MERCEDES-BENZ E350 4MATIC WAGON 2007 S211 Owner's Manual

390 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Warning!
G
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or the tire inflation pressure
label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or the tire inflation pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly under-inflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significant-
ly under-inflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehi-
cle’s handling and stopping ability. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.

391 Practical hints
What to do if …
Lamp in center consoleProblem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
(USA only)75The indicator lamp illuminates and remains
illuminated with the weight of a typical adult
or someone larger than a small individual on
the front passenger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.

Have the system checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display and follow cor-
rective steps (
page 401).
Warning!
G
If the 75indicator lamp
illuminates and remains illuminated with the
weight of a typical adult or someone larger
than a small individual on the front passen-
ger seat, do not have any passenger use the
front passenger seat until the system has
been repaired.

392 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause/conse-
quence
Suggested solution
(USA only)75The indicator lamp does not illuminate
and/or does not remain illuminated with
the weight of a typical 12-month-old child in
a standard child restraint or less on the
front passenger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.

Make sure that there is nothing between seat cush-
ion and child seat and check installation of the child
seat.

Make sure that no objects applying supplemental
weight onto the seat are present.

Make sure that no objects which apply forces to the
seat are present (e.g. objects such as books, brief-
cases etc. lodged behind or around the seat, head
restraints pushing against roof etc.). The system
may recognize such forces as supplemental weight.

If the light remains out, have the system checked as
soon as possible by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Do not transport a child on the front passen-
ger seat until the system has been repaired.

Read and observe messages in the multifunction
display and follow corrective steps (
page 401).
Warning!
G
If the 75indicator lamp does
not illuminate or remains out with the
weight of a typical 12-month-old child in a
standard child restraint or less on the front
passenger seat,
do not transport a child on the front passen-
ger seat until the system has been repaired.

393 Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
(Canada only)75
The indicator lamp illu-
minates and remains
illuminated
(page 81).
A BabySmart
TM child seat is installed on
the passenger seat. Therefore the front
passenger front air bag is switched off.
The system is malfunctioning when there
is no BabySmart
TM child seat installed on
the passenger seat.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
The indicator lamp
does not illuminate or
does not remain illumi-
nated with a
BabySmart
TM child seat
properly installed on
the passenger seat.
The system is malfunctioning.

Make sure there is nothing between
seat cushion and child seat.

Check installation of the child seat
(page 92).
If the front passenger front air bag off indi-
cator lamp remains out:

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as
possible.
Do not use the BabySmart
TM restraint to
transport children on the front passenger
seat until the system has been repaired.

394 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Vehicle status messages in the multi-function display
Warning and malfunction messages ap-
pear in the multifunction display located in
the instrument cluster.
Certain warning and malfunction messag-
es are accompanied by an audible signal.
Address these messages accordingly and
follow the additional instructions given in
this Operator’s Manual.
Selecting the vehicle status message
memory menu in the control system
(page 168) displays both cleared and
uncleared messages.
High-priority messages appear in the
multifunction display in red color.Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset button (
page 152) or
buttonj, k, ÿ or è on the
multifunction steering wheel.
Other messages of high priority and mes-
sages of less immediate priority can be
cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset button (page 152) or
buttonj, k, ÿ or è on the
multifunction steering wheel. They are
then stored in the vehicle status message
memory (
page 168). Remember that
clearing a message will only make the mes-
sage disappear. Clearing a message will
not correct the condition that caused the
message to appear.
Warning!
G
All categories of messages contain impor-
tant information which should be taken note
of and, where a malfunction is indicated, ad-
dressed as soon as possible at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Failure to repair condition noted may cause
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty, or result in property dam-
age or personal injury.

395 Practical hints
What to do if …
On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of the most important warning
and malfunction messages that may
appear in the multifunction display.
For your convenience the messages are di-
vided into two sections:

Text messages (
page 396)


Symbol messages (
page 409)
Warning!
G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative.
As a result, you will not be able to see infor-
mation about your driving conditions, such
as speed or outside temperature, warning/
indicator lamps, malfunction/warning mes-
sages or the failure of any systems. Driving
characteristics may be impaired.
If you must continue to drive, please do so
with added caution. Visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
i
Switching on the ignition causes all instru-
ment cluster lamps (except low beam headlamp
indicator lamp, high beam headlamp indicator
lamp, and turn signal indicator lamps unless ac-
tivated) as well as the multifunction display to
come on. Make sure the lamps and multifunction
display are in working order before starting your
journey.

396 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Text messagesDisplay message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
ABS
ABS, ESP
inoperative
See Operator’s Man.
ABS, ESP
® as well as PRE-SAFE
®
have switched off due to a malfunc-
tion.
BAS is also switched off.
The brake system is still functioning
normally but without the ABS, BAS,
ESP
® and PRE-SAFE
® available.

Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels will lock during hard braking, reduc-
ing steering capability.

Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.
ABS, ESP
unavailable
See Operator’s Man.
The ABS, ESP
® as well as PRE-SAFE
®
were deactivated because of insuffi-
cient power supply. The charging
voltage has fallen below 10 volts.
BAS is also switched off.
The brake system still functions nor-
mally but without the ABS, BAS,
ESP
® and PRE-SAFE
® available.
When the voltage is above this value again, the
ABS, ESP
® and PRE-SAFE
® are operational
again and the message should disappear.
If the message does not disappear:

Have the generator (alternator) and the bat-
tery checked.

397 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
Cruise con-
trol
--- mph(USA only)--- km/h(Canada only)
You have tried to switch on cruise
control below a speed of 20 mph
(30 km/h).

Drive faster than 20 mph (30 km/h) and
save the speed.
DISTRONIC
--- mph(USA only)--- km/h(Canada only)
You have tried to switch on Distronic
below a speed of 20 mph (30 km/h).

Drive faster than 20 mph (30 km/h) and
save the speed.
inoperative
The Distronic* is malfunctioning or
the display is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.

398 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
DISTRONIC
currently unavailable
See Operator’s Manual
Distronic* is switched off and is
temporarily unavailable.
Distronic* is deactivated if:

the Distronic* cover in the ra-
diator grille is dirty


its function is impaired by
heavy precipitation or fog

If necessary, clean the Distronic* cover in the area of
the radiator grille (
page 372).

Restart the vehicle.
or
Distronic* becomes operational again without the engine
being restarted when:


dirt on the radiator grille has fallen off while driving
(e.g. slush or snow)


the system recognizes full sensor availability (due to
lessening rain or the road surface drying)


the message in the multifunction display disappears


the speed last stored flashes in the display for
5 seconds.
You can operate Distronic* as usual again.

399 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
DISTRONIC
currently unavailable
See Operator’s Manual
Distronic* is deactivated because the
functionality is impaired by external in-
terferences, e.g. high-frequency sources
such as too stations, speed measuring
systems etc.

Leave the area of the external interference.

Activate Distronic* again (
page 254) when
the message
DISTRONIC available
again ap-
pears.
Distronic* is deactivated because the
Distronic* sensor has not sensed any
other vehicles or objects, e.g. roadsign or
such, for a long time.

Activate Distronic* again (
page 254) when
the message
DISTRONIC available
again ap-
pears.
Warning!
G
Distronic* cannot take weather conditions
into account. Switch off Distronic* or do not
turn it on if the sensor is dirty or visibility is
diminished as a result of snow, rain or fog.
The distance control may be impaired even
before the system is able to detect a dirty
sensor. The message
DISTRONIC
currently unavailable
See Operator’s Manualwill be displayed in the multifunction display
and Distronic* will be turned off.