453 Practical hints
Battery
Battery
The battery is located in the engine
compartment on the right hand side.
1Clamps
Removing filter box:
Release clamps1.
Remove filter box.
Installing filter box:
Insert filter box properly.
Secure it with clamps1.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
Observe all safety instructions and
precautions when handling automotive
batteries (
page 328).
Never lean over batteries while connecting,
you might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking etc.
!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 Maintenance Booklet for
maintenance intervals or contact an
authorized 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.
454 Practical hintsBattery2Negative terminal
3Positive terminal cover
Disconnecting the battery
Turn off the engine (
page 58).
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 hood (
page 321).
Remove the filter box (
page 453).
Read and observe safety instructions
and precautions (
page 453).
Disconnect the battery negative lead
from negative terminal2.
Remove cover3 from the positive ter-
minal.
Disconnect the battery positive lead.
Removing the battery
Remove the screw securing the
battery.
Remove the battery support and
bracket.
Pull out the ventilation tube from the
battery (depending on battery arrange-
ment in your vehicle model, the ventila-
tion tube is located either on the left or
right side of the battery).
Take out the battery.
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 position
P
455 Practical hints
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
reverse order.
Reconnecting the battery
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.
Connect the battery positive lead and
fasten its cover3.
Connect the battery negative lead2.
Reinstall the filter box (
page 453).
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 unless the accessory battery
charge unit* approved by Mercedes-Benz is
being used. Gases may escape during charg-
ing and cause explosions that may result in
paint damage, corrosion or personal injury.
An accessory battery charge unit* specially
adapted for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz is
available, permitting the charging of the bat-
tery in its installed position. Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
information and availability. Charge battery
in accordance with the separate instruc-
tions for the accessory battery charger*.
!The battery, its filler caps and the vent
tube must always be securely installed
when the vehicle is in operation.!NEVER invert the terminal connections!
iThe following procedures must be
carried out following any interruption of
battery power (e.g. due to reconnect-
ing):
Set the clock (
page 153).
Vehicles with COMAND*:
see COMAND operator’s manual.
Synchronize the side windows
(page 251).
456 Practical hintsJump starting
If the battery is discharged, the engine can
be started with jumper cables and the bat-
tery of another vehicle. Observe the follow-
ing:
Jump starting should only be performed
when the engine and catalytic convert-
er are cold.
Do not start the engine if the battery is
frozen. Let the battery thaw out first.
Only jump start from batteries with the
same voltage rating (12 V). Jump start-
ing with a more powerful battery could
damage the vehicle’s electrical system,
which will not be covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Only use jumper cables with sufficient
cross-section and insulated terminal
clamps.
Always make sure the jumper cables
are not on or near pulleys, fans or other
parts that move when an engine is
started or running.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these directions will cause
damage to the electronic components, and
can lead to a battery explosion and severe
injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting
or jump starting, you might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water, and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and very explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking, etc.
Attempting to jump start a frozen battery
can result in it exploding, causing personal
injury.
Read all instructions before proceeding.
!Avoid repeated and lengthy starting at-
tempts.
Do not attempt to start the engine us-
ing a battery quick charge unit.
If the engine does not run after several
unsuccessful starting attempts, have it
checked at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Excessive unburned fuel generated by
repeated failed starting attempts may
damage the catalytic converter and
may present a fire risk.
Make sure the jumper cables do not
have loose or missing insulation.
Make sure the cable clamps do not
touch any other metal part while the
other end is still attached to a battery.
457 Practical hints
Jump starting
The battery is located on the right side of
the engine compartment. For jump start-
ing, use the terminals in front of the bat-
tery.
Make sure the two vehicles do not
touch.
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Apply parking brake.
Shift gear selector lever to positionP.
Open the hood (
page 321).
Flip up cover from positive under hood
terminal2 in front of the filter box
(page 454).1Positive terminal of charged battery
2Positive under hood terminal in front of
discharged battery
3Negative under hood terminal in front
of discharged battery
4Negative terminal of charged battery
Connect the positive terminal1 of the
charged battery with the positive under
hood terminal 2 in front of the filter
box with the jumper cable. Clamp cable
to charged battery1 first.
Start engine of the vehicle with the
charged battery and run at idle speed.
Connect the negative terminal4 of
the charged battery with the negative
under hood terminal 3 in front of the
filter box with the jumper cable. Clamp
cable to charged battery4 first.
Start the engine of the disabled vehi-
cle.
You can now turn on the electrical con-
sumers. Do not turn on the lights under
any circumstances.
Remove the jumper cables first from
the negative terminals3 and4 and
then from the positive terminals2
and1.
You can now turn on the lights.
Have the battery checked at the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Keep flames or sparks away from battery.
Do not smoke.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(page 328).
!Never invert the terminal connections.
!Do not tow-start the vehicle.
459 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Warning!
G
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make certain that the SmartKey
is in starter switch position
2.
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch posi-
tion
0 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.
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.
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.iTo signal turns while being towed with
the hazard warning flasher in use,
switch on the ignition 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.
!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 approx. 9 mph
(15 km / h) or more.
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(page 94).
To prevent the vehicle door locks from
locking, deactivate the automatic cen-
tral locking (
page 159).
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.
462 Practical hintsFusesFuses are designed to protect the electri-
cal circuits in your vehicle from a short cir-
cuit. If a fuse is blown, the component(s)
and systems secured by that fuse will stop
operating.
The following aids are available to help you
replace fuses (
page 462):
Fuse chart
Spare fuses
Fuse extractor
The electrical fuses are located in different
fuse boxes:
Main fuse box in passenger
compartment (
page 463)
Fuse box in engine compartment
(page 463)
Fuse box in trunk (
page 464)
Aids for replacing fuses
Fuse chart
The fuse chart is located in the main fuse
box in the passenger compartment
(page 463). The amperages of the fuses
are also given there.
Spare fuses
Spare fuses are located in the vehicle tool
kit in the spare wheel well (
page 413).
Fuse extractor
The fuse extractor is located in the trunk
underneath the trunk floor cover in the
storage well casing (
page 413).
Warning!
G
Only use fuses approved for Mercedes-Benz
with the specified amperage for the system
in question. Using other fuses may cause an
overload leading to a fire, and/or cause
damage to electrical components and/or
systems.
!Never attempt to repair or bridge a
blown fuse. Have the cause determined
and remedied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.!Keep the fuse boxes free by contamina-
tion and wetness. Otherwise, electrical
parts or systems could be damaged.
481 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines and durability for
our service intervals. Therefore, only use
approved engine oils and oil filters re-
quired for vehicles with Maintenance
System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada
vehicles). For a listing of approved engine
oils and oil filters, refer to the Factory Ap-
proved Service Products pamphlet, or
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine.
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 are used in the air
conditioning system.
Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based
lubricating 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.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. An
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
provide you with additional information.
!Using engine oils and oil filters of spec-
ification other than those expressly re-
quired for the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehi-
cles), or changing of oil and oil filter at
change intervals longer than those
called for by the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehi-
cles) will result in engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Please follow Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehi-
cles) recommendations for scheduled
oil changes. Failure to do so will result
in engine damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Under extremely strenuous operating condi-
tions, this moisture content can lead to the
formation of bubbles in the system, thus re-
ducing the system’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be replaced
regularly. Refer to your vehicle's Mainte-
nance Booklet for replacement interval.