Page 329 of 458

327 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
;(USA only)3(Canada only)
The red brake warning
lamp comes on while
driving and you hear a
warning sound.
You are driving with the parking brake set.
Release the parking brake (
page 50).
The red brake warning
lamp comes on while
driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.
Risk of accident!
Carefully stop the vehicle and notify an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Do
not add brake fluid! This will not solve
the problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Do not add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir
can result in spilling brake fluid on hot en-
gine parts and the brake fluid catching fire.
You can be seriously burned.
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks.
Page 330 of 458

328 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
?(USA only)±(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunc-
tion indicator lamp comes
on while driving
There is a malfunction in:
The fuel management system
The ignition system
The emission control system
Systems which affect emissions
Such malfunctions may result in excessive
emissions values and may switch the en-
gine to its limp-home (emergency opera-
tion) mode.
Have the vehicle checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
An on-board diagnostic connector is
used by the service station to link the
vehicle to the shop diagnostics system.
It allows the accurate identification of
system malfunctions through the read-
out of diagnostic trouble codes. It is lo-
cated in the front left area of the
footwell next to the parking brake pedal.
Your fuel tank is empty.
After refuelling, start, turn off, and re-
start the engine three or four times in
succession.
The limp-home mode is canceled. You do
not need to have your vehicle checked.
Page 331 of 458
329 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
?(USA only)±(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunc-
tion indicator lamp comes
on while driving
A loss of pressure has been detected in the
fuel system. The fuel cap may not be closed
properly or the fuel system may be leaky.
Check the fuel cap (
page 270).
If it is not closed properly:
Close the fuel cap.
If it is closed properly:
Have the fuel system checked by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The yellow fuel tank reserve warning lamp
comes on while driving.
The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.
Refuel at the next gas station
(page 270).
Page 332 of 458

330 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
l
Only vehicles with Distronic*:
The red distance warning lamp
comes on while driving.
You are too close to the vehicle in front of
you to maintain selected speed.
Apply the brakes immediately to in-
crease the following distance.
l
Only vehicles with Distronic*:
The red distance warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
You are gaining too rapidly on the vehi-
cle ahead of you.
The distance warning system has recog-
nized a stationary obstacle on your
probable line of travel.
Apply the brakes immediately.
Carefully observe the traffic situation.
You may need to brake or maneuver to
avoid hitting an obstacle.
v
The yellow ESP warning lamp
flashes while driving.
The ESP or traction control has come into
operation because of detected traction loss
in at least one tire.
Distronic* is deactivated.
When driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.
While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.
Adapt your speed and driving to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
Do not deactivate the ESP. Exceptions:
(page 83).
Failure to follow these instructions increas-
es the risk of an accident.
Page 333 of 458
331 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
v
The yellow ESP warning lamp
comes on while driving.
The ESP is deactivated.
Risk of accident!
Switch the ESP back on (
page 84).
Adapt your speed and driving to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
If the ESP cannot be switched back on, have
the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
<
The red seat belt telltale illumi-
nates briefly after starting the
engine.
The driver or the front passenger has not
fastened his or her seat belt.
Fasten your seat belt.
The warning lamp goes out.
Page 334 of 458

332 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
H
The yellow warning lamp for the
tire inflation pressure monitor
comes on.
The tire inflation pressure monitor detects a
loss of pressure in at least one tire.
Bring the vehicle to a halt, avoiding
abrupt steering and braking maneuvers.
Observe the traffic situation around you.
Take note of the messages in the multi-
function display.
The warning lamp goes out once the tire in-
flation pressure monitor has been reactivat-
ed after the tire inflation pressures have
been corrected.
Warning!
G
When the tire inflation pressure monitoring
system warning light is lit, one or more of
your tires is significantly under-inflated. You
should stop and check your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper
pressure as indicated on the vehicle’s tire in-
formation placard. Driving on a significantly
under-inflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehi-
cle’s handling and stopping ability. Each tire,
including the spare, should be checked
monthly when cold and set to the recom-
mended inflation pressure as specified in
the vehicle placard and owner’s manual.
iThe recommended tire inflation pres-
sures for your vehicle can be found on
the tire placard on the driver's door
B-pillar or, if available, the inside of the
fuel filler flap, not in the owner’s
manual.
Page 335 of 458
333 Practical hints
What 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 air bags or emergency tensioning
devices (ETDs) could deploy unexpectedly
or fail to activate in an accident.
Drive with added caution to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
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 result in an acci-
dent and/or injury to you or to others.
Page 336 of 458

334 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Lamp in center consoleLamp
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
5
8
The indicator lamp comes
on.
A BabySmart
TM1
child seat is installed
on the front passenger seat. Therefore
the passenger front air bag is switched
off.
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens Automotive Corp.
The indicator lamp comes
on if there is no
BabySmart
TM child seat
installed on the front pas-
senger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.
Have the system checked as soon as
possible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
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 front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp remains out, have the
system checked as soon as possible by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Do not use the BabySmart
TM restraint to
transport children on the front passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.