2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E350 Pressure

307 Operation
Driving instructions
Tires
Treadwear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and be-
come visible at a tread depth of approxi-
mately
1/16 i n ( 1 . 6 m m ) , a t w h i c h p o i n t t h e
tire is considered worn and should be re-
placed.The treadwear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
Specified tire inflation pressures must be
maintained. This applies particularly if the
tires are subjected to high loads (e.g. high
speeds, heavy loads, high ambient temper-
atures).
Hydroplaning
Depending on the depth of the water layer
on the road, hydroplaning may occur, even
at low speeds and with new tires. Reduce
vehicle speed, avoid track grooves in the
road and apply brakes cautiously in the
rain.
Warning!
G
If you feel a sudden significant vibration or
ride disturbance, or you suspect that possi-
ble damage to your vehicle has occurred,
you should turn on the hazard warning flash-
ers, carefully slow down, and drive with cau-
tion to an area which is a safe distance from
the road.
Inspect the tires and the vehicle underbody
for possible damage. If the vehicle or tires
appear unsafe, have the vehicle towed to
the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center or tire
dealer for repairs.
Warning!
G
Although the applicable federal motor vehi-
cle safety laws consider a tire to be worn
when the treadwear indicators (TWI) be-
come visible at approximately
1/16in
(1.6 mm), we recommend that you do not al-
low 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 reduced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
Warning!
G
Do not drive with a flat tire. A flat tire affects
the ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
may lose control of the vehicle. Continued
driving with a flat tire or driving at high
speed with a flat tire will cause excessive
heat build-up and possibly a fire.

315 Operation
At the gas station
At the gas station
Refueling
The fuel filler flap is located on the
right-hand side of the vehicle towards the
rear. Locking/unlocking the vehicle with
the remote control automatically
locks/unlocks the fuel filler flap.

Turn the engine off

by turning the SmartKey to
position0.


by pressing the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button. Open the driv-
er’s door (with the driver’s door
open, starter switch is now in
position0, same as SmartKey re-
moved from starter switch).

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.

Open the fuel filler flap by pushing at
the point indicated by the arrow.
The fuel filler flap springs open.

Turn the fuel cap to the left and hold on
to it until possible pressure is released.

Take off the cap and set it in the recess
on the fuel filler flap.
To prevent fuel vapors from escaping
into open air, fully insert filler nozzle
unit.
Warning!
G
Gasoline and diesel fuel are highly flamma-
ble and poisonous. They burn violently and
can cause serious injury. Whenever you are
around gasoline or diesel fuel, avoid inhaling
fumes and skin contact, extinguish all smok-
ing materials. Never allow sparks, flame or
smoking materials near gasoline or diesel
fuel!
!Diesel engine:
When filling the diesel fuel tank using
fuel containers, place a filling filter, a
suede cloth or a clean flannel cloth into
the filler neck to filter the diesel fuel.
Otherwise, you could clog the fuel
lines.


318 OperationAt the gas stationWindshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*
For information on refilling the reservoir,
see “Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*”
(page 327).
Brake fluid
For information on brake fluid, see “Fuels,
coolants, lubricants etc.” (
page 484).Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information on
coolant, see “Coolant level” (
page 325)
and see “Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.”
(
page 484).
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil level,
see “Engine oil” (
page 320).Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information on replacing light bulbs, see
“Replacing bulbs” (
page 433).
For more information, see “Exterior lamp
switch” (
page 141).
Tire inflation pressure
For more information, see “Checking tire
inflation pressure” (
page 339).
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks immediately. Noti-
fy an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately. Do not add brake fluid as
this will not solve the problem. For
more information, see “Practical hints”
(page 376).

325 Operation
Engine compartment
Coolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze. To check
the coolant level, the vehicle must be
parked on level ground and the engine
must be cool.
The coolant expansion tank is located on
the driver’s side of the engine compart-
ment.
1Coolant expansion tank

Using a rag, turn the cap slowly approx-
imately one half turn to the left to re-
lease any excess pressure.

Continue turning the cap to the left and
remove it.
The coolant level is correct if the level:

for cold coolant: reaches the black
top part of the reservoir


for warm coolant: is approximately
0.6 in (1.5 cm) higher

Add coolant as required.

Replace and tighten cap.
For more information on coolant, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 490).
Warning!
G
In order to avoid any possibly serious burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.


Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°C). Allow engine to
cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.


Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene gly-
col which may burn if it comes into con-
tact with hot engine parts.


Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately
1/2 turn to relieve excess pres-
sure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out un-
der pressure.

328 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
1/8in (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.

329 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire care and maintenance
Regularly check your tire inflation pressure
at least once a month. For more informa-
tion on checking tire inflation pressure,
see “Recommended tire inflation pres-
sure” (
page 337).Tire inspection
Every time you check your tire inflation
pressure, you should also inspect your
tires for the following:


excessive treadwear (
page 330)


cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber


bumps, bulges, cuts, cracks or splits in
the tread or side of the tire
Replace the tire if you find any of the above
conditions.
Make sure you also inspect the spare tire
periodically for condition and inflation.
Spare tires will age and become worn over
time even if never used, and thus should be
inspected and replaced when necessary.Life of tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon
varying factors including but not limited to:


Driving style


Tire inflation pressure


Distance driven
Warning!
G
Regularly check the tires for damage. Dam-
aged tires can cause tire inflation pressure
loss. As a result, you could lose control of
your vehicle.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have
sustained damage, replace them.
Warning!
G
Tires and spare tire should be replaced after
6 years, regardless of the remaining tread.

331 Operation
Tires and wheels
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advan-
tages, such as better hydroplaning perfor-
mance. To benefit, however, you must
make sure the tires rotate in the direction
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the
intended direction of rotation (spinning) of
the tire.
Loading the vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry.

The Tire and Loading Information
placard (Example A) or the Vehicle Tire
Information placard (Example B) can be
found on the driver’s door B-pillar. This
placard tells you important information
about the number of people that can be
in the vehicle and the total weight that
can be carried in the vehicle. It also
contains information on the proper size
and recommended tire inflation
pressures for the original equipment
tires on your vehicle.


The Certification label, also found on
the driver’s door B-pillar tells you about
the gross weight capacity of your vehi-
cle, called the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel and cargo. The Certification label
also tells you about the front and rear
axle weight capacity, called the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). The GAWR
is the total allowable weight that can be
carried by a single axle (front or rear).
Never exceed the GVWR or GAWR for
either the front axle or rear axle.
iSpare wheels may be mounted against
the direction of rotation (spinning) even
with a unidirectional tire for temporary
use only until the regular drive wheel
has been repaired or replaced. Always
observe and follow applicable tempo-
rary use restrictions and speed limita-
tions indicated on the spare wheel.

337 Operation
Tires and wheels
Recommended tire inflation pressure
Your vehicle is equipped with either the
Tire and Loading Information placard
(Example A) or the Vehicle Tire Information
placard (Example B) located on the driver’s
door B-pillar (
page 332).The tire inflation pressure should be
checked regularly and should only be ad-
justed on cold tires. The tires can be con-
sidered cold if the vehicle has been parked
for at least 3 hours or driven less than
1 mile (1.6 km).
Follow recommended cold tire inflation
pressures listed on placard.
Keeping the tires properly inflated
provides the best handling, tread life and
riding comfort.
In addition to the tire placard on the
driver’s door B-pillar, also consult the fuel
filler flap for any additional information
pertaining to special driving situations. For
more information, see “Important notes on
tire inflation pressure” (
page 338).Placard (Example A)
1Tire and Loading Information placard
with recommended cold tire inflation
pressures
Placard (Example A) lists the recommend-
ed cold tire inflation pressures for maxi-
mum loaded vehicle weight. The tire
inflation pressures listed apply to the tires
installed as original equipment.
Warning!
G
Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear excessively and/or unevenly,
adversely affect handling and fuel economy,
and are more likely to fail from being over-
heated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can adversely affect handling and ride
comfort, wear unevenly, increase stopping
distance, and result in sudden deflation
(blowout) because they are more likely to
become punctured or damaged by road
debris, potholes etc.
iData shown on placard examples are
for illustration purposes only. Tire data
are specific to each vehicle and may
vary from data shown in the illustra-
tions below. Refer to placard on vehicle
for actual data specific to your vehicle.