keyless MERCEDES-BENZ S500 2006 W221 Owner's Manual

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 12
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle .................. 17
Reporting safety defects...................... 18
Reporting safety defects ................ 18
Vehicle data recording......................... 19
Information regarding electronic
recording devices........................... 19
At a glance.......................................... 21
Cockpit ................................................. 22
Instrument cluster ................................ 24
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 26
Center console ..................................... 27
Upper part ...................................... 27
Lower part ...................................... 28
Overhead control panel ........................ 29
Door control panel................................ 30
Getting started................................... 31
Unlocking ............................................. 32
Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 32
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*......... 33
Starter switch positions .................. 34
Adjusting .............................................. 37
Seats .............................................. 37
Steering wheel ................................ 40
Mirrors ............................................ 41
Driving .................................................. 43
Fastening the seat belts ................. 43
Starting the engine ......................... 46
Parking brake ................................. 48
Driving ............................................ 49
Switching on headlamps ................. 50
Turn signals .................................... 51
Windshield wipers ........................... 52
Problems while driving.................... 54
Parking and locking .............................. 55
Parking brake ................................. 56
Switching off headlamps................. 57
Turning off the engine ..................... 57
Locking ........................................... 58

ContentsSafety and Security........................... 59
Occupant safety................................... 60
Air bags .......................................... 61
Seat belts ....................................... 67
Preventive occupant safety
(PRE-SAFE
®)................................... 70
Children in the vehicle .................... 71
Override switch for rear
passenger compartment ................ 77
Panic alarm .......................................... 78
Activating ....................................... 78
Deactivating ................................... 78
Driving safety systems ......................... 79
ABS ................................................ 79
BAS ................................................ 80
ESP
®.............................................. 81
Four wheel electronic traction
system (4MATIC) with the ESP
®..... 84
Anti-theft systems................................ 85
Immobilizer..................................... 85
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 86
Tow-away alarm ............................. 88
Controls in detail............................... 91
Locking and unlocking ......................... 92
SmartKey ....................................... 92
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ........ 96
Opening the doors
from the inside ............................. 102
Opening the trunk ........................ 103
Closing the trunk.......................... 105
Trunk lid emergency release ........ 111
Power closing assist for doors
and trunk lid ................................. 112
Automatic central locking ............ 112
Locking and unlocking
from the inside ............................. 113
Seats ................................................. 114
Easy-entry/exit feature ................ 114
Removing and installing front
seat head restraints ..................... 116
Rear seats .................................... 117
Rear seat head restraints ............. 120
Lumbar support............................ 122
Multicontour backrest* ................ 122
Drive-dynamic seat* .................... 124
Seat heating* ............................... 125
Seat ventilation* .......................... 127Memory function ............................... 128
Storing positions into memory ..... 129
Recalling positions from memory . 129
Storing exterior rear view
mirror parking position ................ 130
Lighting ............................................. 131
Exterior lamp switch .................... 131
Combination switch ..................... 135
Hazard warning flasher ................ 136
Interior lighting ............................ 137
Courtesy lighting .......................... 139
Door entry lamps ......................... 139
Trunk lighting ............................... 139
Instrument cluster ............................. 140
Instrument cluster illumination .... 140
Coolant temperature gauge ......... 141
Trip odometer .............................. 141
Tachometer .................................. 142
Outside temperature indicator ..... 142
Clock............................................ 142
Control system .................................. 143
Multifunction display.................... 143
Multifunction steering wheel........ 144
Menus .......................................... 146
Standard display menu ................ 148
AUDIO menu ................................ 148

Contents
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) ............................................. 318
Maximum tire load ....................... 319
Maximum tire inflation pressure .. 320
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) ............. 320
Tire ply material ........................... 322
Tire and loading terminology ........ 323
Rotating tires ............................... 326
Winter driving .................................... 327
Winter tires .................................. 327
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 328
Snow chains................................. 328
Maintenance...................................... 329
Clearing the maintenance
service indicator........................... 330
Maintenance service
term exceeded ............................. 330
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator........................... 330
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator........................... 331
Vehicle care ....................................... 332
Cleaning and care of vehicle ........ 332
Practical hints.................................. 339
What to do if …? ................................. 340
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 340
Lamp in center console................. 348
Vehicle status messages
in the multifunction display ........... 349
Where will I find ...? ............................ 384
First aid kit.................................... 384
Vehicle jack, vehicle tool kit,
luggage bowl, spare wheel ............ 384
Unlocking/locking in an emergency... 388
Unlocking the vehicle.................... 388
Locking the vehicle ....................... 389
Fuel filler flap ................................ 390
Opening/closing in an emergency ..... 391
Tilt/sliding sunroof ....................... 391
Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 392
SmartKey ...................................... 392
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ....... 393
Replacing bulbs .................................. 394
Bulbs ............................................. 395
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 397
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 399Replacing wiper blades ...................... 401
Removing wiper blades ................. 401
Installing wiper blades .................. 402
Flat tire............................................... 403
Preparing the vehicle .................... 403
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 403
Battery ............................................... 408
Disconnecting the battery ............ 409
Removing the battery ................... 409
Charging and reinstalling
the battery .................................... 409
Reconnecting the battery ............. 410
Jump starting...................................... 411
Towing the vehicle.............................. 413
Installing towing eye bolt .............. 415
Fuses.................................................. 416
Aids for replacing fuses ................ 416
Fuse boxes in passenger
compartment ................................ 417
Fuse boxes in engine
compartment ................................ 418

28 At a glanceCenter consoleLower part
Item
Page
1
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button
35
2
Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission
46
3
Front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp
73
4
Thumbwheel for setting dis-
tance in Distronic*
225
5
Distance warning function*
on/off button
225
6
Lower storage compart-
ments
7
Program mode selector for
automatic transmission
179

33 Getting started
Unlocking
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*
With the KEYLESS-GO function, you can
lock and unlock the vehicle without using
the remote control buttons on the
SmartKey and start the engine without in-
serting the SmartKey in the starter switch.

Grasp an outside door handle.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The ve-
hicle unlocks. The locking knobs in the
doors move up. The anti-theft alarm
system is disarmed.

Get in the vehicle.
For more information, see “SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*” (
page 96).
iTo unlock the vehicle, the SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO must be outside the
vehicle, no further than approximately
3 feet (1 meter) away from the door.
Warning!
G
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. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
iIf the vehicle has been parked for more
than 72 hours, you must pull an outside
door handle in order to activate the
KEYLESS-GO function.

34 Getting startedUnlockingStarter switch positions
SmartKeyStarter switch
0For removing SmartKey
1Power supply for some electrical con-
sumers, such as seat adjustment
2Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position.
All lamps (except high beam headlamp
indicator lamp and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instru-
ment cluster come on. If a lamp in the
instrument cluster fails to come on
when the ignition is switched on, have
it checked and replaced if necessary.
If a lamp in the instrument cluster re-
mains on after starting the engine or
comes on while driving, refer to “Lamps
in instrument cluster” (
page 340).
3Starting position
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. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
iWhen you switch on the ignition, the in-
dicator and warning lamps (except high
beam headlamp indicator lamp and
turn signal indicator lamps unless acti-
vated) in the instrument cluster come
on. The indicator and warning lamps
(except high beam headlamp indicator
lamp and turn signal indicator lamps if
activated) should go out when the en-
gine is running. This indicates that the
respective systems are operational.iThe SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in position P.

35 Getting started
Unlocking
For information on starting the engine us-
ing the SmartKey, see “Starting with the
SmartKey” (
page 46).SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
Pressing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton on the gear selector lever corresponds
to turning the SmartKey to the various
starter switch positions.
If you firmly depress the brake pedal dur-
ing pressing KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton, the engine starts automatically.
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button1USA only
2Canada only
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be
located in the vehicle.
Make sure the gear selector lever is set
toP.

Do not depress the brake pedal.
!If the SmartKey cannot be turned in the
starter switch, the battery may not be
sufficiently charged.

Check the battery and charge it if
necessary (
page 408).


Get a jump start (
page 411).
To prevent accelerated battery dis-
charge or a completely discharged bat-
tery, always remove the SmartKey from
the starter switch when the engine is
not in operation.
iThe function of the SmartKey overrules
the KEYLESS-GO function.

36 Getting startedUnlockingPosition 0
Before you press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button, the vehicle’s on-board
electronics have status 0 (as with
SmartKey removed).
Position 1
Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
once.
This supplies power for some electrical
consumers, such as seat adjustment.Ignition (or position 2)

Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
twice.
This supplies power for all electrical
consumers.
All lamps (except high beam headlamp
indicator lamp and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instru-
ment cluster come on. If a lamp in the
instrument cluster fails to come on
when the ignition is switched on, have
it checked and replaced if necessary.
If a lamp in the instrument cluster re-
mains on after starting the engine or
comes on while driving, refer to “Lamps
in instrument cluster” (
page 340).
For information on starting the engine us-
ing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button,
see “Starting with KEYLESS-GO*”
(
page 47).
iIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button

once again, the ignition (position2)
is switched on


twice, the power supply is again
switched off
iIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button once, the power sup-
ply is again switched off.iWhen you switch on the ignition, the in-
dicator and warning lamps (except high
beam headlamp indicator lamp and
turn signal indicator lamps unless acti-
vated) in the instrument cluster come
on. The indicator and warning lamps
(except high beam headlamp indicator
lamp and turn signal indicator lamps if
activated) should go out when the en-
gine is running. This indicates that the
respective systems are operational.

37 Getting started
Adjusting
Adjusting
SeatsWarning!
G
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and
rear view mirror adjustments, as well as fas-
tening of seat belts, must be done before
the vehicle is put into motion.Warning!
G
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
back in an excessively reclined position as
this can be dangerous. You could slide un-
der the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the belt would apply force at the ab-
domen or neck. That could cause serious or
fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat
belts provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a nearly upright position and
belts are properly positioned on the body.
Your seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten your seat belt (
page 43).
Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being ad-
justed.
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.
Even with the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* removed from the starter
switch or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
removed from the vehicle, the power seats
can be operated when the respective door is
open. Therefore, do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
Warning!
G
Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmart
TM1

compatible child seat, which operates with
the BabySmart
TM system installed in the ve-
hicle to deactivate the passenger front
air bag when it is properly installed. Other-
wise they will be struck by the air bag when
it inflates in a crash. If this happens, serious
or fatal injury will result.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. Infants and small children
must ride in back seats and be seated in an
appropriate infant or child restraint system,
which is properly secured with the vehicle’s
seat belt and top tether strap, or secured via
lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in
accordance with the child seat manufactur-
er’s instructions.
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens Automo-
tive Corp.


40 Getting startedAdjustingSteering wheel Steering wheel adjustment
The stalk for steering wheel adjustment is
located on the steering column (lower left).
1Adjusting steering column, in or out
2Adjusting steering column, up or down

Switch on the ignition (
page 34).
or

Open the driver’s door.Adjusting steering column in or out

Move stalk forward or back in the direc-
tion of arrow1 until a comfortable
steering wheel position is reached with
your arms slightly bent at the elbow.
Adjusting steering column up or down

Move the stalk up or down in the direc-
tion of arrow2.
Make sure your legs can move freely
and all the displays (incl. malfunction
and indicator lamps) on the instrument
cluster are clearly visible.
For more information, see “Heated steer-
ing wheel* (except S 55 AMG and
S65AMG)” (
page 252).
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driv-
ing. Adjusting the steering wheel while driv-
ing could cause the driver to lose control of
the vehicle.
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.
Even with the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* removed from the starter
switch or the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
removed from the vehicle, the steering
wheel adjustment feature can be operated
when the driver’s door is open. Therefore,
do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Unsupervised use of vehicle equipment may
cause an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
iThe memory function (
page 128) lets
you store settings for the steering
wheel together with the settings for the
exterior rear view mirrors and the seat
position.