
3 Contents 
DrivingControl and operation of 
radio transmitters  ..................... 176
The first 1 000 miles 
(1 500 km)  ................................. 177
Maintenance  ................................... 177
Catalytic converter  ........................ 178
Emission control  ............................ 179
Tele Aid  ........................................... 180
Steering lock  ................................... 190
Starting and turning off 
the engine  .................................. 192
Automatic transmission  ............... 193
Parking brake  .................................202
Driving instructions  ......................203
Drive sensibly – save fuel  .........203
Drinking and driving .................203
Pedals  ...........................................203
Power assistance  ........................204
Brakes  ..........................................204Driving off ................................... 205
Parking  ........................................ 206
Tires  ............................................. 206
Snow chains  ............................... 209
Winter driving 
instructions  ................................ 209
Deep water  ...................................210
Passenger compartment  ............ 211
Traveling abroad  ......................... 211
Cruise control  .................................212
Brake assist system 
(BAS)  ...........................................214
Antilock brake system 
(ABS)  ........................................... 216
Electronic stability program 
(ESP)  ............................................ 218
What you should know 
at the gas station  ...................... 222
Check regularly and 
before a long trip  ...................... 224
Instrument cluster displayMalfunction and 
indicator lamps in the 
instrument cluster  ....................226
On-board diagnostic system 
Check engine malfunction 
indicator lamp .............................226
Brake warning lamp  ..................227
Supplemental restraint system 
(SRS) indicator lamp ..................228
Fuel reserve and fuel cap 
placement warning  ....................228
Electronic stability program 
(ESP) — warning lamp  ...............229
BAS/ESP malfunction 
indicator lamp .............................229
ABS malfunction 
indicator lamp .............................229
Telescoping steering column – 
indicator lamp .............................230
Seat belt warning lamp  .............230
J_C208_II.book Seite 3 Donnerstag, 31. Mai 2001 10:13 10 

11 IntroductionOperating your vehicle outside the USA or Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in foreign countries, please be aware that:
•Service facilities or replacement parts may not be readily available,
•unleaded gasoline for vehicles with catalytic converters may not be available; the use of leaded fuels will damage 
the catalysts,
•gasoline may have a considerably lower octane rating, and improper fuel can cause engine damage.
Certain Mercedes-Benz models are available for delivery in Europe under our European Delivery Program. For details, 
consult your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or write to:
In the USA: In Canada:
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
849 Eglinton Avenue East
Toronto, Ontario M4G 2L5
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115 Engine oil level indicator
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index One of the following messages will subsequently appear 
on the indicator:
“ENGINE OIL LEVEL – O.K.”
No oil needs to be added.
“ENGINE OIL LEVEL – ADD 1.0 QUART”
(Canada: 1.0 L)
“ENGINE OIL LEVEL – ADD 1.5 QUART”
(Canada: 1.5 L)
“ENGINE OIL LEVEL – ADD 2.0 QUART”
(Canada: 2.0 L)
See page 253 for instructions on adding engine oil.
“ENGINE OIL LEVEL – REDUCE OIL LEVEL”
Do not overfill the engine.
Excessive oil must be siphoned or drained off. It could 
cause damage to the engine and catalytic converter not 
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
The message “MEASURING NOT POSSIBLE” will be 
displayed if a proper oil level check cannot be 
performed. The engine oil level check can be repeated 
after a short time.Perform the engine oil level check with the dipstick, if it 
cannot be completed via the multifunction display. 
Seepage253.
In this case we recommend that you have the system 
checked at a Mercedes-Benz Center.
Note:
See malfunction and warning messages on page 232 
and page 242 if an engine oil level indicator appears on 
the multifunction display when the engine is running.
The engine oil level cannot be checked while the engine 
is running. The “ENGINE OIL LEVEL – NOT WHEN 
ENGINE ON” message will appear.
Engine oil consumption
Engine oil consumption checks should only be made 
after the break-in period. During the break-in period, 
higher oil consumption may be noticed and is normal. 
Frequent driving at high engine speeds results in 
increased consumption.
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175 Contents – Driving
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
DrivingControl and operation of 
radio transmitters  ..................... 176
The first 1 000 miles 
(1 500 km)  ................................. 177
Maintenance  ................................... 177
Catalytic converter  ........................ 178
Emission control  ............................ 179
Tele Aid  ........................................... 180
Steering lock  ................................... 190
Starting and turning off 
the engine  .................................. 192
Automatic transmission  ............... 193
Parking brake  .................................202Driving instructions ...................... 203
Drive sensibly – save fuel  ........ 203
Drinking and driving  ................ 203
Pedals  .......................................... 203
Power assistance ........................ 204
Brakes .......................................... 204
Driving off ................................... 205
Parking  ........................................ 206
Tires  ............................................. 206
Snow chains  ............................... 209
Winter driving 
instructions  ................................ 209
Deep water  ...................................210
Passenger compartment  ............ 211
Traveling abroad  ......................... 211Cruise control  ................................. 212
Brake assist system 
(BAS)  ........................................... 214
Antilock brake system 
(ABS)  ........................................... 216
Electronic stability program 
(ESP)  ........................................... 218
What you should know 
at the gas station  .......................222
Check regularly and 
before a long trip  ......................224
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178 Catalytic converter
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Catalytic converter
Your Mercedes-Benz is equipped with monolithic type 
catalytic converters, an important element in 
conjunction with the oxygen sensors to achieve 
substantial control of the pollutants in the exhaust 
emissions. Keep your vehicle in proper operating 
condition by following our recommended maintenance 
instructions as outlined in your Service Booklet.Caution!
To prevent damage to the catalytic converters, use only 
premium unleaded gasoline in this vehicle.
Any noticeable irregularities in engine operation should 
be repaired promptly. Otherwise, excessive unburned 
fuel may reach the catalytic converter causing it to 
overheat, which could start a fire.
Wa r n i n g !
As with any vehicle, do not idle, park or operate 
this vehicle in areas where combustible materials 
such as grass, hay or leaves can come into contact 
with the hot exhaust system, as these materials 
could be ignited and cause a vehicle fire.
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179 Catalytic converter
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index Emission control
Certain systems of the engine serve to keep the toxic 
components of the exhaust gases within permissible 
limits required by law.
These systems, of course, will function properly only 
when maintained strictly according to factory 
specifications. Any adjustments on the engine should, 
therefore, be carried out only by qualified Mercedes-
B e n z  a ut ho r i z e d  c e n te r  te chn i c i a n s .  E n g i n e  a d j u st m e n t s  
should not be altered in any way. Moreover, the 
specified service jobs must be carried out regularly 
according to Mercedes-Benz servicing requirements. 
For details refer to the Service Booklet.
Wa r n i n g !
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to your 
health. All exhaust gas contains carbon monoxide, 
and inhaling it can cause unconsciousness and 
lead to death.Do not run the engine in confined areas (such as a 
garage) which are not properly ventilated. If you 
think that exhaust gas fumes are entering the 
vehicle while driving, have the cause determined 
and corrected immediately. If you must drive under 
these conditions, drive only with at least one 
window fully open.
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198 Automatic transmission
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperationDrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
Press and hold selector lever in the æ direction:
The transmission will shift from the current gear 
directly to gear range “D”.
Important!
With transmission in gear range “D”, “4” or “3”, 
upshifting from 1st to 2nd to 3rd gear is delayed 
depending on vehicle speed and engine temperature. 
This allows the catalytic converter to heat up more 
quickly to operating temperatures.During the brief warm-up period this delayed upshift 
and increased engine noise might be perceived as a 
malfunction. However, neither the engine nor 
transmission are negatively affected by this mode of 
operation.
The delayed upshift is effective with vehicle speeds 
below 31 mph (50 km/h) at partial throttle and engine 
temperatures below 95
°F (35
°C).
To avoid overrevving the engine when the selector lever 
is m ove d to a lower  gear  range , t he tran smi ss ion  will n ot 
shift to a lower gear, if the engine’s revolutions per 
minute limit would be exceeded. In this case there will 
be no downshift, even when the vehicle speed reaches 
the engine’s RPM limit of that gear, e.g. by applying the 
service brakes.
To prevent the engine from laboring at low RPM when 
driving uphill gradients or with your vehicle heavily 
loaded, the automatic transmission will downshift when 
necessary to maintain engine RPM within the best 
torque range.
Wa r n i n g !
O n  s l i p p e ry  ro a d  s u rfa c es ,  n eve r d ow n s h i f t  i n  o rd e r  
to obtain braking action. This could result in drive 
wheel slip and reduced vehicle control. Your 
vehicle’s ABS will not prevent this type of loss of 
control.
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242 Malfunction and warning messages
Technical
data Instruments 
and controlsOperation DrivingInstrument 
cluster displayPractical hints Car care Index
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
1 The engine oil level must be checked immediately. See engine oil 
level indicator on page 114
2 There is no oil in the engine. There is a danger of engine damage.3 There is a risk of damaging the engine or catalytic converter. The 
engine oil level must be checked immediately. See engine oil level 
indicator on page 114.
4 The engine oil level has dropped to a critical level. 
Check the engine oil level immediately. See engine oil level 
ind icator on  page 114 an d check the en gin e for  visible leakage (los s 
of oil).
5 The measuring system is malfunctioning.
6 It may be that there is water in the engine oil. Have the engine oil 
checked.
When the “ENGINE OIL LEVEL – CHECK LEVEL” 
message appears while the engine is running and at 
operating temperature, the engine oil level has dropped 
to approximately the minimum mark on the dipstick.
When this occurs, the warning will first come on 
intermittently and then stay on if the oil level drops 
further.
If no oil leaks are noted, continue to drive to the nearest 
service station where the engine oil should be topped to 
the “full” mark on the dipstick with an approved oil.
The engine oil level warnings should not be ignored. 
Extended driving with the symbol displayed could 
result in serious engine damage that is not covered by 
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Line 1 Line 2
ENGINE OIL LEVEL CHECK LEVEL!
1
ENGINE OIL LEVEL STOP, ENGINE OFF!
2
ENGINE OIL LEVEL REDUCE OIL LEVEL!
3
ENGINE OIL LEVEL VISIT WORKSHOP!
4
ENGINE OIL SENSOR VISIT WORKSHOP!
5
ENGINE OIL VISIT WORKSHOP!
6
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