display MERCEDES-BENZ R63AMG 2007 R171 Manual Online

281 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Setting the following distance in
Distronic
You can set the specified following
distance for Distronic by varying the time
setting between 1.0 and 2.0 seconds. Us-
ing this time setting and the current speed
of your vehicle, Distronic calculates and
sets the required following distance to the
preceding vehicle. The set distance will be
shown in the multifunction display
(
page 276).
The distance setting switch for the time
setting is located on the cruise control
lever on the left-hand side of the steering
column.
1Distance setting switch
2To decrease distance
3To increase distance
Warning!G
Distronic switches off and releases the
brakes when the vehicle decelerates below
the minimum speed of 20 mph (30 km/h)
by operation of the system. At that time the
driver must apply the brakes in order to
reduce vehicle speed further or bring it to
astop.
!Setting the automatic transmission toN
while driving cancels the Distronic. However, the
automatic transmission should not be set toN
while driving except to coast when the vehicle is
in danger of skidding (e.g. on icy roads).
iDepressing the accelerator pedal does not
deactivate the Distronic. After a brief accelera-
tion (e.g. for passing), the Distronic will resume
the last set speed.
Warning!G
It is up to the driver to exercise discretion to
select the appropriate setting given road
conditions, traffic, driver’s preferred driving
style and applicable laws and driving recom-
mendations for safe following distance.

283 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 multi-
function display.
For cleaning and care of the Distronic sen-
sor, see “Cleaning the Distronic* system
sensor cover” (
page 414).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.Offset driving
A vehicle traveling in your lane but offset
from your direct line of travel may not be
detected by Distronic. There will be insuffi-
cient distance to the vehicle ahead.
iIf the message DISTRONIC available
again
appears during driving, the dirt (e.g.
slush) has dissolved; Distronic works again, if
you reactivate it (
page 277).

285 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Switch on the distance warning func-
tion in the control system
(
page 191).1Symbol for activated distance warning
function
When the distance warning function is
switched on, you will see the : symbol
in the Standard display. When the distance
warning function is deactivated the
:symbol will not appear.
AIRMATIC*
The AIRMATIC* consists of two compo-
nents:

Adaptive Damping System (ADS)*
(
page 286): Automatically optimizes
your vehicle’s suspension tuning.

Vehicle level control* (page 286):
Regulates the ride height of the vehicle.
Warning!G
If the distance warning lampl in the in-
strument cluster comes on while driving
and/or an intermittent warning sounds,
immediate attention on the part of the driver
is required. As required by the traffic
situation, apply the brakes and navigate
around a possible obstacle. However, do not
drive by relying on the distance warning
function, as this will result in an emergency
braking application. This will not always
enable you to avoid a collision, especially
when traveling on varying road surface
conditions and with varying driver reaction.
Complex driving situations are not always
fully recognized by the distance warning
function. This could result in wrong or miss-
ing distance warnings.
Warning!G
R 63 AMG only: When you turn off the
engine, the vehicle may be lowered
(
page 288). To avoid personal injury,
make sure that nobody is in the vicinity of
the wheel housing or under the vehicle when
you turn off the engine.
!R 63 AMG only: When you turn off the en-
gine, the vehicle may be lowered (
page 288).
When parking, make sure there is sufficient
clearance under the vehicle for it to lower with-
out making contact with the road curb for exam-
ple. Otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged.

289 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Raised level
Only choose the raised level when the road
conditions permit. Otherwise:

Fuel consumption may increase.

Handling characteristics of the vehicle
may be unfavorable.
Start the engine (page 54).The switch is located on the upper part of
the center console.
1Vehicle level control switch
2Indicator lamp
If indicator lamp2 is off:
Press switch1.
Indicator lamp2 flashes. The vehicle
adjusts to the raised level.
The following message appears in the
multifunction display while the level is
being set:When the raised level is reached, indicator
lamp2 comes on continuously and the
following message appears in the multi-
function display:
iYou can select the raised level at vehicle
speeds of up to 25 mph (40 km/h). At a higher
vehicle speed, the message
n
Level selection not permitted
appears in the multifunction display.
iThe messages can be cleared by pressing
buttonæ orç on the multifunction steer-
ing wheel.

290 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Highway level
Close all doors and the tailgate.
Start the engine (page 54).
The switch is located on the upper part of
the center console.
1Vehicle level control switch
2Indicator lampIf indicator lamp2 is on:
Press switch1 (page 289).
Indicator lamp2 flashes. The vehicle
adjusts to the highway level.
The following message appears in the
multifunction display while the level is
being set:When the highway level is reached, indica-
tor lamp2 goes out and the following
message appears in the multifunction dis-
play:
!Keep in mind that in rough or uneven roads,
adjusting the vehicle to a lower level may cause
the vehicle underbody to come in contact with
the road and result in damage to the vehicle
underbody. Always make sure the vehicle has
sufficient ground clearance before adjusting it
to a lower level.
iThe messages can be cleared by pressing
buttonæ orç on the multifunction steer-
ing wheel.
iThe vehicle level is set to highway level auto-
matically when the vehicle speed is exceeding
25 mph (40 km/h).

295 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Rear view camera*
Warning!G
The rear view camera is only an aid and may
display obstacles from a distorted perspec-
tive or inaccurately, or may not display ob-
stacles at all. The rear view camera does not
relieve you of the responsibility to be cau-
tious, take care and pay careful attention.
The rear view camera may not show objects
which are

very close to the rear bumper

under the rear bumper

above the tailgate handle
You are responsible for safety at all times
and must continue to pay attention to the
immediate surroundings when parking and
maneuvering. This includes the area behind,
in front of and beside the vehicle. Otherwise
you could endanger yourself or others.
Warning!G
Make sure that no persons or animals are in
or near the area in which you are
parking/maneuvering. Otherwise, they
could be injured.
Warning!G
The rear view camera either will not function
or will not function to its full capability if

the tailgate is open

it is raining very hard, snowing or foggy

it is night or you are parking/maneuver-
ing your vehicle in an area where it is
very dark

the camera is exposed to a very bright
white light

the immediate surroundings are illumi-
nated with fluorescent light (the display
may flicker)

there is a sudden change in tempera-
ture, e.g. if you drive into a heated
garage from the cold (lens condensa-
tion)

the camera lens is dirty or covered

the rear of your vehicle is damaged
In this case, have the position and set-
ting of the camera checked by a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you
contact a Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center for this purpose.
Do not use the rear view camera in these sit-
uations. Otherwise you could injure yourself
or others and/or damage property including
your vehicle while parking/maneuvering.

296 Controls in detail
Driving systems
The rear view camera is an optical parking
aid. It shows you the area behind the vehi-
cle in the COMAND system display when
reverse gear R is engaged, for example
during parallel parking.
The rear view camera is located near the
tailgate handle.
1Rear view cameraSwitching the rear view camera
on and off
Switch on the ignition (page 39).
Shift the automatic transmission to
positionR (
page 197).
The area behind the vehicle appears in
the COMAND system display.
Shift the automatic transmission to
positionP,N orD to switch off the rear
view camera.
iThe area behind the vehicle is shown in the
COMAND system display as a mirror image, like
in the rear view mirror.
iThe image from the rear view camera will
no longer be displayed if you select another
function on the COMAND system while reverse
gear R is engaged. To display the image again,
disengage and reengage reverse gear R.

328 Controls in detail
Useful features
Please note that these functions are only
available with Mercedes-Benz approved
mobile phones. Please contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center for information on features avail-
able for your mobile phone of choice.
The cradle is located in the front center
armrest.
Open telephone compartment
(
page 313).
Inserting mobile phone in mobile phone
cradle
Once the mobile phone has been inserted
in the mobile phone cradle, you have to
use the hands-free device to respond
during phone calls.
If applicable, remove the cover for the
external antenna connection from the
back of the mobile phone and store it in
a s a f e p l a c e . B e s u r e t o c o m p l y w i t h t h e
mobile phone’s operating instructions
as well.
Example illustration
1Inserting the mobile phone
2Connector contact
3Mobile phone cradle
Slide the lower end of the mobile phone
into connector contact 2 on
cradle3.
Push the top of the mobile phone in
direction of arrow 1, until the lug on
the mobile phone release button
engages.
The mobile phone is connected to the
network via the external antenna.
The mobile phone is linked to the
hands-free device and the multifunc-
tion steering wheel.
The battery is charged depending on its
charge status and the position of the
SmartKey in the starter switch. The
charge procedure will be indicated in
the mobile phone’s display.
You can place or receive phone calls. You
can control other functions of the mobile
phone via the control system (
page 193)
or COMAND system, see separate operat-
ing instructions.
!Do not try to remove the mobile phone along
with the cradle. You could otherwise damage the
mobile phone cradle.
iWhen you take the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* out of the starter switch, the
mobile phone remains switched on for approx.
10 minutes. If you place or receive a call during
this time, the mobile phone switches off 10 min-
utes after the call has been completed.

331 Controls in detail
Useful features
System self-check
Initially, after switching on the ignition,
malfunctions are detected and indicated
(the indicator lamps in the SOS button, the
Roadside Assistance button• and the
Information button¡ stay on longer
than 10 seconds or do not come on). The
message
Tele Aid inoperative appears
in the multifunction display.Emergency calls
An emergency call is initiated auto-
matically following an accident in which
the emergency tensioning devices (ETDs)
or air bags deploy.
An emergency call can also be initiated
manually by opening the cover next to the
interior rear view mirror labeled SOS, then
briefly pressing the button located under
the cover. See (
page 332) for
instructions on initiating an emergency call
manually.
Once the emergency call is in progress, the
indicator lamp on the SOS button will
begin to flash. The message
Connecting call appears in the multifunc-
tion display. When the connection is estab-
lished, the message
Call connected
appears in the multifunction display.
All information relevant to the emergency,
such as the location of the vehicle (deter-
mined by the GPS satellite location sys-
tem), vehicle model, identification number
and color are generated.
iWhen a Tele Aid call has been initiated,
the COMAND system audio is muted and the
selected mode (radio, CD etc.) pauses.
The optional cellular phone (if installed) inserted
in cradle switches off. If you must use this
phone, we recommend that you use it only with
the vehicle at a standstill in a safe location.
Remove the phone from the cradle and place the
call. The navigation* system (if engaged) will
continue to run. The display in the instrument
cluster is available for use, and spoken com-
mands are only available by pressing the
RPT button on the COMAND system. A pop-up
window will appear in the COMAND system dis-
play to indicate that a Tele Aid call is in progress.
After the Tele Aid call has ended, the optional
cellular phone inserted in the cradle switches on
again. A PIN entry might be necessary.
Warning!G
If the indicator lamps on the SOS button, on
the Roadside Assistance button, and/or on
the Information button remain illuminated
continuously in red and/or the message
Tele Aid inoperative is displayed in the
multifunction display after the system
self-check, a malfunction in the system has
been detected.
If a malfunction is indicated as outlined
above, the system may not operate as
expected. Have the system checked at the
nearest Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center
as soon as possible.

332 Controls in detail
Useful features
A voice connection between the Response
Center and the occupants of the vehicle
will be established automatically soon
after the emergency call has been initiat-
ed. The Response Center will attempt to
determine more precisely the nature of the
accident provided they can speak to an
occupant of the vehicle.
The Tele Aid system is available if

it has been activated and is operation-
al. Activation requires a subscription
for monitoring services, connection
and cellular air time

vehicle battery power is available

the relevant cellular phone network
and GPS signals are available and pass
the information on to the Response
CenterInitiating an emergency call manually
1Cover
2SOS button
Briefly press on cover1.
The cover opens.
Press SOS button2 briefly.
The indicator lamp in SOS button2
will flash until the emergency call is
concluded.
Wait for a voice connection to the
Response Center.
Close cover1 after the emergency
call is concluded.
iLocation of the vehicle on a map is only
possible if the vehicle is able to receive signals
from the GPS satellite network and pass the
information on to the Response Center.
Warning!G
If the indicator lamp in the SOS button is
flashing continuously and there was no
voice connection to the Response Center
established, then the Tele Aid system could
not initiate an emergency call (e.g. the rele-
vant cellular phone network is not available).
The message
Call failed appears in the
multifunction display for approximately
10 seconds.
Should this occur, assistance must be
summoned by other means.