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

670 Practical hints
Where will I find ...?
Minispare wheel
The Minispare wheel is stored in the com-
partment underneath the trunk floor.
1Minispare wheel with spare wheel bolts
in container on wheel rim
2Luggage bowl
3Vehicle tool kit, jack and collapsible
wheel chock
Removing the Minispare wheel
Turn luggage bowl2 counterclock-
wise.
Remove Minispare wheel1.Setting up the collapsible wheel chock
The collapsible wheel chock serves to
additionally secure the vehicle, e.g. while
changing the wheel.
1Tilt the plates upward
2Fold the lower plate outward
3Insert the plate
Tilt both plates upward1.
Fold the lower plate outward2.
Guide the tabs of the lower plate all the
way into the openings of the base
plate3.
For information on where to place wheel
chocks when changing a wheel, see “Lift-
ing the vehicle” (
page 687).

671 Practical hints
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Unlocking the vehicle
If you cannot unlock the vehicle with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO*, unlock the
driver’s door and the trunk using the me-
chanical key. Removing the mechanical key
1Mechanical key locking tab
2Mechanical key
Move locking tab1 in the direction of
arrow.
Slide mechanical key2 out of the
housing.Unlocking the driver’s door
Insert mechanical key2 into the driv-
er’s door lock until it stops.
Turn mechanical key2 counterclock-
wise to position 1 and hold it there.
Pull the door handle until the locking
knob moves up.
The driver’s door is unlocked.
Pull the door handle once more to open
the driver’s door.
iUnlocking the vehicle with the mechanical
key and opening the driver’s door or the trunk
with the mechanical key will trigger the anti-theft
alarm system (
page 81).
To cancel the alarm, insert the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* in the starter
switch.
1Unlocking
2Mechanical key

672 Practical hints
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Unlocking the trunk
A minimum height clearance of 6.0 ft
(1.8 m) is required to open the trunk lid.
Insert the mechanical key2 into the
trunk lid lock until it stops.
Turn mechanical key2 all the way
counterclockwise to position 1.
The trunk opens.
Turn the mechanical key2 back and
remove it from the trunk lid lock.
Locking the vehicle
If you cannot lock the vehicle with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO*, do the follow-
ing:
Close the front passenger door, the
rear right door and the trunk.
Open the driver’s door and the rear left
door.
Press the central locking switch on the
driver’s door (
page 343).
The locking knobs of the front passen-
ger door and the rear doors move
down.
If the vehicle battery is disconnected or
drained:
Press down the locking knobs of
the front passenger door and the
rear doors manually.
Exit the vehicle.
Check whether the trunk is locked.
If necessary, lock the trunk with the
mechanical key (
page 484).
Close the driver’s door.
Enter the vehicle through the rear left
door.
Press down the locking knob of the
driver’s door.
Exit the vehicle.
Close the rear left door.
The vehicle is locked.
1Unlocking in an emergency
2Mechanical key
!The trunk lid swings open upwards automat-
ically. Always make sure that there is sufficient
overhead clearance.
iIf you cannot close the trunk with the re-
mote trunk opening/closing* switch, lower the
trunk lid manually and close it with hands placed
flat on the trunk lid until it is engaged in its lock.
!To prevent inadvertent lockout, make sure
to have the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* with you before proceeding with
the next step. The next step will lock the vehicle.
iThis procedure does not arm the anti-theft
alarm system nor does it lock the fuel filler flap.

673 Practical hints
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Mechanically releasing the electronic
parking brake
Depending on vehicle production date your
vehicle may be equipped with a mechani-
cal release device for releasing the elec-
tronic parking brake. It is located behind
the fuel filler flap next to the fuel cap.
1Protective cap
2Release tool
3Pulling
Shift the automatic transmission to P
(
page 399).
Prevent the vehicle from rolling away
by blocking a rear wheel with the wheel
chock. A wheel chock is included with
the vehicle tool kit (
page 668).
Open fuel filler flap.
Remove protective cap1.
Screw release tool2 from vehicle tool
kit clockwise 2 to 3 rotations onto re-
lease cable.
Pull release tool2 in direction of
arrow3.
The electronic parking brake is re-
leased. The red indicator lamp0
(USA only) or! (Canada only) flash-
es. The message “Parking brake See
Oper. Manual” appears on the multi-
function display.
Unscrew release tool2 from release
cable.
Reattach protective cap1.
Store release tool2 in vehicle tool kit.
After it has been unlocked, you can engage
the electronic parking brake again from
the driver’s seat.
Press the electronic parking brake han-
dle (
page 395).
iIf your vehicle is not equipped a mechanical
release device for releasing the electronic park-
ing brake contact Roadside Assistance or an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
If you mechanically release the electronic
parking brake, the vehicle may start to move
on its own. Make sure that no one is in front
of or behind the vehicle. Otherwise, an acci-
dent could occur resulting in injury or fatali-
ty. Before releasing the electronic parking
brake, shift the automatic transmission to P
(
page 399) and secure your vehicle in
place using the chock from the vehicle tool
kit.
iIf the electronic parking brake is not re-
leased, pull the release tool again with more
force.

674 Practical hints
Opening/closing in an emergency
Power tilt/sliding sunroof or panorama
roof with power tilt/sliding panel*
Depending on vehicle production date your
vehicle may be equipped with a crank to
open or close the tilt/sliding sunroof or
tilt/sliding panel manually should an elec-
trical malfunction occur.The drive mechanism is behind the left sun
visor.
1Cover
Remove cover1.
2Crank
Take crank2 from the Operator’s
Manual pouch.
Switch on the ignition.
Insert crank2 through the hole.
Turn crank2 clockwise to:

slide roof panel/sunroof closed

raise roof panel/sunroof at the rear
Turn crank2 counterclockwise to:

slide roof panel/sunroof open

lower roof panel/sunroof at the
rear
iIf your vehicle is not equipped with a crank
and you cannot open or close the tilt/sliding
sunroof or tilt/sliding panel due to a malfunction
contact Roadside Assistance or an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
iTurn crank2 slowly and smoothly.
The tilt/sliding sunroof (
page 488) or tilt/slid-
ing panel (
page 492) must be synchronized af-
ter being operated manually.

675 Practical hints
Resetting activated head restraints
Resetting activated head restraints
If the active head restraints (front seats)
have been triggered in an accident, the ac-
tive head restraints must be reset. Other-
wise, the active head restraints cannot
offer any additional protection in the event
of another rear-end collision.
You can tell that the head restraints have
been triggered when they have been
moved forward and cannot be adjusted.
Take reset tool1 out of the
Mercedes-Benz vehicle literature
pouch.
Guide reset tool1 into center of head
restraint between head restraint cush-
ion and rear head restraint cover.
Press reset tool1 forward in direction
of arrow.
Press reset tool downward until you
hear the head restraint release
mechanism audibly engage.
Pull out reset tool1.
Firmly press head restraint cushion
backward towards the rear of the vehi-
cle until it engages.
Repeat this procedure on the active
head restraints for second head re-
straint.
For information on active head restraints,
see “Active head restraints” (
page 55).
For information on head restraint adjust-
ment, see “Head restraints” (
page 353).
iFor your convenience, we recommend that
you have this work carried out by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
You will find the reset tool for manually operating
the head restraints in the Mercedes-Benz vehicle
literature pouch.
Warning!G
For safety reasons, have the active head
restraints checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center after a rear-end
collision.
Warning!G
When pushing back the head restraint cush-
ion, take care that your fingers do not be-
come caught between the head restraint
cushion and the cover. Failing to do so may
lead to injury.
!Be careful not to damage upholstery.

676 Practical hints
Replacing SmartKey batteries
If the batteries in the SmartKey/SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* are discharged, the ve-
hicle can no longer be locked or unlocked.
It is recommended to have the batteries re-
placed at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.Batteries contain materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly.
Recycling of batteries is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states require
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries
for recycling.
Replacement batteries: Lithium, type
CR 2025 or equivalent.
Remove the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey/SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* (
page 671).1Mechanical key
2Battery compartment
Insert mechanical key 1 into opening.
Press mechanical key 1 in direction of
arrow.
The battery compartment is unlatched.
Pull battery compartment 2 out of the
housing.
Warning!G
Batteries contain poisonous and corrosive
substances. Therefore keep the batteries
out of reach of children.
If a battery is swallowed, seek medical help
immediately.
iWhen inserting the batteries, make sure
they are clean and free of lint.
iWhen changing batteries, always replace
both batteries.
The required replacement batteries are available
at any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

677 Practical hints
Replacing SmartKey batteries
3Batteries
4Contact springs
Pull out batteries3.
Using a line-free cloth, insert new bat-
teries 3 under contact springs 4 with
the positive terminal (+) side facing up.
Return battery compartment 2 into
housing until it locks into place.
Slide the mechanical key back into the
SmartKey/SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*.
Check the operation of the SmartKey/
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.

678 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Safe vehicle operation depends on proper
exterior lighting and signaling. It is there-
fore essential that all bulbs and lamp as-
semblies are in good working order at all
times.
Correct headlamp adjustment is extremely
important. Have headlamps checked and
readjusted at regular intervals and when a
bulb has been replaced. Contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for headlamp
adjustment.iIf the headlamps or front fog lamps are
fogged up on the inside as a result of high humid-
ity, driving the vehicle a distance with the lights
on should clear up the fogging.iSubstitute bulbs will be brought into use
when the following lamps malfunction:

Brake lamps

Rear fog lamps

Front parking lamps

Tail lamps

Turn signal lamps
Read and observe messages in the multifunction
display (
page 612).

679 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Bulbs Front lamps Rear lamps
LampType
1Bi-Xenon headlamp:
Low and high beam
lamp
1
1Bi-Xenon headlamps: Low beam and high beam
use the same D1S-35W lamp. Do not replace the
Bi-Xenon bulbs yourself. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
D1S-35 W
2Additional turn signal
lampLED
3Parking and standing
lampW5W
4Side marker lampW5W
5Bi-Xenon headlamp:
High beam flasher lampH7-55 W
IR emitter* (for Night
View Assist*)H11-55 W
6Corner-illuminating
lampH7-55 W
7Fog lampH11-55 W
8Turn signal lampPY 24 W
LampType
9High mounted brake
lampLED
aTurn signal lampHiP 16 W
bBrake lamp/tail lamp
and standing lampLED
cLicense plate lampW5W
dBackup lampHiP 16 W
eSide marker lampLED
fRear fog lamp (driver’s
side only)HiP 19 W