2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E55AMG engine

327 Operation
Engine compartment
Windshield washer system and headlamp cleaning system*
The windshield washer reservoir is located
in the engine compartment.
1Washer fluid reservoir
Fluid for the windshield washer system and
the headlamp cleaning system is supplied
from the windshield washer reservoir. It
has a capacity of:

4.8 US qt (4.5 l) in vehicles without
headlamp cleaning system


7.4 US qt (7.0 l) in vehicles with head-
lamp cleaning systemDuring all seasons, add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “S” to water. Premix
the windshield washer fluid in a suitable
container.

Refill the reservoir with MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate and water (or
commercially available premixed wind-
shield washer solvent/antifreeze, de-
pending on ambient temperatures).
Always use washer solvent/antifreeze
where temperatures may fall below
freezing point. Failure to do so could re-
sult in damage to the washer sys-
tem/reservoir.
For more information, see “Windshield and
headlamp washer fluid mixing ratio”
(
page 492).Warning!
G
Washer solvent/antifreeze is highly flamma-
ble. Do not spill washer solvent/ antifreeze
on hot engine parts, because it may ignite
and burn. You could be seriously burned.!Only use washer fluid which is suitable
for plastic lenses. Improper washer
fluid can damage the plastic lenses of
the headlamps.

358 OperationWinter drivingBefore the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service
includes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.


Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system.
Add MB Concentrate “S” to a premixed
windshield washer solvent/antifreeze
which is formulated for temperatures
below freezing point (
page 490).


Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure that the engine can be started and
the electrohydraulic brake system will
be fully operational, even at low ambi-
ent temperatures.


Tire change.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show the
mountain/snowflake.marking on the
tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and The Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. Use of
winter tires is the only way to achieve the
maximum effectiveness of the ABS, ESP
®
and 4MATIC in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure that all
mounted winter tires are of the same make
and have the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your ve-
hicle, you must place a notice to this effect
where it will be seen by the driver. Such no-
tices are available at your tire dealer or any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.
Warning!
G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.

359 Operation
Winter driving
Block 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.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.!When driving with snow chains, always
select the raised level of the level con-
trol system Airmatic* (
page 260).
Other settings may result in damage to
your vehicle.
iWhen driving with snow chains, you
may wish to deactivate the ESP
®
(
page 96) 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.
Some tire sizes do not leave adequate
clearance for snow chains. To help
avoid serious damage to your vehicle or
tires, use of snow chains is not permis-
sible with the following tire sizes:

265/35 ZR18 XL (Extra Load)


T 155/70 R17 110 M


T 175/55-18 95 P

361 Operation
Maintenance
Clearing the maintenance service
indicator message
The maintenance service indicator mes-
sage is automatically cleared

after approximately 10 seconds when
you switch on the ignition or when
reaching the service threshold while
driving


after approximately 30 seconds, once
the suggested maintenance service
term has passed
You can also clear it yourself:

Press the reset button 1 on the left
side of the instrument cluster.The maintenance service indicator
message is cleared and the standard
display appears in the multifunction
display (
page 153).
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.

362 OperationMaintenanceCalling up the maintenance service indicator display
You can call up the maintenance service
indicator display at any time to check
when the next maintenance service is due.
Switch on the ignition (
page 36).

Press button è or ÿ on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display appears in
the multifunction display (
page 153).

Press button k or j until the
maintenance service indicator display
with the service symbol 9 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 message or maintenance ser-
vice indicator display.
Do not confuse the maintenance ser-
vice indicator with the engine oil level
indicator :.

363 Operation
Maintenance
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.

366 OperationVehicle care
Use the appropriate MB-Touch-Up
Stick for quick and provisional repairs
of minor paint damage (i.e. chips from
stones, vehicle doors, etc.).
Engine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment,
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from contact with
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as MB Anticor-
rosion Wax should be applied to the engine
compartment after every engine cleaning.
Before applying, all control linkage bush-
ings and joints should be lubricated. The
poly-V-belt and all pulleys should be pro-
tected from any wax.
Vehicle washing
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the vehicle underbody, do
not forget to clean the inner sides of the
wheels.Hand-wash
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight.

Only use a mild car wash detergent,
such as Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo.

Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water.
Direct only a very weak spray towards
the ventilation intake.

Use plenty of water and rinse the
sponge and chamois frequently.

Rinse with clean water and thoroughly
dry with a chamois.
Do not allow cleaning agents to dry on
the finish.
Automatic car wash
You can have your car washed in an auto-
matic car wash from the start. Automatic
car washes without brushes are prefera-
ble.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it be-
fore running it through the automatic car
wash.
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.

368 OperationVehicle careCleaning the Distronic* system sensor
cover
1Distronic system sensor cover
Switch off the ignition (
page 36).

Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water and a
non-scratching cloth to clean sensor
cover1.

Restart the engine after cleaning sen-
sor cover1.
Cleaning the Parktronic system*
sensors
1Parktronic system* sensors in front
bumper

Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water and a soft,
non-scratching cloth to clean
sensors1 on the bumpers.
!To prevent scratches or damage, never
apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the
sensor cover1. Do not attempt to
wipe dirty sensors with a dry cloth or
sponge.
!Do not apply strong pressure to the
sensor covers. Applying strong pres-
sure may damage the sensor covers.
Follow the instructions provided by the
power washer manufacturer on main-
taining a distance between the vehicle
and the nozzle of the power washer.!To prevent scratches, never apply
strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the
sensors. Do not attempt to wipe dirty
sensors with a dry cloth or sponge.