2005 MERCEDES-BENZ E500 Page 37

136 Controls in detailLightingLocator lighting and night security illu-
mination
Locator lighting and night security illumi-
nation are described in the “Control sys-
tem” section, see (
page 163) and
(
page 164).
Fog lampsFront fog lamps

Switch on the low beam headlamps
(page 50).

Pull out exterior lamp switch to first
stop.
The front fog lamps are switched on.
The green indicator lamp‡ in the
exterior lamp switch comes on
(page 133).

Push in the exterior lamp switch.
The front fog lamps are switched off.
The green indicator lamp‡ in the
exterior lamp switch goes out.
Warning!
G
In low ambient lighting or foggy conditions,
only switch from position U to B with
the vehicle at a standstill. Switching from
U to B will briefly switch off the head-
lamps. Doing so while driving in low ambient
lighting conditions may result in an acci-
dent.
iFog lamps will operate with the parking
lamps and/or the low beam headlamps
on. Fog lamps should only be used in
conjunction with low beam headlamps.
Consult your State or Province Motor
Vehicle Regulations regarding permis-
sible lamp operation.iFog lamps cannot be switched on with
the exterior lamp switch in
positionU. For switching on the fog
lamps, turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB.

137 Controls in detail
Lighting
Rear fog lamp (driver’s side only)
Switch on the low beam headlamps
(page 50).

Pull out exterior lamp switch to second
stop.
The yellow indicator lamp† in the
exterior lamp switch comes on
(page 133).

Push in the exterior lamp switch to first
stop.
The rear fog lamp switches off.
The yellow indicator lamp† in the
exterior lamp switch goes out.
The front fog lamps remain lit.
Combination switch
The combination switch is located on the
left side of the steering column.Combination switch1High beam
2High beam flasherHigh beam

Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB orU (
page 133).

Push the combination switch in direc-
tion of arrow1 to switch on the high
beam.
The high beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
comes on (
page 24).

Pull the combination switch in direction
of arrow2 to its original position to
switch off the high beam.
The high beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
goes out.
High beam flasher

Pull the combination switch briefly in
direction of arrow2.

139 Controls in detail
Lighting
Interior lighting in the front
1Left front reading lamp on/off
2Rear interior lighting on/off
3Automatic control on/off
4Front interior lighting on/off
5Right front reading lamp on/off
6Ambient lighting
7Interior lighting
8Front reading lampThe controls are located in the overhead
control panel.
Automatic control
Activating

Press automatic control switch3.
The Interior lighting switches on in
darkness, when you:

unlock the vehicle


remove the SmartKey from the
starter switch


open a door


open the trunk
The interior lighting switches off automati-
cally following an adjustable time delay.For more information, see “Setting interior
lighting delayed shut-off” (
page 165).
Deactivating

Press automatic control switch3
again.
The interior lighting remains switched
off in darkness, even when you:

unlock the vehicle


remove the SmartKey from the
starter switch


open a door


open the trunk
iLeaving an interior light switch in the
ON position for extended periods of
time with the engine turned off could
result in a discharged battery.
iIf the door remains open, the interior
lamps switch off automatically after ap-
proximately five minutes.

141 Controls in detail
Lighting
Interior lighting in the rear
The overhead control panel is located
above the rear seat bench.
1Ambient lighting switch, to brighten
2Rear reading lamp
3Rear reading lamp on/off
4Rear interior lamp
5Ambient lighting
6Ambient lighting switch, to dimRear reading lamps

Press desired rear reading lamp
switch3 to switch on the correspond-
ing rear reading lamp.

Press respective rear reading lamp
switch3 again to switch off the corre-
sponding rear reading lamp.
Ambient lighting

Press ambient lighting switch1or6
repeatedly until ambient lighting5
has reached the desired intensity.
You can switch the ambient lighting on and
off, using the Control system
(
page 165).
Trunk lamp
The trunk lamp switches on if the trunk lid
is opened.
If the trunk lid remains open, the trunk
lighting switches off automatically after ap-
proximately ten minutes.

142 Controls in detailInstrument clusterA full view illustration of the instrument
cluster can be found in the “At a glance”
section of this manual (
page 24).
The instrument cluster is activated when
you


open a door


turn on the ignition


press the reset button (
page 24)


switch on the exterior lamps
You can change the instrument cluster set-
tings in the instrument cluster submenu of
the control system (
page 157).
Instrument cluster illumination
Use the reset button (
page 24) to adjust
the illumination brightness for the instru-
ment cluster.
To brighten illumination

Turn the reset button in the instrument
cluster clockwise (
page 24).
The instrument cluster illumination will
brighten.To dim illumination

Turn the reset button in the instrument
cluster counterclockwise (
page 24).
The instrument cluster illumination will
dim.
iThe instrument cluster illumination is
dimmed or brightened automatically to
suit ambient light conditions.
The instrument cluster illumination will
also be adjusted automatically when
you switch on the vehicle’s exterior
lamps.

143 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Coolant temperature indicator
During severe operating conditions, e.g.
stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tempera-
ture may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature above 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious en-
gine damage which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip odome-
ter display (
page 145).

If it is not displayed, press the è or
ÿ repeatedly until the trip odome-
ter appears.

Press and hold the reset button on the
instrument cluster (
page 24) until
the trip odometer is reset.
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 trigger
a warning in the multifunction display
(page 361).

144 Controls in detailInstrument clusterTachometer
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.
Outside temperature indicator
The outside temperature is displayed in
the instrument cluster (
page 24). For in-
formation 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 157).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.
!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.
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.

145 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
Above illustration shows the standard dis-
play.
For more information on menus displayed
in the multifunction display, see “Menus”
(page 148).
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 14 m) every second.