Ambient lighting MERCEDES-BENZ ML500 2006 W163 Owner's Manual

139 Controls in detail
Lighting
Manual headlamp mode
The low beam headlamps and the parking
lamps can be switched on and off with the
exterior lamp switch.
Automatic headlamp mode
The following lamps switch on and off au-
tomatically depending on the brightness of
the ambient light:

Low beam headlamps


Tail and parking lamps


License plate lamps


Side marker lamps
iWith the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch and the driver’s door
open, a warning sounds if the parking
lamps or low beam headlamps are
switched on.
The message
Switch off lights

appears in the multifunction display.
iWith the daytime running lamp mode
activated and the engine running, the
low beam headlamps cannot be
switched off manually.
To activate the daytime running lamp
mode, see “Setting daytime running
lamp mode (USA only)” (
page 140).
Warning!
G
If the exterior lamp switch is set toU,

the headlamps may switch off unexpect-
edly when the system senses bright
ambient light, for example light from
oncoming traffic.


the headlamps will not be automatically
switched on under foggy conditions.
To minimize risk to you and to others,
activate headlamps by turning exterior lamp
switch toB when driving or when traffic
and/or ambient lighting conditions require
you to do so.
In low ambient lighting conditions, only
switch from positionU toB with the
vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching fromUtoB will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions
may result in an accident.
The automatic headlamp feature is only an
aid to the driver. The driver is responsible for
the operation of the vehicle’s lights at all
times.

140 Controls in detailLighting
Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionU.
With the SmartKey in starter switch
position1, only the parking lamps will
switch on and off automatically.
When the engine is running, the low
beam headlamps, the tail and parking
lamps, the license plate lamps, and the
side marker lamps will switch on and
off automatically.Daytime running lamp mode

Turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionM orU.
When the engine is running, the low beam
headlamps are switched on.
In low ambient light conditions, the
following lamps will switch on additionally:


Tail and parking lamps


License plate lamps


Side marker lamps
For nighttime driving you should turn the
exterior lamp switch to positionB to
permit activation of the high beam head-
lamps.Canada only
The daytime running lamp mode is manda-
tory and therefore in a constant mode.
When the engine is running, and you shift
from a driving position to positionN orP,
the low beam headlamps will switch off
with a three-minute delay.
When the engine is running, and you


turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionC, the parking lamps
switch on additionally.


turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB, the manual headlamp
mode has priority over the daytime
running lamp mode.
The corresponding exterior lamps
switch on (
page 54).

141 Controls in detail
Lighting
USA only
By default, the daytime running lamp mode
is deactivated. Activate the daytime
running lamp mode using the control
system, see “Setting daytime running lamp
mode (USA only)” (
page 167).
When the engine is running, and you turn
the exterior lamp switch to positionC
orB, the manual headlamp mode has
priority over the daytime running lamp
mode.
The corresponding exterior lamps switch
on (
page 54).
Locator lighting and night security
illumination
The locator lighting and the night security
illumination are described in the “Control
system” section, see “Setting locator light-
ing” (page 168) and “Setting night secu-
rity illumination” (
page 169).Fog lamps
Warning!
G
In low ambient lighting or foggy conditions,
only switch from positionU toB with
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Switching fromU toB will briefly
switch off the headlamps. Doing so while
driving in low ambient lighting conditions
may result in an accident.iFog lamps will operate with the parking
lamps and/or the low beam headlamps
on. Fog lamps should only be used in
conjunction with low beam headlamps.
Consult your State or Province Motor
Vehicle Regulations regarding permis-
sible lamp operation.
iFog lamps cannot be switched on with
the exterior lamp switch in
positionU. For switching on the fog
lamps, turn the exterior lamp switch to
positionB first.

143 Controls in detail
Lighting

Push the combination switch in
direction of arrow1 to switch on the
high beam.
The high beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
comes on (
page 24).

Pull the combination switch in direction
of arrow2 to its original position to
switch off the high beam.
The high beam headlamp indicator
lampA in the instrument cluster
goes out.
High beam flasher

Pull the combination switch briefly in
direction of arrow2.
Corner-illuminating front fog lamps*
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps im-
prove illumination of the road onto which
you are turning.
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps will
operate with the engine running and with

the exterior lamp switch in
positionB (
page 138)
or


the exterior lamp switch in
positionU (
page 138)
or


the daytime running lamp mode
activated (
page 140)Driving forward
Switching on corner-illuminating front
fog lamps

Depending on whether you are turning
left or right, switch on the left or right
turn signal (
page 54).
The respective front fog lamp comes on
and illuminates the area in the direc-
tion into which you are turning.
iCorner-illuminating front fog lamps will
only come on in low ambient lighting
conditions.
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps
function is not available at a vehicle
speed above 25 mph (40 km/h).
iThe corner-illuminating front fog lamps
will come on automatically depending
on the steering angle, even if you did
not switch on either turn signal. If the
corner-illuminating front fog lamps
came on automatically, they will also
go out automatically depending on the
steering angle.

168 Controls in detailControl system
Pressæ orç to select
Manual
or
daytime running lamp (
Constant
)
mode.
With daytime running lamp mode se-
lected and the exterior lamp switch at
positionM, the following lamps will
come on automatically when the en-
gine is turned on:


Parking lamps and low beam
headlamps


License plate lamps (in low ambient
light conditions)Setting locator lighting
With the locator lighting feature activated
and the exterior lamp switch in
position
U
, the following lamps will
switch on during darkness when the vehi-
cle is unlocked with SmartKey:


Parking lamps


Tail lamps


License plate lamps


Side marker lamps


Front fog lamps
The locator lighting switches off when the
driver’s door is opened. It switches off au-
tomatically after a period of approximately
40 seconds.
iIf you turn the exterior lamp switch to
another position, the corresponding
lamp(s) will switch on.
For safety reasons, resetting the Lighting
submenu to factory settings
while driving will not reset the daytime
running lamp mode.
In the display you will then see the mes-
sage:
Lighting - Cannot be com-
pletely reset to factory settings
while driving.