2012 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS ESTATE Owners Manual

Information abou
tService Resetting the ASSYST PLUS service inter-
val display
!
If the ASSYST PLUS service interval dis-
play has been inadvertently reset, this set-
ting can be corrected at a qualified special-
ist workshop.
Have service work carried out as described
in the Service Booklet. This may otherwise
lead to increased wear and damage to the
major assemblies or the vehicle.
Aq ualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Ben zService Centre, will reset the
ASSYST PLUS service interval display after
the service work has been carried out. You
can also obtain further information on main-
tenance work, for example.
Special service requirements
Arduous operating conditions or increased
loads on the vehicle will require some service
work to be performed more often than for a
vehicle in normal use. Such arduous condi-
tions include regular city driving with frequent
intermediate stops and use in mountainous
terrain or on poor road surfaces.
For example, if the vehicle is used under ardu-
ous operating conditions, have air filters,
engine oil and oil filters changed frequently
and chec kthe wheels often.F urther informa-
tion can be obtained at a qualified specialist
workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Ben zService
Centre.
Driving abroad
An extensive Mercedes-Benz Service network
is also available in other countries. The
Service Hotline's curren ttelephone numbers
for use when you are abroad are to be found
in the "Mercedes-Benz Service24h" section
of the Service Booklet. AdBlue
®
service indicator
i For BlueTEC vehicles only. To function properly, BlueTEC exhaust gas
aftertreatment must be operated with the
reducing agent AdBlue
®
. AdBlue ®
is topped
up as part of the service. Under normal oper-
ating conditions, a full tank of AdBlue ®
should
last until the nexts ervice due date.
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.
Certain display messages show that
AdBlue ®
must be topped up, e.g.
Refill AdBlue at workshop See Own‐ er's Manual
Refill AdBlue at workshop No start
in .. km
Aw
arning tone also sounds.
You can no longer start the engine when the
AdBlue ®
supply has been used up
(Y page 281).
! Have the AdBlue ®
tank topped up at a
qualified specialist workshop only. The
vehicle may otherwise be damaged or
soiled.
Before taking a trip with your vehicle outside
Europe, have the AdBlue ®
supply checked at
a qualified specialist workshop. If necessary,
have AdBlue ®
topped up. Before a longer stay
outside of Europe, consult a qualified special-
ist workshop.
Observe the notes on AdBlue ®
(Y page 440).
You can obtain further informatio nabout
BlueTEC exhaust gas aftertreatment and
AdBlue ®
from any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre. Care
General notes
H
Environmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths in an environmentally responsible man-
ner. 350
CareMaintenance and care

!
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
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces or protective
films with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice
scraper. You could otherwise scratch or
damage the surfaces and protective film.
! Do not park up the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked up.
Regular care of your vehicle is a condition for
retaining the quality in the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents rec-
ommended and approved by Mercedes-Benz. Washing the vehicle and cleaning the
paintwork
Automatic car wash G
WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing
the vehicle. This could cause an accident. For
this reason, following a car wash, drive with
particular care until the brakes are dry. G
WARNING
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.
! Make sure that: R
the side windows and sliding sunroof are
closed completely.
R the blowerf or the ventilation/heating is
switched off (OFF button is depressed).
R the windscreen wiper switch is at posi-
tion 0.
The vehicle could otherwise be damaged.
! In car washes with a towing mechanism,
make sure that the automatic transmission
is in transmission position N; otherwise,
the vehicle could be damaged.
R Vehicles with DIRECT SELECT lever and
key:
do not remove the key from the ignition
lock. Do not open the driver's door or
front-passenger door when the engine is
switched off. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission selects park position P
automatically and locks the wheels. You
can prevent this by shifting the auto-
matic transmission to Nbeforehand.
R Vehicles with DIRECT SELECT lever and
KEYLESS-GO:
do not open the driver's door or front-
passenger door when the engine is
switched off. Otherwise, the automatic
transmission selects park position P
automatically and locks the wheels.
Observe the following to make sure that the
automatic transmission on vehicles with
DIRECT SELECT stays in position N:
X Make sure the vehicle is stationary and the
ignition is switched off.
X Turn the key to position 2(Ypage 161) in
the ignition lock.
Use the key instead of the Start/Stop but-
ton on vehicles with KEYLESS-GO.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake.
X Switch off the ignition and leave the key in
the ignition lock. Care
351Maintenance and care Z

You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash from the very start.
Wash off excess dirt before cleaning the vehi-
cle in an automatic car wash.
After using an automatic car wash, wipe off
wax fro
mthe windscreen and the wiper
blades. This will prevent smears and reduce
wiping noises caused by residue on the wind-
screen.
Washing by hand In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements for each indi-
vidual country.
X Do not use hot water and do not wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
X Use a soft sponge to clean.
X Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car
shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.
X Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a
gentle jet of water.
X Do not point the water jet directly towards
the air inlet.
X Use plenty of water and rinse out the
sponge frequently.
X Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
X Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the
paintwork.
When using the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible.
High-pressure cleaning equipment G
WARNING
Do not use high-pressure cleaners with circu-
lar-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean your
vehicle, in particular the tyres. You could oth-
erwise damage the tyres and cause an acci-
dent.
! Always maintain a distance of at least
30 cm between the vehicle and the high- pressure cleaner nozzle. Information about
the correct distance is available from the
equipment manufacturer.
Move the high-pressure cleaner nozzle
around when cleaning your vehicle.
Do not aim directly at any of the following:
R tyres
R door gaps, roof gaps, joints etc.
R electrical components
R battery
R connectors
R lights
R seals
R trim elements
R ventilation slots
Damaged seals or electrical components
can lead to leaks or failures.
Cleaning the paintwork !
Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
X Remove impurities immediately, where
possible, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard.
X Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
X Soak bird droppings with water and rinse
off the treated areas afterwards.
X Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin,
oils, fuels and greases by rubbing gently
with a cloth soaked in petroleum ether or
lighter fluid.
X Use tar remover to remove tar stains.
X Use silicone remover to remove wax. 352
CareMaintenance and care

Care and treatment of matt paintwork
!
Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy
wheels .Polishing makes the paintwork
shiny.
! The following may cause the paint to
become shiny and thus reduce the matt
effect:
R Vigorous rubbing with unsuitable mate-
rials.
R Frequent use of car washes.
R Washing the vehicle in direct sunlight.
! Never use paint cleaner, buffing or pol-
ishing products, or gloss preserver, e.g.
wax. These products are only suitable for
high-gloss surfaces. Their use on vehicles
with matt finish leads to considerable sur-
face damage (shiny, spotted areas).
Always have paintwork repairs performed
at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g. a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
! Do not use wash programs with a hot wax
treatment under any circumstances.
Observe these notes if your vehicle has a
clear matt finish. This will help you to avoid
damage to the paintwork due to incorrect
treatment.
These notes also apply to light-alloy wheels
with a clear matt finish.
i The vehicle should preferably be washed
by hand using a soft sponge, car shampoo
and plenty of water.
i Use only insect remover and car shampoo
from the range of recommended and
approved Mercedes-Benz care products. Cleaning vehicle parts
Cleaning the wheels !
Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products
to remove brake dust. This could damage
wheel bolts and brake components. !
Do not park up the vehicle for an extended
period straight after cleaning it, particularly
after having cleaned the wheels with wheel
cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause
increased corrosion of the brake discs and
brake pads/linings. For this reason, you
should drive for a few minutes after clean-
ing. Braking heats the brake discs and the
brake pads/linings, thus drying them. The
vehicle can then be parked up.
Cleaning the windows G
WARNING
Switch off the windscreen wipers and remove
the key from the ignition lock before cleaning
the windscreen or the wiper blades. On vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO, press the Start/Stop
button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster have gone off. The
windscreen wipers could otherwise move and
injure you.
! Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows.
Do not touch the insides of the windows
with hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or
ring. There is otherwise a risk of damaging
the windows.
! Clean the water drainage channels of the
windscreen and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals
and pollen may under certain circumstan-
ces prevent water from draining away.T his
can lead to corrosion damage and damage
to electronic components.
X Cleant he inside and outside of the win-
dows with a damp cloth and a cleaning
agent that is recommended and approved
by Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the wiper blades G
WARNING
Switch off the windscreen wipers and remove
the key from the ignition lock before cleaning Care
353Maintenance and care
Z

the windscree
northe wiper blades. On vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO, press the Start/Stop
button repeatedly until all indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster have gone off. The
windscreen wipers could otherwise move and
injure you.
! Do not pull on the wiper blade. Otherwise,
the wiper blade could be damaged.
! Do not clean wiper blades too often and
do not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the
graphite coating could be damaged. This
could cause wiper noise.
! Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windscreen could be damaged if
the wiper arm hits against it suddenly.
X Fold the wiper arms away from the wind-
screen.
X Carefully clean the wiper blades with a
damp cloth.
X Fold the windscreen wipers back again
before switching on the ignition.
Cleaning the exterior lighting !
Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths that are suitable for plastic lenses.
Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths could scratch or damage the plastic
lenses of the exterior lighting.
X Cleant he plastic lenses of the exterior
lighting using a wet sponge and a mild
cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Ben zcar
shampoo or cleaning cloths.
Mirror turn signal !
Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths that are suitable for plastic lenses.
Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths could scratch or damage the plastic
lenses of the mirror tur nsignals.
X Clean the plastic lenses of the mirror turn
signals in the exterior mirror housing using
a wet sponge and mild cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Ben
zcar shampoo or cleaning
cloths.
Cleaning the sensors !
If you clean the sensors with a high-pres-
sure cleaner, make sure that you keep a
distance of at least 30 cm between the
vehicle and the high-pressure cleane rnoz-
zle. Information about the correct distance
is available from the equipment manufac-
turer. X
Clean sensors :of the driving systems
with water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.
Cleaning the reversing camera !
Do not clean the camera lens and the area
around the reversing camera with a high-
pressure cleaner. 354
CareMaintenance and care

X
Use clear water and a soft cloth to clean
camera lens :.
Cleaning the exhaust tail pipes !
Do not clean the exhaust pipe with alka-
line-based cleaning agents, such as wheel
cleaner.
Impurities combined with the effects of road
grit and corrosive environmental factors may
cause flash rust to form on the surface. You
can restore the original shine of the exhaust
pipe by cleaning it regularly, especially in win-
ter and after washing.
X Cleant he exhaust pipe with a chrome care
product tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
Cleaning the trailer tow hitch H
Environmental note
Dispose of oily and greasy cloths in an envi-
ronmentally-responsible manner.
! Do not clean the ball coupling with a high-
pressure cleaner. Do not use solvents.
! Observe the note on care provided by the
trailer manufacturer. The ball coupling must be cleaned if it
becomes dirty or corroded.
X Remove rust, e.g. with a wire brush.
X Remove dirt with a clean, lint-free cloth or
a brush. X
After cleaning, lightly oil or grease ball cou-
pling :.
X Check that the vehicle's trailer tow hitch is
working properly.
i You can also have the maintenance work
on the ball coupling and the trailer tow hitch
carried out by a qualified specialist work-
shop. Interior care
Cleaning the display !
For cleaning, do not use any of the fol-
lowing:
R alcohol-based thinner or petrol
R abrasive cleaning agents
R commercially-available household clean-
ing agents
These may damage the display surface. Do
not put pressure on the display surface
when cleaning. This could lead to irrepara-
ble damage to the display.
X Before cleaning the display, make sure that
it is switched off and has cooled down.
X Cleant he 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.
Cleaning Night View Assist Plus !
Never clean the camera lens. When clean-
ing the field of vision of the driving systems,
make sure that you do not spray glass
cleaner on the camera lens. If the camera
lens is dirty, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop. Care
355Maintenance and care Z

X
Fold dow nthe camera cover by recess :.X
Use a soft cloth to clean the windscreen in
front of camera ;.
Cleaning the plastic trim G
WARNING
When cleaning the steering wheel boss and
dashboard, do not use cockpit sprays or
cleaning agents containing solvents. Cleaning
agents containing solvents cause the surface
to become porous, and as aresult plastic
parts may break away and be thrown around
the interior when an airbag is deployed, which
may result in severe injuries.
! Do not affix the following to plastic surfa-
ces:
R stickers
R films
R scented oil bottles or similar items
You could otherwise damage the plastic.
! Do not allow cosmetics, insect repellent
or sunscreen to come in contact with the plastic trim
.This maintains the high-quality
look of the surfaces.
X Wipe the plastic trim with a damp, lint-free
cloth, e.g. a microfibre cloth.
X Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
The surface may change colour tempora-
rily. Wait until the surface is dry again.
Cleaning the steering wheel and gear or
selector lever X
Thoroughly wipe with a damp cloth or use
leather care agents that have been recom-
mended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning wooden trim and trim ele-
ments !
Do not use solvent-based cleaning agents
such as tar remover, wheel cleaners, pol-
ishes or waxes. There is otherwise a risk of
damaging the surface.
X Wipe the wooden trim and trim elements
with a damp, lint-free cloth, e.g. a microfi-
bre cloth.
X Heavy soiling: use car care and cleaning
products recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the seat covers !
Observe the following when cleaning:
R clean genuine leather covers carefully
with a damp cloth and then wipe the cov-
ers down with a dry cloth. Make sure that
the leather does not become soaked. It
may otherwise become rough and
cracked. Only use leather care agents
that have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. You can obtain these
from a qualified specialist workshop.
R clean artificial leather covers with a cloth
moistened with a solution containing
1%detergen t(e.g. washing-up liquid). 356
CareMaintenance and care

R
clean cloth covers with a microfibre cloth
moistened with a solution containing
1%detergen t(e.g. washing-up liquid).
Rub carefully, and always wipe entire
seat sections 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 clean DINAMICA covers with a damp
cloth. Make sure that you wipe entire
seat sections to avoid leaving visible
lines.
! Do not use microfibre cloths to clean gen-
uine leather, artificial leather or DINAMICA
covers. If used often, these can damage the
cover.
i Note that regular care is essential to
make sure that the appearance and com-
fort of the covers are retained over time.
Cleaning the seat belts !
Do not clean the seat belts using chemical
cleaning agents .Do not dry the seat belts
at temperatures above 80 † or in direct
sunlight.
X Use clean, lukewarm water and soap solu-
tion.
Cleaning the roof lining and carpets X
Roof lining: if it is very dirty, use a soft
brush or dry shampoo.
X Carpets: use the carpet and textile clean-
ing agents recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Care
357Maintenance and care Z