2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS55AMG Owner's Manual

40 Getting startedAdjustingSeat adjustment
The seat adjustment switches are located
on the front doors.
1Seat fore and aft adjustment
2Backrest tilt
3Head restraint height
4Seat height
5Seat cushion tilt
Switch on the ignition (
page 36).
or

Open the respective door.Seat fore and aft adjustment

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow1.
Adjust a comfortable seating position
that still allows you to reach the accel-
erator/brake pedal safely. The position
should be as far to the rear as possible,
consistent with ability to properly oper-
ate controls.Seat cushion tilt

Press the switch up or down in the
direction of arrow5 until your upper
legs are lightly supported.
Backrest tilt

Press the switch forward or backward
in the direction of arrow2 until your
arms are slightly angled when holding
the steering wheel.
Seat height

Press the switch up or down in the
direction of arrow4.
iThe memory function (
page 131) lets
you store the settings for the seat posi-
tion together with the setting for the
steering wheel and the exterior rear
view mirrors.
!When moving the seat, make sure
there are no items in the footwell or be-
hind the seats. Otherwise you could
damage the seats.

41 Getting started
Adjusting
Head restraint height
Press the switch up or down in the
direction of arrow3.Head restraint tilt
Manually adjust the angle of the head
restraint.

Push or pull on the lower edge of the
head restraint cushion.
For more information on seats, see “Seats”
(
page 124).
Steering wheel
Warning!
G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust head restraint so that it is as close to
the head as possible and the center of the
head restraint supports the back of the head
at eye level. This will reduce the potential for
injury to the head and neck in the event of
an accident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are intend-
ed to help reduce injuries during an acci-
dent.
iAdjust the head restraint in such a way
that it is as close to the head as possi-
ble.
Warning!
G
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driv-
ing. Adjusting the steering wheel while driv-
ing could cause the driver to lose control of
the vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* from the starter switch, take
it with you, and lock your vehicle.
Even with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* removed from the vehicle,
the steering wheel adjustment feature can
be operated when the driver’s door is open.
Therefore, do not leave children unattended
in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and/or serious
personal injury.

42 Getting startedAdjustingSteering wheel adjustment
The stalk for steering wheel adjustment is
located on the steering column (lower left).
1Adjusting steering column, in or out
2Adjusting steering column, up or down
Switch on the ignition (
page 36).
or

Open the driver’s door.Adjusting steering column in or out

Move stalk forward or back in the direc-
tion of arrow1 until a comfortable
steering wheel position is reached with
your arms slightly bent at the elbow.
Adjusting steering column up or down

Move stalk up or down in the direction
of arrow2.
Make sure your legs can move freely
and that all the displays (incl. malfunc-
tion and indicator lamps) on the instru-
ment cluster are clearly visible.Easy-entry/exit feature
This feature allows for easier entry into and
exit from the vehicle. When entering and
exiting the vehicle, the steering wheel is in
its uppermost position.
The easy-entry/exit feature can be activat-
ed or deactivated in the
Convenience
sub-
menu of the control system (
page 168).
iThe memory function (
page 131) lets
you store the setting for the seat posi-
tion together with the setting for the
steering wheel and the exterior rear
view mirrors.
Warning!
G
You must make sure no one can become
trapped or injured by the moving steering
wheel when the easy-entry/exit feature is
activated.
To cancel steering wheel movement, do one
of the following:

Move steering column stalk
(page 42).


Press one of the memory position but-
tons or the memory buttonM
(page 132).

43 Getting started
Adjusting
With the easy-entry/exit feature activated,
the steering wheel will return to its last set
position when you:

close the driver’s door with the ignition
switched on
or


insert the SmartKey into the starter
switch with the driver’s door closed.With the easy-entry/exit feature activated,
the steering wheel tilts upwards when you


remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch,
or


open the driver’s door with the
SmartKey in starter switch position0
or1
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could open the driver’s door and
unintentionally activate the easy-entry/exit
feature, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
iThe last set steering wheel position is
stored when

the ignition is switched off


the position is stored in memory
(page 132)
iIf the current position for the steering
wheel is in the uppermost tilt position,
the steering wheel will no longer be
able to move upward when the
easy-entry/exit feature is activated.
The adjustment procedure is briefly in-
terrupted when the engine is started.Warning!
G
Let the system complete the adjustment
procedure before setting the vehicle in mo-
tion. All steering wheel adjustment must be
completed before setting the vehicle in mo-
tion. Driving off with the steering wheel still
adjusting could cause the driver to lose con-
trol of the vehicle.

44 Getting startedAdjustingMirrors
Adjust the interior and exterior rear view
mirrors before driving so that you have a
good view of the road and traffic condi-
tions.
Interior rear view mirror

Manually adjust the interior rear view
mirror.
For more information, see “Rear view mir-
rors” (
page 191).Exterior rear view mirrors
Warning!
G
In case of an accident, liquid electrolyte may
escape the mirror housing if the mirror glass
breaks.
Electrolyte has an irritating effect. Do not
allow the liquid to come into contact with
eyes, skin, clothing, or respiratory system.
In case it does, immediately flush affected
area with water, and seek medical help if
necessary.
!Electrolyte drops coming into contact
with the vehicle paint finish can only be
completely removed while in their
liquid state and by applying plenty of
water.
Warning!
G
Exercise care when using the passen-
ger-side exterior rear view mirror. The mirror
surface is convex (outwardly curved surface
for a wider field of view). Objects in mirror
are closer than they appear. Check your
interior rear view mirror or glance over your
shoulder before changing lanes.

45 Getting started
Adjusting
The buttons are located on the driver’s
door.
1Passenger-side exterior rear view mir-
ror button
2Adjustment button
3Driver’s side exterior rear view mirror
button

Switch on the ignition (
page 36).

Press button3 for the driver’s side
exterior rear view mirror or button1
for the passenger-side exterior rear
view mirror.

Push adjustment button2 up, down,
left or right according to the desired
setting.
For more information, see “Activating exte-
rior rear view mirror parking position”
(
page 192).
For more information, see “Rear view mir-
rors” (
page 191).
!If an exterior rear view mirror was forc-
ibly pushed forward (hit from the rear)
or forcibly pushed rearward (hit from
the front), reposition it by applying firm
pressure until it snaps into place. The
mirror housing is now properly posi-
tioned and you can adjust the mirror
normally.
iThe memory function (
page 131) lets
you store the setting for the seat posi-
tion together with the setting for the
steering wheel and the exterior rear
view mirrors.
At low ambient temperatures, the exte-
rior rear view mirrors will be heated
automatically.

46 Getting startedDrivingFastening the seat beltsWarning!
G
Make sure that absolutely no objects are ob-
structing the pedals range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta-
cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in
the footwell, make sure that the pedals still
have sufficient clearance.
During sudden driving or braking maneuvers
the objects could get caught between the
pedals. You could then no longer brake or
accelerate.Warning!
G
Always fasten your seat belt before driving
off. Always make sure all of your passengers
are properly restrained, even those sitting in
the rear and pregnant women.
Failure to wear and properly fasten and
position your seat belt greatly increases
your risk of injuries and their likely severity
in an accident. You and your passengers
should always wear seat belts.
If you are ever in an accident, your injuries
can be considerably more severe without
your seat belt properly buckled. Without
your seat belt buckled, you are much more
likely to hit the interior of the vehicle or be
ejected from it. You can be seriously injured
or killed.
In the same crash, the possibility of injury or
death is lessened if you are wearing your
seat belt. The air bags can only provide the
protection they were designed to afford if
the occupants are using their seat belts
(page 70).
Warning!
G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing position. Thus, we strongly recommend
that children be placed in the rear seats.
Regardless of seating position, children
12 years old and under must be seated and
properly secured in an appropriate infant or
toddler restraint, or booster seat recom-
mended for the size and weight of the child.
For additional information, see “Children in
the vehicle” (
page 75).
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.

47 Getting started
Driving
1Belt outlet
2Latch plate
3Release button
4Buckle
Warning!
G
Never let more people ride in the vehicle
than there are seat belts available. Be sure
everyone riding in the vehicle is correctly
restrained with a separate seat belt. Never
use a seat belt for more than one person at
a time.
Warning!
G
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position
as this can be dangerous. You could slide
under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. That could cause serious
or even fatal injuries. The seat backrest and
seat belt provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a nearly upright position and the
belt is properly positioned on the body.Warning!
G
Read and observe the additional warning
notices printed in the “Safety and security”
section (
page 70).