2008 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK550 ECU

97 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Anti-theft systems
Immobilizer
The immobilizer prevents unauthorized
persons from starting your vehicle.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
with you and lock the vehicle. The engine
can be started by anyone with a valid
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
that is left inside the vehicle.
Activating
With the SmartKey
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
With KEYLESS-GO*
Turn off the engine by means of the
start/stop button (
page 39) on the
gear selector lever.
Open the driver’s door.Deactivating
With the SmartKey
Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
With KEYLESS-GO*
Switch on the ignition (page 40).
Anti-theft alarm system
Once the alarm system has been armed, a
visual and audible alarm is triggered when
someone opens

a door

the trunk

the hood
The alarm will stay on even if the activating
element (e.g. a door) is immediately
closed.
The alarm system will also be triggered
when

the vehicle is opened with the
mechanical key.

someone opens a door from the inside.

someone opens the trunk with the
emergency release button.
iStarting the engine will also deactivate the
immobilizer.
In case the engine cannot be started (yet the ve-
hicle’s battery is charged), the system is not op-
erational. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or call
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (in the USA), or
1-800-387-0100 (in Canada).

98 Safety and Security
Anti-theft systems
Arming the alarm system
The indicator lamp is in the center console.
1Indicator lamp
Lock the vehicle with the SmartKey or
KEYLESS-GO*.The turn signal lamps flash three times,
and an acoustic signal sounds three
times, to indicate that the alarm sys-
tem is armed.
Indicator lamp1 begins to flash after
approximately 30 seconds after arming
the alarm system.
Disarming the alarm system
Unlock your vehicle with the SmartKey
or KEYLESS-GO*.
The turn signal lamps flash once, and
an acoustic signal sounds once, to
indicate that the alarm system is
disarmed.Canceling the alarm
With the SmartKey
Press the Œ or ‹button on the
SmartKey.
or
Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
With KEYLESS-GO*
Pull an outside door handle.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be within 3 ft (1 m) of the vehicle.
or
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button (
page 39).
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must
be inside the vehicle.
iIf the alarm stays on for more than
30 seconds, a call to the Response Center is ini-
tiated automatically by the Tele Aid system
(
page 295) provided Tele Aid service was sub-
scribed to and properly activated, and that nec-
essary cellular service and GPS coverage are
available.
iIf the turn signal lamps do not flash three
times, and the acoustic signal do not sounds
three times (if equipped and feature activated),
one of the following elements may not be prop-
erly closed:

a door

the trunk
Close the respective element and lock the vehi-
cle again.
iThe alarm system will rearm automatically
after approximately 40 seconds if neither a door
nor the trunk lid was opened.

132 Controls in detail
Lighting
Locator lighting and night security
illumination
Locator lighting and night security illumi-
nation are described in the “Control sys-
tem” section, see “Setting locator lighting”
(
page 163) and “Setting night security il-
lumination (Headlamps delayed shut-off)”
(
page 164).
Fog lamps
Front fog lamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionC orB (
page 55).
Pull out the exterior lamp switch to first
stop.
The front fog lamps switch on.
The green indicator lamp‡ in the
exterior lamp switch comes on
(
page 129).
Push in the exterior lamp switch.
The front fog lamps switch off.The green indicator lamp‡ in the
exterior lamp switch goes out.
Rear fog lamp (driver’s side only)
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB (
page 55).
Pull out the exterior lamp switch to
second stop.
The front fog lamps and the rear fog
lamp switch on.
The yellow indicator lamp† in the
exterior lamp switch comes on
(
page 129).
Push in the exterior lamp switch to first
stop.
The rear fog lamp switches off.
The yellow indicator lamp† in the
exterior lamp switch goes out.
The front fog lamps remain lit.
Warning!G
In low ambient lighting or foggy conditions,
only switch from position U to B with
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching fromU to B will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions
may result in an accident.
iFog lamps will operate with the parking
lamps and/or the low beam headlamps on. Fog
lamps should only be used in conjunction with
low beam headlamps. Consult your State or
Province Motor Vehicle Regulations regarding
permissible lamp operation.
iFog lamps cannot be switched on with the
exterior lamp switch in positionU. To switch
on the fog lamps, turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB first.

157 Controls in detail
Control system
The table below shows what settings can
be changed within the various menus. Detailed instructions on making individual
settings can be found on the following
pages.
Instrument ClusterTime/DateLightingVehicleConvenience
(page 158)(page 160)(page 162)(page 165)(page 166)
Selecting speedometer
display modeSetting time (hours)Setting daytime running
lamp mode (USA only)Selecting audio search
functionActivate easy-entry/exit
feature
Selecting languageSetting time (minutes)Setting locator lightingSetting automatic
locking
Selecting display (speed
display or outside
temperature) for status
indicatorSetting the date (month)Setting night security
illumination
Selecting display (speed
display or outside tem-
perature) for standard
displaySetting the date (day)Setting interior lighting
delayed shut-off
Setting the date (year)

162 Controls in detail
Control system
Setting the date (year)
This function can only be seen with audio
system.
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Time/Date
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Set Date Year
appears in the multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the year
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to set the
year.Lighting submenu
Access the
Lighting submenu via the
Settings... menu. Use the Lighting
submenu to change the lamp and lighting
settings on your vehicle.
The following functions are available:Setting daytime running lamp mode
(USA only)
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Headlamp Mode ap-
pears in the multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to select
manual operation (
Manual) or daytime
running lamp mode (
Constant).
iVehicles with COMAND*:
For information on setting the date in COMAND,
refer to the separate COMAND operating in-
structions.
FunctionPage
Setting daytime running lamp
mode (USA only)162
Setting locator lighting163
Setting night security
illumination164
Setting interior lighting delayed
shut-off165
iThis function is not available in countries
where the daytime running lamp mode is
mandatory and therefore in a constant mode.

164 Controls in detail
Control system
Setting night security illumination
(Headlamps delayed shut-off feature)
Use this function to set whether you would
like the exterior lamps to remain on for
15 seconds during darkness after exiting
the vehicle and closing all doors.
With the headlamps delayed shut-off
feature activated and the exterior lamp
switch in positionU before the engine
is turned off, the following lamps will
switch on when the engine is turned off:

Parking lamps

Tail lamps

License plate lamps

Side marker lamps

Front fog lamps
If after turning off the engine you do not
open a door or do not close an opened
door, the lamps will automatically switch
off after 60 seconds.
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ orç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Headlamps Delayed
Shut-off
appears in the multifunction
display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press buttonæ orç to switch
the headlamps delayed shut-off feature
Onor Off.
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
position U before turning off the
engine.
The headlamps delayed shut-off
feature is activated.You can temporarily deactivate the head-
lamps delayed shut-off feature:
Before exiting the vehicle, turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch to
position0.
Then turn it to position2 and back
to0.
The headlamps delayed shut-off
feature is deactivated. It will reactivate
as soon as you reinsert the SmartKey in
the starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop but-
ton on the gear selector lever
(
page 40).

174 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 429).
íReverse gear
Place gear selector lever in
positionR only when vehicle is
stopped.

175 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 59) 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*
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 move the
gear selector lever from park positionP,
which could result in an accident and/or
serious personal injury.
Getting out of your vehicle without taking
the above measurements to secure it is
dangerous.