MERCEDES-BENZ S550 2007 W221 Owner's Manual

550 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
v
The yellow ESP
® warning lamp
comes on while the engine is
running.
The ESP
® is deactivated.
Risk of accident!
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road, weather, and traffic conditions.

Switch the ESP
® back on (
page 72).
Exceptions: (
page 73).
If the ESP
® cannot be switched back on:

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
ESP
® is switched off due to a malfunction.
Risk of accident!
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road, weather, and traffic conditions.

Continue driving with added caution.

Read and observe messages in the mul-
tifunction display (
page 557).

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
The yellow fuel tank reserve
warning lamp in the fuel gauge
comes on while driving.
The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 489).
<
The red seat belt telltale comes
on and a warning chime sounds
for approximately 6 seconds af-
ter starting the engine with all
doors closed.
The seat belt telltale reminds you and your
passengers to fasten your seat belts before
driving off.

Fasten your seat belts.
The seat belt telltale goes out and the
warning chime stops sounding.

551 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
<
The red seat belt telltale re-
mains illuminated after driving
off. The vehicle’s speed does
not exceed 15 mph (25 km/h).
You and/or your front passenger have for-
gotten to fasten your seat belts.
There are items placed on the front passen-
ger seat and therefore the system senses
the front passenger seat as being occupied.

Fasten your seat belts.
or

Remove the items from the front pas-
senger seat and put them in a safe
place.
The seat belt telltale goes out.
<
The red seat belt telltale flashes
and you additionally hear an in-
termittent warning chime with
increasing intensity for a maxi-
mum of 60 seconds from the
time the vehicle’s speed ex-
ceeds 15 mph (25 km/h).
You and/or your front passenger have for-
gotten to fasten your seat belts.
There are items placed on the front passen-
ger seat and therefore the system senses
the front passenger seat as being occupied.

Fasten your seat belts.
or

Remove the items from the front pas-
senger seat and put them in a safe
place.
The seat belt telltale goes out and the
warning chime stops sounding.
i
After 60 seconds with an unfastened seat
belt the warning chime stops sounding and the
seat belt telltale illuminates continuously. The
seat belt telltale will only go out if both, the driver
and front passenger’s, seat belt are fastened, or
the vehicle is standing still and a front door is
opened.

552 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
=
The red SRS indicator lamp
comes on while the engine is
running.
There is a malfunction in the supplemental
restraint systems. The air bags or emergen-
cy tensioning devices (ETDs) could deploy
unexpectedly or fail to activate in an acci-
dent.

Drive with added caution to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indi-
cated as outlined above, the SRS may not be
operational. For your safety, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have
the system checked; otherwise the SRS may
not be activated when needed in an acci-
dent, which could result in serious or fatal
injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could result in an acci-
dent and/or injury to you or to others.

553 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
H
Combination low tire pres-
sure/TPMS malfunction telltale
for the Advanced TPMS* illumi-
nates continuously.
The Advanced TPMS* detects a loss of
pressure in at least one tire.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt,
avoiding abrupt steering and braking
maneuvers. Observe the traffic situation
around you.

Read and observe messages in the mul-
tifunction display (
page 557).
If the tire inflation pressure in the respec-
tive tire(s) has (have) been corrected, the
combination low tire pressure/TPMS mal-
function telltale goes out after few minutes
driving.
H
Combination low tire pres-
sure/TPMS malfunction telltale
for the Advanced TPMS* flashes
for 60 seconds and then stays il-
luminated.
There is a malfunction in the Advanced
TPMS*.

Read and observe messages in the mul-
tifunction display (
page 557).

Have the Advanced TPMS* checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
After the malfunction has been remedied
the combination low tire pressure/TPMS
malfunction telltale goes out after few
minutes driving.

554 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Warning!
G
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or the tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or the tire inflation pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significant-
ly under-inflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehi-
cle’s handling and stopping ability. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the
telltale will flash for approximately
one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing
one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle
to ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue
to function properly.

555 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Air bag off indicator lampProblem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
59The front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp
illuminates and remains il-
luminated with the weight
of a typical adult or some-
one larger than a small in-
dividual on the front
passenger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.

Have the system checked as soon as possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Also read and observe any messages in the multifunction display
and follow corrective steps (
page 564).
Warning!
G
If the59indicator lamp
illuminates and remains illuminated with the
weight of a typical adult or someone larger
than a small individual on the front passen-
ger seat, do not have any passenger use the
front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.

556 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
59The front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp
does not illuminate and/or
does not remain illuminat-
ed with the weight of a typ-
ical 12-month-old child in a
standard child restraint or
less on the front passen-
ger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.

Make sure there is nothing between seat cushion and child seat and
check installation of the child seat.

Make sure no objects applying supplemental weight onto the seat
are present.

Make sure 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.

If the front passenger front air bag off indicator lamp remains out,
have the system checked as soon as possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not transport a child on the front pas-
senger seat until the system has been repaired.

Also read and observe any messages in the multifunction display
and follow corrective steps (
page 564).
Warning!
G
If the59indicator lamp does
not illuminate or remains out with the
weight of a typical 12-month-old child in a
standard child restraint or less on the front
passenger seat, do not transport a child on
the front passenger seat until the system
has been repaired.

557 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Vehicle status messages in the multi-function display
Warning and malfunction messages ap-
pear in the multifunction display located in
the instrument cluster.
Certain warning and malfunction messag-
es are accompanied by an audible signal.
High-priority messages are shown in red
on the multifunction display. Messages of
lower priority are also shown in yellow or
white.
Address these messages accordingly and
follow the additional instructions given in
this Operator’s Manual.Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using# or L on the multifunction
steering wheel (
page 242).
Other messages of high priority and mes-
sages of less immediate priority can be
cleared from the multifunction display
using# or L. They are then stored
in the vehicle status message memory
(
page 253). Remember that clearing a
message will only make the message dis-
appear. Clearing a message will not cor-
rect the condition that caused the
message to appear.
Warning!
G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see infor-
mation about your driving conditions, such
as speed or outside temperature, warn-
ing/indicator lamps, malfunction/warning
messages or the failure of any systems.
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, please do so
with added caution. Visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.

558 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?
On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of the most important warning
and malfunction messages that may ap-
pear in the malfunction display.
For your convenience the messages are di-
vided into two sections:

Text messages (
page 559)


Symbol messages (
page 570)
Warning!
G
All categories of messages contain impor-
tant information which should be taken note
of and, where a malfunction is indicated, ad-
dressed as soon as possible at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Failure to repair condition noted may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty, or result in property dam-
age or personal injury.i
Switching on the ignition causes all instru-
ment cluster lamps (except high beam headlamp
indicator lamp and turn signal indicator lamps
unless activated) as well as the multifunction dis-
play to come on. Make sure the lamps and multi-
function display are in working order before
starting your journey.

559 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Text messagesDisplay
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
Apply brake
to shift
from ’P’
You have tried to Shift the automatic trans-
mission to D, R or N without stepping on
the brake.

Step on brake.
USA only:
Cruise control
- - - mph
Canada only:
Cruise control
- - - km/h
You have tried to switch on cruise control
below a speed of 20 mph (30 km/h).

Drive faster than 20 mph (30 km/h) and save the speed.
ESP
® is deactivated.

Activate ESP
® (page 72).
The automatic transmission is in position P,
R or N.

Shift the automatic transmission toD (
page 367).
The system is overheated.

Wait until the system cools down.
The vehicle is secured in place by the elec-
tric parking brake.

Release electric parking brake (
page 364).
Cruise control
inoperative
Cruise control is malfunctioning.

Have cruise control checked by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.