2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E55AMG wheel

21 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Parking brake pedal
45, 51
2
Hood lock release
281
3
Steering wheel adjustment
stalk
37
Heated steering wheel*
248
4
Parking brake release
45
5
Combination switch

Turn signals
47


Windshield wipers
48


High beam
47
6
Door control panel
28
7
Exterior lamp switch
119
Item
Page
8
Headlamp washer button*
170
9
Cruise control lever

Cruise control
218


Distronic*
214
a
Instrument cluster
22,
126
b
Multifunction steering
wheel
24,
130
c
Horn
d
Lever for voice control sys-
tem*, see separate
operating instructions
Item
Page
e
Starter switch
31
f
Front Parktronic* warning
indicator
229
g
Overhead control panel
27
h
Mobile phone/Glasses box
242
j
Glove box lid release, glove
box lock
242
k
Glove box
242
l
Center console
25

24 At a glanceMultifunction steering wheel
Multifunction steering wheel
Item
Page
1
Multifunction display in
speedometer
129
Operating control sys-
tem
130
2
Selecting the submenu or
setting the volumeçdown/to decreaseæup/to increase
3
Telephone*: Press buttonsto take a call
to dial a calltto end a call
to reject an incom-
ing call
Item
Page
4
Menu systems: Press but-
tonèfor next systemÿfor previous system
5
Moving within a menu:
Press buttonjfor next displaykfor previous display

26 At a glanceCenter consoleLower part
Item
Page
1
Ashtray
246
2
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button
33
3
Selector lever for automat-
ic transmission
43,
161
4
Parking assist (Parktronic
system)* deactivation
switch
229
5
Adaptive damping system
(ADS)* switch
226
Item
Page
6
Vehicle level control
switch*
227
7
Thumbwheel for setting
distance for Distronic*
221
8
Distance warning func-
tion* on/off switch
222
9
Program mode selector for
automatic transmission
164

28 At a glanceDoor control panel
Door control panel
Item
Page
1
Door handle
97
2
Seat adjustment
35
3
Memory function (for stor-
ing seat, exterior mirror
and steering wheel set-
tings)
116
4
Exterior rear view mirror
adjustment
38
5
Switches for opening/
closing front and rear side
windows, rear window
override switch
197
6
Remote trunk lid release
switch, Trunk lid open-
ing/closing system*
99

34 Getting startedAdjusting
AdjustingSeatsWarning!
G
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and
rear view mirror adjustments, as well as fas-
tening of seat belts, must be done before
the vehicle is put into motion.Warning!
G
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
back reclined. Sitting in an excessively re-
clined position can be dangerous. You could
slide under the seat belt in a collision. If you
slide under it, the belt would apply force at
the abdomen or neck. That could cause se-
rious or fatal injuries. The seat back and seat
belts provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in an upright position and belts are
properly positioned on the body.
Your seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten your seat belt (
page 40).
Never place hands under the seat or near
any moving parts while a seat is being ad-
justed.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* with you, and
lock your vehicle.
The power seats can also be operated with
the driver’s or passenger door open. Do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsu-
pervised use of vehicle equipment may
cause an accident and / or serious personal
injury.
Warning!
G
Children 12 years old and under must never
ride in the front seat, except in a
Mercedes-Benz authorized BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat, which operates with
the BabySmart
TM system installed in the ve-
hicle to deactivate the passenger front air-
bag when it is properly installed. Otherwise
they will be struck by the airbag when it in-
flates in a crash. If this happens, serious or
fatal injury will result.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. Infants and small children
must ride in back seats and be seated in an
appropriate infant or child restraint system,
which is properly secured with the vehicle's
seat belt and top tether strap, or secured via
lower anchors and top tether strap, fully in
accordance with the child seat manufactur-
er’s instructions.

35 Getting started
Adjusting
Seat adjustment
The seat adjustment switches are located
on the front doors.
1Head restraint height
2Seat height
3Seat cushion tilt
4Seat fore and aft adjustment
5Backrest tilt

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1 or2 (
page 31)
or

Press the KEYLESS GO* start/stop
button once or twice (
page 33).
or

Open the driver’s or passenger door.Seat fore and aft adjustment

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow4.
Adjust a comfortable seating position
that still allows you to reach the
accelerator / brake pedal safely. The
position should be as far to the rear as
possible, consistent with ability to
properly operate controls.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
iWhen moving the seat, be sure there
are no items in the footwell or behind
the seats. Otherwise you could damage
the seats.
The memory function (
page 116) lets
you store the setting for the seat posi-
tion together with the setting for the
steering wheel and the exterior rear
view mirrors.

36 Getting startedAdjustingSeat cushion tilt
Press the switch up or down in the di-
rection of arrow3 until your upper
legs are lightly supported.
Backrest tilt

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow5 until your
arms are slightly angled when holding
the steering wheel.
Seat height

Press the switch up or down in the di-
rection of arrow2.Head restraint height

Press the switch up or down in the di-
rection of arrow5.Head restraint tilt
Manually adjust the angle of the head re-
straint.

Push or pull on the lower edge of the
head restraint cushion.
More information on seats can be found in
the “Controls in detail” section
(
page 108).
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that the center of
the head restraint supports the back of the
head at eye level. This will reduce the poten-
tial for injury to the head and neck in the
event of an accident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are intend-
ed to help reduce injuries during an acci-
dent.

37 Getting started
Adjusting
Steering wheel Steering wheel adjustment
The stalk for steering wheel adjustment is
located on the steering column (lower left).
1Adjusting steering column, in or out
2Adjusting steering column, up or down

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1 or2.
or

Press the KEYLESS GO* start/stop
button once or twice.
or

Open the driver’s door.Adjusting steering column in or out

Move stalk forward or back in the direc-
tion of arrow1 until a comfortable
steering wheel position is reached with
your arms slightly bent at the elbow.
Adjusting steering column up or down

Move stalk up or down in the direction
of arrow2.
Make sure your legs can move freely
and that all the displays (incl. malfunc-
tion and indicator lamps) on the instru-
ment cluster are clearly visible.
For more information, see “Heated steer-
ing wheel*”(
page 248).
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driv-
ing. Adjusting the steering wheel while driv-
ing could cause the driver to lose control of
the vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch, take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* with you and
lock your vehicle.
The steering wheel adjustment feature can
also be operated with the driver’s door
open. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and/or serious
personal injury.
iThe memory function (
page 116) lets
you store the setting for the seat posi-
tion together with the setting for the
steering wheel and the exterior rear
view mirrors.