cooling 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

229 Control systems
COMAND automatic climate control
COMAND automatic climate control
You can operate the automatic climate
control via COMAND or via the buttons on
the front and rear* automatic climate con-
trol panel (
page 424).
The following automatic climate control
functions can be operated via COMAND:The automatic climate control menu is
called up via the climate control settings.
Climate control settings with functions
(submenus)1Temperature, left
2Air distribution, left
3Air volume, left
4Central menu, climate control
5Air volume, right
6Air distribution, right
7Temperature, right
i
The components and operating principles of
COMAND can be found on (
page 79).
Warning!
G
When operating the automatic climate con-
trol, the air that enters the passenger com-
partment through the air vents can be very
hot or very cold (depending on the set tem-
perature). This may cause burns or frostbite
to unprotected skin in the immediate area of
the air vents.
Always keep sufficient distance between un-
protected parts of the body and the air
vents. If necessary, use the air distribution
adjustment (
page 230) to direct the air to
air vents in the vehicle interior that are not
in the immediate area of unprotected skin.
Warning!
G
Follow the recommended settings for heat-
ing and cooling given on the following pages
and pages in the “Controls in detail” part
(page 424) Otherwise the windows could
fog up, impairing visibility and endangering
you and others.
Function
Page
Temperature
230
Air distribution
230
Air volume
230
Switching off cooling (“AC
OFF”)
231
Central climate control (“Mono”)
232
Footwell temperature
232
Air flow from air vents
233
Rear climate control*
234

231 Control systems
COMAND automatic climate control

Changing air volume: Slide qmr or
rotate ymz.

Exiting menu: Press n, back
buttonL in the center console
(page 80) or slideomp.
The setting is saved.
Central climate control menu via
COMAND
The central climate control menu is in the
center of the climate control settings.
When the automatic climate control is
switched on, you will see “on” in the cen-tral menu. The following functions can only
be operated in the central climate control
menu via COMAND:

Select climate control settings
Cen-
tral menu.Switching cooling on or off
The cooling function, only operational
when the engine is running, cools the vehi-
cle interior down to the selected tempera-
ture. The cooling function also
dehumidifies the air in the vehicle interior,
thus preventing the windows from fogging
up.
The “AC
OFF” function is used to permanent-
ly switch off the cooling function of the au-
tomatic climate control system.
Function
Page
Switching off cooling (“AC
OFF”)
231
Central climate control (“Mono”)
232
Footwell temperature
232
Air flow from air vents
233
Rear climate control
234
i
Condensation may drip out from underneath
the vehicle. This is normal and not an indication
of a malfunction.Warning!
G
If you turn off the cooling function, the
vehicle will not be cooled when weather
conditions are warm. The windows can fog
up more quickly. Window fogging may
impair visibility and endanger you and
others.

232 Control systemsCOMAND automatic climate control
Select climate control settings
Cen-
tral climate control menu.

Selecting “AC
OFF”: Slide qmr or
rotateymz.

Confirming selection: Press n.
A checkmark appears when the cooling
is switched off.
“AC
OFF” appears in the central menu of
the climate control settings.Selecting “Mono” mode
“Mono” is used to adjust the climate zones
for the entire vehicle at the same time.
When the “Mono” function is switched on
and you change the climate on the driver’s
side, these changes will be carried out in
the same manner for all climate zones.

Select climate control settings
Cen-
tral climate control menu.

Selecting “Mono”: Slide qmr or
rotateymz.

Confirming selection: Press n.
A checkmark appears when the func-
tion has been selected.

Exiting menu: Press back button L
in the center console (
page 80) or
slideomp.The “Mono” function is automatically
switched off when you:


change an automatic climate control
setting for the front passenger’s side
using COMAND


operate a button from the automatic
climate control for the front passen-
ger’s side


operate one of the buttons for the rear
climate control system.
Adjusting footwell temperature
The “Footwell Temperature” function is
used to adjust the temperature difference
between the footwell and the rest of the
passenger compartment.
The higher the selected value, the higher
the temperature in the footwell will be.

Select climate control settings
Cen-
tral climate control menu.
!
If the air conditioning cannot be turned on
again, this indicates that the air conditioning is
losing refrigerant. The compressor has turned it-
self off.
Have the air conditioning checked at the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
i
In automatic mode, this setting optimizes
the footwell temperature when outside tempera-
tures are low.

233 Control systems
COMAND automatic climate control

Selecting “Footwell Temperature”:
Slide qmr or rotate ymz and then
pressn.

Changing temperature difference:
Slide qmr or rotate ymz.

Exiting menu: Press n, back
buttonL in the center console
(page 80) or slideomp.
The setting is saved.Adjusting air flow from air vents
The “Airflow” setting defines air distribu-
tion and air volume in automatic mode:


“Focused” (default setting, increased
air flow)


“Medium” (reduced air flow)


“Diffuse” (minimal air flow)

Select climate control settings
Cen-
tral climate control menu
“Airflow”.
A selection list appears.
The current setting is indicated by a
dotR.

Changing air flow: Slide qmr or
rotateymz.

Confirming selection: Press n.
i
In automatic mode, this setting optimizes
the air flow when outside temperatures are high.
i
When the interior ambient temperature of
the vehicle is very hot and the automatic climate
control is cooling the interior, the setting for air
flow is temporarily overridden.

363 Controls in detail
Driving and parking

Have the problem repaired by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
The coolant temperature is above
248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.

Stop the vehicle in a safe location as
soon as possible and turn off the en-
gine. Allow engine and coolant to cool.

Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 497).
In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:

Do not start the engine under any cir-
cumstances.

Move away from vehicle.

Notify local fire and/or police authori-
ties.
If the extent of the damage cannot be de-
termined:

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If no damage can be determined on the


major assemblies


fuel system


engine mount:

Start the engine in the usual manner.
Parking
i
Excessive coolant temperatures trigger a
warning message in the multifunction display
(
page 588).
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and the
steering systems. In this case, it is impor-
tant to keep in mind that a considerably
higher degree of effort is necessary to brake
and steer the vehicle.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay, or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Press the parking brake handle.


Shift the automatic transmission to P.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.


Turn the SmartKey to starter switch
position0 and remove, or press
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button
(page 317).


Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* with you and lock vehicle
when leaving.

427 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control
The automatic climate control is operation-
al whenever the engine is running. You can
operate the climate control system in ei-
ther the automatic or manual mode. The
system cools or heats the interior depend-
ing on the selected interior temperature
and the current outside temperature.
It can only function optimally when you are
driving with the windows and the tilt/slid-
ing sunroof/panorama sunroof* closed.
It is possible to completely deactivate the
climate control system (
page 428). Nearly all dust particles, pollutants and
odors are filtered out before outside air en-
ters the passenger compartment through
the air distribution system.The following automatic climate control
functions can be operated via COMAND:
i
If you have the air distribution and air vol-
ume automatically controlled, you can adjust the
temperature, footwell temperature and air flow.
The following basic settings are recommended:


Automatic air distribution control
(page 428)


Temperature: 72°F (22°C) (
page 429)


Footwell temperature: 0 (
page 232)


Air flow: focused (
page 233)
Warning!
G
Follow the recommended settings for heat-
ing and cooling given on the following pages
and in the “COMAND automatic climate
control” section (
page 229). Otherwise
the windows could fog up, impairing visibili-
ty and endangering you and others.
i
Severe conditions (e.g. strong air pollution)
may require replacement of the filter before its
scheduled interval. A clogged filter will reduce
the air volume to the interior.
If the vehicle interior is hot, ventilate the interior
before driving off, see “Summer opening fea-
ture” (page 355). The automatic climate con-
trol will then adjust the interior temperature to
the set value much faster.
Keep the air intake grille in front of the wind-
shield free of snow, leaves, sticks, and any other
debris.
Do not obstruct air volume by placing objects on
the air volume-through exhaust slots below the
rear window.Function
Page
Temperature
230
Air distribution
230
Air volume
230
Switching off cooling (“AC
OFF”)
231
Central climate control (“Mono”)
232
Footwell temperature
232
Air flow from air vents
233
Rear climate control*
234

430 Controls in detailAutomatic climate controlDeactivating
Press button; (
page 426) up or
down.
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
The previous settings are once again in
effect, except air recirculation mode
stays off.
Windshield fogged on the outside

Switch the windshield wipers on
(page 351).

Press buttonU (
page 426) up or
down.
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
Rear window defroster
Activating
Switch on the ignition (
page 315).

Press button< (
page 426) up or
down.
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
Deactivating

Press button< (
page 426) up or
down.
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
Maximum cooling MAXCOOL (USA only)
If U is selected on both the left and
right side and there is a high demand for
cooling, the display “MAXCOOL” appears
in the COMAND display.
This provides the fastest possible cooling
of the vehicle interior (when windows and
tilt/sliding sunroof or tilt/sliding panel*
are closed).
!
The rear window defroster uses a large
amount of power. To keep battery drain to a min-
imum, switch off the defroster as soon as the
rear window is clear.
i
The defroster is automatically deactivated
after some time of operation depending on the
outside temperature.Warning!
G
Any accumulation of snow and ice should be
removed from the rear window before driv-
ing. Visibility could otherwise be impaired,
endangering you and others.
i
If the rear window defroster switches off too
soon and the indicator lamp goes out, this indi-
cates that too many electrical consumers are op-
erating simultaneously and the load on the
battery is reducing available voltage. The system
responds automatically by deactivating the rear
window defroster.
i
Maximum cooling MAXCOOL is only avail-
able when the engine is running.

434 Controls in detailAutomatic climate controlRear passenger compartment adjust-able air vents
Rear center console air vents
1Left center air vent, adjustable
2Right center air vent, adjustable
3Thumbwheel for right center air vents
4Thumbwheel for left center air vents
Opening/closing air vents:
Turn thumbwheel3 or 4.Rear passenger compartment climate
control*
Automatic climate control panel, rear
i
Vehicles without rear passenger compart-
ment climate control*:
The temperature at the air vents for rear passen-
ger compartment1 and2 will be approxi-
mately the same as at the dashboard center air
vents.
Warning!
G
Follow the recommended settings for heat-
ing and cooling as given in the instructions
for the front climate control (
page 424).
Otherwise the windows could fog up, impair-
ing visibility for the driver and endangering
you and others.
i
At low outside temperatures or if you have
switched off the cooling function, you cannot
cool the rear passenger compartment.
Item
1
Temperature control, left
2
Air distribution, left
(automatic, manual)
3
Air volume (automatic, manual)
4
Mode selector
5
Air distribution, right
(automatic, manual)
6
Temperature control, right

497 Operation
Engine compartment
Example illustration from S 5501Filler cap
Unscrew filler cap1 from filler neck.

Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.

Screw filler cap1 back on filler neck.For more information on engine, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 661) and
(
page 663).
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
check the automatic transmission.Active Body Control* (ABC*) fluid level
Regular fluid level check is not required. If
you notice fluid leaks or malfunction mes-
sages in the multifunction display, have an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center check
the ABC-system.
Coolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze. To check
the coolant level, the vehicle must be
parked on level ground and the engine
must be cool.
!
Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It will cause damage to the engine and catalytic
converter not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
In order to avoid any possibly serious burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.


Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°C). Allow engine to
cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.