Page 117 of 173

Vehicle care115Vehicle careGeneral Information...................115
Vehicle checks ........................... 116
Bulb replacement .......................124
Electrical system ........................128
Vehicle tools .............................. 131
Wheels and tyres .......................131
Towing ....................................... 141
Appearance care .......................143General Information
Accessories and vehicle
modifications
We recommend the use of Genuine Parts and Accessories and factory
approved parts specific for your
vehicle type. We cannot assess or guarantee reliability of other products
- even if they have a regulatory or
otherwise granted approval.
Do not make any modifications to the electrical system, e.g. changes of
electronic control units (chip tuning).
Vehicle storage Storage for a long period of time
If the vehicle is to be stored for several months:
■ Wash and wax the vehicle.
■ Have the wax in the engine compartment and underbody
checked.
■ Clean and preserve rubber seals.
■ Fill up fuel tank completely.■ Change the engine oil.
■ Drain the washer fluid reservoir.
■ Check the coolant antifreeze and corrosion protection.
■ Adjust tyre pressure to the value specified for full load.
■ Park vehicle in a dry, well ventilated
place. Engage first or reverse gear. Prevent the vehicle from rolling.
■ Do not apply the parking brake.
■ Open the bonnet, close all doors and lock the vehicle.
■ Disconnect the clamp from the negative terminal of the vehicle
battery. Beware that all systems are
not functional, e.g. anti-theft alarm
system.
Putting back into operation When the vehicle is to be put back into
operation:
■ Connect the clamp to the negative terminal of the vehicle battery.
Activate the electronics of the
power windows.
■ Check tyre pressure.
Page 120 of 173
118Vehicle care
On F9Q engines, the dipstick is
mounted on the oil filler cap which
must be rotated anticlockwise to
open.
For M9R engines, rotate cap
anticlockwise, remove the dipstick,
wipe it clean and re-insert it as far as
it will go.
When the engine oil level has
dropped to the "add oil" mark A, top
up engine oil.Caution
Do not allow the engine oil level to drop below the minimum level!
We recommend the use of the same
type of engine oil that was used at the
last change.
The engine oil level must not exceed the maximum mark B on the dipstick.Caution
Overfilled engine oil must be
drained or suctioned out.
To prevent spillage when
replenishing the engine oil on F9Q
engines, use the funnel stored in the
front of the engine compartment.
To release the funnel, raise the plastic catch on the funnel and lift upwards.
Page 132 of 173
130Vehicle care
SymbolApplicationZAir conditioningdHeated exterior mirrorsUHeated front seats,Power windowsLLeft-hand high beamNRight-hand high beamKWindscreen wiperZRadio, Infotainment system)Cigarette lighterBoilerRear passenger compart‐
ment heaterjHornaLeft-hand low beamWRight-hand low beameInstrument panelZHeatingdInterior lampSymbolApplicationuAntilock brake systemÜHeated rear windows+Clock, interior lights, radio,
Infotainment systemUCH
INJFuel injection systemfRear window washereRear widow wiperTLeft-hand sidelightSRight-hand sidelightUCentral locking:Electrically adjustable exte‐
rior mirrorsCStop control indicator,
daytime running lightsrRear fog lights>Front fog lightsSymbolApplication?Power outletTTachograph
Page 135 of 173

Vehicle care133Changing 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.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.
Tyre chains
Tyre chains are only permitted on the
front wheels.
Always use fine mesh chains that add no more than 15 mm to the tyre tread
and the inboard sides (including chain lock).
For tyre size 215/65 R16, consult a
workshop.9 Warning
Damage may lead to tyre blowout.
Wheel covers on steel wheels may
come into contact with parts of the
chains. In such cases, remove the
wheel covers.
Tyre chains may only be used at
speeds up to 30 mph and, when
travelling on roads that are free of
snow, they may only be used for brief
periods since they are subject to rapid wear on a hard road and may snap.
Tyre repair kit
Minor damage to the tyre tread or
sidewall can be repaired with the tyre repair kit.
Do not remove foreign bodies from
the tyres.
Tyre damage exceeding 4 mm or that
is at tyre sidewall near the rim cannot
be repaired with the tyre repair kit.
Page 139 of 173

Vehicle care137
■Never change more than one wheel
at a time.
■ Use the jack only to change wheels
in case of puncture, not for a
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 engine when the vehicle is raised on the jack.
1. Pull off the wheel cover 3 131.
2. Loosen each of the wheel bolts by
half a turn using the ratchet and
adapter. The ratchet should turn
anticlockwise to loosen the bolts.
Invert the ratchet if necessary.3. Raise vehicle by placing lifting pad spigot of the jack under the
jacking hole located nearest the
wheel concerned.
Ensure the jack is positioned
correctly. The jack base must be
on the ground directly below the
jacking hole in a manner that
prevents it from slipping.
4. Install adapter onto the jack and raise the vehicle by turning the
ratchet until the wheel is clear of
the ground.
5. Unscrew wheel bolts completely by turning anticlockwise and wipe
clean with a cloth.
Page 142 of 173
140Vehicle care
■ The vehicles must not come intocontact with each other during thejump starting process.
■ Apply the parking brake, transmission in neutral.
Battery access
The battery is located beneath the
front left hand seat floor panel. Lift the floor covering and use the tool
supplied in the tool kit (or the tyre
repair kit) to loosen the 4 screws.
Note the position of the arrow facing
forwards on the battery cover when
replacing.
■ Remove cover plate to access the battery.
■ Open the positive terminal protection caps of both vehicle
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.
3. Connect the black lead to the negative terminal of the boosterbattery.
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
Page 143 of 173

Vehicle care141
far away from the discharged
vehicle 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 start.
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
The towing eye is stowed with the
vehicle tools 3 131.
Screw the towing eye fully into the
front towing point.
Attach a tow rope - or better still a tow
rod - to the towing eye, never to the
bumper or front suspension units.
Caution
Do not tow the vehicle from the
rear. The front towing eye must
only be used for towing and not
recovering a vehicle.
Caution
Activate the child locks in the rear
doors if the rear seats are
occupied. Child locks 3 23.
Switch on ignition to release steering
wheel lock and to permit operation of
brake lights, horn and windscreen
wipers.
Transmission in neutral.
If neutral cannot be selected on
vehicles with manual transmission automated, the vehicle must only betowed with the drive wheels raised off the ground.
Page 145 of 173

Vehicle care143Appearance 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 wipers
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.