2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E500 Air condition

302 OperationVehicle care
Vehicle careCleaning and care of vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external in-
fluences which, if gone unchecked, can at-
tack the paintwork as well as the
undercarriage and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but
also by:


Air pollution


Road salt


Tar


Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:


Grease and oil


Fuel


Coolant


Brake fluid


Bird droppings


Insects


Tree resins etc.
Frequent washing reduces and / or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences.More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:


Near the ocean


In industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)


During winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
A n y d a m a g e s h o u l d b e r e p a i r e d a s s o o n a s
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the facto-
ry with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of
the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility
of incompatibility between materials used
in the production process and others ap-
plied later.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.

318 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 129) 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 button.Other messages of high priority and mes-
sages of less immediate priority can be
cleared from the multifunction display us-
ing the reset button (
page 22) and are
then stored in the malfunction message
memory (
page 137).
On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of the most important warning
and malfunction messages that may ap-
pe ar i n the di spl ay . High pr iori ty m es sa ge s
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.

391 Technical data
Layout of poly-V-belt drive
Layout of poly-V-belt drive
E320/E500
1Automatic belt tensioner
2Power steering pump
3Air conditioning compressor
4Crankshaft
5Coolant pump
6Generator (alternator)
7Idler pulley
E55AMGThe E 55 AMG has two poly-V-belts (belt one
shown in purple / belt two shown in black).1Idler pulley
2Automatic belt tensioner
3Power steering pump
4Air conditioning compressor
5Crankshaft
6Coolant pump
7Generator (alternator)
8Idler pulley
9Automatic belt tensioner
aSuper charger

402 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Air conditioning system
R-134a refrigerant and special PAG lu-
bricant oil (never R-12)
Windshield washer
4.8 US qt (4.5 l)
MB Windshield Washer Concentrate
1
1Use MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S” and water for temperatures above freezing or MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S” and commercially available pre-
mixed windshield washer solvent / antifreeze for temperatures below freezing point. Follow suggested mixing ratios (page 407).Windshield washer and headlamp cleaning
system
7.4 US qt (7.0 l)
MB Windshield Washer Concentrate
1

403 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines. Therefore, use
only engine oils recommended by
Mercedes-Benz. Information on recom-
mended brands is available in the Factory
Approved Service Products Pamphlet, or at
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Please follow FSS recommendations for
scheduled oil changes. Failure to do so
could result in engine damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from
blending oil additives are not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG
lubricating oil is used in the air condition-
ing system.Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based lu-
bricating oil. Otherwise damage to the
system will occur.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point
of the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from
the atmosphere. Under extremely strenu-
ous operating conditions, this moisture
content can lead to the formation of bub-
bles in the system, thus reducing the sys-
tem’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be re-
placed every two years, preferably in the
spring.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center will pro-
vide you with additional information.
!Always check the oil filler cap
(page 285) for important information
pertaining to the engine oil needing to
meet a specific Mercedes-Benz specifi-
cation (e.g. MB 229.5). If such informa-
tion is printed on the oil filler cap, only
use an engine oil from the list of ap-
proved engine oils in the Factory Ap-
proved Service Products pamphlet that
meets the specification indicated on
the oil filler cap.
Using engine oils of other specification
may cause the FSS to incorrectly deter-
mine the next service interval and will
result in engine damage not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

411 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.
ADS
(A
daptive D
amping S
ystem)
Automatically adapts the optimum sus-
pension damping to prevailing driving
conditions.
Airmatic DC
(A
irmatic D
ual C
ontrol)
Automatically selects the optimum sus-
pension tuning and ride height for your
vehicle. Airmatic consists of two com-
ponents:


Adaptive Damping System


Vehicle level control
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
comes on). See your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for availability.
BabySmartTM compatible child seats
Special restraint system for children.
The sensor system for the passenger
seat prevents deployment of the pas-
senger front 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.

417 Index
A
ABS 74, 411
ABS control 75
Malfunction indicator lamp 310
Messages in display 319
Warning lamp 310
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 164
Accident
In case of 50
Activating
Air conditioning (cooling) 182, 194
Air recirculation mode 180, 191
Anti-theft alarm system 84
Automatic climate control 186
Central locking (control system) 149
Charcoal filter 192
Climate control 176
Defrosting 179
Distance warning function* 223
Distronic* 219
Easy-entry/exit feature* 150
ESP 79
Exterior headlamps 47
Exterior lamps 120Front fog lamps 122
Hazard warning flasher 124
Headlamps 47
High beams 123
Ignition 31
Ignition with KEYLESS-GO* 33
Immobilizer 53, 83
Rear fog lamp 121, 122
Rear window defroster 173
Residual heat 182, 194
Seat heater* 113
Tow-away alarm 85
Windshield wipers 48
Adding
Engine oil 284
Additional turn signal 359
Adjustable air vents, rear passenger
compartment 195
Adjusting 34
Air distribution 178, 189
Air volume 178, 179, 190
Backrest tilt 36
Exterior rear view mirror 38
Head restraint height 36
Head restraint tilt 36Instrument cluster illumination 126
Interior rear view mirror 38
Mirrors 38
Multicontour seat* 111
Seat cushion depth 111
Seat cushion tilt 36
Seat fore and aft adjustment 35
Seat height 36
Seats 34
Steering column height 37
Steering wheel 37
Adjusting steering column in or out 37
Adjusting steering column up or down 37
Adjusting the dynamic seat 153
Air conditioning (cooling)
Turning off 182, 194
Turning on 182, 194
Air distribution
Adjusting 178, 189
Air pressure see Tire inflation
pressure 290
Air recirculation mode 180, 191
Activating 180, 191
Deactivating 181, 192

422 IndexD
Daytime running lamp mode 121
Setting 146
Deactivating
Air conditioning 182
Air recirculation mode 181, 192
Alarm 84
Anti-theft alarm system 84
Automatic climate control 181, 186
Central locking (control system) 149
Climate control 176
Cruise control 212
Defrost 180, 190
Distance warning function* 223
Distronic* 221
Engine with KEYLESS-GO* 53
ESP 78
Exterior lamps 120
Hazard warning flasher 124
Headlamps 52
Immobilizer 83
Interior lighting delayed
switch-off 149
Rear window defroster 173Residual heat 183
Seat heater* 113
Seat ventilation* 114
SmartKey
Turning off the engine 53
Tow-away alarm 85
Deceleration
With Distronic* 217
Defogging
Windshield 179, 189
Defrosting 179, 190
Delayed switch-off
Interior lighting 149
Dialing
A number (telephone) 156
Difficulties
While driving see Problems while
driving 50
With starting 45
Digital speedometer 134
Direction of rotation 290
Discharged battery
Jump starting 378Disconnecting
Vehicle battery 376
Display
Selecting 142, 143
Displays
Digital speedometer 134
Distronic* 216
Messages 283
Selecting 142
Service indicator 297
Showing malfunctions 137
Distance
Decreasing in Distronic* 222
Increasing in Distronic* 222
Warning function 222
Distance to empty (range)
Calling up 153
Distance warning function* 222
Activating 223
Deactivating 223
DTR* warning lamp 222
Intermittent warning sound 222
Symbol in multifunction display 136