2009 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS SALOON ESP

and wheels" section in the "Technical data"
chapter.
R snow chains must not be fitted to emer-
gency spare wheels, e.g. a "Minispare"
emergency spare wheel.
R Only fit snow chains in pairs and to the rear
wheels, even on vehicles with 4MATIC*.
Comply with the manufacturer's installa-
tion instructions.
On vehicles with AIRMATIC*, if snow chains
have been fitted, you may only drive at raised
vehicle level (Y page 154).
Do not exceed the maximum permissible
speed of 50 km/h.
i You may wish to deactivate ESP ®
when
pulling away with snow chains fitted
(Y page 60). This way, you can allow the
wheels to spin in a controlled manner, ach-
ieving an increased driving force (cutting
action). Winter driving
G
Risk of accident
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid.
You should drive particularly carefully on slip-
pery road surfaces. Avoid sudden accelera-
tion, steering and braking manoeuvres.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
X Vehicles with manual transmission: engage
neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission*:
shift the selector lever to N.
X Try to bring the vehicle under control by
using corrective steering. Driving tips
Rolling with the engine switched off
G
Risk of accident
Never switch the engine off while the vehicle
is in motion.
There is no power assistance for the steering
and the service brake when the engine is not
running.
You will require considerably more effort to
steer and brake and you could therefore lose
control of the vehicle and cause an accident. Brakes
G
Risk of accident
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on a slippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. G
Risk of accident
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking.
Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill stretches, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer,
you must shift to a lower gear in good time or,
on vehicles with automatic transmission*,
select shift range 1,2or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, Speedtronic or Distronic
Plus*.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly. If you need
additional braking, depress the brake pedal
repeatedly rather than continuously. Driving tips
231Operation
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Heavy and light loads
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately, but
drive on for a short while. This allows the air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly. G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by applying constant slight
pedal pressure. This causes the brake system
to overheat, increases the braking distance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet roads If driving in heavy rain for a prolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes when brak-
ing for the first time. You must brake harder.
You must therefore maintain a greater dis-
tance from the vehicle in front.
After driving on a wet surface, brake firmly
while paying attention to the traffic condi-
tions. This way the brake discs will become
warm, drying more quickly, which will protect
them against corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt
treated roads G
Risk of accident
The layer of salt on the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings may cause a delay in the
braking effect, resulting in a significantly lon-
ger braking distance, which could lead to an
accident.
To avoid this danger, you should:
R occasionally brake carefully, without put-
ting other road users at risk, when you are
driving on salted roads. This helps to remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain a greater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are removed
from the brake disc.
New brake pads/linings For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspond to an equivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not
been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety.
G
Risk of accident
New brake pads/linings only reach their opti-
mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Before this optimum brak-
ing effect is reached, you should compensate
for the reduced braking effect by applying
greater pressure when braking. This also
applies after the brake discs or the brake
pads/linings have been replaced.
High-performance brake system for
AMG vehicles The high-performance brake system is
designed for heavy loads. Braking can there-
fore cause noises. This will depend on:
R
speed
R braking force
R environmental conditions, such as temper-
ature and humidity
The wear of individual components of the
brake system, such as the brake pads/linings
or brake discs, depends on the individual driv-
ing style and operating conditions. 232
Driving tipsOperation
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i
On vehicles without level control, the
height of the ball coupling will alter accord-
ing to the load placed on the vehicle. If nec-
essary, use a trailer with a height-adjusta-
ble drawbar.
Coupling up a trailer G
Risk of injury
Do not disconnect a trailer with an engaged
overrun brake. Otherwise, your hand could
become trapped between the bumper and
trailer drawbar.
! Do not disconnect a trailer with an
engaged overrun brake. Otherwise, your
vehicle could be damaged by the rebound-
ing of the overrun brake.
X Position the trailer level behind the vehicle.
X Couple up the trailer.
X Establish the electrical connection
between the vehicle and the trailer.
Driving tips G
Risk of accident
If the Check trailer hitch locking
mechanism message appears in the multi-
function display while the vehicle is in motion,
pull over immediately and check whether the
ball coupling is correctly engaged.
i Observe the notes on ESP ®
trailer stabi-
lisation (Y page 60).
In Germany, the maximum permissible speed
for vehicle/trailer combinations depends on
the type of trailer and is either 80 km/h or
100 km/h. Before beginning the journey,
check the trailer's documents to see what the
maximum permitted speed is. G
Risk of accident
Always observe the maximum speed permit-
ted in Germany for vehicle/trailer combina-
tions, even in countries where higher speeds are permitted. This lowers the risk of an acci-
dent.
When towing a trailer, your vehicle's handling
characteristics will be different in comparison
to when driving without a trailer.
The vehicle/trailer combination:
R is heavier
R is restricted in its acceleration and gradi-
ent-climbing capability
R has an increased braking distance
R is affected more by strong crosswinds
R demands more sensitive steering
R consumes more fuel
On long and steep downhill gradients you
must select a lower gear in good time, or on
vehicles with automatic transmission*, select
shift range 1,2or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, Speedtronic or Distronic
Plus*.
This will use the braking effect of the engine,
so less braking will be required to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly. If you need
additional braking, depress the brake pedal
repeatedly rather than continuously. G
Risk of accident
Never depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brakes to rub by applying constant slight
pedal pressure. This causes the brake system
to overheat, increases the braking distance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely. 236
Trailer towingOperation
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X
Grasp release wheel ;with your hand
such that the thumb is in the thumb rest
and turn it anti-clockwise.
The ball coupling unlocks and lowers. Indi-
cator lamp :flashes. X
Press the ball coupling in the direction of
the arrow until it engages behind the
bumper.
Indicator lamp :goes out and the mes-
sage in the multi-function display disap-
pears. Trailer power supply
When it leaves the factory, your vehicle's
trailer socket outlet is equipped with a per-
manent power supply and a power supply that
is switched on via the ignition lock.
The permanent power supply is supplied via
trailer socket pin 9.
The power supply that is switched on via the
ignition lock is supplied via trailer socket
pin 10.
! You can connect consumers with a power
rating of up to 240 W to the permanent
power supply and up to 180 W to the power
supply that is switched on via the ignition
lock.
You must not charge a trailer battery using
the power supply.
The trailer's permanent power supply is
switched off in the event of low vehicle supply
voltage and after six hours at the latest. You can obtain further information about
installing the trailer electrics from a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
X
To switch the connected power supply
on or off: turn the key in the ignition lock
to position 2or 0, respectively. Bulb failure indicator for LEDs
i If LED lamps are fitted in the trailer, an
error message may appear in the multi-
function display – even if there is no fault –
if the corresponding LED chain's current
draw drops below 50 milliamperes (mA).
To ensure reliable operation of the bulb failure
indicator, a minimum current of 50 mA must
be guaranteed by the manufacturer of each
LED chain in the trailer lighting. Trailer with 7-pin connector
If your trailer has a 7-pin connector, you can
connect it to the 13-pin socket on the ball
coupling using an adapter or, if necessary, an
adapter cable. Both of these can be obtained
at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. at a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Fitting the adapter 238
Trailer towingOperation
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Depending on how and where the vehicle is
used, there may be an increase in the
AdBlue ®
consumption, resulting in the next
service due date being brought forward.
The following messages tell you about the
AdBlue ®
supply:
Refill AdBlue at workshop See Own‐
er's Manual
Refill AdBlue at workshop No start
in ... km
Before taking a trip with your vehicle outside
Europe, have the AdBlue ®
supply checked
and, if necessary, topped up at a qualified
specialist workshop. Before using your vehi-
cle for an extended period in countries out-
side Europe, contact a qualified specialist
workshop.
! Have the AdBlue ®
tank topped up at a
qualified specialist workshop only. The
vehicle may otherwise be damaged or
soiled.
Damage or consequential damage is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz implied
warranty.
You can obtain general information about
BlueTEC exhaust gas aftertreatment and
AdBlue ®
from any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
Further information about AdBlue ®
(Y page 335). Care
Care and cleaning products
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use only care products and cleaning agents
recommended and approved by Mercedes-
Benz. !
For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any
of the following:
R dry, rough or hard cloths
R abrasive cleaning agents
R solvents
R cleaning agents containing solvents
and do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces and protective
films with hard objects, e.g. rings or ice
scrapers. You could otherwise scratch or
damage the surfaces and protective film. H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging, cleaning cloths
and polishing wads in an environmentally
responsible manner.
! Do not park the vehicle for a long period
of time directly after cleaning, especially if
the wheels have just been cleaned with a
wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
rapid corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. After cleaning, park
the vehicle when it is at normal operating
temperature. Exterior care
Automatic car wash G
Risk of accident
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or Distronic Plus* is activated. Therefore,
deactivate the HOLD function and Distronic
Plus before the vehicle is washed in an auto-
matic car wash. G
Risk of accident
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. This could cause an accident. For
this reason, until the brakes are dry, drive with
particular care after the vehicle is washed.
You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the beginning. 240
CareOperation
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!
Observe the note on care provided by the
trailer manufacturer.
i Maintenance of the ball coupling and
trailer coupling can also be performed by
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. H
Environmental note
Dispose of oily and greasy cloths in an envi-
ronmentally-responsible manner. Interior care
Cleaning the steering wheel boss and
dashboard G
Risk of injury
Do not use cleaning agents and cockpit care
spray containing solvents to clean the dash-
board and the steering wheel boss. If cleaning
agents containing solvents are used the sur-
faces become porous, then if an airbag is
deployed the disintegrating plastic parts may
cause serious injury.
X Wipe the dashboard and steering wheel
boss with a damp, lint-free cloth (e.g. a
microfibre cloth) and cleaning agent.
X Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the COMAND display X
Before cleaning the display, make sure that
it is switched off and has cooled down.
X Clean the display surface using a commer-
cially-available microfibre cloth and TFT/
LCD display cleaner.
X Dry the display surface using a dry micro-
fibre cloth.
! For cleaning, do not use any of the fol-
lowing: R
alcohol-based solvents or petrol
R abrasive cleaning agents
R commercially-available household clean-
ing agents
These may damage the display surface. Do
not exert pressure when cleaning the dis-
play surface as this may lead to irreversible
damage.
Cleaning the seat covers !
Do not use microfibre cloths to clean gen-
uine leather, artificial leather or
Alcantara ®
covers, as these are too aggres-
sive and, if used often, may damage the
cover.
! Clean:
R genuine leather covers with a damp
cloth, then wipe the covers down with a
dry cloth. Make sure that the leather
does not become soaked. For leather
care, use a leather care agent recom-
mended by Mercedes-Benz. You can
obtain information about this from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
R artificial leather covers with a cloth mois-
tened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. washing-up liquid).
R cloth covers with a microfibre cloth mois-
tened with a solution containing 1%
detergent (e.g. washing-up liquid). Rub
carefully and always wipe entire seat sec-
tions to avoid leaving visible lines. Leave
the seat to dry afterwards. Cleaning
results depend on the type of dirt and
how long it has been there.
R Alcantara ®
covers with a damp cloth.
Make sure you wipe entire seat sections
to avoid leaving visible lines.
i Note that regular care is essential to
ensure that the quality (both appearance
and comfort) of the covers is retained over
time. 244
CareOperation
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Vehicles with a "Minispare" emer-
gency spare wheel* (Estate)
X
Estate without a folding bench seat*:
open the EASY-PACK folding luggage com-
partment floor ( Ypage 204).
X Estate with a folding bench seat *:
remove the seat cushions of the folding
bench seat (Y page 83). Estate without a folding bench seat
X
Estate without a folding bench seat*:
remove stowage space :.
X Estate with folding bench seat*: open
the luggage compartment floor.
Remove the "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel* (Saloon and Estate with-
out folding bench seat*) X
Remove vehicle tool kit tray :.
X Turn stowage well ;anti-clockwise and
remove it.
X Take out "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel =. Remove the "Minispare" emergency
spare wheel* (Estate with folding
bench seat*)
X
Remove vehicle tool kit tray :by
recess ;.
X Take out "Minispare" emergency spare
wheel =. Display messages
Notes
G
Risk of accident
The on-board computer only records and
shows malfunctions and warnings from cer-
tain systems. Therefore, make sure that your
vehicle is safe to use. You could otherwise
cause an accident by driving an unsafe vehi-
cle.
Certain display messages are accompanied
by a warning tone or a continuous tone.
The multi-function display shows high-priority
display messages in red.
Please respond in accordance with the dis-
play messages and follow the additional
notes in this Owner's Manual. G
Risk of accident
If the instrument cluster or the multi-function
display fails, then no display messages can be
shown.
You will not then be able to see information
about the vehicle status, such as speed and Display messages
251Practical advice
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outside temperature, warning and indicator
lamps, display messages or the failure of sys-
tems. The vehicle’s handling characteristics
may be affected. Adapt your driving style and
speed accordingly.
Immediately consult a qualified specialist
workshop which has the necessary specialist
knowledge and tools to carry out the work
required. Mercedes-Benz recommends that
you use a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for
this purpose. In particular, work relevant to
safety or on safety-related systems must be
carried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
When you stop and park the vehicle, please
observe the instructions provided for HOLD
(Y page 151)and parking (Y page 107).
Calling up display messages The on-board computer saves certain display
messages, which you can call up.
X Press =or; on the steering wheel
to select the Servicemenu.
If there are display messages, the multi-
function display shows, e.g. 2 messages.
X Using 9or: select the entry, e.g.
2 messages. X
Confirm with a.
X Using :or9 scroll through the dis-
play messages.
Hiding display messages You cannot hide display messages of the
highest priority. The multi-function display
shows these messages continuously until
their causes have been remedied.
Use the buttons on the multi-function steer-
ing wheel.
X
Use the aor% button on the steer-
ing wheel to hide the display message.
The following tables contain all the display
messages. Text messages
G
Risk of accident and injury
The operating safety of the vehicle can be compromised if maintenance work is carried out
incorrectly. This could cause you to lose control of the vehicle and cause an accident. The safety
systems may also not be able to protect you or others as they are designed to do.
Always have maintenance work carried out at a qualified specialist workshop. The qualified spe-
cialist workshop must have the necessary specialist knowledge and tools to carry out the work
required. Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this
purpose. In particular, work relevant to safety or on safety-related systems must be carried out
at a qualified specialist workshop. 252
Display messagesPractical advice
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