2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL550 light

140 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
For a full view illustration of the instrument
cluster, see “Instrument cluster”
(
page 26).
1Reset button
The instrument cluster is activated when
you

open a door

switch on the ignition (page 40)

press reset button 1

switch on the exterior lamps
Opening a door will activate the instrument
cluster only for about 30 seconds.You can change the instrument cluster
settings in the Instrument cluster submenu
of the control system (
page 160).Adjusting instrument cluster
illumination
Use the reset button to adjust the illumina-
tion brightness for the instrument cluster
and the switches on the center console.
To brighten illumination
Turn reset button 1 in the instrument
cluster clockwise.
The instrument cluster illumination will
brighten.
To dim illumination
Turn reset button 1 in the instrument
cluster counterclockwise.
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
information about your driving conditions,
such as speed or outside temperature,
warning/indicator lamps,
malfunction/warning messages or the
failure of any systems. Driving characteris-
tics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, do so with
added caution. Visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.iThe instrument cluster illumination is
dimmed or brightened to suit ambient light
conditions.

148 Controls in detail
Control system
Menu 6Menu 7Menu 8Menu 9
Vehicle status
message memory1SettingsTrip computerTelephone*
(page 156)(page 157)(page 167)(page 169)
Commands/submenus
Calling up vehicle
malfunction, warning
and system status
messages stored in
memoryResetting to factory
settingsFuel consumption
statistics since startLoading phone book
Instrument cluster
submenuFuel consumption
statistics since last re-
setSearching for name in
phone book
Time submenuResetting fuel consump-
tion statistics
Lighting submenuDistance to empty
Vehicle submenu
Convenience submenu
1The vehicle status message memory menu is only displayed if there is a message stored.
iThe headings used in the menus table are
designed to facilitate navigation within the system and are not necessarily identical to
those shown in the control system displays.
The first function displayed in each menu willautomatically show you which part of the system
you are in.

157 Controls in detail
Control system
If conditions have occurred causing status
messages to be recorded, the number of
messages appears in the right multifunc-
tion display:
1Number of recorded status messages
Press button k or j.
The stored messages will now be dis-
played in the order in which they have
occurred. For malfunction and warning
messages, see “Vehicle status messag-
es in the multifunction display”
(
page 359).Should the vehicle’s system record any
conditions while driving, the number of
messages will reappear in the multifunc-
tion display

when the SmartKey in the starter
switch is turned to position0 or
removed from the starter switch
or

when you turn off the engine by press-
ing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button on the gear selector lever once
and open the driver’s door (this puts
the starter switch in position 0, same
as with the SmartKey removed from
the starter switch)
Settings menu
In the
Settings menu there are two
functions:

The function Reset, with which you can
reset most settings to those set at the
factory.

A collection of submenus with which
you can make individual settings for
your vehicle.
The following settings and submenus are
available:
iAfter you have scrolled through all recorded
status messages, the first recorded message
appears again.
iThe vehicle status message memory will be
cleared when you then turn the SmartKey in the
starter switch to position 1 or 2, or when you
press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button once
or twice without depressing the brake pedal. You
will then only see high priority messages in the
multifunction display (
page 359).
FunctionPage
Resetting all settings158
Submenus in the Settings menu158
Instrument cluster submenu160
Time submenu161
Lighting submenu163
Vehicle submenu166
Convenience submenu166

158 Controls in detail
Control system
Resetting all settings
You can reset the functions of most of the
submenus to the factory settings.
For safety, the
Light Circuit Headlamp
Mode
submenu in the Lighting menu can
be reset with the vehicle at standstill only.
Press button è or ÿ repeatedly
until the
Settings menu appears in the
multifunction display.
Press the reset button in the instru-
ment cluster for approximately
3 seconds.
In the right multifunction display you
will see the request to press the reset
button again to confirm.
Press the reset button again.
The functions of most submenus will
reset to factory settings.
Submenus in the Settings menu
Press button è or ÿ repeatedly
until the
Settings menu appears in the
multifunction display.
Press button j.
In the right multifunction display you
see the collection of submenus. There
are more submenus than can be simul-
taneously displayed.
Press button ç.
The selection marker moves to the next
submenu.
Scroll down with the ç button,
scroll up with the æ button.
With the selection marker on the de-
sired submenu, use the j button to
access the individual functions within
that submenu.
Once within the submenu, use
thej button to move to the next
function or the k button to move to
the previous function within that sub-
menu.
Use buttons æ or ç to change
the settings of the respective function.
iThe settings you have changed will not be
reset unless you confirm the action by pressing
the reset button a second time.

159 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 clusterTimeLightingVehicleConvenience
(page 160)(page 161)(page 163)(page 166)(page 166)
Selecting speedometer
display modeSynchronizing time with
head unitSetting daytime running
lamp mode (USA only)Setting automatic lockingActivating
easy-entry/exit feature
Selecting standard
displaySetting the time (hour)Setting locator lighting
Selecting languageSetting the time
(minutes)Setting night security
illumination
Setting interior lighting
delayed switch-off

163 Controls in detail
Control system
Lighting submenu
Access the
Lighting submenu via the
Settings menu. Use the Lighting sub-
menu to change the lamp and lighting set-
tings on your vehicle. The following
functions are available:Setting daytime running lamp mode
(USA only)
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ or ç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press button j or k repeatedly
until the message
Light Circuit
Headlamp Mode
appears in the multi-
function display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press button æ or ç to select
manual operation (
Manual) or daytime
running lamp mode (
Constant).With daytime running lamp mode activated
and the exterior lamp switch in
positionM or U the low beam head-
lamps are switched on when the engine is
running.
In low ambient light conditions the follow-
ing lamps will switch on additionally:

Parking lamps

Tail lamps

License plate lamps

Side marker lamps
For more information on the daytime run-
ning lamp mode, see “Lighting”
(
page 131).
FunctionPage
Setting daytime running lamp
mode (USA only)163
Setting locator lighting164
Setting night security illumina-
tion164
Setting interior lighting delayed
switch-off 165
iThis function is not available in countries
where the daytime running lamp mode is manda-
tory and therefore in a constant mode.
iFor safety reasons, resetting to factory
settings (
page 158) while driving will not
deactivate the daytime running lamp mode.
The following message appears in the multifunc-
tion display:
Cannot be fully reset to
factory settings while driving.

164 Controls in detail
Control system
Setting locator lighting
With the locator lighting feature activated
and the exterior lamp switch in
positionU, the following lamps will
switch on during darkness when the
vehicle is unlocked using button Πon
the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*:

Parking lamps

Tail lamps

License plate lamps

Front fog lamps

Side marker lamps
The locator lighting switches off when the
driver’s door is opened.
If you do not open a door after unlocking
the vehicle with the SmartKey, the lamps
will switch off automatically after approxi-
mately 40 seconds.
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ or ç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press button j or k repeatedly
until the message
Locator Lighting
appears in the multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press button æ or ç to switch
the locator lighting feature
On or Off.
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
position U when exiting the vehicle.
The locator lighting feature is
activated.Setting night security illumination
(Headlamps delayed switch-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 the doors.
With the headlamps delayed switch-off
feature activated and the exterior lamp
switch in position U 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 switch off auto-
matically after 60 seconds.

165 Controls in detail
Control system
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ or ç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press button j or k repeatedly
until the message
Headlamps Delayed
Switch-off
appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press button æ or ç to switch
the headlamps delayed switch-off
feature
On or Off.
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
position U before turning off the
engine.
The headlamps delayed switch-off
feature is activated.You can temporarily deactivate the
headlamps delayed switch-off feature:
Before exiting the vehicle turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch to
position0.
Then turn it to position2 and back to
position0.
The headlamps delayed switch-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
button on the gear selector lever
(
page 41).
Setting interior lighting delayed
switch-off
Use this function to set whether you would
like the interior lighting to remain on for
10 seconds during darkness after you have
removed the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Move the selection marker with
buttonæ or ç to the
Lighting
submenu.
Press button j or k repeatedly
until the message
Interior Lighting
Delayed Switch-off
appears in the
multifunction display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press button æ or ç to switch
the interior lighting delayed switch-off
feature
On or Off.