Page 17 of 370

23 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
1
Left turn signal indicator
lamp
2
Speedometer
3
Right turn signal indicator
lamp
4
Fuel gauge with:Fuel reserve warning lamp
258
5
<
Seat belt nonusage
warning lamp
258
1
Supplemental re-
straint system indi-
cator lamp
56,
256
6
Multifunction display
with:Trip odometer
105
Main odometer
Item
Page
Selector lever position
44,
138
Program mode
139
Outside temperature
display
106
Digital clock
118
7
?
Engine malfunction
indicator lamp
258
v
Electronic Stability
Program (ESP)
warning lamp
75,
254
A
High beam head-
lamp indicator
47,
101
E
Indicator lamp with-
out function
1
1The indicator lamp illuminates briefly when you
turn the key in the starter switch to position2.
DTRIndicator lamp with-
out function
1
Item
Page
8
-
Antilock Brake Sys-
tem (ABS) malfunc-
tion indicator lamp
73,
255
;
Brake warning
lamp, except Cana-
da
46,
257
3
Brake warning
lamp, Canada only
9
Tachometer
10
Reset knob:
Resetting trip odome-
ter
105
Resetting individual
settings
116
Instrument cluster illu-
mination
104
S203 MY03_A.book Page 23 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 101 of 370

107 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 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
1Outside temperature
2Main odometer
3Trip odometer
4Automatic transmission program mode
5Current gear selector lever position
6Digital clock
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.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 107 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 343 of 370

349 Index
MB Tex upholstery 252
Plastic and rubber parts 252
Seat belts 252
Steering wheel 251
Windows 251
Windshield 49
Wiper blades 251
Climate control 144
Adjusting 147
Defogging windshield 147
Defrosting 147
Rear window defroster 149
Setting the temperature 146
Clock 23, 118
Closing
Glove box 203
Hood 235
Side windows 185
Sliding/pop-up roof 187, 290
Sliding/pop-up roof with
SmartKey 188
Tailgate 87
Trunk lid 87
Windows 184
Windows with SmartKey 186Closing sliding/pop-up roof
In an emergency 290
Cockpit 20, 339
COMAND* 340
see separate operating instructions
Combination switch 101
High beam flasher 48, 101
Turn signals 47
Windshield wipers 48
Consumer information 337
Control and operation of radio
transmitter 230
Control system 107, 340
AUDIO menu 112
Convenience submenu 126
Display digital speedometer 112
Functions 108, 111
Instrument cluster submenu 118
Lighting submenu 121
Malfunction memory menu 115
Menus 110, 111
Multifunction display 107
Multifunction steering wheel 108
NAVI menu 114
Selecting radio system 113
Settings menu 116Standard display menu 112
Submenus 109, 111
TEL* menu 131
Trip computer menu 128
Vehicle submenu 124
Convenience submenu 126
Activating easy-entry/exit
feature 126
Setting key dependency 127
Setting parking position for exterior
rear view mirror 128
Coolant 238, 334
Adding 238
Anticorrosion/antifreeze
quantity 334
Capacities 328
Checking level 238
Messages in display 265, 266
Temperature 231
Temperature gauge 104
Warning lamp 266
Coolant level
Checking 233, 238
Cruise control 190, 340
Canceling 191
Driving downhill 191
S203 MY03_A.book Page 349 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 344 of 370

350 Index
Driving uphill 191
Fine adjustment 192
Saving current speed 191
Setting speeds 192
Cruise control lever 190
Cruising range, fuel 333
Cup holder
Cleaning 251
In front seat armrest 204
In rear seat armrest 205
Customer assistance system (CAC) 339
D
Daytime running lamp mode 100
Setting 121
Deactivating
Air conditioning (cooling) 150
Air recirculation mode 148, 157, 158
Alarm 80
Anti-theft alarm system 80
Automatic climate control 153
Central locking (control system) 125
Climate control 145
Cruise control 191
Defrost 148, 156
Engine with the key 52
ESP 77Exterior lamps 99
Exterior lamps delayed shut-off 122
Front fog lamps 122
Hazard warning flasher 101
Headlamps 52
Immobilizer 79
Interior lighting delayed shut-off 124
Rear window defroster 149, 158
Residual heat 159
Seat heater 94
Tow-away alarm 81
Deep water see Standing water 229
Defogging
Windshield 147, 155
Defrosting 147, 156
Delayed shut-off
Exterior lamps 122
Interior lighting 124
Dialing
A number (telephone) 132
Difficulties
While driving see Problems while
driving 50
With starting 45
Digital clock 23
Digital speedometer 112Direction of rotation (tires) 242
Discharged battery
Jump starting 308
Disconnecting
Vehicle battery 306
Display
Selecting 120
Display elements
Audio system 162
Displays
Digital speedometer 112
Messages 237, 260
Selecting 120
Service indicator 246
Showing malfunctions 115
Distance to empty (range)
Calling up 128
Door control panel 28
Door entry lamps 103
Door handle 28
Door unlock
With Tele Aid* 217
Doors
Message in display 268
Opening from inside vehicle 88
Opening from outside 85
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Page 356 of 370

362 IndexSeats 90
Adjusting 32
Easy entry/exit feature 90
Heater 94
Manual 33
Multicontour seat 93
Power seats 34
Rapid seat heating 94
Split rear bench seat 199
Securing cargo
Cargo tie-down rings 202
Selecting
Display 120
Selector lever 23
Lock 44
Position (automatic
transmission) 23, 135
Self-test
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system 67
Tele Aid* 211
Service
Calling up the service indicator 247
Major service (Service B) 246
Minor service (Service A) 246
Overdue 246Spare parts 318
Types 246
When due 246
Service and Warranty Booklet
Loss of 319
Service and warranty information 10
Service indicator 246
Calling up 247
Clearing 246, 247
Service life (tires) 242
Service see Maintenance 246
Service System see FSS 246
Setting
Convenience functions 117, 126
Cruise control 191
Daytime running lamp mode 121
Exterior rear view mirror parking
position 97
Higher speed in cruise control 192
Hours (clock) 118
Individual vehicle settings 116
Interior lighting delayed shut-off 124
Key dependent memory 127
Lamps and lighting (control
system) 121
Language, multifunction display 120Locator lighting 122
Lower speed in cruise control 192
Miles/kilometers in
speedometer 119
Minutes (clock) 118
Night security illumination 122
Parking position for exterior rear view
mirrors 128
Slower speed in cruise control 192
Speed in cruise control 192
Speedometer display mode 119
Station selection mode 125
Temperature (interior) 146, 154
Temperature indicator 119
Time display mode (Clock) 119
Units
Speedometer 119
Temperature 119
Settings
Convenience functions 126
Factory, SmartKey 85
Individual (SmartKey) 127
Lighting (control system) 121
Menus and submenus 109
Resetting all (control system) 116
Resetting in the submenu 117
S203 MY03_A.book Page 362 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM