2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS reset

ContentsTires and wheels ................................ 268
Important guidelines .................... 268
Life of tire ..................................... 269
Direction of rotation ..................... 269
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 269
Rotating wheels............................ 272
Winter driving..................................... 273
Winter tires................................... 273
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 274
Snow chains ................................. 274
Maintenance ...................................... 275
Flexible Service System PLUS (FSS
PLUS) ........................................... 275
Clearing the service indicator....... 275
Service term exceeded................. 276
Calling up the service indicator .... 276
Resetting the service indicator ..... 276
Setting the date for special works 278
Calling up the service data
information ................................... 279
Vehicle care ....................................... 280
Cleaning and care of vehicle ........ 280
Practical hints.................................. 287
What to do if … .................................. 288
Lamps in instrument cluster ........ 288
Lamp in center console ................ 294
Messages in the display ............... 295
Where will I find ...? ........................... 324
First aid kit ................................... 324
Spare wheel ................................. 324
Luggage box ................................. 325
Vehicle tool kit ............................. 326
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 327
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 327
Locking the vehicle ...................... 328
Changing batteries ....................... 328
Fuel filler flap emergency release 329
Manually unlocking the
transmission selector lever .......... 330
Opening/closing in an emergency..... 331
Sliding/pop-up roof* or
panorama sliding/pop-up roof* ... 331Replacing bulbs ................................. 332
Bulbs ............................................ 332
Replacing bulbs for front lamps ... 334
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps .... 336
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 337
Replacing wiper blades ................ 337
Flat tire .............................................. 338
Preparing the vehicle ................... 338
Mounting the spare wheel ........... 338
Batteries ............................................ 343
Disconnecting the battery............ 344
Removing the battery................... 344
Charging and reinstalling the
battery ......................................... 344
Reconnecting the batteries .......... 345
Jump starting ..................................... 346
Towing the vehicle ............................. 348
Towing the vehicle ....................... 348
Installing towing eye bolt ............. 350
Fuses ................................................. 352
Fuse box in passenger
compartment ............................... 352
ProCarManuals.com

23 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
1
LLeft turn signal indi-
cator lamp
2
vElectronic Stability
Program (ESP)
warning lamp
288
3
Speedometer
4
Multifunction display
with:Basic display with outside
temperature display
126
Status indicator with mal-
function warning messageTrip odometer
119
5
lDistance warning
lamp
1
1Vehicles without Distronic*: Warning lamp without
function. It illuminates with key in starter switch
position 2. It should go out when the engine is run-
ning.
289
6
KRight turn signal in-
dicator lamp
Item
Page
7
Coolant temperature dis-
play with:•Coolant tempera-
ture warning lamp
292
8
Tachometer with:1Supplemental
restraint system
indicator lamp
290
-Antilock Brake Sys-
tem (ABS) malfunc-
tion indicator lamp
289
warning lamp
293
AHigh beam head-
lamp indicator
115
9
Main odometer with:

Selector lever position
43


Program mode
155
Item
Page
10
Clock with:;Brake warning
lamp, except
Canada
291
3Brake warning
lamp, Canada only
291
?Engine malfunction
indicator lamp
293
11
Fuel display with:AFuel reserve warn-
ing lamp
293
12
Reset knob for:

Resetting trip
odometer
119


Adjusting instrument
cluster illumination
118


Confirming new time
settings
136
ProCarManuals.com

59 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Safety guidelines for the seat belt,
emergency tensioning device and
airbag
iAirbags are designed to activate only in
certain frontal impacts (front air bags),
side impacts (side impact and head
protection window curtain airbags)
which exceed preset thresholds and in
rollovers (head protection window cur-
tain airbags). Only during these events
will they provide their supplemental
protection.
The driver and passengers should al-
ways wear their seat belts. Otherwise it
is not possible for airbags to provide
their supplemental protection.
In case of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, airbags will not be activat-
ed. The driver and passenger will then
be protected to the extent possible by
a properly fastened seat belt. A proper-
ly fastened seat belt is also needed to
provide the best possible protection in
a rollover.
We caution you not to rely on the pres-
ence of the airbags in order to avoid
wearing your seat belt.
Your vehicle was originally equipped
with airbags that are designed to acti-
vate in certain impacts exceeding a
preset threshold to reduce the poten-
tial and severity of injury. It is important
to your safety and that of your passen-
gers that you replace deployed airbags
and repair any malfunctioning airbags
to ensure that the vehicle will continue
to provide supplemental crash protec-
tion for occupants.
Warning!
G


Damaged seat belts or belts that were
highly stressed in an accident must be
replaced and their anchoring points
must also be checked. Use only belts in-
stalled or supplied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.


Airbags and ETDs are designed to func-
tion on a one-time-only basis. An airbag
ProCarManuals.com

60 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
When you sell your vehicle we strongly
urge you to give notice to the subsequent
owner that it is equipped with an SRS by
alerting them to the applicable section in
the Operator’s Manual.
Front airbags
1Driver airbag
2Passenger airbag
Driver and passenger airbags are de-
ployed:

in the event of a frontal impact


if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold
or emergency tensioning device (ETD)
that was activated must be replaced.


No modifications of any kind may be
made to any components or wiring of
the SRS. This includes changing or re-
moving any component or part of the
SRS, the installation of additional trim
material, badges etc. over the steering
wheel hub, front passenger airbag cov-
er, door trim panels, or door frame
trims, and installation of additional elec-
trical/electronic equipment on or near
SRS components and wiring. Keep area
between airbags and occupants free
from objects (e.g. packages, purses,
umbrellas, etc.).


Do not pass belts over sharp edges.
They could tear.


Do not make any modification that could
change the effectiveness of the belts.


Do not hang items such as coat hangers
from the coat hooks or handles over the
door. These items may turn into projec-
tiles and cause head and other injuries
when curtain airbag is deployed.


An airbag system component within the
steering wheel gets hot after the airbag
has inflated. Do not touch.


Improper work on the system, including
incorrect installation and removal, can
lead to possible injury through an unin-
tended activation of the SRS.


In addition, through improper work
there is a risk of rendering the SRS inop-
erative or causing unintended airbag de-
ployment. Work on the SRS must
therefore only be performed by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.


For your protection and the protection
of others, when scrapping the airbag
unit or emergency tensioning device,
our safety instructions must be fol-
lowed. These instructions are available
from your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.


Given the considerable deployment
speed and the textile structure of the
airbags, there is the possibility of abra-
sions or other injuries resulting from air-
bag deployment.
ProCarManuals.com

61 Safety and Security
Occupant safety


independently of the side impact air-
bags
The airbags will not deploy in impacts
which do not exceed the system’s deploy-
ment thresholds. You will then be protect-
ed by the fastened seat belts.
The front passenger airbag will only be de-
ployed if:


the front passenger seat is occupied


the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp in the center console is not lit
(page 67)Side impact airbags, window curtain
airbags
1Side impact airbags
2Window curtain airbag
The side impact airbags and window cur-
tain airbags are deployed:


on the impacted side of the vehicle


in impacts exceeding a preset deploy-
ment threshold


independently of the front airbags
The front passenger side airbag will only
deploy if the system senses that the front
passenger seat is occupied.The side impact airbags are not deployed
in impacts which do not exceed the sys-
tem’s deployment threshold.
Seat belts
The seat belt nonusage warning lamp <
in the instrument cluster lights up and a
warning sounds for a short time when you
turn the key in the starter switch to
position2 or press the KEYLESS-GO* (if so
equipped) start/stop button twice and the
drivers seat belt is not fastened.
After starting the engine the seat belt non-
usage warning lamp blinks for a brief peri-
od to remind the driver and passengers to
fasten the seat belts.
The use of seat belts and infant and child
restraint systems is required by law in
most states and all Canadian provinces.
Even where this is not the case, all vehicle
occupants should have their seat belts fas-
tened whenever the vehicle is in motion.
!Do not place objects heavier than 20
lbs (9 kg) on the front passenger seat.
This could cause the front or side im-
pact airbag on the front passenger side
to deploy in a crash which exceeds the
system's deployment threshold.
ProCarManuals.com

63 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
Warning!
G
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced
and their anchoring points must also be
checked.
Only use seat belts which have been ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz.
Do not make any modifications to the seat
belts. This can lead to unintended activation
or to failure.
Have all work carried out only by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
USE SEAT BELTS PROPERLY

Seat belts can only work when used
properly. Never wear seat belts in any
other way than as described in this sec-
tion, as that could result in serious inju-
ries in case of an accident.


Each occupant should wear their seat
belt at all times, because seat belts help
reduce the likelihood of and potential
severity of injuries in accidents, includ-
ing rollovers. The integrated restraint
system includes SRS (driver airbag,
front passenger airbag, side impact air-
bags, head protection window curtain
airbags for side windows), ETD (seat belt
emergency tensioning device), and front
seat knee bolsters. The system is de-
signed to enhance the protection of-
fered to properly belted occupants in
certain frontal (front airbags) and side
(side impact and window curtain air-
bags) impacts which exceed preset de-
ployment thresholds.


Never wear the shoulder belt under your
arm, against your neck or off your shoul-
der. In a crash, your body would move
too far forward. That would increase the
chance of head and neck injuries. The
belt would also apply too much force to
the ribs or abdomen, which could se-
verely injure internal organs such as
your liver or spleen.


Never wear belts over rigid or breakable
objects in or on your clothing, such as
eyeglasses, pens, keys etc., as these
might cause injuries.


Position the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips and not across the abdo-
men. If the belt is positioned across your
abdomen, it could cause serious injuries
in a crash.
ProCarManuals.com

64 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Emergency tensioning device (ETD),
seat belt force limiter
The seat belts for the front and rear outer
seats are equipped with emergency ten-
sioning devices and belt force limiters.
The ETD is designed to activate in the fol-
lowing cases when the seat belts are fas-
tened:

In frontal or rear-end impacts exceed-
ing a preset severity level


If the ignition is switched onIn an impact, emergency tensioning devic-
es remove slack from the belts in such a
way that the seat belts fit more snugly
against the body. Belt force limiters reduce
the force exerted by the seat belts on oc-
cupants during a crash.


Each seat belt should never be used for
more than one person at a time. Do not
fasten a seat belt around a person and
another person or other objects.


Belts should not be worn twisted. In a
crash, you wouldn’t have the full width
of the belt to manage impact forces. The
twisted belt against your body could
cause injuries.


Pregnant women should also use a
lap-shoulder belt. The lap belt portion
should be positioned as low as possible
on the hips to avoid any possible pres-
sure on the abdomen.


Never place your feet on the instrument
panel or on the seat. Always keep both
feet on the floor in front of the seat.
Warning!
G
An emergency tensioning device (ETD) that
was activated must be replaced.
When scrapping the emergency tensioning
device, our safety instructions must be fol-
lowed. These are available at your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
ProCarManuals.com

99 Controls in detail
Locking and unlocking
Separately unlocking the trunk
Pull the mechanical key out of the
SmartKey (
page 329).

Insert the mechanical key in the trunk
lid lock.

Turn the key completely to the left to
position1, see above.
You can now open the trunk (
page 96).
Automatic central locking
The doors and the trunk automatically lock
when the ignition is switched on and the
wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of ap-
proximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
You can open a locked door from the in-
side. Open door only when conditions are
safe to do so.
You can deactivate the automatic locking
mode over the control system
(
page 142).
iUnlocking the trunk with the mechani-
cal key will trigger the anti-theft alarm
system. To cancel the alarm, do one of
the following:

Press button Œor ‹on the
SmartKey.


Insert the SmartKey in the starter
switch.
iThe doors unlock automatically after an
accident if the force of the impact ex-
ceeds a preset threshold.
The vehicle automatically locks when
the ignition is switched on and the
wheels are turning at vehicle speeds of
approximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or
more. You could therefore lock yourself
out when the vehicle

is pushed


is on a test stand
ProCarManuals.com