2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R350 jump cable

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.

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.

497 Practical hints
Jump starting
The jump-start contacts are located in the
engine compartment.
1Negative (-) terminal
2Positive (+) terminal 
Make sure the two vehicles do not
touch.

Turn off all electrical consumers.

Apply parking brake.

Set automatic transmission to
positionP.

Open the hood (
page 345).

Open cover of positive terminal 2.
1Negative terminal of discharged
battery
2Positive terminal of discharged battery
3Negative terminal of charged battery
4Positive terminal of charged battery

Connect positive terminals2 and 4
with the jumper cable. Clamp cable to
charged battery 4 first.

Start engine of the vehicle with the
charged battery and run at idle speed.

Connect negative terminals1 and 3
of the batteries with the jumper cable.
Clamp cable to charged battery 3
first.

Start the engine of the disabled vehi-
cle.
Warning!
G
Keep flames or sparks away from battery.
Do not smoke.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries.
!Never invert the terminal connections!

498 Practical hintsJump startingYou can now turn on the electrical con-
sumers. Do not turn on the lights under
any circumstances.
Remove the jumper cables first from
negative terminals1 and 3 and then
from the positive terminals2 and 4.
You can now turn on the lights.

Have the battery checked at the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.!Do not tow-start the vehicle.

501 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Installing towing eye bolts
The front towing eye is located behind a
cover on the passenger side below the
front bumper.
1Towing eye cover
iThe vehicle cannot be started via
tow-start.iIf the battery is disconnected or dis-
charged, the automatic transmission
will remain locked in positionP and the
SmartKey will not turn in the starter
switch. For more information, see “Bat-
tery” (
page 487) and “Jump starting”
(
page 496).
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, note the following:
With the automatic central locking
activated and the ignition in position2
(page 38), the vehicle doors lock if
the left front wheel is turning at a speed
of approx. 9 mph (15 km / h) or above.
To prevent the vehicle doors from
locking, deactivate the automatic
central locking (
page 130).
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(
page 107).
Towing of the vehicle should only be
done using the towing eye. Never
attach tow cable, tow rope or tow rod
to vehicle chassis, frame or suspension
parts.