2003 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 KOMPRESSOR Page 75

258 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
3
(Canada only)
;
(USA only)
The red brake warning lamp
lights up while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
You are driving with the
parking brake set.

Release the parking brake
(page 51).
The red brake warning lamp
lights up while driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid
in the reservoir.

Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not add
brake fluid! This will not solve the
problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Don’t add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir
can result in spilling brake fluid on hot en-
gine parts and the brake fluid catching fire.
You can be seriously burned.
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks.

259 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
?
The yellow “CHECK ENGINE”
malfunction indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
There is a malfunction in:

The fuel management system


The ignition system


The emission control system


Systems which affect emissions
Such malfunctions may result in excessive
emissions values and may switch the engine
to its limp-home (emergency operation)
mode.

Have the vehicle checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
An on-board diagnostic connector is
used by the service station to link the
vehicle to the shop diagnostics sys-
tem. It allows the accurate identifica-
tion of system malfunctions through
the readout of diagnostic trouble
codes. It is located in the front left
area of the footwell next to the park-
ing brake pedal.
The fuel cap is not closed tight.

Check the fuel cap.
Your gas tank is empty.

After refuelling start the engine three
or four times in succession.
The limp-home mode is canceled. You do
not need to have your vehicle checked.
<
The red seat belt warning lamp
blinks for a brief period after
starting the engine.
The warning lamp reminds you to fasten seat
belts.

Fasten your seat belt.
The yellow fuel tank reserve warning lamp
lights while driving.
The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 233).

261 Practical hints
What to do if …
Messages in the display
The control system shows warning and
malfunction messages in the multifunction
display.
Certain warning and malfunction messag-
es are accompanied by an audible signal.
Address these messages accordingly and
follow the additional instructions given in
this Operator’s Manual.
Selecting the malfunction memory menu in
the control system (
page 118) displays
both cleared and uncleared messages.
High-priority messages appear in the
multifunction display in red color.
Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset knob.
Other messages of high priority and
messages of less immediate priority can
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset knob (page 22) and are
then stored in the malfunction message
memory (
page 118).On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of all the messages that may
appear in the display.
Warning!
G
All categories of messages contain impor-
tant information which should be taken note
of and, where a malfunction is indicated, ad-
dressed as soon as possible at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Failure to repair condition noted may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty, or result in property dam-
age or personal injury.Warning!
G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
Contact your nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
iTurning the key in starter switch to
position2, causes all lamps as well as
the multifunction display to come on.
Ensure that they are all in working
order before starting your journey.

264 Practical hintsWhat to do if …#
BATTERY/ALTERNATOR
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The battery is no longer charging.
Possible causes:

alternator malfunctioning


broken poly-V-belt

Stop immediately and check the
poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:

Do not continue to drive. Otherwise
the engine will overheat due to an
inoperative water pump which may
result in damage to the engine. Notify
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is intact:

Drive immediately to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
!
(Canada
only)
;
(USA only)
PARKING BRAKE
RELEASE PARKING BRAKE!
You are driving with the parking brake
set.

Release the parking brake
(page 51).
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution

266 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
B
COOLANT
CHECK LEVEL!
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 238).

If you have to add coolant frequently,
have the cooling system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
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.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant
level warning. Extended driving with
the message and symbol displayed
may cause serious engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Do not drive without sufficient amount
of coolant in the cooling system. The
engine will overheat causing major en-
gine damage.

270 Practical hintsWhat to do if …ESP
ESP
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The ESP is deactivated because of a
malfunction.

Continue driving with added caution.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of accident.
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The ESP or the ESP display is
malfunctioning.

Continue driving with added caution.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of accident.
:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
STOP, ENGINE OFF!
There is no oil in the engine. There is a
danger of engine damage.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt as
soon as possible.

Turn off the engine.

Add engine oil.
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK LEVEL!
The engine oil level is too low.

Check the engine oil level
(page 236) and add oil as required.
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
REDUCE OIL LEVEL!
You have added too much engine oil.
There is a risk of damaging the engine or
the catalytic converter.

Have oil siphoned. Observe all legal
requirements with respect to its
disposal.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution

271 Practical hints
What to do if …
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 approx-
imately 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.
:
ENGINE OIL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The engine oil has dropped to a critical
level.

Check the engine oil level
(page 236) and add oil as required.

If you must add engine oil frequently,
have the engine checked for possible
leaks.
There is water in the oil.

Have the oil checked.
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The measuring system is malfunctioning.

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
!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.

272 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
A
RESERVE FUEL
VISIT FILLING STATION!
The fuel level has dropped below the
reserve mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 233).
J
DOOR OPEN!
You are attempting to drive with one or
more doors open.

Close the doors.
Y
HOOD OPEN!
You are driving with the hood open.

Close the hood (
page 235).
Ê
TRUNK OPEN!
This message will appear whenever the
trunk lid is open.

Close the trunk lid.
I
REPLACE KEY
VISIT WORKSHOP!
No additional code available for
SmartKey.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
AUTOM. LIGHT ON
REMOVE KEY!
You have forgotten to remove the key.

Remove the key from the starter
switch.
.
LAMP SENSOR
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The lamp sensor is malfunctioning. The
headlamps switch on automatically.

In the control system, set lamp
operation to manual (
page 119).

Switch on headlamps using the
exterior lamp switch.

LOW BEAM, L
CHECK LAMPS!
The left low beam lamp is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
LOW BEAM, R
CHECK LAMPS!
The right low beam lamp is
malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The display for the lamps or the system is
malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.