Stowage spaces
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If objects in the passenger compartment are
stowed incorrectly, they can slide or be
thrown around and hit vehicle occupants.
There is a risk of injury, particularly in the
event of sudden braking or a sudden change
in direction.
RAlways stow objects so that they cannot be
thrown around in such situations.
RAlways make sure that objects do not pro-
trude from stowage spaces, parcel nets or
stowage nets.
RClose the lockable stowage spaces while
driving.
RAlways stow and secure heavy, hard, poin-
ted, sharp-edged, fragile or bulky objects in
the trunk/cargo compartment.
Observe the loading guidelines (Ypage 238).
Information in the Digital Operator's
Manual
In the Digital Operator's Manual you will find
information on the following topics:
RGlove box
REyeglasses compartment
RStowage compartment in the center con-
sole
RStowage compartment under the armrest
RStowage compartment under the front
seats
RStowage compartment in the rear
RStowage net in the rear
Stowage nets
Stowage nets are located in the front-
passenger footwell and on the left-hand side
of the trunk/cargo compartment. Observe the loading guidelines (
Ypage 238)
and the safety notes regarding stowage
spaces (
Ypage 239).
Through-loading facility in the rear
The through-loading facility is opened from
the trunk.
XFold down the rear seat armrest.
XPress release catch :.
The flap opens downwards.
Observe the loading guidelines (
Ypage 238).
Through-loading facility in the rear
bench seat (Sedan)
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the rear bench seat/rear seat and seat
backrest are not engaged they could fold for-
wards, e.g. when braking suddenly or in the
event of an accident.
RThe vehicle occupant would thereby be
pushed into the seat belt by the rear bench
seat/rear seat or by the seat backrest. The
seat belt can no longer offer the intended
level of protection and could even cause
injuries.
RObjects or loads in the trunk cannot be
restrained by the seat backrest.
There is an increased risk of injury.
Stowage areas239
Stowage and features
Z
EASY-PACK through-loading facility in
the rear bench seat (Wagon)
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If the rear bench seat/rear seat and seat
backrest are not engaged they could fold for-
wards, e.g. when braking suddenly or in the
event of an accident.
RThe vehicle occupant would thereby be
pushed into the seat belt by the rear bench
seat/rear seat or by the seat backrest. The
seat belt can no longer offer the intended
level of protection and could even cause
injuries.
RObjects or loads in the trunk/cargo com-
partment cannot be restrained by the seat
backrest.
There is an increased risk of injury.
Before every trip, make sure that the seat
backrests and the rear bench seat/rear seat
are engaged.
Observe the loading guidelines (Ypage 238).
Folding the rear seat backrests forward
!When folding the rear seat backrest for-
wards, ensure that there are no items lying
on the seat cushions. These items could
otherwise be damaged or could themselves
damage the rear seats.
The left-hand and right-hand rear seat backr-
ests can be folded forwards separately to
increase the cargo compartment capacity.
The combined cargo cover and net can
remain installed.
iWhen you fold one or both parts of the
rear seat backrests forwards, the headr-
ests are also lowered if necessary. In the
case of vehicles with memory function, the
respective front seat is moved forwards
slightly to avoid contact with the seat
behind it.
XVehicles without memory function: if nec-
essary, move the driver's or front-
passenger seat forward.
XPull the left-hand or right-hand release han-
dle at the rear in cargo compartment :or
at the side beside backrests ;.
The corresponding backrest folds for-
wards.
XMove the driver's or front-passenger seat
back if necessary.
Stowage areas241
Stowage and features
Z
Telescopic rod
The telescopic rod can be used to secure the
load against the rear seats to prevent it from
moving around.
XTo install:insert one bracket ;into both
the left and the right loading rails and slide
it to the desired position (
Ypage 247).
XInsert telescopic rod :into brackets ;
and, while doing so, press release but-
ton ?and push the rod downwards until it
engages.
XMake sure that locking button =on brack-
ets ;is pressed.
This keeps brackets ;in place on the
loading rail.
XTo remove: press release button ?on
respective bracket ;and remove tele-
scopic rod :by pulling it upwards and out.
Stowage well under the trunk floor
(Sedan)
!
Unhook the handle before again before
closing the trunk lid and clip it in securely to
prevent the handle flap from protruding.
Otherwise, you could damage the handle.
The TIREFIT kit, the vehicle tool kit, etc. are
located in the stowage compartment.
XTo open: pull handle :up.
XHook handle :into rain trough ;.
EASY-PACK folding floor with stowage
compartment under the cargo com-
partment floor (Wagon)
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you drive when the EASY-PACK folding floor is open, objects could be flung around, thus
striking vehicle occupants. There is a risk of
injury, particularly in the event of sudden
braking or a sudden change in direction.
Always close the EASY-PACK folding floor
before a journey.
!Do not apply pressure to the EASY-PACK
folding luggage-compartment floor when it
is fully open. You may otherwise damage
248Stowag eareas
Stowag ean d features
GWARNING
Work carried out incorrectly on the battery
can lead, for example, to a short circuit and
thus damage the vehicle electronics. This can
lead to function restrictions applying to
safety-relevant systems, e.g the lighting sys-
tem, the ABS (anti-lock braking system) or the
ESP
®(Electronic Stability Program). The oper-
ating safety of your vehicle may be restricted.
You could lose control of the vehicle, for
example:
Rwhen braking
Rin the event of abrupt steering maneuvers
and/or when the vehicle's speed is not
adapted to the road conditions
There is a risk of an accident.
In the event of a short circuit or a similar inci-
dent, contact a qualified specialist workshop
immediately. Do not drive any further. You
should have all work involving the battery car- ried out at a qualified specialist workshop.
For further information about ABS and ESP®,
see (
Ypage 75) and (Ypage 80).
GWARNING
Electrostatic build-up can lead to the creation of sparks, which could ignite the highly explo-
sive gases of a battery. There is a risk of an
explosion.
Before handling the battery, touch the vehicle
body to remove any existing electrostatic
build-up.
The highly flammable gas mixture forms when
charging the battery as well as when jump-
starting.
Always make sure that neither you nor the
battery is electrostatically charged. A build-
up of electrostatic charge can be caused, for
example:
Rby wearing clothing made from synthetic
fibers
Rdue to friction between clothing and seats
Rif you push or pull the battery across the
carpet or other synthetic materials
Rif you wipe the battery with a cloth
GWARNING
During the charging process, a battery produ-
ces hydrogen gas. If a short circuit occurs or
sparks are created, the hydrogen gas can
ignite. There is a risk of an explosion.
RMake sure that the positive terminal of a
connected battery does not come into con- tact with vehicle parts.
RNever place metal objects or tools on a bat-
tery.
RIt is important that you observe the descri-
bed order of the battery terminals when
connecting and disconnecting a battery.
RWhen jump-starting, make sure that the
battery poles with identical polarity are
connected.
RIt is particularly important to observe the
described order when connecting and dis-
connecting the jumper cables.
RNever connect or disconnect the battery
terminals while the engine is running.
GWARNING
Battery acid is caustic. There is a risk of injury.
Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Do
not inhale any battery gases. Do not lean over
the battery. Keep children away from batter-
ies. Wash away battery acid immediately with
plenty of clean water and seek medical atten-
tion.
HEnvironmental note
Batteries contain dangerous
substances. It is against the
law to dispose of them with
the household rubbish. They
must be collected separately and recycled to protect the
environment.
Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally friendly
manner. Take discharged
276Battery (vehicle)
Roadside Assistance
Tire pressure table
The tire pressure table is on the inside of the
fuel filler flap.
Example: tire pressure table for all tires permitted
for this vehicle by the factory
The tire pressure table contains the recom-
mended pressures for cold tires for various
operating conditions, i.e. differing load and
speed conditions.
Example: tire pressure table with tire dimensions
If a tire size precedes a tire pressure, the tire
pressure information following is only valid
for that tire size. The load conditions "partially
laden" and "fully laden" are defined in the
table for different numbers of occupants and
amounts of luggage. The actual number of
seats may differ.
Some tire pressure tables show only the rim
diameters instead of the full tire size, e.g.
R18. The rim diameter is part of the tire size
and can be found on the tire sidewall
(
Ypage 303).
If the tire pressures have been set to the
lower values for lighter loads and/or lower
road speeds, the pressures should be reset to the higher values:
Rif you want to drive with an increased load
and/or
Rif you want to drive at higher road speeds
iThe tire pressures for increased loads
and/or higher road speeds, shown in the
tire pressure table, may have a negative
effect on driving comfort.
If the tire pressure is not set correctly, this
can lead to an excessive build-up of heat and
a sudden loss of pressure.
For more information, contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Important notes on tire pressure
GWARNING
If the tire pressure drops repeatedly, the
wheel, valve or tire may be damaged. Tire
pressure that is too low may result in a tire
blow-out. There is a risk of an accident.
RCheck the tire for foreign objects.
RCheck whether the wheel is losing air or the valve is leaking.
292Tire pressure
Wheels and tires
Number of seats
Maximum number of seats:indicates the
maximum number of occupants allowed to
travel in the vehicle. This information can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard.
iThe specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the illustra-
tion are examples. The number of seats is
vehicle-specific and can differ from the
details shown. The number of seats in your vehicle can be found on the Tire and Load-
ing Information placard.
Determining the correct load limit
Step-by-step instructions
The following steps have been developed as
required of all manufacturers under Title 49,
Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part 575
pursuant to the "National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act of 1966".
XStep 1: Locate the statement "The com-
bined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs." on
your vehicle’s Tire and Loading Information
placard.
XStep 2: Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
XStep 3: Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from XXX kilo-
grams or XXX lbs.
XStep 4: The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs and there will be five
150-lb passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs (1400 - 750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs).
XStep 5: Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and luggage load capa-
city calculated in step 4.
Loading the vehicle299
Wheels and tires
Z
Occupant distribution
The distribution of occupants in a vehicle at
their designated seating positions.
Total load limit
Nominal load and luggage load plus 68 kg
(150 lbs) multiplied by the number of seats in
the vehicle.
Changing a wheel
Flat tire
The "Breakdown assistance" section
(
Ypage 271) contains information and notes
on how to deal with a flat tire. Information on driving with MOExtended tires in the event of
a flat tire can be found under "MOExtended
tires (tires with run-flat characteristics"
(
Ypage 272).
Vehicle with emergency spare wheel: in
the event of a flat tire, the emergency spare
wheel is mounted as described under "Mount-
ing a wheel" (
Ypage 309).
Rotating the wheels
GWARNING
Interchanging the front and rear wheels may
severely impair the driving characteristics if
the wheels or tires have different dimensions. The wheel brakes or suspension components
may also be damaged. There is a risk of acci-
dent.
Rotate front and rear wheels only if the wheels and tires are of the same dimensions.
!On vehicles equipped with a tire pressure
monitor, electronic components are loca-
ted in the wheel.
Tire-mounting tools should not be used
near the valve. This could damage the elec- tronic components.
Only have tires changed at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. Always observe the instructions and safety
notes in the "Mounting a wheel" section
(
Ypage 309).
The wear patterns on the front and rear tires
differ, depending on the operating conditions.
Rotate the wheels before a clear wear pattern
has formed on the tires. Front tires typically
wear more on the shoulders and the rear tires
in the center.
If your vehicle's tire configuration allows, you
can rotate the wheels according to the inter-
vals in the tire manufacturer's warranty book
in your vehicle documents. If no warranty
book is available, the tires should be rotated
every 3,000 to 6,000 miles (5,000 to
10,000 km), or earlier if tire wear requires. Do
not change the direction of wheel rotation.
Clean the contact surfaces of the wheel and
the brake disc thoroughly every time a wheel
is rotated. Check the tire pressure and reac-
tivate the tire pressure monitor if necessary
(
Ypage 297).
Direction of rotation
Tires with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk of hydroplaning. These advantages can only
be gained if the tires are installed correspond-
ing to the direction of rotation.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tire indicates its correct direction of rotation.
Storing wheels
Store wheels that are not being used in a cool,
dry and preferably dark place. Protect the
tires from oil, grease, gasoline and diesel.
Mounting a wheel
Preparing the vehicle
XStop the vehicle on solid, non-slippery and
level ground.
XApply the parking brake.
Changing a wheel309
Wheels and tires
Z