traction control MERCEDES-BENZ S63AMG 2008 W221 User Guide

426 Controls in detail
Driving systems
DISTRONIC Plus does not act upon adverse
sight distance conditions. Do not use
DISTRONIC Plus during conditions of fog
and heavy rain, snow or sleet.
Warning!G
DISTRONIC Plus cannot take weather condi-
tions into account. Switch off
DISTRONIC Plus or do not turn it on if:

roads are slippery or covered with snow
or ice. The wheels could lose traction
while braking or accelerating, and the
vehicle could skid.

the sensor is dirty or visibility is
diminished due to snow, rain or fog. The
distance control could be impaired.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even while DISTRONIC Plus is switched on.
Otherwise, you may not be able to recognize
dangerous situations until it is too late and
could cause an accident resulting in person-
al or fatal injury to you or others.
Warning!G
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.
Warning!G
Close attention to road and traffic condi-
tions is imperative at all times, regardless of
whether or not DISTRONIC Plus is activated.
Use of DISTRONIC Plus can be dangerous
on winding roads as conditions do not allow
safe driving at a steady speed.
DISTRONIC Plus may not react to stationary
objects in the roadway (e.g. a stopped vehi-
cle in a traffic jam or a disabled vehicle).
DISTRONIC Plus will also not respond to on-
coming vehicles.
Switch off DISTRONIC Plus:

when changing from the left to the right
lane if vehicles are moving more slowly
in the left lane

when entering a turn lane or highway off
ramp

in complex driving situations, such as in
highway construction zones
In these situations, DISTRONIC Plus will
continue to maintain the set speed unless
deactivated.
DISTRONIC Plus is designed and intended
only to maintain a set speed and keep a set
distance from moving objects in front of it.
iDo not use DISTRONIC Plus if you are driv-
ing on a road with steep uphill or downhill slopes.
iDue to its radar-emitting nature DISTRONIC
Plus may have an appearance similar to a radar
detector to law enforcement officials. You may
want to refer to this section of your Operator’s
Manual when asked.


531 Operation
Driving instructions
Tires
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and be-
come visible at a tread depth of approxi-
mately
1/16in (1.6 mm), at which point the
tire is considered worn and should be re-
placed.The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
Specified tire inflation pressures must be
maintained. This applies particularly if the
tires are subject to extreme operating con-
ditions (e.g. high speeds, heavy loads, high
ambient temperatures).For more information, see “Tires and
wheels” (
page 550).
Hydroplaning
Depending on the depth of the water layer
on the road, hydroplaning may occur, even
at low speeds and with new tires. Reduce
vehicle speed, avoid track grooves in the
road and apply brakes cautiously in the
rain.
Warning!G
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possi-
ble damage to your vehicle has occurred,
you should turn on the hazard warning flash-
ers, carefully slow down, and drive with cau-
tion to an area which is a safe distance from
the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have the vehicle towed to
the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center or tire
dealer for repairs.
Warning!G
Although the applicable federal motor vehi-
cle safety laws consider a tire to be worn
when the treadwear indicators (TWI) be-
come visible at approximately
1/16 in
(1.6 mm), we recommend that you do not al-
low your tires to wear down to that level. As
tread depth approaches
1/8 in (3 mm), the
adhesion properties on a wet road are
sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
Warning!G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
may lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire or driving at high
speed with a flat tire will cause excessive
heat build-up and possibly a fire.

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.

574 Operation
Tires and wheels
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
(U.S. vehicles)
Tire manufacturers are required to grade
tires based on three performance
factors: treadwear, traction and
temperature resistance.1Treadwear
2Traction
3Temperature resistance
Quality grades can be found, where appli-
cable, on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1
1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly
from the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades rep-
resent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
Warning!G
Never exceed the max. tire inflation
pressure. Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly, adverse-
ly affect handling and fuel economy, and are
more likely to fail from being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can adversely affect handling and ride com-
fort, wear unevenly, increase stopping dis-
tance, and result in sudden deflation
(blowout) because they are more likely to
become punctured or damaged by road de-
bris, potholes etc.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.
TreadwearTractionTemperature
200AAA

575 Operation
Tires and wheels
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and ex-
cessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C corresponds to the
minimum level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum required by
law.Tire ply material
1Plies in sidewall
2Plies under tread
This marking tells you about the type of
cord and number of plies in the sidewall
and under the tread.
Warning!G
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.Warning!G
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underin-
flation, or excessive loading, either sepa-
rately or in combination, can cause
excessive heat build-up and possible tire
failure.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.

581 Operation
Winter driving
Snow chainsSnow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.
Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:

Use of snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel/tire combinations
(
page 718).

Use snow chains in pairs and on rear
wheels only. Follow the manufacturer’s
mounting instructions.

Only use snow chains that are
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
be glad to advise you on this subject.

Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.

Do not use snow chains on the spare
wheel (
page 718).
Warning!G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
!When driving with snow chains, always se-
lect the raised level of the level control system
Airmatic (
page 440) or ABC* (page 443).
Other settings may result in damage to your
vehicle.
! Even on vehicles with all-wheel-drive, use
snow chains on rear tires only.
Some tire sizes do not leave adequate clearance
for snow chains. To help avoid serious damage to
your vehicle or tires, make sure that the use of
snow chains is permissible as specified in the
“Technical data” section of this Operator’s
Manual, see “Rims and tires” (
page 718).
! If snow chains are mounted to the front
wheels, they may scrape against the body or axle
components. The tires or the vehicle could be
damaged as a result.
iAll models except S 63 AMG:
When driving with snow chains, you may wish to
switch off the ESP
® (page 73) before setting
the vehicle in motion. This will improve the
vehicle’s traction.
iS 63 AMG:
Do not switch off the ESP® when driving in snow
or with snow chains mounted.

604 Practical hints
What to do if …?
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
lPRE-SAFE® Brake*: The red dis-
tance warning lamp comes on
while driving.You are too close to the vehicle in front of
you to maintain selected speed.Apply the brakes immediately to in-
crease the following distance.
lDISTRONIC Plus* or PRE-SAFE®
Brake*: The red distance warn-
ing lamp comes on while driving
and an acoustic warning
sounds.You are gaining too rapidly on the vehicle
ahead of you.Apply the brakes immediately.
DISTRONIC Plus* or PRE-SAFE® Brake* has
recognized a stationary obstacle on your
probable line of travel.Apply the brakes immediately.
Carefully observe the traffic situation.
You may need to brake or maneuver to
avoid hitting an obstacle.
vThe yellow ESP® warning lamp
flashes while driving.The ESP® or electronic traction system has
come into operation because of detected
traction loss in at least one tire.
Cruise control and DISTRONIC Plus* are de-
activated.When driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.
While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.
Adapt your speed and driving to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
Do not deactivate the ESP®. Exceptions:
(
page 73).
Failure to follow these instructions increas-
es the risk of an accident.

740 Index
Setting the current speed 433
Setting to last stored speed
(“Resume” function) 435
Warning and indicator lamps 427
Document holder 502
Door
Control panel 34, 35, 38
Entry lamps 379
Inside door handle 341
Locking 334, 339
Locking with Tele Aid 517
Messages in display 617, 648
Opening from inside vehicle 341
Opening from outside 333, 338
Power closing assist 342
Unlocking 333, 338
Unlocking with Tele Aid 517
DOT 576
Downhill driving
Cruise control 421
Drink holder see Cup holder
Drinking and driving 527
Drive-dynamic multicontour seats*, front
Adjusting (COMAND) 262Driving 389
Abroad 535
Hydroplaning 531
In winter 533
Instructions 389, 527
Problems 393
Safety systems 66
Through standing water 534
With DISTRONIC Plus* 437
Driving maneuver (COMAND) 207
Driving off 530
Driving safety systems
4MATIC 75
ABS 66
Adaptive Brake Lights (S 600 and USA
only) 68
BAS 68
BAS Plus 69
EBP 71
Electronic traction system 72
ESP
®71Driving systems 419
ABC* 442
Airmatic 440
Cruise control 419
DISTRONIC Plus* 424
Driving safety systems 66
Dynamic Rear View Monitor* 453
Park Assist* 448
Parktronic system* 444
Vehicle level control (ABC*) 443
Vehicle level control (Airmatic) 441
Driving tips 406
Kickdown 406
DVD 112
Audio (COMAND) 112
Changer (COMAND) 116
Changer (Voice Control*) 313
Ejecting (COMAND) 117
Loading (COMAND) 115
Playback options (COMAND) 123
Selecting a medium (COMAND) 121
Selecting a track (COMAND) 122
Setting the audio format
(COMAND) 123
Video (COMAND) 124

741 Index
Dynamic Rear View Monitor* 453
Camera lens 590
Cleaning camera lens 590
Parallel parking 458
Reverse parking
(back-in parking) 456
Switching on 456
View through the camera 454
E
Easy-entry/exit feature 357
COMAND menu 246
EBP 71
Electrical fuses see Fuses
Electrical outlet see Power outlet
Electrical system, Technical Data 722
Electronic Brake Proportioning see EBP
Electronic parking brake 395
Indicator lamp 29, 600
Mechanically releasing 673
Messages in display 633
Warning lamp 29, 600
Electronic Stability Program see ESP
®
Electronic traction system 72
Emergency call system 510
Emergency calls, Tele Aid 511
Emergency engine shut-down 707
Emergency operation
(limp-home mode) 416
Emergency operations
Locking the vehicle 671
Mechanically releasing the electronic
parking brake 673
Releasing from inside 484
Remote door lock 517
Remote door unlock 517
Tilt/sliding sunroof or tilt/sliding
panel* 674
Unlocking the trunk 672
Unlocking the vehicle 671
Emergency tensioning device see ETDEmergency, In case of
Battery, Jump starting 697
First aid kit 668
Flat tire 686
Fuses 704
Roadside Assistance 16
Roadside Assistance (Tele Aid) 513
Towing the vehicle 700
Emission control 536
Emission control information label 713
Emission control system warranties 14
Engine
Belt layout 714
Cleaning 587
Compartment 541
Coolant 547, 726, 730
Malfunction indicator lamp 29, 602
Number 712, 713
Oil 546, 724, 728
Oils 543
Residual heat and ventilation 476
Starting 389
Technical data 715
Turning off 397

756 Index
Information placard 554
Inspection 551
Load rating 569, 578
Load rating, Maximum 573, 577
Minispare wheel 670
Ply composition and material
used 578
Problems under-/overinflation 558
Retreads 550
Rotating 578
Run Flat Indicator (Canada only) 565
Service life 551
Sizes 718
Snow 580
Spare wheel 721
Speed rating 532, 570, 578
Storing 552
Temperature 559, 575
Terminology 576
Total load limit 578
TPMS* malfunction telltale 29, 608
Traction 532, 578
Tread depth 552
Tread depth, Winter 580
Treadwear indicators 578
Vehicle maximum load on 578Wear pattern 579
Winter 580
Tools 668
Top tether
Children in the vehicle 61
Towing eye bolt (vehicle tool kit) 668,
703
Towing the vehicle 700
Tow-start 697, 700
Traction 532, 574, 578
Transmission see Automatic transmission
Traveling abroad 535
Tread 578
Tread depth, Tires 552
Tread depth, Winter tires 580
Treadwear indicators 578
Trip odometer 268
Resetting 269
Troubleshooting
Voice Control* 327
Trunk
Closing 479, 671
Closing trunk from inside 479
Closing trunk from outside 479
Emergency release 484
Lighting 380Message in display 667
Opening from inside 479
Opening from outside 479
Opening-height restriction
(COMAND) 249
Power closing assist for trunk lid 342
Tie-down hooks 500
Unlocking in an emergency 671
Valet locking 484
Tumbler holder see Cup holder
Turn signal lamps
Cleaning lenses 589
Replacing bulbs 679
Turn signals 393
Additional in mirrors 679
Front bulbs 679
Indicator lamp 29
Rear bulbs 679