2008 MERCEDES-BENZ CL65AMG lights

391 Controls in detail
Lighting
Lighting
Exterior lamp switch
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.
i
If you drive in countries where vehicles drive
on the other side of the road than the country in
which the vehicle is registered, you must have
the headlamps modified for symmetrical low
beams. Relevant information can be obtained at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
i
The active Bi-Xenon headlamps monitor
your steering angle and driving speed, then auto-
matically shift their beams to either side to bet-
ter follow the curvature of the road ahead,
increasing usable illumination over conventional
headlamps.
1‚
Standing lamps, left (turn left two
stops)
2ˆ
Standing lamps, right (turn left
one stop)
3M
Off
Daytime running lamp mode
(page 393)
4*
Automatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
(page 393)
5C
Parking lamps (also tail lamps, li-
cense plate lamps, side marker
lamps, instrument panel lamps)
6B
Low beam headlamps or high
beam headlamps
7‡
Front fog lamps
8†
Rear fog lamp
i
If you hear a warning signal you have forgot-
ten to switch off the low beam headlamps or the
parking lamps before opening the driver’s door.
In addition the message “Please Switch Off
Lights” appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the low beam headlamps or the park-
ing lamps.
If the message “Turn Lights Off or Remove Key”
appears in the multifunction display remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch or switch off
the automatic headlamp mode.
!
Failure to switch off the exterior lamps when
leaving the vehicle may result in a discharged
battery.

392 Controls in detailLightingLow beam headlamps
The low beam headlamps can be switched
on and off with the exterior lamp switch us-
ing the manual headlamp mode. 
Switching on: Turn the exterior lamp
switch to positionB.
The following lamps switch on:

Low beam headlamps


Tail and parking lamps


License plate lamps


Side marker lamps
Automatic headlamp mode
The following lamps switch on and off au-
tomatically depending on the brightness of
the ambient light:


Low beam headlamps


Tail and parking lamps


License plate lamps


Side marker lamps

Turn the exterior lamp switch to
position*.
With the SmartKey in starter switch po-
sition 1 or the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button pressed once, the
tail and parking lamps, the license
plate lamps and the side marker lamps
will switch on and off depending on the
brightness of the ambient light.
When the engine is running the low
beam headlamps, the tail and parking
lamps, the license plate lamps and the
side marker lamps will switch on and
off depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.
Warning!
G
If the exterior lamp switch is set to*,
the headlamps will not be automatically
switched on under foggy conditions.
To minimize risk to you and to others, acti-
vate headlamps by turning exterior lamp
switch to B when driving or when traffic
and/or ambient lighting conditions require
you to do so.
In low ambient lighting conditions, only
switch from position * to B with the
vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from * to B will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions
may result in an accident.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid to the driver. The driver is responsible for
the operation of the vehicle’s lights at all
times.i
Canada only:
High beam headlamps are only available with the
exterior lamp switch in positionB.

424 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission
Driving tips
Accelerator position
Your driving style influences the
transmission’s shifting behavior:
Less throttle Earlier upshifting
More throttle Later upshifting
Kickdown
Use kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
Press the accelerator past the point of
resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
transmission shifts into a lower gear.

Ease on the accelerator when you have
reached the desired speed.
The transmission shifts up again.Stopping
When you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights:

Leave the transmission in gear.

Hold the vehicle with the brake.
When you stop for a longer period of time
with the engine idling and/or on a hill:

Engage the electronic parking brake.

Shift into park positionP.
Maneuvering
When you maneuver in tight areas,
e.g. when pulling into a parking space:

Control the vehicle speed by gradually
releasing the brakes.

Accelerate gently.

Never abruptly step on the accelerator.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Children could shift the
automatic transmission out of park
positionP, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

487 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Indicator and warning lamps
1Yellow indicator lamp/red warning
lamp
Switching on: Make sure that the ra-
dar sensors (
page 302) and the Blind
Spot Assist (page 299) are switched
on.
With the ignition switched on, the warn-
ing lamp1 in the exterior mirror lights
up red.
With the engine running, the indicator
lamp1 in the exterior mirror lights up
yellow up to a speed of 20 mph
(30 km/h).Once a speed above 20 mph (30 km/h)
has been reached and


Blind Spot Assist detects no vehicle in
its range, the indicator lamp1 goes
out


Blind Spot Assist detects another vehi-
cle in its range, the warning lamp1 on
the corresponding side of the vehicle
turns red.Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the Blind Spot As-
sist range and you activate the turn signal,
a two-tone warning will sound and the red
warning lamp1 will flash.

Remain on the lane that you are cur-
rently on until traffic conditions permit
to change.
If the turn signal remains on, the red warn-
ing lamp1 will flash to indicate that vehi-
cles have been detected. No further
audible warnings will sound.
Warning!
G
Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds be-
low approximately 20 mph (30 km/h). You
will not be alerted to the presence of vehi-
cles in the monitored area at these speeds.
It is the driver’s responsibility at all times to
be attentive to road, weather and traffic con-
ditions and to provide the steering, braking
and other driving inputs necessary to retain
control of the vehicle. Failure to do so could
result in recognizing dangers too late, possi-
bly resulting in an accident and serious inju-
ry to yourself and others.
Warning!
G
Do not change lanes or make turns, while
the red warning lamp
1
is flashing. Doing
so could result in an accident and seroius in-
jury to yourself and others.

666 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
Check
Right High Beam
The right high beam lamp is malfunctioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible
(page 688).
Check
Right High Beam
The right high beam lamp is malfunctioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible
(page 688).
Check Left
License Plate Lamp
The left license plate lamp is malfunction-
ing.

Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Check Right
License Plate Lamp
The right license plate lamp is malfunction-
ing.

Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Please
Switch Off Lights
You are getting out of the vehicle and the
lights are still switched on.

Switch off the headlamps (
page 391).
Turn Lights Off
or
Remove Key
The exterior lamp switch is set to * and
you have forgotten to take out the Smart-
Key. The parking lamps remain switched on.

Switch off the headlamps (
page 391).
or

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Check
Left Fog Lamp
The left front fog lamp is malfunctioning.

Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Check
Right Fog Lamp
The right front fog lamp is malfunctioning.

Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Check
Rear Left
Fog Lamp
The left rear fog lamp is malfunctioning. A
substitute bulb is being used.

Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.

669 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
Night View Assist
Inoperative
Night View Assist* is malfunctioning.

Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Night View Assist
Currently Unavailable
The temperature of the camera* is too high
(page 481).

Wait until the message “Night View Assist
Available Again” appears.
In addition you can:

Swing the camera* cover down
(page 602).

Adjust the air distribution of the automatic
climate control so that air flows upward
(page 271).
Night View Assist
Lights Must Be Set
to AUTO or ON
You have tried to switch on Night View
Assist*, but the light switch is not set
to* or B.

Turn the exterior lamp switch
to*orB (
page 391).
Night View Assist
Not in Reverse Gear
You have tried to switch on Night View
Assist* while the automatic transmission
was in reverse gearR.

Shift the automatic transmission to park po-
sition P, neutral positionN or drive
positionD (
page 417).

670 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
Night View Assist
Lights ON or AUTO,
Not in R Gear
You have tried to switch on Night View
Assist* but the light switch is not set
to*or B.
In addition, the automatic transmission is in
reverse gearR.

Turn the exterior lamp switch
to*orB (
page 391).

Shift the automatic transmission to park po-
sition P, neutral positionN or drive
positionD (
page 417).
Night View Assist
Only When
It Is Dark
You have tried to switch on Night View
Assist* by daylight.
You can only switch on Night View Assist* when
it is dark.
Engine Oil Level Low
Stop Vehicle
Turn Engine Off
CL 600 and CL 65 AMG only:
There is no oil in the engine. There is a dan-
ger of engine damage.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt as soon
as it is safe to do so in a safe location.

Engage the electronic parking brake
(page 412).

Turn off the engine.

Add engine oil (
page 557) and check the
engine oil level (page 554).

688 Practical hintsReplacing bulbsSafe vehicle operation depends on proper
exterior lighting and signaling. It is there-
fore essential that all bulbs and lamp as-
semblies are in good working order at all
times.
Correct headlamp adjustment is extremely
important. Have headlamps checked and
readjusted at regular intervals and when a
bulb has been replaced. See an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for headlamp ad-
justment.
i
If the headlamps or front fog lamps are
fogged up on the inside as a result of high humid-
ity, driving the vehicle a distance with the lights
on should clear up the fogging.
i
Substitute bulbs will be brought into use
when the following lamps malfunction:


Brake lamps


Rear fog lamps


Front parking lamps


Tail lamps


Turn signal lamps
Read and observe messages in the multifunction
display (
page 622).