transport fuel to use for your lawn mower,
snow blower, etc., be very careful and al
ways observe local and state laws regard
ing the use, transportation and storage of
such fuel containers. Make certain the con
tainer meets industry standards (ANSI/
ASTM F8S2 -86) .
@ Note
Never drive your vehicle until the fuel tank
is completely empty. The irregular supply
of fuel can cause misfiring. Gasoline could
enter the exhaust system and damage the
catalyt ic converter.
Refuelling
Fig. 163 Right rear vehicle s ide: Opening the fuel filler
flap
Fig. 164 Fuel filler flap with attached fuel cap
When activating the central locking, the fuel
f ill er flap is automatically un locked or locked.
Refuel the vehicle with the ignition switched
off.
Taking the fuel cap off
• Press the left side of the fuel filler flap to
open it¢
fig. 163 -arrow-.
• Unscrew fuel filler cap counter-clockwise
and hang it on the fuel filler flap
~ fig. 164 .
Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank 213
Refuelling procedure
• Insert the fuel nozzle from the gasoline
pump into the fuel filler neck as far as it will
go.
• Select a medium refuelling rate so that the
nozzle switches off automatically when the
tank is full.
Putting the fuel cap back on
• After filling your tank, twist the fuel filler
cap clockwise as far as it will go.
• Close the fuel filler flap.
To avoid fuel spill ing or evaporating from the
fuel tank always close fuel filler cap proper ly
and completely. An improperly closed fuel fill
er cap may also cause the MIL lamp ¢
page 2 7
to come on.
A WARNING
Improper refueling or handling of fuel can
cause fire, explosion and severe burns.
- Fuel is highly flammable and can cause
severe burns and other injuries.
- Failure to shut the engine off while refu
eling and/or to insert the pump nozzle
fully into the fuel filler neck could cause
fue l to spray out of filler neck or to over
flow. Fuel spray and overflowing fuel can
cause a fire.
- Never use a cellular telephone while re
fue ling. The electromagnet ic radiation
can cause sparks that can ignite fuel va
pors and cause a fire.
- Never get back into your vehicle while re
fueling.
If in exceptional circumstances
you must get back in your vehicle while
refueling, make certain that you close
the door and touch metal to discharge static electricity before touching the fill
er nozzle again. Static electricity can
cause sparks that can ignite fuel vapors
released during refueling.
- Never smoke or have an open flame any
where in or near your vehicle when refu
eling or filling a portable fue l container.
- For your safety, we strongly recommend
that you do not travel with a portable
214 Fuel supply and filling your fuel tank
fuel container in your vehicle. The con
tainer, full or empty may leak and could
cause a fire, especially in a crash.
- If, under exceptional circumstances, you
must transport a portable fuel container,
please observe the following:
- Never fill a portable fuel container
while it is anywhere in or on the vehicle
(for example, in the luggage compart
ment, or on the trunk). Static electrici
ty can bui ld up while filling and can ig
nite fuel vapors causing a fire .
- Always place a portable fuel container
on the ground before filling.
- Always keep the filler nozzle complete
ly inside the portable container before
and during filling.
- If filling a portable container made of
metal, the filler nozz le must always be
in contact with the container. This will
help prevent static electricity from dis
charging and cause a fire .
- Never spill fuel inside the vehicle or
luggage compartment. Fuel vapors are
highly flammable.
- Always observe local and state/provin
cial laws regarding the use, storage
and transportation of fuel conta iners .
- Make certain the fuel container meets
industry standards (ANSI/ ASTM
F8S2 -86) .
d) Note
If any fuel has spilled onto the car, it
should be removed immediately to prevent
damage to the paint.
@ For the sake of the environment
As soon as the correctly operated noz zle
switches off automatically for the first
time, the tank is full. Do not try to add
more fuel because fuel may spill out. In
addition, the expansion space in the fuel
tank will be filled -causing the fuel to
overflow when it becomes warm and pol
lute the environment.
(D Tips
-Running your engine whi le refue lling
may cause vapors to escape or even
cause fuel to spi ll out of the tank. This
would then shut off the fuel nozzle be
fore the tank is full.
- Do not refuel your vehicle with the igni
tion switched on. The fuel gauge may otherwise not ind icate the correct fuel
level after refuelling .
- The fuel filler flap of your vehicle is not
locked when you lock the vehicle from
the ins ide .
Fuel filler flap emergency release
You can open the fuel filler flap by hand if the
power locking system should fail.
Fig. 165 Lug g ag e compar tmen t: o pe ning th e side tri m
N
N
0 <.:)
iii
Fig. 166 Rig ht s ide t rim p an el in t he luggage compart
ment : emer gen cy re lease mech anism
Opening the side trim
.. To r emove th e right side trim, first remove
the retainer from the mounts¢
fig. 165.
.. Turn both locking mechanisms 90° to the
left using a coin or a similar object and re-
move the locking mechanisms. ..,_
216 Checking and filling
Checking and filling Engine hood
Releasing the engine hood
The engine hood is released from inside the
vehicle .
Fig. 167 Driver foo twell: release lever
Fig. 168 Rocker switch un der the hood
Make sure the wiper arms are not raised up
from the windshield. Otherwise the paint
could be damaged.
.,. Pull the lever under the instrument panel in
the direction of the arrow
~ fig. 167.
.,. Raise the hood slightly~.&_ .
... Press the rocker switch under the hood up
ward
~ fig. 168. This releases the catch.
... Open the hood.
&_ WARNING
Hot engine coolant can burn you.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine compartment . Wait until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care
fully opening the hood .
' Working in the engine compartment
Be especially careful whenever you work in
the engine compartment.
Whenever you must perform any work in the
engine compartment, for example checking
and filling different fluids, there is a risk of injury, burns and accidents. To prevent per
sonal injury always observe the following
WARNINGS. The engine compartment of any
vehicle is a hazardous area
~ ,&. .
/n.. WARNING
To help avoid injury, before you check any
thing under the hood:
- Turn off the engine.
- Switch off the ignition .
- Apply the parking brake.
- Move selector lever to "P" (Park) .
- Always let the engine cool down. Hot
components will burn skin on contact.
- To reduce the risk of being burned, never
open the hood if you see or hear steam
or coolant escaping from the engine
compartment. Wait until no steam or
coolant can be seen or heard before care
fully opening the hood.
- Keep children away from the engine com
partment.
- Never spill fluids on hot engine compo
nents . They can cause a fire .
- Never touch the radiator fan. The auxili
ary electric fan is temperature controlled
and can switch on suddenly .
- Never open the coolant reservoir cap
when the engine is still warm . The cool
ant system is pressurized and hot cool
ant could spray out.
- Protect your face, hands and arm from
steam or hot engine coolant by placing a
thick rag over the cap when you open the
coolant reservoir.
- If work on the fuel system or the electri
cal system is necessary:
- Always disconnect the battery.
28 2 Index
Oil grades . ...... ..... ... .. .. .... . 218
Oil level symbol ....... ... .. .. .... .. 20
Pressure malfunction . .... ... .. .... . . 1 6
Recommended oil check intervals ..... 221
Sensor defective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Specification and viscos ity ... ... .. ... 218
Engine speed limitation ... .. .. .. .... . . 20
E ng ine start system (indicator lights) .... 17
Environment Break- in period ........... .. .. .... . 192
Catalytic converter ................. 193
D isposing of your vehicle battery ..... 230
D riving at high speeds ..... .. .. .. .. . 195
D riving to m inim ize pollution and no ise 194
F uel ... ...... ............. ...... . 213
F uel economy .. . ...... ... .. .. .... . 194
L eaks under your veh icle ... .. .. .. .. . 2 16
L etting the vehicle stand and warm up . 195
Proper disposal of dra ined brake fluid . 226
Proper disposal of dra ined engine coo l-
ant . .. .. .... ........ ...... ... .. . 224
Proper disposal of dra ined engine
oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 1, 222
Recycl ing used engine oil ... .. .. .. .. . 22 1
Un leaded fuel ............ .. .. .. .. . 211
What should I do wi th an old ba ttery? . 230
ESP (Electronic stabilization program) Warn ing/ indicato r lights . ....... ..... 18
Event Data Recorder ( EDR) ..... .. .... . 184
E xha ust tail p ipes .......... .. .. ..... 206
Expansion tank ............. .... .... 223
Exterior lighting . .. ..... ... .. .. .... .. 41
E xterio r m irrors
Ad just ing ............... .. .. .. .. .. 47
Di mm ing . ... ............ .. .. .. .. .. 48
H eating ..... .. .. ..... ... .. .. .... .. 47
E xte rio r temperatu re d isplay ... .. .. .. . . 22
F
Fastening
Booster seats ............... ... ... 172
Conve rtible c hild safety seats ... .. .. . 170
I nfant seats ... .......... .. .. .. .. . 169
Fastening eyes . ........... .. .. .... .. 62
Fl oor mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Foot pedals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 F
or the sake of the environment
Gasoline fumes and the environment . . 213
Red ucing engine noise by early upshift-
ing ... .... .... .. .................. 10
Refueling . ................... .... 213
Sav ing fuel by early ups hifting ...... .. 10
Fo ur-zone automatic climate control ... . 67
Front a irbags
Descrip tion ................... .... 141
How they work ................ .. .. 14 7
Frontal collis ions and the laws of phys ics 129
F ront seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Adjusting . ....................... 120
Child restraints in the front seat .. .... 139
F uel
Additives . ..... .. ... .. ..... .... . .. 211
B lended gaso line ... ... ..... ... .. .. 211
C urrent consumption ............... . 23
Economy messages (effic iency program) 24
Fuel filler flap emergency release . .... 214
Fuel filler neck . .. ................ . 212
Fuel gauge .. .. .. ... .. .. ... ..... .. . 11
Gasoli ne .. .. .. .. .. .... .... .... ... 211
Gasoli ne add it ives ............... .. 212
Low fue l level symbol .......... .. .. . 20
Octane rat ing .... .. .... .... ... .. .. 211
Recommendation .... .. ..... .... . .. 211
Ref uel ling ..... .. .. ... ..... ... .. .. 213
Reserve ... ...... ................. . 11
Tank capac ity ................. 11,272
F uses
Assignment ..... .. ... ..... ... .. .. 260
Replacing ..... .. ... .. ..... .... . .. 260
G
Garage door opener (HomeLink ®) . ... .. 115
Garment hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Gas discharge lamps ............. .... 263
Ga uges
E ngine coo lan t temperature . . . . . . . . . . 10
Fuel gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Speedometer .... .. .... .... ... .. .. . 25
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Tr ip odometer .................. .. . 25
Genera l illustr ation ... .......... .. .. .. 8
Generator (warning/indicator lights) .... 16
G lossary of tire and loading terminology 232