Page 359 of 522

358 OperationTires and wheelsQuality grades can be found, where appli-
cable, on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1
1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly
from the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction
The traction grades, from highest to low-
est, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades rep-
resent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and ex-
cessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the Federal Mo-
tor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Treadwear
Traction
Temperature
200
AA
A
Warning!
G
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Page 372 of 522

371 Operation
Vehicle care
Engine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment,
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from contact with
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as MB Anticor-
rosion Wax should be applied to the engine
compartment after every engine cleaning.
Before applying, all control linkage bush-
ings and joints should be lubricated. The
poly-V-belt and all pulleys should be pro-
tected from any wax.
Vehicle washing
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the vehicle underbody, do
not forget to clean the inner sides of the
wheels.Hand-wash
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight.
Only use a mild car wash detergent,
such as Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water.
Direct only a very weak spray towards
the ventilation intake.
Use plenty of water and rinse the
sponge and chamois frequently.
Rinse with clean water and thoroughly
dry with a chamois.
Do not allow cleaning agents to dry on
the finish.Automatic car wash
You can have your car washed in an auto-
matic car wash from the start. Automatic
car washes without brushes are prefera-
ble.
To protect the filter system, switch the
automatic climate control to air recir-
culation mode (
page 214) or
(
page 231).
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it be-
fore running it through the automatic car
wash.
i
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of water, and
a SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is in close prox-
imity, i.e. within approximately 3 ft (approxi-
mately 1 m), the vehicle could be inadvertently
locked or unlocked.
!
Do not use scouring agents on these parts.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the vehicle.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the paint.
!
Do not clean your vehicle in an automatic
touchless car wash which uses caustic spray.
Otherwise the caustic spray will damage the
paint or ornamental moldings.
Page 502 of 522

501 Index
A
ABS 97
Indicator lamp 380
Messages in display 398, 413
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 188
Accessory weight 359
Accident 60
Active Bi-Xenon headlamps* see Head-
lamps
Active head restraints 87
Adaptive Damping System see ADS
ADS 265
Air bags 70
Children 71
Front, Driver 74
Front, Passenger 74
Safety guidelines 72
Side impact 75
Window curtain 75
Air conditioning refrigerant 495
Air conditioning system see Climate con-
trol system
Air conditioning, Cooling 217, 233
Air distribution 211, 228
Air pressure 359Air pressure see Tire inflation
pressure 342
Air pump, electric
Turning on 457
Air recirculation mode 214, 231
Air vents 211, 228
Air volume 212, 229
Airmatic DC (Dual Control)
Messages in display 430
Suspension tuning 265
Airmatic DC (Dual Control) 265
Vehicle level control 266
Alarm system see Anti-theft systems
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 434, 455
AMG menu 157
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 499
Antilock Brake System see ABS
Anti-theft systems 106
Anti-theft alarm system 106
Immobilizer 106
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning
Ashtrays 287
Aspect ratio 359AUDIO menu 161
Operating CD player 162
Selecting radio station 161
Selecting satellite radio* station 161
Audio search function 177
Audio system
CD mode 162
Auto-dimming
Rear view mirrors 198
Automatic central locking, Control
system 176
Automatic headlamp mode 138
Automatic lighting control, Interior
lighting 145
Automatic locking when driving 176
Automatic shift program 190
Page 504 of 522

503 Index
CD player 162
Center console
Lower part 30
PASS AIR BAG OFF indicator
lamp 393
Upper part 29
Central locking
Automatic 127, 176
Locking/unlocking from inside 127
Central locking switch 127
Certification label 476
Checking
Oil level 327
Checking tire pressure electronically with
the Advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (Advanced TPMS)*,
(Canada only) 345
Children in the vehicle 88
Air bags 71
Blocking of rear window operation 95
Indicator lamp, front passenger front
air bag 81
Infant and child restraint systems 89
LATCH-type child seat anchors 94
Cigarette lighter 288Climate control system
4-zone automatic climate
control 220
Air conditioning refrigerant 495
Air conditioning, Cooling 217, 233
Air distribution 211, 228
Air recirculation mode 214, 231
Air volume 212, 229
Automatic mode 209, 226
Control panel, Rear 219, 235
Deactivating system 209, 225
Dual-zone automatic climate
control 204
Front defroster 212, 229
Maximum cooling MAX COOL 214,
230
Rear climate control 235
Residual engine heat (REST) 218,
234
Clock 27, 171
Setting time 172
Cockpit 24
Cold tire inflation pressure 360
Collapsible tire 487
Collapsible wheel chock 434COMAND see separate COMAND operat-
ing instructions
Combination filter with pollutant-sensitive
air-recirculation mode 233
Combination switch 57, 141
Control system 151
Multifunction display 151
Multifunction steering wheel 152
Resetting to factory settings 166
Control system menus 154
AMG 157
AUDIO 161
Distronic* 163
NAV* 163
Settings 166
Standard display 157
TEL* 181
Trip computer 179
Vehicle status message memory 164
Control system submenus 153
Convenience 178
Instrument cluster 169
Lighting 173
Time/Date 171
Vehicle 176
Page 509 of 522

508 IndexHead restraints 129
Comfort head restraint, Adjusting 44
Folding back 130
Front seat, Adjusting 43
Rear seat, Removing and
installing 130
Headlamp cleaning system* 198
Headlamp shut-off delay see Delayed
shut-off, Exterior lamps
Headlamps
Active Bi-Xenon headlamps* 137
Automatic headlamp mode 138
Bi-Xenon* 137
Cleaning lenses 372
Cleaning system* 198
Halogen 446
High beam see High beam flasher
High beam see High beam headlamps
Low beam see Low beam headlamps
Manual headlamp mode 138
Replacing bulbs 446
Switch 56
Headliner and shelf below rear window,
Cleaning and care of 376
Heated seats* 132Heated steering wheel
(Canada only) 289
Height adjustment
Vehicle level control 266
High beam flasher 57, 142
High beam headlamps 57, 137, 444
Indicator lamp 27, 142
Replacing bulbs 444
Switching on 142
High mounted brake lamp 445
High-performance brake system
(E 63 AMG only) 312
Hood 325
Message in display 430
Horn 25
HVAC see Climate control system
Hydroplaning 314
I
Identification labels 476
Identification Number, Vehicle (VIN) 477
Ignition 38
Immobilizer 106
Indicator lamps see Lamps, indicator and
warning
Infant and child restraint systems see Chil-
dren in the vehicleInflation pressure see Tires, Inflation pres-
sure
Inside door handle 119
Instrument cluster 26, 148
Illumination brightness 148
Lamps 380
Multifunction display 151
Instrument lighting see Instrument cluster,
Illumination brightness
Instrument panel see Instrument cluster
Instruments and controls see Cockpit
Interior lighting
Delayed shut-off 176
Interior rear view mirror 47
Auto-dimming mirrors 198
Interior storage spaces see Storage com-
partments
J
Jack 432
Jump starting 464
K
Key, Mechanical 436
Loss of 119
Valet locking 126