2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E500 lock

374 Practical hintsFlat tireIn 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 (80 km / 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.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 96 lb-ft
(130 Nm).

Before storing the jack in the trunk, it
should be fully collapsed.
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 quickly as possible.
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
96 lb-ft (130 Nm).iWrap the damaged wheel in the protec-
tive film that comes with the spare
wheel and put the wheel in the trunk.
You can also place the damaged wheel
down into the spare wheel well. In this
case, you must stow the holder from
the spare wheel well in the trunk.
Do not activate the tire inflation pres-
sure monitor until the depressurized
tire is no longer in the vehicle.

376 Practical hintsBatteries
Disconnecting the battery
Depress parking brake firmly or move
gear selector lever to positionP.

Turn off all electrical consumers.

Remove SmartKey from starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press the start / stop button until
the engine shuts off.

Open the driver’s door.

Open the trunk.
!Never loosen or detach battery termi-
nal clamps while the engine is running
or the SmartKey is in the starter switch.
Otherwise the alternator and other
electronic components could be se-
verely damaged.
Have the battery checked regularly by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Refer to Service Booklet for mainte-
nance intervals or contact your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for further
information.Warning!
G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof battery only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Warning!
G
The SBC brake system requires electrical
power to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. The same applies if
battery is disconnected. To brake, the driver
must then apply significantly greater brake
pedal pressure and depress the pedal much
further to obtain the expected braking ef-
fect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the
brake pedal. Brakes may only be applied to
the front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased! Adjust your driving style according-
ly. For more information, refer to “SBC brake
system” (
page 79).
Warning!
G
With a disconnected battery

you will no longer be able to turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch and
pressing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button on the gear selector lever will
have no effect


the gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP

377 Practical hints
Batteries

Remove the luggage box (
page 351).

Disconnect battery negative lead1.

Remove cover2 from the positive ter-
minal.

Disconnect the battery positive lead.
Removing the battery
Remove the screw-nuts securing the
battery.

Remove the battery bracket.

Take out the battery.
Charging and reinstalling the battery

Charge battery in accordance with the
instructions of the battery charger
manufacturer.

Reinstall the charged battery. Follow
the previously described steps in re-
verse order.
Reconnecting the battery
Turn off all electrical consumers.

Connect the positive lead and fasten its
cover.

Connect the negative lead.

Install the luggage box (
page 351).Batteries contain materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly.
Large 12 volt storage batteries contain
lead. Recycling of batteries is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states require
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries
for recycling.
Warning!
G
Never charge a battery while still installed in
the vehicle. Gases may escape during charg-
ing and cause explosions that may result in
paint damage, corrosion or personal injury.
!Never invert the terminal connections!!The battery, its filler caps and the vent
tube must always be securely installed
when the vehicle is in operation.
iThe following procedures must be car-
ried out following any interruption of
battery power (e.g. due to reconnec-
tion):

Set the clock (
page 143)
(see COMAND operator’s manual).


Resynchronize the side windows
(page 200).


Resynchronize the sliding / pop-up
roof* (
page 204) or the panora-
ma sliding / pop-up roof*
(
page 209).

381 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 (except vehi-
cles with 4MATIC) only so far as necessary
to have the vehicle moved to a safe loca-
tion where the recommended towing
methods can be employed.
!Use flatbed or wheel lift / dolly equip-
ment with SmartKey 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 and the
automatic central locking
Do not tow-start the vehicle.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC:
Do not tow with one axle raised. Doing
so could damage the transfer case,
which is not covered by the Mer-
cedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
All wheels must be on or off the ground.
Observe instructions for towing the ve-
hicle with all wheels on the ground.
!If the vehicle is towed with the front
axle raised (not permissible for vehicles
with 4MATIC), the engine must be shut
off (SmartKey in starter switch
position0 or 1). 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 and the SmartKey
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).

382 Practical hintsTowing the vehicle
!
To be certain to avoid a possibility of
damage to the drive train, however, we
recommend the drive shaft be discon-
nected at the rear axle drive flange (ve-
hicles with 4MATIC: disconnected at
the front and rear axle drive flanges) 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 SBC brake
system


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 SmartKey
is in starter switch position2.
If the SmartKey is left in the 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, re-
move SmartKey from starter switch and re-
insert.
Warning!
G
The brake system requires electrical power
to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. To brake, the driver
must then apply significantly greater brake
pedal pressure and depress the pedal much
further to obtain the expected braking ef-
fect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the
brake pedal. Brakes may only be applied to
the front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased! Adapt your driving style according-
ly. For more information, refer to “SBC brake
system” (
page 79).
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the steering system. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that
a considerably higher degree of effort is nec-
essary to steer the vehicle. Adapt your driv-
ing accordingly.

383 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
iTo signal turns while being towed with
the hazard warning flasher in use, turn
SmartKey in starter switch to
position2 and activate the combina-
tion switch for the left or right turn sig-
nal in the usual manner – only the
selected turn signal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the haz-
ard warning flasher will operate again.
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, please note the follow-
ing:
With the automatic central locking acti-
vated and the SmartKey in starter
switch position2, or KEYLESS-GO*
start / stop button in position2, the ve-
hicle doors lock if the left front wheel
as well as the right rear wheel are turn-
ing at vehicle speeds of approximately
9 mph (15 km / h) or more.
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(page 85).
To prevent the vehicle door locks from
locking, deactivate the automatic cen-
tral locking (
page 106).
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 the vehicle chas-
sis, frame or suspension parts.
iThe selector lever will remain locked in
positionP and the SmartKey will not
turn in the starter switch if the battery
is disconnected or discharged. See
notes on the battery (
page 375) or
on jump starting (
page 378).
Manual unlocking transmission selec-
tor lever (
page 357).

385 Practical hintsFuses
Fuses
Fuse box in passenger compartment
1CoverOpening

Pull cover1 open with a screwdriver
or similar tool.

Remove cover1 rearward.
Closing

Attach cover1 in the front.

Fold cover1 in until it engages.
2Cover
3Catches

Turn catches3 anti-clockwise and re-
move cover2.Fuse chart
The fuse chart is found in the fuse box in
the passenger compartment. The amper-
ages of the fuses are also given there.
Spare fuses
Spare fuses are found in the vehicle tool kit
in the trunk.
Fuse extractor
The fuse extractor is found in the vehicle
tool kit in the trunk.
iOnly install fuses that have been tested
and approved by Mercedes-Benz and
that have the specified amperage rat-
ing.
Never attempt to repair or bridge a
blown fuse. Have the cause determined
and remedied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
iOnly install fuses that have been tested
and approved by Mercedes-Benz and
that have the specified amperage rat-
ing.
Never attempt to repair or bridge a
blown fuse. Have the cause determined
and remedied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

411 Technical terms
ABS
(A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)
Prevents the wheels from locking up
during braking so that the vehicle can
continue to be steered.
ADS
(A
daptive D
amping S
ystem)
Automatically adapts the optimum sus-
pension damping to prevailing driving
conditions.
Airmatic DC
(A
irmatic D
ual C
ontrol)
Automatically selects the optimum sus-
pension tuning and ride height for your
vehicle. Airmatic consists of two com-
ponents:


Adaptive Damping System


Vehicle level control
Alignment bolt
Metal pin with thread. The centering
pin is an aid used when changing a tire
to align the wheel with the wheel hub.BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system
This system detects if a special system
compatible child restraint seat is in-
stalled on the front passenger seat. The
system will automatically deactivate
the passenger front airbag when such a
seat is properly installed
(PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp located in the center console
comes on). See your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for availability.
BabySmartTM compatible child seats
Special restraint system for children.
The sensor system for the passenger
seat prevents deployment of the pas-
senger front airbag if a BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat is installed.
BAS
(B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)
System for potentially reducing braking
distances in emergency braking situa-
tions. The system is activated when it
senses an emergency based on how
fast the brake is applied.Bi-Xenon headlamps*
Headlamps which use an electric arc as
a light source and produce a more in-
tense light than filament headlamps.
Bi-Xenon headlamps produce low
beam and high beam.
CAC
(C
ustomer A
ssistance C
enter)
Mercedes-Benz customer service cen-
ter which can help you with any ques-
tions about your vehicle and provide
assistance in the event of a break-
down.
CAN system
(C
ontroller A
rea N
etwork)
Data bus network serving to control ve-
hicle functions such as door locking or
windshield wiping.
Cockpit
All instruments, switches, buttons and
indicator/warning lamps in the passen-
ger compartment needed for vehicle
operation and monitoring.