engine oil MERCEDES-BENZ S600 2008 W221 User Guide

540 Operation
At the gas station
Check regularly and before a long trip
Example illustration from S 550
1Coolant level
2Brake fluid
3Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning systemWindshield washer system and head-
lamp cleaning system
For more information on refilling the wash-
er reservoir, see “Windshield washer sys-
tem and headlamp cleaning system”
(
page 548).
Coolant
For more information on coolant, see
“Coolant level” (
page 547) and see “Fu-
els, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 724).
Brake fluid
For information on brake fluid, see “Brake
fluid” (
page 728).Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (
page 543).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information on replacing light bulbs, see
“Replacing bulbs” (
page 678).
For more information, see “Lighting”
(
page 371).
Tire inflation pressure
For information on tire inflation pressure,
see “Checking tire inflation pressure”
(
page 560).
iOpening the hood (page 541).
!If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum mark or
below, have the brake system checked for brake
pad thickness and leaks immediately. Notify an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
Do not add brake fluid as this will not solve the
problem. For more information, see “Practical
hints” (
page 601) and (page 630).

542 Operation
Engine compartment
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of ap-
proximately 1 ft (30 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.
Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
Warning!G
To help prevent personal injury, stay clear of
moving parts when the hood is open and the
engine is running.
The radiator fan may continue to run for ap-
proximately 30 seconds or even restart af-
ter the engine has been turned off. Stay
clear of fan blades.
Warning!G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates that the engine is
overheated, do not open the hood. Move
away from vehicle and do not open the hood
until the engine has cooled down. If neces-
sary, call the fire department.
Warning!G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components (ig-
nition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnostic
socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running

while starting the engine

if ignition is “on” and the engine is
cranked manually
Warning!G
When closing the hood, use extreme caution
not to catch hands or fingers. Be careful that
you do not close the hood on anyone.
Make sure that the hood is securely en-
gaged before driving off. Do not continue
driving if the hood can no longer engage af-
ter an accident, for example. The hood could
otherwise come loose while the vehicle is in
motion and endanger you and/or others.


543 Operation
Engine compartment
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Higher oil consumption can
occur when

the vehicle is new

the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.Notes about checking engine oil level
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground

with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least 5 minutes with
the engine turned off

with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 30 minutes
with the engine turned offChecking engine oil level with the con-
trol system (S 600 and S 65 AMG)
To check the engine oil level via the multi-
function display, do the following:
Switch on the ignition (page 344).
Press( or& to select the menu
“Service”.
Press$ or% to select “Engine
oil level”.
Press#.
The following message is seen in the multi-
function display:
“Engine oil level
Measuring now
Correct measurement
only if vehicle is level”!Do not use any special lubricant additives,
as these may damage the drive assemblies. Us-
ing special additives not approved by
Mercedes-Benz may cause damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
More information on this subject is available at
any Mercedes-Benz Center.
iThe menu overview can be found on
(
page 266).


544 Operation
Engine compartment
One of the following messages will
subsequently appear in the multifunction
display:

“Engine oil level
OK”

“Add 1.0 qts. engine oil
at next refueling”
(Canada: “1.0 l”)

“Add 1.5 qts. engine oil
at next refueling”
(Canada: “1.5 l”)

“Add 2.0 qts. engine oil
at next refueling”
(Canada: “2.0 l”)
If necessary, add engine oil
(
page 546).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 724) and
(
page 728).Other display messages
If the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO* start/
stop button is not in position 2, the follow-
ing message will appear:
“For engine oil level,
turn on ignition”
Switch on the ignition (page 344).
If you see the message
“Waiting period for,
engine oil level
not complete”
If engine is at operating temperature,
wait 5 minutes before repeating check
procedure.
If engine is not at operating tempera-
ture yet, wait 30 minutes before
repeating check procedure.
If you see the message
“Engine oil level
Not when engine on”
Turn off the engine.
If the engine is at operating tempera-
ture, wait 5 minutes before checking
oil.
If the engine is not at operating temper-
ature yet, you must wait 30 minutes
before checking oil.
If there is excess engine oil with the engine
at operating temperature, the following
message will appear:
“Engine oil level
Reduce oil level”
Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(
page 659).
iIf you want to interrupt the checking proce-
dure, press buttonL on the multifunction
steering wheel.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It could cause damage to the engine and catalyt-
ic converter not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.


545 Operation
Engine compartment
Checking engine oil level with the oil
dipstick (S 550 and S 63 AMG)
To check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:
Open the hood (page 541).
Example illustration from S 550
1Oil dipstick
2Upper mark
3Lower mark
Example illustration from S 550 4matic
1Oil dipstick
2Upper mark
3Lower mark
Pull out oil dipstick1.
Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.
Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the dip-
stick guide tube.
Pull out oil dipstick1 again after ap-
proximately 3 seconds to obtain accu-
rate reading.
The oil level is correct when it is between
lower mark3 (min.) and upper mark2
(max.) of the oil dipstick.
If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil (
page 546).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 724) and
(
page 728).
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(
page 612).
iS 550 only:
The filling quantity between the upper and lower
marks on the oil dipstick is approximately
2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).
iS 63 AMG only:
The filling quantity between the upper and lower
marks on the oil dipstick is approximately
1.6 US qt. (1.5 l).

546 Operation
Engine compartment
Adding engine oil
Example illustration from S 550
S63 AMG
1Filler cap
Unscrew filler cap1 from filler neck.
Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.
Screw filler cap1 back on filler neck.
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 724) and
(
page 728).
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
check the automatic transmission.
!Only use approved engine oils and oil filters
required for vehicles with Maintenance System.
For a listing of approved engine oils and oil fil-
ters, refer to the Factory Approved Service Prod-
ucts pamphlet (USA only) in your vehicle
literature portfolio, or contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of specification
other than those expressly required for the Main-
tenance System, or changing of oil and oil filter
at change intervals longer than those called for
by the Maintenance System will result in engine
or emission control system damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It will cause damage to the engine and emission
control system not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

659 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Night View Assist
Lights ON or AUTO,
not in R gearYou have tried to switch on Night View As-
sist* but the light switch is not set to *
or B.
In addition, the automatic transmission is in
positionR.Turn the exterior lamp switch to * or
B (
page 371).
Shift the automatic transmission to P, N or D
(
page 399).
Night View Assist
only when
it is darkYou have tried to switch on Night View As-
sist* by daylight.You can only switch on Night View Assist* when
it is dark.
Engine oil level
Stop vehicle!
Switch engine offS 600 and S 65 AMG only:
There is no oil in the engine. There is a dan-
ger of engine damage.Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt as soon
as it is safe to do so in a safe location.
Engage the electronic parking brake
(
page 395).
Turn off the engine.
Add engine oil (page 546) and check the
engine oil level (
page 543).

660 Practical hints
What to do if …?
When the message “Check engine oil level
at next refueling” (S 550) or “Add 1.0 qts.
(Canada:1.0 l) engine oil at next refueling”
(S 600 and S 65 AMG) appears while the
engine is running and at operating temper-
ature, the engine oil level has dropped to
approximately the minimum level.When this occurs, the warning will first
come on intermittently and then stay on if
the oil level drops further.
Visually check for oil leaks. If no obvious oil
leaks are noted, continue to drive to the
nearest service station where the engine
oil should be topped to the required level
with an approved oil specified in the Facto-
ry Approved Service Products pamphlet.For information on approved engine oils,
refer to the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet (USA only) or contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Add 1.0 qts. engine oil
at next refueling
(USA only)
Add 1.0 l engine oil
at next refueling
(Canada only)S600 and S65AMG only:
The engine oil level is too low.Check the engine oil level (page 543) and
add engine oil as required (
page 546).
If you must add engine oil frequently, have
the engine checked for possible leaks.
Check engine oil level
at next refuelingS550 and S63 AMG only:
The engine oil level has dropped to approx-
imately the minimum level.Check the engine oil level (page 543) and
add engine oil as required (
page 546).
If you must add engine oil frequently, have
the engine checked for possible leaks.
!The engine oil level warnings should not be
ignored. Extended driving with the symbol dis-
played could result in serious engine damage
that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limit-
ed Warranty.

661 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Engine oil level
cannot be
measuredS 600 and S 65 AMG only:
The measuring system is malfunctioning.Have the measuring system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Engine oil level
Reduce oil levelS 600 and S 65 AMG only:
You have added too much engine oil.
There is a risk of damaging:

the engine

the catalytic converter
Have excess oil siphoned or drained off. Con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

724 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Capacities
Vehicle components and their respective
lubricants must match. Therefore use only
products tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Please refer to the Factory Approved
Service Products pamphlet (USA only), or
inquire at an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!G
Comply with all valid regulations with re-
spect to handling, storing and disposing of
service fluids. Otherwise you could endan-
ger persons or the environment.
Keep service fluids out of the reach of chil-
dren.
For health reasons, you should prevent ser-
vice fluids from coming into direct contact
with your skin or clothing.
If a service fluid is swallowed, contact a phy-
sician immediately.
ModelCapacityFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine with oil filterS 550
S 550 4MATIC8.98 US qt. (8.5 l)Approved engine oils
S6009.51 US qt. (9.0 l)
S63 AMG9.25 US qt. (8.75 l)
S65 AMG9.51 US qt. (9.0 l)
Automatic transmissionS 550
S 550 4MATIC10.36 US qt. (9.8 l)MB Automatic Transmission Fluid
S6008.14 US qt. (7.7 l)
S63 AMG9.25 US qt. (8.75 l)
S65 AMG9.2 US qt. (8.7 l)