2008 MERCEDES-BENZ R320 automatic transmission

512 Practical hints
Jump starting
The jump-start contacts are located in the
engine compartment.
1Negative (-) terminal
2Positive (+) terminal
3Positive terminal cover
Make sure the two vehicles do not
touch.
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Apply the parking brake (page 65).
Set automatic transmission to
positionP (
page 192).
Open the hood (page 356).
Remove cover from negative
terminal1.
Flip up cover 3 of positive terminal 2
in direction of arrow.
1Negative terminal of discharged
battery
2Positive terminal of discharged battery
4Positive terminal of charged battery
5Negative terminal of charged battery
Connect positive terminals2 and 4
with the jumper cable. Clamp cable to
charged battery 4 first.
Start engine of the vehicle with the
charged battery and run at idle speed.
Connect negative terminals1 and 5
of the batteries with the jumper cable.
Clamp cable to charged battery 5
first.
Start the engine of the disabled vehi-
cle.
You can now turn on the electrical con-
sumers. Do not switch on the headlamps
under any circumstances.
Remove the jumper cables first from
negative terminals1 and 5 and then
from positive terminals2 and 4.
You can now switch on the headlamps.
Have the battery checked at the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz
Light Truck Center.
Warning!G
Keep flames or sparks away from battery.
Do not smoke.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries.
!Never invert the terminal connections!

514 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
If you want the gear position to remain in
neutral positionN, observe the following
instructions.Vehicles with SmartKey:
With the vehicle at a standstill and the
ignition switched on, shift the
automatic transmission to neutral
positionN.
If engaged, release the parking brake
(
page 56).
Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey in the starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
With the vehicle at a standstill, depress
the brake pedal and keep it pressed.
With the ignition switched on shift the
automatic transmission to park
positionP.
Release the brake pedal.
Warning!G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. 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.
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, the automatic transmission must be
in neutral positionN.
If you turn off the engine

using the SmartKey and

remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch
or

open a front door

or when using the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button and open a front door
the automatic transmission will shift to park
positionP automatically.
Warning!G
When leaving the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* in the starter switch, do
not leave children unattended in the vehicle.
It is possible for children to switch on the
ignition which could result in unsupervised
use of vehicle equipment.
A child’s unsupervised access to a vehicle
could result in an accident and/or serious
personal injury.

515 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Remove the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button from the starter switch
(
page 41).
Insert the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* into the starter switch.
Switch on the ignition.
Depress the brake pedal.
Shift the automatic transmission to
neutral positionN.
Release the brake pedal.
If engaged, release the parking brake
(
page 56).
Switch off the ignition and leave the
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* in the
starter switch.
Installing towing eye bolt
Depending on whether you are towing a
vehicle or you are being towed, the towing
eye bolt can be screwed into threaded
holes which are located behind covers on
the right-hand side of each bumper.
Example illustration R 550 4MATIC
1Towing eye cover
!Towing of the vehicle should only be done
using the properly installed towing eye bolt.
Never attach a tow cable, tow rope or tow rod to
the vehicle chassis, frame or suspension parts.
iTo signal turns while being towed with
hazard warning flasher in use, set the starter
switch to position2 and activate combination
switch for left or right turn signal in usual manner
– only the selected turn signal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the hazard warn-
ing flasher will operate again.

518 Practical hints
Fuses
The electrical fuses in your vehicle serve to
switch off malfunctioning power circuits.
If a fuse is blown, the components and
systems secured by that fuse will stop
operating.If a newly inserted fuse blows again, have
the cause determined and rectified by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
A fuse chart explains the fuse allocation
and fuse amperages. It is located in the
cargo compartment with the vehicle tool
kit (
page 469).
The electrical fuses are located in different
fuse boxes:

on the passenger side of the engine
compartment (
page 519)

in the cargo compartment
(
page 519)

in the passenger compartment
(
page 520)Before replacing fuses:
Apply the parking brake (page 65).
Make sure automatic transmission is
set to position P (
page 192).
The gear position indicator in the
multifunction display should be on
P.
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Turn off the engine (page 66).
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Open the driver’s door (this puts
the starter switch to position0,
same as with the SmartKey re-
moved from starter switch). The
driver’s door can then be closed
again.
Warning!G
Only use fuses approved by Mercedes-Benz
with the specified amperage for the system
in question and do not attempt to repair or
bridge a blown fuse. Using other than
approved fuses or using repaired or bridged
fuses may cause an overload leading to a
fire, and/or cause damage to electrical
components and/or systems. Have the
cause determined and remedied by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center
iA blown fuse must be replaced by an appro-
priate spare fuse (recognizable by its color or the
fuse rating given on the fuse) of the amperage
recommended in the fuse chart.
Any Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center will be
glad to advise you on this subject.

536 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Capacities
Vehicle components and their respective
lubricants must match. Therefore only use
products tested and approved by
Mercedes Benz.
Please refer to the Factory Approved
Service Products pamphlet (USA only), or
inquire at an Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
Warning!G
Comply with all valid regulations with re-
spect to handling, storing and disposing of
service fluids. Otherwise you could endan-
ger persons or the environment.
Keep service fluids out of the reach of chil-
dren.
For health reasons, you should prevent
service fluids from coming into direct
contact with your skin or clothing.
If a service fluid is swallowed, contact a
physician immediately.
ModelCapacityFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine with oil filterR 320 CDI 4MATIC9.0 US qt (8.5 l)Approved engine oils
R 3501, R 350 4MATIC
1USA only.
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
R 550 4MATIC2
2Canada only.
9.5 US qt (9.0 l)
Automatic transmission9.5 US qt (9.0 l)MB Automatic Transmission Fluid
Transfer case0.53 US qt (0.5 l)MB Automatic Transmission Fluid
Rear axle1.2 US qt (1.1 l)Hypoid gear oil
Front axle1.2 US qt (1.1 l)Hypoid gear oil

545 Index
A
ABS 99
Indicator lamp 414, 415
Messages in the multifunction
display 429
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 197
Accessory weight 393
Accident 63
Active head restraint 86, 133, 477
Air bags 72
Children 73, 89
Front, Driver 75
Front, Passenger 75
Messages in the multifunction
display 438–441
Occupant Classification System
(OCS) 77
Safety guidelines 74
Side impact 76
Window curtain 76
Air conditioning, Cooling 219, 233
Air conditioning refrigerant 538Air conditioning system see
Climate control or Automatic climate
control (3-zone)*
Air distribution 213, 228
Air pressure see Tire inflation pressure
Air pressure, Tires 393
Air pump, Electric 499
Air recirculation mode 216, 231
Air vents, Front 208, 214, 222, 228
Air vents, Rear 220, 236, 239, 240
Air volume 214, 229
AIRMATIC* 276
Messages in the multifunction
display 464, 465
Alarm system see Anti-theft systems
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 467, 497
All-wheel drive see Permanent four-wheel
drive 281
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 541, 544
Antiglare, Interior rear view mirror 203
Antiglare, Auto-dimming rear view
mirrors* 203Anti-theft systems 106
Anti-theft alarm system 106
Immobilizer 106
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning
Arm rests, Second-row 137
Armrest storage compartments
Front 306
Rear* 306
Telephone* tray 306
Ashtrays 311
Aspect ratio 393
ATF 360
AUDIO menu 165
CD operation 167
Radio operation 166
Satellite radio* operation 166
Audio search function 182
Auto-dimming*, Rear view mirrors 203
Automatic antiglare for rear view
mirrors* 203
Automatic central locking, Control
system 183

546 Index
Automatic climate control (3-zone)* 222
Air conditioning, Cooling 233
Air conditioning refrigerant 538
Air distribution 228
Air recirculation mode 231
Air vents, Front 222, 228
Air vents, Rear 236, 239, 240
Air volume 229
Control panel, Front 224
Control panel, Rear 236
Deactivating system 226
Defogging 230
Defrosting 229
Maximum cooling, MAXCOOL 231
Rear passenger compartment 236
Residual heat utilization (REST) 235
Automatic headlamp mode 144
Automatic lighting control, Interior
lighting 151
Automatic locking when driving 126
Automatic shift program 200Automatic transmission 190
Accelerator position 197
Automatic shift program 200
Emergency operation (limp-home
mode) 202
Gear ranges 199
Gear selector lever 53, 190
Gear shifting malfunctions 202
Hill start assist system 198
Kickdown 197
Program mode selector switch 200
Shifting procedure 193
Starting the engine 53
Steering wheel gearshift control 201
Transmission fluid level 360
Transmission positions 194
Automatic transmission fluid see ATF
AUX-socket 304B
Backrest
Seat 44
Seat, Lumbar support 132
Seat, Multicontour* 132
Backup lamps
Messages in the multifunction
display 455–460
Replacing bulbs 480
Bar 394
BAS 101
Lamps in instrument cluster 414
Messages in the multifunction
display 429
Batteries, SmartKey
Check lamp 110, 113
Checking battery condition 118
Batteries, SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
Checking battery condition 118
Battery, Vehicle 503
Charging 510
Disconnecting and connecting 505
Jump starting 511
Removing and installing 505
Bead 394
Beverage holder see Cup holder

551 Index
Engine coolant see Coolant
Engine oil 358, 538
Adding 359, 538
Additives 538
Changing 359, 538
Checking level 358
Consumption 358
Filler neck 359
Recommended engine oils and
filters 538
ESP
®101
Messages in the multifunction
display 435–436
Warning lamp 27, 419
ETD 85
Safety guidelines 74
ETS/4-ETS 103
Extending cargo compartment 292
Exterior rear view mirrors 48, 203
Power folding* 204
Synchronizing 204F
Fastening the seat belts 50
Filler neck, Engine oil 359
First aid kit 467
Flat tire 492
Collapsible tire 471, 498, 532
Jacking up the vehicle 493
Lowering the vehicle 501
Mounting the spare wheel 498
Preparing the vehicle 493
Spare wheel 471, 498, 532
Floormats 335
Fluids
Automatic transmission
fluid 360, 536
Brake fluid 355, 536, 539
Capacities 536
Engine coolant 355, 360, 537, 541
Engine oil 358, 536, 538
Power steering fluid 536
Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning* system 362, 538Fog lamp, Front see Corner-illuminating
front fog lamps*
Fog lamp, Rear 147
Messages in the multifunction
display 458
Replacing bulbs 480
Fog lamps 146
4MATIC see Permanent four-wheel
drive 281
Front air bags 75
Front defroster 214, 229
Front lamps see Headlamps
Front passenger front
air bag 75, 77, 82, 425
Front passenger front air bag
off indicator lamp 31, 75, 77, 82, 425
Front seat head restraints see
Head restraints
Front towing eye 515