Page 7 of 474

Contents
Vehicle status message memory
menu ............................................  143
Settings menu ..............................  144
Trip computer menu.....................  159
TEL menu* ...................................  161
Automatic transmission .....................  164
One-touch gearshifting.................  166
Gear ranges .................................  167
Gear selector lever position .........  168
Automatic shift program ..............  170
Driving tips ...................................  171
Steering wheel gearshift control 
(Speedshift)..................................  172
Manual shift program
SL 55 AMG and SL 65 AMG .........  175
Emergency operation
(Limp Home Mode) ......................  177
Good visibility ....................................  178
Headlamp cleaning system ..........  178
Rear window defroster .................  178
Rear view mirrors .........................  178
Sun visors ....................................  180Automatic climate control .................. 182
Setting the temperature................ 185
Adjusting air volume ..................... 185
Adjusting air distribution............... 186
Maximum cooling MAXCOOL ........ 186
Defrosting windshield ................... 187
Air recirculation mode .................. 187
Rear window defroster .................. 189
Residual heat and ventilation ........ 190
Deactivating the automatic
climate control system ................. 191
Air conditioning............................. 191
Ventilated storage compartments. 192
Power windows .................................. 193
Opening and closing the windows. 193
Synchronizing power windows ...... 195
Retractable hardtop............................ 196
Opening and closing the
retractable hardtop ....................... 196Driving systems ..................................  205
Cruise control ...............................  205
Distronic* ..................................... 208
Active Body Control (ABC) ............ 220
Parktronic* (Parking assist) ..........  223
Useful features ...................................  228
Storage compartments .................  228
Ashtray ......................................... 233
Cigarette lighter ............................ 233
Heated steering wheel* 
(SL 500, SL 600)...........................  234
Load assist in the trunk ................ 235
Electrical outlet............................. 236
Telephone* ...................................  236
Tele Aid ......................................... 237
Garage door opener ......................  246 
     
        
        Page 30 of 474
28 At a glanceMultifunction steering wheel
Item
Page
1
Left multifunction display 
in the speedometer
134
2
Right multifunction display 
in the tachometer
134
Operating the control 
system
135
3
Selecting the submenu or 
setting the volume:
Press buttonçdown/to decreaseæup/to increase
4
Telephone*:
Press buttoníto take a callìto end a call
Item
Page
5
Menu systems:
Press buttonÿfor previous menuèfor next menu
6
Moving within a menu:
Press buttonjfor next displaykfor previous display 
     
        
        Page 33 of 474
31 At a glance
Overhead control panel
Overhead control panel
Item
Page
1
Left reading lamp on/off
129
2
Temperature sensor for 
automatic climate control
182
3
Right reading lamp on/off
129
4
Interior lighting control
129
5
Hands-free microphone 
for Tele Aid (emergency 
call system), telephone* 
and voice control system* 
(see separate operating 
instructions)
236
6
Rear view mirror
43,
178
7
Garage door opener
246
8
Tele Aid (emergency call 
system) button
237 
     
        
        Page 79 of 474

77 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!
G
The BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation sys-
tem will ONLY work with a special child seat 
designed to operate with it. It will not work 
with child seats which are not BabySmart
TM 
compatible.
Never place anything between seat cushion 
and child seat (e.g. pillow), since it reduces 
the effectiveness of the deactivation sys-
tem. The bottom of the child seat must 
make full contact with the passenger seat 
cushion. An incorrectly mounted child seat 
could cause injuries to the child in case of an 
accident, instead of protecting the child.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for 
installation of special child seats.
Warning!
G
When using a BabySmart
TM compatible 
child seat on the front passenger seat, the 
passenger front airbag will not deploy only if 
the 7 indicator lamp remains illuminat-
ed. 
Please be sure to check the indicator every 
time you use the special system child seat. 
Should the light go out while the restraint is 
installed, please check installation. If the 
light remains out, do not use the 
BabySmart
TM restraint to transport children 
on the passenger seat until the system has 
been repaired.
Warning!
G
Do not place powered-on laptops, cell 
phones and like electronic devices on the 
passenger seat. Signals from such devices 
may interfere with the BabySmart
TM system. 
Such signal interference may cause the 
7 indicator lamp not to come on during 
self-test or be continuously lit, indicating 
that the system is not functioning. 
     
        
        Page 103 of 474

101 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Important notes on using KEYLESS-GO
You can also use the SmartKey with 
KEYLESS-GO like a normal SmartKey 
(page 94).
You can combine KEYLESS-GO func-
tions with normal SmartKey functions 
(e.g. unlocking with KEYLESS-GO and 
locking with the Œ button).
Always carry the SmartKey with 
KEYLESS-GO with you.
Never store the SmartKey with 
KEYLESS-GO together with:
Electronic items such as a cellular 
phone or another SmartKey with 
KEYLESS-GO
Metallic objects such as coins or 
metal foil
Doing so could impair the function of 
the KEYLESS-GO system.
To lock or unlock the vehicle, the 
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be 
located outside the vehicle within ap-
proximately 3 ft (1 m) of a door or the 
trunk.
In order to start the engine with the 
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO:
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO 
must be located in the vehicle.
All doors must be closed.
The brake pedal must be firmly de-
pressed. Do not depress the accel-
erator.
If you have started the engine with the 
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button 
(page 37), you can only turn it off 
again with this button, even if you have 
put the SmartKey in the starter switch 
in the meantime.
This does not apply if, after starting, the 
selector lever is still in positionP and 
the SmartKey is then inserted in the 
starter switch. The SmartKey will then 
have priority over the KEYLESS-GO 
function and the vehicle’s electrical 
system will operate according to the 
position of the SmartKey in the starter 
switch, even stopping the engine.
If the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is 
positioned farther away from the vehi-
cle, the system may no longer recog-
nize the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO. 
The vehicle then cannot be locked or 
the engine started via the KEYLESS-GO 
system. 
     
        
        Page 137 of 474
135 Controls in detail
Control system
Multifunction 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.
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. 
1
Left multifunction display in the 
speedometer
2
Right multifunction display in the 
tachometerOperating the control system
3
Selecting the submenu or setting 
the volume:
Press buttonçdown / to decreaseæup / to increase
4
Telephone*:
Press buttoníto take a callìto end a call
5
Menu systems:
Press buttonÿfor previous menuèfor next menu
6
Moving within a menu:
Press buttonjfor next displaykfor previous display 
     
        
        Page 140 of 474
138 Controls in detailControl systemMenus, submenus and functions
Menu 1
Menu 2
Menu 3
Menu 4
Menu 5
Menu 6
Menu 7
Menu 8
Standard dis-
play
AUDIO 
NAV
Distronic* 
Vehicle status 
message memory
Settings 
Trip computer
Telephone 
(page 139)
(page 139)
(page 142)
(page 142)
(page 143)
(page 144)
(page 159)
(page 161)
Commands/submenusDigital speedom-
eter
Selecting 
radio station
Activating 
route 
guidance
Calling up 
settings
Calling up vehicle 
malfunction, warn-
ing and system sta-
tus messages 
stored in memory
Resetting to 
factory set-
tings
Fuel consump-
tion statistics 
after start
Loading 
phone book
Calling up main-
tenance service 
indicator
Selecting 
satellite radio 
station*
(USA only)
Instrument 
cluster sub-
menu 
Fuel consump-
tion statistics 
since the last 
reset
Searching for 
name in 
phone book
Time 
submenu
Checking tire in-
flation pressure*
Operating CD 
player
Lighting sub-
menu
Calling up 
range
Checking engine 
oil level
Vehicle sub-
menuConvenience 
submenu 
     
        
        Page 163 of 474

161 Controls in detail
Control system
Call up range (distance to empty)
Press button ÿ or è repeatedly 
until you see the first function of the 
Trip computer menu.
Press button j or k repeatedly 
until you see this message in the left 
display: 
Range
.
In the right display you will see the cal-
culated range based on the current fuel 
tank level.
TEL menu*
You can use the functions in the 
TEL
 menu 
to operate your telephone, provided it is 
connected to a hands-free system and 
switched on.
Switch on the telephone and COMAND.
Press button ÿ or è on the 
steering wheel repeatedly until you see 
the 
TEL
 menu in the left display.
Warning!
G
A driver’s attention to the road must always 
be his/her primary focus when driving. For 
your safety and the safety of others, we rec-
ommend that you pull over to a safe location 
and stop before placing or taking a tele-
phone call. If you choose to use the tele-
phone while driving, please use the 
hands-free device and only use the tele-
phone when weather, road, and traffic con-
ditions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from 
using a cellular telephone while driving a ve-
hicle.
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.
Never operate radio transmitters equipped 
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna) 
from inside the vehicle while the engine is 
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or 
personal injury.