2005 MERCEDES-BENZ E320CDI Center

342 OperationWinter drivingBlock heater* (Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block heat-
er.
The electrical cable may be installed at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to ex-
ceed 30 mph (50 km/h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:


Use of snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel/tire combinations.


Snow chains should only be used on
the rear wheels. Follow the manufac-
turer's mounting instructions.


Only use snow chains that are ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz. Your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center will be
glad to advise you on this subject.


Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.
!When driving with snow chains, always
select the raised level of the level con-
trol system Airmatic* (
page 248).
Other settings may result in damage to
your vehicle.
iWhen driving with snow chains, you
may wish to deactivate the ESP
(page 89) before setting the vehicle
in motion. This will improve the vehi-
cle’s traction.
!Even on vehicles with all-wheel-drive,
use snow chains on rear tires only.
Use of snow chains is not permissible
with tire sizes:

265/35 ZR18


T 155/70 R17 110M


T 175/55-18 95P

343 Operation
Maintenance
Maintenance
We strongly recommend that you have
your vehicle serviced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, in accordance with
the Maintenance Booklet at the times
called for by the maintenance service indi-
cator display.
Failure to have the vehicle maintained in
accordance with the Maintenance Booklet
and maintenance service indicator at the
designated times /mileage will result in ve-
hicle damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
The maintenance service indicator will no-
tify you when your next maintenance ser-
vice is due.
Starting approximately one month before
maintenance service is due, one of the fol-
lowing messages will appear in the multi-
function display while you are driving or
when you switch on the ignition (example
service A):
Service A in XXXX miles (km)
Service A in XX days
Service A in X day
Service A due now!The maintenance services will be indicated
by showing a service type A through type H
in the multifunction display. Types A
through H are classified based on estimat-
ed time needed to perform the mainte-
nance service, ranging:
from
Service A(approx. one hour)
toService H(approx. eight hours)When the service type appears, you can
use the vehicle’s control system to view a
list of the service items (1-14) that need to
be performed at the called for service type
(
page 347).iThe additional + after the type of ser-
vice indicates the degree of wear of the
brake pads.
The brake pads may reach their wear
limit in the time period up to the next
service interval.
Have the brake pads checked and, if
necessary, replaced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center during your
next service appointment.

344 OperationMaintenance
Clearing the maintenance service indicator
You can clear the maintenance service in-
dicator.
Press the reset button 1 on the left
side of the instrument cluster.
The maintenance service indicator is
cleared and the standard display ap-
pears in the multifunction display.
Maintenance service term exceeded
If you have exceeded the suggested main-
tenance service term, you will see the fol-
lowing message in the multifunction
display:Service A exceeded by XXXXX miles (km)
Service A exceeded by XXX days
Service A exceeded by X day In addition, a signal sounds when the mes-
sage appears.
Any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
reset the maintenance service indicator
following a completed maintenance
service.
iVehicles equipped with FSS PLUS
(Flexible S
ervice S
ystem PLUS) only
(Canada vehicles): The interval be-
tween maintenance services depends
on your driving habits. A gentle driving
style, moderate engine speeds and the
avoidance of short-distance trips will
lengthen the interval between services.

345 Operation
Maintenance
Calling up the maintenance service indicator
Switch on the ignition (
page 33).
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 145).

Press button k or j on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel until the
maintenance service indicator with the
service symbol 9 or ´ and the
service deadline appears in the multi-
function display.Resetting the maintenance service
indicator
In the event that the maintenance service
on your vehicle is not carried out by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center, you can
have the maintenance service indicator re-
set. The automotive maintenance facility
carrying out the maintenance service will
find the information for resetting the main-
tenance service indicator in the mainte-
nance-relevant information for your
vehicle. Such information is available from
either your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or directly from Mercedes-Benz.
iIf the battery is disconnected, the days
of disconnection will not be included in
the count shown by the maintenance
service indicator. To arrive at the true
maintenance service deadline, you will
need to subtract these days from the
days shown in the maintenance service
indicator.
Do not confuse the maintenance ser-
vice indicator with the engine oil level
indicator :.
iIf the maintenance service indicator
was inadvertently reset, have an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center correct it.
Only reset if the proper maintenance
service has been performed. Resetting
the system without performing the
proper service as called for by the
maintenance service indicator will re-
sult in engine damage and/or other ve-
hicle damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

349 Operation
Vehicle care
We have selected car-care products and
compiled recommendations which are
specially matched to our vehicles and
which always reflect the latest technology.
You can obtain Mercedes-Benz approved
car-care products at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, corrosion or
damage due to negligent or incorrect care
cannot always be removed or repaired with
the car-care products recommended here.
In such cases it is best to seek aid at an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The following topics deal with the cleaning
and care of your vehicle and give important
“how-to” information as well as references
to Mercedes-Benz approved car-care prod-
ucts.Power washer
When using a power wash for cleaning the
vehicle, always observe the manufactur-
er’s operating instructions.Tar stains
Quickly remove tar stains before they dry
and become more difficult to remove. A tar
remover is recommended.
Paintwork, painted body components
Mercedes-Benz approved Paint Care
should be applied when water drops on the
paint surface do not“bead up”, normally
every three to five months, depending on
climate and washing detergent used.
Mercedes-Benz approved Paint Cleaner
should be applied if the paint surface
shows signs of embedded dirt (i.e. loss of
gloss).
Do not apply any of these products or wax
if your vehicle is parked in the sun or if the
hood is still hot.
Use the appropriate MB-Touch-Up Stick
for quick and provisional repairs of minor
paint damage (i.e. chips from stones, vehi-
cle doors, etc.).
iVehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of
water, and a SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* is in close proximity, i.e.
within approximately 3 ft (approxi-
mately 1 m), the vehicle could be inad-
vertently locked or unlocked. !Never use a round nozzle to
power-wash tires. The intense jet of
water can result in damage to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.
Always keep the jet of water moving
across the surface. Do not aim directly
at electrical parts, electrical connec-
tors, seals, or other rubber parts.

356 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If any of the following lamps in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during thebulb self-check when switching on the igni-
tion, have the respective bulb checked and
replaced if necessary.Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
-
The yellow ABS malfunction indi-
cator lamp comes on while driv-
ing.
The ABS has detected a malfunction and has
switched off. The BAS and the ESP are also
switched off (see messages in display).
The SBC brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the ABS available.
If the ABS control unit is malfunctioning, oth-
er systems such as the Parktronic system*,
Distronic*, or the automatic transmission
may also be malfunctioning.

Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.

Read and observe messages in the
display (
page 367).

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts. The ABS has switched off.
The battery may not be sufficiently charged.

Switch off electrical consumers that
are currently not needed, e.g. seat
heating.

If necessary, have the generator and
battery checked.
When the voltage is above this value
again, the ABS is operational again.

357 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
v
The yellow ABS/ESP warning
lamp comes on while driving.
The ESP is deactivated.
Risk of accident!
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road, weather, and traffic conditions.

Switch the ESP back on (
page 90).
If the ESP cannot be switched back on,
have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
v
The yellow ABS/ESP warning
lamp flashes while driving.
The ABS, 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 throt-
tle as possible.

While driving, ease up on the acceler-
ator.

Adapt your speed and driving to the
prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.

Do not deactivate the ESP.
Exceptions: (
page 90).
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of accidents.

358 Practical hintsWhat 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.

Observe the additional message in
the display.
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving.


There is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system.


There is insufficient brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.

Risk of accident! Do not drive any fur-
ther. Consult a Mercedes-Benz
Service Center. Under no circum-
stances should you top up the 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 re-
sult in spilling brake fluid on hot engine
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.