2008 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS500 warning

30 At a glance
Center console
Lower partItemPage
1Ashtray248
2KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button39
3Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission51,
171
4Parking assist (Parktronic
system)* deactivation
switch234
5Adaptive Damping System
(ADS) switch230
ItemPage
6Vehicle level control button231
7Thumbwheel for setting dis-
tance in Distronic*226
8Distance warning function*
on/off switch226
9Program mode selector
switch for automatic trans-
mission175

36 Getting started
The “Getting started” section provides an
overview of the vehicle’s most basic func-
tions. First-time Mercedes-Benz owners
should pay special attention to the infor-
mation given here.
If you are already familiar with the basic
functions described here, the “Controls in
detail” section will provide you with further
information. The corresponding page refer-
ences are located at the end of each seg-
ment.
Unlocking
Unlocking with the SmartKey
SmartKey with remote control
1‹Lock button
2ŠOpening button for trunk
3ŒUnlock button
4ÂPanic buttonPress unlock buttonŒ on the
SmartKey.

All turn signal lamps flash once.

An acoustic signal sounds once.

The locking knobs in the doors
move up.

The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.
Get in the vehicle and insert the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey 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. A child’s un-
supervised access to a vehicle could result
in an accident and/or serious personal
injury.

37 Getting started
Unlocking
For more information, see “Locking and
unlocking” (
page 100).
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*
With the KEYLESS-GO function, you can
lock and unlock the vehicle without using
the remote control buttons on the
SmartKey and start the engine without in-
serting the SmartKey in the starter switch. Pull an outside door handle.

All turn signal lamps flash once.

An acoustic signal sounds once.

The locking knobs in the doors
move up.

The anti-theft alarm system is dis-
armed.
Get in the vehicle.
For more information, see “SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*” (
page 103).
iOpening a door causes the window on that
door to open slightly. They will return to the up
position when the door is closed.
!The side windows will not open or close if
the battery is discharged or the windows are cov-
ered with ice. As a result, you may no longer be
able to properly close the door. Do not attempt
to force the door shut. Doing so may damage the
door or the side window. Correct the condition
that prevents the windows from operating before
attempting to close the door.
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO with you, and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. A child’s unsupervised ac-
cess to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
iTo unlock the vehicle, the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO must be outside the vehicle, no fur-
ther than approximately 3 feet (1 meter) away
from the door.
iOpening a door causes the window on that
door to open slightly. They will return to the up
position when the door is closed.
!The side windows will not open or close if
the battery is discharged or the windows are cov-
ered with ice. As a result, you may no longer be
able to properly close the door. Do not attempt
to force the door shut. Doing so may damage the
door or the side window. Correct the condition
that prevents the windows from operating before
attempting to close the door.

38 Getting started
Unlocking
Starter switch positions SmartKey
Starter switch
0For removing SmartKey
1Power supply for some electrical con-
sumers2Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position.
All lamps (except high beam headlamp
indicator lamp and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instru-
ment cluster come on. If a lamp in the
instrument cluster fails to come on
when the ignition is switched on, have
it checked and replaced if necessary. If
a lamp in the instrument cluster re-
mains on after starting the engine or
comes on while driving, see “Lamps in
instrument cluster” (page 344).
3Starting position
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. A child’s unsupervised ac-
cess to a vehicle could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
iWhen you switch on the ignition, the
indicator and warning lamps (except high beam
headlamp indicator lamp and turn signal indica-
tor lamps unless activated) in the instrument
cluster come on. The indicator and warning
lamps (except high beam headlamp indicator
lamp and turn signal indicator lamps if activated)
should go out when the engine is running. This in-
dicates that the respective systems are opera-
tional.

40 Getting started
Unlocking
Position 0
Before you press the KEYLESS-GO start/
stop button, the vehicle’s on-board elec-
tronics have status 0 (as wit h Sma rtKey re-
moved).
Position 1
Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
once.
This supplies power for some electrical
consumers.Ignition (or position 2)
Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
twice.
This supplies power for all electrical
consumers. All lamps (except high
beam headlamp indicator lamp and
turn signal indicator lamps unless acti-
vated) in the instrument cluster come
on. If a lamp in the instrument cluster
fails to come on when the ignition is
switched on, have it checked and
replaced if necessary. If a lamp in the
instrument cluster remains on after
starting the engine or comes on while
driving, see “Lamps in instrument clus-
ter” (
page 344).For information on starting the engine us-
ing the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
(
page 39).
iIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button

once again, the ignition (position2) is
switched on

twice, the power supply is again switched offiIf you now press the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button once, the power supply is
again switched off.
iWhen you switch on the ignition, the
indicator and warning lamps (except high beam
headlamp indicator lamp and turn signal indica-
tor lamps unless activated) in the instrument
cluster come on. The indicator and warning
lamps (except high beam headlamp indicator
lamp and turn signal indicator lamps if activated)
should go out when the engine is running. This in-
dicates that the respective systems are opera-
tional.

41 Getting started
Adjusting
Adjusting
Seats
Warning!G
All seat, head restraint, steering wheel, and
rear view mirror adjustments, as well as fas-
tening of seat belts, must be done before
the vehicle is put into motion.
Warning!G
Do not adjust the driver’s seat while driving.
Adjusting the seat while driving could cause
the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Never ride in a moving vehicle with the seat
backrest in an excessively reclined position
as this can be dangerous. You could slide
under the seat belt in a collision. If you slide
under it, the belt would apply force at the
abdomen or neck. That could cause serious
or fatal injuries. The seat backrest and seat
belts provide the best restraint when the
wearer is in a position that is as upright as
possible and the seat belts are properly po-
sitioned on the body.Warning!G
Your seat must be adjusted so that you can
correctly fasten your seat belt (
page 48).
Observe the following points:

Adjust the backrest until your arms are
slightly angled when holding the steer-
ing wheel.

Adjust the seat to a comfortable seating
position that still allows you to reach the
accelerator/brake pedal safely. The po-
sition should be as far back as possible
with the driver still able to operate the
controls properly.

Adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the
center of the head restraint supports
the back of the head at eye level.

Never place hands under the seat or
near any moving parts while a seat is be-
ing adjusted.
Failure to do so could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.

42 Getting started
Adjusting
Seat adjustment
The seat adjustment switches are located
on the front doors.
1Seat fore and aft adjustment
2Backrest tilt
3Head restraint height
4Seat height
5Seat cushion tilt
Warning!G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* from the starter switch, take
it with you, and lock the vehicle.
Even with the SmartKey or the SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* removed from the
starter switch or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* removed from the vehicle,
the power seats can be operated when the
respective door is open. Therefore, do not
leave children unattended in the vehicle, or
with access to an unlocked vehicle. A child’s
unsupervised access to a vehicle could re-
sult in an accident and/or serious personal
injury.
Warning!G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing position. Thus, we strongly recommend
that children be placed in the rear seats
whenever possible. Regardless of seating
position, children 12 years old and under
must be seated and properly secured in an
appropriate infant or toddler restraint, or
booster seat recommended for the size and
weight of the child. For additional informa-
tion, see “Children in the vehicle”
(
page 82).
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
iThe memory function (page 123) lets you
store the settings for the seat position together
with the settings for the steering wheel and the
exterior rear view mirrors.
!When moving the seat, make sure there are
no items in the footwell or behind the seats, oth-
erwise you could damage the seats.

43 Getting started
Adjusting
Seat fore and aft adjustment
Press the switch forward or backward
in direction of arrow1.
Backrest tilt
Press the switch forward or backward
in direction of arrow2.
Head restraint height
Press the switch up or down in
direction of arrow3.
Seat height
Press the switch up or down in
direction of arrow4.
Seat cushion tilt
Press the switch up or down in
direction of arrow5 until your upper
legs are lightly supported.Head restraint adjusting
Manually adjust the head restraint.
Push or pull on the upper edge of the
head restraint cushion.
iDepending on the set height of the head re-
straint, the seat fore and aft position is automat-
ically pre-set.
Warning!G
For your protection, drive only with properly
positioned head restraints.
Adjust the head restraint so that it is as
close to the head as possible and the center
of the head restraint supports the back of
the head at eye level. This will reduce the po-
tential for injury to the head and neck in the
event of an accident or similar situation.
Do not drive the vehicle without the seat
head restraints. Head restraints are
intended to help reduce injuries during an
accident.
iAdjust the head restraint in such a way that
it is as close to the head as possible.