MERCEDES-BENZ G55AMG 2006 W463 Owner's Manual

120 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
A full view illustration of the instrument
cluster can be found in the “At a glance”
section of this manual (
page 24).
1Reset button
The instrument cluster is activated when
you:

Open a door.

Switch on ignition.

Press reset button1.

Switch on the exterior lamps.
You can change the instrument cluster set-
tings in the Instrument cluster submenu of
the control system (
page 136).
Instrument cluster illumination
Use the reset button to adjust the illumina-
tion brightness for the instrument cluster.
To brighten illumination
Turn reset button1 in the instrument
cluster clockwise.
The instrument cluster illumination will
brighten.To dim illumination
Turn reset button1 in the instrument
cluster counterclockwise.
The instrument cluster illumination will
dim.
Coolant temperature display
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The instrument cluster illumination is
dimmed or brightened automatically to
suit ambient light conditions.
The instrument cluster illumination will
also be adjusted automatically when
you switch on the vehicle’s exterior
lamps.
Warning!G

Driving when your engine is badly over-
heated can cause some fluids which
may have leaked into the engine com-
partment to catch fire. You could be se-
riously burned.

Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns and can occur just
by opening the hood. Stay away from
the engine if you see or hear steam com-
ing from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.

121 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Switch on the ignition (page 35).
Call up the trip odometer and main
odometer (
page 123) by pressing
buttonè orÿ on the multifunc-
tion steering wheel (
page 124).
Press buttonj ork until the
coolant temperature display appears.During severe operating conditions, e.g.
stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tempera-
ture may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature above 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious en-
gine damage which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Trip odometer
Make sure you are viewing the trip
odometer display (
page 123).
If it is not displayed, press buttonè
orÿ on the multifunction steering
wheel (
page 124) until the trip
odometer appears.
Press and hold the reset button on the
instrument cluster (
page 120) until
the trip odometer is reset.
Tachometer
The red marking on the tachometer de-
notes excessive engine speed.
To help protect the engine, the fuel supply
is interrupted if the engine is operated
within the red marking.
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Excessive coolant temperature triggers
a warning in the multifunction display
(
page 308).
!
Avoid driving at excessive engine
speeds, as it may result in serious en-
gine damage that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

122 Controls in detail
Instrument cluster
Outside temperature indicator
The outside temperature is displayed in
the multifunction display (
page 123).
For information on how to select the unit of
the displayed temperature, i.e. degrees
Celsius (°C) or degrees Fahrenheit (°F),
see “Selecting temperature display mode”
(
page 136).The temperature sensor is located in the
front bumper area. Due to its location, the
sensor can be affected by road or engine
heat during idling or slow driving. This
means that the accuracy of the displayed
temperature can only be verified by com-
parison to a thermometer placed next to
the sensor, not by comparison to external
displays (e.g. bank signs, etc.).When moving the vehicle into colder ambi-
ent temperatures (e.g. when leaving your
garage), you will notice a delay before the
lower temperature is displayed.
A delay also occurs when ambient temper-
atures rise. This prevents inaccurate tem-
perature indications caused by heat
radiated from the engine during idling or
slow driving.
Warning!G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.

123 Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as
the SmartKey in the starter switch is
turned to position1. The control system
enables you to

call up information about your vehicle

change vehicle settings
For example, you can use the control sys-
tem to find out when your vehicle is next
due for service, to set the language for
messages in the instrument cluster display
and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1Trip odometer
2Main odometer
3Outside temperature
4Clock
1
5Current gear selector lever position
6Transfer case program mode
Warning!G
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his /her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others, se-
lecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions per-
mit it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet
(approximately 14 m) every second.
1See separate operating instructions for the
COMAND system for clock setting.

124 Controls in detail
Control system
Multifunction steering wheel
The displays in the multifunction display
and the settings in the control system are
controlled by the buttons on the multifunc-
tion steering wheel.1Multifunction display
Operating the control system:
2Selecting a submenu or setting the
volume:
Press button
æup / to increase
çdown / to decrease
3Telephone*:
Press button
sto take a call, or
to dial a call
tto end a call, or
to reject an incoming call
4Menu systems:
Press button
èfor next menu
ÿfor previous menu
5Moving within a menu:
Press button
jfor next display
kfor previous display
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G55AMG:
The steering wheel in this vehicle may
vary from steering wheel shown.
However, multifunction steering wheel
symbols and feature description apply
to AMG vehicles as well.

125 Controls in detail
Control system
Pressing any of the buttons on the multi-
function steering wheel will alter what is
shown in the multifunction display.
The information available in the multifunc-
tion display is arranged in menus, each
containing a number of functions or sub-
menus.
The individual functions are then found
within the relevant menu (radio or CD op-
erations under
AUDIO, for example). These
functions serve to call up relevant informa-
tion or to customize the settings for your
vehicle.It is helpful to think of the menus, and the
functions within each menu, as being ar-
ranged in a circular pattern.

If you press buttonè orÿ
repeatedly, you will pass through each
menu one after the other.

If you press buttonk orj
repeatedly, you will pass through each
function display, one after the other, in
the current menu.In the
SETTINGS... menu, instead of func-
tions you will find a number of submenus
for calling up and changing settings. For in-
structions on using these submenus, see
the “Settings menu” section (
page 132).
The number of menus available in the sys-
tem depends on which optional equipment
is installed in your vehicle.
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The headings used in the menus table
are designed to facilitate navigation
within the system and are not neces-
sarily identical to those shown in the
control system displays.
The first function displayed in each
menu will automatically show you
which part of the system you are in.

126 Controls in detail
Control system
MenusThis is what you will see when you scroll
through the menus.The table below provides an overview of
the individual menus.

127 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Menu1Menu2Menu3Menu4Menu5Menu6Menu7
Standard
displayAUDIONAVIVehicle status
message
memorySettingsTrip computerTEL
(page 128)(page 128)(page 130)(page 131)(page 132)(page 145)(page 146)
Commands/submenu
Coolant
temperature
displaySelect radio
stationShow route guid-
ance instruc-
tions, current
direction trav-
eledCall up vehicle
malfunction,
warning and
system status
messages stored
in memoryReset to factory
settingsFuel
consumption
statistics after
startLoad phone book
Digital
speedometerSelect satellite
radio station*
(USA only)Instrument
cluster submenuFuel
consumption
statistics since
the last resetSearch for name
in phone book
Call up mainte-
nance service
indicatorOperate CD
playerLighting
submenuCall up range
Check engine oil
levelVehicle submenu
Convenience
submenu

128 Controls in detail
Control system
Standard display menu
Press buttonk orj to select
the functions in the standard display
menu.
The following functions are available:
Display digital speedometer
Press buttonj twice.
The current vehicle speed is shown in
the multifunction display.
AUDIO menu
The functions in the
AUDIO menu operate
the audio equipment which you currently
have turned on.
If no audio equipment is currently turned
on, the message
AUDIO OFF is shown in the
display.
The following functions are available:
i
The headings used in the menus table
are designed to facilitate navigation
within the system and are not neces-
sarily identical to those shown in the
control system displays.
The first function displayed in each
menu will automatically show you
which part of the system you are in.
FunctionPage
Call up coolant temperature
display120
Call up digital speedometer128
Call up maintenance service
indicator281
Check engine oil level244
FunctionPage
Select radio station129
Select satellite radio station*
(USA only)129
Operate CD player130

129 Controls in detail
Control system
Select radio station
Turn on COMAND and select radio. Re-
fer to separate COMAND operating in-
structions.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until you see the currently tuned sta-
tion in the display.
1Station
2Waveband setting
3Setting for station selection using
memory
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the desired station is found.
The type of search depends on the set-
ting for the station tuning:

The next stored station is selected
(SP)

Station searchSelect satellite radio station*
(USA only)
The satellite radio is treated as a radio ap-
plication.
Select satellite radio with the corre-
sponding key on the COMAND control
panel (SAT).
Press buttonèorÿ repeatedly
until you see the currently tuned sta-
tion in the multifunction display.
1Channel name or number
2SAT mode and preset number
3Setting for station selection using
memory
Press buttonjork repeatedly
until the desired channel is found.
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You can only store new stations by us-
ing the corresponding feature on the
radio. Refer to separate operating in-
structions.
You can also operate the radio in the
usual manner.