2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E WAGON four wheel drive

ContentsSafety and Security........................... 65
Occupant safety................................... 66
Air bags .......................................... 67
Seat belts ....................................... 72
Active head restraints .................... 76
Children in the vehicle .................... 77
Blocking of rear door
window operation ........................... 89
Panic alarm .......................................... 90
Activating ....................................... 90
Deactivating ................................... 90
Driving safety systems ......................... 91
ABS ................................................ 91
BAS ................................................ 93
ESP
®.............................................. 93
Electrohydraulic brake system ....... 96
Four wheel electronic traction
system (4MATIC) with the ESP
®..... 99
Anti-theft systems.............................. 101
Immobilizer................................... 101
Anti-theft alarm system ................ 101
Tow-away alarm ........................... 103
Controls in detail............................. 105
Locking and unlocking ....................... 106
SmartKey ..................................... 106
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ...... 111
Opening the doors
from the inside ............................. 119
Opening the tailgate ..................... 120
Closing the tailgate ...................... 122
Automatic central locking ............ 127
Locking and unlocking
from the inside ............................. 128
Seats ................................................. 129
Front seat active head restraints . 129
Rear seat head restraints ............. 129
Lumbar support............................ 133
Drive - Dynamic seat* with
multicontour features................... 133
Seat heating* ............................... 135
Seat ventilation* .......................... 136
Folding bench seat in cargo
compartment ............................... 137Memory function ............................... 140
Storing positions into memory ..... 141
Recalling positions from memory . 141
Storing exterior rear view
mirror parking position ................ 141
Lighting ............................................. 143
Exterior lamp switch .................... 143
Combination switch ..................... 147
Hazard warning flasher ................ 147
Interior lighting in the front .......... 148
Door entry lamps ......................... 150
Interior lighting in the rear ........... 150
Instrument cluster ............................. 151
Instrument cluster illumination .... 151
Coolant temperature indicator ..... 152
Trip odometer .............................. 153
Tachometer .................................. 153
Outside temperature indicator ..... 153

94 Safety and SecurityDriving safety systems
For more information, see the “Practical
hints” section (
page 373).
Warning!
G
Never switch off the ESP
® when you see the
ABS/ESP
® warning lamp v flashing in
the instrument cluster. In this case proceed
as follows:


While driving off, apply as little throttle
as possible.


While driving, ease up on the accelera-
tor.


Adapt your speed and driving style to
the prevailing road conditions.
Failure to observe these guidelines could
cause the vehicle to skid.
The ESP
® cannot prevent accidents result-
ing from excessive speed.
Warning!
G
The ESP
® cannot prevent the natural laws of
physics from acting on the vehicle, nor can
it increase the traction afforded. The ESP
®
cannot prevent accidents, including those
resulting from excessive speed in turns, or
hydroplaning. Only a safe, attentive, and
skillful driver can prevent accidents. The ca-
pabilities of an ESP
® equipped vehicle must
never be exploited in a reckless or danger-
ous manner which could jeopardize the us-
er’s safety or the safety of others.
!The ESP
® will only function properly if
you use wheels of the recommended
tire size (page 472).
!Vehicles without 4MATIC:
Because of the ESP’s
® automatic oper-
ation, the engine and the ignition must
be shut off (SmartKey in starter switch
position0 or1 or KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button* in position0 or1)
when:


the parking brake is being tested on
a brake test dynamometer


the vehicle is being towed with the
front axle raised
Active braking action through the ESP
®
may otherwise seriously damage the
brake system.
For information on vehicles with
4MATIC, see “Four wheel electronic
traction system (4MATIC) with the
ESP
®” (page 99).

97 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
The electrohydraulic brake system is auto-
matically activated 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 electrohydraulic 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 374) and
warning messages in the instrument cluster
(
page 383) 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 electrohy-
draulic 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 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 vehicle” (
page 458).

99 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Note on driving with the
electrohydraulic brake system

Following extended periods of only
minor loads to your brake system, you
should occasionally apply the brakes
when traveling at high speeds. This
improves the grip of the brake pads.


After driving on wet or snow-covered
roads, you should apply your brakes
firmly before parking your vehicle. This
produces heat which serves to dry the
brake disks and help prevent corro-
sion.


On long and steep grades, shift to a
lower gear (gear range1, 2, or 3) to
prevent the brakes from overheating
and to reduce brake wear.


After hard braking, it is advisable to
drive on for some time so that the air
stream will cool down the brakes fast-
er.


Only Mercedes-Benz approved compo-
nents (e.g. brake pads) should be
installed on your vehicle. Brake pads
not approved by Mercedes-Benz may
impair the safety of your vehicle.Four wheel electronic traction system
(4MATIC) with the ESP
®
Models with all-wheel-drive only.
The 4MATIC improves vehicle’s ability to
use available traction, e.g. during winter
operation in mountains under snowy
conditions, by applying power to all four
wheels.
Warning!
G
Be very careful not to endanger other road
users when you apply the brakes.

302 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 374) and
warning messages in the instrument cluster
(
page 383) 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 electrohy-
draulic 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 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 vehicle” (
page 458).
For more information, see “Electrohydraulic
brake system” (
page 96).
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.

306 OperationDriving instructionsTire traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or
icy road is always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperatures are close to the freezing
point.Mercedes-Benz recommends winter tires
(
page 355) with a minimum tread depth
of approximately
1/6in (4 mm) on all four
wheels for the winter season to make sure
normal balanced handling characteristics.
On packed snow, they can reduce your
stopping distance compared to summer
tires. Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is
not covered with snow or ice. Exercise ap-
propriate caution.
Tire speed rating
Regardless of the tire speed rating, local
speed limits should be obeyed. Use pru-
dent driving speeds appropriate to prevail-
ing conditions.
Warning!
G
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction
will be substantially reduced. Under such
weather conditions, drive, steer and brake
with extreme caution.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel. This
may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Even when permitted by law, never operate
a vehicle at speeds greater than the maxi-
mum speed rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum speed for which
tires are rated can lead to sudden tire fail-
ure, causing loss of vehicle control and pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury and possible death, for you
and for others.

336 OperationTires and wheelsThe TPMS only functions on wheels that
are equipped with the proper electronic
sensors. It monitors the tire inflation pres-
sure, as selected by the driver, in all four
tires. A warning is issued to alert you to a
decrease in pressure in one or more of the
tires.Warning!
G
The TPMS does not indicate a warning for
wrongly selected inflation pressures. Always
adjust tire inflation pressure according to
the placard on the driver’s door B-pillar or, if
available, the supplemental tire pressure in-
formation on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
The TPMS is not able to issue a warning due
to a sudden dramatic loss of pressure (e.g.
tire blowout caused by a foreign object). In
this case bring the vehicle to a halt by care-
fully applying the brakes and avoiding
abrupt steering maneuvers.
Warning!
G
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or the tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or the tire inflation pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significant-
ly under-inflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat 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. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the
telltale will flash for approximately
one minute and then remain continuously
illuminated. This sequence will continue
upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long
as the malfunction exists. When the mal-
function indicator is illuminated, the system
may not be able to detect or signal low tire
pressure as intended.

337 Operation
Tires and wheels
Reactivating the TPMS*
The TPMS must be reactivated when you
have adjusted the tire inflation pressure to
a new level (e.g. because of different load
or driving conditions). The TPMS is then
recalibrated to the current tire inflation
pressures.
Using the tire placard on the driver’s
door B-pillar (
page 328) or, if avail-
able, the supplemental tire pressure
information on the inside of the fuel fill-
er flap (
page 312), make sure the tire
inflation pressure of all four tires is cor-
rect.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of in-
compatible replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing
one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle
to ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue
to function properly.
iIf a condition causing the TPMS to mal-
function develops, it may take up
to 10 minutes for the system to signal
a malfunction using the TPMS telltale
flashing and illumination sequence.
The telltale extinguishes after a few
minutes driving if the malfunction has
been corrected.iOperating radio transmission equip-
ment (e.g. wireless headsets, two-way
radios) in or near the vehicle could
cause the TPMS to malfunction.
Warning!
G
It is the driver’s responsibility to calibrate
the TPMS on the recommended cold infla-
tion pressure. Underinflated tires affect the
ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
might loose control over the vehicle.