2007 MERCEDES-BENZ R350 Owner's Manual

Sommer\ Corporate\ Media AG
Operator’s Manual
R-Class
Order No. 6515 1809 13 Part No. 251 584 52 81 USA Edition A, 2007
Ê9/tTqÃË2515845281
Operator’s Manual R-Class

R320CDI
R350
R500
R63AMG

Our company and staff congratulate you
on the purchase of your new
Mercedes-Benz.
Your selection of our product is a demon-
stration of your trust in our company
name. Furthermore, it exemplifies your de-
sire to own an automobile that will be as
easy as possible to operate and provide
years of service.
Your Mercedes-Benz represents the ef-
forts of many skilled engineers and crafts-
men. To help assure your driving pleasure,
and also the safety of you and your passen-
gers, we ask you to make a small invest-
ment of time:
Please read this manual carefully,
then return it to your vehicle where it
will be handy for your reference.

Please follow the recommendations
contained in this manual. They are de-
signed to acquaint you with the opera-
tion of your Mercedes-Benz.

Please pay attention to the warnings
and cautions contained in this manual.
They are designed to help improve the
safety of the vehicle operator and oc-
cupants.
We extend our best wishes for many miles
of safe, pleasurable driving.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
A DaimlerChrysler Company

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty
information .................................... 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 13
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle .................. 17
Reporting safety defects...................... 18
Reporting safety defects ................ 18
Vehicle data recording......................... 19
Information regarding electronic
recording devices........................... 19At a glance.......................................... 21
Exterior view ......................................... 22
Cockpit ................................................. 24
Instrument cluster ................................ 26
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 30
Center console ..................................... 31
Upper part ...................................... 31
Lower part ...................................... 32
Overhead control panel ........................ 33
Storage compartments ......................... 34
Door control panel................................ 36Getting started................................... 37
Unlocking ............................................. 38
Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 38
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*......... 39
Starter switch positions .................. 39
Adjusting .............................................. 43
Seats .............................................. 43
Steering wheel ................................ 46
Mirrors ............................................ 48
Driving .................................................. 51
Fastening the seat belts ................. 51
Starting the engine ......................... 54
Parking brake ................................. 57
Driving off ....................................... 58
Switching on headlamps ................. 59
Turn signals .................................... 60
Windshield wipers ........................... 60
Rear window wiper/washer ............ 62
Problems while driving.................... 63
Parking and locking .............................. 65
Parking brake ................................. 66
Switching off headlamps................. 66
Turning off the engine ..................... 67
Releasing seat belts........................ 68
Locking ........................................... 68

Contents
Safety and Security.......................... 71
Occupant safety................................... 72
Air bags .......................................... 74
Seat belts ....................................... 79
Active head restraints .................... 83
Rear head restraints ....................... 84
Children in the vehicle .................... 84
Blocking of rear door window
operation ........................................ 97
Panic alarm .......................................... 99
Activating ....................................... 99
Deactivating ................................... 99
Driving safety systems ....................... 100
ABS .............................................. 100
BAS .............................................. 102
ESP
®............................................. 102
EBP............................................... 105
4-ETS ............................................ 106
Anti-theft systems.............................. 107
Immobilizer................................... 107
Anti-theft alarm system ................ 107
Controls in detail............................. 111
Locking and unlocking ....................... 112
SmartKey ..................................... 112
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 116
Opening the doors from the
inside ........................................... 122
Opening the tailgate ..................... 123
Closing the tailgate ...................... 125
Automatic central locking ............ 130
Locking and unlocking from the
inside ........................................... 130
Seats ................................................. 132
Easy-entry/exit feature ................ 132
Lumbar support............................ 136
Multicontour seat* ....................... 136
Front seat active head
restraints...................................... 137
Rear seats .................................... 137
Seat heating* ............................... 142
Seat ventilation* .......................... 143Memory function* ............................. 144
Storing positions into memory ..... 145
Recalling positions from
memory........................................ 145
Lighting ............................................. 146
Exterior lamp switch .................... 146
Combination switch ..................... 150
Corner-illuminating front
fog lamps* ................................... 151
Hazard warning flasher ................ 152
Interior lighting ............................ 153
Door entry lamps ......................... 155
Cargo compartment lamp ............ 155
Instrument cluster ............................. 156
Adjusting instrument cluster
illumination .................................. 157
Resetting the trip odometer ......... 157
Tachometer .................................. 157
Outside temperature indicator ..... 158

Contents
Control system .................................. 159
Multifunction display .................... 159
Multifunction steering wheel ........ 160
Menus .......................................... 162
Standard display menu ................ 166
AMG menu ................................... 168
AUDIO menu ................................ 171
Navi* menu .................................. 173
AIRMATIC*/Compass menu ........ 174
Distronic* menu........................... 174
Vehicle status message
memory menu .............................. 174
Settings menu .............................. 176
Distance warning function* ......... 191
Trip computer menu..................... 191
TEL menu* ................................... 193
Automatic transmission ..................... 197
Gear selector lever ....................... 197
Shifting procedure ....................... 200
Transmission positions................. 201
Driving tips ................................... 203
Gear ranges ................................. 205
Automatic shift program .............. 206Steering wheel gearshift control ... 207
Manual shift program
(R 63 AMG only)............................ 209
Emergency operation
(Limp-Home Mode) ....................... 211
Good visibility ..................................... 212
Headlamp cleaning system* ......... 212
Rear view mirrors.......................... 212
Power folding exterior rear view
mirrors* ........................................ 214
Sun visors ..................................... 215
Rear door window sunshade* ....... 216
Rear window defroster .................. 217
Climate control ................................... 218
Deactivating the climate
control system .............................. 222
Operating the climate control
system in automatic mode............ 222
Setting the temperature................ 223
Adjusting air distribution............... 223
Adjusting air volume ..................... 224
Front defroster.............................. 224
Air recirculation mode .................. 226
Air conditioning............................. 228
Residual heat and ventilation ........ 229
Rear climate control*.................... 2293-zone automatic climate control* ..... 232
Deactivating the automatic
climate control system ................. 236
Operating the automatic
climate control system in
automatic mode............................ 237
Setting the temperature ............... 237
Adjusting air distribution .............. 238
Adjusting air volume ..................... 239
Front defroster ............................. 239
Maximum cooling MAX COOL ....... 240
Air recirculation mode .................. 240
Air conditioning ............................ 243
Using driver-side settings for all
temperature zones........................ 244
Residual heat and ventilation ........ 244
Rear automatic climate control
(second row) ................................ 245
Rear automatic climate control
(second and third row)* ................ 249
Power windows .................................. 251
Opening and closing ..................... 251
Synchronizing the door windows .. 254
Summer opening feature .............. 254
Convenience closing feature......... 256

Contents
Power tilt/sliding sunroof* ................ 258
Opening and closing ..................... 258
Synchronizing ............................... 260
Panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel* .............................. 261
Roller sunblinds for the
panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel........................... 261
Opening and closing the
panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel........................... 262
Synchronizing the panorama
roof with power tilt/sliding
panel ............................................ 264
Driving systems ................................. 266
Cruise control............................... 266
Distronic*..................................... 271
Distance warning function*.......... 284
AIRMATIC* ................................... 285
Parktronic* (Parking assist) ......... 291
Rear view camera* ....................... 295Loading .............................................. 297
Roof rack*.................................... 297
Loading instructions..................... 298
Cargo tie-down rings .................... 299
Hooks........................................... 300
Expanding cargo compartment .... 301
Cargo compartment cover blind* . 306
Partition net* ............................... 308
Useful features .................................. 311
Storage compartments ................ 311
Parcel nets ................................... 315
Cup holders.................................. 316
Ashtrays* ..................................... 319
Cigarette lighter* ......................... 321
Power outlets ............................... 322
Rear center console* ................... 323
Heated steering wheel* ............... 326
Telephone* .................................. 327
Tele Aid* ...................................... 330
Garage door opener* ................... 337
Compass ...................................... 342
Floormats ..................................... 343
Infrared reflecting windshield* ..... 344
Operation......................................... 345
The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km) ........ 346
Driving instructions ........................... 347
Drive sensibly – save fuel............. 347
Drinking and driving ..................... 347
Pedals .......................................... 347
Power assistance ......................... 348
Brakes.......................................... 348
Driving off .................................... 351
Parking......................................... 351
Tires ............................................. 352
Hydroplaning................................ 352
Tire traction ................................. 353
Tire speed rating .......................... 353
Winter driving instructions ........... 354
Standing water............................. 355
Passenger compartment .............. 356
Driving abroad ............................. 356
Control and operation of radio
transmitters ................................. 357
Catalytic converter
(gasoline engine) .......................... 357

Contents
Oxidation catalyst
(diesel engine).............................. 358
Emission control .......................... 358
Coolant temperature .................... 359
At the gas station .............................. 360
Refueling ...................................... 360
Check regularly and before
a long trip..................................... 362
Engine compartment ......................... 364
Hood ............................................ 364
Engine oil ..................................... 366
Transmission fluid level ................ 370
Coolant level ................................ 370
Windshield/rear window
washer system and headlamp
cleaning* system ......................... 372
Tires and wheels ................................ 373
Important guidelines .................... 373
Tire care and maintenance........... 374
Direction of rotation ..................... 375
Loading the vehicle ...................... 376
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 380
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 382
Tire labeling.................................. 391
Load identification ....................... 395DOT, Tire Identification
Number (TIN) ................................ 396
Maximum tire load ........................ 397
Maximum tire inflation pressure ... 398
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) .............. 398
Tire ply material ............................ 400
Tire and loading terminology......... 401
Rotating tires ................................ 404
Winter driving ..................................... 405
Winter tires ................................... 405
Snow chains.................................. 406
Maintenance....................................... 407
Maintenance service indicator
message ....................................... 407
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display ............... 409
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator ........................... 409
Vehicle care........................................ 410
Cleaning and care of the vehicle ... 410
Practical hints.................................. 419
What to do if … ................................... 420
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 420
Lamp in center console ................ 431
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display .................... 433
Where will I find ...? ............................ 472
First aid kit.................................... 472
Vehicle tool kit.............................. 472
Spare wheel .................................. 475
Unlocking / locking in an emergency .. 478
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 478
Locking the vehicle ....................... 479
Fuel filler flap ................................ 479
Opening / closing in an emergency..... 481
Power tilt/sliding sunroof* ........... 481
Resetting activated head restraints.... 482
Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 483
Replacing bulbs .................................. 484
Bulbs............................................. 484
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 487
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 491
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 494
Front wiper blades ........................ 494
Rear wiper blade ........................... 495