2008 MERCEDES-BENZ S550 4MATIC warning

585 Operation
Vehicle care
Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of vehicle
Regular and proper care will help to main-
tain the value of your vehicle. The best way
to protect your vehicle from harmful envi-
ronmental influences is to wash it and use
protective treatments regularly.
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external in-
fluences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the vehicle
underbody and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by
extreme and varying climatic conditions,
but also by:

Air pollution

Road salt

Tar

Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:

Grease and oil

Fuel

Coolant

Brake fluid

Bird droppings

Insects

Tree resins, etc.
Frequent washing reduces and/or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences.More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:

near the ocean

in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)

during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
Any damage should be repaired as soon as
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a
thorough check is a washing of the
underbody followed by a thorough
inspection. Damaged areas need to be
re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the facto-
ry with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of
the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility
Warning!G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.
Always lock away cleaning products and
keep them out of reach of children.

588 Operation
Vehicle care
When taking the vehicle through an auto-
matic conveyor type car wash, observe the
following instructions.
Vehicles with SmartKey:
With the vehicle at a standstill and the
ignition switched on shift the
automatic transmission to neutral
positionN.
If engaged, manually release the
electronic parking brake (
page 395).
Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the starter switch.Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
Shift the automatic transmission to
park positionP.
Release the brake pedal.
Remove the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button from the starter switch
(
page 345).
Insert the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
into the starter switch.
With the ignition switched on shift the
automatic transmission to neutral
positionN.
If engaged, manually release the
electronic parking brake (
page 395).
Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO in the
starter switch.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of ornamen-
tal moldings, use a damp cloth.
Warning!G
When leaving the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* in the starter switch, do
not leave children unattended in the vehicle.
It is possible for children to switch on the
ignition which could result in unsupervised
use of vehicle equipment. Unsupervised use
of vehicle equipment could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.
iAfter running the vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash, wipe any wax off of the wind-
shield (
page 592). This will prevent smears
and reduce wiping noise which can be caused by
residual wax on the windshield.
When leaving the car wash, make sure that the
mirrors are folded out. Otherwise they may
vibrate.
!Do not use chrome cleaner on ornamental
moldings. Although ornamental moldings may
have chrome appearance, they could be made of
anodized aluminum that will be damaged when
cleaned with chrome cleaner. Instead, use a
damp cloth to clean those ornamental moldings.
For very dirty ornamental moldings of which you
are sure are chrome-plated, use a chrome clean-
er. If in doubt whether an ornamental molding is
chrome-plated, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

591 Operation
Vehicle care
Only use clean water and a soft,
non-scratching cloth to clean the cam-
era lens1.
Be careful not to apply wax to the camera
lens1 when waxing the vehicle. If neces-
sary, remove the wax using the
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo
with plenty of water.Cleaning the windshield in front of the
Night View Assist camera*
1Recessed handles of camera cover
Use recessed handles1 to swing
camera cover downward.
2Camera
!Do not clean the camera and the area
around the camera:

with a high-pressure cleaner

with a dry cloth and high pressure

with aggressive cleaning agents
You could otherwise damage the camera.
Warning!G
Please do not forget that your primary re-
sponsibility is to drive the vehicle. A driver’s
attention to the road must always be
his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, stop be-
fore trying to remove window fogging or
cleaning the window in front of the Night
View Assist camera.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.
!Do not clean the lens of the Night View
Assist camera. If the camera lens is dirty, please
contact a qualified specialist workshop such as a
Mercedes-Benz Center.


592 Operation
Vehicle care
Clean inside of windshield in front of
camera2 with a soft, non-scratching
cloth.
Use recessed handles1 to swing
camera cover up.
Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
Make sure the hood is fully closed.
Placing wiper arms in vertical position
Vehicles with SmartKey:
Turn SmartKey in starter switch
position1.
Turn combination switch to wiper
settingu (
page 381).
With wiper arm in vertical position, turn
the SmartKey in starter switch to
position0.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Make sure the vehicle’s on-board elec-
tronics have status 1 (
page 346).
Turn combination switch to wiper
settingu (
page 381).
Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
repeatedly until windshield wipers
start.
Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
when the wiper arms are in a vertical
position.Cleaning
Fold the wiper arms forward until they
snap into place.
Clean the wiper blade inserts with a
clean cloth and detergent solution.
Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild win-
dow cleaning solution on all outside
and inside glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.
!If you use a windshield cleaning product,
make sure that none of the cleaning product
comes into contact with the lens of the Night
View Assist camera.
!The windshield wipers must be in a vertical
position before folding them away from the wind-
shield. They could otherwise damage the hood.
Never open the hood when the wiper arms are
folded forward.
Warning!G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and re-
move SmartKey from starter switch (vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the
vehicle’s on-board electronics have
status0) before cleaning the windshield
and/or the wiper blades. Otherwise, the
wiper motor could suddenly turn on and
cause injury.
!Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts. They
could tear.


593 Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning the panorama roof with
tilt/sliding panel*
The rear part of the tilt/sliding panel has a
protective layer on the inside.
Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild
window cleaning solution.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.Light alloy wheels
If possible, clean wheels once a week.
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel
Care, a soft bristle brush and a strong
spray of water for cleaning the light al-
loy wheels.Plastic and rubber parts
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution.
Wipe with a cloth moistened in a luke-
warm solution.
The surface may temporarily change
color. If this is the case, wait for it to
dry.
!Fold the windshield wiper arms back onto
the windshield before turning the SmartKey in
the starter switch or pressing the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*).
Hold on to the wiper when folding the wiper arm
back. If released, the force of the impact from
the tensioning spring could crack the windshield.
!To clean the window interior, do not use a
dry cloth, abrasives, solvents or cleaners con-
taining solvents. Do not touch the inside of the
front, rear or door windows with hard objects
such as an ice scraper or ring. Doing so may
damage the windows.
!Do not use a dry cloth, abrasives, solvents
or cleaners containing solvents. Do not touch
the protective layer with hard objects such as an
ice scraper or ring. Never apply strong force and
only use a soft, non-scratching cloth when clean-
ing the rear part of the tilt/sliding panel.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the pro-
tective layer.
!Only use acid-free cleaning materials. Acid
may cause corrosion or damage the clear coat.
!The vehicle should not be parked for an
extended period of time immediately after it has
been cleaned, especially not after the wheel rims
have been cleaned with wheel rim cleaner.
Wheel rim cleaners can lead to increased
corrosion of the brake disks and brake pads.
Non-approved wheel cleaners may also damage
the wheel paint if the car is not driven after
cleaning. Therefore, the vehicle’s brake system should al-
ways be warmed-up before it is parked after
cleaning. To do so, please drive your vehicle for
several minutes to allow the brakes to dry. When
applying Mercedes-Benz approved Tire Care and
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care products,
take care not to spray them on the brake disks.Warning!G
Do not use cleaners or cockpit care sprays
containing solvents to clean the cockpit or
the steering wheel. Cleaners containing sol-
vents will make the surface porous and vehi-
cle occupants could suffer serious injuries


594 Operation
Vehicle care
Hard plastic trim items
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care, a soft, lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.Steering wheel
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thor-
oughly or clean with Mercedes-Benz
approved Leather Care.
Carpets
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Carpet
and Fabric Care for cleaning the car-
pets.Headliner and shelf below rear window
Use a soft bristle brush or a dry-sham-
poo cleaner in case of excessive dirt.
Seat belts
Only use clear, lukewarm water and
soap.
from plastic parts coming loose in the event
of air bag deployment.
!Do not use oil, wax or scouring agents on
these parts.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the surface.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the sur-
face.
!Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the surface.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the sur-
face.
!The webbing must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Do not dry the web-
bing at temperatures above 176°F (80°C) or in
direct sunlight.
Warning!G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.


595 Operation
Vehicle care
Upholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.Leather upholstery
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp
cloth and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather
Care.
Exercise particular care when cleaning per-
forated leather as its underside should not
become wet.
Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use
damp cloth to clean wood trims in your
vehicle.
Warning!G
Only use seat or head restraint covers which
have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model.
Using other seat or head restraint covers
may interfere with or prevent the activation
of the active head restraints.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter for availability.
!Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as these
may be abrasive.

599 Practical hints
What to do if …?
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
-The yellow Antilock
Brake System (ABS)
indicator lamp comes on
while the engine is run-
ning.The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts. The ABS has switched off.
The battery may not be charged sufficiently.When the voltage is above this value again,
the ABS is operational again and the ABS in-
dicator lamp should go out.
If the ABS indicator lamp does not go out:
Have the generator (alternator) and the
battery checked.
When the voltage is above this value again,
the ABS is operational again.
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)
-
v
The red brake warning
lamp comes on while the
engine is running. In addi-
tion, the yellow ABS mal-
function indicator lamp,
and the yellow ESP
®
warning lamp come on
and an acoustic warning
sounds.
A malfunction in the Electronic Brake Pro-
portioning (EBP) was detected. The ABS,
BAS, ESP
® and PRE-SAFE® are also
switched off (see messages in multifunction
display).
The brake system continues to function
normally, but without electronic support.
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Read and observe messages in the mul-
tifunction display (
page 612).
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increas-
es the risk of an accident.