Page 24 of 522
23 At a glance
Exterior view
Item
Page
1
Trunk
Unlocking
120
Opening and closing
120,
122
Spare wheel
432
Vehicle tool kit
434
2
Rear lamps
445
3
Rear window, defrosting
203
4
Fuel filler flap
321
Gasoline
496
5
Doors
Locking and unlocking
110
Opening and closing
119
Item
Page
6
Towing eye bolt
468
General information
466
7
Rims and tires
481
Checking tire inflation
pressure
342
Spare wheel
432
Flat tire
452
8
Front lamps
444
9
Hood, opening
325
Engine oil
327
Coolant
330
Item
Page
a
Windshield wipers
58
Wiper blades, replacing
450
Wiper blades, cleaning
374
b
Window, cleaning
374
c
Roofs
Power tilt/sliding sun-
roof
242
Panorama roof with
power tilt/sliding panel*
245
d
Exterior rear view mirror
47
Parking position
136
e
Headlamp cleaning system*
198
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 38 of 522

37 Getting started
Unlocking
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*
With the KEYLESS-GO function, you can
lock and unlock the vehicle without using
the remote control buttons on the
SmartKey and start the engine without in-
serting the SmartKey in the starter switch.
Pull an outside door handle.
All turn signal lamps flash once.
An acoustic signal sounds once.
The locking knobs in the doors
move up.
The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.
Get in the vehicle.
For more information, see “SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*” (
page 113).
Starter switch positions
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised ac-
cess to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.i
To unlock the vehicle, the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO must be outside the vehicle, no fur-
ther than approximately 3 feet (1 meter) away
from the door.
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. A child’s unsupervised ac-
cess to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
Page 39 of 522

38 Getting startedUnlockingSmartKeyStarter 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 380).
3Starting position
For information on starting the engine us-
ing the SmartKey, see “Starting with the
SmartKey” (
page 52).
i
When you switch on the ignition, the indica-
tor and warning lamps (except low beam head-
lamp indicator lamp, high beam headlamp
indicator lamp, and turn signal indicator lamps
unless activated) in the instrument cluster come
on. The indicator and warning lamps (except low
beam headlamp indicator lamp, high beam head-
lamp 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.
i
The SmartKey can only be removed from the
starter switch with the gear selector lever in
positionP.
i
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position0 for an extended period of time, it can
no longer be turned in the switch. In this case,
the steering is locked. To unlock, remove
SmartKey from the starter switch and reinsert.
!
If the SmartKey cannot be turned in the
starter switch, the battery may not be
sufficiently charged.
Check the battery and charge it if necessary
(page 462).
Get a jump start (
page 464).
To prevent accelerated battery discharge or a
completely discharged battery, always remove
the SmartKey from the starter switch when the
engine is not in operation.
Page 40 of 522

39 Getting started
Unlocking
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
If the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO is inside
the vehicle, pressing the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button on the gear selector le-
ver 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.
KEYLESS-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 Sma rtKey re-
moved).
Position 1
Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
once.
This supplies power for some electrical
consumers, such as seat adjustment.
i
The function of the SmartKey overrules the
KEYLESS-GO function.
i
If 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
Page 41 of 522

40 Getting startedUnlockingIgnition (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 380).For information on starting the engine us-
ing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button,
see “Starting with KEYLESS-GO*”
(
page 53).
i
If you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button once, the power supply is
again switched off.
i
When you switch on the ignition, the indica-
tor and warning lamps (except low beam head-
lamp indicator lamp, high beam headlamp
indicator lamp, and turn signal indicator lamps
unless activated) in the instrument cluster come
on. The indicator and warning lamps (except low
beam headlamp indicator lamp, high beam head-
lamp 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.
Page 47 of 522

46 Getting startedAdjustingEasy-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 178).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 or press the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button (
page 39) once
with the driver’s door closedWith 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 position 0
or 1 or the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (
page 39) in position 1
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 wheel adjustment stalk
(page 45).
Press one of the memory buttons
(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.i
The last set steering wheel position is stored
when
the ignition is switched off (
page 63)
the position is stored in memory
(page 135)
i
If 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 interrupted
when the engine is started.
Page 53 of 522

52 Getting startedDrivingStarting the engine Automatic transmission
Gearshift pattern for automatic
transmissionPPark position with gear selector lever
lock
RReverse gear
NNeutral
DDrive position
For more information, see the “Controls in
detail” section (
page 189). Starting with the SmartKey
For information on turning off the engine
with the SmartKey, see “Turning off en-
gine” (
page 63).
Gasoline engine:
Make sure the gear selector lever is set
to P.
Do not depress the accelerator.
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position3 and hold until the engine
starts (
page 38).
Warning!
G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause un-
consciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while driving,
have the cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one win-
dow fully open.
i
You can also use the “touch-start” function.
Turn the SmartKey to position3 (
page 38) and
release it again immediately. The engine then
starts automatically.