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154Vehicle careCaution
The towing eye must only be usedfor 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.
Notice
If neutral cannot be selected on
vehicles with manual transmission
automated (MTA), the vehicle must
only be towed with the drive wheels
raised off the ground.
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.
Seek the assistance of a workshop.
After towing, unscrew the towing eye
and replace the cap.
Towing another vehicle
Insert a screwdriver in the slot at the
side of the cap. Release the cap by
carefully levering the screwdriver. 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 3 142.
Screw in the towing eye as far as it will
go until it stops in a horizontal
position.
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.
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Vehicle care155Appearance care
Exterior care
Locks The locks are lubricated at the factoryusing a high quality lock cylinder
grease. Use de-icing agent only when
absolutely necessary, as this has a
degreasing effect and impairs lock function. After using 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.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.
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156Vehicle care
Windows and windscreen wiperblades
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. Do
not apply wax or polishing agents to
the glass panel.
Wheels and tyres Do not use high-pressure jet
cleaners.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.Natural gas system
Do not direct the steam jet or high-
pressure jet towards natural gas
system components. It is particularly
important to protect the natural gas
tank and the pressure valves on the
vehicle underbody and the bulkhead
in the engine compartment.
These components must not be
treated using chemical cleaners or
preservatives.
Have components of the natural gas
system cleaned by a workshop
authorised to carry out maintenance
of natural gas vehicles.
Towing equipment Do not clean the coupling ball bar with
a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
Interior care Interior and upholsteryOnly clean the vehicle interior,
including the instrument panel fascia
and panelling, with a dry cloth or
interior cleaner.
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158Service and maintenanceService and
maintenanceGeneral information ...................158
Recommended fluids, lubricants and parts .................................... 159General information
Service information In order to ensure economical and
safe vehicle operation and to
maintain the value of your vehicle, it
is of vital importance that all
maintenance work is carried out at the proper intervals as specified.
The detailed, up-to-date service
schedule for your vehicle is available
at the workshop.
Service display 3 70.
Service intervals - petrol and
CNG engines Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 18,000 miles or
2 years, whichever occurs first.
Service intervals - diesel
engines
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 21,000 miles or
2 years, whichever occurs first,
unless otherwise indicated in the
Driver Information Centre.Confirmations
Confirmation of service is recorded in the Service and Warranty Booklet.The date and mileage is completed
with the stamp and signature of the
servicing workshop.
Make sure that the Service and
Warranty Booklet is completed
correctly as continuous proof of
service is essential if any warranty or
goodwill claims are to be met, and is
also a benefit when selling the
vehicle.
Service interval with remaining engine oil life duration The service interval is based on
several parameters depending on
usage.
When the engine oil requires
changing, control indicator I will
flash in conjunction with a message in the Driver Information Centre 3 77.
Service display 3 70.
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Service and maintenance159Recommended fluids,
lubricants and parts
Recommended fluids andlubricants
Only use products that meet the
recommended specifications.
Damage resulting from the use of
products not in line with these
specifications will not be covered by
the warranty.9 Warning
Operating materials are
hazardous and could be
poisonous. Handle with care. Pay
attention to information given on
the containers.
Engine oil
Engine oil is identified by its quality
and its viscosity. Quality is more
important than viscosity when
selecting which engine oil to use. The oil quality ensures e.g. engine
cleanliness, wear protection and oil
ageing control, whereas viscosity
grade gives information on the oil's
thickness over a temperature range.
Dexos is the newest engine oil quality
that provides optimum protection for petrol and diesel engines. If it is
unavailable, engine oils of other listed qualities must be used.
Recommendations for petrol engines
are also valid for Compressed Natural
Gas (CNG) fuelled engines.
Select the appropriate engine oil
based on its quality and viscosity
3 162.
Topping up engine oil
Engine oils of different manufacturers and brands can be mixed as long as
they comply with the required engine
oil quality and viscosity.
Use of engine oil with only
ACEA A1/B1 or only A5/B5 quality is
prohibited, since it can cause long-
term engine damage under certain
operating conditions.
Select the appropriate engine oil
based on its quality and viscosity
3 162.Additional engine oil additives
The use of additional engine oil
additives could cause damage and
invalidate the warranty.
Engine oil viscosity
The SAE viscosity grade gives
information on the thickness of the oil.
Multigrade oil is indicated by two
figures, e.g. SAE 5W-30. The first
figure, followed by a W, indicates the low temperature viscosity and the
second figure the high temperature viscosity.
Select the appropriate viscosity grade 3 162.
All of the recommended viscosity
grades are suitable for high ambient
temperatures.
Coolant and antifreeze
Use only antifreeze approved for the
vehicle. Consult a workshop.
The system is factory filled with
coolant designed for excellent
corrosion protection and frost
protection down to approx. -28 °C. In
northern countries with very low
Page 163 of 187
Technical data161Technical dataVehicle identification..................161
Vehicle data ............................... 162Vehicle identification
Vehicle Identification
Number
The Vehicle Identification Number is
visible through the windscreen
and in the floor on the front passenger
side behind a cover.
Identification plate The identification plate is in the
engine compartment.
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162Technical data
Information on identification label:
1=Type approval number2=Vehicle Identification
Number3=Vehicle type identification
code4=Permissible gross vehicle
weight rating in kg5=Permissible gross train
weight in kg6=Maximum permissible front
axle load in kg7=Maximum permissible rear
axle load in kg8=Engine type9-11=Vehicle-specific or country-
specific data
The combined total of front and rear
axle loads must not exceed the
permissible gross vehicle weight. For
example, if the front axle is bearing its
maximum permissible load, the rear
axle can only bear a load that is equal
to the gross vehicle weight minus the front axle load.
The technical data is determined in
accordance with European
Community standards. We reserve
the right to make modifications.
Specifications in the vehicle
documents always have priority over
those given in this manual.
Vehicle data
Recommended fluids and
lubricants
Required engine oil qualityEngine oil
qualityPetrol /
CNG
enginesDiesel
enginesdexos 2✔✔
In case dexos quality is unavailable in
International countries you may use
the oil qualities listed below:
Engine oil
qualityPetrol /
CNG
enginesDiesel
enginesGM-LL-
A-025✔-GM-LL-
B-025-✔
Page 165 of 187
Technical data163
Engine oil viscosity gradesEngine oil
viscosity
gradePetrol /
CNG
enginesDiesel
enginesSAE 0W-30-✔SAE 0W-40✔-