instrument cluster MERCEDES-BENZ R320 2008 W251 Owner's Manual

Contents
Introduction.......................................... 9
Product information ................................ 9
Operator’s Manual ............................... 10
Service and warranty information .. 10
Important notice for California
retail buyers and lessees of
Mercedes-Benz automobiles .......... 11
Maintenance .................................. 12
Roadside Assistance ...................... 12
Change of address or ownership.... 13
Operating your vehicle outside
the USA or Canada......................... 13
Where to find it .................................... 14
Symbols ............................................... 15
Operating safety .................................. 16
Proper use of the vehicle ............... 16
Problems with your vehicle .................. 17
Reporting safety defects...................... 18
Reporting safety defects ................ 18
Vehicle data recording ......................... 19
Information regarding electronic
recording devices ........................... 19At a glance.......................................... 21
Exterior view ......................................... 22
Cockpit ................................................. 24
Instrument cluster ................................ 26
Multifunction steering wheel ................ 30
Center console ..................................... 31
Upper part ...................................... 31
Lower part ...................................... 32
Overhead control panel ........................ 33
Storage compartments ......................... 34
Door control panel................................ 36Getting started................................... 37
Unlocking ............................................. 38
Unlocking with the SmartKey ......... 38
Unlocking with KEYLESS-GO*......... 39
Starter switch positions .................. 39
Adjusting .............................................. 43
Seats .............................................. 43
Steering wheel ................................ 46
Mirrors ............................................ 48
Driving .................................................. 50
Fastening the seat belts ................. 50
Starting the engine ......................... 53
Parking brake ................................. 56
Driving off ....................................... 56
Switching on headlamps ................. 58
Turn signals .................................... 59
Windshield wipers ........................... 59
Rear window wiper/washer ............ 61
Problems while driving.................... 62
Parking and locking .............................. 64
Parking brake ................................. 65
Switching off headlamps................. 65
Turning off the engine..................... 66
Releasing seat belts........................ 67
Locking ........................................... 67

Contents
Safety and Security.......................... 69
Occupant safety................................... 70
Air bags .......................................... 72
Occupant Classification System ..... 77
Seat belts ....................................... 82
Active head restraints .................... 86
Rear head restraints ....................... 87
Children in the vehicle .................... 87
Blocking of rear door window
operation ........................................ 97
Panic alarm .......................................... 98
Activating ....................................... 98
Deactivating ................................... 98
Driving safety systems ......................... 99
ABS ................................................ 99
BAS .............................................. 101
ESP
®............................................. 101
EBP............................................... 105
Anti-theft systems.............................. 106
Immobilizer................................... 106
Anti-theft alarm system ................ 106
Controls in detail............................. 109
Locking and unlocking ....................... 110
SmartKey ..................................... 110
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 113
Checking the batteries in the
SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* .............................. 118
Loss of the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 118
Opening the doors from the inside 118
Tailgate/Power tailgate*.............. 119
Automatic central locking ............ 126
Locking and unlocking from
the inside ..................................... 126
Seats ................................................. 128
Easy-entry/exit feature ................ 128
Lumbar support............................ 132
Multicontour seat* ....................... 132
Front seat active head restraints . 133
Rear seats .................................... 133
Seat heating* ............................... 139
Seat ventilation* (Canada only) ... 140Memory function* ............................. 141
Storing positions into memory ..... 142
Recalling positions from memory. 142
Lighting ............................................. 143
Exterior lamp switch .................... 143
Combination switch ..................... 147
Corner-illuminating front
fog lamps* ................................... 148
Hazard warning flasher ................ 150
Interior lighting ............................ 150
Door entry lamps ......................... 153
Cargo compartment lamp ............ 153
Instrument cluster ............................. 154
Adjusting instrument cluster
illumination .................................. 154
Resetting trip odometer ............... 155
Tachometer.................................. 155
Outside temperature indicator ..... 155

Contents
Oxidation catalyst
(diesel engine).............................. 349
Emission control .......................... 350
Coolant temperature .................... 350
At the gas station .............................. 352
Refueling ...................................... 352
Check regularly and before a
long trip........................................ 354
Engine compartment ......................... 356
Hood ............................................ 356
Engine oil ..................................... 358
Transmission fluid level ................ 360
Coolant level ................................ 360
Windshield/rear window washer
system and headlamp cleaning
system* ....................................... 362
Tires and wheels ................................ 363
Important guidelines .................... 363
Tire care and maintenance........... 364
Direction of rotation ..................... 365
Loading the vehicle ...................... 366
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 371
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 373
Tire labeling.................................. 384
Load identification ....................... 388DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) .............................................. 388
Maximum tire load ........................ 390
Maximum tire inflation pressure ... 390
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) .............. 391
Tire ply material ............................ 393
Tire and loading terminology......... 393
Rotating tires ................................ 396
Winter driving ..................................... 398
Winter tires ................................... 398
Snow chains.................................. 399
Maintenance....................................... 400
Maintenance service indicator
message ....................................... 400
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display ............... 402
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator ........................... 402
Vehicle care........................................ 403
Cleaning and care of the vehicle ... 403
Practical hints.................................. 413
What to do if … ................................... 414
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 414
Lamp in center console ................ 425
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display .................... 427
Where will I find ...? ............................ 467
First aid kit.................................... 467
Vehicle tool kit.............................. 467
Spare wheel .................................. 471
Unlocking / locking in an emergency .. 474
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 474
Locking the vehicle ....................... 475
Fuel filler flap ................................ 475
Resetting activated head restraints.... 477
Vehicles without Rear Seat
Entertainment Package................. 477
Vehicles with Rear Seat
Entertainment Package*............... 478
Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 479
Replacing bulbs .................................. 480
Bulbs............................................. 480
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 483
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 487

21 At a glance
Exterior view
Cockpit
Instrument cluster
Multifunction steering wheel
Center console
Overhead control panel
Storage compartments
Door control panel

25 At a glance
Cockpit
ItemPage
1Cruise control lever258
2Instrument cluster26
3Multifunction steering
wheel30
4Horn
5Steering wheel gearshift
buttons201
6Gear selector lever for
automatic transmission53
7Front Parktronic* warning
indicators283
8Overhead control panel33
9Glove box release
Glove box lock304
305
ItemPage
aGlove box
CD changer*
AUX-socket304
304
304
bCenter console31
cPower outlet314
dStarter switch39
eSteering wheel adjustment,
manual46
fSteering wheel adjustment,
electrical*47
Heated steering wheel*318
gHood lock release356
hParking brake release56
ItemPage
jParking brake pedal65
kDoor control panel36
lExterior lamp switch143
mCombination switch

High beam58

Turn signals59

Windshield wipers59

Rear window wiper61

26 At a glance
Instrument cluster

27 At a glance
Instrument cluster
ItemPage
1LLeft turn signal
indicator lamp
2To dim instrument cluster
illumination154
3Reset button for:

Resetting trip odometer

Resetting all settings
155
171
4To brighten instrument
cluster illumination154
5KRight turn signal
indicator lamp
6Clock176
ItemPage
7Speedometer with:
-Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
indicator lamp414
’Variable speed limiter
indicator lamp1
lDistance warning
lamp2262,
414
1Lamp without function. It illuminates when the
ignition is on. It should go out when the engine is
running.
2Vehicles without Distronic*: Warning lamp without
function. It illuminates when the ignition is on.
It should go out when the engine is running.
ItemPage
;Brake warning lamp,
USA only415
3Brake warning lamp,
Canada only415
vElectronic Stability
Program (ESP®)
warning lamp
419
HCombination low tire
pressure/TPMS
malfunction telltale,
USA only422
Low tire pressure
telltale*, Canada only422

28 At a glance
Instrument cluster

29 At a glance
Instrument cluster
ItemPage
8Multifunction display with:

Trip odometer155

Main odometer157
9Tachometer with:
420
1Supplemental
Restraint System
(SRS) indicator lamp70,
424
?Engine malfunction in-
dicator lamp,
USA only417
±Engine malfunction in-
dicator lamp,
Canada only417
ItemPage
AHigh beam headlamp
indicator lamp147
qPreglow indicator
lamp153
aFuel gauge with:
Fuel tank reserve warning
lamp424
4Fuel filler flap indica-
tor: The fuel filler flap
is located on the rear
right-hand side352
1Vehicles with diesel engine only.
ItemPage
bMultifunction display with:

Outside temperature
indicator or digital
speedometer (depending
on selected setting in the
control system)157,
175

Transmission position
indicator194

Gear range indicator199

Program mode indicator200

Distance warning function
indicator* (Canada only)275

Rear window wiper
indicator61

Set speed for

Cruise control

Distronic*
(Canada only)
259
268

40 Getting started
Unlocking
SmartKey
Starter switch
0For removing SmartKey
1Power supply for some electrical
consumers, such as seat adjustment
2Ignition (power supply for all electrical
consumers) and driving position
All lamps (except high beam headlamp
indicator lamp and turn signal indicator
lamps unless activated) in the instru-
ment cluster come on. If a lamp in the
instrument cluster fails to come on
when the ignition is switched on, have
it checked and replaced if necessary. If
a lamp in the instrument cluster remains on after starting the engine or
comes on while driving, refer to “Lamps
in instrument cluster” (
page 414).
3Starting position
iWhen you switch on the ignition, the
indicator and warning lamps (except high beam
headlamp indicator lamp and turn signal indica-
tor lamps unless activated) in the instrument
cluster come on. The indicator and warning
lamps (except high beam headlamp indicator
lamp and turn signal indicator lamps if activated)
will go out when the engine is running.
This indicates that the respective systems are
operational.
iIf the SmartKey does not belong to the
vehicle, the SmartKey can be turned in the
starter switch. However, the ignition does not
switch on and the engine does not start.
iWhen the SmartKey is removed from the
starter switch and the automatic transmission is
in a position other thanP, the automatic
transmission automatically shifts toP.
!If the SmartKey cannot be turned in
the starter switch, the battery may not be
sufficiently charged.

Check the battery and charge it if necessary
(
page 503).

Get a jump start (page 511).
To prevent accelerated battery discharge or a
completely discharged battery, always remove
the SmartKey from the starter switch when the
engine is not in operation.