Page 324 of 473
323 Operation
Vehicle care
We have selected car-care products and
compiled recommendations which are
specially matched to our vehicles and
which always reflect the latest technology.
You can obtain Mercedes-Benz approved
car-care products at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, corrosion or
damage due to negligent or incorrect care
cannot always be removed or repaired with
the car-care products recommended here.
In such cases it is best to seek aid at an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
The following topics deal with the cleaning
and care of your vehicle and give important
“how-to” information as well as references
to Mercedes-Benz approved car-care
products.Power washer
Tar stains
Quickly remove tar stains before they dry
and become more difficult to remove. A tar
remover is recommended.Paintwork, painted body components
Mercedes-Benz approved Paint Care
should be applied when water drops on the
paint surface do not “bead up”. This should
normally be done every 3 to 5 months,
depending on climate and washing deter-
gent used.
Mercedes-Benz approved Paint Cleaner
should be applied if the paint surface
shows signs of embedded dirt (i.e. loss of
gloss).
Do not apply any of these products or wax
if your vehicle is parked in the sun or if the
hood is still hot.
Use the appropriate MB-Touch-Up
Stick for quick and provisional repairs
of minor paint damage (i.e. chips from
stones, vehicle doors, etc.).
!
Follow the instructions provided by the pow-
er washer manufacturer on maintaining a dis-
tance between the vehicle and the nozzle of the
power washer.
Never use a round nozzle to power-wash tires.
The intense jet of water can result in damage to
the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.
Always keep the jet of water moving across the
surface. Do not aim directly at electrical parts,
electrical connectors, seals, or other rubber
parts.
i
Vehicles 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 (1 m),
the vehicle could be inadvertently locked or un-
locked.
!
Affixing stickers, magnets, adhesive tape or
similar materials to painted body components
may damage the paintwork.
Page 325 of 473
324 OperationVehicle careEngine cleaning
Prior to cleaning the engine compartment,
make sure to protect electrical compo-
nents and connectors from contact with
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 underbody, do not for-
get 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
automatic climate control to air
recirculation mode (
page 191).
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it be-
fore running it through the automatic car
wash.
i
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
If a door handle is hit by a strong jet of water, and
a SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is in close prox-
imity, i.e. within approximately 3 ft (1 m), the ve-
hicle 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.
!
Make sure that the windshield wiper switch
is set to0 (
page 57). Otherwise, the rain sen-
sor could activate and cause the wipers to move
unintentionally. This may lead to vehicle dam-
age.
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 dam-
age to the mirrors.
Page 328 of 473
327 Operation
Vehicle care
Fold the wiper arms forward until they
snap into place.
Clean the wiper blade inserts with a
clean cloth and detergent solution.
Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild win-
dow cleaning solution on all outside
and inside glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.Rear window cleaning
Clean the rear window with the hardtop
fully raised and closed.
Use a soft, clean cloth and a mild win-
dow cleaning solution on all outside
and inside glass surfaces.
An automotive glass cleaner is recom-
mended.
Warning!
G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and re-
move SmartKey from starter switch (vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the
vehicle’s on-board electronics have
status0.) before cleaning the windshield
and/or the wiper blades. Otherwise, the
wiper motor could suddenly turn on and
cause injury.!
Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts. They
could tear.
!
Fold the windshield wiper arms back onto
the windshield before turning the SmartKey in
the starter switch or pressing the KEYLESS-GO
start/stop button (vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*).
Hold on to the wiper when folding the wiper arm
back. If released, the force of the impact from
the tensioning spring could crack the windshield.
!
To clean the window interior, do not use a
dry cloth, abrasives, solvents or cleaners con-
taining solvents. Do not touch the inside of the
front, rear or side windows with hard objects
such as an ice scraper or ring. Doing so may
damage the windows.
Warning!
G
Do not clean the rear window with the hard-
top in a position other than the fully raised
and closed position. Otherwise, the hardtop
may move unexpectedly which may result in
personal injury to you or others.
Page 332 of 473
331 Practical hints
What to do if …
Where will I find ...?
Locking/unlocking in an
emergency
Replacing SmartKey batteries
Replacing bulbs
Replacing wiper blades
Flat tire
Batteries
Jump starting
Towing the vehicle
Fuses
Page 379 of 473
378 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
I
Remove
key
You have forgotten to remove the
SmartKey from the starter switch.
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Replace
key
The SmartKey is no longer function-
al.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
F
Change
key batteries
The batteries in the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* are discharged.
Replace the batteries (
page 395).
Page 380 of 473
379 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
F
Key
not detected
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is
not recognized while the engine is
running because:
The SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* is not in the vehi-
cle.
There is strong radio-frequency
interference.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
as it is safe to do so.
Search for the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*.
Otherwise the vehicle cannot be centrally
locked nor can the engine be started again af-
ter the engine is stopped.
Operate the vehicle with the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* in the starter switch
Key
not detected
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is
not recognized when attempting to
start the engine with the
KEYLESS-GO start/stop button* on
the gear selector lever because:
The SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* is not in the vehi-
cle.
The battery in the SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* is not insert-
ed properly or completely dis-
charged.
Change the position of the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* in the vehicle.
Make sure the batteries in the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* are properly inserted
(page 395) and are not discharged
(page 110).
Start the engine with the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* in the starter switch if
necessary.
Page 381 of 473
380 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
F
Key
still
in vehicle
A SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* left
in the vehicle was recognized while
locking the vehicle from the out-
side.
Take the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* out of
the vehicle.
.
3rd brake lamp
The high mounted brake lamp is
malfunctioning.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
AUTO light
inoperative
The light sensor is malfunctioning.
The headlamps switch on automati-
cally.
In the control system, set lamp operation to
manual mode (
page 159).
Switch on headlamps using the exterior lamp
switch.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Brake lamp
left
Auxiliary bulb on
The left brake lamp is malfunction-
ing. An auxiliary bulb has been
brought into use.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Brake lamp
Right
Substitute
bulb on
The right brake lamp is malfunction-
ing. A substitute bulb has been
brought into use.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Front foglamp
left
The left front fog lamp or left cor-
ner-illuminating front fog lamp is
malfunctioning.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Page 384 of 473
383 Practical hints
What to do if …
Left display
Right display
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
.
Turn signal
right mirror
The turn signal in the passenger
side exterior rear view mirror is mal-
functioning. This message will only
appear if all light emitting diodes
have stopped working.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Tail lamp
left
Auxiliary bulb on
The left tail lamp is malfunctioning.
An auxiliary bulb has been brought
into use.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Tail lamp
right
Auxiliary bulb on
The right tail lamp is malfunction-
ing. An auxiliary bulb has been
brought into use.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible.
Turn off
lights
You have removed the SmartKey
from the starter switch and opened
the driver’s door or removed the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* from
the vehicle and left the headlamps
on.
Turn the exterior lamp switch toM
orU.
Turn signal
front left
Auxiliary bulb on
The left front turn signal lamp is
malfunctioning. An auxiliary bulb
has been brought into use.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible
(page 397).
Turn signal
front right
Auxiliary bulb on
The right front turn signal lamp is
malfunctioning. An auxiliary bulb
has been brought into use.
Replace the bulb as soon as possible
(page 397).
