317 Operation
Driving instructions
For more information, see “Winter driving”
(page 364).
Standing water
Passenger compartmentDriving abroad
Abroad, there is an extensive
Mercedes-Benz service network at your
disposal. If you plan to drive into areas
which are not listed in the index of your
Mercedes-Benz Center directory, you
should request pertinent information from
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure that snow is kept clear of the exhaust
pipe and from around the vehicle with the
engine running. Otherwise, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle in-
terior resulting in unconsciousness and
death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation,
open a window slightly on the side of the ve-
hicle not facing the wind.Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. In-
dicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice.
!
Do not drive through flooded areas or water
of unknown depth. Before driving through water,
determine its depth. Never accelerate before
driving into water. The bow wave could force wa-
ter into the engine and auxiliary equipment, thus
damaging them.
If you must drive through standing water, drive
slowly to prevent water from entering the pas-
senger compartment or the engine compart-
ment. Water in these areas could cause damage
to electrical components or wiring of the engine
or transmission, or could result in water being in-
gested by the engine through the air intake caus-
ing severe internal engine damage. Any such
damage is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle, and cause injury
to vehicle occupants unless the items are
securely fastened in the vehicle.
The trunk is the preferred place to carry ob-
jects.
329 Operation
Engine compartment
Adding engine oil
E 350/E 550 (E 320 BLUETEC similar)
E63AMG
Unscrew filler cap1 from filler neck.
Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.
Screw filler cap1 back on filler neck.
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 491) and
(
page 495).
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
check the transmission.
!
Only use approved engine oils and oil filters
required for vehicles with Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles).
For a listing of approved engine oils and oil fil-
ters, refer to the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet (USA only) in your vehicle
literature portfolio, or contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of specification
other than those expressly required for the Main-
tenance System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS
(Canada vehicles), or changing of oil and oil filter
at change intervals longer than those called for
by the Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) or
FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles) will result in engine
or emission control system damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!
Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It could cause damage to the engine and emis-
sion control system not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
347 Operation
Tires and wheels
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 are significantly underinflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible. Driving on a signif-
icantly underinflated tire causes the tire to
overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may effect 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 underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.i
Operating radio transmission equipment
(e.g. wireless headsets, two-way radios) in or
near the vehicle could cause the TPMS to mal-
function.
359 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire ply material
1Plies in sidewall
2Plies under tread
This marking tells you about the type of
cord and number of plies in the sidewall
and under the tread.
Tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power
seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether
installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or
bar.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width
expressed in percentage.
Warning!
G
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underin-
flation, or excessive loading, either sepa-
rately or in combination, can cause
excessive heat build-up and possible tire
failure.
i
For illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.
380 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If any of the following lamps in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during thebulb self-check when switching on the igni-
tion, have the respective bulb checked and
replaced if necessary.Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
-
The yellow ABS indicator lamp
comes on while the engine is
running.
The ABS has detected a malfunction and has
switched off. The BAS, ESP
®, EBP and
PRE-SAFE
® are also switched off (see
messages in the multifunction display).
The brake system is still functioning normally
but without the ABS available.
If the ABS control unit is malfunctioning, oth-
er systems such as the Parktronic system*,
Distronic*, or the automatic transmission
may also be malfunctioning.
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display (
page 396).
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts. The ABS has switched off.
The battery might not be charged sufficiently.
When the voltage is above this value
again, the ABS is operational again and
the ABS indicator lamp should go out.
If the ABS indicator lamp does not go out:
Have the generator (alternator) and
the battery checked.
492 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Automatic transmission
E 320 BLUETEC
E 350
E 550
9.7 US qt (9.2 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Fluid
E 350 4MATIC
E 550 4MATIC
8.6 US qt (8.1 l)
E63AMG
9.0 US qt (8.5 l)
ATF 3353
Front axle
E 350 4MATIC
E 550 4MATIC
1.69 US qt (1.6 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
Rear axle
E 350
1.06 US qt (1.0 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
E 320 BLUETEC
E 550
1.37 US qt (1.3 l)
E 350 4MATIC
E 550 4MATIC
1.69 US qt (1.6 l)
E63AMG
1.27 US qt (1.2 l)
Transfer case
E 350 4MATIC
E 550 4MATIC
0.62 US qt (0.585 l)
MB Transfer Case Fluid
501 Index
A
ABS 97
Indicator lamp 380
Messages in display 398, 413
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 188
Accessory weight 359
Accident 60
Active Bi-Xenon headlamps* see Head-
lamps
Active head restraints 87
Adaptive Damping System see ADS
ADS 265
Air bags 70
Children 71
Front, Driver 74
Front, Passenger 74
Safety guidelines 72
Side impact 75
Window curtain 75
Air conditioning refrigerant 495
Air conditioning system see Climate con-
trol system
Air conditioning, Cooling 217, 233
Air distribution 211, 228
Air pressure 359Air pressure see Tire inflation
pressure 342
Air pump, electric
Turning on 457
Air recirculation mode 214, 231
Air vents 211, 228
Air volume 212, 229
Airmatic DC (Dual Control)
Messages in display 430
Suspension tuning 265
Airmatic DC (Dual Control) 265
Vehicle level control 266
Alarm system see Anti-theft systems
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 434, 455
AMG menu 157
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 499
Antilock Brake System see ABS
Anti-theft systems 106
Anti-theft alarm system 106
Immobilizer 106
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning
Ashtrays 287
Aspect ratio 359AUDIO menu 161
Operating CD player 162
Selecting radio station 161
Selecting satellite radio* station 161
Audio search function 177
Audio system
CD mode 162
Auto-dimming
Rear view mirrors 198
Automatic central locking, Control
system 176
Automatic headlamp mode 138
Automatic lighting control, Interior
lighting 145
Automatic locking when driving 176
Automatic shift program 190
502 IndexAutomatic transmission
Accelerator position 188
Automatic shift program 190
Emergency operation (Limp-Home
Mode) 197
Gear ranges 189
Gear selector lever 184
Gear selector lever control one-touch
gearshifting 191
Gear selector lever positions 186
Gear shifting malfunctions 197
Kickdown 188
Kickdown, manual shift program
E63AMG 196
Manual shift program E 63 AMG 194
Program mode selector switch 190
Shifting procedure 185
Starting engine 52
Steering wheel gearshift control
one-touch gearshifting* 192
B
BabySmart
TM
Air bag deactivation system 81
Self-test 81Backrest 277
Seat 43
Seat, multicontour* 131
Backup lamps
Messages in display 422
Replacing bulbs 443
Bar 360
BAS 99
Batteries, SmartKey
Checking battery condition 119
Replacing 441
Batteries, SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
Checking battery condition 119
Replacing 441
Batteries, Vehicle
Charging 462
Disconnecting 461
Jump starting 464
Messages in display 412
Reconnecting 463
Reinstalling 462
Removing 462
Bead 360
Beverage holder see Cup holders
Bi-Xenon headlamps* see Headlamps
Bleeding the fuel system 459Block heater* (Canada only) 365
Brake fluid
Checking 324
Messages in display 413
Brake lamp
Cleaning lenses 372
Replacing bulbs 443
Brake pads
Message in display 412
Brakes 310
High-performance brake system
(E 63 AMG only) 312
Warning lamp 383
Break-in period 308
Bulbs see Replacing bulbs
C
California retail buyers and lessees, impor-
tant notice for 11
Can holder see Cup holders
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants 491
Cargo area see Trunk
Cargo tie-down rings 280
Carpets, cleaning 376
Catalytic converter (gasoline
engine) 318