2008 MERCEDES-BENZ R-CLASS MPV service

Flat tyre
319X
Make sure that the vehicle jack stands
upright and perfectly straight.
X Take ratchet ring spanner 3from the vehi-
cle tool kit and place it on the hexagon nut
of jack 2so that the letters AUFare visi-
ble.
X Raise the vehicle with ratchet ring spanner
3 until the tyre is at most three centime-
tres off the ground. 1
Centring pin
X Unscrew the uppermost wheel bolt com-
pletely.
X In place of the wheel bolt, screw centring
pin 1from the vehicle tool kit into the
thread.
X Unscrew the remaining wheel bolts fully.
! Do not place wheel bolts in sand or on a
dirty surface. This could cause damage to
the bolt and wheel hub threads.
X Remove the wheel.
Fitting a new wheel G
Risk of accident
Replace damaged or corroded wheel bolts. Never oil or grease wheel bolts. This could
cause the bolts to loosen in the wheel hub.
G
Risk of accident
If a wheel hub thread is damaged, you must
not drive the vehicle any further. Consult a
qualified specialist workshop which has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools
to carry out the work required. Mercedes-
Benz recommends that you use a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre or Service
24h for this purpose. In particular, work rel-
evant to safety or on safety-related systems
must be carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop. G
Risk of accident
Only use wheel bolts that have been
designed for the wheel and the vehicle. For
safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use wheel bolts which
have been approved for Mercedes-Benz
vehicles. Other bolts could work loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts completely
while the vehicle is still jacked up. The vehi-
cle could topple off the jack. Practical advice
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Battery
323
You must not exceed a maximum speed of
80 km/h. G
Risk of accident
The handling characteristics of your vehicle
deteriorate in run-flat mode, for example:
R when cornering
R when braking
R when accelerating rapidly
Adapt your driving style accordingly and
avoid sudden changes in direction and sud-
den acceleration, as well as driving over
obstacles (i.e. kerbs, potholes), and driving
off-road. This is particularly the case when
the vehicle is heavily laden.
The maximum permissible distance that
can be driven in run-flat mode depends to
a large extent on the loads placed on the
vehicle. It can be shorter due to high
speeds, a heavy load, sudden acceleration
and/or manoeuvring, the road surface con-
dition, outside temperature, etc., or further
if you drive carefully and conservatively.
Do not continue to drive in run-flat mode if:
R you hear banging noises
R the vehicle starts to shake
R you see smoke and smell rubber R
ESP ®
is intervening constantly
R there are tears in the sidewalls of the tyre
After driving in run-flat mode, you must
have the rims checked for damage at a
qualified specialist workshop which has the
necessary specialist knowledge and tools
to carry out the work required. The faulty
tyre must be replaced in every case.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you use
a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre for this
purpose. In particular, work relevant to
safety or on safety-related systems must be
carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
i On a vehicle with MOExtended tyres, only
use MOExtended spare tyres. These must
be of the size specified for the vehicle. Battery
Notes on the vehicle battery
In order for the battery to achieve the maxi-
mum possible service life, it must always be
sufficiently charged.
Have the battery charge checked more fre-
quently if you use the vehicle mainly for short
trips or if you leave it standing idle for a
lengthy period.
To prevent damage from corrosion, only
replace the battery with one that has a central
ventilation cover.
Consult a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre if
you wish to leave your vehicle parked up for
a long period of time. G
Risk of injury
Comply with safety precautions and take
protective measures when handling batter-
ies. Risk of explosion
Fire, naked flames and
smoking are prohibited
when handling the bat-
tery. Avoid creating
sparks. Practical advice
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Battery
324 Battery acid is caustic.
Avoid contact with the
skin, eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective
clothing, in particular
gloves, an apron and a
face mask.
Immediately rinse acid
splashes off with clean
water. Consult a doctor if
necessary.
Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Owner's
Manual.
H
Environmental note
Do not dispose of batteries with the house-
hold rubbish. Dispose of defective batteries
in an environmentally responsible manner.
Take them to a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre or to a special collection point for
old batteries.
G
Risk of injury
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use batteries which
have been tested and approved for your
vehicle by Mercedes-Benz. These batteries
provide increased impact protection to pre-
vent vehicle occupants from suffering acid
burns should the battery be damaged in the
event of an accident.
To prevent acid burns, observe the follow-
ing safety notes when handling batteries:
R Do not lean over batteries.
R Do not place any metal objects on a bat-
tery. You could otherwise cause a short
circuit and the battery's highly flammable
gas mixture could ignite.
R Make sure that you do not create an elec-
trostatic charge, e.g. by wearing syn-
thetic clothing or as a result of friction on
fabrics. Therefore, you should not pull or
slide the battery over carpets or other
synthetic materials.
R Never touch the battery first. To dis-
charge a possible electrostatic charge, step out of the vehicle first and touch the
bodywork.
R Do not wipe the battery using a cloth. The
battery may explode as a result of elec-
trostatic charge or due to flying sparks.
! Switch off the engine and remove the
key/KEYLESS GO * button before loosen-
ing or removing the battery terminal
clamps. You may otherwise destroy elec-
tronic components such as the alternator.
i Mercedes-Benz recommends that you
have all work involving the battery, e.g.
removing, charging and replacing, carried
out at a qualified specialist workshop, e.g.
a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
The battery is located under the front seat on
the right-hand side when viewed in the direc-
tion of travel. Practical advice
* optional
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Battery
327b
Breather hose
c battery
d Battery holder
e Fastening nuts
X Remove breather hose bfrom battery
c.
X Loosen and remove fastening nuts e.
X Remove fastening d.
X Push battery cto the left. f
Positive terminal clamp
g Negative terminal clamp
X Disconnect negative terminal clamp g
from the battery and put it down so that it
does not touch positive terminal clamp
f.
X Remove the cover from positive terminal
clamp f.
X Remove positive terminal clamp ffrom
the battery. Removing the battery
X Disconnect the battery ( Ypage 325).
X Pull the battery up out of the recess. Charging and fitting the battery
G
Risk of injury
Only charge the battery in a well-ventilated
area. As the battery is being charged, gases
can escape and generate minor explosions.
This may injure you and other persons or
cause damage to the paintwork or acid cor-
rosion on the vehicle.
You can obtain information about battery
chargers which allow the battery to be
charged when still installed from a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. G
Risk of injury
There is a risk of acid burns during the
charging process due to the gases which
escape from the battery. Do not lean over
the battery during the charging process. G
Risk of injury
Battery acid is caustic. Avoid contact with
the skin, eyes or clothing. Practical advice
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Jump-starting
329Jump-starting
If your vehicle's battery is discharged, the
engine can be jump-started from another
vehicle or from an external battery using jump
leads.
Observe the following points:
R Jump-starting may only be performed when
the engine and catalytic converter are cold.
R Do not start the engine if the battery is fro-
zen. Let the battery thaw first.
R Jump-starting may only be performed from
batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
R Only use jump leads which are protected
against polarity reversal and which have a
sufficient cross-section and insulated ter-
minal clamps.
i Jump leads which are protected against
polarity reversal and further information
about jump-starting can be obtained from
any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
! Avoid repeated and lengthy starting
attempts.
Never start the vehicle using a rapid battery
charger. G
Risk of injury
There is a risk of acid burns when jump-
starting a vehicle due to the gases which
escape from the battery. Do not lean over
the battery while the engine is being jump-
started. G
Risk of explosion
Gases escaping from the battery during
jump-starting may cause minor explosions.
Avoid creating sparks. Keep naked flames
away from the battery, and do not smoke.
Comply with safety precautions and take
protective measures when handling batter-
ies. You will find these under "Battery" in
the index.
X Make sure that the two vehicles do not
touch.
X Depress the parking brake firmly.
X Move the selector lever to P.
X Switch off all electrical consumers. 1
Earth point on your vehicle
2 Positive terminal on your vehicle
3 Negative terminal of donor battery
4 Positive terminal of donor battery
X Connect positive terminal 2on your vehi-
cle to positive terminal 4of the donor
battery using the jump lead, beginning with
your own battery.
X Start the engine of the donor vehicle and
run it at idling speed.
X Connect negative terminal 3of the donor
battery to the earth point 1of your vehicle
using the jump lead, connecting the jump
lead to the donor battery first.
X Start the engine. Practical advice
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Towing and tow-starting
330
X
Electrical consumers can be switched on
again. Do not switch the lights on, however,
as this will overload the battery.
X Remove the jump lead from earth
point 1and negative terminal 3first,
then from positive terminal 2and positive
terminal 4, each time disconnecting from
the battery on your own vehicle first.
i The message Battery protection:
some convenience functions cur-
rently not available may appear in the
multi-function display. It disappears as
soon as the battery is sufficiently charged.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre. Towing and tow-starting
Points to remember
G
Risk of accident
If you tow the vehicle, you must use a rigid
towing bar if:
R the engine is not running
R there is a brake system malfunction
R the voltage supply or the vehicle's elec-
trical system is damaged
The electric power steering and the brake
force booster do not work when the engine
is not running. Greater braking force will
then be required and the brake pedal travel
will be longer. If necessary, depress the
brake pedal with maximum force.
Do not tow the vehicle if the key cannot be
turned in the ignition lock. If this is the case,
the steering is locked and the vehicle can-
not be steered.
If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehi-
cle.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed. When towing, observe the legal requirements
in all countries concerned.
!
When towing, pull away slowly and with-
out jerking. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
as this will damage the vehicle. If in doubt
recover the vehicle with a crane.
! You may tow the vehicle for a maximum
of 50 km. A towing speed of 50 km/h must
not be exceeded.
With towing distances over 50 km, the
entire vehicle needs to be lifted up and
transported.
! On vehicles with KEYLESS GO*: use the
key instead of the KEYLESS GO * button.
Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock and set the automatic transmission to
N. Then turn the key back to 0and leave it
in the ignition lock.
! Only secure the tow cable or towing bar
to the towing eyes. You may otherwise
damage the vehicle. Practical advice
* optional
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Towing and tow-starting
331
R
Tow-starting the vehicle is not permitted.
R Vehicles with 4MATIC *must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised.
R If the engine does not start, try jump-start-
ing it (Y page 329).
R If it is not possible to jump-start the vehicle,
have it towed to the nearest qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
R If the vehicle has suffered transmission
damage, have it carried away on a trans-
porter or trailer.
R If you are towing the vehicle, move the
automatic transmission selector lever to
N and turn the key to position 2
(Y page 76) in the ignition lock.
R Before towing the vehicle, make sure that
the battery is connected and charged. Oth-
erwise:
- you cannot switch on the ignition
- you cannot move the selector lever to N
- you have no support when braking
i Before towing the vehicle, deactivate tow-
away protection* (Y page 64)and the auto-
matic door locking feature (Y page 134).You could otherwise be locked out when
pushing or towing the vehicle. Fitting the towing eye
Opening the front cover The mountings for the removable towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are located
at the front and rear under the covers on the
right-hand side of the vehicle when viewed in
the direction of travel. 1
Cover
X Press cover 1back in the direction of the
arrow.
X Take cover 1off the opening. Opening the rear cover
1
Cover
X Press cover 1back in the direction of the
arrow.
X Take cover 1off the opening.
Securing the towing eye X
Take the towing eye and the wheel wrench
from the vehicle tool kit ( Ypage 252).
X Screw in the towing eye clockwise to the
stop.
X Insert the wheel wrench handle into the
towing eye and tighten it. Practical advice
* optional
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Fuses
333
In the event of damage to the front axle Have the propeller shaft between the rear
axle and the transfer case removed.
Have the vehicle towed with the front axle
raised.
In the event of rear axle damage (Vehi-
cles with 4MATIC)
If the vehicle has transmission damage or
damage to the front or rear axle, have it trans-
ported on a transporter or trailer.
! New bolts must always be used when the
propeller shafts are refitted. The specified
tightening torques must be observed.
i Consult a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
In the event of damage to the electrical
system If the battery is defective, the automatic
transmission will be locked in position
P. To
shift the automatic transmission to neutral,
you must supply power to the vehicle's elec-
trical system in the same way as jump-start-
ing (Y page 329).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer. Fuses
Notes on changing fuses
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the compo-
nents on the circuit and their functions will
fail.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognise by
the colour and value. The fuse ratings are lis-
ted in the fuse allocation chart. A Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre will be happy to advise
you. G
Risk of fire
Only use fuses that have been approved for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which have
the correct fuse rating for the systems con-
cerned. Do not attempt to repair or bridge
faulty fuses. Otherwise, a circuit overload
could cause a fire. Have the cause traced
and rectified at a qualified specialist work-
shop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-Benz
Service Centre.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which have the correct fuse rating for the system
concerned. Otherwise, components or sys-
tems could be damaged.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes:
R Dashboard fuse box on the front-passenger
side
R Fuse box in the engine compartment on the
right-hand side of the vehicle
R Fuse box in the stowage well under the lug-
gage compartment floor
Fuse allocation chart The fuse allocation chart is located with the
vehicle tool kit (Y
page 252) in the stowage
compartment under the luggage compart-
ment floor. Practical advice
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