tow MERCEDES-BENZ CL-Class 2008 C216 Comand Manual

363 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Power closing assist for doors and trunk lid
It is not necessary to slam the door or
trunk lid closed. An electrical power-assist-
ed mechanism draws doors and trunk lid
closed quietly and automatically once door
and trunk lid has been latched. When the
electrical power-assisted mechanism has
stopped, doors and/or trunk can be
re-opened.

Power closing assist for doors: Press
the doors gently past the initial engage
position into the lock.
The doors close automatically.

Power closing assist for trunk lid:
Press the trunk lid gently into its lock.
The trunk closes automatically.For more information on closing the trunk
lid, see “Closing trunk” (
page 501).
Automatic central locking
The doors and the trunk automatically lock
when the ignition is switched on and the
wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of ap-
proximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or more. The
locking knobs in the doors move down.
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
You can deactivate the automatic locking
using the COMAND system (
page 263).
Warning!
G
To prevent possible personal injury, always
keep hands and fingers away from the door
or trunk lid opening when closing a door or
the trunk. Be especially careful when small
children are around.
In case of danger, pull the inside or outside
door handle, or pull the trunk lid handle.
To prevent personal injury, never actuate
the closing assist mechanism by tampering
with the door or trunk lid latch.
Warning!
G
Only drive with the doors closed. Otherwise,
one or more of the doors could open while
the vehicle is in motion, putting you and/or
others at risk.Warning!
G
Make sure the trunk is closed when the en-
gine is running and while driving. Among
other dangers, deadly carbon monoxide
(CO) gases may enter the vehicle interior re-
sulting in unconsciousness and death.
i
The doors are designed to unlock automati-
cally after an accident if the force of the impact
exceeds a preset threshold. The vehicle locks au-
tomatically when the ignition is switched on and
the wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of ap-
proximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or more. You
could therefore lock yourself out when the vehi-
cle


is pushed or towed


is on a test stand

405 Controls in detail
Power windows
Vehicles with SmartKey

Aim transmitter eye of the SmartKey
towards the sensor in the driver’s door
handle. The SmartKey must be in close
proximity to the driver’s door handle.

Press and hold button ‹ until the
side windows and the tilt/sliding sun-
roof are completely closed.
The vehicle is locked.

Release button ‹ to interrupt pro-
cedure.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*
1Sensor surface on door handleThe SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO must be
located outside the vehicle within approxi-
mately 3 ft (1 m) of a door.

Close both doors.

Touch and hold sensor surface1 until
the windows and the tilt/sliding sun-
roof are completely closed.
The vehicle is locked.

Release sensor surface1 to interrupt
procedure.
anyone being harmed by the closing pro-
cedure, press and hold button‹.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:


Release the sensor surface on the out-
side door handle (
page 405) to stop
the closing procedure.


Immediately pull on the same outside
door handle and hold firmly. The side
windows and the tilt/sliding sunroof will
open for as long as the outside door
handle is held but the door is not
opened.
i
Make sure that you are only touching the
sensor surface.

412 Controls in detailDriving and parkingParking
Electronic parking brakeWarning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and the
steering systems. In this case, it is impor-
tant to keep in mind that a considerably
higher degree of effort is necessary to brake
and steer the vehicle.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay, or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:

Keep right foot on brake pedal.


Engage electronic parking brake.


Shift the automatic transmission to park
position P.


Slowly release brake pedal.


When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.


Turn the SmartKey to starter switch
position0 and remove, or press
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button
(page 366).


Take the SmartKey or the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* with you and lock vehicle
when leaving.
Warning!
G
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
from the starter switch, take it with you and
lock the vehicle. Do not leave children unat-
tended in the vehicle, or with access to an
unlocked vehicle. Children could release the
electronic parking brake and/or shift the
automatic transmission out of park
positionP, either of which could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.

413 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
1Handle for electronic parking brake
Manually releasing electronic parking
brake
Pull handle1.
The red indicator lamp 0 (USA only)
or ! (Canada only) in the instru-
ment cluster goes out.
You cannot release the electronic parking
brake until the ignition is switched on.Automatically releasing electronic
parking brake
Your vehicle’s electronic parking brake is
automatically released when:


The engine is running.


Transmission is in drive position D or
reverse gearR.


The hood is closed.


You have fastened your seat belt.


You step on the accelerator pedal.
If reverse gear R is engaged, the trunk
must be closed.
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle with the automat-
ic transmission not fully engaged in park
positionPis dangerous. Also, when parked
on an incline, park positionP alone may not
prevent your vehicle from moving, possibly
hitting people or objects.
Always engage the electronic parking brake
in addition to shifting to park positionP
(page 406).
When parked on an incline, turn front wheels
towards the road curb.
i
If you have not fastened your seat belt, the
following conditions must be met in order for the
electronic parking brake to be automatically re-
leased:


The driver’s door is closed.


You must move the gear selector out of park
positionP or drive faster than 2 mph
(3 km/h).

415 Controls in detail
Driving and parking
Turning off the engine 
Shift the automatic transmission to
park positionP (
page 421).
Turning off with SmartKey

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0 (
page 365) and remove
it.
The immobilizer is activated.Turning off with KEYLESS-GO*

Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button (
page 366) to turn off the en-
gine.
With the driver’s door closed, the start-
er switch is now in position1. With the
driver’s door opened, the starter switch
is set to position0, same as SmartKey
removed from starter switch
(
page 365).
i
If the engine cannot be turned off as de-
scribed, see “Emergency engine shut-down”
(
page 717).Warning!
G
Do not turn off the engine before the vehicle
has come to a complete stop. With the en-
gine not running, there is no power assis-
tance for the brake and steering systems. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that
a considerably higher degree of effort is nec-
essary to brake and steer the vehicle.
!
Observe instructions


when taking the vehicle through an
automatic conveyor type car wash
(page 598)


when towing the vehicle (
page 710)
!
If you turn off the engine using the
SmartKey and


remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or


open a door
the transmission will shift to park positionP
automatically.
Keep in mind that turning off the engine with the
SmartKey alone only will automatically shift the
transmission to neutral positionN.
i
In an emergency you can turn off the engine
while driving by pressing and holding the
KEYLESS-GO start/ stop button for
approximately 3 seconds.
!
If you turn off the engine using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button and open the
driver’s or passenger door, the transmission will
shift to park positionP automatically.
Keep in mind that turning off the engine using
the KEYLESS-GO start/stop button alone only
will automatically shift the transmission to
neutral positionN.


422 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission
If you want the gear position to remain in
neutral positionN, e.g. when taking the
vehicle through an automatic conveyor
type car wash or when towing the vehicle,
observe the following instructions.
!
DISTRONIC Plus*:
The transmission will shift to park positionP
automatically, only when DISTRONIC Plus brings
your vehicle to a standstill, and when it meets at
least one of the following conditions at the same
time:


The engine is turned off.


A door opens and the seat belt is not en-
gaged in the buckle.


The hood is released.


The trunk lid is open while reverse gearR is
engaged.


The vehicle is parked for an extended period.
In addition to shifting to park positionP, the
electronic parking brake will be engaged auto-
matically.
i
Make it a practice to always shift into park
positionP before turning off the engine and


remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or


open a door
or when using KEYLESS-GO*, before turning off
the engine with the start/stop button and open-
ing a door.
Effect
í
Reverse gear
Shift into reverse gearR only
when the vehicle is stopped.
ë
Neutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive axle. When
the brakes are released, the
vehicle can be moved freely
(pushed or towed).
To avoid damage to the trans-
mission, never shift into neutral
positionN while driving.
If the ESP
® is deactivated or
malfunctioning:
Shift into neutral positionN only
if the vehicle is in danger of
skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
!
If you turn off the engine using the
SmartKey or the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button, the transmission will shift to neutral
positionN automatically.
Warning!
G
When leaving the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* in the starter switch, do
not leave children unattended in the vehicle.
It is possible for children to switch on the
ignition which could result in unsupervised
use of vehicle equipment. Unsupervised use
of vehicle equipment could result in an
accident and/or serious personal injury.

423 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Vehicles with SmartKey:
With the vehicle at a standstill and the
ignition switched on shift the
automatic transmission to neutral
positionN.

If engaged, manually release the
electronic parking brake (
page 413).

Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:

With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.

With the ignition switched on shift the
automatic transmission to park
positionP.

Release the brake pedal.

Remove the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button from the starter switch
(page 366).

Insert the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO
into the starter switch.

Switch on the ignition.

Depress the brake pedal.

Shift the automatic transmission to
neutral positionN.

Release the brake pedal.

If engaged, manually release the
electronic parking brake (
page 413).

Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO in the
starter switch.
!
Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other
reason in neutral positionN can result in trans-
mission damage that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!
Observe instructions


when taking the vehicle through an
automatic conveyor type car wash
(page 598)


when towing the vehicle (
page 710)
Effect
ê
Drive
The transmission shifts
automatically. All forward gears
are available.
Warning!
G
Getting out of your vehicle without shifting
into park positionP is dangerous. Also, park
positionP alone is not intended to or capa-
ble of preventing your vehicle from moving,
possibly hitting people or objects.
Always engage the electronic parking brake
(page 412) in addition to shifting to park
positionP.
When parked on an incline, turn the front
wheels towards the road curb.
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.

449 Controls in detail
Driving systems
DISTRONIC Plus lever
The DISTRONIC Plus system is operated by
means of the DISTRONIC Plus lever.
1Setting current or higher speed
Adjustment in 1 mph increments (to
the resistance point) or 5 mph
increments (past the resistance point)
(Canada: 1 km/h or 10 km/h)
2Setting current or lower speed
Adjustment in 1 mph increments (to
the resistance point) or 5 mph
increments (past the resistance point)
(Canada: 1 km/h or 10 km/h)
3Canceling DISTRONIC Plus
4Activating DISTRONIC Plus or resum-
ing to last set speed5Setting target distance
Activating DISTRONIC Plus
You can activate DISTRONIC Plus when:


you are driving slower than 20 mph
(30 km/h) and DISTRONIC Plus has
detected a vehicle ahead of you


you are driving above 20 mph
(30 km/h)
If DISTRONIC Plus has not been activated
after pressing the DISTRONIC Plus lever,
you will see the message: “DISTRONIC
PLUS - - - mph” (Canada: “DISTRONIC PLUS
- - - kmh”) in the multifunction display.
Warning!
G
When DISTRONIC Plus is braking, the brake
pedal is retracted (i.e. depressed automati-
cally). The pedals’ range of motion must not
be impeded by any obstacles:

Do not place any objects in the footwell.


Make sure that the floor mats and car-
pets are securely in place.


Do not rest your foot underneath the
brake pedal, as it could otherwise be
trapped.
You could otherwise cause an accident and
injure yourself and others.
Warning!
G
When DISTRONIC Plus is switched on, the
vehicle can be braked. You should therefore
switch off DISTRONIC Plus if the vehicle
must be towed.i
The maximum speed you can set is 120 mph
(Canada: 200 km/h).

469 Controls in detail
Driving systems
The Park Assist system deactivates at
speeds over approximately 10 mph
(16 km/h). At lower speeds the Parktronic
system turns on again.
Park Assist is also switched off when you
set the automatic transmission to park
positionP or switch off the engine.
While the transmission is in neutral
positionN, Park Assist is switched off if
you secure the vehicle in place with the
electronic.
The Park Assist system monitors the sur-
roundings of your vehicle with four sensors
in the front bumper and two sensors in the
rear bumper.
Range of the sensors
The sensors of the Park Assist system are
integrated in the front and rear bumpers.
Make sure that the bumpers are clear of
dirt, ice and slush in the area of the sen-
sors, as otherwise, Park Assist may not
function properly, see “Cleaning the driv-
ing systems sensors” (
page 601).Front sensors
Rear sensors
i
Due to the sensors’ broad detection range,
it is possible that Park Assist also detects the fol-
lowing obstacles and issues a warning:


obstacles in the ground, e.g. sewer canal
covers, rails, bumps in the road or gutters


obstacles moving upward quickly, e.g. rolling
garage doors
Center
approx. 40 in (100 cm)
Corners
approx. 24 in (60 cm)
Center
approx. 50 in (125 cm)
Corners
approx. 24 in (60 cm)
!
While parking, pay particular attention to ob-
jects over or underneath the sensors, e.g. flower
boxes, an elevated crossbar or a trailer tow
hitch. Park Assist does not detect such nearby
objects. You could otherwise damage the vehicle
or the objects.

471 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Collision warning
Park Assist can detect obstacles from a
considerable distance. If you drive in re-
verse towards an obstacle, you will hear a
warning tone. You must then brake in or-
der to avoid a collision. The warning tone
for a collision will not sound when the vehi-
cle is at a standstill very close to the obsta-
cle. In this case, you will hear a
corresponding tone for the warning indica-
tor in the rear area.
Switching Park Assist system on/off
The Park Assist system can be switched off
manually.
The Park Assist button with the indicator
lamp is located on the control panel on the
right-hand side of the instrument cluster.1Park Assist button
2Indicator lamp

Switching off Park Assist system:
Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2 comes on.

Switching on Park Assist system:
Press button 1 again.
Indicator lamp 2 goes out.
Advanced Parking Guidance*
Advanced Parking Guidance is an electron-
ic parking aid equipped with radar sensors
that scan the area on both sides of vehicle.
When suitable parking space is found it is
shown in the display and you receive steer-
ing instructions for parking in that space.
i
During strong rainfall, the collision warning
may be triggered, for example, by water splash-
ing into the area of the sensors.
i
When the indicator lamp is illuminated, the
Park Assist system is switched off.
i
The Park Assist system is automatically
switched on when the ignition (
page 365) and
radar sensors are switched on (page 302).
Warning!
G
Advanced Parking Guidance is only an aid
and may display parking spaces that are not
suitable e.g. due to parking regulations, un-
suitable road/ground surfaces, driveways,
entrances/exits, etc.