2008 MERCEDES-BENZ CL-Class warning

700 Practical hintsFlat tire1Wheel bolt for light alloy rims
2Wheel bolt for Minispare wheel
(located in trunk with spare wheel)

Clean contact surfaces of wheel and
wheel hub.

Guide the Minispare wheel onto the
alignment bolt and push it on.

Insert wheel bolts and tighten them
slightly.

Unscrew the alignment bolt, install the
last wheel bolt and tighten slightly.
Warning!
G
Only use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel
bolts. Other wheel bolts may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the ve-
hicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle could
fall off the jack.
!
Wheel bolts2 must be used when mount-
ing a Minispare wheel. The use of any wheel
bolts other than wheel bolts2 for a Minispare
wheel will physically damage the vehicle’s
brakes.
Warning!
G
Make sure to use the original length wheel
bolts when remounting the original wheel
after it has been repaired.
!
To avoid paint damage, place wheel flat
against hub and hold it there while installing first
wheel bolt.

701 Practical hints
Flat tire
Lowering the vehicle
Lower vehicle by turning crank coun-
terclockwise until vehicle is resting ful-
ly on its own weight.

Remove the jack.
1 - 5 Wheel bolts6 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
110 lb-ft (150 Nm).

Fully collapse the jack, with handle
folded in (storage position),
(page 682).

Store the jack and the other vehicle
tools in the designated storage space
underneath the trunk floor.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
110 lb-ft (150 Nm).i
Do not activate the tire inflation pressure
monitor (
page 572) until a full size wheel/tire
with functioning sensor has been placed back
into service on the vehicle.

702 Practical hintsBatteriesYour vehicle is equipped with two batter-
ies:

The starter battery, located in the en-
gine compartment


The battery for electrical consumers
(consumer battery), located in the
trunk
The batteries should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve its rated ser-
vice life. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for
battery maintenance intervals.
If you use your vehicle mostly for short-dis-
tance trips, you will need to have the bat-
tery charge checked more frequently.
When replacing the batteries, always use
batteries approved by Mercedes-Benz.
If you do not intend to operate your vehicle
for an extended period of time, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center about
steps you need to observe.Batteries contain materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly.
Large 12-volt storage batteries contain
lead. Recycling of batteries is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states require
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries
for recycling.
!
Do not tow-start the vehicle.
Warning!
G
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries.
Risk of explosion.
Fire, open flames and smoking
are prohibited when handling
batteries. Avoid creating sparks.
Battery acid is caustic. Do not
allow it to come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective cloth-
ing, especially gloves, apron and
faceguard.
Wear eye protection.
Rinse any acid spills immediate-
ly with clear water. Contact a
physician if necessary.
Keep children away.
Follow the instructions in this
Operator’s Manual.

703 Practical hints
Batteries
!
The consumer battery located in the trunk is
a valve-r
egulated l
ead a
cid (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 consumer battery as other-
wise the battery will be damaged.
Even though VRLA batteries do not require top-
ping-up of the electrolyte level and cannot be
opened to check the electrolyte level, the bat-
tery condition must be checked periodically by
performing a battery conductance test. Refer to
Maintenance Booklet for battery condition test-
ing intervals.
As with any other battery, disconnect the con-
sumer battery if you do not intend to operate
your vehicle for an extended period of time to
prevent battery discharge or connect an acces-
sory battery charge unit expressly approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model to main-
tain the battery charge. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further 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 facto-
ry-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
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
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.Warning!
G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof battery only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Take care that you do not become statically
charged, e.g. by wearing synthetic clothing
or rubbing against textiles. For this reason,
you also should not pull or push the battery
over carpets or other synthetic materials.
Never touch the battery first. First touch the
outside body of the vehicle in order to re-
lease any possible electrostatic charges.


705 Practical hints
Batteries
Switching off vehicle’s internal
electrical functions
Turn off all electrical consumers.

Turn SmartKey in starter switch to po-
sition 0.

Turn SmartKey in starter switch to po-
sition 1.

Wait for 30 seconds.
The vehicle’s internal electrical func-
tions are switched off.

Turn SmartKey in starter switch to po-
sition 0.Disconnecting starter battery

Open the hood (
page 553).

Use a 10-mm open-end wrench to dis-
connect the battery negative lead.

Remove cover2 (
page 704) from
the positive terminal.

Disconnect the battery positive lead.
Removing starter battery
Pull out the battery ventilation hose
from the battery (depending on battery
arrangement in your vehicle model, the
ventilation hose is located either on the
left or right side of the battery).

Fold bar on starter battery up.

Take out the starter battery.
Charging battery
i
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
KEYLESS-GO button (
page 366) and use the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO like a normal
SmartKey.
!
Do not remove the SmartKey!
i
For your convenience, have the starter bat-
tery removed by a Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Never charge a battery while still installed in
the vehicle unless the accessory battery
charge unit approved by Mercedes-Benz is
being used. Gases may escape during charg-
ing and cause explosions that may result in
paint damage, corrosion or personal injury.
An accessory battery charge unit specially
adapted for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz is
available, permitting the charging of the bat-
tery in its installed position. Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
information and availability. Charge battery
in accordance with the separate instruc-
tions for the accessory battery charger.i
Have the batteries charged by a
Mercedes-Benz Center. If you charge the batter-
ies yourself, follow the operating instructions for
your charging device.

706 Practical hintsBatteriesStarter battery
Connect the switched-off charging de-
vice to the terminals of the starter bat-
tery. Observe the operating
instructions in the manual for the
charging device while doing so.
Reinstalling starter battery
Install starter battery in engine com-
partment.

Swing retaining bar down.
Reconnecting starter battery

Make sure that the consumer battery in
the trunk is correctly installed and con-
nected.

Turn SmartKey in starter switch to po-
sition 0 and remove.

Connect the positive lead and fasten its
cover2 (
page 704).

Connect negative lead1
(page 704).

Attach ventilation tube.

Switch on the ignition (
page 365).

Start the engine (
page 406).

Check vehicle functions.
!
Only use charging devices with a maximum
charging voltage of 14.8 V.
Warning!
G
During the charge procedure, there is a risk
of acid burns due to gases escaping from
the battery. Do not bend over the battery
during the charge procedure.
!
The battery and the battery ventilation hose
must always be securely installed when the vehi-
cle is in operation.
!
Always connect the starter battery in the or-
der described below. Otherwise, the vehicle’s
electronics could be damaged.
Warning!
G
Do not drive without a properly installed and
connected consumer battery.
Have any work on the consumer battery car-
ried out by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
!
Never invert the terminal connections.
!
Make sure that the battery has a plug where
the ventilation tube is attached to it.

707 Practical hints
Jump starting
Jump starting
If the starter battery is discharged, the en-
gine can be started with jumper cables and
the battery of another vehicle. Observe the
following:

Jump starting should only be performed
when the engine and catalytic convert-
er are cold.


Do not start the engine if the battery is
frozen. Let the battery thaw out first.


Only use 12-volt battery to jump start
your vehicle. Jump starting with a high-
er voltage battery could damage the ve-
hicle’s electrical system, which will not
be covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim-
ited Warranty.


Only use jumper cables with sufficient
cross-section and insulated terminal
clamps.


Always make sure that the jumper ca-
bles are not on or near pulleys, fans or
other parts that move when an engine
is started or running.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these directions will cause
damage to the electronic components, and
can lead to a battery explosion and severe
injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting
or jump starting, 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 very explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking, etc.
Attempting to jump start a frozen battery
can result in it exploding, causing personal
injury.
Read all instructions before proceeding.
!
Do not tow-start the vehicle.
!
Jump starting should only be performed on
the starter battery installed in the engine com-
partment.
Avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts.
Do not attempt to start the engine using a bat-
tery quick charge unit.
If engine does not run after several unsuccessful
starting attempts, have it checked at the nearest
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Excessive unburned fuel generated by repeated
failed starting attempts may damage the catalyt-
ic converter and may present a fire risk.
Make sure the jumper cables do not have loose
or missing insulation.
Make sure the cable clamps do not touch any
other metal part while the other end is still at-
tached to a battery.

708 Practical hintsJump startingJump starting should only be performed on
the starter battery. The starter battery is
located in the engine compartment on the
passenger side (
page 704).

Make sure the two vehicles do not
touch.

Secure vehicle in place with electronic
parking brake (
page 412).

Shift the automatic transmission to
park positionP (
page 417).

Turn off all electrical consumers, ex-
cept hazard warning flashers or work
lights.

Open the hood (
page 553).

Start the engine of the vehicle with the
charged battery and run at idle speed.1Negative clamp
2Negative terminal of charged battery
3Positive terminal of charged battery
4Positive terminal of discharged battery
Warning!
G
Keep flames or sparks away from battery.
Do not smoke.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(page 702).
i
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
KEYLESS-GO button (
page 366) and use the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO like a normal
SmartKey.