2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK55AMG warning light

109 Controls in detail
Lighting
Lighting
For information on how to switch on the
headlamps and use the turn signals, see
“Switching on headlamps” (
page 55)
and “Turn signals” (
page 55).
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 111)
4UAutomatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
(
page 111)
5CParking lamps (also tail lamps,
license plate lamps,side marker
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
Switch Off Lights
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.

110 Controls in detail
Lighting
Low beam headlamps
The low beam headlamps can be switched
on and off with the exterior lamp switch us-
ing 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 au-
tomatically 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
positionU.
With the SmartKey in starter switch
position1, 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 toB when driving or when traffic
and/or ambient lighting conditions require
you to do so.
In low ambient lighting conditions, only
switch from positionUtoB with the
vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching fromUtoB 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.

112 Controls in detail
Lighting
When the engine is running, and you turn
the exterior lamp switch to
positionCorB, the manual head-
lamp mode has priority over the daytime
running lamp mode.
The corresponding exterior lamps switch
on (
page 109).
Locator lighting and night security illu-
mination
The locator lighting and the night security
illumination are described in the “Control
system” section, see “Setting locator light-
ing” (
page 144) and “Setting night secu-
rity illumination” (
page 144).Fog lampsFront fog lamps
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionCorB (
page 109).
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 109).
Push in the exterior lamp switch.
The front fog lamps switch off.
The green indicator lamp‡ in the
exterior lamp switch goes out.
Warning!G
In low ambient lighting or foggy conditions,
only switch from positionUtoB with
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching fromUtoB 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 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
allowable 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.

115 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
where 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 lamps
Place the gearshift lever (automatic
transmission*: 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 gearshift lever (automatic
transmission*: 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.
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 switch
iThere may be a brief delay before the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps switch off.

116 Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching on hazard warning flasher
Press hazard warning flasher
switch1.
All turn signal lamps are flashing.
Switching off hazard warning flasher
Press hazard warning flasher switch1
again.
Interior lighting
The controls are located in the overhead
control panel.
1Interior lighting on/off
2Automatic control on/off
3Right reading lamp on/off
4Left reading lamp on/offAutomatic control
Deactivating
Press automatic control switch2 until
it engages at a deeper position than the
other switches.
The interior lighting remains switched
off in darkness, even when you

unlock the vehicle

remove the SmartKey from the
starter switch

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

118 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
A full view illustration of the instrument
cluster can be found in the “At a glance”
section (
page 26).
1To brighten instrument cluster
illumination (knob+)
2To dim instrument cluster
illumination (knob-)
3Reset buttonJ
The instrument cluster is activated when
you

open a door

switch on the ignition (page 37)

press reset buttonJ

switch on the exterior lampsFor information on changing the instru-
ment cluster settings, e.g. the language,
see “Instrument cluster submenu”
(
page 139).Adjusting instrument cluster
illumination
Adjusting
Use knobs 1 or 2 to adjust the illumina-
tion brightness of the instrument cluster.
To brighten illumination
Press knob1 briefly.
The instrument cluster illumination
brightens.
To dim illumination
Press knob2 briefly.
The instrument cluster illumination
dims.
iOpening a door or pressing the reset
buttonJ without switching on the ignition or
the exterior lighting activates the multifunction
display illumination only for 30 seconds.
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. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
iThe instrument cluster illumination
automatically adjusts to the ambient light.
You can only adjust the brightness of the instru-
ment cluster illumination when it is dark outside.
iWith the exterior lighting switched on, the
brightness of the switches in the center console
will also be adjusted when using knob 1 or 2.

126 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Menu5Menu6Menu7Menu8
Vehicle status message
memory1SettingsTrip computerTEL*
(page 135)(page 136)(page 148)(page 149)
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 submenu Fuel consumption statistics
since last resetSearching for name in phone
book
Time/Date submenuResetting fuel consumption
statisticsRedialing
Lighting submenuDistance to empty
Vehicle submenu
Convenience* submenu
1The vehicle status message memory menu is only displayed if there is a message stored.

136 Controls in detail
Control system
If conditions have occurred causing status
messages to be recorded, the number of
messages appears in the multifunction dis-
play:
1Number of recorded status messages
Press buttonjork.
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 360).
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:
Settings menu
In the
Settings menu are two functions:

The function To reset, push reset
button for 3 seconds.
for resetting all
settings to factory standard.

A collection of submenus for perform-
ing individual settings for your vehicle.
Press buttonèorÿ repeatedly
until the
Settings menu appears in the
multifunction display.The following settings and submenus are
available in the
Settings menu:
Resetting all settings
You can reset all the functions of most of
the submenus to the factory settings.
For safety reasons, the function
Headlamp
Mode
in the Lighting submenu cannot be
reset while driving.
Press buttonèorÿ repeatedly
until the
Settings menu appears in the
multifunction display.
iThe vehicle status message memory will be
cleared when you turn the SmartKey in the
starter switch to position1or2.
You will then only see high-priority messages in
the multifunction display (
page 360).
FunctionPage
Resetting all settings136
Submenus in the Settings menu137
Instrument cluster submenu139
Time/date submenu141
Lighting submenu143
Vehicle submenu146
Convenience* submenu147