Page 11 of 128
At a glance
This overview of buttons, switches and displays
is intended to familiarize you with your vehicle's
operating environment. The section will also
assist you in becoming acquainted with the
control concepts and options available for
operating the various systems.
At a glance 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 12 of 128
Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: controls and displays
2Folding exterior mirrors in or out*34
3Adjusting exterior mirrors34
1
Opening and closing windows25
4
Parking lamps55
Low beams55
Automatic headlamp control
*55
5
Instrument lighting56
6
Fog lamps
*56 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 13 of 128
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility Reference
 11
8Instrument cluster12
10Buttons
* on the steering wheel
11Ignition lock3812Horn: the entire surface
14Releasing the hood86
15Opening the luggage compartment lid/
tailgate21 7
Turn signal indicators42
High beams, headlamp flasher56
Roadside parking lamps
*56
Computer
*48
9Windshield wipers43
Rain sensor
*43
Volume
>Press: to accept and end a 
telephone call; to start dialing 
for selected telephone num-
bers
>Press longer: activate and 
deactivate voice entry
*
Fast forward/rewind
>Radio
Press: next station stored
Press longer: station search
>CD
Press: jump to next track
Press longer: fast forward/
rewind
>Telephone
Scan register of names
Display/hide telephone book. Dis-
play the entries one after another 
with the forward/backward buttons 
13
Cruise control*44 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 14 of 128

Cockpit
12
Instrument cluster
1Speedometer
2Indicator lamps for turn signals
3Indicator and warning lamps12
4Tachometer46
with indicator and warning lamps12
5Engine coolant temperature gauge47
6Fuel gauge46
7Button for
>Displaying the clock47
>Service interval display47
>Checking the oil level88
8Position of automatic transmission
*40
9Button for
>Resetting trip odometer46
>Setting the clock47
10Display for
>Trip odometer/Odometer46
>Clock47
>Service interval47
>Computer
*48
>Checking the oil level88
Indicator and warning lamps 
Technology that monitors itself
Indicator and warning lamps that are identified 
by 
+ are tested for proper functioning whenever 
the key is turned. They each light up once for 
different periods of time.
If a malfunction occurs in one of the monitored 
systems, the corresponding lamp does not go 
out after the engine has started, or it lights up 
again while the vehicle is in motion. You can find 
more information about each system on the 
specified pages.
Turn signal indicators42
Battery charge current 
+97
Headlamp flasher/High beams42, 56
Engine oil pressure/
Engine oil level 
+87
Antilock Brake System ABS/Driving 
stability control systems 
+49 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 16 of 128
Cockpit
14
Around the center console: controls and displays 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 21 of 128

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 19
>Activation/deactivation and duration of 
pathway lighting, refer to page56
>Adjustment of sensitivity of automatic 
headlamp control
*, refer to page55
>Setting unit of measure for displaying the 
time and outside temperature in the instru-
ment cluster, refer to page48
Examples for Key Memory
>Automatic call-up* of the driver's seat posi-
tion after unlocking, refer to page33
>Locking of the vehicle after starting off, refer 
to page21
Central locking system 
The concept
The central locking system is ready for opera-
tion whenever the driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Luggage compartment lid/tailgate
>Fuel filler door
>Storage compartment between the back-
rests
>Roadster: opened manual convertible top
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Via the door lock
The anti-theft system is operated at the same 
time. It prevents the doors from being unlocked 
with the lock buttons or release handles. The 
remote control is also used to switch the interior 
lamps on and off. In addition, the alarm system
* 
is armed or disarmed.
For further details of the alarm system
*, refer to 
page23.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer 
to page21.In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the 
central locking system unlocks automatically. In 
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-
rior lamps come on.
Opening and closing:
from outside
With the remote control
Persons or animals in the vehicle could 
lock the doors from the inside. You should 
therefore take the remote control with you so 
that the car can be opened from the outside.<
Unlocking
1.Press the  button once.
The driver's door and fuel filler door are 
unlocked.
2.Press the  button again.
The entire vehicle is unlocked.
Convenience opening
Hold the   button down.
Coupe: the windows are opened.
Roadster: the windows and the fully automatic 
convertible top
* are opened.
Locking
Press the   button.
The hazard warning flashers light up once.
If you wish, you can have this special fea-
ture activated/deactivated.<
Switching on interior lamps
With the vehicle locked:
Press the   button.
With this function, you can also search for your 
vehicle when parked in an underground garage, 
for instance.
Unlocking the luggage compartment 
lid/tailgate
Press the  button for approx. 1 second. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 26 of 128

Opening and closing
24 >Switching on the hazard warning flashers
>Flashing the high beams
Arming and disarming
When you lock or unlock the vehicle, either with 
the remote control or at the door lock, the alarm 
system is armed or disarmed at the same time.
The hazard warning flashers light up once when 
the alarm system has been properly armed.
You can have different acknowledgment 
signals set to confirm arming and disarm-
ing.<
Even when the alarm system is armed, you can 
open the luggage compartment lid/tailgate 
using the  button on the remote control, 
refer to page19. When you subsequently close 
the luggage compartment lid/tailgate, it is 
locked again and monitored.
Manual operation of the luggage com-
partment lid/tailgate triggers the alarm. 
Refer to page21.<
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer 
to page19, or
>turn the master key in the ignition lock to 
position 1, refer to page38
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp beneath the interior mir-
ror flashes continuously:
The system is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes immediately 
after the vehicle is locked: 
Doors, hood or luggage compartment lid/
tailgate are not properly closed. Even if you do not close the alerted area, the system 
begins to monitor the remaining areas, and 
the indicator lamp flashes continuously 
after approx. 10 seconds. However, the 
interior motion sensor is not activated.
>If the indicator lamp goes out immediately 
after the vehicle is unlocked:
Your vehicle has not been disturbed while 
you were away.
>If the indicator lamp flashes for 10 seconds 
immediately after the vehicle is unlocked: 
Your vehicle has been disturbed while you 
were away.
After an alarm has been triggered, the indicator 
lamp will flash continuously.
Tilt alarm sensor
The inclination of the vehicle is monitored. The 
alarm system reacts e.g. to attempts to steal a 
wheel or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor*
Coupe
All windows must be closed in order for the inte-
rior motion sensor to function optimally.
Roadster
The system monitors the footwells and the 
seating areas of the driver and passenger. Even 
when the convertible top is open, the alarm sys-
tem including the interior motion sensor is 
armed. Objects falling into the vehicle, e.g. 
leaves, can trigger unintentional alarms, refer to 
Avoiding unintentional alarms.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor 
can be deactivated at the same time. In this way 
you can avoid unintentional alarms, e.g. in the 
following situations:
>In duplex garages
>When transporting on car-carrying trains
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 42 of 128

Driving
40
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press 
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise, 
the engine could be damaged by accidentally 
engaging 3rd or 4th gear.<
Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. 
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a 
slight resistance has to be overcome.
Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic*
In addition to operating the Steptronic as a fully 
automatic transmission, you can also shift 
gears manually with it, refer to page41.
Vehicle parking
To prevent the vehicle from rolling, 
always select position P before leaving 
the vehicle with the engine running.<
Removing the key
To turn the key in the ignition lock back to posi-
tion 0 or to remove it, first engage selector lever 
position P and switch off the engine: interlock.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in the instrument cluster
P R N D SD M1 to M6
The selector lever position is displayed; in the 
manual mode, the gear currently engaged is 
shown.
Range selection
>With the ignition switched on or the engine 
running, the selector lever can be moved 
out of position P: interlock.
>Before moving the lever away from P or N 
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the 
brake; otherwise the selector lever will 
refuse to move: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping 
after you select a driving position, 
depress the brake until you are ready to 
start.<
A lock prevents you from inadvertently engag-
ing selector lever positions R and P. To cancel 
the lock, press the button on the front of the 
selector lever, see arrow.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The 
transmission locks to prevent the drive wheels 
from turning.