2005 MERCEDES-BENZ E55AMG instrument cluster

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.

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.

353 Operation
Vehicle care
Light alloy wheels
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care
should be used for regular cleaning of the
light alloy wheels.
If possible, clean wheels once a week with
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care, us-
ing a soft bristle brush and a strong spray
of water.
Follow the instructions on the container.
Instrument cluster
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution. Wipe with a cloth moist-
ened in a lukewarm solution. Do not use
scouring agents.Steering wheel and gear selector lever
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly
or clean with Mercedes-Benz approved
Leather Care.
Cup holder
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution. Wipe with a cloth moist-
ened in lukewarm solution. Do not use
scouring agents.
Hard plastic trim items
Pour Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care onto a soft, lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.
Headliner and shelf below rear window
Clean with a soft bristle brush, or use a
dry-shampoo cleaner in case of excessive
dirt.Seat belts
The webbing must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Use only clear,
lukewarm water and soap. Do not dry the
webbing at temperatures above 176°F
(80°C) or in direct sunlight.
iOnly use acid-free cleaning materials.
Acid could lead to corrosion.
Warning!
G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.

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.

367 Practical hints
What to do if …
Vehicle status messages in the multi-function display
Warning and malfunction messages ap-
pear in the multifunction display located in
the instrument cluster.
Certain warning and malfunction messag-
es are accompanied by an audible signal.
Address these messages accordingly and
follow the additional instructions given in
this Operator’s Manual.
Selecting the vehicle status message
memory menu in the control system
(page 145) displays both cleared and
uncleared messages.
High-priority messages appear in the mul-
tifunction display in red color.Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset button (
page 24) or
buttonj, k, è orÿ on the
multifunction steering wheel.
Other messages of high priority and mes-
sages of less immediate priority can be
cleared from the multifunction display us-
ing the reset button or buttonj, k,
è orÿ on the multifunction steer-
ing wheel. They are then stored in the vehi-
cle status message memory (
page 153).
Remember that clearing a message will
only make the message disappear. Clear-
ing a message will not correct the condi-
tion that caused the message to appear.
Warning!
G
All categories of messages contain impor-
tant information which should be taken note
of and, where a malfunction is indicated, ad-
dressed as soon as possible at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Failure to repair condition noted may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty, or result in property dam-
age or personal injury.Warning!
G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative.
Contact the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

432 Practical hintsBleeding the fuel system (Diesel engine only)Allowing the vehicle to be driven until the
fuel tank is empty is not recommended. If
this occurs, air may be pulled into the fuel
system. If this happens, the? malfunc-
tion indicator lamp (USA only) or the
±malfunction indicator lamp (Canada
only) comes and it may be possible that
the engine will not start immediately after
you refuel the vehicle.
After refueling:
Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position2 for at least 30 seconds.

Return the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position0.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position3 and hold it there for up to
60 seconds, i.e. until the engine is run-
ning surge-free.If the engine does not start:

Try to start the engine again without in-
terruption for a maximum of 60 sec-
onds until it is running smoothly.
If the engine still does not start even after
this attempt, do not make any further at-
tempts to start the engine. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
iWhere the? malfunction indicator
lamp (USA only) or the± malfunc-
tion indicator lamp (Canada only) in the
instrument cluster has been illuminat-
ed for the above condition, it will re-
main illuminated until the engine was
cycled on and off four times in a row.

438 Practical hintsJump starting
Start engine of the vehicle with the
charged battery and run at idle speed.

Connect negative terminals4 and2
of the batteries with the jumper cable.
Clamp cable to charged battery4
first.

Start the engine of the disabled vehi-
cle.Now you can again turn on the electrical
consumers. Do not turn on the lights under
any circumstances.

Remove the jumper cables first from
negative terminals2 and4 and then
from positive terminals1 and3.
Now you can turn on the lights.

Have the battery checked at the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
iThe message
Malfunction - electric
consumers switched off
may appear
in the instrument cluster. It will disap-
pear as soon as the battery is suffi-
ciently charged.
!Do not tow-start the vehicle.

473 Technical terms
FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles)
(F
lexible S
ervice S
ystem PLUS)
Maintenance service indicator in the
multifunction display that informs the
driver when the next vehicle mainte-
nance service is due. FSS evaluates en-
gine temperature, oil level, vehicle
speed, engine speed, distance driven
and the time elapsed since your last
service, calculates other maintenance
service work required, and calls for the
next maintenance service accordingly.
Gear range
Number of gears which are available to
the automatic transmission for shifting.
The automatic gear shifting process
can be adapted to specific operating
conditions using the selector lever.GPS
(G
lobal P
ositioning S
ystem)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special re-
ceivers. Employs DVD digital maps for
navigation.
Heater booster system
Provides for additional heat in the
vehicle interior in vehicle models with
diesel engines.
Instrument cluster
The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision, in-
cluding the tachometer, speedometer
and fuel gauge.
KEYLESS-GO*
System for entering and operating the
vehicle without the use of a SmartKey.Kickdown
Depressing the accelerator past the
point of resistance shifts the transmis-
sion down to the lowest possible gear.
This very quickly accelerates the vehi-
cle and should not be used for normal
acceleration needs.
Lock button
Button on the door which indicates
whether the door is locked or un-
locked. Pushing the lock button down
on an individual door from inside will
lock that door.
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles)
Maintenance service indicator in the
multifunction display that informs the
driver when the next vehicle mainte-
nance service is due. The Vehicle Main-
tenance System in your vehicle tracks
distance driven and the time elapsed
since your last maintenance service,
calculates other maintenance service
work required, and calls for the next
maintenance service accordingly.