2007 MERCEDES-BENZ S600 wheel

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


366 Controls in detailDriving and parking
Shift the automatic transmission toP.
Turning off with SmartKey

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 (
page 315) and remove
it.
The immobilizer is activated.Turning off with KEYLESS-GO*

Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button (
page 317) to turn off the en-
gine.
With the driver’s door closed, the start-
er switch is now in position1. With the
driver’s door opened, the starter switch
is set to position0, same as SmartKey
removed from starter switch
(
page 315).
Releasing seat belts
Press the seat belt release button
(page 340).
Allow the retractor to completely re-
wind the seat belt by guiding the latch
plate.
headlamps are switched on.
The message: “Please switch off lights” appears
in the multifunction display.i
When parked on an incline, also turn front
wheels towards the road curb.
i
If the engine can no longer be stopped using
the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO*, the engine can
be turned off by withdrawing two fuses. For more
information, see “Emergency engine shut-down”
(
page 648).
i
If you turn off the engine using the SmartKey
and remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch with the automatic transmission in a posi-
tion other than P, the transmission will automat-
ically shift toP.
Keep in mind that turning off the engine with the
SmartKey alone will not automatically shift the
transmission to P.Only when the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch will the transmission automatical-
ly shift to P.
i
In an emergency you can turn off the engine
while driving by pressing and holding the
KEYLESS-GO start/ stop button for approxi-
mately 3 seconds.
i
If you turn off the engine using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button and open the
driver’s door with the automatic transmission in
a position other than P, the transmission will au-
tomatically shift toP.Keep in mind that turning off the engine with the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button alone will not au-
tomatically shift the transmission to P. Only
when the driver’s door is opened will the trans-
mission automatically shift to P.
i
If you drive through an automatic conveyor
type car wash, you can switch on the ignition
with the KEYLESS-GO button and engage gear N
or insert the SmartKey into the starter switch.
!
M a k e s u r e t h e s e a t b e l t r e t r a c t s f u l l y s o t h a t
the seat belt and/or latch plate cannot get
caught or pinched in the door or in the seat
mechanism. This can damage the seat belt and
impair the effectiveness of the seat belt, and/or
cause damage to the door and/or door trim pan-
el. Such damage is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Damaged seat belts must be replaced. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.


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.

371 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Even though this is possible, make it a practice
to always shift into park positionP before turning
off the engine and remove the SmartKey from
the starter switch, or when using KEYLESS-GO*,
before turning off the engine with the start/stop
button and opening the driver’s door.!
If you want the gear position to remain in
neutral positionN (for example when the vehicle
is pulled through a car wash)


do not remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or, when using KEYLESS-GO*


do not turn off the engine using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button* and open
the driver’s door
Otherwise, the automatic transmission will shift
to park positionP and lock the wheels, prevent-
ing the vehicle from being pulled through a car
wash.
Effect
í
Reverse gear
Shift into reverse gearR only
when the vehicle is stopped.
ë
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive axle. When
the brakes are released, the
vehicle can be moved freely
(pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the automat-
ic transmission, avoid shifting
into neutral positionN while
driving.
If the ESP
® is deactivated or
malfunctioning:
Shift into neutral positionN only
if the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
ê
Drive
The automatic transmission
shifts automatically. All forward
gears are available.
!
Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other
reason in neutral positionN can result in auto-
matic transmission damage that is not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle without shifting
into park positionP is dangerous. Also, park
positionP alone is not intended to or capa-
ble of preventing your vehicle from moving,
possibly hitting people or objects.
Always set the electric parking brake in
addition to shifting to park positionP
(page 364).
When parked on an incline, turn the front
wheels towards the road curb.
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.

372 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionGear ranges
With the automatic transmission in drive
positionD, you can select a gear range for
the automatic transmission to operate
within.
You can limit the gear range by pressing
the respective downshift button on the
steering wheel gearshift control, and
reverse the gear range limit by pressing
the respective upshift button on the steer-
ing wheel gearshift control (
page 375).The selected gear range appears in the
tachometer display.
1Current gear range
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. Children could shift the
automatic transmission out of park
positionP, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
Effect
ï
The automatic transmission
shifts through sixth gear only
(applies to vehicles with 7-speed
automatic transmission only).
î
The automatic transmission
shifts through fifth gear only (ap-
plies to vehicles with 7-speed au-
tomatic transmission only).
é
The automatic transmission
shifts through fourth gear only.
Effect
è
The automatic transmission
shifts through third gear only.
With this selection you can use
the braking effect of the engine.
ç
The automatic transmission
shifts through second gear only.
Allows the use of engine’s
braking power when driving:

on steep downgrades


in mountainous regions


under extreme operating
conditions
æ
The automatic transmission op-
erates in first gear only.
For maximum use of engine’s
braking effect on very steep or
lengthy downgrades.

375 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
1Current program mode
Press program mode selector switch
repeatedly until the letter of the
desired program mode appears in the
tachometer display.Program modeC:


Engine, automatic transmission and
suspension tuning are comfortable.


The vehicle starts out in second
gear (both forward and reverse) for
gentler starts. This does not apply if
full throttle is applied or gear
range1 is selected.


Traction and driving stability are
improved on icy roads.


Upshifts occur earlier even when
you give more gas. The engine then
operates at lower rpms and the
wheels are less likely to spin.
Program modeS:


Engine, automatic transmission and
suspension tuning are more perfor-
mance oriented.


The vehicle starts out in first gear.


Upshifts occur later.
Steering wheel gearshift control
With drive positionD selected, you can
limit or extend the gear range.
The steering wheel gearshift buttons are
located on the back of the steering wheel
to the left and right.
!
Never change the program mode when the
automatic transmission is out of park positionP.
This could result in a change of driving character-
istics for which you may not be prepared.
i
The last selected program mode (CorS) is
switched on when the engine is restarted.
!
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 park 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.

376 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission1Right button: upshift
2Left button: downshift
Downshifting

Briefly press button2 on the back of
the steering wheel.
The automatic transmission will shift to
the next lower gear as permitted by the
shift program. This action simulta-
neously limits the gear range of the au-
tomatic transmission (
page 372).
Upshifting

Briefly press button1 on the back of
the steering wheel.
The automatic transmission will shift to
the next higher gear as permitted by
the shift program. This action simulta-
neously extends the gear range of the
automatic transmission.Canceling gear range limit

Press and hold button1 on the back
of the steering wheel until the cipher
for the current gear range disappears
from the tachometer display
(page 372).
The automatic transmission will shift
from the current gear range directly to
gear rangeD.
Shifting into optimal gear range

Press and hold button2 on the back
of the steering wheel.
The automatic transmission will auto-
matically select the gear range suited
for optimal acceleration and decelera-
tion. This will involve shifting down one
or more gears.
i
You cannot shift with the steering wheel
gearshift buttons when the automatic transmis-
sion in positionP,N orR.Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.
i
To avoid overrevving the engine when down-
shifting, the automatic transmission will not shift
to a lower gear if the engine’s max. speed would
be exceeded.
i
If you press on the accelerator when the en-
gine has reached its rpm limit, the automatic
transmission will upshift beyond any gear range
limit selected.

380 Controls in detailDriving systemsThe driving systems of your vehicle are de-
scribed on the following pages:

Cruise control and DISTRONIC Plus*,
with which the vehicle can maintain a
preset speed.


Distance warning function* (only avail-
able with DISTRONIC Plus*), which
warns of a stationary obstacle or slow-
er moving vehicle that you are closing
on to quickly.


Airmatic (S 550 only) and ABC* adjust
the vehicle suspension characteristics
automatically and control the vehicle
level.


Parktronic* and Park Assist*, which
serve as a parking assistant.


Dynamic Rear View Monitor* is an
electronic and visual parking aid.


Night View Assist* illuminates the road
with infrared light in addition to the nor-
mal headlamps.For information on the ABS, Adaptive
Brake, BAS, BAS Plus*, EBP, and ESP
® driv-
ing systems, see “Driving safety systems”
(
page 69).
Cruise control
Cruise control automatically maintains the
speed you set for your vehicle.
The use of cruise control is recommended
for driving at a constant speed for extend-
ed periods of time. You can set or resume
cruise control at any speed over 20 mph
(30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
Warning!
G
Cruise control is a convenience system de-
signed to assist the driver during vehicle op-
eration. The driver is and must always
remain responsible for the vehicle’s speed
and for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise control if the road, traffic
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a steady speed.

The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on winding roads or in heavy traffic
because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a steady speed.


The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on slippery roads. Rapid changes in
tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.


Deactivate cruise control when driving
in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.