2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG warning light

118 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
In vehicles with trunk opening/closing
system* you can close the trunk from
the inside using the remote trunk
opening/ closing* switch.
1Remote trunk opening/closing* switch
(vehicles with trunk opening/closing
system*)
2Indicator lamp
Press and hold switch1 until the
trunk is closed.
Indicator lamp2 in the switch goes
out when the trunk is closed.
To interrupt the closing procedure:
Release switch1.Closing the trunk from the outside
automatically*
iIf the trunk lid comes into contact with an
object while closing (e.g. luggage that has been
piled too high) in the upper motion sequence, the
closing procedure is stopped and the trunk re-
opens slightly.
Warning!G
Monitor the closing procedure carefully to
make sure no one is in danger of being in-
jured. To prevent possible personal injury,
always keep hands and fingers away from
the trunk lid opening when closing the trunk.
Be especially careful when small children
are around. To stop the closing procedure,
do one of the following:

Press button Š on the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.

Press the trunk opening/closing*
switch (on the driver’s door).

Press trunk closing switch.

Press the KEYLESS-GO locking/closing
switch*.

Pull the trunk lid handle.

121 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Trunk lid emergency release
With the emergency release button, the
trunk can be opened from inside the trunk.
The emergency release button is located
on the left side of the trunk.
1Emergency release button
Briefly press emergency release
button1.
The trunk lid unlocks and opens
slightly.
Push up the trunk lid to fully open.Illumination of the emergency release
button:

The button flashes for 30 minutes after
opening the trunk.

The button flashes for 60 minutes after
closing the trunk.
Power closing assist for trunk lid
It is not necessary to slam the trunk lid
closed. An electrical power-assisted
mechanism draws the trunk lid closed
quietly and automatically once the trunk
lid has been latched. When the electrical
power-assisted mechanism has stopped,
the trunk can be re-opened.iThe emergency release button unlocks the
trunk while the vehicle is standing still or in
motion.
iThe emergency release button does not un-
lock the trunk if the vehicle battery is discharged
or disconnected.Warning!G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the trunk
lid opening when closing the trunk.
Be especially careful when small children
are around.
In case of danger, pull the inside or outside
door handle, or press the trunk lid lock.
To prevent personal injury, never actuate
the closing assist mechanism by tampering
with the door or trunk lid latch.

131 Controls in detail
Lighting
Lighting
For information on how to switch on the
headlamps and use the turn signals, see
“Switching on headlamps” (
page 57)
and “Turn signals” (
page 57).
Exterior lamp switch
Exterior lamp switch
iIf 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.
1‚Standing lamps, left
(turn left two stops)
2ˆStanding lamps, right
(turn left one stop)
3MOff
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 133)
4UAutomatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 133)
5CParking lamps (also side marker
lamps, tail lamps, license plate
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 forgot-
ten to switch off the low beam headlamps or the
parking lamps before opening the driver’s door.
In addition, the message
Lights Are Still
On
appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the low beam headlamps or the park-
ing lamps.
If the message
Switch off lights 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.

132 Controls in detail
Lighting
Low beam headlamps
The low beam headlamps can be switched
on and off with the exterior lamp switch
using the manual headlamp mode.
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
automatically 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 U.
With the SmartKey in starter switch
position1 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 toU,
the headlamps will not be automatically
switched on under foggy conditions.
To minimize risk to you and to others,
activate 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 U to B with the
vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from U 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.
iCanada only:
High beam headlamps are only available with the
exterior lamp switch in position B.

134 Controls in detail
Lighting
USA only:
When the engine is running and you turn
the exterior lamp switch to position
Cor B, the manual headlamp mode
has priority over the daytime running lamp
mode.
The corresponding exterior lamps switch
on (
page 131).Locator lighting and night security
illumination
Locator lighting and night security illumi-
nation are described in the control system
section, see “Setting locator lighting”
(
page 164) and “Setting night security il-
lumination” (
page 164).Fog lamps
iWith the daytime running lamp mode
activated and the exterior lamp switch in
positionM, you cannot switch on the high
beam headlamps.
The high beam flasher is available at all times.
For nighttime driving you should turn the exterior
lamp switch to position B or U to permit
activation of the high beam headlamps.
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 from U 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.
iThe fog lamps cannot be switched on with
the exterior lamp switch in position U. To
switch on the fog lamps, turn the exterior lamp
switch to position B first.

137 Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching off corner-illuminating front
fog lamps
The combination switch for the turn signal
resets automatically after major steering
wheel movements. This will switch off the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps if they
were activated by switching on the left or
right turn signal.If the turn signal should stay on after
making the turn, the turn signal and
corner-illuminating front fog lamp can be
switched off by returning the combination
switch to its original position.
Driving in reverse
Switching on corner-illuminating front
fog lampsPlace the gear selector lever in
positionR.
The front fog lamp opposite to your
steering direction comes on.
Switching off corner-illuminating front
fog lamps
Place the gear selector lever out of
positionR.
The respective front fog lamp goes out.
Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher can be
switched on at all times, even with the
SmartKey removed from the starter switch
or with the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
removed from the vehicle.
The hazard warning flasher switches on
automatically when an air bag deploys.
The hazard warning flasher switch is
located on the upper part of the
center console.
1Hazard warning flasher switchiThe corner-illuminating front fog lamps
temporarily come on both sides of the vehicle
if you turn the steering wheel in one direction
and then again in the other direction shortly
thereafter.
iThe corner-illuminating front fog lamps
will come on automatically depending on the
steering angle, even if you did not switch on
either turn signal.
If the corner-illuminating front fog lamps came
on automatically, they will also go out automati-
cally depending on the steering angle.iThere may be a brief delay before the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps switch off.

138 Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching on the hazard warning
flasher
Press hazard warning flasher
switch1.
All turn signals are flashing.
Switching off the hazard warning
flasher
Press hazard warning flasher switch1
again.
Interior lighting
The interior lighting controls are located in
the overhead control panel.
1Left reading lamp on/off
2Right reading lamp on/off
3Interior lighting on/off
4Slide switch for interior lighting controlDeactivating automatic control
Slide switch4 to the right.
The interior lighting and the entry/exit
lamps remain switched off in darkness,
even when you

unlock the vehicle

remove the SmartKey from the
starter switch

open a door

open the trunk
iWith the hazard warning flasher activated
and the combination switch set for either left
or right turn, only the respective left or right
turn signals will operate when the ignition is
switched on.
iIf the hazard warning flasher was activated
automatically, press hazard warning flasher
switch1 once to switch it off.
!An interior lamp switched on manually does
not go out automatically.
Leaving the interior lighting switch in the ON
position for extended periods of time with the
engine turned off could result in discharged
batteries.
iThe interior lighting is factory-set to
automatic mode.

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.