¥ Shift the transmission into Park (P)
¥ Stop the engine and remove the key from the ignition switch
¥ Let the engine cool down sufficiently.
¥ Keep children and others away from the vehicle.
¥ Make sure the vehicle cannot move unexpectedly.
.WARNING
Disregarding the safety-related checklist may result in serious injuries.
x Always review and follow the checklist. Follow accepted safety practices and use common
sense.
Opening and closing the engine compartment
Fig. 285 Inside hood release lever in the footwell on the driver side.
Fig. 286 Outside hood release in the radiator grille.
x Push the outside hood release lever ⇒ fig. 286 (arrow) and lift the hood all the way up. A gas-filled
strut will hold the hood up.
Closing the engine hood
x Pull the hood down to overcome the resistance of the gas-pressure strut ⇒ .
x Let the engine hood drop into the hood latch – do not press it afterwards!
If the hood does not close completely, open it again and close it properly.
When the hood is properly closed, you can see that it fits flush with the other body parts. The indicator
light in the instrument cluster will go out
.WARNING
If the hood is not closed properly, it could fly up and block your view while you are driving.
This can lead to a crash and serious personal injuries.
x After closing the engine hood, check that the hood release lever is properly latched into
the hood latch. The engine hood must be flush with the surrounding auto body parts.
x If you ever notice that the hood latch is not properly secured when the vehicle is moving,
stop at once and close it.
x Never let anyone get in the way of the hood when closing it.
.NOTICE
x Make sure the windshield wiper arms are resting on the windshield before you open the
hood. Otherwise, the windshield wipers and the hood may be damaged.
x Always put the windshield wiper arms down against the windshield before driving the
vehicle.
.NOTICE
Before opening or closing the engine hood, make sure there is enough room to do so, for
example when the vehicle is in a garage.
