2001 MERCEDES-BENZ E-Class tow

1 Contents
IntroductionProduct information .......................... 7
Operator’s manual ............................. 8
Where to find it ................................ 13
Reporting Safety Defects ................ 15Instruments and controlsInstruments and controls ............... 18
Door control panel ....................... 20
Overhead control panel ............... 21
Dashboard ..................................... 22
Center console .............................. 24OperationVehicle keys ...................................... 28
Start lock-out .................................... 32
General notes on the
central locking system ............... 33
Central locking system ................... 34
Radio frequency and
infrared remote control ............... 34
KEYLESS-GO ................................. 38Opening and
closing windows and
sliding / pop-up roof
from outside ................................. 45
Panic button ................................. 47
Mechanical keys .......................... 47
Doors ................................................. 48
Power closing assist for
doors and trunk lid .................... 50
Central locking switch .................... 50
Automatic central locking .............. 52
Emergency unlocking
in case of accident ...................... 52
Trunk ................................................. 53
Trunk lid release switch ................ 57
Trunk lid release/close switch ...... 58
Trunk lid emergency release .........61
Antitheft alarm system ................... 62
Tow-away alarm ............................... 64
Easy-entry/exit feature .................. 66
Front seat adjustment ..................... 67
Removal and installation
of front seat head restraints ..... 72
Lumbar support ............................... 73Multicontour backrest ..................... 73
Seat heater ........................................ 75
Seat ventilation system ................... 78
Rear seat head restraints ................ 80
Power head restraints, rear ............ 81
Power seats, rear .............................. 82
Seat belts and integrated
restraint system .......................... 84
Seat belts ........................................... 84
Seat belt nonusage
warning system ........................... 85
BabySmart
TM airbag
deactivation system .................... 91
Self-test BabySmart
TM
without special child
seat installed ................................. 91
Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS) ............................... 92
Emergency tensioning
retractor (ETR) ............................. 93
Airbags .............................................. 94
Safety guidelines for the
seat belt, emergency
tensioning retractor
and airbag .................................. 100

5 Contents
Practical hintsFirst aid kit .....................................328
Stowing things in the vehicle ......328
Fuses ................................................329
Hood ................................................. 331
Checking engine oil level .............334
Automatic transmission
fluid level ...................................335
Active body control
(ABC) fluid level ........................335
Coolant level ...................................336
Adding coolant ...........................336
Windshield and
headlamp washer system ........337
Windshield and
headlamp washer fluid
mixing ratio ................................337
Spare wheel, vehicle tools,
storage compartment ................338
Vehicle jack .....................................339
Wheels .............................................340
Tire Replacement .......................340
Rotating wheels .......................... 341
Spare wheel .................................... 341Changing wheels ........................... 343
Tire inflation pressure ................. 348
Battery ............................................. 349
Jump starting ................................. 351
Towing the vehicle ........................ 353
Exterior lamps ............................... 356
Headlamp assembly .................. 357
Taillamp assemblies .................. 360
Trunk lamp ..................................... 362
Changing batteries in the
electronic main key .................. 363
Synchronizing
remote control ............................ 365
Changing batteries in the
KEYLESS-GO-card .................... 366
Emergency engine
shut-down .................................. 368
Fuel filler flap,
manual release ......................... 368
Emergency operation of
sliding/pop-up roof .................. 369
Replacing wiper blades ................ 370
Roof rack ..........................................371
Vehicle careCleaning and care
of the vehicle ............................. 374
Power washer ..............................375
Tar stains ..................................... 376
Paintwork, painted body
components ................................. 376
Engine cleaning .......................... 376
Vehicle washing ......................... 376
Ornamental moldings ................377
Headlamps, taillamps,
turn signal lenses ......................377
Cleaning the Distronic
system sensor .............................378
Cleaning the parktronic
system sensors ...........................378
Wiper blades ...............................379
Light alloy wheels ......................380
Instrument cluster .....................380
Steering wheel and
gear selector lever ......................380
Cup holder ...................................380
Seat belts ..................................... 381

24 Instruments and controls
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Center console1ESP (Electronic Stability Program) control switch,
see page 274
2ADS (Adaptive Damping System), see page 283
Level control for vehicles with ABC (Active Body
Control), see page 278
3Level control for vehicles with Airmatic,
seepage279
ABC (Active Body Control), see page 278
4Rear seat head restraints, see page 80
Rear seat head restraints, automatic, see page 81
5Hazard warning flasher switch, see page 163
6Central locking switch, see page 50
7Antitheft Alarm System, see page 62
Switch for Tow-Away Protection, see page 64
8Parking assist (Parktronic system) deactivation
(optional), see page 285
9Rear window sunshade, see page 190
10COMAND system, see separate operating
instructions
11Automatic climate control, see page 164
Rear window defroster, see page 180
P68.20-2314-27

26 Contents - Operation
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
OperationVehicle keys ...................................... 28
Start lock-out .................................... 32
General notes on the
central locking system ............... 33
Central locking system ................... 34
Radio frequency and
infrared remote control ............... 34
KEYLESS-GO ................................. 38
Opening and
closing windows and
sliding / pop-up roof
from outside .................................. 45
Panic button .................................. 47
Mechanical keys ........................... 47
Doors .................................................. 48
Power closing assist for
doors and trunk lid ..................... 50
Central locking switch .................... 50
Automatic central locking .............. 52
Emergency unlocking
in case of accident ...................... 52
Trunk ................................................. 53
Trunk lid release switch ................. 57Trunk lid release/close switch ...... 58
Trunk lid emergency release .........61
Antitheft alarm system ................... 62
Tow-away alarm ............................... 64
Easy-entry/exit feature .................. 66
Front seat adjustment ..................... 67
Removal and installation
of front seat head restraints ..... 72
Lumbar support ............................... 73
Multicontour backrest .................... 73
Seat heater ........................................ 75
Seat ventilation system .................. 78
Rear seat head restraints ............... 80
Power head restraints, rear ............ 81
Power seats, rear ............................. 82
Seat belts and integrated
restraint system .......................... 84
Seat belts .......................................... 84
Seat belt nonusage
warning system .......................... 85
BabySmart
TM airbag
deactivation system ....................91Self-test BabySmart
TM
without special child
seat installed ................................. 91
Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS) ............................... 92
Emergency tensioning
retractor (ETR) ............................. 93
Airbags .............................................. 94
Safety guidelines for the
seat belt, emergency
tensioning retractor
and airbag .................................. 100
Infant and child restraint
systems ....................................... 102
Steering wheel adjustment .......... 105
Rear view mirrors .......................... 106
Memory function ............................ 111
Instrument cluster ..........................114
Multifunction steering wheel,
multifunction display ............... 120
Trip and main odometer,
FSS, tire inf lation pressure
monitor and engine oil level
indicator ..................................... 124
Audio systems ............................. 125

52 Central locking system
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Automatic central locking
With the automatic central locking system activated, the
doors and trunk are locked at vehicle speeds of
approximately 9 mph (15 km / h) or more. The fuel filler
flap remains unlocked.
The automatic central locking function can be switched
on or off. See page 138 for “Individual settings”.
Notes:
If doors are unlocked with the central locking switch
after activating the automatic central locking, and
neither door is opened, then the doors remain unlocked
even at vehicle speeds of approximately 9 mph (15 km /
h) or more.
If a door is opened from the inside at speeds of
approximately 9mph (15km/h) or less with the
automatic central locking activated, the door will again
be automatically locked at speeds of approximately
9 mph (15 km / h) or more.Important!
When towing the vehicle, or with the vehicle on a
dynamometer test stand, please, note the following:
With the automatic central locking activated and the
electronic key in starter switch position 2 (vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO: operation position, see page 228), the
vehicle doors will lock if the left front wheel as well as
the right rear wheel spin at vehicle speeds of
approximately 9 mph (15 km / h) or more.
To prevent the vehicle door locks from locking,
deactivate the automatic central locking. See page 138
for “Individual settings”.
Emergency unlocking in case of accident
The doors unlock automatically a short time after an
accident in which an airbag or emergency tensioning
retractor deploys (this is intended to aid rescue and
exit).

64 Tow-away alarm
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Tow - aw ay al a rm
The switch is located in the center console.
1Press to switch off
2Indicator lampOnce the alarm system has been armed, the exterior
vehicle lamps will flash and an alarm will sound when
someone attempts to raise the vehicle.
The alarm will last approximately 2
1/2minutes in form
of f lashing exterior lamps. At the same time an alarm
will sound for 30 seconds. The alarm will stay on even if
the vehicle is immediately lowered. To cancel the alarm,
insert the electronic key in the starter switch or press
buttonŒ or‹ on the electronic main key; or
(vehicles with KEYLESS-GO) when carrying the
KEYLESS-GO-card, grasp the door handle or press the
start-/stop button on the gear selector lever.
If the alarm stays on for more than 20 seconds, an
emergency call is initiated automatically. See Tele Aid
on page 214.

65 Tow-away alarm
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index To prevent triggering the tow-away alarm feature, switch
off the tow-away alarm before towing the vehicle, or
when parking on a surface subject to movement, such
as a ferry or auto train.
To do so, turn electronic key in starter switch to
position 1 or 0, or remove electronic key from starter
switch. Press tow-away alarm switch (1). The indicator
lamp (2) illuminates briefly.Exit vehicle, and lock vehicle with the electronic main
key or (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO) the lock button at
each door handle.
The tow-away alarm remains switched off until the
vehicle is locked again with the electronic main key or
the lock button at each door handle (vehicles with
KEYLESS-GO), at which time it is automatically
reactivated.

165 Automatic climate control
Te ch n ica l
data Instruments
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index 1Center air outlet, left, adjustable
2Fixed air outlet, left
3Air volume control for left center air outlet
To open: Turn the thumbwheel upward.
■: The left center air outlet is fully open.
■■: The left center and fixed air outlets are
opened.
4Air temperature control
To lower temperature: Turn thumbwheel towards
the blue marking.
Automatic mode: Turn thumbwheel to position A.
The indicator lamp above the thumbwheel will
illuminate. The airflow and temperature for the
center air outlets are regulated automatically.
5Air volume control for right center air outlet.
To open: Turn the thumbwheel upward
■: The right center air outlet is fully open.
■■: The right center and fixed air outlets are
opened.6Center air outlet, right, adjustable
7Fixed air outlet, right
8Side defroster outlet, left and right, fixed
9Side air outlet, left and right, adjustable
10Air volume control for side air outlets
To open: Turn thumbwheel outwards
■: The side air outlet is fully opened.
■■: The side and door air outlets are opened.
11Door air outlet, left and right
12Display and controls
Note:
We recommend that the sliders for the air
outlets (1, 6, 9) be clicked to the automatic position to
provide practically draft free ventilation.