2006 Pre-facelift E Class Classic - missing equipment?

[RKWeiss]

Hello,

I just bought a lightly-used 2006 pre-'facelift' E 280 CDI Classic. Car is great, but there are some 'features' which are described in the manual that my car doesn't seem to have. Perhaps these are things that only come as standard on the Elegance and Avantgarde? :

1) Oil level measurement throught the multifunction display. This menu choice is simply missing from mine, yet is described as if a standard feature in the manual. Is this not included on Classic or something?

2) Folding mirrors. Ok, my car doesn't have automatic folding wing mirrors. But can't they at least be folded manually? It seems that they are on a very tight spring, but I am afraid to push too hard lest I might break one!

3) SBC braking. My car has the SBC braking, and the SBC-Hold function is easy to use. But the SBC-Stop just simply doesn't seem to be there. I follow the instructions in the manual to a tee, but all I get on the multifunction display when I try to activate SBC-Stop is the message "Cruise Control ___".

4) The little black 'button' on the driver-side door handle. What does this do? In the manual it seems to indicate it to be a way to lock the car without the key fob. But mine doesn't do anything. Doesn't even move.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Blobcat]

Hi & Welcome,

Oil measurement is only at standstill with ignition on and engine running, top left button on steering wheel if I can remember correctly
If the mirrors fold there should be a button by the gear lever
Black Button in drivers door handle is an IR receiver for the key fob. When you are close to the vehicle if you press and hold the open door button the windows should drop.
jberks has a W211 E class so should be able to give you more model specific advice.

 

[jonharker]

I had a late 2005 E320CDi Avantgarde on which the electronic oil indicator on the speedo display no longer worked; there is a dipstick again! You will probably find in the manual that it doesn't mention the E280CDi or E320CDi
Ditto with the folding mirrors - you could no longer set the computer for them to automatically retract when you locked the car. This can still be done manually by a button on the door but I am not sure if the Classic has the folding mirrors extra.
I think you will find that the SBC Stop function has been deleted.

 

[hawk20]

If you don't have electrically folding mirrors, don't force them manually. Not meant to.

Extras in the handbook/owner's manual are marked with an asterisk. There are literally millions of permutations of models and options so this is the only realistic way they could do it.

 

[television]

If you don't have electrically folding mirrors, don't force them manually. Not meant to.

Extras in the handbook/owner's manual are marked with an asterisk. There are literally millions of permutations of models and options so this is the only realistic way they could do it.

Why not enter the vin To mbclub.ru/mb/vin

I have been doing this every day to check whats on all of the cars on offer

Malcolm

 

[RKWeiss]

"Hawk20", are you saying that if I don't have the electronic mirror-folding option, that my mirrors simply don't fold in at all? That's a disappointment, especially on a car this size!

Yes, I can see that my car does have an oil dipstick. Can anybody else with a 2005+ V6 Diesel confirm that oil measurement is done only the old fashioned way -- with a dipstick?

 

[television]

"Hawk20", are you saying that if I don't have the electronic mirror-folding option, that my mirrors simply don't fold in at all? That's a disappointment, especially on a car this size!

Yes, I can see that my car does have an oil dipstick. Can anybody else with a 2005+ V6 Diesel confirm that oil measurement is done only the old fashioned way -- with a dipstick?

Sorry that my first link did not work, if you put your VIN number in , you will get the original spec with all option fitted at the factory

http://www.mbclub.ru/mb/vin/?lng=eng

Its something nice to keep with the car. Malcolm

 

[s999sws]

hi there, I have a Jan 06 E280CDI, V6. The folding mirrors were an extra, and there is no auto-fold, if you did not request them, they will not fold. The V6 has a dipstick, although it is not very easy to get an accurate measurement on it as it has to bend a bit inside the engine. SBC STOP was deleted because it caused too mant problems with people not fully understanding it. The black square on the handle is to open or close all of the windows by holding down the open button on the key fob when within 6 feet of the door handle.
I hope this clarifies the issue for you
regards
Stephen W-S

 

[jberks]

I'd just add that if you have electric folding mirrors then there will be a button in front (towards the front of the car) on the mirror control. If not, the furthest forward button will be the direction adjuster.
Sad they've deleted the auto fold - it's an excellent bit of kit. Happy to see the dip stick return though. I've had the electronic ones since 2000. Never entirely trusted them, I'd much rather see for myself.
What is SBC stop? - I imagine it was deleted prior to the 05 model as I don't have that either.

 

[RKWeiss]

hi there, I have a Jan 06 E280CDI, V6. The folding mirrors were an extra, and there is no auto-fold, if you did not request them, they will not fold. The V6 has a dipstick, although it is not very easy to get an accurate measurement on it as it has to bend a bit inside the engine. SBC STOP was deleted because it caused too mant problems with people not fully understanding it.

Thank you for this, s999sws. So, just to be clear, because your car too has a dipstick, the oil-measurement optoin in the multifunction display is completely missing as well? (Or do you have both?)

Also, I notice there are a couple of other menu choices missing from my multi-function display. the 'Malfunctions' page is just not there, and the option to change the outside temperature display from C to Fahrenheit is not there either (which I don't really care about). I only know that these items are supposed to be on the MF display from the owners manual. They have no '*' next to them, implying they are standard; yet I wonder if these are deletions in my production run or something. What about yours?

It seems a bit rubbish that they didn't care to update the manual. or at least to put an insert in notifying of the deviations to the car from the manual.

 

[television]

.
Sad they've deleted the auto fold - it's an excellent bit of kit.
.

The auto fold would appear to have been deleted across the whole range.
the reason I suspect, is the motors in the mirrors are not strong enough for the task, and the wear and tear on the folding joints and cables was beyond the original design.
I would suspect that some wis kid in the office thought of it,and added the software.
Thinking about it, many people have had trouble with the dipping left hand one.and that's only the glass motor.

Malcolm

 

[jberks]

you're quite right about the manual aspect. They should put in an adenndum. I guess this is all part of their 'quality' drive. If they couldn't get an aspect right, then delete it.
Whilst a backwards step in some respects, its also back to Mercedes values of old, where only fully proven technology was used. A good thing really.

As far as the mirrors are concerned, damned if you do or don't. I use the auto fold, partially to protect them and partially to use them as they jammed through lack of use on the 210. Seems you can't win!

 

[mioba]

i think the things you mention is why your car is a classic model and not an avantgarde.

the classic is a "basic" model - if you can call it basic.

 

[RKWeiss]

It's just that every car I've ever had -- no matter how lowly and basic -- you could at least push the mirrors in by hand when you got out!

 

[s999sws]

I only have a dipstick, no computer reading. Also only Celsius temp. The malfunctions page only comes up when there is a problem, likewise the message page.
Regards
Stephen W-S