2008 MERCEDES-BENZ S550 4MATIC automatic transmission

637 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Parking brake
See Oper. ManualIf overheated:
Let vehicle cool down, and do not engage
electronic parking brake during this time.
or
Switch ignition off and back on again, and en-
gage or release electronic parking brake.
(USA only)
(Canada only)Parking brake
inoperativeWhen you engage or release the electronic
parking brake, the red indicator lamp for
the electronic parking brake flashes and
goes out after approx. 10 seconds. The yel-
low warning lamp for the electronic parking
brake lights up.
The electronic parking brake is malfunction-
ing.Switch ignition off and back on again, and en-
gage electronic parking brake (
page 395).
If the electronic parking brake cannot be en-
gaged:
Shift the automatic transmission to P
(
page 399).
Protect vehicle from rolling away while
parked by using a chock from the vehicle tool
kit (
page 670).
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.

658 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Night View Assist
inoperativeNight View Assist* is malfunctioning.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
Night View Assist
currently unavailableThe temperature of the camera* is too high
(
page 461).
Wait until the message “Night View Assist
available again” appears.
In addition you can:
Swing the camera* cover down
(
page 591).
Adjust the air distribution of the automatic
climate control so that air flows upward
(
page 253).
Night View Assist
Lights must be set
to AUTO or ONYou have tried to switch on Night View As-
sist*, but the light switch is not set to *
or B.Turn the exterior lamp switch to * or
B (
page 371).
Night View Assist
Not in Reverse gearYou have tried to switch on Night View As-
sist* while the automatic transmission was
in position R.Shift the automatic transmission to P, N or D
(
page 399).

659 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Night View Assist
Lights ON or AUTO,
not in R gearYou have tried to switch on Night View As-
sist* but the light switch is not set to *
or B.
In addition, the automatic transmission is in
positionR.Turn the exterior lamp switch to * or
B (
page 371).
Shift the automatic transmission to P, N or D
(
page 399).
Night View Assist
only when
it is darkYou have tried to switch on Night View As-
sist* by daylight.You can only switch on Night View Assist* when
it is dark.
Engine oil level
Stop vehicle!
Switch engine offS 600 and S 65 AMG only:
There is no oil in the engine. There is a dan-
ger of engine damage.Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt as soon
as it is safe to do so in a safe location.
Engage the electronic parking brake
(
page 395).
Turn off the engine.
Add engine oil (page 546) and check the
engine oil level (
page 543).

667 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Shift to 'P'You have attempted to turn off the engine
with the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button
and opened the driver’s door with the auto-
matic transmission not shift to park
positionP.Shift the automatic transmission to park
positionP (
page 399).
or
Close the driver’s door.
You are driving with the trunk open.Close the trunk (page 480).
Washer fluid,
please refillThe water level has dropped to approx.
1.1 US qts (1.0 l).Add washer fluid (page 548).

673 Practical hints
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Mechanically releasing the electronic
parking brake
Depending on vehicle production date your
vehicle may be equipped with a mechani-
cal release device for releasing the elec-
tronic parking brake. It is located behind
the fuel filler flap next to the fuel cap.
1Protective cap
2Release tool
3Pulling
Shift the automatic transmission to P
(
page 399).
Prevent the vehicle from rolling away
by blocking a rear wheel with the wheel
chock. A wheel chock is included with
the vehicle tool kit (
page 668).
Open fuel filler flap.
Remove protective cap1.
Screw release tool2 from vehicle tool
kit clockwise 2 to 3 rotations onto re-
lease cable.
Pull release tool2 in direction of
arrow3.
The electronic parking brake is re-
leased. The red indicator lamp0
(USA only) or! (Canada only) flash-
es. The message “Parking brake See
Oper. Manual” appears on the multi-
function display.
Unscrew release tool2 from release
cable.
Reattach protective cap1.
Store release tool2 in vehicle tool kit.
After it has been unlocked, you can engage
the electronic parking brake again from
the driver’s seat.
Press the electronic parking brake han-
dle (
page 395).
iIf your vehicle is not equipped a mechanical
release device for releasing the electronic park-
ing brake contact Roadside Assistance or an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
If you mechanically release the electronic
parking brake, the vehicle may start to move
on its own. Make sure that no one is in front
of or behind the vehicle. Otherwise, an acci-
dent could occur resulting in injury or fatali-
ty. Before releasing the electronic parking
brake, shift the automatic transmission to P
(
page 399) and secure your vehicle in
place using the chock from the vehicle tool
kit.
iIf the electronic parking brake is not re-
leased, pull the release tool again with more
force.

686 Practical hints
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle in a safe distance from
moving traffic on a hard, flat surface
when possible.
Turn on the hazard warning flasher
(
page 377).
Turn the steering wheel so that the
front wheels are in a straight ahead
position.
Shift the automatic transmission to
park positionP.
Engage the electronic parking brake.
Turn off the engine.
Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Vehicles with SmartKey: Remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*: Open the
driver’s door (this puts the starter
switch in position0, same as with the
SmartKey removed from the starter
switch). The driver’s door then can be
closed again.
Remove the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button from the starter
switch.
Mounting the spare wheel
iOpen the door only when conditions are safe
to do so.
Warning!G
The dimensions of the spare wheel are dif-
ferent from those of the road wheels. As a
result, the vehicle handling characteristics
change when driving with a spare wheel
mounted. Adapt your driving style accord-
ingly.
The spare wheel is for temporary use only.
When driving with spare wheel mounted,
ensure proper tire inflation pressure and
do not exceed a vehicle speed
of 50 mph (80 km/h).
Contact the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible to have the spare wheel
replaced with a regular road wheel.
Never operate the vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.
Do not switch off the ESP
® when a spare
wheel is mounted.

694 Practical hints
Batteries
Starter battery (example illustration from
S550)
1Negative terminal
2Positive terminal
Disconnecting starter battery
Secure vehicle in place with electronic
parking brake (
page 395).
Shift the automatic transmission toP
(
page 399).
Do not rub the battery with rags or cloths.
The battery could explode if touched due to
electrostatic charge or due to spark forma-
tion.
!Switch off the engine and switch off the ve-
hicle’s internal electrical functions (
page 695)
before you disconnect or remove the battery’s
terminal clamps. You could otherwise destroy
electronic assemblies such as the generator.
Have the battery checked regularly by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center. Refer to Mainte-
nance Booklet for maintenance intervals or
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
further information.
!Do not connect any consumers directly to
the starter battery. The starter battery will other-
wise be discharged.
iOnly replace a discharged battery with a bat-
tery recommended by Mercedes-Benz. The con-
sumer battery is installed in the trunk in such a
way that it is safeguarded as much as possible
against mechanical destruction in the event of
an accident.
iRemove SmartKey from starter switch (vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the vehicle’s
on-board electronics have status 0)
(
page 344) when you turn off the engine and
no longer require any electrical consumers. The
vehicle then uses very little power and the con-
sumer battery is spared.
iIf the consumer battery is discharged, you
must use the mechanical key to unlock the vehi-
cle (
page 671). Since the vehicle has a sepa-
rate starter battery, however, you can still start
the vehicle.
!Always disconnect the starter battery in the
order described below. You could otherwise
damage the vehicle’s electronics.
!Switch off the vehicle’s internal electrical
functions before disconnecting the starter bat-
tery. If the vehicle is stationary for more than one
hour with the SmartKey removed, you do not
need to switch off the vehicle’s internal electrical
functions.


698 Practical hints
Jump starting
Jump starting should only be performed on
the starter battery. The starter battery is
located in the engine compartment on the
passenger side (
page 694).
Make sure the two vehicles do not
touch.
Secure vehicle in place with electronic
parking brake (
page 395).
Shift the automatic transmission toP
(
page 399).
Turn off all electrical consumers, ex-
cept hazard warning flashers or work
lights.
Open the hood (page 541).
Start the engine of the vehicle with the
charged battery and run at idle speed.1Positive terminal of your vehicle’s
battery
2Positive terminal of other vehicle’s
battery
3Negative terminal of other vehicle’s
battery
4Negative clamp
Warning!G
Keep flames or sparks away from battery.
Do not smoke.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(
page 692).
iVehicles with KEYLESS-GO*: remove the
KEYLESS-GO button (
page 345) and use the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO like a normal
SmartKey.