Fluid MERCEDES-BENZ E500 2004 W211 User Guide

286 OperationEngine compartment
1Coolant expansion tank
Using a rag, turn the cap slowly approx-
imately one half turn to the left to re-
lease any excess pressure.

Continue turning the cap to the left and
remove it.The coolant level is correct if the level:


for cold coolant: reaches the black
top part of the reservoir


for warm coolant: is approximately
0.6 in (1.5 cm) higher

Add coolant as required.

Replace and tighten cap.
More information on coolant can be found
in the “Technical data” section
(
page 405).
Warning!
G
In order to avoid any possibly serious burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.


Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if engine temperature is above
194°F (90°C). Allow engine to cool
down before removing cap. The coolant
reservoir contains hot fluid and is under
pressure.


Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately
1/2 turn to relieve excess pres-
sure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out un-
der pressure.


Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene gly-
col which may burn if it comes into con-
tact with hot engine parts.

288 OperationEngine compartmentWindshield washer system and headlamp cleaning system*
The windshield washer reservoir is located
in the engine compartment.
1Washer fluid reservoir
Fluid for the windshield washer system and
the headlamp cleaning system is supplied
from the windshield washer reservoir. It
has a capacity of:

Vehicles without headlamp cleaning
system: approximately 4.8 US qt (4.5
l).


Vehicles with headlamp cleaning sys-
tem: approximately 7.4 US qt (7 l).During all seasons, add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “S” to water. Premix
the windshield washer fluid in a suitable
container.

Refill the reservoir with MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate and water (or
commercially available premixed wind-
shield washer solvent / antifreeze, de-
pending on ambient temperatures).
Always use washer solvent/antifreeze
where temperatures may fall below
freezing point. Failure to do so could re-
sult in damage to the washer sys-
tem/reservoir.
More information can be found in the
“Technical data” section (
page 407).
!Only use washer fluid which is suitable
for plastic lenses. Improper washer flu-
id can damage the plastic lenses of the
headlamps.
iThe windshield washer system on this
vehicle is heated, so a fluid mixture pro-
duced to resist freezing at tempera-
tures of approximately 14° F (-10° C)
should be sufficient.Warning!
G
Washer solvent / antifreeze is highly flam-
mable. Do not spill washer solvent /
antifreeze on hot engine parts, because it
may ignite and burn. You could be seriously
burned.

302 OperationVehicle care
Vehicle careCleaning and care of vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external in-
fluences which, if gone unchecked, can at-
tack the paintwork as well as the
undercarriage and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but
also by:


Air pollution


Road salt


Tar


Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:


Grease and oil


Fuel


Coolant


Brake fluid


Bird droppings


Insects


Tree resins etc.
Frequent washing reduces and / or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences.More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:


Near the ocean


In industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)


During winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
A n y d a m a g e s h o u l d b e r e p a i r e d a s s o o n a s
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the facto-
ry with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of
the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility
of incompatibility between materials used
in the production process and others ap-
plied later.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.

312 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
3
(Canada only)
;
(USA only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
You are driving with the parking brake set.

Release the parking brake.

Observe the additional message in
the display.
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving.


There is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system.


There is insufficient brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.

Risk of accident! Do not drive any fur-
ther. Consult a Mercedes-Benz
Service Center. Under no circum-
stances should you top up the brake
fluid. This will not solve the problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Do not add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system.
Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir can re-
sult in spilling brake fluid on hot engine
parts and the brake fluid catching fire. You
can be seriously burned.
!If 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.

314 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
D
The red coolant warning lamp
comes on when the engine is
running.
There is insufficient coolant in the reservoir.
If this warning lamp comes on frequently,
there is a leak in the cooling system.
If the coolant level is correct, the electric ra-
diator fan may be broken.

Immediately add coolant to prevent
engine from overheating
(page 285).

Have the cooling system checked.

If the coolant temperature is below
257 °F (125 °C), you can continue
driving to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Avoid high engine loads (e.g. driving
uphill) and stop-and-go driving.
D
The red coolant warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
The coolant temperature has exceeded
257 °F (125 °C).

Stop as soon as possible and allow
the engine and coolant to cool down.
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is badly overheat-
ed can cause some fluids which may have
leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire. You could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns and can occur just by opening
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.

328 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
Except Canada:;Canada only:3
Brake fluid
Visit workshop!
There is insufficient brake fluid in the
reservoir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle and
notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center. Do not add brake fluid! This
will not solve the problem.
Warning!
G
Driving while these messages are displayed
can result in an accident. Have your brake
system checked immediately.
If there is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system, we recommend that the vehicle be
transported with all wheels off the ground
using flatbed or appropriate wheel lift / dolly
equipment.
A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle requires
towing with all four wheels on the ground.
Towing the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is only permissible for distances
up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a speed not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km / h). For more infor-
mation, refer to “Towing the vehicle”
(page 381).
If the SBC brake system enters its emergen-
cy operation mode, the driver must apply
significantly greater brake pedal pressure
and depress the pedal much further than
normal to obtain braking effect. If neces-
sary, apply full pressure to the brake pedal.
Brakes may only be applied to the front
wheels. Stopping distance is increased!
Low brake fluid in the reservoir may cause
the braking system to fail!
Don’t add brake fluid before checking the
brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid res-
ervoir can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
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 by a qualified technician at
the intervals specified in the Service
Booklet.

330 Practical hintsWhat to do if …
During severe operation conditions and
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
Ï
Coolant
Stop, engine off!
The coolant is too hot.

Stop the vehicle.

Only start the engine again after the
message disappears. You could other-
wise damage the engine.
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is badly overheat-
ed can cause some fluids which may have
leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire. You could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns and can occur just by opening
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.
!The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature above 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious
damage which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

347 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Possible solution
_
Steering oil
Visit workshop!
The steering gear oil level is too low.
There is a danger of steering gear dam-
age.

Have the system checked by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Entry position
Do not drive!
Seat, mirrors and steering wheel have not
yet moved to their preset driving posi-
tions.

Wait until the seat, mirrors and steer-
ing wheel have moved to their driving
positions.
The message disappears.
Ê
Trunk open!
This message will appear whenever the
trunk lid is open.

Close the trunk lid.
W
Washer fluid
Check level!
The fluid level has dropped to about
1/3
of total reservoir capacity.
Add washer fluid (
page 288).
Warning!
G
If the level of steering gear oil in reservoir is
too low, the steering power assistance could
fail. Much greater effort will then be needed
to turn the steering wheel.
Do not add steering oil without checking the
steering system.
Do not drive the vehicle. Have the system
checked at your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.

349 Practical hints
What to do if …
Warning!
G
Driving while these messages are displayed
can result in an accident. Have your brake
system checked immediately.
If there is a malfunction in the SBC brake
system, we recommend that the vehicle be
transported with all wheels off the ground
using flatbed or appropriate wheel lift / dolly
equipment.
A tow bar must be used if circumstances do
not permit the use of the recommended
towing methods and the vehicle requires
towing with all four wheels on the ground.
Towing the vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground is only permissible for distances
u p t o 3 0 m i l e s ( 5 0 k m ) a n d a t a s p e e d n o t t o
exceed 30 mph (50 km / h). For more infor-
mation, refer to “Towing the vehicle”
(page 381).
If the SBC brake system enters its emergen-
cy operation mode, the driver must apply
significantly greater brake pedal pressure
and depress the pedal much further than
normal to obtain braking effect. If neces-
sary, apply full pressure to the brake pedal.
Brakes may only be applied to the front
wheels. Stopping distance is increased!
Low brake fluid in the reservoir may cause
the braking system to fail!
Don’t add brake fluid before checking the
brake system. Overfilling the brake fluid res-
ervoir can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
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 by a qualified technician at
the intervals specified in the Service
Booklet.

375 Practical hints
Batteries
Batteries
Your vehicle is equipped with two batter-
ies:

Main battery (battery for starter and
electrical consumers; located in the
trunk).


Auxiliary battery (back-up battery; sta-
bilizes the electrical system if the main
battery is discharged; located in the en-
gine compartment)
The main battery is in the trunk under the
luggage box. Remove the luggage box
(
page 351).
Vehicles with spare wheel1Negative terminal
2Positive terminal
iE55 AMG:
The main battery is located inside the
trunk area at the top instead of to the
right. Warning!
G
Jump starting must only be done using the
main battery in the trunk.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(page 287).
Never lean over batteries while connecting,
you might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking etc.