Page 108 of 376

108 Controls in detailInstrument clusterCoolant temperature display
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position1 or2.
Call up the trip odometer and main
odometer by pressing button
è
or
ÿ
on the multifunction steering
wheel (page 112).
Press button
j
or
k
until the
coolant temperature display 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.
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is badly over-
heated can cause some fluids which
may have leaked into the engine com-
partment to catch fire. You could be se-
riously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns and can occur just
by opening the engine hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until it
cools down.
iExcessive coolant temperatures trigger
a warning in the multifunction display.
Page 109 of 376
109 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip
odometer and main odometer
(page 111) 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.C32AMG
On the C 32 AMG, there is no red marking
denoting excessive engine speed.
To help protect the engine, the fuel supply
is interrupted if the engine is operated at
an excessive speed.
!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 110 of 376

110 Controls in detailInstrument clusterOutside temperature indicatorThe temperature sensor is located in the
front bumper area. Due to its location, the
sensor can be affected by road or engine
heat during idling or slow driving. This
means that the accuracy of the displayed
temperature can only be verified by com-
parison to a thermometer placed next to
the sensor, not by comparison to external
displays (e.g. bank signs etc.).When moving the vehicle into colder ambi-
ent temperatures (e.g. when leaving your
garage), you will notice a delay before the
lower temperature is displayed.
A delay also occurs when ambient temper-
atures rise. This prevents inaccurate tem-
perature indications caused by heat
radiated from the engine during idling or
slow driving.Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
Page 111 of 376

111 Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as
the key in the starter switch is turned to
position1. The control system enables you
to
call up information about your vehicle
change vehicle settings
For example, you can use the control
system to find out when your vehicle is
next due for service, to set the language
for messages in the instrument cluster
display, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1Outside temperature
2Main odometer
3Trip odometer
4Automatic transmission program mode
5Current gear selector lever position
6Digital clock
iThe displays for the audio systems
(radio, CD player, cassette player) will
appear 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,
selecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions
permit 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
(approximately 13.5 m) every second.
Page 112 of 376

112 Controls in detailControl systemMultifunction steering wheel
The displays in the multifunction display
and the settings in the control system
(page 111) are controlled by the buttons
on the multifunction steering wheel.Pressing any of the buttons on the multi-
function steering wheel will alter what is
shown in the multifunction display.
The information available in the multifunc-
tion display is arranged in menus, each
containing a number of functions or sub-
menus.
The individual functions are then found
within the relevant menu (radio or CD op-
erations under
AUDIO
, for example). These
functions serve to call up relevant informa-
tion or to customize the settings for your
vehicle.
1
Multifunction display in the speed-
ometerOperating the control system
2
Selecting the submenu or setting
the volumeç
down / to decrease
æ
up / to increase
3
Telephone*í
to take a call
ì
to end a call
4
Menu systemsè
for next menu
ÿ
for previous menu
5
Moving within a menuj
for next display
k
for previous display
Page 113 of 376
113 Controls in detail
Control system
It is helpful to think of the menus, and the
functions within each menu, as being
arranged in a circular pattern.
If you press button
è
or
ÿ
repeatedly, you will pass through each
menu one after the other.
If you press button
k
or
j
repeatedly, you will pass through each
function display, one after the other, in
the current menu.In the
SETTINGS
menu, instead of functions
you will find a number of submenus for
calling up and changing settings. For
instructions on using these submenus, see
the “Settings menu” section (
page 120).
The number of menus available in the sys-
tem depends on which optional equipment
is installed in your vehicle.The menus are described on the following
pages.
Page 115 of 376
115 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Menu 1
Menu 2
Menu 3
Menu 4
Menu 5
Menu 6
Menu 7
Standard dis-
play
AUDIO
NAVI*
Malfunction
memory
Settings
Trip computer
Telephone*
Commands/submenusCoolant temper-
ature display
Select radio
station
Activate route
guidance
Call up malfunc-
tion messages
Reset to factory
settings
Fuel consump-
tion statistics
after start
Load phone book
Digital speedom-
eter
Operate CD
player*
Instrument clus-
ter submenu
Fuel consump-
tion statistics
since the last
reset
Search for name
in phone book
Call up FSS
Operate casette
player
Lighting sub-
menu
Call up range
Check engine oil
level
Vehicle submenuConvenience
submenu
Page 116 of 376

116 Controls in detailControl system
Standard display menu
You can select the functions in the stan-
dard display menu with button
k
or
j
.
The following functions are available:
Display digital speedometer
Press button
j
twice.
The current vehicle speed is shown in
the multifunction display.
AUDIO menu
The functions in the
AUDIO
menu operate
the audio equipment which you currently
have turned on.
If no audio equipment is currently turned
on, the message
AUDIO OFF
i s s h o w n i n t h e
display.
The following functions are available:
iThe headings used in the menus table
are designed to facilitate navigation
within the system and are not neces-
sarily identical to those shown in the
control system displays.
The first function displayed in each
menu will automatically show you
which part of the system you are in.
Function
Page
Call up coolant temperature
display
108
Call up digital speedometer
see
below
Call up FSS
247
Check engine oil level
236
Function
Page
Select radio station
117
Operate CD player*
117
Operate cassette player
118