Page 28 of 522

27 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
1
LLeft turn signal
indicator lamp
2
vESP
® warning lamp
381
3
Speedometer
4
Multifunction display
151
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.
387
6
KRight turn signal
indicator lamp
7
Coolant temperature
indicator with:
149
•Coolant temperature
warning lamp
386
Item
Page
8
Tachometer with:1Supplemental
Restraint System (SRS)
indicator lamp
390
-Antilock Brake System
(ABS) indicator lamp
380
388
BLow beam headlamp
indicator lamp
56
AHigh beam headlamp
indicator lamp
142
9
Main odometer with:
Gear selector lever
position
52
Program mode
190
a
Clock with:
171
;Brake warning lamp,
USA only
383
3Brake warning lamp,
Canada only
383
Item
Page
úEngine malfunction
indicator lamp,
USA only
384
±Engine malfunction
indicator lamp,
Canada only
384
HLow tire pressure tell-
tale*, Canada only
391
qPreglow indicator
lamp, diesel engine
only
53
b
Fuel display with:AFuel tank reserve
warning lamp
387
c
Reset button for:
Resetting trip odometer
149
Adjusting instrument
cluster illumination
148
Confirming new time
settings
171
Page 31 of 522
30 At a glanceCenter consoleLower part
Item
Page
1
Ashtray
287
2
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button
39
3
Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission
52,
186
4
Parking assist (Parktronic
system)* deactivation
switch
272
5
Adaptive Damping System
(ADS) switch
1
1Only available on E550, E 550 4MATIC and
E63AMG.
265
Item
Page
6
Vehicle level control switch
1
266
7
Thumbwheel for setting
distance for Distronic*
261
8
Distance warning function*
on/off switch
261
9
Program mode selector
switch for automatic
transmission
190
Page 106 of 522

105 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Four wheel electronic traction system (4MATIC) with the ESP
®
Models with all-wheel-drive only.
The 4MATIC improves the vehicle’s ability
to use available traction, e.g. during winter
operation in mountains under slippery road
conditions, by applying power to all four
wheels.Warning!
G
If you see the ESP
® warning lampv
flashing in the instrument cluster, proceed
as follows:
While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.
While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.
Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
!
Do not tow with one axle raised.
Otherwise the transfer case can be damaged,
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
!
Performance testing must only be conduct-
ed on a two-axle dynamometer.
Otherwise the transfer case can be damaged,
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
!
Because the ESP
® operates automatically,
the engine and the ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0 or 1 or
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button* in position0
or1) when the parking brake is being tested on a
brake test dynamometer.
Active braking action through the ESP
® may oth-
erwise seriously damage the brake system.
Operational tests with the engine running can
only be conducted on a two-axle dynamometer.
Page 139 of 522

138 Controls in detailLightingManual headlamp mode
The low beam headlamps and the parking
lamps can be switched on and off with the
exterior lamp switch.
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB.
Automatic headlamp mode
The following lamps switch on and off au-
tomatically depending on the brightness of
the ambient light:
Low beam headlamps
Tail and parking lamps
License plate lamps
Side marker lamps
Turn exterior lamp switch to
positionU.
With the SmartKey in starter switch
position1 or the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button pressed once, only
the parking lamps and the side marker
lamps will switch on and off automati-
cally.
When the engine is running, the low
beam headlamps, the tail and parking
lamps, the license plate lamps, and the
side marker lamps will switch on and
off automatically.
i
If you hear a warning signal you have forgot-
ten to switch off the headlamps before opening
the driver’s door.
In addition the message
Switch off lights
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the headlamps.
Warning!
G
If the exterior lamp switch is set toU,
the headlamps may switch off unexpect-
edly when the system senses bright am-
bient light, for example light from
oncoming traffic.
the headlamps will not be automatically
switched on under foggy conditions.
To minimize risk to you and to others, acti-
vate headlamps by turning exterior lamp
switch to B when driving or when traffic
and/or ambient lighting conditions require
you to do so.
In low ambient lighting conditions, only
switch from position U to B with the
vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from U to B will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions
may result in an accident.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid to the driver. The driver is responsible for
the operation of the vehicle’s lights at all
times.i
USA only:
With the automatic headlamp mode activated
you can switch on the high beam headlamps in
low ambient lighting conditions.
Page 152 of 522

151 Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as
the SmartKey in the starter switch is
turned to position1 or as soon as the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button* is in
position1. The control system enables you
to:
call up information about your vehicle
change vehicle settings
For example, you can use the control sys-
tem to find out when your vehicle is next
due for service, to set the language for
messages in the instrument cluster dis-
play, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1Outside temperature
2Trip odometer
3Automatic transmission program mode
4Main odometer
5Current gear selector lever position
Above illustration shows the standard
display.
For more information on menus displayed
in the multifunction display, see “Menus”
(page 154).
i
The displays for the audio systems (radio,
CD player) will appear in English, regardless of
the language selected.
Warning!
G
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others, se-
lecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions per-
mit it to be done safely.
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.
Page 162 of 522

161 Controls in detail
Control system
AUDIO menu
The functions in the
AUDIO
menu operate
the audio equipment which you currently
have turned on.
If no audio equipment is currently turned
on, the message
AUDIO off
appears in the
multifunction display.
The following functions are available:Selecting radio station
Turn on COMAND and select radio. Re-
fer to separate COMAND operating in-
structions.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until you see the currently tuned sta-
tion in the multifunction display.
1Waveband setting
2Station frequency
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the desired station is found.Selecting satellite radio station*
(USA only)
The satellite radio is treated as a radio ap-
plication.
Select SAT radio with the correspond-
ing softkey in the radio menu.
1SAT mode and preset number
2Setting for station selection using
memory
3Channel name or number
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the desired channel is found.
Function
Page
Selecting radio station
161
Selecting satellite radio station*
161
Operating CD player
162
i
You can only store new stations using the
corresponding feature on the radio, see separate
operating instructions.
You can also operate the radio in the usual man-
ner.
Page 163 of 522

162 Controls in detailControl system
Operating CD player
Selecting CD track
Turn on COMAND and select CD or
CD changer. Refer to separate
COMAND operating instructions.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the settings for the CD currently
being played appear in the multifunc-
tion display.
1Current CD (for CD changer)
2Current track
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the desired track is selected.Selecting MP3-CD track
Turn on COMAND and select MP3-CD.
Refer to separate COMAND operating
instructions.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the settings for the MP3-CD cur-
rently being played appear in the multi-
function display.
1MP3 mode
2Current track
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the desired track is selected.
i
Additional optional satellite radio equipment
and a subscription to satellite radio service pro-
vider are required for satellite radio operation.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for details and availability for your vehicle.
For more information, refer to separate
COMAND operating instructions.
i
The COMAND system and the CD changer
can play audio CDs as well as MP3-CDs.
i
To select a CD from the CD changer maga-
zine, press a number on the COMAND system
key pad located in the center console.
Page 167 of 522

166 Controls in detailControl systemSettings menu
In the
Settings
menu there are two func-
tions:
The function
To reset: Press reset
button for 3 seconds
, with which you
can reset all the settings to the original
factory settings.
A collection of submenus with which
you can make individual settings for
your vehicle.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the
Settings
menu is seen in the
multifunction display.The following settings and submenus are
available in the
Settings
menu:Resetting all settings
You can reset all the functions of all sub-
menus to the factory settings.
Press the reset button in the instru-
ment cluster (
page 148) for approxi-
mately 3 seconds.
In the multifunction display you will see
the request to press the reset button
again to confirm.
Press the reset button again.
The functions of all the submenus will
reset to factory settings.
Function
Page
Resetting all settings
166
Submenus in the Settings menu
167
Instrument cluster submenu
169
Time/date submenu
171
Lighting submenu
173
Vehicle submenu
176
Convenience submenu
178
i
The settings you have changed will not be re-
set unless you confirm the action by pressing the
reset button a second time. After approximately
5seconds, the
Settings
menu reappears in the
multifunction display.
For safety reasons, the Headlamp mode
func-
tion in the
Lighting
submenu is not reset while
driving.