Page 683 of 761

682 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
High beam flasher lamp
In vehicles with Bi-Xenon headlamps, you
can only change the halogen bulb for the
high-beam flasher lamp.
1Bulb holder
2Wire position
3GripTurn cover2 (page 681) counter-
clockwise and remove it.
Turn bulb holder1 counterclockwise
until it disengages.
Take out bulb holder1.
Take bulb out of holder.
Insert new bulb into holder and press it
all the way down.
The tab of the bulb holder must be po-
sitioned on the upper left-hand side
and wire2 must point upward and to
the right for the left headlamp, down-
ward and to the left for the right head-
lamp.
Turn bulb holder clockwise until it en-
gages and grip3 is in a horizontal po-
sition.IR emitter*
1Bulb holder
2Wire position
Turn cover2 (page 681) counter-
clockwise and remove it.
Turn bulb holder1 counterclockwise
until it disengages.
Take out bulb holder1.
Press both catches on left and right
sides of bulb holder1 and take bulb
out of holder.
Insert new bulb into holder until it en-
gages.
Page 684 of 761

683 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Insert bulb holder1 into guide in
headlamp. Wire2 must point down-
ward and to the right.
Turn bulb holder1 clockwise until it
engages and wire2 points downward
and to the left.
Corner-illuminating lamp
1Bulb holder
2Grip
3Wire position
Turn cover3 (page 681) counter-
clockwise and remove it.
Turn bulb holder1 counterclockwise
until it disengages.
Take out bulb holder1.
Take bulb out of holder.
Insert new bulb into holder and press it
all the way down.
Insert bulb holder1 into guide in
headlamp.
The tab of the bulb holder must be po-
sitioned on the upper left-hand side
and wire3 must point downward and
to the left for the left headlamp, up-
ward and to the right for the right head-
lamp.
Turn bulb holder1 clockwise until it
engages and grip2 is in a horizontal
position.Additional turn signal lamp bulbs
The additional turn signal lamps in the ex-
terior rear view mirrors have LEDs.
If a malfunction occurs or LEDs fail to func-
tion, the entire turn signal unit must be re-
placed. Have the turn signal unit replaced
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Front side marker lamp bulbs
Since replacing the side marker lamp bulbs
is a technically highly demanding process,
we recommend you have the side marker
lamp bulbs replaced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Page 686 of 761

685 Practical hints
Replacing wiper blades
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*
Make sure the vehicle’s on-board elec-
tronics have status 1 (
page 346).
Turn combination switch to wiper
settingu (
page 381).
Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
repeatedly until windshield wipers
start.
Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
when the wiper arms are in a vertical
position.
Removing wiper blades
Fold the wiper arm forward until it
snaps into place.
Turn the wiper blade at a right angle to
wiper arm (arrow 1).
Slide the wiper blade sideways out of
the retainer in the direction of
arrow2.
Installing wiper blades
Slide the wiper blade onto wiper arm
until it locks in place.
Rotate the wiper blade into position
parallel to wiper arm.
Fold the wiper arm backward to rest on
the windshield. Make sure you hold
onto the wiper when folding the wiper
arm back.
!Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts. They
could tear.
!Make certain that the wiper blades are prop-
erly installed. Improperly installed wiper blades
may cause windshield damage.
Page 688 of 761

687 Practical hints
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Prepare the vehicle as described
(
page 686).
Take vehicle tool kit tray and vehicle
jack out of trunk (
page 668).
Take the spare wheel from the wheel
well under the trunk floor
(
page 670).
Lifting the vehicle
Prevent the vehicle from rolling away
by blocking wheels with wheel chocks
or other sizeable objects.
One wheel chock is included with the
vehicle tool kit (
page 670).
When changing wheel on a level surface:
Place the wheel chock in front of and
another sizeable object behind the
wheel that is diagonally opposite to the
wheel being changed.Always try lifting the vehicle using the jack
on a level surface. However, should cir-
cumstances require you to do so on a hill,
place the wheel chock and another size-
able object as follows:
Place the wheel chock and another
sizeable object on the downhill side
blocking both wheels on the side of the
vehicle not being worked on.
Wheel wrench
On wheel to be changed, loosen but
do not yet remove the wheel bolts
(approximately one full turn with
wrench 1).
Warning!G
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking
up the vehicle at the jack take-up brackets
built into both sides of the vehicle. To help
avoid personal injury, use the jack only to lift
the vehicle during a wheel change. Never
get beneath the vehicle while it is supported
by the jack. Keep hands and feet away from
the area under the lifted vehicle. Always en-
gage the electronic parking brake and block
wheels before raising vehicle with jack.
Do not disengage electronic parking brake
while the vehicle is raised. Be certain that
the jack is always vertical (plumb line) when
in use, especially on hills. Always try to use
the jack on level surface.
Make sure the jack arm is fully seated in the
jack take-up bracket. Always lower the vehi-
cle onto sufficient capacity jackstands be-
fore working under the vehicle.
Page 689 of 761

688 Practical hints
Flat tire
The jack take-up brackets are located di-
rectly behind the front wheel housings and
in front of the rear wheel housings.
2Jack take-up bracket
3Jack
4Crank
Place jack2 on firm ground.
Position jack3 under take-up
bracket2 so that it is always vertical
(plumb-line) as seen from the side,
even if the vehicle is parked on an
incline.
Turn crank4 clockwise until jack3
is fully seated in take-up bracket2
and the jack base evenly meets the
ground.
Jack up the vehicle until the wheel is a
maximum of 1.2 in (3 cm) from the
ground. Never start engine while
vehicle is raised.
Warning!G
Position the jack only on the jack take-up
brackets designed for this purpose.
If the jack is not properly positioned, the ve-
hicle may fall off the jack and cause serious
personal injury or damage to the vehicle.
Warning!G
The jack is intended only for lifting the
vehicle briefly for wheel changes. It is not
suited for performing maintenance work
under the vehicle.
Never start the engine when the vehicle
is raised.
Never lie down under the raised vehicle.
Page 691 of 761

690 Practical hints
Flat tire
Clean contact surfaces of wheel and
wheel hub.
Guide the spare wheel onto the align-
ment bolt and push it on.
Insert wheel bolts and tighten them
slightly.
Unscrew the alignment bolt, install the
last wheel bolt and tighten slightly.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
!Wheel bolts2 must be used when mount-
ing a Minispare wheel with steel rim. The use of
any wheel bolts other than wheel bolts2 for a
Minispare wheel with steel rim will physically
damage the vehicle’s brakes.
Wheel bolts1 must be used when mounting a
Minispare wheel with light alloy rim. The use of
any wheel bolts other than wheel bolts1 for
a Minispare wheel with light alloy rim will physi-
cally 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.
Page 695 of 761

694 Practical hints
Batteries
Starter battery (example illustration from
S550)
1Negative terminal
2Positive terminal
Disconnecting starter battery
Secure vehicle in place with electronic
parking brake (
page 395).
Shift the automatic transmission toP
(
page 399).
Do not rub the battery with rags or cloths.
The battery could explode if touched due to
electrostatic charge or due to spark forma-
tion.
!Switch off the engine and switch off the ve-
hicle’s internal electrical functions (
page 695)
before you disconnect or remove the battery’s
terminal clamps. You could otherwise destroy
electronic assemblies such as the generator.
Have the battery checked regularly by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center. Refer to Mainte-
nance Booklet for maintenance intervals or
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
further information.
!Do not connect any consumers directly to
the starter battery. The starter battery will other-
wise be discharged.
iOnly replace a discharged battery with a bat-
tery recommended by Mercedes-Benz. The con-
sumer battery is installed in the trunk in such a
way that it is safeguarded as much as possible
against mechanical destruction in the event of
an accident.
iRemove SmartKey from starter switch (vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the vehicle’s
on-board electronics have status 0)
(
page 344) when you turn off the engine and
no longer require any electrical consumers. The
vehicle then uses very little power and the con-
sumer battery is spared.
iIf the consumer battery is discharged, you
must use the mechanical key to unlock the vehi-
cle (
page 671). Since the vehicle has a sepa-
rate starter battery, however, you can still start
the vehicle.
!Always disconnect the starter battery in the
order described below. You could otherwise
damage the vehicle’s electronics.
!Switch off the vehicle’s internal electrical
functions before disconnecting the starter bat-
tery. If the vehicle is stationary for more than one
hour with the SmartKey removed, you do not
need to switch off the vehicle’s internal electrical
functions.
Page 701 of 761

700 Practical hints
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 (except
vehicles with 4MATIC) only so far as neces-
sary to have the vehicle moved to a safe
location where the recommended towing
methods can be employed.
!Do not tow-start the vehicle.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC:
Do not tow with one axle raised. Doing so could
damage the transfer case, which is not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
All wheels must be on or off the ground. Observe
instructions for towing the vehicle with all
wheels on the ground.
!Use flatbed or wheel lift/dolly equipment
with SmartKey or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
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 ESP
® (page 73) and the auto-
matic central locking (
page 245).
!Towing of the vehicle should only be done
using the properly installed towing eye bolt.
Never attach tow cable, tow rope or tow rod to
vehicle chassis, frame or suspension parts.
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
system
there is a malfunction in the power
supply 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 sure the SmartKey or
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is in starter
switch position2.