brake MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS 2003 Repair Manual

308 Practical hintsWhat to do if …reservoir can result in spilling brake fluid on
hot engine parts and the brake fluid catch-
ing fire. You can be seriously burned.iIf 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.!Brake pad thickness must be visually
inspected at the intervals specified in
the Service Booklet.
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310 Practical hintsWhat to do if …F
Key recognized
in vehicle!
A KEYLESS-GO* key left in the vehi-
cle was recognized while locking the
vehicle from the outside.

Take the key out of the vehicle.
Key
Visit workshop!
The KEYLESS-GO* system is mal-
functioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Key
do not forget key
This display appears (for a maximum
of 60 seconds) if the driver’s door is
opened with the engine shut off and
no key in the starter switch.
This message is only a reminder.

Insert key in the starter switch.
_
Entry position
Do not drive!
Seat, mirrors and steering wheel
have not yet moved to their preset
driving positions.

Wait until the seat, mirrors and steering
wheel have moved to their driving positions.
The message disappears.
Except Canada:;Canada only:!
Release park. brake!
You are driving with the parking
brake set.

Release the parking brake (
page 45).
<
Visit workshop!
The seat belt system is malfunction-
ing.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Ê
Trunk open!
This message will appear whenever
the trunk lid is open.

Close the trunk lid.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
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315 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
.
Turn sig.
right
mirror
The right turn signal in the side mir-
ror is malfunctioning. This message
will only appear if all light emitting
diodes have stopped working.

Have the LEDs replaced as soon as possi-
ble.
Turn sig. front left
Back-up light on!

The left front turn signal lamp is mal-
functioning. A backup bulb is being
used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Turn sig. front right
Back-up light on!

The right front turn signal lamp is
malfunctioning. A backup bulb is be-
ing used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Brake light
Visit workshop!
Stop lamp illumination is delayed or
lamp is permanently on.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Turn off lamps!
Lamps have been turned on al-
though the key in the starter switch
is in position 0.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Brake light, left
The left brake lamp is malfunction-
ing. A backup bulb is being used.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Brake light, right
The right brake lamp is malfunction-
ing. A backup bulb is being used.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
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316 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
.
3rd stop lamp
The high mounted brake lamp is mal-
functioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
High beam, left
The left high beam lamp is malfunc-
tioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
High beam, right
The right high beam lamp is malfunc-
tioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
License plate lamp,
left
The left license plate lamp is mal-
functioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
License plate lamp,
right

The right license plate lamp is mal-
functioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Front foglight, left
The left front fog lamp is malfunc-
tioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Front foglight, right
The right front fog lamp is malfunc-
tioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Rear foglight
The rear fog lamp is malfunctioning.
A backup bulb is being used.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
Back-up lamp, left
The left backup lamp is malfunction-
ing.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
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319 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
H
Tire pressure monitor-
ing activated
The tire pressure is being checked.
Tire pressure monitor-
ing Reactivate

The tire inflation pressure monitor* is de-
activated.

Activate the tire inflation pressure moni-
tor* (
page 271).
Tire pressure monitor-
ing currently inactive
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.
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.
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320 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
H
Tire pressure monitor-
ing
Visit workshop!
The tire inflation pressure monitor is mal-
functioning.
A wheel without proper sensor was in-
stalled.

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

Change the wheel.
Tire pressure, rear left
Caution tire defect!
The left rear tire is rapidly deflating.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt,
avoiding abrupt steering and braking ma-
neuvers.

Change the wheel (
page 338).
Tire pressure, rear left
Check tires!
The left rear tire pressure is low.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt.

Check the tire pressure.

Change the wheel (
page 338).
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.
Continued driving with a flat tire will cause
excessive heat build-up and possibly a fire.
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321 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
H
Tire pressure, rear
right
Caution tire defect!
The right rear tire is rapidly deflating.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt,
avoiding abrubt steering and braking ma-
neuvers.

Change the wheel (
page 338).
Tire pressure, rear
right
Check tires!
The right rear tire pressure is low.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt.

Check the tire pressure.

Change the wheel (
page 338).
Tire pressure, front
left
Caution tire defect!
The left front tire is rapidly deflating.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt,
avoiding abrupt steering and braking ma-
neuvers.

Change the wheel (
page 338).
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. Continued
driving with a flat tire will cause excessive
heat build-up and possibly a fire.
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322 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
H
Tire pressure, front
left
Check tires!
The right rear tire pressure is low.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt.

Check the tire pressure.

Change the wheel (
page 338).
Tire pressure, front
right
Caution tire defect!
The right front tire is rapidly deflating.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt,
avoiding abrubt steering and braking ma-
neuvers.

Change the wheel (
page 338).
Tire pressure, front
right
Check tires!
The right front tire pressure is low.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt.

Change the wheel (
page 338).
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.
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333 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Rear lamps Notes on bulb replacement


Use only 12-volt bulbs of the same type
and with the specified watt rating.


Switch lights off before changing a bulb
to prevent short circuits.


Always use a clean lint-free cloth when
handling bulbs.


Y o u r h a n d s s h o u l d b e d r y a n d f r e e o f o i l
and grease.


If the newly installed bulb does not light
up, visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.


Have the LEDs and bulbs for the follow-
ing lamps replaced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center:

Additional turn signal lamps in the
exterior rear view mirrors


High mounted brake lamp


Bi-Xenon lamps


Front fog lamps
Lamp
Type
7
High mounted brake
lamp
LED
8
Tail, parking and
standing lamp
HiP
9
License plate lamps
C 5 W
Warning!
G
Keep bulbs out of reach of children.
Bulbs and bulb sockets can be very hot. Al-
low the lamp to cool down before changing
a bulb.
Halogen lamps contain pressurized gas. A
bulb can explode if you:

touch or move it when hot


drop the bulb


scratch the bulb
Wear eye and hand protection.
Because of high voltage in Bi-Xenon lamps,
it is dangerous to replace the bulb or repair
the lamp and its components. We recom-
mend that you have such work done by a
qualified technician.
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338 Practical hintsFlat tire
Flat tirePreparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle as far as possible from
moving traffic on a hard surface.

Turn on the hazard warning flashers.

Engage the steering wheel lock in the
straight-ahead position and set the
parking brake.

Move the selector lever toP.

Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Mounting the spare wheel
Preparing the vehicle
Prepare the vehicle as described under
"Preparing the vehicle" on this page.
Take the spare wheel out of the trunk
(page 324).
Lifting the vehicle

Prevent the vehicle from rolling away
by blocking wheels with wheel chocks
(not included) or other sizable objects.
When changing wheel on a level surface:

Place one chock in front of and one be-
hind the wheel that is diagonally oppo-
site to the wheel being changed.When changing wheel on a hill:

Place chocks on the downhill side
blocking both wheels of the other axle.

Take the two-piece wheel wrench and
the jack out of the trunk (
page 326).
Assemble wheel wrench.
Warning!
G
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking
up the vehicle at the jack take-up brackets
built into either side of the vehicle. To help
avoid personal injury, use the jack only to lift
the vehicle during a wheel change. Never
get beneath the vehicle while it is supported
by the jack. Keep hands and feet away from
the area under the lifted vehicle. Always
firmly set parking brake and block wheels
before raising vehicle with jack.
Do not disengage parking brake while the
vehicle is raised. Be certain that the jack is
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