2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R500 snow chains

Contents
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) ............. 383
Tire ply material ........................... 385
Tire and loading terminology ........ 385
Rotating tires ............................... 388
Winter driving .................................... 390
Winter tires .................................. 390
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 391
Snow chains................................. 391
Maintenance ...................................... 392
Clearing the maintenance service
indicator ....................................... 393
Maintenance service term
exceeded ..................................... 393
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator........................... 393
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator........................... 394
Vehicle care ....................................... 395
Cleaning and care of the vehicle .. 395
Practical hints.................................. 403
What to do if … ................................... 404
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 404
Lamp in center console................. 414
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display..................... 416
Where will I find ...? ............................ 454
First aid kit .................................... 454
Vehicle tool kit .............................. 454
Spare wheel .................................. 457
Unlocking / locking in an emergency .. 459
Unlocking the vehicle.................... 459
Locking the vehicle ....................... 460
Fuel filler flap ................................ 461
Opening / closing in an emergency ..... 462
Power tilt/sliding sunroof* ........... 462
Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 463
SmartKey ...................................... 463
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* ....... 464
Replacing bulbs .................................. 465
Bulbs ............................................. 465
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 468
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 472Replacing wiper blades ...................... 475
Front wiper blades ........................ 475
Rear wiper blade ........................... 476
Flat tire............................................... 478
Preparing the vehicle .................... 478
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 479
Battery ............................................... 487
Disconnecting, removing,
reinstalling and reconnecting
the battery .................................... 489
Charging the battery ..................... 495
Jump starting...................................... 496
Towing the vehicle.............................. 499
Installing towing eye bolts ............ 501
Stranded vehicle ........................... 502
Fuses.................................................. 503
Main fuse box ............................... 504
Fuse box in cargo compartment ... 504
Fuse box in passenger
compartment ................................ 505

97 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)


EBP (E
lectronic B
rake P
roportioning)


4-ETS (E
lectronic T
raction S
ystem)
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 ap-
proximately 5 mph (8 km / h) independent
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 (
page 24) comes on when you
switch on the ignition. It goes out when the
engine is running.
Warning!
G
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns


Wet and slippery road surfaces


Following another vehicle too closely
The ABS, BAS, ESP
® and 4-ETS cannot re-
duce this risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
iIn winter operation, the maximum ef-
fectiveness of the ABS, the BAS, the
ESP
®, the EBP, and the 4-ETS is only
achieved with winter tires (
page 390)
or snow chains as required.
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.

101 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Switching off the ESP
®
To improve the vehicle’s traction, turn off
the ESP
® in driving situations where it
would be advantageous to have the drive
wheels spin and thus cut into surfaces for
better grip such as:


starting out on slippery surfaces and in
deep snow in conjunction with snow
chains


in sand or gravelWhen you switch off the ESP
®


the ESP
® does not stabilize the vehicle


the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and
thus cut into surfaces for better grip


the 4-ETS will still brake a spinning
wheel


the ESP
® continues to operate when
you are brakingThe ESP
® switch is located on the upper
part of the center console.
1ESP® switch

Press ESP
® switch1 until the
ESP
®warning lampv in the instru-
ment cluster comes on.
The ESP® is deactivated.
Warning!
G
The ESP
® should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the circum-
stances described below. Disabling of the
system will reduce vehicle stability in stan-
dard driving maneuvers.
!Turn the ESP
® on immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not
apply anymore.
iWhen the ESP
® is switched off and one
or more drive wheels are spinning, the
ESP
® warning lamp v in the instru-
ment cluster flashes. However, the
ESP® will then not stabilize the vehicle.

337 Operation
Driving instructions
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
corrective steering action.Road salts and chemicals can adversely af-
fect braking efficiency. Increased pedal
force may become necessary to produce
the normal brake effect.
Depressing the brake pedal periodically
when traveling at length on salt-strewn
roads can bring road-salt-impaired braking
efficiency back to normal.
If the vehicle is parked after being driven
on salt-treated roads, the braking efficien-
cy should be tested as soon as possible af-
ter driving is resumed.
For more information, see “Winter driving”
(
page 390).
iFor information on driving with snow
chains, see “Snow chains”
(page 391).
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.
Warning!
G
Make sure not to endanger any other road
users when carrying out these braking
maneuvers.
Warning!
G
If the vehicle becomes stuck in snow, make
sure that snow is kept clear of the exhaust
pipe and from around the vehicle with the
engine running. Otherwise, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle in-
terior resulting in unconsciousness and
death.
To assure sufficient fresh air ventilation,
open a window slightly on the side of the ve-
hicle not facing the wind.Warning!
G
The outside temperature indicator is not de-
signed to serve as an ice-warning device and
is therefore unsuitable for that purpose. In-
dicated temperatures just above the freez-
ing point do not guarantee that the road
surface is free of ice.

366 OperationTires and wheels
Install the valve cap.

Repeat this procedure for each tire.Run Flat Indicator (Canada only)
While the vehicle is being driven, the Run
Flat Indicator monitors the set tire inflation
pressures by evaluating each wheel’s rota-
tional speed. This allows the system to de-
tect a significant loss of pressure in a tire.
If a wheel’s rotational speed changes due
to falling tire inflation pressure, you will
see a corresponding warning message in
the multifunction display.
The Run Flat Indicator may function in a re-
stricted manner or with a delay if:


snow chains are mounted to the
vehicle


winter road conditions prevail


you are driving on a loose surface (e.g.
sand or gravel)


you are driving in a very sporty manner
(involving rapid acceleration or high
speeds in curves)
iIf you have overfilled the tire, release
tire inflation pressure by pushing the
metal stem of the valve with e.g. a tip of
a pen. Then recheck the tire inflation
pressure with the tire gauge.
Warning!
G
When the multifunction display shows the
message
Tire pressure Check tires
,
one or more of your tires is significantly un-
der-inflated. You should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
them to the proper tire inflation pressure as
indicated on the vehicle’s tire information
placard. Driving on a significantly under-in-
flated tire causes the tire to overheat and
can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also
reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life,
and may affect the vehicle’s handling and
stopping ability. Each tire, including the
spare, should be checked monthly when
cold and set to the recommended tire infla-
tion pressure as specified in the vehicle
placard and owner’s manual.


391 Operation
Winter driving
Block heater (Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block
heater.
The electrical cable may be installed at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to ex-
ceed 30 mph (50 km / h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:


Use of snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel / tire combinations.


Snow chains should only be used on all
four wheels. With only two chains avail-
able, they should be mounted on the
rear wheels. Follow the manufacturer’s
mounting instructions.


Only use snow chains that are ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz. Your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center will be glad to advise you on this
subject.


Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.
Warning!
G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
!Even on vehicles with all-wheel-drive,
use snow chains on rear tires only.
Some tire sizes do not leave adequate
clearance for snow chains. To help
avoid serious damage to your vehicle or
tires, use of snow chains is not permis-
sible with the spare wheel.iWhen driving with snow chains, you
may wish to deactivate the ESP
®
(
page 101) before setting the vehicle
in motion. This will improve the
vehicle’s traction.

517 Technical data
Rims and tires
Spare wheel (collapsible tire)
All models
Rim
6.5 B x 18 H2
Wheel offset
1.58 in (40 mm)
Collapsible tire
195/75-18 106P
1
1Must not be used with snow chains.!Please compare the recommended tire
inflation pressure for your vehicle with
the tire inflation pressure on the yellow
label located on the spare wheel rim.
If the tire inflation pressure on the yel-
low label on the spare wheel rim differs
from the values given in this Operator’s
Manual, inflate the collapsible tire to
the recommended tire inflation pres-
sure given on the yellow label on the
spare wheel rim.
iPlease note that the tire inflation
pressure of the collapsible tire differs
from the tire inflation pressure of the
road tires.
Inflate the collapsible tire to
44 psi (3.0 bar).

552 IndexSetting current speed 265
Settings
Convenience functions 189
Factory, SmartKey 112
Lighting (control system) 182
Menus and submenus 163
Resetting all (control system) 175
Resetting in the submenu 176
Selective 112, 118
Settings menu
Individual vehicle settings 174
Submenus 176
Shifting
Gear selector lever positions 200
Into optimal gear range (automatic
transmission) 207
Side impact air bags 76
Side marker lamps
Cleaning lenses 399
Side windows
Closing 249
Sidemarker lamps
Replacing bulbs 466
Sidewall 387, 533, 534Simultaneous wiping and washing
Rear window wiper/washer 62
Windshield wipers 60
Single wipe 60
Sliding/pop-up roof*
Stopping 262
SmartKey 110
Battery 463
Battery check lamp 112, 118
Checking the batteries 113, 119
Factory setting 112
Global locking 112
Global locking and unlocking 112
Global unlocking 112
Loss of 114
Selective setting 112
Starter switch positions 38
Unlocking with 36
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* 114
Factory setting 118
Global locking 118
Loss of 121
Messages in display 440
Remote control 115
Selective setting 118
Unlocking 114Snow chains 391
Spare wheel 457, 517
Removing 458
Speed
Setting current 265
Speed settings
Cruise control 267, 269
Speedometer 25
Settings units 178
Speedometer display mode
Selecting 178
SRS 79, 533
Indicator lamp 411
SRS indicator lamp 27
Standing lamps
Replacing bulbs 466
Standing water
Driving instructions 338
Starting difficulties 55
Starting position 38
Starting the engine 53
Steering column
Height adjustment 47
Length adjustment 47