94 Controls in detailSeatsHeated seats*
Both switches for the front seats are locat-
ed in the center console.
1Normal heating
2Rapid heating
Make sure that the ignition is switched
on.
All the lamps in the instrument cluster
light up.
Switching on seat heating
Press upper switch position1.A red indicator lamp on the switch
lights up.
Switching on rapid seat heating
Press lower switch position2.
Both red indicator lamps on the switch
light up.Switching off seat heating
If one indicator lamp is on, press upper
switch position1.
If both indicator lamps are on, press
lower switch position2.
!If one or both of the lamps on the seat
heater switch are blinking, there is in-
sufficient voltage available since too
many electrical consumers are turned
on. The seat heater switches off auto-
matically.
The seat heater will switch back on
again automatically as soon as suffi-
cient voltage is available.iThe system switches over to normal
heating mode after approximately five
minutes. Only one indicator lamp re-
mains lit.
iThe seat heater will be automatically
switched off after approximately
30 minutes.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 94 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
151 Controls in detail
Climate control
Opening the air vent
Raise lever1.
Closing the air vent
Lower lever1.Rear passenger compartment
adjustable air vents
1Center air vent, left
2Thumbwheel for air volume control for
center air vents
3Center air vent, rightTo open center air vents:
Turn thumbwheel2 upward.
iThe compartment can get very warm
due to its confined space. When storing
heat sensitive objects in the compart-
ment, close the air vent while heating
the passenger compartment.
iThe temperature at the air vents for
rear passenger compartment1 and3
is the same as at the dashboard center
air vents.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 151 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
206 Controls in detailUseful featuresArmrest storage spaces
Opening compartment in armrest
Lift armrest by handle1.
Opening compartment under armrest
Lift armrest by handle2.
Closing
Lower armrest until it engages in lock.Changing inclination of armrest
Pull up on armrest.
Lowering armrest
Pull handle2 to lower armrest.Parcel net in front passenger footwell
A small convenience parcel net is located
in the front passenger footwell. It is for
small and light items, such as road maps,
mail, etc.iThe storage compartment can be heat-
ed or cooled.
The compartment can get very warm
due to its confined space. When storing
heat sensitive objects in the compart-
ment, close the air vent (
page 150)
while heating the passenger compart-
ment.
Warning!
G
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 206 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
208 Controls in detailUseful featuresCigarette lighter
1Cigarette lighter
2Cover
Turn key in the starter switch to
position1 or2.
Slide cover2 rearward.
Push in cigarette lighter1.
The cigarette lighter will pop out auto-
matically when hot.
Electrical outlet
An electrical outlet is located on the left
side of the cargo compartment.
Turn the key in the starter switch to
position1 or2.
Flip up cover and insert electrical plug
(cigarette lighter type).
Warning!
G
Never touch the heating element or sides of
the lighter; they are extremely hot. Hold the
knob only.
When leaving the vehicle, always remove the
key from the starter switch, and lock your
vehicle. Do not leave children unattended in
the vehicle, or with access to an unlocked
vehicle. Unsupervised use of vehicle equip-
ment may cause an accident and/or serious
personal injury.iThe lighter socket can be used to ac-
commodate electrical accessories up
to a maximum 85 W.
iThe electrical outlet can be used to ac-
commodate electrical consumers (e.g.
air pump, auxiliary lamps) up to a max-
imum of 180 W.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 208 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
224 OperationDriving instructionsBrakesTo help prevent brake disk corrosion after
driving on wet road surfaces (particularly
salted roads), it is advisable to brake the
vehicle with considerable force prior to
parking. The heat generated serves to dry
the brakes.
If your brake system is normally only sub-
jected to moderate loads, you should occa-
sionally test the effectiveness of the
brakes by applying above-normal braking
pressure at higher speeds. This will also
enhance the grip of the brake pads.
If the parking brake is released and the
brake warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter stays on, the brake fluid level in the res-
ervoir is too low.Brake pad wear or a leak in the system may
be the reason for low brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.
Have the brake system inspected at an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center immedi-
ately.
All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Only install brake pads and brake fluid rec-
ommended by Mercedes-Benz.Warning!
G
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through wa-
ter deep enough to wet brake components,
the first braking action may be somewhat
reduced and increased pedal pressure may
be necessary to obtain expected braking ef-
fect. Maintain a safe distance from vehicles
in front.
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their effec-
tiveness. It may not be possible to stop the
vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an acci-
dent.
!Be very careful not to endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
Refer to the description of the Brake
Assist System (BAS) (
page 75).
Warning!
G
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake
fluid is used, the braking properties of the
vehicle can be degraded to an extent that
safe braking is substantially impaired. This
could result in an accident.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 224 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
225 Operation
Driving instructions
After hard braking, it is advisable to drive
on for some time, rather than immediately
parking, so that the air stream will cool
down the brakes faster.Driving off
Apply the brakes to test them briefly after
driving off. Perform this procedure only
when the road is clear of other traffic.
Warm up the engine smoothly. Do not
place full load on the engine until the oper-
ating temperature has been reached.When starting off on a slippery surface, do
not allow one drive wheel to spin for an ex-
tended period with the ESP switched off.
Doing so may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Parking
!When driving down long and steep
grades, relieve the load on the brakes
by shifting into a lower gear to use the
engine’s braking power. This helps pre-
vent overheating of the brakes and re-
duces brake pad wear.
!Simultaneously depressing the acceler-
ator pedal and applying the brake re-
duces engine performance and causes
premature brake and drivetrain wear.!Set the parking brake whenever park-
ing or leaving the vehicle. In addition,
move selector lever to positionP (man-
ual transmission: first or reverse gear).
In addition, when parking on hills, turn
front wheel towards the road curb.
Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible 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.
To reduce the risk of personal injury as a re-
sult of vehicle movement, before
turning off
the engine and leaving the vehicle always:
Keep right foot on brake pedal.
Firmly depress parking brake pedal.
Move the selector lever to positionP
(manual transmission: first or reverse
gear).
Slowly release brake pedal.
When parked on an incline, turn front
wheels towards the road curb.
Turn the key to starter switch position0
and remove.
Take the key and lock vehicle when leav-
ing.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 225 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
360 Index
Vehicle tool kit 279
Premium unleaded gasoline 331
Problems
While driving 50
With vehicle 17
Product information 9
Program mode selector switch
Automatic transmission 139
Program mode selector switch (Automatic
transmission) 342
Q
Quick search
Phone book* 133
R
Radio
Selecting stations 113
Station search 113
Station selection setting 125
Radio mode 167
Radio see Radio mode
Radio transmitter, control and
operation 230
Range (distance to empty)
Calling up 130Rapid seat heating
Switching on 94
Reading lamp 27
Rear bench seat
Foldable 199
Rear door window
Blocking operation 71
Rear fog lamp 293
Bulb 293
Switching on 100
Rear lamp bulbs
Replacing 297
Rear lamps see Tail lamps
Rear outer seats
Adjusting head restraint height 36
Rear passenger compartment
Adjustable air vents 151, 160
Rear seat head restraints
Adjusting 35
Adjusting tilt 36
Folding back 36
Installing 92
Outer seats 92
Placing upright 36
Removing 92
Rear view mirror automatic antiglare 141Rear view mirrors see Mirrors
Rear window defroster 149, 158
Activating 149, 158
Deactivating 149, 158
Rear window wiper/washer 49
Reconnecting
Vehicle battery 307
Refrigerant
Air conditioning 330
Regular checks 233
Reinstalling vehicle battery 306
Remote control
SmartKey 84
Remote controls
Integrated 219
Remote door unlock
With Tele Aid* 217
Remote Vehicle Diagnostics 342
Removing
Parcel net in cargo compartment 196
Ski sack 196
Twin-reel roller blind 198
Vehicle battery 306
Wheel 302
Wiper blade insert 299
Wiper blades 299
S203 MY03_A.book Page 360 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
362 IndexSeats 90
Adjusting 32
Easy entry/exit feature 90
Heater 94
Manual 33
Multicontour seat 93
Power seats 34
Rapid seat heating 94
Split rear bench seat 199
Securing cargo
Cargo tie-down rings 202
Selecting
Display 120
Selector lever 23
Lock 44
Position (automatic
transmission) 23, 135
Self-test
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system 67
Tele Aid* 211
Service
Calling up the service indicator 247
Major service (Service B) 246
Minor service (Service A) 246
Overdue 246Spare parts 318
Types 246
When due 246
Service and Warranty Booklet
Loss of 319
Service and warranty information 10
Service indicator 246
Calling up 247
Clearing 246, 247
Service life (tires) 242
Service see Maintenance 246
Service System see FSS 246
Setting
Convenience functions 117, 126
Cruise control 191
Daytime running lamp mode 121
Exterior rear view mirror parking
position 97
Higher speed in cruise control 192
Hours (clock) 118
Individual vehicle settings 116
Interior lighting delayed shut-off 124
Key dependent memory 127
Lamps and lighting (control
system) 121
Language, multifunction display 120Locator lighting 122
Lower speed in cruise control 192
Miles/kilometers in
speedometer 119
Minutes (clock) 118
Night security illumination 122
Parking position for exterior rear view
mirrors 128
Slower speed in cruise control 192
Speed in cruise control 192
Speedometer display mode 119
Station selection mode 125
Temperature (interior) 146, 154
Temperature indicator 119
Time display mode (Clock) 119
Units
Speedometer 119
Temperature 119
Settings
Convenience functions 126
Factory, SmartKey 85
Individual (SmartKey) 127
Lighting (control system) 121
Menus and submenus 109
Resetting all (control system) 116
Resetting in the submenu 117
S203 MY03_A.book Page 362 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM