MERCEDES-BENZ S550 2007 W221 Owner's Manual

630 Practical hintsFlat tirePreparing the vehicle
Prepare the vehicle as described
(page 629).

Take vehicle tool kit tray and vehicle
jack out of trunk (
page 611).

Take the Minispare wheel from the
wheel well under the trunk floor
(page 613).
Lifting the vehicle

Prevent the vehicle from rolling away
by blocking wheels with wheel chocks
or other sizeable objects.
One wheel chock is included with the
vehicle tool kit (
page 613).
When changing wheel on a level surface:

Place the wheel chock in front of and
another sizeable suitable object behind
the wheel that is diagonally opposite to
the wheel being changed.Always try lifting the vehicle using the jack
on a level surface. However, should cir-
cumstances require you to do so on a hill,
place the wheel chock and another size-
able suitable object as follows:

Place the wheel chock and another
sizeable suitable object on the downhill
side blocking both wheels of the axle
not being worked on.

Take two-piece wheel wrench 1 out of
the vehicle tool kit tray.
The jack take-up brackets are located di-
rectly behind the front wheel housings and
in front of the rear wheel housings.
Warning!
G
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking
up the vehicle at the jack take-up brackets
built into both sides of the vehicle. To help
avoid personal injury, use the jack only to lift
the vehicle during a wheel change. Never
get beneath the vehicle while it is supported
by the jack. Keep hands and feet away from
the area under the lifted vehicle. Always
firmly set parking brake and block wheels
before raising vehicle with jack.
Do not disengage parking brake while the
vehicle is raised. Be certain that the jack is
always vertical (plumb line) when in use, es-
pecially on hills. Always try to use the jack
on level surface. Make sure the jack arm is
fully seated in the jack take-up bracket.
Always lower the vehicle onto sufficient ca-
pacity jackstands before working under the
vehicle.

631 Practical hints
Flat tire
1Jack take-up bracket
2Jack
3Crank
Place jack2 on firm ground.

Position jack2 under take-up
bracket1 so that it is always vertical
(plumb-line) as seen from the side,
even if the vehicle is parked on an
incline.

Jack up the vehicle until the wheel is a
maximum of 1.2 in (3 cm) from the
ground. Never start engine while
vehicle is raised.Removing the wheel
1Alignment bolt

Unscrew upper-most wheel bolt and re-
move.
Warning!
G
Position the jack only on the jack take-up
brackets designed for this purpose.
If the jack is not properly positioned, the ve-
hicle may slip off of the jack.
Warning!
G
The jack is intended only for lifting the
vehicle briefly for wheel changes. It is not
suited for performing maintenance work
under the vehicle.

Never start the engine when the vehicle
is raised.


Never lie down under the raised vehicle.


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.


633 Practical hints
Flat tire

Unscrew the alignment bolt, install the
last wheel bolt and tighten slightly.Lowering the vehicle

Lower vehicle by turning crank coun-
terclockwise until vehicle is resting ful-
ly on its own weight.

Remove the jack.
1 - 5 Wheel bolts

Tighten the five wheel bolts evenly, fol-
lowing the diagonal sequence illustrat-
ed (1 to 5), until all bolts are tight.
Observe a tightening torque of
110 lb-ft (150 Nm).Before storing the jack, it should be fully
collapsed, with handle folded in (storage
position).

Store the jack and the other vehicle
tools in the designated storage space
underneath the trunk floor
(page 611).
Warning!
G
Only use Genuine equipment
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts. Other wheel
bolts may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the ve-
hicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle could
fall off the jack.
Warning!
G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. The wheels could come
loose if they are not tightened to a torque of
110 lb-ft (150 Nm).i
Do not activate the tire inflation pressure
monitor (
page 511) until the depressurized
tire has been removed from the trunk.

634 Practical hintsBatteriesYour vehicle is equipped with two batter-
ies:

The starter battery (located in the en-
gine compartment)


The battery for electrical consumers
(located in the trunk)
The batteries should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve its rated ser-
vice life. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for
battery maintenance intervals.
If you use your vehicle mostly for short-dis-
tance trips, you will need to have the bat-
tery charge checked more frequently.
When replacing the batteries, always use
batteries approved by Mercedes-Benz.
If you do not intend to operate your vehicle
for an extended period of time, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center about
steps you need to observe.Batteries contain materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly.
Large 12-volt storage batteries contain
lead. Recycling of batteries is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states require
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries
for recycling.
!
Do not tow-start the vehicle.
Warning!
G
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries.
Risk of explosion.
Fire, open flames and smoking
are prohibited when handling
batteries. Avoid creating sparks.
Battery acid is caustic. Do not
allow it to come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective cloth-
ing, especially gloves, apron and
faceguard.
Wear eye protection.
Rinse any acid spills immediate-
ly with clear water. Contact a
physician if necessary.
Keep children away.
Follow the instructions in this
Operator’s Manual.

635 Practical hints
Batteries
!
The consumer battery located in the trunk is
a valve-r
egulated l
ead a
cid (VRLA) battery, also
referred to as “fleece” battery. Such batteries do
not require topping-up of the electrolyte level.
VRLA batteries therefore do not have cell caps
and the battery cover is non-removable. Do not
attempt to open the consumer battery as other-
wise the battery will be damaged.
Even though VRLA batteries do not require top-
ping-up of the electrolyte level and cannot be
opened to check the electrolyte level, the bat-
tery condition must be checked periodically by
performing a battery conductance test. Refer to
Maintenance Booklet for battery condition test-
ing intervals.
As with any other battery, disconnect the con-
sumer battery if you do not intend to operate
your vehicle for an extended period of time to
prevent battery discharge or connect an acces-
sory battery charge unit expressly approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model to main-
tain the battery charge. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further information.
!
The factory-equipped VRLA battery is
leak-proofed. Only use a battery as replacement
that has the same security features and is of
identical size, voltage, and capacity as the facto-
ry-equipped battery.
The battery, the battery ventilation and the later-
al plug must always be securely installed when
the vehicle is in operation.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting,
you might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking, etc.Warning!
G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof battery only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Take care that you do not become statically
charged, e.g. by wearing synthetic clothing
or rubbing against textiles. For this reason,
you also should not pull or push the battery
over carpets or other synthetic materials.
Never touch the battery first. First touch the
outside body of the vehicle in order to re-
lease any possible electrostatic charges.


636 Practical hintsBatteries
Starter battery (example illustration from
S550)1Negative terminal
2Positive terminal
Disconnecting starter battery
Do not rub the battery with rags or cloths.
The battery could explode if touched due to
electrostatic charge or due to spark forma-
tion.!
Switch off the engine and switch off the ve-
hicle’s internal electrical functions (
page 637)
before you disconnect or remove the battery’s
terminal clamps. You could otherwise destroy
electronic assemblies such as the generator.
Have the battery checked regularly by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center. Refer to Mainte-
nance Booklet for maintenance intervals or
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
further information.
!
Do not connect any consumers directly to
the starter battery. The starter battery will other-
wise be discharged.
i
Only replace a discharged battery with a bat-
tery recommended by Mercedes-Benz. The con-
sumer battery is installed in the trunk in such a
way that it is safeguarded as much as possible
against mechanical destruction in the event of
an accident.
i
Remove SmartKey from starter switch (vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the vehicle’s
on-board electronics have status 0)
(
page 315) when you turn off the engine and
no longer require any electrical consumers. The
vehicle then uses very little power and the con-
sumer battery is spared.
i
If the consumer battery is discharged, you
must use the mechanical key to unlock the vehi-
cle (page 614). Since the vehicle has a sepa-
rate starter battery, however, you can still start
the vehicle.
!
Always disconnect the starter battery in the
order described below. You could otherwise
damage the vehicle’s electronics.
!
Switch off the vehicle’s internal electrical
functions before disconnecting the starter bat-
tery. If the vehicle is stationary for more than one
hour with the SmartKey removed, you do not
need to switch off the vehicle’s internal electrical
functions.


637 Practical hints
Batteries
Switching off vehicle’s internal electri-
cal functions
Shift the automatic transmission toP.

Turn off all electrical consumers.

Turn SmartKey in starter switch to po-
sition 0.

Turn SmartKey in starter switch to po-
sition 1.

Wait for 30 seconds.
The vehicle’s internal electrical func-
tions are switched off.

Turn SmartKey in starter switch to po-
sition 0.Disconnecting starter battery

Open the hood (
page 492).

Use a 10-mm open-end wrench to dis-
connect the battery negative lead.

Remove cover2 (
page 636) from
the positive terminal.

Disconnect the battery positive lead.
Removing starter battery
Pull out the battery ventilation hose
from the battery (depending on battery
arrangement in your vehicle model, the
ventilation hose is located either on the
left or right side of the battery).

Fold bar on starter battery up.

Take out the starter battery.
Charging battery
i
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
KEYLESS-GO button (
page 316) and use the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO like a normal
SmartKey.
!
Do not remove the SmartKey!
i
For your convenience, have the starter bat-
tery removed by a Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Never charge a battery while still installed in
the vehicle unless the accessory battery
charge unit approved by Mercedes-Benz is
being used. Gases may escape during charg-
ing and cause explosions that may result in
paint damage, corrosion or personal injury.
An accessory battery charge unit specially
adapted for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz is
available, permitting the charging of the bat-
tery in its installed position. Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
information and availability. Charge battery
in accordance with the separate instruc-
tions for the accessory battery charger.i
Have the batteries charged by a
Mercedes-Benz Center. If you charge the batter-
ies yourself, follow the operating instructions for
your charging device.

638 Practical hintsBatteriesStarter battery
Connect the switched-off charging de-
vice to the terminals of the starter bat-
tery. Observe the operating
instructions in the manual for the
charging device while doing so.
Reinstalling starter battery
Install starter battery in engine com-
partment.

Swing retaining bar down.
Reconnecting starter battery

Make sure that the consumer battery in
the trunk is correctly installed and con-
nected.

Turn SmartKey in starter switch to po-
sition 0 and remove.

Connect the positive lead and fasten its
cover2 (
page 636).

Connect negative lead1
(page 636).

Attach ventilation tube.

Switch on the ignition (
page 315).

Start the engine (
page 359).

Check vehicle functions.
!
Only use charging devices with a maximum
charging voltage of 14.8 V.
Warning!
G
During the charge procedure, there is a risk
of acid burns due to gases escaping from
the battery. Do not bend over the battery
during the charge procedure.
!
The battery and the battery ventilation hose
must always be securely installed when the vehi-
cle is in operation.
!
Always connect the starter battery in the or-
der described below. Otherwise, the vehicle’s
electronics could be damaged.
Warning!
G
Do not drive without a properly installed and
connected consumer battery.
Have any work on the consumer battery car-
ried out by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
!
Never invert the terminal connections.
!
Make sure that the battery has a plug where
the ventilation tube is attached to it.

639 Practical hints
Jump starting
Jump starting
If the starter battery is discharged, the en-
gine can be started with jumper cables and
the battery of another vehicle. Observe the
following:

Jump starting should only be performed
when the engine and catalytic convert-
er are cold.


Do not start the engine if the battery is
frozen. Let the battery thaw out first.


Only use 12-volt battery to jump start
y o ur ve h i c l e . J u m p s t a r t i n g w i t h a m o r e
powerful battery could damage the ve-
hicle’s electrical system, which will not
be covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim-
ited Warranty.


Only use jumper cables with sufficient
cross-section and insulated terminal
clamps.


Always make sure that the jumper ca-
bles are not on or near pulleys, fans or
other parts that move when an engine
is started or running.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these directions will cause
damage to the electronic components, and
can lead to a battery explosion and severe
injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting
or jump starting, you might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water, and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and very explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking, etc.
Attempting to jump start a frozen battery
can result in it exploding, causing personal
injury.
Read all instructions before proceeding.
!
Do not tow-start the vehicle.
!
Jump starting should only be performed on
the starter battery installed in the engine com-
partment.
Avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts.
Do not attempt to start the engine using a bat-
tery quick charge unit.
If engine does not run after several unsuccessful
starting attempts, have it checked at the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Excessive unburned fuel generated by repeated
failed starting attempts may damage the catalyt-
ic converter and may present a fire risk.
Make sure the jumper cables do not have loose
or missing insulation.
Make sure the cable clamps do not touch any
other metal part while the other end is still at-
tached to a battery.