2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E500 Restraint system malfunction

23 At a glance
Instrument cluster
Item
Page
1
LLeft turn signal indi-
cator lamp
2
vAntilock Brake Sys-
tem (ABS)/Electronic
Stability Program
(ESP) warning lamp
311
3
Speedometer
4
Multifunction display
with:Basic display with outside
temperature display
141
Status indicator with mal-
function warning messageTrip odometer
127
5
lDistance warning
lamp
1
1Vehicles without Distronic*: Warning lamp without
function. It illuminates with the ignition on. It should
go out when the engine is running.
315
6
KRight turn signal indi-
cator lamp
Item
Page
7
Coolant temperature dis-
play with:•Coolant tempera-
ture warning lamp
314
8
Tachometer with:1Supplemental
restraint system
indicator lamp
316
-Antilock Brake Sys-
tem (ABS) malfunc-
tion indicator lamp
310
warning lamp
315
AHigh beam head-
lamp indicator
123
9
Main odometer with:

Selector lever position
43


Program mode
164
Item
Page
a
Clock with:
143
;Brake warning
lamp, except
Canada
312
3Brake warning
lamp, Canada only
312
?Engine malfunction
indicator lamp
313
b
Fuel display with:AFuel reserve warn-
ing lamp
315
c
Reset button for:

Resetting trip
odometer
127


Adjusting instrument
cluster illumination
126


Confirming new time
settings
143

56 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Occupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most im-
portant facts about the restraint systems
of the vehicle.
The restraint systems are

Seat belts


Emergency tensioning device


Airbags


Child seats


Child seat recognition


Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH)
As independent systems, their protective
effects work in conjunction with each oth-
er.The 1 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on


for about four seconds when you turn
the SmartKey in the starter switch to
position1 or press the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button once. It then goes
out briefly, comes on again and re-
mains lit until you start the engine.


for about four seconds when you start
the engine by turning the SmartKey or
pressing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button.The restraint systems are fully operational
if the 1 indicator lamp is not lit when
the engine is running.
A malfunction in the system has been de-
tected if the 1 indicator lamp:


fails to go out after approximately four
seconds


does not come on at all


comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
For safety reasons, we strongly recom-
mend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to
have the system checked.
More information can be found in the
“Practical hints” section (
page 316).
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and re-
straint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 65).
iThe 1 indicator lamp comes on and
remains lit if the SmartKey is turned to
position2 and left there or the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button is
pressed twice. The indicator lamp will
go out when you start the engine.

59 Safety and Security
Occupant safety
To help avoid the possibility of injury, please
follow these guidelines:
(1) Occupants, especially children, should
never place their bodies or lean their
heads in the area of the door where the
side airbag inflates. This could result in
serious injuries or death should the side
airbag be activated
(2) Always sit upright, properly use the seat
belts and use an appropriately sized in-
fant or child restraint system for all chil-
dren 12 years old or under.
(3) Always wear seat belts properly.
If you believe that, even with the use of
these guidelines, it would be safer for your
rear seat occupants to have the rear mount-
ed side airbags deactivated, then deactiva-
tion can be accomplished upon your written
request to do so at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center at an additional cost.
Please contact your local authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center or call our Customer
Assistance Center at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372) for details.
iAirbags are designed to activate only in
certain frontal impacts (front air bags),
side impacts (side impact and head
protection window curtain airbags)
which exceed preset thresholds and in
certain rollovers (head protection win-
dow curtain airbags). Only during these
events will they provide their supple-
mental protection.
The driver and passengers should al-
ways wear their seat belts. Otherwise it
is not possible for airbags to provide
their supplemental protection.
In case of other types of impacts and
impacts below air bag deployment
thresholds, airbags will not be activat-
ed. The driver and passenger will then
be protected to the extent possible by
a properly fastened seat belt. A proper-
ly fastened seat belt is also needed to
provide the best possible protection in
a rollover.
We caution you not to rely on the pres-
ence of the airbags in order to avoid
wearing your seat belt.
Your vehicle was originally equipped
with airbags that are designed to acti-
vate in certain impacts exceeding a
preset threshold to reduce the poten-
tial and severity of injury. It is important
to your safety and that of your passen-
gers that you replace deployed airbags
and repair any malfunctioning airbags
to ensure that the vehicle will continue
to provide supplemental crash protec-
tion for occupants.

316 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
1
The red SRS indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
There is a malfunction in the restraint sys-
tems. The airbags or emergency tensioning
devices (ETDs) could deploy unexpectedly or
fail to activate in an accident.

Drive with added caution to the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
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 acci-
dent, which could result in serious or fatal
injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could also result in an
accident and / or injury to you or to others.

317 Practical hints
What to do if …
Lamp in center consoleProblem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
The indicator lamp comes on.
A BabySmart
TM child seat is installed on the
front passenger seat. Therefore, the front
passenger airbag is switched off.
The system is malfunctioning when there is
no BabySmartTM child seat installed on the
front passenger seat.

Have the system checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
The indicator lamp does not come on with a
BabySmart
TM child seat properly installed
on the front passenger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.

Make sure there is nothing between
seat cushion and child seat and check
installation of the child seat.

If the light remains out, have the sys-
tem checked as soon as possible by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Do not use the BabySmart
TM restraint
to transport children on the front pas-
senger seat until the system has been
repaired.

346 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
L
Tele Aid defective
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 Center.
Tele Aid battery
Visit workshop!
The emergency power battery for the Tele
Aid system is malfunctioning. If the vehi-
cle battery is also dead, Tele Aid will not
be operational.

Have the Tele Aid system 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.
t
Function
Not available!
This display appears if button t or
s on the multifunction steering wheel
is pressed and the vehicle is not equipped
with a telephone.
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 ac-
tivated when needed in an accident, which
could result in serious or fatal injury, or it
might deploy unexpectedly and unnecessar-
ily which could also result in injury.

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

420 IndexC
CAC (Customer Assistance Center) 411
Calling up
Distronic* settings 136
Range (distance to empty) 154
Service indicator 298
CAN system 411
Cargo tie-down rings 241
CD player
Operating 135
Center console
Lower part 26
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp 317
Upper part 25
Centigrade
Setting temperature units 141
Central locking
Automatic 106
From inside 107
Switch 107
Switching on/off (control
system) 149
Unlocking from inside 107Central locking switch 107
Changing
Batteries (SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*) 355, 356
Batteries (SmartKey) 355, 356
Smartkey setting 150
Vehicle level 228
Charcoal filter 192
Activating 192
Deactivating 193
Charging
Vehicle batteries 377
CHECK ENGINE malfunction indicator
lamp 313
Checking
Coolant level 285
Oil level 279, 282
Tire inflation pressure 279
Vehicle lighting 279
Child safety 65
Airbags 58
Infant and child restraint systems 62,
65
LATCH child seat anchors 71Child safety switch see Blocking of rear
window operation 72
Cigarette lighter 247
Cleaning
Headlamps 170
Light alloy wheels 305
Parktronic* system sensor 305
Windshield 49
Wood trims 308
Climate control 174
Adjusting 178
Defrosting 179
Setting the temperature 178
Clock 144
Closing
Glove box 242
Panorama sliding/pop-up roof 206
Panorama sliding/pop-up roof with
KEYLESS-GO* 209
Panorama sliding/pop-up roof* with
KEYLESS-GO* 200
Roller sunblinds 205
Side windows 198