2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E320 AC off rest

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.

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

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.

341 Practical hints
Flat tire

Unscrew the alignment bolt, install last
wheel bolt and tighten slightly.In the case of a flat tire, you may tempo-
rarily use the Minispare* wheel when ob-
serving the following restrictions:


Do not exceed a vehicle speed of
50 mph (80km/h).


Drive to the nearest tire repair facility
to have the flat tire repaired or re-
placed as appropriate.


Do not operate vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.
Warning!
G
Always replace wheel bolts that are dam-
aged or rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts.
Damaged wheel hub threads should be re-
paired immediately. Do not continue to drive
under these circumstances! Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call
Roadside Assistance.
Incorrect mounting bolts or improperly
tightened mounting bolts can cause the
wheel to come off. This could cause an acci-
dent. Be sure to use the correct mounting
bolts.
Warning!
G
Use only genuine equipment
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts. They are identi-
fied by the Mercedes star. Other wheel bolts
may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the ve-
hicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle could
tip over.
Warning!
G
The dimensions of the Minispare* wheel are
different from those of the road wheels. As
a result, the vehicle handling characteristics
change when driving with a Minispare*
wheel mounted.
The spare wheel should only be used tempo-
rarily, and replaced with a regular road
wheel as quick as possible.

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).

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.

381 Index
A
ABS 73, 375
Malfunction indicator lamp 289
Messages in display 296
Warning lamp 289
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 156
Accident
In case of 49
Activating
Air conditioning (cooling) 170, 181
Air recirculation mode 168, 178
Anti-theft alarm system 82
Automatic climate control 174
Central locking (control system) 142
Charcoal filter 180
Climate control 164
Defrost 167
Distance warning function* 206
Distronic* 202
Easy-entry/exit feature* 143
ESP 77
Exterior headlamps 46
Exterior lamps 113
Hazard warning flasher 115
Headlamps 46High beams 115
Ignition 31
Ignition with KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button 33
Immobilizer 52, 81
Rear fog lamp 113
Rear window defroster 169, 180
Residual heat 171, 182
Tow-away alarm 83
Windshield wipers 47
Adjustable air outlets, rear passenger
compartment 182
Adjusting 34
Air distribution 166, 177
Air volume 166, 177
Backrest tilt 36
Exterior rear view mirror 39
Head restraint height 36
Head restraint tilt 36
Inside rear view mirror 38
Instrument cluster illumination 118
Mirrors 38
Multicontour seat* 104
Seat cushion depth 105
Seat cushion tilt 36
Seat fore and aft adjustment 35Seat height 35
Seats 34
Steering column height 38
Steering column length 38
Steering wheel 37
Air conditioner (cooling)
Turning off 170, 181
Turning on 170, 181
Air distribution
Adjusting 166, 177
Air outlets, rear passenger compartment
Adjustable 182
Air recirculation mode 167, 178
Activating 168, 178
Deactivating 168, 179
Air volume
Adjusting 166, 177
Airbags 57
BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system 67, 375
Children 58
Front 60
Passenger 60
Safety guidelines 59
Side impact 61
Window curtain 61