2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS500 tow

95 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Disarming the alarm system
Unlock the vehicle with the SmartKey
or KEYLESS-GO*.
The turn signal lamps flash once to
indicate that the alarm system is
disarmed.Canceling the alarm
With the SmartKey

Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
or

Press the Œ or ‹button on the
SmartKey.
The alarm is canceled.
With KEYLESS-GO*

Pull an outside door handle.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be within 3 ft (1 m) of the vehicle.
or

Press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be inside the vehicle.
The alarm is canceled.
Tow-away alarm
Depending on vehicle production date, the
vehicle may not be equipped with the
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.
iThe alarm system will rearm automati-
cally after approximately 40 seconds if
neither a door nor the trunk was
opened.
iIf the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Response
Center is initiated automatically by the
Tele Aid system (
page 261), provided
that the Tele Aid service was sub-
scribed to and properly activated, and
that necessary cellular service and GPS
coverage are available.

96 Safety and SecurityAnti-theft systemsArming the tow-away alarm
Lock the vehicle with the SmartKey or
KEYLESS-GO*.
The tow-away alarm is automatically
armed after about 30 seconds.
Disarming the tow-away alarm
To prevent triggering the tow-away alarm
feature, switch off the tow-away alarm
before towing the vehicle, or when parking
on a surface subject to movement, such as
a ferry or auto train.The button is located on the overhead con-
trol panel.
1Tow-away alarm off button

Switch off the ignition and remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch.

Press button1.
The indicator lamp in the button comes
on briefly.

Exit and lock the vehicle with the
SmartKey or (vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO*) an lock button at each
outside door handle.
iYou cannot disarm the tow-away alarm
when the ignition is switched on.
iWhen you unlock the vehicle, the
tow-away protection disarms automati-
cally.
The tow-away alarm remains disarmed
until you lock the vehicle again.

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.

178 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionGear selector lever position
Effect
ì
Park position
Gear selector lever position
when the vehicle is parked. Place
gear selector lever in positionP
only when vehicle is stopped.
The park position is not intended
to serve as a brake when the
vehicle is parked. Rather, the
driver should always set the
parking brake in addition to
placing the gear selector lever in
positionP to secure the vehicle.
EffectThe SmartKey can only be
removed from the starter switch
with the gear selector lever in
positionP. With the SmartKey
removed, the gear selector lever
is locked in positionP.
If the vehicle’s electrical system
is malfunctioning, the gear
selector lever could remain
locked in positionP
(page 404).
í
Reverse gear
Place gear selector lever in
positionR only when vehicle is
stopped.
Effect
ë
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive axle. When
the brakes are released, the
vehicle can be moved freely
(pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the trans-
mission, never engageN while
driving.
If the ESP
® is deactivated or
malfunctioning:
Move gear selector lever toN
only if the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
ê
Drive
The transmission shifts
automatically. All forward gears
are available.

179 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
!
Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any
other reason with gear selector lever
inN can result in transmission damage
that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear
selector lever not fully engaged in positionP
is dangerous. Also, positionP alone is not
intended to or capable of preventing your
vehicle from moving, possibly hitting people
or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to positionP (
page 51).
When parked on an incline, turn the front
wheels towards the road curb.
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
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. Children
could move the gear selector lever from
positionP, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

234 Controls in detailDriving systemsDistronic deactivates automatically when:

you set the parking brake


you drive slower than 20 mph
(30 km/h)


the ESP
® is active (
page 86) or you
deactivate the ESP
®


you move the gear selector lever into
positionN
A signal will sound. The
Distronic off

message appears in the multifunction
display for approximately 5 seconds.Setting the following distance in
Distronic
You can set the specified following dis-
tance for Distronic by varying the time set-
ting between 1.0 and 2.0 seconds. Using
this time setting and the current speed of
your vehicle, Distronic calculates and sets
the required following distance to the vehi-
cle ahead. The set distance will be shown
in the multifunction display field.
The thumbwheel for making the time set-
ting is located on the lower section of the
center console.1Distance warning function on/off
switch
2Indicator lamp
3Thumbwheel for setting distance
Increasing distance
Increasing the distance setting tells
Distronic to maintain a greater following
distance to the vehicle ahead.

Turn thumbwheel3 towards¯.
Warning!
G
Distronic switches off and releases the
brakes when the vehicle decelerates below
the minimum speed of approximately
20 mph (30 km/h) by operation of the
system. At that time the driver must apply
the brakes in order to reduce vehicle speed
further or bring it to a stop.
Warning!
G
It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to
select the appropriate setting given road
conditions, traffic, driver’s preferred driving
style and applicable laws and driving recom-
mendations for safe following distance.

235 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Decreasing distance
Decreasing the distance setting tells
Distronic to maintain a shorter following
distance to the vehicle ahead.
Turn thumbwheel3 towards¯.
Distance warning function
When Distronic is deactivated, this func-
tion will continue to warn you when recog-
nizing a stationary obstacle or a slower
vehicle moving in the vehicle’s path and
the danger of a collision exists:


The distance warning lampl in the
instrument cluster comes on.


An intermittent warning will sound if
necessary.
If these warnings are issued, you must
brake manually to maintain a safe distance
and avoid a collision with the vehicle
ahead.When pressing the brake pedal, the warn-
ing sound ceases. The warning sound will
also cease when the distance to the vehi-
cle ahead is sufficient again without apply-
ing the brakes. In this case, the distance
warning lamp also go out.
Activating

Press switch1.
The indicator lamp2 on the switch
comes on. A loudspeaker symbol
appears in the multifunction display
(page 231).
Deactivating

Press switch1.
The indicator lamp2 on the switch
goes out. No loudspeaker symbol
appears in the multifunction display.
Warning!
G
If the distance warning lampl in the in-
strument cluster comes on while driving
and/or an intermittent warning sounds, im-
mediate attention on the part of the driver is
required. As required by the traffic situation,
apply the brakes and navigate around a pos-
sible obstacle. However, do not drive by
relying on the distance warning function, as
this will result in an emergency braking
application. Especially depending on road
surface conditions and driver reaction, this
will not always enable you to avoid a colli-
sion.
iComplex driving situations are not
always fully recognized by Distronic.
This could result in wrong or missing
distance warnings.

247 Controls in detail
Loading
Loading instructions
The total load weight including vehicle
occupants and luggage/cargo should not
exceed the load limit or vehicle capacity
weight indicated on the corresponding
placard located on the driver’s door
B-pillar.
The handling characteristics of a fully load-
ed vehicle depend greatly on the load dis-
tribution. It is therefore recommended to
load the vehicle according to the illustra-
tions shown, with the heaviest items being
placed towards the front of the vehicle.
Always place items being carried against
front or rear seat backrests, and fasten
them as securely as possible.
The heaviest portion of the cargo should
always be kept as low as possible since it
influences the handling characteristics of
the vehicle.
Ski sack* (Canada only)
Unfolding and loading
Fold rear armrest down (arrow).
1Cover
2Catch

Pull catches2 in direction of arrows.

Open the cover1 downwards in the
direction of the arrow.
Warning!
G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible fastening materials appropri-
ate for the weight and size of the load.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle and can cause in-
jury to vehicle occupants unless the items
are securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a colli-
sion or sudden maneuver, exercise care
when transporting cargo. Put luggage or car-
go in the trunk if possible. Do not pile lug-
gage or cargo higher than the seat backs.
Do not place anything on the rear-window
shelf.
Never drive vehicle with trunk open. Deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) gases may enter ve-
hicle interior, resulting in unconsciousness
and death.