Page 244 of 321

242Vehicle care
Vehicle loading statusAdjust tyre pressure to load condition according tyre information label or
tyre pressure chart 3 288, and select
the according setting in the Tyre
loading page under the Settings
menu in the Driver Information Centre
3 106.
Select:
■ Light for comfort pressure up to
3 people
■ Eco for Eco pressure up to
3 people
■ Max for full loading
Auto learn function
After changing wheels the vehicle
must be stationary for approx.
20 minutes, before the system
recalculates. The following relearn process takes up to 10 minutes of
driving with a minimum speed of
12 mph. In this case $ can be
displayed or pressure values can
swap in the Driver Information Centre.
If problems occur during the relearn
process, a warning message is
displayed in the Driver Information
Centre.
Temperature dependency Tyre pressure depends on the
temperature of the tyre. During
driving tyre temperature and pressure increase.
The tyre pressure value displayed in
the Driver Information Centre shows
the actual tyre pressure. Therefore it
is important to check tyre pressure
with cold tyres.Tread depth
Check tread depth at regular
intervals.
Tyres should be replaced for safety
reasons at a tread depth of 2-3 mm
(4 mm for winter tyres).
For safety reasons, it is
recommended that the tread depth of
the tyres on one axle should not vary
by more than 2 mm.
The legally permissible minimum
tread depth (1.6 mm) has been
reached when the tread has worn
down as far as one of the tread wear
Page 245 of 321

Vehicle care243
indicators (TWI). Their position is
indicated by markings on the
sidewall.
If there is more wear at the front than
the rear, swap round front wheels and rear wheels periodically. Ensure that
the direction of rotation of the wheels
remains the same.
Tyres age, even if they are not used.
We recommend tyre replacement
every 6 years.
Changing tyre and wheel
size If tyres of a different size than those
fitted at the factory are used, it may be necessary to reprogramme the
speedometer as well as the nominal tyre pressure and make other vehicle
modifications.
After converting to a different tyre
size, have the label with tyre
pressures replaced.9 Warning
Use of unsuitable tyres or wheels
may lead to accidents and will
invalidate the vehicle type
approval.
Wheel covers
Wheel covers and tyres that are
factory approved for the respective
vehicle and comply with all of the
relevant wheel and tyre combination requirements must be used.
If the wheel covers and tyres used are
not factory approved, the tyres must
not have a rim protection ridge.
Wheel covers must not impair brake
cooling.
9 Warning
Use of unsuitable tyres or wheel
covers could lead to sudden
pressure loss and thereby
accidents.
Wheel caps
Tyres of size 245/35 R20 have a
specific wheel cap. To remove the
cap from the dismantled wheel first
disengage the arms one by one. Then press the cap in the middle area from
behind and remove it.
To assemble first adjust the wheel
cap in order that the positioning leg
fits into the recess.
Tyre chains
Tyre chains are only permitted on the
front wheels.
Page 247 of 321
Vehicle care245
3. Remove the electrical connectioncable and air hose from the
stowage compartments on the
underside of the compressor.
4. Screw the compressor air hose to
the connection on the sealant
bottle.
5. Fit the sealant bottle into the retainer on the compressor.
Set the compressor near the tyre
in such a way that the sealant
bottle is upright.
6. Unscrew valve cap from defective
tyre.
7. Screw the filler hose to the tyre valve.
8. The switch on the compressor must be set to J.
9. Connect the compressor plug to
the power outlet or cigarette
lighter socket.
To avoid discharging the battery,
we recommend running the
engine.
10. Set the rocker switch on the compressor to I. The tyre is filled
with sealant.
11. The compressor pressure gauge briefly indicates up to 6 bar whilstthe sealant bottle is emptying
(approx. 30 seconds). Then the
pressure starts to drop.
Page 249 of 321

Vehicle care247
Notice
The driving characteristics of the
repaired tyre is severely affected,
therefore have this tyre replaced.
If unusual noise is heard or the
compressor becomes hot, turn
compressor off for at least 30
minutes.
The built-in safety valve opens at a
pressure of 7 bar.
Note the expiry date of the kit. After
this date its sealing capability is no
longer guaranteed. Pay attention to
storage information on sealant
bottle.
Replace the used sealant bottle. Dispose of the bottle as prescribed
by applicable laws.
The compressor and sealant can be used from approx. -30 °C.
The adapters supplied can be used
to pump up other items e.g.
footballs, air mattresses, inflatable
dinghies etc. They are located on the
underside of the compressor. To
remove, screw on compressor air hose and withdraw adapter.Wheel changing
Some vehicles are equipped with a
tyre repair kit instead of a spare wheel 3 244.
Make the following preparations and
observe the following information:
■ Park the vehicle on a level, firm and
non-skid surface. The front wheels
must be in the straight-ahead
position.
■ Apply the parking brake and engage first gear, reverse gear or
P .
■ Remove the spare wheel 3 249.
■ Never change more than one wheel
at once.
■ Use the jack only to change wheels
in case of puncture, not for
seasonal winter or summer tyre
change.
■ If the ground on which the vehicle is standing is soft, a solid board
(max. 1 cm thick) should be placed
under the jack.
■ No people or animals may be in the
vehicle when it is jacked-up.■ Never crawl under a jacked-up vehicle.
■ Do not start the vehicle when it is raised on the jack.
■ Clean wheel nuts and thread with a
clean cloth before mounting the
wheel.9 Warning
Do not grease wheel bolt, wheel
nut and wheel nut cone.
1. Disengage wheel nut caps with a screwdriver and remove. Pull off
Page 255 of 321

Vehicle care253
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.
3. Connect the black lead to the negative 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
5-door Hatchback, 4-door Saloon,
Sports Tourer: disengage cap at
bottom and remove downwards.
Page 256 of 321
254Vehicle care
Country Tourer: 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.VXR: insert screwdriver in the slot at
the upper bend 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 3 238.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.
Page 258 of 321
256Vehicle care
Country Tourer: 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 3 238.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 better still a tow
rod – 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.
5-door Hatchback, 4-door Saloon,
Sports Tourer, VXR: insert cap at the
bottom, turn slightly clockwise and
engage cap.
Country Tourer: insert cap with the
upper flange into the recess and fix
cap by pushing.
Page 259 of 321

Vehicle care257Appearance 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.
Wax painted parts of the vehicle
regularly.
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.
Do not clean the engine compartmentwith 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.
Have the door hinges of all doors
greased by a workshop.
Exterior lights Headlight and other light covers aremade 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.