165 Controls in detail
Control system
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the vehicle status message mem-
ory appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
If the vehicle status message memory
menu does not appear, then there are
no messages stored.Vehicle status messages have been re-
corded
If conditions have occurred causing status
messages to be recorded, the number of
messages appears in the multifunction dis-
play:
Press buttonk orj.
The stored messages will now be dis-
played in the order in which they have
occurred. For malfunction and warning
messages, see “Vehicle status messag-
es in the multifunction display”
(page 396).
Should the vehicle’s system record any
conditions while driving, the number of
messages will reappear in the multifunc-
tion display when the SmartKey in the
starter switch is turned to position0 or re-
moved from the starter switch.
Warning!
G
Malfunction and warning messages are only
indicated for certain systems and are inten-
tionally not very detailed. The malfunction
and warning messages are simply a remind-
er with respect to the operation of certain
systems and do not replace the owner’s
and/or driver’s responsibility to maintain
the vehicle’s operating safety by having all
required maintenance and safety checks
performed on the vehicle and by bringing
the vehicle to an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center to address the malfunction and
warning messages (
page 396).
i
The vehicle status message memory will be
cleared when you turn the SmartKey in the start-
er switch to position1 or2. You will then only
see high priority messages in the multifunction
display (
page 396).
178 Controls in detailControl systemConvenience submenu
Access the
Convenience
submenu via the
Settings
menu. Use the
Convenience
sub-
menu to change the settings for a number
of convenience features. The following
functions are available:
Activating easy-entry/exit feature
Use this function to activate and deacti-
vate the easy-entry/exit feature
(
page 46).
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to
the
Convenience
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Easy-entry func-
tion
appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to switch Easy-entry function
On or
Off
.
Function
Page
Activating easy-entry/exit fea-
ture
178
Setting parking position for exte-
rior rear view mirror
1
1If equipped.
179
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 stop steering wheel movement, do one of
the following:
Move steering column stalk
(page 45).
Press one of the memory position but-
tons (
page 135).
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.
181 Controls in detail
Control system
Distance to empty
Press buttonÿ orè repeatedly
until you see the first function of the
trip computer menu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Range:
appears in
the multifunction display.
The calculated remaining driving range
based on the current fuel tank level ap-
pears in the multifunction display.
TEL* menu
You can use the functions in the
Tel
menu
to operate your telephone, provided it is
connected to a hands-free system and
switched on.
Switch on the telephone and COMAND.
Press buttonÿ orè on the
steering wheel repeatedly until the
Tel
menu appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
Which messages will appear in the multi-
function display depends on whether your
telephone is switched on or off:
If the telephone is off, the message in
the multifunction display is:
TEL off
.
i
If only very little fuel is left in the tank, a ve-
hicle at the fuel pump is shown instead of the
range.
Warning!
G
A driver’s attention to the road must always
be his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we rec-
ommend that you pull over to a safe location
and stop before placing or taking a tele-
phone call. If you choose to use the tele-
phone while driving, please use the
hands-free device and only use the tele-
phone when weather, road and traffic condi-
tions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a cellular telephone while driving a ve-
hicle.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km / h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury.
184 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionFor more information on driving with an
automatic transmission, see “Automatic
transmission” (
page 52).
Your vehicle’s transmission adapts its gear
shifting process to your individual driving
style by continually adjusting the shift
points up or down. These shift point adjust-
ments are performed based on current
operating and driving conditions.
If the operating conditions change, the
automatic transmission reacts by
adjusting its shift program.
Gear selector lever
The gear selector lever is located on the
lower part of the center console.Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmissionPPark position
RReverse gear
NNeutral
DDrive position
i
During the brief warm-up, transmission
upshifting is delayed. This allows the catalytic
converter (gasoline engine) or oxidation catalyst
(diesel engine) to heat up more quickly to oper-
ating temperature.
Warning!
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. This could lead to accidents and
injury.
i
The current gear selector lever positionP,
R,N orD appears in the multifunction display
(
page 186).
185 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
An additional indication of the current gear
selector lever position can be found on the
cover of the shifting-gate.
The indicators come on when you activate
a switch (e.g. unlocking the vehicle or
opening a door) and go out after approxi-
mately 15 minutes.
Shifting procedure
The automatic transmission selects indi-
vidual gears automatically, depending on:
gear selector lever positionD
(page 186) with gear ranges
(page 189)
the selected program mode:
(C/S)(
page 190)
or
(M/C/S) (E 63 AMG only)
(
page 194)
the position of the accelerator pedal
(page 188)
the vehicle speedWhen the gear selector lever is in drive
positionD, you can influence transmission
shifting by:
limiting the gear range
changing gears manually
Warning!
G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector
lever out of park positionP or neutral
positionN if the engine speed is higher than
idle speed. If your foot is not firmly on the
brake pedal, the vehicle could accelerate
quickly forward or reverse. You could lose
control of the vehicle and hit someone or
something. Only shift into gear when the
engine is idling normally a n d w h e n y o u r r i g h t
foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
!
Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the
operating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park positionP only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended
period when driving off on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
187 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
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 engage neutral
positionN while driving.
If the ESP
® is deactivated or
malfunctioning:
Move gear selector lever to neu-
tral positionN 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.
!
Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other
reason with gear selector lever in neutral
positionN 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 park
positionP is dangerous. Also, park
positionP alone is not intended to or capa-
ble of preventing your vehicle from moving,
possibly hitting people or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park positionP (
page 62).
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 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. Children could move the
gear selector lever from park positionP,
which could result in an accident and/or
serious personal injury.
188 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionDriving tips
Accelerator position
Your driving style influences the
transmission’s shifting behavior:
Less throttle Earlier upshifting
More throttle Later upshifting
Kickdown
Use kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
Press the accelerator past the point of
resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
transmission shifts into a lower gear.
Ease on the accelerator when you have
reached the desired speed.
The transmission shifts up again.Stopping
When you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights:
Leave the transmission in gear.
Hold the vehicle with the brake.
When you stop for a longer period of time
with the engine idling and/or on a hill:
Set the parking brake.
Move the gear selector lever to park
positionP.Maneuvering
When you maneuver in tight areas,
e.g. when pulling into a parking space:
Control the vehicle speed by gradually
releasing the brakes.
Accelerate gently.
Never abruptly step on the accelerator.
Working on the vehicleWarning!
G
When working on the vehicle, set the
parking brake and move gear selector lever
to park positionP. Otherwise the vehicle
could roll away.
191 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Press program mode selector switch
repeatedly until the letter of the
desired program mode appears in the
multifunction display.
SelectCfor comfort driving
(E 63 AMG: for standard driving):
The vehicle starts out in second
gear (both forward and reverse) for
gentler starts. This does not apply if
full throttle is applied or gear
range1 is selected.
Traction and driving stability are
improved on icy roads.
Upshifts occur earlier even when
you give more gas. The engine then
operates at lower rpms and the
wheels are less likely to spin.
SelectSfor standard driving
(E 63 AMG: for sporty driving):
The vehicle starts out in first gear.
Upshifts occur later.Gear selector lever one-touch
gearshifting
With the gear selector lever in drive posi-
tion D and driving in program modeC orS,
you can limit or extend the gear range.
If your vehicle is equipped with manual
shift programM, you can use the gear
selector lever to manually shift the gears.
The following instructions describe opera-
tion of the gear selector lever when driving
in the automatic program modeC orS.Limiting gear range
Briefly press the gear selector lever to
the left in theD-direction.
The transmission will shift to the next
lower gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the transmis-
sion (
page 189).
i
For information on using the gear selector
lever in program modeM, see “Manual shift pro-
gram E 63 AMG” (
page 194).
!
Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the
operating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park positionP only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended
period when driving off on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.i
To avoid overrevving the engine when down-
shifting, the transmission will not shift to a lower
gear if the engine’s max. speed would be
exceeded.