
4 Contents
ENGINE FAN  ...............................239
COOLANT (coolant level)  ..........240
COOLANT TEMP. 
(coolant temperature)  ................ 241
LIGHTING SYSTEM  ....................242
LIGHT SENSOR ...........................243
STEER. WHEEL ADJUST.  ...........243
ENGINE OIL LEVEL  ...................244
ELEC. STABIL. PROG. 
(Electronic stability 
program)  ......................................245
REMOVE KEY  .............................245
WASHER FLUID ..........................246
TELE AID  .....................................247
Practical hintsFirst aid kit  .....................................250
Shelf below rear window  ..............250
Stowing things in 
the vehicle  ..................................250
Luggage cover .................................250
Fuses  ................................................252
Hood  .................................................254
Checking engine oil level  .............256Automatic transmission 
fluid level  ................................... 257
Coolant level ................................... 257
Adding coolant  ........................... 258
Windshield washer / headlamp 
cleaning system  ........................ 259
Windshield and headlamp 
washer fluid mixing ratio  ........ 259
Spare wheel, vehicle tools, 
storage compartment  ............... 260
Vehicle jack  .................................... 261
Wheels  ............................................ 262
Tire replacement  ....................... 262
Rotating wheels  ......................... 263
Spare wheel .................................... 264
Changing wheels  ........................... 266
Tire inflation pressure  ..................271
Battery ............................................. 272
Jump starting  ..................................274
Towing the vehicle  .........................276
Exterior lamps  ............................... 280
Headlamp assembly  .................. 281
Taillamp assemblies  .................. 283
Adjusting headlamp aim  .............. 285Changing batteries in 
the electronic key  .....................288
Synchronizing remote 
control  .........................................290
Raising soft top manually ............. 291
Antenna  ...........................................298
Manual release for 
fuel filler flap .............................299
Replacing wiper blade insert  .......299
Vehicle careCleaning and care 
of the vehicle  .............................302
Power washer ..............................303
Paintwork, painted body 
components  .................................303
Engine cleaning ..........................304
Tar stains  .....................................304
Vehicle washing  .........................304
Ornamental moldings ................304
Headlamps, taillamps, 
turn signal lenses  ......................305
Window cleaning  .......................305
Plastic and rubber parts ............305
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83 Instrument cluster
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index 1Push buttonsVandWfor intensity of instrument 
lamps, see page 85
2Push buttonJ for resetting trip odometer, see 
page 87, or to acknowledge a malfunction or 
warning message, see page 104.
3Coolant temperature gauge, see page 86
4Fuel gauge with reserve and fuel cap placement 
warning lamp, see page 230
5Outside temperature indicator, see page 86
6Left turn signal indicator lamp, see combination 
switch on page 117
7ESP warning lamp, see page 2318Speedometer
9Trip odometer, see page 87
10Main odometer
11Multifunction indicator, see page 88
or FSS indicator, see page 109
or engine oil level indicator, see page 112
12Right turn signal indicator lamp, see combination 
switch on page 117
13Tachometer, see page 87
14Gear range indicator display, see selector lever 
positions on page 198
15Clock, see page 106
J_A208.book Seite 83 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 

86 Instrument cluster
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Coolant temperature gauge (3)
During severe operating conditions and stop-and-go city 
traffic, the coolant temperature may rise close to the red 
marking.
The engine should not be operated with the coolant 
temperature in the red zone. Doing so may cause 
serious engine damage which is not covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Outside temperature indicator (5)
The temperature sensor is located in the front bumper 
area. Due to its location, the sensor can be affected by 
road or engine heat during idling or slow driving. This 
means that the accuracy of the displayed temperature 
can only be verified by comparison to a thermometer 
placed next to the sensor, not by comparison to external 
displays (e.g. bank signs etc.).
Adaptation to ambient temperature takes place in steps 
and depends on the prevailing driving conditions (stop-
and-go or moderate, constant driving) and amount of 
temperature change.
Wa r n i n g !
• Driving when your engine is badly overheated 
can cause some fluids which may have leaked 
into the engine compartment to catch fire. You 
could be seriously burned.• Steam from an overheated engine can cause 
serious burns and can occur just by opening 
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine if 
you see or hear steam coming from it.Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle and do 
not stand near the vehicle until it cools down.
Wa r n i n g !
The outside temperature indicator is not designed 
to serve as an Ice-Warning Device and is therefore 
unsuitable for that purpose. Indicated 
temperatures just above the freezing point do not 
guarantee that the road surface is free of ice.
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212 Driving instructions
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
If the vehicle is parked after being driven on salt treated 
roads, the braking efficiency should be tested as soon as 
possible after driving is resumed while observing the 
safety rules in the previous paragraph.Winter driving
Have your vehicle winterized at your authorized 
Mercedes-Benz Center before the onset of winter.
•Change the engine oil if the engine contains an oil 
which is not approved for winter operation. For 
viscosity (SAE/CCMC class) and filling quantity, see 
page 318.
•Check engine coolant anticorrosion/antifreeze 
concentration.
•Additive for the windshield washer and headlamp 
cleaning system: Add MB Concentrate “S” to a 
premixed windshield washer solvent/antifreeze 
which is formulated for below freezing temperatures 
see page 259.
•Test battery: Battery capacity drops with decreasing 
ambient temperature. A well charged battery helps 
to ensure that the engine can be started, even at low 
ambient temperatures.
•Tires: We recommend M+S rated radial-ply tires on 
all four wheels for the winter season. Observe 
permissible maximum speed for M+S rated 
radial-ply tires and the legal speed limit.
Wa r n i n g !
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make sure 
that snow is kept clear of the exhaust pipe and 
from around the vehicle with engine running. 
Otherwise, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may 
enter vehicle interior resulting in unconsciousness 
and death.To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation, open a 
window slightly on the side of the vehicle not 
facing the wind.
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227 Contents – Instrument cluster display
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Instrument cluster displayMalfunction and 
indicator lamps in the 
instrument cluster  ....................228
On-board diagnostic system 
Check engine malfunction 
indicator lamp .............................228
Brake warning lamp  ..................229
Supplemental restraint 
system (SRS) indicator lamp  ....230
Fuel reserve and fuel cap 
placement warning  ....................230
Electronic stability program 
(ESP) — warning lamp  ............... 231
BAS/ESP malfunction 
indicator lamp ............................. 231
ABS malfunction 
indicator lamp ............................. 231
Telescoping steering column – 
indicator lamp .............................232
Seat belt warning lamp  .............232Malfunction and 
indicator lamps in the 
center console  ........................... 232
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp  .... 232
Roll bar warning lamp  .............. 233
Malfunction and 
warning messages in the 
multifunction display  .............. 234
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE 
(engine control unit)  ................. 235
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE 
(several systems)  ....................... 235
BATTERY/ALTERNATOR  .......... 236
ABS-SYSTEM  .............................. 237
BRAKE ASSIST ........................... 237
BRAKE LINING WEAR .............. 238
BRAKE FLUID  ............................ 238
PARKING BRAKE  ....................... 239
ENGINE FAN ............................... 239
COOLANT (coolant level)  ......... 240
COOLANT TEMP. 
(coolant temperature)  ............... 241LIGHTING SYSTEM ....................242
LIGHT SENSOR ...........................243
STEER. WHEEL ADJUST. ...........243
ENGINE OIL LEVEL  ...................244
ELEC. STABIL. PROG. 
(Electronic stability 
program)  ......................................245
REMOVE KEY  .............................245
WASHER FLUID  .........................246
TELE AID  .....................................247
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235 Malfunction and warning messages
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index DISPLAY DEFECTIVE (engine control unit)
This message is displayed to indicate that the 
information being relayed by the engine control unit is 
no longer complete. The coolant temperature gauge, 
tachometer, or the cruise control may have failed.DISPLAY DEFECTIVE (several systems)
The displays for several systems have failed. Some 
systems themselves may also have failed.
Line 1 Line 2
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE VISIT WORKSHOP!
Line 1 Line 2
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE VISIT WORKSHOP!
J_A208.book Seite 235 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09 

239 Malfunction and warning messages
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index PA R K I N G   B R A K E
Parking brake, see page 204.ENGINE FAN
1 The cooling fan for the coolant is faulty. Observe coolant 
temperature gauge while driving, see page 86. Line 1 Line 2
PARKING BRAKE RELEASE BRAKE!Line 1 Line 2
ENGINE FAN VISIT WORKSHOP!
1
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240 Malfunction and warning messages
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
COOLANT (coolant level)
When this message appears while driving, the coolant 
level has dropped below the required level. If no leaks 
are noticeable and the engine temperature does not 
increase, continue to drive to the nearest service station 
and have coolant added to the coolant system.The low engine coolant level warning should not be 
ignored. Extended driving with the symbol displayed 
may cause serious engine damage not covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
In cases of major or frequent minor coolant loss, have 
the cooling system checked at your authorized 
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Notes:
Do not drive without coolant in the cooling system. The 
engine will overheat causing major engine damage.
Monitor the coolant temperature gauge while driving.
See page 257 for instructions on adding coolant.
Line 1 Line 2
COOLANT CHECK LEVEL!
Wa r n i n g !
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts. 
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which may 
burn if it comes into contact with hot engine parts. 
You can be seriously burned.
J_A208.book Seite 240 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 9:35 09