steering MERCEDES-BENZ CLS63AMG 2008 W219 Owner's Guide

166 Controls in detail
Control system
Distance to empty
Press buttonÿ orè repeatedly
until the first function of the trip com-
puter menu appears.
Press buttonj ork repeatedly
until the message
Range: appears in
the multifunction display.
The calculated remaining driving range
based on the current fuel tank level ap-
pears in the multifunction display.
TEL* menu
You can use the functions in the
Tel menu
to operate your telephone, provided it is
connected to a hands-free system and
switched on.
Switch on the telephone and COMAND.
Press buttonÿ orè on the
steering wheel repeatedly until the
Tel
menu appears in the multifunction dis-
play.iIf only very little fuel is left in the tank, a ve-
hicle at the fuel pump is shown instead of the
range.
Warning!G
A driver’s attention to the road must always
be his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we rec-
ommend that you pull over to a safe location
and stop before placing or taking a tele-
phone call. If you choose to use the tele-
phone while driving, please use the
hands-free device and only use the tele-
phone when weather, road and traffic condi-
tions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a cellular telephone while driving a
vehicle.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury.

174 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Gear ranges
With the gear selector lever in drive
positionD and driving in program modeC
orS (
page 175), you can select a gear
range for the automatic transmission to
operate within.
Gear selector lever (
page 176):
You can limit the gear range by pressing
the gear selector lever to the left (D-), and
reverse the gear range limit by pressing
the gear selector lever to the right (D+).
Steering wheel gearshift control*
(
page 177):
You can limit the gear range by pulling the
left gearshift paddle on the steering wheel
gearshift control, and reverse the gear
range limit by pulling the right gearshift
paddle on the steering wheel gearshift
control.The selected gear range appears in the
multifunction display.
1Current gear rangeEffect
ïThe transmission shifts through
sixth gear only.
îThe transmission shifts through
fifth gear only.
éThe transmission shifts through
fourth gear only.
Effect
èThe transmission shifts through
third gear only.
With this selection you can use
the braking effect of the engine.
çThe transmission shifts through
second gear only.
Allows the use of engine’s
braking power when driving

on steep downgrades

in mountainous regions

under extreme operating
conditions
æThe transmission operates in
first gear only.
For maximum use of engine’s
braking effect on very steep or
lengthy downgrades.

177 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Extending gear range
Briefly press the gear selector lever to
the right in theD+direction.
The transmission will shift to the next
higher gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
extends the gear range of the transmis-
sion.
Canceling gear range limit
Press and hold the gear selector lever
in theD+direction until
D reappears in
the multifunction display (
page 171).
The transmission will shift from the
current gear range directly to gear
rangeD.Shifting into optimal gear range
Press and hold the gear selector lever
in theD-direction.
The transmission will automatically
select the gear range suited for optimal
acceleration and deceleration. This will
involve shifting down one or more
gears.Steering wheel gearshift control one-touch gearshifting*
Steering wheel gearshift control is avail-
able on vehicles with AMG-Sport Package*
and CLS 63 AMG only.
With the gear selector lever in drive
positionD and driving in program modeC
orS, you can limit or extend the gear
range.
If your vehicle is equipped with manual
shift programM, you can use the steering
wheel gearshift control to manually shift
the gears.
iIf you press on the accelerator when the en-
gine has reached its rpm limit, the transmission
will upshift beyond any gear range limit selected.
iFor information on using the steering wheel
gearshift control in program modeM, see “Man-
ual shift program CLS 63 AMG” (
page 179).

178 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Gearshift paddles (example illustration
vehicles with AMG-Sport Package*)
1Left shift paddle: limiting gear range or
downshift (in program modeM)
2Right shift paddle: extending gear
range or upshift (in program modeM)
The following instructions describe opera-
tion of the steering wheel gearshift control
when driving in the automatic program
modeC orS.Limiting gear range
Briefly pull left shift paddle1.
The transmission will shift to the next
lower gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
limits the gear range of the transmis-
sion (
page 174).
!Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the
operating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park positionP only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended
period when driving off on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
iYou cannot shift with the steering wheel
gearshift paddles when the gear selector lever is
in positionP,N orR.
Warning!G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.
iTo avoid overrevving the engine when down-
shifting, the transmission will not shift to a lower
gear if the engine’s max. speed would be
exceeded.

179 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
Extending gear range
Briefly pull right shift paddle2.
The transmission will shift to the next
higher gear as permitted by the shift
program. This action simultaneously
extends the gear range of the transmis-
sion.
Canceling gear range limit
Pull and hold right shift paddle2
until
D reappears in the multifunction
display (
page 171).
The transmission will shift from the
current gear range directly to gear
rangeD.Shifting into optimal gear range
Pull and hold left shift paddle1.
The transmission will automatically
select the gear range suited for optimal
acceleration and deceleration. This will
involve shifting down one or more
gears.
Manual shift program CLS 63 AMG
In addition to the automatic shift
programC orS, your vehicle is equipped
with the manual shift programM.
In the manual program modeM,
system-controlled automatic gearshifting
is switched off and you need to change the
gears by manually upshifting or downshift-
ing using the steering wheel gearshift
paddles (
page 178) or the gear selector
lever.
iIf you press on the accelerator when the en-
gine has reached its rpm limit, the transmission
will upshift beyond any gear range limit selected.
!Allow engine to warm up under low load use.
Do not place full load on the engine until the
operating temperature has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or park positionP only
when the vehicle is stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an extended
period when driving off on slippery road
surfaces. This may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

180 Controls in detail
Automatic transmission
The program mode selector switch is
located on the lower part of the center
console.
Program mode selector switch
M Manual For manual gear shifting
C Comfort For standard driving
S Sport For sporty driving
The selected program mode appears in the
multifunction display (
page 175).Activating manual shift program
Press program mode selector switch
repeatedly until the
M for manual pro-
gram modeM appears in the multifunc-
tion display.
The transmission switches to the
manual program modeM. Automatic
shifting is switched off. The gear range
is not limited.
You can change the gears manually when
the gear selector lever is in drive
positionD. You can upshift or downshift
through the gears in succession.Upshifting
Briefly press the gear selector lever to
the right in theD+direction.
or
Briefly pull right shift paddle2
(
page 178).
The transmission shifts to the next
higher gear.
If, instead of the manual program mode
symbol
M, thep symbol appears in the
multifunction display (
page 175), shift to
the next higher gear. The fuel supply will
otherwise be interrupted to prevent the
engine from overrevving.iFor information on automatic program
modesC orS, see “Automatic shift program”
(
page 175), “Gear selector lever one-touch
gearshifting” (
page 176), and “Steering wheel
gearshift control one-touch gearshifting*”
(
page 177).
iThe manual program modeM will not be
stored. When the engine is turned off with the
manual program modeM selected, the transmis-
sion will go to the automatic program mode
(CorS) when the engine is restarted.
!In the manual program modeM, the trans-
mission will not upshift, even if the engine has
reached its overrevving range. Shift up to the
next gear before the engine has reached its over-
revving range. Make absolutely certain that the
engine speed does not reach the red marking on
the tachometer (
page 26). Otherwise the
engine could be damaged which is not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

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.

217 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Distronic*
When activated, the Distronic adaptive
cruise control system increases driving
convenience afforded by the cruise control
during travel on expressways and other
major roads.

If the Distronic distance sensor detects
a slower moving vehicle directly ahead,
your vehicle speed will be reduced so
that you follow that vehicle at a preset
distance.

If there is no vehicle directly ahead of
you, Distronic will function in the same
way as cruise control (
page 214).
Warning!G
Distronic adaptive cruise control is no sub-
stitute for active driving involvement. It does
not react to stationary objects, nor recog-
nize or predict the curvature and lane layout
or the movement of vehicles ahead.
Distronic can only apply a maximum of 20%
of the vehicle’s braking power.
It is the driver’s responsibility at all times to
be attentive to road, traffic, and weather
conditions and to provide the steering, brak-
ing and other driving inputs necessary to re-
tain control of the vehicle.
Warning!G
Distronic is a convenience system. Its speed
adjustment reduction capability is intended
to make cruise control more effective and
usable when traffic speeds vary. It is not
however, intended to, nor does it, replace
the need for extreme care. The responsibili-
ty for the vehicle speed and the distance to
the vehicle ahead, including most impor-
tantly brake operation to assure safe stop-
ping distance, always remains with the
driver.
Distronic cannot take street and traffic con-
ditions into account.
Warning!G
Distronic requires familiarity with its opera-
tional characteristics. We strongly recom-
mend that you review the following
information carefully before operating the
system.
iUSA only: This device has been approved by
the FCC as a “Vehicular Radar System”. The ra-
dar sensor is intended for use in an automotive
radar system only. Removal, tampering, or alter-
ing of the device will void any warranties, and is
not permitted by the FCC. Do not tamper with,
alter, or use in any non-approved way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.

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

228 Controls in detail
Driving systems
The most likely cause for a malfunctioning
system is a dirty sensor (located behind
the hood grille), especially at times of snow
and ice or heavy rain. In such a case,
Distronic will switch off, and the message
DISTRONIC
Currently Unavailable
See Operator’s Manual
appears in the multifunction display.
For cleaning and care of the Distronic sen-
sor, see “Cleaning the Distronic* system
sensor cover” (
page 337).Turns and bends
In turns or bends, Distronic may not detect
a moving vehicle in front, or it may detect
one too soon. This may cause your vehicle
to brake late or unexpectedly.
Distronic regulates only the distance be-
tween your vehicle and those directly ahead
of it, but does not register stationary objects
in the road, e.g.:

a stopped vehicle in a traffic jam

a disabled vehicle

an oncoming vehicle
The driver must always be on the alert,
observe all traffic and intercede as required
by steering or braking the vehicle.
Warning!G
Distronic should not be used in snowy or icy
road conditions.
iIf the message
DISTRONIC
Currently Unavailable
See Operator’s Manual
disappears during driving and the last speed
stored flashes for approximately 5 seconds, the
dirt (e.g. slush) has dissolved; Distronic works
again.