2003 MERCEDES-BENZ CL55AMG ABS

ContentsSafety and Security........................... 53
Occupant safety................................... 54
Airbags ........................................... 55
Seat belts ....................................... 60
Children in the vehicle .................... 63
Blocking of rear window operation . 69
Panic alarm .......................................... 70
Activating ....................................... 70
Deactivating ................................... 70
Driving safety systems ......................... 71
ABS ................................................ 71
BAS ................................................ 73
ESP ................................................. 73
Anti-theft systems................................ 76
Immobilizer..................................... 76
Anti-theft alarm system .................. 77
Tow-away alarm ............................. 78
Controls in detail............................... 79
Locking and unlocking ......................... 80
SmartKey ....................................... 80
KEYLESS-GO card* ........................ 83
Opening the doors
from the inside ............................... 87
Opening the trunk lid
from the inside ............................... 88
Opening the trunk lid
from the outside............................. 89
Trunk lid emergency release .......... 89
Closing the trunk lid ....................... 90
Separately locking the trunk .......... 90
Separately unlocking the trunk ...... 91
Trunk lid
opening / closing system* .............. 91
Power closing assist
for doors and trunk lid.................... 94
Automatic central locking .............. 94
Locking and unlocking
from the inside ............................... 95Seats .................................................... 96
Lumbar support .............................. 96
Easy-entry / exit feature .................. 96
Head restraints ............................... 97
Multicontour seat*.......................... 99
Folding forward
front seat backrests ..................... 100
Seat ventilation* .......................... 102
Seat heating................................. 103
Memory function ............................... 105
Storing positions into memory ..... 106
Recalling positions
from memory ............................... 106
Storing exterior rear
view mirror parking position ........ 107
Lighting ............................................. 108
Exterior lamp switch .................... 108
Combination switch ..................... 111
Hazard warning flasher ................ 111
Interior lighting ............................ 112
Courtesy lighting .......................... 113

23 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
1
Coolant temperature
gauge
115
2
Fuel gauge with:Fuel reserve warning lamp
268
3
L
Left turn signal
indicator lamp
K
Right turn signal
indicator lamp
46
46
4
Speedometer with:v
Electronic Stability
Program (ESP)
warning lamp
264
l
Distance warning
lamp
1
1Vehicles without Distronic*: Warning lamp without
function. It illuminates with SmartKey in starter
switch position2. It should go out when the engine
is running.
265
5
Tachometer
115
Item
Page
6
Right display with:-
Antilock Brake Sys-
tem (ABS) malfunc-
tion indicator lamp
265
A
High beam head-
lamp indicator
111
<
Seat belt nonusage
warning lamp
266
7
J
Reset button
114
8
Display with:
Program mode
147
Gear range indicator
145
Digital clock (see
COMAND operating
instructions)
9
Multifunction display
with:
Trip odometer
117
Main odometer
117
Item
Page
Stored speed for:Cruise control or
176
Distronic*
179
10
Outside temperature indi-
cator
115
11
Left display with:1
Supplemental
restraint system
indicator lamp
266
;
Brake warning
lamp, except
Canada
267
3
Brake warning
lamp, Canada only
267
?
Engine malfunction
indicator lamp
268
12
Knob for instrument clus-
ter illumination
114

30 Getting startedUnlockingThe“Getting started” section provides an
overview of the vehicle’s most basic func-
tions. First-time Mercedes-Benz owners
should pay special attention to the infor-
mation given here.
If you are already familiar with the basic
functions described here, the “Controls in
detail” section will help you with further in-
formation. The corresponding page refer-
ences are at the end of each segment.
UnlockingUnlocking with the SmartKey
Your vehicle comes equipped with two
SmartKeys with integrated remote con-
trols and removable mechanical key.
The locking tabs for the mechanical key
portion of the two keys are a different color
to help distinguish each key unit. SmartKey with remote control 1‹
Lock button
2
Š
Unlock button for trunk lid
3
Œ
Unlock button
4
Â
Panic button (
page 70)

Press unlock button
Œ
on the key.
All turn signal lamps blink once. The
locking knobs in the doors move up.

Get in the vehicle and insert the key in
the starter switch.iOpening a door causes the windows on
that side of the car to open slightly.
They will return to the up position when
the door is closed.

46 Getting startedDrivingSwitching on headlampsExterior lamp switch1Off
2Low beam headlamps on
Turn the switch to
B
.More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 108).
Turn signals and high beam
The combination switch is on the left of the
steering column.Combination switch1Turn signals, right
2Turn signals, left
Press the combination switch up1 or
down2.High beam

Push the combination switch forward.
The high beam headlights are switched
on.
The high beam symbol
A
in the
tachometer lights up.
More information can be found in the
“Controls in detail” section (
page 111).
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.
iTo signal minor directional changes,
e.g. passing or changing lanes, move
combination switch to point of resis-
tance only and release. The turn signal
blinks three times.

71 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems
In this section you will find information on
the following driving safety systems:

ABS (A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)


BAS (B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)


ESP (E
lectronic S
tability P
rogram)
ABS
The ABS regulates the brake pressure so
that the wheels do not lock during braking.
This allows you to maintain the ability to
steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of ap-
proximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
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 experi-
encing the pulsation.
iIn winter operation, the maximum ef-
fectiveness of the ABS and the ESP is
only achieved with winter tires (M + S
tires), or snow chains as required.
Warning!
G
The following factors increase the risk of ac-
cidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns


Wet and slippery road surfaces


Following another vehicle too closely
The ABS, BAS and ESP cannot reduce this
risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
Warning!
G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

72 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systemsContinuous steady brake pedal pressure
yields the advantages provided by the ABS,
namely braking power and the ability to
steer the vehicle.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will re-
spond even with light brake pressure. The
pulsating brake pedal can be an indication
of hazardous road conditions and func-
tions as a reminder to take extra care while
driving.ABS control
The
-
indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when you turn the key in
the starter switch to position2 or press
the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button twice.
It goes out when the engine is running.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 265).
iTo alert following vehicles to slippery
road conditions you discover, operate
your hazard warning flashers as appro-
priate.
Warning!
G
The ABS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking or steering efficiency be-
yond that afforded by the condition of the
vehicle brakes and tires or the traction. The
ABS cannot prevent accidents, including
those resulting from excessive speed in
turns, following another vehicle too closely,
or hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ABS equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the us-
er’s safety or the safety of others.

73 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
BAS
The Brake Assist System (BAS) operates in
emergency situations. If you apply the
brakes very quickly, the BAS automatically
provides full brake boost, thereby poten-
tially reducing the braking distance. Apply
continuous full braking pressure until the
emergency braking situation is over. The
ABS will prevent the wheels from locking.
When you release the brake pedal, the
brakes function again as normal. The BAS
is then deactivated.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 273).
ESP
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
monitors the vehicle's traction (force of
adhesive friction between the tires and the
road surface) and handling.
The ESP recognizes when a wheel is spin-
ning or if the vehicle starts to skid. By ap-
plying brakes to the appropriate wheel and
by limiting engine output, the ESP works to
stabilize the vehicle. The ESP is especially
useful while driving off and on wet or slip-
pery road surfaces.
The ESP warning lamp
v
in the instru-
ment cluster flashes when the ESP is en-
gaged.
The warning lamp
v
in the instrument
cluster lights up when you turn the key in
the starter switch to position2 or press
the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button twice.
It goes out when the engine is running.
Warning!
G
The BAS cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase braking efficiency beyond that af-
forded by the condition of the vehicle brakes
and tires or the traction. The BAS cannot
prevent accidents, including those resulting
from excessive speed in turns, following an-
other vehicle too closely, or hydroplaning.
Only a safe, attentive, and skillful driver can
prevent accidents. The capabilities of a BAS
equipped vehicle must never be exploited in
a reckless or dangerous manner which
could jeopardize the user’s safety or the
safety of others.

80 Controls in detailLocking and unlockingIn the “Controls in detail” section you will
find detailed information on how to oper-
ate the equipment installed on your vehi-
cle. If you are already familiar with the
basic functions of your vehicle, this section
will be of particular interest to you.
To quickly familiarize yourself with the ba-
sic functions of the vehicle, refer to the
“Getting started” section of this manual.
The corresponding page numbers are giv-
en at the beginning of each segment.
Locking and unlockingInformation on locking and unlocking can
be found in the “Getting started” section
on (
page 30) and (
page 49).
SmartKey
Your vehicle comes supplied with two
SmartKeys with remote controls and a re-
movable mechanical key. The locking tabs
for the mechanical key portion of the two
SmartKeys are a different color to help dis-
tinguish each SmartKey unit.
The SmartKey provides an extended oper-
ating range. To prevent theft, however, it is
advisable to only unlock the vehicle when
you are in close proximity to it.
The SmartKey centrally locks and unlocks:

the doors


the trunk


the fuel filler flap
SmartKey with remote controls1‹
Lock button
2
Š
Unlock button for trunk lid
3 Mechanical key locking tab
4
Œ
Unlock button
5Battery check lamp
6
Â
Panic button (
page 70)
iYou can also open and close the power
windows (
page 171) and sliding /
pop-up roof using the SmartKey
(
page 174).