MERCEDES-BENZ S550 4MATIC 2008 W221 Owner's Manual

390 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
For more information on how to operate
the gear selector lever, see “Automatic
transmission” (
page 399).
Starting with the SmartKey
Make sure the automatic transmission
is set toP.
The gear position indicator in the multi-
function display should be on P.
Do not depress accelerator.
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position3 and hold until the engine
starts (
page 344).
For information on turning off the engine
with the SmartKey, see “Turning off the en-
gine” (
page 397).Starting with KEYLESS-GO*
You can start your vehicle without the
SmartKey in the starter switch using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button on the
starter switch.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be
located in the vehicle.
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
1USA only
2Canada only
Make sure KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button is inserted in the starter switch
(
page 345).
Make sure the automatic transmission
is set toP.
The gear position indicator in the multi-
function display should be onP.
Depress the brake pedal during the
starting procedure.
Do not depress accelerator.
iYou can also use the “touch-start” function.
Turn the SmartKey to position3 and release it
again immediately. The engine then starts auto-
matically.
iYou can also start the engine with the auto-
matic transmission set to N.
Warning!G
As long as the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
is in your vehicle, the vehicle can be started.
Therefore, never leave children unattended
in the vehicle, as they could otherwise acci-
dentally start the engine.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO with you and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised ac-
cess to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

391 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
once.
The engine starts if the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO is in the vehicle.
For information on turning off the engine
with KEYLESS-GO, see “Turning off the en-
gine” (
page 397).Starting difficulties
The engine does not start. You can hear
the starter.
There could be a malfunction

in the engine electronics, or

in the fuel supply system
Carry out the following steps:
If you are starting the engine with the
SmartKey: Turn SmartKey in starter
switch to position0 and repeat starting
procedure (
page 389).
If you are starting the engine with
KEYLESS-GO*: Close any doors that
may be open to allow for better detec-
tion of the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*.
or
Remove the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button from starter switch.
Start the engine with the SmartKey as
radio signals from another source may
be interfering with the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*.
Repeat the starting procedure
(
page 389).
If the engine does not start after several
starting attempts:
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call Roadside Assistance.
The engine does not start. You cannot
hear the starter.
The battery may not be sufficiently
charged.
Get a jump start (page 697).
If the engine will not start despite a jump
start:
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call Roadside Assistance.
iYou can also start the engine with the auto-
matic transmission set to N.
iIf you wish to start the vehicle with the
SmartKey instead of the KEYLESS-GO feature,
remove the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button from
the starter switch and proceed as described in
“Starting with the SmartKey” (
page 390).
!Remember that extended starting attempts
can drain the battery.

392 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Driving off
Depress the brake pedal.
The gear selector lever can now be
used.
Shift automatic transmission toD orR.
Release the brake pedal.
Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.
The electronic parking brake is auto-
matically released (
page 395).
The red brake warning lamp 0
(USA only) or ! (Canada only) in the
instrument cluster goes out.After a cold start, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts at a higher engine revolution.
This allows the catalytic converter to reach
its operating temperature earlier.
iWait for the gear selection process to com-
plete before setting the vehicle in motion.
iShifting from gear positionP to positionR,
N, orD is only possible with the brake pedal de-
pressed. Without the brake pedal depressed, the
gear selector lever can be moved, but the park-
ing pawl remains engaged, not allowing shifting
to occur.
!If you hear a warning signal, the red indica-
tor lamp 0 (USA only) or ! (Canada only)
in the instrument cluster flashes and the mes-
sage “Please release parking brake” appears in
the multifunction display when driving off, you
are driving with the electronic parking brake en-
gaged, or you are carrying out an emergency
brake application with the electronic parking
brake.
Release the electronic parking brake
(
page 395).
iOnce the vehicle is in motion, the automatic
central locking system engages and the locking
knobs in the doors move down.
The automatic door lock feature can be deacti-
vated (
page 245).
You can open a locked door from the inside.
Open door only when conditions are safe to do
so.
Warning!G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.
Warning!G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector le-
ver out of P or N if the engine speed is high-
er than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly
on the brake pedal, the vehicle could accel-
erate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
!Shift the automatic transmission toP orR
only when the vehicle is stopped in order to avoid
damaging the transmission.

393 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
For more information, see “Driving instruc-
tions” (
page 527).
Turn signals
Combination switch
1Turn signals, right
2Turn signals, left
Press the combination switch in the
direction of arrow1 or2.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lampL orK in the instrument
cluster flashes (
page 28).
The combination switch resets automati-
cally after major steering wheel move-
ments.
Problems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires

An ignition cable may be damaged.

The engine electronics may not be op-
erating properly.

Unburned gasoline may have entered
the catalytic converter and damaged it.
Give very little gas.
Have the problem repaired by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
!Do not run cold engine at high engine
speeds. Running a cold engine at high engine
speeds may shorten the service life of the en-
gine. This is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG only:
At engine temperatures below 68°F (20° C), the
maximum speed is restricted in order to protect
the engine. Avoid driving the vehicle at full speed
while the engine is cold in order to prevent pre-
mature engine wear as well as diminished com-
fort.
!Simultaneously depressing the accelerator
pedal and applying the brakes reduces engine
performance and causes premature brake and
drivetrain wear which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
iTo signal minor directional changes such as
changing lanes, press combination switch only
to point of resistance and release. The corre-
sponding turn signals will flash three times.

394 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
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
off.
Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 547).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
iExcessive coolant temperatures trigger a
warning message in the multifunction display
(
page 646).
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:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.

Engage electronic parking brake.

395 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Electronic parking brake1Handle for electronic parking brake
Manually releasing electronic parking
brake
Pull handle1.
The red indicator lamp 0 (USA only)
or ! (Canada only) in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
You cannot release the electronic parking
brake until the ignition is switched on.

Shift the automatic transmission toP.

Slowly release brake pedal.

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 346).

Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* with you and lock vehicle
when leaving.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Children could release the
electronic parking brake and/or shift the
automatic transmission out of
park positionP, either of which could result
in an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
Warning!G
Getting out of your vehicle with the automat-
ic transmission not fully engaged in park
positionPis dangerous. Also, when parked
on an incline, park position P alone may not
prevent your vehicle from moving, possibly
hitting people or objects.
Always engage the electronic parking brake
in addition to shifting to park positionP
(
page 389).
W h e n p a r k e d o n a n i n c line, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.

396 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Automatically releasing electronic park-
ing brake
Your vehicle’s electronic parking brake is
automatically released when:

The engine is running.

Transmission is in position D or R.

The hood is closed.

You have fastened your seat belt.

You step on the accelerator pedal.
If reverse gear R is engaged, the trunk
must be closed. Manually engaging electronic parking
brake
Press handle1.
The red indicator lamp 0 (USA only)
or ! (Canada only) in the instru-
ment cluster comes on.Automatically engaging electronic park-
ing brake* (USA only)
Your vehicle’s electronic parking brake is
automatically engaged when DISTRONIC
Plus* (
page 424) 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 seat belt
buckle.

The hood is released.

The trunk lid is open while reverse
gearR is engaged.

The vehicle is parked for an extended
period of time.
The red indicator lamp 0 (USA only) or
! (Canada only) in the instrument clus-
ter comes on.
iIf you have not fastened your seat belt, the
following conditions must be met in order for the
electronic parking brake to be automatically re-
leased:

The driver’s door is closed.

You must move the gear selector out of P po-
sition or drive faster than 2 mph (3 km/h).
iYou can also engage the electronic parking
brake when the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch.
iIn addition to the electronic parking brake,
park position P can be automatically engaged.

397 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Emergency braking with electronic
parking brake
In an emergency situation, you can also
brake your vehicle while driving by using
the electronic parking brake.
While driving, press handle for elec-
tronic parking brake (
page 395).
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
Shift the automatic transmission toP
(
page 403).Turning off with SmartKey
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 (
page 344) and remove
it.
The immobilizer is activated.
iYour vehicle will be braked for as long as you
press and hold the switch for the electronic park-
ing brake. The longer you keep the electronic
parking brake pressed, the more strongly your
vehicle will be braked. This method occurs on all
4 wheels, not just the rear wheels.
iIf the engine cannot be turned off as de-
scribed, see “Emergency engine shut-down”
(
page 707).
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.
!Observe instructions

when taking the vehicle through an
automatic conveyor type car wash
(
page 588)

when towing the vehicle (page 702)
!If you turn off the engine using the
SmartKey and

remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or

open a front door
the transmission will shift to park positionP
automatically.
Keep in mind that turning off the engine with the
SmartKey alone only will automatically shift the
transmission to neutral positionN.

398 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Turning off with KEYLESS-GO*
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button (
page 346) to turn off the en-
gine.
With the driver’s door closed, the start-
er switch is now in position1. With the
driver’s door opened, the starter switch
is set to position0, same as SmartKey
removed from starter switch
(
page 344).
Releasing seat belts
Press the seat belt release button
(
page 369).
Allow the retractor to completely re-
wind the seat belt by guiding the latch
plate.
iIn an emergency you can turn off the engine
while driving by pressing and holding the
KEYLESS-GO start/ stop button for approxi-
mately 3 seconds.
!KEYLESS-GO*:
If you turn off the engine using the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button and open a front door, the
transmission will shift to park positionP
automatically.
Keep in mind that turning off the engine using
the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button alone only
will automatically shift the transmission to
neutral positionN.
!Make sure the seat belt retracts fully so that
the seat belt and/or latch plate cannot get
caught or pinched in the door or in the seat
mechanism. This can damage the seat belt and
impair the effectiveness of the seat belt, and/or
cause damage to the door and/or door trim pan-
el. Such damage is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Damaged seat belts must be replaced. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

399 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
For more information on driving with an
automatic transmission, see “Driving and
parking” (
page 389).
Your vehicle’s transmission adapts its gear
shifting process to your individual driving
style by continually adjusting the shift
points up or down. These shift point adjust-
ments are performed based on current
operating and driving conditions.
If the operating conditions change, the
automatic transmission reacts by
adjusting its shift program.
Gear selector lever
The gear selector lever is located on the
right of the steering column.
Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmission
PPark position
RReverse gear
NNeutral
DDrive position
iDuring the brief warm-up, transmission
upshifting is delayed. This allows the catalytic
converter to heat up more quickly to operating
temperature.
Warning!G
Make sure that absolutely no objects are
obstructing the pedals’ range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta-
cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in
the footwell, make sure that the pedals still
have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate. This could lead to accidents and
injury.