Page 94 of 521
93 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 384) and
(
page 394).
Warning!G
Never switch off the ESP® when you see the
ESP® warning lamp v flashing in the
instrument cluster. In this case, proceed as
follows:
While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.
While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.
Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
Warning!G
The ESP® cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded by the exist-
ing road and tire conditions. The ESP
®
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The
capabilities of an ESP
® equipped vehicle
must never be exploited in a reckless or dan-
gerous manner which could jeopardize the
user’s safety or the safety of others.
iThe ESP® will only function properly if
you use wheels of the recommended tire
size (
page 482).
!Because the ESP® operates automatically,
the engine and the ignition must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0 or1 or
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button in position0
or1) when
the parking brake is being tested on a brake
test dynamometer
the vehicle is being towed with the front axle
raised
Active braking action through the ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system.
Page 96 of 521
95 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
The ESP® switch is located on the center
console.
1ESP
® switch
With the engine running, press ESP®
switch1 until the ESP® warning
lampv in the instrument cluster
comes on.
The ESP
® is switched off.Switching off the ESP
®
(CLK 63 AMG only)iWhen the ESP® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP®
warning lampv in the instrument cluster
flashes. However, the ESP
® will then not
stabilize the vehicle.
Warning!G
When the ESP® warning lampv is
illuminated continuously, the ESP® is
switched off or is not operational due to a
malfunction. Vehicle stability in standard
driving maneuvers reduces.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP
®.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP® switched off. This
may cause serious damage to the drivetrain
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
The ESP® should not be switched off during
normal driving. Disabling of the system will
result in the following:
no restriction to engine torque
loss of system supported traction
control
“ESP
® Off” is designed for driving on closed
tracks when the natural oversteer and
understeer characteristics are desired and
requires a highly skilled and experienced
driver able to handle these critical driving
situations.
You could lose control of your vehicle and
cause an accident.
Please be aware of these limits when you
switch off the ESP
®.
Page 97 of 521
96 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
When you switch off the ESP®
the ESP® does not stabilize the vehicle
the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and
thus cut into surfaces for better grip
the traction control will still apply the
brakes to a spinning wheel
the ESP® operates while you are
braking
you cannot activate the cruise control
the cruise control switch off if currently
activatedThe ESP
® switch is located on the center
console.
1ESP
® switch
With the engine running, press ESP®
switch1 until the ESP® warning
lampv in the instrument cluster
comes on.
The ESP
® is switched off.
Switching on the ESP®
Press ESP® switch1 until the ESP®
warning lampv in the instrument
cluster goes out.
You are now again in normal driving
mode with ESP
® switched on.
iWhen the ESP® is switched off and one
or more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP®
warning lampv in the instrument cluster
flashes. However, the ESP
® will then not
stabilize the vehicle.
Warning!G
When the ESP® warning lampv is
illuminated continuously, the ESP® is
switched off or is not operational due to a
malfunction. Vehicle stability in standard
driving maneuvers reduces.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP
®.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP® switched off. This
may cause serious damage to the drivetrain
which is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Page 100 of 521
99 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Seats
Memory function
Lighting
Instrument cluster
Control system
Automatic transmission
Good visibility
Climate control
Automatic climate control
Audio system
Power windows
Power tilt/sliding sunroof* (Coupe)
Soft top (Cabriolet)
Driving systems
Loading
Useful features
Page 130 of 521
129 Controls in detail
Lighting
Lighting
For information on how to switch on the
headlamps and use the turn signals, see
“Switching on headlamps” (
page 55)
and “Turn signals” (
page 56).
Exterior lamp switch
iIf you drive in countries where vehicles drive
on the other side of the road than the country
where 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.
iVehicles equipped with active Bi-Xenon*
headlamps:
The active Bi-Xenon headlamps monitor your
steering angle and driving speed, then
automatically shift their beams to either side to
better follow the curvature of the road ahead,
increasing usable illumination over conventional
headlamps.
1‚Standing lamps, left (turn left two
stops)
2ˆStanding lamps, right (turn left
one stop)
3MOff
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 131)
4UAutomatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 131)
5CParking lamps (also tail lamps,
license plate lamps, side marker
lamps, instrument panel lamps)
6BLow beam headlamps or high
beam headlamps.
7‡Front fog lamps
8†Rear fog lamp
iIf you hear a warning signal you have
forgotten to switch off the low beam headlamps
or the parking lamps before opening the driver’s
door.
In addition the message
Switch Off Lights
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the low beam headlamps or the park-
ing lamps.
If the message
Switch Off Lights or Re-
move 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.
Page 134 of 521
133 Controls in detail
Lighting
Combination switch
Combination switch
1High beam
2High beam flasherHigh beam
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB (
page 129).
Push the combination switch in
direction of arrow1 to switch on the
high beam.
The high beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
comes on (
page 28).
Pull the combination switch in direction
of arrow2 to its original position to
switch off the high beam.
The high beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
goes out.
High beam flasher
Pull the combination switch briefly in
the direction of arrow2.Corner-illuminating front fog lamps*
(With Bi-Xenon* headlamps only)
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps
improve illumination of the area in the
direction into which you are turning.
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps will
operate with the engine running and with
the exterior lamp switch in
positionB (
page 129)
or
the exterior lamp switch in
positionU (
page 129)
or
the daytime running lamp mode
activated (
page 131)
iThe corner-illuminating front fog lamps will
only come on in low ambient lighting conditions.
iIf you are driving faster than 25 mph
(40 km/h) or have the front fog lamps switched
on, the corner-illuminating front fog lamps
function is not available.
Page 139 of 521
138 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
For a full view illustration of the instrument
cluster, see “Instrument cluster”
(
page 28).
1Reset button
The instrument cluster is activated when
you
open a door
switch on the ignition (page 40)
press the reset button1
switch on the exterior lamps
You can change the instrument cluster
settings in the Instrument cluster submenu
of the control system (
page 158).Adjusting instrument cluster
illumination
Use the reset button1 to adjust the
illumination brightness for the instrument
cluster.
To brighten illumination
Turn reset button1 clockwise.
The instrument cluster illumination will
brighten.
To dim illumination
Turn reset button1 counterclock-
wise.
The instrument cluster illumination will
dim.
Warning!G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see infor-
mation about your driving conditions, such
as speed or outside temperature, warn-
ing/indicator lamps, malfunction/warning
messages or the failure of any systems.
Driving characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, please do so
with added caution. Visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
iThe instrument cluster illumination is
dimmed or brightened automatically to suit am-
bient light conditions.
The instrument cluster illumination will also be
adjusted automatically when you switch on the
vehicle’s exterior lamps.
Page 140 of 521
139 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Coolant temperature indicator
The coolant temperature indicator is on
the right side in the instrument cluster
(
page 28).
Resetting trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the stan-
dard display in the multifunction dis-
play (
page 147).
If it is not displayed, press buttonè
orÿ on the multifunction steering
wheel repeatedly until the standard dis-
play appears (
page 142).
Press and hold the reset button on the
instrument cluster (
page 138) until
the trip odometer is reset.
Warning!G
Driving when your engine is overheated
can cause some fluids which may have
leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire. You could be seriously
burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns which can occur
just by opening the hood. Stay away
f r o m t h e e n g i n e i f y o u s e e o r h e a r s t e a m
coming from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of
the vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle
until the engine has cooled down.
!Excessive coolant temperature triggers a
warning in the multifunction display
(
page 406) and the red coolant warning lamp
in the instrument cluster comes on
(
page 383).
The engine should not be operated with the cool-
ant temperature above 248°F (120°C). Doing so
may cause serious engine damage which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
iDuring severe operating conditions, e.g.
stop-and-go traffic, the coolant temperature may
rise close to 248°F (120°C).
