2005 MERCEDES-BENZ E320 fuel

184 Controls in detailAutomatic transmissionDownshifting
Briefly press the gear selector lever to
the left in theD-direction
(page 176).
or

Press button1 on the left side of the
steering wheel (
page 181).
The transmission shifts to the next
lower gear.Upshifting

Briefly press the gear selector lever to
the right in theD+direction
(page 176).
or

Press button2 on the right side of the
steering wheel (
page 181).
The transmission shifts to the next
higher gear.
If, instead of the manual program mode
symbol
M, thep symbol appears in
the multifunction display (
page 174),
shift to the next higher gear. The fuel
supply will otherwise be interrupted to
prevent the engine from overrevving.
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced
vehicle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not
prevent this type of loss of control.iWhen you brake or stop, the transmis-
sion shifts down to a gear from which
you can easily accelerate or take off.
!In the manual program modeM, the
transmission will not upshift, even if
the engine has reached its overrevving
range. Shift up to the next gear before
the engine has reached its overrevving
range. Make absolutely certain that the
engine speed does not reach the red
marking on the tachometer
(page 24). Otherwise the engine
could be damaged which is not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

248 Controls in detailDriving systemsVehicle level control
Your vehicle automatically adjusts its ride
height to

reduce fuel consumption


increase vehicle safety
The following vehicle chassis ride heights
can be selected:


Normal


RaisedThe vehicle chassis ride height is raised or
lowered according to the selected level
setting and to the vehicle speed:


At a speed above approximately above
68 mph (110 km / h) and the sporty
suspension style selected
(page 247), ride height is reduced
automatically by up to approximately
0.6in (15mm).


With decreasing speed, the ride height
is again raised to the “Normal” level.Select the “Raised” level only when re-
quired by current driving conditions. Oth-
erwise


fuel consumption may increase


handling may be impaired
iThese height adjustments are so small
that you may not notice any change.
Warning!
G
To help avoid personal injury, keep hands
and feet away from wheel housing area, and
stay away from under the vehicle when low-
ering the vehicle chassis.

275 Controls in detail
Useful features
Roadside Assistance button•
Located below the center armrest cover is
the Roadside Assistance button•.
Press and hold the button (for longer
than two seconds).
A call to a Mercedes-Benz Roadside As-
sistance dispatcher will be initiated.
The button will flash while the call is in
progress. The message
Connecting
call
will appear in the multifunction
display and the audio system is muted.
When the connection is established, the
message Call connected
appears in the
multifunction display. The Tele Aid system
will transmit data generating the vehicle
identification number, model, color and lo-
cation (subject to availability of cellular
and GPS signals).
A voice connection between the Roadside
Assistance dispatcher and the occupants
of the vehicle will be established.

Describe the nature of the need for as-
sistance.The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
dispatcher will either dispatch a qualified
Mercedes-Benz technician or arrange to
tow your vehicle to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. For services such
as labor and/or towing, charges may ap-
ply. Refer to the Roadside Assistance man-
ual for more information.
The following is only available in the USA:


Sign and Drive services: Services such
as a jump start, a few gallons of fuel or
the replacement of a flat tire with the
vehicle spare tire are obtainable.
iThe indicator lamp on the Roadside As-
sistance button• remains illumi-
nated in red for approximately
ten seconds during the system
self-check after switching on the igni-
tion (together with the SOS button and
the Information button¡).
See system self-check (
page 272)
when the indicator lamp does not come
on in red or stays on longer than ap-
proximately ten seconds.
If the indicator lamp on the Roadside
Assistance button• is flashing con-
tinuously and there was no voice con-
nection to the Response Center
established, then the Tele Aid system
could not initiate a Roadside Assis-
tance call (e.g. the relevant cellular
phone network is not available). The
message
Call failed
appears in the
multifunction display.

287 Operation
Driving instructions
Driving instructions
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Fuel consumption, to a great extent, de-
pends on driving habits and operating con-
ditions.
To save fuel you should:

Keep tires at the recommended infla-
tion pressures.


Remove unnecessary loads.


Remove roof rack when not in use.


Allow engine to warm up under low
load use.


Avoid frequent acceleration and decel-
eration.


Have all maintenance work performed
at the intervals specified in the Mainte-
nance Booklet and as required by the
Maintenance System. Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Fuel consumption is also increased by driv-
ing in cold weather, in stop-and-go traffic,
on short trips and in hilly area.
Drinking and driving
Pedals
Warning!
G
Drinking and driving and / or taking drugs
and driving are very dangerous combina-
tions. Even a small amount of alcohol or
drugs can affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgement.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal ac-
cident are greatly increased when you drink
or take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
Warning!
G
Keep driver’s foot area clear at all times. Ob-
jects stored in this area may impair pedal
movement.

296 OperationDriving instructionsTelephones and two-way radios
Radio transmitters, such as a portable tele-
phone or a citizens band unit should only
be used inside the vehicle if they are con-
nected to an antenna that is installed on
the outside of the vehicle.
Refer to the radio transmitter operation in-
structions regarding use of an external an-
tenna.
Catalytic converter (Gasoline engine)
Your Mercedes-Benz is equipped with
monolithic-type catalytic converters, an
important element in conjunction with the
oxygen sensors to achieve substantial con-
trol of the pollutants in the exhaust emis-
sions. Keep your vehicle in proper
operating condition by following our rec-
ommended maintenance instructions as
outlined in your Maintenance Booklet.
Warning!
G
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury.
!To prevent damage to the catalytic con-
verters, only use premium unleaded
gasoline in this vehicle.
Any noticeable irregularities in engine
operation should be repaired promptly.
Otherwise, excessive unburned fuel
may reach the catalytic converter,
causing it to overheat, which could po-
tentially start a fire.
Warning!
G
As with any vehicle, do not idle, park or op-
erate this vehicle in areas where combusti-
ble materials such as grass, hay or leaves
can come into contact with the hot exhaust
system, as these materials could be ignited
and cause a vehicle fire.

299 Operation
At the gas station
At the gas station
Refueling
The fuel filler flap is located on the
right-hand side of the vehicle towards the
rear. Locking / unlocking the vehicle with
the remote control automatically
locks / unlocks the fuel filler flap.

Turn the engine off

by turning the SmartKey to
position0.


by pressing the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button. Open the driv-
er’s door (with the driver’s door
open, starter switch is now in
position0, same as SmartKey re-
moved from starter switch).

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.

Open the fuel filler flap by pushing at
the point indicated by the arrow.
The fuel filler flap springs open.

Turn the fuel cap to the left and hold on
to it until possible pressure is released.

Take off the cap and set it in the recess
on the fuel filler flap.
To prevent fuel vapors from escaping
into open air, fully insert filler nozzle
unit.

Only fill your tank until the filler nozzle
unit cuts out – do not top up or over-
fill.
Warning!
G
Gasoline and diesel fuel are highly flamma-
ble and poisonous. They burn violently and
can cause serious injury. Whenever you are
around gasoline or diesel fuel, avoid inhaling
fumes and skin contact, extinguish all smok-
ing materials. Never allow sparks, flame or
smoking materials near gasoline or diesel
fuel!
!Diesel engine:
When filling the diesel fuel tank using
fuel containers, place a filling filter, a
suede cloth or a clean flannel cloth into
the filler neck to filter the diesel fuel.
Otherwise, you could clog the fuel
lines.


300 OperationAt the gas station
Replace the fuel cap by turning it to the
right.
You will hear when the fuel cap is tight-
ened.

Close the fuel filler flap.Warning!
G
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create pres-
sure in the system which could cause a gas
or diesel fuel discharge. This could cause
the gasoline or diesel fuel to spray back out
when removing the fuel pump nozzle, which
could cause personal injury.
iLeaving the engine running and the fuel
cap open can cause the yellow fuel
tank reserve warning lamp to flash and
the? malfunction indicator lamp
(USA only) or the± malfunction in-
dicator lamp (Canada only) to illumi-
nate.
See also “Practical hints” section
(page 362).
iGasoline engine:
Only use premium unleaded gasoline
with a minimum Posted Octane Rating
of 91 (average of 96 RON / 86 MON).
Information on gasoline quality can
normally be found on the fuel pump.
For more information on gasoline, see
the Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet.
iDiesel engine:
Only use commercially available vehic-
ular diesel fuels No. 2 or No. 1 (ASTM
D975 No. 2-D or No. 1-D). Information
on diesel quality can normally be found
on the fuel pump.
For more information on diesel fuels,
refer to the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet. iDiesel engine:
If you have driven the vehicle until the
tank is empty, the fuel system needs to
be bled (
page 432).


301 Operation
At the gas station
Low outside temperatures (Diesel en-
gine)
To prevent malfunctions, diesel fuel with
better cold flow characteristics is offered
in the winter months. Check with your fuel
retailer.
Check regularly and before a long trip
1Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*
For more information on refilling the
reservoir, see “Windshield washer sys-
tem and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 310).
2Brake fluid
For more information on brake fluid,
see “Brake fluid” (
page 464).
3Coolant level
For more information on the coolant
level, see “Coolant level” (
page 308).
!Diesel engine:
The engine is more susceptible to wear
and damage if you use

marine diesel fuel


heating oil
If you use such non-approved fuels
and/or special additives, your warranty
rights will be limited.
!Do not fill the tank with gasoline. Do
not mix diesel fuel with gasoline or ker-
osene. The fuel system and engine will
otherwise be damaged.
!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 immediately.
Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center immediately. Do not add brake
fluid as this will not solve the problem.
For more information, see “Practical
hints” (
page 358).