2007 MERCEDES-BENZ SL550 153

Contents
Vehicle status message memory
menu ............................................ 152
Settings menu .............................. 153
Trip computer menu..................... 163
TEL menu* ................................... 165
Automatic transmission ..................... 168
Gear selector lever position ......... 170
Driving tips ................................... 171
Gear ranges ................................. 172
Automatic shift program .............. 173
Gear selector lever one-touch
gearshifting .................................. 174
Steering wheel gearshift control
one-touch gearshifting* ............... 175
Manual shift program
(SL55AMGandSL65AMG only) 177
Emergency operation
(Limp-Home Mode) ...................... 179
Good visibility .................................... 180
Headlamp cleaning system .......... 180
Rear view mirrors ......................... 180
Sun visors .................................... 182
Rear window defroster ................. 183Automatic climate control .................. 184
Deactivating the automatic
climate control system ................. 187
Operating the automatic climate
control system in automatic mode 187
Setting the temperature................ 188
Adjusting air distribution............... 189
Adjusting air volume ..................... 190
Maximum cooling MAXCOOL ........ 190
Front defroster.............................. 190
Air recirculation mode .................. 191
Air conditioning............................. 193
Residual heat and ventilation ........ 194
Ventilated glove box ..................... 195
Power windows .................................. 196
Opening and closing the
windows ........................................ 196
Synchronizing power windows ...... 198
Retractable hardtop............................ 199
Opening and closing the
retractable hardtop ....................... 199Driving systems .................................. 209
Cruise control ............................... 209
Distronic* ..................................... 213
Distance warning function* .......... 224
Active Body Control (ABC) ............ 225
Parktronic system*
(Parking assist) ............................. 228
Useful features ................................... 233
Storage compartments ................. 233
Cup holders .................................. 238
Ashtray ......................................... 239
Cigarette lighter............................ 239
Heated steering wheel* ................ 240
Load assist in the trunk ................ 241
Power outlet ................................. 242
Telephone* ................................... 243
Tele Aid......................................... 244
Garage door opener ...................... 251

18 IntroductionReporting safety defectsFor the USA only:
The following text is published as required of manufacturers under Title 49, Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part 575 pursuant to the
“National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966”.Reporting safety defects
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it
may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you, your dealer,
or Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may call the Vehicle Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153);
go to http://www.safercar.gov; or write to: Administrator, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, D.C. 20590. You can also
obtain other information about motor vehicle safety from http://www.safercar.gov.

27 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
1
Coolant temperature
gauge with:DCoolant temperature
warning lamp
337
2
Speedometer with:LLeft turn signal indi-
cator lamp
56
KRight turn signal indi-
cator lamp
56
;Brake warning lamp,
USA only
335
3Brake warning lamp,
Canada only
335
vABS/ESP
® warning
lamp
332
Item
Page
EDistronic* indicator
lamp
1 (white) or
distance warning
lamp (red)
213,
339
3
Left multifunction display
with:

Trip odometer
137


Main odometer


Stored speed for

Cruise control


Distronic*
209
151,
213
1Vehicles without Distronic*: Warning/indicator
lamp without function. It illuminates when the igni-
tion is on. It should go out when the engine is run-
ning.
Item
Page
4
Reset button for:

Resetting trip odometer
137


Resetting individual set-
tings
153


Adjusting instrument
cluster illumination
136

141 Controls in detail
Control system
The individual functions are then found
within the relevant menu (radio or CD op-
erations under
AUDIO
, for example). These
functions serve to call up relevant informa-
tion or to customize the settings for your
vehicle.
It is helpful to think of the menus, and the
functions within each menu, as being ar-
ranged in a circular pattern.


If you press button è or ÿ re-
peatedly, you will pass through each
menu one after the other.


If you press button k or j re-
peatedly, you will pass through each
function display, one after the other, in
the current menu. In the
Settings
menu, instead of functions
you will find a number of submenus for
calling up and changing settings. For in-
structions on using these submenus, see
“Settings menu” (page 153).
The number of menus available in the sys-
tem depends on which optional equipment
is installed in your vehicle.
The menus are described on the following
pages.

144 Controls in detailControl system
Menu 6
Menu 7
Menu 8
Menu 9
Vehicle status
message memory
1
Settings
Trip computer
Telephone*
(page 152)
(page 153)
(page 163)
(page 165)
Commands/submenus
Calling up vehicle mal-
function, warning and
system status messag-
es stored in memory
Resetting to factory set-
tings
Fuel consumption sta-
tistics after start
Loading phone book
Instrument cluster
submenu
Fuel consumption sta-
tistics since the last re-
set
Searching for name in
phone book
Time submenu
Distance to empty
Lighting submenuVehicle submenuConvenience submenu
1You will only see the message memory menu if there is a message.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.

153 Controls in detail
Control system
Should the vehicle’s system record any
conditions while driving, the number of
messages will reappear in the multifunc-
tion display

when the SmartKey in the starter
switch is turned to position0 or re-
moved from the starter switch
or


when you turn off the engine by press-
ing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop but-
ton on the gear selector lever once and
open the driver’s door (this puts the
starter switch in position 0, same as
with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch)
Settings menu
In the
Settings
menu there are two func-
tions:


The function
Reset
, with which you can
reset most settings to those set at the
factory.


A collection of submenus with which
you can make individual settings for
your vehicle.
The following settings and submenus are
available:Resetting all settings
You can reset the functions of most of the
submenus to the factory settings.
For safety, the
Light circuit Headlamp
mode
submenu in the
Lighting
menu can
be reset with the vehicle at standstill only.

Press button è or ÿ repeatedly
until the
Settings...
menu appears in
the multifunction display.
i
The vehicle status message memory will be
cleared when you then turn the SmartKey in the
starter switch to position 1 or 2, or when you
press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once
or twice without depressing the brake pedal. You
will then only see high priority messages in the
multifunction display (
page 347).
Function
Page
Resetting all settings
153
Submenus in the Settings menu
154
Instrument cluster submenu
156
Time submenu
157
Lighting submenu
159
Vehicle submenu
162
Convenience submenu
162


159 Controls in detail
Control system
Lighting submenu
Access the
Lighting
submenu via the
Settings
menu. Use the
Lighting
sub-
menu to change the lamp and lighting set-
tings on your vehicle. The following
functions are available:Setting daytime running lamp mode
(USA only)

Move the selection marker with button
æ or ç to the
Lighting
sub-
menu.

Press button j or k repeatedly
until the message
Light circuit
Headlamp mode
appears in the multi-
function display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.

Press button æ or ç to select
manual operation (
Manual
) or daytime
running lamp mode (
Constant
).With daytime running lamp mode activated
and the exterior lamp switch at
positionM or U the low beam head-
lamps are switched on when the engine is
running.
In low ambient light conditions the follow-
ing lamps will switch on additionally:


Parking lamps


Tail lamps


License plate lamps


Side marker lamps
Function
Page
Setting daytime running lamp
mode (USA only)
159
Setting locator lighting
160
Setting night security illumina-
tion
160
Setting interior lighting delayed
switch-off
161
i
This function is not available in countries
where the daytime running lamp mode is manda-
tory and therefore in a constant mode.
i
For safety reasons, resetting to factory set-
tings (page 153) while driving will not deacti-
vate the daytime running lamp mode.
The following message appears in the multifunc-
tion display:
Cannot be fully reset to
factory settings when driving
.

455 Index
Center console
Lower part 32
Upper part 31
Central locking
Automatic 119, 162
Central locking/unlocking switch 31,
119
Locking/unlocking from inside 119
Certification label 430
Check engine see Lamps, indicator and
warning
Checking tire pressure electronically with
the Advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (Advanced TPMS)*,
(Canada only) 298
Children in the vehicle
Air bags 83
Front passenger front air bag off indica-
tor lamp 76, 345
Infant and child restraint systems 83
Occupant Classification System
(OCS) 72
Cigarette lighter 239
Clock 25, 157
Cockpit 24
Cold tire inflation pressure 312COMAND system 31
Driving instructions 268
Combination switch
High beam 56, 133
Turn signals 56
Windshield wipers 57
Consumer battery 281
Control and operation of radio
transmitters 268
Control system 139, 142
Control system menus
AMG Menu 146
AUDIO 149
NAV 151
Settings 153
Standard display 145
TEL* 165
Trip computer 163
Vehicle status message memory 152
Control system submenus 143
Convenience 162
Instrument cluster 156
Lighting 159
Time 157
Vehicle 162
Convenience feature 201Coolant 449
Anticorrosion/antifreeze mixing ratio
and quantity 451
Checking coolant level 280
Coolant warning lamp 337
Messages in the multifunction
display 371, 373
Temperature 270
Temperature gauge 137
Corner-illuminating front fog lamps 132
Corner-illuminating front fog lamps*
Replacing bulbs 397
Courtesy lighting 135
Cruise control 209
Messages in the multifunction
display 352, 353
Cup holder 238
Curb weight 312
D
Daytime running lamp mode 130
Setting 159
Deep water see Standing water
Defogging, Windshield 191
Defrosting, Front 190
Defrosting, Rear 183