2007 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS engine oil

493 Operation
Engine compartment
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of ap-
proximately 1 ft. (30 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.

Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
Warning!
G
To help prevent personal injury, stay clear of
moving parts when the hood is open and the
engine is running. Make sure the hood is
properly closed before driving. When closing
the hood, use extreme caution not to catch
hands or fingers.
The radiator fan may continue to run for ap-
proximately 30 seconds or even restart af-
ter the engine has been turned off. Stay
clear of fan blades.Warning!
G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates that the engine is
overheated, do not open the hood. Move
away from vehicle and do not open the hood
until the engine has cooled down. If neces-
sary, call the fire department.
Warning!
G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components (ig-
nition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnostic
socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running


while starting the engine


if ignition is “on” and the engine is
cranked manually
Warning!
G
Be careful that you do not close the hood on
anyone.
Make sure that the hood is securely en-
gaged before driving off. Do not continue
driving if the hood can no longer engage af-
ter an accident, for example. The hood could
otherwise come loose while the vehicle is in
motion and endanger you and others.

494 OperationEngine compartmentEngine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Higher oil consumption can
occur when

the vehicle is new


the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.
Checking engine oil level with the con-
trol system (S 600)
When checking the oil level


the vehicle must be parked on level
ground


with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least 5 minutes with
the engine turned off


with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 30 minutes
with the engine turned off
To check the engine oil level via the multi-
function display, do the following:

Switch on the ignition (
page 315).

Press( or& to select the menu
“Service”.

Press$ or% to select “Engine
oil level”.

Press#.
The following message is seen in the multi-
function display:
Engine oil level
Measuring nowCorrect measurement
only if vehicle is level
One of the following messages will
subsequently appear in the multifunction
display:


Engine oil level
OK


Add 1.0 qts. engine oil
at next refueling
(Canada: 1.0 l)


Add 1.5 qts. engine oil
at next refueling
(Canada: 1.5 l)


Add 2.0 qts. engine oil
at next refueling
(Canada: 2.0 l)
!
Do not use any special lubricant additives,
as these may damage the drive assemblies. Us-
ing special additives not approved by
Mercedes-Benz may cause damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
More information on this subject is available at
any Mercedes-Benz Center.
i
The menu overview can be found on
(
page 243).
i
If you want to interrupt the checking proce-
dure, press button( or& on the multi-
function steering wheel.

495 Operation
Engine compartment

If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil (
page 496).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (page 661) and
(
page 663).
Other display messages
If the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO* start/
stop button is not in position 2, the follow-
ing message will appear:
For engine oil level,
turn on ignition

Switch on the ignition (
page 315).
If you see the message
Waiting period for,
engine oil level
not complete

If engine is at operating temperature,
wait 5 minutes before repeating check
procedure.

If engine is not at operating tempera-
ture yet, wait 30 minutes before
repeating check procedure.
If you see the message
Engine oil level
Not when engine on

Turn off the engine.

If the engine is at operating tempera-
ture, wait 5 minutes before checking
oil.

If the engine is not at operating temper-
ature yet, you must wait 30 minutes
before checking oil.
If there is excess engine oil with the engine
at operating temperature, the following
message will appear:
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level

Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(
page 602).
Checking engine oil level with the oil
dipstick (S 550)
When checking the oil level


the vehicle must be parked on level
ground


with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been sta-
tionary for at least 5 minutes with the
engine turned off


with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 30 minutes
with the engine turned off
!
Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It could cause damage to the engine and catalyt-
ic converter (gasoline engine) not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

496 OperationEngine compartmentTo check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:
Open the hood (
page 492).
S 5501Oil dipstick
2Upper mark
3Lower mark
Pull out oil dipstick1.

Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.

Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the dip-
stick guide tube.

Pull out oil dipstick1 again after ap-
proximately 3 seconds to obtain accu-
rate reading.The oil level is correct when it is between
lower mark3 (min.) and upper mark2
(max.) mark of the oil dipstick.

If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil (
page 496).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (page 661) and
(
page 663).
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(page 602).Adding engine oil
i
The filling quantity between the upper and
lower marks on the oil dipstick is approximately
2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).
!
Only use approved engine oils and oil filters
required for vehicles with Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles).
For a listing of approved engine oils and oil fil-
ters, refer to the Factory Approved Service Prod-
ucts pamphlet in your vehicle literature portfolio,
or contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of specification
other than those expressly required for the Main-
tenance System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS
(Canada vehicles), or changing of oil and oil filter
at change intervals longer than those called for
by the Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) or
FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles) will result in engine
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim-
ited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Parts of the engine can become very hot. To
prevent burns, only touch the components
described in the Operator’s Manual and
comply with all relevant safety precautions.

497 Operation
Engine compartment
Example illustration from S 5501Filler cap
Unscrew filler cap1 from filler neck.

Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.

Screw filler cap1 back on filler neck.For more information on engine, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 661) and
(
page 663).
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
check the automatic transmission.Active Body Control* (ABC*) fluid level
Regular fluid level check is not required. If
you notice fluid leaks or malfunction mes-
sages in the multifunction display, have an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center check
the ABC-system.
Coolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze. To check
the coolant level, the vehicle must be
parked on level ground and the engine
must be cool.
!
Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It will cause damage to the engine and catalytic
converter not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
In order to avoid any possibly serious burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.


Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°C). Allow engine to
cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.


602 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
Night View Assist
Lights ON or AUTO,
not in R gear
You have tried to switch on Night View As-
sist* but the light switch is not set to *
or B.
In addition, the automatic transmission is in
positionR.

Turn the exterior lamp switch to * or
B (
page 342).

Shift the automatic transmission to P, N or D
(page 367).
Night View Assist
only when
it is dark
You have tried to switch on Night View As-
sist* by daylight.
You can only switch on Night View Assist* when
it is dark.
Engine oil level
Stop vehicle!
Switch engine off
S 600 only:
There is no oil in the engine. There is a dan-
ger of engine damage.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt as soon
as it is safe to do so in a safe location.

Turn off the engine.

Add engine oil (
page 494) and check the
engine oil level (page 494).

603 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
USA only:
Add 1.0 qts. engine oil
at next refueling
Canada only:
Add 1.0 l engine oil
at next refueling
S 600 only:
The engine oil level is too low.

Check the engine oil level (
page 494) and
add engine oil as required (page 494).

If you must add engine oil frequently, have
the engine checked for possible leaks.
Check engine oil level
at next refueling
S 550 only:
The engine oil level has dropped to approx-
imately the minimum level.

Check the engine oil level (
page 495) and
add engine oil as required (page 494).

If you must add engine oil frequently, have
the engine checked for possible leaks.

604 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?When the message “Check engine oil level
at next refueling” (S 550) or “Add 1.0 qts.
(Canada:1.0 l) engine oil at next refueling”
(S 600) 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/consequence
Possible solution
Engine oil level
cannot be
measured
S 600 only:
The measuring system is malfunctioning.

Have the measuring system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level
S 600 only:
You have added too much engine oil.
There is a risk of damaging:

the engine


the catalytic converter

Have excess oil siphoned or drained off. Con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!
The engine oil level warnings should not be
ignored. Extended driving with the symbol dis-
played could result in serious engine damage
that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limit-
ed Warranty.