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Vehicle care223and when the transmission is
defective, the front axle must be
raised off the ground.
Seek the assistance of a workshop.
After towing, unscrew the towing eye.
Insert cap with the outer flange into
the recess and fix cap by pushing.
Towing another vehicle
Wrap a cloth around the tip of a flat
screwdriver to prevent paint damage.
Insert a screwdriver in the slot at the
bottom of the cap. Release the cap by carefully moving the screwdriver
downwards.
The towing eye is stowed with the vehicle tools 3 207.
Screw in the towing eye as far as it will
go until it stops in a horizontal
position.
The lashing eye at the rear
underneath the vehicle must never be used as a towing eye.
Attach a tow rope – or better still a tow
rod – to the towing eye.
The towing eye must only be used for towing and not for recovering a
vehicle.
Caution
Drive slowly. Do not drive jerkily.
Excessive tractive force can
damage the vehicle.
After towing, unscrew the towing eye.
Insert cap with the upper flange into
the recess and fix cap by pushing.
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224Vehicle careAppearance careExterior care
Locks The locks are lubricated at the factoryusing a high quality lock cylinder
grease. Use a de-icing agent only
when absolutely necessary, as this
has a degreasing effect and impairs
lock function. After using a de-icing
agent, have the locks regreased by a
workshop.
WashingThe paintwork of your vehicle is
exposed to environmental influences.
Wash and wax your vehicle regularly.
When using automatic vehicle
washes, select a programme that
includes waxing.
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 wiperand rear window wiper must be
switched off. 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.
Wax painted parts of the vehicle
regularly.
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 damages.Caution
Always use a cleaning agent with
a pH value of four to nine.
Do not use cleaning agents on hot surfaces.
Do not clean the engine compartmentwith a steam-jet or high-pressure jet
cleaner.
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.
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Vehicle care225Paintwork polish with silicone forms a
protective film, making waxing
unnecessary.
Plastic body parts must not be treated
with wax or polishing agents.
Windows and windscreen wiper
blades
Switch off wipers before handling in
their areas.
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.
Clean smearing wiper blades with a
soft cloth and window cleaner.
Remove dirt residues from smearing
wiper blades by using a soft cloth and window cleaner. Also make sure toremove 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.
Glass panel
Never clean with solvents or abrasive
agents, fuels, aggressive media
(e.g. paint cleaner, acetone-
containing solutions etc.), acidic or
highly alkaline media or abrasive
pads.
Wheels and tyres
Do not use high-pressure jet
cleaners.
Clean 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.
Liquid gas system9 Danger
Liquid gas is heavier than air and
can collect in sink points.
Take care when performing work
at the underbody in a pit.
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226Vehicle careFor painting work and when using a
drying booth at a temperature above
60 °C, the liquid gas tank must be
removed.
Do not make any modifications to the liquid gas system.
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 the 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 a
weak 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 229 of 263
Service and maintenance227Service and
maintenanceGeneral information ...................228
Service information ..................228
Recommended fluids, lubricants and parts .................................... 231
Recommended fluids and lubricants ................................ 231
Page 230 of 263
228Service and maintenanceGeneral informationService informationIn 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 your vehicle is available
at the workshop.
Severe operating conditions exist if
one or more of the following
circumstances occur frequently: Cold starting, stop and go operation, e.g.
for taxis and police vehicles, 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, certain service work may
be required more frequently than the
regular service interval indicated inthe service display. Contact a
workshop for customised service
schedules.
Service display 3 87.
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Service and maintenance229Service intervals
Engine codeD12xE
D12xHL
D12xHTDV15DT
DV15DTHCountry group 125,000 km / 1 year25,000 km / 1 year30,000 km / 1 year 1)Country group 225,000 km / 1 year15,000 km / 1 year30,000 km / 1 year 1)Country group 325,000 km / 1 year15,000 km / 1 year15,000 km / 1 yearCountry group 415,000 km / 1 year15,000 km / 1 yearCountry group 510,000 km / 1 year10,000 km / 1 year1)
Unless otherwise indicated in the service display.Country Group 1:
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
United Kingdom.Country Group 2:
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, FYR of Macedonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia.Country Group 3:
Albania, Montenegro, Serbia.Country Group 4:
Israel, South Africa, Turkey.Country Group 5:
All other countries which are not listed in the previous country groups.
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230Service and maintenanceConfirmations
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.