Contents
At the gas station .............................. 321
Refueling ...................................... 321
Check regularly and before a
long trip........................................ 323
Engine compartment ......................... 325
Hood ............................................ 325
Engine oil ..................................... 327
Transmission fluid level ................ 329
Coolant level ................................ 330
Battery ......................................... 331
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system* ......... 332
Tires and wheels ................................ 333
Important guidelines .................... 333
Tire care and maintenance........... 334
Direction of rotation ..................... 336
Loading the vehicle ...................... 336
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 341
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 342
Tire labeling.................................. 350
Load identification ....................... 354
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) ............................................. 355
Maximum tire load ....................... 356
Maximum tire inflation pressure .. 357Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) .............. 357
Tire ply material ............................ 359
Tire and loading terminology......... 359
Rotating tires ................................ 362
Winter driving ..................................... 364
Winter tires ................................... 364
Block heater* (Canada only) ......... 365
Snow chains.................................. 365
Maintenance....................................... 366
Maintenance service indicator
message ....................................... 366
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display ............... 368
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator ........................... 368
Vehicle care........................................ 369
Cleaning and care of vehicle ......... 369
Practical hints.................................. 379
What to do if … ................................... 380
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 380
Lamp in center console ................ 393
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display .................... 396
Where will I find ...? ............................ 432
First aid kit.................................... 432
Spare wheel .................................. 432
Luggage box ................................. 433
Vehicle tool kit.............................. 434
Vehicle jack .................................. 434
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 436
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 436
Locking the vehicle ....................... 437
Manually unlocking the gear
selector lever ................................ 438
Opening/closing in an emergency ..... 439
Power tilt/sliding sunroof or
panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel* ......................... 439
Resetting activated head restraints.... 440
Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 441
SmartKey/SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* ............................... 441
60 Getting startedDrivingProblems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires
An ignition cable may be damaged
(gasoline engine only).
The engine electronics may not be op-
erating properly.
Unburned gasoline may have entered
the catalytic converter and damaged it
(gasoline engine only).
Give very little gas.
Have the problem repaired by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.The coolant temperature is above
248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.
Stop the vehicle as soon as possible in
a safe location and turn off the engine.
Allow engine and coolant to cool off.
Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 330).In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking fuel:
Do not start the engine under any cir-
cumstances.
Notify local fire and/or police authori-
ties.
If the extent of the damage cannot be de-
termined:
Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If no damage can be determined on the
major assemblies
fuel system
engine mount:
Start the engine in the usual manner.
323 Operation
At the gas station
Low outside temperatures
(diesel engine)
To prevent malfunctions, diesel fuel with
improved cold flow characteristics is of-
fered in the winter months. Check with
your fuel retailer.
Check regularly and before a long trip
1Windshield washer system and head-
lamp cleaning system*
2Brake fluid
3Coolant level
!
Diesel engine:
The engine is more susceptible to wear and
damage if you use
marine diesel fuel
heating oil
additives
The exhaust aftertreatment device will be
seriously damaged if you use
LOW SULFUR DIESEL FUEL
(500 ppm SULFUR MAXIMUM)
any other diesel fuel with a sulfur content of
above 15 ppm
The use of such non-approved fuels and/or
special additives is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!
Do not fill the tank with gasoline. Do not
blend diesel fuel with gasoline or kerosine. The
fuel system and engine will otherwise be dam-
aged, which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
324 OperationAt the gas stationWindshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*
For information on refilling the reservoir,
see “Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*”
(page 332).
Brake fluid
For information on brake fluid, see “Fuels,
coolants, lubricants etc.” (
page 491).Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information on
coolant, see “Coolant level” (
page 330)
and see “Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.”
(
page 491).
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil level,
see “Engine oil” (
page 327).Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information on replacing light bulbs, see
“Replacing bulbs” (
page 443).
For more information, see “Exterior lamp
switch” (
page 137).
Tire inflation pressure
For more information, see “Checking tire
inflation pressure” (
page 342).
!
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 immediately. Notify an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
Do not add brake fluid as this will not solve the
problem. For more information, see “Practical
hints” (page 383).
328 OperationEngine compartmentChecking engine oil level
When checking the oil level
the vehicle must be parked on level
ground
with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been sta-
tionary for at least 5 minutes with the
engine turned off
with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 5 minutes
with the engine turned off1Oil dipstick
2Upper (max) mark
3Lower (min) mark
To check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:
Open the hood (
page 325).
Pull out oil dipstick1.
Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.
Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the
dipstick guide tube.
Pull out oil dipstick1 again after
approximately 3 seconds to obtain ac-
curate reading.
The oil level is correct when it is be-
tween the lower (min) mark3 and
upper (max) mark2 of oil dipstick1.
If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil, see “Adding engine
oil”.
For more information on engine oil, see
“Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.”
(
page 491).
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(page 418).
i
All models (except E 63 AMG):
The filling quantity between the upper and lower
marks on the oil dipstick is approximately
2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).
E63AMG:
The filling quantity between the upper and lower
marks on the oil dipstick is approximately
1.6 US qt. (1.5 l).
330 OperationEngine compartmentCoolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze. To check
the coolant level, the vehicle must be
parked on level ground and the engine
must be cool.
The coolant expansion tank is located on
the driver’s side of the engine compart-
ment.
1Marking bar in the expansion tank
2Cap
3Coolant expansion tank
Using a rag, turn cap2 slowly approx-
imately one half turn counterclockwise
to release any excess pressure.
Continue turning the cap2 counter-
clockwise and remove it.
The coolant level is correct if the level:
for cold coolant: reaches marking
bar1 in the expansion tank3
for warm coolant: is approximately
0.6 in (1.5 cm) higher
Add coolant as required.
Replace and tighten cap2.
For more information on coolant, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 498).
Warning!
G
In order to avoid any potentially serious
burns:
Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.
Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°C). Allow engine to
cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene gly-
col which may burn if it comes into con-
tact with hot engine parts.
Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately
1/2 turn to relieve excess pres-
sure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out un-
der pressure.
386 Practical hintsWhat 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 ra-
diator fan may be broken.
Immediately add coolant to prevent
engine from overheating
(page 330).
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.
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 as soon as possible in a safe lo-
cation and allow the engine and cool-
ant to cool down.
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is overheated 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 which can occur just by open-
ing the engine hood. Stay away from the en-
gine 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.
414 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
ú
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
Visit workshop
There may be a malfunction in the:
fuel injection system
ignition system
exhaust system
fuel system
Have the measuring system
checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
H
Top up coolant
See Operator’s Manual
The coolant level is too low.
Add coolant (
page 330).
If you have to add coolant frequent-
ly, 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 could 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 engine damage.