ignition MERCEDES-BENZ S600 2008 W221 Owner's Manual

29 At a glance
Instrument cluster
ItemPage
1Coolant temperature gauge417
2Fuel gauge with:
Fuel tank reserve warning
lamp
AHigh beam headlamp
indicator lamp
-ABS indicator lamp
=SRS indicator lamp
605
375
598
607
3Parktronic*/Park Assist*
warning indicator for left
front area 446,
451
4Multifunction display with:
Speedometer
0
USA only
!
Canada onlyElectronic
parking brake
warning or indi-
cator lamps600
ItemPage
;
USA only
3
Canada onlyBrake warning
lamp599
HCombination low tire
pressure/TPMS mal-
function telltale, USA
only
Low tire pressure*
telltale, Canada only608
LLeft turn signal
indicator lamp393
KRight turn signal
indicator lamp393
vESP® warning lamp604
lDistance warning
lamp*178,
427,
604
1Vehicles without DISTRONIC Plus*: Warning lamp
without function. It illuminates when the ignition is
on. It should go out when the engine is running.
ItemPage
5Parktronic*/Park Assist*
warning indicator for right
front area 446,
451
6Gear position/range
indicator 408
7Tachometer with:
±Engine malfunction
indicator lamp602
8Selected program mode indi-
cator 410
9Main menu for control sys-
tem, multifunction display264
aOutside temperature 418
bDisplay with:
Additional speedometer282
:PRE-SAFE® Brake*
indicator279

40 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
In this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts (page 52)

Child restraints (page 57)

Lower Anchors and Tethers for
CHildren (LATCH) (
page 62)
Additional protection potential provide

Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
with

Air bags (page 42)

Air bag control unit (with crash
sensors)

Emergency Tensioning Device
(ETD) for seat belts (
page 55)

Seat belt force limiter (page 55)

Preventive occupant safety
(PRE-SAFE®) (page 56)

Active head restraints (page 55)Air bag system components with

The front passenger front air bag off in-
dicator lamp (
page 50)

Front passenger seat with Occupant
Classification System (OCS)
(
page 47)
Although independent systems, their pro-
tective functions work in conjunction with
each other.The SRS system conducts a self-test when
the ignition is switched on and in regular
intervals while the engine is running. This
facilitates early detection of malfunctions.
The =indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 28) comes on when the
ignition is switched on and goes out no lat-
er than a few seconds after the engine has
been started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness when the =indicator lamp is
not lit when the engine is running.
A malfunction in the system has been
detected if the =indicator lamp:

fails to go out after approximately
4 seconds after the engine was started

does not come on at all

comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
iFor information on infants and children trav-
eling with you in the vehicle and restraint sys-
tems for infants and children, see “Children in
the vehicle” (
page 57).

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.

71 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
EBP
The Electronic Brake Proportioning (EBP)
enhances braking effectiveness by allow-
ing the rear brakes to supply a greater pro-
portion of the braking effort in straight line
braking without a loss of vehicle stability.ESP®
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) is
operational as soon as the engine is run-
ning and monitors the vehicle’s traction
(force of adhesive friction between the
tires and the road surface) and handling.
The ESP
® recognizes when a wheel is spin-
ning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By ap-
plying brakes to the appropriate wheel and
by limiting the engine output, the ESP
®
works to stabilize the vehicle. The ESP® is
especially useful while driving off and on
wet or slippery road surfaces. The ESP
®
also stabilizes the vehicle during braking
and steering maneuvers.
The ESP
® warning lamp v in the instru-
ment cluster flashes when the ESP® is en-
gaged.
The ESP
® warning lamp v in the instru-
ment cluster comes on when you switch on
the ignition (
page 344). It goes out when
the engine is running.
Warning!G
When the EBP is malfunctioning, the ABS,
BAS, BAS Plus* and ESP® are also switched
off.
If the EBP is malfunctioning, the brake sys-
tem will still function with full brake boost.
However, the rear wheels could lock up dur-
ing emergency braking situations, for exam-
ple. You could lose control of the vehicle and
cause an accident. Adapt your driving style
to the changed driving characteristics.
Warning!G
Never switch off the ESP® when you see the
ESP® warning lamp v flashing in the in-
strument cluster. In this case proceed as fol-
lows:

While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.

While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.

Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.

72 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see “Practical hints”
section (
page 604) and (page 612).Electronic traction system
The electronic traction system is a compo-
nent of ESP
®.
The electronic traction system improves
the vehicle’s ability to utilize available trac-
tion, especially under slippery road condi-
tions by applying the brakes to a spinning
wheel.
When you switch off the ESP
®, the elec-
tronic traction system is still enabled.
Warning!G
The ESP® cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
®
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ESP
® equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the us-
er’s safety or the safety of others.
iDISTRONIC Plus* and cruise control are
switched off when the ESP® engages.
iThe ESP® will only function properly if you
use wheels of the recommended tire size
(
page 718).
!Vehicles without 4MATIC:
Because the ESP® operates automatically, the
engine and ignition must be shut off (SmartKey
in starter switch position0 or1 or KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button* in position0 or1) when

the electronic parking brake is being tested
on a brake test dynamometer

the vehicle is being towed with the
front/rear axle raised
Active braking action through the ESP
® may oth-
erwise seriously damage the brake system.
For information on vehicles with 4MATIC, see
“Four wheel electronic traction system (4MATIC)
with the ESP
®” (page 75).
Warning!G
If you are driving too fast, the electronic
traction system cannot reduce the risk of an
accident.
The electronic traction system cannot pre-
vent the natural laws of physics from acting
on the vehicle.

76 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
PRE-SAFE® Brake* (vehicles with
DISTRONIC Plus* only)
PRE-SAFE
® Brake* can assist you in mini-
mizing the risk of a rear-end collision with
a vehicle in front of you and in reducing the
severity of an accident. At speeds over ap-
prox 20 mph (30 km/h), it will

warn you of a possible collision

automatically begin to brake the vehi-
cle lightly in a speed range of up to
112 mph (180 km/h)

activate preventative occupant safety
measures (PRE-SAFE®) (page 56)
Warning!G
If you see the ESP® warning lampv
flashing in the speedometer, proceed as fol-
lows:

While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible

While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor

Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
!Do not tow with one axle raised.
Otherwise the transfer case can be damaged,
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim-
ited Warranty.
!Performance testing must only be conduct-
ed on a two-axle dynamometer.
Otherwise the transfer case can be damaged,
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim-
ited Warranty.
!Because the ESP® operates automatically,
the engine and the ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0 or1 or
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button* in position0
or1) when the parking brake is being tested on a
brake test dynamometer.
Active braking action through ESP
® may other-
wise seriously damage the front or rear axle
brake system.
Operational tests with the engine running can
only be conducted on a two-axle dynamometer.
Warning!G
PRE-SAFE® Brake is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The responsibility for the vehicle
speed and the distance to the vehicle ahead,
including most importantly brake operation
to assure safe stopping distance, always re-
mains with the driver.

81 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Anti-theft systems
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
Activating
With the SmartKey: Remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch.
With the KEYLESS-GO*: Turn off the
engine (
page 346) and open the driv-
er’s door.
Deactivating
Switch on the ignition (page 344).
Anti-theft alarm system
Once the alarm system has been armed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered when
someone opens:

a door

the trunk

the hood
The alarm will stay on even if the activating
element (a door, for example) is immedi-
ately closed.
The alarm system will also be triggered
when

the vehicle is opened with the
mechanical key

a door is opened from the inside
To cancel the alarm after it has been trig-
gered, see “Canceling the alarm”
(
page 82).1Indicator lamp
Arming: Lock your vehicle with the
SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO*.
The turn signal lamps flash three times
to indicate that the vehicle is locked.
The indicator lamp1 flashes to indi-
cate that the alarm system is armed.
iStarting the engine will also deactivate the
immobilizer.
In case the engine cannot be started (yet the ve-
hicle’s battery is charged), the system is not op-
erational. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the
USA), or 1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).
iIf the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Response Center is ini-
tiated automatically by the Tele Aid system
(
page 510) provided Tele Aid service was sub-
scribed to and properly activated, and that nec-
essary mobile phone, power supply and GPS
coverage are available.


96 Control systems
COMAND introduction
Main menus of COMAND
Sound
Muting: Press the F shortcut but-
ton in the center console (
page 86).
The sound of the current audio source
is switched on or is muted.Switching off navigation announce-
ments entirely
Canceling navigation message:
Briefly press F shortcut button dur-
ing an announcement.
Switching off navigation messages:
Press and hold F during an an-
nouncement until the announcement is
switched off.
You will see the message “The driving
instructions have been muted.” for a
short while.Adjusting volume
1Thumbwheel
Adjusting: Turn, thumbwheel.
The volume of the currently selected
audio source changes.
iThe components and operating principles of
COMAND can be found on (
page 85).
iWhen the sound is muted, you will see the
symbol
F in the status line. When you
change the audio source, the sound is automati-
cally switched on. You will be able to hear an-
nouncements from the navigation system even
when the sound is muted.
iThe announcements remain switched off
even if you start a new route guidance or if
COMAND is switched off/on with theo but-
ton.
If you switch COMAND off by removing the
SmartKey from the starter switch and then
switch the ignition back on after more than
3 minutes, the announcements are automatical-
ly switched back on.

213 Control systems
COMAND navigation system (route guidance)
Navigation announcements
Route guidance is already active.Calling up a current announcement:
Select “Navi”
6.
or
Press P favorite button if the button
has been programmed with this func-
tion (
page 238).
Canceling navigation message:
Briefly press F shortcut button dur-
ing an announcement.
Switching off navigation messages:
Press and hold F during an an-
nouncement until the announcement is
switched off.
You will see the message “The driving
instructions have been muted.” for a
short while.
Switching navigation announce-
ments back on manually:
Select “Navi”
6.
Adjusting volume of the messages:
Adjust the volume during an automatic
announcement (
page 96).
or
Call up an announcement manually us-
ing “Navi”
6 and adjust the vol-
ume (
page 96).
Warning!G
Navigation announcements are intended to
direct you while driving without diverting
your attention from the road and driving.
Please always use this feature instead of
consulting the map display for directions.
Consulting the symbols or map display for
directions may cause you to divert your at-
tention from driving and increase your risk
of an accident.
iIf Russian or Chinese is set as the system
language, the navigation announcements are in
English. You will find how to set the system lan-
guage on (
page 238).
Navigation announcements are muted during
telephone calls. You can, however, call up a cur-
rent announcement at any time. You can also
call up a current announcement at any time if
you have missed an announcement.
iYou will find the button programming on
(
page 238).
iThe announcements remain switched off
even if you start a new route guidance or if
COMAND is switched off/on with theo but-
ton.
If you switch COMAND off by removing the
SmartKey from the starter switch and then
switch the ignition back on after more than
3 minutes, the announcements are automatical-
ly switched back on.

274 Control systems
Instrument cluster control system
1Gear indicator
2RACETIMER
3Seconds display
4Lap
Starting RACETIMER: Press æ.
Displaying intermediate time:
Pressç.
The intermediate time is shown for
5 seconds.
Stopping RACETIMER: Press æ.
To select a different display, press
$, ( or &.Saving lap time and starting a new lap
Press buttonç while the timer is
running.
The intermediate time will be shown for
5 seconds.
Press buttonç within 5 seconds.
The intermediate time shown will be
saved as a lap time.
The RACETIMER begins timing the new
lap. The new lap begins to be timed as
soon as the intermediate time is called
up.
1Gear indicator
2RACETIMER
3Best lap time
iYou can start the RACETIMER when the en-
gine is running or the starter switch is in
position2 (
page 344).
iWhile the RACETIMER is being displayed,
you cannot adjust the audio volume using but-
tons æ or ç.
iWhen you stop the vehicle and turn the
Smartkey to position 1 (
page 344) or, in vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*, turn off the engine and
do not open the driver’s door, the RACETIMER
stops timing. Timing is resumed when you switch
the ignition back on or restart the engine and
then press æ button.
iWhen you switch on the Night View Assist*
(
page 461) while the RACETIMER is operating,
the RACETIMER will continue to run in the back-
ground but cannot be operated with the multi-
function steering wheel buttons.
To stop the RACETIMER, switch off the Night
View Assist* first.
iYou can save up to 16 laps.