
Cockpit
10
Cockpit
Around the steering wheel: controls and displays
3Folding exterior mirrors in and out*47
4 Adjusting exterior mirrors, automatic curb 
monitor
*47
1 Safety switch for electric rear 
windows
36 
2 Opening and closing windows 36 5
Parking lamps 90
Low beams 90
Automatic headlamp control
*90
Adaptive Head Light
*91
6 Fog lamps 92
ba8_E9091_cic.book  Seite 10  Mittwoch, 29. Oktober 2008  2:59 14 

At a glance
 11Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
8Instrument cluster 12
11 Ignition lock 53
12 Buttons on the steering wheel 14
Horn, the entire surface
15 Adjusting the steering wheel 48
17 Releasing the hood 211
18 Opening the tailgate/luggage compartment 
lid 30
7
Turn signals 57
High beams, headlamp flasher 92
Roadside parking lamps
*92
Computer 69
Settings and information about the 
vehicle 70
Instrument lighting 92
9 Windshield wipers 58
Rain sensor
*58
Sports Wagon:
Rear window wiper 59
10 Switching the ignition on/off and 
starting/stopping the engine
53
Telephone
*:
> Press: accepting and ending a 
call; dialing
* the selected 
phone number; redialing if no 
phone number is selected
> Press longer: redialing
Volume
Activating/deactivating voice acti-
vation system
*22
Changing radio station
Selecting music track
Scrolling through phone book and 
lists with stored phone numbers
Next entertainment source
Recirculated-air mode 96
13 Steering wheel heating
*48
16 Cruise control
*59
Active cruise control
*61
ba8_E9091_cic.book  Seite 11  Mittwoch, 29. Oktober 2008  2:59 14 

At a glance
 13Reference
Controls
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
Indicator and warning lamps
The concept
Indicator and warning lamps can light up in a 
variety of combinations and colors.
Some lamps are checked for proper functioning 
and thus come on briefly when the engine is 
started or the ignition is switched on.
Explanatory text messages
Text messages at the top edge of the Control 
Display describe the meanings of the indicator 
and warning lamps.
You can call up more information, e.g. on the 
cause of a malfunction and on how to respond, 
via Check Control, refer to page 75.
In urgent cases, this  information will be shown 
as soon as the corresponding lamp comes on.
Indicator lamps without text messages
The following indicator lamps notify you that 
certain functions are active:
High beams/headlamp flasher 92
Fog lamps 92
Lamp flashes:
DSC or DTC is regulating the propul-
sive forces in order to maintain driving 
stability 82
Parking brake applied 54
Canada: parking brake applied 54
Engine malfunction with adverse 
effect on exhaust emissions 217
Canada: engine malfunction with 
adverse effect on exhaust 
emissions 217
ba8_E9091_cic.book  Seite 13  Mittwoch, 29. Oktober 2008  2:59 14 

Controls
 57Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
>When you use the shift paddles on the 
steering wheel to shif t gears in automatic 
mode, the transmission switches to manual 
mode.
> If you do not accelerate  or shift gears using 
the shift paddles for a certain amount of 
time, the transmission switches back to 
automatic mode.
If the selector lever is in the M/S gear 
plane, manual mode remains active. <
> To shift up: pull one of the shift paddles.
> To shift down: press one of the shift pad-
dles.
Upshifts and downshifts are executed only 
when they will result in  a plausible combination 
of engine and vehicle speed; thus, for example, 
a downshift that would  cause the engine to 
overrev will not be executed by the system. The 
gear selected is briefly  displayed in the instru-
ment cluster, followed by  the gear actually in 
use.
Overriding selector lever lock
Should the selector lever  refuse to move out of 
position P although the  button on the selector 
lever is pressed, the sele ctor lever lock can be 
overridden:
1. Unclip the sleeve of  the selector lever.
2. Pull the sleeve up over the selector lever 
until the sleeve is inside out. 3.
Using the screwdriver from the onboard 
tool kit, refer to page 222, press the red 
lever while moving the selector lever to the 
desired position.
Turn signals/
headlamp flasher
1 High beams
2 Headlamp flasher
3 Turn signals
Using turn signals
Press the lever beyond the resistance point.
To turn off manually,  press the lever to the 
resistance point.
Unusually rapid flashi ng of the indicator 
lamp indicates that a turn signal indicator 
has failed. <
Indicating a turn briefly
Press the lever as far as  the resistance point for 
as long as you wish to indicate a turn.
ba8_E9091_cic.book  Seite 57  Mittwoch, 29. Oktober 2008  2:59 14 

Driving
58
Triple turn signal activation
Press the lever as far as the resistance point.
The turn signals flash three times.
You can activate or deactivate this function.
iDrive, for operating pr inciple refer to page16.
1. "Settings"
2. "Lighting"
3. "Triple turn signal"
 Triple turn signal acti vation is activated and 
is stored for the remote control currently in use.
Wiper system
1 Switching on wipers
2 Switching off wipers or brief wipe
3 Activating/deactivating intermittent wipe or 
rain sensor
*
4Cleaning windshield and headlamps*
5Setting speed for intermittent wipe, or sen-
sitivity of the rain sensor
Switching on wipers
Press the lever upward, arrow  1.
The lever automatically retu rns to its initial posi-
tion when released.
Normal wiper speed
Press once.
The system switches to operation in the inter-
mittent mode when the vehicle is stationary.
Fast wiper speed
Press twice or press beyond the resistance 
point. 
The system switches to normal speed when the 
vehicle is stationary.
Intermittent wipe or rain sensor*
If the car is not equipped with a rain sensor, the 
intermittent-wipe time is a preset.
If the car is equipped with a rain sensor, the time 
between wipes is contro lled automatically and 
depends on the intensity of  the rainfall. The rain 
sensor is mounted on the  windshield, directly in 
front of the interior rearview mirror.
Activating intermitte nt wipe or rain 
sensor
Press the button, arrow 3. The LED in the but-
ton lights up.
Setting speed for inte rmittent wipe or 
sensitivity of the rain sensor
Turn knurled wheel 5 up or down.
Deactivating intermit tent wipe or rain 
sensor
Press the button again, arrow 3. 
The LED goes out.
Deactivate the rain  sensor before enter-
ing an automatic car wash. Failure to do 
so could result in damage caused by undesired 
wiper activation. <
Cleaning windshield and headlamps*
Pull the lever, arrow  4.
Washer fluid is sprayed onto the windshield and 
the wipers are operated for a short time.
When the vehicle lighting system is switched 
on, the headlamps are cleaned at regular and 
appropriate intervals.
ba8_E9091_cic.book  Seite 58  Mittwoch, 29. Oktober 2008  2:59 14 

Lamps
90
Lamps
Parking lamps/low beams
0Lamps off, 
daytime running lamps
1 Parking lamps and daytime running lamps
2 Low-beam headlamps and welcome lamps
3 Automatic headlamp control
*, daytime run-
ning lamps, welcome lamps and Adaptive 
Head Light
*
When you open the driver's door with the igni-
tion switched off, the exterior lighting is auto-
matically switched off if  the light switch is in 
position  0, 2  or  3.
Switch on the parkin g lamps if necessary, 
switch position  1.
Parking lamps
In switch position 1, the front, rear and side 
vehicle lighting is switch ed on. You can use the 
parking lamps for parking.
When the ignition is switched off and the switch 
is in position  1, only the outside sections of the 
rear lamps are illuminated, refer to page 226.
The parking lamps will discharge the bat-
tery. Therefore, do not leave them on for 
unduly long periods of  time, otherwise the bat-
tery might not have enou gh power to start the 
engine. It is preferable  to switch on the left-
hand or right-hand ro adside parking lamps, 
refer to page 92.<
Low beams
The low beams light up when the light switch is 
in position  2 and the ignition is on.
Automatic headlamp control*
When the switch is in position 3, the low beams 
are switched on and off automatically depend-
ing on ambient light conditions, e.g. in a tunnel, 
in twilight, or if there is precipitation. The Adap-
tive Head Light
* is active. The LED next to the 
symbol is illuminated when the low beams are 
on. You can also activate the daytime running 
lamps, refer to page 91. In the situations 
described above, the la mps then automatically 
switch from daytime running lamps to low 
beams.
The headlamps may also come on when the 
sun is sitting low on a blue sky.
The low beams remain switched on 
regardless of the ambient lighting condi-
tions when you switch on the fog lamps. <
The automatic headla mp control cannot 
serve as a substitute for your personal 
judgment in determin ing when the lamps 
should be switched on  in response to ambient 
lighting conditions. For example, the system 
cannot detect fog or hazy weather. To avoid 
safety risks, you should always switch on the 
low-beam headlamps ma nually under these 
conditions. <
Welcome lamps
If you leave the light switch in position  2 or  3 
when you park the car, the parking lamps and 
the interior lamps light  up briefly when you 
unlock the vehicle.
Activating/deactivating welcome 
lamps
iDrive, for operating pr inciple refer to page16.
1. "Settings"
2. "Lighting"
ba8_E9091_cic.book  Seite 90  Mittwoch, 29. Oktober 2008  2:59 14 

Controls
 91Reference
At a glance
Driving tips
Communications
Navigation
Entertainment
Mobility
3."Welcome light"
 Welcome lamps are activated and are 
stored for the remote control currently in use.
Pathway lighting
If you activate the head lamp flasher after park-
ing the car, with the lights switched off, the low 
beams come on and remain on for a certain 
time.
Setting or deactivating the duration
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page 16.
1. "Settings"
2. "Lighting"
3. "Pathway lighting:"
4. Set or deactivate the duration.
The setting is stored for the remote control cur-
rently in use.
Daytime running lamps
The daytime running lamps light up in switch 
positions  0, 1  and 3 .
Activating/deactivating daytime 
running lamps
iDrive, for operating principle refer to page 16.1.
"Settings"
2. "Lighting"
3. "Daytime running lamps"
 Daytime running lamps are activated and 
are stored for the remote  control currently in 
use.
Adaptive Head Light*
The concept
Adaptive Head Light is a variable headlamp 
control system that en ables better illumination 
of the road surface. Depending on the steering 
angle and other parameters, the light from the 
headlamp follows the course of the road.
Activating Adapti ve Head Light
With the ignition switched on, turn the light 
switch to position 3, refer to page 90. 
To avoid dazzling the drivers of oncoming vehi-
cles, Adaptive Head Light  is not active when the 
car is driven in reverse, and directs the light to 
the front passenger's side when the vehicle is at 
a standstill.
Malfunction
The LED next to the symb ol for automatic head-
lamp control flashes. Adaptive Head Light is 
malfunctioning or has failed. Have the system 
checked as soon as possible.
ba8_E9091_cic.book  Seite 91  Mittwoch, 29. Oktober 2008  2:59 14 

Lamps
92
High beams/roadside parking 
lamps
1High beams
2 Headlamp flasher
3 Roadside parking lamps
*
Roadside parking lamps, left or right*
There is an additional option of switching on the 
lamps on the side of the car facing the road 
when parked.
Switching on
After parking the vehicle, press the lever up or 
down beyond the pressu re point for a longer 
period, arrow  3.
The roadside parking lamps drain the bat-
tery. Therefore, do not leave them on for 
unduly long periods of  time, otherwise the bat-
tery might not have enou gh power to start the 
engine. <
Switching off
Press the lever in the opposite direction to the 
pressure point, arrow  3.
Fog lamps
The parking lamps or low beams must 
be switched on for the fog lamps to 
operate. The green indicator lamp in 
the instrument cluster lights up whenever the 
fog lamps are on.
The fog lamps are switched off while you acti-
vate the headlamp flasher or switch on the high 
beams.
If the automatic headlamp control is acti-
vated, the low beams will come on auto-
matically when you switch on the fog lamps. <
Instrument lighting
You can adjust the brightness of the instrument 
lighting only when the parking lamps or the low 
beams are switched on.
1. Push button  1 up or down repeatedly until 
the appropriate symbol appears in the dis-
play, accompanied by the brightness set-
ting and scale the word "SET".
2. Press button  2.
ba8_E9091_cic.book  Seite 92  Mittwoch, 29. Oktober 2008  2:59 14