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Vehicle care199Caution
Do not tow the vehicle from the
rear. The front towing eye must
only be used for towing and not
recovering a vehicle.
Caution
Activate the child locks in the rear
doors if the rear seats are
occupied. Child locks 3 32.
Switch on ignition to permit operation
of brake lights, horn and windscreen
wipers, and move the steering wheel
slightly to release the steering wheel
lock.
Note
Depending on version, it may be
necessary to switch on the engine to
permit operation of brake lights.
Move the selector lever to neutral.
Release the parking brake.
Caution
Drive slowly. Do not drive jerkily.
Excessive tractive force can
damage the vehicle.
When the engine is not running,
considerably more force is needed to
brake and steer.
Switch on hazard warning flashers
3 111.
To prevent the entry of exhaust fumes
from the towing vehicle, switch on the air recirculation system 3 117 and
close the windows.
Seek the assistance of a workshop.
After towing, unscrew the towing eye
and replace cap.
Towing another vehicle
The fixed towing eye is located under the rear bumper, on the left vehicle
side.
Attach a tow rope - or better still a tow
rod - to the rear towing eye, never to
the rear axle and suspension units.
The rear towing eye must only be
used for towing and not recovering a
vehicle.
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200Vehicle careCaution
Drive slowly. Do not drive jerkily.
Excessive tractive force can
damage the vehicle.
Trailer hitch 3 162.
Appearance care
Exterior care
Locks The locks are lubricated at the factoryusing a high quality lock cylinder
grease. Use de-icing agent only when absolutely necessary, as this has adegreasing effect and impairs lockfunction. After using a de-icing agent,
have the locks regreased by a
workshop.
Washing
The paintwork of your vehicle is
exposed to environmental influences, therefore wash your vehicle regularly.
When using automatic vehicle
washes, we recommend one with
textile brushes and a programme
without wax additives. Restrictions for
filmed or matt painted body parts or
decor tapes, see "Polishing and
waxing".
Never use a steam-jet or high-
pressure jet cleaner for the engine
compartment.Wax painted parts of the vehicle
regularly.
Bird droppings, dead insects, resin,
pollen and the like should be cleaned off immediately, as they contain
aggressive constituents which can
cause paint damage.
If using a vehicle wash, comply with
the vehicle wash manufacturer's
instructions. The windscreen wipers
and rear window wiper must be
switched off and the exterior mirrors
must be folded in. Remove antenna
and external accessories such as roof
racks etc.
If you wash your vehicle by hand,
make sure that the insides of the
wheel housings are also thoroughly
rinsed out.
Clean edges and folds on opened
doors and the bonnet as well as the
areas they cover.
Clean bright metal mouldings with a
cleaning solution approved for
aluminium, to avoid damage.
Page 203 of 237

Vehicle care201Caution
Always use a cleaning agent with
a pH value of four to nine.
Do not use cleaning agents on hot surfaces.
Thoroughly rinse and leather-off the
vehicle. Rinse leather frequently. Use
separate leathers for painted and
glass surfaces: remnants of wax on
the windows will impair vision.
Have the door hinges of all doors
greased by a workshop.
Do not use hard objects to remove
spots of tar. Use tar removal spray on
painted surfaces.
Exterior lights
Headlight and other light covers are
made of plastic. Do not use any
abrasive or caustic agents, do not use
an ice scraper, and do not clean them
dry.
Polishing and waxing
Wax the vehicle regularly (at the
latest when water no longer beads).
Otherwise, the paintwork will dry out.
Polishing is necessary only if the paint
has become dull or if solid deposits
have become attached to it.
Paintwork polish with silicone forms a protective film, making waxing
unnecessary.
Unpainted plastic body parts must not
be treated with wax or polishing
agents.
Matt filmed body parts or decor tapes must not be polished, to avoid
gleaming. Do not use hot wax
programmes in automatic car washes if the vehicle is equipped with these
parts.
Matt painted decor parts, e.g. mirror
housing cover, must not be polished. Otherwise these parts would become
agleam or the colour would be
dissolved.Windows and windscreen wiper
blades
Use a soft lint-free cloth or chamois
leather together with window cleaner and insect remover.
When cleaning the rear window from
inside, always wipe in parallel to the
heating element to prevent damage.
For mechanical removal of ice, use a
sharp-edged ice scraper. Press the
scraper firmly against the glass so
that no dirt can get under it and
scratch the glass.
Remove dirt residues from smearing wiper blades by using a soft cloth and window cleaner. Also make sure to
remove any residues such as wax,
insect residues and similar from the
window.
Ice residues, pollution and continuous
wiping on dry windows will damage or
even destroy the wiper blades.
Wheels and tyres Do not use high-pressure jet
cleaners.
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202Vehicle careClean rims with a pH-neutral wheel
cleaner.
Rims are painted and can be treated
with the same agents as the body.
Paintwork damageRectify minor paintwork damage with
a touch-up pen before rust forms.
Have more extensive damage or rust
areas repaired by a workshop.
Underbody Some areas of the vehicle underbody
have a PVC undercoating while other
critical areas have a durable
protective wax coating.
After the underbody is washed, check
the underbody and have it waxed if
necessary.
Bitumen / rubber materials could
damage the PVC coating. Have
underbody work carried out by a
workshop.
Before and after winter, wash the
underbody and have the protective
wax coating checked.Towing equipment
Do not clean the coupling ball bar with
a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
Interior care
Interior and upholstery Only clean the vehicle interior,
including the instrument panel fascia
and panelling, with a dry cloth or
interior cleaner.
Clean any leather upholstery with
clear water and a soft cloth. In case of
heavy soiling, use leather care.
The instrument cluster and the
displays should only be cleaned using a soft damp cloth. If necessary use aweak soap solution.
Clean fabric upholstery with a
vacuum cleaner and brush. Remove
stains with an upholstery cleaner.
Clothing fabrics may not be
colourfast. This could cause visible
discolourations, especially on light-coloured upholstery. Removable
stains and discolourations should be
cleaned as soon as possible.
Clean seat belts with lukewarm water or interior cleaner.Caution
Close Velcro fasteners as open
Velcro fasteners on clothing could
damage seat upholstery.
The same applies to clothing with
sharp-edged objects, like zips or
belts or studded jeans.
Plastic and rubber parts
Plastic and rubber parts can be
cleaned with the same cleaner as
used to clean the body. Use interior cleaner if necessary. Do not use any
other agent. Avoid solvents and petrol in particular. Do not use high-
pressure jet cleaners.
Page 205 of 237

Service and maintenance203Service and
maintenanceGeneral information ...................203
Service information ..................203
Recommended fluids, lubricants and parts .................................... 205
Recommended fluids and lubricants ................................ 205General information
Service information In order to ensure economical and
safe vehicle operation and to
maintain the value of your vehicle, it
is of vital importance that all
maintenance work is carried out at the proper intervals as specified.
The detailed, up-to-date service
schedule for the vehicle is available at
the workshop.
Service display 3 93.
Engine identification 3 208.
European service intervals Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 40,000 km or after
two years, whichever occurs first,
unless otherwise indicated by the
service display.
A shorter service interval can be valid for severe driving behaviour, e.g. for
taxis and police vehicles.
The European service intervals are
valid for the following countries:Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Croatia,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United
Kingdom.
Service display 3 93.
International service intervals
Israel:
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 40,000 km or after
one year, whichever occurs first, unless otherwise indicated by theservice display.
Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro,
Serbia:
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 30,000 km or after
two years, whichever occurs first,
unless otherwise indicated by the
service display.
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204Service and maintenanceRomania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Cyprus:
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 30,000 km or after
one year, whichever occurs first,
unless otherwise indicated by the service display.
Australia, New Zealand:
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 30,000 km or after
two years, whichever occurs first,
unless otherwise indicated by the
service display.
Turkey:
Maintenance of your vehicle is required every 20,000 km or after
one year, whichever occurs first,
unless otherwise indicated by the service display.
Morocco:
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 15,000 km or after
one year, whichever occurs first, unless otherwise indicated by the
service display.South Africa:
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 15,000 km or after
one year, whichever occurs first,
unless otherwise indicated by the service display.
Russia, Ukraine, Belarus,
Kazakhstan:
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 15,000 km or after
one year, whichever occurs first,
unless otherwise indicated by the
service display.
Algeria, Tunisia:
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 10,000 km or after
one year, whichever occurs first,
unless otherwise indicated by the
service display.
International:
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 10,000 km or after
one year, whichever occurs first,
unless otherwise indicated by the
service display.
International countries include:
Malta, Singapore.International+:
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 8,000 km or after
one year, whichever occurs first,
unless otherwise indicated by the
service display.
International + countries include:
To be defined.
International++:
Maintenance of your vehicle is
required every 5,000 km or after
six months, whichever occurs first,
unless otherwise indicated by the
service display.
International ++ countries include:
Hong Kong.
Severe operating conditions exist if
one or more of the following
circumstances occur frequently: Cold
starting, stop and go operation, trailer operation, mountain driving, driving
on poor and sandy road surfaces,
increased air pollution, presence of
airborne sand and high dust content,
driving at high altitude and large
variations of temperature. Under
these severe operating conditions,
Page 207 of 237

Service and maintenance205certain service work may be requiredmore frequently than the regular
service interval.
Service display 3 93.
Confirmations
Confirmation of service is recorded in the Service and warranty booklet.
The date and mileage is completed
with the stamp and signature of the servicing workshop.
Make sure that the Service and
warranty booklet is completed
correctly as continuous proof of
service is essential if any warranty or goodwill claims are to be met, and is
also a benefit when selling the
vehicle.
Service display The service interval is based on
several parameters depending on
usage.
The service display, located in the
Driver Information Centre, indicates
when the next service is due. Seek
the assistance of a workshop.
Service display 3 93.Recommended fluids,
lubricants and parts
Recommended fluids and lubricants
Only use products that meet the
recommended specifications.9 Warning
Operating materials are
hazardous and could be
poisonous. Handle with care. Pay
attention to information given on
the containers.
Engine oil
Engine oil is identified by its quality
and its viscosity. Quality is more
important than viscosity when
selecting which engine oil to use. The oil quality ensures e.g. engine
cleanliness, wear protection and oil
aging control, whereas viscosity
grade gives information on the oil's
thickness over a temperature range.
Dexos is the newest engine oil quality
that provides optimum protection for diesel engines. If it is unavailable,
engine oils of other listed qualities
must be used.
Select the appropriate engine oil based on its quality and on the
minimum ambient temperature
3 209.
Topping up engine oilCaution
In case of any spilled oil, wipe it up and dispose it properly.
Engine oils of different manufacturersand brands can be mixed as long as
they comply with the required engine
oil quality and viscosity.
Select the appropriate engine oil
based on its quality and on the
minimum ambient temperature
3 209.
Additional engine oil additives
The use of additional engine oil
additives could cause damage and
invalidate the warranty.
Page 208 of 237

206Service and maintenanceEngine oil viscosity grades
The SAE viscosity grade gives
information of the thickness of the oil.
Multigrade oil is indicated by two
figures, e.g. SAE 5W-30. The first
figure, followed by a W, indicates the
low temperature viscosity and the
second figure the high temperature viscosity.
Select the appropriate viscosity grade
depending on the minimum ambient
temperature 3 209.
All of the recommended viscosity
grades are suitable for high ambient
temperatures.
Coolant and antifreeze
Use only silicate-free long life coolant (LLC) antifreeze approved for the
vehicle. Consult a workshop.
The system is factory filled with
coolant designed for excellent
corrosion protection and frost
protection down to approx. -28 °C.
This concentration should be
maintained all year round. The use of additional coolant additives that
intend to give additional corrosionprotection or seal against minor leaks
can cause function problems. Liability
for consequences resulting from the
use of additional coolant additives will be rejected.
Washer fluid Use only washer fluid approved for
the vehicle to prevent damage of
wiper blades, paintwork, plastic and
rubber parts. Consult a workshop.
Brake fluid Over time, brake fluid absorbs
moisture which will reduce braking
effectiveness. The brake fluid should
therefore be replaced at the specified
interval.
AdBlue Only use AdBlue to reduce the
nitrogen oxides in the exhaust
emission 3 141.