parking brake MERCEDES-BENZ CLS63AMG 2008 W219 User Guide

172 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Effect
ëNeutral
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 engage neutral
positionN while driving.
If the ESP
® is deactivated or
malfunctioning:
Move gear selector lever to neu-
tral positionN only if the vehicle
is in danger of skidding, e.g. on
icy roads.
êDrive
The transmission shifts
automatically. All forward gears
are available.
!Coasting the vehicle, or driving for any other
reason with gear selector lever in neutral
positionN can result in transmission damage
that is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
Getting out of your vehicle with the gear
selector lever not fully engaged in 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 set the parking brake in addition to
shifting to park positionP (
page 53).
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.
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 move the
gear selector lever from park positionP,
which could result in an accident and/or
serious personal injury.

173 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Driving tips
Accelerator position
Your driving style influences the
transmission’s shifting behavior:
Less throttle Earlier upshifting
More throttle Later upshifting
Kickdown
Use kickdown when you want maximum
acceleration.
Press the accelerator past the point of
resistance.
Depending on the engine speed the
transmission shifts into a lower gear.
Ease on the accelerator when you have
reached the desired speed.
The transmission shifts up again.Stopping
When you stop briefly, e.g. at traffic lights:
Leave the transmission in gear.
Hold the vehicle with the brake.
When you stop for a longer period of time
with the engine idling and/or on a hill:
Set the parking brake.
Move the gear selector lever to park
positionP.Maneuvering
When you maneuver in tight areas,
e.g. when pulling into a parking space:
Control the vehicle speed by gradually
releasing the brakes.
Accelerate gently.
Never abruptly step on the accelerator.
Working on the vehicle
Warning!G
When working on the vehicle, set the
parking brake and move gear selector lever
to park positionP. Otherwise the vehicle
could roll away.

213 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving systems
The following driving systems are
explained on the following pages:

Cruise control and Distronic*, with
which the vehicle can maintain a preset
speed

Airmatic DC adjusts the vehicle sus-
pension characteristics automatically
and controls the vehicle level

Parktronic system*, which assists the
driver during parking maneuvers
For information on the BAS, ABS, ESP
® and
EBP, see “Driving safety systems”
(
page 89).
Cruise control
The 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 or resume
cruise control at any speed above 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 on the left-hand side of the steering
column (
page 24).
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 ad-
visable to travel at a steady speed.

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.

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.

Deactivate the cruise control when driv-
ing 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.

215 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Canceling cruise control
There are several ways to cancel the cruise
control:
Step on the brake pedal.
The cruise control is canceled. The last
speed set is stored for later use.
or
Briefly push the cruise control lever in
direction of arrow3 (
page 214).
The cruise control is canceled. The last
speed set is stored for later use.Setting a higher speed
Lift the cruise control lever in direction
of arrow1 (
page 214) and hold it
up until the desired speed is reached.
Release the cruise control lever.
The new speed is set.
iThe last stored speed is canceled when you
turn off the engine.
iThe cruise control automatically switches
off, if

you step on the brake pedal.

you depress the parking brake pedal.
In this case the segments in the multifunc-
tion display (
page 139) go out and no
warning sounds.

the vehicle speed is below 20 mph
(30 km/h).

the ESP® is in operation or switched off with
the ESP® switch (page 94).

you move the gear selector lever to position
N while driving.
The segments in the multifunction display
(
page 139) go out, and an acoustic warning
sounds.
!Moving the gear selector lever to positionN
while driving also cancels the cruise control.
However, the gear selector lever should not be
moved to positionN while driving except to
coast when the vehicle is in danger of skidding
(e.g. on icy roads).
iDepressing the accelerator pedal does not
deactivate the cruise control. After brief acceler-
ation (e.g. for passing), the cruise control will re-
sume the last speed set.
Warning!G
If you increase the vehicle set speed, keep in
mind that it may take a brief moment until
the vehicle has reached the set speed.
Increase the vehicle set speed to a value
that the prevailing road conditions and legal
speed limits permit. Otherwise, sudden and
unexpected acceleration of the vehicle
could cause an accident and/or serious in-
jury to you and others.

222 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Distronic activated
If you turn Distronic on, you will see the set
speed in the multifunction display for
about 5 seconds. When Distronic is
activated, you will see the following display
in the multifunction display.
1Distronic activatedCruise control lever
The Distronic system is operated by means
of the cruise control lever.
The cruise control lever is the uppermost
lever on the left-hand side of the steering
column.
1Set current or higher speed
2Set current or lower speed
3Deactivate Distronic
4Resume at last set speedActivating Distronic
You can activate Distronic if:

you are driving between 20 mph
(30 km/h) and 110 mph (180 km/h)

the ESP® is activated (page 92)
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:

up to 2 minutes after starting the
engine

when you brake

if you have set the parking brake

if the gear selector lever is in
positionP, R orN

if the ESP® is switched off

225 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Setting stored speed
(“Resume” function)
Briefly tip the cruise control lever in di-
rection of arrow4 (
page 222).
Distronic is activated and set to the last
stored speed.
Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.Deactivating Distronic
There are several ways to deactivate the
Distronic system:
Briefly tip the cruise control lever in di-
rection of arrow3 (
page 222).
or
Step on the brake pedal.
Distronic will be deactivated. The last
speed set will be stored in memory.Distronic deactivates automatically when:

you set the parking brake

you drive slower than 20 mph
(30 km/h)

the ESP® is active (page 92) or you
deactivate the ESP®

you move the gear selector lever into
positionN
A s i g n a l w i l l s o u n d . T h e
DISTRONIC Off
message appears in the multifunction
display for approximately 5 seconds.
Warning!G
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 the pre-
set speed could cause an accident and/or
serious injury to you and others.
iThe following message will appear in the
multifunction display for approximately
5 seconds:
DISTRONIC Off
The last stored speed is deleted when you turn
off the engine.Warning!G
Distronic switches off and releases the
brakes when the vehicle decelerates below
the minimum speed of approximately
20 mph (30 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.

234 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Parktronic system (Parking assist)*
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
activated when you switch on the ignition,
release the parking brake, and placed the
gear selector lever in positionD, R,orN.
The Parktronic system deactivates at
speeds over approximately 11 mph
(18 km/h). At lower speeds the Parktronic
system turns on again.
The Parktronic system also deactivates
when you place the gear selector lever in
positionP or depress the parking brake
pedal.The Parktronic system monitors the sur-
roundings of your vehicle with six sensors
in the front bumper and four sensors in the
rear bumper.
1Sensors in the front 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, see
“Cleaning the Parktronic* system sensors”
(
page 337).
Warning!G
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 remains 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
system can be affected by dirty sensors,
especially at times of snow and ice, see
“Cleaning the Parktronic* system sensors”
(
page 337).
Interference caused by other ultrasonic sig-
nals (e.g. working jackhammers, car wash or
the air brakes of trucks) can cause the sys-
tem to send erratic indications, and should
be taken into consideration.
Warning!G
Make sure no persons or animals are in the
area in which you are maneuvering. You
could otherwise injure them.

235 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Front sensors
Rear sensorsMinimum distance
If the system detects an obstacle in this
range, all the distance warning segments
illuminate and you hear a warning signal. If
the obstacle is closer than the minimum
distance, the actual distance might no
longer be indicated by the system.
Centerapprox. 40 in (100 cm)
Cornersapprox. 24 in (60 cm)
Centerapprox. 48 in (120 cm)
Cornersapprox. 32 in (80 cm)
!During parking maneuvers, pay special at-
tention to objects located above or below the
height of the sensors (e.g. planters or trailer
hitches). The Parktronic system will not detect
such objects at close range and damage to your
vehicle or the object may result.
Ultrasonic signals from outside sources (e.g.
truck air brakes, car wash or jackhammers) may
impair the operation of the Parktronic system.
Centerapprox. 8in (20cm)
Cornersapprox. 6in (15cm)

236 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Warning indicators
Visual signals indicate to the driver the rel-
ative distance between the sensors and an
obstacle. The warning indicator for the
front area is located above the center air
vents in the dashboard. The warning indi-
cator for the rear area is integrated in the
rear trim.
Front area warning indicator
1Left side of the vehicle
2Right side of the vehicle
3Readiness indicatorsEach warning indicator is divided into five
yellow and two red segments for either
side of the vehicle. The Parktronic system
is operational when yellow readiness
indicators3 are illuminated.
The position of the gear selector lever
determines which warning indicators will
be activated.
As your vehicle approaches an object, one
or more segments will come on, depending
on the distance. When the seventh seg-
ment illuminates, you have reached the
minimum distance.

Front area: An intermittent acoustic
warning will sound as the first red
distance segment illuminates and a
constant acoustic warning lasting a
maximum of 2 seconds will sound for
the second red distance segment. The
signal is canceled when the gear selec-
tor lever is placed in positionP or the
parking brake is activated.

Rear area: An intermittent acoustic
warning will sound as the first red
distance segment illuminates and a
constant acoustic warning lasting a
maximum of 2 seconds will sound for
the second red distance segment. The
signal is canceled when the gear selec-
tor lever is placed in positionD, P or
the parking brake is activated.Gear selector
lever positionWarning indicator
DFront area activated
R or NFront and rear area
activated
PNeither activated

248 Controls in detail
Useful features
Cup holder in the rear seat armrest
Briefly press the front of the rear arm-
rest.
The cup holder extends automatically.
Ashtrays
Center console ashtray
1Cover
2Sliding button
Opening ashtray
Briefly press the marking on the bot-
tom of cover1.
The ashtray opens automatically.Removing ashtray insert
Secure vehicle from movement by set-
ting the parking brake. Move the gear
selector lever to positionN.
Now you have more room to take out
the insert.
Push sliding button2 to the right and
hold.
Grip and remove insert from ashtray
frame.
Warning!G
Remove front ashtray only with vehicle
standing still. Set the parking brake to
secure vehicle from movement. Move gear
selector lever to positionN. With gear selec-
tor lever in positionN, turn off the engine.