
Electrolyte or battery acid is corro-
sive. Avoid contact with skin, eyes
or clothing.
Wear suitable protective clothing,
especially gloves, apron and face-
guard.
Immediately rinse electrolyte or
acid splashes off with clean water.Contact a physician if necessary.
Wear eye protection.
Keep children away.
Observe this Operator's Manual.
For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends that you only use batteries which have
been tested and approved for your vehicle by
Mercedes-Benz. These batteries provide
increased impact protection to prevent vehi-
cle occupants from suffering acid burns
should the battery be damaged in the event of
an accident.
In order for the battery to achieve the maxi-
mum possible service life, it must always be
sufficiently charged.
Like other batteries, the vehicle battery may
discharge over time if you do not use the
vehicle. In this case, have the battery discon- nected at a qualified specialist workshop. You
can also charge the battery with a charger
recommended by Mercedes-Benz. Contact a
qualified specialist workshop for further infor- mation.
Have the battery condition of charge checked
more frequently if you use the vehicle mainly
for short trips or if you leave it standing idle
for a lengthy period. Consult a qualified spe-
cialist workshop if you wish to leave your
vehicle parked for a long period of time.
iRemove the SmartKey if you park the
vehicle and do not require any electr ical
co
nsumers. The vehicle will then use very
little energy, thus conserving battery
power.
Charging the battery
Mercedes-AMG vehicles:
!Only use battery chargers with a maxi-
mum charging voltage of 14.4 V.
Al lot her vehicles:
GWARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive
gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, open flames, creating
sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient
ventilation while charging and jump-starting.
Do not lean over a battery.
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.
GWARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at tempera-
tures below freezing point. When jump-start-
ing the vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of
an explosion.
Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before
charging it or jump-starting.
!Only use battery chargers with a maxi-
mum charging voltage of 14.8 V.
Al lve hicles:
!Only charge the battery using the jump-
starting connection point.
Battery (vehicle)349
Breakdown assistance
Z

The jump-starting connection point is in the
engine compartment (
Ypage 351).
XOpen the hood.
XConnect the battery charger to the positive
terminal and ground point in the same
order as when connecting the donor bat-
tery in the jump-starting procedure
(
Ypage 351).
Keep away from fire and open flames. Do not
lean over a battery. Never charge the battery
if it is still installed in the vehicle, unless you
use a battery charger which has been tested
and approved by Mercedes-Benz. A battery
charger unit specially adapted for Mercedes-
Benz vehicles and tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz is available as an accessory.
It permits the charging of the battery in its
installed position. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further informa-
tion and availability. Read the battery charg-
er's operating instructions before charging
the battery.
All vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehi-
cles: if the indicator/warning lamps in the
instrument cluster do not light up at low tem-
peratures, it is very likely that the discharged
battery has frozen. In this case you may nei-
ther jump-start the vehicle nor charge the
battery. The service life of a thawed-out bat-
tery may be shorter. The starting character-
istics can be impaired, particularly at low tem-
peratures. Have the thawed-out battery
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Mercedes-AMG vehicles: at low tempera-
tures, do not charge a battery which has been removed using a battery charger. Allow the
battery to warm up gently first, if necessary.
Otherwise, the service life can be shortened
and the starting characteristics impaired,
especially at low temperatures.
350Battery (vehicle)
Breakdown assistance

Jump-starting
For the jump-starting procedure, use only the jump-starting connection point, consisting of a
positive terminal and an earth point, in the engine compartment.
All vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles:
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 batteries. Wash away battery acid immediately with plenty of
clean water and seek medical attention.
GWARNING
During charging and jump-starting, explosive gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion.
Particularly avoid fire, open flames, creating sparks and smoking. Ensure there is sufficient ven-
tilation while charging and jump-starting. Do not lean over a battery.
GWARNING
During the charging process, a battery produces 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 contact with
vehicle parts.
RNever place metal objects or tools on a battery.
RIt is important that you observe the described 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 disconnecting
the jumper cables.
RNever connect or disconnect the battery terminals while the engine is running.
GWARNING
A discharged battery can freeze at temperatures below freezing point. When jump-starting the
vehicle or charging the battery, gases can escape from the battery. There is a risk of an explosion. Allow the frozen battery to thaw out before charging it or jump-starting.
!Avoid repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Otherwise, the catalytic converter could be
damaged by the non-combusted fuel.
If, at low temperatures, the indicator lamps/warning lamps in the instrument cluster do not
light up, it is highly likely that the discharged battery has frozen. In this case, you may neither
charge the battery nor jump-start the vehicle. The service life of a thawed-out battery may be
shorter. The starting characteristics can be impaired, particularly at low temperatures. Have
the thawed-out battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
All vehicles:
Jump-starting351
Breakdown assistance
Z

Do not start the vehicle using a rapid charging device. If your vehicle's battery is discharged,
the engine can be jump-started from another vehicle or from a second battery using jumper
cables. Observe the following points:
RThe battery is not accessible in all vehicles. If the other vehicle's battery is not accessible,
jump-start the vehicle using a second battery or a jump-starting device.
RYou may only jump-start the vehicle when the engine and exhaust system are cold.
RKeep away from fire and open flames.
RDo not start the engine if the battery is frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
RAll vehicles except Mercedes-AMG vehicles:do not start the engine if the battery is
frozen. Let the battery thaw first.
ROnly jump-start from batteries with a 12 V voltage rating.
ROnly use jumper cables which have a sufficient cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
RDo not lean over the battery.
RIf the battery is fully discharged, leave the battery that is being used to jump-start connected
for a few minutes before attempting to start. This charges the battery slightly.
RMake sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure tha t:
Rthe jumper cables are not damaged.
Rwhen the jumper cables are connected to the battery, uninsulated sections of the terminal
clamp do not come into contact with other metal sections.
Rthe jumper cables cannot come into contact with parts which can move when the engine is
running, such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
XSecure the vehicle by applying the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XMake sure that the ignition is switched off (Ypage 151). All indicator lamps in the instrument
cluster must be off. When using the SmartKey, turn the SmartKey to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it (
Ypage 151).
XSwitch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window defroster, lighting, etc.
XOpen the hood.
Example: ground point cover
XTurn fasteners :one Õturn and remove.
XRemove the cover whilst pressing down on cap ;of the washer fluid reservoir.
352Jump-starting
Breakdown assistance

Position numberDidentifies the charged battery of the other vehicle or an equivalent jump-
starting device.
XSlide cover Cof positive terminal =in the direction of the arrow.
XConnect positive terminal =on your vehicle to positive terminal ?of donor battery D
using the jumper cable. Always begin with positive terminal =on your own vehicle first.
XStart the engine of the donor vehicle and run it at idling speed.
XConnect negative terminal Aof donor battery Dto ground point Bof your vehicle using
the jumper cable, connecting the jumper cable to donor battery Dfirst.
XStart the engine.
XBefore disconnecting the jumper cables, let the engine run for several minutes.
XFirst, remove the jumper cables from ground point Band negative terminal A, then from
positive clamp =and positive terminal ?. Begin each time at the contacts on your own
vehicle first.
XClose cover Cof positive clamp =after removing the jumper cables.
XReplace the ground point cover. Make sure all mountings for the fasteners are positioned
precisely beneath the corresponding recesses in the cover.
XPress fasteners :into the mountings until they engage.
XHave the battery checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Jump-starting is not considered to be a normal operating condition.
iJumper cables and further information regarding jump-starting can be obtained at any
qualified specialist workshop.
Jump-starting353
Breakdown assistance
Z

tion switch, the hazard warning lamp starts
flashing again.
Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
Only vehicles without 4MATIC can be
towed with the rear axle raised.
!The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP
®could other-
wise damage the brake system.
!Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
!Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be towed with the rear axle raised.
The vehicle/trailer combination may oth-
erwise swerve or even roll over.
Transporting the vehicle
!
You may only secure the vehicle by the
wheels, not by parts of the vehicle such as axle or steering components. Otherwise,
the vehicle could be damaged.
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
XShift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded:
XPrevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
XShift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and remove it.
XSecure the vehicle.
Notes on 4MATIC vehicles
!
Vehicles with 4MATIC must not be towed
with either the front or the rear axle raised,
as doing so will damage the transmission.
Vehicles with 4MATIC may either be towed
away with both axles on the ground or be loa- ded up and transported.
If the vehicle's transmission, front, or rear
axle is damaged, have the vehicle transported
on a truck or trailer.
In the event of damage to the electrical
system: if the battery is defective, the auto-
matic transmission will be locked in position
P . To shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion N, you must provide power to the vehi-
cle's electrical system in the same way as
when jump-starting (
Ypage 351).
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter
or trailer.
Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
!
Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. You could other-
wise damage the automatic transmission.
iInformation on "Jump-starting"
(
Ypage 351).
Fuses
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you manipulate or bridge a faulty fuse or if
you replace it with a fuse with a higher amper- age, the electric cables could be overloaded.
This could result in a fire. There is a risk of an
accident and injury.
Always replace faulty fuses with the specified
new fuses having the correct amperage.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognize by
356Fuses
Breakdown assistance