brakes MERCEDES-BENZ S550 2007 W221 Owner's Guide

526 OperationTires and wheelsTire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power
seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether
installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or
bars.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width
expressed in percentage.Bar
Another metric unit for air pressure. There
are 14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi)
to 1 bar; there are 100 kilopascals (kPa)
to 1 bar.
Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the
rim.
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle
has been sitting for at least 3 hours or driv-
en no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with stan-
dard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so
equipped, air conditioning and additional
optional equipment, but without passen-
gers and cargo.DOT (D
epartment o
f T
ransportation)
A tire branding symbol which denotes the
tire meets requirements of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
GAWR (G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible
axle weight. The gross vehicle weight on
each axle must never exceed the GAWR for
the front and rear axle indicated on the
Certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
GVW (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight)
The GVW comprises the weight of the
vehicle including fuel, tools, spare wheel,
installed accessories, passengers and
cargo and, if applicable, trailer tongue
load. The GVW must never exceed the
GVWR indicated on the Certification label
located on the driver’s door B-pillar.

527 Operation
Tires and wheels
GVWR (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight R
ating)
This is the maximum permissible vehicle
weight of the fully loaded vehicle (weight of
the vehicle including all options, passen-
gers, fuel, and cargo and, if applicable,
trailer tongue load). It is indicated on
Certification label located on the driver’s
door B-pillar.
Kilopascal (kPa)
The metric unit for air pressure. There are
6.9 kilopascals (kPa) to 1 psi; another
metric unit for air pressure is bars. There
are 100 kilopascals (kPa) to 1 bar.
Maximum load rating
The maximum load in kilograms and
pounds that can be carried by the tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
The sum of curb weight, accessory weight,
vehicle capacity weight and production
options weight.Maximum tire inflation pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air
pressure that should ever be put in the tire
under normal driving conditions.
Normal occupant weight
The number of occupants the vehicle is
designed to seat, multiplied by
68 kilograms (150 lbs).
Occupant distribution
The distribution of occupants in a vehicle
at their designated seating positions.
Production options weight
The combined weight of those installed
regular production options weighing over
5 lbs (2.3 kilograms) in excess of those
standard items which they replace, not
previously considered in curb weight or
accessory weight, including heavy duty
brakes, ride levelers, roof rack, heavy duty
battery, and special trim.PSI (P
ounds per s
quare i
nch)
A standard unit of measure for air pressure
-> bar, kilopascal (kPa).
Recommended tire inflation pressure
Recommended tire inflation pressure
listed on placard located on driver’s door
B-pillar for normal driving conditions.
Provides best handling, tread life and
riding comfort.
Rim
A metal support for a tire or a tire and tube
assembly upon which the tire beads are
seated.
Sidewall
The portion of a tire between the tread and
the bead.
TIN (T
ire I
dentification N
umber)
Unique identifier which facilitates efforts
by tire manufacturers to notify purchasers
in recall situations or other safety matters

541 Operation
Vehicle care
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 win-
dow 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.Plastic and rubber parts

Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution.
Instrument cluster and cup holders

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.
!
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 ex-
tended 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 corro-
sion of the brake disks and brake pads. There-
fore, the vehicle’s brake system should always
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.
!
Do not use oil or wax on these parts.
!
To prevent scratches, do not use scouring
agents.

549 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
l
Only vehicles with DISTRONIC
Plus*: The red distance 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
Only vehicles with DISTRONIC
Plus*: The red distance warning
lamp comes on while driving
and you hear a warning sound.


You are gaining too rapidly on the vehi-
cle ahead of you.


The distance warning system has recog-
nized 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 ETS 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 73).
Failure to follow these instructions increas-
es the risk of an accident.

584 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
Currently unavailable
See Oper. Manual
ESP
® and PRE-SAFE
® are temporarily un-
available. It is possible that the self-diag-
nostics have not yet completed.
In addition, the yellow ESP
® warning
lampv comes on.
The brake system functions normally.

Synchronize the ESP
®:
Drive a short distance with gentle turns at a
speed above 12 mph (20 km/h).
The message disappears when ESP
® is again
available.
Currently unavailable
See Oper. Manual
ESP
® and PRE-SAFE
® are switched off due
to undervoltage. It is possible that the bat-
tery is not charged.
The brake system functions normally.

Continue driving with added caution.

Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases the
risk of an accident.
Currently unavailable
See Oper. Manual
If the yellow ESP
® warning lampv flash-
es while driving and this message appears,
the ETS has switched off to prevent over-
heating of the drive wheel brakes.
As soon as the brakes have cooled off, the ETS
switches on again.
The message in the multifunction display disap-
pears and the ESP
® warning lampv goes
out.

632 Practical hintsFlat tire
Replace this wheel bolt with alignment
bolt1 supplied in the tool kit.

Remove the remaining bolts.

Remove the wheel.
Mounting the Minispare wheel
1Wheel bolt for light alloy rims
2Wheel bolt for Minispare wheel
(located in trunk with spare wheel)

Clean contact surfaces of wheel and
wheel hub.

Guide the Minispare wheel onto the
alignment bolt and push it on.

Insert wheel bolts2 and tighten them
slightly.
!
Do not place wheel bolts in sand or dirt. This
could result in damage to the bolt and wheel hub
threads.
!
Wheel bolts2 must be used when mount-
ing the Minispare wheel. The use of any wheel
bolts other than wheel bolts2 for the Minispare
wheel will physically damage the vehicle’s
brakes.
Warning!
G
Make sure to use the original length wheel
bolts when remounting the original wheel
after it has been repaired.!
To avoid paint damage, place wheel flat
against hub and hold it there while installing first
wheel bolt.
Warning!
G
Always replace wheel bolts that are dam-
aged or rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts.
Damaged wheel hub threads should be re-
paired immediately. Do not continue to drive
under these circumstances! Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call
Roadside Assistance.
Incorrect wheel bolts or improperly tight-
ened wheel bolts can cause the wheel to
come off. This could cause an accident.
Make sure you are using the correct wheel
bolts.


642 Practical hintsTowing the vehicleMercedes-Benz recommends that the vehi-
cle be transported with all wheels off the
ground using flatbed or appropriate wheel
lift/dolly equipment. This method is pref-
erable to other types of towing.
When circumstances do not permit the
recommended towing methods, the vehi-
cle may be towed with all wheels on the
ground or front wheels raised only so far as necessary to have the vehicle moved to a
safe location where the recommended
towing methods can be employed.!
Do not tow-start the vehicle.
!
Use flatbed or wheel lift/dolly equipment
with SmartKey in starter switch turned to posi-
tion 0.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment. Towing
with sling-type equipment over bumpy roads will
damage radiator and supports.
To prevent damage during transport, do not tie
down vehicle by its chassis or suspension parts.
Switch off the ESP
® (page 73), the tow-away
alarm (
page 76) and the automatic central
locking (page 313).
If the vehicle’s transmission is damaged, only
have it towed with the drive shaft disconnected.
!
Make sure that the electric parking brake is
released. If the electric parking brake is malfunc-
tioning, release it mechanically (
page 616).
!
In vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, insert the
SmartKey into the starter switch under the
KEYLESS-GO button and turn the SmartKey in
the starter switch to 0.
!
If the vehicle is towed with the front axle
raised, the engine must be shut off (SmartKey in
starter switch starter switch position 0 or 1).
Otherwise the ESP
®/ETS will immediately be en-
gaged and will apply the rear wheel brakes.
While towing, the battery must be connected and
charged. Otherwise:


you will not be able to switch on the ignition


you will not be able to engage the automatic
transmission in position N
When towing the vehicle with all wheels on the
ground, the automatic transmission must be
shifted to N and the SmartKey must be in starter
switch position2.
In vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*, you must use the
starter switch under the KEYLESS-GO* button
(
page 315).
When towing the vehicle with all wheels on the
ground or the front axle raised, the vehicle may
be towed only for distances up to 30 miles
(50 km) and at a speed not to exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h).
!
To be certain to avoid a possibility of dam-
age to the drivetrain, however, we recommend
the drive shaft be disconnected at the rear axle
drive flange for any towing beyond a short tow to
a nearby garage.

672 Technical termsDVD+RW
(D
igital V
ersatile D
isc R
ew
ritable)
->DVD which can be read and written
to many times.
Dynamic Rear View Monitor*
The Dynamic Rear View Monitor is an
optical parking aid. It shows you the
area behind the vehicle on the
->COMAND display. In addition, the Dy-
namic Rear View Monitor contains
guide lines to help you with reverse
parking and parallel parking. The Dy-
namic Rear View Monitor is also called
“Park Assist” in ->COMAND display.
EBP
(E
lectronic B
rake P
roportioning)
The EBP enhances braking effective-
ness by allowing the rear brakes to sup-
ply a greater proportion of the braking
effort without a loss of vehicle stability.ELCODE
(E
lectronic Code
System)
System that electronically checks
whether a person entering or driving
the vehicle is authorized to do so. It is
part of the Mercedes-Benz anti-theft
protection program.
Electric parking brake
Protects the vehicle from rolling away
when parked. The electric parking
brake is also called “Parking brake” in
->multifunction display messages.
Emergency call
This function places a call to a local
911 provider. It does not initiate a
->Tele Aid call. Please note that the
911 emergency call system is a public
service. Using it without due cause is a
criminal offense.
Engine number
The number set by the manufacturer
and stamped on the cylinder block to
uniquely identify each engine pro-
duced.Engine oil viscosity
Measurement for the inner friction (vis-
cosity) of the oil at different tempera-
tures. The higher the temperature an
oil can tolerate without becoming thin,
or the lower the temperature it can tol-
erate without becoming viscous, the
better the viscosity.
ESP
®(Electronic S
tability P
rogram)
Improves vehicle handling and direc-
tional stability.
ETD
(E
mergency T
ensioning D
evice)
Device which deploys in certain frontal
and rear collisions exceeding the sys-
tem’s threshold to tighten the seat
belts.
->SRS

673 Technical terms
ETS
(E
lectronic T
raction S
ystem)
Automatically brakes spinning wheels,
thus ensuring
optimal ->traction at all times.
FAT
(F
ile A
llocation T
able)
A table used to locate files on a disk or
memory device.
FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles)
(F
lexible S
ervice S
ystem PLUS)
Maintenance service indicator in the
->multifunction display that informs the
driver when the next vehicle mainte-
nance service is due. FSS evaluates en-
gine temperature, oil level, vehicle
speed, engine speed, distance driven
and the time elapsed since your last
service, and calls for the next mainte-
nance service accordingly.GAWR
(G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
(
page 526)
Gear range
Number of gears which are available to
the automatic transmission for shifting.
The automatic gear shifting process
can be adapted to specific operating
conditions using the selector lever.
GPS
(Global P
ositioning S
ystem)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special re-
ceivers. Employs DVD digital maps for
navigation.
GSM
(G
lobal S
ystem for M
obile Communica-
tion)
A standard network protocol used
throughout the world for digital cellular
communication.GVW
(G
ross V
ehicle W
eight)
(
page 526)
GVWR
(Gross V
ehicle W
eight R
ating)
(
page 527)
HiP
(High P
erformance light bulbs)
Light bulbs filled with xenon which are
used in rear lamps.
ID3 tag
Additional information which may be
included in MP3 files (e.g. title, artist,
album).
Instrument cluster control system
The Instrument cluster control system
is used to call up vehicle information
and to change component settings. In-
formation and messages appear in the
->multifunction display. The driver uses
the buttons on the ->multifunction
steering wheel to navigate through the
system and to adjust settings.

681 Index
Batteries, vehicle 634
Charging 637
Discharged, Jump starting 639
Disconnecting 636
For electrical consumers 634
For starter 634
Message in display 586
Reconnecting 638
Removing 637
Bead 526
Beverage holder see Cup holder
Bi-Xenon headlamps see Headlamps
Bluetooth
Settings (COMAND) 217
Brake assist system (BAS Plus) 71
Brake assist system (BAS) 71
Brake fluid 490, 662, 663
Brake lamp bulbs 622
Brake lamp, high mounted 622
Brake pads
Message in display 575
Brake warning lamp 29
Brakes 480
Warning lamp 545Break-in period 478
Bulbs, replacing 621
Additional turn signals 622
Brake lamps 622
Fog lamps 622
Front lamps 622
High beam 622
High mounted brake lamp 622
License plate lamps 622
Low beam 622
Parking and standing lamps 622
Rear fog lamp 622
Turn signal lamps 622
C
CAC (Customer Assistance Center) 670
California retail buyers and lessees, impor-
tant notice for 15
Can holder see Cup holder
CAN system 670
Canceling
Cruise control 382
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants 661Cargo area see Trunk
Cargo tie-down hooks 453
Carpets, Cleaning and care of 542
Catalytic converter 487
CD
Ejecting (COMAND) 109
Loading (COMAND) 107
Menu overview (COMAND) 110
Playback options (COMAND) 114
Selecting a medium (COMAND) 112
Selecting a track (COMAND) 113
CD (COMAND) 104
Central locking
Automatic 313
Locking/unlocking from inside 314
Central locking/unlocking switches 314
Certification label 652
Change of address or ownership 16
Changing
Vehicle level (ABC*) 404
Vehicle level (Airmatic) 402