2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E320 AC off

300 Practical hintsWhat to do if …:
Engine oil level
Check level!
The engine oil level is too low.

Check the engine oil level
(page 262) and add oil as required.
:
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level!
You have added too much engine oil. There
is a risk of damaging the engine or the cat-
alytic converter.

Have oil siphoned. Observe all legal
requirements with respect to its dis-
posal.
Engine oil
Visit workshop!
The engine oil has dropped to a critical lev-
el.

Check the engine oil level
(page 262) and add oil as required.

If you must add engine oil frequently,
have the engine checked for possible
leaks.
There is water in the oil.

Have the oil checked.
Engine oil level
Visit workshop!
The measuring system is malfunctioning.

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Distronic
External interference
Reactivate!
The Distronic* is switched off and is tem-
porarily unavailable.

Try activating the Distronic* again
later.
Clean sensor!
see oper. Manual
The Distronic* is switched off because the
Distronic* cover in the radiator grille is
dirty.

Clean the Distronic* cover in the ra-
diator grille (
page 283).

Restart the vehicle.
Visit workshop!
The Distronic* is malfunctioning or the dis-
play is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution

301 Practical hints
What to do if …
P
Gear selector lever in P
You have turned off the engine with the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button* and
opened the driver’s door.

Place the selector lever in position P.
Cruise control
Visit workshop!
Cruise control or Distronic* is malfunction-
ing.

Have the cruise control or Distronic*
checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
1
Restraint system
malfunction
Visit workshop!
The system is malfunctioning.

Drive with added caution to the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
@
Vehicle rising!
Your vehicle is adjusting to your level selec-
tion.
Level selec. canceled
The "Raised" level setting is canceled at ve-
hicle speeds of over 75 mph (120 km/h).

Reactivate the "Raised" level setting.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
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.

303 Practical hints
What to do if …
G
Display defective
The instrument cluster display is malfunc-
tioning.

Continue driving with added caution.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
G

Display defective
Visit workshop!
The displays for several systems have mal-
functioned. Some systems themselves may
also have malfunctioned.

Have the electronic systems
checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
L
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 Cen-
ter.
#
Malfunction
Electrical consumers
switched off
The consumer battery has insufficient volt-
age and can no longer supply the conve-
nience functions such as seat ventilation*.
The electrical consumers will come back
online as soon as on-board voltage is
sufficient.
#
Battery/Alternator
Stop vehicle!
The battery is malfunctioning.
The SBC brake system requires electrical
energy and therefore has only limited oper-
ation. Considerably greater brake pedal
force is required and the stopping distance
is increased.

Stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so. Adjust driving to be consis-
tent with reduced braking respon-
siveness.

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
#
Undervoltage
Charge battery
The battery has insufficient voltage.

Start the engine (
page 43).
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution

304 Practical hintsWhat to do if …#
Undervoltage
Switch off
consumers
The battery has insufficient voltage.

Turn off unnecessary electrical con-
sumers.
–
Battery/Alternator
Visit workshop!
The battery was charged with a battery
charger or jump started.
The battery is no longer charging. Possible
causes:

Alternator malfunctioning


Broken poly-V-belt
Do not forget that the brake system re-
quires electrical energy and may be operat-
ing with restricted capability. Considerably
greater brake pedal force is required and
the stopping distance is increased.

Have the battery checked at a ser-
vice station.

Stop immediately and check the
poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:
Do not continue to drive. Notify
an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If it is in order:

Drive immediately to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter. Adjust driving to be consis-
tent with reduced braking
responsiveness.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution

307 Practical hints
What to do if …
Except Canada:;Canada only:3
Brakes overheated!
Drive carefully!
The brake system is overheated due to an
excessive load on the brakes.

Relieve the load on the brake sys-
tem.

Drive more smoothly and think
ahead to avoid unnecessary braking.

When driving down slopes, shift into
a lower gear to use the engine’s brak-
ing power (
page 153).

Cautiously continue driving so that
the air stream will cool down the
brakes.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
Warning!
G
Driving while these messages are displayed
can result in an accident. Have your brake
system checked immediately.
If there is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system, we recommend that the vehicle be
transported with all wheels off the ground
using flatbed or appropriate wheel lift/dolly
equipment. A tow bar must be used if cir-
cumstances do not permit the use of the
recommended towing methods and the ve-
hicle requires towing with all four wheels on
the ground. Towing the vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground is only permissible for
distances up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a
speed not to exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For
more information, refer to "Towing the vehi-
cle" (
page 348).
If the SBC brake system enters its
limp-home (emergency operation) mode,
the driver must apply significantly greater
brake pedal pressure and depress the pedal
much further than normal to obtain braking
effect. If necessary, apply full pressure to
the brake pedal. Brakes are only applied to
the front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased!
Low brake fluid in the reservoir may cause
the braking system to fail!
Don’t add brake fluid before checking the
brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid

310 Practical hintsWhat to do if …F
Key recognized
in vehicle!
A KEYLESS-GO* key left in the vehi-
cle was recognized while locking the
vehicle from the outside.

Take the key out of the vehicle.
Key
Visit workshop!
The KEYLESS-GO* system is mal-
functioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Key
do not forget key
This display appears (for a maximum
of 60 seconds) if the driver’s door is
opened with the engine shut off and
no key in the starter switch.
This message is only a reminder.

Insert key in the starter switch.
_
Entry position
Do not drive!
Seat, mirrors and steering wheel
have not yet moved to their preset
driving positions.

Wait until the seat, mirrors and steering
wheel have moved to their driving positions.
The message disappears.
Except Canada:;Canada only:!
Release park. brake!
You are driving with the parking
brake set.

Release the parking brake (
page 45).
<
Visit workshop!
The seat belt system is malfunction-
ing.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Ê
Trunk open!
This message will appear whenever
the trunk lid is open.

Close the trunk lid.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution

312 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
Ï
Coolant
Stop, engine off!
The coolant is too hot.
The poly-V-belt could be broken.

Stop the vehicle.

Only start the engine again after the mes-
sage disappears. You could otherwise dam-
age the engine.

Stop immediately and check the
poly-V-belt.
If it is broken, do not drive any further.
Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If it is in order, drive immediately to the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is badly overheat-
ed can cause some fluids which may have
leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire. You could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns and can occur just by opening
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until it
cools down. The engine should not be oper-
ated with the coolant temperature above
266°F (130°C). Doing so may cause serious
engine damage which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

315 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
.
Turn sig.
right
mirror
The right turn signal in the side mir-
ror is malfunctioning. This message
will only appear if all light emitting
diodes have stopped working.

Have the LEDs replaced as soon as possi-
ble.
Turn sig. front left
Back-up light on!

The left front turn signal lamp is mal-
functioning. A backup bulb is being
used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Turn sig. front right
Back-up light on!

The right front turn signal lamp is
malfunctioning. A backup bulb is be-
ing used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Brake light
Visit workshop!
Stop lamp illumination is delayed or
lamp is permanently on.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Turn off lamps!
Lamps have been turned on al-
though the key in the starter switch
is in position 0.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Brake light, left
The left brake lamp is malfunction-
ing. A backup bulb is being used.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Brake light, right
The right brake lamp is malfunction-
ing. A backup bulb is being used.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.