What does the CLR button mean?

[SanRyder]

In a car, the CLR button is a function key used to select features or confirm certain information. Below are the relevant details about CLR: 1. Function: When the trip computer displays items like the trip mileage, average speed, or average fuel consumption, pressing and holding the SET/CLR button at the top of the control lever will emit a beep, after which the trip mileage and average speed will reset, and the average fuel consumption will revert to the initial value. 2. Usage: Press the MENU button to enter the trip computer display settings, where three lines of code will appear. The top line will show one of the numbers 1, 2, or 3. Press the CLR button to enter the format selection interface, where two lines of code will appear. The bottom line corresponds to the number from the first line of the previous interface. Rotate the knob to select one of the numbers 1, 2, or 3, then press CLR again to save. Exit back to the three-line code interface and press MENU to return to the trip computer display interface.

[StNicole]

There was a CLR button on my previous American car, located on the right side of the steering wheel. I remember once on the highway when I was using cruise control and suddenly hit traffic, I quickly pressed CLR to cancel the cruise—it was even half a second faster than hitting the brakes. Actually, this button isn’t just for the cruise system; when operating the infotainment screen, if you make a wrong input, you can press CLR to clear it, similar to the ESC key on a computer. The position varies by car—some place it behind the steering wheel, others near the wiper stalk. My new car is smarter now, with a virtual CLR icon on the touchscreen, but physical buttons are still more reliable since you don’t have to fumble around staring at the screen. I’d recommend checking your car’s manual to locate the button—it really comes in handy in critical moments.

[LaMadeline]

In my old Japanese car, there's a CLR button on the left side of the steering wheel, which mainly addresses two pain points: first, it allows for instant cancellation when cruise control is engaged, and second, it clears mistaken operations on the infotainment system. During long drives when I felt drowsy and accidentally bumped the cruise control stalk, pressing CLR to immediately deactivate it felt safer than panicking and hitting the brakes. Additionally, it has a hidden function—holding it down for 3 seconds can reset temporary fault alerts on the infotainment screen. Now that I drive a domestic new energy vehicle with a full touchscreen console, I find operating it less convenient without the physical CLR button. While most cars still retain this button, German cars often label it as CANCEL, and American cars simply use the English word CLEAR. No matter what it's called, this function serves as a safety escape hatch in the cockpit, and I recommend everyone familiarize themselves with the location of their car's cancellation button.

[VonEden]

Car owners who have used the CLR button must appreciate its ingenuity, as it primarily serves two purposes: safety cancellation and operation error correction. Its most practical use while driving is to deactivate cruise control—just a press of the finger is quicker and more stable than stepping on the brake. In multimedia systems, it acts more like a clear button, allowing you to instantly erase an incorrectly entered address with a single press. The button's placement varies intriguingly across models: Volkswagen positions it beside the left-hand scroll wheel on the steering wheel, Toyota places it at the top of the turn signal stalk, while Ford integrates it directly into the function key area. New energy vehicle designs tend to hide it more discreetly, often requiring navigation to a secondary menu to find the virtual button. It's advisable to locate this button after picking up your car—it can save a lot of hassle in critical moments.

[Makayla]

The CLR button commonly found in vehicle settings is essentially the system's cancel function. The most frequent real-world driving scenario for its use is deactivating cruise control to prevent sudden acceleration hazards. Once during rainy conditions, my cruise system misjudged the vehicle speed, but thankfully I promptly pressed the CLR button on the steering wheel. It also serves as a clear button in navigation interfaces - particularly handy when entering incorrect destinations. The positioning of this button on steering wheels follows distinct patterns: German cars typically place it at the 3 o'clock position, Japanese models position it at 9 o'clock, while French vehicles integrate it into the stalk tip. Some newer models now replace physical buttons with touch controls, ironically complicating operation. I strongly advise drivers to familiarize themselves with this compact but potentially life-saving button in their vehicles.