key MERCEDES-BENZ S550 4MATIC 2008 W221 User Guide

72 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see “Practical hints”
section (
page 604) and (page 612).Electronic traction system
The electronic traction system is a compo-
nent of ESP
®.
The electronic traction system improves
the vehicle’s ability to utilize available trac-
tion, especially under slippery road condi-
tions by applying the brakes to a spinning
wheel.
When you switch off the ESP
®, the elec-
tronic traction system is still enabled.
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.
iDISTRONIC Plus* and cruise control are
switched off when the ESP® engages.
iThe ESP® will only function properly if you
use wheels of the recommended tire size
(
page 718).
!Vehicles without 4MATIC:
Because the ESP® operates automatically, 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 electronic 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.
For information on vehicles with 4MATIC, see
“Four wheel electronic traction system (4MATIC)
with the ESP
®” (page 75).
Warning!G
If you are driving too fast, the electronic
traction system cannot reduce the risk of an
accident.
The electronic traction system cannot pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting
on the vehicle.

76 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
PRE-SAFE® Brake* (vehicles with
DISTRONIC Plus* only)
PRE-SAFE
® Brake* can assist you in mini-
mizing the risk of a rear-end collision with
a vehicle in front of you and in reducing the
severity of an accident. At speeds over ap-
prox 20 mph (30 km/h), it will

warn you of a possible collision

automatically begin to brake the vehi-
cle lightly in a speed range of up to
112 mph (180 km/h)

activate preventative occupant safety
measures (PRE-SAFE®) (page 56)
Warning!G
If you see the ESP® warning lampv
flashing in the speedometer, 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.
!Do not tow with one axle raised.
Otherwise the transfer case can be damaged,
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim-
ited Warranty.
!Performance testing must only be conduct-
ed on a two-axle dynamometer.
Otherwise the transfer case can be damaged,
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim-
ited Warranty.
!Because the ESP® operates automatically,
the engine and the 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.
Active braking action through ESP
® may other-
wise seriously damage the front or rear axle
brake system.
Operational tests with the engine running can
only be conducted on a two-axle dynamometer.
Warning!G
PRE-SAFE® Brake is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The responsibility for the vehicle
speed and the distance to the vehicle ahead,
including most importantly brake operation
to assure safe stopping distance, always re-
mains with the driver.

81 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Anti-theft systems
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
Activating
With the SmartKey: Remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch.
With the KEYLESS-GO*: Turn off the
engine (
page 346) and open the driv-
er’s door.
Deactivating
Switch on the ignition (page 344).
Anti-theft alarm system
Once the alarm system has been armed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered when
someone opens:

a door

the trunk

the hood
The alarm will stay on even if the activating
element (a door, for example) is immedi-
ately closed.
The alarm system will also be triggered
when

the vehicle is opened with the
mechanical key

a door is opened from the inside
To cancel the alarm after it has been trig-
gered, see “Canceling the alarm”
(
page 82).1Indicator lamp
Arming: Lock your vehicle with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO*.
The turn signal lamps flash three times
to indicate that the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp1 flashes to indi-
cate that the alarm system is armed.
iStarting the engine will also deactivate the
immobilizer.
In case the engine cannot be started (yet the ve-
hicle’s battery is charged), the system is not op-
erational. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA), or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
iIf the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Response Center is ini-
tiated automatically by the Tele Aid system
(
page 510) provided Tele Aid service was sub-
scribed to and properly activated, and that nec-
essary mobile phone, power supply and GPS
coverage are available.


82 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Disarming: Unlock your vehicle with
the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO*.
The turn signal lamps flash once to in-
dicate that the alarm system is dis-
armed.
Canceling the alarm
To cancel the alarm, do one of the follow-
ing:
Insert the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* in the starter switch.
Press the Œ or ‹ button on the
SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*.
In vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Grasp an outside door handle.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be within 3 ft (1 m) of the vehicle.
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton (
page 346).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be inside the vehicle.
iIf the turn signal lamps does not flash three
times one of the following elements may not be
properly closed:

a door

the trunk
Close the respective element and lock the vehi-
cle again.
iThe alarm system will rearm automatically
again after approximately 40 seconds if no door
was opened.


85 Control systems
COMAND introduction
COMAND introduction
COMAND (Cockpit Management and Data
System) is an information and operating
center for vehicle sound and communica-
tions systems, including the radio and nav-
igation system, as well as other optional
equipment (satellite radio*, telephone*,
etc.).
Availability of functions while the vehi-
cle is in motion
For safety reasons, certain COMAND func-
tions are not available while the vehicle is
in motion or they are only available to a
limited extent. You will notice this, for ex-
ample, by the fact that certain menu items
cannot be selected or that the COMAND
display shows a corresponding message.
Switching COMAND on or off
Press the o shortcut button in the
center console (
page 86).
COMAND calls up the menu last select-
ed.
COMAND components
In your vehicle, COMAND can be used to
operate:

audio functions

the navigation system

the telephone* and communication
functions (SMS*)

Video DVD (USA only)

various vehicle settings
COMAND consists of the following:

COMAND shortcut buttons

COMAND display

telephone* keypad

COMAND controller
iWhen you switch off COMAND, you also
switch off the currently playing audio source.
During a telephone call, you cannot switch off
COMAND.

88 Control systems
COMAND introduction
Telephone keypad*
With the help of the telephone keypad, you
can use your mobile phone if it is inserted
in the cradle.
1Telephone keypad
2Folding coverCOMAND controller
Use the COMAND controller to select
menu functions shown on the COMAND
display.
1COMAND controllerYou can operate the COMAND controller
as follows:

press briefly or press and hold

rotate to the left or right

slide to the left, right, up, down or
diagonally
In this way, you can move through the
menus, select menu items or exit menus.
You can move through the menus either by
rotating or sliding the controller.
Operating COMAND controller

96 Control systems
COMAND introduction
Main menus of COMAND
Sound
Muting: Press the F shortcut but-
ton in the center console (
page 86).
The sound of the current audio source
is switched on or is muted.Switching off navigation announce-
ments entirely
Canceling navigation message:
Briefly press F shortcut button dur-
ing an announcement.
Switching off navigation messages:
Press and hold F during an an-
nouncement until the announcement is
switched off.
You will see the message “The driving
instructions have been muted.” for a
short while.Adjusting volume
1Thumbwheel
Adjusting: Turn, thumbwheel.
The volume of the currently selected
audio source changes.
iThe components and operating principles of
COMAND can be found on (
page 85).
iWhen the sound is muted, you will see the
symbol
F in the status line. When you
change the audio source, the sound is automati-
cally switched on. You will be able to hear an-
nouncements from the navigation system even
when the sound is muted.
iThe announcements remain switched off
even if you start a new route guidance or if
COMAND is switched off/on with theo but-
ton.
If you switch COMAND off by removing the
SmartKey from the starter switch and then
switch the ignition back on after more than
3 minutes, the announcements are automatical-
ly switched back on.

132 Control systems
COMAND telephone*
Safety precautions
General notes
Calls disconnected while the vehicle is
in motion
A call may be disconnected if:

there is insufficient network coverage

you move from one transmitter/receiv-
er area (cell) into another and no chan-
nels are free or the cell is fullOperating options
When the mobile phone is inserted in the
cradle, you can operate the telephone us-
ing the following devices:

mobile phone keypad

COMAND telephone keypad

buttonss andt on the multi-
function steering wheel (
page 265)

Voice Control* (page 289)

Bluetooth® headset (page 146)
Warning!G
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a cellular telephone while driving.
Whether or not prohibited by law, for safety
reasons, the driver should not use the cellu-
lar telephone while the vehicle is in motion.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location before
placing or answering a call.
If you nonetheless choose to use the mobile
phone
1 while driving, please use the hands-
free feature and be sure to pay attention to
the traffic situation at all times. Use the mo-
bile phone only when road, weather and traf-
fic conditions permit. Otherwise, you may
not be able to observe traffic conditions and
could endanger yourself and others.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approxima-
tely 14 m) every second.
1Observe all legal requirements.
Warning!G
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury.
iThe components and operating principles of
COMAND can be found on (
page 85) and
(
page 94).
iVarious mobile phone cradles can be in-
stalled in the front center armrest, see separate
installation instructions for the mobile phone
cradle. These mobile phone cradles can be ob-
tained from an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter. For more information about telephone
(
page 507).

133 Control systems
COMAND telephone*
Please note that these functions are only
available with Mercedes-Benz approved
mobile phones. Please contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for informa-
tion on features available for your mobile
phone of choice.
You can control other functions of the mo-
bile phone via the COMAND, instrument
cluster control system (
page 276) or
Voice Control*.
The descriptions in this section assume
that the mobile phone is inserted in the
cradle. Exceptions to this are clearly stat-
ed.
Unless otherwise indicated, the descrip-
tions and illustrations in this section refer
to COMAND and the telephone keypad.Operation using the mobile phone and
Bluetooth
® headset is described in the re-
spective separate Operating Instructions.
Caller ID
COMAND can display the telephone num-
ber and the name of the caller, e.g. for an
incoming call and also in other menus or
displays.
For the telephone number to be displayed,
the caller must transmit their telephone
number.
This is also the case for name displays. For
this, the telephone number and the name
of the caller must also be saved in the mo-
bile phone book.Functional restrictions
You will not be able to use the telephone,
or you may have to wait a while, in the fol-
lowing situations:

If the telephone has not yet logged into
the network.
The telephone automatically tries to
log into a network. If no network is
available, you will also not be able to
make a “911” emergency call.
If you attempt to make an outgoing call,
the “No Service” message will appear
for a short while.

If the mobile phone is not inserted in
the cradle.

SIM card is not inserted in GSM type
phone.
iIn order for the functions described in this
section to work correctly, the Bluetooth® head-
set must be linked to COMAND (
page 239).
Please make sure any Bluetooth® headset linked
with the mobile phone is switched off or that the
headset is linked with COMAND before you in-
sert the mobile phone in the cradle (
page 507)
and use the telephone functions with COMAND.
iThe roof cargo container* may impair mo-
bile phone reception. In an emergency, remove
the mobile phone from the mobile phone cradle
(
page 507) to make a call.

134 Control systems
COMAND telephone*
Notes about COMAND telephone fea-
tures using a Bluetooth® connection
Many of the Mercedes-Benz approved mo-
bile phones, cradles and adaptors avail-
able for use in your vehicle utilize
Bluetooth
® technology to communicate
with each other and the vehicle. Depend-
ing on your phone brand and model, the
number of in-vehicle or on-display
COMAND telephone features supported
via Bluetooth
® communication, and thus
available for your use, may vary.
The descriptions and illustrations in this
section are based on the use of fully com-
patible Mercedes-Benz approved mobile
phones and cradles that do not utilize Blue-
tooth
® technology to communicate with
each other. If your vehicle is equipped with
integrated Bluetooth
® functionality than a
Bluetooth® capable mobile phone, head-
set, Laptop, PDA, etc. is required to utilize
those features.
For additional information about
Mercedes-Benz approved Bluetooth
® mo-
bile phones and related accessories please contact the Mercedes-Benz Customer As-
sistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
or your nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Switching telephone on or off
Switching on: Insert mobile phone
into cradle when COMAND is switched
on.
or
Switch on the mobile phone
(see mobile phone operating instruc-
tions).
Switching off: Select “Telephone”

“Telephone”
“Telephone OFF”.
or
Switch off mobile phone (see mobile
phone operating instructions).
Activating telephone mode
Select “Telephone”
“Telephone”

“Telephone”.
or
Press s on telephone keypad.
Telephone keypad
1Telephone keypad
2Folding cover