Page 385 of 601

384 Operation
Tires and wheels
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center for information on test-
ed and recommended rims and tires for
summer and winter operation. They can
also offer advice concerning tire service
and purchase.Important guidelines
Only use sets of tires and rims of the
same type and make.
Tires must be of the correct size for the
rim.
Break in new tires for approximately
60 miles (100 km) at moderate
speeds.
Regularly check the tires and rims for
damage. Dented or bent rims can
cause tire inflation pressure loss or
damage to the tire beads.
If vehicle is heavily loaded, check tire
inflation pressure and correct as
required.
Do not allow your tires to wear down
too far. Adhesion properties on wet
roads are sharply reduced at tread
depths of less than
1/8in (3 mm).
When replacing individual tires, you
should mount new tires on the front
wheels first (on vehicles with
same-sized wheels all around).
Warning!G
Replace rims or tires with the same designa-
tion, manufacturer and type as shown on the
original part. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center for fur-
ther information. If incorrectly sized rims
and tires are mounted:
The wheel brakes or suspension
components can be damaged.
The operating clearance of the wheels
and the tires may no longer be correct.
Warning!G
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have
sustained damage, replace them.
When replacing rims, only use genuine
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the
particular rim type. Failure to do so can
result in the bolts loosening and possibly an
accident.
Retreaded tires are not tested or recom-
mended by Mercedes-Benz, since previous
damage cannot always be recognized on re-
treads. The operating safety of the vehicle
cannot be assured when such tires are used.
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Page 420 of 601

419 Operation
Tires and wheels
In some cases, such as when your vehicle
is equipped with mixed-size tires (different
tire dimension front vs. rear), tire rotation
is not possible.
If applicable to your vehicle’s tire configu-
ration, tires can be rotated according to
the tire manufacturer’s recommended in-
tervals in the tire manufacturer’s warranty
pamphlet located in your vehicle literature
portfolio. If none is available, tires should
be rotated every 3 000 to 6 000 miles
(5 000 to 10 000 km), or sooner if neces-
sary, according to the degree of tire wear.
The same rotation (spinning) direction
must be maintained (
page 387).
Rotate tires before the characteristic tire
wear pattern becomes visible (shoulder
wear on front tires and tread center wear
on rear tires).
Thoroughly clean the mounting face of
wheels and brake disks, i.e. the inner side
of the wheels/tires, during each rotation.
Check for and ensure proper tire inflation
pressure.For information on wheel change, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 490) and
(
page 519).
Warning!G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. Wheels could become
loose if not tightened with a torque of
110 lb-ft (150 Nm).
Only use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel
bolts specified for your vehicle’s rims.
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Page 491 of 601
490 Practical hints
Where will I find ...?
First aid kit
The first aid kit is located on the driver’s
side in the cargo compartment behind the
cover.
1Lock
2Cover in left side trim panel
Turn lock1 90° in direction of arrow.
Fold down cover2.
The first aid kit can be removed.
Vehicle tool kit
The vehicle tool kit is stored under the
cargo compartment floor.
The vehicle tool kit includes:
Towing eye bolt
Wheel wrench
Alignment bolt
Vehicle jack
Fuse chart
Collapsible wheel chock
Wheel bolts for spare wheel1Cargo compartment floor, lowered
2Handle cover
Open the tailgate (page 122).
Push in handle cover2 as indicated
by arrow and pull handle.
Lift cargo compartment floor1.
iCheck expiration dates and contents for
completeness at least once a year and replace
missing/expired items.
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Page 493 of 601

492 Practical hints
Where will I find ...?
Example illustration1
6Alignment bolt
7Towing eye bolt
8Wheel wrench
9Hook and loop fastener
aVehicle jack
2
bWheel bolts
cCollapsible wheel chock
dFuse chart
eVehicle tool kit storage well casing
To remove vehicle jacka, loosen
hook and loop fastener9.Vehicle jack
The vehicle jack is located underneath the
cargo compartment floor.
1Depending on production date, your vehicle may
be equipped with a scissors-type vehicle jack.
Thus, appearance and alignment of the items may
vary.
2If your vehicle is equipped with a scissors-type
vehicle jack, a reversible ratchet is also included.
!Depending on vehicle production date your
vehicle may be equipped with a scissors-type
jack (located under the cargo compartment
floor). If so equipped, only use this jack when
jacking up the vehicle as otherwise the vehicle’s
underbody can be damaged. See separate
instructions for scissors-type jack.
!To prevent damage, always disengage the
strap of the securing hook and lower the cargo
compartment floor (
page 490) before closing
the tailgate.
Warning!G
Only use the jack supplied with your vehicle
to lift the vehicle briefly for wheel changes.
If you use the jack for any other purpose,
you or others could be inj ure d, as the ja ck is
designed only for the purpose of changing a
wheel.
When using the jack, observe the safety
notes in the “Mounting the spare wheel”
section (
page 520) and the notes on the
jack.
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Page 523 of 601
522 Practical hints
Flat tire
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.1Wheel wrench
On wheel to be changed, loosen but do
not yet remove the wheel bolts
(approximately one full turn with wheel
wrench1).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.
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Page 525 of 601
524 Practical hints
Flat tire
Screw-type jack (example illustration)
Scissors-type jack (example illustration)
Vehicles with screw-type jack: Turn
crank4 clockwise until jack3 is fully
seated in take-up bracket2 and the
jack base evenly meets the ground.
Vehicles with scissors-type jack:
Turn ratchet4 up and down until
jack3 is fully seated in take-up
bracket2 and the jack base evenly
meets the ground.
Continue to turn crank/ratchet4
until the wheel is a maximum of 1.2 in
(3 cm) from the ground.Removing the wheel
1Alignment bolt
Unscrew upper-most wheel bolt and
remove it.
Replace this wheel bolt with alignment
bolt1 supplied with the tool kit
(
page 490).
Remove the remaining wheel bolts.
Remove the wheel.
!Do not place wheel bolts in sand or dirt. This
could result in damage to the bolts and wheel
hub threads.
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Page 526 of 601

525 Practical hints
Flat tire
Mounting the new wheel
1Wheel bolt for 18", 19", 20" and 21"
light alloy wheels
2Wheel bolt for Minispare wheel (locat-
ed in vehicle tool kit (
page 490))
Clean contact surfaces of wheel and
wheel hub.
Guide spare wheel onto the alignment
bolt and push it on the wheel hub.
Insert wheel bolts and tighten them
slightly.
Unscrew the alignment bolt, install last
wheel bolt and tighten slightly.
!Wheel bolts2 must be used when mount-
ing the Minispare wheel. The use of any wheel
bolts other than wheel bolts2 for the Minispare
wheel will damage the vehicle’s brakes.
!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 Light Truck
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 to use 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.
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Page 527 of 601

526 Practical hints
Flat tire
Lowering the vehicle
Vehicles with scissors-type jack:
Attach ratchet to vehicle jack in such a
way that the wordDOWN can be seen.
Lower the vehicle until its resting fully
on its own weight.
Vehicles with screw-type jack:
Turn crank counterclockwise.
Vehicles with scissors-type jack:
Turn ratchet in Direction of DOWN.
Remove the jack.
1-5Wheel 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
110 lb-ft (150 Nm).
Store jack and all other vehicle tool kit
items back into the storage well.
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).
iThe removed road wheel cannot be stored in
the spare wheel well under the cargo compart-
ment floor, but should be transported in the car-
go compartment wrapped in a protective cover.
Vehicles with TPMS or Advanced TPMS*:
Do not activate the tire inflation pressure moni-
tor until a full size wheel/tire with functioning
sensor has been placed back into service on the
vehicle.
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