418 Practical hints
Flat tire
Detach the electric air pump.
Stow electrical plug3 and air hose4
behind flap1 and place the air pump
back in the trunk.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 bolts
Tighten the five wheel bolts evenly, fol-
lowing the diagonal sequence illustrat-
ed (1 to 5), until all bolts are tight.
Observe a tightening torque of 96 lb-ft
(130 Nm).
Before storing the jack in the trunk, it
should be fully collapsed.
Warning!G
Follow recommend inflation pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflating tires
can result in sudden deflation (blowout)
because they are more likely to become
punctured or damaged by road debris,
potholes, etc.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear unevenly, adversely affect handling
and fuel economy, and are more likely to fail
from being overheated.
iVehicles with Advanced TPMS*:
Do not activate the tire inflation pressure moni-
tor (
page 309) until a full size wheel/tire with
functioning sensor has been placed back into
service on the vehicle.
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).
iWrap the damaged wheel in the protective
film that comes with the spare wheel and put the
wheel in the trunk.
You can also place the damaged wheel down into
the spare wheel well. In this case, you must stow
the luggage bowl in the trunk.
421 Practical hints
Battery
Disconnecting the battery
Depress parking brake firmly or move
gear selector lever to positionP.
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Remove SmartKey from starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press the start/stop button until
the engine shuts off.
Open the driver’s door.
Open the trunk.
Read and observe safety instructions
and precautions (
page 420).
Remove the luggage box (page 397).
Disconnect battery negative lead2.
Remove cover1 from the positive ter-
minal.
Disconnect the battery positive lead.
Removing the battery
Remove the screw-nuts securing the
battery.
Remove the battery bracket.
Pull out the battery ventilation tube
from the battery (depending on battery
arrangement in your vehicle model, the
battery ventilation tube is located on
the left or right side of the battery).
Take out the battery.
!As with any other battery, disconnect the
battery if you do not intend to operate your vehi-
cle for an extended period of time to prevent bat-
tery discharge or connect an accessory 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 battery, the battery ventilation hose and the
lateral plug must always be securely installed
when the vehicle is in operation.
!Never loosen or detach battery terminal
clamps while the engine is running or the
SmartKey is in the starter switch. Otherwise the
alternator and other electronic components
could be severely damaged.
Have the battery checked regularly by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Refer to Maintenance Booklet for maintenance
intervals or contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further information.
Warning!G
With a disconnected battery
you will no longer be able to turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch and
pressing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button on the gear selector lever will
have no effect
the gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP
422 Practical hints
Battery
Charging and reinstalling the batteryCharge battery in accordance with the
instructions of the battery charger
manufacturer.
Reinstall the charged battery. Follow
the previously described steps in re-
verse order.
Reconnecting the battery
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Connect the positive lead and fasten its
cover.
Connect the negative lead.
Install the luggage box (page 397).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.
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
battery in its installed position. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for infor-
mation and availability. Charge battery in
accordance with the separate instructions
for the accessory battery charger*.
!The battery, its filler caps and the battery
ventilation tube must always be securely in-
stalled when the vehicle is in operation.
!Never invert the terminal connections!
iThe following procedures must be carried
out following any interruption of battery power
(e.g. due to reconnection):
Set the clock (page 157) (see COMAND
operator’s manual).
Synchronize the side windows
(
page 207).
Synchronize the tilt/sliding sunroof
(
page 212).
425 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 only so
far as necessary to have the vehicle moved
to a safe location where the recommended
towing methods can be employed.
!Do not tow-start the vehicle.
!Use flatbed or wheel lift/dolly equipment
with SmartKey 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 automatic central (
page 163)
locking.
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 sys-
tem
there is a malfunction in the power sup-
ply 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 certain that the SmartKey
is in starter switch position2.
If the SmartKey is left in the starter switch
position0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the switch. In this
case, the steering is locked. To unlock,
remove SmartKey from starter switch and
reinsert.
Warning!G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the steering system. In
this case, it is important to keep in mind that
a considerably higher degree of effort is nec-
essary to steer the vehicle. Adapt your driv-
ing accordingly.
!If the vehicle is towed with the front axle
raised, the gear selector lever must be in
positionN and the engine must be shut off
(SmartKey in starter switch position0 or1).
Active braking action through the ESP
® may
otherwise seriously damage the brake system.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels on the
ground, the selector lever must be in positionN
and the SmartKey must be in starter switch
position2.
When towing the vehicle with all wheels on the
ground or the front axle raised, the vehicle may
be towed only for distances up to 30 miles
(50 km) and at a speed not to exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h).
426 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Installing towing eye bolt
Front of vehicle
1Cover on right side of front bumper
To remove cover:
Press mark on cover1 in direction of
arrow.
Lift cover off to reveal the threaded
hole for towing eye bolt.
!Towing of the vehicle should only be done
using the properly installed towing eye bolt. Nev-
er attach tow cable, tow rope or tow rod to the
vehicle chassis, frame or suspension parts.
iWhen towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, please note the following:
With the automatic central locking activated and
the SmartKey in starter switch position2, or
KEYLESS-GO
* start/stop button in position2,
the vehicle 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 door locks from locking,
deactivate the automatic central locking
(
page 116).
iTo signal turns while being towed with the
hazard warning flasher in use, turn SmartKey in
starter switch to position2 and activate the
combination switch for the left or right turn
signal in the usual manner – only the selected
turn signal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the hazard warn-
ing flasher will operate again.
iThe selector lever will remain locked in park
positionP and the SmartKey will not turn in the
starter switch if the battery is disconnected or
discharged. For more information see “Battery”
(
page 420) or “Jump starting” (page 423).
For information on manual unlocking of the gear
selector lever, see (
page 400).
429 Practical hints
Fuses
Fuse box in passenger compartment
1CoverOpening
Open the front passenger door.
Insert flat, blunt object as a lever in-be-
tween the edge of cover1 and the
dashboard cover at the position indi-
cated by the arrow.
Carefully pry cover1 away from the
dashboard using lever.
Using your hands, pull cover1 in di-
rection of the arrow and remove it.
Closing
Hook cover1 into the opening at the
front.
Press cover1 back on until it engag-
es.
Fuse box in trunk
2Cover
3Catches
Turn catches3 counter-clockwise
and remove cover2.!Do not use sharp objects such as a screw
driver to open the fuse box cover1 in the dash-
board, as this could damage it.
457 Index
A
ABS 89
Indicator lamp 344
Messages in display 360, 374
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 173
Accessory weight 323
Accident 58
Active Bi-Xenon headlamps see Head-
lamps
Active head restraints 81
resetting 401
Adaptive Damping System 230
Adjusting 41
ADS 230
Air bags 66
Children 67
Front, Driver 69
Front, Passenger 69
Knee bag 70
Safety guidelines 68
Side impact 70
Window curtain 70
Air conditioning refrigerant 450
Air conditioning system see Climate con-
trol system 201Air conditioning, Cooling 192, 201
Air distribution 195
Air pressure 323
Air pressure see Tire inflation pressure
Air pump, electric 417
Air recirculation mode 198
Air vents 189
Air volume 196
Airmatic DC (Dual Control) 230
Message in display 391–392
Suspension tuning 230
Vehicle level control 230
Alarm
Audible alarm and flashing exterior
lamps (Panic alarm) 88
Canceling 98
Visual 97
Alarm system see Anti-theft systems
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 395, 415
AMG menu 145
Lap analysis 148
Overall analysis 148
RACETIMER 146
Vehicle supply voltage 146
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 454
Antilock Brake System see ABSAnti-theft systems 97
Anti-theft alarm system 97
Immobilizer 97
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning
Ashtrays 248
Aspect ratio 323
AUDIO menu 148
Audio search function 163
Audio system
CD mode 149
Selecting radio station 149
Selecting satellite radio station* 149
Auto-dimming, Rear view mirrors 183
Automatic central locking, Control
system 163
Automatic climate control (4-zone) 188
Air recirculation mode 198
Deactivating 193
Rear window defroster 186
Setting the temperature 195
Automatic headlamp mode 127
Automatic lighting control, Interior
lighting 133
Automatic locking when driving 163
Automatic shift program 175
458 Index
Automatic transmission
Accelerator position 173
Automatic shift program 175
Emergency operation (limp-home
mode) 182
Gear ranges 174
Gear selector lever 169
Gear selector lever control one-touch
gearshifting 176
Gear selector lever positions 171
Gear shifting malfunctions 182
Kickdown 173
Kickdown, manual shift program
CLS 63 AMG 181
Manual shift program
CLS 63 AMG 179
Program mode selector switch 175
Shifting procedure 170
Starting the engine 51
Steering wheel gearshift control
one-touch gearshifting* 177
Auxiliary bulbs 404
Messages in display 383B
Backrest
Seat 42
Seat, multicontour* 120
Backup lamps see Reverse lamps
Bar 324
BAS 90
Batteries, SmartKey
Checking battery condition 108
Replacing 402
Batteries, SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
Checking battery condition 108
Replacing 402
Batteries, vehicle 420
Charging 422
Disconnecting 421
Jump starting 423
Messages in display 372–373
Reconnecting 422
Reinstalling 422
Removing 421
Bead 324
Beverage holder see Cup holders
Bi-Xenon headlamps see
Headlamps 126
Block heater* (Canada only) 329Brake fluid
Checking 285
Brake lamps
Cleaning lenses 337
Replacing bulbs 406
Brake pads
Message in display 373
Brakes
High-performance brake system
(CLS 63 AMG only) 274
Warning lamp 347
Break-in period 270
Bulbs, replacing see Replacing bulbs
C
California retail buyers and lessees, impor-
tant notice for 11
Can holder see Cup holders
Capacities and recommended
fuels/lubricants 448
Cargo tie-down hooks 242
Carpets, cleaning 340
Catalytic converter 281
CD player 149