2003 Mercedes-benz CL Class Owners Manual

Reactivating There are several ways to reactivate the automatic climate control system: 왘 Press one of the following buttons,

M, P, U, a temperature con- trol switch (컄 page 159) or air volume switch 9 on the climate control panel.

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Air conditioning

The air conditioning is operational while the engine is running and cools the interior air to the temperature set by the operator.

Condensation may drip out from under- neath the vehicle. This is normal and not an indication of a malfunction.

Deactivating It is possible to deactivate the air condi- tioning (cooling) function of the automatic climate control system. The air in the vehi- cle will then no longer be cooled or dehu- midified. 왘 Press button ACOFF (컄 page 159).

The indicator lamp on the button ACOFF lights up.

Activating Moist air can fog up the windows. You can dehumidify the air with the air condition- ing. 왘 Press ACOFF again (컄 page 159).

The indicator lamp on the button ACOFF goes out.

The air conditioning uses the refrigerant R134a. This refrigerant is free of CFCs which are harmful to the ozone layer.

If the ACOFF button on the automatic climate control panel starts to blink, this indicates that the air conditioning is losing refrigerant. The compressor has turned itself off. The air condition- ing cannot be turned on again. Have the air conditioning checked at the nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

Controls in detail Automatic climate control

Residual heat and ventilation

With the engine switched off, it is possible to continue to heat or ventilate the interior for up to 30 minutes. This feature makes use of the residual heat produced by the engine.

Activating 왘 Turn the key in the starter switch to

position 1 or remove it from the starter switch.

왘 Press button T (컄 page 159).

The indicator lamp on button T comes on.

Deactivating 왘 Press button T (컄 page 159).

The indicator lamp on button T goes off.

The residual heat is automatically turned off: 앫 when the ignition is switched on 앫 after about 30 minutes 앫 if the battery voltage drops

How long the system will provide heat- ing depends on the coolant tempera- ture and the temperature set by the operator. The blower will run at speed setting 1 regardless of the air distribu- tion control setting.

Ventilated storage compartment under armrest

The storage compartment under the arm- rest (컄 page 200) can be ventilated when the automatic air conditioning is switched on. The switch is located inside the storage compartment in the front. The air tempera- ture is about the same as that of the center air vents. The air volume is dependent on the setting of: 앫 Air distribution control 앫 Air volume control 앫 Air vents in the dashboard The air temperature is about the same as that of the dashboard air vents. It cannot be regulated separately.

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Controls in detail Automatic climate control

Switching ventilation on 왘 Push upper portion of switch.

Switching ventilation off 왘 Push lower portion of switch.

The compartment can get very warm due to its confined space. When storing heat sensitive objects in the compart- ment, close the air vent while heating the passenger compartment.

Do not obstruct the air vent in the stor- age compartment.

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Rear passenger compartment adjust- able air vents

The booster blower allows air volume speed to the rear passenger compart- ment to be increased at four different levels. The temperature at the air vents for rear passenger compartment 1 and 2 is the same as at the dashboard center air vents.

1 Left center air vent 2 Right center air vent 3 Thumbwheel for center air vents with

adjustable booster blower

To open center air vents and to adjust the booster blower: 왘 Turn thumbwheel 3.

Power windows Opening and closing the windows

The side windows can be opened and closed electrically. The switches for all the side windows are on the driver’s door. The switches for the respective windows are on the passenger door and on the rear cen- ter console.

Additional switches for the rear windows are located on the rear center console.

1 Left front window 2 Right front window 3 Right rear window 4 Left rear window

1 Left rear window 2 Right rear window

Warning!

When closing the windows, make sure that there is no danger of anyone being harmed by the closing procedure.

The closing of the door windows can be im- mediately halted by releasing the switch or, if switch was pressed past the resistance point and released, by pressing the respec- tive switch.

Controls in detail Power windows

If the window encounters an obstruction that blocks its path in a circumstance where you pressed the switch past the resistance point and released it to close the window, the automatic reversal function will stop the window and open it slightly.

If the window encounters an obstruction that blocks its path in a circumstance where you are closing the window by pressing and holding the switch, by pressing and holding button ‹ on the SmartKey, or by press- ing and holding the lock button (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*) on the door handle, the automatic reversal function will not operate.

When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key from starter switch, take the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* with you, and lock your vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip- ment can cause an accident and/or serious personal injury.

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Controls in detail Power windows

왘 Turn key in the starter switch to

position 1 or 2.

Opening the windows 왘 Lightly press switch k to resistance

point. The window will move downwards until you release the switch.

Closing the windows 왘 Lightly press switch j to resistance

point. The window will move upwards until you release the switch. If you pull and hold the switch up when closing the window, and upward move- ment of the window is blocked by some obstruction including but not limited to arms, hands, fingers etc., the automat- ic reversal will not operate.

170

Fully opening the windows 왘 Press switch k past the resistance

point and release.

Fully closing the windows 왘 Press switch j past the point of re-

sistance and release.

Warning!

Driver's door only: If within five seconds you again press the switch past the resistance point and re- lease, the automatic reversal will not func- tion.

If the upward movement of the window is blocked during the closing proce- dure, the window will stop and open slightly. Remove the obstruction, press the switch j again past the resistance point and release. If the window still does not close when there is no obstruction, then hold the switch j down. The side window will then close without the obstruction sensor function.

Stopping windows 왘 Press respective switch again.

You can also open or close the win- dows using the: 앫 SmartKey, see below 앫 button O in the control panel of

the automatic climate control (컄 page 159).

앫 button e in the control panel of

the automatic climate control (컄 page 159).

Opening and closing the windows with the SmartKey The sliding/pop-up roof will also be opened or closed when you operate the power windows with the key.

Warning!

Never operate the windows or sliding/ pop-up roof if there is the possibility of any- one being harmed by the opening or closing procedure.

In the event that the procedure causes po- tential danger, the procedure can be imme- diately halted by releasing the remote control button. To reverse direction of movement, press Œ for opening or ‹ for closing.

Controls in detail Power windows

Opening (Summer opening feature) 왘 Press and hold button Œ after un-

locking the vehicle. The windows and sliding/pop-up roof begin to open after approximately one second.

왘 Release the ‹ button to stop proce-

dure.

Closing (Convenience feature) 왘 Press and hold button ‹ after lock-

ing the vehicle. The windows and sliding/pop-up roof begin to close after approximately one second.

왘 Release the ‹ button to stop proce-

dure.

Make sure that all side windows and the sliding/pop-up roof are properly closed before leaving the vehicle.

171

Controls in detail Power windows

Closing the side windows and sliding / pop-up roof with KEYLESS-GO* 왘 Press and hold lock button at door

(컄 page 52) until the side windows and the sliding/pop-up roof are closed.

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Warning!

Synchronizing power windows

The power windows must be resynchro- nized each time after the battery has been disconnected: 왘 Push the power window switches until the side windows are closed and hold the switches for approximately one second.

When closing the windows and the sliding/ pop-up roof, make sure that there is no dan- ger of anyone being harmed by the closing procedure.

The windows will not automatically re-open if blocked during convenience closing.

If potential danger exists, proceed as fol- lows:

SmartKey 앫 Release the ‹ button. 앫 Press and hold the Œ button until the windows and the sliding/pop-up roof open again.

KEYLESS-GO* 앫 Release the lock button. 앫 Pull on the door handle and hold firmly.

The side windows and the sliding/pop-up roof will open for as long as the door handle is held but the door not opened.

Sliding/pop-up roof Opening and closing the sliding/ pop-up roof

1 Push up to raise roof at rear 2 Pull down to lower roof at rear 3 Push forward to slide roof closed 4 Push back to slide roof open

Controls in detail Sliding/pop-up roof

When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key from starter switch, take the KEYLESS-GO* card with you, and lock your vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip- ment may cause an accident and/or seri- ous personal injury.

Opening and closing the sliding/ pop-up roof 왘 Turn the key in the starter switch to

position 1 or 2 or press the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button. 왘 To open, close, raise or lower the

sliding/pop-up roof, move the switch to resistance point in the required di- rection. Release the switch when the roof has reached the required position.

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With the roof closed or tilted open, a screen can be slid into the roof opening to guard against sun rays. When sliding the roof open, the screen will also retract.

Warning!

When closing the sliding/pop-up roof, make sure that there is no danger of anyone being harmed by the closing procedure.

The closing procedure of the sliding/pop-up roof can be immediately halted by releasing the switch or, if the switch was moved past the resistance point and released, by mov- ing the switch in any direction.

Controls in detail Sliding/pop-up roof

Opening the sliding/pop-up roof auto- matically 왘 To select a sunroof opening position, press the switch to the resistance point and release it when the sunroof has reached the required position. The sliding/pop-up roof now opens to the position set if the switch is pressed past the resistance point in the “open” direction.

Closing the sliding/pop-up roof auto- matically 왘 Press the switch past the resistance point in the “close” direction and re- lease. The sliding/pop-up roof closes com- pletely.

Stopping the sliding/pop-up roof 왘 Move the switch in any direction.

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Opening and closing the sliding/ pop-up roof with the SmartKey The power windows will also be opened or closed when you operate the sliding/ pop-up roof with the key.

Warning!

Never operate the windows or sliding/ pop-up roof if there is the possibility of any- one being harmed by the opening or closing procedure.

In case the procedure causes potential dan- ger, the procedure can be stopped immedi- ately by releasing the remote control button. To reverse direction of movement, press Œ for opening or ‹ for closing

왘 Aim transmitter eye at the front door

handle.

If the movement of the sliding/pop-up roof is blocked during the closing pro- cedure, the roof will stop and reopen slightly.

You can also open or close the sliding/ pop-up roof using the: 앫 SmartKey (컄 page 171) 앫 button O in the control panel of

the automatic climate control (컄 page 159)

앫 button e in the control panel of

the automatic climate control (컄 page 159)

To avoid damaging the seals, do not transport any objects with sharp edges which can stick out of the sliding/ pop-up roof. The sliding/pop-up roof can be opened or closed manually should an electrical malfunction occur (컄 page 301).

Opening (Summer opening feature) 왘 Press and hold button Œ after un-

locking the vehicle. The windows and sliding/pop-up roof begin to open after approximately one second.

왘 Release the ‹ button to stop proce-

dure.

Closing (Convenience feature) 왘 Press and hold button ‹ after lock-

ing the vehicle. The windows and sliding/pop-up roof begin to close after approximately one second.

왘 Release the ‹ button to stop proce-

dure.

Make sure that all side windows and the sliding/pop-up roof are properly closed before leaving the vehicle.

Closing the side windows and sliding/ pop-up roof with KEYLESS-GO* (Convenience feature) 왘 Press and hold lock button at door

(컄 page 52) until the side windows and the sliding/pop-up roof are closed.

Warning!

When closing the windows and the sliding/ pop-up roof, make sure that there is no dan- ger of anyone being harmed by the closing procedure.

If potential danger exists, proceed as fol- lows: 앫 Release the lock button. 앫 Pull on the door handle and hold firmly.

The side windows and the sliding/pop-up roof will open for as long as the door handle is held but the door not opened.

Controls in detail Sliding/pop-up roof

Synchronizing the sliding/pop-up roof

The power sliding/pop-up roof must be re- synchronized each time after: 앫 the battery has been disconnected 앫 the sliding/pop-up roof has been

closed manually

앫 the sliding/pop-up roof does not open

smoothly

앫 a malfunction 왘 Press the switch in direction 1

(컄 page 173).

왘 Wait until the sliding/pop-up roof is raised and hold the switch down for approx. one second.

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Controls in detail Driving systems Driving systems The driving systems of your vehicle are de- scribed on the following pages: 앫 Cruise control and Distronic*, with

which the vehicle can maintain a preset speed

앫 ABC with vehicle level control systems, with which you can change vehicle sus- pension characteristics.

앫 Parktronic system*, which serves as a

parking assistant.

The BAS, ABS and ESP driving systems are described in the “Safety and Security” sec- tion (컄 page 71).

Cruise control

Cruise control automatically maintains the speed you set for your vehicle. Use of cruise control is recommended for driving at a constant speed for extended periods of time. You can set any speed over 20 mph (30 km/h). The cruise control function is operated by means of the cruise control lever. The cruise control lever is the uppermost lever found on the left-hand side of the steering column (컄 page 20).

176

Warning!

Cruise control is a convenience system de- signed to assist the driver during vehicle op- eration. The driver is and must remain at all times responsible for the vehicle speed and for safe brake operation.

Only use cruise control if the road, traffic and weather conditions make it advisable to travel at a steady speed. 앫 The use of cruise control can be danger- ous on winding roads or in heavy traffic because conditions do not allow safe driving at a steady speed.

앫 The use of cruise control can be danger- ous on slippery roads. Rapid changes in tire traction can result in wheel spin and loss of control.

앫 Deactivate cruise control when driving

in fog.

The “Resume” function should only be oper- ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ- ously set speed and wishes to resume this particular preset speed.

The selected speed appears in the multi- function display for approximately 5 sec- onds, and the corresponding speedometer segments from the selected speed to the vehicle maximum speed are illuminated.

On uphill or downhill grades, cruise control may not be able to maintain the set speed. Once the grade eases, the set speed will be resumed.

Canceling cruise control There are several ways to cancel cruise control: 왘 Step on the brake pedal. or 왘 Briefly push the cruise control lever to

position 3. Cruise control will be canceled. The last speed set will be stored for later use.

1 Set current or higher speed 2 Set current or lower speed 3 Cancel cruise control 4 Resume at previously set speed

Setting current speed 왘 Accelerate or decelerate to the desired

speed.

왘 Briefly lift 1 or depress 2 the cruise

control lever. The current speed is set.

왘 Remove your foot from the accelerator

pedal. Cruise control is activated.

Controls in detail Driving systems

Moving gear selector lever to position N while driving also cancels cruise control. However, the gear se- lector lever should not be moved to position N while driving except to coast when the vehicle is in danger of skid- ding (e.g. on icy roads).

The last stored speed is canceled when you turn off the engine.

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Controls in detail Driving systems

Setting to last stored speed (“Resume” function)

Warning!

The speed stored in memory should only be set again if prevailing road conditions per- mit. Possible acceleration or deceleration differences arising from returning to preset speed could cause an accident and/or seri- ous injury to you and others.

왘 Briefly push the cruise control lever to

position 4. The cruise control will resume the last set speed.

왘 Remove your foot from the accelerator

pedal.

The selected speed appears in the multi- function display for approximately 5 sec- onds, and the corresponding speedometer segments from the selected speed to the vehicle maximum speed are illuminated.

178

Setting a higher speed 왘 Lift the cruise control lever to

position 1 and hold it until the desired speed is reached.

왘 Release the cruise control lever.

The new speed is set.

Depressing the accelerator pedal does not deactivate cruise control. After brief acceleration (e.g. for passing), cruise control will resume the last speed set.

Setting a lower speed 왘 Depress the cruise control lever to

position 2 and hold it until the desired speed is reached.

왘 Release the cruise control lever.

The new speed is set.

When you use the cruise control lever to decelerate, the transmission will au- tomatically downshift if the engine’s braking power does not slow the vehi- cle sufficiently.

Fine adjustment in 1 mph (Canada: 1 km/h) increments

Faster 왘 Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the

direction of arrow 1.

Slower 왘 Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the

direction of arrow 2.

Distronic*

When activated, the Distronic adaptive cruise control system increases driving convenience afforded by the cruise control during travel on expressways and other major roads. 앫 If the Distronic distance sensor detects a slower moving vehicle directly ahead, your vehicle speed will be reduced so that you follow that vehicle at a preset distance.

앫 If there is no vehicle directly ahead of you, Distronic will function in the same way as cruise control (컄 page 176).

Warning!

Distronic adaptive cruise control is no sub- stitute for active driving involvement. It does not react to stationary objects, nor recog- nize or predict the curvature and lane layout or the movement of vehicles ahead. Distron- ic can only apply a maximum of 20% of the vehicle’s braking power.

It is the driver’s responsibility at all times to be attentive to traffic and road conditions and to provide the steering, braking and oth- er driving inputs necessary to retain control of the vehicle.

Warning!

Distronic is a convenience system. Its speed adjustment reduction capability is intended to make cruise control more effective and usable when traffic speeds vary. However, it is not intended to, nor does it, replace the need for extreme care. The responsibility for the vehicle speed and the distance to the ve- hicle ahead, including most importantly brake operation to assure safe stopping dis- tance, always rests with the driver.

Distronic cannot take street and traffic con- ditions into account.

Controls in detail Driving systems

Warning!

Distronic requires familiarity with its opera- tional characteristics. We strongly recom- mend that you review the following information carefully before operating the system.

For operation in the USA only: This de- vice complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: 앫 This device may not cause harmful

interference, and

앫 this device must accept any inter- ference received, including interfer- ence that may cause undesired operation.

Any unauthorized modification to this device could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

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Distronic is designed and intended only to maintain a set speed and keep a set dis- tance from moving objects in front of it.

Warning!

The “Resume” function should only be oper- ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ- ously set speed and wishes to resume this particular preset speed.

Controls in detail Driving systems

Warning!

Warning!

Distronic cannot take street and traffic con- ditions into account. Only use Distronic if the road, weather and traffic conditions make it advisable to travel at a steady speed.

Warning!

Use of Distronic can be dangerous on slip- pery roads. Rapid changes in tire traction can result in wheel spin and loss of control.

Distronic does not act upon adverse sight distance conditions. Do not use Distronic during conditions of fog and heavy rain, snow or sleet.

Close attention to road and traffic condi- tions is imperative at all times, regardless of whether or not Distronic is activated.

Use of Distronic can be dangerous on wind- ing roads or in heavy traffic because condi- tions do not allow safe driving at a steady speed.

Distronic will not react to stationary objects in the roadway (e.g. a stopped vehicle in a traffic jam or a disabled vehicle). Distronic will also not respond to oncoming vehicles.

Switch off Distronic: 앫 when changing from the left to the right lane if vehicles are moving more slowly in the left lane

앫 when entering a turn lane or highway off

ramp

앫 in complex driving situations, such as in

highway construction zones

In these situations, Distronic will continue to maintain the set speed unless deactivated.

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Distronic displays in the speedometer dial

Set speed If Distronic is activated, one or two seg- ments light up around the set speed.

The vehicle speed displayed on the speedometer can briefly vary from the speed setting on the Distronic system.

Segments If Distronic detects a vehicle directly ahead, the segments from the speed of the vehicle ahead to set speed light up. If Distronic calculates that there is a dan- ger of collision 앫 the distance warning lamp l in the

instrument cluster lights up red 앫 an intermittent warning sounds

Controls in detail Driving systems

왘 Immediately brake the vehicle to avoid

a collision. Under no circumstances should the driver await the intermittent warning sound before braking. See warning note on the next page. The intermittent warning sound ceases and the red distance warning lamp l goes out when the neces- sary distance to the vehicle ahead is again established.

컄컄

181

Distronic menu in the control system In the Distronic menu you can read the cur- rent settings for Distronic. What appears in the display depends on whether Distronic and the distance warning function are turned on or off. 왘 Press button è or ÿ repeatedly

until you see one of the following dis- plays.

Controls in detail Driving systems

Warning!

Warning!

Distronic brakes your vehicle with a maxi- mum of 6.5 ft/s2 (2 m/s2). This corre- sponds to about 20% of the maximum deceleration ability of your vehicle.

Distronic brakes the vehicle in an effort to restore the preset distance or to maintain the speed. The brake pedal is automatically applied as this happens which results in the brake pedal moving.

Keep driver’s foot area clear at all times, in- cluding the area under the brake pedal. Ob- jects stored in this area may impair pedal movement which could interfere with the braking ability of the Distronic system.

Do not place your foot under the brake pedal – your foot could become caught.

An intermittent warning sounds and the distance warning lamp l in the instru- ment cluster is illuminated if the Distronic system calculates that the distance to the vehicle ahead and your vehicle’s current speed indicate that Distronic will not be ca- pable of slowing the vehicle sufficiently to maintain the preset following distance, which creates a danger of a collision.

Immediately brake the vehicle to increase the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. The warning sound is intended as a final caution that you have not interceded with your own braking inputs to avoid a potentially dangerous situation. Do not wait for the operation of the warning sig- nal to intercede with your own braking, as that will result in potentially dangerous emergency braking which will not always re- sult in an impact being avoided.

Tailgating increases the risk of an accident.

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Controls in detail Driving systems

Distronic deactivated If Distronic is deactivated, you can see the standard display of Distronic in the multi- function display.

Distronic activated If you turn Distronic on, you will see the set speed in the multifunction display for about five seconds. If Distronic is activated, you can see the following dis- play in the multifunction display.

Cruise control lever The Distronic system is operated by means of the cruise control lever. The cruise control lever is the uppermost lever found on the left-hand side of the steering column.

1 Vehicle ahead, if detected 2 Actual distance to vehicle ahead 3 Desired distance to vehicle ahead 4 Symbol for activated distance warning

function

5 Your vehicle

1 Distronic activated

1 Set current or higher speed 2 Set current or lower speed 3 Deactivate Distronic 4 Resume at previously set speed

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Controls in detail Driving systems

Activating Distronic You can activate Distronic if 앫 you are driving between 25 mph

(40 km/h) and 110 mph (180 km/h)

앫 the ESP is activated (컄 page 73) If Distronic has not been activated after pressing the cruise control lever you will see the message --- in the multifunction display. In the following cases you cannot activate Distronic: 앫 up to two minutes after starting the en-

gine

앫 when you brake 앫 if you have set the parking brake 앫 if the gear selector lever is in

position P, R or N

앫 if the ESP is switched off

Setting the current speed 왘 Accelerate or decelerate to the desired

speed.

왘 Briefly lift or depress the cruise control

lever. Distronic is activated and the current speed is set.

왘 Remove your foot from the accelerator

pedal.

If you do not take your foot off of the accelerator completely, the following message will appear in the multifunc- tion display: DISTRONIC OVERRIDE. Distronic will not work to maintain the distance to slower moving vehicle in front of you. Your vehicle speed will then be determined only by the accel- erator pedal position.

Setting a higher speed 왘 Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the direction of arrow 1 (컄 page 183) to in- crease vehicle speed in increments of 5 mph (Canada: 10 km/h). The new speed is set. The stored speed is displayed in the multifunction display for approximately five seconds (컄 page 183), and one or two segments around the stored speed light up on the speedometer (컄 page 181).

Depressing the accelerator pedal does not deactivate Distronic. After brief ac- celeration (e.g. for passing), the cruise control will resume the last speed set.

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Setting a lower speed 왘 Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the

direction of arrow 2 (컄 page 183) to decrease vehicle speed in increments of 5 mph (Canada: 10 km/h). The new speed is set. The stored speed is displayed in the multifunction display for approximately five seconds (컄 page 183), and one or two segments around the stored speed light up on the speedometer (컄 page 181).

When you use the cruise control lever to decelerate, the transmission will au- tomatically downshift if the rate of de- celeration is too low.

Controls in detail Driving systems

Fine adjustment in 1 mph (Canada: 1 km/h) increments

Setting to last stored speed (“Resume” function)

Faster 왘 Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the

direction of arrow 4 (컄 page 183).

Warning!

The speed stored in memory should only be set again if prevailing road conditions per- mit. Possible acceleration or deceleration differences arising from returning to preset speed could cause an accident and/or seri- ous injury to you and others.

왘 Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the

direction of arrow 4 (컄 page 183). Distronic is set to the last stored speed.

왘 Remove your foot from the accelerator

pedal.

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Controls in detail Driving systems

Deactivating Distronic There are several ways to deactivate the Distronic system: 왘 Briefly tip the cruise control lever in the

direction of arrow 3 (컄 page 183).

or 왘 Step on the brake pedal.

Distronic will be deactivated. The last speed set will be stored into memory.

The following message will appear in the multifunction display for approxi- mately five seconds: DISTRONIC OFF. The last stored speed is deleted when you turn off the engine.

186

Distronic deactivates automatically when: 앫 You set the parking brake. 앫 You drive slower than 25 mph

(40 km/h).

앫 The ESP is active (컄 page 73) or you

deactivate the ESP.

앫 You move the transmission selector le-

ver into position N. A signal will sound. The DISTRONIC OFF message appears in the multifunction display for approximately five seconds.

Warning!

Distronic switches off and releases the brakes when the vehicle decelerates below the minimum speed of approx. 25 mph (40 km/h) by operation of the system. At that time the driver must apply the brakes in order to reduce vehicle speed further or bring it to a stop.

Setting the following distance in Distronic You can set the specified following dis- tance for Distronic by varying the time set- ting between 1.0 and 2.0 seconds. Using this time setting and the current speed of your vehicle, Distronic calculates and sets the required following distance to the vehi- cle ahead. The set distance will be shown in the multifunction display field. The thumbwheel for making the time set- ting is located on the lower section of the center console.

Warning!

It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to select the appropriate setting given road conditions, traffic, driver’s preferred driving style and applicable laws and driving recom- mendations for safe following distance.

Controls in detail Driving systems

Decreasing distance Decreasing the distance setting tells Dis- tronic to maintain a shorter following dis- tance to the vehicle ahead. 왘 Turn thumbwheel 2 towards ®.

When pressing the brake pedal, the warn- ing sound stops. The warning sound also stops when the distance to the vehicle ahead is sufficient again without applying the brake pedal. In this case the distance warning lamp l also extinguishes.

Distance warning function When Distronic is deactivated, this func- tion will continue to warn you when recog- nizing a stationary obstacle or a slower vehicle moving in the vehicle’s path and the danger of a collision exists: 앫 The distance warning lamp l in the

instrument cluster lights up

앫 An intermittent warning sounds. If these warnings are issued, you must brake manually to maintain a safe distance and avoid a collision with the vehicle ahead.

Warning!

If the distance warning lamp l in the in- strument cluster lights up while driving and/or an intermittent warning sounds, im- mediate attention on the part of the driver is required.

As required by the traffic situation, apply the brakes and navigate around a possible ob- stacle. However, do not drive by relying on the distance warning function, as this will re- sult in an emergency braking application. Especially depending on road surface condi- tions and driver reaction, this will not always enable you to avoid a collision.

187

1 Distance warning function on/off

switch

2 Thumbwheel for setting distance

Increasing distance Increasing the distance setting tells Dis- tronic to maintain a greater following dis- tance to the vehicle ahead. 왘 Turn thumbwheel 2 towards ¯.

Controls in detail Driving systems

Complex driving situations are not al- ways fully recognized by Distronic. This could result in wrong or missing dis- tance warnings.

Driving with Distronic This section describes a number of driving situations where special precaution is re- quired on the part of the driver. Be pre- pared to brake in such situations. This will deactivate the Distronic system.

Activating 왘 Press switch 1.

Indicator lamp on the switch lights up. A loudspeaker symbol appears in the multifunction display (컄 page 183).

Deactivating 왘 Press switch 1.

Indicator lamp on the switch goes out. No loudspeaker symbol appears in the multifunction display.

Warning!

Distronic works to maintain the speed se- lected by the driver unless a moving obsta- cle proceeding directly ahead of it in the same travel direction is detected (e.g. fol- lowing another vehicle ahead of you at a dis- tance set by Distronic). This means that: 앫 Your vehicle can pass another vehicle

after you change lanes.

앫 While in a sharp turn or if the vehicle in front is in a sharp turn, Distronic could lose sight of a vehicle traveling in front of it, then your vehicle could accelerate to the previously selected speed.

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Distronic regulates only the distance be- tween your vehicle and those directly ahead of it, but does not register stationary objects in the road, e.g.: 앫 a stopped vehicle in a traffic jam 앫 a disabled vehicle 앫 an oncoming vehicle The driver must always be on the alert, ob- serve all traffic and intercede as required by steering or braking the vehicle.

Warning!

Distronic should not be used in snowy or icy road conditions.

The most likely cause for a malfunctioning system is a dirty sensor (located behind the hood grill), especially at times of snow and ice or heavy rain. In such a case, Dis- tronic will switch off, and the message DISTRONIC - CLEAN SENSOR! SEE OPERA- TOR'S MAN. appears in the multifunction display. For cleaning and care of the Distronic sen- sor, see “Cleaning the Distronic system sensor” (컄 page 259).

If the message DISTRONIC - CLEAN SENSOR! SEE OPER. MANUAL disappears during driving and the last speed stored flashes for approximately five seconds, the dirt (e.g. slush) has dissolved; Distronic is again operational.

Turns and bends

In turns or bends, Distronic may not detect a moving vehicle in front, or it may detect one too soon. This may cause your vehicle to brake late or unexpectedly.

Controls in detail Driving systems

Offset driving

A vehicle traveling in your lane but offset from your direct line of travel may not be detected by Distronic. There will be insuffi- cient distance to the vehicle ahead.

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Controls in detail Driving systems

Lane changing

Narrow vehicles

Active Body Control (ABC)

The ABC system automatically selects the optimum suspension tuning and ride height for your vehicle.

Suspension tuning The suspension tuning is set according to: 앫 your driving style 앫 road surface conditions 앫 the vehicle loading 앫 your choice of suspension style,

“sporty” or “regular”, which you select using the ABC switch The selected suspension style is stored in memory, even after the key is re- moved from the starter switch.

Distronic has not yet detected the vehicle changing lanes. There will be insufficient distance to the lane changing vehicle.

Because of their narrow profiles, the vehi- cles traveling near the outer edges of the lane have not yet been detected by Dis- tronic. There will be insufficient distance to the vehicle ahead.

190

Suspension for regular driving The setting for regular driving is selected when indicator lamp 2 is off. 왘 Press ABC switch 1 to change from sporty driving suspension to regular suspension. Indicator lamp 2 goes out.

Vehicle level control Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride height to 앫 reduce fuel consumption 앫 increase vehicle safety The vehicle chassis ride height is raised or lowered according to the selected level setting and to the vehicle speed: 앫 With increasing speed, ride height is re-

duced by up to a maximum of 0.95 inches (24 mm).

앫 With decreasing speed, the ride height is again raised to the selected vehicle level.

Controls in detail Driving systems

These height adjustments are so small that you may not notice any change.

Select the level 1 and 2 settings only when required by current driving conditions. Otherwise 앫 fuel consumption may increase 앫 handling may be impaired

Warning!

To help avoid personal injury, keep hands and feet away from wheel housing area, and stay away from under the vehicle when low- ering the vehicle chassis.

191

1 ABC switch 2 Indicator lamp 왘 Start the engine.

Suspension for sporty driving The setting for sporty driving is selected when indicator lamp 2 is illuminated. 왘 Press ABC switch 1 to change from regular suspension to sporty driving suspension. Indicator lamp 2 comes on.

Controls in detail Driving systems

The following vehicle level settings can be selected when the vehicle is stationary:

Vehicle level when stationary Normal level Raised level 1

Raised level 2

1 Dependent on load

Use for

Normal operation Driving with snow chains (컄 page 253) Very rough road surface conditions

The switch and the indicator lamps are lo- cated in the upper part of the center con- sole.

Automatic lowering

Ride height increase over normal None Max. 0.55 in (14 mm)1 Max. approx. 0.55 in (14 mm) One lamp on

Indicator lamps (컄 page 192) Max. approx. 0.4 in (11 mm) Both lamps off

Max. 0.95 in (24 mm)1 Max. approx. 0.95 in (24 mm) Both lamps on

왘 Briefly press switch 2 to change from one level setting to the next. When ve- hicle is at raised level 2, pressing the switch will return the vehicle to normal level. The message:

ACTIVE BODY CONTROL VEHICLE RISING!

appears in the multifunction display. The display switches off when the vehi- cle is raised.

1 Indicator lamps 2 Vehicle level control switch

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i Pressing the switch twice in quick suc- cession will cause the vehicle to imme- diately raise or lower according to the starting level. The selected vehicle level setting re- mains stored in memory even if the en- gine is turned off and restarted.

Normal level (see table) Speed dependent lowering of vehicle chas- sis (approximate values): 앫 between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 40 mph

(65 km/h) – none

앫 between 40 mph (65 km/h) and

87 mph (140 km/h) – lowered pro- gressively by approx. 0.4 in (11 mm).

Controls in detail Driving systems

Raised level 1 (see table) Speed dependent lowering of vehicle chas- sis (approximate values) 앫 between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 38 mph (60 km/h) - raised by approx. 0.55 in (14 mm)

앫 between 38 mph (60 km/h) and

100 mph (160 km/h) - lowered pro- gressively by approx. 0.55 in (14 mm)

Raised level 2 (see table) Speed dependent lowering of vehicle chas- sis (approximate values): 앫 between 0 mph (0 km/h) and 18 mph (30 km/h) - raised by approx. 0.95 in (24 mm)

앫 between 18 mph (30 km/h) and

38 mph (60 km/h) - lowered progres- sively by approx. 0.4 in (10 mm) 앫 between 38 mph (60 km/h) and

100 mph (160 km/h) – lowered pro- gressively by additional approx. 0.55 in (14 mm).

Parktronic system* (Parking assist)

Warning!

Parktronic is a supplemental system. It is not intended to, nor does it replace, the need for extreme care. The responsibility during parking and other critical maneuvers always rests with the driver.

Special attention must be paid to objects with smooth surfaces or low silhouettes (e.g. trailer couplings, painted posts, or road curbs). Such objects may not be detected by the system and can damage the vehicle.

The operational function of the Parktronic can be affected by dirty sensors, especially at times of snow and ice, see “Cleaning the Parktronic system sensors” (컄 page 259). Interference caused by other ultrasonic sig- nals (e.g. working jackhammers or the air brakes of trucks) can cause the system to send erratic indications, and should be tak- en into consideration.

193

The Parktronic system monitors the sur- roundings of your vehicle with six sensors in the front bumper and four sensors in the rear bumper.

Range of the sensors To function properly, the sensors must be free of dirt, ice, snow and slush. Clean the sensors regularly, being careful not to scratch or damage the sensors.

1 Sensors in the front bumper

Controls in detail Driving systems

Warning!

Make sure that no persons or animals are in the area in which you are maneuvering. You could otherwise injure them.

The Parktronic system is an electronic aid designed to assist the driver during park- ing maneuvers. It visually and audibly indi- cates the relative distance between the vehicle and an obstacle. The Parktronic system is automatically ac- tivated when you switch on the ignition and release the parking brake. The Park- tronic system deactivates at speeds over 11 mph (18 km/h). At lower speeds the Parktronic system turns on again.

194

Front sensors

Minimum distance

Center Corners

approx. 40 in (100 cm) approx. 24 in (60 cm)

Center Corners

approx. 8 in (20 cm) approx. 6 in (15 cm)

Rear sensors

Center Corners

approx. 48 in (120 cm) approx. 32 in (80 cm)

During parking maneuvers, pay special attention to objects located above or below the height of the sensors (e.g. planters or trailer hitches). The Park- tronic system will not detect such ob- jects at close range and damage to your vehicle or the object may result. Ultrasonic signals from outside sourc- es (e.g. truck air brakes or jackham- mers) may impair the operation of the Parktronic system.

If the system detects an obstacle in this range, all the warning lamps light up and you hear a warning signal. If the obstacle is closer than the minimum distance, the ac- tual distance might no longer be indicated by the system.

Warning indicators

1 Left front area warning indicator

Controls in detail Driving systems

2 Right front area warning indicator Visual signals indicate to the driver the rel- ative distance between the sensors and an obstacle. The warning indicators for the front area are located above the left air vents 1 and center air vents 2 in the dash- board. The warning indicator for the rear area is integrated in the rear trim. Each warning indicator is divided into six yellow and two red segments for either side of the vehicle. The Parktronic system is ready when the border around the indi- cator is illuminated.

195

Controls in detail Driving systems

The position of the gear selector lever de- termines which warning indicators will be activated.

Selector lever position R or N

Warning indicator

Front area activated Rear and front area activated Neither activated

As your vehicle approaches an object, one or more segments will light up, depending on the distance between your vehicle and the object. When the eighth segment lights up, you have reached the minimum dis- tance. 앫 Front area: An intermittent acoustic

warning will sound as the first red seg- ment lights up and a constant acoustic warning, both lasting a maximum of three seconds, will sound for the eighth segment, i.e. the second red segment. The signal is canceled when the gear selector lever is placed in position P.

196

앫 Rear area: An intermittent acoustic

warning will sound as the first red seg- ment lights up and a constant acoustic warning, both lasting a maximum of three seconds, will sound for the eighth segment, i.e. the second red segment. The signal is canceled when the gear selector lever is placed in position D or P.

Switching the Parktronic system on/off You can switch off the Parktronic system manually.

The Parktronic switch is located in the up- per section of the center console.

1 Parktronic on/off 2 Indicator lamp

Switching off the Parktronic system 왘 Press switch 1.

Indicator lamp 2 comes on.

Switching on the Parktronic system 왘 Press switch 1 again.

Indicator lamp 2 goes out.

Controls in detail Loading

Loading instructions

The total load weight including vehicle oc- cupants and luggage/cargo should not ex- ceed the vehicle capacity weight indicated on the certification tag which can be found on the left door pillar.

Loading Roof rack*

Warning!

Preparing roof rack installation 왘 Open trim at the trim strips in the roof. 왘 Secure the roof rack according to man- ufacturer’s instructions for installation.

Use only roof racks approved by Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model to avoid damage to the vehicle. Follow manu- facturer’s installation instructions.

Load the roof rack in such a way that the vehicle cannot be damaged while driving. Make sure that 앫 you can fully raise the sliding/

pop-up roof

앫 you can fully open the trunk

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Controls in detail Loading

Warning!

Cargo tie-down hooks

Always fasten items being carried as secure- ly as possible.

In an accident, during hard braking or sud- den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown around inside the vehicle and can cause in- jury to vehicle occupants unless the items are securely fastened in the vehicle.

To help avoid personal injury during a colli- sion or sudden maneuver, exercise care when transporting cargo. Put luggage or car- go in the trunk if possible. Do not pile lug- gage or cargo higher than the seat backs. Do not place anything on the rear-window shelf.

Never drive vehicle with trunk open. Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may enter ve- hicle interior resulting in unconsciousness and death.

198

Six hooks are located in the trunk. 왘 Carefully secure cargo by applying

even load on all hooks with rope of suf- ficient strength to hold down the cargo.

Useful features Interior storage spaces

Warning!

Glove box

To help avoid personal injury during a colli- sion or sudden maneuver, exercise care when stowing objects in the vehicle. Put lug- gage or cargo in the trunk if possible. Do not pile luggage or cargo higher than the seat backs.

Luggage nets cannot secure hard or heavy objects.

Keep compartment lids closed. This will help to prevent stored objects from being thrown about and injuring vehicle occupants during an accident.

1 Unlocked position 2 Locked position 3 Glove box lid release

Controls in detail Useful features

Opening the glove box 왘 Press button 3.

The glove box lid opens downward.

The glove box can be locked and un- locked with the mechanical key.

Closing the glove box 왘 Push lid up to close.

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Controls in detail Useful features

Storage compartment in the glove box A storage compartment is located in the cover of the glove box. It can be used to store check cards, pens, a flashlight, etc.

Storage compartment in front of arm- rest

Storage compartment below the front armrest The buttons are located under the cushion of the armrest. The storage compartment below the front armrest is illuminated with the exterior lamps switched on.

1 Storage compartment in glove box 왘 Lightly press the marking on the lid of

storage compartment 1. The lid opens upward.

Opening The compartment contains a cup holder (컄 page 202). 왘 Lightly touch cover plate 1.

The cover opens automatically.

An AUX socket is located in the glove box. Portable audio devices can be plugged in here.

Closing 왘 Lightly push the cover plate 1 up until it

engages in lock.

1 Button to open storage compartment 2 Button to open storage tray

200

! Do not let bank cards, credit cards or other cards with a magnetic strip come near the storage tray as a magnet built into the tray could erase or change the information on the card.

Storage compartment between rear seats

Opening storage compartment The compartment contains a coin holder. 왘 Press button 1 and lift the armrest.

The storage compartment can be heat- ed or cooled. The compartment can get very warm due to its confined space. When storing heat-sensitive objects in the compart- ment, close the air vent while heating the passenger compartment.

Do not obstruct the air vent in the stor- age compartment.

Opening storage tray 왘 Press button 2 and lift up the armrest.

1 Cover

Opening 왘 Slide cover 1 rearward.

Controls in detail Useful features

Closing 왘 Slide cover 1 forward.

Storage compartments under the front seats

1 Lid 2 Buttons

Opening 왘 Press the buttons 2 together and fold

the lid 1 down.

Closing 왘 Close the lid 1 until both buttons 2 of

lock engage.

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Controls in detail Useful features

Cup holder in front of seat armrest

Folding cup holder out

Warning!

When not in use, keep the cup holder closed while traveling. Place only containers that fit into the cup holder to prevent spills. Use lids on open containers and do not fill containers to a height where the contents, especially hot liquids, could spill during vehicle maneu- vers.

202

왘 Open the storage compartment in front

of the armrest (컄 page 200).

왘 Push button 1.

The cup holder opens automatically.

왘 Push button 2.

The second cup holder folds out in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Folding cup holder in

Cup holder in rear seat armrest

Controls in detail Useful features

왘 Press the second cup holder in the di-

rection of arrow 3 until it engages.

왘 Press release button 4 and fold the cup holder into the storage compartment until it engages.

왘 Close the storage compartment.

Warning!

When not in use, keep the cup holder closed while traveling. Place only containers that fit into the cup holder to prevent spills. Use lids on open containers and do not fill containers to a height where the contents, especially hot liquids, could spill during vehicle maneu- vers.

203

Controls in detail Useful features

Auxiliary cup holder You can fasten the auxiliary cup holder onto the left front side of the passenger seat.

Inserting the auxiliary cup holder

Opening cup holder 왘 Push front of sliding compartment 1.

The cup holder slides out.

Closing cup holder 왘 Push sliding compartment 1 back until

it engages.

1 Cover 왘 Pull up the cover and place it in a

storage compartment.

2 Insert 3 Auxiliary cup holder 왘 Press auxiliary cup holder 3 in the di- rection of the arrow until it snaps in place. You can now place a larger container in the holder. For even larger containers you can remove insert 2. Make sure that the container does not press against the glove box.

204

Controls in detail Useful features

Warning!

When not in use, remove the auxiliary cup holder. Place only containers that fit into the auxiliary cup holder to prevent spills. Use lids on open containers and do not fill con- tainers to a height where the contents, es- pecially hot liquids, could spill during vehicle maneuvers.

When you move the seat forward, the auxiliary cup holder turns to the side. When you move the seat back, turn the auxiliary cup holder back until it stops in its original position.

Removing the auxiliary cup holder 왘 Pull the auxiliary cup holder 3

(컄 page 204) up and out of the recep- tacle and place it in a storage compart- ment.

Parcel net in front passenger footwell A small convenience parcel net is located in the front passenger footwell. It is for small and light items, such as road maps, mail, etc.

왘 Install cover 1 (컄 page 204) on the opening. Press cover down until it snaps in place.

Warning!

Do not place heavy or fragile objects, or ob- jects having sharp edges, in the parcel net.

In an accident, during hard braking or sud- den maneuvers, they could be thrown around inside the vehicle and cause injury to vehicle occupants.

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Controls in detail Useful features

Parcel net in trunk You can hang a parcel net in the trunk. The hooks and the parcel net in the trunk can hold a load of up to 29.8 lbs (13.5 kg).

Ashtrays

Removing ashtray insert

Center console ashtray

Warning!

Remove front ashtray only with vehicle standing still. Set the parking brake to se- cure vehicle from movement. Move gear se- lector lever to position N. With gear selector lever in position N, turn off the engine.

왘 Prevent vehicle from moving by setting the parking brake. Move the selector lever to position N. Now you have more room to remove the insert.

왘 Push sliding button 1 to the right.

The ashtray is disengaged and slides out a short way out.

왘 Remove insert from ashtray frame.

Reinstalling the ashtray insert 왘 Install insert by pushing back into

frame until it engages again.

왘 Hang the parcel net on hooks 1 on the

left and right sides of the trunk.

Opening ashtray 왘 Briefly touch cover plate.

The parcel net cannot protect or suffi- ciently secure goods in the event of an accident.

The ashtray opens automatically.

206

Rear seat ashtray

Cigarette lighter

Opening ashtray 왘 Pull at top of cover to open ashtray.

Removing ashtray insert 왘 Press latch 1 to disengage ashtray in-

sert and remove it.

Reinstalling the ashtray insert 왘 Install ashtray insert. 왘 Close the ashtray.

1 Cigarette lighter 왘 Make sure the ignition is switched on. All the lamps in the instrument cluster should light up.

왘 Push in cigarette lighter 1.

The lighter will pop out automatically when hot.

Controls in detail Useful features

Warning!

Never touch the heating element or sides of the lighter; they are extremely hot. Hold the knob only.

When leaving the vehicle, always remove the key from the starter switch, take the KEYLESS-GO* card with you and lock the ve- hicle. Do not leave children unattended in the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip- ment may cause an accident and/or seri- ous personal injury.

The lighter socket can be used to ac- commodate electrical accessories up to a maximum 85 W.

207

Controls in detail Useful features

Heated steering wheel*

The steering wheel heating warms up the leather area of the steering wheel. The lever is on the lower left-hand side of the steering wheel.

1 Switching on 2 Indicator lamp 3 Switching off

208

Switching on 왘 Make sure the ignition is switched on. All the lamps in the instrument cluster should light up.

왘 Turn lever in direction of arrow 1.

The steering wheel is heated. Indicator lamp 2 lights up.

Switching off 왘 Turn the lever in direction of arrow 3. The steering wheel heating is turned off. Indicator lamp 2 goes out.

The steering wheel heating does not turn off automatically.

Telephone*

Warning!