2005 MERCEDES-BENZ E WAGON sensor

29 At a glance
Overhead control panel
Overhead control panel
Item
Page
1
Rear interior lighting
on/off
149
2
Automatic interior lighting
147
3
Front interior lighting
on/off
147
4
Temperature sensor
5
Right reading lamp on/off
148
6
Tilt/sliding sunroof*
225
Item
Page
7
Tele Aid (emergency call
system) button
269
8
Rear view mirror
191
9
Reading lamps
147
a
Garage door opener
277
b
Tow-away alarm button
99
c
Ambient lighting
173
d
Interior lighting
e
Left reading lamp on/off
148

52 Getting startedDrivingThe combination switch resets automati-
cally after major steering wheel move-
ments.
Windshield wipers
The combination switch is located on the
left of the steering column.Combination switch1Single wipe
2Switching on windshield wipers
Switch on the ignition (
page 34).Switching on windshield wipers

Turn the combination switch to the de-
sired position depending on the inten-
sity of the rain.
0Windshield wipers off
IIntermittent wiping
IINormal wiper speed
IIIFast wiper speed
iTo signal minor directional changes
such as changing lanes, press combi-
nation switch only to point of resis-
tance and release. The corresponding
turn signals will flash three times.
iIntermittent wiping interval is depen-
dent on wetness of windshield. After
the initial wipe, pauses between wipes
are automatically controlled by the rain
sensor.

62 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyIn this section you will learn the most
important facts about the restraint system
components of the vehicle.

Seat belts (
page 69)


Child restraints (
page 73)


Lower anchors and tethers for children
(LATCH) (
page 83)
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) with


Air bags (
page 63)


Air bag control unit (with crash
sensors)


Emergency tensioning device (ETD) for
seat belts (
page 72)Air bag system components with


75indicator lamp
(page 80)


Front passenger seat with Occupant
Classification System (OCS)
(page 76)
As independent systems, their protective
functions work in conjunction with each
other. The SRS system conducts a self-test when
the ignition is switched on and in regular
intervals while the engine is running. This
facilitates early detection of malfunctions.
The
1
indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up when the ignition is
switched on and goes out no later than a
few seconds after the engine has been
started.
The SRS components are in operational
readiness if the
1
indicator lamp is not
lit when the engine is running.
A malfunction in the system has been
detected if the
1
indicator lamp:


fails to go out after approximately
four seconds after the engine was
started


does not come on at all


comes on after the engine was started
or while driving
iFor information on infants and children
traveling with you in the vehicle and
restraint systems for infants and chil-
dren, see “Children in the vehicle”
(page 73).

76 Safety and SecurityOccupant safety
Occupant Classification System
The Occupant Classification System (OCS)
automatically turns the front passenger
front air bag on or off based on the classi-
fied occupant weight category determined
by weight sensor readings from the front
passenger seat.
Occupants must sit properly belted in a
nearly upright position with their back
against the seat backrest and feet on the
floor to be correctly classified. If the occu-
pant's weight is transferred to another
object in the vehicle (e.g. by leaning on
armrests), the OCS may not be able to
properly approximate the occupant’s
weight category.
Warning!
G
Infants and small children should never
share a seat belt with another occupant.
During an accident, they could be crushed
between the occupant and seat belt.
A child’s risk of serious or fatal injuries is
significantly increased if the child restraints
are not properly secured in the vehicle and
the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint.
Children too big for a toddler restraint must
ride in seats using regular seat belts. Posi-
tion shoulder belt across chest and shoul-
der, not face or neck. A booster seat may be
necessary to achieve proper belt positioning
for children from 41 lbs until they reach a
height where a lap/shoulder belt fits proper-
ly without a booster.
When the child restraint is not in use, re-
move it from the vehicle or secure it with the
seat belt to prevent the child restraint from
becoming a projectile in the event of an ac-
cident.
Do not leave children unattended in the ve-
hicle, even if the children are secured in a
child restraint system. Unsupervised chil-
dren in a child restraint system may use ve-
hicle equipment and may cause an accident
and/or serious personal injury.
iThe system does not deactivate the
front passenger side impact air bag,
the window curtain air bag and the
emergency tensioning device.

78 Safety and SecurityOccupant safetyWhen the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat occupant is classified as being
heavier than the weight of a typical
12-month-old child seated in a standard
child restraint or as being a small individual
(such as a young teenager or a small adult),
the 75indicator lamp will illumi-
nate for approximately six seconds when
the engine is started and then, depending on
occupant weight sensor readings from the
seat, remain illuminated or go out. With the
75indicator lamp illuminated, the
front passenger front air bag is deactivated.
With the 75indicator lamp out,
the front passenger front air bag is activat-
ed.
When the OCS senses that the front passen-
ger seat occupant is classified as an adult or
someone larger than a small individual, the
75indicator lamp will illuminate
for approximately six seconds when the en-
gine is started and then go out, indicating
that the front passenger front air bag is acti-
vated.
If the 75indicator lamp is illumi-
nated, the front passenger front air bag is
deactivated and will not be deployed.
If the 75indicator lamp is not
illuminated, the front passenger front air
bag is activated and will be deployed:

in the event of certain frontal impacts


if impact exceeds a preset deployment
threshold


independently of the side impact air
bags.
If the front passenger air bag is deployed,
the rate of inflation will be influenced by:


the rate of relevant vehicle deceleration
as assessed by the air bag control unit


front passenger's weight category as
identified by the Occupant Classification
System (OCS).
Warning!
G
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seat-
ing position. Thus, we strongly recommend
that children be placed in the rear seats
whenever possible. Regardless of seating
position, children 12 years old and under
must be seated and properly secured in an
appropriate infant or child restraint recom-
mended for the size and weight of the child.
The infant or child restraint must be properly
secured with the vehicle's seat belt, the seat
belt and top tether strap, or lower anchors
and top tether strap, fully in accordance
with the child seat manufacturer's instruc-
tions.


152 Controls in detailInstrument clusterTachometer
The red marking on the tachometer de-
notes excessive engine speed.
To help protect the engine, the fuel supply
is interrupted if the engine is operated
within the red marking.
Outside temperature indicator
The outside temperature is displayed in
the instrument cluster (
page 24). For
information on how to select the unit of the
displayed temperature, i.e. degrees
Celsius (°C) or degrees Fahrenheit (°F),
see “Selecting temperature display mode”
(
page 165).The temperature sensor is located in the
front bumper area. Due to its location, the
sensor can be affected by road or engine
heat during idling or slow driving. This
means that the accuracy of the displayed
temperature can only be verified by com-
parison to a thermometer placed next to
the sensor, not by comparison to external
displays (e.g. bank signs etc.).
When moving the vehicle into colder ambi-
ent temperatures (e.g. when leaving your
garage), you will notice a delay before the
lower temperature is displayed.
A delay also occurs when ambient temper-
atures rise. This prevents inaccurate tem-
perature indications caused by heat
radiated from the engine during idling or
slow driving.
!Avoid driving at excessive engine
speeds, as it may result in serious en-
gine damage that is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose.
Indicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road sur-
face is free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.

191 Controls in detail
Good visibility
Good visibility
For information on windshield wipers, see
“Windshield wipers” (
page 52).
Headlamp cleaning system*
The button is located on the left side of the
dashboard.
1Headlamp washer button
Switch on the ignition (
page 34).

Press button1.
The headlamps are cleaned with a
high-pressure water jet.For more information on filling up the
washer reservoir, see “Windshield washer
system and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 306).
Rear view mirror
For more information on setting the rear
view mirrors, see “Mirrors” (
page 41).
Auto-dimming mirror
The reflection brightness of the exterior
rear view mirror on the driver’s side and
the interior rear view mirror will respond
automatically to glare when


the ignition is switched on, and


incoming light from headlamps falls on
the sensor in the interior rear view mir-
ror
The rear view mirror will not react if


reverse gear is engaged


the interior lighting is turned on
Warning!
G
The auto-dimming function does not react if
incoming light is not aimed directly at sen-
sors in the interior rear view mirror.
The interior rear view mirror does not react,
for example, if the rear window sunshade is
in raised position.
Glare can endanger you and others.Warning!
G
In the case of an accident liquid electrolyte
may escape from the mirror housing if the
mirror glass breaks.
Electrolyte has an irritating effect. Do not al-
low the liquid to come into contact with
eyes, skin, clothing, or respiratory system.
In case it does, immediately flush affected
area with water, and seek medical help if
necessary.

212 Controls in detail4-zone automatic climate control*
The climate control is a 4-zone intelligent
climate control system. Your vehicle interi-
or is divided into 4 zones.With the help of a sun sensor, the climate
control determines the relation of the sun
to the vehicle and automatically adjusts
the inside temperature for every individual
zone.
You can set the temperature for each of
the 4 zones separately. These settings can
be assigned to a SmartKey and stored in
memory (
page 176).
The climate control is operational whenev-
er the engine is running. It cools the vehi-
cle’s interior according to the angle and
intensity of the sun’s rays, the outside tem-
perature and the selected temperature.
You can operate the climate control sys-
tem in either the automatic or manual
mode.
Warning!
G
When operating the climate control, the air
that enters the passenger compartment
through the air vents in the footwell can be
very hot or very cold (depending on the set
temperature). This may cause burn or frost-
bite to unprotected skin in the immediate
area of the air vents. Always keep sufficient
distance between unprotected parts of the
body and the footwell air vents. If necessary
change the air flow using the air distribution
controls (
page 210) to direct the air away
from the footwell air vents.