MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS ESTATE 2012 Owners Manual

Immediately rinse acid
splashes off with clean
water. Consul
tadoctor if
necessary. Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Owner's Man-
ual.
G
WARNING
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use batteries which have
been tested and approved for your vehicle by
Mercedes-Benz.T hese batteries provide
increased impact protection to prevent vehi-
cle occupants from suffering acid burns
should the battery be damaged in the event
of an accident.
To prevent acid burns, observe the following
safety notes when handling batteries:
R do not lean over the battery.
R do not place any metal objects on a battery.
Otherwise, you could cause a short circuit
and the battery's gas mixture could ignite.
R make sure that you do not create an elec-
trostatic charge, e.g. by wearing synthetic
clothing or as a result of friction on fabrics.
Therefore, you should not pull or slide the
battery over carpets or other synthetic
materials.
R never touch the battery first. To discharge
a possible electrostatic charge, step out of
the vehicle first and touch the bodywork.
R do not wipe the battery using a cloth. The
battery may explode as a result of electro-
static charge or due to flying sparks. H
Environmental note Batteries contain pollutants.
It is illegal to dispose of them
with the household rubbish.
They must be collected sep-
arately and disposed of in an
environmentally responsible
recycling system. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally responsible
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or to a col-
lection point for used batter-
ies.
! Have the battery checked regularly at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Observe the service intervals in the Service
Booklet or contact a qualified specialist
workshop for more information.
! You should have all work involving the
battery carried out at aqualified specialist
workshop. In the exceptional case that it is
necessary for you to disconnect the battery
yourself, make sure that:
R you switch off the engine and remove the
key. On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO,
ensure that the ignition is switched off.
Chec kthat all the indicator lamps in the
instrument cluster are off. Otherwise,
electronic components, such as the
alternator, may be damaged.
R you first remove the negative terminal
clamp and then the positive terminal
clamp. Never swap the terminal clamps.
Otherwise, the vehicle's electronic sys-
tem may be damaged.
R in vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. The vehi-
cle is secured against rolling away.Y ou
can then no longer move the vehicle.
The battery and the cover of the positive
terminal clamp must be fitted securely dur-
ing operation. 368
Battery (vehicle)Breakdown assistance

In order for the battery to achieve the maxi-
mum possible service life, it must always be
sufficiently charged.
The vehicle battery, like other batteries, can
discharge over time if you do not use the
vehicle .Insuch cases, have the battery dis-
connected at a qualified specialist workshop.
You can also charge the battery with a
charge rrecommended by Mercedes-Benz.
For more information, please contact a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
Have the battery charge checked more fre-
quently if you use the vehicle mainly for short
trips or if you leave it standing idle for a
lengthy period. Consult a qualified specialist
workshop if you wish to leave your vehicle
parked up for a long period of time.
i When you park the vehicle, remove the
key if you do not require any electrical con-
sumers. The vehicle will then use very little
energy, thus conserving battery power.
i After an interruption of the power supply,
e.g. the battery was discharged, you have
to:
R set the clock. Information on setting the
clock can be found in the separate oper-
ating instructions.
On vehicles with COMAND Online and a
navigation system, the clock is set auto-
matically.
R reset the function for folding the exterior
mirrors in/out automatically, by folding
the mirrors out once (Y page 120).Charging the battery
G
WARNING
Only charge the battery in a well-ventilated
area. As the battery is being charged, gases
can escape and generate minor explosions.
This could injure you and other persons or
cause damage to the paintwork or acid cor-
rosion on the vehicle. You can obtain information on battery charg-
ers which allow the batter
yto be charged
while still installed from a qualified specialist
workshop. G
WARNING
There is a risk of acid burns during the charg-
ing process due to the gases which escape
from the battery. Do not lean over the battery
during the charging process. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. Avoid contact with the
skin, eyes or clothing.
! Only charge the installed battery with a
battery charger which has been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. These battery
chargers allow the battery to be charged
while still installed in the vehicle.
! Only use battery chargers with a maxi-
mum charging voltage of 14.8 V.
! Only charge the battery using the jump-
start connection point.
The jump-starting connection point is in the
engine compartment (Y page 370).
Read the battery charger's operating instruc-
tions before charging the battery.
X Open the bonnet (Y page 345).
X Connect the battery charger to the positive
terminal and earth point in the same order
as when connecting the donor battery in
the jump-starting procedure
(Y page 370). Battery (vehicle)
369Breakdown assistance Z

Jump-starting
G
WARNING
Hybrid vehicles: it is imperative that you read the "HYBRID" supplement. Otherwise, you may not
recognise dangers. G
WARNING
There is a risk of acid burns when jump-starting a vehicle due to the gases which escape from
the battery. Do not lean over the battery while the engine is being jump-started. G
WARNING
Gases escaping from the battery during jump-starting may cause minor explosions. Avoid cre-
ating sparks. Keep naked flames away from the battery, and do not smoke.
Comply with the important safety precautions when handling batteries. You will find these under
"Battery (vehicle) -important safety notes" in the index. G
WARNING
Non-combusted fuel can collect in the exhaust system and ignite. There is a risk of fire. Avoid
repeated and lengthy starting attempts.
! Vehicles with apetrol engine: avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise,
the non-combusted fuel may damage the catalytic converter.
Do not use a rapid charging device to start th evehicle. If your vehicle's battery is discharged,
the engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jump
leads. Observe the following points:
R The battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's batter yis not accessible,
jump-start the vehicle using a second battery or ajump-starting device.
R vehicles with apetrol engine: only jump-star tthe vehicle when the engine and exhaust
system are cold.
R do not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
R jump-starting may only be performed from batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
R only use jump leads that have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
R if the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected
for a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the empty battery a little.
R make sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
R The jump leads are not damaged.
R Non-insulated parts of the terminal clamps do not come into contact with other metal parts
while the jump leads are connected to the battery.
R the jump leads cannot come into contact with parts such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
These parts move when the engine is started and while it is running.
X Firmly depress the parking brake.
X Manual transmission: engage neutral.370
Jump-startingBreakdown assistance

X
Automatic transmission: move the selector lever toP.
X Switch off all electrical consumers (e.g. radio, blower, etc.).
X Open the bonnet (Y page 345).
Position number Bidentifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalen tjump-
starting device. X
Slide cover :of positive terminal ;in the direction of the arrow.
X Connect positive terminal ;on your vehicle to positive terminal =of donor battery B
using the jump lead. Always begin with positive terminal ;on your own vehicle first.
X Start the engine of th edonor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
X Connect negative terminal ?of donor battery Bto earth point Aof your vehicle using
the jump lead, connectingt he jump lead to donor battery Bfirst.
X Start the engine.
X Before disconnecting the jump leads, let the engines run for several minutes.
X First, remove the jump leads from earth point Aand negative terminal ?, then from pos-
itive terminal ;and positive terminal =, each time beginning at the contacts on your own
vehicle first.
X Close cover :of positive terminal ;after removing the jump leads.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
i Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
i Jump-starting cables and further information regarding jump starting can be obtained at
any qualified specialist workshop. Jump-starting
371Breakdown assistance Z

Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Hybrid vehicles: it is imperative tha tyou read
the "HYBRID" supplement. Otherwise, you
may not recognise dangers. G
WARNING
If you tow the vehicle, you must use a rigid
towing bar if:
R the engine is not running.
R there is a brake system malfunction.
R there is a malfunction in the power supply
or the vehicle's electrical system.
The power assistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will need more
force to steer and brake, you may have to
depress the brake pedal with maximum force.
Before towing away, make sure that the steer-
ing can be moved and is not locked.
If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehicle. G
WARNING
The vehicle is braked when the HOLD function
or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated. Therefore,
deactivate HOLD and DISTRONIC PLUS if the
vehicle is to be towed.
! Only secure the tow rope or towing bar to
the towing eyes. The vehicle may otherwise
be damaged.
! Observe the following points when towing
with a tow rope:
R secure the tow rope on the same side on
both vehicles.
R the tow rope must not be longer than is
legally permitted. It should be marked in
the middle, e.g. with a white cloth
(30 x30c m) so thatothe rroad users are
aware that a vehicle is being towed. R
the tow rope may only be attached to the
towing eyes.
R observe the brake lamps of the towing
vehicle while driving. Always maintain a
distance so that the tow rope does not
sag.
R do not use steel cables or chains to tow
your vehicle. The vehicle could be dam-
aged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
this could damage the vehicle. If in doubt,
recover the vehicle with acrane.
! Pull away smoothly when towing away or
tow-starting a vehicle. If the tractive power
is too high, the vehicles could be damaged.
! To tow vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use
the key instead of the Start/Stop button.
The automatic transmission may otherwise
switch to position Pwhen you open the
driver's or front-passenge rdoor which
could damage the transmission.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum
of 50km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must
not be exceeded.
For towing distances over 50 km, the entire
vehicle must be lifted up and transported.
! If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximu mper-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehi-
cle.
Information on your vehicle's gross vehicle
weight rating can be found on the vehicle
identification plate (Y page 435).
Observe the legal requirement sfor the rele-
vant countries when towing and tow-starting.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
If the vehicle has suffered transmission dam-
age, have it transported on a transporter or
trailer.
When towing a vehicle with an automatic
transmission, the transmission must be in
position N. 372
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R
cannot turn the key in the ignition lock to
position 2
R cannot shift the transmission to position
N on vehicles with automatic transmission
Vehicles with automatic transmission:
release the selector lever lock manually to
move it out of position P(Y page 179).
i Deactivate the automatic locking feature
(Y page 90). You could otherwise be locked
out when pushing or towing the vehicle.
Deactivate tow-away protection
(Y page 79) before the vehicle is towed. Fitting/removing the towing eye
Fitting the towing eye G
WARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be hot. You could
burn yourself if you touch the tail pipe. Be
particularly careful when removing the rear
cover. Example: Saloon, towing eye covers Vehicles with a trailer tow hitch: if you intend
to use the vehicle for towing, fold out the ball
coupling and connect the towbar to it
(Y
page 237).
The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, under the covers.
X Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (Y page 361).
X Press the mark on cover :inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Take cover :off the opening.
X Screw the towing eye in clockwise to the
stop and tighten it.
Removing the towing eye X
Loosen the towing eye and unscrew it.
X Position cover :on the bumper and press
it until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit. Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system.
Only possible on vehicles without
4MATIC.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 129).
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0and remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X When leaving the vehicle, take the key or
the KEYLESS-GO key with you.
When towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised, it is importan tthat you observe the
safety instructions (Y page 372). Towing and tow-starting
373Breakdown assistance Z

Towing the vehicle with both axles on
the ground
G
WARNING
The powe rassistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will then need
much more effort to brake and steer the vehi-
cle. Adapt your style of driving accordingly.
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 372).
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position Pwhen you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove
the key from the ignition lock. In order to
ensure that the automatic transmission stays
in position Nwhen towing the vehicle, you
must observe the following points:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary and
that the key is in position 0in the ignition
lock.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the key
instead of the Start/Stop button
(Y page 161).
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal.
X Engage neutral.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the parking brake.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 129).
X Leave the key in position 2in the ignition
lock.
i When towing with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usual to signal achange of direc-
tion. In this case, only the turn signals for
the desired direction flash. When the com- bination switch is reset, the hazard warning
lamps start flashing again. Transporting the vehicle
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components. Oth-
erwise, the vehicle could be damaged.
The towing eyes or trailer tow hitch can be
used to pull the vehicle onto a trailer or trans-
porter if you wish to transport it.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.
X Vehicles with manual transmission:
engage first or reverse gear.
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0and remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X Secure the vehicle. Notes for 4MATIC vehicles
! Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise,
the transmission may be damaged.
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it trans-
ported on a transporter or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical
system 374
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

If the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position P. To
shift the automatic transmission to position
N, you must provide powert o the vehicle's
electrical system in the same way as when
jump-starting (Y page 370).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. The transmission
may otherwise be damaged.
When tow-starting, it is important that you
observe the safety instructions (Y page 372)
and the legal requirements in each respective
country.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 129).
X Fit the towing eye (Y page 373).
X Secure the rigid towing bar or the towing
rope.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
X Depress the clutch pedal and keep it
depressed.
X Engage neutral.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Tow-start the vehicle.
X Engage second gear.
X Release the clutch pedal slowly; do not
depress the accelerator pedal while doing
so.
The engine is started.
X Depress the clutch pedal and shift to neu-
tral.
X Stop at a suitable place.
X Depress the parking brake.
X Remove the rigid towing bar or towing rope. X
Remove the towing eye (Y page 373).
X Switch off the hazard warning lamps.
Before tow-starting the following conditions
must be fulfilled:
R the battery is connected.
R the engine has cooled down.
R the exhaust system has cooled down.
You can find information on "Jump-starting"
at (Y page 370). Electrical fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only use fuses that have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which have the
correct fuse rating for the systems con-
cerned. Do not attempt to repair or bridge
faulty fuses. Using fuses which have not been
approved or attempting to repair or bridge
faulty fuses could cause the fuse to be over-
loaded and result in a fire. Have the cause
traced and rectified at a qualified specialist
workshop.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which
have the correc tfuse rating for the system
concerned. Otherwise, components or sys-
tems could be damaged.
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If afuse blows, all the compo-
nents on the circuit and their functions stop
operating.
Blown fuses must be replace dwith fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognise by
the colour and fuse rating. The fuse ratings
are listed in the fuse allocation chart.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. Electrical fuses
375Breakdown assistance Z

Before replacing a fuse
X Secure the vehicle against rolling away
(Y page 183).
X Switch off all electrical consumers.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it (Y page 161).
or
X On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, make sure
the ignition is switched off (Y page 161).
All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
must be off.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes:
R fuse bo xinthe engine compartmentont he
left-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed
in the direction of travel
R fuse box in the boot/luggage compartment
on the right-hand side of the vehicle, when
viewed in the direction of travel
The fuse allocation chart is located in the
vehicle tool kit in the stowage compartment
under the boot/luggage compartmentf loor
(Y page 361). Fuse box in the engine compartment
G
WARNING
Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
turned off and the key is pulled out of the igni-
tion lock before you open the cover of the fuse
box. Otherwise, the windscreen wipers and
the wiper rods above the cover could be set
in motion. This could lead to you or others
being injured by the wiper rods.
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it
is lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture
seeping in or dirt could otherwise impair
the operation of the fuses.
X Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
switched off.
X Open the bonnet. X
Remove any existing moisture fro mthe
fuse box using a dry cloth.
X To open: take lines ;from the guides.
X Move aside lines ;.Route the lines behind
connection =to do this.
X Open clamps :.
X Remove the fuse box cover forwards.
X To close: check whether the rubber seal is
lying correctly in the cover.
X Insert the cover at the rear of the fuse box
into the retainer.
X Fold down cover and close clamps :.
X Secure lines ;in the guides.
X Close the bonnet. Fuse box in the boot
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it
is lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture
seeping in or dirt could otherwise impair
the operation of the fuses.
X Open the boot lid. 376
Electrical fusesBreakdown assistance

X
To open: release cover :at the top right
and left-hand sides with a fla tobject.
X Open cover :downwards in the direction
of the arrow. Fuse box in the luggage compartment
! Make sure that no moisture can enter the
fuse box when the cover is open.
! When closing the cover, make sure that it
is lying correctly on the fuse box. Moisture
seeping in or dirt could otherwise impair
the operation of the fuses.
X Open the tailgate. X
To open: pull handle :on the cover.
X Swing the cover down.
X Swing trim ;forwards. Electrical fuses
377Breakdown assistance Z