2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS500 reset

74 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyAutomatic comfort-fit feature seat belt
An automatic comfort-fit feature for front
seats reduces the retracting force of the
seat belts when they are in normal use.
Active head restraints
The active head restraints are intended to
offer the driver and front passenger in-
creased protection from head and neck
injury. In the event of a rear-end collision,
the active head restraints on the driver’s
and front passenger’s seats are designed
to move forward in the direction of travel,
providing the head with increased support
earlier on in the collision sequence. The ac-
tive head restraints move forward whether
the seat is occupied or not.
For information on resetting the activated
active head restraints, see “Resetting acti-
vated head restraints” (
page 406).You cannot remove the active head
restraints on the driver’s and passenger’s
seats.
For removal of the active head restraints
we recommend that you contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!Do not place objects heavier than
20 lbs (9 kg) on the front passenger
seat. This could cause the front or side
impact air bag on the passenger side
and, with the seat belt fastened to se-
cure the object, the ETD to deploy in a
crash which exceeds the system’s de-
ployment threshold.
Warning!
G
Do not attach any objects (e.g. hangers) to
the head restraint posts. Otherwise, the ac-
tive head restraints may not be able to func-
tion properly or offer the intended degree of
protection in the event of an accident.
Warning!
G
Only use seat or head restraint covers which
have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model.
Using other seat or head restraint covers
may interfere with or prevent the activation
of active head restraint. Contact your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for availability.

122 Controls in detailLocking and unlockingAutomatic central locking
The doors and the trunk automatically lock
when the ignition is switched on and the
wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of
approximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.For more information on towing the vehi-
cle, see the “Practical hints” section
(
page 437).
You can deactivate the automatic locking
mode using the control system
(page 168).
Locking and unlocking from the inside
You can lock or unlock the doors and the
trunk from inside using the central locking
switch. This can be useful, for example, if
you want to lock the vehicle before starting
to drive.
The fuel filler flap cannot be locked or
unlocked with the central locking switch.
iThe doors unlock automatically after an
accident if the force of the impact ex-
ceeds a preset threshold.
The vehicle automatically locks when
the ignition is switched on and the
wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of
approximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or
more. You could therefore lock yourself
out when the vehicle

is pushed or towed


is on a test stand
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* 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. Unsu-
pervised use of vehicle equipment may
cause an accident and/or serious personal
injury.

139 Controls in detail
Lighting
Corner-illuminating front fog lamps* (CLS with Bi-Xenon* headlamps)
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps im-
prove illumination of the road onto which
you are turning.
Corner-illuminating front fog lamps will op-
erate with the engine running and with

the exterior lamp switch in
positionB (
page 134)
or


the exterior lamp switch in
positionU (
page 134)
or


the daytime running lamp mode
activated (
page 136)Driving forward
Switching on corner-illuminating front
fog lamps

Depending on wether you are turning
left or right, switch on the left or right
turn signal (
page 53).
The respective front fog lamp comes on
and illuminates the road onto which
you are turning.Switching off corner-illuminating front
fog lamps
The combination switch for the turn signal
resets automatically after major steering
wheel movements. This will switch off the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps if they
where activated by switching on the left or
right turn signal.
If the turn signal should stay on after mak-
ing the turn, the turn signal and corner-illu-
minating front fog lamps can be switched
off by returning the combination switch to
its original position.
iCorner-illuminating front fog lamps will
only come on in low ambient lighting
conditions.
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps
function is not available at a vehicle
speed above 25 mph (40 km/h).
iThe corner-illuminating front fog lamps
will come on automatically depending
on the steering angle, even if you did
not switch on either turn signal.
If the corner-illuminating front fog
lamps came on automatically, they will
also go out automatically depending on
the steering angle.

141 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
8Right front reading lamp
9Left front reading lampThe controls are located in the overhead
control panel.
Deactivating automatic control

Press switch3.
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 trunkActivating automatic control

Press 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 after a
preset time (
page 167).
!Leaving an interior lamp 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
approximately 5 minutes.
An interior lamp switched on manually
does not go out automatically.

144 Controls in detailInstrument clusterFor a full view illustration of the instrument
cluster, see “At a glance” (
page 24).
1Reset button
The instrument cluster is activated when
you


open a door


switch on the ignition


press the reset button1


switch on the exterior lamps
You can modify the instrument cluster set-
tings in the instrument cluster submenu of
the control system (
page 160).
Instrument cluster illumination
Use the reset button (
page 24) to adjust
the illumination brightness for the instru-
ment cluster.
Warning!
G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see infor-
mation about your driving conditions, such
as speed or outside temperature, warn-
ing/indicator lamps, malfunction/warning
messages or the failure of any systems.
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, please do so
with added caution. Visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
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.

145 Controls in detail
Instrument 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.
Coolant temperature indicatorWarning!
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.
!Excessive coolant temperature triggers
the coolant temperature warning lamp
(page 357) and a warning in the
multifunction display (
page 379).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature above 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious
engine damage which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
iDuring severe operating conditions,
e.g. stop-and-go traffic, the coolant
temperature may rise close to 248°F
(120°C).

146 Controls in detailInstrument clusterTrip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip odome-
ter display (
page 147).

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.
Tachometer
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).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
designed 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.

152 Controls in detailControl system
Menu6
Menu7
Menu8
Settings
Trip computer
Telephone
(page 157)
(page 171)
(page 172)
Commands/submenusReset to factory settings
Fuel consumption statistics after start
Load phone book
Instrument cluster submenu
Fuel consumption statistics since the last
reset
Search for name in phone book
Time/Date submenu
Distance to empty
Lighting submenuVehicle submenuConvenience submenuDynamic seat* submenuiThe headings used in the menus table
are designed to facilitate navigation
within the system and are not neces-
sarily identical to those shown in the
control system displays.
The first function displayed in each
menu will automatically show you
which part of the system you are in.