2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 Key go

140 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission*
Gear selector lever positions
The current gear selector lever position
appears in the multifunction display.
1Current gear selector lever positionEffect
ìPark position
Gear selector lever position
when the vehicle is parked. Place
gear selector lever in park
positionP only when vehicle is
stopped. The park position is not
intended to serve as a brake
when the vehicle is parked.
Rather, the driver should always
set the parking brake in addition
to placing the gear selector lever
in park positionP to secure the
vehicle.
Effect
The SmartKey can only be
removed from the starter switch
with the gear selector lever in
park positionP. With the
SmartKey removed, the gear
selector lever is locked in park
positionP.
If the vehicle’s electrical system
is malfunctioning, the gear
selector lever could remain
locked in park positionP
(
page 426).
íReverse gear
Place gear selector lever in
positionR only when vehicle is
stopped.

141 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission*
Effect
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 engage neutral
positionN while driving.
If the ESP
® is deactivated or
malfunctioning:
Move gear selector lever to neu-
tral 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 with gear selector lever in neutral
positionN can result in transmission 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 (
page 140)
in addition to shifting to park positionP.
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.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
(Canada only) from the starter switch, take
it with you, and lock the vehicle. Do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle. Children
could move the gear selector lever from
park positionP, which could result in an ac-
cident and/or serious personal injury.
Getting out of your vehicle without taking
the above measurements to secure it is
dangerous.

151 Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as
the SmartKey in the starter switch is
turned to position2 or as soon as the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button (Canada
only) is in position 2. 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 service, to call up statistical
data on your vehicle, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1Text field
2Line for main menus
3Temperature
4Current program mode
(automatic transmission*)
5Current gear selector lever
position/gear range
(automatic transmission*)
Additional speedometer
(manual transmission)
6Digital clock
Settings, functions, submenus as well as
any malfunctions are shown to you in the
text field.
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.

156 Controls in detail
Control system
Trip menu
In the
Trip menu, you can show an addi-
tional display for the speedometer and call
up or reset your vehicle’s statistical data.
The following information is available:Standard display
In the standard display, the trip odometer
and the main odometer are shown in the
multifunction display.
1Trip odometer
2Main odometer
If another display is shown instead of the
standard display:
Press ( or & to select the Trip
menu.
or
Press buttonL repeatedly until the
standard display appears.
or
Press and hold buttonL until the
standard display appears.Fuel consumption statistics since start
Press ( or & to select the Trip
menu.
Press % to select From Start.
1Distance driven since start
2Time elapsed since start
3Average speed since start
4Average fuel consumption since start
FunctionPage
Standard display156
Fuel consumption statistics
since start156
Fuel consumption statistics
since last reset157
Distance to empty157
Digital speedometer158
Resetting157
iAll values that are based on the last start are
reset when you turn off the vehicle’s engine for
more than four hours.
If you turn the SmartKey to position1 or2 again
during this time, the values will not be reset.
After 999 hours or 9999 miles (kilometers), the
fuel consumption statistics after start are auto-
matically reset.

160 Controls in detail
Control system
Operating the CD player*
Turn on the radio and select the CD
mode (
page 213).
Vehicles with COMAND*:
Refer to separate operating
instructions.
Press ( or & to select the Audio
menu. The settings for the currently be-
ing played CD appear in the
multifunction display.
1Current CD (with additional number
from 1 to 6 when running from
CD changer*)
2Current track
Press % or $ to select a track.For more information on CD operation, see
“CD mode” (
page 208) and for the
CD changer*, see (
page 214).
1Current track
For more information on MP3, see “Notes
about MP3 mode” (
page 210).
TEL menu*
You can use the functions in the
Tel menu
to operate your Bluetooth® enabled tele-
phone, if it is switched on and connected
via the Bluetooth
® interface to the audio
system.
Vehicles with COMAND*: Refer to sepa-
rate operating instructions.
iTo select a CD from the CD changer* maga-
zine, press a number on the audio system or the
COMAND* system key pad located in the center
console.
iLevel of information displayed will vary de-
pending on the information contained on the CD
with MP3 files insert in the audio or COMAND*
system.
Warning!G
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a cellular telephone while driving.
Whether or not prohibited by law, for safety
reasons, the driver should not use the cellu-
lar telephone while the vehicle is in motion.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location before
placing or answering a call.
If you nonetheless choose to use the mobile
phone while driving, please use the hands-
free device and be sure to pay attention to
the traffic situation at all times. Use the mo-
bile phone only when road, weather and traf-
fic conditions permit.

165 Controls in detail
Control system
Press ( or & to select the
Service menu.
If conditions have occurred causing status
messages to be recorded, the number of
messages appears in the multifunction
display:
1Number of messages
Press % or $ to select the mes-
sage.
Press # to confirm.
The stored messages will now be
displayed in the order in which they
have occurred.
Use % or $ to scroll through the
messages.Checking tire inflation pressure
For information about checking tire infla-
tion pressure (
page 339).
Activating Run Flat Indicator
(Canada only)
For information about activating Run Flat
Indicator (
page 342).
Calling up the maintenance service
indicator display
For information about calling up the main-
tenance service indicator display
(
page 362).
Settings menu
In the
Settings menu there are two
functions:

The function Reset to factory
settings
, with which you can reset all
the settings to the original factory
settings.

A collection of submenus with which
you can make individual settings for
your vehicle.
iSee the “Practical hints” section for mal-
function and warning messages (
page 387).
iIf you turn the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position0 and then back to position2,
all messages will be deleted from the message
memory.

172 Controls in detail
Control system
Depending on the previous status, the
daytime running lamps feature will be
Enabled orDisabled.
With
Daytime Running Lamps mode En-
abled
selected and the exterior lamp
switch at position M or *, the low
beam headlamps 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
also illuminates the instrument cluster.
For more information on the daytime run-
ning lamp mode (
page 110).Setting locator lighting
Press % or $ to select the
Lights submenu.
Press #.
Press % or $ to select the Sur-
round Lighting
feature.
Press #.
The current setting
Enabled
or
Disabled is shown.
Press # again if you would like to
change the current status.
Depending on the previous status, the
locator lighting feature will be
Enabled
or
Disabled.
With the locator lighting feature activated
and the exterior lamp switch in
positionU, the following lamps will
switch on during darkness when the vehi-
cle is unlocked with the SmartKey:

Parking lamps

Tail lamps

License plate lamps

Side marker lamps

Front fog lamps
also illuminates the instrument cluster.
iIf you turn the exterior lamp switch to anoth-
er position, the corresponding lamp(s) will
switch on.
iMake sure the light switch is set toB
or* when you switch off the daytime running
lamps while driving at night.
iFor safety reasons, resetting the Lights
submenu to factory settings (
page 165) while
driving will not deactivate the daytime running
lamp mode.
The following message appears in the
multifunction display:
Lighting - Cannot be completely reset
to factory settings while driving.


173 Controls in detail
Control system
The locator lighting switches off when the
driver’s door is opened.
If you do not open a door after unlocking
the vehicle with the SmartKey, the lamps
will switch off automatically after
approximately 40 seconds.
Setting interior lighting delayed shut-off
Use this function to set whether you would
like the interior lighting to remain on for
10 seconds during darkness after you have
removed the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Press % or $ to select the
Lights submenu.
Press #.
Press % or $ to select the Inte-
rior Lighting Delay
feature.
Press #.
The current setting
Enabled
or
Disabled is shown.
Press # again if you would like to
change the current status.
Depending on the previous status, the
interior lighting delayed shut-off fea-
ture will be
Enabled orDisabled.Vehicle submenu
Access the
Vehicle submenu via the
Settings menu. Use the Vehicle submenu
to make general vehicle settings.
The following function is available:
Setting automatic locking
Use this function to activate or deactivate
the automatic central locking. With the
automatic central locking system
activated, the vehicle is centrally locked at
vehicle speeds of approximately 9 mph
(15 km/h).
Press % or $ to select the
Vehicle submenu.
Press #.
Press % or $ to select the Auto-
matic Door Lock
feature.
FunctionPage
Setting automatic locking173