MERCEDES-BENZ C55AMG 2006 W203 Owner's Manual

350 Practical hints
What to do if …
Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If any of the following lamps in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during thebulb self-check when switching on the
ignition, have the respective bulb checked
and replaced if necessary.
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
-The yellow ABS indicator lamp
comes on while driving.The ABS has detected a malfunction and
has switched off. The BAS and the ESP®
are also switched off (see messages in dis-
play).
The brake system is still functioning nor-
mally but without the ABS available.
If the ABS control unit is malfunctioning,
other systems such as the navigation
system* or the automatic transmission
may also be malfunctioning.
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Read and observe messages in the dis-
play (
page 358).
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of an accident.
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts. The ABS has switched off.
The battery might not be charged suffi-
ciently.When the voltage is above this value again,
the ABS is operational again and the ABS in-
dicator lamp should go out.
If the ABS indicator lamp does not go out:
Have the generator (alternator) and the
battery checked.

351 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested 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 parking brake set.Release the parking brake (page 46).
;(USA only)
3(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.Risk of accident! Carefully stop the vehi-
cle and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not add
brake fluid! This will not solve the prob-
lem.
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. Don’t add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir
can result 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.

352 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.
There is a malfunction in:

The fuel management system

The ignition system

The emission control system

Systems which affect emissions
Such malfunctions may result in excessive
emissions values and may switch the en-
gine to its limp-home (emergency
operation) mode.
Have the vehicle checked as soon as pos-
sible 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
accurate identification of system malfunc-
tions through the readout of diagnostic
trouble codes. It is located in the front left
area of the footwell next to the parking
brake pedal.
i
Some states may by law require you to
visit a workshop immediately as soon
as the engine malfunction indicator
lamp comes on. Check local require-
ments.

353 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.
Your fuel tank is empty.After refuelling start, turn off and restart
the engine three or four times in succes-
sion.
The limp-home mode is canceled. You do not
need to have your vehicle checked.
A loss of pressure has been detected in the
fuel system. The fuel cap may not be
closed properly or the fuel system may be
leaky.Check the fuel cap (page 293).
If it is not closed properly:
Close the fuel cap.
If it is closed properly:
Have the fuel system checked by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

354 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
vThe yellow ESP® warning lamp
comes on while driving.The ESP® is deactivated.
Risk of accident!
Adapt your speed and driving to the
prevailing road, weather and traffic
conditions.Switch the ESP® back on (page 84).
If the ESP
® cannot be switched back on,
have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
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.When driving off, apply as little
throttle as possible.
While driving, ease up on the
accelerator.
Adapt your speed and driving to the
prevailing road and weather
conditions.
Do not deactivate the ESP®.
Exceptions: (
page 84).
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of an accident.
The yellow fuel tank reserve
warning lamp in the fuel gauge
(
page 24) comes on while
driving.
The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.Refuel at the next gas station
(
page 293).

355 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
<The red seat belt telltale comes
on and a warning chime sounds
for approximately 6 seconds af-
ter starting the engine with all
doors closed.The seat belt telltale reminds you and your
passengers to fasten your seat belts before
driving off.Fasten your seat belts.
The seat belt telltale goes out.
The red seat belt telltale remains
illuminated after driving off. The
vehicle’s speed does not exceed
15 mph (25 km/h).You and/or your front passenger have for-
gotten to fasten your seat belts.
There are items placed on the front passen-
ger seat and therefore the system senses the
front passenger seat as being occupied.Fasten your seat belts.
Remove the items from the front pas-
senger seat and put them in a safe
place.
The red seat belt telltale flashes
and you additionally hear an in-
termittent warning signal with in-
creasing intensity for a maximum
of 60 seconds when the vehicle’s
speed exceeds 15 mph
(25 km/h).You and/or your front passenger have for-
gotten to fasten your seat belts.
There are items placed on the front passen-
ger seat and therefore the system senses the
front passenger seat as being occupied.Fasten your seat belts.
Remove the items from the front pas-
senger seat and put them in a safe
place.
i
After 60 seconds with an unfastened
seat belt the warning chime stops
sounding and the seat belt telltale illu-
minates continuously.
The seat belt telltale will only go out if
both, the driver and front passenger’s
seat belt are fastened, or the vehicle is
standing still and a front door is
opened.

356 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
1The red SRS indicator lamp comes
on while driving.There is a malfunction in the restraint
systems. The air bags or emergency
tensioning devices (ETDs) could deploy
unexpectedly or fail to deploy in an acci-
dent.Drive with added caution to the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is
indicated as outlined above, the SRS may
not be operational. For your safety, we
strongly recommend that you visit an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately 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.

357 Practical hints
What to do if …
Lamp in center console
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
56The front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp
comes on and remains illu-
minated.A BabySmartTM child seat is installed on
the front passenger seat. Therefore the
passenger front air bag is switched off.
The system is malfunctioning when
there is no BabySmartTM child seat
installed on the front passenger seat.
Have the system checked as soon as
possible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
The front passenger front
air bag off indicator lamp
does not come on or does
not remain illuminated with
a BabySmart
TM child seat
properly installed on the
front passenger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.Make sure there is nothing between seat
cushion and child seat and check
installation of the child seat.
If the front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp remains out, have the
system checked as soon as possible by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Do not use the BabySmart
TM restraint to
transport children on the front passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.

358 Practical hints
What to do if …
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display
Warning and malfunction messages
appear in the multifunction display located
in the instrument cluster.
Certain warning and malfunction messag-
es are accompanied by an audible signal.
Address these messages accordingly and
follow the additional instructions given in
this Operator’s Manual.
Selecting the vehicle status message
memory menu in the control system
(
page 134) displays both cleared and
uncleared messages.
High-priority messages appear in the
multifunction display in red color.Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset button (
page 122) or
button j, k, ÿ, orè on the
steering wheel.
Other messages of high priority and
messages of less immediate priority can
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset button (
page 122) or
button j, k, ÿ, orè on the
steering wheel. They are then stored in the
vehicle status message memory
(
page 134). Remember that clearing a
message will only make the message dis-
appear. Clearing a message will not cor-
rect the condition that caused the
message to appear.
Warning!G
All categories of messages contain
important information which should be
taken note of and, where a malfunction is
indicated, addressed as soon as possible at
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Failure to repair condition noted may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty, or result in property
damage or personal injury.

359 Practical hints
What to do if …
On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of the most important warning
and malfunction messages that may
appear in the multifunction display.
For your convenience the messages are
divided into two sections:

Text messages (page 360)

Symbol messages (page 365)
Warning!G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction
display is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see infor-
mation about your driving conditions, such
as speed or outside temperature, warning/
indicator lamps, malfunction/warning mes-
sages or the failure of any systems. Driving
characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, please do so
with added caution. Visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
i
Switching on the ignition causes all
instrument cluster lamps (except low
beam headlamp indicator lamp, high
beam headlamp indicator lamp, and
turn signal indicator lamps unless
activated) as well as the multifunction
display to come on. Make sure the
lamps and multifunction display are in
working order before starting your
journey.