2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R350 warning light

481 Practical hints
Flat tire
Removing the wheel
1Alignment bolt
Unscrew upper-most wheel bolt and
remove.

Replace this wheel bolt with alignment
bolt1 supplied in the vehicle tool kit
(page 454).

Remove the remaining wheel bolts.

Remove the wheel.Mounting the spare wheel
1Wheel bolt for 18" and 19" light alloy
wheels
2Wheel bolt for 17" light alloy wheels or
collapsible tire (located in trunk with
spare wheel)
Warning!
G
The jack is intended only for lifting the
vehicle briefly for wheel changes. It is not
suited for performing maintenance work
under the vehicle.

Never start the engine when the vehicle
is raised.


Never lie down under the raised vehicle.
!Do not place wheel bolts in sand or dirt.
This could result in damage to the bolts
and wheel hub threads.
!Wheel bolts2 must be used when
mounting the spare wheel with collaps-
ible tire. The use of any wheel bolts oth-
er than wheel bolts2 for the spare
wheel with collapsible tire will physical-
ly damage the vehicle’s brakes.

482 Practical hintsFlat tire
Clean contact surfaces of wheel and
wheel hub.

Guide spare wheel onto the alignment
bolt and push it on.

Insert wheel bolts and tighten them
slightly.

Unscrew the alignment bolt, install last
wheel bolt and tighten slightly.
!To avoid paint damage, place wheel flat
against hub and hold it there while
installing first wheel bolt.Warning!
G
Always replace wheel bolts that are
damaged or rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts.
Damaged wheel hub threads should be
repaired immediately. Do not continue to
drive under these circumstances! Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center or call Roadside Assistance.
Incorrect wheel bolts or improperly tight-
ened wheel bolts can cause the wheel to
come off. This could cause an accident.
Make sure to use the correct wheel bolts.
Warning!
G
Only use genuine equipment
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts. Other wheel
bolts may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the
vehicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle
could fall off the jack.

483 Practical hints
Flat tire
Inflating the collapsible tire
Take the electric air pump out of the
vehicle tool kit storage well
(page 454).1Flap
2On/off switch
3Electrical plug
4Air hose with pressure gauge and vent
screw
5Union nut

Open flap 1 on electric air pump.

Pull out electrical plug 3 and air hose
with pressure gauge 4.

Remove the valve cap from the collaps-
ible tire valve.

Screw union nut 5 onto the collaps-
ible tire valve.

Insert electrical plug 3 into a power
outlet (
page 306).

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1.
or

Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button once without depressing the
brake pedal.

Press I on electric air pump switch 2.
The electric air pump should now
switch on and inflate the collapsible
tire.
Warning!
G
Inflate collapsible tire only after the wheel is
properly mounted.
Inflate the collapsible tire using the electric
air pump (
page 454) before
lowering the
vehicle.
Warning!
G
Observe instructions on air pump label.!Do not lower the vehicle before inflat-
ing the collapsible tire. Otherwise the
rim may be damaged.
!The cigarette lighter* (
page 303) is
not designed for use with the electric
air pump. Use a power outlet
(
page 306) for electric air pump
operation.


488 Practical hintsBattery
!
The battery is a valve-regulated lead
acid (VRLA) battery, also referred to as
“fleece” battery. Such batteries do not
require topping-up of the electrolyte
level. VRLA batteries therefore do not
have cell caps and the battery cover is
non-removable. Do not attempt to
open the battery as otherwise the bat-
tery will be damaged.
Even though VRLA batteries do not
require topping-up of the electrolyte
level and cannot be opened to check
the electrolyte level, the battery condi-
tion must be checked periodically by
performing a battery conductance test.
Refer to Maintenance Booklet for bat-
tery condition testing intervals.
As with any other battery, the battery
may discharge if the vehicle is not
operated for an extended period of
time. You can connect a battery
maintenance charge unit tested and
approved for use on your vehicle model
or disconnected the battery to prevent
battery discharge. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center for more information.
!The factory-equipped VRLA battery is
leak-proofed. Only use a battery as re-
placement that has the same security
features and is of identical size,
voltage, and capacity as the
factory-equipped battery.
The battery, the battery ventilation and
the lateral plug must always be
securely installed when the vehicle is in
operation.Warning!
G
Jump starting must only be done using the
jump-start contacts located in the engine
compartment (
page 496).

489 Practical hints
Battery
Disconnecting, removing, reinstalling and reconnecting the battery
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(page 487).
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 Light
Truck Center.
Contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck 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
Disconnecting, removing, reinstalling and
reconnecting the battery is a complicated
and technically demanding procedure that
also requires safety precautions to avoid the
risk of injury. We strongly recommend that it
be performed by a qualified technician or an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center only. Please read the instructions
fully before beginning operation and only
undertake it if you feel fully capable of per-
forming all of the tasks involved as de-
scribed in these instructions. Observe all
safety instructions and precautions when
handling automotive batteries
(page 487). Performing the tasks involved
incorrectly can cause damage to the vehicle
and impair the operating safety of the
vehicle, and/or cause severe injury to you
or others.

495 Practical hints
Battery
Charging the battery
If the battery is discharged, the battery can
be charged using the jump-start contacts
located in the engine compartment
(page 497).

Charge the battery in accordance with
the instructions of the battery charger
manufacturer.
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
battery in its installed position. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center for information and availability.
Charge battery in accordance with the
separate instructions for the accessory
battery charger.

496 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
using the jump-start contacts in the en-
gine compartment (
page 497).


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.


Use only 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 the 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 Light Truck Center.
Excessive unburned fuel generated by
repeated failed starting attempts may
damage the catalytic converter.
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.

503 Practical hintsFuses
Fuses
The electrical fuses in your vehicle serve to
stop the supply of electricity to a device
that is malfunctioning. This helps to
prevent damage to the other vehicle
electronics. If a fuse is blown, the compo-
nents and systems secured by that fuse
will stop operating.
The following aids are available to help you
change fuses. They are included with the
vehicle tool kit (
page 455):


Fuse chart
The fuse chart explains the fuse alloca-
tion and fuse amperages.


Spare fuses


Fuse extractor
Warning!
G
Only use fuses approved for Mercedes-Benz
with the specified amperage for the system
in question. Otherwise, a short circuit could
result and cause a fire.
!Only install fuses that have been tested
and approved by Mercedes-Benz and
that have the specified amperage
rating. Otherwise, electrical parts or
systems could be damaged.
Never attempt to repair or bridge a
blown fuse. Have the cause determined
and remedied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.