trailer MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS SALOON 2011 Service Manual

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
J
The red brake system
warning lamp comes on
while the engine is run-
ning. A warning tone
also sounds.
G
Risk of accident
There is insufficient brake fluid in the fluid reservoir.
X Pull over and stop the vehicle safely as soon as possible, paying
attention to road and traffic conditions. Do not continue driving
under any circumstances.
X Apply the parking brake.
X Consult a qualified specialist workshop immediately.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
Do not top up the brake fluid. This does not correct the error. !
The yellow ABS warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running. G
Risk of accident
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) has been deactivated due to a fault.
For this reason, BAS (Brake Assist), BAS PLUS, ESP ®
(Electronic
Stability Program), PRE-SAFE ®
,P RE-SAFE ®
Brake ,the HOLD func-
tion, hill start assist, the adaptive brake lights and ESP ®
trailer
stabilisation are also deactivated, for example.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. !
The yellow ABS warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running. A
warning tone also
sounds. G
Risk of accident
EBD (electronic brake force distribution) is faulty. Therefore, ABS,
BAS, BAS PLUS, ESP ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake, the HOLD
function, hill start assist, the adaptive brake lights and ESP ®
trailer
stabilisation, for example, are not available either.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. 282
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument clusterOn-board computer and displays

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
Jäå!
The red brake warning
lamp, the yellow ESP
®
and ESP ®
OFF warning
lamps and the yellow
ABS warning lamp are
lit while the engine is
running. G
Risk of accident
ABS and ESP ®
are malfunctioning. Therefore, BAS, BAS PLUS,
EBD, PRE-SAFE ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake, the HOLD function, hill start
assist, the adaptive brake lights and ESP ®
trailer stabilisation, for
example, are not available either.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above. The wheels could therefore lock if you
brake hard, for example.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. ä
The yellow ESP
®
warn-
ing lamp flashes while
the vehicle is in motion. G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
or traction control has intervened because there is a risk of
skidding or at least one wheel has started to spin.
Cruise control or DISTRONIC PLUS is deactivated.
X Only depress the accelerator pedal as far as necessary when
pulling away.
X Accelerate more gently while the vehicle is in motion.
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
X Do not deactivate ESP ®
.
For exceptions, see: (Y page 72).å
The yellow ESP
®
OFF
warning lamp is lit while
the engine is running. G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
and ESP ®
trailer stabilisation are deactivated. ESP ®
will not
stabilise the vehicle if it starts to skid or if awheel starts to spin.
X Reactivate ESP ®
.
For exceptions, see: (Y page 72).
X Adapt your driving style to suit the road and weather conditions.
If ESP ®
cannot be activated:
X Have ESP ®
checked at a qualified specialist workshop. Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
283On-board computer and displays Z

Problem Possible causes/consequences and
M Solutions
M
AMG vehicles only:
The yellow SPORT han-
dling mode warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running.
G
Risk of accident
SPORT handling mode is activated. ESP ®
only stabilises the vehi-
cle in extreme situations. ESP ®
intervention may not be able to
provide sufficient assistance in such situations, and the vehicle
may start to skid.
X Reactivate ESP ®
.
For exceptions, see: (Y page 72).
If ESP ®
cannot be activated:
X Have ESP ®
checked at a qualified specialist workshop. äå
The yellow ESP
®
and
ESP ®
OFF warning
lamps are lit while the
engine is running. G
Risk of accident
ESP ®
, BAS, BAS PLUS, PRE-SAFE ®
, PRE-SAFE ®
Brake, the HOLD
function, hill start assist, the adaptive brake lights and ESP ®
trailer
stabilisation are not available due to a malfunction .ESP ®
will not
stabilise the vehicle if it starts to skid or if awheel starts to spin.
The brake system continues to function normally, but without the
functions listed above.
ATTENTION ASSIST is deactivated.
X Observe the additional display messages in the multifunction
display.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop. J
The red brake system
warning lamp comes on
while the vehicle is
moving. A warning tone
also sounds.
You are driving with the parking brake applied.
X
Release the parking brake.
The warning lamp goes out and the warning tone ceases. 6
The red SRS warning
lamp is lit while the
engine is running.
G
Risk of injury
The restraint systems are malfunctioning. The airbags or belt ten-
sioners may either be triggered unintentionally or, in the event of
an accident, may not be triggered at all.
X Drive on carefully.
X Visit a qualified specialist workshop immediately. 284
Warning and indicator lamps in the instrument clusterOn-board computer and displays

X
Clean the plastic lenses of the exterior
lighting using a wet sponge and a mild
cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Ben zcar
shampoo. Or clean the exterior lighting
with cleaning cloths.
Cleaning the mirror turn signals !
Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths that are suitable for plastic lenses.
Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths could scratch or damage the plastic
lenses of the mirror tur nsignals.
X Clean the plastic lenses of the mirror turn
signals using a wet sponge and a mild
cleaning agent, e.g. Mercedes-Ben zcar
shampoo. Cleaning cloths may be used as
well.
Cleaning the sensors X
Clean sensors :of the driving systems
with water, car shampoo and a sof tcloth.
! If you clean the sensors with a high-pres-
sure cleaner, make sure that you keep a
distance of at least 30 cm between the
vehicle and the high-pressure cleaner noz-
zle. Information about the correct distance
is available fro mthe equipment manufac-
turer. Cleaning the reversing camera
Example: Saloon
X
Use clear water and a soft cloth to clean
camera lens :.
! Do not clean the camera lens and the area
around the reversing camera with a high-
pressure cleaner.
Cleaning the exhaust tail pipes Impurities combined with the effects of road
grit and corrosive environmental factors may
cause flash rust to form on the surface. You
can restore the original shine of the exhaust
tail pipe by cleaning it regularly, especially in
winter and after washing.
!
Do not clean the exhaust tail pipes with
alkaline-based cleaning agents, such as
wheel cleaner.
X Cleant he exhaust tail pipes with a chrome
care product tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz.
Cleaning the trailer tow hitch The ball coupling must be cleaned if it
becomes dirty or corroded.
X
Remove rust, e.g. with a wire brush.
X Remove dirt with a clean, lint-free cloth or
a brush.
! Do not clean the ball coupling with a high-
pressure cleaner. Do not use solvents. 330
CareMaintenance and care

Example: Saloon
X
After cleaning, lightly oil or grease ball cou-
pling :.
X Check tha tthe vehicle's trailer tow hitch is
working properly.
! Observe the note on care provided by the
trailer manufacturer.
i You can also have the maintenance work
on the ball coupling and the trailer tow hitch
carried out by a qualified specialist work-
shop. H
Environmental note
Dispose of oily and greasy cloths in an envi-
ronmentally-responsible manner. Interior care
Cleaning the display X
Before cleaning the display, make sure that
it is switched off and has cooled down.
X Cleant he display surface using a commer-
cially-available microfibre cloth and TFT/
LCD display cleaner.
X Dry the display surface using a dry micro-
fibre cloth.
! For cleaning, do not use any of the fol-
lowing:
R alcohol-based thinner or petrol
R abrasive cleaning agents
R commercially-available household clean-
ing agents These may damage the display surface. Do
not put pressure on the display surface
when cleaning. This could lead to irrepara-
ble damage to the display.
Cleaning Night View Assist Plus !
Never clean the camera lens. When clean-
ing the field of vision of the driving systems,
make sure that you do not spray glass
cleaner on the camera lens. If the camera
lens is dirty, visit a qualified specialist work-
shop. X
Fold down the camera cover by recess :. X
Use a soft cloth to clean the windscreen in
front of camera ;.
Cleaning the plastic trim G
WARNING
When cleaning the steering wheel boss and
dashboard, do not use cockpit sprays or
cleaning agents containing solvents. Cleaning
agents containing solvents cause the surface
to become porous, and as aresult plastic Care
331Maintenance and care
Z

X
To reduce the tyre pressure: press pres-
sure release button Enext to pressure
gauge F.
X Stow the tyre sealant bottle, the tyre infla-
tio nc ompressor and the warning triangle.
X Drive to the nearest specialist qualified
workshop and have the tyre changed there.
X Have the tyre sealant bottle replaced as
soon as possible at a qualified specialist
workshop. H
Environmental note
Have the used tyre sealant bottle disposed of
professionally, e.g. at aqualified specialist
workshop.
X Have the tyre sealan tbottle replaced every
four years at a qualified specialist work-
shop. Changing
awheel and fitting the spare
wheel
Preparing the vehicle When using an emergency spare wheel or
spare wheel of a different size, you must not
exceed the maximum speed of 80 km/h.
G
WARNING
The wheel/tyre dimensions and the tyre type
of the spare wheel/emergency spare wheel
and the wheel to be replaced may differ. Fit-
ting a spare wheel/emergency spare wheel
may severely impair the driving characteris-
tics. There is a risk of accident.
To prevent hazardous situations:
R Adap tyour driving style accordingly and
drive carefully.
R Never fit more than one spare wheel/emer-
gency spare wheel if the dimesions are dif-
ferent to those of the wheel being replaced.
R Only use a spare wheel/emergency spare
wheel briefly if the dimesions are different
to those of the wheel being replaced. R
Do not switch off ESP ®
.
R Have the spare wheel/emergency spare
wheel in question replaced at the nearest
qualified specialist workshop. Make sure
that the wheel/tyre dimensions and tyre
type are correct.
i Vehicles without an emergency spare
wheel/spare wheel are not equipped with
wheel-changing tools at the factory. For
more information on which tools are
required to perform a wheel change on your
vehicle, e.g. wheel chock, wheel wrench or
centring pin, consult a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
X Prepare the vehicle as described
(Y page 340).
X If a trailer is coupled to the vehicle, uncou-
ple it.
X Remove the following items (depending on
the vehicle's equipment) from the stowage
well under the boot/luggage compartment
floor:
R
the emergency spare wheel
R the wheel wrench
R the folding wheel chock
R the jack
R the centring pin
R the tyre inflation compressor
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
Securing the vehicle to prevent it from
rolling away If your vehicle is equipped with a wheel chock,
it can be found in the vehicle tool kit
(Y
page 337).
The folding wheel chock is an additional
securing measure to prevent the vehicle from
rolling away, for example when changing a
wheel. 344
Flat tyreBreakdown assistance

R
the engine is not running.
R there is a brake syste mmalfunction.
R there is a malfunctio ninthe 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.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
! 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.
! Only secure the tow rope or towing bar to
the towing eyes. The vehicle may otherwise
be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
as this could damage the vehicle. If in
doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! 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-passenger door which
could damage the transmission. When towing a vehicle with an automatic
transmission, the transmission must be in
position
N.
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 172).
i Before the vehicle is towed, switch off the
automatic locking feature (Y page 89). You
could otherwise be locked out when push-
ing or towing the vehicle.
Deactivate tow-away protection
(Y page 78) before the vehicle is towed. Fitting/removing the towing eye
Fitting the towing eye 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 223).
X Remove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (Y page 337). 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.
The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, under the covers. 356
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

X
Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 125).
X Leave the key in position 2in the ignition
lock.
i Whe ntowing 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
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:
shift to first gear 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.
! 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. 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
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 power to the vehicle's
electrical system in the same way as when
jump-starting (Y page 354).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
When tow-starting, it is important that you
observe the safety instructions (Y page 355)
and the legal requirements in each respective
country.
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. The transmission
may otherwise be damaged.
You can find information on "Jump-starting"
at (Y page 354).
Before tow-starting the following conditions
must be fulfilled:
R the battery is connected.
R the engine has cooled down.
R the catalytic converters have cooled down.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 125).
X Fit the towing eye (Y page 356).
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. 358
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

There is a risk of accident.
Follow recommended tyre inflation pressures
and check the pressure of all the tyres includ-
ing the spare wheel:
R
at least every two weeks
R if the load changes
R before beginning a long journey
R for changed operating conditions, e.g. off-
road driving
If necessary, correct the tyre pressure.
You will find a table of tyre pressures for var-
ious operating conditions on the inside of
your vehicle's fuel filler flap.
Operation with the emergency spare
wheel: the applicable value for the emer-
gency spare wheel is stated on the spare
wheel and in the chapter on "Wheel-tyre com-
binations" (Y page 371).
Operation with a trailer: the applicable
value for the rear tyres is the maximum tyre
pressure value stated in the table inside the
fuel filler flap.
The table inside the fuel filler flap may state
tyre pressures for different load conditions.
These are defined in the table as different
numbers of passengers and amounts of lug-
gage. The actual number of seats may vary –
for more information, please refer to the vehi-
cle's registration documents.
If no other data is stated, the tyre pressures
specified on the tyre pressure label on the
filler flap apply to all tyres approved for this
vehicle. If a tyre size precedes a tyre pressure, the tyre
pressure information following is only valid
for that tyre size.
To test tyre pressure, use a suitable pressure
gauge. The outer appearance of a tyre does
not permit any reliable conclusion about the
tyre pressure. On vehicles fitted with the elec-
tronic tyre pressure monitor, the tyre pres-
sure can be checked using the on-board com-
puter. G
WARNING
If you fit unsuitable accessories onto tyre
valves, the tyre valves may be overloaded and
malfunction, which can cause tyre pressure
loss. Due to their design, retrofitted tyre pres-
sure monitors keep the tyre valve open. This
can also result in tyre pressure loss. There is
a risk of accident.
Only screw standard valve caps or valve caps
specifically provided by Mercedes-Benz for
your vehicle onto the tyre valve. G
WARNING
If the tyre pressure drops repeatedly, the
wheel, valve or tyre may be damaged. Tyre
pressure that is too low may result in a tyre
blow-out. There is a risk of accident.
R Check the tyre for foreign objects.
R Check whether the wheel is losing air or the
valve is leaking.
If you are unable to rectify the damage, con-
tact a qualified specialist workshop.
If possible, only correc ttyre pressures when
the tyres are cold.
The tyres are cold:
R if the vehicle has been parked with the tyres
out of direc tsunlight for at least three
hours and
R if the vehicle has no tbeen driven further
than 1.6 km
Depending on the ambient temperature, the
speed you are driving at and the load on the
tyres, the tyre temperature may change thus
the tyre pressure changes by approximately 366
Tyre pressureWheels and tyres

10 kPa (0.1 bar
,1.5 psi) per 10 †. Take this
into account when checking the pressure of
warm tyres and only correct it if it is too low
for the current operating conditions.
Driving with tyre pressure tha tis too high or
too low can:
R shorten the service life of the tyres
R cause increased tyre damage
R have a negative effect on handling charac-
teristics and thus the driving safety (e.g. by
causing aquaplaning)
i The tyre pressure values given for low
loads are minimum values which offer you
good ride comfort characteristics.
However, you can also use the values given
for higher loads. These are permissible and
will not adversely affect the running of the
vehicle. H
Environmental note
Check the tyre pressure regularly, at least
every 14 days.
Speeds up to 210 km/h (does not apply
to AMG vehicles): despite the values stated
on the tyre pressure information label (fuel
filler flap), for speeds up to 210 km/hand
with R16 or R17 tyres, the values stated can
be reduced as follows without a reduction in
safety:
R Saloon: Ò30 kPa (Ò0.3 bar, Ò4psi)
R Estate: Ò20 kPa (Ò0.2 bar, Ò3psi)
This does not apply to vehicles towing a
trailer.
This improves the ride comfort of your vehi-
cle; however, the fuel consumption may
increase slightly. Tyre pressure loss warning system
Important safety notes While the vehicle is in motion, the tyre pres-
sure loss warning system monitors the set
tyre pressure using the rotational speed of the wheels. This enables the system to detect
significant pressure loss in a tyre. If the speed
of rotation of a wheel changes as a result of
a loss of pressure, a corresponding warning
message will appearint
he multifunction dis-
play.
The tyre pressure warning system does not
warn you of an incorrectly set tyre pressure.
Observe the notes on the recommended tyre
pressure (Y page 365).
The tyre pressure loss warning system does
not replace the need to regularly check your
vehicle's tyre pressures, since an even loss of
pressure on several tyres at the same time
cannot be detected by the tyre pressure loss
warning system.
The tyre pressure monitor is not able to warn
you of a sudden loss of pressure, e.g. if the
tyre is penetrated by a foreign object. In the
event of a sudden loss of pressure, bring the
vehicle to a halt by braking carefully. Avoid
abrupt steering manoeuvres.
The function of the tyre pressure loss warning
system is limited or delayed if:
R snow chains are fitted to your vehicle's
tyres.
R road conditions are wintry.
R you are driving on sand or gravel.
R you adopt a very sporty driving style (cor-
nering at high speeds or driving with high
rates of acceleration).
R you are towing a very heavy or large trailer.
R you are driving with a heavy load (in the
vehicle or on the roof).
Restarting the tyre pressure loss warn-
ing system Restart the tyre pressure loss warning system
if you have:
R
changed the tyre pressure
R changed the wheels or tyres
R fitted new wheels or tyres
X Before restarting, consult the table of tyre
pressures on the inside of the fuel filler flap Tyre pressure
367Wheels and tyres Z