2007 MERCEDES-BENZ R320CDI light

412 Operation
Vehicle care
Engine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from the intrusion of
water and cleaning agents.
Corrosion protection, such as MB Anticor-
rosion Wax, should be applied to the en-
gine compartment after every engine
cleaning. Before applying, all control link-
age bushings and joints should be lubricat-
ed. The poly-V-belt and all pulleys should
be protected from any wax.
Vehicle washing
In the winter, thoroughly remove all traces
of road salt as soon as possible.
When washing the vehicle underbody, do
not forget to clean the inner sides of the
wheels.Hand-wash
Do not use hot water or wash your vehicle
in direct sunlight.
Only use a mild car wash detergent,
such as Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo.
Thoroughly spray the vehicle with a dif-
fused jet of water.
Direct only a very weak spray towards
the ventilation intake.
Use plenty of water and rinse the
sponge and chamois frequently.
Rinse with clean water and thoroughly
dry with a chamois.
Do not allow cleaning agents to dry on
the finish.Automatic car wash
You can have your car washed in an auto-
matic car wash from the start. Automatic
car washes without brushes are prefera-
ble.
To protect the filter system, switch the
climate control system (
page 218) or
the automatic climate control system*
(
page 232) to air recirculation mode.
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it
before running it through the automatic
car wash.
iVehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of water, and
a SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is in close
proximity, i.e. within approximately
3 ft (approximately 1 m), the vehicle could be
inadvertently locked or unlocked.
!Do not use scouring agents on these parts.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the vehicle.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the paint.
!Do not clean your vehicle in an automatic
touchless car wash which uses caustic spray.
Otherwise the caustic spray will damage the
paint or ornamental moldings.

413 Operation
Vehicle care
Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of ornamen-
tal moldings, use a use damp cloth.Headlamps, brake lamps, tail lamps,
side markers, turn signal lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such
as Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo, with plenty of water.
!If you want the gear position to remain inN
(for example when the vehicle is pulled through
a car wash):

do not remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or, when using KEYLESS-GO*

do not turn off the engine using the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button* and open
the driver’s door
Otherwise, the transmission will shift toP and
lock the wheels, preventing the vehicle from
being pulled through a car wash.
!Make sure that the windshield wiper switch
is set to0 (
page 61). Otherwise, the rain
sensor could activate and cause the wipers to
move unintentionally. This may lead to vehicle
damage.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in exterior
rear view mirrors prior to running the vehicle
through an automatic car wash to prevent
damage to the mirrors.
iAfter running the vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash, wipe any wax off of the wind-
shield (
page 415). This will prevent smears
and reduce wiping noise which can be caused by
residual wax on the windshield.
When leaving the car wash, make sure that the
mirrors are folded out. Otherwise they may
vibrate.
!Do not use chrome cleaner on ornamental
moldings. Although ornamental moldings may
have chrome appearance, they could be made of
anodized aluminum that will be damaged when
cleaned with chrome cleaner. Instead, use damp
cloth to clean those ornamental moldings.
Very dirty ornamental moldings of which you are
sure are chrome-plated, use a chrome cleaner.
If in doubt whether an ornamental molding is
chrome-plated, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
!Only use window cleaning solutions that are
suitable for plastic lamp lenses. Window clean-
ing solutions which are not suitable may damage
the plastic lamp lenses of the headlamps. There-
fore, do not use abrasives, solvents or cleaners
that contain solvents.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the lenses.
Do not attempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the lens
surface.

416 Operation
Vehicle care
Cleaning the panorama roof with
tilt/sliding panel*
The rear part of the panorama roof has a
protective layer on the inside.
Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild
window cleaning solution.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.Light alloy wheels
If possible, clean wheels once a week.
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel
Care, a soft bristle brush and a strong
spray of water for cleaning the light al-
loy wheels.Plastic and rubber parts
Use a gentle dishwashing detergent or
mild detergent for delicate fabrics as a
washing solution.
Wipe with a cloth moistened in a luke-
warm solution.
The surface may temporarily change
color. If this is the case, wait for it to
dry.
!Do not use a dry cloth, abrasives, solvents
or cleaners containing solvents. Do not touch
the protective layer with hard objects such as an
ice scraper or ring. Never apply strong force and
only use a soft, non-scratching cloth when clean-
ing the rear part of the tilt/sliding panel*.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the
protective layer.
!Only use acid-free cleaning materials. Acid
may cause corrosion or damage the clear coat.
!The vehicle should not be parked for an
extended period of time immediately after it has
been cleaned, especially not after the wheel rims
have been cleaned with wheel rim cleaner.
Wheel rim cleaners can lead to increased
corrosion of the brake disks and brake pads.
Non-approved wheel cleaners may also damage
the wheel paint if the car is not driven after
cleaning. Therefore, the vehicle’s brake system
should always be warmed-up before it is parked
after cleaning. To do so, please drive your vehicle
for several minutes to allow the brakes to dry.
When applying Mercedes-Benz approved Tire
Care and Mercedes-Benz approved Wheel Care
products, take care not to spray them on the
brake disks.
Warning!G
Do not use cleaners containing solvents or
cockpit care sprays to clean the cockpit or
the steering wheel. Cleaners containing sol-
vents will make the surface porous and vehi-
cle occupants could suffer serious injuries
from plastic parts coming loose in the event
of air bag deployment.

417 Operation
Vehicle care
Hard plastic trim items
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Interior
Care, a soft, lint-free cloth and apply
with light pressure.
Steering wheel
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry thor-
oughly or clean with Mercedes-Benz
approved Leather Care.
Carpets
Use Mercedes-Benz approved Carpet
and Fabric Care for cleaning the
carpets.Headliner
Use a soft bristle brush or a
dry-shampoo cleaner in case of
excessive dirt.
Seat belts
Only use clear, lukewarm water and
soap.Upholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.
!Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the surface.
Do not attempt to wipe the surface with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the
surface.
!The seat belts must not be treated with
chemical cleaning agents. Do not dry the seat
belts at temperatures above 176°F (80°C) or in
direct sunlight.
Warning!G
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Warning!G
Only use seat or head restraint covers which
have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model.
Using other seat or head restraint covers
may interfere with or prevent the activation
of the active head restraints. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center for availability.

418 Operation
Vehicle care
Leather upholstery
Please note that leather upholstery is a
natural product and is therefore subject
to a natural aging process. Leather up-
holstery may also react to certain ambient
influences such as high humidity or high
temperature by showing wrinkles for
example.
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp
cloth and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather
Care.
Exercise particular care when cleaning
perforated leather as its underside should
not become wet.Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use
damp cloth to clean wood trims in your
vehicle.
!Wipe with light pressure to avoid damage to
the upholstery.
!Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as these
may be abrasive.

420 Practical hints
What to do if …
Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If any of the following lamps in the instru-
ment cluster fails to come on during thebulb self-check when switching on the
ignition, have the respective bulb checked
and replaced if necessary.
ProblemPossible cause/consequenceSuggested solution
-The yellow ABS indicator lamp
comes on while the engine is
running.ABS has detected a malfunction and has
switched off. The BAS, ESP®, EBP, and 4-ETS
are also switched off (see messages in multi-
function display).
The brake system is still functioning normally
but without the ABS available.
If the ABS control unit is malfunctioning,
other systems such as the navigation
system* or the automatic transmission may
also be malfunctioning.
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking,
reducing steering capability.
Read and observe messages in the
multifunction display (
page 433).
Have the system checked at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of an accident.
The charging voltage has fallen below
10 volts. The ABS has switched off.
The battery might not be charged sufficiently.When the voltage is above this value
again, the ABS is operational again and
the ABS indicator lamp should go out.
If the ABS indicator lamp does not go out:
Have the generator (alternator) and
the battery checked.

421 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/conse-
quenceSuggested solution
;(USA only)
3(Canada only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving and an
acoustic warning sounds.You are driving with the
parking brake set.Release the parking brake
(
page 57).
There is insufficient brake fluid
in the reservoir.Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle in a safe location or as soon as
it is safe to do so.
Apply the parking brake (page 66).
Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not
solve the problem.
Warning!G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on.
Do not add brake fluid before checking the
brake system.Overfilling the brake fluid res-
ervoir can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You can be seriously burned.!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.

422 Practical hints
What to do if …
ProblemPossible cause/conse-
quenceSuggested solution
;(USA only)
3(Canada only)
-
v
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving. In
addition, the yellow ABS mal-
function indicator lamp, and
the yellow ESP
® warning lamp
come on and an acoustic warn-
ing sounds.
A malfunction in the Electronic
Brake Proportioning
(
page 105) was detected.
Have the system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of an accident.