Page 100 of 356

100 Controls in detailLightingInterior lighting
The controls are located in the overhead 
control panel.1 Rear interior lights
2 Right front reading lamp
3 Rocker switch: Automatic control off
4 Rocker switch: Automatic control on
5 Rocker switch: Front interior lights on
6 Left front reading lamp Activating automatic control
Press the rocker switch to the center 
position
4.
Interior lamps are switched on in dark-
ness, when
unlocking the vehicle
opening a door
removing the SmartKey from start-
er switch
The interior lamps are switched off follow-
ing an adjustable time delay (
page 121). Deactivating automatic control
Press the rocker switch to the right 
position
3
The interior lighting remains switched 
off, even when
centrally unlocking the vehicle
opening a door 
removing the SmartKey from the 
starter switch
Manual control
Switching rear interior lights on and off
Press button 1.
The lights in the rear passenger com-
partment go on.
Press button 1 again.
The lights in the rear passenger com-
partment go out.
iIf the door remains open, the interior 
lamps switch off automatically after ap-
proximately five minutes, when the key 
is removed or in the starter switch 
position 0.
An interior lamp switched on manually 
does not go out automatically. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 103 of 356

103
Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch to 
position
1 or 2.
Call up the trip odometer and main 
odometer by pressing button
è
 
or
ÿ
 on the multifunction steering 
wheel (page 106).
Press button
j
 or
k
 until the 
coolant temperature gauge appears. During severe operating conditions and 
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
The engine should not be operated with 
the coolant temperature above 248°F 
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious en-
gine damage which is not covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Trip odometer
Check to see that the trip odometer 
and main odometer (
page 105) ap-
pear in the multifunction display.
Press and hold the reset knob on the in-
strument cluster (
page 22) until the 
trip odometer is reset.
Tachometer
The red marking on the tachometer de-
notes excessive engine speed.
To help protect the engine, the fuel supply 
is interrupted if the engine is operated 
within the red marking.
iExcessive coolant temperatures trigger 
a warning in the multifunction display
!Avoid driving at excessive engine 
speeds, as it may result in serious en-
gine damage that is not covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 105 of 356

105
Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as 
the key in the starter switch is turned to 
position 1. The control system enables you 
to
call up information about your vehicle
change vehicle settings
For example, you can use the control sys-
tem to find out when your vehicle is next 
due for service, to set the language for 
messages in the instrument cluster dis-
play, and much more.
The control system relays information to 
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1 Main odometer
2 Trip odometer
3 Automatic transmission program mode
4 Current gear selector lever position
5 Digital clock
6 Outside temperature
iThe displays for the audio systems (ra-
dio, CD player, cassette player) will ap-
pear in English, regardless of the 
language selected.
Warning!
G
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic 
conditions must always be his /her primary 
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others, se-
lecting features through the multifunction 
steering wheel should only be done by the 
driver when traffic and road conditions per-
mit it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph 
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is 
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 13.5 m) every second. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 111 of 356

111
Controls in detail
Control system
Select radio station
Turn on the radio (
page 160). Vehi-
cles with COMAND*: Refer to separate 
operating instructions.
Press button
è
 or
ÿ
 repeatedly 
until you see the currently tuned sta-
tion in the display.
1 Station frequency
2 Waveband setting
3 Setting for station selection using 
memory
Press button
k
 or
j
 repeatedly 
until the desired station is found.
The type of search depends on the set-
ting for the station tuning 
(
page 122):
The next stored station is selected 
(SP)
Station search Operate the CD player*
Turn on the radio and select the CD 
player (
page 160). Vehicles with CO-
MAND*: Refer to separate operating in-
structions.
Press button
è
 or
ÿ
 repeatedly 
until the settings for the CD currently 
being played are shown in the display.
1 Current track
2 Current CD (for CD changer*)
Press button
k
 or
j
 repeatedly 
until the desired track is selected.
iYou can only store new stations using 
the corresponding feature on the radio 
(page 165). Vehicles with CO-
MAND*: Refer to separate operating in-
structions.
You can also operate the radio in the 
usual manner.
iTo select a CD from the magazine, 
press a number on the audio system or 
the COMAND* system key pad located 
in the center dashboard. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 113 of 356
113
Controls in detail
Control system
Press button
è
 or
ÿ
 repeatedly 
until you see the malfunction message 
memory in the display.
No malfunction messages
If no malfunctions have occurred, the mes-
sage in the display is: 
NO MALFUNCTION
Malfunctions have occurred
If malfunctions have occurred, you will see 
the number of malfunctions in the display:
1 Number of malfunctions
Press button
k
 or
j
.
The stored messages will now be dis-
played in order. See the “Practical 
hints” section for malfunction and 
warning messages (
page 252). Should any malfunctions occur while driv-
ing, the number of malfunctions will reap-
pear in the display when the key in the 
starter switch is turned to position
0 or re-
moved from the starter switch.
iThe message memory will be cleared 
when you turn the key in the starter 
switch to position 1 or 2. You will then 
only see Priority 1 malfunctions 
(page 252). 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 115 of 356

115
Controls in detail
Control system
Resetting the functions of a submenu
For each submenu you can reset all the 
functions to the factory settings.
Move to a function in the submenu.
Press the reset knob in the instrument 
cluster for approximately three sec-
onds.
In the display you will see the request 
to press the reset knob again to con-
firm.
Press the reset knob again.
All functions of the submenu will reset 
to factory settings.
The table below shows what settings can 
be changed within the various menus. De-
tailed instructions on making individual 
settings can be found on the following pag-
es.
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
LIGHTING
VEHICLE
CONVENIENCE
Set time (hours)
Set daytime running lamp mode 
(USA only)
Set station selection mode 
(radio)
Activate easy-entry/exit feature
Set time (minutes)
Set locator lighting
Set automatic locking
Set key dependency
Select time display mode
Exterior lamps delayed shut-off
Set parking position for exterior 
rear view mirror
Select temperature display 
mode
Interior lighting delayed shut-off
Select speedometer display 
modeSelect languageSelect display (speed display or 
outside temperature) 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 120 of 356

120 Controls in detailControl systemSetting locator lighting
During darkness, the following lamps will 
come on when the exterior lamp switch is 
in position 
U
, the locator lighting fea-
ture is activated, and the vehicle is un-
locked by remote control:
Parking lamps
Tail lamps
License plate lamps
Front fog lamps
To activate locator lighting:
Make sure the function 
LOCATOR 
LIGHTING
 is set.
Turn the exterior lamp switch to posi-
tion 
U
.
The locator lighting switches off when the 
driver’s door is opened. It switches off au-
tomatically after a period of approximately 
40 seconds.
Move the selection marker with 
the
æ
 or
ç
 button to the 
LIGHT-
ING 
submenu.
Press button
j
 or
k
 repeatedly 
until you see this message in the dis-
play: 
LOCATOR LIGHTING
.
The selection marker is on the current 
setting.
Press
æ
 or
ç
 to select the de-
sired setting.
The locator lighting will be switched on 
or off.
Setting night security illumination
(Exterior lamps delayed shut-off)
Use the 
HEADLAMPS DELAYED SHUT-OFF
 
function to set whether and for how long 
you would like the exterior lamps to illumi-
nate during darkness after all doors are 
closed. When the delayed shut-off feature is acti-
vated and the exterior lamp switch is in po-
sition 
U
, the following lamps will 
remain lit after you remove the key from 
the starter switch:
Parking lamps
Tail lamps
License plate lamps
Front fog lamps
To activate night security illumination:
Select delayed shut-off period (see be-
low).
Turn the exterior la mp switch to posi-
tion 
U
.
iYou can reactivate this function within 
ten minutes by opening a door.
If you do not open a door after remov-
ing the key, the lamps will automatical-
ly switch off after 60 seconds. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 121 of 356

121
Controls in detail
Control system
To select delayed shut-off period:
Move the selection marker with 
the
æ
 or
ç
 button to the 
LIGHT-
ING 
submenu.
Press button
j
 or
k
 repeatedly 
until you see this message in the dis-
play: 
HEADLAMPS DELAYED SHUT-OFF
.
The selection marker is on the current 
setting.
Press
æ
 or
ç
 to select the de-
sired lamp-on period.
You can select:
0 s
, the delayed shut-off feature is 
deactivated
15 s
, 30 s
, 45 s
 or 
60 s
, the delayed 
shut-off feature is activated You can temporarily deactivate the de-
layed shut-off feature:
Before leaving the vehicle turn the key 
in the starter switch to position
0.
Then turn it to position 2 and back 
to 0.
The delayed shut-off feature is deacti-
vated. It will reactivate as soon as you 
reinsert the key in the starter switch.
Interior lighting delayed shut-off
Use this function to set whether and for 
how long you would like the interior light-
ing to remain lit during darkness after the 
key is removed from the starter switch.
Move the selection marker with 
the
æ
 or
ç
 button to the 
LIGHT-
ING 
submenu.
Press button
j
 or
k
 repeatedly 
until you see this message in the dis-
play: 
INT. LIGHTING DELAYED SHUT- 
OFF. The selection marker is on the current 
setting.
Press
æ
 or
ç
 to select the de-
sired lamp-on time period. You can se-
lect:
0 s
, the delayed shut-off feature is 
deactivated
5 s,
 10 s
, 15 s
 or 
20 s
, the delayed 
shut-off feature is activated