control system MERCEDES-BENZ E350 2006 W211 Manual Online

207 Controls in detail
Dual-zone automatic climate control (USA only)
Deactivating
Press button
orQ
(page 204).
The indicator lamp on the buttonU
goes out. The automatic operation of
air volume switches off. The selected
blower speed is shown in the air
volume displaya (
page 204).
or

Press air distribution button4
(page 204).
The indicator lamp on the buttonU
goes out. The automatic operation of
air distribution switches off. The select-
ed air distribution is shown in the air
distribution display8 (
page 204).
Setting the temperature
Use temperature controls1 and6
(page 204) to separately adjust the air
temperature on each side of the passenger
compartment. You should raise or lower
the temperature setting in small incre-
ments, preferably starting at 72°F (22°C).
The climate control will adjust to the set
temperature as fast as possible.
Increasing

Turn temperature control1 and/or
6 (
page 204) slightly clockwise.
The climate control system will corre-
spondingly adjust the interior air tem-
perature.Decreasing

Turn temperature control1 and/or
6 (
page 204) slightly counterclock-
wise.
The climate control system will corre-
spondingly adjust the interior air tem-
perature.

212 Controls in detailDual-zone automatic climate control (USA only)Air conditioning
The cooling function, only operational
when the engine is running, cools the vehi-
cle interior down to the selected tempera-
ture. The cooling function also
dehumidifies the air in the vehicle interior,
thus preventing the windows from fogging
up.Deactivating
It is possible to deactivate the air condi-
tioning (cooling) function of the climate
control system. The air in the vehicle will
then no longer be cooled or dehumidified.

Press button2 (
page 204).
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
Activating
Moist air can fog up the windows. You can
dehumidify the air with the air condition-
ing.

Press button2 (
page 204) again.
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
The air conditioning uses the refrigerant
R134a. This refrigerant is free of CFCs
which are harmful to the ozone layer.
iCondensation may drip out from under-
neath the vehicle. This is normal and
not an indication of a malfunction.Warning!
G
If you turn off the cooling function, the
vehicle will not be cooled when weather
conditions are warm. The windows can fog
up more quickly. Window fogging may
impair visibility and endanger you and
others.
!If the air conditioning cannot be turned
on again, this indicates that the air con-
ditioning is losing refrigerant. The com-
pressor has turned itself off.
Have the air conditioning checked at
the nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

218 Controls in detail4-zone automatic climate control*
The climate control is a 4-zone intelligent
climate control system. Your vehicle interi-
or is divided into 4 zones.With the help of a sun sensor, the climate
control determines the relation of the sun
to the vehicle and automatically adjusts
the inside temperature for every individual
zone.
You can set the temperature for each of
the 4 zones separately.
The climate control is operational whenev-
er the engine is running. It cools the vehi-
cle’s interior according to the angle and
intensity of the sun’s rays, the outside tem-
perature and the selected temperature.
You can operate the climate control sys-
tem in either the automatic or manual
mode.
Warning!
G
When operating the climate control, the air
that enters the passenger compartment
through the air vents can be very hot or very
cold (depending on the set temperature).
This may cause burn or frostbite to unpro-
tected skin in the immediate area of the air
vents. Always keep sufficient distance be-
tween unprotected parts of the body and the
air vents. If necessary, use the air distribu-
tion controls (
page 217) or (
page 216)
to direct the air to air vents in the vehicle in-
terior that are not in the immediate area of
unprotected skin.

219 Controls in detail
4-zone automatic climate control*
Nearly all dust particles, pollutants and
odors are filtered out before outside air en-
ters the passenger compartment through
the air distribution system.
The air conditioning will not engage (no
cooling) if the A/Cmode (
page 227) is
deactivated.Deactivating the climate control
system
Deactivating
Press button´ (
page 216) or
(
page 217) until the display4
(page 216) or (
page 217) is
cleared.
Warning!
G
Follow the recommended settings for heat-
ing and cooling given on the following pag-
es. Otherwise the windows could fog up,
impairing visibility and endangering you and
others.
iSevere conditions (e.g. strong air pollu-
tion) may require replacement of the fil-
ter before its scheduled interval. A
clogged filter will reduce the air volume
to the interior.
If the vehicle interior is hot, ventilate
the interior before driving off, see
“Summer opening feature”
(page 234). The climate control will
then adjust the interior temperature to
the set value much faster.
Keep the air intake grille in front of the
windshield free of snow and debris.
Do not obstruct air flow by placing ob-
jects on the air flow-through exhaust
slots below the rear window.
iWhen the climate control system is de-
activated, the outside air supply and
circulation are also deactivated. Only
choose this setting for a short time.
Otherwise the windows could fog up.

220 Controls in detail4-zone automatic climate control*Reactivating
Make sure the ignition is switched on.

Press button´ (
page 216) or
(
page 217) again.
The previous settings are once again in
effect.Operating the climate control system
in automatic modeActivating

Switch on the ignition (
page 36).

Press one buttonU (
page 216) or
(
page 217).
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
AUTO
appears in the
display4 (
page 216) or
(
page 217). The air volume and air
distribution are adjusted automatically.

Use temperature controls1 and6
(page 216) or (
page 217) to sepa-
rately adjust the air temperature on
each side of the passenger compart-
ment.
The temperature of the vehicle interior
is adjusted automatically.
iTo switch the system on, you can also
press another button, with the excep-
tion of 1, F and T
(page 216) or (
page 217).
iWhen operating the climate control
system in automatic mode, you will
only rarely need to adjust the tempera-
ture, air volume and air distribution.
In automatic mode, cooling with dehu-
midify is switched on. This function can
be switched off if necessary.iThe automatic climate control system
can also be switched on or off
separately for the left and right sides of
the passenger compartment, as
required.

221 Controls in detail
4-zone automatic climate control*
Deactivating
Press button
orQ
(page 216) or (
page 217).
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
AUTO
disappears in the display4
(
page 216) or (
page 217). The au-
tomatic operation of air volume switch-
es off.
or

Turn air distribution controls1
and7 (
page 216) or (
page 217)
on each side of the passenger compart-
ment to the desired symbol.
The indicator lamps on the
buttonsU go out.
AUTO
disappears
in the display4 (
page 216) or
(
page 217). The automatic operation
of air distribution switches off.
Setting the temperature
Use temperature control rocker
switches3 and5 (
page 216) or
(
page 217) to separately adjust the air
temperature on each side of the passenger
compartment. You should raise or lower
the temperature setting in small incre-
ments, preferably starting at 72°F (22°C).
The adjusted temperature appears in the
display 4 (
page 216) or (
page 217).
The climate control will adjust to the set
temperature as fast as possible.Increasing

Push top of temperature control rocker
switch3 and/or5 (
page 216) or
(
page 217).
The climate control system will corre-
spondingly adjust the interior air tem-
perature.
Decreasing

Push bottom of temperature control
rocker switch3 and/or 5
(page 216) or (
page 217).
The climate control system will corre-
spondingly adjust the interior air tem-
perature.
iYou can also adjust the temperature in
the rear passenger compartment
(page 229).
iWhen operating the climate control
system in automatic mode, you will
only rarely need to adjust the tempera-
ture, air volume and air distribution.

227 Controls in detail
4-zone automatic climate control*
Air conditioning
The cooling function, only operational
when the engine is running, cools the vehi-
cle interior down to the selected tempera-
ture. The cooling function also
dehumidifies the air in the vehicle interior,
thus preventing the windows from fogging
up.Deactivating
It is possible to deactivate the air condi-
tioning (cooling) function of the climate
control system. The air in the vehicle will
then no longer be cooled or dehumidified.

Press button2 (
page 216) or
(
page 217).
The indicator lamp on the button goes
out.
Activating
Moist air can fog up the windows. You can
dehumidify the air with the air condition-
ing.

Press button2 (
page 216) or
(
page 217) again.
The indicator lamp on the button
comes on.
The air conditioning uses the refrigerant
R134a. This refrigerant is free of CFCs
which are harmful to the ozone layer.
iCondensation may drip out from under-
neath the vehicle. This is normal and
not an indication of a malfunction.Warning!
G
If you turn off the cooling function, the
vehicle will not be cooled when weather
conditions are warm. The windows can fog
up more quickly. Window fogging may
impair visibility and endanger you and
others.
!If the air conditioning cannot be turned
on again, this indicates that the air con-
ditioning is losing refrigerant. The com-
pressor has turned itself off.
Have the air conditioning checked at
the nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

228 Controls in detail4-zone automatic climate control*Residual heat and ventilation (Canada only)
With the engine switched off, it is possible
to continue to heat or ventilate the interior
for up to 30 minutes. This feature makes
use of the residual heat produced by the
engine.
Activating

Switch off the ignition.

Press buttonT (
page 217).
REST in the display4 (page 217)
comes on.Deactivating

Press buttonT (
page 217) again.
REST in the display4 (page 217)
goes out.
iIf you switch on the residual heat
function when temperatures are high,
only the ventilation will be switched on.iRegardless of the selected air volume,
the blower operates at low speed.
iHow long the system will provide heat-
ing depends on

the coolant temperature


the temperature set by the operator
The blower will run at speed setting1
regardless of the air distribution
control setting.
iThe residual heat is automatically
turned off:

when the ignition is switched on


after about 30 minutes


if the battery voltage drops


if the coolant temperature is too
low

243 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving systems
The driving systems of your vehicle are de-
scribed 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 BAS, ABS, electrohy-
draulic brake system and ESP
® driving sys-
tems, see “Driving safety systems”
(
page 92).
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 22).
Warning!
G
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must remain at
all times responsible for the vehicle 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 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.

244 Controls in detailDriving systems1Set current or higher speed
2Set current or lower speed
3Cancel cruise control
4Resume at last set speedSetting current speed

Accelerate or decelerate to the desired
speed.

Briefly lift1 or depress2 the cruise
control lever.
The current speed is set.

Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
Cruise control is activated.
The selected speed appears in the multi-
function display for approximately
5 seconds, and the corresponding speed-
ometer segments from the selected speed
to the vehicle maximum speed are illumi-
nated.
Warning!
G
The cruise control brakes automatically so
that the set speed is not exceeded.
Keep in mind that the cruise control is a
convenience system designed to assist the
driver during vehicle operation. The driver is
and must remain at all times responsible for
the vehicle speed and for safe brake
operation.
iOn uphill or downhill grades, the cruise
control may not be able to maintain the
set speed. Once the grade eases, the
set speed will be resumed.
On downhill grades, the cruise control
maintains the set speed with active
braking action.
In addition, on longer downhill grades
the automatic transmission will auto-
matically downshift.