Page 97 of 370

103 Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching right front reading lamp on
and off
Press button2.
The right reading lamp goes on.
Press button2 again.
The right reading lamp goes off.
Switching left front reading lamp on and
off
Press button6.
The left reading lamp goes on.
Press button6 again.
The left reading lamp goes off.Switching all front interior lights on and
off
Press button5.
The front interior lamps go on.
Press rocker switch to position3 or4.
The front interior lamps go out.
Door entry lamps
The appropriate door entry lamp switches
on if a door is opened in darkness and if
the interior lighting is switched to automat-
ic function.
The entry lamp switches off automatically
when the door is closed.
iThe setting selected for the interior
lighting is used for the cargo compart-
ment lighting as well.
If you leave the tailgate open for an ex-
tended period of time, the cargo com-
partment lighting will switch off
automatically after approximately ten
minutes
iIf you turn the key in the starter switch
to position0 and switch off the exterior
headlamps, the door entry lamps will
remain lit for approximately five min-
utes.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 103 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 190 of 370

196 Controls in detailLoadingRemoval of ski sack
For removal of the ski sack we recommend
that you contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Parcel net in cargo compartment
There is a parcel net located on left side of
the cargo compartment. Dependent on the
equipment of your vehicle, there is another
parcel net located on right side of the car-
go compartment.
Removal of parcel net
Slide rails1 upward and remove.
Installation of parcel net
Place mounting lugs2 in opening.
Slide rails1 down as far as they can go.
Warning!
G
Never drive vehicle with tailgate open while
the ski sack is removed. Deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle in-
terior, resulting in unconsciousness and
death.
Warning!
G
T he par c el ne t i s d es ign e d on l y t o ca r ry li gh t
loads.
Do not place heavy or fragile objects, or ob-
jects having sharp edges, in the parcel net.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, they could be thrown
around inside the vehicle, and cause injury
to vehicle occupants.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 196 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 195 of 370

201 Controls in detail
Loading
Loading instructions
The total load weight including vehicle oc-
cupants and luggage/cargo should not ex-
ceed the vehicle capacity weight indicated
on the certification tag which can be found
on the left door pillar.
The handling characteristics of a fully load-
ed vehicle depend greatly on the load dis-
tribution. It is therefore recommended to
load the vehicle according to the illustra-
tions shown, with the heaviest items being
placed towards the front of the vehicle.
Always place items being carried against
front or rear seat backrests, and fasten
them as securely as possible.The heaviest portion of the cargo should al-
ways be kept as low as possible since it in-
fluences the handling characteristics of
the vehicle.
pulling on the backrest.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle, and cause injury
to vehicle occupants unless the items are
securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a colli-
sion or sudden maneuver, exercise care
when transporting cargo.
Warning!
G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle and can cause in-
jury to vehicle occupants unless the items
are securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a colli-
sion or sudden maneuver, exercise care
when transporting cargo.
Never drive vehicle with tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon-
sciousness and death.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 201 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 211 of 370

217 Controls in detail
Useful features
Remote door unlock
In case you have locked your vehicle unin-
tentionally (e.g. key inside vehicle), and the
reserve key is not handy:
Contact the Mercedes-Benz Response
Center at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA)
or 1-888-923-8367 (in Canada).
You will be asked to provide your pass-
word which you provided when you
completed the subscriber agreement.
Then return to your vehicle and pull the
tailgate recessed handle for minimum
of 20 seconds until the SOS button is
flashing.
The message
EMERGENCY CALL –
CALL CONNECTED appears in the multi-
function display.
As an alternative, you may unlock the vehi-
cle via Internet using the ID and password
sent to you shortly after the completion of
your Acquaintance Call.The Response Center will then unlock your
vehicle with the remote door unlocking
feature.Stolen vehicle tracking services
In the event your vehicle was stolen:
Report the incident to the police.
The police will issue a numbered inci-
dent report.
Pass this number on to the
Mercedes-Benz Response Center along
with your password issued to you when
you subscribed to the service.
The Response Center will then attempt
to covertly contact the vehicle’s
Tele Aid system. Once the vehicle is lo-
cated, the Response Center will con-
tact the local law enforcement and you.
The vehicle’s location will only be pro-
vided to law enforcement.
iThe remote door unlock feature is avail-
able if the relevant cellular phone net-
work is available.
The SOS button will flash and the mes-
sage
EMERGENCY CALL –
CALL CONNECTED
will appear in the mul-
tifunction display to indicate receipt of
the door unlock command.
Once the vehicle is unlocked, a Re-
sponse Center specialist will attempt
to establish voice contact with the ve-
hicle occupants.
If the tailgate recessed handle was
pulled for more than 20 seconds be-
fore door unlock authorization was re-
ceived by the Response Center, you
must wait 15 minutes before pulling
the tailgate recessed handle again.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 217 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 271 of 370

277 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
L
TELE AID
VISIT WORKSHOP!
One or more main functions of the Tele
Aid* system are malfunctioning.
Have the Tele Aid* system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
ì
FUNCTION
NOT AVAILABLE!
This display appears if button
ì
or
í
on the multifunction steering wheel
is pressed and the vehicle is not
equipped with a telephone.
Ê
TRUNK OPEN!
This message will appear whenever the
tailgate is open.
Close the tailgate.
1
RESTRAINT SYSTEM
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The system is malfunctioning.
Drive with added caution to the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!
G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indi-
cated as outlined above, the SRS may not be
operational. For your safety, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have
the system checked; otherwise the
SRS may not be activated when needed in
an accident, which could result in serious or
fatal injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly
and unnecessarily which could also result in
injury.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 277 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 280 of 370
286 Practical hintsUnlocking/locking in an emergencyUnlocking the tailgate
If you are unable to unlock the tailgate with
the key, you can use the emergency re-
lease on the inside of the tailgate to unlock
it.
1 Release lever
2Cover
Remove cover2 from the trim on the
tailgate.
Push release lever1 all the way to the
right.
Open the tailgate.
Locking the vehicle
If you are unable to lock the vehicle with
the SmartKey, lock it with the mechanical
key as follows:
Close the passenger doors and the tail-
gate.
Press the central locking switch in the
cockpit (
page 89).
Check to see whether the locking
knobs on the passenger doors are still
visible. If necessary push them down
manually.
Lock the driver’s door with the me-
chanical key.
!The tailgate swings open upwards. Al-
ways make sure that there is sufficient
overhead clearance.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 286 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 291 of 370
297 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Side marker lamp bulb
Switch off the lights.
Carefully slide lamp towards rear.
Remove front end first.
Twist bulb socket counterclockwise
and pull out.
Pull bulb out of the bulb socket.
Insert new bulb in socket.
Reinstall bulb socket, push in and twist
clockwise.
To reinstall lamp, set rear end in
bumper and let front end snap into
place.
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps
Tail lamp assemblies
Open tailgate (
page 87).
Switch off the lights.
Press button1 on the corresponding
side.
Fold down trim panel2.
Squeeze tabs together3.
Remove bulb holder.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 297 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 342 of 370

348 IndexButton
Audio system 164
C
CAC (Customer assistance center) 339
California
Important notice 11
Calling up
Range (distance to empty) 130
Service indicator 247
CAN system 339
Capacities
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. 328
Cargo area see Cargo compartment 87
Cargo compartment
Auxiliary fuse box 315
Lighting 103
Parcel net 196
Storage compartment inside 197
Tailgate 87
Tie-down rings 202
Cargo tie-down rings 202
Casette mode
Playing cassettes 170
Cassette player
Operating 114
Catalytic converter 230CD changer* 174
CD mode 174
CD player
Operating 113
Center console 25
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp 259
Lower part 26
Upper part 25
Centigrade
Setting temperature units 119
Central locking
Automatic 88
From inside 89
Switch 89
Switching on/off (control
system) 125
Unlocking from inside 89
Central locking switch 89
Certification label 320
Changing
Batteries (SmartKey) 287
Key setting 126
Changing CDs 174
Charcoal filter 157
Charging
Vehicle battery 306CHECK ENGINE malfunction indicator
lamp 23, 258
Checking
Coolant level 233, 238
Oil level 233, 235
Tire inflate pressure 233
Vehicle lighting 233
Child safety 65
Airbags 58
Infant and child restraint systems 62,
65
LATCH child seat anchors 70
Child safety switch see Blocking of rear
door window operation 71
Child seat anchors see LATCH child seat
anchors 70
Cigarette lighter 208
Cleaning
Cup holder 251
Gear selector lever 251
Hard plastic trim items 252
Headlamps 143
Headliner 252
Instrument cluster 251
Leather upholstery 252
Light alloy wheels 251S203 MY03_A.book Page 348 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM