warning MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS 2003 Owners Manual

278 OperationWinter driving
Winter drivingBefore the onset of winter have your vehi-
cle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service in-
cludes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.


Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system. Add MB Concentrate
“S” to a premixed windshield washer
solvent / antifreeze which is formulated
for temperatures below freezing point
(page 376).


Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to ensure
that the engine can be started even at
low ambient temperatures.


Tire change. We recommend M+S rat-
ed radial-ply tires on all four wheels for
the winter season.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 39°F (4°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Use of winter tires
is the only way to achieve the maximum ef-
fectiveness of the ABS, ESP, and 4MATIC
in winter operation.
For safe handling, ensure that all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your ve-
hicle, you must place a notice to this effect
where it will be seen by the driver. Such no-
tices are available from your tire dealer or
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.Warning!
G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than
0.16 in. (4 mm) must be replaced. They are
no longer suitable for winter operation.
Warning!
G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

282 OperationVehicle care
Vehicle careCleaning and care of vehicle
In operation, even while parked, your vehi-
cle is subjected to varying external influ-
ences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the under-
body 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 chippingTo avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:


Grease and oil


Fuel


Coolant


Brake fluid


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 operationYou should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
Any damage should be repaired as soon as
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.
We have selected car-care products and
compiled recommendations which are
specially matched to our vehicles and
which always reflect the latest technology.
You can obtain Mercedes-Benz approved
car-care products at your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
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.

287 Operation
Vehicle care
Instrument cluster
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution. Wipe with a cloth moist-
ened in lukewarm solution. Do not use
scouring agents.
Steering wheel and gear selector lever
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly
or clean with Mercedes-Benz approved
Leather Care.
Cup holder
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution. Wipe with a cloth moist-
ened in lukewarm solution. Do not use
scouring agents.
Hard plastic trim items
Pour Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care onto soft lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.Headliner
Clean with soft bristle brush, or use a
dry-shampoo cleaner in case of excessive
dirt.
Seat belts
The webbing must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Use only clear,
lukewarm water and soap. Do not dry the
webbing at temperatures above 176°F
(80°C) or in direct sunlight.Leather upholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp cloth
and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather Care.
E xe r c i s e p a r t i c u l a r c a r e w he n c l e a n i n g p e r -
forated leather as its underside should not
become wet.
Plastic and rubber parts
Do not use oil or wax on these parts.
Warning!
G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.

290 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?
What to do if …?Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If a bulb in the instrument cluster fails to
light up during the bulb self-check when turning the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position2, have it checked and replaced
if necessary.Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
v
The yellow ESP warning lamp
lights up while driving.
The ESP is deactivated.
Risk of accident!
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road, weather, and traffic conditions.

Turn the ESP back on (
page 80).
If the ESP cannot be turned back on, have
the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possi-
ble.
v
The yellow ESP warning lamp
flashes while driving.
The ESP or traction control has come into op-
eration because of detected traction loss in
at least one tire.
Distronic* is deactivated.

When driving off, apply as little throt-
tle as possible.

While driving, ease up on the acceler-
ator.

Adapt your speed and driving to the
prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.

Do not deactivate the ESP. Excep-
tions: (
page 80).
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of accidents.

291 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
-
The yellow ABS malfunction indi-
cator lamp comes on while driv-
ing.
The ABS has detected a malfunction and has
switched off. The BAS and the ESP are also
switched off (see messages in display).
The brake system is still functioning normally
but without the ABS available.
If the ABS control unit is malfunctioning, oth-
er systems such as Parktronic*, Distronic*,
the navigation system, and the automatic
transmission can also malfunction.

Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.

Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon
as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions in-
creases the risk of an accident.
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts and the ABS has switched off.

When the voltage is above this value
again, the ABS is operational again.

If necessary, have the generator and
battery checked.
l
The red Distronic warning lamp
lights up while driving.
You are too close to the vehicle in front of you
to maintain selected speed.

Apply the brakes immediately to in-
crease the following distance.
l
The red Distronic warning lamp
comes on while driving and you
hear a warning sound.


You are gaining too rapidly on the vehicle
ahead of you.


The distance warning system has recog-
nized a stationary obstacle on your prob-
able line of travel.

Apply the brakes immediately.

Carefully observe the traffic situation.
You may need to brake or maneuver
to avoid hitting an obstacle.

292 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
1
The red SRS indicator lamp lights
up while driving.
There is a malfunction in the restraint sys-
tems. The airbags or emergency tensioning
devices (ETDs) could deploy unexpectedly or
fail to activate in an accident.

Drive with added caution to the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
Warning!
G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indi-
cated as outlined above, the SRS may not be
operational. For your safety, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have
the system checked; otherwise the SRS may
not be activated when needed in an acci-
dent, which could result in serious or fatal
injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly and
unnecessarily which could result in an acci-
dent and/or injury to you or to others.

293 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
;
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)The red brake warning lamp
lights up while driving and you
hear a warning sound.
You are driving with the parking brake set.

Release the parking brake
(page 44).
The red brake warning lamp
lights up while driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.

Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not add
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. Don’t 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.

294 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
?
The yellow “CHECK ENGINE”
malfunction indicator lamp
comes on while driving.
There is a malfunction in:

The fuel management system


The ignition system


The emission control system


Systems which affect emissions
Such malfunctions may result in excessive
emissions values and may switch the engine
to its limp-home (emergency operation)
mode.

Have the vehicle checked as soon as
possible by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
An on-board diagnostic connector is
used by the service station to link the
vehicle to the shop diagnostics sys-
tem. It allows the accurate identifica-
tion of system malfunctions through
the readout of diagnostic trouble
codes. It is located in the front left
area of the footwell next to the park-
ing brake pedal.
The fuel cap is not closed tightly.

Close the fuel cap.
Your gas tank is empty.

After refuelling, start the engine three
or four times in succession.
The limp-home mode is canceled. You do
not need to have your vehicle checked.
The yellow fuel tank reserve
warning lamp lights up while
driving.
The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 261).
<
The red seat belt warning lamp
blinks for a brief period after
starting the engine.
The warning lamp reminds you to fasten seat
belts.

Fasten your seat belt.

296 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Messages in the display
The control system shows warning and
malfunction messages in the multifunction
display.
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 malfunction memory menu in
the control system (
page 130) displays
both cleared and uncleared messages.
High-priority messages appear in the mul-
tifunction display in red color.
Certain messages of high priority cannot
be cleared from the multifunction display
using the reset buttonJ
(page 22).Other high-priority messages and messag-
es of less immediate priority (regular dis-
play colors) can be cleared from the
multifunction display using the reset
button
J
(page 22) and are then stored
in the malfunction message memory
(
page 145).
On the pages that follow, you will find a
compilation of all the messages that may
appear in the display. High priority mes-
sages appear on a red background.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.
Warning!
G
No messages will be displayed if either the
instrument cluster or the multifunction dis-
play is inoperative.
Contact your nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.iTurning the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position2, or pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button twice
to position2 causes all lamps as well
as the multifunction display to come
on. Ensure that they are all in working
order before starting your journey.

302 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
2
BRAKE WEAR
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The brake pads have reached their wear
limit.

Have the brake pads replaced as
soon as possible.
Except Canada:;Canada only:3
BRAKE FLUID
VISIT WORKSHOP!
There is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle
and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not add
brake fluid! This will not solve the
problem.
!Brake pad thickness must be visually
checked by a qualified technician at the
intervals specified in the Service Book-
let.
Warning!
G
Driving with this message displayed can re-
sult in an accident. Have your brake system
checked immediately. Don’t add brake fluid
before checking the brake system. Overfill-
ing the brake fluid reservoir can result in
spilling brake fluid on hot engine parts and
the brake fluid catching fire. You can be se-
riously 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.