463 Controls in detail
Useful features
Emergency calls
An emergency call is initiated
automatically following an accident in
which the emergency tensioning devices
(ETDs) or air bags deploy.An emergency call can also be initiated
manually by opening the cover next to the
interior rear view mirror labeled SOS, then
briefly pressing the button located under
the cover. For instructions on initiating an
emergency call manually (
page 464).
Once the emergency call is in progress, the
indicator lamp in the SOS button will begin
to flash. The message:
“Connecting call” appears in the multi-
function display
“Emergency Call Activated” appears in
the COMAND display
and the audio system is muted. When the
connection is established, the message:
“Call connected” appears in the multi-
function display
“Emergency Call Activated” appears in
the COMAND display All information relevant to the emergency,
such as the location of the vehicle (deter-
mined by the GPS satellite location sys-
tem), vehicle model, identification number
and color are generated.
A voice connection between the Response
Center and the occupants of the vehicle
will be established automatically soon af-
ter the emergency call has been initiated.
The Response Center will attempt to deter-
mine more precisely the nature of the acci-
dent provided they can speak to an
occupant of the vehicle.
Warning!
G
If the indicator lamps in the SOS button, in
the Roadside Assistance button•
and/or in the Information button¡ do
not come on during the system self-check,
or if any of these indicators remain illuminat-
ed continuously in red and/or the message
“Tele Aid not activated” or “Tele Aid inopera-
tive” is displayed in the multifunction display
after the system self-check, a malfunction in
the system has been detected.
If a malfunction is indicated as outlined
above, the system may not operate as ex-
pected. Have the system checked at the
nearest Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
i
During the emergency call message “Emer-
gency Call Activated” is displayed, operation
from COMAND is not possible. The automatic cli-
mate control can be still adjusted using the
switches on the climate control panel.
i
If no vehicle occupant responds, an ambu-
lance will be sent to the vehicle immediately.
470 Controls in detailUseful featuresGarage door opener
The integrated remote control is capable of
operating up to three separately controlled
devices. It provides a convenient way to re-
place up to three hand-held remote con-
trols used to operate devices such as
garage door openers, gate openers, or oth-
er devices compatible with HomeLink
® or
some other systems.
Before the integrated remote control can
be used, it must be programmed to the ga-
rage door opener, gate operator or other
device you wish to operate. See the follow-
ing instructions for programming informa-
tion.
Interior rear view mirror with integrated re-
mote control1Indicator lamp
2 3 4Signal transmitter button
Needed for programming (not part of vehi-
cle equipment):
5Hand-held remote control of ga-
rage door opener, gate operator
or other device
6Hand-held remote control but-
ton
Warning!
G
Before programming the integrated remote
control to a garage door opener or gate
operator, make sure people and objects are
out of the way of the device to prevent po-
tential harm or damage. When programming
a garage door opener, the door moves up or
down. When programming a gate operator,
the gate opens or closes.
Do not use the integrated remote control
with any garage door opener that lacks
safety stop and reverse features as required
by U.S. federal safety standards (this
includes any garage door opener model
manufactured before April 1, 1982).
A garage door that cannot detect an object
– signaling the door to stop and reverse –
does not meet current U.S. federal safety
standards.
When programming a garage door opener,
park the vehicle outside the garage.
536 OperationVehicle careEngine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment,
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from contact with
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as
MB Anticorrosion Wax, should be applied
to the engine compartment after every en-
gine cleaning. Before applying, all control
linkage bushings and joints should be lu-
bricated. The poly-V-belt and all pulleys
should be protected from any wax.
Vehicle washing
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the vehicle underbody, do
not forget to clean the inner sides of the
wheels.Hand-wash
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight.
Only use a mild car wash detergent,
such as Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water.
Direct only a very weak spray towards
the ventilation intake.
Use plenty of water and rinse the
sponge and chamois frequently.
Rinse with clean water and thoroughly
dry with a chamois.
Do not allow cleaning agents to dry on
the finish.
Automatic car wash
You can have your vehicle washed in an au-
tomatic car wash from the start. Automatic
car washes without brushes are prefera-
ble.If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it be-
fore running it through the automatic car
wash.
i
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of water, and
a SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is in close prox-
imity, i.e. within approximately 3 ft (approxi-
mately 1 m), the vehicle could be inadvertently
locked or unlocked.
!
Do not clean your vehicle in an automatic
touchless car wash which uses caustic spray.
Otherwise the caustic spray will damage the
paint or ornamental moldings.
!
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in
exterior rear view mirrors prior to running the ve-
hicle through an automatic car wash to prevent
damage to the mirrors.
Make sure that the windshield wiper switch is set
to0 (page 351). Otherwise, the rain sensor
could activate and cause the wipers to move un-
intentionally. This may lead to vehicle damage.
i
After running the vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash, wipe any wax off of the wind-
shield (
page 540). This will prevent smears
and reduce wiping noise which can be caused by
residual wax on the windshield.
When leaving the car wash, make sure that the
mirrors are folded out. Otherwise they may vi-
brate.
597 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
Turn signal,
Left mirror
The turn signal in the left exterior rear view
mirror is malfunctioning. This message will
only appear if all light emitting diodes have
stopped working.
Have the LEDs replaced as soon as possible.
Turn signal,
Right mirror
The turn signal in the right exterior rear view
mirror is malfunctioning. This message will
only appear if all light emitting diodes have
stopped working.
Have the LEDs replaced as soon as possible.
Turn signal,
Front Left
The left front turn signal lamp is malfunc-
tioning.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
Turn signal,
Front Right
The right front turn signal lamp is malfunc-
tioning.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
High beam, Left
The left high beam lamp is malfunctioning.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible
(page 621).
High beam, Right
The right high beam lamp is malfunctioning.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible
(page 621).
License plate lamp,
Left
The left license plate lamp is malfunction-
ing.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
License plate lamp,
Right
The right license plate lamp is malfunction-
ing.
Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
623 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.
the Bi-Xenon lamps
the front turn signal lamps
the front fog lamps
the additional turn signal lamps in the
exterior rear view mirrors
the parking and standing lamps
the front side marker lamps
the high mounted brake lamps
the brake, tail and rear standing lamps
the rear side marker lamps
the rear fog lamp
the rear turn signal lamps
the rear side marker lamps
the license plate lamps
Replacing bulbs for front lamps
Before you start to replace a bulb for a
front lamp, do the following first:
Turn the exterior lamp switch to M
(page 342).
Open the hood (
page 492) (except
for side marker 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.
i
Have the headlamp adjustment checked
regularly.
626 Practical hintsReplacing bulbs
Insert bulb holder1 into guide in
headlamp. Wire2 must point down-
ward and to the right.
Turn bulb holder1 clockwise until it
engages and wire2 points downward
and to the left.
Corner-illuminating lamp
1Bulb holder
2Grip
3Wire position
Turn cover3 (
page 624) counter-
clockwise and remove it.
Turn bulb holder1 counterclockwise
until it disengages.
Take out bulb holder1.
Take bulb out of holder.
Insert new bulb into holder and press it
all the way down.
Insert bulb holder1 into guide in
headlamp.
The tab of the bulb holder must be po-
sitioned on the upper left-hand side
and wire3 must point downward and
to the left for the left headlamp, up-
ward and to the right for the right head-
lamp.
Turn bulb holder1 clockwise until it
engages and grip2 is in a horizontal
position.Additional turn signal lamp bulbs
The additional turn signal lamps in the ex-
terior rear view mirrors have LEDs.
If a malfunction occurs or LEDs fail to func-
tion, the entire turn signal unit must be re-
placed. Have the turn signal unit replaced
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Front side marker lamp bulbs
Since replacing the side marker lamp bulbs
is a technically highly demanding process,
we recommend you have the side marker
lamp bulbs replaced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
660 Technical dataMain dimensions and weightsMain dimensionsWeightsModel
S 550 (221.171)
S 600 (221.176)
Overall vehicle length
204.7 in (5206 mm)
Overall vehicle width (exterior rear view mirrors folded out)
83.2 in (2113 mm)
Overall vehicle height
58.0 in (1473 mm)
Wheelbase
124.6 in (3165 mm)
Track, front
63.2 in (1604 mm)
Track, rear
63.3 in (1606 mm)
Max. roof load
220 lb (100 kg)
Max. trunk load
220 lb (100 kg)
674 Technical termsInstrument cluster
The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision, in-
cluding the tachometer, speedometer,
engine temperature and fuel gauge.
ISO9660
A standard file system for recording
data on CDs.
Joliet
Standard for recording data on CDs; an
extension of ISO 9660.
KEYLESS-GO*
System for entering and operating the
vehicle without the use of a SmartKey.
Kickdown
Depressing the accelerator past the
point of resistance shifts the transmis-
sion down to the lowest possible gear.
This very quickly accelerates the vehi-
cle and should not be used for normal
acceleration needs.Kilopascal (kPa)
(
page 527)
LED
(Light E
mitting D
iode)
Semiconductor element that converts
electricity directly into light.
Line of fall
The direct line that an object moves
downhill when influenced by the force
of gravity alone.
LOGIC7
® surround
Multichannel surround technology
from the professional audio industry
that plays back 5.1 and stereo record-
ings in surround sound. LOGIC7
® cre-
ates a natural 360° sound experience
on all seats.
Locking knob
Knob on the door which indicates
whether the door is locked or un-
locked. Pushing the locking knob down
on an individual door from inside will
lock that door.Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles)
Maintenance service indicator in the
->multifunction display that informs the
driver when the next vehicle mainte-
nance service is due. The Maintenance
System in your vehicle tracks distance
driven and the time elapsed since your
last maintenance service, and calls for
the next maintenance service accord-
ingly.
Maximum load rating
(
page 527)
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
(page 527)
Maximum tire inflation pressure
(page 527)
Memory function
Used to store three individual seat,
steering wheel and exterior mirror posi-
tions.