seat MERCEDES-BENZ S550 4MATIC 2008 W221 Owner's Manual

Contents
Introduction....................................... 13
Product information ............................. 13
Operator’s Manual ............................... 14
Service and warranty information .. 14
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 15
Maintenance .................................. 15
Roadside Assistance ...................... 16
Change of address or ownership.... 16
Operating your vehicle outside the
USA or Canada............................... 16
Where to find it .................................... 17
Symbols ............................................... 18
Operating safety .................................. 19
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 19
Problems with your vehicle .................. 20
Reporting safety defects...................... 21
Reporting safety defects ................ 21
Vehicle data recording ......................... 22
Information regarding electronic
recording devices ........................... 22At a glance.......................................... 23
Exterior view ......................................... 24
Cockpit ................................................. 26
Instrument cluster ................................ 28
Control systems ................................... 30
Center console ..................................... 32
Upper part ...................................... 32
Overhead control panel ........................ 33
Driver’s door control panel ................... 34
Rear door control panel ........................ 35
Storage compartments ......................... 36
Rear passenger compartment .............. 38
Safety and Security............................ 39
Occupant safety ................................... 40
Air bags........................................... 42
Occupant Classification System ..... 47
Seat belts........................................ 52
Active head restraints ..................... 55
Preventive occupant safety
(PRE-SAFE
®).................................... 56
Children in the vehicle .................... 57Override switch for rear passenger
compartment .................................. 63
Panic alarm .......................................... 65
Activating........................................ 65
Deactivating.................................... 65
Driving safety systems ......................... 66
ABS ................................................. 66
Adaptive Brake ............................... 67
Adaptive Brake Lights
(S 600/S 65 AMG and USA only) ... 68
BAS ................................................. 68
BAS Plus* ....................................... 69
EBP ................................................. 71
ESP
®............................................... 71
Four wheel electronic traction
system (4MATIC) with the ESP
®..... 75
PRE-SAFE® Brake* (vehicles with
DISTRONIC Plus* only) ................... 76
Anti-theft systems ................................ 81
Immobilizer ..................................... 81
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 81
Canceling the alarm ........................ 82

Contents
COMAND automatic climate control.. 251
Setting temperature ..................... 252
Adjusting air distribution .............. 253
Adjusting air volume .................... 253
Central climate control menu via
COMAND ..................................... 254
Operating rear climate control*
from the front............................... 257
COMAND seats.................................. 259
Operating seats via COMAND ...... 259
Lumbar support............................ 260
Multicontour seats*, front............ 260
Drive-dynamic
multicontour seats*, front............ 262
Instrument cluster control system ..... 264
Multifunction display .................... 264
Multifunction steering wheel ........ 265
Menus .......................................... 266
Trip menu ..................................... 268
Navi menu .................................... 269
Audio menu .................................. 271
AMG menu ................................... 273
Telephone* menu......................... 276
Assistance* menu ........................ 279
Service menu ............................... 280
Settings menu .............................. 281Voice Control*.................................... 284
Operating safety ........................... 284
Voice Control* introduction ............... 285
Spelling ......................................... 286
Command types ............................ 286
Active System ............................... 286
Controls ........................................ 287
Symbols ........................................ 288
Voice Control* telephone ................... 289
Telephone operation ..................... 289
Telephone commands ................... 290
Voice Control* navigation .................. 296
Important notes ............................ 296
Navigation operation..................... 297
Navigation commands .................. 297
Dialog for entering a
complete address ......................... 298
Commands for entering parts of
an address .................................... 303
Voice Control* address book ............. 306
COMAND address book
overview ....................................... 306
Operation with address book not
open (global) ................................. 306Operation with address book
open (local) ................................... 306
Operating and using address book 306
Available commands with the
address book not open ................. 307
Available commands with the
address book open ....................... 308
Voice Control* radio .......................... 309
Radio operation ............................ 309
Radio commands .......................... 309
Voice Control* CD/
DVD changer/MP3............................. 313
Operation...................................... 313
Commands ................................... 313
Voice Control* command list ............. 315
Command list ............................... 315
Voice Control* troubleshooting.......... 327
Help function ................................ 327
Help commands............................ 327
Help window ................................. 327
Entering digits and spelling........... 327
What to do if ... ............................. 328
Voice Control* individualization ......... 330

Contents
Controls in detail............................. 331
Locking and unlocking ....................... 332
SmartKey ..................................... 332
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*....... 335
Checking batteries in the
SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*............................... 340
Loss of the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*....... 340
Opening doors from the inside ..... 341
Power closing assist for doors
and trunk lid ................................. 342
Automatic central locking ............ 342
Locking and unlocking from
the inside ..................................... 343
Starter switch positions ..................... 344
SmartKey ..................................... 344
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*....... 345
Seats.................................................. 347
Seat adjustment ........................... 347
Seat heating* ............................... 351
Seat ventilation* .......................... 352
Head restraints............................. 353
Multicontour seats*, rear ............. 356
Easy-entry/exit feature ................ 357Steering wheel ................................... 359
Steering wheel adjustment .......... 359
Heated steering wheel* ............... 360
Mirrors ............................................... 361
Interior rear view mirror ............... 361
Exterior rear view mirrors............. 361
Power folding exterior
rear view mirrors .......................... 362
Auto-dimming rear view mirrors ... 363
Activating exterior rear view
mirror parking position................. 364
Memory function ............................... 365
Storing positions into memory ..... 366
Recalling positions from memory . 366
Storing exterior rear view mirror
parking position ........................... 367
Fastening the seat belts .................... 368
Proper use of seat belts ............... 370
Seat belt height adjustment ......... 370
Lighting.............................................. 371
Exterior lamp switch..................... 371
Switching on high beams ............. 375
Headlamp cleaning system .......... 375
Corner-illuminating lamps ............ 376
Hazard warning flasher ................ 377
Interior lighting............................. 378Door entry lamps ......................... 379
Courtesy lighting .......................... 380
Trunk lamp ................................... 380
Windshield wipers ............................. 381
Switching on/off
windshield wipers ........................ 381
Intermittent wiping ...................... 382
Single wipe .................................. 382
Wiping with windshield washer
fluid.............................................. 382
Power windows ................................. 383
Opening and closing
power windows ............................ 383
Rear side window sunshades* ..... 385
Summer opening feature ............. 385
Convenience closing feature ........ 386
Driving and parking ........................... 389
Starting the engine ...................... 389
Driving off .................................... 392
Turn signals.................................. 393
Problems while driving ................. 393
Parking......................................... 394
Turning off the engine .................. 397
Releasing seat belts ..................... 398
Automatic transmission..................... 399
Gear selector lever....................... 399

29 At a glance
Instrument cluster
ItemPage
1Coolant temperature gauge417
2Fuel gauge with:
Fuel tank reserve warning
lamp
AHigh beam headlamp
indicator lamp
-ABS indicator lamp
=SRS indicator lamp
605
375
598
607
3Parktronic*/Park Assist*
warning indicator for left
front area 446,
451
4Multifunction display with:
Speedometer
0
USA only
!
Canada onlyElectronic
parking brake
warning or indi-
cator lamps600
ItemPage
;
USA only
3
Canada onlyBrake warning
lamp599
<Seat belt telltale605
HCombination low tire
pressure/TPMS mal-
function telltale, USA
only
Low tire pressure*
telltale, Canada only608
LLeft turn signal
indicator lamp393
KRight turn signal
indicator lamp393
vESP® warning lamp604
lDistance warning
lamp*178,
427,
604
1Vehicles without DISTRONIC Plus*: Warning lamp
without function. It illuminates when the ignition is
on. It should go out when the engine is running.
ItemPage
5Parktronic*/Park Assist*
warning indicator for right
front area 446,
451
6Gear position/range
indicator 408
7Tachometer with:
±Engine malfunction
indicator lamp602
8Selected program mode indi-
cator 410
9Main menu for control sys-
tem, multifunction display264
aOutside temperature 418
bDisplay with:
Additional speedometer282
:PRE-SAFE® Brake*
indicator279

31 At a glance
Control systems
ItemPage
1Lto cancel Voice
Control*
back287
265
2$to scroll up
%to scroll down
&to scroll to the right
(to scroll to the left
#to confirm selection
3Multifunction display 264
4sto take a call
to dial
to redial
tto end a call
to reject an incoming
call
æto increase volume
çto decrease volume
Fto mute276
276
ItemPage
5!to activate Voice
Control*
to accept a call287
142
6Instrument cluster illumina-
tion417
7Swivel COMAND display 87
8COMAND display illumination87
9COMAND display86
aCD/DVD changer115
bPCMCIA card slot117
cFavorite button238
dRear head restraints retract
button354
eProgram mode selector
switch for:

automatic transmission
shift program

suspension tuning of
Airmatic (only S 550) or
ABC*
409
440
442
ItemPage
fShortcut button for:

CD/DVD

radio
120
101
gBack button94
hHazard warning flasher377
jSeat menu259
kShortcut button for:

telephone*

navigation
132
166
lCOMAND on/off button86
mVolume control96
nMute button96
oTelephone keypad134
pCOMAND controller88

34 At a glance
Driver’s door control panel
ItemPage
1Inside door handle341
2Central unlocking switch341
3Central locking switch341
4Memory function (for storing
seat, exterior mirror, and
steering wheel settings)365
5Selector button for front
passenger seat350
6Seat heating
Seat ventilation*351
352
7Seat adjustment347
ItemPage
8Exterior rear view mirror
adjustment
Mirror folding function361
362
9Switches for opening/ closing
door windows
Switches for opening/ closing
rear door window sunshades*383
385
aRemote trunk opening/clos-
ing* switch479
bOverride switch for rear pas-
senger compartment 63

35 At a glance
Rear door control panel
Rear door control panel
ItemPage
1Selection switch for right
front passenger seat adjust-
ment*
1
1This switch is located on the right rear passenger
side only.
349
2Memory function* (for storing
seat settings) (Canada only)365
3Inside door handle341
4Seat adjustment347
5Seat heating*
Seat ventilation*351
352
6Button for extending/retract-
ing panorama roof sunblind*489
7Switch for extending/retract-
ing rear window sunshade*503
8Switches for opening/closing
door windows
Switches for opening/closing
rear side window sunshades*383
385

37 At a glance
Storage compartments
ItemPage
1Glove box494
2Document holder in sun visor502
3Door pocket
4Ruffled storage pocket498
5Door pocket
Ashtray
503
6Side storage pocket in trunk
Retainer for Operator’s Manu-
al pouch
501
7Storage spaces under trunk
floor500
8Side storage pocket in trunk
9Door pocket
Ashtray
503
ItemPage
aRuffled storage pocket498
bDoor pocket
cDocument holder in sun visor502
dAshtray
Cigarette lighter503
504
eEyeglasses compartment in
overhead control panel495
fParcel net in front passenger
footwell496
gFront passenger seat storage
compartment with first aid kit668
hFront center armrest with

Storage tray/telephone*
compartment

Storage compartment
495
ItemPage
jCup holder in the rear center
armrest
Cup holder under the rear
center storage compartment*498
498
kRear center armrest with stor-
age compartment
Storage compartment be-
tween rear seats496
497
lRear storage box497
mCup holder in the front center
console498
nDriver’s seat storage com-
partment495

38 At a glance
Rear passenger compartment
ItemPage
1Cup holder under the rear
center storage compartment*498
2Cup holder in the rear center
armrest498
3Control panel for rear multic-
ontour seats*356
4Rear center armrest with stor-
age compartment496
5Rear storage box497

40 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
In this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts (page 52)

Child restraints (page 57)

Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren (LATCH) (
page 62)
Additional protection potential provide

Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
with

Air bags (page 42)

Air bag control unit (with crash
sensors)

Emergency Tensioning Device
(ETD) for seat belts (
page 55)

Seat belt force limiter (page 55)

Preventive occupant safety
(PRE-SAFE®) (page 56)

Active head restraints (page 55)Air bag system components with

The front passenger front air bag off in-
dicator lamp (
page 50)

Front passenger seat with Occupant
Classification System (OCS)
(
page 47)
Although independent systems, their pro-
tective functions work in conjunction with
each other.The SRS system conducts a self-test when
the ignition is switched on and in regular
intervals while the engine is running. This
facilitates early detection of malfunctions.
The =indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 28) comes on when the
ignition is switched on and goes out no lat-
er than a few seconds after the engine has
been started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness when the =indicator lamp is
not lit when the engine is running.
A malfunction in the system has been
detected if the =indicator lamp:

fails to go out after approximately
4 seconds after the engine was started

does not come on at all

comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
iFor information on infants and children trav-
eling with you in the vehicle and restraint sys-
tems for infants and children, see “Children in
the vehicle” (
page 57).