2007 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS550 Owner's Manual

344 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
You are driving with the parking brake set.

Release the parking brake.
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running and you hear a warning
sound.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the
reservoir.

Risk of accident! Do not drive any
further. Consult a Mercedes-Benz
Service Center. Under no circum-
stances should you top up the brake
fluid. This will not solve the problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Do not add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system.
Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir 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.

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

The fuel management system


The ignition system


The emission control system


Systems which affect 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 system.
It allows the accurate identification of
system malfunctions through the read-
out of diagnostic trouble codes. It is
located in the front left area of the foot-
well next to the parking brake.
i
Some states may by law require you to con-
tact a workshop immediately as soon as the en-
gine malfunction indicator lamp comes on.
Check local requirements.

346 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
ú
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on while
driving.
A loss of pressure has been detected in the
fuel system. The fuel cap may not be closed
properly or the fuel system may be leaky.

Check the fuel cap.
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.
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.

347 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
D
The red coolant temperature
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
radiator fan may be broken.

Immediately add coolant to prevent
engine from overheating
(page 290).

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 temperature
warning lamp comes on while
driving and you hear a warning
sound.
The coolant temperature has exceeded
248°F (120°C).

Stop in a safe location as soon as pos-
sible and allow the engine and coolant
to cool down.
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.

348 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
l
The red distance warning lamp
comes on while driving.
You are too close to the vehicle in front
of you to maintain selected speed.

Apply the brakes immediately to increase
the following distance.
l
The red distance warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning chime sound.


You are gaining too rapidly on the ve-
hicle ahead of you.


The distance warning system has
recognized a stationary obstacle on
your probable line of travel.

Apply the brakes immediately.

Carefully observe the traffic situation. You
may need to brake or maneuver to avoid
hitting an obstacle.
W
The yellow fuel tank reserve
warning lamp comes on while
driving.
The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 283).
<
The red seat belt telltale comes
on for a maximum of 6 seconds
after starting the engine.
The seat belt telltale reminds you and
your passengers to fasten your seat
belts before driving off.

Fasten your seat belts.
Regardless of whether the seat belts are
fastened or not, the seat belt telltale al-
ways comes on and remains lit for
6 seconds after starting the engine.
<
You hear a warning chime for a
maximum of 6 seconds after
starting the engine.
You have forgotten to fasten your seat
belt.

Fasten your seat belt.
The warning chime stops sounding.

349 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
<
The red seat belt telltale comes
on while the vehicle is standing
still and the engine is running or
during driving.
You and/or your front passenger have for-
gotten to fasten your seat belts.

Fasten your seat belts.
The seat belt telltale goes out.
There are items placed on the front passen-
ger seat and therefore the system senses the
front passenger seat as being occupied.

Remove the items from the front pas-
senger seat and put them in a safe
place.
The seat belt telltale goes out.
<
During driving the red seat belt
telltale flashes and you addition-
ally hear an intermittent warning
chime with increasing intensity.
The vehicle’s speed once exceeded 15 mph
(25 km/h) and you and/or your front pas-
senger have forgotten to fasten your seat
belts.

Fasten your seat belts.
The seat belt telltale goes out and the
warning chime stops sounding.
There are items placed on the front passen-
ger seat and therefore the system senses the
front passenger seat as being occupied.

Remove the items from the front pas-
senger seat and put them in a safe
place.
The seat belt telltale goes out and the
warning chime stops sounding.
i
After 60 seconds with an unfastened seat
belt the warning chime stops sounding and the
seat belt telltale illuminates continuously. The
seat belt telltale will only go out if both, thedriver’s and the front passenger’s seat belt are
fastened, or the vehicle is standing still and a
front door is opened.

350 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
1
The red SRS indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
There is a malfunction in the restraint sys-
tems. The air bags or emergency tensioning
devices (ETDs) could deploy unexpectedly or
fail to activate in an accident.

Drive with added caution to the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indi-
cated as outlined above, the SRS may not be
operational. For your safety, we strongly
recommend that you contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have
the system checked; otherwise the SRS may
not be activated when needed in an acci-
dent, 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.

351 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
H
(USA only)
Combination low tire
pressure/TPMS malfunction tell-
tale for the TPMS illuminates
continuously.
(Canada only)
Low tire pressure telltale for the
Advanced TPMS* illuminates
continuously.
The TPMS (USA only) or Advanced TPMS*
(Canada only) detects a loss of pressure in at
least one tire.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt,
avoiding abrupt steering and braking
maneuvers. Observe the traffic situa-
tion around you.

Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display (
page 356).
If the tire inflation pressure in the respec-
tive tire(s) has (have) been corrected, the
combination low tire pressure/TPMS
malfunction telltale goes out after few
minutes driving.
H
(USA only)
Combination low tire
pressure/TPMS malfunction tell-
tale for the TPMS flashes for
60 seconds and then stays illu-
minated.
There is a malfunction in the TPMS.

Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display (
page 356).

Have the TPMS checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
After the malfunction has been remedied
the combination low tire pressure/TPMS
malfunction telltale goes out after few
minutes driving.