2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E500 Display malfunction

402 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
(USA only);(Canada only)3
Brake fluid
Visit workshop
There is insufficient brake fluid in the
reservoir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle in a
safe location as soon as it is safe to do
so and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not add
brake fluid! This will not solve the
problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the message
Brake fluid
Visit workshop
displayed can result in an
accident. Have your brake system checked
immediately.
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
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 457).
If the electrohydraulic brake system enters
its emergency operation mode, the driver
must apply significantly greater brake pedal
pressure and depress the pedal much fur-
ther than normal to obtain braking effect. If
necessary, apply full pressure to the brake
pedal. Brakes may only be applied to the
front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased!
Do not add brake fluid before checking the
brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid res-
ervoir can result 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.

403 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
ú
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
Engine
Service
There may be a malfunction in the:

fuel injection system


ignition system (Gasoline engine)


exhaust system


fuel system

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
B
Coolant
Check level
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 325).

If you have to add coolant frequently,
have the cooling system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You can be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant
level warning. Extended driving with
the message and symbol displayed
may cause serious engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Do not drive without sufficient amount
of coolant in the cooling system. The
engine will overheat causing major en-
gine damage.

406 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
G
Display malfunction
Visit workshop
The displays for several systems have
malfunctioned. Some systems them-
selves may also have malfunctioned.

Continue driving with added caution.
When the display is malfunctioning,
warnings and malfunction messages
might not be displayed.

Have the electronic systems checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
±
Display malfunction
Visit workshop
Certain electronic systems are unable to
relay information to the control system.
The following systems may have failed:

Coolant temperature display


Tachometer


Cruise control display

Have the electronic systems checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
J

Doors open
You are attempting to drive with one or
more doors open.

Close the doors.

409 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
:
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level
E 320 CDI, E 500, E 55 AMG only:
You have added too much engine oil.
There is a risk of damaging:

the engine


the catalytic converter

Have oil siphoned or drained off. Ob-
serve all legal requirements with re-
spect to its disposal.
Oil sensor malfunction
Visit workshop
E 320 CDI, E 500, E 55 AMG only:
The measuring system is malfunctioning.

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Change engine oil
Visit workshop
E 320 CDI, E 500, E 55 AMG only:
It may be that there is water in the engine
oil.

Have the engine oil and the cooling
system checked.

410 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
Y
Hood open
You are driving with the hood open.

Close the hood (
page 319).
F
Key
Check battery
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* batter-
ies are discharged.

Change the batteries (
page 431).
Key
not recognized
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is not
recognized while the engine is running
because

the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is
not in the vehicle


there is strong radio-frequency inter-
ference

Stop the vehicle in a safe location as
soon as it is safe to do so.

Search for the SmartKey.
Otherwise the vehicle cannot be cen-
trally locked nor can the engine be
started again after the engine is
stopped.
Key
not recognized
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is mo-
mentarily not recognized.

Change the position of the SmartKey
in the vehicle.

Operate the vehicle with the
SmartKey in the starter switch if nec-
essary.
Key
still in vehicle
A SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* left in the
vehicle was recognized while locking the
vehicle from the outside.

Take the SmartKey out of the vehicle.
Keyless Go
Check system
The KEYLESS-GO* system is malfunction-
ing.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.

412 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
.
Brake lamp
Drive to workshop
Brake lamp illumination is delayed or
lamp is permanently on.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Brake lamp, left
Substitute bulb on
The left brake lamp is malfunctioning. A
substitute bulb is being used.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Brake lamp, right
Substitute bulb on
The right brake lamp is malfunctioning. A
substitute bulb is being used.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Display malfunction
Visit workshop
The display for the lamps or the system is
malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Front foglamp,
left
The left front fog lamp is malfunctioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Front foglamp,
right
The right front fog lamp is malfunctioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Active headlamps
currently
unavailable
The active headlamps are malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Active headlamps
Backup lamp on
The active headlamps are malfunctioning.
Another light is being used.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Active headlamps
malfunction
Drive to workshop
The active headlamps have malfunc-
tioned several times in succession.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.

413 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
.
Low beam,
right
The right low beam lamp is malfunction-
ing.
Halogen headlamp:
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Bi-Xenon* headlamp:

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Front Marker light,
left
The front left side marker lamp is mal-
functioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Front Marker light,
right
The front right side marker lamp is mal-
functioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Fr. Park. lamp, left
The left parking lamps are malfunction-
ing.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Fr. Park. lamp, right
The right parking lamps are malfunction-
ing.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
Rear foglamp
Substitute bulb on
The rear fog lamp is malfunctioning. A
substitute bulb is being used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Backup lamp, left
The left reverse lamp is malfunctioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Backup lamp, right
The right reverse lamp is malfunctioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Switch off lamps
Lamps have been turned on although the
SmartKey in the starter switch is in posi-
tion 0.

Switch off the headlights.

414 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
.
High beam,
left
The left high beam lamp is malfunction-
ing.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
High beam,
right
The right high beam lamp is malfunction-
ing.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
License plate lamp,
left
The left license plate lamp is malfunction-
ing.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
License plate lamp,
right

The right license plate lamp is malfunc-
tioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Light sensor
Drive to workshop
The lamp sensor is malfunctioning. The
headlamps switch on automatically.

In the control system, set lamp opera-
tion to manual mode (
page 170).

Switch on headlamps using the exteri-
or lamp switch.
Low beam,
left
The left low beam lamp is malfunctioning.
Halogen headlamp:
Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Bi-Xenon* headlamp:

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.