2007 MERCEDES-BENZ S550 parking brake

393 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Once DISTRONIC Plus has stopped your
vehicle and it is at a standstill, it remains
stationary; the brake pedal does not need
to be depressed.
Setting the current speed
Accelerate or decelerate to the desired
speed.

Briefly lift the DISTRONIC Plus lever in
the direction of arrow1 or depress in
the direction of arrow2.
DISTRONIC Plus is activated and the
current speed is set.

Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.Setting a higher speed
You can increase the set speed in two stag-
es.
Adjustment in 1 mph (Canada: 1 km/h)
increments

Briefly lift the DISTRONIC Plus lever to
the resistance point in direction of
arrow1 (
page 381).

Release the DISTRONIC Plus lever.
The vehicle speed increases in incre-
ments of 1 mph (Canada: 1 km / h).
Adjustment in 5 mph
(Canada: 10 km/h) increments
i
After a short while, your vehicle is secured in
place by the electric parking brake so that the
operating brake can be relieved of load.
i
Depending on the following distance set us-
ing the distance setting switch on the DISTRON-
IC Plus lever, your vehicle will stop approx.
13.1 ft. (4 m) away from the vehicle in front of
you.
i
If you do not take your foot off of the accel-
erator completely, the following message will ap-
pear in the multifunction display:
DISTRONIC PLUS passive
The distance to a slower moving vehicle in front
of you will not be set. Your vehicle speed will
then be determined only by the accelerator ped-
al position.
i
The set speed value is increased in 1 mph
(Canada: 1 km/h) increments each time you lift
the DISTRONIC Plus lever to the resistance
point.
Warning!
G
You can increase the vehicle speed in 5 mph
(Canada 10 km/h) increments. When using
this feature, keep in mind that it may take a
brief moment until the vehicle has reached
the set speed.
Increase the vehicle speed to a value that
the prevailing road conditions permit. Other-
wise, sudden and unexpected acceleration
of the vehicle could cause an accident
and/or serious injury to you and others.i
The set value is increased in 5 mph
(Canada: 10 km/h) increments each time you lift
the DISTRONIC Plus lever past the resistance
point.


405 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Parktronic system*
Parktronic is an electronic parking aid with
ultrasonic sensors that helps you while
parking.
It visually and audibly indicates the relative
distance between the vehicle and an ob-
stacle.
Parktronic is automatically activated when
you switch on the ignition, release the
electric parking brake or start the engine
and engage gear D, R or N.The Parktronic system deactivates at
speeds over approximately 11 mph
(18 km/h). At lower speeds the Parktronic
system turns on again.
Parktronic is also switched off when you
engage gear P or secure the vehicle in
place with the electric parking brake and
switch off the engine.
The Parktronic system monitors the sur-
roundings of your vehicle with six sensors
in the front bumper and four sensors in the
rear bumper.
1Sensors in the front bumper (Only visi-
ble without DISTRONIC Plus*)Warning!
G
Parktronic is a supplemental system. It is
not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always rests with the driver.
Special attention must be paid to objects
with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes
(e.g. trailer couplings, painted posts, or road
curbs). Such objects may not be detected by
the system and can damage the vehicle.
The operational function of the Parktronic
system can be affected by dirty sensors, es-
pecially at times of snow and ice, see
“Cleaning the Parktronic* system sensors”
(page 538).
Warning!
G
Make sure no persons or animals are in the
area in which you are maneuvering. You
could otherwise injure them.i
Interference caused by other ultrasonic sig-
nals (e.g. working jackhammers, car wash, or the
air brakes of trucks) can cause the system to
send erratic indications, and should be taken
into consideration.

406 Controls in detailDriving systemsRange of the sensorsFront sensors
Rear sensorsMinimum distance
If the system detects an obstacle in this
range, all the distance warning segments
illuminate and you hear a warning signal. If
the obstacle is closer than the minimum
distance, the actual distance may no long-
er be indicated by the system.i
To function properly, the sensors must be
free of dirt, ice, snow and slush. Clean the sen-
sors regularly, being careful not to scratch or
damage the sensors, see “Cleaning the Park-
tronic* system sensors” (
page 538).
Center
approx. 40 in (100 cm)
Corners
approx. 24 in (60 cm)
Center
approx. 48 in (120 cm)
Corners
approx. 32 in (80 cm)
!
During parking maneuvers, pay special at-
tention to objects located above or below the
height of the sensors (e.g. street curbs, painted
posts, or trailer hitches etc.). The Parktronic sys-
tem will not detect such objects at close range
and damage to your vehicle or the object may re-
sult.
Ultrasonic signals from outside sources (e.g.
truck air brakes, car wash, or jackhammers) may
impair the operation of the Parktronic system.
Center
approx. 8 in (20 cm)
Corners
approx. 6 in (15 cm)

409 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Park Assist*
Park Assist is an electronic parking aid
with radar sensors that helps you while
parking.
It visually and audibly indicates the relative
distance between the vehicle and an ob-
stacle.Park Assist is automatically activated
when the engine is running and the trans-
mission is in position D, R or N.
The Park Assist system deactivates at
speeds over approximately 11 mph
(18 km/h). At lower speeds the Parktronic
system turns on again.
Park Assist is also switched off when the
transmission is in position P or switch off
the engine.
While the transmission is in position N,
Park Assist is switched off if you secure the
vehicle in place with the electric parking
brake.
The Park Assist system monitors the sur-
roundings of your vehicle with four sensors
in the front bumper and two sensors in the
rear bumper.Warning!
G
Park Assist is a supplemental system. It is
not intended to, nor does it replace, the
need for extreme care. The responsibility
during parking and other critical maneuvers
always rests with the driver.Warning!
G
Make sure no persons or animals are in the
area in which you are maneuvering. You
could otherwise injure them.!
Special attention must be paid to objects
with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes (e.g.
trailer couplings, painted posts, elevated cross-
bars or road curbs). Such objects may not be de-
tected by the system and can damage the
vehicle.
!
The operational function of the Park Assist
system can be affected by dirty sensors, espe-
cially at times of snow and ice.
Make sure that the area on the bumpers around
the sensors is free of dirt, ice and/or slush,
otherwise Park Assist may not function properly,
see “Cleaning the Park Assist* system sensors”
(
page 538).
!
High-frequency sources such as toll sta-
tions, speed measuring systems, etc. can cause
the Park Assist system to malfunction. You can
switch off the Park Assist using the Park Assist
button (
page 412) or switch off the radar sen-
sors (
page 256) to prevent possible malfunc-
tion.
i
In certain countries and near radio-astrolog-
ical facilities, you must switch off the radar sen-
sors (page 256).

456 Controls in detailUseful featuresRear window sunshade
The switches are on the rear doors.
1Opening
2Closing
You can also operate the rear window sun-
shade via COMAND (
page 227) or via
the favorite button (
page 216).

Switch on the ignition (
page 315).

Press upper part 1 of the rocker
switch briefly to extend the sunshade.

Press lower part 2 of the rocker
switch briefly to retract the sunshade.
Ashtrays
Center console ashtray
1Button for disengaging ashtray
2Cover plate
i
Operating the rear window sunshade from
the rear is not possible if you activate the over-
ride switch (
page 67).
i
If you operate the rear window sunshade via
COMAND or via the favorite button, this takes
precedence over the rear window sunshade but-
tons on the rear doors.
i
The rear window sunshade is switched off at
temperatures below -4°F (-20°C).
Warning!
G
Remove ashtray only with vehicle standing
still. Set the parking brake to secure vehicle
from movement. Set automatic transmis-
sion toP. With the automatic transmission
set toP, turn off the engine.

480 OperationDriving instructionsBrakesTo help prevent brake disk corrosion after
driving on wet road surfaces (particularly
salted roads), it is advisable to brake the
vehicle with considerable force prior to
parking. The heat generated serves to dry
the brakes.
If your brake system is normally only sub-
jected to moderate loads, you should occa-
sionally test the effectiveness of the
brakes by applying above-normal braking
pressure at higher speeds. This will also
enhance the grip of the brake pads.
Refer to the description of the Brake Assist
System (BAS) (
page 71).If the parking brake is released and the
brake warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter stays on and there is no audible warn-
ing (EBP), the brake fluid level in the
reservoir is too low.
Brake pad wear or a leak in the system may
be the reason for low brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.
Have the brake system inspected immedi-
ately. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by qualified
technicians only. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only install brake pads and brake fluid
recommended by Mercedes-Benz.
Warning!
G
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through wa-
ter deep enough to wet brake components,
the first braking action may be somewhat
reduced and increased pedal pressure may
be necessary to obtain expected braking ef-
fect. Maintain a safe distance from vehicles
in front.
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their effec-
tiveness. It may not be possible to stop the
vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an acci-
dent.
Warning!
G
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking ma-
neuvers.

481 Operation
Driving instructions
After hard braking, it is advisable to drive
on for some time, rather than immediately
park, so that the air stream can cool down
the brakes faster.
Driving off
Apply the brakes to test them briefly after
driving off. Perform this procedure only
when the road is clear of other traffic.
Warm up the engine smoothly. Do not
place full load on the engine until the oper-
ating temperature has been reached.
When starting off on a slippery surface, do
not allow a drive wheel to spin for an ex-
tended period with the ESP
® switched off.
Doing so may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Parking
Warning!
G
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake
fluid is used, the braking properties of the
vehicle can be degraded to an extent that
safe braking is substantially impaired. This
could result in an accident.!
When driving down long and steep grades,
relieve the load on the brakes by shifting into a
lower gear to use the engine’s braking power.
This helps prevent overheating of the brakes and
reduces brake pad wear.
When using the engine’s braking power, a drive
wheel may not spin for an extended period of
time, e.g. on slippery road surfaces. This may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain which is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited War-
ranty.
!
Simultaneously depressing the accelerator
pedal and applying the brake reduces engine
performance and causes premature brake and
drivetrain wear.
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 inadvertent vehicle movement, be-
fore turning off the engine and leaving the
vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Firmly depress parking brake pedal.


Shift the automatic transmission toP.


Slowly release brake pedal.


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


482 OperationDriving instructions
Tires
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and be-
come visible at a tread depth of approxi-
mately
1/16
in (1.6 mm), at which point
the tire is considered worn and should be
replaced.The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
Specified tire inflation pressures must be
maintained. This applies particularly if the
tires are subject to extreme operating con-
ditions (e.g. high speeds, heavy loads, high
ambient temperatures).


Turn the SmartKey to starter switch po-
sition 0 and remove the SmartKey from
the starter switch, or press the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button
(page 317).


Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO
* with you and lock the
vehicle when leaving.
!
Set the parking brake whenever parking or
leaving the vehicle. In addition, shift the auto-
matic transmission to P.
When parking on hills, always turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
Warning!
G
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possi-
ble damage to your vehicle has occurred,
you should turn on the hazard warning flash-
ers, carefully slow down, and drive with cau-
tio n to an a rea whic h is a s afe d ista nc e fro m
the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have the vehicle towed to
the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center or tire
dealer for repairs.
Warning!
G
Although the applicable federal motor vehi-
cle safety laws consider a tire to be worn
when the treadwear indicators (TWI) be-
come visible at approximately
1/16 in
(1.6 mm), we recommend that you do not al-
low your tires to wear down to that level. As
tread depth approaches
1/8 in (3 mm), the
adhesion properties on a wet road are
sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.