The battery and the cover of the positive
terminal
clamp must be fitted securely dur-
ing operation.
Comply with safety precautions and take pro-
tective measures when handling batteries. WARNING
Fire, naked flames and smoking
are prohibited when handling the
battery. Avoid creating sparks.
Battery acid is caustic. Avoid con-
tact
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 doc-
tor if necessary. Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Owner's Manual.
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 prevent vehi-
cle occupants from suffering acid burns
should the battery be damaged in the event
of an accident.
In order for the battery to achieve the maxi-
mum possible service life, it must always be
sufficiently charged.
Like other batteries, the vehicle battery may
discharge over time if you do not use the
vehicle. In such cases, have the battery dis-
connected at a qualified specialist workshop. You can also charge the battery with a
charger recommended by Mercedes-Benz.
For
more information, please contact a quali-
fied specialist workshop.
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. Consult a qualified specialist
workshop if you wish to leave your vehicle
parked up for a long period of time.
i When you park the vehicle, remove the
key if you do not require any electrical con-
sumers. The vehicle will then use very little
energy, thus conserving battery power.
i If the power supply has been interrupted,
e.g. if the battery was discharged, you will
have to:
R set the clock (audio system/COMAND
Online, see the separate operating
instructions).
R reset the function for folding the exterior
mirrors in/out automatically, by folding
the mirrors out once ( Y page 99). Charging the battery
G
WARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive
gases
can escape from the battery. There is a
risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, naked flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient
ventilation while charging and jump-starting.
Do not lean over a battery. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid
contact with the skin, eyes or clothing.
Do not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean
over the battery. Keep children away from
batteries. Wash battery acid immediately with
water and seek medical attention. 306
Battery (vehicle)
Breakdown assistance
Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit: the towing eye
is
located under the tyre inflation compres-
sor.
X Press the mark on cover : inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Remove cover : from the opening.
X Screw the towing eye in clockwise to the
stop and tighten it.
Vehicles with a trailer tow hitch do not have
a bracket for the screw-in towing eye at the
back.
If you intend to use the vehicle for tow-
ing, fold out the ball coupling ( Y page 203)
and secure the towbar to it.
Removing the towing eye X
Loosen the towing eye and unscrew it.
X Attach cover : to the bumper and press
until it engages.
X Place the towing eye in the stowage well
under the luggage compartment floor
(Y page 299).
X Vehicles with a TIREFIT kit: replace the tyre
inflation compressor. Towing the vehicle with the front axle
raised
Only vehicles without 4MATIC can be
towed with the front axle raised.
! Vehicles
with 4MATIC must not be towed
with the front or rear axle raised; otherwise,
the transmission may be damaged.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed
away with both axles on the ground or be loa-
ded up and transported.
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the front axle
raised. Intervention by ESP ®
could other-
wise damage the brake system.
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed. X
Vehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal fully and shift to
neutral.
or
X Vehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Deactivate automatic locking
(Y page 223).
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 108).
X Turn the key in the ignition lock to position
0 and leave the key in the ignition lock.
When towing your vehicle with the front axle
raised, it is important that you observe the
safety instructions ( Y page 310). Towing the vehicle with both axles on
the ground
G
WARNING
The power assistance for the steering and the
brake force booster do not work when the
engine is not running. You will then need
much
more effort to brake and steer the vehi-
cle. Adapt your style of driving accordingly.
i In order to signal a change of direction
when towing with the hazard warning lamps
switched on, use the combination switch as
usual. In this case, only the turn signals for
the desired direction flash. When you reset
the combination switch, the hazard warn-
ing lamps start flashing again. 312
Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance
