
R
if you push or pull the battery across the
carpet or other synthetic materials
R if you wipe the battery with a cloth. G
WARNING
During the charging process, a battery
produces hydroge ngas. If a shor tcircuit
occurs or sparks are created, the hydrogen
gas can ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
R Make sure that the positive terminal of a
connected battery does not come into
contact with vehicle parts.
R Never place metal objects or tools on a
battery.
R It is important that you observe the
described order of the battery terminals
when connecting and disconnecting a
battery.
R When jump-starting, make sure that the
battery poles with identical polarity are
connected.
R It is particularly important to observe the
described order when connecting and
disconnecting the jumper cables.
R Never connect or disconnect the battery
terminals while the engine is running. G
WARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contactw ith 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. H
Environmental note Batteries contain dangerous
substances. It is against the
law to dispose of themw
ith
the household rubbish. They
must be collected separately
and recycled to protect the
environment. Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally friendly
manner. Take discharged batteries to a qualified
specialist workshop or a
special collection point for
used batteries.
! Have the battery checked regularly at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Observe the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or contactaqualified
specialist workshop for more information.
! You should have all work involving the
battery carried out at aqualified specialist
workshop. In the exceptional case that it is
necessary for you to disconnect the battery
yourself, make sure that:
R you switch off the engine and remove the
SmartKey. Check that all the indicator
lamps in the instrument cluster are off.
Otherwise, electronic components, such
as the alternator, may be damaged.
R you first remove the negative terminal
clamp and then the positive terminal
clamp. Never swap the terminal clamps.
Otherwise, the vehicle's electronic
system may be damaged.
R on vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. The
vehicle is secured against rolling away.
You can then no longer move the vehicle.
The battery and the cover of the positive
terminal clamp must be installed securely
during operation.
Comply with safety precautions and take
protective measures when handling
batteries. WARNING
Fire, open flames and smoking are
prohibited when handling the
battery. Avoid creating sparks.280
Battery (vehicle)Breakdown assistance

X
Close cover :of positive terminal ;after removing the jumper cables.
X Have the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
i Jump-starting is no tconsidered to be a normal operating condition.
i Jumper cables and further information regarding jump starting can be obtained at any
qualified specialist workshop. Towing and tow-starting
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Functions relevant to safety are restricted or
no longer available if:
R the engine is not running.
R the brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
R there is a malfunction in the voltage supply
or the vehicle's electrical system.
If your vehicle is being towed, much more
force may be necessary to steer or brake.
There is a risk of an accident.
In such cases, use a tow bar. Before towing,
make sure that the steering moves freely. G
WARNING
If the weight of the vehicle to be towed or tow-
started is greater than the permissible gross
weight of your vehicle:
R the towing eye could detach itself
R the vehicle/trailer combination could
rollover.
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the
permissible gross weight of your vehicle.
Information on your vehicle's gross vehicle
weight rating can be found on the vehicle
identification plate (Y page 323).G
WARNING
The vehicle is braked if the HOLD function is
activated. Therefore, deactivate HOLD if the
vehicle is to be towed. !
Only secure the tow rope or tow bar at the
towing eyes. Otherwise, the vehicle could
be damaged.
! Do not use the towing eye for recovery,
as this could damage the vehicle. If in
doubt, recover the vehicle with a crane.
! When towing, pull away slowly and
smoothly. If the tractive power is too high,
the vehicles could be damaged.
! The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of
30 mph (50km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the front axle must be
raised or the entire vehicle raised and
transported.
! Do not tow with sling-type equipment.
This could damage the vehicle.
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be started by tow-starting. This
could otherwise damage the transmission.
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed.
When towing a vehicle, the transmission must
be in position N.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
R cannot turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock
R cannot shift the transmission to position
N.
i Deactivate the automatic locking feature
(Y page 191). You could otherwise be
locked out when pushing or towing the
vehicle. Towing and tow-starting
285Breakdown assistance Z

Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye X
Remove the towing eye from the stowage
space.
The towing eye is beneath the cargo
compartmen tfloor with the vehicle tool kit
(Y page 274).
Vehicles with the TIREFIT kit :the towing
eye is beneath the tire inflation
compressor.
X Press the mark on cover :inwards in the
direction of the arrow.
X Take cover :off the opening.
X Screw the towing eye in clockwise to the
stop and tighten 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
beneath the cargo compartmentf loor
(Y page 274) in the cargo compartment.
X Vehicles with the TIREFIT kit: put back the
tire inflation compressor. Towing the vehicle with the front axle
raised
! The ignition must be switched off if the
vehicle is being towed with the front axle
raised. Otherwise, ESP ®
may intervene and
damage the brake system.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
X When the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and keep it depressed.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position P.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Deactivate automatic locking
(Y page 191).
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 99).
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the
ignition lock and leave the SmartKey in the
ignition lock.
When towing your vehicle with the front axle
raised, it is importan tthat you observe the
safety instructions (Y page 285). Towing
avehicle 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
vehicle .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
warning lamps start flashing again. 286
Towing and tow-startingBreakdown assistance

The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position
Pwhen you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock. In order
to ensure that the automatic transmission
stays in position Nwhen towing the vehicle,
you must observe the following points:
X Make sure that the vehicle is stationary.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
X Depress and hold the brake pedal.
X Shift the automatic transmission to
position N.
X Leave the SmartKey in position 2in the
ignition lock.
X Release the brake pedal.
X Release the electric parking brake.
X Switch on the hazard warning lamps
(Y page 99).
It is importan tthat you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(Y page 285). Transporting the vehicle
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components.
Otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 2in the
ignition lock.
X Shift the transmission to position N.
As soon as the vehicle is loaded:
X Prevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
X Shift the transmission to position P.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0in the
ignition lock and remove it.
X Secure the vehicle.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes. Tow-starting (emergency starting)
! Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. You could
otherwise damage the automatic
transmission.
When tow-starting, it is important that you
observe the safety instructions (Y page 285). Fuses
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
Only use fuses that have been approved for
Mercedes-Ben zvehicles and that have the
correct fuse rating for the systems
concerned. Do not attempt to repair or bridge
faulty fuses. Using fuses that have not been
approved or attempting to repair or bridge
faulty fuses could cause the fuse to be
overloaded and result in afire. Have the cause
traced and rectified at a qualified specialist
workshop.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Ben zvehicles and which
have the correct fuse rating for the system
concerned. Only use fuses marked with an
"S". Otherwise, components or systems
could be damaged.
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If afuse blows, all the
components on the circuit and their functions
stop operating.
Blown fuses must be replace dwith fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognize by
the color and value. The fuse ratings are listed
in the fuse allocation chart.
If a newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Ben zCenter. Fuses
287Breakdown assistance Z