Cluster MERCEDES-BENZ S550 2007 W221 User Guide

44 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts (
page 55)


Child restraints (
page 61)


Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH) (
page 64)
Additional protection potential provide


Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
with

Air bags (
page 45)


Air bag control unit (with crash
sensors)


Emergency tensioning device (ETD)
for seat belts (
page 58)


Seat belt force limiter (
page 58)


Preventive occupant safety
(PRE-SAFE
®) (page 60)Air bag system components with


The front passenger front air bag off in-
dicator lamp (
page 53)


Front passenger seat with Occupant
Classification System (OCS)
(page 50)
As independent systems, their protective
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 not later than approxi-
mately 4 seconds after the engine was
started


does not come on at all


comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
i
For 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 61).
Warning!
G
Modifications to or work improperly con-
ducted on restraint systems (such as seat
belts and anchors, emergency tensioning
devices, seat belt force limiters or air bags)
or their wiring, as well as tampering with in-
terconnected electronic systems, can lead
to the restraint systems no longer function-
ing as intended.

53 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
The 59 indicator lamp is lo-
cated on the dashboard to the right of the
instrument cluster.
1Indicator lamp
The 59indicator lamp1 will
be illuminated, except with the SmartKey
removed from the starter switch or with
the starter switch in position0
(page 317).
If the 59indicator lamp
goes out or remains out, do not trans-
port a child on the front passenger seat
until the system has been repaired. A
child in a rear-facing child restraint on
the front passenger seat will be serious-
ly injured or even killed if the front pas-
senger front air bag inflates.


If you have to place a child in a
forward-facing child restraint on the
front passenger seat, move the seat as
far back as possible, use the proper
child restraint recommended for the
age, size and weight of the child, and se-
cure child restraint with the vehicle’s
seat belt according to the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions. For
children larger than the typical
12-month-old child, the front passenger
front air bag may or may not be
activated (
page 51).
i
Deployment of the driver front air bag does
not mean that the front passenger front air bag
also should have deployed.
The Occupant Classification System (
page 50)
may have determined:


that the seat was empty or occupied by the
weight up to or less than that of a typical
12-month-old child seated in a standard
child restraint – both instances where the
system suppresses deployment of the front
passenger front air bag even though the im-
pact met the criteria and was of sufficient
severity to deploy the driver front air bag.


that the seat was occupied by a small individ-
ual (such as a young teenager or a small
adult) or a child weighing more than the
weight of a typical 12-month-old child in a
standard child restraint – instances where
the system may suppress deployment of the
front passenger front air bag even though
the impact met the criteria and was of suffi-
cient severity to deploy the driver front air
bag.

69 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems
This section contains information about
Adaptive Brake Lights as well as the follow-
ing driving safety systems:

ABS (A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)


Adaptive Brake


BAS (B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)


BAS Plus* (B
rake A
ssist S
ystem Plus*)


EBP (E
lectronic B
rake P
roportioning)


ESP
® (E
lectronic S
tability P
rogram)


ETS (E
lectronic T
raction S
ystem)
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.The ABS is functional above a speed of ap-
proximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will re-
spond even to light brake pressure.
The - indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 28) comes on when you
switch on the ignition (
page 315). It goes
out when the engine is running.
Braking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal, indicating that the ABS is in
the regulating mode.

Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal while experiencing the pul-
sation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.
Warning!
G
The following factors increase the risk of ac-
cidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns


Wet and slippery road surfaces


Following another vehicle too closely
The ABS, BAS, BAS Plus*, EBP, ESP
® and
ETS cannot reduce this risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.i
In winter operation, the maximum effective-
ness of the ABS, Adaptive Brake, BAS,
BAS Plus*, EBP, ESP
® and ETS is only achieved
with winter tires (
page 530), or snow chains
as required.
Warning!
G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

72 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsESP
®
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP
®) is
operational as soon as the engine is run-
ning and monitors the vehicle’s traction
(force of adhesive friction between the
tires and the road surface) and handling.
The ESP
® recognizes when a wheel is spin-
ning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By ap-
plying brakes to the appropriate wheel and
by limiting the engine output, the ESP
® works to stabilize the vehicle. The ESP
® is
especially useful while driving off and on
wet or slippery road surfaces. The ESP®
also stabilizes the vehicle during braking
maneuvers.
The ESP
® warning lamp v in the instru-
ment cluster flashes when the ESP
® is en-
gaged.
The ESP
® warning lamp v in the instru-
ment cluster comes on when you switch on
the ignition (
page 315). It goes out when
the engine is running.
Warning!
G
When the EBP is malfunctioning, the ABS,
BAS, BAS Plus*, ESP
® and ETS are also
switched off.
If the EBP is malfunctioning, the brake sys-
tem will still function with full brake boost.
However, the rear wheels could lock up dur-
ing emergency braking situations, for exam-
ple. You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident. Adapt your driving style
to the changed driving characteristics.
Warning!
G
Never switch off the ESP
® when you see the
ESP
® warning lamp v flashing in the in-
strument cluster. In this case proceed as fol-
lows:


While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.


While driving ease up on the accelera-
tor.


Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
Warning!
G
The ESP
® cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
®
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ESP
® equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the us-
er’s safety or the safety of others.
i
DISTRONIC Plus* is switched off when the
ESP® engages.

73 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see “Practical hints”
section (
page 549) and (
page 582).
ETS
The Electronic Traction System is a compo-
nent of ESP
®.
The Electronic Traction System (ETS) im-
proves the vehicle’s ability to utilize avail-
able traction, especially under slippery road conditions. The brakes are applied to
the spinning wheel and power is trans-
ferred to the wheel(s) with traction.
The ESP
® warning lampvin the instru-
ment cluster starts to flash at any vehicle
speed, as soon as a tire loses traction and
the wheel begins to spin.
When you switch off the ESP
®, the ETS is
still enabled.Switching off the ESP
®
To improve the vehicle’s traction, turn off
the ESP
® in driving situations where it
would be advantageous to have the drive
wheels spin and thus cut into surfaces for
better grip such as:


when driving with snow chains


in deep snow


in sand or gravel
i
The ESP
® will only function properly if you
use wheels of the recommended tire size
(
page 655).
!
Because of the ESP’s
® automatic operation,
the engine and ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0 or1 or
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button* in position0
or1) when


the parking brake is being tested on a brake
test dynamometer


the vehicle is being towed with the
front/rear axle raised
Active braking action through the ESP
® may oth-
erwise seriously damage the brake system.
Warning!
G
If you are driving too fast, the Electronic
Traction System cannot reduce the risk of
an accident.
The ETS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle.i
If the yellow ESP
® warning lampv
comes on while driving, the ETS is being
switched off temporarily to prevent overheating
of the drive wheel brakes. In addition, the mes-
sage “ESP Currently unavailable See Oper. Man-
ual” appears in the multifunction display.
Warning!
G
The ESP
® should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the circum-
stances described below. Disabling of the
system will reduce vehicle stability in stan-
dard driving maneuvers.
!
Turn the ESP
® on immediately if the afore-
mentioned circumstances do not apply anymore.
i
DISTRONIC Plus* cannot be activated when
the ESP
® has been switched off.

74 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsWhen you switch off the ESP
®


the ESP
® does not stabilize the vehicle


the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and
thus cut into surfaces for better grip


the traction control will still brake a
spinning wheel


the ESP
® continues to operate when
you are braking
1ESP
® off/on

Press ESP
® switch1 until the ESP
®
warning lampv in the speedometer
comes on.
The ESP
® is switched off.Switching on the ESP
®

Press ESP
® switch1.
The ESP
® warning lampv in the in-
strument cluster goes out.
You are now again in normal driving
mode with the ESP
® switched on.
i
When the ESP
® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP
® warn-
ing lamp
v
in the instrument cluster flashes.
However, the ESP
® will then not stabilize the ve-
hicle.
Warning!
G
When the ESP
® warning lampv is illumi-
nated continuously, the ESP
® is switched
off.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP
®.
!
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an ex-
tended period with the ESP
® switched off. This
may cause serious damage to the drivetrain
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim-
ited Warranty.

77 Control systems
COMAND operating safety
COMAND introduction
COMAND FM/AM radio
COMAND satellite radio* (USA only)
COMAND
audio CD/audio DVD/MP3
COMAND telephone*
COMAND navigation (introduction)
COMAND navigation system
(entering a destination)
COMAND navigation system
(Point of interest entry)
COMAND navigation system
(route guidance)
COMAND navigation system
(during route guidance)
COMAND navigation system
(destination memory)
COMAND navigation system
(last destinations)COMAND address book
COMAND system settings
COMAND vehicle menu
COMAND automatic climate control
COMAND seats
Instrument cluster control system
Voice Control* operating safety
Voice Control* introduction
Voice Control* telephone
Voice Control* navigation
Voice Control* address book
Voice Control* radio
Voice Control*
CD/DVD changer/MP3
Voice Control* command list
Voice Control* troubleshooting
Voice Control* individualization

81 Control systems
COMAND introduction
Instrument cluster multifunction
display
This section describes features and con-
trols via the COMAND controller, display
and shortcut buttons only.
Please refer to the “Instrument cluster
control system” section of this manual
(page 241) for function descriptions and
operation of the instrument cluster multi-
function display and multifunction steering
wheel buttons as they relate to COMAND
features described in this section.Adjusting COMAND display and instru-
ment cluster illumination
1To adjust instrument cluster illumina-
tion and multifunction display
2To adjust COMAND display

Brightening illumination: Turn
knob1 or2 clockwise.

Dimming illumination: Turn knob1
or2 counterclockwise.Swiveling COMAND display
1Button for swiveling display to the left
2Button for swiveling display to the right
You can swivel the COMAND display to the
left or right. The buttons are on the
right-hand side of the instrument cluster.
i
The layout of the menus may vary depending
on your vehicle’s equipment. This manual shows
the menus for a fully equipped vehicle.

146 Control systemsCOMAND navigation (introduction)Hard disk errors
COMAND has an integrated hard disk on
which the map software is saved.
If an area of the hard disk has an error,
COMAND can no longer access the map
data in this area, for example, when calcu-
lating a route.
The message “Navigation Unavailable.
Please refer to the operating instructions.”
appears.
Deleting message: Switch COMAND
off and back on.
Units of measurement
The units of measurement in navigation
mode are identical to those set in the in-
strument cluster.
Input restrictions
The input restrictions are imposed starting
at a particular vehicle speed. The restric-
tions are canceled as soon as the speed
drops below a certain value.
When the restriction is active, certain oper-
ations or entries are not possible.
You will notice this by the fact that some
menu items cannot be selected or certain
operations will not be possible.
i
If you switch the navigation system off / on,
it will be operational again until it has to access
the faulty area of the hard disk again. The mes-
sage will then appear again. Consult an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.

241 Control systems
Instrument cluster control system
Instrument cluster control system
The control system is activated as soon as
the SmartKey in the starter switch is
turned to position2 or as soon as the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button
(page 317) is in position2. The control
system enables you to:


call up information about your vehicle


change vehicle settings
For example, you can use the control sys-
tem to find out when your vehicle is next
due for service, to call up statistical data
on your vehicle, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1Line for main menus
2Text field in multifunction display
Settings, functions, submenus as well as
any malfunctions are shown to you in the
text field.
Warning!
G
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others, se-
lecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions per-
mit it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.