2008 MERCEDES-BENZ S600 Owner's Manual

616 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
DISTRONIC PLUS
overrideYou have depressed the accelerator pedal,
DISTRONIC Plus* is no longer controlling
the speed of the vehicle.Release the accelerator pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS
- - - mph
(USA only)
Canada only:
DISTRONIC PLUS
- - - km/h
(Canada only)You have attempted to activate DISTRONIC
Plus* at a speed below 20 mph (30 km/h)
without the vehicle in front being displayed
in the multifunction display (
page 427).
Drive faster than 20 mph (30 km/h) and activate DISTRONIC
Plus* again.
ESP® is switched off.Switch on ESP® (page 75).
The automatic transmission is in position P,
R or N.Shift the automatic transmission toD (page 399).
The system is overheated.Wait until the system cools down.
The vehicle is secured in place by the elec-
tronic parking brake.Release electronic parking brake (page 395).
The driver’s door is open and the drivers
seat belt is unbuckled.Close the driver’s door and fasten your seat belt.
The hood is open.Close the hood (page 542).

617 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Door Open
Vehicle not in ParkYou have opened the driver’s
door and the automatic trans-
mission is still in position D, R
orN.Before you leave the vehicle, make sure that the automatic transmission
is shift to park position P (
page 399) and that the electronic parking
brake is engaged (
page 395).

618 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Front pass. airbag
disabled
See Oper. ManualFront passenger front air bag is
deactivated while driving even
though an adult or someone
larger than a small individual is
occupying the front passenger
seat. Forces acting on the seat
may make the system sense a
decrease in weight.Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible and check the front
passenger seat for the following:
Engage the electronic parking brake (page 395).
Switch off the ignition (page 344).
Have the front passenger vacate the seat and exit the vehicle.
Adjust the seat in a height position (page 347).
Make sure that no objects which apply forces to the seat are present (e.g.
objects such as books, briefcases etc. lodged underneath, behind or
around the seat). Such forces may cause the system to sense that an oc-
cupant of a lesser weight than actually present is on the front passenger
seat.
Keep the seat unoccupied, close the front passenger door and switch on
the ignition (
page 344).
Monitor the 59indicator lamp right of the instrument cluster
(
page 50) and the multifunction display in the instrument cluster
(
page 264) for the following:
(Continued on next page)
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution

619 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Front pass. airbag
disabled
See Oper. ManualWith the seat unoccupied and the ignition switched on (page 344),

the 59indicator lamp right of the instrument cluster should
illuminate and remain illuminated, indicating that the OCS (
page 47)
has deactivated the air bag.

the message “Front passenger airbag enabled See Oper. Manual” or the
message “Front passenger airbag disabled See Oper. Manual” should not
appear in the multifunction display at any time the seat is unoccupied.
Wait at least 60 seconds for the system to complete the necessary check
cycles and to make sure neither message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the front passenger seat again.
Depending on the front passenger classification sensed by the OCS
(
page 47), the59indicator lamp will remain illuminated or go
out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working properly. Have the
system checked as soon as possible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
If the 59indicator lamp re-
mains illuminated with an adult occupant on
the front passenger seat even after
performing the above corrective steps, do
not have any passenger use the front pas-
senger seat until the system has been re-
paired.

620 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Front pass. airbag
enabled
See Oper. ManualFront passenger front air bag is
activated while driving even
though a child, small individual,
or object below the system’s
weight threshold is on the front
passenger seat, or the front pas-
senger seat is empty. Objects
on the seat or forces acting on
the seat may make the system
sense supplemental weight.Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible and check the front
passenger seat for the following:
Engage the electronic parking brake (page 395).
Switch off the ignition (page 344).
Remove child and child restraint from front passenger seat and properly
secure the child in rear seat employing the child restraint if necessary.
Remove any other items from on and around the front passenger seat and
make sure the storage bag on the back of the front passenger seat is emp-
ty.
Make sure that no objects which apply forces to the seat are present (e.g.
objects such as books, briefcases etc. lodged behind or around the seat,
head restraints pushing against roof etc.). The system may recognize such
forces as supplemental weight and sense that an occupant on the front
passenger seat is of a greater weight than actually present.
Keep the seat unoccupied, close the front passenger door and switch on
the ignition (
page 344).
Monitor the 59indicator lamp right of the instrument cluster
(
page 50) and the multifunction display in the instrument cluster
(
page 264) for the following:
(Continued on next page)

621 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Front pass. airbag
enabled
See Oper. ManualWith the seat unoccupied and the ignition switched on (page 344),

the 59indicator lamp right of the instrument cluster should
illuminate and remain illuminated, indicating that the OCS (
page 47)
has deactivated the air bag.

the message “Front passenger airbag enabled See Oper. Manual” or the
message “Front passenger airbag disabled See Oper. Manual” should not
appear in the multifunction display at any time the seat is unoccupied.
Wait at last 60 seconds for the system to complete the necessary check
cycles and to make sure neither message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the front passenger seat again.
Depending on the front passenger classification sensed by the OCS
(
page 47), the 59indicator lamp will remain illuminated or go
out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working properly. Have the
system checked as soon as possible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
If the 59indicator lamp re-
mains illuminated with an adult occupant on
the front passenger seat even after
performing the above corrective steps, do
not have any passenger use the front pas-
senger seat until the system has been re-
paired.

622 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Next Service X
due in ... days
due in ... mls (km)Service X must be carried out in ... days or
after ... miles (kilometers) (
page 582).
Have the maintenance service carried out by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only shift to
position 'P' when
vehicle is stationaryYou have tried to shift the automatic trans-
mission to P using the gear selector lever al-
though the vehicle is still in motion.Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
Shift the automatic transmission to park positionP.
Engage the electronic parking brake (page 395).
Park Assist
currently unavailable
See Oper. ManualPark Assist* is deactivated because the
area around the sensors* in the front or the
rear bumper (
page 590) is dirty.
Clean the front and rear bumper (page 590).
Park Assist* is deactivated because the
battery voltage is insufficient.Have the battery checked by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Park Assist* is switched off because the ra-
dar sensor system* is temporarily inopera-
tive due to electromagnetic interference
near television and radio transmitter sta-
tions, toll stations, speed measuring sys-
tems, etc.Wait until the message in the multifunction display disappears.
Park Assist
inoperativePark Assist* is unavailable due to a mal-
function.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as pos-
sible.

623 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
PRE-SAFE
inoperative
See Oper. ManualPRE-SAFE® itself has failed. All other occu-
pant safety systems, such as the air bags,
are still available.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as pos-
sible.
Radar sensor
deactivated
See Oper. ManualYou attempt to activate DISTRONIC Plus*,
Park Assist* or PRE-SAFE® Brake* even
though you have switched off the radar sen-
sors* on the vehicle.
Check if the radar sensors* may be switched on (page 282).
Switch on the radar sensors* using the instrument cluster
control system.
Check tire pressures
and then restart
Run Flat Indicator
(Canada only)There was a warning message about a loss
in tire inflation pressure and the Run Flat In-
dicator has not been reactivated yet.Check and adjust tire inflation pressure as required
(
page 560).
Then reactivate the Run Flat Indicator (page 566).
Run Flat Indicator
inoperative
(Canada only)The Run Flat Indicator is malfunctioning.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
Service X
dueService X must be carried out (page 582).Have the maintenance service carried out by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Service X exceeded
by X days
by XXX mls (km)Service X must be carried within the next ...
or before you have driven ... miles (kilome-
ters) (
page 582).
Have the maintenance service carried out by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.