2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E WAGON winter tires

ContentsDriving systems ................................. 239
Cruise control............................... 239
Distronic*..................................... 243
Airmatic DC (Dual Control)* ......... 255
Loading .............................................. 260
Split rear bench seat .................... 260
Expanding the cargo
compartment................................ 262
Loading instructions ..................... 263
Cargo tie-down rings .................... 264
Cargo management system*
(Canada only) ............................... 265
Storage box in cargo
compartment (Canada only) ......... 268
Twin roller blind ............................ 269
Useful features .................................. 272
Storage compartments................. 272
Cup holders .................................. 274
Ashtrays ....................................... 277
Cigarette lighter ........................... 278
Power outlet ................................. 279
Heated steering wheel* ............... 279
Floormats ..................................... 280
Telephone*................................... 281
Tele Aid ........................................ 282
Garage door opener ..................... 290
Operation......................................... 299
The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km)......... 300
Driving instructions............................ 301
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 301
Drinking and driving ..................... 301
Pedals .......................................... 301
Power assistance ......................... 302
Brakes .......................................... 302
Driving off .................................... 304
Parking ......................................... 304
Tires ............................................. 305
Hydroplaning ................................ 305
Tire traction.................................. 306
Tire speed rating .......................... 306
Winter driving instructions ........... 307
Standing water ............................. 308
Passenger compartment .............. 309
Driving abroad.............................. 309
Control and operation of radio
transmitter ................................... 309
Catalytic converter ....................... 310
Emission control .......................... 310
Coolant temperature .................... 311At the gas station .............................. 312
Refueling ...................................... 312
Check regularly and
before a long trip ......................... 313
Engine compartment ......................... 315
Hood ............................................ 315
Engine oil ..................................... 316
Transmission fluid level ................ 320
Coolant level ................................ 321
Batteries ...................................... 322
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*......... 323
Tires and wheels................................ 324
Important guidelines .................... 324
Tire care and maintenance........... 325
Direction of rotation..................... 327
Loading the vehicle ...................... 327
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 333
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 335
MOExtended system* .................. 340
Tire labeling ................................. 340
Load identification ....................... 344
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) ............................................. 345
Maximum tire load ....................... 346

Contents
Maximum tire inflation pressure .. 347
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) ............. 348
Tire ply material ........................... 350
Tire and loading terminology ........ 350
Rotating tires ............................... 353
Winter driving .................................... 355
Winter tires .................................. 355
Block heater* (Canada only) ........ 356
Snow chains................................. 356
Maintenance...................................... 358
Maintenance service indicator
message....................................... 358
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display............... 360
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator........................... 361
Vehicle care ....................................... 362
Cleaning and care of vehicle ........ 362
Practical hints.................................. 371
What to do if … ................................... 372
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 372
Lamp in center console................. 381
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display..................... 383
Where will I find ...? ............................ 419
First aid kit.................................... 419
Vehicle tool kit, jack and
spare wheel .................................. 419
Unlocking/locking in an emergency... 424
Unlocking the vehicle.................... 424
Locking the vehicle ....................... 425
Fuel filler flap emergency release . 425
Manually unlocking the gear
selector lever ................................ 426
Opening/closing in an emergency ..... 427
Power tilt/sliding sunroof* ........... 427
Resetting activated head restraints .... 428
Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 429
SmartKey ...................................... 429
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ....... 430Replacing bulbs .................................. 431
Bulbs............................................. 431
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 434
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 436
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 437
Removing front wiper blades ........ 437
Installing front wiper blades ......... 438
Removing rear wiper blade ........... 438
Installing rear wiper blade ............ 439
Flat tire............................................... 440
Preparing the vehicle .................... 440
Sealing tires with TIREFIT ............. 440
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 445
MOExtended system* ................... 451
Batteries............................................. 452
Disconnecting the battery ............ 453
Removing the battery ................... 454
Charging and reinstalling the
battery .......................................... 454
Reconnecting the battery ............. 455
Jump starting...................................... 456
Towing the vehicle.............................. 458
Installing towing eye bolt .............. 461

91 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Driving safety systems
In this section you will find information on
the following driving safety systems:

ABS (A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)


BAS (B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)


ESP
® (E
lectronic S
tability P
rogram)


Electrohydraulic brake system


4MATIC (Four Wheel Electronic
Traction System)
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of
approximately 5 mph (8 km/h) indepen-
dent of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will re-
spond even to light brake pressure.
The - indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster comes on when you switch on the
ignition. It goes out when the engine is run-
ning.
iIn winter operation, the maximum
effectiveness of the ABS, the BAS, the
ESP
®, electrohydraulic brake system
and 4MATIC is only achieved with win-
ter tires (
page 355), or snow chains
as required.
Warning!
G
The following factors increase the risk of ac-
cidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns


Wet and slippery road surfaces


Following another vehicle too closely
The ABS, BAS, ESP
®, electrohydraulic brake
system and 4MATIC cannot reduce this risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
Warning!
G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

299 Operation
The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km)
Driving instructions
At the gas station
Engine compartment
Tires and wheels
Winter driving
Maintenance
Vehicle care

306 OperationDriving instructionsTire traction
The safe speed on a wet, snow covered or
icy road is always lower than on a dry road.
You should pay particular attention to the
condition of the road whenever the outside
temperatures are close to the freezing
point.Mercedes-Benz recommends winter tires
(
page 355) with a minimum tread depth
of approximately
1/6in (4 mm) on all four
wheels for the winter season to make sure
normal balanced handling characteristics.
On packed snow, they can reduce your
stopping distance compared to summer
tires. Stopping distance, however, is still
considerably greater than when the road is
not covered with snow or ice. Exercise ap-
propriate caution.
Tire speed rating
Regardless of the tire speed rating, local
speed limits should be obeyed. Use pru-
dent driving speeds appropriate to prevail-
ing conditions.
Warning!
G
If ice has formed on the road, tire traction
will be substantially reduced. Under such
weather conditions, drive, steer and brake
with extreme caution.
!Avoid spinning of a drive wheel. This
may cause serious damage to the
drivetrain which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G
Even when permitted by law, never operate
a vehicle at speeds greater than the maxi-
mum speed rating of the tires.
Exceeding the maximum speed for which
tires are rated can lead to sudden tire fail-
ure, causing loss of vehicle control and pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury and possible death, for you
and for others.

307 Operation
Driving instructions
E 350, E 350 4MATIC
E 500, E 500 4MATIC
E 350 (Appearance Package*)
Your vehicle is factory equipped with
“H”-rated tires, which have a speed rating
of 130 mph (210 km/h).
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed of
130 mph (210 km/h).
E350(SportPackage*)
E500(SportPackage*)
E55AMG
Your vehicle is factory equipped with
“ZR”-rated tires, which have a speed rating
of above 149 mph (240 km/h).
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed of
130 mph (210 km/h).
E 55 AMG: An electronic speed limiter pre-
vents your vehicle from exceeding a speed
of 155 mph (250 km/h).E3504MATIC (Sport Package*)
1
E5004MATIC (Sport Package*)
Your vehicle is factory equipped with
“Y”-rated tires, which have a speed rating
of 186 mph (300 km/h).
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed of
130 mph (210 km/h).
Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid
abrupt acceleration, braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
move gear selector lever to positionN. Try
to keep the vehicle under control by cor-
rective steering action.
1Not available in Canada.iFor information on speed ratings for
winter tires, see “Winter driving”
(page 355).
For additional general information on
tire speed markings on tire sidewall,
see “Tire speed rating” (
page 352).
iFor more information on driving with
snow chains, see “Snow chains”
(page 356).
Warning!
G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of control loss.

324 OperationTires and wheelsSee an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
for information on tested and recommend-
ed rims and tires for summer and winter
operation. They can also offer advice con-
cerning tire service and purchase.
Retreaded tires are not tested or recom-
mended by Mercedes-Benz, since previous
damage cannot always be recognized on
retreads. Mercedes-Benz can therefore
not assure the operating safety of the
vehicle when such tires are used.
Important guidelines

Only use sets of tires and rims of the
same type and make.


Tires must be of the correct size for the
rim.


Break in new tires for approximately
60 miles (100 km) at moderate
speeds.


Regularly check the tires and rims for
damage. Dented or bent rims can
cause tire inflation pressure loss and
damage to the tire beads.


If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
inflation pressure and correct as
required.


Do not allow your tires to wear down
too far. Adhesion properties on wet
roads are sharply reduced at tread
depths under
1/8 in (3 mm).


When replacing individual tires, you
should mount new tires on the front
wheels first (on vehicles with
same-sized wheels all around).
Warning!
G
Replace rims or tires with the same designa-
tion, manufacturer and type as shown on the
original part. See an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further informa-
tion. If incorrectly sized rims and tires are
mounted:

The wheel brakes or suspension compo-
nents can be damaged.


The correct operating clearance of the
wheels and the tires are no longer guar-
anteed.
Warning!
G
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have
sustained damage, replace them.
When replacing rims, only use Genuine
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the
particular rim type. Failure to do so can re-
sult in the bolts loosening and possibly an
accident.

326 OperationTires and wheelsTread depth
Do not allow your tires to wear down too
far. Adhesion properties on wet roads are
sharply reduced at tread depths under 1⁄8in (3 mm).
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and
become visible at a tread depth of approx-
imately
1/16
in (1.6 mm), at which point
the tire is considered worn and should be
replaced.
Recommended minimum tire tread depth:


Summer tires
1/8in (3 mm)


Winter tires
1/6in (4 mm)
1TWI (T
read W
ear I
ndicator)
The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.Storing tires
Cleaning tires
Warning!
G
Although the applicable federal motor safety
laws consider a tire to be worn when the
treadwear indicators (TWI) become visible at
approximately
1/16in (1.6 mm), we recom-
mend that you do not allow your tires
to wear down to that level. As tread depth
approaches
1/8in (3 mm), the adhesion
properties on a wet road are sharply re-
duced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
!Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as
possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease and gasoline.!Never use a round nozzle to power
wash tires. The intense jet of water can
result in damage to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.