Page 156 of 514

155 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 dis-
play.
For more information on menus displayed
in the multifunction display, see “Menus”
(page 158).
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 161 of 514
160 Controls in detailControl system
Menu6
Menu7
Menu8
Menu9
Vehicle status mes-
sage memory
1
1The vehicle status message memory menu is only displayed if there is a message stored.
Settings
Trip computer
TEL*
(page 168)
(page 169)
(page 183)
(page 184)
Commands/submenusCalling up vehicle mal-
function, warning and
system status messages
stored in memory
Resetting to factory set-
tings
Fuel consumption statis-
tics since start
Loading phone book
Instrument cluster sub-
menu
Fuel consumption statis-
tics since the last reset
Searching for name in
phone book
Time/Date submenu
Resetting fuel consump-
tion statistics
Lighting submenu
Distance to empty
Vehicle submenuConvenience submenu
i
The headings used in the menus table are
designed to facilitate navigation within the sys-
tem and are not necessarily identical to those
shown in the control system displays.The first function displayed in each menu will au-
tomatically show you which part of the system
you are in.
Page 171 of 514

170 Controls in detailControl systemThe 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 152) 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.
Submenus in the Settings menu
Press buttonj.
In the multifunction display you see the
collection of the submenus.
Press buttonç.
The selection marker moves to the next
submenu.
The submenus are arranged by hierarchy.
Scroll down with buttonç, scroll up
with buttonæ.
With the selection marker on the desired
submenu, use the buttonj to access
the individual functions within that sub-
menu. Once within the submenu, you can
use the buttonj to move to the next
function or the buttonk t o m o v e t o t h e
previous function within that submenu.
The settings themselves are made with
buttonæ orç.
Function
Page
Resetting all settings
170
Submenus in the Settings menu
170
Instrument cluster submenu
172
Time/date submenu
174
Lighting submenu
176
Vehicle submenu
180
Convenience submenu
181
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.
Page 172 of 514

171 Controls in detail
Control system
The table below shows what settings can
be changed within the various menus.
Detailed instructions on making individual
settings can be found on the following pag-
es.Instrument cluster
Time/Date
Lighting
Vehicle
Convenience
(page 172)
(page 174)
(page 176)
(page 180)
(page 181)
Selecting speedometer display
mode
Synchronizing the time
Setting daytime run-
ning lamp mode
(USA only)
Setting automatic
locking
Activating
easy-entry / exit feature
Selecting language
Setting the time (hours)
Setting locator lighting
Limiting opening
height of tailgate*
Setting parking position
for exterior rear view
mirror
1
1If equipped.Selecting display (speed dis-
play or outside temperature)
for status line
Setting the time (minutes)
Setting ambient light-
ing
Audio search function
Selecting display (speed dis-
play or outside temperature)
for basic display
Setting the date (month)
Setting headlamps de-
layed shut-off
Setting the date (day)
Setting interior lighting
delayed shut-off
Setting the date (year)
Page 173 of 514

172 Controls in detailControl systemInstrument cluster submenu
Access the
Instr. cluster
submenu via
the
Settings
menu. Use the
Instr. clus-
ter
submenu to change the instrument
cluster display settings. The following
functions are available:Selecting speedometer display mode
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Instr.
cluster
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Display unit
Speed-/odometer appears in the multi-
function display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press button æ or ç to set
speedometer unit to
km or
miles
.Selecting language
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Instr.
cluster
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Language
appears in
the multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to select
the language to be used for the multi-
function display messages.
Function
Page
Selecting speedometer display
mode
172
Selecting language
172
Selecting display (speed display
or outside temperature) for sta-
tus line display
173
Selecting display (speed display
or outside temperature) for basic
display
173
Page 185 of 514

184 Controls in detailControl systemResetting fuel consumption statistics
Press buttonÿ orè repeatedly
until you see the first function of the
trip computer menu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until you see the reading that you want
to reset in the multifunction display.
Press and hold the reset button in the
instrument cluster (
page 152) until
the value is reset to 0.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
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)
Page 253 of 514
252 Controls in detailDriving systemsDistronic displays in the speedometer
dial
1Set speed
If Distronic is activated, one or two seg-
ments come on around the set speed.1Segments
If Distronic detects a vehicle directly
ahead, the segments (representing the
difference) from the speed of the vehicle
ahead to the set speed come on.
If Distronic calculates that there is a dan-
ger of collision:
The distance warning lampl in the
instrument cluster comes on red.
An intermittent warning sounds.
Immediately brake the vehicle to avoid
a collision.
Under no circumstances should the
driver await the intermittent warning
sound before braking. See the follow-
ing warning note.
The intermittent warning sound ceases
and the red distance warning
lampl goes out when the neces-
sary distance to the vehicle ahead is
again established.
i
The vehicle speed displayed on the speed-
ometer can briefly vary from the speed setting
on the Distronic system.
Page 259 of 514

258 Controls in detailDriving systems1Distance warning function on/off
switch
2Indicator lamp
3Thumbwheel for setting distance
Increasing distance
Increasing the distance setting tells
Distronic to maintain a greater following
distance to the vehicle ahead.
Turn thumbwheel3 towards¯.Decreasing distance
Decreasing the distance setting tells
Distronic to maintain a smaller following
distance to the vehicle ahead.
Turn thumbwheel3 towards®.
Distance warning function
When Distronic is deactivated, this func-
tion will continue to warn you when recog-
nizing a stationary obstacle or a slower
vehicle moving in the vehicle’s path and
the danger of a collision exists:
The distance warning lampl in the
instrument cluster comes on.
An intermittent warning will sound if
necessary.
If these warnings are issued, you must
brake manually to maintain a safe distance
and avoid a collision with the vehicle
ahead.
When pressing the brake pedal, the warn-
ing sound ceases. The warning sound will
also cease when the distance to the vehi-cle ahead is sufficient again without apply-
ing the brakes. In this case, the distance
warning lamp will also go out.
Warning!
G
If the distance warning lampl in the in-
strument cluster comes on while driving
and/or an intermittent warning sounds, im-
mediate attention on the part of the driver is
required. As required by the traffic situation,
apply the brakes and navigate around a pos-
sible obstacle. However, do not drive by re-
lying on the distance warning function, as
this will result in an emergency braking ap-
plication. Especially depending on road sur-
face conditions and driver reaction, this will
not always enable you to avoid a collision.i
Complex driving situations are not always
fully recognized by Distronic. This could result in
wrong or missing distance warnings.