brake MERCEDES-BENZ S63AMG 2008 W221 Service Manual

401 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Shifting from P to R
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
Move gear selector lever up past the
resistance point to select reverse
gearR.
Release the brake pedal.
Carefully depress the accelerator pedal
to drive off when it is safe to do so.Shifting from P to D
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
Move gear selector lever down past the
resistance point to select drive
positionD.
Release the brake pedal.
Carefully depress the accelerator pedal
to drive off when it is safe to do so.Shifting from D, R, or N to P
If you want to select park positionP with
the transmission being in drive positionD,
reverse gearR or neutral positionN:
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
Press the handle for electronic parking
brake (
page 395).
Press button on gear selector lever in
direction of arrow (
page 399) to se-
lect park positionP.
Release the brake pedal.
iThe gear selector lever returns to its original
position.
iWhen driving off, the electronic parking
brake is released automatically (
page 395).
iThe gear selector lever returns to its original
position.
iWhen driving off, the electronic parking
brake is released automatically (
page 395).!Shift the automatic transmission directly
from drive positionD to reverse gearR, from
reverse gearR to drive positionD or directly to
park positionP only when the vehicle is stopped.
Otherwise the automatic transmission could be
damaged.
When trying to free a vehicle stuck in mud or
snow, see “Rocking the vehicle” (
page 407).

402 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Shifting from D or R to N
If you want to select neutral positionN
with the transmission being in drive
positionD or reverse gearR:
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
Press the handle for electronic parking
brake (
page 395).
Move gear selector lever up to resis-
tance point when in drive positionD or
down to resistance point when in
reverse gear R to select neutral
positionN.
Release the brake pedal.
Shifting procedure
The automatic transmission selects indi-
vidual gears automatically, depending on:

drive positionD(page 403) with
gear ranges (
page 408)

the selected program mode:
(C/S) (
page 409)
or
(M/C/S) (S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG
only) (
page 413)

the position of the accelerator pedal
(
page 406)

the vehicle speedWith drive positionD selected, you can use
the steering wheel gearshift control
buttons (
page 411) or gearshift control
paddles (
page 411) to influence trans-
mission shifting by:

limiting the gear range

changing gears manually
iWhen the vehicle needs to be moved with
the engine switched off and the transmission set
to neutral positionN (
page 403), do not press
the handle for electronic parking brake.
!Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the op-
erating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park 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.

403 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Transmission positions
The current transmission position appears
in the multifunction display.
1Current transmission position
!If the current transmission position does not
appear in the multifunction display due to a
malfunction, for example, make sure that the
automatic transmission is in the desired position
by carefully driving off with the transmission in
drive positionD and program modeS
(
page 409) selected. Do not limit the gear
range.
Effect
ìPark position
Shift into park positionP only
when vehicle is stopped. The
park position is not intended to
serve as a brake when the vehi-
cle is parked. Rather, the driver
should always engage the elec-
tronic parking brake in addition
to shifting into park positionP to
secure the vehicle.
If the vehicle’s electrical system
is malfunctioning, the automatic
transmission could remain
locked in park positionP.
Have the vehicle checked as
soon as possible by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!SmartKey:
If you turn off the engine using the SmartKey and

remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or

open a front door
the transmission will shift to park positionP
automatically.
Keep in mind that turning off the engine with the
SmartKey alone only will automatically shift the
transmission to neutral positionN.
!KEYLESS-GO*:
If you turn off the engine using the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button and open a front door, the
transmission will shift to park positionP
automatically.
Keep in mind that turning off the engine using
the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button alone only
will automatically shift the transmission to
neutral positionN.

404 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
!DISTRONIC Plus*:
The transmission will shift to park positionP
automatically, only when DISTRONIC Plus brings
your vehicle to a standstill, and when it meets at
least one of the following conditions at the same
time:

the engine is turned off

the driver’s or passenger door opens and the
seat belt is not engaged in the buckle

The hood is released.

The trunk lid is open while reverse gearR is
engaged.

The vehicle is parked for an extended period
of time.
In addition to shifting to park positionP, the
electronic parking brake will be engaged auto-
matically.
iMake it a practice to always shift into park
positionP before turning off the engine and

remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or

open a front door
or when using KEYLESS-GO*, before turning off
the engine with the start/stop button and open-
ing a front door.
Effect
íReverse gear
Shift into reverse gearR only
when the vehicle is stopped.
ëNeutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive axle. When
the brakes are released, the
vehicle can be moved freely
(pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the trans-
mission, never shift into neutral
positionN while driving.
If the ESP
® is deactivated or
malfunctioning:
Shift into neutral positionN only
if the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
Effect

405 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
If you want the gear position to remain in
neutral positionN, e.g. when taking the
vehicle through an automatic conveyor
type car wash or when towing the vehicle,
observe the following instructions.Vehicles with SmartKey:
With the vehicle at a standstill and the
ignition switched on shift the
automatic transmission to neutral
positionN.
If engaged, manually release the
electronic parking brake (
page 395).
Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
Shift the automatic transmission to
park positionP.
Release the brake pedal.
Remove the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button from the starter switch
(
page 345).
Insert the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
into the starter switch.
With the ignition switched on shift the
automatic transmission to neutral
positionN.
If engaged, manually release the
electronic parking brake (
page 395).
Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO in the
starter switch.
!If you turn off the engine using the
SmartKey or the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button, the transmission will shift to neutral
positionN automatically.
Warning!G
When leaving the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* in the starter switch, do
not leave children unattended in the vehicle.
It is possible for children to switch on the
ignition which could result in unsupervised
use of vehicle equipment. Unsupervised use
of vehicle equipment could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.
!Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other
reason in neutral positionN can result in trans-
mission damage that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Observe instructions

when taking the vehicle through an
automatic conveyor type car wash
(
page 588)

when towing the vehicle (page 702)

406 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Driving tips
Accelerator position
Your driving style influences the
transmission’s shifting behavior:
Less throttle Earlier upshifting
More throttle Later upshifting
Kickdown
Use kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
Press the accelerator past the point of
resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
transmission shifts into a lower gear.
Ease on the accelerator when you have
reached the desired speed.
The transmission shifts up again.
Effect
êDrive
The transmission shifts
automatically. All forward gears
are available.
Warning!G
Getting out of your vehicle without shifting
into park positionP is dangerous. Also, park
positionP alone is not intended to or capa-
ble of preventing your vehicle from moving,
possibly hitting people or objects.
Always engage the electronic parking brake
(
page 395) in addition to shifting to park
positionP.
When parked on an incline, turn the front
wheels towards the road curb.
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Children could shift the
automatic transmission out of park
positionP, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

407 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Stopping
When you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights:
Leave the transmission in gear.
Hold the vehicle with the brake.
When you stop for a longer period of time
with the engine idling and/or on a hill:
Engage the electronic parking brake.
Shift into park positionP.
Maneuvering
When you maneuver in tight areas,
e.g. when pulling into a parking space:
Control the vehicle speed by gradually
releasing the brakes.
Accelerate gently.
Never abruptly step on the accelerator.Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle by shifting between
drive positionD and reverse gearR can
help free a vehicle stuck in mud or snow.
The engine control system of this vehicle
electronically limits shifting between drive
positionD and reverse gearR to very low
speeds, i.e. approximately 5 mph
(9 km/h). To shift between drive
positionD and reverse gearR, move the
gear selector lever past the resistance
point up or down.
Working on the vehicleHill start assist system
On uphill grades with a gradient angle of
more than 5°, the hill start assist system
maintains the pressure in the brake sys-
tem for approximately 1 second after you
have released the brake pedal. Therefore,
you can start off smoothly without the
vehicle moving immediately after releasing
the brake pedal.
Warning!G
When working on the vehicle, engage the
electronic parking brake and shift to park
positionP. Otherwise the vehicle could roll
away.
Warning!G
The hill start assist system is not designed
to function as an electronic parking brake
and does not prevent the vehicle from mov-
ing when parked on an incline.
Always engage the electronic parking brake
in addition to shifting to park positionP.

408 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
The hill start assist system is inactive

when starting off on a level road or
downhill grades

with the transmission in neutral
position N

with the electronic parking brake set

if the ESP® has switched off due to a
malfunction
Gear ranges
With the automatic transmission in drive
positionD and driving in program mode C
or S (
page 409), you can select a gear
range for the automatic transmission to
operate within.
You can limit the gear range by pressing
the left gearshift button or pulling the left
gearshift paddle on the steering wheel
gearshift control, and reverse the gear
range limit by pressing the right gearshift
button or pulling the right gearshift paddle
on the steering wheel gearshift control
(
page 411).The selected gear range appears in the
multifunction display.
1Current gear rangeEffect
ïThe transmission shifts through
sixth gear only (applies to
vehicles with 7-speed automatic
transmission only).
îThe transmission shifts through
fifth gear only (applies to
vehicles with 7-speed automatic
transmission only).
éThe transmission shifts through
fourth gear only.

415 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
If you have selected the AMG menu in the
control system and you are driving in the
manual program modeM, upshift
indicator2 in the multifunction display
advises you to upshift before the engine
reaches the overspeed range. Thus you
can drive at the maximum engine speed for
each gear without overrevving the engine.
1Gear indicator
2Upshift indicator
3Engine oil temperature
4Vehicle supply voltage
Shift to the next higher gear.
The fuel supply will otherwise be inter-
rupted to prevent the engine from over-
revving.Downshifting
Briefly pull left shift paddle1
(
page 411).
The transmission shifts to the next
lower gear.Kickdown
Using the kickdown when driving in the
manual program modeM is not possible.
Deactivating manual shift program
Press the program mode selector
switch (
page 413) repeatedly until
“C”or“S” appears in the multifunction
display.
or
Restart the engine.
The transmission will go to the
automatic program mode (C orS).
The manual program modeM is not
stored.
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 transmission
shifts down to a gear from which you can easily
accelerate or drive off.

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

Cruise control (page 419) and
DISTRONIC Plus*(
page 424), with
which the vehicle can maintain a preset
speed.

Airmatic (page 440) (S 550 only) and
ABC* (
page 442) adjust the vehicle
suspension characteristics automati-
cally and control the vehicle level.

Parktronic* (page 444) and Park As-
sist* (
page 448), which serve as a
parking assistant.

Dynamic Rear View Monitor*
(
page 453) is an electronic and visu-
al parking aid.

Night View Assist* (page 461) illumi-
nates the road with infrared light in ad-
dition to the normal headlamps.
For information on the ABS, Adaptive
Brake, BAS, BAS Plus*, EBP, ESP
® and
PRE-SAFE® Brake*, see “Driving safety
systems” (
page 66).
Cruise control
The cruise control automatically maintains
the speed you set for your vehicle.
The use of the cruise control is recom-
mended for driving at a constant speed for
extended periods of time.
You can set or resume the cruise control at
any speed over 20 mph (30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
Warning!G
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always re-
main responsible for the vehicle’s speed and
for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise control if the road,
traffic, and weather conditions make it ad-
visable to travel at a steady speed.

The use of the cruise control can be dan-
gerous on winding roads or in heavy traf-
fic because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a steady speed.

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

Deactivate the cruise control when driv-
ing 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.