Page 5 of 464

Contents
Control system ..................................  129
Multifunction display ....................  129
Multifunction steering wheel ........  130
Menus ..........................................  132
Standard display menu ................  134
AUDIO menu ................................  134
NAV menu ....................................  137
Distronic* menu...........................  137
Malfunction memory menu ..........  138
Settings menu ..............................  139
Trip computer menu.....................  152
TEL menu* ...................................  154
Automatic transmission .....................  157
One-touch gearshifting.................  158
Gear ranges .................................  159
Gear selector lever position .........  160
Steering wheel gearshift control 
(Speedshift) CLK 55 AMG ............  161
Program mode selector switch.....  163
Accelerator position .....................  163
Manual shift program 
CLK 55 AMG ................................  164
Emergency operation 
(Limp Home Mode) ......................  166Good visibility ..................................... 167
Windshield wipers ......................... 167
Headlamp cleaning system* ......... 167
Rear view mirror ........................... 168
Sun visors ..................................... 170
Rear window defroster .................. 171
Automatic climate control .................. 172
Setting the temperature................ 175
Adjusting air distribution............... 176
Adjusting air volume ..................... 177
Maximum cooling MAXCOOL ........ 177
Defrosting ..................................... 177
Air recirculation mode .................. 178
Charcoal filter ............................... 179
Deactivating the 
climate control system ................. 180
Air conditioning............................. 181
Residual heat and ventilation* ...... 181
Rear passenger compartment 
adjustable air vents....................... 182Audio system......................................  183
Audio and telephone, operation .... 183
Operating safety ...........................  183
Sound system ...............................  183
Operating and display elements ... 184
Button and soft key operation ......  186
Operation......................................  186
Radio operation ............................ 189
Satellite radio (SAT)* (USA only)... 192
Cassette operation .......................  196
CD changer* operation .................  199
Telephone* operation ...................  203
Power windows ..................................  210
Opening and 
closing the windows .....................  210
Synchronizing power windows ......  214
Soft top .............................................. 215
Opening and closing the soft top ..  215
Driving systems ..................................  226
Cruise control ...............................  226
Distronic* ..................................... 229
Parktronic (Parking assist)* ..........  241 
     
        
        Page 25 of 464
25 At a glance
Center console
Center console
Upper part
Item
Page
1
Seat heater*, driver’s side
Seat ventilation*, driver’s 
side
114
113
2
Parking assist* (Parktronic 
system*) deactivation 
switch
244
3
ESP control switch
79
4
Hazard warning flasher 
on/off switch
123
5
Central locking switch
108
6
Rear head restraints, low-
ering switch
111
7
Tow-away alarm switch
Anti-theft alarm system in-
dicator lamp
84
85
Item
Page
8
Seat heater*, passenger 
side
Seat ventilation*, 
passenger side
114
113
9
PASS. AIRBAG OFF 
indicator lamp
71,
319
a
Audio system or 
COMAND* (see separate 
operating instructions)
134
b
Automatic climate control
Rear window defroster 
172,
171
c
Ashtray
253 
     
        
        Page 87 of 464
87 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Seats
Memory function
Lighting
Instrument cluster
Control system
Automatic transmission
Good visibility
Automatic climate control
Audio system
Power windows
Soft top
Driving systems
Loading
Useful features 
     
        
        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 133 of 464
133 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Menu1
Menu2
Menu3
Menu4
Menu5
Menu6
Menu7
Menu8
Commands/submenusStandard dis-
play
AUDIO
NAVI*
Distronic*
Malfunction 
memory
Settings
Trip computer
Telephone
Digital speed-
ometer
Select radio 
station
Activate 
route guid-
ance
Call up set-
tings
Call up malfunc-
tion messages
Reset to factory 
settings
Fuel consumption 
statistics after 
start
Load phone 
book
Call up FSS
Select 
satellite ra-
dio station
Instrument clus-
ter submenu
Fuel consumption 
statistics since 
the last reset
Search for 
name in 
phone book
Check engine oil 
level
Operate CD 
player*
Time submenu
Call up range
Operate cas-
sette player
Lighting sub-
menuVehicle sub-
menuConvenience 
submenu 
     
        
        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 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.