Vehicle MERCEDES-BENZ S-Class 2008 W221 Comand Manual

623 Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning
Fold the wiper arms forward until they
snap into place.

Clean the wiper blade inserts with a
clean cloth and detergent solution.

Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild win-
dow cleaning solution on all outside
and inside glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.Cleaning the panorama roof with
tilt/sliding panel*
The rear part of the tilt/sliding panel has a
protective layer on the inside.

Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild
window cleaning solution.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.Light alloy wheels
If possible, clean wheels once a week.

Use Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel
Care, a soft bristle brush and a strong
spray of water for cleaning the light al-
loy wheels.
Warning!
G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and re-
move SmartKey from starter switch (vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the
vehicle’s on-board electronics have
status0) before cleaning the windshield
and/or the wiper blades. Otherwise, the
wiper motor could suddenly turn on and
cause injury.!
Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts. They
could tear.
!
Fold the windshield wiper arms back onto
the windshield before turning the SmartKey in
the starter switch or pressing the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*).
Hold on to the wiper when folding the wiper arm
back. If released, the force of the impact from
the tensioning spring could crack the windshield.
!
To clean the window interior, do not use a
dry cloth, abrasives, solvents or cleaners con-
taining solvents. Do not touch the inside of the
front, rear or door windows with hard objects
such as an ice scraper or ring. Doing so may
damage the windows.
!
Do not use a dry cloth, abrasives, solvents
or cleaners containing solvents. Do not touch
the protective layer with hard objects such as an
ice scraper or ring. Never apply strong force and
only use a soft, non-scratching cloth when clean-
ing the rear part of the tilt/sliding panel.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the pro-
tective layer.
!
Only use acid-free cleaning materials. Acid
may cause corrosion or damage the clear coat.
!
The vehicle should not be parked for an
extended period of time immediately after it has
been cleaned, especially not after the wheel rims
have been cleaned with wheel rim cleaner.
Wheel rim cleaners can lead to increased
corrosion of the brake disks and brake pads.
Non-approved wheel cleaners may also damage
the wheel paint if the car is not driven after
cleaning.

624 OperationVehicle carePlastic and rubber parts
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution.

Wipe with a cloth moistened in a luke-
warm solution.
The surface may temporarily change
color. If this is the case, wait for it to
dry.Hard plastic trim items

Use Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care, a soft, lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.Steering wheel

Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thor-
oughly or clean with Mercedes-Benz
approved Leather Care.
Carpets

Use Mercedes-Benz approved Carpet
and Fabric Care for cleaning the car-
pets.
Headliner and shelf below rear window

Use a soft bristle brush or a dry-sham-
poo cleaner in case of excessive dirt.
Seat belts

Only use clear, lukewarm water and
soap.
Therefore, the vehicle’s brake system should al-
ways be warmed-up before it is parked after
cleaning. To do so, please drive your vehicle for
several minutes to allow the brakes to dry. When
applying Mercedes-Benz approved Tire Care and
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care products,
take care not to spray them on the brake disks.Warning!
G
Do not use cleaners or cockpit care sprays
containing solvents to clean the cockpit or
the steering wheel. Cleaners containing sol-
vents will make the surface porous and vehi-
cle occupants could suffer serious injuries
from plastic parts coming loose in the event
of air bag deployment.!
Do not use oil, wax or scouring agents on
these parts.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the surface.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the sur-
face.
!
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the surface.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the sur-
face.
!
The webbing must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Do not dry the web-
bing at temperatures above 176°F (80°C) or in
direct sunlight.

625 Operation
Vehicle care
Upholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.Leather upholstery

Wipe leather upholstery with a damp
cloth and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather
Care.
Exercise particular care when cleaning per-
forated leather as its underside should not
become wet.
Wood trims

Dampen cloth using water and use
damp cloth to clean wood trims in your
vehicle.Chrome-plated exhaust tip*
Regular cleaning and care of chrome-plat-
ed exhaust tips will help to maintain their
shine and the classy appearance.

Use Mercedes-Benz approved Chrome
Polishing Paste each time the vehicle
has been washed, especially during the
winter.
Warning!
G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.Warning!
G
Only use seat or head restraint covers which
have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model.
Using other seat or head restraint covers
may interfere with or prevent the activation
of the active head restraints.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter for availability.!
Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as these
may be abrasive.
!
Do not use alkaline cleaners such as wheel
cleaners as they could cause corrosion.

627 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Where will I find ...?
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Resetting activated head restraints
Replacing SmartKey batteries
Replacing bulbs
Replacing wiper blades
Flat tire
Batteries
Jump starting
Towing the vehicle
Fuses

631 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
;(USA only)3(Canada only)
The red brake warning
lamp comes on while the
engine is running and an
acoustic warning sounds.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.
Risk of accident!
Carefully stop the vehicle in a safe loca-
tion or as soon as it is safe to do so.

Engage the electronic parking brake
(page 422).

Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

Do not add brake fluid! This will not
solve the problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Do not add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir
can result in spilling brake fluid on hot en-
gine parts and the brake fluid catching fire.
You can be seriously burned.
!
If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum mark or
below, have the brake system checked for brake
pad thickness and leaks.

632 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
±
The yellow engine malfunc-
tion indicator lamp comes
on while driving.
There is a malfunction in:

The fuel management system


The ignition system


The emission control system


Systems which affect emissions
Such malfunctions may result in excessive
emissions values and may switch the en-
gine to Limp-Home Mode (emergency oper-
ation).

Have the vehicle checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
An on-board diagnostic connector is
used by the service station to link the
vehicle to the shop diagnostics system.
It allows the accurate identification of
system malfunctions through the read-
out of diagnostic trouble codes. It is lo-
cated in the front left area of the
footwell.
i
Some states may by law require you to visit
a workshop as soon as the engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on. Check local require-
ments.

633 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
±
The yellow engine malfunc-
tion indicator lamp comes
on while driving.
A loss of pressure has been detected in the
fuel system. The fuel cap may not be closed
properly or the fuel system may be leaky.

Check the fuel cap.
If it is not closed properly:

Close the fuel cap.
If it is closed properly:

Have the fuel system checked by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Your fuel tank is empty.

After refueling, start, turn off, and re-
start the engine three or four times in
succession.
The Limp-Home Mode is canceled. You do
not need to have your vehicle checked.

634 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
l
PRE-SAFE
® Brake*: The red dis-
tance warning lamp comes on
while driving.
You are too close to the vehicle in front of
you to maintain selected speed.

Apply the brakes immediately to in-
crease the following distance.
l
DISTRONIC Plus* or PRE-SAFE
®
Brake*: The red distance warn-
ing lamp comes on while driving
and an acoustic warning
sounds.You are gaining too rapidly on the vehicle
ahead of you.

Apply the brakes immediately.
DISTRONIC Plus* or PRE-SAFE
® Brake* has
recognized a stationary obstacle on your
probable line of travel.

Apply the brakes immediately.

Carefully observe the traffic situation.
You may need to brake or maneuver to
avoid hitting an obstacle.
v
The yellow ESP
® warning lamp
flashes while driving.
The ESP
® or electronic traction system has
come into operation because of detected
traction loss in at least one tire.
Cruise control and DISTRONIC Plus* are de-
activated.

When driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.

While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.

Adapt your speed and driving to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.

Do not deactivate the ESP
®. Exceptions:
(
page 74).
Failure to follow these instructions increas-
es the risk of an accident.

636 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
<
You hear a warning chime for a
maximum of 6 seconds after
starting the engine.
You have forgotten to fasten your seat belt.

Fasten your seat belt.
The warning chime stops sounding.
<
The red seat belt telltale comes
on while the vehicle is standing
still and the engine is running or
during driving.
You and/or your front passenger have for-
gotten to fasten your seat belts.

Fasten your seat belts.
The seat belt telltale goes out.
There are items placed on the front passen-
ger seat and therefore the system senses
the front passenger seat as being occupied.

Remove the items from the front pas-
senger seat and put them in a safe
place.
The seat belt telltale goes out.
<
During driving the red seat belt
telltale flashes and you addition-
ally hear an intermittent warning
chime with increasing intensity.
The vehicle’s speed once exceeded 15 mph
(25 km/h) and you and/or your front pas-
senger have forgotten to fasten your seat
belts.

Fasten your seat belts.
The seat belt telltale goes out and the
warning chime stops sounding.
There are items placed on the front passen-
ger seat and therefore the system senses
the front passenger seat as being occupied.

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 arefastened, or the vehicle is standing still and a
front door is opened.

638 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
H
USA only:
Combination low tire pres-
sure/TPMS malfunction telltale
for the Advanced TPMS illumi-
nates continuously.
Canada only:
Low tire pressure telltale for the
Advanced TPMS illuminates
continuously.
The Advanced TPMS detects a loss of pres-
sure 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 642).
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 a few min-
utes of driving.
H
USA only:
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 642).

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 a few
minutes of driving.