318 OperationVehicle careCleaning and care of vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external in-
fluences which, if gone unchecked, can at-
tack the paintwork as well as the vehicle
underbody and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but
also by:
Air pollution
Road salt
Tar
Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:
Grease and oil
Fuel
Coolant
Brake fluid
Bird droppings
Insects
Tree resins, etc.
Frequent washing reduces and/or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences.More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:
near the ocean
in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)
during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
Any damage should be repaired as soon as
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the facto-
ry with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of
the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility
of incompatibility between materials used
in the production process and others ap-
plied later.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.
Always lock away cleaning products and
keep them out of reach of children.
321 Operation
Vehicle care
Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of ornamen-
tal moldings, use a damp cloth.Headlamps, tail lamps, side markers,
turn signal lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo, with plenty of water.
!Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in
exterior rear view mirrors prior to run-
ning the vehicle through an automatic
car wash to prevent damage to the
mirrors.
Make sure that the windshield wiper
switch is set to0 (
page 54). Other-
wise, the rain sensor could activate and
cause the wipers to move unintention-
ally. This may lead to vehicle damage.
iAfter running the vehicle through an au-
tomatic car wash, wipe any wax off of
the windshield (
page 323). This will
prevent smears and reduce wiping
noise which can be caused by residual
wax on the windshield.
When leaving the car wash, make sure
that the mirrors are folded out. Other-
wise they may vibrate.
!Do not use chrome cleaner on orna-
mental moldings. Although ornamental
moldings may have chrome appear-
ance, they could be made of anodized
aluminum that will be damaged when
cleaned with chrome cleaner. Instead,
use a damp cloth to clean those orna-
mental moldings.
For very dirty ornamental moldings of
which you are sure are chrome-plated,
use a chrome cleaner. If in doubt
whether an ornamental molding is
chrome-plated, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
!Only use window cleaning solutions
that are suitable for plastic lamp lens-
es. Window cleaning solutions which
are not suitable may damage the plas-
tic lamp lenses of the headlamps.
Therefore, do not use abrasives, sol-
vents or cleaners that contain solvents.
Never apply strong force and only use a
soft, non-scratching cloth when clean-
ing the lenses. Do not attempt to wipe
dirty lenses with a dry cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage
the lens surface.
323 Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning the windows and the wiper
blades
Switch on the ignition (
page 34).
Turn combination switch to wiper
settingII (
page 54).
With wiper arms in vertical position,
switch off the ignition (
page 384).
Fold the wiper arms forward until they
snap into place.
Clean the wiper blade inserts with a
clean cloth and detergent solution.
Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild win-
dow cleaning solution on all outside
and inside glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.
!The windshield wipers must be in a ver-
tical position before folding them away
from the windshield. They could other-
wise damage the hood.
Never open the hood when the wiper
arms are folded forward.
Warning!
G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and re-
move SmartKey from starter switch (vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the
vehicle’s on-board electronics have
status0) before cleaning the windshield the
windshield and/or the wiper blades. Other-
wise, the wiper motor could suddenly turn
on and cause injury.
!Fold the windshield wiper arms back
onto the windshield before turning the
SmartKey in the starter switch or
pressing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*).
Hold on to the wiper when folding the
wiper arm back. If released, the force
of the impact from the tensioning
spring could crack the windshield.!To clean the window interior, do not
use a dry cloth, abrasives, solvents or
cleaners containing solvents. Do not
touch the inside of the front, rear or
side windows with hard objects such as
an ice scraper or ring. Doing so may
damage the windows.
325 Operation
Vehicle care
Carpets
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Carpet
and Fabric Care for cleaning the car-
pets.
Headliner and shelf below rear window
Use a soft bristle brush or a dry-sham-
poo cleaner in case of excessive dirt.
Seat belts
Only use clear, lukewarm water and
soap.Upholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.
Leather upholstery
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp
cloth and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather
Care.
Exercise particular care when cleaning per-
forated leather as its underside should not
become wet.Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use
damp cloth to clean wood trims in your
vehicle.
!The webbing must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Do not dry
the webbing at temperatures above
176°F (80°C) or in direct sunlight.Warning!
G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
!Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as
these may be abrasive.
393 Practical hints
Battery
Reconnecting the battery
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Connect the positive lead and fasten its
cover 4.
Connect negative lead3.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.!Never invert the terminal connections.
iThe following procedures must be car-
ried out following any interruption of
battery power (e.g. due to reconnect-
ing):
Set the clock (see COMAND opera-
tor’s manual).
Synchronize the ESP
®
(
page 343).
Synchronize the power windows
(page 199).
Synchronize the power tilt/sliding
sunroof (
page 204).
433 Index
A
ABC 220, 427
Messages in display 339
Setting vehicle level 221
Suspension tuning 220
ABS 80, 427
Indicator lamp 328
Messages in display 341
Accelerator position, Automatic
transmission 169
Accessory weight 309
Accident 56
Active Body Control see ABC
Additional turn signals
Replacing bulbs 379
Air bags 63
BabySmart
TM air bag deactivation
system 74, 427
Children 64
Front 67
Safety guidelines 66
Side impact 67
Window curtain 68
Air cleaner see Air filter
Air conditioning refrigerant 419, 420Air conditioning system see Automatic cli-
mate control
Air conditioning, Cooling 193
Air distribution 188
Air filter
Message in display 341
Air recirculation mode 190
Air vents 185, 196
Air volume 189
Alarm system see Anti-theft alarm system
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 370,
389, 427
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 423, 424
Antiglare, Rear view mirror 178
Antilock Brake System see ABS
Anti-theft alarm systems
Indicator lamp 86
Anti-theft systems 85
Anti-theft alarm system 85
Immobilizer 85
Tow-away alarm 87
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning
Armrest 232, 233
Ashtrays 237
Aspect ratio 309AUDIO menu 142
Audio system
CD changer operating mode 145
Auto-dimming, Rear view mirror 178
Automatic central locking, Control
system 110, 162
Automatic climate control 184
Air conditioning refrigerant 420
Air conditioning, Cooling 193
Air distribution 188
Air recirculation mode 190
Air vents 185, 196
Air volume 189
Charcoal filter 191
Control panel 185
Deactivating system 187
Defogging 188
Defrosting 189
MAXCOOL maximum cooling 189
Rear window defroster 193
Residual engine heat and ventilation
(REST) 194
Setting the temperature 187
Automatic headlamp mode 126
Automatic lighting control, Interior
lighting 131
435 Index
C
CAC 427
California retail buyers and lessees, impor-
tant notice for 11
Can holder see Cup holder
CAN system 428
Capacities and recommended
fuel/lubricants 418
Cargo area see Trunk
Cargo tie-down hooks 229
Carpets, cleaning 325
Catalytic converter 268
CD changer 145
Central locking
Automatic 110, 162
Locking/unlocking from inside 111
Central locking/unlocking switches 111
Certification label 406
Charcoal filter 191
Children in the vehicle 72
Air bags 64
BabySmart
TM compatible child
seat 72
Blocking of rear window operation 78
Indicator lamp, front passenger front
air bag 74Infant and child restraint systems 72
LATCH-type child seat mounts 77
Tether attachment points 76
Cigarette lighter 238
Clock 25
See separate COMAND operating in-
structions
Cockpit 22, 428
COMAND see separate operating instruc-
tions
Combination switch 52, 53, 54, 129
Control system 137, 428
Multifunction display 137
Multifunction steering wheel 138
Resetting to factory default 154
Control system menus
AUDIO 142
Distronic* 150
NAVI 149
Settings 154
Standard display 142
TEL* 147
Trip computer 151
Vehicle status message memory 153Control system submenus
Convenience 163
Instrument cluster 157
Lighting 158
Vehicle 162
Controller Area Network see CAN system
Coolant 271, 280, 422
Anticorrosion/antifreeze mixing ratio
and quantity 424
Capacities 419, 424
Checking level 271, 280
Messages in display 347
Temperature 269
Temperature gauge 25, 135
Courtesy lighting 133
Cruise control 205, 428
Message in display 350
Cruise control lever 205
Cup holder 235
Cup holders
Cleaning 324
Curb weight 309, 428
Customer Assistance Center see CAC
441 Index
J
Jack 370, 388
Jacking up the vehicle 387
Jump starting 394K
Key, Mechanical 372
Key, SmartKey 90
Battery check lamp 90, 92
Checking the batteries 93
Factory setting 92
Locking/unlocking 32, 60, 90
Locking/unlocking, Global setting 92
Locking/unlocking, Selective
setting 92
Loss of 94
Messages in display 353
Opening the trunk 93
Operating the power tilt/sliding
sunroof 200
Operating the power windows 200
Position in starter switch 34
Remote control 90
Replacing the batteries 376
Starting the engine 48
Turning off the engine 59Key, SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* 94,
429
Battery check lamp 94, 98
Checking the battery 99
Factory setting 97
Locking the vehicle 99
Locking/unlocking 33, 60, 94
Locking/unlocking, Global setting 97
Locking/unlocking, Selective
setting 98
Loss of 100
Messages in display 353
Opening the trunk 100
Operating the power tilt/sliding
sunroof 200
Operating the power windows 200
Remote control 94
Replacing the battery 377
Starting the engine 49
Turning off the engine 59
KEYLESS-GO* see Key, SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*
Kickdown 169, 429
Kilopascal 310