engine MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS 2005 Owners Manual

332 OperationVehicle careEngine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from the intrusion of
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as MB Anticor-
rosion Wax should be applied to the engine
compartment after every engine cleaning.
Before applying, all control linkage bush-
ings and joints should be lubricated. The
poly-V-belt and all pulleys should be pro-
tected from any wax.
Vehicle washing
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight. Only use a mild car wash
detergent, such as Mercedes-Benz ap-
proved Car Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water. Direct only a very weak
spray towards the ventilation intake. Use
plenty of water and rinse the sponge and
chamois frequently. Rinse with clear water and thoroughly dry
with a chamois. Do not allow cleaning
agents to dry on the finish.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in ex-
terior rear view mirrors prior to running the
vehicle through an automatic car wash to
prevent damage to the mirrors.
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the underbody, do not for-
get to clean the inner sides of the wheels.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of very dirty
chrome-plated parts, use a chrome clean-
er.
Headlamps, tail lamps, side markers,
turn signal lenses

Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car Sham-
poo, with plenty of water.
To prevent scratches, never apply strong
force and use only a soft, non-scratchy
cloth when cleaning the lenses. Do not at-
tempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry cloth
or sponge.
iVehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of
water, and a SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* is in close proximity, i.e.
within approx. 3 ft. (approx. 1 m), the
vehicle could be inadvertently locked
or unlocked.

340 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
?(USA only)±(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunc-
tion 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 en-
gine to its limp-home (emergency opera-
tion) 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 system.
It allows the accurate identification of
system malfunctions through the read-
out of diagnostic trouble codes. It is lo-
cated in the front left area of the
footwell next to the parking brake pedal.
Your fuel tank is empty.

After refuelling, start, turn off, and re-
start the engine three or four times in
succession.
The limp-home mode is canceled. You do
not need to have your vehicle checked.

341 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
?(USA only)±(Canada only)
The yellow engine malfunc-
tion indicator lamp comes
on while driving.
A loss of pressure has been detected in the
fuel system. The fuel cap may not be closed
properly or the fuel system may be leaky.

Check the fuel cap (
page 283).
If it is not closed properly:

Close the fuel cap.
If it is closed properly:

Have the fuel system checked by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The yellow fuel tank reserve warning lamp
comes on while driving.
The fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.

Refuel at the next gas station
(page 283).

343 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
v
The yellow ESP warning lamp
comes on while driving.
The ESP is deactivated.
Risk of accident!
Switch the ESP back on (
page 84).

Adapt your speed and driving to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
If the ESP cannot be switched back on, have
the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
<
The red seat belt telltale illumi-
nates briefly after starting the
engine.
The driver or the front passenger has not
fastened his or her seat belt.

Fasten your seat belt.
The warning lamp goes out.

352 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
ESP UNAVAILABLE
SEE OPERATORS MANUAL
The ESP was deactivated the power supply
has been interrupted.
The ABS is still operational.

Synchronize the ESP. With the vehicle sta-
tionary and the engine running, turn the
steering wheel completely to the left and
then to the right to synchronize the ESP.
If the ESP message does not go out:

Continue driving with added caution.

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.
!When synchronizing the ESP, make
sure you can turn the steering wheel in
both directions as far as it will go with-
out the wheel hitting any objects, e.g.
aroad curb.

353 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
MOVE SELECTOR LEVER
TO PARK
You have tried to turn off the engine with
the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop button
(page 35) with the gear selector lever not
inP.

Place the gear selector lever in positionP.
PRE-SAFE INACTIVE
SEE OPERATORS MANUAL
If BAS or ESP malfunction messages are
displayed simultaneously, PRE-SAFE has
been deactivated as a result of these mal-
functions. All other occupant safety sys-
tems, such as the air bags, are still
available.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.
PRE-SAFE itself has failed. All other occu-
pant safety systems, such as the air bags,
are still available.

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

356 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
#
BATTERY CHARGE
VISIT WORKSHOP
The battery is no longer charging.
Possible causes:

alternator malfunctioning


broken poly-V-belt
Do not forget that the brake system re-
quires electrical energy and may be oper-
ating with restricted capability.
Considerably greater brake pedal force is
required and the stopping distance is
longer.

Stop immediately and check the
poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:

Do not continue to drive. Otherwise the
engine will overheat due to an inoperative
water pump which may result in damage
to the engine. Notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is intact:

Drive immediately to the nearest autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center. Adjust driv-
ing to be consistent with reduced braking
responsiveness.
;(USA only)!(Canada only)
RELEASE
PARKING BRAKE
You are driving with the parking brake en-
gaged.

Release the parking brake (
page 48).

357 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
2
BRAKE PAD WEAR
VISIT WORKSHOP
The brake pads have reached their wear
limit.

Have the brake pads replaced as soon as
possible.
;(USA only)3(Canada only)
BRAKE FLUID
VISIT WORKSHOP
There is insufficient brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.

Risk of accident! Stop the vehicle and no-
tify an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not solve
the problem.
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of accident.
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.
!Brake pad thickness must be visually
checked by a qualified technician at the
intervals specified in the Maintenance
Booklet.

358 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
?
VISIT WORKSHOP
There may be a malfunction in the:

Fuel injection system


Ignition system


Exhaust system


Fuel system

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
B
COOLANT
CHECK LEVEL!
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 292).

If you have to add coolant frequently,
have the cooling system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You can be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant
level warning. Extended driving with
the message and symbol displayed
may cause serious engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Do not drive without a sufficient
amount of coolant in the cooling sys-
tem. The engine will overheat, causing
major engine damage.

359 Practical hints
What to do if …?
During severe operating conditions,
e.g. stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
Ï
COOLANT
STOP, ENGINE OFF
The coolant is too hot.

Stop the vehicle and turn off the engine.

Only start the engine again after the mes-
sage disappears. You could otherwise
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
engine damage which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.