Page 127 of 464

127 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Coolant temperature indicatorDuring severe operating conditions, e.g. 
stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tempera-
ture may rise close to 120°C.
The engine should not be operated with 
the coolant temperature above 120°C. Do-
ing so may cause serious engine damage 
which is not covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip odome-
ter display (
page 129).
I f  i t  i s  n o t  d i s p l a y e d ,  p r e s s  b u t t o nè 
orÿ on the multifunction steering 
wheel repeatedly until the trip odome-
ter appears.
Press and hold reset button1 on the 
instrument cluster (
page 126) 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.
CLK 55 AMG
The tachometer of the CLK 55 AMG does 
not have a red marking denoting excessive 
engine speed
To help protect the engine, the fuel supply 
is interrupted if the engine is operated at 
an excessive engine speed.
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is overheated 
can cause some fluids which may have 
leaked into the engine compartment to 
catch fire. You could be seriously 
burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can 
cause serious burns and can occur just 
by opening the hood. Stay away from 
the engine if you see or hear steam com-
ing from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle 
and do not stand near the vehicle until the 
engine has cooled down.iExcessive coolant temperature triggers 
a warning in the multifunction display 
(page 329) and the red coolant warn-
ing lamp in the instrument cluster 
comes on (
page 315).
!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 128 of 464

128 Controls in detailInstrument clusterOutside temperature indicator
The outside temperature is displayed in 
the multifunction display (
page 22). For 
information on how to select the unit of the 
displayed temperature, i.e. degrees Cel-
sius (°C) or degrees Fahrenheit (°F), see 
“Selecting temperature display mode” 
(
page 142)The 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 129 of 464

129 Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as 
the SmartKey in the starter switch is 
turned to position1 or as soon as the 
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button is in 
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
2Trip odometer
3Automatic transmission program mode
4Main odometer
5Current gear selector lever position
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 
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 130 of 464

130 Controls in detailControl systemMultifunction steering wheel
The displays in the multifunction display 
and the settings in the control system are 
controlled by the buttons on the multifunc-
tion steering wheel (
page 24).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 volumeçdown / to decreaseæup / to increase
3
Telephone*íto take a callìto end a call
4
Menu systemsèfor next menuÿfor previous menu
5
Moving within a menujfor next displaykfor previous display 
     
        
        Page 131 of 464
131 Controls in detail
Control system
It is helpful to think of the menus, and the 
functions within each menu, as being ar-
ranged in a circular pattern.
If you press buttonè orÿ re-
peatedly, you will pass through each 
menu one after the other.
If you press buttonk orj re-
peatedly, 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 in-
structions on using these submenus, see 
“Settings menu” (page 139).
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 134 of 464

134 Controls in detailControl system
Standard display menu
You can select the functions in the stan-
dard display menu with buttonk 
orj.
The following functions are available:
Display digital speedometer
Press the j or k button repeat-
edly until you see the digital speedom-
eter appear in the display.
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
 is shown in the 
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 digital speedometer 
134
Call up FSS
303
Check engine oil level
289
Function
Page
Select radio station
135
Select satellite radio station*
135
Operate CD player*
136
Operate cassette player
136 
     
        
        Page 135 of 464

135 Controls in detail
Control system
Select radio station
Turn on the radio (
page 186). Vehi-
cles with COMAND*: Refer to separate 
operating instructions.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly 
until you see the currently tuned sta-
tion in the display.
1Waveband
2Setting for station selection using 
memory
3Station frequency
Press buttonk orj repeatedly 
until the desired station is found.The type of search depends on the setting 
for the station tuning (
page 149):
The next stored station is selected (
SP)
Station searchSelect satellite radio station*
The Sirius -Satellite - Radio is treated as a 
radio application.
Select SAT radio with the correspond-
ing softkey in the radio menu.
1SAT mode and preset number
2Setting for station selection using 
memory
3Channel name or number
Press buttonk orj repeatedly 
until the desired channel is found.
iYou can only store new stations using 
the designated feature on the radio 
(page 191). Vehicles with 
COMAND*: Refer to separate operat-
ing instructions.
You can also operate the radio in the 
usual manner. 
     
        
        Page 136 of 464

136 Controls in detailControl system
Operate the CD player*
Turn on the radio and select the CD 
player (
page 199). Vehicles with 
COMAND*: Refer to separate operat-
ing instructions.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly 
until the settings for the CD currently 
being played are shown in the display.
1Current CD (for CD changer*)
2Current track
Press buttonk orj repeatedly 
until the desired track is selected.Operate the Cassette player*
Turn on the radio and select the cas-
sette player (
page 196). Vehicles 
with COMAND*: Refer to separate op-
erating instructions.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly 
until the settings for the cassette cur-
rently being played are shown in the 
display.
1Current side
Press buttonj to fast forward to 
the next track.
Press buttonk to rewind the cas-
sette to the beginning of the current 
track.
iFeature description is based on prelim-
inary information available at time of 
printing.
For more information on satellite radio 
operation, see “Satellite radio (SAT)* 
(USA only)” (
page 192). 
Vehicles with COMAND*: Refer to sep-
arate operating instructions.
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.