2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SL55AMG steering

143 Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon
as the SmartKey in the starter switch is
turned to position1 or as soon as the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button is in
position 1. The control system enables
you to

call up information about your vehicle

change vehicle settings
For example, you can use the control
system to find out when your vehicle is
next due for service, to set the language
for messages in the instrument cluster
display, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
The multifunction display consists of the
display fields in the speedometer and the
tachometer. In its default state, the left
multifunction display shows the main
odometer and the outside temperature,
while the trip odometer appears in the
right multifunction display. This default
setting is referred to as the standard
display.
1Main odometer
2Outside temperature
3Current gear selector lever position
4Trip odometer
5Automatic transmission program mode
Warning!G
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others,
selecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions
permit it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just
30 mph (approximately 50 km/h), your
vehicle is covering a distance of 44 feet
(approximately 14 m) every second.

144 Controls in detail
Control system
Multifunction steering wheel
The displays in the multifunction display
and the settings in the control system are
controlled by the buttons on the multifunc-
tion steering wheel.1Left multifunction display in the
speedometer
2Right multifunction display in the
tachometer
Operating the control system
3Selecting the submenu or setting the
volume:
Press button
æup / to increase
çdown / to decrease
4Telephone*:
Press button
sto take a call
to dial
to redial
tto end a call
to reject an incoming call
5Menu systems:
Press button
èfor next menu
ÿfor previous menu
6Moving within a menu:
Press button
jfor next display
kfor previous display

145 Controls in detail
Control system
Depending on the selected menu, pressing
the buttons on the multifunction steering
wheel will alter what appears in the multi-
function display.
The information available in the multifunc-
tion display are arranged in menus and
accompanying functions or submenus.
The individual functions are then found
within the relevant menu (radio or CD op-
erations under
AUDIO, for example). These
functions serve to call up relevant informa-
tion or to customize the settings for your
vehicle.It is helpful to think of the menus, and the
functions within each menu, as being ar-
ranged in a circular pattern.

If you press button è or ÿ re-
peatedly, you will pass through each
menu one after the other.

If you press button k or j re-
peatedly, you will pass through each
function display, one after the other, in
the current menu. In the
Settings menu, instead of functions
you will find a number of submenus for
calling up and changing settings. For in-
structions on using these submenus, see
“Settings menu” (
page 157).
The number of menus available in the sys-
tem depends on which optional equipment
is installed in your vehicle.
The menus are described on the following
pages.

167 Controls in detail
Control system
Move the selection marker with
theæ orç button to the

Convenience
submenu.
Press button j or k repeatedly
until the message
Easy-entry
Function
appears in the multifunction
display.
The selection marker is on the current
setting.
Press button æ or ç to switch
the easy-entry/exit feature
On or Off.
Trip computer menu
Use the trip computer menu to call up
statistical data on your vehicle.
The following information is available:
Warning!G
You must make sure no one can become
trapped or injured by the moving steering
wheel when the easy-entry/exit feature is
activated.
To stop steering wheel movement, do one of
the following:

Move steering wheel adjustment stalk
(
page 47).

Press one of the memory position
buttons* or the memory button M*
(
page 129).
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle.
Children could open the driver’s door and
unintentionally activate the easy-entry/exit
feature, which could result in an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
FunctionPage
Fuel consumption statistics
since start168
Fuel consumption statistics
since last reset168
Resetting fuel consumption
statistics168
Distance to empty169
iThe last function called up will reappear the
next time you enter the trip computer menu.

169 Controls in detail
Control system
Distance to empty
Press button ÿ or è repeatedly
until you see the first function of the
trip computer menu.
Press button j or k repeatedly
until you see this message in the left
multifunction display:
Range.
In the right multifunction display you
will see the calculated range based on
the current fuel tank level.
TEL* menu
You can use the functions in the
TEL menu
to operate your telephone, provided it is
connected to a hands-free system and
switched on.
Switch on the telephone and COMAND.
Press button ÿ or è on the
steering wheel repeatedly until the
TELmenu appears in the left multi-
function display.iIf only very little fuel is left in the tank, a
vehicle at the fuel pump is shown instead of the
range.
Warning!G
A driver’s attention to the road must always
be his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we rec-
ommend that you pull over to a safe location
and stop before placing or taking a tele-
phone call. If you choose to use the tele-
phone while driving, please use the
hands-free device and only use the tele-
phone when weather, road, and traffic con-
ditions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a cellular telephone while driving a
vehicle.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just
30 mph (approximately 50 km/h), your
vehicle is covering a distance of
44 feet (approximately 14 m) every second.
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system,
possibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury.

176 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Stopping
When you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights:
Leave the transmission in gear.
Hold the vehicle with the brake.
When you stop for a longer period of time
with the engine idling and/or on a hill:
Set the parking brake.
Move the gear selector lever to park
positionP.Maneuvering
When you maneuver in tight areas,
e.g. when pulling into a parking space:
Control the vehicle speed by gradually
releasing the brakes.
Accelerate gently.
Never abruptly step on the accelerator.
Working on the vehicle
Gear ranges
With the gear selector lever in drive
positionD and driving in program modeC
orS, you can select a gear range for the
automatic transmission to operate within.
Gear selector lever (
page 179):
You can limit the gear range by pressing
the gear selector lever to the left (D-), and
reverse the gear range limit by pressing
the gear selector lever to the right (D+).
Steering wheel gearshift control*
(
page 180):
You can limit the gear range by pulling the
left gearshift paddle on the steering wheel
gearshift control, and reverse the gear
range limit by pulling the right gearshift
paddle on the steering wheel gearshift
control.Warning!G
When working on the vehicle, set the
parking brake and move gear selector lever
to park positionP. Otherwise the vehicle
could roll away.

180 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Canceling gear range limit
Press and hold the gear selector lever
in theD+direction until
D reappears in
the right multifunction display
(
page 174).
The transmission will shift from the
current gear range directly to gear
rangeD.
Shifting into optimal gear range
Press and hold the gear selector lever
in theD-direction.
The transmission will automatically
select the gear range suited for optimal
acceleration and deceleration. This will
involve shifting down one or more
gears.Steering wheel gearshift control
one-touch gearshifting*
Steering wheel gearshift control is avail-
able on vehicles with Sport Package*, on
SL 55 AMG, and on SL 65 AMG only.
With the gear selector lever in drive
positionD and driving in program modeC
orS, you can limit or extend the gear
range.
If your vehicle is equipped with the
MANUAL shift program, you can use the
steering wheel gearshift control to
manually shift the gears.
iFor information on using the steering
wheel gearshift control in program mode
MANUAL, see “Manual shift program
(SL55AMGandSL65AMG only)”
(
page 182).
!Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the
operating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park positionP only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended
period when driving off on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

181 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Gearshift paddles (example illustration)
1Left shift paddle: limiting gear range or
downshift (in MANUAL program mode)
2Right shift paddle: extending gear
range or upshift (in MANUAL program
mode)
The following instructions describe opera-
tion of the steering wheel gearshift control
when driving in the automatic program
modeC orS.Limiting gear rangeBriefly pull left shift paddle1.
The transmission will shift to the next
lower gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the transmis-
sion (
page 176).Extending gear range
Briefly pull right shift paddle2.
The transmission will shift to the next
higher gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
extends the gear range of the transmis-
sion.
iYou cannot shift with the steering wheel
gearshift paddles when the gear selector lever is
in positionP,N orR.
Warning!G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.
iTo avoid overrevving the engine when down-
shifting, the transmission will not shift to a lower
gear if the engine’s max. speed would be
exceeded.
iIf you press on the accelerator when the en-
gine has reached its rpm limit, the transmission
will upshift beyond any gear range limit selected.