157 Controls in detail
Control system
RACETIMER
The RACETIMER allows you to time and
save driving stretches in hours, minutes
and seconds.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until you see the AMG menu.
Press buttonj repeatedly until you
see the RACETIMER.
1Gear indicator
2RACETIMER
3LapStarting the RACETIMER
Press buttonæ.
The timer starts.
Displaying intermediate time
Press buttonç while the timer is
running.
The intermediate time is shown for five
seconds.
Stopping the RACETIMER
Press buttonæ.
The timer stops.
Warning!
G
The RACETIMER feature is only for use on
roads and in conditions where high speed
driving is permitted. Racing on public roads
is prohibited under any circumstances and
the driver is and must always remain re-
sponsible for following posted speed limits.
i
You can start the RACETIMER when the
engine is running or the starter switch is in
position2 (
page 40).
i
While the RACETIMER is being displayed,
you cannot adjust the volume using
buttonsæ orç.
i
When you stop the vehicle and turn the
SmartKey to position 1 (
page 40) or, in vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*, turn off the engine and
do not open the driver’s door, the RACETIMER
stops timing. Timing is resumed when you switch
the ignition back on (
page 40) or restart the
engine (
page 54) and then press the
æbutton.
177 Controls in detail
Control system
Limiting opening height of tailgate*
Use this function to activate or deactivate
the limiting opening height of the tailgate.
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Vehicle
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Opening limiter
Tailgate
appears in the multifunction
display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to switch
the limiting opening height of the
tailgate
On or
Off
.Comfort submenu*
Access the
Comfort
submenu via the
Settings
menu. Use the
Comfort
submenu
to change the settings for a number of con-
venience features.
The following functions are available:Activating easy-entry/exit feature*
Use this function to activate and
deactivate the easy-entry/exit feature
(
page 46).
Function
Page
Activating easy-entry/exit
feature*
177
Setting fold-in function* for
exterior rear view mirrors
178
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 48).
Press one of the memory position
buttons or the memory buttonM*
(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.
183 Controls in detail
Control system
Answering a call
When your telephone is ready to receive
calls, you can answer a call at any time. In
the multifunction display you will then see
the message:
Press buttons.
You have answered the call. The
duration of the call appears in the
multifunction display.Ending a call
Press buttont.
You have ended the call. The standby
message appears in the multifunction
display.
Dialing a number from the phone book
If your telephone is ready to receive calls,
you may select and dial a number from the
phone book at any time.
Press buttonÿ orè repeatedly
until the message
Tel
appears in the
multifunction display.
Press buttonj ork.
The control system reads the phone
book which is stored in the telephone.
This may take several minutes. The
message
Please wait
appears in the
multifunction display.
When the message
Please wait
disappears, the phone book has been
loaded.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the desired name appears in the
multifunction display.
The stored names are displayed in
ascending or descending alphabetical
order.
1Name from the phone book
i
If you do not wish to accept a call, press
buttont.
i
If you press and holdj ork for
longer than 1 second, the system scrolls rapidly
through the list of names until you release the
button again.
Cancel the quick search mode by pressing
buttont.
184 Controls in detailControl system
Press buttons.
The system dials the selected phone
number.
If the connection is successful and
this feature is supported by your
network provider, the name of the
party (if stored in your phone book)
you are calling and the duration of
the call will appear in the multifunc-
tion display.
If no connection is made, the
control system stores the dialed
number in the redial memory.Redialing
The control system stores the most
recently dialed phone numbers. This
eliminates the need to search through your
entire phone book.
Press buttonÿ orè repeatedly
until the message
Tel
appears in the
multifunction display.
Press buttons.
The first number in the redial memory
appears in the multifunction display.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the desired name appears in the
multifunction display.
Press buttons.
The control system dials the selected
phone number.
188 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionShifting from D or R to N
If you want to select neutral positionN
with the transmission being in drive
positionD or reverse gearR:
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
Step firmly on parking brake pedal
(page 65).
Move gear selector lever up to resis-
tance point when in drive positionD or
down to resistance point when in
reverse gearR to select neutral
positionN.
Release the brake pedal.
Shifting procedure
The automatic transmission selects indi-
vidual gears automatically, depending on:
drive positionD (
page 189) with gear
ranges (
page 193)
the selected program mode (M/C/S)
(ML 63 AMG only) (
page 195)
the position of the accelerator pedal
(page 191)
the vehicle speedWith drive positionD selected, you can use
the steering wheel gearshift control
buttons (
page 194) to influence trans-
mission shifting by:
limiting the gear range
changing gears manually
i
When the vehicle needs to be moved with
the engine switched off and the transmission set
to neutral positionN (
page 186), e.g. in an
automatic car wash, do not depress the parking
brake pedal.
!
Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the
operating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park positionP only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended
period when driving off on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
194 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionSteering wheel gearshift control
With drive positionD selected, you can
limit or extend the gear range.
If your vehicle is equipped with manual
shift program M, you can use the steering
wheel gearshift control to manually shift
the gears.
1Left shift button: limiting gear range or
downshift (in program modeM)
2Right shift button: extending gear
range or upshift (in program modeM)Limiting gear range
Briefly press left shift button1.
The transmission will shift to the next
lower gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the transmis-
sion (
page 193).
i
ML 63 AMG:
For information on using the steering wheel gear-
shift control in program mode M, see “Shift pro-
gram (ML 63 AMG only)” (
page 195).
!
Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the
operating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park positionP only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended
period when driving off on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
i
You cannot shift with the steering wheel
gearshift control buttons when the transmission
is in positionP,N orR.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.i
To avoid overrevving the engine when down-
shifting, the transmission will not shift to a lower
gear if the engine’s max. speed would be ex-
ceeded.
196 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionThe selected program mode appears in the
multifunction display.
1Current program mode
Automatic shift program
You can choose between automatic shift
program C or S.
Press program mode selector switch
repeatedly until the letter of the
desired program mode appears in the
multifunction display.SelectCfor standard driving:
The vehicle starts out in second
gear (both forward and reverse) for
gentler starts. This does not apply if
full throttle is applied or gear
range1 is selected.
Traction and driving stability are
improved on icy roads.
Upshifts occur earlier even when
you give more gas. The engine then
operates at lower rpms and the
wheels are less likely to spin.
SelectSfor sporty driving:
The vehicle starts out in first gear.
Upshifts occur later.Manual shift program
In the manual program mode M,
system-controlled automatic gearshifting
is switched off and you need to change the
the gears by manually upshifting or down-
shifting using the steering wheel gearshift
control buttons to the left and right of the
steering wheel (
page 194).
Activating manual shift program
Press program mode selector switch
repeatedly until the
M for the manual
program modeM appears in the multi-
function display.
The transmission switches to the
manual program modeM. Automatic
shifting is switched off. The gear range
is not limited.
You can change the gears manually with
drive positionD selected. You can upshift
or downshift through the gears in succes-
sion.
i
The last selected program mode (C or S) is
switched on when the engine is restarted.
226 Controls in detail3-zone automatic climate control*Adjusting air distribution
Use the air distribution controls3,h,
orj for the driver’s side, or7,b, orc
(page 222) for the passenger side to
separately adjust the air distribution on
each side of the passenger compartment.
The following symbols are found on the
buttons:
Press the desired air distribution but-
ton (
page 222).
The indicator lamp on the desired but-
ton goes out.
Adjusting the air distribution for the
center and side air vents
Opening the center air vents
Turn thumbwheels4 and7
(page 220) to the right.
The corresponding center air vents on
the left and right are open.
Closing the center air vents
Turn thumbwheels4 and7
(page 220) to the left.
The corresponding center air vents on
the left and right are closed.Opening the side air vents
Turn thumbwheels3 and8
(page 220) to the right.
The corresponding side air vents on the
left and right are open.
Closing the side air vents
Turn thumbwheels3 and8
(page 220) to the left.
The corresponding side air vents on the
left and right are closed.
Symbol
Function
Driver’s
side
Passen-
ger side
6
Z
Directs air to the
windshield and side
air vents
7
a
Directs air through
the center, side and
rear passenger
compartment air
vents
8
Y
Directs air to the
footwells and side
air vents