RACE START is deactivated when the vehicle
reaches a speed of approximately 50 km/h.
Drive program S+is activated. ESP ®
Sport
remains activated.
RACE START is deactivated immediately if
you release the accelerator pedal during a
race start or if any of the activation conditions
are no longer fulfilled. The multi-function dis-
play shows the RACE START not possible
See Owner's Manual message.
i If RACE START is used repeatedly in a
short period of time, it is only available
again after having driven the vehicle a cer-
tain distance. AIRMATIC* (except E 63 AMG)
Vehicle level Your vehicle regulates its height automati-
cally. All-round self-levelling ensures the best
possible suspension and constant ground
clearance, even with a laden vehicle. When
you drive fast, the vehicle is lowered auto-
matically to improve driving safety and to
reduce fuel consumption.
The following vehicle levels are possible:
R normal
R raised: the vehicle is raised by about 25 mm
when compared with the normal level
R lowered: the vehicle is lowered by about
10 mm when compared with the normal
level
The "Normal" and "Raised" vehicle levels can
be set manually.
The "Lowered" vehicle level is set automati-
cally:
R at speeds above 140 km/h
R if you have selected "Sports tuning"
(Y page 155) Setting the vehicle level manually
Select the "Normal" setting for normal road
surfaces and "Raised" for driving with snow
chains or on particularly poor road surfaces.
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of the
wheel housing or under the vehicle while low-
ering the vehicle when it is stationary. Other-
wise, limbs could become trapped. Setting the raised level
X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is not lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. The vehicle
height is adjusted to the raised level.
The message Vehicle rising appears in
the display.
Setting the normal level
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp ;is lit:
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to the normal level. 154
Driving systemsCont
rols
* optional
212_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa
,V ersion: 2.11.8.1
2009-05-05T14:17:16+02:00 - Seite 154
Dateiname: 6515346702_buchblock.pdf; erzeugt am 07. May 2009 14:16:22; WK
i
The "Raised Level" setting is cancelled if:
R you drive at a speed of more than
120 km/h
R you drive at a speed between 80 km/h
and 120 km/hf or three minutes or more
The "Raised Level" remains saved when you
are not driving within these speed ranges.
Suspension tuning The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection, i.e. sports or com-
fort
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. Sports tuning
The firmer suspension tuning in sports mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e. g. on winding country roads.
X
Press button :.
Indicator lamp ;lights up. You have selec-
ted the suspension for a sporty driving
style.
The AIRMATIC SPORT message appears in
the multi-function display. Comfort tuning
In comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. Select
this mode if you prefer a more comfortable
driving style, but also when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. motorways.
X Press button :.
Indicator lamp =lights up. You have selec-
ted the suspension for a comfortable driv-
ing style.
The AIRMATIC COMFORT message appears
in the multi-function display. AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspen-
sion* (E 63 AMG)
Vehicle level The vehicle automatically sets the vehicle
level at the rear axle. Rear axle self-levelling
ensures the best possible suspension and
that the ground clearance remains constant
even when the vehicle is loaded. This
improves driving safety and fuel consump-
tion.
Suspension tuning
The electronically controlled damping system
works continuously. This improves driving
safety and ride comfort.
The damping is tuned individually to each
wheel and depends on:
R
your driving style, e.g. sporty
R the road surface condition, e.g. bumps
R your individual selection of Sport, Sport +
or Comfort
If you select Sport or Sport + mode and
restart the engine, the suspension setting
reverts to Comfort mode. Driving systems
155Controls
* optional
212_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-05T14:17:16+02:00 - Seite 155 Z
Dateiname: 6515346702_buchblock.pdf; erzeugt am 07. May 2009 14:16:22; WK
Sport mode
The firmer suspension tuning in Sport mode
ensures even better contact with the road.
Select this mode when employing a sporty
driving style, e.g. on winding secondary
roads.
X Press button :once.
Indicator lamp ?lights up. Sport suspen-
sion mode has been selected.
In the multi-function display the AMG Ride
Control SPORT message appears.
Sport + mode
The very firm setting of the suspension tuning
in Sport + mode ensures the best possible
contact with the road. Select this mode only
when driving on race circuits.
If indicator lamps =and ?are off:
X Press button :twice.
Both indicator lamps =and ?light up.
Sport + suspension mode has been selec-
ted.
In the multi-function display the AMG Ride
Control SPORT + message appears.
If indicator lamp ?lights up:
X Press button :once.
Second indicator lamp =lights up. Sport +
suspension mode has been selected.
In the multi-function display the AMG Ride
Control SPORT + message appears. Comfort mode
In comfort mode, the driving characteristics
of your vehicle are more comfortable. Select
this mode if you prefer a more comfortable
driving style, but also when driving fast on
straight roads, e.g. motorways.
X Press button :repeatedly until indicator
lamps =and ?go out.
Comfort suspension mode has been selec-
ted.
In the multi-function display the AMG Ride
Control COMFORT message appears.
Storing and calling up settings
Once the suspension tuning and drive pro-
gram have been selected, you can store and
call up your settings using AMG button ;.
X To store: press AMG button ;until you
hear a tone.
X To call up: press AMG button ;.
The stored suspension tuning and drive
program are selected.
X To display: briefly press AMG button ;.
Your selection appears in the multi-func-
tion display. 4MATIC*
4MATIC ensures that all four wheels are per-
manently driven. Together with ESP ®
, it
improves the traction of your vehicle when-
ever a drive wheel spins due to insufficient
grip. G
Risk of accident
4MATIC cannot reduce the risk of an accident
if you drive too fast.
If a drive wheel spins due to insufficient grip:
R only depress the accelerator pedal as far as
necessary when pulling away.
R accelerate less when driving.
R adapt your driving style to suit road and
traffic conditions. 156
Driving systemsControls
* optional
212_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-05T14:17:16+02:00 - Seite 156
Dateiname: 6515346702_buchblock.pdf; erzeugt am 07. May 2009 14:16:22; WK
One or more segments light up as the vehicle
approaches an obstacle, depending on the
vehicle's distance to the obstacle.
From the:
R
sixth segment onwards, you will hear an
intermittent warning tone for approx-
imately two seconds.
R seventh segment onwards, you will hear a
warning tone for approximately two sec-
onds. You have reached the minimum dis-
tance.
Deactivating/activating PARKTRONIC :
Indicator lamp
; To deactivate/activate PARKTRONIC
If indicator lamp :lights up, PARKTRONIC is
deactivated. Parking Guidance is also deacti-
vated.
i PARKTRONIC is automatically activated
when you turn the key to position 2in the
ignition lock.
Trailer towing* PARKTRONIC is deactivated for the rear area
when you establish an electrical connection
between your vehicle and a trailer.
!
Fold in the ball coupling if the trailer tow
hitch is not required. PARKTRONIC meas-
ures the minimum detection range to an
obstacle from the bumper, not the ball cou-
pling. Parking Guidance*
Parking Guidance is an electronic parking aid
with ultrasound. Ultrasound is used to meas-
ure the road on both sides of the vehicle. A
suitable parking space is indicated by the
parking symbol. You receive steering instruc-
tions when parking. You may also use PARK-
TRONIC (Y page 157). G
Risk of accident
Parking Guidance is merely an aid and may
recommend parking spaces that are not suit-
able for parking. For example, these might be
spaces where parking is prohibited, drive-
ways, unsuitable surfaces, etc.
Parking Guidance measures the parking
space as you drive past it. Any later changes
to the parking space are not taken into
account. For instance, this may be the case
when the vehicle parked in front of or behind
the space changes its position or when an
obstacle is moved into the parking space.
Parking Guidance does not relieve you of the
responsibility for paying attention. If you rely
solely on Parking Guidance, you could cause
an accident and injure yourself and others.
You are always responsible for safety and
must continue to pay attention to your imme-
diate surroundings when parking and
manoeuvring. G
Risk of accident
Objects located above the height range of
Parking Guidance will not be detected when
the parking space is measured. These are not
taken into account when the parking proce-
dure is calculated, e.g. overhanging loads, tail
sections or loading ramps of goods vehicles.
In some circumstances, Parking Guidance
might therefore issue steering instructions
too soon. This may lead to a collision. For this
reason, you should avoid using Parking Guid-
ance in such situations. Driving systems
159Controls
* optional
212_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-05T14:17:16+02:00 - Seite 159 Z
Dateiname: 6515346702_buchblock.pdf; erzeugt am 07. May 2009 14:16:23; WK
Information and warning display
:
Yellow indicator lamp/red warning lamp
When you turn the key to position 2in the
ignition lock, warning lamps :in the exterior
mirrors light up red.
If Blind Spot Assist is switched on and the
engine is running, indicator lamps :in the
exterior mirrors light up yellow up to a speed
of 30 km/h. At speeds above 30 km/h, the
indicator lamp goes out and Blind Spot Assist
is operational.
If a vehicle is detected within the monitoring
range of Blind Spot Assist at speeds above
30 km/h, warning lamp :on the corre-
sponding side lights up red. This warning is
always issued when a vehicle enters the blind
spot monitoring range from behind or from
the side. When you overtake a vehicle, the
warning only occurs if the difference in speed
is less than 12 km/h.
The yellow indicator lamp goes out after
reverse gear is engaged. In this event, Blind
Spot Assist is no longer active.
The brightness of the indicator/warning
lamps is adjusted automatically according to
the ambient light. G
Risk of accident
Blind Spot Assist is not active at speeds below
30 km/h, and the indicator lamps in the exte-
rior mirrors are yellow. Vehicles in the moni-
toring range are then not indicated.
Always pay attention to traffic conditions and
your surroundings. Otherwise, you may fail to recognise dangers in time, cause an accident
and injure yourself and others.
Collision warning
If a vehicle is detected in the monitoring range
of Blind Spot Assist and you switch on the turn
signal, a double warning tone sounds. Red
warning lamp :flashes. If the turn signal
remains on, detected vehicles are indicated
by the flashing of red warning lamp :. There
are no further warning tones.
Switching on Blind Spot Assist
X Make sure that the radar sensor system
(Y page 134) and Blind Spot Assist
(Y page 130) are activated in the on-board
computer.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
Red warning lamps :in the exterior mir-
rors are lit.
X Start the engine.
Warning lamps :in the exterior mirrors
now light up yellow.
Trailer towing*
Blind Spot Assist is deactivated when you
connect the trailer to your vehicle electrically.
The Blind Spot Assist currently
unavailable See Owner's Manual mes-
sage appears in the multi-function display.
Lane Keeping Assist If you select
kmon the on-board computer in
the Speed-/odometer: function
(Y page 131), Lane Keeping Assist is activa-
ted starting at a speed of 60 km/h. If the
miles display unit is selected, the assistance
range begins at between 35 and 40 mph.
Lane Keeping Assist is designed to detect
lane markings on the road and warn you
before you leave your lane unintentionally.
Usually the warning is given when a front
wheel passes over a lane marking. It will warn
you by means of intermittent vibration in the
steering wheel for up to 1.5 seconds. Driving systems
169Controls
* optional
212_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa
,V ersion: 2.11.8.1
2009-05-05T14:17:16+02:00 - Seite 169 Z
Dateiname: 6515346702_buchblock.pdf; erzeugt am 07. May 2009 14:16:27; WK
Function
G
Controls the air conditioning auto-
matically (FOCUS/MEDIUM/DIF-
FUSE) 36 H
Setting the airflow
I
Setting the air distribution
J
Sets the temperature, left
Rear control panel
K
Increases the temperature
L
Display
M
Increases the airflow
N
Reduces the airflow
O
Reduces the temperature
i
Instructions and recommendations for
optimum air conditioning:
R activate the air conditioning using
the à and¿ buttons. The indica-
tor lamps above the Ãand¿ but-
tons come on. You can also set the air-
flow and air distribution of the automatic
air conditioning to one of three levels
(FOCUS/MEDIUM/DIFFUSE). You can
set the desired level using button G. The
MEDIUM level is recommended.
R set the temperature to 22 †.
R only use the "demisting" function briefly,
until the windscreen is clear again.
R only use the "air-recirculation" mode
briefly, e.g. if there are unpleasant out-
side odours or when in a tunnel. Other-
wise, the windows could mist up due to
a lack of fresh air.
R use the "ZONE" function to adopt the
temperature settings on the driver's side for the front-passenger side and the rear
compartment as well. The indicator lamp
above the ábutton goes out.
R use the "residual heat" function if you
want to heat or ventilate the vehicle inte-
rior when the ignition is switched off. The
"residual heat" function can only be acti-
vated or deactivated with the ignition
switched off. Switching the air conditioning on/off
i When the air conditioning is switched off,
the air supply and air circulation are also
switched off. Only select this setting briefly,
otherwise the windows may mist up.
i Activate the air conditioning primarily
using the Ãbutton (Y page 175).
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X To activate: press theÃbutton.
The indicator lamp above the Ãbutton
lights up. Airflow and air distribution are set
to automatic mode.
or
X Press the ^button.
The indicator lamp above the ^button
goes out. The previously selected settings
come into effect again.
X To switch off: press the^button.
The indicator lamp above the ^button
lights up. Switching cooling with air dehumidi-
fication on/off
The "cooling with air dehumidification" func-
tion is only available when the engine is run-
ning. The air inside the vehicle is cooled and
36 Press the Ãbutton. The air conditioning is set to automatic mode. You can also set the airflow and air
distribution of the automatic air conditioning to one of three levels (FOCUS/MEDIUM/DIFFUSE) using button
G. 174
Air conditioningControls
212_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa
,V ersion: 2.11.8.1
2009-05-05T14:17:16+02:00 - Seite 174
Dateiname: 6515346702_buchblock.pdf; erzeugt am 07. May 2009 14:16:29; WK
dehumidified according to the temperature
selected.
G
Risk of accident
If you switch off the "Cooling with air dehu-
midification" function, the air inside the vehi-
cle will not be cooled (in warm weather) or
dehumidified. The windows could mist up
more quickly. This may prevent you from
observing the traffic conditions and thereby
cause an accident.
Condensation may drip from the underside of
the vehicle when Thermatic is in cooling
mode.
X To activate: press the¿button.
The indicator lamp above the ¿button
comes on.
X To switch off: press the¿button.
The indicator lamp above the ¿button
goes out. The cooling with air dehumidifi-
cation function has a delayed switch-off
feature. Controlling the air conditioning auto-
matically
In automatic mode, the set temperature is
maintained automatically at a constant level.
The system automatically regulates the tem-
perature of the dispensed air, the airflow and
the air distribution.
The automatic air conditioning will achieve
optimal operation if "cooling with air dehu-
midification" is also activated. If necessary,
cooling with air dehumidification can be deac-
tivated.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Set the desired temperature. X
To switch on: press theÃbutton.
The indicator lamp above the Ãbutton
lights up. Automatic air distribution and air-
flow are activated.
X Thermotronic 3-zone luxury automatic cli-
mate control*: press button Gup or down
and select the desired level (Y page 173).
FOCUS Air flow high/air distribution via the centre and side vents
MEDIUM Air flow medium/air distribution via the centre and side vents
DIFFUS EAir flow low/air distribution via the
centre, side and defroster vents
i This setting is especially effective in auto-
matic mode when outside temperatures
are high.
X To deactivate: press the air distribution
button.
Thermatic 2-zone automatic climate con-
trol: press button F(Ypage 172).
Thermotronic 3-zone luxury automatic cli-
mate control*: press button I
(Y page 173).
The indicator lamp above the Ãbutton
goes out.
or
X Press the airflow button.
Thermatic 2-zone automatic climate con-
trol: press button G(Ypage 172).
Thermotronic 3-zone luxury automatic cli-
mate control*: press button H
(Y page 173).
The indicator lamp above the Ãbutton
goes out. Setting the temperature
Thermatic 2-zone automatic climate
control Different temperatures can be set for the
driver's and front-passenger sides. Air conditioning
175Controls
* optional
212_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-05T14:17:16+02:00 - Seite 175 Z
Dateiname: 6515346702_buchblock.pdf; erzeugt am 07. May 2009 14:16:29; WK
Setting the air distribution
¯ directs the airflow through the demis-
ter vents
P directs the airflow through the centre
and side air vents
O directs the airflow through the footwell
air vents
b directs the airflow through the centre
and side air vents as well as the demis-
ter vents
a directs the airflow through the footwell
and demister vents
Thermatic 2-zone automatic climate
control X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press button Fup or down repeatedly
until the desired symbol appears in the dis-
play (Y page 172).
Thermotronic 3-zone luxury automatic
climate control* X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Press button Iup or down repeatedly
until the desired symbol appears in the dis-
play (Y page 173). Setting the airflow
Thermatic 2-zone automatic climate
control X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X To increase/reduce: press buttonGup
or down (Y page 172). Thermotronic 3-zone luxury automatic
climate control* X
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X To increase/reduce front airflow: press
button Hup or down (Y page 173).
X To increase/reduce the rear airflow:
press button MorN (Ypage 173). Switching the zone function on/off
X To activate: press theábutt-
ton (Y page 172), (Y page 173).
The indicator lamp above the ábutton
lights up.
Thermatic 2-zone automatic climate con-
trol: the temperature setting for the driver's
side is not adopted for the front-passenger
side.
Thermotronic luxury 3-zone automatic cli-
mate control*: the temperature setting on
the driver's side is not adopted for the
front-passenger side or the rear compart-
ment.
When the buttons for temperature, airflow or
air distribution are activated, the temperature
setting on the driver's side is not adopted for
the other air conditioning zones.
X To deactivate: press theábutton
(Y page 172), (Y page 173).
The indicator lamp above the ábutton
goes out.
Thermatic 2-zone automatic climate con-
trol: the temperature setting for the driver's
side is not adopted for the front-passenger
side.
Thermotronic luxury 3-zone automatic cli-
mate control*: the temperature setting on
the driver's side is not adopted for the
front-passenger side or the rear compart-
ment. 178
Air conditioningControls
* optional
212_AKB; 2; 4, en-GB
mkalafa,
Version: 2.11.8.1 2009-05-05T14:17:16+02:00 - Seite 178
Dateiname: 6515346702_buchblock.pdf; erzeugt am 07. May 2009 14:16:30; WK