power steering MERCEDES-BENZ S63AMG 2008 W221 Owner's Manual

Contents
Controls in detail............................. 331
Locking and unlocking ....................... 332
SmartKey ..................................... 332
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*....... 335
Checking batteries in the
SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*............................... 340
Loss of the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*....... 340
Opening doors from the inside ..... 341
Power closing assist for doors
and trunk lid ................................. 342
Automatic central locking ............ 342
Locking and unlocking from
the inside ..................................... 343
Starter switch positions ..................... 344
SmartKey ..................................... 344
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*....... 345
Seats.................................................. 347
Seat adjustment ........................... 347
Seat heating* ............................... 351
Seat ventilation* .......................... 352
Head restraints............................. 353
Multicontour seats*, rear ............. 356
Easy-entry/exit feature ................ 357Steering wheel ................................... 359
Steering wheel adjustment .......... 359
Heated steering wheel* ............... 360
Mirrors ............................................... 361
Interior rear view mirror ............... 361
Exterior rear view mirrors............. 361
Power folding exterior
rear view mirrors .......................... 362
Auto-dimming rear view mirrors ... 363
Activating exterior rear view
mirror parking position................. 364
Memory function ............................... 365
Storing positions into memory ..... 366
Recalling positions from memory . 366
Storing exterior rear view mirror
parking position ........................... 367
Fastening the seat belts .................... 368
Proper use of seat belts ............... 370
Seat belt height adjustment ......... 370
Lighting.............................................. 371
Exterior lamp switch..................... 371
Switching on high beams ............. 375
Headlamp cleaning system .......... 375
Corner-illuminating lamps ............ 376
Hazard warning flasher ................ 377
Interior lighting............................. 378Door entry lamps ......................... 379
Courtesy lighting .......................... 380
Trunk lamp ................................... 380
Windshield wipers ............................. 381
Switching on/off
windshield wipers ........................ 381
Intermittent wiping ...................... 382
Single wipe .................................. 382
Wiping with windshield washer
fluid.............................................. 382
Power windows ................................. 383
Opening and closing
power windows ............................ 383
Rear side window sunshades* ..... 385
Summer opening feature ............. 385
Convenience closing feature ........ 386
Driving and parking ........................... 389
Starting the engine ...................... 389
Driving off .................................... 392
Turn signals.................................. 393
Problems while driving ................. 393
Parking......................................... 394
Turning off the engine .................. 397
Releasing seat belts ..................... 398
Automatic transmission..................... 399
Gear selector lever....................... 399

Contents
Shifting procedure ....................... 402
Transmission positions................. 403
Driving tips ................................... 406
Gear ranges ................................. 408
Automatic shift program .............. 409
Steering wheel gearshift control .. 411
Manual shift program
(S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG only) ... 413
Emergency operation
(Limp-Home Mode) ...................... 416
Instrument cluster ............................. 417
Adjusting instrument cluster
display illumination ...................... 417
Coolant temperature gauge ......... 417
Tachometer .................................. 418
Outside temperature indicator ..... 418
Fuel gauge ................................... 418
Driving systems ................................. 419
Cruise control .............................. 419
DISTRONIC Plus* ......................... 424
Airmatic (S 550 only) ................... 440
Active Body Control (ABC)*.......... 442
Parktronic system* ...................... 444
Park Assist* ................................. 448
Dynamic Rear View Monitor* ....... 453
Night View Assist* ....................... 461Air vents ............................................. 466
Opening and closing air vents ....... 468
Ventilated storage compartment .. 468
Automatic climate control .................. 469
Deactivating climate control
system .......................................... 471
Operating climate control system
in automatic mode ........................ 471
Setting temperature...................... 472
Adjusting air volume ..................... 472
Front defroster.............................. 472
Rear window defroster .................. 473
Maximum cooling MAXCOOL
(USA only) ..................................... 474
Air recirculation mode .................. 474
Residual engine heat and
ventilation ..................................... 476
Rear passenger compartment
climate control* ............................ 477
Trunk .................................................. 479
Opening trunk ............................... 479
Closing trunk ................................ 480
Trunk emergency release.............. 484
Valet locking ................................. 484
Power tilt/sliding sunroof................... 486Opening and closing
power tilt/sliding sunroof ............. 486
Synchronizing ............................... 488
Panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel*............................... 489
Roller sunblinds ............................ 489
Opening and closing panorama
roof with power tilt/sliding panel . 490
Synchronizing ............................... 492
Loading and storing............................ 493
Roof rack* .................................... 493
Loading instructions ..................... 493
Storage compartments ................. 494
Cup holders .................................. 498
Trunk ............................................ 500
Useful features ................................... 502
Sun visors ..................................... 502
Vanity mirror in rear...................... 502
Rear window sunshade ................. 503
Ashtrays........................................ 503
Cigarette lighters .......................... 504
Power outlet ................................. 506
Floormats* ................................... 506
Telephone* ................................... 507
Tele Aid......................................... 510
Garage door opener ...................... 518

57 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
PRE-SAFE® takes action in the following in-
stances:

Emergency braking situations, e.g.
when BAS (
page 68) is activated or
when
BAS Plus* (
page 69) is strongly inter-
vening.

Critical dynamic driving situations, e.g.
when the vehicle is understeering or
oversteering because it has exceeded
its physical limitations.

Evasive steering maneuvers at speeds
above 20 mph (30 km/h).
When you are driving faster than 20 mph
(30 km/h), PRE-SAFE
® takes the following
measures in such situations:

The front seat belts are pre-tensioned
electrically.

If the OCS senses that the front pas-
senger seat is occupied and the seat is
in an unfavorable position, it will be
adjusted to a better position.

If the vehicle is equipped with power
adjustable rear seats* and the passen-
ger outer seats are in an unfavorable
position, they will be adjusted to a bet-
ter position.

The system increases the air pressure
in the air pockets (on the sides of the
seat cushion and backrest) of the mul-
ticontour* and/or drive-dynamic front
seats*.

If the vehicle is understeering or over-
steering, the tilt/sliding sunroof and
the door windows also close until only
a small gap remains.
Once the hazardous situation is over with-
out an accident occurring, PRE-SAFE
®
loosens the seat belt pre-tension and de-
creases the air pressure in the air pockets
of the multicontour and drive-dynamic
seats*. You can readjust all of the settings
made by PRE-SAFE
®.If the seat belts do not release:
Adjust the backrest or seat slightly to
the rear until the seat belt tension is di-
minished.
The locking mechanism releases.
Children in the vehicle
If an infant or child is traveling with you in
the vehicle:
Secure the child using an infant or child
restraint appropriate to the age and
size of the child.
Make sure the infant or child is
properly secured at all times while the
vehicle is in motion.
iIf the closing procedure of the tilt/sliding
sunroof or power windows is blocked, the
tilt/sliding sunroof or power windows will stop
and open slightly.
!When moving the seat, make sure there are
no items in the footwell or behind the seats. Oth-
erwise you could damage the seats.

67 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Braking
At the instant one of the wheels is about to
lock up, a slight pulsation can be felt in the
brake pedal, indicating that the ABS is in
the regulating mode.
Keep firm and steady pressure on the
brake pedal while experiencing the pul-
sation.
Continuous, steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.
The pulsating brake pedal can be an indica-
tion of hazardous road conditions and
functions as a reminder to take extra care
while driving.
Emergency brake maneuver
Keep continuous full pressure on the
brake pedal.For more information, see “Practical hints”
(
page 598).
Adaptive Brake
Adaptive Brake provides a high level of
braking safety as well as increased braking
comfort. It is coupled with ABS, ESP
® and
BAS. Adaptive Brake takes driver and vehi-
cle characteristics into consideration, thus
achieving an optimal braking effect.
Warning!G
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the BAS,
BAS Plus* and ESP® are also switched off.
When the ABS is malfunctioning, the wheels
may lock during hard braking, reducing
steering capability and extending the brak-
ing distance.
Warning!G
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency
beyond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction
afforded. The ABS cannot prevent acci-
dents, including those resulting from exces-
sive speed in turns, following another
vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.
Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents.
The capabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reckless or dan-
gerous manner which could jeopardize the
user’s safety or the safety of others.

331 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Starter switch positions
Seats
Steering wheel
Mirrors
Memory function
Fastening the seat belts
Lighting
Windshield wipers
Power windows
Driving and parkingAutomatic transmission
Instrument cluster
Driving systems
Air vents
Automatic climate control
Trunk
Power tilt/sliding sunroof
Panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel*
Loading and storing
Useful features

348 Controls in detail
Seats
You can adjust the lumbar support, multi-
contour seats* for driver and front passen-
ger, as well as drive-dynamic multicontour
seats* using COMAND (
page 259).Front power seat adjustment
Example driver’s door
1Head restraint height (page 353)
2Seat height
3Seat cushion tilt
4Seat cushion depth
5Seat fore and aft
6Seat backrest tilt
Switch on the ignition (page 344).
or
Open the respective door.
Seat height: Press the switch up or
down in the direction of arrow2.
Seat cushion tilt: Press the switch up
or down in the direction of
arrow3until your upper legs are
lightly supported.
Seat cushion depth: Press the switch
forward or backward in the direction of
arrow4 until your legs are supported
comfortably.
Warning!G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing position. Thus, we strongly recommend
that children be placed in the rear seats
whenever possible. Regardless of seating
position, children 12 years old and under
must be seated and properly secured in an
appropriately sized infant restraint, toddler
restraint, or booster seat recommended for
the size and weight of the child. For addi-
tional information, see “Children in the vehi-
cle” (
page 57).
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
iIf PRE-SAFE® has been activated, the front
passenger’s seat and/or electrically adjustable
rear seats* will be moved to a more favorable
seat position.
iThe memory function (page 365) lets you
store the settings for the seat positions together
with the settings for the steering wheel and the
exterior rear view mirrors.
!When moving the seats, make sure there are
no items in the footwell or behind the seats; oth-
erwise, you could damage the seats.

360 Controls in detail
Steering wheel
Adjusting steering wheel up or
down: Move stalk up or down in the di-
rection of arrow2.
Heated steering wheel*
The steering wheel heating warms up the
leather area of the steering wheel.
1Switching on
2Switching off
3Indicator lamp
Switch on the ignition (page 344).
Switching on: Turn switch at the tip of
stalk in the direction of arrow1.
The steering wheel is heated. Indicator
lamp3 comes on.
Switching off: T u r n s w i t c h a t t h e t i p o f
stalk in the direction of arrow2.
The steering wheel heating is turned
off. Indicator lamp3 goes out.
iThe steering wheel heating will not switch
on, when the temperature of the vehicle interior
is above 86°F (30°C).
iIndicator lamp3 flashes or goes out

in case of power surge or undervoltage

in case of a steering wheel heating malfunc-
tion
iThe steering wheel heating switches off au-
tomatically:

when you remove the SmartKey from the
starter switch

on vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*, when you
switch off the ignition (
page 344) and
open the driver’s door

when the temperature of the vehicle interior
is above 86°F (30°C)

after approximately 24 minutes


366 Controls in detail
Memory function
MMemory button
1 2 3Memory position buttons
Switch on the ignition (page 344).
or
Open the respective door.
Storing positions into memory
Adjust the seat (page 347) to the de-
sired position.
On the driver’s side: Adjust the steering
wheel (
page 359) and the exterior
rear view mirrors (
page 361) to the
desired position.
Press memory buttonM.
Release memory buttonM and press
one of the memory position buttons
within 3 seconds.
All the settings are stored with the se-
lected position.
Recalling positions from memory
Press and hold one of the position
buttons until the seat, steering wheel
and exterior rear view mirrors have fully
moved to the stored positions.
!Do not operate the power seats using the
memory button if the seat backrest is in an ex-
cessively reclined position. Doing so could cause
damage to front or rear seats.
First move seat backrest to an upright position.
iReleasing the button immediately stops
movement to the stored positions.
The multicontour seat* and/or lumbar support
will continue to be adjusted.

394 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
The coolant temperature is above
248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location as
soon as possible and turn off the en-
gine. Allow engine and coolant to cool
off.
Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 547).In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:
Do not start the engine under any cir-
cumstances.
Move away from vehicle.
Notify local fire and/or police authori-
ties.
If the extent of the damage cannot be de-
termined:
Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If no damage can be determined on the

major assemblies

fuel system

engine mount:
Start the engine in the usual manner.
Parking
iExcessive coolant temperatures trigger a
warning message in the multifunction display
(
page 646).
Warning!G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and the
steering systems. In this case, it is impor-
tant to keep in mind that a considerably
higher degree of effort is necessary to brake
and steer the vehicle.
Warning!G
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.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.

Engage electronic parking brake.

397 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Emergency braking with electronic
parking brake
In an emergency situation, you can also
brake your vehicle while driving by using
the electronic parking brake.
While driving, press handle for elec-
tronic parking brake (
page 395).
During the braking procedure, the red indi-
cator lamp 0 (USA only) or !
(Canada only) flashes in the instrument
cluster, the message “Please release park-
ing brake” appears on the multifunction
display and you will hear a warning tone.
Once the vehicle comes to a complete stop
the electronic parking brake will engage.
Turning off the engine
Shift the automatic transmission toP
(
page 403).Turning off with SmartKey
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 (
page 344) and remove
it.
The immobilizer is activated.
iYour vehicle will be braked for as long as you
press and hold the switch for the electronic park-
ing brake. The longer you keep the electronic
parking brake pressed, the more strongly your
vehicle will be braked. This method occurs on all
4 wheels, not just the rear wheels.
iIf the engine cannot be turned off as de-
scribed, see “Emergency engine shut-down”
(
page 707).
Warning!G
Do not turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. With the en-
gine not running, there is no power assis-
tance for the brake and steering systems. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that
a considerably higher degree of effort is nec-
essary to brake and steer the vehicle.
!Observe instructions

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

when towing the vehicle (page 702)
!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.