2007 MERCEDES-BENZ S550 315

ContentsStarter switch positions ..................... 315
SmartKey ..................................... 315
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*....... 316
Seats.................................................. 318
Seat adjustment ........................... 318
Seat heating* ............................... 322
Seat ventilation* .......................... 323
Head restraints............................. 324
Multicontour seats*, rear ............. 327
Easy-entry/exit feature ................ 328
Steering wheel ................................... 330
Steering wheel adjustment........... 330
Heated steering wheel* ............... 331
Mirrors ............................................... 332
Interior rear view mirror ............... 332
Exterior rear view mirrors ............. 332
Power folding exterior rear view
mirrors ......................................... 333
Auto-dimming rear view mirrors ... 334
Activating exterior rear view
mirror parking position ................. 335
Memory function................................ 336
Storing positions into memory ..... 337
Recalling positions from memory . 337
Storing exterior rear view mirror
parking position ........................... 338Fastening the seat belts .................... 339
Proper use of seat belts ............... 341
Seat belt height adjustment ......... 341
Lighting.............................................. 342
Exterior lamp switch..................... 342
Combination switch ..................... 346
Corner-illuminating lamps ............ 347
Hazard warning flasher ................ 348
Interior lighting............................. 348
Courtesy lighting .......................... 350
Door entry lamps ......................... 350
Trunk lamp ................................... 350
Windshield wipers.............................. 351
Switching on/off windshield
wipers .......................................... 351
Intermittent wiping....................... 352
Single wipe................................... 352
Wiping with windshield washer
fluid .............................................. 352
Power windows.................................. 353
Opening and closing power
windows ....................................... 353
Rear side window sunshades* ..... 355
Summer opening feature.............. 355
Convenience closing feature ........ 356Driving and parking ........................... 359
Starting the engine ...................... 359
Driving off .................................... 361
Turn signals.................................. 362
Problems while driving ................. 362
Parking......................................... 363
Turning off the engine .................. 365
Releasing seat belts ..................... 366
Automatic transmission..................... 367
Gear selector lever....................... 367
Shifting procedure ....................... 369
Automatic transmission positions 370
Gear ranges ................................. 372
Driving tips................................... 373
Automatic shift program .............. 374
Steering wheel gearshift control .. 375
Emergency operation
(Limp-Home Mode) ...................... 377
Instrument cluster ............................. 378
Adjusting instrument cluster and
COMAND display illumination ...... 378
Coolant temperature gauge ......... 378
Tachometer.................................. 379
Outside temperature indicator ..... 379
Fuel gauge ................................... 379

27 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Combination switch

Turn signals


Windshield wipers


High beam


Cornering lamps
362
351
346
347
2
Lever for

Cruise control


DISTRONIC Plus*
380
385
3
Horn
4
Multifunction steering wheel
242
5
Instrument cluster
28
6
Steering wheel gearshift con-
trol
375
7
Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission
359
Item
Page
8
Control panel with

Front passenger front
air bag indicator lamp


Vehicle level control
switch


Electronic Stability Pro-
gram (ESP
®) switch


Parktronic*/Park Assist*
deactivation switch


Swivel COMAND display


COMAND/instrument
cluster illumination
53
401,
403
73
408,
408
81
378
9
COMAND display
79
a
Overhead control panel
37
b
Automatic climate control
Center console, upper part
424
32
Item
Page
c
Glove box lock
448
d
Cover of compartment with

CD changer


PCMCIA card slot
107
108
e
Center console, lower part
33
f
Starter switch
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop but-
ton
315
316
g
Steering wheel adjustment
Heated steering wheel*
330
331
h
Headlamp washer button
346
j
Parking brake
364
k
Hood lock release
492
l
Door control panel
39
m
Night View Assist*
420
n
Exterior lamp switch
342

69 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems
This section contains information about
Adaptive Brake Lights as well as the follow-
ing driving safety systems:

ABS (A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)


Adaptive Brake


BAS (B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)


BAS Plus* (B
rake A
ssist S
ystem Plus*)


EBP (E
lectronic B
rake P
roportioning)


ESP
® (E
lectronic S
tability P
rogram)


ETS (E
lectronic T
raction S
ystem)
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.The ABS is functional above a speed of ap-
proximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will re-
spond even to light brake pressure.
The - indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 28) comes on when you
switch on the ignition (
page 315). It goes
out when the engine is running.
Braking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal, indicating that the ABS is in
the regulating mode.

Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal while experiencing the pul-
sation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.
Warning!
G
The following factors increase the risk of ac-
cidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns


Wet and slippery road surfaces


Following another vehicle too closely
The ABS, BAS, BAS Plus*, EBP, ESP
® and
ETS cannot reduce this risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.i
In winter operation, the maximum effective-
ness of the ABS, Adaptive Brake, BAS,
BAS Plus*, EBP, ESP
® and ETS is only achieved
with winter tires (
page 530), or snow chains
as required.
Warning!
G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

72 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsESP
®
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®) is
operational as soon as the engine is run-
ning and monitors the vehicle’s traction
(force of adhesive friction between the
tires and the road surface) and handling.
The ESP
® recognizes when a wheel is spin-
ning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By ap-
plying brakes to the appropriate wheel and
by limiting the engine output, the ESP
® works to stabilize the vehicle. The ESP
® is
especially useful while driving off and on
wet or slippery road surfaces. The ESP®
also stabilizes the vehicle during braking
maneuvers.
The ESP
® warning lamp v in the instru-
ment cluster flashes when the ESP
® is en-
gaged.
The ESP
® warning lamp v in the instru-
ment cluster comes on when you switch on
the ignition (
page 315). It goes out when
the engine is running.
Warning!
G
When the EBP is malfunctioning, the ABS,
BAS, BAS Plus*, ESP
® and ETS are also
switched off.
If the EBP is malfunctioning, the brake sys-
tem will still function with full brake boost.
However, the rear wheels could lock up dur-
ing emergency braking situations, for exam-
ple. You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident. Adapt your driving style
to the changed driving characteristics.
Warning!
G
Never switch off the ESP
® when you see the
ESP
® warning lamp v flashing in the in-
strument cluster. In this case proceed as fol-
lows:


While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.


While driving ease up on the accelera-
tor.


Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
Warning!
G
The ESP
® cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
®
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ESP
® equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the us-
er’s safety or the safety of others.
i
DISTRONIC Plus* is switched off when the
ESP® engages.

75 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Anti-theft systems
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
Activating
With the SmartKey: Remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch.

With the KEYLESS-GO*: Turn off the
engine (
page 317) and open the driv-
er’s door.
Deactivating

Switch on the ignition (
page 315).
Anti-theft alarm system
Once the alarm system has been armed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered when
someone opens:

a door


the trunk


the hood
The alarm will stay on even if the activating
element (a door, for example) is immedi-
ately closed.
The alarm system will also be triggered
when


the vehicle is raised


the vehicle is opened with the
mechanical key


a door is opened from the inside
To cancel the alarm after it has been trig-
gered, see “Canceling the alarm”
(
page 76).1Indicator lamp

Arming: Lock your vehicle with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO*.
The turn signal lamps flash three times
to indicate that the alarm system is ac-
tivated. The indicator lamp1 flashes
to indicate that the alarm system is
armed.
i
Starting the engine will also deactivate the
immobilizer.
In case the engine cannot be started (yet the ve-
hicle’s battery is charged), the system is not op-
erational. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA), or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
i
If the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Response Center is ini-
tiated automatically by the Tele Aid system
(
page 462) provided Tele Aid service was sub-
scribed to and properly activated, and that nec-
essary mobile phone, power supply and GPS
coverage are available.


315 Controls in detail
Starter switch positions
Starter switch positions
SmartKeyStarter switch
0For removing SmartKey
1Power supply for some electrical con-
sumers, such as seat adjustment
2Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position.
All lamps (except high beam headlamp
indicator lamp and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instru-
ment cluster come on. If a lamp in the
instrument cluster fails to come on
when the ignition is switched on, have
it checked and replaced if necessary.
If a lamp in the instrument cluster re-
mains on after starting the engine or
comes on while driving, refer to “Lamps
in instrument cluster” (
page 544).
3Starting positionFor information on starting the engine us-
ing the SmartKey, see “Starting with the
SmartKey” (
page 359).
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
i
When you switch on the ignition, the indica-
tor and warning lamps (except high beam head-
lamp indicator lamp and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instrument cluster
come on. The indicator and warning lamps (ex-
cept high beam headlamp indicator lamp and
turn signal indicator lamps if activated) should go
out when the engine is running. This indicates
that the respective systems are operational.
i
When the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch and the automatic transmission is
in a position other thanP, the automatic trans-
mission automatically shifts to P.
!
If the SmartKey cannot be turned in the
starter switch, the battery may not be sufficient-
ly charged.


Check the battery and charge it if necessary
(page 634).


Get a jump start (
page 639).
To prevent accelerated battery discharge or a
completely discharged battery, always remove
the SmartKey from the starter switch when the
engine is not in operation.

316 Controls in detailStarter switch positionsSmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
Vehicles equipped with the KEYLESS-GO
feature are supplied with a SmartKey with
integrated KEYLESS-GO function and a re-
movable KEYLESS-GO start / stop button.
With the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
inserted and the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO present in the vehicle, press-
ing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button

without the brake pedal depressed
corresponds to the various starter
switch positions (
page 315)


with the brake pedal firmly depressed
will start the engine (
page 360)If you wish or should there be a need to in-
sert the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO in the
starter switch, the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button can be easily removed by pulling it
out of the starter switch.
1KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
2Starter switch

Insert KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button1 into starter switch 2 (if not
inserted already).
i
The function of the SmartKey overrules the
KEYLESS-GO function.
i
The KEYLESS-GO start/stop button does
not need to be removed from the starter switch
when you leave the vehicle. However, always
take the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO with you
when you leave the vehicle. As long as the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is in the vehicle, the
vehicle’s electrical systems can be switched on
or the engine can be started using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button.
i
When you switch from SmartKey mode back
to KEYLESS-GO mode, the system requires
2 seconds of detection time before you can use
the KEYLESS-GO button as usual.

319 Controls in detailSeats
Front power seat adjustmentExample driver’s door1Head restraint height (
page 324)
2Seat height
3Seat cushion tilt
4Seat cushion depth
5Seat fore and aft adjustment
6Seat backrest tilt

Switch on the ignition (
page 315).
or

Open the respective door.

Seat height: Press the switch up or
down in the direction of arrow2.

Seat cushion tilt: Press the switch up
or down in the direction of
arrow3until your upper legs are
lightly supported.

Seat cushion depth: Press the switch
forward or backward in the direction of
arrow4 until your legs are supported
comfortably.

Seat fore and aft adjustment: Press
the switch forward or backward in the
direction of arrow5.
Adjust the seat to a comfortable seat-
ing position that still allows you to
reach the accelerator/brake pedal
safely. The position should be as far to
the rear as possible, consistent with
ability to properly operate controls.

Seat backrest tilt: Press the switch
forward or backward in the direction of
arrow6 until your arms are slightly
angled when holding the steering
wheel.
i
If PRE-SAFE
® has been activated, the front
passenger’s seat and/or electrically adjustable
rear seats* will be moved to a more favorable
seat position.
i
The memory function (
page 336) lets you
store the settings for the seat positions together
with the settings for the steering wheel and the
exterior rear view mirrors.
!
When moving the seat, make sure there are
no items in the footwell or behind the seats. Oth-
erwise you could damage the seats.
i
Depending on the set height of the head re-
straint, the seat fore and aft position is automat-
ically pre-set.
i
To ensure a maximum range of movement
for seat adjustment, various adjustment func-
tions also involve other indirect adjustments be-
ing made.