2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E320 4 zone

170 Controls in detailClimate controlDeactivating the climate control sys-tem
Deactivating
Press button M(
page 164).
Reactivating

Press button Magain(
page 164).
or

Press any button on the climate control
panel (
page 164).
Air conditioner
The air conditioner is operational while the
engine is running and cools the interior air
to the temperature set by the operator.
Deactivating
It is possible to deactivate the air condi-
tioning (cooling) function of the climate
control system. The air in the vehicle will
then no longer be cooled or dehumidified.
Press buttonAC
OFF
(page 164).
The indicator lamp on the
buttonAC
OFF
comes on.Activating
Moist air can fog up the windows. You can
dehumidify the air with the air conditioner.

PressAC
OFF
again (
page 164).
The indicator lamp on the
buttonAC
OFF
goes out.
The air conditioner uses the refrigerant
R134a. This refrigerant is free of CFCs
which are harmful to the ozone layer.
iCondensation may drip out from under-
neath the vehicle. This is normal and
not an indication of a malfunction.
!If the air conditioner cannot be turned
on again, this indicates that the air con-
ditioner is losing refrigerant. The com-
pressor has turned itself off.
Have the air conditioner checked at the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

175 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control*
The automatic climate control is a 4-zone
intelligent climate control system. Your ve-
hicle interior is divided into 4 zones.With the help of a sun sensor, the automat-
ic climate control determines the relation
of the sun to the vehicle and automatically
adjusts the inside temperature for every in-
dividual zone.
You can set the temperature for each of
the 4 zones separately. These settings can
be assigned to a key and stored in memory
(
page 144).
The automatic climate control is operation-
al whenever the engine is running. It cools
the vehicle’s interior according to the an-
gle and intensity of the sun’s rays, the out-
side temperature and the selected
temperature.The activated charcoal filter, when
switched on, markedly reduces odors and
removes pollutants from the air entering
the passenger compartment.
The automatic climate control is operation-
al whenever the engine is running. You can
operate the climate control system in ei-
ther the automatic or manual mode. The
system cools or heats the interior depend-
ing on the selected interior temperature
and the current outside temperature.iCondensation may drip from under-
neath the vehicle. This is normal and
not an indication of a malfunction.
!If the interior has been heated, air the
vehicle out before driving.
Keep the air intake between the hood
and the windshield free of snow.
Do not cover the ventilation slot be-
tween the rear shelf and the rear win-
dow.

181 Controls in detail
Automatic climate control*
Air conditioner
The air conditioner is operational while the
engine is running and cools the interior air
to the temperature set by the operator.
Deactivating
It is possible to deactivate the air condi-
tioning (cooling) function of the automatic
climate control system. The air in the vehi-
cle will then no longer be cooled or dehu-
midified.
Press buttonAC
OFF
.
The indicator lamp on the
buttonAC
OFF
lights up.Activating
Moist air can fog up the windows. You can
dehumidify the air with the air conditioner.

PressAC
OFF
again.
The indicator lamp on
theAC
OFF
button goes out.
The air conditioner uses the refrigerant
R134a. This refrigerant is free of CFCs
which are harmful to the ozone layer.
Warning!
G
Any accumulation of snow and ice should be
removed from the rear window before driv-
ing. Visibility could otherwise be impaired,
endangering you and others.!If the rear window defroster switches
off too soon and the indicator lamp
starts blinking, this means that too
many electrical consumers are operat-
ing simultaneously and there is insuffi-
cient voltage in the battery. The system
responds automatically by deactivating
the rear window defroster.
As soon as the battery has sufficient
voltage, the rear window defroster au-
tomatically turns itself back on.
iCondensation may drip out from under-
neath the vehicle. This is normal and
not an indication of a malfunction.
!If the air conditioner cannot be turned
on again, this indicates that the air con-
ditioner is losing refrigerant. The com-
pressor has turned itself off.
Have the air conditioner checked at the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

198 Controls in detailDriving systemsWarning!
G
Distronic cannot take street and traffic con-
ditions into account. Only use Distronic if
the weather and traffic conditions make it
advisable to travel at a steady speed.Warning!
G
Use of Distronic can be dangerous on slip-
pery roads. Rapid changes in tire traction
can result in wheel spin and loss of control.
Distronic does not act upon adverse sight
distance conditions. Do not use Distronic
during conditions of fog and heavy rain,
snow or sleet.
Warning!
G
Close attention to road and traffic condi-
tions is imperative at all times, regardless of
whether or not Distronic is activated.
Use of Distronic can be dangerous on wind-
ing roads or in heavy traffic because condi-
tions do not allow safe driving at a steady
speed.
Distronic will not react to stationary objects
in the roadway (e.g. a stopped vehicle in a
traffic jam or a disabled vehicle). Distronic
will also not respond to oncoming vehicles.
Switch off Distronic:

when changing from the left to the right
lane if vehicles are moving more slowly
in the left lane


when entering a turn lane or highway off
ramp


in complex driving situations, such as in
highway construction zones
In these situations, Distronic will continue to
maintain the set speed unless deactivated.
Distronic is designed and intended only to
maintain a set speed and keep a set dis-
tance from moving objects in front of it.Warning!
G
The "Resume" function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.