2003 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS key

283 Operation
Vehicle care
Scratches, corrosive deposits, corrosion or
damage due to negligent or incorrect care
cannot always be removed or repaired with
the car-care products recommended here.
In such cases it is best to seek aid at your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The following topics deal with the cleaning
and care of your vehicle and give important
“how-to” information as well as references
to Mercedes-Benz approved car-care prod-
ucts.
Additional information can be found in the
booklet “Vehicle Care Guide“.
Power washer
When using a power washer for cleaning
the vehicle always observe the manufac-
turer’s operating instructions.Tar stains
Quickly remove tar stains before they dry
and become more difficult to remove. A tar
remover is recommended.
Paintwork, painted body components
Mercedes-Benz approved Paint Care
should be applied when water drops on the
paint surface do not “bead up”, normally
every 3 to 5 months, depending on climate
and washing detergent used.
Mercedes-Benz approved Paint Cleaner
should be applied if the paint surface
shows signs of embedded dirt (i.e. loss of
gloss).
Do not apply any of these products or wax
if your vehicle is parked in the sun or if the
hood is still hot.
Use the appropriate MB-Touch-Up Stick
for quick and provisional repairs of minor
paint damage (i.e. chips from stones, vehi-
cle doors etc.).
iVehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of
water, and a KEYLESS-GO* card is in
close proximity, i.e. within approx. 3 ft.
(approx. 1 m), the vehicle could be in-
advertently locked or unlocked. !Never use a round nozzle to power
wash tires. The intense jet of water can
result in damage to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.
Always keep the jet of water moving
across the surface. Do not aim directly
at electrical parts, electrical connec-
tors, seals, or other rubber parts.

284 OperationVehicle careEngine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from contact with
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as MB Anticor-
rosion Wax should be applied to the engine
compartment after every engine cleaning.
Before applying, all control linkage bush-
ings and joints should be lubricated. The
poly-V-belt and all pulleys should be pro-
tected from any wax.
Vehicle washing
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight. Use only a mild car wash
detergent, such as Mercedes-Benz ap-
proved Car Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water. Direct only a very weak
spray towards the ventilation intake. Use
plenty of water and rinse the sponge and
chamois frequently. Rinse with clear water and thoroughly dry
with a chamois. Do not allow cleaning
agents to dry on the finish.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in out-
side mirrors prior to running the vehicle
through an automatic car wash to prevent
damage to the mirrors.
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the underbody, do not for-
get to clean the inner sides of the wheels.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of very dirty
chrome-plated parts, use a chrome clean-
er.
Headlamps, tail lamps, turn signal
lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Shampoo,
with plenty of water.
To prevent scratches, never apply strong
force and use only a soft, non-scratchy
cloth when cleaning the lenses. Do not at-
tempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry cloth
or sponge.
iVehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of
water, and a KEYLESS-GO* card is in
close proximity, i.e. within approx. 3 ft.
(approx. 1 m), the vehicle could be in-
advertently locked or unlocked.

286 OperationVehicle careWiper blades
Clean the wiper blade inserts with a clean
cloth and detergent solution.Window cleaning
Use a window cleaning solution on all glass
surfaces. An automotive glass cleaner is
recommended.Light alloy wheels
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care
should be used for regular cleaning of the
light alloy wheels.
If possible, clean wheels once a week with
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care, us-
ing a soft bristle brush and a strong spray
of water.
Follow instructions on container.
iFor safety reasons, switch off wipers
and remove SmartKey from starter
switch before cleaning the wiper
blades, otherwise the wiper motor can
suddenly turn on and cause injury.!Fold the windshield wiper arms away
from the windshield in a vertical posi-
tion only. They could otherwise dam-
age the hood.
Fold the windshield wiper arms back
onto the windshield before turning the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
iFor safety reasons, switch off wipers
and remove SmartKey from starter
switch before cleaning the windshield,
otherwise the wiper motor can sudden-
ly turn on and cause injury.!Fold the windshield wiper arms away
from the windshield in a vertical posi-
tion only. They could otherwise dam-
age the hood.
Fold the windshield wiper arms back
onto the windshield before turning the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
iUse only acid-free cleaning materials.
Acid could lead to corrosion.

290 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?
What to do if …?Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If a bulb in the instrument cluster fails to
light up during the bulb self-check when turning the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position2, have it checked and replaced
if necessary.Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
v
The yellow ESP warning lamp
lights up while driving.
The ESP is deactivated.
Risk of accident!
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road, weather, and traffic conditions.

Turn the ESP back on (
page 80).
If the ESP cannot be turned back on, have
the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possi-
ble.
v
The yellow ESP warning lamp
flashes while driving.
The ESP or traction control has come into op-
eration because of detected traction loss in
at least one tire.
Distronic* is deactivated.

When driving off, apply as little throt-
tle as possible.

While driving, ease up on the acceler-
ator.

Adapt your speed and driving to the
prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.

Do not deactivate the ESP. Excep-
tions: (
page 80).
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of accidents.

296 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Messages in the display
The control system shows warning and
malfunction messages in the multifunction
display.
Certain warning and malfunction messag-
es are accompanied by an audible signal.
Address these messages accordingly and
follow the additional instructions given in
this Operator’s Manual.
Selecting the malfunction memory menu in
the control system (
page 130) displays
both cleared and uncleared messages.
High-priority messages appear in the mul-
tifunction display in red color.
Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset buttonJ
(page 22).Other high-priority messages and messag-
es of less immediate priority (regular dis-
play colors) can be cleared from the
multifunction display using the reset
button
J
(page 22) and are then stored
in the malfunction message memory
(
page 145).
On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of all the messages that may
appear in the display. High priority mes-
sages appear on a red background.Warning!
G
All categories of messages contain impor-
tant information which should be taken note
of and, where a malfunction is indicated, ad-
dressed as soon as possible at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Failure to repair condition noted may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty, or result in property dam-
age or personal injury.
Warning!
G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative.
Contact your nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.iTurning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position2, or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button twice
to position2 causes all lamps as well
as the multifunction display to come
on. Ensure that they are all in working
order before starting your journey.

303 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
F
CHIP CARD
CHECK BATTERY
KEYLESS-GO*card batteries are dis-
charged.

Change the batteries (
page 328).
CHIP CARD
NOT RECOGNIZED!
KEYLESS-GO*card is not recognized while
the engine is running because

the card is not in the vehicle


there is strong radio-frequency interfer-
ence

Stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so.

Search for the card.
Otherwise the vehicle cannot be central-
ly locked nor can the engine be started
again after it has been stopped.
KEYLESS-GO*card is momentarily not rec-
ognized.

Change the position of the card in
the vehicle.

Operate the vehicle with the
SmartKey in the ignition if necessary.
CHIP CARD
DETECTED IN VEHICLE
KEYLESS-GO*card left in the vehicle was
recognized while locking the vehicle from
the outside.

Take the card out of the vehicle.
CHIP CARD
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The KEYLESS-GO* system is malfunction-
ing.

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

304 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
F
CHIP CARD
DO NOT FORGET
This display appears (for a maximum of
60 seconds) if the driver’s door is opened
with the engine shut off and no SmartKey in
the ignition.
Message is only a reminder.

Insert SmartKey in the ignition.

Take the KEYLESS-GO*card with you
when leaving the vehicle.
B
COOLANT
CHECK LEVEL!
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 268).

If you have to add coolant frequently,
have the cooling system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
Warning!
G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You can be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant
level warning. Extended driving with
the message and symbol displayed
may cause serious engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Do not drive without a sufficient
amount of coolant in the cooling sys-
tem. The engine will overheat, causing
major engine damage.

307 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
G
DISPLAY MALFUNCTION
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The instrument cluster display is malfunc-
tioning.

Continue driving with added caution.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
DISTRONIC
EXTERNAL INTERFERENCE
REACTIVATE!
Distronic* is switched off and is temporari-
ly unavailable.

Try activating Distronic* again later.
CLEAN SENSOR!
SEE OPERATOR'S MAN.
Distronic* is switched off because the Dis-
tronic* cover in the radiator grille is dirty.

Clean the Distronic* cover in the ra-
diator grille (
page 285).

Restart the vehicle.
VISIT WORKSHOP!
Distronic* is malfunctioning or the display
is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
J
DOOR OPEN!
You are attempting to drive with one or
more doors open.

Close the doors.
P
SHIFT
TO 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 positionP.
?
VISIT WORKSHOP!
There may be a malfunction in the:

Fuel injection system


Ignition system


Exhaust system


Fuel system

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