2007 MERCEDES-BENZ R320CDI maintenance

507 Practical hints
Battery
!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 battery will be dam-
aged.
Even though VRLA batteries do not require
topping-up of the electrolyte level and cannot be
opened to check the electrolyte level, the
battery condition must be checked periodically
by performing a battery conductance test. Refer
to Maintenance Booklet for battery 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 dis-
connected the battery to prevent battery dis-
charge. Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center for more information.!The factory-equipped VRLA battery is
leak-proofed. Only use a battery as replacement
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 later-
al 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 514).
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 506).
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.

532 Technical data
Rims and tires
!Only use tires which have been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Tires approved by
Mercedes-Benz are developed to provide best
possible performance in conjunction with the
driving safety systems on your vehicle such as
ABS or ESP
®. Tires specially developed for your
vehicle and tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz can be identified by finding the
following on the tire’s sidewall:

MO = Mercedes-Benz Original equipment
tires
AMG vehicles:
Does not apply to all approved tires on AMG
vehicles. For information on tested and
approved tires for AMG vehicles, contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using tires other than those approved by
Mercedes-Benz may result in damage that is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
!Using tires other than those approved by
Mercedes-Benz can have detrimental effects,
such as

poor handling characteristics

increased noise

increased fuel consumption
Moreover, tires and rims not approved by
Mercedes-Benz may, under load, exhibit dimen-
sional variations and different tire deformation
characteristics that could cause them to come
into contact with the vehicle body or axle parts.
Damage to the tires or the vehicle may be the
result.
iFurther information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center. A placard with the recommended
tire inflation pressures is located on the driver’s
door B-pillar (
page 376). Some vehicles may
have supplemental tire inflation pressure infor-
mation for driving at high speeds (
page 381)
or for vehicle loads less than the maximum
loaded vehicle condition (
page 382). If such
information is provided, it can be found on the
placard located on the inside of the fuel filler
flap.The tire inflation pressure should be checked
regularly and should only be adjusted on cold
tires. Follow tire manufacturer’s maintenance
recommendation included with vehicle.
iThe following pages also list the approved
wheel rim and tire sizes for equipping your vehi-
cles with winter tires. Winter tires are not avail-
able as standard or optional factory equipment,
but can be purchased from an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
Depending on vehicle model and the standard or
optional factory-equipped wheel rim/tire
configuration on your vehicle (Appearance
Package, Sport Package etc.), equipping your
vehicle with winter tires approved for your
vehicle model may also require the purchase of
two or four wheel rims of the recommended size
for use with these winter tires. See an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center for more
information.

540 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines and durability for
our service intervals. Therefore, only use
approved engine oils and oil filters re-
quired for vehicles with Maintenance
System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS
(Canada vehicles). For a listing of approved
engine oils and oil filters, refer to the Fac-
tory Approved Service Products pamphlet,
or contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from
blending oil additives are not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG
lubricating oil are used in the air condition-
ing system.
Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based lu-
bricating oil. Otherwise damage to the
system will occur.
!Using engine oils and oil filters of
specification other than those expressly re-
quired for the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles),
or changing of oil and oil filter at change intervals
longer than those called for by the Maintenance
System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada
vehicles) will result in engine or emission control
system damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Please follow Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles)
recommendations for scheduled oil changes.
Failure to do so could result in engine or
emission control system damage not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

541 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Brake fluid
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center will provide you with additional
information.Premium unleaded gasoline
(gasoline engine)
Warning!G
During vehicle operation, the boiling point of
the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from the
atmosphere. Under extremely strenuous
operating conditions, this moisture content
can lead to the formation of bubbles in the
system, thus reducing the system’s
efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be
replaced regularly. Refer to your vehicle’s
Maintenance Booklet for replacement
interval.
Warning!G
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious
injury.
Never allow sparks, flame or smoking mate-
rials near gasoline!
Turn off the engine before refueling.
Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid in-
haling fumes and skin or clothing contact,
extinguish all smoking materials.
Direct skin contact with gasoline and the in-
halation of gasoline vapors are damaging to
your health.
!To maintain the engine’s durability and per-
formance, premium unleaded gasoline must be
used. If premium unleaded is not available and
low octane fuel is used, follow these precau-
tions:

Have the fuel tank only partially filled with
unleaded regular and fill up with premium
unleaded as soon as possible.

Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt acceler-
ation.

Do not exceed an engine speed of 3000 rpm
if the vehicle is loaded with a light load such
as two persons and no luggage.

Do not exceed2/3of maximum accelerator
pedal position if the vehicle is fully loaded or
operating in mountainous terrain.

543 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
These blends must also meet all other fuel
requirements, such as resistance to spark
knock, boiling range, vapor pressure, etc.
Diesel engine
Only use commercially available vehicular
diesel fuels No. 2 or No. 1 (ASTM D975 No.
2-D or No. 1-D).
To prevent malfunctions, diesel fuel with
improved cold flow characteristics is of-
fered in the winter months. Check with
your fuel retailer.Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze, which
provides:

Corrosion protection

Freeze protection

Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection
to approximately -35°F (-37°C) and corro-
sion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
-22°F (-30°C), the boiling point of the cool-
ant in the pressurized cooling system is
reached at approximately 266°F (130°C).
The coolant solution must be used year
round to provide the necessary corrosion
protection and increase boil-over protec-
tion. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for
replacement interval.Coolant system design and coolant used
determine the replacement interval. The
replacement interval published in the
Maintenance booklet is only applicable if
MB 325.0 anticorrosion/antifreeze solu-
tion or other Mercedes-Benz approved
products of equal specification (see
Factory Approved Service Products pam-
phlet) are used to renew the coolant con-
centration or bring it back up to the proper
level.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45% anticor-
rosion/antifreeze (equivalent to freeze
protection to approx. -22°F [-30°C]). If you
use a solution that is more than 55% anti-
corrosion/antifreeze (freeze protection to
approx. -49°F [-45°C]), the engine temper-
ature will increase due to the lower heat
transfer capability of the solution. There-
fore, do not use more than this amount of
anticorrosion/antifreeze.
!Do not fill the tank with gasoline. Do not
blend diesel fuel with gasoline or kerosine. The
fuel system and engine will otherwise be
damaged, which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

551 Index
D
Date display, Setting 181
Daytime running lamp mode 148
Setting 183
Deep water see Standing water
Defogging windshield 225, 240
Defrosting, Front 224, 239
Defrosting, Rear 217
Delayed shut-off
Exterior lamps 185
Interior lighting 186
Department of Transportation see DOT
Diesel engine
Bleeding fuel system 505
Preglow indicator lamp 29
Diesel fuel see Fuel
Difficulties
While driving 63
With starting 57
Digital speedometer 159, 167
Dimensions, Vehicle 536
Direction of rotation (tires) 375Displays
Digital speedometer 159, 167
Distronic* 174, 274
Maintenance service indicator
message 407
Messages in the multifunction
display 433–471
Multifunction display 159
Outside temperature 158, 159, 167
Selecting 180
Showing malfunctions 175
Symbol messages 451
Text messages 435
Vehicle status message memory 174
Vehicle system settings,
Control system 163, 165, 176
Distance to empty (range), Trip
computer 191
Distance warning function* 191Distronic* 271
Activating 277
Cleaning system sensor 414
Control system 276
Deactivating 280
Distance warning function* 284
Driving hints 282
Messages in the multifunction
display 437
Warning and indicator lamps 274
Door
Entry lamps 155
Locking, In an emergency 479
Locking/unlocking,
KEYLESS-GO* 116
Locking/unlocking, SmartKey 112
Messages in the multifunction
display 460
Opening from the inside 122
Opening from the outside 113
Remote door unlock (Tele Aid*) 336
Unlocking, Mechanical key 478

558 Index
Front fog lamps* 146
Front passenger front air bag off 78,
88, 92, 93, 431
Fuel reserve 29, 430
High beam headlamps 29
Instrument cluster 26, 420
Parktronic* 293, 294
Preglow indicator, Diesel engine 29
Rear fog lamp 146
Seat belt telltale 29, 79, 426
Seat heating* 142
SRS 29, 72, 82, 430
Turn signals 27
Lamps, indicator and warning
Distance warning lamp* 275
Instrument cluster 428
Seat ventilation* 143
Language, Setting 179
LATCH-type child seat anchors see
Children in the vehicle
Leather upholstery, Cleaning and
care of 418
License plate lamps 485
Messages in the multifunction
display 465
Replacing bulbs 485, 493Light alloy wheels, Cleaning 416
Light sensor
Messages in the multifunction
display 463
Lighter see Cigarette lighter*
Lighting
Parking lamps 146
Lighting, Exterior and interior 146
Limp-home mode 211, 423, 424
Loading see Vehicle loading
Loading terminology 401
Locator lighting 149, 184
Lock buttons, KEYLESS-GO*
Outside door handle 69
Loss of keys, Mechanical key 115
Loss of keys, SmartKey 115
Loss of keys, SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* 121
Loss of Service and Warranty Information
Booklet 525
Low beam headlamps
Messages in the multifunction
display 463–468
Replacing bulbs 487
switching on 59, 146
Lubricants 538M
Maintenance 12, 407
Calling up service indicator
display 409
Clearing service indicator
message 408
FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles) 407
Maintenance System (U.S.
vehicles) 407
Resetting service indicator 409
Service indicator message 407
Service term exceeded 408
Manual headlamp mode see Headlamps
Manual shift program
(R 63 AMG only) 209
Deactivating 211
Maximum cooling, MAX COOL* see
Automatic climate control (3-zone)*
Maximum inflation pressure, Tires 402
Maximum load rating, Tires 402
Maximum loaded vehicle weight,
Tires 402
Mechanical key 478
Memory function* 144
Menus see Control system menus
Messages in display see Multifunction

560 Index
O
Occupant Classification System see OCS
Occupant distribution 402
Occupant safety 72
Active head restraint 83
Air bags 74
Children and air bags 75, 86
Children in the vehicle 84
Fastening the seat belts 51
Front passenger front air bag of
indicator lamp 88, 92, 93
Infant and child restraint systems 85
LATCH-type child seat anchors 93
OCS 88
OCS, Messages in the multifunction
display 445–448
Seat belts 51, 76
OCS 88
Messages in the multifunction
display 445
Self-test 93
Odometer 157, 159
Oil level see Engine oil, Checking level
Oil see Engine oil
One-touch gearshifting 207
Operating safety 16Operator’s Manual 10
Ornamental moldings, Cleaning 413
Outside temperature see Displays
Overdue maintenance service term 408
Overhead control panel 33
Oxidation catalyst (diesel engine) 358
P
Paintwork code 526
Paintwork, Cleaning 411
Panic alarm 99
Panorama roof with power tilt/sliding
panel* 261
Cleaning 416
Convenience closing feature 256
Opening/closing 262
Roller sunblinds 261
Stopping 262
Summer opening feature 254
Synchronizing 264
Parcel nets 315
Parking 65, 351
Parking brake 57, 66
Lamps, Indicator and warning 421
Messages in the multifunction
display 453
Releasing 57Parking lamps 485
Messages in the multifunction
display 466
Replacing bulbs 484
Parktronic* (Parking assist) 291
Cleaning system sensors 414
Minimum distance 292
Range 292
Sensor cover 414
Switching on/off 294
System malfunction 294
System sensors 291
Warning indicators 293
Partition net* 308
Parts service 524
PASS AIR BAG OFF indicator lamp see
Front passenger front air bag of
indicator lamp
Passenger compartment 356
Fuse box 522
Interior lighting 153
Passenger safety see Occupant safety
Pedals 347
Phone see Telephone*
Plastic and rubber parts, Cleaning 416