2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 Owner's Manual

327 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
ú
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on while
driving.
There is a malfunction in:

The fuel injection system


The ignition system


The emission control system


Systems which effect emissions
Such malfunctions may result in excessive
emissions values and may switch the engine
to its limp-home (emergency operation)
mode.

Have the vehicle checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
An on-board diagnostic connector is
used by the service station to link the
vehicle to the shop diagnostics sys-
tem. It allows the accurate identifica-
tion of system malfunctions through
the readout of diagnostic trouble
codes. It is located in the front left
area of the footwell next to the park-
ing brake.
The fuel cap is not closed tightly.

Check the fuel cap (
page 267).
If it is not closed properly:

Close the fuel cap.
If it is closed properly:

Have the fuel system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

328 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
ú
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on while
driving.
Your fuel tank is empty.

After refuelling, start, turn off, and re-
start the engine three or four times in
succession.
The limp-home mode is canceled. You
do not need to have your vehicle
checked.
D
The red coolant warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running.
There is insufficient coolant in the reservoir.
If this warning lamp comes on frequently,
there is a leak in the cooling system.
If the coolant level is correct, the electric ra-
diator fan may be broken.

Immediately add coolant to prevent
engine from overheating
(page 276).

Have the cooling system checked.

If the coolant temperature is below
248 °F (120 °C), you can continue
driving to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Avoid high engine loads (e.g. driving
uphill) and stop-and-go driving.
D
The red coolant warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
The coolant temperature has exceeded
248 °F (120 °C).

Stop as soon as possible and allow
the engine and coolant to cool down.

329 Practical hints
What to do if …
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is badly overheat-
ed can cause some fluids which may have
leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire. You could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns and can occur just by opening
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.

330 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
E
The red DTR indicator lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning sound.


You are gaining too rapidly on the vehicle
ahead of you.


The distance warning system has recog-
nized a stationary obstacle on your prob-
able line of travel.

Apply the brakes immediately.

Carefully observe the traffic situation.
You may need to brake or maneuver
to avoid hitting an obstacle.
E
The white DTR indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
The Distronic* distance sensor has recog-
nized a vehicle in front of you.
A
The yellow fuel tank reserve
warning lamp lights while driv-
ing.
The fuel level has dropped below the reserve
mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 267).
The fuel cap is not closed tightly.

Check the fuel cap (
page 267).

331 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
C
The yellow roll bar warning lamp
comes on or flickers when the
engine is running.
The roll bar is not operational.

For safety reasons, always have the
roll bar raised when driving with the
retractable hardtop open. Attempt to
raise the roll bar manually.

Have the roll bar checked by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
If the roll bar warning lamp does not come
on, does not go out after a long time, flickers
or comes on while driving as described
above, then the roll bar system is not oper-
ating properly and may not activate in an ac-
cident. In this case, raise the roll bar
manually (
page 73) before continuing to
drive.

332 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
<
The red seat belt telltale comes
on briefly after starting the en-
gine.
The seat belt telltale reminds you to fasten
seat belts.

Fasten your seat belt.
The seat belt telltale goes out.
1
The red SRS indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
There is a malfunction in the restraint sys-
tems. The airbags or emergency tensioning
device (ETD) could deploy unexpectedly or
fail to activate in an accident.

Drive with added caution to the near-
est authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
In the event that a malfunction of the SRS is
indicated as outlined above, the SRS may
not be operational. For your safety, we
strongly recommend that you visit an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immedi-
ately to have the system checked; otherwise
the SRS may not be activated when needed
in an accident, which could result in serious
or fatal injury, or it might deploy
unexpectedly and unnecessarily which
could also result in an accident and/or
injury to you or to others.

333 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 in-
flation pressure monitor has been reactivat-
ed after the tire inflation pressure has 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 tire placard on the driver’s door
B-pillar, not in the owner’s manual.

334 Practical hintsWhat to do if …AIRBAG OFF indicator lampProblem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
7
The AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
comes on.
A BabySmart
TM1
child seat is installed on the
front passenger seat. Therefore the passen-
ger front airbag is switched off.
The system is malfunctioning if the
7indicator lamp comes on with no
BabySmart
TM child seat installed on the front
passenger seat.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
7
The AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
does not come on with a
BabySmart
TM child seat properly
installed on the front passenger
seat.
The system is malfunctioning.

Make sure there is nothing between
seat cushion and child seat.

Check installation of the child seat.
If the indicator lamp remains out:

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Do not use the BabySmart
TM restraint to
transport children on the front passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens Automotive Corp.