MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS 2003 Owners Manual

311 Practical hints
What to do if …?
PRE-SAFE
INACTIVE
VISIT WORKSHOP
If BAS or ESP malfunction messages are
displayed simultaneously, PRE-SAFE has
been deactivated as a result of these mal-
functions. All other occupant safety sys-
tems, such as the airbags, are still
available.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
PRE-SAFE itself has failed. All other occu-
pant safety systems, such as the airbags,
are still available.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
A
RESERVE FUEL
The fuel level has dropped below the re-
serve mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 261).
Y
HOOD OPEN!
You are driving with the hood open.

Close the hood (
page 264).
I
REMOVE KEY!
You have forgotten to remove the
SmartKey.

Remove the SmartKey from the igni-
tion.
REPLACE KEY!
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The batteries in the SmartKey are dead.

Change the batteries (
page 328).
AUTOM. LIGHT ON
REMOVE KEY!

Remove the SmartKey from the start-
er switch.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution

312 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
.
LIGHT SENSOR
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The lamp sensor is malfunctioning. The
headlamps switch on automatically.

In the control system, set lamp operation
to manual (
page 149).

Switch on headlamps using the exterior
lamp switch.
BRAKE LIGHT
VISIT WORKSHOP!
Brake lamp illumination is delayed or lamp
is permanently on.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
DISPLAY MALFUNCTION
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The display for the lamps or the system is
malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
TURN OFF LIGHTS!
Lamps have been turned on although the
SmartKey in the ignition is in position 0.

Turn off the headlamps
TURN SIG. MIRROR, L
CHECK LIGHT!

The left turn signal in the side mirror is
malfunctioning. This message will only ap-
pear if all light emitting diodes have
stopped working.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
TURN SIG. MIRROR, R
CHECK LIGHT!

The right turn signal in the side mirror is
malfunctioning. This message will only ap-
pear if all light emitting diodes have
stopped working.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
TURN SIG., LF
CHECK LIGHT!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The left front turn signal lamp is malfunc-
tioning. A back-up bulb is being used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.

313 Practical hints
What to do if …?
.
TURN SIG., RF
CHECK LIGHT!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The right front turn signal lamp is malfunc-
tioning. A back-up bulb is being used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
HIGH BEAM, L
CHECK LIGHT!
The left high beam lamp is malfunctioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
HIGH BEAM, R
CHECK LIGHT!
The right high beam lamp is malfunction-
ing.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
MARKER LIGHT, FL
CHECK LIGHT!

The front left side marker lamp is malfunc-
tioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
MARKER LIGHT, FR
CHECK LIGHT!

The front right side marker lamp is mal-
functioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
FR. L. PARK. LAMP
CHECK LIGHT!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The left parking lamps are malfunctioning.
A back-up bulb is being used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
FR. R. PARK. LAMP
CHECK LIGHT!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The right parking lamps are malfunction-
ing. A back-up bulb is being used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
STANDING LIGHT, L
CHECK LIGHT!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The left standing lamp is malfunctioning. A
back-up bulb is being used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution

314 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?.
STANDING LIGHT, R
CHECK LIGHT!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The right standing signal lamp is malfunc-
tioning. A back-up bulb is being used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
FRONT FOGLIGHT, L
CHECK LIGHT!
The left front fog lamp is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
FRONT FOGLIGHT, R
CHECK LIGHT!
The right front fog lamp is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
LOW BEAM, L
CHECK LIGHT!
The left low beam lamp is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
LOW BEAM, R
CHECK LIGHT!
The right low beam lamp is malfunction-
ing.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
3RD BRAKE LIGHT
CHECK LIGHT!

The high mounted brake lamp is malfunc-
tioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
BRAKE LIGHT, L
CHECK LIGHT!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The left brake lamp is malfunctioning. A
back-up bulb is being used.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
BRAKE LIGHT, R
CHECK LIGHT!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The right brake lamp is malfunctioning. A
back-up bulb is being used.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
REVERSE LIGHT, L
CHECK LIGHT!
The left reverse lamp is malfunctioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution

315 Practical hints
What to do if …?
.
REVERSE LIGHT, R
CHECK LIGHT!
The right reverse lamp is malfunctioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
REAR FOGLIGHT
CHECK LIGHT!

The rear fog lamp is malfunctioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
LICENSE PLATE LIGHT, L
CHECK LIGHT!
The left license plate lamp is malfunction-
ing.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
LICENSE PLATE LIGHT, R
CHECK LIGHT!
The right license plate lamp is malfunc-
tioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
TAIL LIGHT, L
CHECK LIGHT!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The left tail lamp is malfunctioning. A
back-up bulb is being used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
TAIL LIGHT, R
CHECK LIGHT!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The right tail lamp is malfunctioning. A
back-up bulb is being used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
TURN SIG., LR
CHECK LIGHT!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The left rear turn signal lamp is malfunc-
tioning. A back-up bulb is being used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
TURN SIG., RR
CHECK LIGHT!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The right rear turn signal lamp is malfunc-
tioning. A back-up bulb is being used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
!
PARK. BRAKE
RELEASE BRAKE!
You are driving with the parking brake en-
gaged.

Release the parking brake (
page 44).
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution

316 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?<
SEAT BELT SYSTEM
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The seat belt system is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
H
TIRE PRES. MONITOR

PRES. DISPLAY AFTER
DRIVING A FEW MINS. RE-
ACTIVATE USING R BUTTON
The tire pressure is being checked.
TIRE PRES. MONITOR
REACTIVATE!
The tire inflation pressure monitor* is de-
activated.

Activate the tire inflation pressure moni-
tor* (
page 276).
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
You may lose control of the vehicle. Contin-
ued driving with a flat tire will cause exces-
sive heat build-up and possibly a fire.

317 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
H
TIRE PRES. MONITOR
NOT ACTIVE
The tire inflation pressure monitor* is un-
able to monitor the tire pressure due to

the presence of several wheel sensors
in the vehicle.


excessive wheel sensor temperatures.


a nearby radio interference source.


unrecognized wheel sensors mounted.

Check the tire pressure at the next ser-
vice station.
TIRE PRES. MONITOR
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The tire inflation pressure monitor* is mal-
functioning.

Have the tire inflation pressure monitor*
checked by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

Change the wheel (
page 339).
A wheel without proper sensor was in-
stalled.

Check and correct tire pressure as re-
quired (
page 273).
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
You may lose control of the vehicle. Contin-
ued driving with a flat tire will cause exces-
sive heat build-up and possibly a fire.

318 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
H
TIRE PRES.
CAUTION, TIRE DEFECT!
One or more tires is rapidly deflating.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoid-
ing abrubt steering and braking maneu-
vers.

Change the wheel (
page 339).
TIRE PRES.
CHECK TIRES!
The tire pressure in one or more tires is al-
ready below the minimum value.
The tire pressure in one or more tires is
low.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoid-
ing abrubt steering and braking maneu-
vers.

Change the wheel (
page 339).
TIRE PRES., RF
CAUTION, TIRE DEFECT!
The right front tire is rapidly deflating.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoid-
ing abrubt steering and braking maneu-
vers.

Change the wheel (
page 339).
TIRE PRES., RF
CHECK TIRES!
The right front tire pressure is low.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt.

Check the tire pressure.

Change the wheel (
page 339).
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
You may lose control of the vehicle. Contin-
ued driving with a flat tire will cause exces-
sive heat build-up and possibly a fire.

319 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
H
TIRE PRES., LF
CAUTION, TIRE DEFECT!
The left front tire is rapidly deflating.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoid-
ing abrupt steering and braking maneu-
vers.

Change the wheel (
page 339).
TIRE PRES., LF
CHECK TIRES!
The left front tire pressure is low.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt.

Check the tire pressure.

Change the wheel (
page 339).
TIRE PRES., RR
CAUTION, TIRE DEFECT!
The right rear tire is rapidly deflating.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoid-
ing abrubt steering and braking maneu-
vers.

Change the wheel (
page 339).
TIRE PRES., RR
CHECK TIRES!
The right rear tire pressure is low.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt.

Check the tire pressure.

Change the wheel (
page 339).
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
You may lose control of the vehicle. Contin-
ued driving with a flat tire will cause exces-
sive heat build-up and possibly a fire.

320 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
H
TIRE PRES., LR
CAUTION, TIRE DEFECT!
The left rear tire is rapidly deflating.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt, avoid-
ing abrupt steering and braking maneu-
vers.

Change the wheel (
page 339).
TIRE PRES., LR
CHECK TIRES!
The left rear tire pressure is low.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt.

Check the tire pressure.

Change the wheel (
page 339).
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle.
You may lose control of the vehicle. Contin-
ued driving with a flat tire will cause exces-
sive heat build-up and possibly a fire.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
L
TELE AID
VISIT WORKSHOP!
One or more main functions of the Tele Aid
system are malfunctioning.

Have the Tele Aid system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
TELE AID BATTERY
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The emergency power battery for the Tele
Aid system is malfunctioning. If the vehicle
battery is also discharged, Tele Aid will not
be operational.

Have the Tele Aid system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.