2003 MERCEDES-BENZ CL55AMG instrument cluster

116 Controls in detailInstrument clusterOutside temperature indicatorThe temperature sensor is located on the
lower left-hand side of the instrument clus-
ter (
page 22). Due to its location, the
sensor can be affected by road or engine
heat during idling or slow driving. There-
fore, the accuracy of the displayed temper-
ature can only be verified by comparison 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.

117 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
1Trip odometer
2Main odometer
iThe displays for the audio systems (ra-
dio, CD 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, 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.

130 Controls in detailControl systemResetting fuel consumption statistics
Press button
ÿ
or
è
repeatedly
until you see the first function of the
Trip computer menu.

Press button
j
or
k
repeatedly
until you see the reading that you want
to reset in the display.

Press and hold the reset button
J

(
page 22) in the instrument cluster
until the value is reset to
0.Call up range (distance to empty)

Press button
ÿ
or
è
repeatedly
until you see the first function of the
Trip computer menu.

Press button
j
or
k
repeatedly
until you see this message in the dis-
play:
RANGE
.
In the display you will see the calculat-
ed range based on the current fuel tank
level.
Malfunction memory menu
Use the malfunction memory menu to scan
malfunction and warning messages that
may be stored in the system. The informa-
tion shown in the display depends on
whether malfunctions have actually oc-
curred.Warning!
G
Malfunction and warning messages are only
indicated for certain systems and are inten-
tionally not very detailed. The malfunction
and warning messages are simply a remind-
er with respect to the operation of certain
systems and do not replace the owner’s
and / or driver’s responsibility to maintain
the vehicle’s operating safety by having all
required maintenance and safety checks
performed on the vehicle and by bringing
the vehicle to an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center to address the malfunction and
warning messages (
page 270).

132 Controls in detailControl systemResetting all settings
You can reset all the functions of all sub-
menus to the factory settings.
Press the reset button
J
(page 22)
in the instrument cluster for approxi-
mately three seconds.
In the display you will see the request
to press the reset button
J
again to
confirm.

Press the reset button
J
again.
The functions of all the submenus will
reset to factory settings.Submenus in the Settings menu

Press button
k
or
j
.
In the display you see the collection of
the submenus.

Press button
æ
or
ç
.
The selection marker moves to the next
submenu.
The submenus are arranged by hierarchy.
Scroll down with the
ç
button, scroll up
with the
æ
button.
Move within the submenus with the
k

or
j
button to the individual functions.
The settings themselves are made with
buttonæ
or
ç
.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 button
J
(page 22)
in the instrument cluster for approxi-
mately three seconds.
In the display you will see the request
to press the reset button
J
again to
confirm.

Press the reset button
J
again.
All functions of the submenu will reset
to factory settings.
iThe settings you have changed will not
be reset unless you confirm the action
by pressing the reset button
J
a sec-
ond time.
Due to safety reasons, resetting all of
the settings while driving will not reset
all of the values in the
LIGHTING
or the
VEHICLE
menu.

133 Controls in detail
Control system
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
Select temperature display
mode
Set daytime running lamp mode
(USA only)
Set station selection mode (ra-
dio)
Set key dependency
Select speedometer display
mode
Set locator lighting
Set automatic locking
Activate easy-entry / exit fea-
ture
Select language
Exterior lamps delayed shut-off
Set parking position for exterior
rear view mirrors
Interior lighting delayed shut-off
Set fold-in function for exterior
rear view mirrors

134 Controls in detailControl systemInstrument cluster submenu
Access the
INST. CLUSTER
submenu via
the
SETTINGS
menu. Use the
INST. CLUS-
TER
submenu to change the instrument
cluster display settings. The following
functions are available:Selecting temperature display mode

Move the selection marker with
the
æ
or
ç
button to the
INST.
CLUSTER
submenu.

Press button
j
or
k
repeatedly
until you see this message in the dis-
play:
TEMP. INDICATOR
.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.

Press
æ
or
ç
to set the temper-
ature unit to degrees Celsius (°C) or
degrees Fahrenheit (°F).Selecting speedometer display mode

Move the selection marker with
the
æ
or
ç
button to the
INST.
CLUSTER
submenu.

Press button
j
or
k
repeatedly
until you see this message in the dis-
play:
DISPLAY VALUES IN
.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.

Press
æ
or
ç
to set speedome-
ter unit to
MILES
or
KM.
Function
Page
Select temperature display
mode
135
Select speedometer display
mode
134
Select language
135

153 Controls in detail
Good visibility
Folding the exterior rear view mirrors in
and out manually
The exterior rear view mirrors can vibrate if
they are not completely folded out.
The buttons are located on the driver’s
door.
1Folds the exterior mirrors out
2Folds the exterior mirrors in
Make sure the ignition is switched on.
All the lamps in the instrument cluster
should light up.Folding in

Briefly press button 2.
The mirrors fold in.
Folding out

Briefly press button 1.
The mirrors fold out.!Before you drive the vehicle through an
automatic car wash, fold the exterior
mirrors in, otherwise they may get
damaged.iIf you are driving at more than 9 mph
(15 km/h), you will not be able to fold
the exterior mirrors in.
!If an exterior mirror housing is forcibly
pushed forward (hit from the rear), re-
position it manually by applying firm
pressure until it snaps back into place.
If an exterior mirror is forcibly pushed
rearward (hit from the front) press
button2 to fold mirrors in, then press
button1 to fold mirrors out. Do not
force mirror by hand as it may damage
the adjustment mechanism.
The mirror housing is now properly po-
sitioned and you can adjust the mirror
normally.

181 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Distronic displays in the speedometer
dialSet speedIf Distronic is activated, one or two seg-
ments light up around the set speed.
SegmentsIf Distronic detects a vehicle directly
ahead, the segments from the speed of the
vehicle ahead to set speed light up.
If Distronic calculates that there is a dan-
ger of collision

the distance warning lamp
l
in the
instrument cluster lights up red


an intermittent warning sounds

Immediately brake the vehicle to avoid
a collision.
Under no circumstances should the
driver await the intermittent warning
sound before braking. See warning
note on the next page.
The intermittent warning sound ceases
and the red distance warning
lamp
l
goes out when the neces-
sary distance to the vehicle ahead is
again established.
iThe vehicle speed displayed on the
speedometer can briefly vary from the
speed setting on the Distronic system.