
Cleaning and caring for your vehicle
160
Caution•
Never attempt to remove dirt, mud or dust if the surface of the vehicle is
dry. Never use a dry cloth or sponge fo r cleaning purposes. This could scratch
the paintwork or glass on your vehicle.
•
Washing the vehicle in low temperatures: if the vehicle is rinsed with a
hose, do not direct the water into the lock cylinders or the gaps around the
doors, luggage compartment, or bonnet. Otherwise there is a risk of malfunc-
tion.For the sake of the environment
In the interests of environmental protection, the car should be washed only
in specially provided wash bays. This prevents toxic, oil-laden waste water
entering the sewerage system. In some districts, washing vehicles anywhere
else may be prohibited.
Note
Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.Washing the car with a high pressure cleaner
Be particularly careful when using a high pressure cleaner!– Always observe the instructions for the high-pressure cleaner, particularly those concerning the pressure and the spraying
distance .
– Increase the spraying distance for soft materials and painted bumpers. – Do not use a high pressure cleaner to remove ice or snow from
windows ⇒page 161.
– Never use concentrated jet nozzles or so-called “dirt blasters” ⇒ .
– If possible, avoid sudden braking directly after washing the vehicle. You must “dry” the brakes by applying the brakes care-
fully several times ⇒page 147.
WARNING
•
Never wash tyres with a concentrated jet or cylindrical jet (“rotating
nozzle”). Even at large spraying distanc es and short cleaning times, visible
and invisible damage can occur to the tyres. This may cause an accident.
•
Moisture, ice and salt on the brakes may affect braking efficiency. Risk
of accident.Caution
•
Do not use water hotter than 60
°C. This could damage the car.
•
To avoid damage to the vehicle, maintain a sufficient distance from sensi-
tive materials for example: flexible hoses, plastic, sound proofing, etc. This is
especially important for bumpers painted in the same colour as the vehicle.
The closer the nozzle is to the surface, the greater the wear on the material.
Waxing the car
Regular waxing protects the paintwork.You need to apply wax to your car if water does not form small drops and run
off the paintwork when it is clean.
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Cleaning and caring for your vehicle161
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Good quality
hard wax is available from your Authorised Service Centre.
A good coat of wax helps to protects the paintwork from environmental
contaminants ⇒ page 158. It is also effective in protecting against minor
scratches.
Even if a wax solution is used regularly in the car wash, it is advisable to
protect the paint with a coat of hard wax at least twice a year.
Polishing the paintwork
Polishing brings back gloss to the paintwork.Polishing is only necessary if the paint has lost its shine, and the gloss cannot
be brought back by applying wax. Polish can be obtained from your Author-
ised Service Centre.
The car must be waxed after polishing if the polish used does not contain wax
compounds to seal the paint ⇒page 160, “Waxing the car”.
Caution
To prevent damage to the paintwork:•
Do not use polishes and hard wax on painted parts with a matte finish or
on plastic parts.
•
Do not polish your vehicle in a sandy or dusty environment.
Caring for plastic parts
Solvents will damage plastic parts.If normal washing fails to clean plastic parts, clean them with special solvent-
free plastic cleaning and care products.
Caution
To prevent damage to the paintwork:•
Do not use polishes and hard wax on painted parts with a matte finish or
on plastic parts.
•
Do not polish your vehicle in a sandy or dusty environment.
Cleaning windows and exterior mirrorsCleaning the windows
– Moisten the windows with commercially available, alcohol based glass cleaner.
– Dry the windows with a clean chamois leather or a lint-free cloth.
Removing snow
– Use a small brush to remove snow from the windows and mirrors.
Removing ice
– Use a de-icer spray.Use a clean cloth or chamois leather to dry the windows. Chamois leathers
which have been used on painted surfaces are not suitable for use on
windows. They will be soiled with wax deposits which would smear the
windows.
If possible use a de-icing spray to remove ice. If you use an ice scraper, push
it in one direction only. Do not move it to and fro.
Use window cleaner or a silicone remove r to clean off rubber, oil, grease and
silicone deposits.
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Cleaning and caring for your vehicle
162Wax deposits have to be removed with a special cleaner which is available
from your Authorised Service Centre. Wax deposits on the windscreen could
cause the wiper blades to judder. A window cleanser specifically for removing
wax will stop the blades juddering if added to the windscreen washer fluid.
Grease removing cleansers will not remove wax deposits.
Caution
•
Never use warm or hot water to remove snow and ice from windows and
mirrors. This could cause the glass to crack!
•
The heating element for the rear window is located on the inner side of the
window. To prevent damage, do not put stickers over the heating elements on
the inside of the window.
Cleaning windscreen wiper bladesClean wiper blades are essential for clear vision.
1. Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt from the windscreen wiper blades.
2. Use window cleanser to clean the windscreen wiper blades. Use a sponge or a cloth to remove stubborn stains.Care of rubber seals
If rubber seals are well looked after, they will not freeze so
quickly.1. Use a soft cloth to remove dust and dirt from the rubber seals. 2. Apply a specialist care product to the rubber seals.
The weather strips on the doors, windows, bonnet and rear lid will remain
pliable and last longer if they are treated with a suitable care product (for
example silicone spray).
Caring for rubber seals will also prevent premature ageing and leaks. The
doors will be easier to open. If rubber
seals are well looked after, they will not
freeze so quickly in winter.Door lock cylinders
The door lock cylinders can freeze up in winter.To de-ice the lock cylinders you should only use spray with lubricating and
anti-corrosive properties.Cleaning chrome parts1. Clean chrome parts with a damp cloth.
2. Polish chrome parts with a soft, dry cloth.If this does not provide satisfying results, use a specialist chrome cleaning
product . Chrome cleaning products will remo ve stains and coatings from the
surface.
Caution
To prevent scratching chrome surfaces:•
Never use an abrasive care product on chrome.
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Checking and refilling levels
186Changing windscreen wiper blades
If the windscreen wiper blades are in perfect condition, you
will benefit from an improv ed visibility. Damaged wiper
blades should be replaced immediately.Removing the wiper blade
– Lift the windscreen wiper arm.
– Press on the securing tab.
– Extract the wiper blade from the wiper arm.
Fitting the wiper blade
– Insert the wiper blade onto the windscreen wiper arm until it
clicks into place.
– Make sure that the blade faces down when fitting a blade with integrated deflector blade.
If the windscreen wipers smear , they should be replaced if they are damaged,
or cleaned if they are soiled.
If this does not produce the desired results, the setting angle of the wind-
screen wiper arms might be incorrect. They should be checked by a qualified
workshop and corrected if necessary.
WARNING
Do not drive unless you have good visibility through all windows!•
Clean the windscreen wiper blades and all windows regularly.
•
The wiper blades should be changed once or twice a year.Caution
•
Damaged or dirty windscreen wipers could scratch the windscreen.
•
Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint thinner or similar products to
clean the windows. This could damage the windscreen wiper blades.
•
Never move the windscreen wiper or windscreen wiper arm manually. This
could cause damage.Note
•
The wiper arms can be moved to the service position only when the
bonnet is properly closed.
Fig. 127 Change wind-
screen wiper blade
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Checking and refilling levels189
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
charge. Never short the battery terminals. High-energy sparks can cause
injury.
•
A highly explosive mixture of gases is released when the battery is
under charge. The batteries should be charged in a well-ventilated room
only.
•
Keep children away from acid and batteries.
•
Before working on the electrical system, you must switch off the
engine, the ignition and all consumers. The negative cable on the battery
must be disconnected. When a light bulb is changed, you need only switch
off the light.
•
Deactivate the anti-theft alarm by unlocking the vehicle before you
disconnect the battery! The alar m will otherwise be triggered.
•
When disconnecting the battery from the vehicle electrical system,
disconnect first the negative cable and then the positive cable.
•
Switch off all electrical consumers before reconnecting the battery.
Reconnect first the positive cable and then the negative cable. Never
reverse the polarity of the connections. This could cause an electrical fire.
•
Never charge a frozen battery, or one which has thawed. This could
result in explosions and chemical burns. Always replace a battery which
has frozen. A flat battery can freeze at temperatures around 0
°C.
•
Ensure that the vent hose is always connected to the battery.
•
Never use a defective battery. This may be fatally explosive. Replace a
damaged battery immediately.Caution
•
Never disconnect the battery if the ignition is switched on or if the engine
is running. This could damage the electrical system or electronic compo-
nents.
•
Do not expose the battery to direct sunlight over a long period of time, as
the intense ultraviolet radiation can damage the battery housing.
•
If the vehicle is left standing in cold conditions for a long period, protect
the battery from frost. If it “freezes” it will be damaged.
Checking the electrolyte level
The electrolyte level should be checked regularly in high-
mileage vehicles, in hot countries and in older batteries.– Open the bonnet and open the battery cover at the front ⇒ in
“Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment” on
page 175 ⇒ in “Warnings on handling the battery” on
page 188.
– Check the colour display in the "magic eye" on the top of the battery.
– If there are air bubbles in the window, tap the window gently until they disperse.The position of the battery is show n in the corresponding engine compart-
ment diagram ⇒page 232.
The round window (“magic eye”) on the top of the battery changes colour,
depending on the charge level and electrolyte level of the battery.
If the colour in the window is colourless or bright yellow, the electrolyte level
of the battery is too low. Have the battery checked by a qualified workshop.
The colours green and black are used by the workshops for diagnostic
purposes.
WARNING (continued)
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If and when205
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Note
The compressor should never be allowed to run for longer than 6 minutes.FusesChanging a fuse
If a fuse has blown it must be replacedfuse cover
– Switch off the ignition and the component concerned.
– Identify the fuse for the failed component ⇒page 207.
– Take the plastic clip from inside the fuse cover, fit it onto the blown fuse and pull the fuse out. – Replace the blown fuse (which will have a melted metal strip)
with a new fuse of the same ampere rating.
The individual electrical circuits are pr otected by fuses. The fuses are located
behind a cover at the left-hand end of the dash panel. In versions with the
steering wheel on the right the fuses are on the right-hand side of the instru-
ment panel, behind a cover.
The electric windows are protected by circuit breakers. These reset automat-
ically after a few seconds when the overload (caused for example by frozen
windows) has been corrected.
Colour coding of fuses
WARNING
Never “repair” damaged fuses and never replace them with fuses with a
higher rating. Failure to comply could re sult in fire. This could also cause
damage to other parts of the electrical system.
Note
•
If a newly replaced fuse blows again after a short time, the electrical
system must be checked by a qualified workshop as soon as possible.
Fig. 138 Fuses in the
dash panel
Colour Amperes
Beige 5
Brown 7,5 red 10
blue 15
yellow 20
natural (white) 25
green 30
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If and when
208
22 Main beam headlight, left 10
23 Number plate light/si de light indicator 5
24 Rear windscreen wiper 10
25 Injectors(fuel) 10
26 Brake light switch /ESP (Turn sensor) 10
27 Instrument panel/Diagnosis 5
28 Switchboard: glovebox light, boot light, interior light 10
29 Climatronic 5
30 Power supply central locking unit 5
31 Left front window control 25
32 Vacant
33 Self powered alarm horn 15
34 Engine control unit 15
35 Sunroof 20
36 Engine ventilator heating /blower 25
37 Headlight washer pump 20
38 Front and rear fog lights 15
39 Engine control unit (petrol) 15
40 Engine control unit diesel + SDI Fuel pump 30
41 Fuel gauge 15
42 Ignition transformer+ Engine control unit T70 15
43 Dipped headlight (right side) 15
44 Left rear window control 25
45 Front right window control 25
Number
Consumer Amperes
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If and when209
Safety First
Operating instructions
Tips and Maintenance
Te c h n i c a l D a t a
Fuses below steering wheel in relay holderPTC fuses46
Windscreen wiper unit 20
47 Heated rear window unit 20
48 Indicator unit 15
49 Cigarette lighter 15
50 Locking unit 15
51 Radio/CD/GPS/Telephone 20
52 Horn 20
53 Dipped headlight (left side) 15
54 Right rear window control 25a)The signal “S”is a system which includes the starter and steering lock and enables, after the ignition is switched off and with out removing the key from the steering and starter lock,
certain electrical components to be switched on, including for example, the radio, the courtesy light, etc. This function is de activated on removing the key from the steering and starter
lock.
Number Consumer Amperes
1 PTCs (Supplementary electrical heating using air) 40
2 PTCs (Supplementary electrical heating using air) 40
3 PTCs (Supplementary electrical heating using air) 40
Number
Consumer Amperes
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