157 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Adjusting instrument cluster
illumination
Use button 1 or 3 to adjust the illumina-
tion brightness for the instrument cluster.
To brighten illumination
Press and hold button 3 until the
desired level of illumination is reached.
To dim illumination
Press and hold button 1 until the
desired level of illumination is reached.
Resetting the trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip odome-
ter display (
page 159).
If it is not displayed, press buttonè
orÿ on the multifunction steering
wheel (
page 160) repeatedly until
the trip odometer appears in the multi-
function display.
Press and hold reset button 2
(
page 156) until the trip odometer is
reset.
Tachometer
The red marking on the tachometer
(
page 26) denotes excessive engine
speed.
To help protect the engine, the fuel supply
is interrupted if the engine is operated
within the red marking.
iThe instrument cluster illumination is
dimmed or brightened automatically to suit
ambient light conditions.
The instrument cluster illumination will also be
adjusted automatically when you switch on the
vehicle’s exterior lamps.!Avoid driving at excessive engine speeds, as
it may result in serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
159 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 (
page 40) or as
soon as the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button* is in position1 (
page 41). The
control system enables you to
call up information about your vehicle
change vehicle settings
For example, you can use the control
system to find out when your vehicle is
next due for maintenance service, to set
the language for messages in the instru-
ment cluster display, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1Trip odometer
2Main odometer
3Transmission position indicator
4Current transmission program mode
5Status indicator (outside temperature
or digital speedometer)
For more information on menus displayed
in the multifunction display, see “Menus”
(
page 162).
iThe 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,
selecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions
permit 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 (approximately 14 m) every second.
160 Controls in detail
Control system
Multifunction steering wheel
The displays in the multifunction display
and the settings in the control system are
controlled by the buttons on the multifunc-
tion steering wheel.
Depending on the selected menu, pressing
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel will alter what is shown in the multi-
function display.
The information available in the multifunc-
tion display is arranged in menus, each
containing a number of functions or sub-
menus.
The individual functions are then found
within the relevant menu (radio or
CD operations under
AUDIO, for example).
These functions serve to call up relevant
information or to customize the settings
for your vehicle.
1Multifunction display
Operating the control system
2Selecting the submenu or setting
the volume:
Press button
æup/to increase
çdown/to decrease
3Telephone*:
Press button
sto take a call
to dial
to redial
tto end a call
to reject an incoming call
4Moving within a menu:
Press button
jfor next display
kfor previous display
5Menu systems:
Press button
èfor next menu
ÿfor previous menu
6Voice Control*1
1Vehicles without Voice Control*: Button without
function.
7Voice Control*1
190 Controls in detail
Control system
Activating easy-entry/exit feature*
Use this function to activate and
deactivate the easy-entry/exit feature
(
page 132).
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Comfort
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Easy-entry feature
appears in the multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to switch
the easy-entry/exit feature
On or Off.Setting fold-in function for exterior rear
view mirrors*
Using this function, you can set the
exterior rear view mirrors to be automati-
cally folded in when you lock your vehicle.
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 47).
Press one of the memory position
buttons or memory button M*
(
page 145).
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.
iWith this function set to On and the exterior
rear view mirrors folded in using the button on
the door control panel (
page 214), the exterior
rear view mirrors will not fold out when you
switch on the ignition. You will then have to fold
out the exterior rear view mirrors using the
button on the door control panel (
page 214).
Make sure both exterior rear view mirrors are
folded out completely before driving off.
194 Controls in detail
Control system
You can use the functions in the TEL menu
to operate your telephone, provided it is
connected to a hands-free system and
switched on.
Switch on the telephone and COMAND
system.
Press buttonÿ orè on the
multifunction steering wheel repeat-
edly until the message
Tel appears in
the multifunction display.Which messages will appear in the multi-
function display depends on whether your
telephone is switched on or off:
If the telephone is off, the message
Phone off appears in the multifunction
display.
If the telephone is on:
The telephone will then search for a
network. During this time the multi-
function display is empty.
As soon as the telephone has found a
network, the message
Ready appears in
the multifunction display.
This standby message indicates that your
telephone is ready for use and you can
operate it using the 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.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet
(approximately 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)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system,
possibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury.
iIf you do not wish to accept a call, press
buttont.
200 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Shifting 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 66).
Move gear selector lever up to resis-
tance point when in drive position D or
down to resistance point when in
reverse gear R to select neutral
positionN.
Release the brake pedal.
Shifting procedure
The automatic transmission selects indi-
vidual gears automatically, depending on:
drive positionD (page 201) with
gear ranges (
page 205)
the selected program mode:
(C/S) (
page 206)
or
(M/C/S) (R 63 AMG only)
(
page 209)
the position of the accelerator pedal
(
page 203)
the vehicle speedWith drive positionD selected, you can use
the steering wheel gearshift control
buttons (
page 207) to influence trans-
mission shifting by:
limiting the gear range
changing gears manually
iWhen the vehicle needs to be moved with
the engine switched off and the transmission set
to neutral positionN (
page 201), 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.
202 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
!If you want the gear position to remain in
neutral positionN (for example when the vehicle
is pulled through a car wash)
do not remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or, when using KEYLESS-GO*
do not turn off the engine using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button* and open
the driver’s door
Otherwise, the transmission will shift to park
positionP and lock the wheels, preventing the
vehicle from being pulled through a car wash.
Effect
íReverse gear
Shift into reverse gearR only
when the vehicle is stopped.
ëNeutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive axle. When
the brakes are released, the
vehicle can be moved freely
(pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the trans-
mission, never shift into neutral
positionN while driving.
If the ESP
® is deactivated or
malfunctioning:
Shift into neutral positionN only
if the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
êDrive
The transmission shifts
automatically. All forward gears
are available.
!Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other
reason in neutral positionN can result in trans-
mission damage that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
Getting out of your vehicle without shifting
into park positionP is dangerous. Also, park
positionP alone is not intended to or capa-
ble of preventing your vehicle from moving,
possibly hitting people or objects.
Always set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park positionP (
page 66).
When parked on an incline, turn the front
wheels towards the road curb.
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
205 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Gear ranges
With the automatic transmission in drive
positionD, you can select a gear range for
the automatic transmission to operate
within.
You can limit the gear range by pressing
the left gearshift button on the steering
wheel gearshift control, and reverse the
gear range limit by pressing the right gear-
shift button on the steering wheel gearshift
control (
page 207).
The selected gear range appears in the
multifunction display.
1Current gear range
Effect
ïThe transmission shifts through
sixth gear only.
îThe transmission shifts through
fifth gear only.
éThe transmission shifts through
fourth gear only.
èThe transmission shifts through
third gear only.
With this selection you can use
the braking effect of the engine.
Effect
çThe transmission shifts through
second gear only.
Allows the use of engine’s
braking power when driving:
on steep downgrades
in mountainous regions
under extreme operating
conditions
æThe transmission operates in
first gear only.
For maximum use of engine’s
braking effect on very steep or
lengthy downgrades.