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303 Practical hints
Flat tire
Unscrew the alignment bolt, install last
wheel bolt and tighten slightly.Minispare wheel
In the case of a flat tire, you may tempo-
rarily use the Minispare wheel when ob-
serving the following restrictions:
Do not exceed a vehicle speed of
50 mph (80km/h).
Drive to the nearest tire repair facility
to have the flat tire repaired or re-
placed as appropriate.
Do not operate vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.
Warning!
G
Always replace wheel bolts that are dam-
aged or rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts.
Damaged wheel hub threads should be re-
paired immediately. Do not continue to drive
under these circumstances! Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call
Roadside Assistance.
Incorrect mounting bolts or improperly
tightened mounting bolts can cause the
wheel to come off. This could cause an acci-
dent. Be sure to use the correct mounting
bolts.
Warning!
G
Use only genuine equipment
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts. They are identi-
fied by the Mercedes star. Other wheel bolts
may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the ve-
hicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle could
tip over.
Warning!
G
The dimensions of the Minispare wheel are
different from those of the road wheels. As
a result, the vehicle handling characteristics
change when driving with a Minispare wheel
mounted.
The spare wheel should only be used tempo-
rarily, and replaced with a regular road
wheel as quick as possible.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 303 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 324 of 370

330 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines. Therefore, use
only engine oils recommended by
Mercedes-Benz. Information on recom-
mended brands is available in the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet, or at
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Please follow FSS recommendations for
scheduled oil changes. Failure to do so
could result in engine damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may be harmful to the engine opera-
tion.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from
blending oil additives are not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG
lubricating oil is used in the air conditio-
ning system.
Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based lu-
bricating oil, otherwise damage to the
system will occur.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point
of the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from
the atmosphere. Under extremely strenu-
ous operating conditions, this moisture
content can lead to the formation of bub-
bles in the system, thus reducing the sys-
tem’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be re-
placed every two years, preferably in the
spring.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center will pro-
vide you with additional information.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 330 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 334 of 370

340 Technical termsCOMAND*
(Cockpit Management and Data Sys-
tem)
Information and operating center for
vehicle sound and communications
systems, including the radio and navi-
gation system, as well as for other op-
tional equipment (CD changer*,
telephone*, etc.).
Control system
The control system is used to call up vehi-
cle information and to change component
settings. Information and messages ap-
pear in the multifunction display. The driv-
er uses the buttons on the multifunction
steering wheel to navigate through the sys-
tem and to adjust settings.
Cruise control
Driving convenience system for automati-
cally maintaining the vehicle speed set by
the driver.Engine number
The number set by the manufacturer and
placed on the cylinder block to uniquely
identify each engine produced.
Engine oil viscosity
Measurement for the inner friction (viscos-
ity) of the oil at different temperatures. The
higher the temperature an oil can tolerate
without becoming thin, or the lower the
temperature it can tolerate without be-
coming viscous, the better the viscosity.
ESP
(Electronic Stability Program)
Improves vehicle handling and direc-
tional stability.
ETD
(Emergency Tensioning Device)
Device which deploys in certain frontal
and rear collisions exceeding the sys-
tem's threshold to tighten the seat
belts.
->SRSFSS
(Flexible Service System)
Service indicator in the multifunction
display that informs the driver when
the next vehicle maintenance service is
due.
Gear range
Number of gears which are available to the
automatic transmission for shifting. The
automatic gear shifting process can be
adapted to specific operating conditions
using the selector lever.
GPS
(Global Positioning System)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special re-
ceivers. Employs CD digital maps for
navigation.S203 MY03_A.book Page 340 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM
Page 342 of 370

348 IndexButton
Audio system 164
C
CAC (Customer assistance center) 339
California
Important notice 11
Calling up
Range (distance to empty) 130
Service indicator 247
CAN system 339
Capacities
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. 328
Cargo area see Cargo compartment 87
Cargo compartment
Auxiliary fuse box 315
Lighting 103
Parcel net 196
Storage compartment inside 197
Tailgate 87
Tie-down rings 202
Cargo tie-down rings 202
Casette mode
Playing cassettes 170
Cassette player
Operating 114
Catalytic converter 230CD changer* 174
CD mode 174
CD player
Operating 113
Center console 25
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp 259
Lower part 26
Upper part 25
Centigrade
Setting temperature units 119
Central locking
Automatic 88
From inside 89
Switch 89
Switching on/off (control
system) 125
Unlocking from inside 89
Central locking switch 89
Certification label 320
Changing
Batteries (SmartKey) 287
Key setting 126
Changing CDs 174
Charcoal filter 157
Charging
Vehicle battery 306CHECK ENGINE malfunction indicator
lamp 23, 258
Checking
Coolant level 233, 238
Oil level 233, 235
Tire inflate pressure 233
Vehicle lighting 233
Child safety 65
Airbags 58
Infant and child restraint systems 62,
65
LATCH child seat anchors 70
Child safety switch see Blocking of rear
door window operation 71
Child seat anchors see LATCH child seat
anchors 70
Cigarette lighter 208
Cleaning
Cup holder 251
Gear selector lever 251
Hard plastic trim items 252
Headlamps 143
Headliner 252
Instrument cluster 251
Leather upholstery 252
Light alloy wheels 251S203 MY03_A.book Page 348 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM