2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS lock

345 Practical hints
Batteries
Reconnecting the batteries
Turn off all electrical consumers.

Connect the positive lead and fasten its
cover.

Connect the negative lead.Batteries contain materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly.
Large 12-volt storage batteries contain
lead. Recycling of batteries is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states require
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries
for recycling.Warning!
G
Never charge a battery while still installed in
the vehicle. Gases may escape during charg-
ing and cause explosions that may result in
paint damage, corrosion or personal injury.!NEVER invert the terminal connections!
The battery, its filler caps and the vent
tube must always be securely installed
when the vehicle is in operation.
iThe following procedures must be car-
ried out following any interruption of
battery power (e.g. due to reconnec-
tion):

Set the clock (
page 136) (vehi-
cles with COMAND*: see COMAND
operator’s manual).


Resynchronize the front seat head
restraints (
page 104).


Resynchronize the ESP
(page 75).


Re-enter the radio code (see radio
operating instructions).


Resynchronize the side windows
(page 186).


Resynchronize the sliding/pop-up
roof* (
page 189).
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347 Practical hints
Jump starting
The battery is located in the trunk on the
right hand side underneath the luggage
box (
page 325). Only jump start the ve-
hicle from the battery in the trunk.

Make sure that the two vehicles do not
touch.

Turn off all electrical consumers.

Apply parking brake.

Shift selector lever to positionP.1Positive terminal of charged battery
2Positive terminal of discharged battery
3Vehicle ground
4Negative terminal of charged battery

Connect positive terminals1 and2 of
the batteries with the jumper cables.
Clamp cable to charged battery1 first.

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

Connect negative terminal4 of the
charged battery and vehicle ground3
(lock ring of the trunk lid lock) in the
trunk with the jumper cable. Clamp ca-
ble to charged battery4 first.

Start the engine of the disabled vehi-
cle.
Now you can again turn on the electrical
consumers. Do not turn on the lights under
any circumstances.

Remove the jumper cables first from
vehicle ground3 and negative
terminal4 and then from positive
terminals1 and2.

Have the battery checked at the next
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 266).
iThe message
Malfunction - electric
consumers switched off
may appear
in the instrument cluster. It will disap-
pear as soon as the battery is suffi-
ciently charged.
!Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Do not tow-start the vehicle.
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348 Practical hintsTowing the vehicle
Towing the vehicleTowing the vehicle
Mercedes-Benz recommends that the vehi-
cle be transported with all wheels off the
ground using flatbed or appropriate wheel
lift/dolly equipment.
When circumstances do not permit the
recommended towing methods, the vehi-
cle may be towed with all wheels on the
ground or front wheels raised only so far as to have the vehicle moved to a safe loca-
tion where the recommended towing
methods can be employed.
!Use flatbed or wheel lift/dolly equip-
ment with key in starter switch turned
to position0.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
Towing with sling-type equipment over
bumpy roads will damage radiator and
supports.
To prevent damage during transport,
do not tie down vehicle by its chassis or
suspension parts.
Switch off the tow-away alarm and the
automatic central locking
!If the vehicle is towed with the front
axle raised, the engine must be shut off
(key in starter switch position0 or1).
Otherwise, the ESP will immediately be
engaged and will apply the rear wheel
brakes.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, the selector lever must
be in positionN and the key must be in
starter switch position2. When towing
the vehicle with all wheels on the
ground, the vehicle may be towed only
for distances up to 30 miles (50 km)
and at a speed not to exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h).
!To be certain to avoid a possibility of
damage to the transmission, however,
we recommend the drive shaft be dis-
connected at the rear axle drive flange
for any towing beyond a short tow to a
nearby garage.
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349 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Warning!
G
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:

the engine will not run


there is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system


there is a malfunction in the power sup-
ply or in the vehicle’s electrical system
as that will be necessary to adequately con-
trol the towed vehicle.
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make certain that the key is in
starter switch position2.
If the key is left in the starter switch
position0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the switch. In this
case, the steering is locked. To unlock, re-
move key from starter switch and reinsert.
iTo signal turns while being towed with
the hazard warning flasher in use, turn
key in starter switch to position2 and
activate the combination switch for the
left or right turn signal in the usual
manner – only the selected turn signal
will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the haz-
ard warning flasher will operate again.
Warning!
G
The brake system requires electrical power
to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its
limp-home (emergency operation) mode. To
brake, the driver must then apply signifi-
cantly greater brake pedal pressure and de-
press the pedal much further to obtain the
expected braking effect. If necessary, apply
full pressure to the brake pedal. Brakes are
only applied to the front wheels. Stopping
distance is increased! Adapt your driving
style accordingly. SBC brake system
(page 77).
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the steering system. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that
a considerably higher degree of effort is nec-
essary to steer the vehicle. Adapt your driv-
ing accordingly.
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350 Practical hintsTowing the vehicle
Installing towing eye bolt
Front of vehicle
1Cover on right side of front bumperTo remove cover:

Press mark on cover in direction of ar-
row.

Lift cover off to reveal threaded hole for
towing eye bolt.
The towing eye bolt is supplied with the
tool kit (located in the storage compart-
ment under the trunk floor).

Screw towing eye bolt in to its stop and
tighten with lug wrench.
To reinstall cover:

Fit cover and snap into place.
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, please note the follow-
ing:
With the automatic central locking acti-
vated and the key in starter switch
position2, or KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (if so equipped) in position2,
the vehicle doors lock if the left front
wheel as well as the right rear wheel
are turning at vehicle speeds of approx.
9 mph (15 km / h) or more.
To prevent the vehicle door locks from
locking, deactivate the automatic cen-
tral locking (
page 99).
Towing of the vehicle should only be
done using the properly installed tow-
ing eye bolt. Never attach tow cable,
tow rope or tow rod to the vehicle chas-
sis, frame or suspension parts.
iThe selector lever will remain locked in
positionP and the key will not turn in
the starter switch if the battery is dis-
connected or discharged. See notes on
the battery (
page 343) or on jump
starting (
page 346).
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375 Technical terms
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 located in the center console
lights up). See your authorized
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
a 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.
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376 Technical termsControl system
The control system is used to call up
vehicle information and to change
component settings. Information and
messages appear in the multifunction
display. The driver uses the buttons on
the multifunction steering wheel to
navigate through the system and to ad-
just settings.
Cruise control
Driving convenience system for auto-
matically maintaining the vehicle speed
set by the driver.Distronic*
A driving convenience cruise control
system which helps the driver maintain
a pre-selected speed:


If there is no vehicle directly ahead,
the system operates in the same
way as conventional ->cruise con-
trol.


If a slower moving vehicle is ahead,
Distronic will reduce your vehicle
speed to the extent permitted by re-
duced throttle and up to 20% brak-
ing power to maintain the preset
minimum following distance.
DTR
(->Distronic*)Engine number
The number set by the manufacturer
and placed on the cylinder block to
uniquely identify each engine pro-
duced.
Engine oil viscosity
Measurement for the inner friction (vis-
cosity) of the oil at different tempera-
tures. The higher the temperature an
oil can tolerate without becoming thin,
or the lower the temperature it can tol-
erate without becoming viscous, the
better the viscosity.
ESP
(E
lectronic S
tability Pr
ogram)
Improves vehicle handling and direc-
tional stability.
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377 Technical terms
ETD
(E
mergency T
ensioning D
evice)
Device which deploys in certain frontal
and rear collisions exceeding the sys-
tem's threshold to tighten the seat
belts.
->SRS
FSS
(F
lexible S
ervice S
ystem)
Service indicator in the multifunction
display that informs the driver when
the next vehicle maintenance service is
due.
Gear range
Number of gears which are available to
the automatic transmission for shifting.
The automatic gear shifting process
can be adapted to specific operating
conditions using the selector lever.GPS
(G
lobal P
ositioning S
ystem)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special re-
ceivers. Employs CD digital maps for
navigation.
Instrument cluster
The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision, in-
cluding the tachometer, speedometer
and fuel gauge.Kickdown
Depressing the accelerator past the
point of resistance shifts the transmis-
sion down to the lowest possible gear.
This very quickly accelerates the vehi-
cle and should not be used for normal
acceleration needs.
Lock button
Button on the door which indicates
whether the door is locked or un-
locked. Pushing the lock button down
on an individual door from inside will
lock that door.
Memory function*
Used to store three individual seat,
steering wheel and mirror positions for
each key.
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