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 separatelyand recycled to protect the
environment.
Dispose of batteries in an
environmentally friendly
manner. Take discharged
batteries to a qualified spe-
cialist workshop or a special
collection point for used bat-
teries.
!Have the battery checked regularly at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Observe the service intervals in the Main-
tenance Booklet or contact a qualified spe-
cialist workshop for more information.
!You should have all work involving the
battery carried out at a qualified specialist
workshop. In the exceptional case that it is
necessary for you to disconnect the battery
yourself, make sure that:
Ryou switch off the engine and remove the
SmartKey. On vehicles with KEYLESS-
GO, ensure that the ignition is switched
off. Check that all the indicator lamps in
the instrument cluster are off. Otherwise, electronic components, such as the
alternator, may be damaged.
Ryou first remove the negative terminal
clamp and then the positive terminal
clamp. Never swap the terminal clamps.
Otherwise, the vehicle's electronic sys-
tem may be damaged.
Rthe transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. The vehi-
cle is secured against rolling away. You
can then no longer move the vehicle.
556Battery (vehicle)
Breakdown assistance
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.
RDo 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.
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 that:
Rthe jumper cables are not damaged.
RBare parts of the terminal clamp do not come into contact with other metal parts while the
jumper cables are connected to the battery.
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.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 0in the ignition lock and remove it (Ypage 151). On vehicles
with KEYLESS-GO, make sure the ignition is switched off (
Ypage 152). All indicator lamps
in the instrument cluster must be off.
XSwitch off all electrical consumers, e.g. rear window defroster, lighting, etc.
XOpen the hood.
560Jump-starting
Breakdown assistance
!When towing vehicles with KEYLESS-GO,
use the key instead of the Start/Stop but-
ton. Otherwise, the automatic transmission
may shift to position Pwhen the driver's or
front-passenger door are opened, which
could lead to damage to the transmission.
!Make sure that the electric parking brake
is released. If the electric parking brake is
faulty, visit a qualified specialist workshop.
!The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km). The towing speed of
30 mph (50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to be towed more than
30 miles (50km), the entire vehicle must be
raised and transported.
!If you tow or tow-start another vehicle, its
weight must not exceed the maximum per-
missible gross vehicle weight of your vehi-
cle.
iInformation on your vehicle's gross vehi-
cle weight rating can be found on the vehi-
cle identification plate; see the printed
Operator's Manual.
iInformation on your vehicle's gross vehi-
cle weight rating can be found on the vehi-
cle identification plate (
Ypage 601).
It is better to have the vehicle transported
than to have it towed away.
The automatic transmission must be in posi-
tion Nwhen the vehicle is being towed.
The battery must be connected and charged. Otherwise, you:
Rcannot turn the SmartKey to position 2in
the ignition lock
Rcannot shift the automatic transmission to position N.
Before the vehicle is towed, deactivate the
automatic locking feature (
Ypage 234). You
could otherwise be locked out when pushing
or towing the vehicle.
Installing/removing the towing eye
Installing the towing eye
GWARNING
The exhaust tail pipe may be very hot. There is
a risk of burns when removing the rear cover.
Do not touch the exhaust pipe. Take particular
care when removing the rear cover.
Example: towing eye mounting covers
:
Front cover
;Back cover
The mountings for the screw-in towing eyes
are located in the bumpers. They are at the
front and at the rear, behind the covers.
XRemove the towing eye from the vehicle
tool kit (
Ypage 550).
XFront bumper: insert a finger into the
recess on the bottom edge of cover :.
XPull cover:out of the bumper towards
you in the direction of the arrow.
Cover :is attached to the opening with a
strap.
XRear bumper: press the mark on cover ;
inwards in the direction of the arrow.
XTake cover ;off the opening.
XScrew in the towing eye clockwise as far as
it will go and tighten it.
562Towing and tow-starting
Breakdown assistance
Removing the towing eye
Example: towing eye mounting covers
:
Front cover
;Back cover
XUnscrew and remove the towing eye.
XFront bumper:position cover:on the
opening in the bumper, as shown.
XTwist cover :into the opening in the direc-
tion of the arrow.
Cover :is now attached at the top edge of
the opening.
XTo close, press the lower section of
cover :.
XRear bumper: position cover;on the
bumper and press until it engages.
XPlace the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit
(
Ypage 550).
Towing a vehicle with both axles on
the ground
GWARNING
You can no longer steer the vehicle if the
steering wheel lock has been engaged. There
is a risk of an accident.
Always switch off the ignition when towing the
vehicle with a tow cable or a tow bar.
The automatic transmission automatically
shifts to position Pwhen you open the driver's
or front-passenger door or when you remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
In order to ensure that the automatic trans-
mission stays in position Nwhen towing the
vehicle, you must observe the following
points:
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps
(
Ypage 126).
XMake sure that the vehicle is stationary and
that the key is in position 0in the ignition
lock.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
On vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, use the
SmartKey instead of the Start/Stop button
(
Ypage 152).
XDepress and hold the brake pedal.
XShift the transmission to position N.
XRelease the brake pedal.
XRelease the electric parking brake.
XLeave the SmartKey in position2in the
ignition lock.
In order to signal a change of direction when
towing the vehicle with the hazard warning
lamps switched on, use the combination
switch as usual. In this case, only the indica-
tor lamps for the direction of travel flash.
When you res et the co
mbination switch, the
hazard warning flashers start flashing again.
It is important that you observe the safety
instructions when towing away your vehicle
(
Ypage 561).
Towing the vehicle 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 automatic transmission
must not be towed with the rear axle raised.
Towing and tow-starting563
Breakdown assistance
Z
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 transmission to position N.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded:
XPrevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the electric parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XTurn the SmartKey to position0in the igni-
tion lock and remove it.
XSecure the vehicle.
Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
!
Vehicles with automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. You could other-
wise damage the automatic transmission.
You can find information on "Jump-starting" at
(
Ypage 559).
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 specifiednew fuses having the correct amperage.
!Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which
have the correct fuse rating for the system
concerned. Otherwise, components or sys-
tems could be damaged.
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the compo-
nents on the circuit and their functions stop
operating.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognize by
the color and value. The fuse ratings are listed
in the fuse allocation chart.
If a newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Before changing a fuse
XSecure the vehicle against rolling away
(
Ypage 171).
XSwitch off all electrical consumers.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 0in the igni-
tion lock and remove it (
Ypage 151).
or
XOn vehicles with KEYLESS-GO, make sure
the ignition is switched off (
Ypage 152).
All indicator lamps in the instrument cluster
must be off.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes:
RFuse box in the engine compartment on the right-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed
in the direction of travel
RDashboard fuse box
RFuse box in the rear compartment on the
right-hand side of the vehicle, when viewedin the direction of travel
The fuse allocation chart is located in the
vehicle tool kit in the stowage compartment
under the trunk floor (
Ypage 550).
564Fuses
Breakdown assistance
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 pay attention to the instructions and
safety notes when changing a wheel
(
Ypage 589).
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.
On vehicles that have the same size front and
rear wheels, you can rotate the wheels
according to the intervals in the tire manu-
facturer's warranty book in your vehicle docu-
ments. If no warranty book is available, the
tires should be rotated every 3,000 to
6,000 miles (5,000 to 10,000 km). Depending on tire wear, this may be required earlier. 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, if nec-
essary, restart the tire pressure loss warning
system.
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.
XUnload the vehicle. The jack can only be
used when the vehicle is unladen.
XApply the electric parking brake manually.
XBring the front wheels into the straight-
ahead position.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XSwitch off the engine.
XVehicles without KEYLESS-GO:remove
the SmartKey from the ignition lock.
XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO: open the
driver's door.
The on-board electronics now have status
0. This is the same as the SmartKey having
been removed.
XVehicles with KEYLESS-GO: remove the
Start/Stop button from the ignition lock
(
Ypage 152).
XIf included in the vehicle equipment,
remove the tire-change tool kit from the
vehicle.
XSafeguard the vehicle against rolling away.
Securing the vehicle to prevent it from
rolling away
If your vehicle is equipped with a wheel chock,
it can be found in the tire-change tool kit
(
Ypage 550).
Changing a wheel589
Wheels and tires
Z