2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E500 high beam

23 At a glance
Cockpit
Item
Page
1
Parking brake pedal
53, 61
2
Hood lock release
319
3
Steering wheel adjustment
stalk
43
Heated steering wheel*
283
4
Parking brake release
53
5
Combination switch

Turn signals
55


Windshield wipers
56


High beam
55
6
Door control panel
32
7
Exterior lamp switch
141
Item
Page
8
Headlamp washer button*
197
9
Steering wheel gearshift
control (E55 AMG only)
191
a
Cruise control lever

Cruise control
243


Distronic*
247
b
Instrument cluster
24,
150
c
Multifunction steering
wheel
26,
154
d
Horn
e
Lever for voice control sys-
tem*, see separate
operating instructions
Item
Page
f
Starter switch
36
g
Front Parktronic* warning
indicator
263
h
Overhead control panel
29
j
Mobile phone/Glasses box
276
k
Glove box lid release, glove
box lock
276
l
Glove box
276
m
Center console
27

25 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
1
LLeft turn signal
indicator lamp
2
vABS/ESP
® warning
lamp
375
3
Speedometer
4
Multifunction display
153
5
lDistance warning lamp
Vehicles without Distronic*:
Warning lamp without func-
tion. It illuminates when the
ignition is on. It should go out
when the engine is running.
380
6
KRight turn signal
indicator lamp
7
Coolant temperature
indicator with:
151
•Coolant temperature
warning lamp
379
Item
Page
8
Tachometer with:1Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS)
indicator lamp
383
-Antilock Brake System
(ABS) indicator lamp
374
380
BLow beam headlamp
indicator lamp
54
AHigh beam headlamp
indicator lamp
145
9
Main odometer with:

Gear selector lever
position
50


Program mode
189
a
Clock with:
168
;Brake warning lamp,
USA only
376
3Brake warning lamp,
Canada only
376
Item
Page
úEngine malfunction
indicator lamp,
USA only
377
±Engine malfunction
indicator lamp,
Canada only
377
HCombination low tire
pressure/TPMS mal-
function telltale*
381
qPreglow indicator
lamp, Diesel engine
only
51
b
Fuel display with:AFuel reserve warning
lamp
380
c
Reset button for:

Resetting trip odometer
151


Adjusting instrument
cluster illumination
150


Confirming new time
settings
168

36 Getting startedUnlockingStarter switch positions SmartKey
Starter switch0For removing SmartKey
1Power supply for some electrical con-
sumers, such as seat adjustment2Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position.
All lamps (except low beam headlamp
indicator lamp, high beam headlamp in-
dicator lamp, and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instru-
ment cluster come on. If a lamp in the
instrument cluster fails to come on
when the ignition is switched on, have
it checked and replaced if necessary. If
a lamp in the instrument cluster re-
mains on after starting the engine or
comes on while driving, refer to “Lamps
in instrument cluster” (
page 374).
3Starting position
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehi-
cle equipment may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

37 Getting started
Unlocking
For information on starting the engine us-
ing the SmartKey, see “Starting with the
SmartKey” (
page 50).SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
Pressing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton on the gear selector lever corresponds
to turning the SmartKey to the various
starter switch positions.
If you firmly depress the brake pedal dur-
ing pressing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button, the engine starts automatically.
iWhen you switch on the ignition, the in-
dicator and warning lamps (except low
beam headlamp indicator lamp, high
beam headlamp indicator lamp, and
turn signal indicator lamps unless acti-
vated) in the instrument cluster come
on. The indicator and warning lamps
(except low beam headlamp indicator
lamp, high beam headlamp indicator
lamp, and turn signal indicator lamps if
activated) should go out when the en-
gine is running. This indicates that the
respective systems are operational.iThe SmartKey can only be removed
from the starter switch with the gear
selector lever in position P.
!If the SmartKey cannot be turned in the
starter switch, the starter battery may
not be sufficiently charged.

Check the battery and charge it if
necessary (
page 452).


Get a jump start (
page 454).
To prevent accelerated battery dis-
charge or a completely discharged bat-
tery, always remove the SmartKey from
the starter switch when the engine is
not in operation.
iThe function of the SmartKey overrules
the KEYLESS-GO function.

38 Getting startedUnlockingKEYLESS-GO start/stop button1USA only
2Canada only
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be
located in the vehicle.
Make sure the gear selector lever is set
toP.

Do not depress the brake pedal.Position 0
Before you press the KEYLESS-GO start/
stop button, the vehicle’s on-board elec-
tronics have status 0 (a s wit h S ma rtK ey re-
moved).
Position 1

Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
once.
This supplies power for some electrical
consumers, such as seat adjustment.Ignition (or position 2)

Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
twice.
This supplies power for all electrical
consumers. All lamps in the instrument
cluster (except low beam headlamp in-
dicator lamp, high beam headlamp indi-
cator lamp, and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) come on. If a
lamp in the instrument cluster fails to
come on when the ignition is switched
on, have it checked and replaced if nec-
essary. If a lamp in the instrument clus-
ter remains on after starting the engine
or comes on while driving, see “Lamps
in instrument cluster” (
page 374).
iIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button

once again, the ignition (position2)
is switched on.


twice, the power supply is again
switched off.
iIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button once, the power sup-
ply is again switched off.

39 Getting started
Unlocking
For information on starting the engine us-
ing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button,
see “Starting with KEYLESS-GO*”
(page 51).iWhen you switch on the ignition, the in-
dicator and warning lamps (except low
beam headlamp indicator lamp, high
beam headlamp indicator lamp, and
turn signal indicator lamps unless acti-
vated) in the instrument cluster come
on. The indicator and warning lamps
(except low beam headlamp indicator
lamp, high beam headlamp indicator
lamp, and turn signal indicator lamps if
activated) should go out when the en-
gine is running. This indicates that the
respective systems are operational.

54 Getting startedDrivingAfter a cold start, the automatic transmis-
sion engages at a higher revolution. This al-
lows the catalytic converter (gasoline
engine) or the oxidation catalyst (Diesel
engine) to heat up more quickly to operat-
ing temperature.For more information on driving, see “Driv-
ing instructions” (
page 303).
Switching on headlamps
Low beam headlamps
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.Exterior lamp switch1Off
2Low beam headlamps on
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB.
The low beam headlamp indicator
lampB in the instrument cluster
comes on (
page 24).
!If you hear a warning signal and the
message
Release parking brake
ap-
pears in the multifunction display when
driving off, you have forgotten to re-
lease the parking brake.
Release the parking brake.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.
Warning!
G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector le-
ver out ofP orN if the engine speed is high-
er than idle speed. If your foot is not firmly
on the brake pedal, the vehicle could accel-
erate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.!Simultaneously depressing the acceler-
ator pedal and applying the brake re-
duces engine performance and causes
premature brake and drivetrain wear.


55 Getting started
Driving
High beam
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.Combination switch1High beam
2High beam flasher
Push the combination switch in direc-
tion of arrow1.
The high beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
comes on (
page 145).
For more information on headlamps, see
“Lighting” (
page 141).
Turn signals
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.Combination switch1Turn signals, right
2Turn signals, left
Press the combination switch in direc-
tion of arrow1 or2.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lamp L or K in the instrument
cluster flashes.The combination switch resets automati-
cally after major steering wheel move-
ments.
iTo signal minor directional changes
such as changing lanes, press the com-
bination switch only to point of resis-
tance and release. The corresponding
turn signals will flash three times.