Page 11 of 132
At a glance
This overview of buttons, switches and displays
is intended to familiarize you with your vehicle's
operating environment. The section will also
assist you in becoming acquainted with the
control concepts and options available for
operating the various systems.
At a glance 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 12 of 132
Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: controls and displays
2Folding exterior mirrors in or out*34
3Adjusting exterior mirrors34
1
Opening and closing windows25
4
Parking lamps59
Low beams59
Automatic headlamp control
*59
5
Instrument lighting60
6
Fog lamps
*60 
         
        
        
     
        
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At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility Reference
 11
8Instrument cluster12
10Buttons
* on the steering wheel
11Ignition lock4012Horn: the entire surface
14Releasing the hood91
15Opening the luggage compartment lid/
tailgate21 7
Turn signal indicators44
High beams, headlamp flasher60
Roadside parking lamps
*60
Computer
*50
9Windshield wipers45
Rain sensor
*45
Volume
>Press: to accept and end a 
telephone call; to start dialing 
for selected telephone num-
bers
>Press longer: activate and 
deactivate voice entry
*
Fast forward/rewind
>Radio
Press: next station stored
Press longer: station search
>CD
Press: jump to next track
Press longer: fast forward/
rewind
>Telephone
Scan register of names
Display/hide telephone book. Dis-
play the entries one after another 
with the forward/backward buttons 
13
Cruise control*46 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 14 of 132

Cockpit
12
Instrument cluster
1Speedometer
2Indicator lamps for turn signals
3Indicator and warning lamps12
4Tachometer48
with indicator and warning lamps12
5Engine coolant temperature gauge49
6Fuel gauge48
7Button for
>Displaying the clock49
>Service interval display49
>Checking the oil level93
8Position of automatic transmission
*42
9Button for
>Resetting trip odometer48
>Setting the clock49
10Display for
>Trip odometer/Odometer48
>Clock49
>Service interval49
>Computer
*50
>Checking the oil level93
Indicator and warning lamps 
Technology that monitors itself
Indicator and warning lamps that are identified 
by 
+ are tested for proper functioning whenever 
the key is turned. They each light up once for 
different periods of time.
If a malfunction occurs in one of the monitored 
systems, the corresponding lamp does not go 
out after the engine has started, or it lights up 
again while the vehicle is in motion. You can find 
more information about each system on the 
specified pages.
Turn signal indicators44
Battery charge current 
+102
Headlamp flasher/High beams44, 60
Engine oil pressure/
Engine oil level 
+92
Antilock Brake System ABS/Driving 
stability control systems 
+51 
         
        
        
     
        
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Cockpit
14
Around the center console: controls and displays 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 21 of 132

Reference
At a glance
Controls
Driving tips
Mobility
 19
>Activation/deactivation and duration of 
pathway lighting, refer to page60
>Adjustment of sensitivity of automatic 
headlamp control
*, refer to page59
>Setting unit of measure for displaying the 
time and outside temperature in the instru-
ment cluster, refer to page50
Examples for Key Memory
>Automatic call-up* of the driver's seat posi-
tion after unlocking, refer to page33
>Locking of the vehicle after starting off, refer 
to page21
Central locking system 
The concept
The central locking system is ready for opera-
tion whenever the driver's door is closed.
The system simultaneously engages and 
releases the locks on the following:
>Doors
>Luggage compartment lid/tailgate
>Fuel filler door
>Storage compartment between the back-
rests
>Roadster: opened manual convertible top
Operating from outside
>Via the remote control
>Via the door lock
The anti-theft system is operated at the same 
time. It prevents the doors from being unlocked 
with the lock buttons or release handles. The 
remote control is also used to switch the interior 
lamps on and off. In addition, the alarm system
* 
is armed or disarmed.
For further details of the alarm system
*, refer to 
page23.
Operating from inside
By means of the button for central locking, refer 
to page21.In the event of a sufficiently severe accident, the 
central locking system unlocks automatically. In 
addition, the hazard warning flashers and inte-
rior lamps come on.
Opening and closing:
from outside
With the remote control
Persons or animals in the vehicle could 
lock the doors from the inside. You should 
therefore take the remote control with you 
when leaving the vehicle so that the car can be 
opened from the outside.<
Unlocking
1.Press the  button once.
The driver's door and fuel filler door are 
unlocked.
2.Press the  button again.
The entire vehicle is unlocked.
Convenience opening
Hold the   button down.
Coupe: the windows are opened.
Roadster: the windows and the fully automatic 
convertible top
* are opened.
Locking
Press the   button.
The hazard warning flashers light up once.
If you wish, you can have this special fea-
ture activated/deactivated.<
Do not lock the vehicle from the outside if 
there is any person inside, because the 
vehicle cannot be unlocked from inside without 
special knowledge.<
Switching on interior lamps
With the vehicle locked: 
Press the   button.
With this function, you can also search for your 
vehicle when parked in an underground garage, 
for instance. 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 26 of 132

Opening and closing
24 Manual operation of the tailgate triggers 
the alarm. Refer to page21.<
Switching off an alarm
>Unlock the car with the remote control, refer 
to page19.
>Turn the master key in the ignition lock to 
position 1, refer to page40.
Indicator lamp displays
>The indicator lamp beneath the interior mir-
ror flashes continuously:
The system is armed.
>The indicator lamp flashes immediately 
after the vehicle is locked: 
Doors, hood or luggage compartment lid/
tailgate are not properly closed. Even if you 
do not close the alerted area, the system 
begins to monitor the remaining areas, and 
the indicator lamp flashes continuously 
after approx. 10 seconds. However, the 
interior motion sensor is not activated.
>If the indicator lamp goes out immediately 
after the vehicle is unlocked:
Your vehicle has not been disturbed while 
you were away.
>If the indicator lamp flashes for 10 seconds 
immediately after the vehicle is unlocked: 
Your vehicle has been disturbed while you 
were away.
After an alarm has been triggered, the indicator 
lamp will flash continuously.
Tilt alarm sensor
The inclination of the vehicle is monitored. The 
alarm system reacts e.g. to attempts to steal a 
wheel or tow the vehicle.
Interior motion sensor*
Coupe
All windows must be closed in order for the inte-
rior motion sensor to function optimally.
Roadster
The system monitors the footwells and the 
seating areas of the driver and passenger. Even 
when the convertible top is open, the alarm sys-
tem including the interior motion sensor is 
armed. Objects falling into the vehicle, e.g. 
leaves, can trigger unintentional alarms, refer to 
Avoiding unintentional alarms.
Avoiding unintentional alarms
The tilt alarm sensor and interior motion sensor 
can be deactivated at the same time. In this way 
you can avoid unintentional alarms, e.g. in the 
following situations:
>In duplex garages
>When transporting the vehicle on car-carry-
ing trains, by ship or on a trailer
>When animals are to remain in the vehicle
Switching off tilt alarm sensor and 
interior motion sensor
>Press the   button on the remote 
control twice in a row.
The indicator lamp lights up briefly and then 
flashes continuously. The tilt alarm sensor and 
the interior motion sensor are deactivated until 
the vehicle is again unlocked and locked.
Windows
To prevent injuries, exercise care when 
closing the windows and keep them in 
your field of vision until they are shut.
Take the key with you when you leave the car, 
otherwise children could operate the windows 
and possibly injure themselves.< 
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 44 of 132

Driving
42
Manual transmission
When shifting into 5th or 6th gear, press 
the gearshift lever to the right. Otherwise, 
the engine could be damaged by accidentally 
engaging 3rd or 4th gear.<
Reverse
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. 
When the gearshift lever is pressed to the left, a 
slight resistance has to be overcome.
Automatic transmission with 
Steptronic*
In addition to operating the Steptronic as a fully 
automatic transmission, you can also shift 
gears manually with it, refer to page43.
Vehicle parking
To prevent the vehicle from rolling, 
always select position P before leaving 
the vehicle with the engine running.<
Removing the key
To turn the key in the ignition lock back to posi-
tion 0 or to remove it, first engage selector lever 
position P and switch off the engine: interlock.
Selector lever positions
P R N D M/S + –
Displays in the instrument cluster
P R N D SD M1 to M6
The selector lever position is displayed; in the 
manual mode, the gear currently engaged is 
shown.
Range selection
>With the ignition switched on or the engine 
running, the selector lever can be moved 
out of position P: interlock.
>Before moving the lever away from P or N 
with the vehicle stationary, first depress the 
brake; otherwise the selector lever will 
refuse to move: shiftlock.
To prevent the vehicle from creeping 
after you select a driving position, 
depress the brake until you are ready to 
start.<
A lock prevents you from inadvertently engag-
ing selector lever positions R and P. To cancel 
the lock, press the button on the front of the 
selector lever, see arrow.
P Park
Select only when the vehicle is stationary. The 
transmission locks to prevent the rear wheels 
from turning.