2003 MERCEDES-BENZ CL500 warning lights

266 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?<
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.
1
The red SRS indicator lamp lights
up while driving.
There is a malfunction in the restraint sys-
tems. The airbags or emergency tensioning
device (ETDs) could deploy unexpectedly or
fail to activate in an accident.

Drive with added caution to the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
Warning!
G
In the event that a malfunction of the SRS is
indicated as outlined above, the SRS may
not be operational. For your safety, we
strongly recommend that you visit an autho-
rized 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 result in an
accident and/or injury to you or to others.

267 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
Except Canada:;Canada only:3
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.
The red brake warning
lamp lights up while
driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.

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 re-
sult in spilling brake fluid on hot engine
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.

268 Practical hintsWhat 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 Mode (emergency opera-
tion).

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.
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 yellow fuel tank reserve
warning lamp lights up while
driving.
The fuel level has dropped below the reserve
mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 235).
The fuel cap not closed tight.

Check the fuel cap (
page 235).

303 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Rear lamps Notes on bulb replacement


Use only 12 volt bulbs of the same type
and with the specified watt rating.


Switch lights off before changing a bulb
to prevent short circuits.


Always use a clean lint-free cloth when
handling bulbs.


Your hands should be dry and free of oil
and grease.


If the newly installed bulb does not light
up, visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.


Have the LEDs and bulbs for the follow-
ing lamps replaced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center:

Additional turn signal lamps in the
exterior rear view mirrors


Bi-Xenon lamps


Front fog lamps


High mounted brake lamp


Brake lamp


Rear side marker
Lamp
Type
8
High mounted brake
lamp
LED
9
Brake lamp
LED
10
Tail, parking and
standing lamp
P 21/4 W
Side marker lamp
LED
11
Backup lamp
P 21 W
12
License plate lamps
C 5 W
13
Rear fog lamp,
driver’s side
P 21/4 W
14
Turn signal lamp
PY 21 W
Warning!
G
Keep bulbs out of reach of children.
Bulbs and bulb sockets can get very hot. Al-
low the lamp to cool down before changing
a bulb.
Halogen lamps contain pressurized gas. A
bulb can explode if you

touch or move it when hot


drop the bulb


scratch the bulb
Wear eye and hand protection.
Because of high voltage in Bi-Xenon lamps,
it is dangerous to replace the bulb or repair
the lamp and its components. We recom-
mend that you have such work done by a
qualified technician.

304 Practical hintsReplacing bulbsReplacing bulbs for front lamps
1Housing cover for high beam flasher
bulb, parking and standing lamp2Electrical connector for high beam
flasher housing bulb
3Parking and standing lamp
4Bulb socket for turn signal lamp
5Low beam and high beam (Bi-Xenon)
housing cover
High beam flasher bulb

Switch off the lights.

Open the hood (
page 237).

Press ends of housing cover1 tab to-
gether and remove cover.

Press connector2 downward.

Remove connector2 with the bulb.

Insert the new bulb so that the base lo-
cates in the recess on the holder.

From below, press connector2 with
bulb upward onto the reflector.

Align housing cover1 and click into
place.
Front turn signal bulb

Switch off the lights.

Open the hood (
page 237).

Twist bulb socket4 counterclockwise
and pull out.

Push bulb into socket, turn counter-
clockwise and remove.

Insert new bulb in socket, push in and
twist clockwise.

Reinsert bulb socket in lamp and twist
clockwise.
Warning!
G
Do not remove the cover for the Bi-Xenon
headlamp. Because of high voltage in xenon
lamps, it is dangerous to replace the bulb or
repair the lamp and its components. We rec-
ommend that you have such work done by a
qualified technician at an authorized Mer-
cedes-Benz Center.

317 Practical hints
Jump starting
The battery is located on the right side of
the trunk under the battery cover
(page 313).

Make sure that the two vehicles do not
touch.

Turn off all electrical consumers.

Apply parking brake.

Shift gear selector lever to positionP.

Open the trunk lid.

Remove battery cover.

Connect positive terminals 1 and3 of
the batteries with the jumper cable.
Clamp cable to charged battery3 first.1Positive terminal of discharged battery
2Negative terminal of discharged bat-
tery
3Positive terminal of charged battery
4Negative terminal of charged battery

Start engine of the vehicle with the
charged battery and run at idle speed.

Connect negative terminals 2 and4 of
the batteries with the jumper cable.
Clamp cable to charged battery4 first.

Start the engine of the disabled vehi-
cle.
You can now turn on the electrical con-
sumers. Do not turn on the lights under
any circumstances.

Remove the jumper cables first from
negative terminals2 and4 and then
from positive terminals1 and3.
You can now turn on the lights.

Have the battery checked at the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Keep flames or sparks away from battery.
Do not smoke.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(page 243).
!Never invert the terminal connections.
!Do not tow-start the vehicle.

347 Technical terms
ABC
(A
ctive B
ody C
ontrol)
Active, computer-controlled system
that hydraulically adjusts the suspen-
sion at all four wheels in response to
various driving situations.
ABS
(A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)
Prevents the wheels from locking up
during braking so that the vehicle can
continue to be steered.
Alignment bolt
Metal pin with thread. The centering
pin is an aid used when changing a tire
to align the wheel with the wheel hub.BabySmart
TM
airbag deactivation
system
This system detects if a special system
compatible child restraint seat is in-
stalled on the front passenger seat. The
system will automatically deactivate
the passenger front airbag when such a
seat is properly installed (PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp in the cen-
ter console lights up). See your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for
availability.
BabySmart
TM
compatible child seats
Special restraint system for children.
The sensor system for the passenger
seat prevents deployment of the pas-
senger side airbag if a BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat is installed.
BAS
(B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)
System for potentially reducing braking
distances in emergency braking situa-
tions. The system is activated when it
senses an emergency based on how
fast the brake is applied.Bi-Xenon headlamps
Headlamps which use an electric arc as
the light source and produce a more in-
tense light than filament headlamps.
Bi-Xenon headlamps produce low
beam and high beam.
CAC
(C
ustomer A
ssistance C
enter)
Mercedes-Benz customer service cen-
ter, which can help you with any ques-
tions about your vehicle and provide
assistance in the event of a break-
down.
CAN system
(C
ontroller A
rea N
etwork)
Data bus network serving to control ve-
hicle functions such as door locking or
windshield wiping.
Cockpit
All instruments, switches, buttons and
indicator/warning lamps in the passen-
ger compartment needed for vehicle
operation and monitoring.