Page 374 of 514

373 Operation
Vehicle care
Light alloy wheels
If possible, clean wheels once a week.
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel
Care, a soft bristle brush and a strong
spray of water for cleaning the light al-
loy wheels.Plastic and rubber parts
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution.
Wipe with a cloth moistened in a luke-
warm solution.
The surface may temporarily change
color. If this is the case, wait for it to
dry.
!
Fold the windshield wiper arms back onto
the windshield before turning the SmartKey in
the starter switch or pressing the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*).
Hold on to the wiper when folding the wiper arm
back. If released, the force of the impact from
the tensioning spring could crack the windshield.
!
To clean the window interior, do not use a
dry cloth, abrasives, solvents or cleaners con-
taining solvents. Do not touch the inside of the
front, rear or side windows with hard objects
such as an ice scraper or ring. Doing so may
damage the windows.
!
Only use acid-free cleaning materials. Acid
may cause corrosion or damage the clear coat.
!
The vehicle should not be parked for an ex-
tended period of time immediately after it has
been cleaned, especially not after the wheel rims
have been cleaned with wheel rim cleaner.
Wheel rim cleaners can lead to increased corro-
sion of the brake disks and brake pads. Non-ap-
proved wheel cleaners may also damage the
wheel paint if the car is not driven after cleaning.
Therefore, the vehicle’s brake system should al-
ways be warmed-up before it is parked after
cleaning. To do so, please drive your vehicle for
several minutes to allow the brakes to dry. When
applying Mercedes-Benz approved Tire Care and
Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care products,
take care not to spray them on the brake disks.
Warning!
G
Do not use cleaners or cockpit care sprays
containing solvents to clean the cockpit or
the steering wheel. Cleaners containing sol-
vents will make the surface porous and vehi-
cle occupants could suffer serious injuries
from plastic parts coming loose in the event
of air bag deployment.
Page 375 of 514

374 OperationVehicle careHard plastic trim items
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care, a soft, lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.
Steering wheel and gear selector lever
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thor-
oughly or clean with Mercedes-Benz
approved Leather Care.Carpets
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Carpet
and Fabric Care for cleaning the car-
pets.
Headliner and shelf below rear window
Use a soft bristle brush or a dry-sham-
poo cleaner in case of excessive dirt.
Seat belts
Only use clear, lukewarm water and
soap.Upholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.
!
Do not use oil, wax or scouring agents on
these parts.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the surface.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the sur-
face.
!
To prevent scratches, do not use scouring
agents.
!
The seat belts must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Do not dry the seat
belts at temperatures above 176°F (80°C) or in
direct sunlight.
Warning!
G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Warning!
G
Only use seat or head restraint covers which
have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model.
Using other seat or head restraint covers
may interfere with or prevent the activation
of the active head restraints. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
availability.
Page 380 of 514

379 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
v
The yellow ESP
® warning lamp
comes on while the engine is
running.
The ESP
® has been switched off.
Risk of accident!
When the ESP
® is switched off it will not sta-
bilize the vehicle if the system recognizes
that the vehicle starts to skid or that a wheel
is spinning.
Switch the ESP
® back on (
page 104).
Exceptions: (
page 102).
If leaving the ESP
® switched off, adapt
your speed and driving to the prevailing
road and weather conditions.
If the ESP
® cannot be switched back on:
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
The ESP
® is not operational due to a malfunc-
tion.
Risk of accident!
Observe additional messages in the
multifunction display.
Continue driving with added caution.
Adapt your speed and driving to the
prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Page 381 of 514
380 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
v
The yellow ESP
® warning
lamp flashes while driving.
The ESP
® or traction control has come into
operation because of detected traction loss
in at least one tire.
The cruise control and the Distronic* system
are deactivated.
When driving off, apply as little throttle as
possible.
While driving, ease up on the accelerator.
Adapt your speed and driving to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
Do not deactivate the ESP
®.
Exceptions: (
page 102).
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.
Page 382 of 514

381 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause/conse-
quence
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 park-
ing brake set.
Release the parking brake.
Observe the additional message in
the multifunction display.
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while the engine is
running and you hear a warn-
ing sound.
There is insufficient brake fluid
in the reservoir.
Risk of accident! Do not drive any fur-
ther. 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 re-
sult 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.
Page 385 of 514

384 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 329).
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.
Page 386 of 514
385 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
l
Only vehicles with Distronic*:
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 in-
crease the following distance.
Only vehicles with Distronic*:
The red distance warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning chime sound.
You are gaining too rapidly on the vehicle
ahead of you.
The distance warning system has recog-
nized a stationary obstacle on your prob-
able line of travel.
Apply the brakes immediately.
Carefully observe the traffic situation.
You may need to brake or maneuver
to avoid hitting an obstacle.
A
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 321).
Page 387 of 514

386 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
<
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 tell-
tale always 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 belts.
The warning chime stops sounding.
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.