Warning/
indicator
lampNSignal type
Possible causes/consequences and M
Solutions
?NThe red coolant warning lamp comes on while the engine is running.
The coolant level is too low.
If the coolant level is correct, the airflow to the engine radiator may be blocked or
the electric engine radiator fan may be malfunctioning.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
XObserve the display messages.
XStop the vehicle immediately, paying attention to road and traffic conditions,
and switch off the engine.
XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling away (Ypage 133).
XExit the vehicle and keep a safe distance from the vehicle until the engine has
cooled down.
XCheck the coolant level and add coolant, observing the warning notes
(Ypage 253).
XIf you have to add coolant more frequently, have the engine cooling system
checked.
XMake sure that the air supply to the radiator is not obstructed, by frozen slush
for example.
XCheck the coolant temperature:
Rusing the display in the on-board computer on vehicles without steering wheel
buttons (Ypage 173)
Rusing the analog display in the instrument cluster on vehicles with steering
wheel buttons (Ypage 39)
XDo not start the engine again until the coolant temperature is below the maxi-
mum value specified below. The engine could otherwise be damaged.
XDrive to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
Avoid heavy loads on the engine, e.g. driving in mountainous terrain, and stop-
start traffic.
Under normal operating conditions and with the specified coolant level, the cool-
ant temperature gage may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
?N The red coolant warning lamp comes on while the engine is running. An addi-
tional warning tone sounds.
The coolant temperature has exceeded the maximum value specified below. The
airflow to the engine radiator may be blocked or the coolant level may be too low.
GWARNING
The engine is not being cooled adequately and could become damaged.
Never drive with an overheated engine. Otherwise, fluids which may have leaked
into the engine compartment could catch fire.
In addition, steam from an overheated engine can cause serious burns, which can
occur just by opening the hood.
There is a risk of injury.
XObserve the display messages.
XStop the vehicle immediately, paying attention to road and traffic conditions,
and switch off the engine.
XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling away (Ypage 133).
226Indicator and warning lamps in the instrument cluster
On-board computer and displays
Warning/
indicator
lampNSignal type
Possible causes/consequences and M
Solutions
XExit the vehicle and keep a safe distance from the vehicle until the engine has
cooled down.
XCheck the coolant level and add coolant, observing the warning notes
(Ypage 253).
XIf you have to add coolant more frequently, have the engine cooling system
checked.
XMake sure that the air supply to the radiator is not obstructed, by frozen slush
for example.
XCheck the coolant temperature:
Rusing the display in the on-board computer on vehicles without steering wheel
buttons (Ypage 173)
Rusing the analog display in the instrument cluster on vehicles with steering
wheel buttons (Ypage 39)
XIf the coolant temperature is below the maximum value specified below, you can
continue driving to the nearest qualified specialist workshop.
Avoid heavy loads on the engine, e.g. driving in mountainous terrain, and stop-
start traffic.
Under normal operating conditions and with the specified coolant level, the cool-
ant temperature gage may rise to 248 ‡ (120 †).
Driving systems
Warning/
indicator
lampNSignal type
Possible causes/consequences and M
Solutions
·NThe red distance warning lamp lights up while the vehicle is in motion.
The distance to the vehicle in front is too small for the speed selected.
XIncrease the distance.
·N The red distance warning lamp lights up while the vehicle is in motion. An
additional warning tone sounds.
You are approaching a vehicle or a stationary obstacle in your line of travel at too
high a speed.
XBe prepared to brake immediately.
XPay particular attention to the traffic situation. You may have to brake or take
evasive action.
Further information about the distance warning function can be found under
"COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST" (
Ypage 144).
Indicator and warning lamps in the instrument cluster227
On-board computer and displays
Z
Useful information
This Operator's Manual describes all models as
well as standard and optional equipment of your
vehicle that were available at the time of going
to print. Country-specific variations are possi-
ble. Note that your vehicle may not be equipped
with all of the described functions. This also
applies to systems and functions relevant to
safety.
Read the information on qualified specialist
workshops (
Ypage 31).
Engine compartment
Hood
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the hood is unlatched, it may open up when the vehicle is in motion and block your view.
There is a risk of an accident.
Never unlatch the hood while driving. Before
every trip, ensure that the hood is locked.
GWARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is over-
heated or when there is a fire in the engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There is a risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department.
GWARNING
The engine compartment contains moving
components. Certain components, such as
the radiator fan, may continue to run or start
again suddenly when the ignition is off. There is a risk of injury.
If you need to do any work inside the engine
compartment:
Rswitch off the ignition
Rnever reach into the area where there is a
risk of danger from moving components,
such as the fan rotation area
Rremove jewelry and watches
Rkeep items of clothing and hair, for exam-
ple, away from moving parts
GWARNING
The ignition system operates with a high volt- age. If you touch the live components, you
could receive an electric shock. There is an
increased risk of injury.
Never touch components of the ignition sys-
tem if:
Rthe engine is running or being started
Rthe key is in radio position or drive position
in the ignition lock
The live components of the ignition system are,
for example:
Rignition coils
Rspark plug connectors
Rdiagnostic sockets
GWARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, such as the engine, radiator and parts
of the exhaust system, can become very hot.
Working in the engine compartment poses a
risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down and touch only the components described in the
following.
If you have to carry out work in the engine com-
partment, only touch the following components:
Rhood
Roil dipstick
Rengine oil filler neck cap
Rwasher fluid reservoir cap
Rcoolant expansion tank cap
250Engine compartment
Maintenance and care
XHold support strut?and lift the hood
slightly.
XGuide support strut ?towards retainer =
and apply slight pressure to make it engage.
XLower the hood and allow it to fall with
momentum from a height of approximately
1 ft (30 cm).
The hood locks audibly.
XCheck that the hood is correctly locked.
If the hood can be raised slightly, it is not
properly engaged. If the hood is not correctly
engaged, open the hood again. Let the hood
fall with a little more momentum.
Overview of the engine compartment
Engine compartment (example)
:
Engine oil filler neck cap (Ypage 252)
;Brake fluid reservoir cap (Ypage 255)
=Coolant expansion tank cap (Ypage 253)
?Washer fluid reservoir cap (Ypage 256)
Regularly check the fluid level and the assembly
for leaks. If you detect fluid loss, e.g. oil stains
on the vehicle parking space, consult a qualified
specialist workshop immediately.
Engine oil
General notes
!Engine oil gets dirty in the course of opera-
tion and its quality and volume are gradually
diminished. Regularly check the oil level, and
top up or have it replaced as needed.
Observe the information on approved engine
oils and oil consumption under "Service prod-
ucts and capacities" (
Ypage 307). You can check the oil level in the engine:
Rwith the oil dipstick
Checking the oil level using the oil dip-
stick
GWARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is over-
heated or when there is a fire in the engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There is a risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department.
GWARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, such as the engine, radiator and parts
of the exhaust system, can become very hot.
Working in the engine compartment poses a
risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down and touch only the components described in the
following.
Oil dipstick and engine oil filler neck
Only check the oil level when the engine is at
normal operating temperature.
XStop your vehicle as far away from traffic as
possible on level ground.
XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
XSwitch off the engine.
XWait for five minutes.
252Engine compartment
Maintenance and care
XOpen the hood (Ypage 251).
XPull out oil dipstick:.
XWipe oil dipstick:using a lint-free cloth.
XInsert oil dipstick :back into the guide tube
as far as it will go and remove it again.
If the level is between MIN mark =and MAX
mark ;, the oil level is adequate.
XIf the oil level has dropped to or below mini-
mum mark =, open cap ?and add engine oil
(
Ypage 253).
The difference in quantity between marks ;
and =is approximately 2 US quarts (2 liters).
XClose the hood.
Adding engine oil
GWARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is over-
heated or when there is a fire in the engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There is a risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department.
GWARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, such as the engine, radiator and parts
of the exhaust system, can become very hot.
Working in the engine compartment poses a
risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down and touch only the components described in the
following.
GWARNING
If engine oil comes into contact with hot com- ponents in the engine compartment, it may
ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Make sure that engine oil is not spilled next to
the filler neck. Let the engine cool down and
thoroughly clean the engine oil off the com-
ponents before starting the engine.
HEnvironmental note
When adding oil, take care not to spill any. If
oil enters the soil or waterways, it is harmful to
the environment.
!Do not add too much oil. adding too much
engine oil can result in damage to the engine
or to the catalytic converter. Have excess
engine oil siphoned off.
!Do not use any additives in the engine oil.
This could damage the engine.
Engine oil filler neck (example)
Observe the information regarding approved
motor oil under "Service products and capaci-
ties" (
Ypage 307).
XOpen the hood (Ypage 251).
XUnscrew and remove cap :.
XAdd engine oil.
XReplace cap:on the filler neck and tighten.
When doing so, make sure that the cap
engages correctly.
XCheck the oil level with the oil dipstick
(Ypage 252).
XClose the hood.
Coolant
GWARNING
Service products may be poisonous and haz-
ardous to health. There is a risk of injury.
Comply with instructions on the use, storage
and disposal of service products on the labels
of the respective original containers. Always
store service products sealed in their original
Engine compartment253
Maintenance and care
Z
containers. Always keep service products outof the reach of children.
GWARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is over-
heated or when there is a fire in the engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There is a risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department.
GWARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, such as the engine, radiator and parts
of the exhaust system, can become very hot.
Working in the engine compartment poses a
risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down and touch only the components described in the
following.
Coolant contains glycol and is therefore poison-
ous. Also observe the safety notes under "Ser-
vice products and capacities" (
Ypage 304).
GWARNING
The cooling system is pressurized, particularly
when the motor is warm. If you open the cap,
you could be scalded if hot coolant sprays out.
There is a risk of injury.
Let the engine cool down before you open the
cap. Wear gloves and eye protection. Slowly
open the cap to relieve pressure.
Only check the coolant level and/or fill the cool-
ant if the vehicle is on a level surface and the
engine has cooled down. The coolant tempera-
ture must be below 122 ‡ (50 †).
!Check the engine cooling and heating sys-
tem regularly for leaks.
If a large quantity of coolant is lost, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
GWARNING
If antifreeze comes into contact with hot com- ponents in the engine compartment, it may
ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Let the engine cool down before you add anti-
freeze. Make sure that antifreeze is not spilled
next to the filler neck. Thoroughly clean the
antifreeze from components before starting
the engine.
!Take care not to spill any coolant on painted
surfaces. You could otherwise damage the
paintwork.
Example: cap and coolant expansion tankChecking the coolant level
XStop your vehicle as far away from traffic as
possible on level ground.
XSwitch off the engine.
XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
XOpen the hood (Ypage 251).
XAllow the engine to cool down.
XUnscrew cap :slowly about half a turn coun-
ter-clockwise and allow excess pressure to
escape.
XTurn cap :further and remove it from cool-
ant expansion tank ;.
XCheck the coolant level.
If the coolant is up to marker bar =in the
filler neck when cold, there is a sufficient
amount of coolant in coolant expansion
tank ;.
If the coolant is approximately 0.59 in
(1.5 cm) above marker bar =in the filler neck
when warm, there is a sufficient amount of
coolant in coolant expansion tank ;.
254Engine compartment
Maintenance and care
Adding coolant
XIfthe coolant drops under marker bar=in
the filler neck, add coolant.
Observe the information on the correct cool-
ant mixture rat ioand the required water qual-
ity under "Service products and capacities"
(
Ypage 309). To prevent damage to the
engine co oling system, use only appr oved
corrosion inh ibitor/antifreeze that co mplies
wit h the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for
Service Products.
XReplac e cap:and tighten ina clock wise
dire ction.
XStart the engine.
XSet the temperature inthe veh icleinterior to
the maximum output on the air-conditioning
system control panel.
XAfter approximate lyfive minutes, switch off
the engine again and allow itto cool down.
XCheck the coolant level again and add coolant
ifnecessary.
XClose the hood.
Brake fluid
GWAR NING
Service products may be poisonous and haz-
ardous to health. There isa risk of injury.
Comp ly with instructions on the use, storage
and dispo sal of service products on the labels
of the respective original containers. Always
store service products sealed intheir original
containers. Always keep service products out
of the reach of ch ildren.
GWAR NING
Opening the hood when the engine isover-
heated or when there isa fire inthe engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There isa risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool downbefore
opening the hood. Ifthere isa fire inthe
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department.
GWARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, such as the engine, radiator and parts
of the exhaust system, can become very hot.
Working in the engine compartment poses a
risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool downand
touch only the components describe d in the
foll owin g.
Brake fluid is hazardous to health. Also observe the safety notes under "Service products and
capacities" (
Ypage 304).
GWARNING
The brake fluid constantly absorbs moisture
from the air. This lowers the boiling point of
the brake fluid. Ifthe boilin g point of the brake
fluid is too low,vapor pockets may form in the
brake system when the brakes are applied
hard. This would impair braking efficiency.
There is a risk of an accident.
You should have the brake fluid renewed at
the specified intervals.
!If the brake fluid level in the brake fluid res-
ervoir has fallen to the MIN mark or below,
check the brake system immediately for
leaks. Also check the thickness of the brake
linings. Visit a qualified specialist workshop
immediately.
Do not add brake fluid. This does not correct
the malfunction.
!Brake fluid corrodes paint, plastic and rub-
ber. Ifpaint, plastic or rubber has come into
contact with brake fluid, rinse with water
immediately.
Have the brake fluid renewed every two years at a qualified specialist workshop. Observe the
information regarding brake fluid in the "Service
products and capacities" section (
Ypage 309).
Engine compartment255
Maintenance and care
Z
and associated spray produced by the power
washer could cause extensive damage to thevehicle.
!When using high-pressure cleaning equip-
ment, maintain a minimum distance of
approx. 1 ft (30 cm)betwee nthe spra ynozzle
and th evehicl eparts. Do no tuse apowe r
washer wit h around-jet nozzle. You could
damage th evehicl eor engin eparts.
!Kee pth ewater je tmovin gconstantl ywhile
cleaning .This will avoid causin gdamage to
th evehicle.
Do no tpoin tth ewater je tat:
Rdoo rjoints
Rrear vie wcamera
Rair bellows
Rbrak ehoses
Rwhee lbalance weights
Relectrica lcomponent s
Relectricalconnection s
Rseals
Rdrive train ,especially no tat th eintermedi-
ate bearin gof th epropelle rshaf t
Cleaning the engine
!Water mus tno tente rintak eor ventilation
openings. Whe ncleaning wit hhigh pressur e
water or steam cleaners ,th espray mus tno t
be aime ddirectl yat electrica lcomponent sor
th eterminals of electrica llines.
Preserve th eengin eafter th eengin ehas been
cleaned. Protect th ebelt drive system from
exposure to th epreservative agent.
Also observ eth einformation under "Powe r
washers " (
Ypage 264).
Cleaning the paintwork
!Do notaffix:
Rstickers
Rfilm s
Rmagneti cplates or similar items
to painte dsurfaces. You could otherwise
damage th epaintwork .
Scratches, corrosiv edeposits, area saffecte dby
corrosio nand damage caused by inadequate
car ecanno talways be completely repaired. In
suc hcases, visit aqualified specialist workshop .
XRemove impurities immediately, wher epos -
sible, whils tavoidin grubbin gto ohard.
XSoak insec tremain swit hinsec tremove rand
rinse off th etreated area safterwards .
XSoak birddroppings wit hwater and rinse off
th etreated area safterwards .
XRemove coolant, brak efluid, tree resin ,oils ,
fuel sand greases by rubbin ggentl ywit h a
cloth soaked in petroleum ether or lighte r
fluid.
XUse tar remove rto remove tar stains.
XUse silicon eremove rto remove wax .
Cleaning the windows
GWARNING
You could become trapped by th ewindshield
wiper sif they start movin gwhile cleaning th e
windshield or wiper blades. There is aris kof
injury.
Always switch off th ewindshield wiper sand
th eignition before cleaning th ewindshield or
wiper blades.
!Do no tfol dth ewindshield wiper saway from
th ewindshield unless th ehoo dis closed .Oth-
erwise, you could damage th ehood.
!Hold th ewiper arm securel ywhen foldin g
back. The windshield could be damaged if th e
wiper arm smack sagainst it suddenly.
!Do no tuse dry cloths, abrasiv eproducts ,
solvents or cleaning agents containin gsol-
vents to clean th einside of th ewindows .Do
no ttouch th einside sof th ewindows wit h
har dobjects ,e.g. an ice scrape ror ring. There
is otherwise aris kof damagin gth ewindows .
!Clean thewater drainag echannels of th e
windshield and th erear window at regular
intervals. Deposit ssuc has leaves, petals and
pollen may under certain circumstances pre -
ven twater from draining away. This can lead
to corrosio ndamage and damage to elec -
tronic components.
XClean th einside and outside of th ewindows
wit h a damp cloth and acleaning agen tthat is
recommended and approve dby Mercedes -
Benz .
Care265
Maintenance and care
Z