headlamp MERCEDES-BENZ CL-Class 2008 C216 Comand Manual

391 Controls in detail
Lighting
Lighting
Exterior lamp switch
The exterior lamp switch is located on the
dashboard to the left of the steering wheel.
i
If you drive in countries where vehicles drive
on the other side of the road than the country in
which the vehicle is registered, you must have
the headlamps modified for symmetrical low
beams. Relevant information can be obtained at
any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
i
The active Bi-Xenon headlamps monitor
your steering angle and driving speed, then auto-
matically shift their beams to either side to bet-
ter follow the curvature of the road ahead,
increasing usable illumination over conventional
headlamps.
1‚
Standing lamps, left (turn left two
stops)
2ˆ
Standing lamps, right (turn left
one stop)
3M
Off
Daytime running lamp mode
(page 393)
4*
Automatic headlamp mode
Daytime running lamp mode
(page 393)
5C
Parking lamps (also tail lamps, li-
cense plate lamps, side marker
lamps, instrument panel lamps)
6B
Low beam headlamps or high
beam headlamps
7‡
Front fog lamps
8†
Rear fog lamp
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If you hear a warning signal you have forgot-
ten to switch off the low beam headlamps or the
parking lamps before opening the driver’s door.
In addition the message “Please Switch Off
Lights” appears in the multifunction display.
Switch off the low beam headlamps or the park-
ing lamps.
If the message “Turn Lights Off or Remove Key”
appears in the multifunction display remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch or switch off
the automatic headlamp mode.
!
Failure to switch off the exterior lamps when
leaving the vehicle may result in a discharged
battery.

392 Controls in detailLightingLow beam headlamps
The low beam headlamps can be switched
on and off with the exterior lamp switch us-
ing the manual headlamp mode. 
Switching on: Turn the exterior lamp
switch to positionB.
The following lamps switch on:

Low beam headlamps


Tail and parking lamps


License plate lamps


Side marker lamps
Automatic headlamp mode
The following lamps switch on and off au-
tomatically depending on the brightness of
the ambient light:


Low beam headlamps


Tail and parking lamps


License plate lamps


Side marker lamps

Turn the exterior lamp switch to
position*.
With the SmartKey in starter switch po-
sition 1 or the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button pressed once, the
tail and parking lamps, the license
plate lamps and the side marker lamps
will switch on and off depending on the
brightness of the ambient light.
When the engine is running the low
beam headlamps, the tail and parking
lamps, the license plate lamps and the
side marker lamps will switch on and
off depending on the brightness of the
ambient light.
Warning!
G
If the exterior lamp switch is set to*,
the headlamps will not be automatically
switched on under foggy conditions.
To minimize risk to you and to others, acti-
vate headlamps by turning exterior lamp
switch to B when driving or when traffic
and/or ambient lighting conditions require
you to do so.
In low ambient lighting conditions, only
switch from position * to B with the
vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from * to B will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions
may result in an accident.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid to the driver. The driver is responsible for
the operation of the vehicle’s lights at all
times.i
Canada only:
High beam headlamps are only available with the
exterior lamp switch in positionB.

393 Controls in detail
Lighting
Daytime running lamp mode
In Canada the daytime running lamp mode
is mandatory and therefore in a constant
mode.
In the USA the daytime running lamp mode
is deactivated by default. Activate the day-
time running lamp mode using the control
system, see “Setting daytime running lamp
mode (USA only)” (
page 301).

Turn exterior lamp switch to
positionM or*.
When the engine is running, the low
beam headlamps are switched on.
In low ambient light conditions, the fol-
lowing lamps will switch on additional-
ly:

Tail and parking lamps


License plate lamps


Side marker lampsCanada only
When the engine is running, and you shift
from a driving position to neutral
positionN or park positionP, with the ve-
hicle at a standstill the low beam head-
lamps will switch off with a delay of
3 minutes.
When the engine is running, and you


turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionC, the low beam head-
lamps, the tail and parking lamps, the
license plate lamps and the side mark-
er lamps switch on.


turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB, the manual headlamp
mode has priority over the daytime run-
ning lamp mode.The corresponding exterior lamps
switch on (
page 391).
USA only
When the engine is running, and you turn
the exterior lamp switch to position C
orB, the manual headlamp mode has
priority over the daytime running lamp
mode.
The corresponding exterior lamps switch
on (
page 391).
i
With the daytime running lamp mode activat-
ed and the engine running, the low beam head-
lamps cannot be switched off manually.
i
With the exterior lamp switch in position
M or *, you cannot switch on the high
beam headlamps.
The high beam flasher is available at all times.
For nighttime driving you should turn the exterior
lamp switch to positionB to permit activa-
tion of the high beam headlamps.
i
With the daytime running lamp mode
activated and the exterior lamp switch in
position M, you cannot switch on the high
beam headlamps.
The high beam flasher is available at all times.
For nighttime driving you should turn the exterior
lamp switch to positionB or * to permit
activation of the high beam headlamps.

394 Controls in detailLightingLocator lighting and night security illu-
mination
The locator lighting and night security illu-
mination are described in the COMAND ve-
hicle section under “Setting locator
lighting” (
page 261) and “Setting night
security illumination” (
page 260).
Fog lampsFront fog lamps

Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionC orB (
page 391).

Pull out exterior lamp switch to first
stop.
The front fog lamps are switched on.
The green indicator lamp‡ in the
exterior lamp switch comes on
(page 391).

Push in the exterior lamp switch.
The front fog lamps are switched off.
The green indicator lamp‡ in the
exterior lamp switch goes out.Rear fog lamp (driver’s side only)

Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB (
page 391).

Pull out exterior lamp switch to second
stop.
The front fog lamps and the rear fog
lamp switch on.
The yellow indicator lamp† in the
exterior lamp switch comes on
(page 391).

Push in the exterior lamp switch to first
stop.
The rear fog lamp switches off.
The yellow indicator lamp† in the
exterior lamp switch goes out.
The front fog lamps remain lit.
Warning!
G
In low ambient lighting or foggy conditions,
only switch from position * to B with
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching from * to B will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions
may result in an accident.i
Fog lamps will operate with the parking
lamps and/or the low beam headlamps on. Fog
lamps should only be used in conjunction with
low beam headlamps. Consult your State or
Province Motor Vehicle Regulations regarding
permissible lamp operation.
i
Fog lamps cannot be switched on manually
with exterior lamp switch in position*. To
activate the fog lamps, turn exterior lamp switch
to positionB first.

395 Controls in detail
Lighting
High beamCombination switch1High beam
2High beam flasher
High beam headlamps: Turn the exte-
rior lamp switch to positionB
(page 391).

Push the combination switch in the di-
rection of arrow1.
The high beam indicatorA in the in-
strument cluster comes on
(page 30).

High beam flasher: Pull the combina-
tion switch briefly in the direction of
arrow2.
Headlamp cleaning system
With the engine running the headlamps will
automatically be cleaned with a high-pres-
sure water jet when you have

switched on the headlamps
and


the windshield wipers have wiped the
windshield with washer fluid five times
When you switch off the ignition the
counter resets.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system”
(
page 560).
Corner-illuminating lamps
The corner-illuminating lamps improve illu-
mination of the area in the direction into
which you are turning.
The corner-illuminating lamps will operate
with the engine running and with:

the exterior lamp switch in
positionB or* (
page 391)
or


the daytime running lamp mode acti-
vated (
page 393).
i
The corner-illuminating lamps will only come
on in low ambient lighting conditions.
i
If you are driving faster than 43 mph
(70 km/h), the corner-illuminating function is
not available.

399 Controls in detail
Lighting
The interior lighting switches off auto-
matically following an adjustable time
delay (
page 266).
Manual control

Switching on/off front interior light-
ing: Press button 3.

Switching on/off rear interior light-
ing: Press button 2.

Switching on/off front reading
lamps: Press button 1 or 5.
The front reading lamps reading lamps
are located in the lower edge of the in-
terior rear view mirror.

Ambient lighting: The brightness of
the ambient lighting is adjusted via
COMAND (
page 265).
Courtesy lighting
For better orientation the inside door han-
dles, the driver and passenger footwells
and the center console are illuminated in
the dark.Door entry lamps
For better orientation in the dark, the cor-
responding door entry lamps will switch on
in darkness when you open a door and the
automatic control is activated.
The door entry lamps switch off when the
corresponding door is closed.
Trunk lamp
The trunk lamp switches on if the trunk is
opened.
If the trunk remains open, the trunk light-
ing switches off automatically after ap-
proximately 10 minutes.
i
If the door remains open, the interior lighting
switches off automatically after approximately
5minutes.
i
If you turn the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position0 and switch off the exterior
headlamps, the door entry lamps will remain lit
for approximately 5 minutes.

401 Controls in detail
Windshield wipers
Intermittent wiping
Only switch on intermittent wiping under
wet weather conditions or in the presence
of precipitation.

Turn the combination switch to posi-
tion U or V.
The wipers move across the wind-
shield. Afterward, the wiping intervals
are determined by the wetness of the
windshield.
After the initial wipe, pauses between
wipes are automatically controlled by the
rain sensor.
Single wipe
Press the combination switch briefly in
the direction of arrow2 (
page 400)
to the resistance point.
The windshield wipers wipe one time
without washer fluid.
Wiping with windshield washer fluid
Press the combination switch in the di-
rection of arrow2 (
page 400) past
the resistance point.
The windshield wiper operates with
washer fluid.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system”
(
page 560).
i
When the windshield wipers are switched on
and you brake the vehicle to a stop, the wipers
operate more slowly.
!
Do not leave windshield wipers on an inter-
mittent setting when the vehicle is taken to an
automatic car wash or during windshield clean-
ing. Wipers will operate in the presence of water
sprayed on the windshield, and windshield wip-
ers may be damaged as a result.
!
If you have set intermittent wiping, dirt on
the surface of the rain sensor or optical effects
may cause the windshield wipers to wipe in an
undesired fashion. This could then damage the
windshield wiper blades or scratch the windows.
You should therefore switch off the windshield
wipers when weather conditions are dry.
i
Intermittent wiping is interrupted when the
vehicle is at a standstill and a door is opened.
This protects persons getting into or out of the
vehicle from being sprayed.
Intermittent wiping will be continued when


both doors are closed and the automatic
transmission is set to positionD orR
or


the wiper setting is changed using the com-
bination switch
i
To prevent smears on the windshield or
noisy/chattering wiper blades, wipe with wind-
shield washer fluid every now and then even
when it is raining.

437 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving systems
The driving systems of your vehicle are de-
scribed on the following pages:

Cruise control (
page 437) and
DISTRONIC Plus*(page 443), with
which the vehicle can maintain a preset
speed.


ABC (
page 461) adjusts the vehicle
suspension characteristics automati-
cally and control the vehicle level.


Parktronic* (
page 463), Park Assist*
(
page 467) and Advanced Parking
Guidance* (
page 471), which serve
as a parking assistant.


Rear View Camera* (
page 477) are
electronic and visual parking aids.


Night View Assist* (
page 481) illumi-
nates the road with infrared light in
addition to the normal headlamps.


Blind Spot Assist* (
page 485) de-
tects and warns you about vehicles in
your blind spot.For information on the ABS, Adaptive
Brake, BAS, BAS Plus*, EBP, ESP
® and
PRE-SAFE
® Brake*, see “Driving safety
systems” (page 65).
Cruise control
The cruise control automatically maintains
the speed you set for your vehicle.
The use of the cruise control is recom-
mended for driving at a constant speed for
extended periods of time.
You can set or resume the cruise control at
any speed over 20 mph (30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
Warning!
G
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always
remain responsible for the vehicle’s speed
and for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise control if the road,
traffic, and weather conditions make it
advisable to travel at a constant speed.

The use of the cruise control can be dan-
gerous on winding roads or in heavy traf-
fic because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a constant speed.


The use of the cruise control can be dan-
gerous on slippery roads. Rapid changes
in tire traction can result in wheel spin
and loss of control.


Deactivate the 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.

481 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Night View Assist*Night View Assist illuminates the road with
infrared light in addition to the normal
headlamps.
A camera at the top of the windshield mea-
sures the infrared light and shows a
black-and-white image on the multifunc-
tion display.
The image on the multifunction display cor-
responds to a road lit up by high-beam
headlamps.The Night View Assist image on the multi-
function display is not impaired


by the headlamps of approaching vehi-
cles


if you cannot switch on the high beams
due to oncoming traffic
As a result, you can better follow the
course of the road and detect obstacles
earlier on.
i
If you activate a different function on the
driver’s COMAND controls while reverse parking
or parallel parking, the image from the Rear View
Camera is interrupted.
To reactivate the Rear View Camera, take the ve-
hicle out of reverse gear and then re-engage re-
verse gear again.Warning!
G
Night View Assist is only an aid to support
you while driving and cannot substitute your
careful attention. Do not rely on the display
of the Night View Assist; instead, continue
to look through the windshield. You are al-
ways responsible for safety and must drive
in accordance with traffic conditions. Other-
wise, you could endanger yourself and oth-
ers.
If it is foggy, raining or snowing, the clarity of
the Night View Assist image on the multi-
function display may be diminished.
Warning!
G
Night View Assist cannot record objects im-
mediately in front of or next to the vehicle.
When maneuvering, continue to look
through the windshield. Make sure no per-
sons or animals are in the area in which you
are maneuvering. You could otherwise in-
jure them.
i
Infrared light is invisible to the human eye
and can therefore remain permanently switched
on without blinding oncoming traffic.

482 Controls in detailDriving systemsThe camera is at the top of the windshield.
1Night View Assist camera
Switching on or off
You can only switch on the Night View As-
sist if

the SmartKey in the starter switch is
set to position2


it is dark


the light switch is set to * or B
or if the daytime driving lamps are
switched on


the automatic transmission is not in re-
verse gearR1Night View Assist on or off

Press button1 up or down.
The Night View Assist image appears
on the multifunction display.Image on multifunction display
When you switch on Night View Assist, the
image for the speed gauge changes on the
multifunction display. The speed gauge is
shown as a bar on the lower edge of the
multifunction display. The line for main
menus is no longer available. If you would
like to change a setting using the steering
wheel buttons, you must first switch off
Night View Assist.
1Night View Assist image
2Speedometer display
i
The infrared headlamps only come on above
a speed of approximately 9 mph (15 km/h).
Therefore, when you are at a standstill, you do
not have a complete view and cannot check the
function of the Night View Assist.