MERCEDES-BENZ E500 2003 W211 Owner's Manual

121 Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as
the key in the starter switch is turned to
position1. The control system enables you
to

call up information about your vehicle


change vehicle settings.
For example, you can use the control sys-
tem to find out when your vehicle is next
due for service, to set the language for
messages in the instrument cluster dis-
play, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1Segment ring
2Standard display
3Trip odometer
iThe displays for the audio systems (ra-
dio, CD player, cassette player) will ap-
pear in English, regardless of the
language selected.
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, se-
lecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions per-
mit it to be done safely.
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 13.5 m) every second.

122 Controls in detailControl systemMultifunction steering wheel
The displays in the multifunction display
and the settings in the control system
(page 121) are controlled by the buttons
on the multifunction steering wheel.
Pressing any of the buttons on the multi-
function steering wheel will alter what is
shown in the multifunction display.The information available in the multifunc-
tion display is arranged in menus, each
containing a number of functions or sub-
menus.
The individual functions are then found
within the relevant menu (radio or CD op-
erations under
Audio
, for example). These
functions serve to call up relevant informa-
tion or to customize the settings for your
vehicle.
1
Multifunction display in the speed-
ometerOperating the control system
2
Selecting the submenu or setting
the volumeçdown / to decreaseæup / to increase
3
Telephone*íto take a callìto end a call
4
Menu systemsèfor next menuÿfor previous menu
5
Moving within a menujfor next displaykfor previous display

123 Controls in detail
Control system
It is helpful to think of the menus, and the
functions within each menu, as being ar-
ranged in a circular pattern.

If you press buttonè orÿ often
enough, you will pass through each
menu one after the other.


If you press buttonk orj often
enough, you will pass through each
function display, one after the other, in
the current menu.In the
Settings
menu, instead of functions
you will find a number of submenus for
calling up and changing settings. For in-
structions on using these submenus, see
the "Settings menu" section (
page 131).
The number of menus available in the sys-
tem depends on which optional equipment
is installed in your vehicle.The menus are described on the following
pages.

124 Controls in detailControl systemMenusThis is what you will see when you scroll
through the menus.The table on the next page provides an
overview of the individual menus.

125 Controls in detail
Control system
Menus, submenus and functions
Menu 1
Menu 2
Menu 3
Menu 4
Menu 5
Menu 6
Menu 7
Menu 8
Commands/submenusStandard dis-
play
AUDIO
NAVI*
Distronic*
Malfunction
memory
Settings
Trip computer
Telephone
Digital speed-
ometer
Select radio
station
Activate
route guid-
ance
Call up set-
tings
Call up malfunc-
tion messages
Reset to factory
settings
Fuel consumption
statistics after
start
Load phone
book
Call up FSS
PLUS
Operate CD
player*
Instrument clus-
ter submenu
Fuel consumption
statistics since
the last reset
Search for
name in
phone book
Check tire pres-
sure*
Operate cas-
sette player
Time/Date sub-
menu
Call up range
Check engine oil
level
Lighting sub-
menuVehicle sub-
menuConvenience
submenuDynamic driving
seat* submenu

126 Controls in detailControl system
Standard display menu
You can select the functions in the stan-
dard display menu with buttonk
orj.
The following functions are available:
Display digital speedometer
Press buttonj twice.
The current vehicle speed is shown in
the multifunction display.
AUDIO menu
The functions in the
Audio
menu operate
the audio equipment which you currently
have turned on.
If no audio equipment is currently turned
on, the message
AUDIO OFF
is shown in the
display.
The following functions are available:
iThe headings used in the menus table
are designed to facilitate navigation
within the system and are not neces-
sarily identical to those shown in the
control system displays.
The first function displayed in each
menu will automatically show you
which part of the system you are in.
Function
Page
Call up digital speedometer
see
below
Call up FSS PLUS
275
Check tire pressure*
270
Check engine oil level
262
Function
Page
Select radio station
127
Operate CD player*
127
Operate cassette player
128

127 Controls in detail
Control system
Select radio station
Turn on the radio. Refer to separate op-
erating instructions.
Vehicles with COMAND*:
Refer to separate operating instruc-
tions.

Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until you see the currently tuned sta-
tion in the display.
1Waveband setting
2Station frequency

Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the desired station is found.Operate the CD player*

Turn on the radio and select the CD
player. Refer to separate operating in-
structions.
Vehicles with COMAND*: Refer to sep-
arate operating instructions.

Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the settings for the CD currently
being played are shown in the display.
1Current CD (for CD changer*)
2Current track

Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the desired track is selected.
iYou can only store new stations using
the corresponding feature on the radio,
see separate operating instructions.
Vehicles with COMAND*:
Refer to separate operating instruc-
tions.
You can also operate the radio in the
usual manner.

128 Controls in detailControl systemOperate the cassette player
Turn on the radio and select the ca-
sette player, see separate operating in-
structions.
Vehicles with COMAND*: Refer to sep-
arate operating instructions.

Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the settings for the cassette cur-
rently being played are shown in the
display.
1Current side

Press buttonj to fast forward to
the next track.

Press buttonk to rewind the cas-
sette to the beginning of the current
track.
NAVI*
Refer to separate COMAND* operating in-
structions.
Distronic* menu
Use the Distronic menu to display the cur-
rent settings for your Distronic system.
What information is shown in the display
depends on whether the Distronic system
is active or inactive.
Please refer to the "Driving systems" sec-
tion of this manual (
page 197) for in-
structions on how to activate Distronic.

Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until you see one of the following two
pictures in the display.
iTo select a CD from the magazine,
press a number on the audio system or
the COMAND* system key pad located
in the center dashboard.
iTo select the reverse side of the tape,
press button below track number on
the audio system display, or enter re-
quest on the COMAND* system locat-
ed in the center dashboard.

129 Controls in detail
Control system
Distronic deactivated
When Distronic is deactivated, you will see
the standard display in the display.
1Vehicle ahead, if detected
2Actual distance to vehicle ahead
3Should-be distance to vehicle ahead
4Your vehicle
5Symbol for activated distance warning
functionDistronic activated
When Distronic is activated,
Distronic

and the set speed are seen in the display.
1Distronic activated
Malfunction memory menu
Use the malfunction memory menu to scan
malfunction and warning messages that
may be stored in the system. What infor-
mation is shown in the display depends on
whether malfunctions have actually oc-
curred.Warning!
G
Malfunction and warning messages are only
indicated for certain systems and displayed
at a low level of detail. The malfunction and
warning messages are simply a reminder
with respect to the operation of certain sys-
tems and do not replace the driver’s respon-
sibility to maintain the vehicle’s operating
safety by having all required maintenance
and safety checks performed on the vehicle
and by bringing the vehicle to an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center to address the mal-
function and warning messages
(page 295).

130 Controls in detailControl system
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until you see the malfunction message
memory in the display.
No malfunction messages
If no malfunctions have occured, the mes-
sage in the display is:
No MalfunctionMalfunctions have occurred
If malfunctions have occurred, you will see
the number of malfunctions in the display:

Press buttonk orj.
The stored messages will now be dis-
played in order. See the "Practical
hints" section for malfunction and
warning messages (
page 295).
Should any malfunctions occur while driv-
ing, the number of malfunctions will reap-
pear in the display when the key in the
starter switch is turned to position0 or re-
moved from the starter switch.
Settings menu
In the
Settings
menu there are two func-
tions:


The function
To reset: Press reset
button for 3 seconds
, with which you
can reset all the settings to the original
factory settings.


A collection of submenus with which
you can make individual settings for
your vehicle.

Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the
Settings
menu is seen in the
display.
iThe message memory will be cleared
when you turn the key in the starter
switch to position1 or2. You will then
only see high priority malfunctions.
These are highlighted by red back-
ground (
page 295).