keep the toxic components of the exhaust
gases within permissible limits required by
law.
These systems, of course, will function
properly only when maintained strictly ac-
cording to factory specifications. Any ad-
justments on the engine should, therefore,
be carried out only by qualified
Mercedes-Benz Center authorized techni-
cians.
Engine adjustments should not be altered
in any way. Moreover, the specified service
jobs must be carried out regularly accord-
ing to Mercedes-Benz servicing require-
ments. For details refer to the
Maintenance Booklet.
!To prevent damage to the catalytic con-
verters, only use premium unleaded
gasoline in this vehicle.
Any noticeable irregularities in engine
operation should be repaired promptly.
Otherwise, excessive unburned fuel
may reach the catalytic converter,
causing it to overheat and potentially
start a fire.
Warning!
G
As with any vehicle, do not idle, park or op-
erate this vehicle in areas where combusti-
ble 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.

308 OperationTires and wheelsChecking tire inflation pressure
Regularly check your tire inflation pressure
at least once a month.
Check and adjust the tire inflation
pressure when the tires are cold. The tires
can be considered cold if the vehicle has
been parked for at least three hours or
driven less than one mile (1.6 km).
If you check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are warm (the vehicle has
been driven for several miles or sitting less
than three hours), the reading will be
approximately 4 psi (0.3 bar) higher than
the cold reading. This is normal. Do not let
air out to match the specified cold tire in-
flation pressure. Otherwise, the tire will be
underinflated.Checking tire inflation pressure
manually
Follow the steps below to achieve correct
tire inflation pressure:

Remove the cap from the valve on one
tire.

Firmly press a tire gauge onto the
valve.

Read tire inflation pressure on tire
gauge and check against the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure on the
placard on the driver’s door B-pillar
(page 306). If necessary, add air to
achieve the recommended tire inflation
pressure.

Install the valve cap.

Repeat this procedure for each tire.
Checking tire inflation pressure
electronically*
The tire inflation pressure monitor only
functions on wheels that are equipped with
the proper electronic sensors. It monitors
the tire inflation pressure, as selected by
the driver, in all four tires. A warning is
issued to alert you to a decrease in tire
inflation pressure in one or more of the
tires.
You can call up the tire inflation pressure
monitoring display using the control
system (
page 143).
iIf you have overfilled the tire, release
tire inflation pressure by pushing the
metal stem of the valve with e.g. a tip of
a pen. Then recheck the tire inflation
pressure with the tire gauge.

335 Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning the Distronic* system sensor
cover
1Distronic system sensor cover
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water to clean sen-
sor cover1.
To prevent scratches, never apply strong
force and use only a soft, non-scratchy
cloth when cleaning the sensor cover. Do
not attempt to wipe dirty sensors with a
dry cloth or sponge.Cleaning the Parktronic* system
sensors
1Parktronic system sensors

Clean the sensors1 on the bumpers
using a mild car wash detergent, such
as Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water and a soft,
non-scratchy cloth.
When using a steam cleaner or power
washer, aim nozzle only briefly from a min-
imum distance of 12 in (30 cm) at
sensors1.
Do not apply strong pressure to the sensor
cover, applying strong pressure may dam-
age the sensor cover.To prevent scratches, never apply strong
force and only use a soft, non-scratchy
cloth when cleaning the sensor. Do not at-
tempt to wipe dirty sensors with a dry cloth
or sponge.
Wiper blades

Turn on the wipers and place it in a ver-
tical position.
For information on placing the wipers to a
vertical position, see “Replacing wiper
blades” (
page 401).
!The windshield wipers must be in a ver-
tical position before folding them away
from the windshield. They could other-
wise damage the hood.


367 Practical hints
What to do if …?
When the message:ADD 1.0 QT. OIL
AT FILLING STATION(Canada:
1.0 LITER
)
appears while the engine is running and at
operating temperature, the engine oil level
has dropped to approximately the mini-
mum 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 LEVEL
VISIT WORKSHOP
The engine oil has dropped to a critical
level.

Check the engine oil level (
page 289)
and add engine oil as required
(
page 292).

If you must add engine oil frequently,
have the engine checked for possible
leaks.
There is water in the engine oil.

Have the engine oil checked.
OIL SENSOR MALFUNCT.
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.

370 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
.
FRONT FOGLAMP, LEFT
CHECK LIGHT
The left front fog lamp is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
FRONT FOGLAMP, RIGHT
CHECK LIGHT
The right front fog lamp is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
HIGH BEAM, LEFT
CHECK LIGHT
The left high beam lamp is malfunction-
ing.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
HIGH BEAM, RIGHT
CHECK LIGHT
The right high beam lamp is malfunction-
ing.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
LICENSE PLATE L, L
CHECK LIGHT
The left license plate lamp is malfunction-
ing.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
LICENSE PLATE L, R
CHECK LIGHT
The right license plate lamp is malfunc-
tioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
LIGHT SENSOR
DRIVE TO WORKSHOP
The lamp sensor is malfunctioning. The
headlamps switch on automatically.

In the control system, set lamp operation
to manual (
page 165).

Switch on headlamps using the exterior
lamp switch.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.

377 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
TIRE PRES. MONITOR
CURRENTLY
UNAVAILABLE
The tire inflation pressure monitor* is un-
able to monitor the tire inflation pressure
due to:

the presence of several wheel sensors
in the vehicle


excessive wheel sensor temperatures


a nearby radio interference source


unrecognized wheel sensors installed

Remove any extra wheel sensors from the ve-
hicle.
As soon as the causes of the malfunction have
been removed, the tire inflation pressure moni-
tor automatically becomes active again.
TIRE PRES. MONITOR
NOT OPERATIONAL
DRIVE TO WORKSHOP
The tire inflation pressure monitor or a
wheel sensor is malfunctioning.

Have the tire inflation pressure monitor
checked by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
A wheel without proper sensor was in-
stalled.

Have the wheels checked.
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
You may lose control of the vehicle. Contin-
ued driving with a flat tire will cause exces-
sive heat build-up and possibly a fire.

443 Technical terms
ABC
(A
ctive B
ody C
ontrol)
Active, computer-controlled system
that hydraulically adjusts the suspen-
sion at all four wheels in response to
various driving situations.
ABS
(A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)
Prevents the wheels from locking up
during braking so that the vehicle can
continue to be steered.
Accessory weight
(
page 323)
ADS
(Adaptive D
amping S
ystem)
Automatically adapts the optimum sus-
pension damping to prevailing driving
conditions.Airmatic
Automatically selects the optimum sus-
pension tuning and ride height for your
vehicle. Airmatic consists of two com-
ponents:


Adaptive Damping System


Vehicle level control
Air pressure
(
page 323)
Alignment bolt
Metal pin with thread. The centering
pin is an aid used when changing a tire
to align the wheel with the wheel hub.
Aspect ratio
(page 323)BabySmart
TM1
air bag deactivation
system
This system detects if a special system
compatible child restraint seat is in-
stalled on the front passenger seat. The
system will automatically deactivate
the passenger front air bag when such
a seat is properly installed
(the58indicator lamp in the
center console comes on).
BabySmart
TM
compatible child seats
Special restraint system for children.
The sensor system for the front pas-
senger seat prevents deployment of
the passenger front air bag if a
BabySmartTM compatible child seat is
installed. See an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for availability.
Bar
(
page 323)
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens Automo-
tive Corp.

455 Index
Cleaning
Cup holder 337
Distronic* system sensor cover 335
Engine 334
Gear selector lever 337
Hard plastic trim items 337
Headlamps 186
Headliner and shelf below rear
window 337
Instrument cluster 337
Leather upholstery 338
Light alloy wheels 337
Ornamental moldings 334
Paintwork 333
Parktronic* system sensor 335
Plastic and rubber parts 338
Seat belts 337
Steering wheel 337
Upholstery 338
Windows 336
Windshield 53
Wiper blades 335
Wood trims 338
Cleaning tires 299
Clock 25Closing 58
Cup holder 249
Glove box 243
Hood 288
Power tilt/sliding sunroof 212
Power windows 208, 209
Side windows 209
Trunk 105
Closing from the inside automatically*
Trunk 105
Closing in an emergency
Power tilt/sliding sunroof 391
Cockpit 22, 444
Cockpit management and data system
(COMAND) 444
Cold tire inflation pressure 323
COMAND 444
COMAND* see separate operating instruc-
tions
Combination switch 135
High beam 50
High beam flasher 135
Turn signals 51
Windshield wipers 52Control and operation of radio
transmitters 281
Control system 143, 444
AUDIO menu 148
Checking oil level 289
Convenience submenu 169
Display digital speedometer 148
Distronic* menu 156
Functions 145, 147
Instrument cluster submenu 163
Lighting submenu 164
Menus 146, 147
Multifunction display 143
Multifunction steering wheel 144
NAVI menu 155
Settings menu 160
Standard display menu 148
Submenus 145, 147
TEL* menu 153
Trip computer menu 157
Vehicle status message memory
menu 159
Vehicle submenu 168