MERCEDES-BENZ S63AMG 2008 W221 Owner's Manual

610 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Air bag off indicator lamp
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
75
The front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp
illuminates and remains il-
luminated with the weight
of a typical adult or some-
one larger than a small in-
dividual on the front
passenger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.Have the system checked as soon as possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Also read and observe any messages in the multifunction display
and follow corrective steps (
page 612).
Warning!G
If the59indicator lamp
illuminates and remains illuminated with the
weight of a typical adult or someone larger
than a small individual on the front passen-
ger seat, do not have any passenger use the
front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.

611 Practical hints
What to do if …?
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
75
The front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp
does not illuminate and/or
does not remain illuminat-
ed with the weight of a typ-
ical 12-month-old child in a
standard child restraint or
less on the front passen-
ger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.Make sure there is nothing between seat cushion and child seat and
check installation of the child seat.
Make sure no objects applying supplemental weight onto the seat
are present.
Make sure no objects which apply forces to the seat are present
(e.g. objects such as books, briefcases etc. lodged behind or around
the seat, head restraints pushing against roof etc.). The system may
recognize such forces as supplemental weight.
If the front passenger front air bag off indicator lamp remains out,
have the system checked as soon as possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not transport a child on the front pas-
senger seat until the system has been repaired.
Also read and observe any messages in the multifunction display
and follow corrective steps (
page 612).
Warning!G
If the59indicator lamp does
not illuminate or remains out with the
weight of a typical 12-month-old child in a
standard child restraint or less on the front
passenger seat, do not transport a child on
the front passenger seat until the system
has been repaired.

612 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Vehicle status messages in the multi-
function display
Warning and malfunction messages ap-
pear in the multifunction display located in
the instrument cluster.
Certain warning and malfunction messag-
es are accompanied by an audible signal.
High-priority messages are shown in red
on the multifunction display. Messages of
lower priority are also shown in yellow or
white.
Address these messages accordingly and
follow the additional instructions given in
this Operator’s Manual.Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using# or L on the multifunction
steering wheel (
page 265).
Other messages of high priority and mes-
sages of less immediate priority can be
cleared from the multifunction display
using# or L. They are then stored
in the vehicle status message memory
(
page 280). Remember that clearing a
message will only make the message dis-
appear. Clearing a message will not cor-
rect the condition that caused the
message to appear.
Warning!G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see infor-
mation about your driving conditions, such
as speed or outside temperature, warn-
ing/indicator lamps, malfunction/warning
messages or the failure of any systems.
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, please do so
with added caution. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.

613 Practical hints
What to do if …?
On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of the most important warning
and malfunction messages that may ap-
pear in the malfunction display.
For your convenience the messages are di-
vided into two sections:

Text messages (page 614)

Symbol messages (page 626)
Warning!G
All categories of messages contain impor-
tant information which should be taken note
of and, where a malfunction is indicated, ad-
dressed as soon as possible at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Failure to repair condition noted may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty, or result in property dam-
age or personal injury.
iSwitching on the ignition causes all instru-
ment cluster lamps (except high beam headlamp
indicator lamp and turn signal indicator lamps
unless activated) as well as the multifunction dis-
play to come on. Make sure the lamps and multi-
function display are in working order before
starting your journey.

614 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Text messages
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Apply brake
to shift
from 'P'You have tried to shift the auto-
matic transmission to D, R or N
without stepping on the brake.Step on brake.
Child seat
in wrong position
See Oper. Manual
(Canada only)The child seat is not positioned
correctly.Fasten the seat in the correct position.
The sensor for the child seat is
malfunctioning.Have the sensor for child seat detection checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Cruise control
- - - mph
(USA only)
Cruise control
- - - km/h
(Canada only)You have tried to switch on
cruise control below a speed of
20 mph (30 km/h).Drive faster than 20 mph (30 km/h) and save the speed.
ESP® is switched off.Switch on ESP® (page 75).
The automatic transmission is in
position P, R or N.Shift the automatic transmission toD (page 399).
The system is overheated.Wait until the system cools down.
The vehicle is secured in place
by the electronic parking brake.Release electronic parking brake (page 395).
Cruise control
inoperativeCruise control is malfunction-
ing.Have cruise control checked by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

615 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
DISTRONIC PLUS
currently unavailable
See Oper. ManualDISTRONIC Plus* is switched off and is
temporarily unavailable.
DISTRONIC Plus* is deactivated if:

the DISTRONIC Plus* cover in the radia-
tor grille is dirty

the radar sensors* do not sense any
other vehicles or objects, i.e. road sign
or similar to this, for a long time

the system is overheated

its function is impaired as a result of
heavy precipitation or fog

the battery voltage is insufficient
Clean the DISTRONIC Plus* cover in the radiator grille
(
page 589).
Restart the vehicle.
Try activating DISTRONIC Plus* again later.
Wait until the system cools down or the battery recovers.
DISTRONIC Plus* will be operational again without you needing to
restart the engine if:

the dirt (e.g. slush) loosens while you are driving

the system detects that the radar sensors* are fully available
again

the message in the multifunction display disappears
DISTRONIC Plus* is switched off because
the radar sensor system* is temporarily in-
operative due to electromagnetic interfer-
ence near television and radio transmitter
stations, toll stations, speed measuring sys-
tems, etc.Wait until the message in the multifunction display disappears.
DISTRONIC PLUS
inoperativeDISTRONIC Plus* is malfunctioning.
BAS Plus* and PRE-SAFE® Brake* are also
not available.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as pos-
sible.

616 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
DISTRONIC PLUS
overrideYou have depressed the accelerator pedal,
DISTRONIC Plus* is no longer controlling
the speed of the vehicle.Release the accelerator pedal.
DISTRONIC PLUS
- - - mph
(USA only)
Canada only:
DISTRONIC PLUS
- - - km/h
(Canada only)You have attempted to activate DISTRONIC
Plus* at a speed below 20 mph (30 km/h)
without the vehicle in front being displayed
in the multifunction display (
page 427).
Drive faster than 20 mph (30 km/h) and activate DISTRONIC
Plus* again.
ESP® is switched off.Switch on ESP® (page 75).
The automatic transmission is in position P,
R or N.Shift the automatic transmission toD (page 399).
The system is overheated.Wait until the system cools down.
The vehicle is secured in place by the elec-
tronic parking brake.Release electronic parking brake (page 395).
The driver’s door is open and the drivers
seat belt is unbuckled.Close the driver’s door and fasten your seat belt.
The hood is open.Close the hood (page 542).

617 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Door Open
Vehicle not in ParkYou have opened the driver’s
door and the automatic trans-
mission is still in position D, R
orN.Before you leave the vehicle, make sure that the automatic transmission
is shift to park position P (
page 399) and that the electronic parking
brake is engaged (
page 395).

618 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Front pass. airbag
disabled
See Oper. ManualFront passenger front air bag is
deactivated while driving even
though an adult or someone
larger than a small individual is
occupying the front passenger
seat. Forces acting on the seat
may make the system sense a
decrease in weight.Stop the vehicle in a safe location as soon as possible and check the front
passenger seat for the following:
Engage the electronic parking brake (page 395).
Switch off the ignition (page 344).
Have the front passenger vacate the seat and exit the vehicle.
Adjust the seat in a height position (page 347).
Make sure that no objects which apply forces to the seat are present (e.g.
objects such as books, briefcases etc. lodged underneath, behind or
around the seat). Such forces may cause the system to sense that an oc-
cupant of a lesser weight than actually present is on the front passenger
seat.
Keep the seat unoccupied, close the front passenger door and switch on
the ignition (
page 344).
Monitor the 59indicator lamp right of the instrument cluster
(
page 50) and the multifunction display in the instrument cluster
(
page 264) for the following:
(Continued on next page)
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution

619 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Front pass. airbag
disabled
See Oper. ManualWith the seat unoccupied and the ignition switched on (page 344),

the 59indicator lamp right of the instrument cluster should
illuminate and remain illuminated, indicating that the OCS (
page 47)
has deactivated the air bag.

the message “Front passenger airbag enabled See Oper. Manual” or the
message “Front passenger airbag disabled See Oper. Manual” should not
appear in the multifunction display at any time the seat is unoccupied.
Wait at least 60 seconds for the system to complete the necessary check
cycles and to make sure neither message appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
If above conditions are met, you can occupy the front passenger seat again.
Depending on the front passenger classification sensed by the OCS
(
page 47), the59indicator lamp will remain illuminated or go
out.
If above conditions are not met, the system is not working properly. Have the
system checked as soon as possible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
If the 59indicator lamp re-
mains illuminated with an adult occupant on
the front passenger seat even after
performing the above corrective steps, do
not have any passenger use the front pas-
senger seat until the system has been re-
paired.