2007 MERCEDES-BENZ S550 parking brake

361 Controls in detail
Driving and parking

If you are starting the engine with
KEYLESS-GO: Close any doors that
may be open to allow for better detec-
tion of the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO.
or

Remove the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button from starter switch.

Start the engine with the SmartKey as
radio signals from another source may
be interfering with the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO.

Repeat the starting procedure
(page 359). Remember that extend-
ed starting attempts can drain the bat-
tery.

Get a jump start (
page 639).
If the engine does not start after several
starting attempts, there could be a mal-
function in the engine electronics or in the
fuel supply system.

Call Roadside Assistance.

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Driving off
Depress the brake pedal.
The gear selector lever can now be
used.

Shift automatic transmission toD orR.

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.
The electric parking brake is automati-
cally released (
page 364).
The red brake warning 0 (USA only)
or ! (Canada only) in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Once the vehicle is in motion, the auto-
matic central locking system engages
and the locking knobs in the doors
move down.
After a cold start, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts at a higher engine revolution.
This allows the catalytic converter to reach
its operating temperature earlier.
i
Wait for the gear selection process to com-
plete before setting the vehicle in motion.
i
Shifting from gear position P to position R,
N, or D is only possible with the brake pedal de-
pressed. Without the brake pedal depressed, the
gear selector lever can be moved, but the park-
ing pawl remains engaged, not allowing shifting
to occur.
i
After driving off the doors and the trunk lock
automatically.
You can open a locked door from the inside.
Open door only when conditions are safe to do
so.
You can deactivate the automatic locking using
the COMAND system (
page 223).


362 Controls in detailDriving and parking
For more information, see “Driving instruc-
tions” (
page 479).
Turn signalsCombination switch1Turn signals, right
2Turn signals, left

Press the combination switch up1 or
down2.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lampL orK flashes in the in-
strument cluster (
page 28).
The combination switch resets automati-
cally after major steering wheel move-
ments.
Problems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires

An ignition cable may be damaged.


The engine electronics may not be op-
erating properly.


Unburned gasoline may have entered
the catalytic converter and damaged it.

Give very little gas.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.Warning!
G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector le-
ver out of P or N if the engine speed is high-
er than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly
on the brake pedal, the vehicle could accel-
erate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.!
Shift the automatic transmission toP or R
only when the vehicle is stopped in order to avoid
damaging the transmission.
!
Do not run cold engine at high engine
speeds. Running a cold engine at high engine
speeds may shorten the service life of the en-
gine.
!
Simultaneously depressing the accelerator
pedal and applying the brake reduces engine
performance and causes premature brake and
drivetrain wear.
i
To signal minor directional changes, e.g.
passing or changing lanes, move combination
switch to point of resistance only and release.
The corresponding turn signal flashes three
times.


363 Controls in detail
Driving and parking

Have the problem repaired by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
The coolant temperature is above
248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.

Stop the vehicle in a safe location as
soon as possible and turn off the en-
gine. Allow engine and coolant to cool.

Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 497).
In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:

Do not start the engine under any cir-
cumstances.

Move away from vehicle.

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.
Parking
i
Excessive coolant temperatures trigger a
warning message in the multifunction display
(
page 588).
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and the
steering systems. In this case, it is impor-
tant 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:

Press the parking brake handle.


Shift the automatic transmission to P.


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


Turn the SmartKey to starter switch
position0 and remove, or press
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button
(page 317).


Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* with you and lock vehicle
when leaving.

364 Controls in detailDriving and parkingElectric parking brake
1Handle for electric parking brake
Manually releasing electric parking
brake

Pull handle1.
The red indicator lamp 0 (USA only)
or ! (Canada only) in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
You cannot release the electric parking
brake until the ignition is switched on.Automatically releasing electric parking
brake
Your vehicle’s electric parking brake is au-
tomatically released when:


The engine is running.


Transmission is in position D or R.


The hood is closed.


You have fastened your seat belt.


You step on the accelerator pedal.
If gear R is engaged, the trunk must be
closed.
Warning!
G
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could release the parking brake
and/or shift the automatic transmission out
of position P, either of which could result in
an accident and/or serious personal injury.Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the automat-
ic transmission not fully engaged in
positionPis dangerous. Also, when parked
on an incline, position P alone may not pre-
vent your vehicle from moving, possibly hit-
ting people or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to position P (
page 359).
i
If you have not fastened your seat belt, the
following conditions must be met in order for the
parking brake to be automatically released:


The driver's door is closed


You must move the gear selector out of P po-
sition or drive faster than 2 mph (3 km/h).

365 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Manually engaging electric parking
brake
Press handle1.
The red indicator lamp 0 (USA only)
or ! (Canada only) in the instru-
ment cluster comes on.
Automatically engaging electric parking
brake
Your vehicle’s electric parking brake is au-
tomatically engaged when DISTRONIC
Plus* (
page 385) brings your vehicle to a
standstill and at least one of the following
conditions is met:


The engine is switched off


The driver’s door is opened and the
seat belt is not inserted in the belt
buckle


The hood is released


The trunk lid is open while gear R is en-
gaged


The vehicle is parked for an extended
period
The red indicator lamp 0 (USA only) or
! (Canada only) in the instrument clus-
ter comes on.
Emergency braking with electric park-
ing brake
In an emergency situation, you can also
brake your vehicle while driving by using
the electric parking brake.

While driving, press handle for electric
parking brake (
page 364).During the braking procedure, the red indi-
cator lamp 0 (USA only) or !
(Canada only) flashes in the instrument
cluster, the message “Please release park-
ing brake” appears on the multifunction
display and you will hear a warning tone.
Once the vehicle comes to a complete stop
the electronic parking brake will engage.
Turning off the engine
i
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
i
You can also engage the electric parking
brake when the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch.
i
In addition to the electric parking brake,
park position P can be automatically engaged.
i
Your vehicle will be braked for as long as you
press and hold the switch for the electric parking
brake. The longer you keep the electric parking
brake pressed, the more strongly your vehicle
will be braked. This method occurs on all
4 wheels, not just the rear wheels.
Warning!
G
Do not turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. With the en-
gine not running, there is no power assis-
tance for the brake and steering systems. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that
a considerably higher degree of effort is nec-
essary to brake and steer the vehicle.i
With the SmartKey removed from the starter
switch or the engine turned off with
KEYLESS-GO* and the driver’s door open, a
warning sounds if the parking lamps or low beam


368 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionShifting from P to N
Moving the gear selector lever up or down
shifts the automatic transmission out of
park positionP:
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.

Move gear selector lever up or down to
resistance point to select neutral
positionN.
Shifting from N to R or from N to D

With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.

Move gear selector lever up past the
resistance point to select reverse
gearR.
or

Move gear selector down past the
resistance point to select drive
positionD.

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator pedal
to drive off when it is safe to do so.
The electric parking brake is automati-
cally released (
page 364).
The red brake warning 0 (USA only)
or ! (Canada only) in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
Shifting from P to R

With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.

Move gear selector lever up past the
resistance point to select reverse
gearR.

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator pedal
to drive off when it is safe to do so.Shifting from P to D

With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.

Move gear selector lever down past the
resistance point to select drive
positionD.

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator pedal
to drive off when it is safe to do so.
Shifting from D, R, or N to P
If you want to select park positionP with
the automatic transmission being in drive
positionD, reverse gearR or neutral
positionN:
i
The gear selector lever returns to its original
position.
i
The gear selector lever returns to its original
position.
i
The gear selector lever returns to its original
position.
i
When driving off, the electric parking brake
is released automatically (
page 364).
i
The gear selector lever returns to its original
position.
i
When driving off, the electric parking brake
is released automatically (
page 364).

369 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission

With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.

Press the handle for electric parking
brake (
page 364).

Press button at the end of the gear
selector lever in direction of arrow
(page 367) to select park positionP.

Release the brake pedal.
Shifting from D or R to N
If you want to select neutral positionN
with the automatic transmission being in
drive positionD or reverse gearR:

With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.

Press the handle for electric parking
brake (
page 364).

Move gear selector lever up to resis-
tance point when in drive position D or
down to resistance point when in
reverse gear R to select neutral
positionN.

Release the brake pedal.
Shifting procedure
The automatic transmission selects indi-
vidual gears automatically, depending on:

drive positionD(
page 370) with
gear ranges (
page 372)


the selected program mode (C/S)
(page 374)


the position of the accelerator pedal
(page 373)


the vehicle speed
With drive positionD selected, you can use
the steering wheel gearshift control
buttons (
page 375) to influence auto-
matic transmission shifting by:


limiting the gear range


changing gears manually
!
Shift the automatic transmission directly
from drive positionD to reverse gearR, from
reverse gearR to drive positionD or directly to
park positionP only when the vehicle is stopped.
Otherwise the automatic transmission could be
damaged.
When trying to free a vehicle stuck in mud or
snow, see “Rocking the vehicle” (
page 373).
i
When the vehicle needs to be moved with
the engine switched off and the automatic trans-
mission set to neutral positionN (
page 371),
e.g. in an automatic car wash, do not press the
handle for electric parking brake.
!
Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the op-
erating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or parking positionP
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended
period when driving off on slippery road surfac-
es. This may cause serious damage to the driv-
etrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

370 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionAutomatic transmission positions
The current automatic transmission posi-
tion appears in the tachometer display.
1Current automatic transmission posi-
tion!
If the automatic transmission position fails
in the tachometer display, you should check
whether the gear selector lever is placed in the
desired position while driving off with added cau-
tion. We recommend you to shift the gear selec-
tor lever to positionD. Do not limit the gear
range.
Effect
ì
Park position
Shift into park positionP only
when vehicle is stopped. The
park position is not intended to
serve as a brake when the vehi-
cle is parked. Rather, the driver
should always set the electric
parking brake in addition to shift-
ing into park positionP to secure
the vehicle.
If the vehicle’s electrical system
is malfunctioning, the automatic
transmission could remain
locked in park positionP.
Have the vehicle checked as
soon as possible by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!
SmartKey:
If you turn off the engine using the SmartKey and
remove the SmartKey from the starter switch,
the automatic transmission will shift to park
positionP automatically. Keep in mind that turn-
ing off the engine with the SmartKey alone will
not automatically shift the automatic transmis-
sion to park positionP. Only when the SmartKey
is removed from the starter switch, will the auto-
matic transmission automatically shift to park
positionP.
KEYLESS-GO*:
If you turn off the engine using the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button and open the driver’s door, the
automatic transmission will shift to park
positionP automatically. Keep in mind that turn-
ing off the engine using the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button alone will not automatically
shift the automatic transmission to park
positionP. Only when the driver’s door is
opened, will the automatic transmission auto-
matically shift to park positionP.
DISTRONIC Plus*:
the transmission will shift to park positionP au-
tomatically, only when DISTRONIC Plus brings
your vehicle to a standstill, and when it meets at
least one of the following conditions at the same
time:

the engine is turned off


the driver’s or passenger door opens and the
seat belt is not engaged in the buckle
In addition to shifting to park positionP, the elec-
tric parking brake will be engaged automatically.