2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 wheel

442 Practical hints
Flat tire
Prevent the vehicle from rolling away
by blocking wheels with wheel chocks
or other sizeable objects.
One wheel chock is included with the
vehicle tool kit (
page 422).
Changing wheel on a level surface
Changing rear wheel on passenger side
(Example illustration)
Place the wheel chock in front of and
another sizeable object behind the
wheel that is diagonally opposite to the
wheel being changed.Changing wheel on a slight decline
Always try lifting the vehicle using the jack
on a level surface. However, should
circumstances require you to do so on a
slight decline, place the wheel chock and
another sizeable object as follows:
Changing wheel on passenger side
(Example illustration)
Place wheel chock (or another sizeable
object) in front of both wheels on the
side opposite to the side on which the
wheel is to be changed.Changing wheel on a slight incline
Always try lifting the vehicle using the jack
on a level surface. However, should
circumstances require you to do so on a
slight incline, place the wheel chock and
another sizeable object as follows:
Changing wheel on passenger side
(Example illustration)
Place wheel chock (or another sizeable
object) behind both wheels on the side
opposite to the side on which the wheel
is to be changed.

443 Practical hints
Flat tire
Jacking up
Take the wheel wrench out of the
vehicle tool kit tray.
On wheel to be changed, loosen but do
not yet remove the wheel bolts
(approximately one full turn with wheel
wrench).The jack take-up brackets are located
directly behind the front wheel housings
and in front of the rear wheel housings as
indicated by the arrows.
1Take-up bracket
2Jack
3Crank
Place jack2 on firm ground.
Position jack2 under take-up
bracket1 so that it is always vertical
(plumb-line) as seen from the side,
even if the vehicle is parked on an
incline.
Warning!G
The jack is designed exclusively for
jacking up the vehicle at the jack take-up
brackets. Make sure the jack arm is fully
seated in the jack take-up bracket.
If you do not position the jack correctly in
the jack take-up bracket, the vehicle can:

fall off the jack

seriously or fatally injure you or others
!Do not position the jack on the body of the
vehicle, as this may cause damage to the
vehicle.


444 Practical hints
Flat tire
Turn crank3 clockwise until jack 2
is fully seated in take-up bracket1
and the jack base evenly meets the
ground.
Continue to turn crank 3 until the
wheel is a maximum of 1.2 in (3 cm)
from the ground.Removing the wheel
Unscrew and remove the wheel bolts.
Remove the wheel.
Mounting the Minispare wheel
Clean contact surfaces of wheel and
wheel hub.
!Do not place wheel bolts in sand or dirt. This
could result in damage to the bolt and wheel hub
threads.
!To avoid paint damage, place wheel flat
against hub and hold it there while installing first
wheel bolt.
Warning!G
Always replace wheel bolts that are
damaged or rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts.
Damaged wheel hub threads should be
repaired immediately. Do not continue to
drive under these circumstances! Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call
Roadside Assistance.
Incorrect wheel bolts or improperly tight-
ened wheel bolts can cause the wheel to
come off. This could cause an accident.
Make sure you are using the correct wheel
bolts.
Warning!G
Only use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel
bolts. Other wheel bolts may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the
vehicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle
could fall off the jack.


445 Practical hints
Flat tire
Guide the Minispare wheel onto the
wheel hub and push it on.
Insert wheel bolts and tighten them
slightly.
Lowering the vehicle
Lower vehicle by turning crank
counterclockwise until vehicle is
resting fully on its own weight.
Remove the jack.1 - 5 Wheel bolts
6 Wheel wrench
Tighten the five wheel bolts evenly,
following the diagonal sequence
illustrated (1 to 5), until all bolts are
tight. Observe a tightening torque of
96 lb-ft (130 Nm).
Before storing the jack, it should be fully
collapsed, with handle folded in (storage
position).
Store the jack and the other vehicle
tools in the designated storage space
underneath the trunk floor
(
page 420).
Warning!G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. The wheels could come
loose if they are not tightened to a torque of
96 lb-ft (130 Nm).
iVehicles with TPMS (USA only):
Do not activate the tire inflation pressure
monitor (
page 344) until a full size wheel/tire
with functioning sensor has been placed back
into service on the vehicle.

453 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Towing the vehicle
Mercedes-Benz recommends that the
vehicle be transported with all wheels off
the ground using flatbed or appropriate
wheel lift/dolly equipment. This method is
preferable to other types of towing.When circumstances do not permit the
recommended towing methods, the
vehicle may be towed with all wheels on
the ground or front wheels raised (except
vehicles with 4MATIC) only so far as neces-
sary to have the vehicle moved to a safe
location where the recommended towing
methods can be employed.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground or the front axle raised (not per-
missible for vehicles with 4MATIC), the ve-
hicle may be towed only for distances up to
30 miles (50 km) and at a speed not to ex-
ceed 30 mph (50 km/h).
!Vehicles with automatic transmission*
and/or 4MATIC:
Do not tow-start the vehicle.
!Use flatbed or wheel lift/dolly equipment
with SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
(Canada only) in starter switch turned to
position0.
Do not tow with sling-type equipment. Towing
with sling-type equipment over bumpy roads will
damage radiator and supports.
To prevent damage during transport, do not tie
down vehicle by its chassis or suspension parts.
Switch off the ESP
® (page 63) and the auto-
matic central locking (
page 173).
!Vehicles with 4MATIC:
Do not tow with one axle raised. Doing so could
damage the transfer case, which is not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
All wheels must be on or off the ground. Observe
instructions for towing the vehicle with all
wheels on the ground.
Warning!G
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:

the engine will not run

there is a malfunction in the brake
system

there is a malfunction in the power
supply or in the vehicle’s electrical
system
This is necessary to adequately control the
towed vehicle.
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make sure the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only)
is in starter switch position2.

454 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Warning!G
Without the engine running, there is no pow-
er assistance for the brake and steering sys-
tems. In this case, it is important to keep in
mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the
vehicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.
iWhen towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, please note the following:
With the automatic central locking activated and
the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
(Canada only) in starter switch position 2, the ve-
hicle doors lock if the left front wheel as well as
the right rear wheel are turning at vehicle speeds
of approximately 9 mph (15 km/h) or more.
To prevent the vehicle doors from locking,
deactivate the automatic central locking
(
page 173).
!If the vehicle is towed with the front axle
raised (not permissible for vehicles with
4MATIC), the gear selector lever must be in
positionN (manual transmission: gear shift lever
in neutral position) and the engine must be shut
off (SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
(Canada only) in starter switch position0 or1).
Active braking action through the ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system.
While towing, the battery must be connected and
charged. Otherwise:

you will not be able to switch on the ignition

you will not be able to engage the automatic
transmission* in positionN (
page 127)
When towing the vehicle with all wheels on the
ground, the gear selector lever must be in
positionN (manual transmission: gear shift lever
in neutral position) and the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only)
must be in starter switch position2.
!Towing of the vehicle should only be done
using the properly installed towing eye bolt.
Never attach tow cable, tow rope or tow rod to
vehicle chassis, frame or suspension parts.
iTo signal turns while being towed with the
hazard warning flasher in use, turn SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) in
starter switch to position2 and activate the
combination switch for the left or right turn sig-
nal in the usual manner – only the selected turn
signal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the hazard
warning flasher will operate again.
!Make sure the parking brake is released.
iIf the battery is disconnected or discharged

the SmartKey or SmartKey with KEY-
LESS-GO* (Canada only) will not turn in the
starter switch

Vehicles with automatic transmission*: the
gear selector lever will remain locked in
positionP (
page 127).
For more information see “Battery”
(
page 446) and see “Jump starting”
(
page 451).

455 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Installing towing eye bolt
1Cover on right side of front bumper
1Cover on right side of rear bumperRemoving cover
Press mark on cover1 in the direction
of arrow.
Lift cover off to reveal the threaded
hole for towing eye bolt.
Installing towing eye bolt
Take towing eye bolt and wheel wrench
out of the vehicle tool kit in the trunk
(
page 420).
Screw towing eye bolt clockwise into
its stop and tighten with wheel wrench.Removing towing eye bolt
Loosen towing eye bolt counterclock-
wise with wheel wrench.
Unscrew towing eye bolt.
Store towing eye bolt and wheel
wrench in the vehicle tool kit in the
trunk.
Installing cover
Fit cover1 and snap into place.

467 Technical data
Rims and tires
Rims and tires
!Only use tires which have been tested and
approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
Tires approved by Mercedes-Benz are developed
to provide best possible performance in conjunc-
tion 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
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
Center. A placard with the recommended tire
inflation pressures is located on the driver’s door
B-pillar (
page 334). Some vehicles may have
supplemental tire inflation pressure information
for driving at high speeds (
page 340) or for
vehicle loads less than the maximum loaded
vehicle condition (
page 348). If such informa-
tion is provided, it can be found on the tire infla-
tion label 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
vehicles with winter tires. Winter tires are not
available as standard or optional factory equip-
ment, but can be purchased from an authorized
Mercedes-Benz 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. Contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for more informa-
tion.