2008 MERCEDES-BENZ S550 4MATIC warning

387 Controls in detail
Power windows
Vehicles with SmartKey
Aim transmitter eye of the SmartKey
towards the sensor in the driver’s door
handle. The SmartKey must be in close
proximity to the driver’s door handle.
Vehicles with tilt/sliding sunroof
Press and hold button ‹ until the
door windows and the tilt/sliding sun-
roof are completely closed.
Release button ‹ to interrupt pro-
cedure.Vehicles with panorama roof* and/or
rear side window sunshades*
Press and hold button ‹ until the
door windows and the tilt/sliding panel
are completely closed.
Press and hold button ‹ again.
The roller sunblinds and/or rear side
window sunshades* close.
Release button ‹ to interrupt pro-
cedure.
Warning!G
When closing the windows and the tilt/slid-
ing sunroof or tilt/sliding panel*, make sure
that there is no danger of anyone being
harmed by the closing procedure.
If potential danger exists, proceed as fol-
lows:

Release button ‹ to stop the closing
procedure. To open, press and hold but-
ton Œ. To continue the closing after
making sure that there is no danger of
anyone being harmed by the closing pro-
cedure, press and hold button‹.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:

Release the sensor surface on the out-
side door handle (
page 388) to stop
the closing procedure.

Immediately pull on the same outside
door handle and hold firmly. The door
windows and the tilt/sliding sunroof or
tilt/sliding panel* will open for as long
as the outside door handle is held but
the door is not opened.
iIf you press ‹ while one of the front door
windows is open and one of the rear door win-
dows is closed, for example, then the front side
window and the rear side window sunshade will
be closed. To prevent this from happening, first
open all door windows slightly by briefly
pressingΠand then close all door windows
by pressing ‹.

389 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Driving and parking
Starting the engine
Automatic transmission
Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmission
PPark position
RReverse gear
NNeutral
DDrive position
Warning!G
Make sure that absolutely no objects are ob-
structing the pedals’ range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta-
cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in
the footwell, make sure that the pedals still
have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.Warning!G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause un-
consciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while driving,
have the cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive with at least one window
fully open.

390 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
For more information on how to operate
the gear selector lever, see “Automatic
transmission” (
page 399).
Starting with the SmartKey
Make sure the automatic transmission
is set toP.
The gear position indicator in the multi-
function display should be on P.
Do not depress accelerator.
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position3 and hold until the engine
starts (
page 344).
For information on turning off the engine
with the SmartKey, see “Turning off the en-
gine” (
page 397).Starting with KEYLESS-GO*
You can start your vehicle without the
SmartKey in the starter switch using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button on the
starter switch.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be
located in the vehicle.
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
1USA only
2Canada only
Make sure KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button is inserted in the starter switch
(
page 345).
Make sure the automatic transmission
is set toP.
The gear position indicator in the multi-
function display should be onP.
Depress the brake pedal during the
starting procedure.
Do not depress accelerator.
iYou can also use the “touch-start” function.
Turn the SmartKey to position3 and release it
again immediately. The engine then starts auto-
matically.
iYou can also start the engine with the auto-
matic transmission set to N.
Warning!G
As long as the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
is in your vehicle, the vehicle can be started.
Therefore, never leave children unattended
in the vehicle, as they could otherwise acci-
dentally start the engine.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO with you and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised ac-
cess to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

392 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
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 electronic parking brake is auto-
matically released (
page 395).
The red brake warning lamp 0
(USA only) or ! (Canada only) in the
instrument cluster goes out.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.
iWait for the gear selection process to com-
plete before setting the vehicle in motion.
iShifting from gear positionP to positionR,
N, orD 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.
!If you hear a warning signal, the red indica-
tor lamp 0 (USA only) or ! (Canada only)
in the instrument cluster flashes and the mes-
sage “Please release parking brake” appears in
the multifunction display when driving off, you
are driving with the electronic parking brake en-
gaged, or you are carrying out an emergency
brake application with the electronic parking
brake.
Release the electronic parking brake
(
page 395).
iOnce the vehicle is in motion, the automatic
central locking system engages and the locking
knobs in the doors move down.
The automatic door lock feature can be deacti-
vated (
page 245).
You can open a locked door from the inside.
Open door only when conditions are safe to do
so.
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 orR
only when the vehicle is stopped in order to avoid
damaging the transmission.

394 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
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
off.
Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 547).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
iExcessive coolant temperatures trigger a
warning message in the multifunction display
(
page 646).
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:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.

Engage electronic parking brake.

395 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Electronic parking brake1Handle for electronic parking brake
Manually releasing electronic 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 electronic parking
brake until the ignition is switched on.

Shift the automatic transmission toP.

Slowly release brake pedal.

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 346).

Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* with you and lock vehicle
when leaving.
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 release the
electronic parking brake and/or shift the
automatic transmission out of
park positionP, 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 park
positionPis dangerous. Also, when parked
on an incline, park position P alone may not
prevent your vehicle from moving, possibly
hitting people or objects.
Always engage the electronic parking brake
in addition to shifting to park positionP
(
page 389).
W h e n p a r k e d o n a n i n c line, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.

397 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Emergency braking with electronic
parking brake
In an emergency situation, you can also
brake your vehicle while driving by using
the electronic parking brake.
While driving, press handle for elec-
tronic parking brake (
page 395).
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
Shift the automatic transmission toP
(
page 403).Turning off with SmartKey
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 (
page 344) and remove
it.
The immobilizer is activated.
iYour vehicle will be braked for as long as you
press and hold the switch for the electronic park-
ing brake. The longer you keep the electronic
parking brake pressed, the more strongly your
vehicle will be braked. This method occurs on all
4 wheels, not just the rear wheels.
iIf the engine cannot be turned off as de-
scribed, see “Emergency engine shut-down”
(
page 707).
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.
!Observe instructions

when taking the vehicle through an
automatic conveyor type car wash
(
page 588)

when towing the vehicle (page 702)
!If you turn off the engine using the
SmartKey and

remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or

open a front door
the transmission will shift to park positionP
automatically.
Keep in mind that turning off the engine with the
SmartKey alone only will automatically shift the
transmission to neutral positionN.

399 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
For more information on driving with an
automatic transmission, see “Driving and
parking” (
page 389).
Your vehicle’s transmission adapts its gear
shifting process to your individual driving
style by continually adjusting the shift
points up or down. These shift point adjust-
ments are performed based on current
operating and driving conditions.
If the operating conditions change, the
automatic transmission reacts by
adjusting its shift program.
Gear selector lever
The gear selector lever is located on the
right of the steering column.
Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmission
PPark position
RReverse gear
NNeutral
DDrive position
iDuring the brief warm-up, transmission
upshifting is delayed. This allows the catalytic
converter to heat up more quickly to operating
temperature.
Warning!G
Make sure that absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedals’ range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta-
cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in
the footwell, make sure that the pedals still
have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.