Check the brake fluid level regularly, e.g. weekly
or when refueling.
Checking the brake fluid level
XStop your veh icleas far away from traff icas
possible on level ground.
XSwitch off the engine.
XSecure the veh icleto prevent itfrom rolling
away.
XOpen the hood (Ypage 253).
XCheck the brake fluid leve l.
The brake fluid level isadequate ifthe level is
between the MIN mark and MAX mark on
brake fluid reservoir :.
XClose the hood.
Washer fluid
GWARNING
Opening the hood when the engine isover-
heated or when there isa fire inthe engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There isa risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool downbefore
opening the hood. Ifthere isa fire inthe
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department.
GWAR NING
Certain components inthe engine compart-
ment, such as the engine, radiator and parts
of the exhaust system, can become very hot.
Working inthe engine compartment poses a
risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down and touch only the components describe d in the
following.
GWARNING
Windshield washer concentrate could ignite if it comes into contact with hot engine compo-
nents or the exhaust system. There isa risk of
fire and injury.
Make sure that no windshield washer con-
centrate is spilled next to the filler neck.
!Only use washer fluid that is suitable for
plastic lamp lenses, e.g. MB SummerFit or MB WinterFit. Unsuitable washer fluid could dam-
age the plastic lenses of the headlamps.
Example :washe rfluid reservoir
Add wind shield washer concentrate to the
washer fluid all year round. Observe the infor-
mation regarding washer fluid under "Service
Products and Capacities" (
Ypage 313).
Adding washer fluid
XMix the washer fluid to the appropriate mixing
rat io in a container beforehand.
XOpen the hood (Ypage 253).
XPull cap :on the washer fluid reservoir
upwards at the tab.
XAdd the premixed washer fluid.
XPress cap :onto the filler neck until it
engages audibly.
XClose the hood.
258Engine compartment
Maintenance and care
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.
!You should have all work involving the bat-
tery carried out at a qualified specialist work-
shop.
If, in exceptional circumstances, you need to
disconnect the battery yourself, please make
sure that:
RSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
RYou have switched off the engine and
removed the key. Make sure the ignition is
switched off. Check to see that there are no
indicator lamps lighting in the instrument
cluster. Electronic components such as the
alternator may otherwise be damaged.
RAfter the battery has been disconnected,
the parking brake is automatically
engaged. You can then no longer move the
vehicle.
RFor vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission is locked in position P
after disconnecting the battery. You can
then no longer move the vehicle.
RYou have first removed the negative termi- nal and then the positive terminal. Never
mix up the terminal clamp disconnection/
connection order and never mix up the ter-
minal clamps. The vehicle's electronics
may otherwise be damaged. The battery and the cover of the positive ter-
minal clamp must be installed securely during
operation.
Seat base (example: right-hand front seat)
The following description on disconnecting and
removing the battery is based upon the example
of the starter battery in the seat base of the
driver's seat. The additional battery is discon-
nected and removed in the same way as the
starter battery. The auxiliary battery is located in the seat base of the left-hand front seat.
XSwitch off all electrical consumers.
XSwitch off the engine and remove the key
from the ignition lock.
XOpen the front door on the right-hand side.
iTo disconnect or remove the additional bat-
tery, open the left-hand front door. The auxil-
iary battery is located in the seat base of the
left-hand front seat.
XPress both latching springs :down and
remove cover ;upwards from the seat base.
XRemove cover ;by pulling upwards at an
angle from the seat base.
Open seat base (example: right-hand front seat)
XRemove screws Afrom holder B.
XRemove holder B.
262Battery
Maintenance and care
installed in the vehicle. The vehicle's elec-
tronics system may otherwise be damaged.
!Only charge the battery using the jump-
starting connection point.
A battery charger unit specially adapted for
Mercedes-Benz vehicles and tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz is available as an
accessory. Only this device permits the charging
of the battery in its installed position. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Commercial Van
Center for information and availability. Read the
operating instructions for your charger before
charging the battery.
Recharge the battery more frequently if you use the vehicle mainly for short trips and/or drive at
low outside temperatures.
Only charge the installed battery with a battery
charger that has been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz, using the jump-start connec-
tion point in the engine compartment.
XConnect the battery charger to the positive
terminal and ground terminal in the same
order as when connecting the donor battery in
the jump-starting procedure (
Ypage 274).
iIf a battery is not installed and not in service,
you should charge it every three months. This
will counter self-discharging and prevent bat-
tery damage.
Care
!
Dirty battery clamps and battery surfaces
cause leak currents which lead to the batter-
ies discharging.
!Do not use cleaning agents containing fuel.
Cleaning agents containing fuel corrode the
battery housing.
!If dirt gets into the battery cell, battery self-
discharge will increase and the battery may
be damaged.
The following points on battery care must be
observed:
XRegularly check the battery terminals and the
fastening of the negative cable to the chassis
to ensure that they are firmly seated.
XAlways keep the battery terminals and battery
surfaces clean and dry.
XLightly grease the undersides of the battery
terminals with acid-resistant grease.
XOnly clean the battery casing with a commer-
cially available cleaning product.
Care
Notes on care
GWARNING
If you use openings in the bodywork or
detachable parts as steps, you could:
Rslip and/or fall
Rdamage the vehicle and cause yourself to
fall.
There is a risk of injury.
Always use secure climbing aids, e.g. a suita-
ble ladder.
!Do not use the lower sliding door guide (car-
riage) as a step. Otherwise, you could damage
the paneling and/or the sliding door mecha-
nism.
!For cleaning your vehicle, do not use any of
the following:
Rdry, rough or hard cloths
Rabrasive cleaning agents
Rsolvents
Rcleaning agents containing solvents
Do not scrub.
Do not touch the surfaces or protective films
with hard objects, e.g. a ring or ice scraper.
You could otherwise scratch or damage the
surfaces and protective film.
!Do not park your vehicle for a long period of
time directly after cleaning, particularly after
cleaning the wheel rim with wheel cleaner.
Wheel cleaner can lead to the increased cor-
rosion of the brake discs and pads. Therefore,
drive for a few minutes after cleaning. By
heating up the brakes, the brake discs and
pads dry. The vehicle can then be parked for a
long period of time.
HEnvironmental note
Only clean your vehicle at specially designed
wash bays. Dispose of empty containers and
Care265
Maintenance and care
Z
used cleaning productsinan environmentally
responsible manner.
HEnvironmental note
Dispose of empty packaging and cleaning
cloths inan environmentally responsible man-
ner.
Regular care of your veh icle isa condition for
retaining the qualityin the long term.
Use care products and cleaning agents recom-
mended and approved byMercedes-Benz.
Washing the vehicle and cleaning the
paintwork
Automatic car wash
GWAR NING
Braking eff iciency isreduced after washing
the veh icle. There isa risk of an acc ident.
After the veh iclehas been washed, brake
carefully whilepaying attention to the traff ic
conditions unt ilfull braking power isrestored.
!Make sure that the automat iccar wash is
suitable for the size of the veh icle.
Before washing the veh icle inan automat ic
car wash, fold inthe exterior mirrors and
remove any additional antennas. Otherwise,
the exterior mirror, antenna or the veh icle
itself could bedamaged.
Make sure that the exterior mirrors are fully
folded out again and that any additional
antennas are re-installed when you leave the
automat iccar wash.
!Make sure that:
Rthe side wind ows and the roof are com-
plet ely closed
Rthe clim ate control blower is swit ched off
Rthewind shield wiper swit chisat position 0
The veh iclecould otherwise be damaged.
You can wash the veh icle inan automat iccar
wash from the very start.
Wash off excess dirtbefore cleaning the veh icle
in an automat iccar wash. After putting the vehicle through an automat
ic
car wash, wipeoff wax from:
Rthe windshield
Rthewind shield wiperblades
This will prevent smears and reduce wiping
noises caused byresidue on the windshield.
Ron vehicles with rear doors, from the rear view
c
amera lens inthe top of the license plate
molding (
Ypage 269)
Washing by hand
In some countries, washing by hand is only
allowed at specially equipped washing bays.
Observe the legal requirements of the country
you are currently in when washing by hand.
XDo not use hot water and donot wash the
vehicle in direct sunlight.
XUse a soft car sponge.
XUse a mildcleaning agent, e.g. a Mercedes-
Benz approved car shampoo.
XThoroughly hose down the vehicle with a gen-
tle jet of water.
XDo not point the water jet directly towards the
air inlet grilles.
XUse plenty of water and rinse out the sponge
frequently.
XRinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
XDo not let the cleaning agents dry on the
paintwork.
When using the vehicle inwinter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible.
Power washers
GWARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozz le(dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior damage
to the tires or chassis components. Compo-
nents damaged in this way may fail unexpect-
edly. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not use power washers with circular jet
nozzles to clean the vehicle. Have damaged
tires or chassis components replaced imme-
diat ely.
!Under no circumstances use power washers
in the vehicle interior. The pressurized water
266Care
Maintenance and care
Exterior
Cleaning the wheels
!Do not use any acidic or alkaline cleaning
agents. They can cause corrosion on the
wheel bolts or the retainer springs for the
wheel-balancing weights.
!Do not park your vehicle for a long period of
time directly after cleaning, particularly after
cleaning the wheel rim with wheel cleaner.
Wheel cleaner can lead to the increased cor-
rosion of the brake discs and pads. Therefore,
drive for a few minutes after cleaning. By
heating up the brakes, the brake discs and
pads dry. The vehicle can then be parked for a
long period of time.
If you clean the wheels with a power washer,
observe the safety notes for the power washer
(
Ypage 266). You could otherwise damage the
tires.
Cleaning the wiper blades
GWARNING
You could become trapped by the windshield wipers if they start moving while cleaning the
windshield or wiper blades. There is a risk of
injury.
Always switch off the windshield wipers and
the ignition before cleaning the windshield or
wiper blades.
!Do not fold the windshield wipers away from
the windshield unless the hood is closed. Oth-
erwise, you could damage the hood.
!Do not pull the wiper blade. Otherwise, the
wiper blade could be damaged.
!Do not clean wiper blades too often and do
not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the graph-
ite coating could be damaged. This could
cause wiper noise.
!Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windshield could be damaged if the
wiper arm smacks against it suddenly.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 0in the ignition
lock or remove the SmartKey.
XFold the windshield wiper arms away from the
windshield until you feel them engage.
XCarefully clean the wiper blades with a damp
cloth.
XFold back the wiper arms before switching on
the ignition.
Cleaning the exterior lighting
!Only use cleaning agents or cleaning cloths
which are suitable for plastic light lenses.
Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning cloths
could scratch or damage the plastic light len- ses.
XClean the plastic covers of the exterior light-
ing with a damp sponge and a mild cleaning
agent, e.g. Mercedes-Benz car shampoo, or
with cleaning cloths.
Cleaning the sensors
!Do not use dry, coarse or hard cloths and do
not scrub. You will otherwise scratch or dam-
age the sensors.
If you clean the sensors with a power washer
or steam cleaner, observe the information
provided by the manufacturer regarding the
distance to be maintained between the vehi-
cle and the nozzle of the power washer.
XClean drive system sensors :with water, car
shampoo and a soft cloth.
268Care
Maintenance and care
!Vehicles with a gasoline engine:avoid
repeated and lengthy starting attempts. Oth-
erwise, the catalytic converter could be dam-
aged by non-combusted fuel.
If the indicator and warning lamps in the instru-
ment cluster do not light up at low tempera-
tures, the discharged battery may have frozen.
In this case you may neither charge the battery
nor jump-start the vehicle. The service life of a
thawed battery may be shorter. Start-up behav-
ior may deteriorate, in particular at low temper-
atures. Have the thawed battery checked at a
qualified specialist workshop.
Do not use a rapid charging device to start the
vehicle. If your vehicle's battery is discharged,
the engine can be jump-started from another
vehicle or from a donor battery using jumper
cables. For this purpose, the vehicle has a jump-
starting connection point in the engine com-
partment.
When jump-starting, 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 donor 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.
Rjump-starting may only be performed from
batteries with a nominal voltage of 12 V.
Ronly use jumper cables that have a sufficient
cross-section and insulated terminal clamps.
Rif the battery is fully discharged, attach the
battery of another vehicle for a few minutes
before attempting to start. This charges the
empty battery a little.
Rmake sure that the two vehicles do not touch.
Make sure that:
Rthe jumper cables are not damaged.
Rbare parts of the terminal clamps 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 such as the V-belt pulley or the fan.
These parts move when the engine is started
and while it is running.
Jumper cables and further information regarding
jump starting can be obtained at any qualified
specialist workshop.
Before connecting the jumper cables
XApply the parking brake.
XShift the transmission to position P.
XSwitch off all electrical consumers, e.g. audio
equipment, blower.
XTurn the key to position 0in the ignition lock
and remove it.
XOpen the hood (Ypage 253).
Connecting the jumper cable
XPush contact protection cover :of the jump-
starting connection point backwards against
the spring force as far as it will go.
The jump-starting connection point is visible.
Terminal connecting planXRemove the cover from positive terminal =
of the donor vehicle's battery.
XConnect the positive terminal clamp of the
jumper cable to positive terminal =of the
donor vehicle's battery, and then to positive
terminal Aof the jump-starting connection
point.
XRun the donor vehicle's engine at idling
speed.
Jump-starting275
Breakdown assistance
Z
XConnect the negative terminal clamp of the
jumper cable to negative terminal;of the
donor veh icle's battery, and then to earth
contact ?of your own veh icle.
XInsert the key into the ignition lock and start
the engine.
You can now switch electrical consumers
back on except the lighting system.
XBefore disconnecting the jumper cables, let
the engine run for several minutes.
XDisconnect the negative terminal of the
jumper cable from earth contact ?and then
from negative terminal ;of the donor veh i-
cle's battery.
XDisconnect the positive terminal clamp of the
jumper cable from positive terminal Aon the
jump-starting connection point, and then
from positive terminal =of the donor veh i-
cle's battery.
Contact protection cover :isautomatically
returned forwards to its original position by
the spring force and the jump-starting con-
nection pointis closed.
XPosition the cover on positive terminal =of
the donor veh icle's battery.
You can now switch on the lighting system.
XHave the battery checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
Tow-starting and towing away
Important safety notes
GWAR NING
Functions relevant to safety are restricted or
no longer availab leif:
Rthe engine isnot running.
Rthe brake system or the power steering is
malfunctioning.
Rthere isa malfunction inthe voltage supply
or the veh icle's electrical system.
If your veh icle is bein g towed, much more
force may benecessary to steer or brake.
There isa risk of an acc ident.
In such cases, use a tow bar. Before to wing,
make sure that the steering moves freely.
GWARNING
You can no longer steer the vehicle ifthe
steering wheel lock has been engaged. There
is a risk of an accident.
Alwa ysswit ch off the ignition when to wingthe
vehicle with a tow cable or a tow bar.
GWARNING
When to wingor tow-starting another vehicle
and its weight isgreater than the permissible
gross weight of your vehicle, the:
Rthe to wingeye could detach itself
Rthe vehicle /trailer combination could roll-
over.
There is a risk of an accident.
When towing or tow-starting another vehicle,
its weight should not be greater than the per- missible gross weight of your vehicle.
In formation on the gross vehicle weight can be
found on the vehicle identification plate
(
Ypage 305).
!Secure the tow rope or tow bar to the to wing
eye or trailer tow hitch only. Otherwise, the
vehicle could become damaged.
!Do not use the to wingeye for recovery, this
could damage the vehicle. If indoubt, recover
the vehicle with a crane.
!Drive slowly and smoothly when to wing.
Excessive tractive power could otherwise
damage the vehicles.
!Shift the automatic transmission to Nand
do not open the driver's or front passenger's
door during to wing. The automatic transmis-
sion may otherwise shift to position P,whic h
could damage the transmission.
!The vehicle can be towed a maximum of
30 miles (50km ).The to wingspeed of 30 mph
(50 km/h) must not be exceeded.
If the vehicle has to betowed more than
30 mile
s(50k
m) ,the entire vehicl emust be
raised and transported.
When towing away, you must observe the legal
requirements for the country in which you are
currently driving.
It is better to have the vehicle transported than
to have it towed.
276Tow-starting and towing away
Breakdown assistance
Have the vehicle transported on a transporter or
trailer if it has transmission damage.
The automatic transmission must be in position
iwhen the vehicle is being towed away. If the
automatic transmission cannot be shifted to
position i, have the vehicle transported on a
transporter or trailer.
The battery must be connected and charged.
Otherwise, you:
Rcannot turn the key to position 2in the igni-
tion lock.
Rcannot shift the transmission to position i.
Before the vehicle is towed, switch off the auto-
matic locking feature (
Ypage 74). You could
otherwise lock yourself out of the vehicle when
pushing or towing away the vehicle.
Installing/removing the towing eye
The fixture for the front towing eye is located in the
bumper.
The rear towing eye is located under the bumper.
If you tow or tow-start a vehicle, attach the tow-
ing device to rear towing eye ;.
If your vehicle is equipped with a trailer tow
hitch, attach the towing device to the trailer tow
hitch (
Ypage 165). Installing the front towing eye
XTake the towing eye and screwdriver from the
vehicle tool kit (Ypage 272).
XPress the arrow on the cover
:and remove
cover :from the opening.
You will see the fixture for the towing eye.
XScrew in the towing eye clockwise to the stop.
XInsert the screwdriver into the towing eye and
tighten the towing eye.
XStow the screwdriver in the vehicle tool kit
(Ypage 272).
Removing the front towing eye
XRemove the screwdriver from the vehicle tool
kit (Ypage 272).
XInsert the screwdriver into the towing eye and
turn the screwdriver counter-clockwise.
XUnscrew the towing eye.
XInsert cover :with the lug at the top and
press it in at the bottom until it engages.
XStow the towing eye and the screwdriver with
the vehicle tool kit (Ypage 272).
Towing with the rear axle raised
!
Vehicles with automatic transmission must
not be towed with the rear axle raised. The
vehicle/trailer combination may otherwise
swerve or even roll over.
!The ignition must be switched off if the vehi-
cle is being towed with the front or rear axle
raised. Otherwise, ESP
®may intervene and
damage the brake system.
XSwitch on the hazard warning lamps
(Ypage 98).
XTurn the front wheels to the straight-ahead
position.
XRelease the parking brake.
XIf necessary, turn the key to position 0in the
ignition lock and remove it.
XTake the key with you when leaving the vehi-
cle.
XDo not exceed the towing speed of 30 mph
(50 km/h).
Please observe the important safety instruc-
tions when towing your vehicle with the rear axle
raised (
Ypage 276).
Tow-starting and towing away277
Breakdown assistance
Z