Page 305 of 425

304 Practical hints
What to do if ...
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solutions
ú(USA only)
±(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunc-
tion indicator lamp comes on
while the engine is running.
There is a malfunction in:
The fuel injection system
The ignition system
The emission control system
Systems which effect 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 possi-
ble 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 accu-
rate identification of system malfunctions
through the readout of diagnostic trouble
codes. It is located in the front left area of
the footwell next to the parking brake pedal.
Your fuel tank is empty.After refueling, start, turn off, and restart the
engine three or four times in succession.
The limp-home mode is canceled. You do not
need to have your vehicle checked.
iSome states may by law require you to visit
a workshop immediately as soon as the engine
malfunction indicator lamp comes on. Check
local requirements.
Page 306 of 425
305 Practical hints
What to do if ...
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
ú(USA only)
±(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunction
indicator lamp comes on while
driving.
The fuel cap is not closed tightly.Check the fuel cap (page 247).
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.
iSome states may by law require you to visit
a workshop immediately as soon as the engine
malfunction indicator lamp comes on. Check
local requirements.
Page 307 of 425

306 Practical hints
What to do if ...
During severe operating conditions, e.g.
stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tempera-
ture may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
DThe red coolant temperature
warning lamp comes on while
the engine is running.There is insufficient coolant in the reservoir.Immediately add coolant to prevent en-
gine from overheating (
page 255).
If this warning lamp comes on frequently,
there is a leak in the cooling system.Have the cooling system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If the coolant level is correct, the electric
radiator fan may be broken. If the coolant temperature is below
248°F (120°C), you can continue driv-
ing to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Avoid high engine loads (e.g. driving
uphill) and stop-and-go driving.
DThe red coolant temperature
warning lamp comes on while
the engine is running and you
hear a warning sound.The coolant temperature has exceeded
248°F (120°C).Stop as soon as possible in a safe loca-
tion and allow the engine and coolant
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.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of
the vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle
until the engine has cooled down.
!The engine should not be operated with the
coolant temperature above 248°F (120°C). Do-
ing so may cause serious engine damage which
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Page 308 of 425

307 Practical hints
What to do if ...
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solutions
lamp comes on while driving
and you hear a warning
sound.The Airbrake or the central locking system
is malfunctioning.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center immediately.
>The red gearshift indicator
lamp comes on while driving.You are driving with the manual shift pro-
gram. The engine is in the overrevving
range.Shift to the next higher gear. Otherwise the
fuel supply will be interrupted to prevent the
engine from overrevving.
AThe yellow fuel reserve warn-
ing lamp comes on while
driving.The fuel level has dropped below the
reserve mark.Refuel at the nearest gas station
(
page 247).
The fuel cap is not closed tightly.Check the fuel cap (page 247).
=The engine oil temperature
indicator comes on in the
tachometer while driving.The engine oil has not yet reached its
operating temperature.Warm up the engine and do not drive at full
power until the operating temperature has
been reached.
The symbol will go out as soon as the engine
oil has reached its operating temperature.
Page 309 of 425

308 Practical hints
What to do if ...
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
on for a maximum of 6 seconds
after starting the engine.The telltale reminds you and your passenger
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.
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.
on while the vehicle is standing
still and the engine is running or
during driving.You and/or your passenger have forgotten to
fasten your seat belts.Fasten your seat belts.
The seat belt telltale goes out.
There are items placed on the passenger seat
and therefore the system senses the passen-
ger seat as being occupied.Remove the items from the passenger
seat and put them in a safe place.
The seat belt telltale goes out.
Page 310 of 425
309 Practical hints
What to do if ...
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
telltale flashes and you addition-
ally hear an intermittent warning
chime with increasing intensity.The vehicle’s speed once exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h) and you and/or your passenger
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 passenger seat
and therefore the system senses the passen-
ger seat as being occupied.Remove the items from the passenger
seat and put them in a safe place.
The seat belt telltale goes out and the
warning chime stops sounding.
iAfter 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, the
driver’s and passenger’s seat belt are fastened,
or the vehicle is standing still and a door is
opened.
Page 311 of 425
310 Practical hints
What to do if ...
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
1The red SRS indicator lamp
comes on while the engine is
running.There is a malfunction in the restraint sys-
tems. The air bags or emergency tensioning
device (ETD) 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 that a malfunction of the SRS is
indicated as outlined above, the SRS may
not be operational. For your safety, we
strongly recommend that you contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immedi-
ately to have the system checked, otherwise
the SRS may not be deployed when needed
in an accident, 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.
Page 312 of 425

311 Practical hints
What to do if ...
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
HLow tire pressure telltale for the
TPMS illuminates continuously.The TPMS 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
situation around you.
Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display.
The low tire pressure telltale goes out
once the TPMS has been reactivated after
the tire inflation pressure has been
corrected.
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 is significantly underinflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significant-
ly underinflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure.Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect 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.