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

Contents
Infrared reflecting windshield ....... 524
Operation......................................... 525
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ......... 526
Driving instructions ............................ 527
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 527
Drinking and driving ..................... 527
Pedals .......................................... 527
Power assistance ......................... 527
Brakes .......................................... 528
Driving off..................................... 530
Parking ......................................... 530
Tires ............................................. 531
Hydroplaning ................................ 531
Tire traction .................................. 532
Tire speed rating .......................... 532
Winter driving instructions ........... 533
Standing water ............................. 534
Passenger compartment .............. 535
Driving abroad .............................. 535
Control and operation of radio
transmitters.................................. 535
Catalytic converter ....................... 536
Emission control........................... 536
Coolant temperature .................... 537At the gas station .............................. 538
Refueling ...................................... 538
Check regularly and before
a long trip ..................................... 540
Engine compartment ......................... 541
Hood ............................................ 541
Engine oil ..................................... 543
Transmission fluid level ................ 546
Active Body Control* (ABC*)
fluid level...................................... 547
Coolant level ................................ 547
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system ........... 548
Tires and wheels ................................ 550
Important guidelines .................... 550
Tire care and maintenance ........... 551
Direction of rotation ..................... 553
Loading the vehicle ...................... 553
Recommended tire
inflation pressure ......................... 558
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 560
Tire labeling.................................. 567
Load identification ....................... 571
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) ............................................. 572
Maximum tire load ....................... 573Maximum tire inflation pressure .. 573
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) ............. 574
Tire ply material ........................... 575
Tire and loading terminology........ 576
Rotating tires ............................... 578
Winter driving .................................... 580
Winter tires .................................. 580
Snow chains................................. 581
Maintenance...................................... 582
Maintenance service indicator
message ...................................... 582
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display .............. 583
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator .......................... 584
Vehicle care....................................... 585
Cleaning and care of vehicle ........ 585
Practical hints................................. 597
What to do if …? ................................ 598
Lamps in instrument cluster ........ 598
Air bag off indicator lamp............. 610
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display.................... 612

66 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
This section contains information about
Adaptive Brake Lights as well as the follow-
ing driving safety systems:

ABS (Antilock Brake System)

Adaptive Brake

BAS (Brake Assist System)

BAS Plus* (Brake Assist System Plus)

EBP (Electronic Brake Proportioning)

ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)

4MATIC (Four Wheel Electronic
Traction System)

PRE-SAFE® Brake* (Preventive Occu-
pant Safe
ty Brake)
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of ap-
proximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will re-
spond even to light brake pressure.
The - indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 28) comes on when you
switch on the ignition (
page 344). It goes
out when the engine is running.
Warning!G
The following factors increase the risk of ac-
cidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns

Wet and slippery road surfaces

Following another vehicle too closely
The driving safety systems described in this
section cannot reduce these risks or pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting
on the vehicle.
Always adapt your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions and
keep a safe distance to other road users and
objects on the street.
iIn winter operation, the maximum effective-
ness of the ABS, Adaptive Brake, BAS,
BAS Plus*, EBP, ESP
® and 4MATIC is only
achieved with winter tires (
page 580), or snow
chains as required.
Warning!G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

455 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Warning!G
Make sure no persons or animals are in the
area in which you are maneuvering. You
could otherwise injure them.
Warning!G
The Dynamic Rear View Monitor may not
function if:

the trunk lid is not completely closed

it is raining or snowing heavily, or if
there is thick fog

in a very dark area

the camera is exposed to very strong
white light (white stripes may appear on
the COMAND display)

the surrounding area is lit with fluores-
cent light (the COMAND display can
flicker)

there is a sudden change in tempera-
ture, for example when you drive out of
the cold into a heated garage in winter
(lens condensation)

outside temperatures are very high (lens
condensation)

the camera lens is dirty or covered, see
“Cleaning the Dynamic Rear View
Monitor lens*” (
page 590)

the rear of your vehicle is damaged. In
this case, have the position and setting
of the camera checked by a qualified
technician. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Do not use the Dynamic Rear View Monitor
if the roads are icy, slippery or covered with
snow. The vehicle could slip causing the ac-
tual vehicle position to deviate from the one
shown on the COMAND display.
This may cause injury to you or others, or
damage the vehicle or objects.
Mounting tires/rims of other specification
than the original equipment tires/rims may
impair the function of the Dynamic Rear
View Monitor. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

525 Operation
The first 1000 miles (1500 km)
Driving instructions
At the gas station
Engine compartment
Tires and wheels
Winter driving
Maintenance
Vehicle care

532 Operation
Driving instructions
Tire traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or
icy road is always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperatures are close to the freezing
point.Mercedes-Benz recommends winter tires
(
page 580) with a minimum tread depth
of approximately 1/6in (4 mm) on all four
wheels for the winter season to ensure
normal balanced handling characteristics.
On packed snow, they can reduce your
stopping distance compared to summer
tires.
Stopping distance, however, is still consid-
erably greater than when the road is not
covered with snow or ice. Exercise appro-
priate caution.
Tire speed rating
Regardless of the tire speed rating, local
speed limits should be obeyed. Use pru-
dent driving speeds appropriate to prevail-
ing conditions.
Warning!G
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction
will be substantially reduced. Under such
weather conditions, drive, steer and brake
with extreme caution.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel. This may
cause serious damage to the drivetrain which is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited War-
ranty.
Warning!G
Even when permitted by law, never operate
a vehicle at speeds greater than the maxi-
mum speed rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum speed for which
tires are rated can lead to sudden tire fail-
ure, causing loss of vehicle control and pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or serious
personal injury and possible death, for you
and for others.

533 Operation
Driving instructions
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed of

All models except S 63 AMG and
S65AMG:
130 mph (210 km/h)

S 63 AMG:
S 65 AMG:
155 mph (250 km/h)

S 63 AMG with increased top speed*:
S 65 AMG with increased top speed*:
186 mph (300 km/h)
The factory equipped tires on your vehicle
may have a tire speed rating above the
maximum speed permitted by the elec-
tronic speed limiter.
Make sure your tires have the required tire
speed rating as specified for your vehicle in
the “Technical data” section (
page 718),
for example when purchasing new tires.
For information on how to identify the tire
speed rating on a tire’s sidewall, see “Tire
size designation, load and speed rating”
(
page 568).If you are uncertain about the correct read-
ing of the information given on a tire’s side-
wall, any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center will be glad to assist you.
Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid
abrupt acceleration, braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
or DISTRONIC Plus* system under such
conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
move gear selector lever to neutral
positionN. Try to keep the vehicle under
control by corrective steering action.Road salts and chemicals can adversely af-
fect braking efficiency. Increased pedal
force may become necessary to produce
the normal braking effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn
roads can bring road-salt impaired braking
efficiency back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven
on salt-treated roads, the braking efficien-
cy should be tested as soon as possible af-
ter driving is resumed.
iFor information on speed ratings for winter
tires, see (
page 571) and (page 580).
iFor information on driving with snow chains,
see “Snow chains” (
page 581).
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 control loss.

550 Operation
Tires and wheels
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for information on tested and
recommended rims and tires for summer
and winter operation. They can also offer
advice concerning tire service and
purchase.Important guidelines

Only use sets of tires and rims of the
same type and make.

Tires must be of the correct size for the
rim.

Break in new tires for approximately
60 miles (100 km) at moderate
speeds.

Regularly check the tires and rims for
damage. Dented or bent rims can
cause tire inflation pressure loss and
damage to the tire beads.

If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
inflation pressure and correct as
required.

Do not allow your tires to wear down
too far. Adhesion properties on wet
roads are sharply reduced at tread
depths of less than
1/8in (3 mm).

When replacing individual tires, you
should mount new tires on the front
wheels first (on vehicles with
same-sized wheels all around).
Warning!G
Replace rims or tires with the same designa-
tion, manufacturer and type as shown on the
original part. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further informa-
tion. If incorrectly sized rims and tires are
mounted:

The wheel brakes or suspension
components can be damaged.

The operating clearance of the wheels
and the tires may no longer be correct.
Warning!G
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have
sustained damage, replace them.
When replacing rims, only use genuine
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the
particular rim type. Failure to do so can
result in the bolts loosening and possibly an
accident.
Retreaded tires are not tested or recom-
mended by Mercedes-Benz, since previous
damage cannot always be recognized on re-
treads. The operating safety of the vehicle
cannot be assured when such tires are used.

552 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tread depth
Do not allow your tires to wear down too
far. Adhesion properties on wet roads are
sharply reduced at tread depths of less
than
1/8in (3 mm).
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and
become visible at a tread depth of approx-
imately
1/16in (1.6 mm), at which point the
tire is considered worn and should be re-
placed.
Recommended minimum tire tread depth:

Summer tires 1/8in (3 mm)

Winter tires 1/6in (4 mm)
1TWI (T
readWear Indicator)
The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.Storing tires
Cleaning tiresWarning!G
Although the applicable federal motor safety
laws consider a tire to be worn when the
treadwear indicators (TWI) become visible at
approximately
1/16in (1.6 mm), we recom-
mend that you do not allow your tires
to wear down to that level. As tread depth
approaches 1/8in (3 mm), the adhesion
properties on a wet road are sharply re-
duced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.!Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry place
with as little exposure to light as possible. Pro-
tect tires from contact with oil, grease and gaso-
line.
!Never use a round nozzle to power wash
tires. The intense jet of water can result in dam-
age to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.

571 Operation
Tires and wheels

Any tire with a speed capability above
186 mph (300 km/h) must include a
“ZR” in the size designation AND the
service description must be placed in
parenthesis.
Example: 275/40 ZR 18 (99Y).
The “(Y)” speed rating in parenthesis
designates the maximum speed capa-
bility of the tire as being above
186 mph (300 km/h). Consult the tire
manufacturer for the actual maximum
permissible speed of the tire.
All-season and winter tiresLoad identification
1Load identification
In addition to tire load rating, special load
identification1 may be molded into the
tire sidewall following the letter designat-
ing the tire speed rating6 (
page 568).
No specification given: absence of any text
(like in above example) indicates a
standard load (SL) tire.
XL (Extra Load): designates an extra load
(or reinforced) tire.
IndexSpeed rating
QM+S1
1or M+S.for winter tires
up to 100 mph (160 km/h)
TM+S1up to 118 mph (190 km/h)
HM+S1up to 130 mph (210 km/h)
VM+S1up to 149 mph (240 km/h)
iNot all M+S rated tires provide special win-
ter performance. Make sure the tires you use
show M+S and the mountain/snow-
flake
.marking on the tire sidewall. These
tires meet specific snow traction performance
requirements of the Rubber Manufacturers As-
sociation (RMA) and the Rubber Association of
Canada (RAC) and have been designed specifi-
cally for use in snow conditions.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.

580 Operation
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service
includes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.

Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system. Add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB Summerfit”
to a premixed windshield washer sol-
vent/antifreeze which is formulated for
below freezing temperatures
(
page 731).

Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure that the engine can be started,
even at low ambient temperatures.

Tire change.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show the
mountain/snowflake.marking on the
tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and the Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. Use of
winter tires is the only way to achieve the
maximum effectiveness of the ABS, EBP,
ESP
® and 4MATIC in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure that all
mounted winter tires are of the same make
and have the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your
vehicle, you must place a notice to this
effect where it will be seen by the driver.
Such notices are available from your tire
dealer or from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.