2005 MERCEDES-BENZ E320 Warning messages

90 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systems
Switching on the ESP
Press ESP button1.
The ABS/ESP warning lamp v in
the instrument cluster goes out.
You are now again in normal driving
mode.
SBC brake system
The SBC brake system combines a hydrau-
lic brake circuit with electronically con-
trolled brake servo assistance. You have
increased braking safety and improved
braking comfort.
Warning!
G
When the ABS/ESP warning lamp v is
illuminated continuously, the ESP is
switched off.
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions and to the non-operating
status of the ESP.!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period with the ESP switched
off. This may cause serious damage to
the drivetrain which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Turn on the ESP immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not
apply anymore.
Warning!
G
Never ignore a brake malfunction indicated
in the speedometer display, for example by
the ; (USA only) or 3 (Canada only)
warning lamp. Refer to the “Practical hints”
section (
page 358). Also read and ob-
serve the messages in the instrument clus-
ter display (page 367).

91 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
The SBC brake system is automatically ac-
tivated when you

unlock the vehicle with the SmartKey
or the KEYLESS-GO*


open the driver’s or passenger door


turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1


in vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*, press
the start/stop button on the gear se-
lector lever once


depress the brake pedal


release the parking brake
Warning!
G
The SBC brake system requires electrical
power to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. In such a case, the
red brake warning lamp (
page 358) and
warning messages in the instrument cluster
(
page 367) come on while driving. To
brake, the driver must then apply signifi-
cantly greater brake pedal pressure and de-
press the pedal much further to obtain the
expected braking effect. If necessary, apply
full pressure to the brake pedal. Brakes may
only be applied to the front wheels. Stop-
ping distance is increased!
If there is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system, we recommend that the vehicle be
transported with all wheels off the ground
using flatbed or appropriate wheel lift/dolly
equipment.
A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle requires
towing with all four wheels on the ground.
Towing the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is only permissible for distances
u p t o 3 0 m i l e s ( 5 0 k m ) a n d a t a s p e e d n o t t o
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For more infor-
mation, refer to “Towing the vehicle”
(page 439).
iIf the SBC brake system is activated as
the brake pedal is first depressed, you
may feel a reduced pedal resistance
and longer pedal travel than normal.
When releasing the pedal, you may also
feel the brake pedal pulsate and you
may hear a sound which is caused by
the activation of the SBC brake system
pump. This is normal and not an indica-
tion of a malfunction. Pedal travel re-
turns to normal when you release the
brake pedal and the sound soon ceas-
es.
If you experience the above while driv-
ing and the red brake warning lamp
(page 358) illuminates and/or warn-
ing messages appear in the instrument
cluster (
page 367), the brake system
is malfunctioning. Follow the instruc-
tions of the warning message(s) and
have the brake system checked imme-
diately.

145 Controls in detail
Control system
Control system
The control system is activated as soon as
the SmartKey in the starter switch is
turned to position1 or as soon as the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button* is in
position1. The control system enables you
to:

call up information about your vehicle


change vehicle settings.
For example, you can use the control sys-
tem to find out when your vehicle is next
due for service, to set the language for
messages in the instrument cluster dis-
play, and much more.
The control system relays information to
the multifunction display.
Multifunction display
1Outside temperature
2Trip odometer
3Automatic transmission program mode
4Main odometer
5Current gear selector lever position
Above illustration shows the standard dis-
play.
For more information on menus displayed
in the multifunction display, see “Menus”
(page 148).
iThe displays for the audio systems (ra-
dio, CD player) will appear in English,
regardless of the language selected.
Warning!
G
A driver’s attention to the road and traffic
conditions must always be his/her primary
focus when driving.
For your safety and the safety of others, se-
lecting features through the multifunction
steering wheel should only be done by the
driver when traffic and road conditions per-
mit it to be done safely.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km / h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.

153 Controls in detail
Control system
Distronic activated
When Distronic is activated,
Distronic

and the set speed are seen in the display.
1Distronic activated
Vehicle status message memory menu
Use the vehicle status message memory
menu to scan malfunction and warning
messages that may be stored in the sys-
tem. Such messages appear in the multi-
function display and are based on
conditions or system status the vehicle’s
system has recorded.

Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the vehicle status message mem-
ory appears in the multifunction dis-
play.
No vehicle status messages
If no conditions are recorded in memory,
the message in the multifunction display
is:
NO MESSAGESVehicle status messages have been re-
corded
If conditions have occurred, causing status
messages to be recorded the number of
messages appears in the multifunction dis-
play:
Warning!
G
Malfunction and warning messages are only
indicated for certain systems and are inten-
tionally not very detailed. The malfunction
and warning messages are simply a remind-
er with respect to the operation of certain
systems and do not replace the owner’s
and/or driver’s responsibility to maintain
the vehicle’s operating safety by having all
required maintenance and safety checks
performed on the vehicle and by bringing
the vehicle to an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center to address the malfunction and
warning messages (
page 367).

154 Controls in detailControl system
Press buttonk orj.
The stored messages will now be dis-
played in the order in which they have
occurred. For malfunction and warning
messages, see “Vehicle status messag-
es in the multifunction display”
(page 367).
Should the vehicle’s system record any
conditions while driving, the number of
messages will reappear in the multifunc-
tion display when the SmartKey in the
starter switch is turned to position0 or re-
moved from the starter switch.
Settings menu
In the
Settings
menu there are two func-
tions:


The function
To reset: Press reset
button for 3 seconds
, with which you
can reset all the settings to the original
factory settings.


A collection of submenus with which
you can make individual settings for
your vehicle.

Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until the
Settings
menu is seen in the
display.Resetting all settings
You can reset all the functions of all sub-
menus to the factory settings.

Press the reset button in the instru-
ment cluster (
page 24) for approxi-
mately three seconds.
In the display you will see the request
to press the reset button again to con-
firm.

Press the reset button again.
The functions of all the submenus will
reset to factory settings.
iThe vehicle status message memory
will be cleared when you turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch to
position1 or2. You will then only see
high priority messages in the multifunc-
tion display (
page 367).
iThe settings you have changed will not
be reset unless you confirm the action
by pressing the reset button a second
time.

288 OperationDriving instructionsPower assistance
Brakes
Warning!
G
The brake system requires electrical energy
for operation.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. In such a case, the
red brake warning lamp (
page 358) and
warning messages in the instrument cluster
(
page 367) come on while driving. To
brake, the driver must then apply signifi-
cantly greater brake pedal pressure and de-
press the pedal much further to obtain the
expected braking effect. If necessary, apply
full pressure to the brake pedal. Brakes may
only be applied to the front wheels. Stop-
ping distance is increased!
If there is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system, we recommend that the vehicle be
transported with all wheels off the ground
using flatbed or appropriate wheel lift/dolly
equipment. A tow bar must be used if cir-
cumstances do not permit the use of the
recommended towing methods and the ve-
hicle requires towing with all four wheels on
the ground. Towing the vehicle with all four
wheels on the ground is only permissible for
distances up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a
speed not to exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). For
more information, refer to “Towing the vehi-
cle” (
page 439). For more information,
see “SBC brake system” (
page 90).
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle.
Warning!
G
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through wa-
ter deep enough to wet brake components,
the first braking action may be somewhat
reduced and increased pedal pressure may
be necessary to obtain expected braking ef-
fect. Maintain a safe distance from vehicles
in front.
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their effec-
tiveness. It may not be possible to stop the
vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an acci-
dent.

363 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
H
The yellow warning lamp for the
tire pressure monitoring system
comes on.
The tire pressure monitoring system de-
tects 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
pressure monitoring system has been reac-
tivated after the tire inflation pressures
have been corrected.
Warning!
G
When the tire 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 possi-
ble, and inflate them to the proper pressure
as indicated on the vehicle’s tire information
placard. Driving on a significantly under-in-
flated tire causes the tire to overheat 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 placard on the driver’s door B-pillar
or the inside of the fuel filler flap, not in
the owner’s manual.

365 Practical hints
What to do if …
Lamp in center consoleProblem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
75The indicator lamp illuminates and remains
illuminated with the weight of a typical adult
or someone larger than a small individual on
the front passenger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.

Have the system checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Also note any messages in the
multifunction display and follow cor-
rective steps (
page 374).
Warning!
G
If the
75
indicator lamp illumi-
nates and remains illuminated with the
weight of a typical adult or someone larger
than a small individual on the front passen-
ger seat, do not have any passenger use the
front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.