MERCEDES-BENZ CLS COUPE 2008 Owners Manual

Driving systems
138
X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 3.
X Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Distronic is activated and adjusts the vehi-
cle's speed to the last speed stored.
Setting the specified minimum distance
for Distronic You can set the specified minimum distance
for Distronic by varying the time span
between 1.0 and 2.0 seconds. This time span
determines the distance that Distronic should
maintain from the vehicle in front, depending
on the road speed. You can read this distance
in the multi-function display.
1
To activate/deactivate the distance warn-
ing function 2
Indicator lamp
3 To adjust the set distance
To adjust the set distance
X To increase: turn thumbwheel 3 towards
¯.
Distronic then maintains a greater distance
between your vehicle and the vehicle in
front.
X To decrease: turn thumbwheel 3 towards
®.
Distronic then maintains a shorter distance
between your vehicle and the vehicle in
front.
i Make sure that you maintain the mini-
mum distance required by law to the vehi-
cle in front. Adjust the distance to the
vehicle in front if necessary.
Distance warning function This function warns you when the distance to
the vehicle in front is too small, even when
Distronic is deactivated:
R
The distance warning lamp l in the
instrument cluster lights up.
R An intermittent warning tone may sound. You must apply the brakes yourself in order
to maintain the correct distance to the vehicle
and to avoid a collision. G
Risk of accident
Pay careful attention to the traffic situation
if:
R the l distance warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up
R and/or an intermittent signal sounds
Brake or swerve to avoid the obstacle if
necessary.
i Distronic does not always clearly recog-
nise complex road and traffic conditions.
You may then receive a false distance warn-
ing tone or none at all.
X To activate/deactivate: press button 1.
When the function is activated, indicator
lamp 2 in the button lights up and a loud-
speaker symbol appears in the display.
When the function is deactivated, indicator
lamp 2 in the button goes out and the
loudspeaker symbol disappears from the
multi-function display. Controls
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139
Distronic displays in the speedometer
1
Stored speed
When Distronic is activated, one or two seg-
ments in the set speed range light up.
i For design reasons, the speed displayed
in the speedometer may differ slightly from
the speed set for Distronic. 1
Segments
If Distronic detects a vehicle in front, the seg-
ments between the speed of the vehicle in
front and the stored speed light up. The
l distance warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up if the distance to the
vehicle in front is too small. G
Risk of accident
If Distronic detects a risk of collision with
the vehicle in front:
R the l distance warning lamp in the
instrument cluster lights up
R an intermittent warning signal sounds
Brake to avoid crashing.
The intermittent warning tone ceases and the
l distance warning lamp goes out once you have re-established the required distance
to the vehicle in front.
i
Distronic brakes your vehicle at a maxi-
mum of 2 m/s 2
. This corresponds to
approximately 20% of your vehicle's maxi-
mum braking power.
Distronic menu in the on-board com-
puter You can read the current Distronic settings in
the Distronic menu. What the multi-function
display shows depends on whether Distronic
and the distance warning function are activa-
ted or deactivated.
X
Press the è orÿ button repeatedly
until one of the following two displays
appears in the multi-function display.
Distronic deactivated
When Distronic is deactivated you will see the
standard Distronic display in the multi-func-
tion display. Controls
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Driving systems
1401
Vehicle in front, if detected
2 Actual distance to the vehicle in front
3 Specified minimum distance to the vehi-
cle in front
4 Own vehicle
5 Symbol for activated distance warning
function
Distronic activated
When Distronic is activated, the stored speed
appears in the multi-function display for
approximately five seconds. With Distronic
activated, you will see the following in the
multi-function display:
1 Display for activated Distronic Deactivating Distronic
1
To deactivate Distronic
2 LIM indicator lamp
3 To switch between Distronic and variable
Speedtronic
There are several ways to deactivate Dis-
tronic:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards 1.
or
X Brake.
or X
Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow 3.
Variable Speedtronic is selected. LIM indi-
cator lamp 2 in the cruise control lever
lights up.
i You will see the Distronic off message
in the multi-function display for approxi-
mately five seconds.
The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine.
i Distronic is not deactivated if you depress
the accelerator pedal. If you accelerate
briefly to overtake, Distronic adjusts the
vehicle's speed to the last speed stored
after you have finished overtaking.
Distronic is automatically deactivated if:
R you depress the parking brake
R you are driving at less than 30 km/h
R ESP ®
is intervening or you deactivate
ESP ®
R you move the selector lever to N while driv-
ing
If Distronic is deactivated, you will hear a
warning tone. You will see the Distronic
Controls
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Driving systems
141
off message in the multi-function display for
approximately five seconds.
Tips for driving with Distronic
The following contains descriptions of certain
road and traffic conditions in which you must
pay particular attention. In such situations,
brake if necessary. Distronic is then deacti-
vated.
Cornering, going into and coming out of a
bend
The ability of Distronic to detect vehicles
when cornering is limited. Your vehicle may
brake unexpectedly or late. Vehicles travelling on a different line
Distronic may not detect vehicles travelling
on a different line. The distance to the vehicle
in front will be too short.
Other vehicles changing lane Distronic has not detected the vehicle cutting
in yet. The distance to this vehicle will be too
short.
Narrow vehicles
Distronic has not detected the vehicle in front
on the edge of the carriageway yet, because
of its relatively narrow width. The distance to
the vehicle in front will be too short. Controls
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Driving systems
142 Speedtronic
Speedtronic brakes automatically so that you
do not exceed the set speed. On long and
steep downhill gradients, especially if the
vehicle is laden, you must select shift range
1, 2 or 3 in good time. In this way you will
make use of the braking effect of the engine,
which relieves the load on the brake system
and prevents the brakes from overheating
and wearing too quickly. If you need addi-
tional braking, depress the brake pedal
repeatedly rather than continuously. G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continu-
ously while the vehicle is in motion, e.g.
never cause the brakes to rub by applying
constant slight pedal pressure. This causes
the brake system to overheat, increases
the braking distance and can lead to the
brakes failing completely. G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This
could cause the drive wheels to lose their
grip and the vehicle could skid. You can set a variable or permanent limit
speed:
R
Variable for speed limits, e.g. in built-up
areas
R Permanent for long-term speed restric-
tions, e.g. for driving on winter tyres
(Y page 144) G
Risk of accident
Speedtronic is only an aid designed to
assist driving. You are responsible for the
vehicle's speed and for braking in good
time.
i The speed indicated in the speedometer
may differ slightly from the limit speed
stored.
Variable Speedtronic With the cruise control lever you can operate
cruise control, Distronic* and variable
Speedtronic.
The LIM indicator lamp on the cruise control
lever indicates which system you have selec-
ted:
R
LIM indicator lamp off: Cruise control or Distronic* is selected
R LIM indicator lamp lit:
variable Speedtronic is selected
You can use the cruise control lever to limit
the speed to any speed above 30 km/h while
the engine is running. 1
To store the current speed or a higher
speed
2 LIM indicator lamp
3 To call up the current or last stored speed
or to make fine adjustments in 1 km/h
increments
4 To store the current speed or a lower
speed
5 To switch between cruise control, Dis-
tronic* and variable Speedtronic
6 To deactivate variable Speedtronic Controls
* optional
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Driving systems
143
Selecting variable Speedtronic X
Check whether LIM indicator lamp 2 is on.
If it is on, variable Speedtronic is already
selected.
If it is not, press the cruise control lever in
the direction of arrow 5.
LIM indicator lamp 2 in the cruise control
lever lights up. Variable Speedtronic is
selected. G
Risk of accident
If there is a change of drivers, advise the
new driver of the limit speed stored.
Only use variable Speedtronic if you are
sure that you will not have to accelerate
suddenly to a speed above that stored as
the

limit speed, otherwise you could cause
an accident.
You can only exceed the limit speed stored
if you deactivate variable Speedtronic:
R using the cruise control lever
R if you depress the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown)
It is not possible to deactivate variable
Speedtronic by braking. Storing the current speed You can use the cruise control lever to limit
the

speed to any speed above 30 km/h while
the engine is running.
X Briefly press the cruise control lever up
1 or down 4.
The current speed is stored. The stored
speed,

e.g. LIM km/h , appears in the multi-
function display.
The segments in the speedometer from the
start of the scale up to the stored speed
light up.
Selecting the current or last stored
speed X
Briefly pull the cruise control lever towards
you 3.
Adjustment in 10 km/h increments X
Briefly press the cruise control lever up
1 for a higher speed or down 4 for a
lower speed.
or
X Keep the cruise control lever pressed until
the desired speed is set. Press the cruise control lever, up 1 for a higher speed or
down 4 for a lower speed.
Making fine adjustments in 1 km/h
increments X
For a higher speed: briefly pull the cruise
control lever towards you 3.
or
X Keep the cruise control lever pulled
towards you 3 until the desired speed is
set.
Deactivating variable Speedtronic There are several ways to deactivate variable
Speedtronic:
X
Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards 6.
or
X Briefly press the cruise control lever in the
direction of arrow 5.
LIM

indicator lamp 2 in the cruise control
lever goes out. Variable Speedtronic is
deactivated.
Cruise control or Distronic* is selected. Controls
* optional
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144
Variable Speedtronic is deactivated automat-
ically when you depress the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown). but
only if your current speed does not differ by
more than 20 km/h from the stored speed.
You will hear a warning tone if this is the case.
G
Risk of accident
It is not possible to deactivate variable
Speedtronic by braking.
i The last speed stored is cleared when you
switch off the engine.
Permanent Speedtronic i
Permanent Speedtronic is only available
for certain countries.
You can use the on-board computer to limit
the speed permanently to a value between
160 km/h (e.g. for driving with winter tyres)
and the maximum speed.
Shortly before the stored speed is reached, it
is shown in the multi-function display.
You cannot exceed the stored limit speed,
even if you depress the accelerator pedal
beyond the pressure point (kickdown). Setting permanent Speedtronic
X
Press è or · to select the Set-
tings... menu (Y page 121).
X Press the j button to call up the selec-
tion of submenus.
X Press æ or ç to select the Vehicle
submenu.
X Press j to select Speed limit (win-
ter tyres). X
Press the æ orç button to select the
desired setting.
The following settings can be selected:
R Off
Permanent Speedtronic is deactivated.
R A limit speed between 240 km/h and
160 km/h in increments of 10 km/h.
X To select a different display, press j,
è or ÿ. HOLD
HOLD relieves the strain on the driver:
R when pulling away, especially on steep
slopes
R when manoeuvring on steep slopes
R when waiting in traffic
The vehicle is kept stationary without the
driver having to depress the brake pedal.
The braking effect is cancelled and HOLD
deactivated when you depress the accelera-
tor pedal to pull away.
Activation conditions You can activate HOLD if:
R
the vehicle is stationary
R the engine is running
R the driver's door is closed
R the parking brake is not applied
R the bonnet is closed
R the selector lever is in position D, R or N Controls
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145
Activating HOLD X
Make sure that the activation conditions
are met.
X Depress the brake.
X Depress the brake again quickly until
HOLD appears in the display.
HOLD is activated. You can release the
brake pedal.
i If depressing the brake pedal the first
time does not activate HOLD, wait briefly
and then try again. G
Risk of accident
The vehicle's brakes are applied when
HOLD is activated. For this reason, deacti-
vate HOLD if the vehicle is to be set in
motion by other means (e.g. in a car wash
or by towing).
Deactivating HOLD HOLD is deactivated if:
R
you
accelerate when the selector lever is in
position D or R
R you move the selector lever to position P
R you release the brakes completely and
apply them again with a certain amount of pressure until the
HOLD message in the
multi-function display goes out G
Risk of accident
Never get out of the vehicle when HOLD is
activated.
HOLD

must never be operated or deactiva-
ted by a passenger or from outside the
vehicle.
HOLD does not replace the parking brake
and must not be used for parking.
The HOLD braking effect is cancelled and
the vehicle can start moving if:
R HOLD is deactivated by depressing the
accelerator pedal or the brake pedal
R there is a malfunction in the system or an
interruption in the power supply, e.g. bat-
tery failure
R the electrical system in the engine com-
partment, the battery or the fuses are
tampered with
R the battery is disconnected G
Risk of accident
If you wish to leave the vehicle or park it,
deactivate HOLD and secure the vehicle
against rolling away. You will see a warning message in the multi-
function display if HOLD is activated and:
R
the

driver's door is opened and you release
the seat belt
R the ignition is switched off
R the bonnet is opened
Selector lever in park position
X Move the selector lever to P
to prevent the
vehicle from rolling away.
HOLD is deactivated. The warning message
in the multi-function display goes out.
A horn will also sound at regular intervals if
HOLD is activated and you:
R stop

the engine and open the driver's door
R open the bonnet
The horn draws your attention to the fact that
the vehicle has been parked while HOLD is
still activated. The sound becomes louder if
you attempt to lock the vehicle. The vehicle
is not locked until HOLD is deactivated.
i If the ignition has been switched off, the
engine cannot be restarted until HOLD is
deactivated.
If there is a fault in the system or power supply
while HOLD is activated, the Brake immedi-
ately message appears in the multi-function Controls
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146
display. Immediately depress the brake firmly
until the warning message disappears from
the multi-function display or move the selec-
tor lever to
P. This deactivates HOLD. AIRMATIC DC*
Vehicle level Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to reduce petrol consumption and
improve driving safety.
The following vehicle levels are possible:
R
Normal
R Raised
R Lowered
The "Normal" and "Raised" vehicle levels can
be set manually.
The "Lowered" vehicle level is set automati-
cally:
R at speeds above 140 km/h
R if you have selected "Sports tuning I or
II" ( Y page 147)
R if you have selected "Comfort tun-
ing" (Y page 147) and then lock the vehicle within 60 seconds of the engine being
switched off G
Risk of injury
If you have selected “Comfort tuning”, the
vehicle will be lowered if you lock it within
60 seconds of the engine being switched
off. Make sure, therefore, that nobody is in
the vicinity of the wheel housing or under
the vehicle when you lock the vehicle. Oth-
erwise, limbs could become trapped.
! If you have selected “Comfort tuning”,
the vehicle will be lowered if you lock it
within 60 seconds of the engine being
switched off. Make sure when parking that
you stop your vehicle so that it does not
make contact with the kerb as it descends.
Your vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
Setting the vehicle level manually
Select the "Normal" setting for normal road
surfaces and "Raised" for driving with snow
chains or on particularly poor road surfaces. G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of
the wheel housing or under the vehicle
while lowering the vehicle when it is sta- tionary. Otherwise, limbs could become
trapped.
1
To set the vehicle level
2 Indicator lamp
Setting the raised level
X Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 2 is not lit:
X Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2 lights up. The vehicle is
adjusted to the raised level.
The Vehicle rising message appears in
the multi-function display Controls
* optional
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147
Setting the normal level
X
Start the engine.
If indicator lamp 2 is lit:
X Press button 1.
Indicator lamp 2 goes out. The vehicle is
adjusted to the normal level.
i The "Raised level" setting is cancelled at
vehicle speeds above 120 km/h or if the
speed has been between 80 km/h and
120 km/h for more than approximately
5 minutes. If you do not drive within this
speed range, the raised level remains
stored, even when the key is removed from
the ignition lock.
Comfort or sports tuning AIRMATIC DC (dual control) comprises two
components: the Adaptive Damping System
(ADS) and spring stiffness adjustment.
ADS automatically regulates the suspension
as appropriate to particular driving condi-
tions. Parallel to this, the spring stiffness
switches between "comfort" and "sports" lev-
els. The damping/spring stiffness settings are
dependent on:
R
your driving style
R the road surface conditions
R your individual selection
Your selection remains stored even if you
remove the key from the ignition lock. 1
To select the damping program
2 Indicator lamps
X Start the engine.
Sports tuning I
X Press button 1 once.
One indicator lamp 2 lights up.
The vehicle level is lowered by 10 mm. Sports tuning II
X
Press button 1 twice.
Two indicator lamps 2 light up.
The vehicle level is lowered by 15 mm.
Comfort tuning
X Press button 1 repeatedly until indicator
lamps 2 go out.
Multi-function display
A message appears in the multi-function dis-
play for approximately five seconds once you
have selected a damping program, for exam-
ple: Controls
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