Page 147 of 506

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.
Page 154 of 506

152 Controls in detailControl systemNAV* menu
The
Nav
menu contains the functions
needed to operate your navigation system.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until you see the message
NAV
in the
display.
If the navigation system is switched off,
the message
NAV off
is shown in the
display.
If the navigation system is switched on,
the message
NAV Active
is shown in
the display.
Please refer to the COMAND manual for in-
structions on how to activate the route
guidance system.
Distronic* menu
Use the Distronic menu to display the cur-
rent settings for your Distronic system.
What information is shown in the display
depends on whether the Distronic system
is active or inactive.
Please refer to the “Driving systems” sec-
tion of this manual (
page 235) for in-
structions on how to activate Distronic.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until you see one of the following two
pictures in the display.Distronic deactivated
When Distronic is deactivated, you will see
the standard display in the display.
1Vehicle ahead, if detected
2Actual distance to vehicle ahead
3Preset distance threshold to vehicle
ahead
4Your vehicle
5Symbol for activated distance warning
function
Page 156 of 506

154 Controls in detailControl system
Press buttonk orj.
The stored messages will now be dis-
played in the order in which they have
occurred. For malfunction and warning
messages, see “Vehicle status messag-
es in the multifunction display”
(page 367).
Should the vehicle’s system record any
conditions while driving, the number of
messages will reappear in the multifunc-
tion display when the SmartKey in the
starter switch is turned to position0 or re-
moved from the starter switch.
Settings menu
In the
Settings
menu there are two func-
tions:
The function
To reset: Press reset
button for 3 seconds
, with which you
can reset all the settings to the original
factory settings.
A collection of submenus with which
you can make individual settings for
your vehicle.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the
Settings
menu is seen in the
display.Resetting all settings
You can reset all the functions of all sub-
menus to the factory settings.
Press the reset button in the instru-
ment cluster (
page 24) for approxi-
mately three seconds.
In the display you will see the request
to press the reset button again to con-
firm.
Press the reset button again.
The functions of all the submenus will
reset to factory settings.
iThe vehicle status message memory
will be cleared when you turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch to
position1 or2. You will then only see
high priority messages in the multifunc-
tion display (
page 367).
iThe settings you have changed will not
be reset unless you confirm the action
by pressing the reset button a second
time.
Page 162 of 506

160 Controls in detailControl systemSynchronizing the time
This function can only be seen on vehicles
with COMAND and navigation module*.
Move the selection marker with
theæ orç button to the Time/Date
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see this message in the dis-
play:
Time sync. with head unit
.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to select
the desired setting.Set time (hours)
This function can only be seen when time
synchronization is switched off.
Move the selection marker with
theæ orç button to the Time/Date
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see this message in the dis-
play:
Clock, hours
.
The selection marker is on the hour set-
ting.
Press buttonæ orç to set the
hour.
Confirm by pressing reset button.Set time (minutes)
This function can only be seen when time
synchronization is switched off.
Move the selection marker with
theæ orç button to the Time/Date
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see this message in the dis-
play:
Clock, minutes
.
The selection marker is on the minute
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to set the
minutes.
Confirm by pressing reset button.
Page 164 of 506

162 Controls in detailControl systemLighting submenu
Access the
Lighting
submenu via the
Set-
tings
menu. Use the
Lighting
submenu
to change the lamp and lighting settings on
your vehicle. The following functions are
available:Setting daytime running lamp mode
(USA only)
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see
Lamp circuit headlamp
in
the multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to select
manual operation (
manual
) or daytime
running lamp mode (
constant
) activat-
ed.
With daytime running lamp mode activated
and the exterior lamp switch at
positionM orU the low beam head-
lamps are switched on when the engine is
running.
In low ambient light conditions the follow-
ing lamps will switch on additionally:
Parking lamps
Tail lamps
License plate lamps
Side marker lamps
For more information on the daytime run-
ning lamp mode, see “Lighting”
(
page 133).
Function
Page
Set daytime running lamp mode
(USA only)
162
Setting locator lighting
163
Setting night security illumina-
tion
164
Setting interior lighting delayed
shut-off
165
Setting ambient lighting
165
iThis function is not available in coun-
tries where the daytime running lamp
mode is mandatory and therefore in a
constant mode.
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163 Controls in detail
Control system
Setting locator lighting
With the locator lighting feature activated
and the exterior lamp switch in
positionU, the following lamps will
switch on when the vehicle is unlocked
with the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO* during
darkness:
Parking lamps
Tail lamps
License plate lamps
Side marker lamps
Front fog lamps
The locator lighting switches off when the
driver’s door is opened.
If you do not open a door after unlocking
with the SmartKey the lamps will switch off
automatically after approximately 40 sec-
onds.
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see
Function Surround
lighting
in the multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to switch
the locator lighting function
on.
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionU when exiting the vehicle.
The locator lighting feature is activat-
ed.
iFor safety reasons, resetting the Lighting
submenu to factory settings
while driving (
page 154) will not de-
activate the daytime running lamp
mode.
The following message appears in the
multifunction display:
Lighting - Can-
not be completely reset to factory
settings while driving.
Page 166 of 506

164 Controls in detailControl systemSetting night security illumination
(Headlamps delayed shut-off)
Use this function to set whether and how
long you would like the exterior lamps to il-
luminate during darkness after exiting the
vehicle and all doors closed.
With the delayed shut-off feature activated
and the exterior lamp switch in
positionU before the engine is turned
off, the following lamps will switch on after
you have removed the SmartKey from the
starter switch or, when using
KEYLESS-GO*, open the driver's door:
Parking lamps
Tail lamps
License plate lamps
Side marker lamps
Front fog lamps
If you do not open a door after removing
the SmartKey from the starter switch, the
lamps will switch off automatically after
approximately 60 seconds.
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see
Headlamps delayed
shut-off
in the multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to select
the desired lamp-on period.
0 sec.
, the delayed shut-off feature
is deactivated.
15 sec.
, 30 sec.
, 45 sec.
or
60 sec.
, select the desired lamp-on
period.
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionU before turning off the en-
gine.
The headlamps delayed shut-off fea-
ture is activated.
You can temporarily deactivate the de-
layed shut-off feature:
Before exiting the vehicle, turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch to
position0.
Then turn it to position2 and back to
position0.
The delayed shut-off feature is deacti-
vated. It will reactivate as soon as you
reinsert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
iYou can reactivate this function within
ten minutes by opening a door.
Page 167 of 506

165 Controls in detail
Control system
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton on the gear selector lever
(page 35).
Setting interior lighting delayed shut-off
Use this function to set whether and how
long you would like the interior lighting to
remain lit during darkness after you have
removed the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see
Interior lamp delayed
shut-off
in the multifunction display.The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to select
the desired lamp-on period.
You can select:
0 sec.
, the delayed shut-off feature
is deactivated.
5 sec.,
10 sec.
, 15 sec.
or
20 sec.
, the interior lighting de-
layed shut-off feature is activated
with the desired lamp-on period.
Setting ambient lighting
Using this function to adjust the brightness
of the ambient lighting.
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see
Ambient light Level
in
the multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to select
the desired brightness of the ambient
lighting.
The setting 1 represents the darkest
level and setting 5 the brightest level.
The ambient light is switched off at set-
ting 0.