Distronic MERCEDES-BENZ S550 2007 W221 Owner's Manual

Contents
Driving systems ................................. 380
Cruise control .............................. 380
DISTRONIC Plus* ......................... 385
Airmatic (S 550 only) ................... 401
Active Body Control (ABC)*.......... 403
Parktronic system* ...................... 405
Park Assist* ................................. 409
Dynamic Rear View Monitor* ....... 413
Night View Assist* ....................... 420
Automatic climate control ................. 424
Deactivating climate control
system ......................................... 428
Operating climate control system
in automatic mode ....................... 428
Setting temperature ..................... 429
Adjusting air volume .................... 429
Front defroster ............................. 429
Rear window defroster ................. 430
Maximum cooling MAXCOOL
(USA only) .................................... 430
Air recirculation mode .................. 431
Residual engine heat and
ventilation .................................... 433Front passenger compartment
adjustable air vents....................... 433
Rear passenger compartment
adjustable air vents....................... 434
Rear passenger compartment
climate control* ............................ 434
Trunk .................................................. 436
Opening trunk ............................... 436
Closing trunk ................................ 437
Trunk emergency release.............. 440
Power tilt/sliding sunroof................... 441
Opening and closing power
tilt/sliding sunroof ........................ 441
Synchronizing ............................... 442
Panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel* ............................... 443
Roller sunblinds ............................ 443
Opening and closing panorama
roof with power tilt/sliding panel.. 444
Synchronizing ............................... 446Loading and storing............................ 447
Roof rack* .................................... 447
Loading instructions ..................... 447
Storage compartments ................. 448
Cup holders .................................. 452
Trunk ............................................ 453
Useful features ................................... 455
Sun visors ..................................... 455
Vanity mirror in rear...................... 455
Rear window sunshade ................. 456
Ashtrays........................................ 456
Cigarette lighters .......................... 457
Power outlet ................................. 458
Telephone* ................................... 459
Tele Aid......................................... 462
Garage door opener ...................... 470
Infrared reflecting windshield ....... 475

27 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Combination switch

Turn signals


Windshield wipers


High beam


Cornering lamps
362
351
346
347
2
Lever for

Cruise control


DISTRONIC Plus*
380
385
3
Horn
4
Multifunction steering wheel
242
5
Instrument cluster
28
6
Steering wheel gearshift con-
trol
375
7
Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission
359
Item
Page
8
Control panel with

Front passenger front
air bag indicator lamp


Vehicle level control
switch


Electronic Stability Pro-
gram (ESP
®) switch


Parktronic*/Park Assist*
deactivation switch


Swivel COMAND display


COMAND/instrument
cluster illumination
53
401,
403
73
408,
408
81
378
9
COMAND display
79
a
Overhead control panel
37
b
Automatic climate control
Center console, upper part
424
32
Item
Page
c
Glove box lock
448
d
Cover of compartment with

CD changer


PCMCIA card slot
107
108
e
Center console, lower part
33
f
Starter switch
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop but-
ton
315
316
g
Steering wheel adjustment
Heated steering wheel*
330
331
h
Headlamp washer button
346
j
Parking brake
364
k
Hood lock release
492
l
Door control panel
39
m
Night View Assist*
420
n
Exterior lamp switch
342

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.

244 Control systemsInstrument cluster control system
Assistance* (
page 252)
Service (
page 253)
Settings (
page 254)
Commands/submenusDisplaying the distance graphic*
(DISTRONIC Plus*)
Call up vehicle malfunction, warning
and system status messages stored in
memory
Set daytime running lamp mode (USA only)
Distance warning function*
activating/deactivating
Check tire inflation pressure
Switch additional speedometer on or off
Switch on the Dynamic Rear View Moni-
tor* automatically
Call up maintenance service display
Switch radar sensors* on or off
Check engine oil level*
i
The headings used in the menus table are
designed to facilitate navigation within the sys-
tem and are not necessarily identical to those
shown in the control system displays. The first function displayed in each menu will au-
tomatically show you which part of the system
you are in.

252 Control systemsInstrument cluster control systemAnswering a call
When your telephone is ready to receive
calls, you can answer a call at any time
with the ignition on. When you are in the
“Telephone” menu, you will see the follow-
ing message on the multifunction display:
Press s.
Ending a call or rejecting an incoming
call

Press t.
Assistance menu*
In the “Assistance” menu, you can change
the settings of your driving systems.
Displaying distance graphic*
Please refer to the “Driving systems” sec-
tion of this manual (
page 385) for in-
structions on how to activate DISTRONIC
Plus*.

Press ( or & to select the
“Assistance” menu.

Press % or $ to select the
“Distance display” function.

Press #.
The DISTRONIC Plus distance graphic
appears on the multifunction display.Distance warning function*
activating/deactivating

Press ( or & to select the
“Assistance” menu.

Press % or $ to select the
“Distance warning” function.

Press #.

Press # again if you would like to
change the current status.
Distance warner : appears on the
left-hand side of the multifunction dis-
play.
For more information (
page 397).
i
The caller’s number appears only if it is
transmitted.
The caller’s name appears only if the number and
the name are stored in the phone book.
i
The menu overview can be found on
(
page 243).

256 Control systemsInstrument cluster control systemSwitching radar sensors* on or off
If your vehicle is equipped with a 24 GHz
radar sensor system, you can switch it on
or off.

Press ( or & to select the “Set-
tings” menu.

Press % or $ to select the “Ra-
dar sensor” function.

Press #.

Press # again if you would like to
change the current status.
Depending on the previous status, the
radar sensors will be switched on or
off.When you switch off the radar sensors, the
following systems are deactivated:


DISTRONIC Plus*


BAS Plus*


Park Assist*


Distance warner*
!
You must switch off the 24 GHz radar sen-
sor system in certain countries and near ra-
dio-astronomical facilities.
i
Please ask an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center where you must switch off the radar sen-
sor system.
i
USA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interfer-
ence, and
(2) this device must accept any interference re-
ceived, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
i
Canada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of Industry
Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference re-
ceived, including interference that may
cause undesired operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
i
The selected status of the radar sensors re-
mains stored in memory even if the engine is
turned off and restarted.
i
Depending on production date, the following
messages may appear in the multifunction dis-
play, when you have switched off the radar sen-
sors and


you attempt to activate DISTRONIC Plus*:
DISTRONIC PLUS
currently unavailable
See Oper. Manual


you attempt to activate Park Assist*:
Park Assist
currently unavailable
See Oper. Manual


you attempt to activate DISTRONIC Plus* or
Park Assist*:
Radar sensor
deactivated
See Oper. Manual
For more information (
page 557).

365 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Manually engaging electric parking
brake
Press handle1.
The red indicator lamp 0 (USA only)
or ! (Canada only) in the instru-
ment cluster comes on.
Automatically engaging electric parking
brake
Your vehicle’s electric parking brake is au-
tomatically engaged when DISTRONIC
Plus* (
page 385) brings your vehicle to a
standstill and at least one of the following
conditions is met:


The engine is switched off


The driver’s door is opened and the
seat belt is not inserted in the belt
buckle


The hood is released


The trunk lid is open while gear R is en-
gaged


The vehicle is parked for an extended
period
The red indicator lamp 0 (USA only) or
! (Canada only) in the instrument clus-
ter comes on.
Emergency braking with electric park-
ing brake
In an emergency situation, you can also
brake your vehicle while driving by using
the electric parking brake.

While driving, press handle for electric
parking brake (
page 364).During the braking procedure, the red indi-
cator lamp 0 (USA only) or !
(Canada only) flashes in the instrument
cluster, the message “Please release park-
ing brake” appears on the multifunction
display and you will hear a warning tone.
Once the vehicle comes to a complete stop
the electronic parking brake will engage.
Turning off the engine
i
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
i
You can also engage the electric parking
brake when the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch.
i
In addition to the electric parking brake,
park position P can be automatically engaged.
i
Your vehicle will be braked for as long as you
press and hold the switch for the electric parking
brake. The longer you keep the electric parking
brake pressed, the more strongly your vehicle
will be braked. This method occurs on all
4 wheels, not just the rear wheels.
Warning!
G
Do not turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. With the en-
gine not running, there is no power assis-
tance for the brake and steering systems. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that
a considerably higher degree of effort is nec-
essary to brake and steer the vehicle.i
With the SmartKey removed from the starter
switch or the engine turned off with
KEYLESS-GO* and the driver’s door open, a
warning sounds if the parking lamps or low beam


370 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionAutomatic transmission positions
The current automatic transmission posi-
tion appears in the tachometer display.
1Current automatic transmission posi-
tion!
If the automatic transmission position fails
in the tachometer display, you should check
whether the gear selector lever is placed in the
desired position while driving off with added cau-
tion. We recommend you to shift the gear selec-
tor lever to positionD. Do not limit the gear
range.
Effect
ì
Park position
Shift into park positionP only
when vehicle is stopped. The
park position is not intended to
serve as a brake when the vehi-
cle is parked. Rather, the driver
should always set the electric
parking brake in addition to shift-
ing into park positionP to secure
the vehicle.
If the vehicle’s electrical system
is malfunctioning, the automatic
transmission could remain
locked in park positionP.
Have the vehicle checked as
soon as possible by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!
SmartKey:
If you turn off the engine using the SmartKey and
remove the SmartKey from the starter switch,
the automatic transmission will shift to park
positionP automatically. Keep in mind that turn-
ing off the engine with the SmartKey alone will
not automatically shift the automatic transmis-
sion to park positionP. Only when the SmartKey
is removed from the starter switch, will the auto-
matic transmission automatically shift to park
positionP.
KEYLESS-GO*:
If you turn off the engine using the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button and open the driver’s door, the
automatic transmission will shift to park
positionP automatically. Keep in mind that turn-
ing off the engine using the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button alone will not automatically
shift the automatic transmission to park
positionP. Only when the driver’s door is
opened, will the automatic transmission auto-
matically shift to park positionP.
DISTRONIC Plus*:
the transmission will shift to park positionP au-
tomatically, only when DISTRONIC Plus brings
your vehicle to a standstill, and when it meets at
least one of the following conditions at the same
time:

the engine is turned off


the driver’s or passenger door opens and the
seat belt is not engaged in the buckle
In addition to shifting to park positionP, the elec-
tric parking brake will be engaged automatically.

380 Controls in detailDriving systemsThe driving systems of your vehicle are de-
scribed on the following pages:

Cruise control and DISTRONIC Plus*,
with which the vehicle can maintain a
preset speed.


Distance warning function* (only avail-
able with DISTRONIC Plus*), which
warns of a stationary obstacle or slow-
er moving vehicle that you are closing
on to quickly.


Airmatic (S 550 only) and ABC* adjust
the vehicle suspension characteristics
automatically and control the vehicle
level.


Parktronic* and Park Assist*, which
serve as a parking assistant.


Dynamic Rear View Monitor* is an
electronic and visual parking aid.


Night View Assist* illuminates the road
with infrared light in addition to the nor-
mal headlamps.For information on the ABS, Adaptive
Brake, BAS, BAS Plus*, EBP, and ESP
® driv-
ing systems, see “Driving safety systems”
(
page 69).
Cruise control
Cruise control automatically maintains the
speed you set for your vehicle.
The use of cruise control is recommended
for driving at a constant speed for extend-
ed periods of time. You can set or resume
cruise control at any speed over 20 mph
(30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
Warning!
G
Cruise control is a convenience system de-
signed to assist the driver during vehicle op-
eration. The driver is and must always
remain responsible for the vehicle’s speed
and for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise control if the road, traffic
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a steady speed.

The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on winding roads or in heavy traffic
because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a steady speed.


The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on slippery roads. Rapid changes in
tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.


Deactivate cruise control when driving
in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.