What's with the menu button in the climate panel
 

I press the menu button in the climate panel and a screen shot of the climate panel displays but no response to any actions I take.
I read the owner's manual (page 129) and it states this button switches the residual heat on or off.
That's it? No explanation on what the residual heat function is for. And this is the largest button on the panel.
Any thoughts?

Read a bit further. Residual heat is explained on page 130.

My question(s) was more than that. Why is the lever labelled menu? No menu appears and nothing seems to happen. Why is the lever the largest item on that panel?

When I press the menu button I see the first menu item - climate control with sub menus below for various functions such as ionization. On the far right are other major menu selections that can be scrolled to and selected. In other words the menu button is a gateway to the entire menu selection system. I use it frequently.

HaHa you must have a better and more expensive package than me. I get nothing but a image of the dash board.

The physical button row for the climate controlled was first created for the w205 C class in 2015. When you push it in that car, you get a picture of the C class interior and you are able to change the fan speed and temperature and other climate settings using the navigation screen. On the E, you dont get this as they force you to use the physical buttons. So its really only left for the ionization and air fragrance system. I guess if you dont have either option, it doesnt do anything

Don't you see the 6 menus on the right of the display?

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...b833aa95a9.jpg

Same here, it's a useless button that also happen to be the biggest button after the ignition.

Useless to me.

I agree - biggest button on the dash, but minimal functionality, and for many of us certainly not a "menu" function.

What I have noticed is that it does (rather subtly) tell you where the air is coming from when you've got it in auto mode, and that DOES change as the car detects different needs (warming/cooling vs maintaining steady state, for example). However, the airflow illustrations are not at all clear, so this does feel like quite a wasted opportunity!

Somethings have been clearly thought out so well with Mercedes and other times you are left scratching your head. It’s to bad they couldn’t make a menu to actually change the climate settings or do *SOMETHING*

had to find this thread to actually understand what I was doing wrong. Clearly nothing.

Sucks

and this is a 2019 model and it still does nothing.

It's the same thing in my 2019 C63S. It only has a function if you have the air freshener or ionization feature. Unfortunately, they seem to not offer either one in the US market anymore. They used to offer the air freshener and I guess with that you also get the ionization, but I'm guessing not many AMG owners checked that option. So the button has really no function now other than showing a useless picture. I wish we got the ionization feature.

I have the air balance package, so the Menu button takes me to the screen where I can switch Ionisation on/off, and control the air freshener.

Even then, I thought its strange to have such a big button in the middle to just control those two small settings, whereas that space could have been used for something better, such as e.g. Audio Track Prev./Next !

No swirling blue air flow lines? When I press 'Menu" I get a menu :rolf:with Ionization and Air Freshener. That's it.
I haven't used Ionization recently, but I think your choice is On or Off. Seems silly. Why have it if you want it off? Air Balance is for the fragrance system, if you have one, located in the glove box. It can be set to Off, Low, Med or High. Press the bar a second time, and this very useful menu disappears. :mercy: Considerable debate about the menu bar can be found in other posts.

Oh wow.. I was actually wondering the same thing. I've pressed on it few times actually and it only shows the diagram of the airflow and temp.
Like what does it do?? Nothing for mine it seems as I do not have the Ionization and Air Balance.

It’s disappointing that they couldn’t make any “MENU” that you can actually change the air control when you push that button.

it just shows that stupid picture.

On the face lifted 2021 you won't even be able to gaze at the elegant looking analog clock while wondering why MB put that useless menu bar on the console.

Ya I wondered about this a couple years ago when I got my 2019 E450 wagon that menu button is useless.

I think there is something wrong with your Menu button?
Mine does this, and i have a pretty basic 2017 E250 Avantgarde with the smallest screen
I Start in the radio menu in the video.
1: Temeratur, you can change temperatur for one or both sides
2: Auxiliary Heater/Parking Heater, you can set it to be warm and cozy when you leave
3: Airflow, fan speed
4: Air direction
The rest-function only works when the car is off, It stores heat in a couple of thermoses under the car and if you press rest it will run the fan on low speed for around 30min.
Perfect if you park and go shopping in the winter!
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...f79f9a9870.jpg

There are many functional is a differences between what you have (small screen) and COMAND (large screen). The underlying software systems are different.

REST Button is so helpful
 

I agree with folx here that the large menu button is quite useless given that most cars may not be equipped with the air balance package, however, I find the rest button very helpful. The rest button can be tapped when the engine is off and it safely (without drawing battery power) uses residual heat from the engine to warm the passenger compartment of the car while the engine is off. I find this great when I'm sitting in the car waiting for someone in the winter or when I run into the store during the winter. My interior stays nice and warm.

is the rest button part of a package ? - here in France i don't see this option anywhere ...

It's an option, at least in a lot of countries in Europe, CODE: 670

It's standard in the US, which is interesting bc most ppl don't know what the button is for and most car manufacturers don't have this option in their cars so we don't expect to see it. Seasoned Mercedes drivers do look for it, and for some reason Mercedes took it out of my 2012 and 2015 Mercedes E Class wagons and put it back for the model refresh. My 2019 E450 wagon has it again. A welcomed change.