warning MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS CABRIOLET 2011 Owners Manual

G
WARNING
Never leave the vehicl ewhen it is held by hill
start assist. After approximatel yone second,
hills tart assist willnol onger brake yourv ehi-
cle and it could roll away.
X Take your foot off the brake pedal.
i Oncey ou have taken your foot off the
brake pedal, the vehicle is held for around
one second.
X Pull away.
Hill start assist will not function if:
R you are pulling away on alevel road or a
downhill gradient.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is in position N.
R the parking brake is applied.
R ESP ®
is malfunctioning. ECO start/stop function
General notes The ECO start/stop function is only available
for the
E200 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY model with
manual transmission.
The ECO start/stop function switches the
engine off automatically in certain situations.
The engine start sautomatically when you pull
away again. The ECO start/stop function
thereby helps you to reduce the fuel con-
sumption and emissions of your vehicle. The ECO start/stop function is activated each
time the engine is switched on. The system is operational when ECO symbol
:is shown in
the multifunction display.
! Always switch the ignition off and take the
key with you when leaving the vehicle.
Automatic engine switch-off The ECO start/stop function switches off the
engine automatically at low speeds if you:
R
apply the brake and bring the vehicle to a
standstill
R operate the clutc hpedal R
engage neutral N(follow gearshift instruc-
tion ;to engage neutral N,ifnecessary)
R release the clutc hpedal
The engine is only switched off if:
R the outside temperature is within the range
that is suitable for the system.
R the engine is at normal operatin gtemper-
ature.
R the set temperature for the vehicle interior
has been reached.
R the batter yissufficiently charged.
R the system detects that the windscreen is
not misted up when the air-conditioning
system is switched on.
R the bonnet is closed.
R the vehicle is not being steered.
R the fron tdoor is closed and the seat belt is
fastened.
i During an automatic engine switch-off, air
conditioning is reduced. If full air condition-
ing is required, the ECO start/stop function 150
DrivingDriving and parking

Problems with the engine
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The engine does not
start. The HOLD function or DISTRONIC PLUS is activated.
X
Deactivat ethe HOLD function (Y page 184) or DISTRONIC
PLUS (Y page 171).
X Try to start the engine again. The engine does not
start. The starter motor
can be heard. R
There is amalfunction in the engine electronics.
R There is amalfunction in the fuel supply.
X Before attempting to start the engine again, turn the key in the
ignition back to position 0or press the Start/Stop button
repeatedly until all indicator lamps in the instrumen tcluster go
out.
X Try to start the engine again (Y page 148). Avoid excessively
long and frequent attempt stostart the engine, as this will drain
the battery.
If the engine does not start after several attempts:
X Consult aqualified specialist workshop, e.g. aMercedes-Benz
Servic eCentre. The engine does not
start
.The starter motor
can be heard. The
reserve fuel warning
lamp is lit and the fuel
gauge displays hows0. The fuel tank is empty.
X
Refuel the vehicle. The engine does not
start. You cannot hear
the starter motor. The on-board voltage is too low because the battery is too weak
or discharged.
X
Jump-start the vehicle (Y page 309).
If the engine does not start despite attemptstoj ump-start it:
X Consult aqualified specialist workshop, e.g. aMercedes-Benz
Service Centre. The starter motor was exposed to
athermal load that was too high.
X Allow the starter motor to cool down for approximately two
minutes.
X Try to start the engine again.
If the engine still does not start:
X Consult aqualified specialist workshop, e.g. aMercedes-Benz
Service Centre. 152
DrivingDriving and parking

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
Vehicles with
apetrol
engine:
The engine is not run-
ning smoothly and is
misfiring. There is
amalfunction in the engine electronics or in amechanical
componentoft he engine management system.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal slightly.
X Have the cause rectified immediately at aqualified specialist
workshop, e.g. aMercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Otherwise, non-combusted fuel may get into the catalytic con-
verter and damage it. The coolant tempera-
ture display is showing
more than 120 †. The
coolant warning lamp
may also be lit and a
warning tone may
sound. The coolant level is too low. The coolant is too hot and the engine
is no longer being cooled sufficiently.
X
Stop as soon as possible and allow the engine and the coolant
to cool down.
X Check the coolant level (Y page 283). Observe the warning
notes as you do so and top up the coolant if necessary. If the coolant level is correct, the engine radiator fan may be faulty.
The coolant is too hot and the engine is no longer being cooled
sufficiently.
X
At coolant temperatures under 120 †, drive on to the nearest
qualified specialist workshop, e.g. to aMercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
X Avoid heavy loads on the engine as you do so, e.g. driving on
mountain roads and stop/start driving. Manual transmission
Gear lever
Gear lever
!
Only engage gear when the clutch pedal
is depressed.
! When shifting between 5thand 6thgear,
you should always push the gear lever all the way to the right. Otherwise, you could
shift unintentionally into
3rdor4th gear
and damage the transmission.
If you shift down at too high aspeed (trans-
mission braking), this can cause the engine
to overrev, leading to engine damage.
Do not use the clutch bite point to keep the
vehicle stationary on uphill gradients.
There is otherwise arisk of damaging the
clutch.
! On long and steep downhill gradients,
especially if the vehicle is laden or towing
at railer, you must shift into gear 1, 2or3
in good time. This uses the engine's braking
effect.T his relieves the load on the brake
system and prevents the brakes from over-
heating and wearing too quickly. Manual transmission
153Driving and parking Z

Neutral
NwithE CO start/sto pfunc-
tio na ctivated
In neutral N,the engine is switched off if the
vehicl espeed is belo wacertainthreshold and
the clutch pedal is not depressed.
For further information on the ECO start/stop
function, see (Y page 150). Engaging reverse gear
! Only shift into reverse gear Rwhen the
vehicle is stationary. Otherwise, you could
damage the transmission.
i The ECO start/stop function is not avail-
able when reverse gear is engaged.
For further information on the ECO start/
stop function, see (Y page 150).
X Move the gear lever firmly to the left
beyond the point of resistance and then
forwards. Shift recommendation
The gearshift recommendations assist you in
adopting an economical driving style. The rec-
ommended gear is shown in the multifunction
display. X
Shift gear according to gearshift recom-
mendation :shown in the multifunction
displayoft he instrumentc luster. Automatic transmission
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
The movemen tofthe pedals must not be
impaired in any way.Don ot keep any objects
in the driver's footwell. Make sure that floor-
mats or carpets are correctly secured and
that there is sufficient clearance for the ped-
als.
Do not place several floormats on top of one
another. G
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
braking on aslippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. This could cause you
to lose control of your vehicle and cause an
accident. Selector lever
Overview of transmission positions Selector lever
P
Park position with selector lever lock
R Reverse gear
N Neutral
D Drive 154
Automatic transmissionDriving and parking

Problems with the transmission
Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The transmission has
problems shifting gear. The transmission is losing oil.
X
Have the transmission checked at aqualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. aMercedes-Benz Service Centre, immediately. The acceleration ability
is deteriorating.
The transmission no
longer changes gear. The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into
secondgear and reverse gear.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait at least 10 seconds before restarting the engine.
X Shift the transmission to position Dor R.
If D is selected, the transmission shifts into secondgear; ifRis
selected, the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
X Have the transmission checked at aqualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. aMercedes-Benz Service Centre, immediately. Releasing the parking lock manually
In the event of an electrical fault, it is possible
to release the selector lever lock manually to
move it out of position P,e.g. if you wish to
tow the vehicle away. !
Do not use any sharp-edged objectstol ift
up the selector lever cover in the centre
console. Otherwise, the selector lever
cover could be damaged.
X Engage the parking brake.
X Prise out selector lever gaiter :with aflat,
blunt object,( e.g.ascrewdriver wrappe dincloth
)from the right-hand edge, pulling it
up and out.
X Press release button ;dow nand simul-
taneousl ymovet he selecto rlever out of
position P.
The selector lever can now be moved freely
until it is returned to position P. Refuelling
Important safet
ynotes G
WARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. Fire, naked flames
and smoking are therefore prohibited when
handling fuels.
Switc hoff the engin eand the auxiliary heating
before refuelling. G
WARNING
Do not come into contact with fuels.
It is hazardous to your health if your skin
comes into direct contact with fuels or you
breathe in fuel vapours. 160
RefuellingDriving and parking

G
WARNING
Do not use petrol to refue lvehicles with adie-
sel engine. Do not mix diesel with petrol. This
would result in damage to the fuel system and
engine, which coul dleadtoav ehiclefire.
! Do not use petrol to refue lvehicles with a
diesel engine. Do not use diesel to refuel
vehicles with apetrol engine. Even small
amounts of the wrong fuel result in damage
to the fuel system and the engine.
! Do not switch on the ignitio nifyou acci-
dentally refue lwith the wrong fuel .Other-
wise ,the fuel will ente rthe fuel lines. Notify
aq ualified specialist workshop and have
the fuel tank and fuel lines drained com-
pletely. Petrol (EN 228, DIN 51626)
Fuel grade !
Only refuel using unleaded premium-
grade petrol with at least
95 RON/85 MON, which conforms to Euro-
pean standard EN 228 or an equivalent
specification.
! Do not use the following:
R E85 (petrol with 85% ethanol)
R E100 (100% ethanol)
R M15 (petrol with 15% methanol)
R M85 (petrol with 85% methanol)
R M100 (100% methanol)
R Diesel
Do not mix these fuels with petrol, and do
not use any additives. Otherwise, this can
lead to damage to the engine. This does not
include additives for the removal and pre-
vention of residue build-up. Only additives
recommended by Mercedes-Ben zmay be
added to petrol. Mor einformatio nabout
recommended additives can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. !
Use afilter when adding fuel from afuel
can. The fuel lines and/or the diesel injec-
tion system could otherwise be blocked by
particles from the fuel can.
i If the recommended fuel is not available,
but only as atemporary measure, you may
also use regular unleaded petrol,
91 RON/82.5 MON. This may reduce
engin eperformanc eand increase fuel con-
sumption .Avoid driving at full throttle.
In some countries, the fuel grad eavailable
may not be adequate and coul dcause
deposits to build up. In such cases, and in
consultation with aMercedes-Benz Service
Centre, the petrol may be mixed with the
additive recommende dbyMercedes-Benz
(part number A000989254510). You must
observe the notes and mixing ratios speci-
fied on the container.
For further information on "Fuel", see
(Y page3 34).
E3 00 BlueEFFICIENCY and E350 Blue-
EFFICIENCY !
Only refue lusing unleaded, sulphur-free
premium-grade petrol with at least
95 RON/85 MON, which conforms to Euro-
peans tandard EN 228 or an equivalent
specification.
You can otherwise impair engine outpu tor
damage the emission contro lsystem.
i In some countries, the available petrol
may not be sufficiently low in sulphur. This
fuel can temporarily produce unpleasant
odours, especially on short journeys. As
soon as sulphur-free fuel (sulphur content
<10p pm) is used for refuelling, the odours
are reduced. Refuelling
161Driving and parking Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
The fuel filler flap can-
not be opened. The fuel filler flap is not unlocked.
or
The key battery is discharged.
X
Unlock the vehicle (Y page 72).
or
X Unlock the vehicle using the emergency key element
(Y page 74). The fuel filler flap is unlocked, but the opening mechanism is jam-
med.
X
Consult aqualified specialist workshop. Parking
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only remove the key from the ignition lock
when the vehicle is stationary, as you cannot
steer the vehicle when the key is removed.
Never leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle. They could release the parking brake. This
could lead to aserious or fatal accident. G
WARNING
Under no circumstances should the exhaust
system come into contact with flammable
materials such as dry grass or petrol, for
example. Do not park the vehicle on dry grass-
land or harvested grain fields. The hot exhaust
system could otherwise ignite the flammable
material and set the vehicle on fire.
To ensure that the vehicle is secured against
rolling away unintentionally:
R the parking brake must be applied.
R on vehicles with manual transmission,
engage first gear or reverse gear.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in position Pand the key must be removed from the ignition
lock.
R on steep uphill or downhill gradients, turn
the front wheels towards the kerb. Switching off the engine
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the engine is not running, there is no power
assistance for the steering and brakes. Steer-
ing and braking then requires significantly
greater effort.
As aresult, you might lose control of the vehi-
cle, cause an accident and injure yourself and
others.
Therefore, do not switch off the engine while
you are driving.
Vehicles with manualt ransmission X
Shift to either first gear or reverse gear R.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
X Apply the parking brake firmly. Parking
165Driving and parking Z

Vehicles with automatic transmission
X
Apply the parking brake firmly.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
Usin gthe key
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobiliser is activated.
i The key can onl yberemove difthe trans-
mission is in position P.
Usin gKEYLESS -GO
X Press the Start/Sto pbutton (Y page 147).
The engine stop sand al lthe indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster go out.
i Whe nthe driver's door is closed, this cor-
responds to key position 1.When the driv-
er's door is open, this corresponds to key
position 0,i.e. key removed.
i The engine can be turned off while the
vehicle is in motion by pressing and holding
the Start/Stop button for three seconds.
This function operates independently of the
ECO start/stop automatic engine switch-
off function. Parking brake X
To apply: depress parking brake ;firmly.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running.
X To release: depress the brake pedal and
keep it depressed.
X Pull release handle :.
The J indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out. Parking up the vehicle
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than four weeks, the battery may be damaged
by exhaustive discharge.
X Disconnect the battery (Y page 307) or
connect it to atrickle charger.
i You can obtain information about trickle
chargers from aqualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. aMercedes-Ben zService
Centre.
If you leave the vehicle parked up for longer
than six weeks, the vehicle may suffer dam-
age as aresult of lack of use.
X Visit aqualified specialist worksho pand
seek advice. Driving tips
General driving tips
Rolling with the engine switched off G
WARNING
Never switch the engin eoff while the vehicle
is in motion.
There is no power assistanc efor the steering
and the service brake when the engine is not
running.
You will require considerably more effort to
steer and brake, and you could therefor elose
control of the vehicle and cause an accident. 166
Driving tipsDriving and parking

Engine oil
! Vehicles with adiesel particle filter:
If the vehicle is mostly driven for short dis-
tances, it is possible that malfunctions may
occur during the automatic cleaning of the
diesel particle filter. This can lead to engine
damage. Therefore, if you frequently drive
short distances, make sure to drive on
motorways or countr yroads for 20 minutes
at least every 500 km. Brakes
Important safet ynotes G
WARNING
Do not change down for additional engine
brakin gonas lippery road surface. This could
cause the drive wheels to lose their grip and
the vehicle could skid. G
WARNING
Make sure that other road users are not
endangered by your braking.
Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, espe-
cially if the vehicle is laden or towin gatrailer,
you must shift to alower gear in good tim eor,
on vehicles with automatic transmission,
select shift range 1,2or 3.
i This also applies if you have activated
cruise control, SPEEDTRONIC or DIS-
TRONIC PLUS.
This will use the brakin geffect of the engine,
so less brakin gwill be required to maintain
the speed. This relieves the load on the brake
syste mand prevent sthe brake sfrom over-
heatin gand wearing too quickly. Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
Never depress the brake pedal continuously
while the vehicle is in motion, e.g. never cause
the brake storub by applying constan tslight
pedal pressure. This causes the brak esystem
to overheat, increases the braking distance
and can lead to the brakes failing completely.
If the brakes have been subjected to aheavy
load, do not sto pthe vehicle immediately, but
drive on for ashor twhile. This allowst he air-
flow to cool the brakes more quickly.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effective-
ness. To do this, brake more firmly from a
higher speed. This improves the grip of the
brakes.
Wet road surface If driving in heavy rain for
aprolonged period
of time without braking, there may be a
delayed reaction from the brakes when brak-
ing for the first time. This may also occur after
the vehicle has been washed.
You have to depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain agreater distance from the
vehicle in front.
After driving on awet road or having the vehi-
cle washed, brake firmly while paying atten-
tion to the traffic conditions. This will warm
up the brake discs, thereby drying them more
quickly and protecting them against corro-
sion.
Limited braking performance on salt
treated roads G
WARNING
The layerofs alt on thebrake discs and the
brake pads/linings may caus eadelay in the
brakin geffect, resultin ginasignificantly lon-
ger brakin gdistance, which could lead to an
accident.
To avoid this danger, you should: Driving tips
167Driving and parking
Z

R
occasionally brake carefully, without put-
ting other road users at risk, when you are
driving on salted roads. This helps to
remove any salt that may have started to
build up on the brake discs and the brake
pads/linings.
R maintain agreater distance to the vehicle
ahead and drive with particular care.
R carefully apply the brakes at the end of a
trip and immediately after commencing a
new trip, so that salt residues are removed
from the brake discs.
New brake pads/linings G
WARNING
New brake pads/linings only reach their opti-
mum braking effect after several hundred kil-
ometres of driving. Before this optimum brak-
ing effect is reached, you should compensate
for the reduced braking effect by applying
greater pressure when braking. This also
applies after the brake discs or the brake
pads/linings have been replaced.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only have brake pads/linings
fitted to your vehicle which have been
approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which correspon dtoanequivalent quality
standard. Brake pads/linings which have not
been approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles or
which are not of an equivalent quality could
affect your vehicle's operating safety. Tyret
raction G
WARNING
Whereas the vehicle can be fully controlled at
ac ertain speed on dry roads, you must reduce
your speed on wet or icy roads to achieve the
same road safety. You could otherwise cause
an accident.
Pay particular attention to the road conditions
at temperatures around freezin gpoint. If ice has formed on the road surface (e.g.
from fog),
athin film of water rapidly forms on
the ice when you brake, considerably reduc-
ing tyre traction. Drive with particular care in
such weather conditions. Driving on wet roads
Aquaplaning If water has accumulated to
acertain depth
on the road surface, there is adanger of aqua-
planing occurring, even if:
R you drive at low speeds
R the tyres have adequate tread depth
For this reason, do not drive in tyre ruts, and
brake carefully.
Driving on flooded roads If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R
the maximum permitted still water depth is
25 cm.
R you should drive no faster than at walking
pace.
! Bear in mind that vehicles travelling in
front or in the opposite direction create
waves. This may cause the maximum per-
missible water depth to be exceeded.
These notes must be observed under all
circumstances. You could otherwise dam-
age the engine, the electronics or the trans-
mission. Winter driving
General notes G
WARNING
If the vehicle becomes trapped in snow,
ensure that snow is kept away from the
exhaust pipe and from around the vehicle as
long as the engine is running. Otherwise, poi- 168
Driving tipsDriving and parking