2003 MERCEDES-BENZ C320 COUPE wheel

291 Practical hints
Flat tire

Unscrew the alignment bolt, install last
wheel bolt and tighten slightly.Lowering the vehicle

Lower vehicle by turning crank coun-
terclockwise until vehicle is resting ful-
ly on its own weight.

Remove the jack.
1-5 Wheel bolts

Tighten the five wheel bolts evenly, fol-
lowing the diagonal sequence illustrat-
ed (1 to 5), until all bolts are tight.
Observe a tightening torque of 80 ft lb
(110 Nm).
!To avoid paint damage, place wheel flat
against hub and hold it there while in-
stalling first wheel bolt.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.


292 Practical hintsFlat tire
Before storing the jack in the trunk, it
should be fully collapsed, with handle
folded in.Inflating the spare tire

Take the electric air pump out of the
trunk.
1Flap
2Air hose with pressure gauge and vent
screw
3Union nut
4Electrical plug
Please exercise appropriate caution

Open flap 1 on air pump.

Pull out electrical plug4 and air hose
with the pressure gauge2.
Observe instructions on air pump label.

Remove the valve cap from valve.

Screw the air hose2 on to the tire
valve.

Insert electrical plug 4 into vehicle cig-
arette lighter socket.

To switch on the air pump turn the key
in the starter switch to position1
(page 31).

Operate air pump until the pressure
gauge displays 36 psi (2.5 bar)
This takes about five minutes for the
space tire. The air hose 2 and the union
nut 3 can become hot during inflation.
Warning!
G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. The wheels could come
loose if they are not tightened to a torque of
80 ft lb (110 Nm).
Warning!
G
Observe instructions on air pump label.


299 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Towing the vehicle
Mercedes-Benz recommends that the vehi-
cle be transported with all wheels off the
ground using flatbed or appropriate wheel
lift/dolly equipment. This method is pref-
erable to other types of towing.When circumstances do not permit the
recommended towing methods, the vehi-
cle may be towed with all wheels on the
ground or front wheels raised only so far as
necessary to have the vehicle moved to a
safe location where the recommended
towing methods can be employed.
!Use flatbed or wheel lift/dolly equip-
ment with key in starter switch turned
to position0.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
Towing with sling-type equipment over
bumpy roads will damage radiator and
supports.
To prevent damage during transport,
do not tie down vehicle by its chassis or
suspension parts.
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(page 79) and deactivate the auto-
matic central locking (
page 122).
!Vehicles with automatic transmission:
Do not tow-start the vehicle.
!If the vehicle is towed with the front
axle raised, the engine must be shut off
(key in starter switch position0 or1).
Otherwise, the ESP will immediately be
engaged and will apply the rear wheel
brakes.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, the selector lever must
be in positionN (manual transmission:
gears disengaged) and the key must be
in starter switch position2.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground or the front axle raised,
the vehicle may be towed only for dis-
tances up to 30 miles (50 km) and at a
speed not to exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h).

300 Practical hintsTowing the vehicle
To be certain to avoid a possibility of
damage to the transmission, however,
we recommend the drive shaft be dis-
connected at the rear axle drive flange
for any towing beyond a short tow to a
nearby garage.
Warning!
G
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:

the engine will not run


there is a malfunction in the power sup-
ply or in the vehicle’s electrical system
as that will be necessary to adequately con-
trol the towed vehicle.
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make certain that the key is in
starter switch position2.
If the key is left in starter switch position0
for an extended period of time, it can no
longer be turned in the switch. In this case,
the steering is locked. To unlock, remove
key from starter switch and reinsert.
iTo signal turns while being towed with
the hazard warning flasher in use, turn
key in starter switch to position2 and
activate the combination switch for the
left or right turn signal in the usual
manner – only the selected turn signal
will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the haz-
ard warning flasher will operate again.

301 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the braking and steer-
ing systems. In this case, it is important to
keep in mind that a considerably higher de-
gree of effort is necessary to brake and
steer the vehicle. Adapt your driving accord-
ingly.
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, please note the follow-
ing:
With the automatic central locking acti-
vated and the key in starter switch
position2, the vehicle doors lock if the
left front wheel as well as the right rear
wheel are turning at vehicle speeds of
approx. 9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(page 79).
To prevent the vehicle doors from lock-
ing, deactivate the automatic central
locking (
page 122).
Towing of the vehicle should only be
done using the properly installed tow-
ing eye bolt. Never attach tow cable,
tow rope or tow rod to vehicle chassis,
frame or suspension parts.
iIf the battery is disconnected or dis-
charged

the key will not turn in the starter
switch. See notes on the battery
(page 294) or on jump starting
(page 297).


the selector lever will remain
locked in positionP. See notes on
manual unlocking of gear selector
lever (
page 277).

302 Practical hintsTowing the vehicleInstalling towing eye bolt
1Cover on right side of front bumper.2Cover on right side of rear bumper.To remove cover:

Press mark on cover in direction of ar-
row.

L i f t c o v e r o f f t o r e v e a l t h r e a d e d h o l e f o r
towing eye bolt.
The towing eye bolt is supplied with the
tool kit (located in the wheel well below the
trunk floor).

Screw towing eye bolt in to its stop and
tighten with lug wrench.
To reinstall cover:

Fit cover and snap into place.

311 Technical data
Rims and Tires
Rims and Tires
Use only tires and rims which have been
specifically developed for your vehicle and
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Other tires and rims can have detrimental
effects, such as

poor handling characteristics


increased noise


increased fuel consumption
Same size tires
!Moreover, tires and rims not approved
by Mercedes-Benz may, under load, ex-
hibit dimensional variations and differ-
ent tire deformation characteristics
that could cause them to come into
contact with the vehicle body or axle
parts. Damage to the tires or the vehi-
cle can be the result.
iFurther information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center. A tire inflation pressure
table is located on the fuel filler cap of
the vehicle. The tire pressure should be
checked regularly and should only be
adjusted on cold tires. Follow tire man-
ufacturer’s maintenance recommenda-
tion included with vehicle.
C230Kompressor
C320
C230Kompressor*
C320*
C230Kompressor
C320
Evolution Package*
Rims (light alloy)
7J x16 H2
7 1/2J x17
7 1/2J x17
Wheel offset
1.46 in (37 mm)
1.46 in (37 mm)
1.46 in (37 mm)
Summer tires (radial-ply tires)
All season tires (radial-ply tires)
205/55 R16 91 H
225/45 R17 91 W
1
225/45 R17 91 W
1
1Must not be used with snow chainsWinter tires (radial-ply tires)
205/55 R16 91 H M+S
225/45 R17 91 H M+S
1
225/45 R17 91 H M+S
1

312 Technical dataRims and TiresMixed size tires
C 230 Kompressor*
C320*
Front axleRims (light alloy)
7J x16 H2
Wheel offset
1.46 in (37 mm)
Summer tires (radial-ply tires)
205/55 R16 91 V
Winter tires (radial-ply tires)
205/55 R16 91 H M+S
Rear axleRims (light alloy)
8J x16 H2
Wheel offset
1.26 in (32 mm)
Summer tires (radial-ply tires)
225/50 R16 92 V
1
1Must not be used with snow chainsWinter tires (radial-ply tires)
205/55 R16 91 H M+S