steering MERCEDES-BENZ S55AMG 2006 W221 Owner's Guide

153 Controls in detail
Control system
TEL menu*
You can use the functions in the
TEL
menu
to operate your telephone, provided it is
connected to a hands-free system and
switched on.

Switch on the telephone and COMAND.

Press buttonÿ orè on the
steering wheel repeatedly until you see
the
TEL
menu in the multifunction dis-
play.Which messages will appear in the multi-
function display field depends on whether
your telephone is switched on or off:


If the telephone is off, the message in
the multifunction display is:
TEL OFF
.


If the telephone is on:
The telephone will then search for a
network. During this time the multi-
function display reads
NO SERVICE
.
As soon as the telephone has found a
network,
READY
is indicated in the mul-
tifunction display.
The standby message indicates that your
telephone is ready for use and you can op-
erate it using the control system.
Warning!
G
A driver’s attention to the road must always
be his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we rec-
ommend that you pull over to a safe location
and stop before placing or taking a tele-
phone call. If you choose to use the tele-
phone while driving, please use the
hands-free device and only use the tele-
phone when weather, road and traffic condi-
tions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a cellular telephone while driving a ve-
hicle.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.
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.

169 Controls in detail
Control system
Limiting opening height of trunk lid*
This function is available in vehicles with
the trunk lid opening/closing system*.
Use this function to activate or deactivate
the limiting opening height of trunk lid.
Move the selection marker with
theæ orç button to
VEHICLE

submenu.

Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see this message in the multi-
function display:OPENING LIMITER
TRUNK LIDThe selection marker is on the current
setting.

Press buttonæ orç to switch
the opening limiter for trunk lid
ON
or
OFF
.Convenience submenu
Access the
CONVENIENCE
submenu via the
SETTINGS
menu. Use the
CONVENIENCE
sub-
menu to change the settings for a number
of convenience features. The following
functions are available:Setting key-dependency
Use this function to set whether the mem-
ory settings for the seats, the steering
wheel, the mirrors, and the automatic cli-
mate control should be stored separately
for each SmartKey (
page 128).

Move the selection marker with
theæ orç button to
the
CONVENIENCE
submenu.

Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see this message in the multi-
function display:
SETTINGS KEY-DEPEN-
DENT
.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.

Pressæ orç to set key-depen-
dency to
ON or
OFF
.
Function
Page
Setting key-dependency
169
Activating easy-entry/exit fea-
ture
170
Setting parking position for exte-
rior rear view mirror
170
Adjusting the drive-dynamic seat
171
Setting fold-in function for exteri-
or rear view mirrors
172

170 Controls in detailControl systemActivating easy-entry/exit feature
Use this function to activate and deacti-
vate the easy-entry/exit feature
(page 114).

Move the selection marker with
theæ orç button to
the
CONVENIENCE
submenu.

Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see this message in the multi-
function display:
EASY-ENTRY FEATURE
ACTIVATE
.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.

Pressæ orç to change the
easy-entry/exit setting.
The following settings are available for the
easy-entry/exit feature:
Setting parking position for exterior rear
view mirror
Use the
MIRROR SETTING WHEN PARKING

function to select whether the passen-
ger-side exterior rear view mirror should be
turned downward during parking maneu-
vers when reverse gearR is engaged. For
additional information, see “Activating ex-
terior rear view mirror parking position”
(
page 187).
Warning!
G
You must make sure no one can become
trapped or injured by the moving steering
wheel and driver’s seat when the easy-en-
try/exit feature is activated.
To cancel seat/steering wheel movement,
do one of the following:

Press seat adjustment switch
(page 38).


Move steering column stalk
(page 40).


Press the one of the memory position
buttons or the memory button M
(page 129).
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could open the driver’s door and
unintentionally activate the easy-entry/exit
feature, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
OFF
The easy-entry/exit fea-
ture is deactivated.
STEER. COL
Only the steering column
is moved.
ST.COL+SEAT
Both the steering column
and the driver’s seat are
moved.

178 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionGear ranges
With the gear selector lever in positionD
and driving in the automatic shift
programC orS (
page 179), you can
select a gear range for the automatic
transmission to operate within:
Gear selector lever (page 180):
You can limit the gear range by pressing
the gear selector lever to the left (D-), and
reverse the gear range limit by pressing
the gear selector lever to the right (D+).
Steering wheel gearshift control
(S 55 AMG and S 65 AMG only)
(
page 181):
You can limit the gear range by pressing
the downshift button on the steering wheel
gearshift control, and reverse the gear
range limit by pressing the upshift button
on the steering wheel gearshift control.The selected gear range appears in the
tachometer display (
page 174). If you
press on the accelerator when the engine
has reached its rpm limit, the transmission
will upshift beyond any gear range limit
selected.
Effect
ï
The transmission shifts through
sixth gear only (applies to
vehicles with 7-speed automatic
transmission only).
î
The transmission shifts through
fifth gear only (applies to
vehicles with 7-speed automatic
transmission only).
é
The transmission shifts through
fourth gear only.
Effect
è
The transmission shifts through
third gear only.
With this selection you can use
the braking effect of the engine.
ç
The transmission shifts through
second gear only.
Allows the use of engine’s
braking power when driving:

on steep downgrades


in mountainous regions


under extreme operating
conditions
æ
The transmission operates in
first gear only.
For maximum use of engine’s
braking effect on very steep or
lengthy downgrades.

181 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Steering wheel gearshift control
one-touch gearshifting S 55 AMG and S65AMG
The steering wheel gearshift control pro-
vides an alternative method for changing
the gears manually and limiting or extend-
ing the gear range for automatic shifting
with the gear selector lever in positionD
and driving in the automatic program
modeC orS.The steering wheel gearshift buttons are
located to the left and right of the steering
wheel.
1Left button: downshift
2Right button: upshift
iFor information on using the steering
wheel gearshift control in manual
program modeM (S 55 AMG and
S 65 AMG only), see “Manual shift pro-
gram S 55 AMG and S 65 AMG”
(page 183).
iTo avoid overrevving the engine when
downshifting with steering wheel
gearshift buttons, the transmission will
not shift to a lower gear if the engine’s
max. speed would be exceeded.!Allow engine to warm up under low
load use. Do not place full load on the
engine until the operating temperature
has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or parking
positionP only when the vehicle is
stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period when driving off on
slippery road surfaces. This may cause
serious damage to the drivetrain which
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

182 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionThe following instructions describe opera-
tion of the steering wheel gearshift control
when driving in the automatic program
modeC orS.
For instructions on operating the steering
wheel gearshift control and gear selector
lever in the manual program modeM, see
“Manual shift program S 55 AMG and
S65AMG” (
page 183).Downshifting

Briefly press button1 on the left side
of the steering wheel.
The transmission will shift to the next
lower gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously limits
the gear range of the transmission
(
page 178) when you are driving in the
automatic program mode (CorS).
Upshifting

Briefly press button2 on the right
side of the steering wheel.The transmission will shift to the next
higher gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
extends the gear range of the transmission
when you are driving in the automatic
program mode (CorS).
Canceling gear range limit

Press and hold button2 on the right
side of the steering wheel until
D
reappears in the tachometer display.
The transmission will shift from the current
gear range directly to gear rangeD.
Shifting into optimal gear range

Press and hold button1 on the left
side of the steering wheel.
The transmission will automatically select
the gear range suited for optimal
acceleration and deceleration. This will
involve shifting down one or more gears.
iYou cannot shift with the steering
wheel gearshift buttons when the gear
selector lever is in positionP,N orR.
The last selected program
mode (CorS) is switched on when the
engine is restarted in the automatic
program mode.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.

183 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Manual shift program S 55 AMG and S65AMG
In addition to the automatic shift
programC orS, your vehicle is equipped
with the manual shift programM.
In the manual program modeM,
system-controlled automatic gearshifting
is switched off and you need to change the
gears by manually upshifting or downshift-
ing using the steering wheel gearshift but-
tons to the left and right of the steering
wheel (
page 181) or the gear selector
lever.The program mode selector switch is
located on the lower part of the center
console.
1Program mode selector switch
M Manual For manual gear shifting
C Comfort For comfort driving
S Sport For standard driving
The current gear selector lever position
and the selected program mode (
M/C/S)
are indicated in the tachometer display
(
page 174).
!Allow engine to warm up under low
load use. Do not place full load on the
engine until the operating temperature
has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or parking
positionP only when the vehicle is
stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period when driving off on
slippery road surfaces. This may cause
serious damage to the drivetrain which
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

184 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionActivating manual shift program
Press program mode selector
switch1 repeatedly until the
M for the
manual program modeM appears in
the tachometer display.
The transmission switches to the
manual program modeM. Automatic
shifting is switched off. The gear range
is not limited.
You can change the gears manually when
the gear selector lever is in positionD. You
can upshift or downshift through the gears
in succession.Upshifting

Briefly press the gear selector lever to
the right in theD+direction.
or

Briefly press button2 on the right
side of the steering wheel
(page 181).
The transmission shifts to the next
higher gear.Downshifting

Briefly press the gear selector lever to
the left in theD-direction.
or

Briefly press button1 on the left side
of the steering wheel (
page 181).
The transmission shifts to the next
lower gear.
iFor information on automatic program
modesC orS, see “Automatic shift
program” (
page 179), “Gear selector
lever one-touch gearshifting”
(
page 180), and “Steering wheel
gearshift control one-touch gearshift-
ing S 55 AMG and S 65 AMG”
(page 181).
iThe manual program modeM will not
be stored. When the engine is turned
off with the manual program modeM
selected, the transmission will go to
the automatic program mode (CorS)
when the engine is restarted.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.iWhen you brake or stop, the transmis-
sion shifts down to a gear from which
you can easily accelerate or take off.

215 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving systems
The driving systems of your vehicle are de-
scribed on the following pages:

Cruise control and Distronic*, with
which the vehicle can maintain a preset
speed.


Airmatic adjusts the vehicle suspen-
sion characteristics automatically and
controls the vehicle level.


ABC* with vehicle level control system,
with which you can change vehicle sus-
pension characteristics.


Parktronic*, which serves as a parking
assistant.
For information on the BAS, ABS, and
ESP® driving systems, see “Driving safety
systems” (
page 79).
Cruise control
Cruise control automatically maintains the
speed you set for your vehicle.
Use of cruise control is recommended for
driving at a constant speed for extended
periods of time. You can set or resume
cruise control at any speed over 20 mph
(30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
The cruise control lever is the uppermost
lever on the left-hand side of the steering
column (
page 22).
Warning!
G
Cruise control is a convenience system de-
signed to assist the driver during vehicle op-
eration. The driver is and must remain at all
times responsible for the vehicle speed and
for safe brake operation.
Only use cruise control if the road, traffic
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a steady speed.

The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on winding roads or in heavy traffic
because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a steady speed.


The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on slippery roads. Rapid changes in
tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.


Deactivate cruise control when driving
in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.

218 Controls in detailDriving systemsDistronic*
When activated, the Distronic adaptive
cruise control system increases driving
convenience afforded by the cruise control
during travel on expressways and other
major roads.

If the Distronic distance sensor detects
a slower moving vehicle directly ahead,
your vehicle speed will be reduced so
that you follow that vehicle at a preset
distance.


If there is no vehicle directly ahead of
you, Distronic will function in the same
way as cruise control (
page 215).
Warning!
G
Distronic adaptive cruise control is no sub-
stitute for active driving involvement. It does
not react to stationary objects, nor does it
recognize or predict the curvature and lane
layout or the movement of vehicles ahead.
Distronic can only apply a maximum of 20%
of the vehicle’s braking power.
It is the driver’s responsibility at all times to
be attentive to traffic and road conditions
and to provide the steering, braking and oth-
er driving inputs necessary to retain control
of the vehicle.Warning!
G
Distronic is a convenience system. Its speed
adjustment reduction capability is intended
to make cruise control more effective and
usable when traffic speeds vary. However, it
is not intended to, nor does it, replace the
need for extreme care. The responsibility for
the vehicle speed and the distance to the ve-
hicle ahead, including most importantly
brake operation to assure safe stopping dis-
tance, always rests with the driver.
Distronic cannot take street and traffic con-
ditions into account.
Warning!
G
Distronic requires familiarity with its opera-
tional characteristics. We strongly recom-
mend that you review the following
information carefully before operating the
system.iUSA only:
This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
(2) this device must accept any inter-
ference received, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired
operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this
device could void the user’s authority
to operate the equipment.