Page 118 of 173
116Vehicle care
■ Fill up the washer fluid reservoir.
■ Check the engine oil level.
■ Check the coolant level.
■ Fit the number plate, if necessary.
End-of-life vehicle
recovery
Information on end-of-life vehicle
recovery centres and the recycling of
end-of-life vehicles is available on our website. Only entrust this work to an
authorised recycling centre.Vehicle checks
Performing work9 Warning
Only perform engine compartment
checks when the ignition is off.
The cooling fan may start
operating even if the ignition is off.
9 Danger
The ignition system generates
extremely high voltages. Do not
touch.
The caps for topping up the engine oil, the coolant, the washer fluid and the
oil dipstick handle are yellow for ease
of identification.
Bonnet
Opening
Pull the release lever and return it to
its original position.
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120Vehicle care
If the cooling system is cold, the
coolant level should be just above the
MIN mark. Top up if the level is low.
9Warning
Allow the engine to cool before
opening the cap. Carefully open
the cap, relieving the pressure
slowly.
Top up with antifreeze. If no
antifreeze is available, use clean tap
water or distilled water. Install the cap
tightly. Have the antifreeze
concentration checked and have the
cause of the coolant loss remedied by a workshop.
If a substantial amount of coolant is
required, it will be necessary to bleed
any trapped air from the cooling
system. Seek the assistance of a
workshop.
If the coolant temperature is too high, control indicator W illuminates red in
the instrument cluster, together with
C 3 72. Consult a workshop if
coolant level is sufficient.
Power steering fluidIf the fluid level in the reservoir falls
below the MIN mark consult a
workshop.
Washer fluid
Fill with clean water mixed with a
suitable quantity of windscreen
washer fluid which contains
antifreeze.
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Vehicle care121Caution
Only washer fluid with a sufficient
antifreeze concentration provides
protection at low temperatures or
a sudden drop in temperature.
Brakes
A squealing noise indicates that the
brake lining is at its minimum
thickness. Continued driving is
possible but have the brake lining
replaced as soon as possible.
Once new brake linings are installed,
do not brake unnecessarily hard for
the first few journeys.
Brake fluid
9 Warning
Brake fluid is poisonous and
corrosive. Avoid contact with eyes,
skin, fabrics and painted surfaces.
The brake fluid level must be betweenthe MIN and MAX marks.
When topping up, ensure maximum cleanliness as contamination of the
brake fluid can lead to brake system
malfunctions. Have the cause of the
loss of brake fluid remedied by a
workshop.
Only use high-performance brake
fluid approved for your vehicle.
Brake and clutch fluid 3 147.
Vehicle battery
The vehicle battery is maintenance-
free provided that the driving profile
allows sufficient charging of the
battery. Short-distance driving and frequent engine starts can discharge
the battery. Avoid the use of
unnecessary electrical consumers.
Batteries do not belong in household
waste. They must be disposed of at
an appropriate recycling collection
point.
Laying up the vehicle for more than
4 weeks can lead to battery
discharge. Disconnect the clamp from the negative terminal of the vehicle
battery.
Ensure the ignition is switched off
before connecting or disconnecting
the vehicle battery.
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122Vehicle care
Battery access
The vehicle battery is located beneath the front left hand seat floor
panel 3 139.
Warning label
Meaning of symbols: ■ No sparks, naked flames or smoking.
■ Always shield eyes. Explosive gases can cause blindness or
injury.
■ Keep the vehicle battery out of reach of children.
■ The vehicle battery containssulfuric acid which could cause
blindness or serious burn injuries.
■ See the Owner's Manual for further
information.
■ Explosive gas may be present in the vicinity of the battery.
Vehicle battery maintenance9 Danger
Ensure adequate ventilation when
charging the battery. There is a
risk of explosion if gases
generated during charging are
allowed to accumulate!
Replacing the vehicle battery
When the vehicle battery is being replaced, please ensure that there
are no open ventilation holes in the
vicinity of the positive terminal. If a
ventilation hole is open in this area, it
must be closed off with a dummy cap,
and the ventilation in the vicinity of the negative terminal must be opened.
We recommend that you have the
vehicle battery replaced by a
workshop.
Additional battery
Depending on the vehicle's auxiliary
equipment certain models may have
an additional battery located next to
the vehicle battery.
Diesel fuel filter
Drain diesel fuel filter of residual
water at every engine oil change.
Page 134 of 173

132Vehicle careTyre pressureCheck the pressure of cold tyres at
least every 14 days and before any
long journey. Do not forget the spare
wheel.
Tyre pressures 3 163.
The tyre pressure data refers to cold
tyres. It applies to summer and winter
tyres.
Always inflate the spare tyre to the
pressure specified for full load.
Incorrect tyre pressures will impair
safety, vehicle handling, comfort and fuel economy and will increase tyre
wear.
The tyre pressure tables show all
possible tyre combinations 3 163.
For the tyres approved for your
vehicle, refer to the EEC Certificate of Conformity provided with your vehicle
or other national registration
documents.
The driver is responsible for correct
adjustment of tyre pressure.9 Warning
If the pressure is too low, this can
result in considerable tyre warm-
up and internal damage, leading to tread separation and even to tyre
blow-out at high speeds.
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
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. Ensure that the direction of rotation of the wheels is the sameas before.
Tyres age, even if they are not used.
We recommend tyre replacement
every 6 years.
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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 136 of 173
134Vehicle care9Warning
Do not drive faster than 50 mph.
Do not use for a lengthy period.
Steering and handling may be
affected.
If the vehicle has a flat tyre:
Apply the parking brake and engage
first gear or reverse gear.
The tyre repair kit is located under the
front seat.
1. Remove the compressor from the
tyre repair kit.
2. Remove the electrical connection cable and air hose from the
compartments on the underside
of the compressor.
3. Screw the compressor air hose to
the connection on the sealant
bottle.
4. 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.
5. Unscrew valve cap from defective
tyre.
6. Screw the filler hose to the tyre valve.
7. The switch on the compressor must be set to O.
8. Connect the compressor plug to the power outlet or cigarette
lighter socket.
To avoid discharging the vehicle
battery, we recommend running
the engine.
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136Vehicle care
16. Continue driving immediately sothat the sealant is evenlydistributed throughout the tyre.
After driving approx. 6 miles, but
no more than 10 minutes, stop
and check tyre pressure using the
compressor. Screw compressor
air hose directly onto tyre valve
and compressor when doing this.
17. If the tyre pressure is more than 3.1 bar (310 kPa/45 psi), set it to
the correct value. Repeat the
procedure until there is no more
loss of pressure.
If the tyre pressure has fallen
below 3.1 bar (310 kPa/45 psi),
the vehicle must not be driven.
Seek the assistance of a
workshop.
18. Stow tyre repair kit under the front
seat.9 Warning
Do not allow the sealant to contact
skin, eyes or clothing. If swallowed seek medical assistance
immediately.
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 3 133.
Make the following preparations and
observe the following information:
■ Park the vehicle on a level, firm and
non-slippery surface. The frontwheels must be in the straight-ahead position.
■ Apply the parking brake and engage first gear or reverse gear.
■ Remove the spare wheel 3 138.