Page 9 of 417

ContentsSafety and Security...........................  60
Occupant safety...................................  62
Airbags ...........................................  63
Seat belts .......................................  69
Children in the vehicle ....................  72
Panic alarm ..........................................  78
Activating .......................................  78
Deactivating ...................................  78
Driving safety systems .........................  79
ABS ................................................  79
BAS ................................................  81
ESP .................................................  81
SBC brake system ..........................  84
Performance enhancement system .....  87
Airbrake..........................................  87
Anti-theft systems................................  90
Immobilizer.....................................  90
Anti-theft alarm system ..................  90
Tow-away alarm .............................  91
Controls in detail...............................  94
Locking and unlocking .........................  96
SmartKey .......................................  96
Opening the doors .......................  100
Opening the trunk ........................  101
Closing the trunk lid .....................  102
Trunk lid emergency release ........  102
Automatic locking ........................  103
Locking and unlocking from 
the inside .....................................  103
Lighting..............................................  105
Exterior lamp switch.....................  105
Combination switch .....................  109
Hazard warning flasher ................  110
Interior lighting.............................  111
Trunk lamp ...................................  112
Courtesy lighting ..........................  112
Instrument cluster .............................  113
Instrument cluster illumination ....  113
Coolant temperature gauge .........  114
Resetting the trip odometer .........  115
Tachometer ..................................  115
Outside temperature indicator .....  115Control system ..................................  117
Multifunction display....................  117
Multifunction steering wheel........  118
Menus ..........................................  120
Standard display menu ................  122
AUDIO menu ................................  122
Vehicle status message memory .  124
Settings menu ..............................  125
Trip computer menu.....................  136
TEL menu .....................................  138
Audio system .....................................  143
Audio and telephone, operation ...  143
Operating safety ..........................  143
Location of the audio system .......  143
Operating and display elements...  144
Button and soft key operation......  146
Operation .....................................  146
Radio operation ...........................  149
Cassette operation ......................  152
CD changer operation ..................  156
Telephone operation ....................  160 
     
        
        Page 33 of 417
32 At a glanceCenter consoleLower part
Item
Page
1
Exterior rear view mirror 
adjustment
43
2
Remote trunk lid switch
99
3
Tow-away alarm switch
91
4
ESP control switch
83
5
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF 
indicator lamp
75
6
Gear selector lever for auto-
matic transmission
171
7
Parking brake
49
56 
     
        
        Page 39 of 417
38 Getting startedThe “Getting started” section provides an 
overview of the vehicle’s most basic func-
tions. First-time Mercedes-Benz owners 
should pay special attention to the infor-
mation given here. 
If you are already familiar with the basic 
functions described here, the “Controls in 
detail” section will provide you with further 
information. The corresponding page 
references are located at the end of each 
segment.Unlocking
SmartKey with remote control 1‹Lock button
2ŠUnlock button for trunk lid
3ŒUnlock button
4ÂPanic button (
page 78)5Door handle
Press unlock buttonŒ.
All turn signal lamps flash once. The 
anti-theft alarm system is disarmed.iThe SBC brake system is activated. 
     
        
        Page 59 of 417

58 Getting startedParking and lockingTurning off the engine 
Place the gear selector lever in 
positionP.
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch 
to position0 and remove the SmartKey 
from the starter switch.
The immobilizer is activated.
Press the seat belt release button 
(page 46).
Allow the retractor to completely 
rewind the seat belt by guiding the 
latch plate.
After exiting the vehicle, press the lock 
button‹ on the SmartKey 
(page 38).
With the hood, trunk and all doors 
closed, all turn signal lamps flash three 
times. The anti-theft alarm system is 
armed.
For more information, see “Locking and 
unlocking” (
page 96).
iAlways set the parking brake in addi-
tion to shifting to positionP.
On slopes, turn the front wheels to-
wards the road curb. iThe SmartKey can only be removed 
from the starter switch with the gear 
selector lever in positionP.
iWith the SmartKey removed and the 
driver’s door open, a warning sounds if 
the vehicle’s exterior lamps are not 
switched off.Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always 
keep hands and fingers away from the door 
openings when closing the doors. Be espe-
cially careful when small children are 
around.
Before closing doors, make sure there is no 
possibility of someone getting caught in a 
door during closing.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the 
SmartKey from the starter switch, take it 
with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not leave 
children unattended in the vehicle, or with 
access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsuper-
vised use of vehicle equipment may cause 
an accident and/or serious personal injury. 
     
        
        Page 61 of 417
Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Panic alarm
Driving safety systems
Performance enhancement system
Anti-theft systems 
     
        
        Page 79 of 417

78 Safety and SecurityPanic alarmAn audible alarm and flashing exterior 
lamps will operate for approximately 
3 minutes.
1ÂbuttonActivating
Press and hold button1 for at least 
one second. 
Deactivating
Press button1 again.
or
Insert SmartKey in starter switch.
iUSA only: 
This device complies with Part 15 of 
the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to 
the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful 
interference, and
(2) this device must accept any inter-
ference received, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired 
operation.
Any unauthorized modification to this 
device could void the user’s authority 
to operate the equipment.
iCanada only:
This device complies with RSS-210 of 
Industry Canada. Operation is subject 
to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause interfer-
ence, and
(2) this device must accept any inter-
ference received, including interfer-
ence that may cause undesired 
operation of the device.
Any unauthorized modification to this 
device could void the user’s authority 
to operate the equipment. 
     
        
        Page 91 of 417

90 Safety and SecurityAnti-theft systemsImmobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized 
persons from starting your vehicle.
Activating
Removing the SmartKey from the starter 
switch activates the immobilizer.
Deactivating
Inserting the SmartKey in the starter 
switch deactivates the immobilizer.
Anti-theft alarm system
Once the alarm system has been armed, a 
visual and audible alarm is triggered when 
someone opens 
a door
the trunk lid
the hood
a storage compartment in the rear
the storage compartment under the 
armrest
is opened.The alarm system will also be triggered 
when 
someone attempts to raise the vehicle
someone opens a door from the inside 
if the vehicle was locked from the out-
side with the SmartKey
someone opens the trunk lid with the 
emergency release button
iIn case the engine cannot be started 
(yet the vehicle’s battery is charged), 
the system is not operational. Contact 
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center 
or call 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the 
USA), or 1-888-881-6611 (in Canada).
iThe alarm will stay on, even if the acti-
vating element (a door, for example) is 
immediately closed.
If the alarm stays on for more than 
30 seconds, a call to the Response 
Center is initiated automatically by the 
Tele Aid system (
page 215) provided 
Tele Aid service was subscribed to and 
properly activated, and that necessary 
cellular service and GPS coverage are 
available. 
     
        
        Page 92 of 417

91 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Arming the alarm system
Lock the vehicle with the SmartKey.
The turn signal lamps flash three times 
to indicate that the alarm system is 
activated. The indicator lamp in the 
central locking switch (
page 104) be-
gins to flash after arming the alarm 
system.Disarming the alarm system
Unlock your vehicle with the SmartKey. 
The turn signal lamps flash once to 
indicate that the alarm system is 
deactivated.
Canceling the alarm
To cancel the alarm:
Press theŒ or‹ button on the 
SmartKey.
or
Insert the SmartKey in the starter 
switch.
Tow-away alarm
Once the tow-away alarm is armed, a visual 
and audible alarm will be triggered when 
someone attempts to raise the vehicle.
iIf the turn signal lamps do not flash 
three times, one of the following 
elements may not be properly closed:
a door
the trunk
the hood
Close the respective element and lock 
the vehicle again.
iThe alarm system will rearm automati-
cally after approximately 40 seconds if 
neither a door nor the trunk lid was 
opened.
iThe tow-away protection alarm is 
triggered, for example, if the vehicle is 
lifted on one side.
If the alarm stays on for more than 
30 seconds, a call to the Response 
Center is initiated automatically by the 
Tele Aid system (
page 215) provided 
Tele Aid service was subscribed to and 
properly activated, and that necessary 
cellular service and GPS coverage are 
available.