231 Controls in detail
4-zone automatic climate control
Air recirculation mode
Switch to air recirculation mode to prevent
unpleasant odors from entering the vehicle
from the outside (e.g. before driving
through a tunnel). This setting cuts off the
intake of outside air and recirculates the
air in the passenger compartment.Activating
Press button, (
page 222) or
(
page 223).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.Deactivating
Press button, (
page 222) or
(
page 223) again.
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
Warning!
G
Fogged windows impair visibility, endanger-
ing you and others. If the windows begin to
fog on the inside, switching off the air
recirculation mode immediately should clear
interior window fogging. If interior window
fogging persists, make sure the air
conditioning (
page 233) is activated, or
press buttonP or0.
i
The air recirculation mode is activated auto-
matically at high outside temperatures and if the
concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) and ni-
trogen oxide in the outside air increases, for ex-
ample in a tunnel.
The indicator lamp on button, is not lit when
the air recirculation mode is automatically
switched on.
A quantity of outside air is added after approxi-
mately 30 minutes.
i
The air recirculation mode is deactivated au-
tomatically:
after 5 minutes if the outside temperature is
below approximately 41°F (5°C)
after 5 minutes if the air conditioning is
turned off
after 30 minutes if the outside temperature
is above approximately 41°F (5°C)
233 Controls in detail
4-zone automatic climate control
Vehicles with panorama roof*
Convenience closing:
Press and hold button,
(page 222) or (
page 223) until the
windows and the tilt/sliding panel are
closed or have reached the desired po-
sition. The indicator lamp on the button
comes on. The air recirculation mode is
activated.
Convenience opening:
Press and hold button, until the
windows and the tilt/sliding panel are
opened or have reached the desired
position. The indicator lamp on the but-
ton goes out. The air recirculation
mode is deactivated.Combination filter with pollutant-sensi-
tive air-recirculation mode
The combination filter reduces pollutants
and unpleasant odors in the outside air.
The pollutant-sensitive air-recirculation
mode automatically switches off the sup-
ply of outside air when pollutants are de-
tected in the air.
Air conditioning
The cooling function, only operational
when the engine is running, cools the vehi-
cle interior down to the selected tempera-
ture. The cooling function also
dehumidifies the air in the vehicle interior,
thus preventing the windows from fogging
up.
i
The pollutant-sensitive air-recirculation
mode is not possible if you have switched off the
air conditioning or if the temperature falls below
41°F (5°C).
i
Condensation may drip out from underneath
the vehicle. This is normal and not an indication
of a malfunction.Warning!
G
If you turn off the cooling function, the
vehicle will not be cooled when weather
conditions are warm. The windows can fog
up more quickly. Window fogging may
impair visibility and endanger you and
others.
234 Controls in detail4-zone automatic climate controlDeactivating
It is possible to deactivate the air condi-
tioning (cooling) function of the climate
control system. The air in the vehicle will
then no longer be cooled or dehumidified.
Press button2 (
page 222) or
(
page 223).
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
Activating
Moist air can fog up the windows. You can
dehumidify the air with the air condition-
ing.
Press button2 (
page 222) or
(
page 223) again.
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
The air conditioning uses the refrigerant
R134a. This refrigerant is free of CFCs
which are harmful to the ozone layer.Residual heat and ventilation
(Canada only)
With the engine switched off, it is possible
to continue to heat or ventilate the interior
for up to 30 minutes. This feature makes
use of the residual heat produced by the
engine.
!
If the air conditioning cannot be turned on
again, this indicates that the air conditioning is
losing refrigerant. The compressor has turned it-
self off.
Have the air conditioning checked at the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
i
If you switch on the residual heat function
when temperatures are high, only the ventilation
will be switched on.
i
Regardless of the selected air volume, the
blower operates at low speed.
i
How long the system will provide heating de-
pends on
the coolant temperature
the temperature set by the operator
The blower will run at speed setting1 regardless
of the air distribution control setting.
236 Controls in detail4-zone automatic climate controlYou should raise or lower the temperature
setting in small increments, preferably
starting at 72°F (22°C). The adjusted tem-
perature appears in the display 5. The
rear climate control will adjust to the set
temperature as fast as possible.
1Temperature, left
2Temperature, right
Adjust the temperature to the desired
setting for each side of the passenger
compartment using the left and right
temperature buttons.
The temperature in the rear passenger
compartment is adjusted automatical-
ly.Adjusting air distribution
Move the slider for the left center air
vent1 or right center air vent2 to
the left, right, up, or down.
The air flow is directed in the
corresponding direction.
Adjusting air volume
Turn thumbwheel3 or 7
(page 235) up or down.
The air volume is increased or
decreased.
Adjusting the rear settings with the
front control panel
You can adjust the temperature for the
rear climate control from the front climate
control panel.
Press button5 or ™
(page 222) or (
page 223).
The display switches over.
1Rear climate control display
Set the desired temperature for the
rear passenger compartment using
temperature rocker switches4
and6 (
page 235).
After approximately 5 seconds after
the last adjustment, the display switch-
es back to its standard display.
i
The rear climate control will not cool the air
when the air conditioning is switched off
(
page 234).
i
For draft-free ventilation, move sliders for
the center air vents1 and2 (
page 235) up-
ward.
i
You can also press button5 or ™
(
page 222) or (
page 223) once more to
switch back to the standard display.
243 Controls in detail
Power tilt/sliding sunroof
Switch on the ignition (
page 37).Opening and closing the power
tilt/sliding sunroof
To open, close, raise or lower the
tilt/sliding sunroof, move the sunroof
switch to resistance point in the re-
quired direction of arrows1to4.
Release the sunroof switch when the
tilt/sliding sunroof has reached the de-
sired position.
Fully opening (Express-open) and clos-
ing (Express-close) the power tilt/slid-
ing sunroof
To open or close the tilt/sliding sun-
roof, move the sunroof switch past the
resistance point in direction of
arrow1to2 and release.
The tilt/sliding sunroof opens or closes
completely.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* from the starter switch, take
it with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle. A child’s
unsupervised access to a vehicle could re-
sult in an accident and/or serious personal
injury.!
To avoid damaging the seals, do not trans-
port any objects with sharp edges which can
stick out of the tilt/sliding sunroof.
Do not open the tilt/sliding sunroof if there is
snow or ice on the roof, as this could result in
malfunctions.
The tilt/sliding sunroof can be opened or closed
manually should an electrical malfunction occur
(
page 439).
!
Please keep in mind that weather conditions
can sometimes change rapidly. Make sure to
close the tilt/sliding sunroof when leaving the
vehicle. If water enters the vehicle interior, vehi-
cle electronics could be damaged which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
i
When the tilt/sliding sunroof is open, reso-
nance noises may result in addition to the usual
wind noises. They are caused by minimal pres-
sure changes in the passenger compartment. To
reduce or eliminate these noises, change the po-
sition of the tilt/sliding sunroof or open a side
window slightly.
i
You can also open or close the tilt/sliding
sunroof using the SmartKey, see “Summer open-
ing feature” (
page 239) or see “Convenience
closing feature” (page 240).
Depending on current position, the tilt/sliding
sunroof may also open or close when the air re-
circulation button, in the control panel of
the climate control (page 206), (
page 207),
(
page 222) or (
page 223) is pressed and
held.
247 Controls in detail
Panorama roof with power tilt/sliding panel*
Switch on the ignition (
page 37).
In a vehicle rollover, occupants not wearing
their seat belts or not wearing them properly
may be thrown out of the opening. Such an
opening also presents a potential for injury
for occupants wearing their seat belts prop-
erly as entire body parts or portions of them
may protrude from the passenger compart-
ment.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* from the starter switch, take
it with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle. A child’s
unsupervised access to a vehicle could re-
sult in an accident and/or serious personal
injury.!
To avoid damaging the seals, do not trans-
port any objects with sharp edges which can
stick out of the tilt/sliding panel.Do not open the tilt/sliding panel if there is snow
or ice on the roof, as this could result in malfunc-
tions.
The tilt/sliding panel can be opened or closed
manually should an electrical malfunction occur
(
page 439).
!
Please keep in mind that weather conditions
can sometimes change rapidly. Make sure to
close the tilt/sliding panel when leaving the ve-
hicle. If water enters the vehicle interior, vehicle
electronics could be damaged which is not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
i
When the tilt/sliding panel is open, reso-
nance noises may result in addition to the usual
wind noises. They are caused by minimal pres-
sure changes in the passenger compartment. To
reduce or eliminate these noises, change the po-
sition of the tilt/sliding panel or open a side win-
dow slightly.
i
You can also open or close the tilt/sliding
panel using the SmartKey (summer open-
ing/convenience closing feature) (
page 239)
or (
page 240).
Depending on current position, the tilt/sliding
panel may also open or close when the air recir-
culation button, in the control panel of the
climate control (
page 206), (
page 207),
(
page 222) or (
page 223) is pressed and
held.
249 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving systems
The driving systems of your vehicle are de-
scribed on the following pages:
Cruise control and Distronic*, with
which the vehicle can maintain a preset
speed
Airmatic DC adjusts the vehicle sus-
pension characteristics automatically
and controls the vehicle level
Parktronic system*, which assists the
driver during parking maneuvers
For information on the BAS, ABS, and
ESP®, see “Driving safety systems”
(
page 97).
Cruise control
The cruise control automatically maintains
the speed you set for your vehicle.
Use of cruise control is recommended for
driving at a constant speed for extended
periods of time. You can set or resume
cruise control at any speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
The cruise control lever is the uppermost
lever on the left-hand side of the steering
column (
page 24).
Warning!
G
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always re-
main responsible for the vehicle’s speed and
for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise control if the road, traffic
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a steady speed.
The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on winding roads or in heavy traffic
because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a steady speed.
The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on slippery roads. Rapid changes in
tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.
Deactivate the cruise control when driv-
ing in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.
254 Controls in detailDriving systemsWarning!
G
Use of Distronic can be dangerous on slip-
pery roads. Rapid changes in tire traction
can result in wheel spin and loss of control.
Distronic does not act upon adverse sight
distance conditions. Do not use Distronic
during conditions of fog and heavy rain,
snow or sleet.
Warning!
G
Distronic cannot take weather conditions
into account. Switch off Distronic or do not
turn it on if:
roads are slippery or covered with snow
or ice. The wheels could lose traction
while braking or accelerating, and the
vehicle could skid
the sensor is dirty or visibility is
diminished due to snow, rain or fog. The
distance control could be impaired
Always pay attention to traffic conditions
even while Distronic is switched on. Other-
wise, you may not be able to recognize
dangerous situations until it is too late and
could cause an accident resulting in person-
al or fatal injury to you or others.
Warning!
G
Close attention to road and traffic condi-
tions is imperative at all times, regardless of
whether or not Distronic is activated.
Use of Distronic can be dangerous on wind-
ing roads or in heavy traffic because condi-
tions do not allow safe driving at a steady
speed.
Distronic will not react to stationary objects
in the roadway (e.g. a stopped vehicle in a
traffic jam or a disabled vehicle). Distronic
will also not respond to oncoming vehicles.
Switch off Distronic:
when changing from the left to the right
lane if vehicles are moving more slowly
in the left lane
when entering a turn lane or highway off
ramp
in complex driving situations, such as in
highway construction zones