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Vehicle care255
4. Insert the strap through thespokes of the wheel as shown in
the illustration.
5. Mount the hook to the rear left lashing eye.
6. Tighten the strap and secure it using the buckle.
9 Danger
Always drive with folded up and
engaged rear seat backrests when stowing a damaged full size wheel
in the load compartment.
9 Warning
Storing a jack, a wheel or other
equipment in the load
compartment could cause injury if they are not fixed properly. During a sudden stop or a collision, looseequipment could strike someone.
Store jack and tools always in the
respective storage compartments
and secure them by fixing.
Damaged wheel placed in the load
compartment must always be
secured by the strap.
Temporary spare wheel
The use of the temporary spare wheel
could affect driveability. Have the
defective tyre renewed or repaired as soon as possible.
Only mount one temporary spare
wheel. Do not drive faster than
50 mph. Take curves slowly. Do not
use for a long period of time.
If your vehicle gets a flat tyre on the
rear while towing another vehicle,
mount the temporary spare wheel in the front and the full tyre in the rear.
Tyre chains 3 246.
Directional tyres
Fit directional tyres such that they roll in the direction of travel. The rolling
direction is indicated by a symbol
(e.g. an arrow) on the sidewall.
The following applies to tyres fitted
opposing the rolling direction:
■ Driveability may be affected. Have the defective tyre renewed or
repaired as soon as possible.
■ Drive particularly carefully on wet and snow-covered road surfaces.
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256Vehicle careJump startingDo not start with quick charger.
A vehicle with a discharged battery
can be started using jump leads and the battery of another vehicle.9 Warning
Be extremely careful when starting
with jump leads. Any deviation
from the following instructions can
lead to injuries or damage caused
by battery explosion or damage to the electrical systems of both
vehicles.
9 Warning
Avoid contact of the battery with
eyes, skin, fabrics and painted
surfaces. The fluid contains
sulphuric acid which can cause
injuries and damage in the event
of direct contact.
■ Never expose the battery to naked flames or sparks.
■ A discharged battery can alreadyfreeze at a temperature of 0 °C.
Defrost the frozen battery before
connecting jump leads.
■ Wear eye protection and protective
clothing when handling a battery.
■ Use a booster battery with the same voltage (12 Volts). Its
capacity (Ah) must not be much less than that of the discharged
battery.
■ Use jump leads with insulated terminals and a cross section of at
least 16 mm 2
(25 mm 2
for diesel
engines).
■ Do not disconnect the discharged battery from the vehicle.
■ Switch off all unnecessary electrical
consumers.
■ Do not lean over the battery during jump starting.
■ Do not allow the terminals of one lead to touch those of the other
lead.
■ The vehicles must not come into contact with each other during the
jump starting process.■ Apply the parking brake, transmission in neutral, automatictransmission in P.
■ Open the positive terminal protection caps of both batteries.
Lead connection order:
1. Connect the red lead to the positive terminal of the booster
battery.
2. Connect the other end of the red lead to the positive terminal of the
discharged battery.
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Vehicle care257
3. Connect the black lead to thenegative terminal of the booster
battery.
4. Connect the other end of the black
lead to a vehicle grounding point,
such as the engine block or an
engine mounting bolt. Connect as far away from the discharged
battery as possible, however at
least 60 cm.
Route the leads so that they cannot
catch on rotating parts in the engine
compartment.
To start the engine: 1. Start the engine of the vehicle providing the jump.
2. After 5 minutes, start the other engine. Start attempts should be
made for no longer than
15 seconds at an interval of
1 minute.
3. Allow both engines to idle for approx. 3 minutes with the leads
connected.4. Switch on electrical consumers (e.g. headlights, heated rear
window) of the vehicle receiving
the jump start.
5. Reverse above sequence exactly when removing leads.Towing
Towing the vehicle
Insert a screwdriver in the slot at the
short edge of the cap. Release the
cap by carefully moving the
screwdriver sidewards. To prevent
damage it is recommended to place a cloth between the screwdriver and
the frame.
The towing eye is stowed with the vehicle tools 3 241.
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258Vehicle care
Screw in the towing eye as far as it will
go until it stops in a horizontal
position.
Attach a tow rope – or better still a tow
rod – to the towing eye.
The towing eye must only be used for towing and not for recovering the
vehicle.
Switch on ignition to release steering
wheel lock and to permit operation of
brake lights, horn and windscreen
wiper.
Transmission in neutral.
Caution
Drive slowly. Do not drive jerkily.
Excessive tractive force can
damage the vehicle.
When the engine is not running,
considerably more force is needed to
brake and steer.
To prevent the entry of exhaust gases from the towing vehicle, switch on the
air recirculation and close the
windows.
Vehicles with automatic transmission: The vehicle must be towed facing
forwards, not faster than 50 mph nor further than 60 miles. In all other
cases and when the transmission is
defective, the front axle must be
raised off the ground.
Seek the assistance of a workshop. After towing, unscrew the towing eye.
Insert cap at the bottom and close.
Towing another vehicle
Insert a screwdriver in the slot at the
lower edge of the cap. Release the
cap by carefully moving the
screwdriver downwards. To prevent
damage it is recommended to place a cloth between the screwdriver and
the frame.
The towing eye is stowed with the vehicle tools 3 241.
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Vehicle care259
Screw in the towing eye as far as it will
go until it stops in a horizontal
position.
The lashing eye at the rear
underneath the vehicle must never be used as a towing eye.
Attach a tow rope – or even better a
tow bar – to the towing eye.
The towing eye must only be used for
towing and not for recovering a
vehicle.
Caution
Drive slowly. Do not drive jerkily.
Excessive tractive force can
damage the vehicle.
After towing, unscrew the towing eye.
Insert cap at the bottom and engage.
Appearance care
Exterior care Locks
The locks are lubricated at the factory using a high quality lock cylinder
grease. Use de-icing agent only when absolutely necessary, as this has adegreasing effect and impairs lockfunction. After using a de-icing agent,
have the locks regreased by a
workshop.
Washing The paintwork of your vehicle is
exposed to environmental influences.
Wash and wax your vehicle regularly.
When using automatic vehicle
washes, select a programme that
includes waxing.
Bird droppings, dead insects, resin,
pollen and the like should be cleaned
off immediately, as they contain
aggressive constituents which can
cause paint damage.
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260Vehicle care
If using a vehicle wash, comply with
the vehicle wash manufacturer's
instructions. The windscreen wiper and rear window wiper must be
switched off. Remove antenna and
external accessories such as roof
racks etc.
If you wash your vehicle by hand,
make sure that the insides of the
wheel housings are also thoroughly
rinsed out.
Clean edges and folds on opened
doors and the bonnet as well as the
areas they cover.Caution
Always use a cleaning agent with
a pH value of 4 to 9.
Do not use cleaning agents on hot surfaces.
Have the door hinges of all doors
greased by a workshop.
Do not clean the engine compartment with a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
Thoroughly rinse and leather-off the vehicle. Rinse leather frequently. Use
separate leathers for painted and
glass surfaces: remnants of wax on
the windows will impair vision.
Exterior lights
Headlight and other light covers are
made of plastic. Do not use any
abrasive or caustic agents, do not use an ice scraper, and do not clean them
dry.
Polishing and waxing Wax the vehicle regularly (at the
latest when water no longer beads).
Otherwise, the paintwork will dry out.
Polishing is necessary only if the paint
has become dull or if solid deposits
have become attached to it.
Paintwork polish with silicone forms a
protective film, making waxing
unnecessary.
Plastic body parts must not be treated with wax or polishing agents.Windows and windscreen wiper
blades
Use a soft lint-free cloth or chamois leather together with window cleanerand insect remover.
When cleaning the rear window from
inside, always wipe in parallel to the
heating element to prevent damage.
For mechanical removal of ice, use a
sharp-edged ice scraper. Press the
scraper firmly against the glass so
that no dirt can get under it and
scratch the glass.
Clean smearing wiper blades with a
soft cloth and window cleaner.
Glass panel
Never clean with solvents or abrasive
agents, fuels, aggressive media
(e.g. paint cleaner, acetone-
containing solutions etc.), acidic or
highly alkaline media or abrasive
pads.
Wheels and tyres
Do not use high-pressure jet
cleaners.
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Vehicle care261
Clean rims with a pH-neutral wheel
cleaner.
Rims are painted and can be treated
with the same agents as the body.
Paintwork damage Rectify minor paintwork damage with
a touch-up pen before rust forms.
Have more extensive damage or rust
areas repaired by a workshop.
Underbody
Some areas of the vehicle underbody
have a PVC undercoating while other critical areas have a durable
protective wax coating.
After the underbody is washed, check
the underbody and have it waxed if
necessary.
Bitumen/rubber materials could
damage the PVC coating. Have
underbody work carried out by a
workshop.
Before and after winter, wash the
underbody and have the protective
wax coating checked.Liquid gas system9 Danger
Liquid gas is heavier than air and
can collect in sink points.
Take care when performing work
at the underbody in a pit.
For painting work and when using a
drying booth at a temperature above
60 °C, the liquid gas tank must be
removed.
Do not make any modifications to the
liquid gas system.
Towing equipment Do not clean the coupling ball bar with
a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
Rear carrier system Clean the rear carrier system with a
steam-jet or high-pressure jet cleaner
at least once a year.
Operate the rear carrier system
periodically if not in regular use, in
particular during winter.
Air shutter
Clean the shutter system in the front
bumper to maintain correct
functionality.
Interior care Interior and upholsteryOnly clean the vehicle interior,
including the instrument panel fascia
and panelling, with a dry cloth or
interior cleaner.
Clean the leather upholstery with
clear water and a soft cloth. In case of
heavy soiling, use leather care.
The instrument cluster and the
displays should only be cleaned using
a soft damp cloth. If necessary use a weak soap solution.
Clean fabric upholstery with a
vacuum cleaner and brush. Remove
stains with an upholstery cleaner.
Page 264 of 293
262Vehicle care
Clothing fabrics may not be
colourfast. This could cause visible discolourations, especially on light-
coloured upholstery. Removable
stains and discolourations should be
cleaned as soon as possible.
Clean seat belts with lukewarm water or interior cleaner.Caution
Close Velcro fasteners as open
Velcro fasteners on clothing could damage seat upholstery.
The same applies to clothing with
sharp-edged objects, like zips or
belts or studded jeans.
Plastic and rubber parts
Plastic and rubber parts can be
cleaned with the same cleaner as
used to clean the body. Use interior cleaner if necessary. Do not use any
other agent. Avoid solvents and petrol in particular. Do not use high-
pressure jet cleaners.