Mercedes-Benz 380 SE 1984 User manual

Mercedes-Benz

Drive Sensibly — Save Fuel
Fuel consumption depends to a great
extent on driving habits and operating
conditions
In order to save fuel you should:
• ensure that tire pressures are
correct
• not carry unnecessary loads
• remove ski racks or roof-mounted
luggage racks when not in use
• not warm up your engine at idle
and with the vehicle at standstill
• avoid frequent acceleration and
deceleration
• avoid frequent braking
• avoid unnecessarily high speeds
• have all the maintenance jobs
specified by us carried out at
regular intervals by a MERCEDES-
BENZ service station
Driving in low temperature weather, in
stop-and-go city traffic and on short
hops, and in hilly country also
increases fuel consumption

Owner's Manual
380 SE
500 SEL
500SEC
Chassis 126
1984
Mercedes-Benz

O u r company and staff wish you many hours
of enjoyment with your new vehicle
You have placed a lot of trust in our company name
by purchasing a MERCEDES, from which you may expect
that it will give you long service, with a minimum of trouble
and that it is easy to operate
We have just one request to make, hoping that it will benefit
you as well:
Please do not put this manual aside without first carefully
reading it
This manual contains many important recommendations that
could help you gain better control over your MERCEDES and
more pleasure while driving it
We wish you many miles of motoring pleasure
Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft
3

Special equipment is also described
in this manual, including operating
instructions wherever necessary.
Since there 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 Owners Manual, your
MERCEDES-BENZ dealer will be glad
to inform you of correct care and
operating procedures.
Vehicle Operation
Instruments and Controls
Instrument Cluster
Keys, D o o rs
Master Key and
Supplementary Key
Flat Key
Obtaining Replacement
K eys
Opening, Locking and
Unlocking of Doors
Central Lock System
Burglar Alarm System
Seats
Front Power Seats
Safety Head Restraints
Rear Seat Adjustment
500 SEL
Orthopedic Seat Backrest
Arm Rest (Rear Seat)
Arm Rest (Front Seats)
Seat H ea te r
Seat B elts
Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS)
The last page
What you should know at the
gas station
Contents
Controls 26
Steering L o c k 26
z i Lighting Switch 27
Combination Switch 28
Cruise C o ntrol 29
14 Automatic Climate Control 30
. Various Equipment 35
Exterior M irrors 35
1A Inside Rear View Mirror 35
Sun Visors 36
Sliding R o o f 36
1£- Interior L am ps 37
Heated Rear Window 37
^ Lighter 38
17 Shelf below Rear Window 38
Power Windows 38
Radio 39
19
20
20
21
21
22
24
5

Contents
Driving Vehicle Care Practical Hints
Hood
46 MERCEDES-BENZ Maintenance Rear Seat Cushion
Parking B ra k e
46 System
60 Ash tra y s
Regular Inspections
47 Spare Parts Service
61 First Aid K i t
Catalytic Converter Cautions 48 Cleaning and Care Luggage or Ski Racks
Starting and Turning of the Vehicle
61 Spare Wheel, Jack,
off the E n g in e
49 Jobs related to Care 62 Vehicle Tool K it
Starting and Shifting Gears 50 Wheels, Tires, Changing Wheels
Safe D riving
52 Wheels, Tires
Brake Pad Wear Indicator Changing W heels
Lamp 53 Tire Inflation Pressure
Brake Fluid
53 Checking Fuels, Coolants,
Charge Indicator Lamp 54 Lubricants, etc
Fuel Reserve Warning Lamp 54 Engine Oil Level Check
Oil Pressure Gauge 54 Checking Coolant Level
Coolant Temperature Gauge 54 Adding Coolant
Engine Oil Consumption 54 Automatic Transmission
Emission C on tro l
54 Fluid Level
The First 1500 km/1000 Miles 55
Driving Economically
55
Gauge for Economical
Driving (ECONOMY) 55
Special Operating Conditions 56
Winter Driving 56
Hints for Driving 56
Tire Chains
57
Traveling A broa d
57
66
66
67
67
68
68
68
69
70
71
71
72
72
73
6

Contents
Electrical System 74
Headlamp Adjustment 74
Replacing Bulbs 74
Fuses 78
Battery 78
Spark P lug s 78
Windshield Wipers 79
Emergency Operation of
Sliding R o of 79
Unlocking the Fuel Filler Flap 79
Jump S ta rting 80
Tow-starting and Towing
the Vehicle 80
Technical Data, Fuels, Coolants,
Lubricants, etc.
Identification P lates 84
Vehicle Data C a rd s 85
Warranty C overage 85
Technical D ata 86
380 S E 86
500 SEL, 500 SEC 88
Fuels, Coolants, Lubricants, etc 90
Capacities 90
Engine Oils 92
Brake Fluid 92
C oolants 93
Service Literature 94
Consumer Information 95
Vehicle Operation ^
Driving ^
Vehicle Care ^
Practical Hints ^
Technical Data, Fuels, ^
Coolants, Lubricants, etc. *
7

Vehicle Operation

nstruments and Controls
For more detailed descriptions see quoted pages.
1 Speaker grilles
2 Side ventilation outlets (page 30)
3 Swivelling outlets for nonheated fresh air
(page 30)
4 Parking brake release handle (page 46)
5 Handle to disengage hood lock (page 46)
6 Parking brake pedal (page 46)
7 Combination switch (page 28)
8 Lighting switch (page 27)
9 Cruise control (page 29)
10 Instrument cluster (page 12)
11 Horn control
12 Steering lock with ignition/starter switch
(page 26)
13 Lever for nonheated fresh air (page 30)
14 Switch for rear passenger compartment
lamp (page 37)
15 Switch for electric sliding roof (page 36)
16 Switch for hazard warning flasher system
17 Switch for automatic antenna (page 44)
18 Switch for heated rear window (page 37)
19 Automatic climate control (page 30)
20 Radio (page 39)
21 Ash tray with lighter (page 38, 66)
22 Switch for left front seat heater (page 21)
23 Loudspeaker — fader control
24 Switch for right front seat heater (page 21)
25 Switch group for power windows (page 38)
26 Adjusting lever for exterior mirror on front
passenger side (page 35)
27 Glove compartment, illuminated (only in steering
lock positions “1 ” or “2”)

nstruments and Controls
11

nstrument Cluster
1 Gauge for economical driving (ECONOMY) See
^ page 55
V 2 Coolant temperature gauge (° C)
i p Up to red marking: Maximum permissible tempe-
* rature for an anti-corrosion/antifreeze-blended fill
protecting down to -30° 0,1-22° F See page 54
3 Fuel gauge with reserve warning lamp (yellow)
Comes on when the steering lock key is moved to
driving position “2” and must go out when the
engine is idling See page 54
Fuel reserve and capacity, refer to page 91 and
last page
4 Oil pressure gauge (bar) See page 54
5 Turn signal indicator lamp, left (green)
6 Main odometer
7 Trip odometer
8 Turn signal indicator lamp, right (green)
9 Tachometer
10 Red marking on tachometer:
Excessive engine speed
11 Electric clock
12 Knob for clock adjustment
(press in for adjustments)
12
13 0 2-Sensor replacement indicator lamp (red):
When the indicator lamp comes on, the
0 2-Sensor must be replaced
14 Supplemental restraint system indicator lamp
(red) See page 24
15 Seat belt warning lamp (red)
16 Outside temperature gauge
17 Brake warning lamp (red) comes on if
• the parking brake is engaged
• not enough brake fluid is in the reservoir
18 Brake pad wear indicator lamp (yellow):
Lights up during braking if the front wheel brake
pads are worn down See page 53
19 Charge indicator lamp (red):
Comes on when the steering lock key is moved to
driving position “2” and must go out when the
engine is idling See page 54
20 High beam indicator lamp (blue)
21 Knob for instrument lamps and trip odometer
Rotate knob: instrument lamps intensity are infini
tely variable
Depress knob: trip odometer is turned back

nstrument Cluster
9943
13

Keys Doors
►
9865
Master Key - square head -
fits all locks on the car
Supplementary Key - rounded
head - fits only the door locks and
the steering lock This key is
intended to be used whenever the
car is left with an attendant Be sure
to lock glove compartment and
trunk with the master key
Flat Key
fThe flat key fits all vehicle
locks We recommend
that you carry the flat key
with you and keep it in a
safe place so that it is
always handy, if needed
(e g in your wallet) Never leave the
flat key in the vehicle
Obtaining Replacement Keys
You are given 4 keys with your
vehicle Replacement keys
can be obtained only via
MERCEDES-BENZ service stations
For security reasons, obtaining
replacement keys requires consi
derable time
Opening the Doors
From outside: pull handle
outwards (1)
From inside: pull handle in door
trim panel (4)
Locking and Unlocking of Doors
From the outside: turn key
From the inside: actuate button
2 Unlocking
3 Locking
14

Keys Doors
When the rear door buttons are
pushed down, the rear doors cannot
be opened from the outside or the
inside They can be opened after
pulling buttons up
The driver’s door can be locked only
if it is closed and the door lock has
properly engaged
Central Lock System
The central lock system locks or
unlocks the driver’s door, the other
vehicle doors, the fuel tank filler flap
and the trunk lid simultaneously
The lock buttons of the other vehicle
doors must then move together with
the lock button of the driver’s door
If this does not happen, the lock of
the respective door is not properly
engaged Open the door again and
shut it correctly
The front passenger door and the
rear doors can also be locked or
unlocked individually from inside
The front passenger door can also
be locked and unlocked with the
key
With the central lock system in the
locked position, the trunk lid can
also be unlocked individually: To do
so, turn the master key to the left as
far as it will go, then depress the
trunk lid lock push button with the
key and open the trunk Turn the
key to its initial position and
withdraw it To lock the trunk lid,
close it firmly; the trunk lid will then
be locked by the central lock
system again
The trunk lid can also be locked
independently (for instance, to leave
the vehicle in a workshop) without
actuating the central lock system
Turn the master key to the right as
far as it will go and withdraw it In
this case the trunk lid can only be
unlocked with the master key which
must be inserted and turned back to
the left
Note:
If the fuel tank filler flap cannot be
opened, refer to “Unlocking the Fuel
Filler Flap” (page 79)

Keys Doors
Burglar Alarm System
Switching alarm system on or off:
The alarm system is switched on or
off by locking or unlocking the front
doors with the master key (square
head, marked with a red and
projecting lug which can also be felt
at night)
With the warning system switched
on an additional horn will sound
intermittently for approx
30 seconds if an unauthorized
persons opens a door, the hood or
the trunk lid, turns or bridges the
steering lock (ignition) or actuates
the service brake It keeps on
sounding for approx 30 seconds
even if the triggering component
(e g the door) is closed again
immediately
Special functions:
The trunk lid can be opened only
when the alarm system is switched
off
Trunk lid emergency release:
If the trunk lid cannot be opened
with the alarm system switched off,
it can be opened by means of an
emergency control For this
purpose, remove rear seat cushion
and fold back LH cover Then pull
the ring of the emergency release
cable while another person at the
same time opens the trunk lid
If the vehicle is left in a workshop,
garage etc ,
switch off alarm system Only leave
secondary key (rounded head) with
the vehicle
Notes:
Never hand over master key to
unknown persons We recommend
that you keep the flat key on you in
a safe place (e g in your wallet) so
that it is accessible at any time

Seats
Seat adjustment:
A Seat cushion adjustment
B Seatback adjustment
Storing seat position of driver’s seat:
C Memory button
D Position buttons “1 ” and “2”
Two seat positions may be stored in
memory After adjusting the driver’s
seat position, press the memory
button C and within 3 seconds, the
position button “1” A second seat
position may be stored in memory
by pressing position button “2”
Recalling seat positions stored in
memory:
To recall a seat position stored in
memory, press position button
(“1” or “2”) until seat movement has
stopped For safety reasons, the
seat stops moving immediately after
releasing the position button
Note:
If the ignition key is removed or in
position “1” or “0” the seats can not
be moved unless the driver’s door is
open
Front Power Seats
The switches for the front seat
adjustment are located in each front
door
Turn ignition key to position “2” to
provide power to the switches
17

Seats
►
Coup6: For safety, when the doors
are closed the backrests are locked
by means of vacuum The locks can
be released by pushing button
(arrow) When the doors are opened
the backrests can be folded forward
without pushing the button
18
Note:
Prior to operating the vehicle, the
driver should adjust the seat height
for proper vision as well as fore/aft
placement and seat back angle to
insure adequate control, reach,
operation, and comfort The head
restraint should also be adjusted for
proper height so that when the
cushion is tipped completely
forward, it should form a cradle
behind the seat occupant’s head
Both the inside and outside rear
view mirrors should then be
adjusted for adequate rearward
vision Fasten seat belts Children
under the age of six or under the
weight of 23 kg/50 lb should be
seated in the back seat with an
approved restraint system properly
secured
All seat, head restraint, and rear
view mirror adjustments as well as
fastening of seat belts should only
be accomplished before the vehicle
is put into motion