Problems with the windshield wipers
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
M SolutionsThe windshield wiper
jams. Leaves or snow, for example, may be obstructing the windshield
wiper movement. The wiper motor has switched off.
X Stop the vehicle as soon as possible, paying attention to road and
traffic conditions.
X For safety reasons, you should remove the key from the ignition
lock.
X Remove the cause of the obstruction.
X Switch on the windshield wipers again. The windshield wiper
does not move at all. There is a malfunction in the windshield wiper drive.
X Select another wiper speed on the combination switch.
X Have the windshield wipers checked at a qualified specialist
workshop. The windshield washer
fluid from the spray noz-
zles no longer hits the
center of the wind-
shield/rear window. The spray nozzles are misaligned.
X Have the spray nozzles checked at a qualified specialist work-
shop. Windshield wipers
113Lights and windshield wipers Z
When you deactivate the windshield defrosting
function, the previous automatic climate con-
trol settings are reactivated with the exception
of air-recirculation mode. Air-recirculation
mode remains deactivated. Clearing condensation from the win-
dows
Windows fogged up on the inside Air-conditioning system
You should only select this setting until the
windows are clear again.
X Switch on the rear window defroster if nec-
essary
(Y page 122).
X Switch on climate control (Y page
117).
X Switch off air-recirculation mode
(Y page
123).
X Turn temperature control : clockwise to a
higher temperature and air flow control A
to a blower speed between 3 and 6
( Y page
115).
X If possible, only select the ¯ setting of
the air distribution
(Y page 120).
Only the indicator lamp in the ¯ button
lights up.
X Switch on the cooling with air dehumidifica-
tion function
(Y page 118).
X If the windows still fog up, set the climate
control functions as described for defrosting
of the windshield
(Y page 121).
Dual-zone automatic climate control You should only select this setting until the
windows are clear again.
X Switch on the rear window defroster if nec-
essary
(Y page 122).
X Switch on climate control (Y page
117).
X Switch off air-recirculation mode
(Y page
123).
X Switch on the cooling with air dehumidifica-
tion function
(Y page 118).
X Switch on automatic mode ( Y page
119).
X If the windows continue to fog up, switch on
the windshield defrosting function
( Y page
121). Windows fogged up on the outside You should only select this setting until the
windshield is clear again.
X Switch on the windshield wipers
(Y page
109).
X Switch on climate control (Y page
117).
X In warm and damp weather, do not allow
cold air to flow onto the windows. Close the
side air vents if required
(Y page 124). Switching the rear window defroster
on/off
General notes The rear window defroster consumes a lot of
power. You should therefore switch off the
rear window defroster as soon as the rear win-
dow is clear.
X Turn the key to position 2 in the ignition
lock.
X Press the ¤ button on the control panel.
If the indicator lamp in the ¤ button
lights up, the rear window defroster is
switched on.
The rear window defroster switches off auto-
matically after a few minutes.
Problems with the rear window
defroster The rear window defroster has switched off
prematurely or cannot be activated.
The vehicle starter battery is not sufficiently
charged.
X Switch off any consumers that are not
required, e.g. reading lamps, interior lighting
or seat heating.
When the battery is sufficiently charged, the
rear window defroster can be activated
again.122
Operating the climate control system
Climate control
Opening the hood
G
WARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is over-
heated or when there is a fire in the engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There is a risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department. G
WARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, such as the engine, radiator and parts
of the exhaust system, can become very
hot. Working in the engine compartment
poses a risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down
and touch only the components described in
the following.
! Make sure that the windshield wipers are
not folded away from the windshield. You
could otherwise damage the windshield wip-
ers or the hood. Observe the safety notes when you open the
hood.
X Stop your vehicle as far away from traffic as
possible on level ground.
X Switch off the engine.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away
(Y page 138).
X Pull release handle : on the hood.
The hood is released. X
Reach into the gap and push lever ; on the
hood catch to the left.
X Raise the hood and hold it in that position. X
Pull support strut ? out of retainer = and
guide it up in the direction of the arrow.
X Lower the hood in such a way that support
strut ? glides into recess A and the hood
engages.
Closing the hood G
WARNING
Cloths or other flammable materials left in
the engine compartment can ignite if they
come into contact with the exhaust system
or parts of the engine that heat up. There is
a risk of fire. After carrying out maintenance
work, make sure that no extraneous flam-
mable material is left in the engine compart-
ment or on the exhaust system.
! Do not use your hands to push the hood
down. You could damage it otherwise. Engine compartment
251
Maintenance and care Z
X
Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a
gentle jet of water.
X Do not point the water jet directly towards
the air inlet grilles.
X Use plenty of water and rinse out the
sponge frequently.
X Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry
thoroughly with a chamois.
X Do not let the cleaning agents dry on the
paintwork.
When using the vehicle in winter, remove all
traces of road salt deposits carefully and as
soon as possible.
Power washers G
WARNING
The water jet from a circular jet nozzle (dirt
blasters) can cause invisible exterior dam-
age to the tires or chassis components.
Components damaged in this way may fail
unexpectedly. 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-
diately.
! Under no circumstances use power wash-
ers in the vehicle interior. The pressurized
water and associated spray produced by the
power washer could cause extensive dam-
age to the vehicle.
! When using high-pressure cleaning equip-
ment, maintain a minimum distance of
approx. 1 ft (30 cm
) between the spray noz-
zle and the vehicle parts. Do not use a
power washer with a round-jet nozzle. You
could damage the vehicle or engine parts.
! Keep the water jet moving constantly
while cleaning. This will avoid causing dam-
age to the vehicle.
Do not point the water jet at:
R door joints
R rear view camera
R air bellows
R brake hoses
R wheel balance weights
R electrical components
R electrical connections R
seals
R drive train, especially not at the inter-
mediate bearing of the propeller shaft
Cleaning the engine !
Water must not enter intake or ventilation
openings. When cleaning with high pressure
water or steam cleaners, the spray must not
be aimed directly at electrical components
or the terminals of electrical lines.
Preserve the engine after the engine has
been cleaned. Protect the belt drive system
from exposure to the preservative agent.
Also observe the information under "Power
washers"
(Y page 265).
Cleaning the paintwork !
Do not affix:
R stickers
R films
R magnetic plates or similar items
to painted surfaces. You could otherwise
damage the paintwork.
Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected
by corrosion and damage caused by inade-
quate care cannot always be completely
repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
X Remove impurities immediately, where pos-
sible, whilst avoiding rubbing too hard.
X Soak insect remains with insect remover
and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.
X Soak bird droppings with water and rinse off
the treated areas afterwards.
X Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin, oils,
fuels and greases by rubbing gently with a
cloth soaked in petroleum ether or lighter
fluid.
X Use tar remover to remove tar stains.
X Use silicone remover to remove wax.
Cleaning the windows G
WARNING
You could become trapped by the wind-
shield wipers if they start moving while
cleaning the windshield or wiper blades.
There is a risk of injury. Care
265
Maintenance and care
Z
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. Otherwise, you could damage the
hood.
! Hold the wiper arm securely when folding
back. The windshield could be damaged if
the wiper arm smacks against it suddenly.
! Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products,
solvents or cleaning agents containing sol-
vents to clean the inside of the windows. Do
not touch the insides of the windows with
hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or ring.
There is otherwise a risk of damaging the
windows.
! Clean the water drainage channels of the
windshield and the rear window at regular
intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals
and pollen may under certain circumstances
prevent water from draining away. This can
lead to corrosion damage and damage to
electronic components.
X Clean the inside and outside of the windows
with a damp cloth and a cleaning agent that
is recommended and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. 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 corrosion 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 (Y page 265). You could otherwise damage
the tires.
Cleaning the wiper blades G
WARNING
You could become trapped by the wind-
shield 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. Otherwise, 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
graphite 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.
X Turn the SmartKey to position 0 in the igni-
tion lock or remove the SmartKey.
X Fold the windshield wiper arms away from
the windshield until you feel them engage.
X Carefully clean the wiper blades with a
damp cloth.
X Fold back the wiper arms before switching
on the ignition.
Cleaning the exterior lighting !
Only use cleaning agents or cleaning
cloths that are suitable for plastic lenses.
Caustic, irritant or otherwise unsuitable
cleaning agents or cleaning cloths could
scratch or damage the exterior lighting plas-
tic lenses.
i Inquire about suitable cleaning agents or
cleaning cloths at a specialist workshop.
X Clean the plastic lenses of the exterior light-
ing with a damp sponge and a mild cleaning266
Care
Maintenance and care