Mercedes-Benz 300 E 1990 User manual

Owner’s Manual

t o
What You Should Know
at the Gas Station
See last page
MERCEDES-BENZ
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
1-800-222-0100
Drive Sensibl - Save Fuel
Fuel consumption, to a great extent,
depends on driving habits and operat
ing conditions.
To save fuel ou should:
• keep tires at the recommended
inflation pressures,
• remove unnecessar loads,
• remove ski racks or roof-mounted
luggage racks when not in use,
• allow engine to warm up under low
load use,
• avoid frequent acceleration and
deceleration,
• have all maintenance work per
formed at regular intervals b an
authorized MERCEDES-BENZ
dealer.
Fuel consumption is also increased
b driving in cold weather, in
stop-and-go traffic, on short trips and in
hill countr .

Mercedes-Benz
Owner’s Manual
260 E
300 E
300 CE
300 E 4MATIC

Kindly observe the following in your own best interests:
We recommend using MERCEDES BENZ original parts as
well as conversion parts and accessories explicitly approved
by us for your vehicle model.
We have subjected these parts to a special test in which
their reliability, safety and their special suitability for
MERCEDES BENZ vehicles have been determined.
We are unable to make an assessment for other products
and therefore cannot be held responsible for them, even if in
individual cases an official approval or authorization by
governmental or approval agencies should exist.
MERCEDES BENZ original parts as well as conversion parts
and accessories approved by us are available at your
MERCEDES BENZ service station where you will receive
comprehensive information, also on permissible technical
modifications, and where expert installation will be per
formed.
Printed in German
We reserve the right to m odif the technical details of the vehicle as given in the data
and illustrations of this O w ner’s Manual (s.e.e.o.). Reprinting, translation and cop ing,
even of excerpts, is not perm itted without our prior authorization in writing.
VKT 14.08.89.RS 10 K

Our company and staff congratulate you on the
purchase of your new MERCEDES BENZ.
Your selection of our product is demonstration of your
trust in our company name. Further, it exemplified your
desire to own an automobile that will be as easy as
possible to operate and provide years of service.
Your MERCEDES BENZ represents the efforts of many
skilled engineers and craftsmen. To ensure your
pleasure of ownership, we ask you to make a small
investment of your time:
• Please read this manual carefully before putting it
aside.
• Please abide by the recommendations contained in
this manual. They are designed to acquaint you with
the operation of your MERCEDES BENZ.
We extend our best wishes for many miles of safe,
pleasurable driving.
Mercedes Benz Aktiengesellschaft
3

Introduction
This Owner’s Manual contains a great deal of
useful information. We urge ou to read it carefull
and familiarize ourself with the vehicle before
driving.
For our own safet and longer service life of the
vehicle, we urge ou to follow the instructions and
warnings. Ignoring them could result in damage to
the vehicle or personal injur .
Your vehicle ma have some or all of the equip
ment described. Therefore, ou ma find expla
nations of equipment not installed in our vehicle.
If ou have an questions about the operation of
an equipment, our authorized MERCEDES-BENZ
dealer will be glad to demonstrate the proper
procedures.
Owner’s Service and arranty Policy
The Owner’s Service and Warrant Polic Booklet
contains detailed information about the warranties
covering our MERCEDES-BENZ, including:
• New Car Limited Warrant
• Emission S stem Warrant
• Emission Performance Warrant
• California Emission Control S stem
• Warrant (California onl )
4
Maintenance
The Maintenance Booklet describes all the ne
cessar maintenance work which should be per
formed at regular intervals.
Alwa s have the Maintenance Booklet with ou
when ou take the vehicle to our authorized
MERCEDES-BENZ dealer for service.
The service advisor will record each service in the
booklet for ou.
Roadside Assistance
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance Program
provides factor trained technical help in the event
of a breakdown. Calls to the toll-free Roadside
Assistance number:
1-800-222-0100
will be answered b Mercedes-Benz Customer
Assistance Representatives 24 hours a da ,
365 da s a ear.
On-site service calls b a local Mercedes-Benz
Roadside Assistance technician are available
weekda s from 5:00 PM till midnight, weekends
and legal holida s from 8:00 AM till midnight.
For additional information refer to the Mercedes-
Benz Roadside Assistance Program brochure in
our glove box or console storage compartment.

Change of Address or Ownership
If ou change our address, be sure to send in the
’’Change of Address Notice” found in the Owner’s
Service and Warrant Polic Booklet. It is in our
own interest that we can contact ou should the
need arise.
If ou sell our Mercedes, please leave all owner’s
literature with the vehicle to make it available to the
next owner.
If ou bought this vehicle used, be sure to send in
the ’’Notice of Purchase of Used Car” found in the
Owner’s Service and Warrant Polic Booklet.
Operating Your Vehicle Outside the U.S.A. or
Canada
If ou plan to operate our vehicle in foreign
countries, please be aware that:
• unleaded fuels for vehicles with catal tic
converters ma not be available; the use of
leaded fuels will damage the catal sts,
• fuel ma have a considerabl lower octane
rating, and improper fuel can cause engine
damage,
• service facilities or replacement parts ma not be
readil available.
Certain Mercedes-Benz models are available for
deliver in Europe under our European Deliver
Program, For details, consult our authorized
MERCEDES-BENZ dealer or write to:
Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc.
European Deliver Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645
In Canada write to:
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Deliver Department
849 Eglinton Avenue East
Toronto, Ontario M4G 2L5
5

Optional equipment is also described in this manual,
including operating instructions wherever necessary.
Since they are special order items, the descriptions and
illustrations herein may vary slightly from the actual
equipment of your vehicle.
If there are any equipment details that are not shown or
described in this Owner’s Manual, your authorized
MERCEDES BENZ dealer will be glad to inform you of
correct care and operating procedures.
The Owner’s Manual and Maintenance Booklet are
important documents and should be kept with the
vehicle.
6

Instruments and Controls, Starting the Engine
Driving Instructions, Service and Maintenance
Operation
Driving
Practical Hints
Technical Data
Fuels, Coolants, Lubricants, etc.
Consumer Information
Index
I
I
I
I
I
I

Check Regularly and
Before a Long Trip
See page 124
The First 1500 km
(1000 Miles)
The more cautiousl ou treat
our vehicle during the break-in
period, the more satisfied ou will
be with its performance later on.
Therefore, drive our vehicle
during the first 1500 km
(1000 miles) at moderate vehicle
and engine speeds.
During this period, avoid heav
loads (full throttle driving) and
high RPM (no more than 2/ 3of
maximum permissible speed in
each gear as indicated on the
speedometer).
Avoid accelerating b kickdown. It
is not recommended to brake the
vehicle b manuall shifting to a
lower gear. We recommend to
select positions ”3” or ”2” onl at
moderate speeds (for hill driving).
After 1500 km (1000 miles)
speeds ma graduall be in
creased to the permissible
maximum.
8

Instruments and Controls, Starting the Engine
Driving Instructions, Service and Maintenance
Instruments and Controls 10
Instrument Cluster 12
Indicator Lamp S mbols 13
Catal tic Converter 14
Starting and Turning Off
the Engine 15
Driving Instructions 16
MERCEDES-BENZ
Maintenance S stem 20

Instruments and Controls
For more detailed descriptions see specified
pages.
1 Adjustable side air outlets (page 22)
2 Exterior lamp switch (page 50)
3 Parking brake release (page 60)
4 Hood lock release (page 76)
5 Parking brake pedal (page 60)
6 Combination switch (page 51)
7 Air volume control for side air outlets (page 22)
8 Cruise control (page 64)
9 Instrument cluster (page 12)
10 Horn, airbag (page 43)
11 Steering lock with ignition/starter switch
(page 49)
12 Adjustable center air outlets (page 22)
13 Air volume control for center air outlets
(page 22)
14 Glove box (illuminated in steering lock posi
tions 1 or 2) is not installed in vehicles
equipped with a front passenger airbag
10
15 Rear window defroster switch (page 55)
16 Switch for folding rear seat head restraints
backward (page 36)
17 Switch for rear window sun shade
18 Air recirculation switch (page 22)
19 Hazard warning flasher switch
20 Automatic antenna switch (page 58)
21 Rear passenger compartment lamp switch
(page 56)
22 Automatic climate control (page 22)
23 Radio
24 Ashtra with lighter (pages 54, 98)
25 Left front seat heater switch (page 37)
26 Right front seat heater switch (page 37)
27 Left power window switch group (page 57)
28 Adjusting switch for exterior mirror on front
passenger side (page 53)
29 Loudspeaker front to rear fader control
30 Right power window switch group (page 57)

11
Instruments and Controls

_ r FUEL O N LY
I C l V
=D £3 BR#KE O ^ ( © ) SRS 4 MATIC S
P54-0010-B34
Instrument Cluster
1 Fuel econom gauge. See page 65
2 Coolant temperature gauge. See page 67
3 Fuel gauge with reserve warning lamp ( ellow).
See page 67
4 Oil pressure gauge (bar). See page 66
5 Turn signal indicator lamp, left (green)
6 Knob for instrument lamps and trip odometer
Rotate knob: to var intensit of instrument
lamps
Depress knob: to reset trip odometer
7 Speedometer
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
300 E 4MATIC:
4MATIC function indicator lamp ( ellow).
See page 70
Main odometer
Trip odometer
Outside temperature indicator. See page 68
Turn signal indicator lamp, right (green)
Knob for clock adjustment
(press in and rotate for adjustments)
Electric clock
Tachometer
Red marking on tachometer:
Excessive engine speed
12

Indicator Lamp Symbols
Function Indicator Lamp
ID High beam
arning Lamps
(should go out with the engine running unless)
E3 Batter not being charged.
See page 66
Brake fluid low (except Canada).
Parking brake engaged.
See pages 60, 69
BRAKE
Brake fluid low (Canada onl ).
Parking brake engaged.
See pages 60, 69
(®)
oFront brake pads worn down.
See page 69
'ey Engine oil level low.
See page 66
Coolant level low.
See page 68
Fluid level for windshield and
headlamp washer s stem low.
See page 68
SRS
4MATIC
CHECK
ENGINE
Exterior lamp failure.
See page 67
ABS malfunction.
See page 69
SRS malfunction.
See page 43
4MATIC malfunction.
See page 70
Engine malfunction.
If the lamp comes on when the
engine is running, it indicates a
malfunction in the 02-sensor on
Federal version vehicles, and fuel
injection s stem or emission control
s stem on the California version
vehicles. In either case, we recom
mend that ou have the malfunction
checked as soon as possible.
See page 72

Catalytic Converter
Your MERCEDES-BENZ is
equipped with monolithic cata
l tic converters, an important
element in conjunction with the
02-sensor to achieve substantial
control of the pollutants in the
exhaust emissions. Keep our
vehicle in proper operating con
dition b following our recom
mended maintenance instructions
as outlined in our maintenance
booklet.
Caution!
To prevent damage to the cata
l tic converters, use onl premium
unleaded gasoline in this vehicle.
An noticeable irregularities in
engine operation should be re
paired promptl .Otherwise
excessive unburned fuel ma
reach the converter causing it to
overheat.
arning!
As with any vehicle, do not
idle, park or operate this ve
hicle in areas where combust
ible materials such as grass,
hay or leaves can come into
contact with the hot exhaust
system, as these materials
could be ignited.
14

Starting and Turning Off the
Engine
Before Starting
Engage parking brake and move
the selector lever to position ”P”.
Turn ke to steering lock posi
tion 2. The charge indicator lamp
should come on.
Cold Engine
Turn ke in steering lock clock
wise to the stop. Do not depress
accelerator. Release ke onl
when the engine is firing regu
larl .
Hot Engine
Turn ke in steering lock clock
wise to the stop. Do not depress
accelerator. If the engine has not
fired after approx. 4 seconds,
depress accelerator and continue
cranking until the engine is firing
regularl . Release ke and back
off accelerator.
At ver high coolant temperatures
the engine starting time can be
shortened if the accelerator is de
pressed slowl at the beginning of
the starting process.
Turning off
Turn the ke in the steering lock
to position 0 onl when the ve
hicle has stopped moving. The
ke can onl be removed if the
selector lever is in position ”P”.
If the coolant temperature is ver
high (e.g. after hard driving on
mountain roads), do not shut off
the engine immediatel , but allow
it to run for 1 - 2 minutes at in
creased idle speed with the
selector lever in position ” P”.
Important!
Due to the installed starter non
repeat feature, the ke must be
turned completel to the left
before attempting to start the
engine again.
Observe the oil pressure gauge
immediatel after starting the
engine. In a ver cold engine the
oil pressure will rise slowl . Do
not speed up the engine before
pressure is registered on the
pressure gauge.
The charge indicator lamp should
go out as soon as the engine has
started.
In areas where temperatures fre
quentl drop below -25°C
(-13°F), we recommend that an
engine block heater be installed.
Your authorized MERCEDES-
BENZ dealer will advise ou on
this subject.

Driving Instructions
Power assistance
When the engine is not running,
the brake and steering s stems
are without power assistance.
Under these circumstances, a
much greater effort is necessar
to stop or steer the vehicle.
Brakes
Caution!
When driving down long and
steep grades, relieve the brakes
b shifting into ”3” or ”2”. This
helps prevent overheating of the
brakes and reduces brake pad
wear. Do not exceed engine
speed limits (see page 63).
After hard braking it is advisable
to drive on for some time so the
air stream will cool down the
brakes faster.
arning!
After driving in heavy rain for
some time without applying
the brakes or through water
deep enough to wet brake
components, the first braking
action may be somewhat re
duced and increased pedal
pressure may be necessary.
Be sure to maintain a safe
distance from vehicles in
front.
The condition of the parking brake
s stem is checked each time the
car is in the shop for the required
maintenance.
Between maintenance checks, it
is a good practice to appl the
parking brake once or twice while
driving at approximatel 50 km/h
(30 mph) on a dr straight road.
Appl parking brake lightl until a
slight drag on the wheels is felt.
Keep appl ing the brake for about
10 seconds while pulling the re
lease handle out before releasing
the parking brake completel . This
practice will keep the parking
brake at maximum efficienc .
16

arning!
The stop lamps will not come
on when applying the parking
brake only. Perform the pro
cedure in the previous para
graph only when the road is
clear of other traffic.
Resting your foot on the brake
pedal will cause excessive
and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes
overheating thereby signifi
cantly reducing their effec
tiveness. It may not be
possible to stop the car in
sufficient time to avoid an
accident.
All checks and maintenance work
on the brake s stem should be
carried out b an authorized
MERCEDES-BENZ dealer.
If the parking brake is released
and the brake warning lamp in the
instrument cluster sta s on, the
brake fluid level in the reservoir is
too low.
Brake pad wear or a leak in the
s stem ma be the reason for low
brake fluid in the reservoir.
Have the brake s stem inspected
at an authorized MERCEDES-
BENZ dealer immediatel .
Install onl brake pads and brake
fluid recommended b
MERCEDES-BENZ.
arning!
If other than recommended
brake pads are installed, the
braking properties of the ve
hicle can be affected to an
extent that the safety is sub
stantially impaired.
Tires
Tread wear indicators (TWI) are
required b law. These indicators
are located in six places on the
tread circumference and become
visible at a depth of approx. 2 mm
(’/i6 in), at which point the tire is
considered worn and should be
replaced.
The tread wear indicator appears
as a solid band across the tread.

arning!
Do not allow your tires to wear
down too far. ith less than
3 mm (1/8 in) of tread, the
adhesion properties on a wet
road are sharply reduced.
Depending upon the weather
and/or road surface (condi
tions), the tire traction varies
widely.
arning!
If ice has formed on the road,
tire traction will be substan
tially reduced. Under such
weather conditions, drive,
steer and brake with extreme
caution.
Specified tire pressures must be
maintained. This applies parti
cularl if the tires are subjected to
high loads (e.g. high speeds,
heav loads, high ambient tem
peratures).
Aquaplaning
Depending on the depth of the
water la er on the road, aqua
planing ma occur, even at low
speeds and with new tires. Avoid
track grooves in the road and
appl brakes cautiousl in the
rain.
Tire Traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow
covered or ic road is alwa s
lower than on a dr road.
You should pa particular
attention to the condition of the
road as soon as the prevailing
temperatures fall close to the
freezing point.
We recommend M + S radial-pl
tires for the winter season for all
four wheels to insure normal
balanced handling characteris
tics.
On packed snow, the can re
duce our stopping distance as
compared with summer tires.
Stopping distance, however, is
still considerabl greater than
when the road is wet or dr .
arning!
Do not drive with a flat tire. A
flat tire affects the ability to
steer or brake the vehicle. You
may lose control of the car.
Continued driving with a flat
tire or driving at high speed
with a flat tire will cause ex
cessive heat build-up and
possibly a fire, or tire blow
out.
18