81 Control systems
COMAND introduction
COMAND introduction
COMAND (Cockpit Management and Data
System) is an information and operating
center for vehicle sound and communica-
tions systems, including the radio and nav-
igation system, as well as other optional
equipment (satellite radio, telephone*,
etc.).
Availability of functions while the vehi-
cle is in motion
For safety reasons, certain COMAND func-
tions are not available while the vehicle is
in motion or they are only available to a
limited extent. You will notice this, for ex-
ample, by the fact that certain menu items
cannot be selected or that the COMAND
display shows a corresponding message.
Switching COMAND on or off
Press the o shortcut button in the
center console (
page 82).
COMAND calls up the menu last select-
ed.
COMAND components
In your vehicle, COMAND can be used to
operate:
audio functions
the navigation system
the telephone* and communication
functions (SMS*)
various vehicle settings
COMAND consists of the following:
COMAND shortcut buttons
COMAND display
telephone* keypad
COMAND controller
iWhen you switch off COMAND, you also
switch off the currently playing audio source.
During a telephone call, you cannot switch off
COMAND.
104 Control systems
COMAND satellite radio (USA only)
Tuning in channels using channel pre-
sets
Select “Audio” “Audio” “Sat Ra-
dio” “Presets”.
or
Press n when the main area is select-
ed.
The preset menu appears. The dotR
in front of a preset position indicates
that this is the channel currently select-
ed and being listened to.
Select station preset and briefly
pressn.
COMAND tunes in the corresponding
channel as long as it is included in your
subscription and is still available.
If the channel is not included in your
subscription, you will see the message
described in the section “Satellite radio
service is not activated” (
page 102).
If the channel is no longer available or
only the preview channel is activated,
you will see the message “Invalid Chan-
nel”.
Closing message: Press n.Tuning in channels using manual chan-
nel number entry
Select “Audio” “Audio” “Sat Ra-
dio” “Sat Radio” “Channel Entry”.
The menu for manual channel number
entry appears.
Exiting menu without making an en-
try: Press L back button in the cen-
ter console (
page 82).
Increase or decreasing number:
Slide qmr or rotate ymz.
Selecting next number: Slideomp.
Confirming channel entry: Press n.
Further operation depends on whether
the selected channel number is valid or
if the channel is included in your sub-
scription.
iWhich channels are found by the channel
search function depends on which channels you
have subscribed to and the program category
you have selected (
page 103).iThis function is not possible when only the
preview channel is activated. If you try to tune in
a channel in this instance, you will see the
screen described in the section “Satellite radio
service is not activated” (
page 102).
119 Control systems
COMAND audio CD/audio DVD/MP3
Setting the audio format
This function lets you choose the audio for-
mat that you would like COMAND to play
and is only available in DVD-Audio mode.
Select “Audio” “Audio” “DVD-Au-
dio” “Group”.
The list of available audio formats appears.
A dot R indicates the format currently se-
lected.
Changing setting: Slide qmr or
rotateymz.
Exiting menu: Slide omp.
Playback options
The following options are available:
“Normal Track Sequence”
Tracks playback in the order on the
disc (e.g. track 1, 2, 3, etc.).
“Random Tracks”
Tracks playback in a random order
(e.g. track 3, 8, 5, etc.).
“Random Folder” (in MP3 mode only)
Tracks in the active folder and any sub-
folders playback in random order.
“Repeat Folder” (in MP3 mode only)
Tracks in the active folder will be re-
peated until you switch the function
off.
Selecting an option: Select “Audio”
“Audio”.
Select “CD”, “DVD-Audio” or “MP3”.
The option list appears. A dot R indi-
cates which option is switched on.
Select an option and press n.
The option is switched on. For all op-
tions except “Normal Track Sequence”,
you will see a corresponding indicator
in the main area.iThe tracks on an audio DVD can be stored in
various audio formats. The number of audio for-
mats depends on the audio DVD.
iThe “Group” menu item cannot be selected
if only one audio format is saved on the DVD.
iThe “Normal Track Sequence” option is au-
tomatically activated when you select a different
medium. If an option is activated, it remains acti-
vated after COMAND is switched on/off.
171 Control systems
COMAND navigation system (entering a destination)
Entering a street
In the address input menu, select
“Street”.
The list of streets appears either with
or without the input characters
(
page 172). Whether or not the input
characters appear depends on how
many streets are available for the se-
lected town or city.Street list with input characters
When this list appears, the input charac-
ters 6 are automatically activated.
1Top list entry based on the input data
up to that point
2Characters entered by the user
3Characters automatically added by the
system
4Currently non-selectable characters
5Currently selectable character
6Input characters
7Street list
8Currently selected characterThe top list entry 1 first shows the street
first alphabetically and best corresponds
to the input data as it has been entered up
to that point.
As soon as you enter a character from in-
put characters 6, the top list entry 1
shows the street which best corresponds
to the input data as it has been entered up
to that point.
At the same time, COMAND automatically
supplements characters 2 entered by the
user with appropriate characters 3.
Selecting characters: Slide omp or
rotate ymz.
Confirming character selection:
Press n.
Deleting individual characters:
Select) in the bottom line and
pressn.
iIt is not possible to enter a street if:
you have already entered a center
you have already entered a zip code that
COMAND can clearly attribute to a street
iYou can only enter those streets which are
saved on the digital map.
If you have not entered a town or city before en-
tering the street, only those streets within the
state (USA) or province (CDN) previously en-
tered are available. If you have already entered a
town or city, streets within that town or city are
available.
If you have entered a zip code before entering
the street, only those streets within the zip code
area are available.
iIn the list of input characters 6, you can
only select currently selectable characters.
Which characters are included depends on the
sequence in which you have entered your desti-
nation and the data version of the digital map.
275 Control systems
Voice Control introduction
Spelling
You may not need to spell the entire name
(street, intersection, city or point of inter-
est) especially if the name is lengthy. Spell-
ing the first three to five characters of the
name should be sufficient for the system
to recognize the name provided it is avail-
able on the navigation DVD.
The selection appearing on the COMAND
display is sorted based on your recognized
voice input and a matching algorithm.
You can use the commands “Next page” or
“ Previ ous p ag e” t o sc roll up or down in the
list.
Use the command “Correction” to start
over by again spelling the name.
Speak each character as clearly as you
can, especially when they sound very simi-
lar (d or e).Command types
The Voice Control System commands can
be categorized as:
General Commands
These are commands always available
to you as soon as the Voice Control
System is activated (for example
“Help” commands).
Local Commands
These are commands specific to the
currently active system shown in the
COMAND display (for example com-
mands to control the CD changer).
For a complete list of commands
(
page 305).
Active System
The active system is the system currently
shown in the COMAND display.
If, for example, you listen to the radio while
the telephone system is active on the
COMAND display, you have to switch to
the radio using the command “Radio” be-
fore you can operate the radio.
iDuring Voice Control System operation visu-
al help windows also appear in the COMAND dis-
play (
page 277).
426 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving with DISTRONIC Plus
This section describes a number of driving
situations where special precaution is re-
quired on the part of the driver. Be pre-
pared to brake in such situations. Braking
will deactivate the DISTRONIC Plus sys-
tem.
The most likely cause for a malfunctioning
system is a dirty sensor (located behind
the hood grille), especially at times of snow
and ice or heavy rain. In such a case,
DISTRONIC Plus will switch off, and the
message:“DISTRONIC PLUS
currently unavailable
See Oper. Manual”
appears in the multifunction display.
For cleaning and care of the
DISTRONIC Plus sensor, see “Cleaning the
DISTRONIC Plus*/ PRE-SAFE
® Brake* sys-
tem sensors (USA only)”(
page 558).
Another cause might be that the radar sen-
sors have been manually switched off in
the instrument cluster control system.
Please verify that the radar sensors are
switched on (
page 272).
Warning!G
DISTRONIC Plus works to maintain the
speed selected by the driver unless a mov-
ing obstacle proceeding directly ahead of it
in the same travel direction is detected (e.g.
following another vehicle ahead of you at
your set distance).
This means that:
Your vehicle can pass another vehicle
after you change lanes.
While in a sharp turn or if the vehicle in
front is in a sharp turn, DISTRONIC Plus
could lose sight of a vehicle traveling in
front of it, then your vehicle could accel-
erate to the previously selected speed.
DISTRONIC Plus regulates only the distance
between your vehicle and those directly
ahead of it. It may not register stationary ob-
jects in the road, e.g.:
a stopped vehicle in a traffic jam
a disabled vehicle
an oncoming vehicle
The driver must always be alert, observe all
traffic and intercede as required by means
of steering or braking the vehicle.
Warning!G
DISTRONIC Plus should not be used in
snowy or icy road conditions.
iIf the message:
“DISTRONIC PLUS
currently unavailable
See Oper. Manual”
disappears during driving and the last speed
stored flashes for approximately 5 seconds, the
dirt (e.g. slush) has dissolved; DISTRONIC Plus is
available again.
595 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
ABS and ESP
currently unavailable
See Oper. ManualABS, ESP® as well as PRE-SAFE® are not
available due to a malfunction. BAS is also
switched off. It is possible that the self-diag-
nostics have not yet been completed.
The brake system still functions normally.
BAS Plus* and PRE-SAFE
® Brake* are also
not available.
Drive a short distance with gentle turns
above a speed of 12 mph (20 km/h).
The message disappears when ABS and ESP
®
are again available.
The ABS, ESP® as well as PRE-SAFE® were
deactivated because of insufficient power
supply. The charging voltage has fallen be-
low 10 volts.
The brake system still functions normally
but without the ABS, ESP
® and PRE-SAFE®
available.
BAS Plus* and PRE-SAFE
® Brake* are also
not available.
When the voltage is above this value again, the
ABS, ESP® and PRE-SAFE® are operational again
and the message in the multifunction display
should disappear.
If the message in the multifunction display does
not disappear:
Have the generator (alternator) and the bat-
tery checked.
607 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
Currently unavailable
See Oper. ManualESP® and PRE-SAFE® are temporarily un-
available. It is possible that the self-diag-
nostics have not yet completed.
In addition, the yellow ESP
® warning
lampv comes on.
The brake system functions normally.
BAS Plus* and PRE-SAFE
® Brake* are also
not available.
Synchronize the ESP®:
Drive a short distance with gentle turns at a
speed above 12 mph (20 km/h).
The message disappears when ESP
® is again
available.
Currently unavailable
See Oper. ManualESP® and PRE-SAFE® are switched off due
to undervoltage. It is possible that the bat-
tery is not charged.
The brake system functions normally.
BAS Plus* and PRE-SAFE
® Brake* are also
not available.
Continue driving with added caution.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases the
risk of an accident.
Currently unavailable
See Oper. ManualIf the yellow ESP® warning lampv flash-
es while driving and this message appears,
the electronic traction system has switched
off to prevent overheating of the drive
wheel brakes.
BAS Plus* and PRE-SAFE
® Brake* are also
not available.
As soon as the brakes have cooled off, the elec-
tronic traction system switches on again.
The message in the multifunction display disap-
pears and the ESP
® warning lampv goes
out.