2008 MERCEDES-BENZ CL-Class ESP

403 Controls in detail
Power windows

Switch on the ignition (
page 365).

Opening: Press the lower part of
switch1 to 4 (
page 402) to the re-
sistance point.
The corresponding window will move
downwards until you release the
switch.

Closing: Press the upper part of
switch1 to 4 (
page 402) to the re-
sistance point.
The corresponding window will move
upwards until you release the switch.

Express-opening: Press the lower part
of switch1 to4 (
page 402) past
the resistance point and release.
The corresponding window opens com-
pletely.

Express-closing (door windows
only): Press the upper part of
switch1 to4 (
page 402) past the
resistance point and release.
The corresponding window closes com-
pletely.
i
You can also open or close the windows us-
ing the SmartKey, see “Summer opening fea-
ture” (page 404) and “Convenience closing
feature” (page 404).
Depending on current position, the windows may
also open or close when the air recirculation
button, (page 491) is pressed and held
for 2 seconds.
i
Operating the windows from the rear is not
possible if you activate the override switch
(
page 63).
i
If PRE-SAFE
® has been activated, the front
side windows close automatically until only a
small gap remains.
i
With the SmartKey in starter switch
position0 or removed from the starter switch,
the power windows can be operated:


until you open the driver’s or passenger’s
door


for at least 5 minutes if no door was opened
Warning!
G
If you press and hold the switch up when
closing the window, and upward movement
of the window is blocked by some obstruc-
tion including but not limited to arms, hands,
fingers, etc., the automatic reversal will not
operate.
Warning!
G
Driver’s door only:
If within 5 seconds you again press the
switch past the resistance point and re-
lease, the automatic reversal will not
operate.


404 Controls in detailPower windows
Stopping during Express-operation:
Briefly press the respective power win-
dow switch again.
Summer opening feature
If the weather is warm, you can ventilate
the vehicle before driving off by simulta-
neously:

opening the side windows


opening the tilt/sliding sunroof


turning on the seat ventilation* for the
driver’s seat

Aim transmitter eye of the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* at the
driver’s outside door handle. The
SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* must be in close proxim-
ity to the driver’s door handle.

Press and hold button Πuntil the
side windows and tilt/sliding sunroof
have reached the desired position.The vehicle unlocks.

Release button Πto interrupt pro-
cedure.
Convenience closing feature
When you lock the vehicle, you can close
the side windows and tilt/sliding sunroof
simultaneously.
!
If the upward movement of a door window is
blocked during the closing procedure, the door
window will stop and open slightly.
Remove the obstruction, press the respective
power window switch at the upper part again
past the resistance point and release.
If the door window still does not close when
there is no obstruction, press and hold the re-
spective power window switch at the upper part.
The door window will then close without the ob-
struction sensor function.
i
The “Summer opening” function can only be
activated via the remote control of the SmartKey
or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.
i
The seat ventilation* for the driver’s seat is
automatically set to the highest level if activated
via summer opening feature.
i
The function of the SmartKey overrules the
KEYLESS-GO* function.Warning!
G
When closing the side windows and the
tilt/sliding sunroof, make sure that there is
no danger of anyone being harmed by the
closing procedure.
If potential danger exists, proceed as fol-
lows:

Release button ‹ to stop the closing
procedure. To open, press and hold but-
ton Œ. To continue the closing after
making sure that there is no danger of


409 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
The engine does not start. You cannot
hear the starter.
The battery may not be sufficiently
charged.
Have the vehicle jump-started
(page 707).
If the engine will not start despite a jump
start:

Call Roadside Assistance.

Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call Roadside Assistance.
Driving off
Depress the brake pedal.
The gear selector lever can now be
used.

Shift the automatic transmission to
drive positionD or reverse gearR.

Release the brake pedal.

Carefully depress the accelerator
pedal.
The electronic parking brake is auto-
matically released (
page 412).
The red brake warning lamp 0
(USA only) or ! (Canada only) in the
instrument cluster goes out.After a cold start, the automatic transmis-
sion shifts at a higher engine revolution.
This allows the catalytic converter to reach
its operating temperature earlier.
i
Wait for the gear selection process to com-
plete before setting the vehicle in motion.
i
Shifting from park position P to reverse
gearR, neutral positionN, or drive positionD is
only possible with the brake pedal depressed.
Without the brake pedal depressed, the gear se-
lector lever can be moved, but the parking pawl
remains engaged, not allowing shifting to occur.
!
If you hear a warning signal, the red indica-
tor lamp 0 (USA only) or ! (Canada only)
in the instrument cluster flashes and the mes-
sage “Please Release Parking Brake” appears in
the multifunction display when driving off, you
are driving with the electronic parking brake en-
gaged, or you are carrying out an emergency
brake application with the electronic parking
brake.
Release the electronic parking brake
(
page 412).
i
Once the vehicle is in motion, the automatic
central locking system engages and the locking
knobs in the doors move down.
The automatic door lock feature can be deacti-
vated (page 263).
You can open a locked door from the inside.
Open door only when conditions are safe to do
so.


410 Controls in detailDriving and parking
For more information, see “Driving instruc-
tions” (
page 539).
Turn signalsCombination switch1Turn signals, right
2Turn signals, left
Press the combination switch in the
direction of arrow1 or2.
The corresponding turn signal indicator
lampL orK in the instrument
cluster flashes (
page 30).
The combination switch resets automati-
cally after major steering wheel move-
ments.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of loss of control.Warning!
G
It is dangerous to shift the gear selector le-
ver out of position P or N if the engine speed
is higher than idle speed. If your foot is not
firmly on the brake pedal, the vehicle could
accelerate quickly forward or in reverse. You
could lose control of the vehicle and hit
someone or something. Only shift into gear
when the engine is idling normally and when
your right foot is firmly on the brake pedal.
!
Shift the automatic transmission to
positionP or R only when the vehicle is stopped
in order to avoid damaging the transmission.
!
Do not run cold engine at high engine
speeds. Running a cold engine at high engine
speeds may shorten the service life of the en-
gine. This is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty
CL 63 AMG and CL 65 AMG only:
At engine temperatures below 68°F (20° C), the
maximum speed is restricted in order to protect
the engine. Avoid driving the vehicle at full speed
while the engine is cold in order to prevent pre-
mature engine wear as well as diminished com-
fort.
!
Simultaneously depressing the accelerator
pedal and applying the brakes reduces engine
performance and causes premature brake wear
and drivetrain wear which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.


422 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission
If you want the gear position to remain in
neutral positionN, e.g. when taking the
vehicle through an automatic conveyor
type car wash or when towing the vehicle,
observe the following instructions.
!
DISTRONIC Plus*:
The transmission will shift to park positionP
automatically, only when DISTRONIC Plus brings
your vehicle to a standstill, and when it meets at
least one of the following conditions at the same
time:


The engine is turned off.


A door opens and the seat belt is not en-
gaged in the buckle.


The hood is released.


The trunk lid is open while reverse gearR is
engaged.


The vehicle is parked for an extended period.
In addition to shifting to park positionP, the
electronic parking brake will be engaged auto-
matically.
i
Make it a practice to always shift into park
positionP before turning off the engine and


remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or


open a door
or when using KEYLESS-GO*, before turning off
the engine with the start/stop button and open-
ing a door.
Effect
í
Reverse gear
Shift into reverse gearR only
when the vehicle is stopped.
ë
Neutral
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.
!
If you turn off the engine using the
SmartKey or the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button, the transmission will shift to neutral
positionN automatically.
Warning!
G
When leaving the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* in the starter switch, do
not leave children unattended in the vehicle.
It is possible for children to switch on the
ignition which could result in unsupervised
use of vehicle equipment. Unsupervised use
of vehicle equipment could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.

425 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Rocking the vehicle
Rocking the vehicle by shifting between
drive positionD and reverse gearR can
help free a vehicle stuck in mud or snow.
The engine control system of this vehicle
electronically limits shifting between drive
positionD and reverse gearR to very low
speeds, i.e. approximately 5 mph
(9 km/h). To shift between drive
positionD and reverse gearR, move the
gear selector lever past the resistance
point up or down.
Working on the vehicleHill start assist system
On uphill grades with a gradient angle of
more than 5°, the hill start assist system
maintains the pressure in the brake sys-
tem for approximately 1 second after you
have released the brake pedal. Therefore,
you can start off smoothly without the
vehicle moving immediately after releasing
the brake pedal.The hill start assist system is inactive


when starting off on a level road or
downhill grades


with the transmission in neutral
position N


with the electronic parking brake en-
gaged


if the ESP
® has switched off due to a
malfunction
Warning!
G
When working on the vehicle, engage the
electronic parking brake and shift to park
positionP. Otherwise the vehicle could roll
away.
Warning!
G
The hill start assist system is not designed
to function as an electronic parking brake
and does not prevent the vehicle from mov-
ing when parked on an incline.
Always engage the electronic parking brake
in addition to shifting to park positionP.

430 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionExtending gear range
Briefly press right shift button2 or
pull right shift paddle2.
The transmission will shift to the next
higher gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
extends the gear range of the transmis-
sion.Canceling gear range limit

Press and hold right shift button2 or
pull and hold right shift paddle2 until
the indicator for the current gear range
disappears from the multifunction dis-
play (
page 426).
The transmission will shift from the
current gear range directly to gear
rangeD.
Shifting into optimal gear range

Press and hold left shift button1 or
pull and hold left shift paddle1.
The transmission will automatically
select the gear range suited for optimal
acceleration and deceleration. This will
involve shifting down one or more
gears.Manual shift program (CL 63 AMG and
CL 65 AMG only)
In addition to the automatic shift
programC orS, your vehicle is equipped
with the manual shift programM.
Manual shift programM differs with regard
to spontaneity, response time, and shifting
smoothness from automatic shift
programS.
In the manual program modeM,
system-controlled automatic gearshifting
is switched off and you need to change the
gears by manually upshifting or downshift-
ing using the steering wheel gearshift con-
trol paddles to the left and right of the
steering wheel (
page 429).
i
If you press on the accelerator when the en-
gine has reached its rpm limit, the transmission
will upshift beyond any gear range limit selected.

436 Controls in detailInstrument clusterOutside temperature indicator
The outside temperature indicator is on
the bottom left-hand side of the instru-
ment cluster (
page 30).The temperature sensor is located in the
front bumper area. Due to its location, the
sensor can be affected by road or engine
heat during idling or slow driving. There-
fore, the accuracy of the displayed temper-
ature can only be verified by comparison to
a thermometer placed next to the sensor,
not by comparison to external displays
(e.g. bank signs, etc.).
When moving the vehicle into colder ambi-
ent temperatures (e.g. when leaving your
garage), you will notice a delay before the
lower temperature is displayed.
A delay also occurs when ambient temper-
atures rise. This prevents inaccurate tem-
perature indications caused by heat
radiated from the engine during idling or
slow driving.
Fuel gauge
The fuel gauge is on the left-hand side of
the instrument cluster (
page 30). Once
the fuel level has fallen below the reserve
mark, the yellow segment indicator for the
fuel reserve comes on.
Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.