MERCEDES-BENZ C300 4MATIC 2008 W204 Owner's Manual

440 Practical hints
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle in a safe distance from
moving traffic on a hard, flat surface
when possible.
Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
Turn the steering wheel so that the
front wheels are in a straight-ahead
position.
Set the parking brake.
Vehicles with automatic transmission*:
Move the gear selector lever to
positionP (
page 138).
Turn off the engine (page 134).
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* button once
(
page 135).
Open the driver’s door (this puts
the starter switch in position0,
same as with the SmartKey re-
moved from the starter switch). The
driver’s door then can be closed
again.
Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Warning!G
The dimensions of the Minispare wheel are
different from those of the road wheels. As
a result, the vehicle handling characteristics
change when driving with a Minispare wheel
mounted. Adapt your driving style
accordingly.
The Minispare wheel is for temporary use
only. When driving with Minispare wheel
mounted, ensure proper tire inflation
pressure and do not exceed a vehicle speed
of 50 mph (80 km/h).
Contact the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible to have the Minispare
wheel replaced with a regular road wheel.
Never operate the vehicle with more than
one Minispare wheel mounted.
Do not switch off the ESP
® with a Minispare
wheel mounted.
iOpen the door only when conditions are safe
to do so.

441 Practical hints
Flat tire
Mounting the Minispare wheel
Preparing the vehicle
Prepare the vehicle as described
(
page 440).
Take vehicle tool kit tray and vehicle
jack out of trunk (
page 420).
Take the Minispare wheel from the
wheel well under the trunk floor
(
page 422).Lifting the vehicle
Warning!G
When jacking up the vehicle, only use the
jack which has been specifically approved
by Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle.
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking
up the vehicle at the jack take-up brackets
built into both sides of the vehicle. Make
sure the jack arm is fully seated in the jack
take-up bracket.
The jack is intended only for lifting the
vehicle briefly for wheel changes. It is not
suited for performing maintenance work
under the vehicle. To help avoid personal
injury, use the jack only to lift the vehicle
during a wheel change.
Never get beneath the vehicle while it is sup-
ported by the jack. Keep hands and feet
away from the area under the lifted vehicle.
Always lower the vehicle onto sufficient
capacity jackstands before working under
the vehicle.
Always firmly set the parking brake and
block wheels with wheel chocks or other
sizeable objects before raising vehicle with
jack. Do not release the parking brake while
the vehicle is raised.
Make sure that the ground on which the
vehicle is standing and where you place the
jack is solid, level and not slippery. If neces-
sary, use a large underlay. On slippery
surfaces, such as tiled floors, you should
use a non-slip underlay, for example a
rubber mat.
Do not use wooden blocks or similar objects
to support the jack. Otherwise the jack may
not be able to achieve its load-bearing
capacity if it is not at its full height.
Be certain that the jack is always vertical
(plumb line) when in use, especially on hills.
Always try to use the jack on level surface.
Never start the engine when the vehicle is
raised.
Also observe the notes on the jack.

442 Practical hints
Flat tire
Prevent the vehicle from rolling away
by blocking wheels with wheel chocks
or other sizeable objects.
One wheel chock is included with the
vehicle tool kit (
page 422).
Changing wheel on a level surface
Changing rear wheel on passenger side
(Example illustration)
Place the wheel chock in front of and
another sizeable object behind the
wheel that is diagonally opposite to the
wheel being changed.Changing wheel on a slight decline
Always try lifting the vehicle using the jack
on a level surface. However, should
circumstances require you to do so on a
slight decline, place the wheel chock and
another sizeable object as follows:
Changing wheel on passenger side
(Example illustration)
Place wheel chock (or another sizeable
object) in front of both wheels on the
side opposite to the side on which the
wheel is to be changed.Changing wheel on a slight incline
Always try lifting the vehicle using the jack
on a level surface. However, should
circumstances require you to do so on a
slight incline, place the wheel chock and
another sizeable object as follows:
Changing wheel on passenger side
(Example illustration)
Place wheel chock (or another sizeable
object) behind both wheels on the side
opposite to the side on which the wheel
is to be changed.

443 Practical hints
Flat tire
Jacking up
Take the wheel wrench out of the
vehicle tool kit tray.
On wheel to be changed, loosen but do
not yet remove the wheel bolts
(approximately one full turn with wheel
wrench).The jack take-up brackets are located
directly behind the front wheel housings
and in front of the rear wheel housings as
indicated by the arrows.
1Take-up bracket
2Jack
3Crank
Place jack2 on firm ground.
Position jack2 under take-up
bracket1 so that it is always vertical
(plumb-line) as seen from the side,
even if the vehicle is parked on an
incline.
Warning!G
The jack is designed exclusively for
jacking up the vehicle at the jack take-up
brackets. Make sure the jack arm is fully
seated in the jack take-up bracket.
If you do not position the jack correctly in
the jack take-up bracket, the vehicle can:

fall off the jack

seriously or fatally injure you or others
!Do not position the jack on the body of the
vehicle, as this may cause damage to the
vehicle.


444 Practical hints
Flat tire
Turn crank3 clockwise until jack 2
is fully seated in take-up bracket1
and the jack base evenly meets the
ground.
Continue to turn crank 3 until the
wheel is a maximum of 1.2 in (3 cm)
from the ground.Removing the wheel
Unscrew and remove the wheel bolts.
Remove the wheel.
Mounting the Minispare wheel
Clean contact surfaces of wheel and
wheel hub.
!Do not place wheel bolts in sand or dirt. This
could result in damage to the bolt and wheel hub
threads.
!To avoid paint damage, place wheel flat
against hub and hold it there while installing first
wheel bolt.
Warning!G
Always replace wheel bolts that are
damaged or rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts.
Damaged wheel hub threads should be
repaired immediately. Do not continue to
drive under these circumstances! Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or call
Roadside Assistance.
Incorrect wheel bolts or improperly tight-
ened wheel bolts can cause the wheel to
come off. This could cause an accident.
Make sure you are using the correct wheel
bolts.
Warning!G
Only use genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel
bolts. Other wheel bolts may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the
vehicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle
could fall off the jack.


445 Practical hints
Flat tire
Guide the Minispare wheel onto the
wheel hub and push it on.
Insert wheel bolts and tighten them
slightly.
Lowering the vehicle
Lower vehicle by turning crank
counterclockwise until vehicle is
resting fully on its own weight.
Remove the jack.1 - 5 Wheel bolts
6 Wheel wrench
Tighten the five wheel bolts evenly,
following the diagonal sequence
illustrated (1 to 5), until all bolts are
tight. Observe a tightening torque of
96 lb-ft (130 Nm).
Before storing the jack, it should be fully
collapsed, with handle folded in (storage
position).
Store the jack and the other vehicle
tools in the designated storage space
underneath the trunk floor
(
page 420).
Warning!G
Have the tightening torque checked after
changing a wheel. The wheels could come
loose if they are not tightened to a torque of
96 lb-ft (130 Nm).
iVehicles with TPMS (USA only):
Do not activate the tire inflation pressure
monitor (
page 344) until a full size wheel/tire
with functioning sensor has been placed back
into service on the vehicle.

446 Practical hints
Battery
Your vehicle’s battery is located in the
engine compartment.
The battery should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve its rated ser-
vice life. Refer to Maintenance Booklet for
battery maintenance intervals.
If you use your vehicle mostly for
short-distance trips, you will need to have
the battery charge checked more
frequently.
When replacing the battery, always use
batteries approved by Mercedes-Benz.
If you do not intend to operate your vehicle
for an extended period of time, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center about
steps you need to observe.Batteries contain materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly.
Large 12-volt storage batteries contain
lead. Recycling of batteries is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states require
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries
for recycling.
!Do not tow-start the vehicle.
Warning!G
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries.
Risk of explosion.
Fire, open flames and smoking
are prohibited when handling
batteries. Avoid creating sparks.
Battery acid is caustic. Do not
allow it to come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing.
Wear suitable protective cloth-
ing, especially gloves, apron and
faceguard.
Wear eye protection.
Rinse any acid spills immediate-
ly with clear water. Contact a
physician if necessary.
Keep children away.
Follow the instructions in this
Operator’s Manual.

447 Practical hints
Battery
1Filter box
2Clamps
Removing filter box: Release
clamps2.
Remove filter box.
Installing filter box: Insert filter box
properly.
Secure it with clamps2.
Warning!G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
Observe all safety instructions and
precautions when handling automotive
batteries (
page 446).
Never lean over batteries while connecting,
you might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking, etc.
!Never loosen or detach battery terminal
clamps while the engine is running or the
SmartKey is in the starter switch. Otherwise the
alternator and other electronic components
could be severely damaged.
Have the battery checked regularly at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Refer to Maintenance Booklet for maintenance
intervals or contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further information.
Warning!G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof batteries only to avoid the
risk of acid burns in the event of an
accident.
!Do not connect any consumers directly to
the battery or it will be discharged.

448 Practical hints
Battery
Starter battery
1Battery
2Positive terminal
3Negative terminal
4Ventilation hose
Disconnecting the battery
Apply the parking brake (page 134).
Make sure gear selector lever* is set to
positionP (manual transmission to
Neutral).
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Remove SmartKey from starter switch.Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada
only):
Press the start / stop button until
the engine shuts off.
Open the driver’s door.
Open the hood (page 325).
Remove the filter box (page 447).
Read and observe safety instructions
and precautions (
page 446).
Disconnect the battery negative lead
from negative terminal3.
Remove cover from the positive
terminal2.
Disconnect the battery positive lead.iIf the battery is discharged, you must use
the mechanical key to unlock (
page 424) or
lock (
page 425) the vehicle.
Warning!G
With a disconnected battery

you will no longer be able to turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch and
pressing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (Canada only) will have no effect

vehicles with automatic transmission*:
the gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP
!Always disconnect the starter battery in the
order described below. You could otherwise
damage the vehicle’s electronics.

449 Practical hints
Battery
Removing the battery
Remove the screw securing the
battery.
Remove the battery support and
bracket.
Pull out the battery ventilation hose4
from the battery (depending on battery
arrangement in your vehicle model, the
ventilation hose is located either on the
left or right side of the battery).
Take out the battery.
Charging and reinstalling the batteryCharge battery in accordance with the
instructions of the battery charger
manufacturer.
Reinstall the charged battery. Follow
the previously described steps in
reverse order.
iFor your convenience, have the starter bat-
tery removed by a Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
Never charge a battery while still installed in
the vehicle unless the accessory battery
charge unit approved by Mercedes-Benz is
being used. Gases may escape during charg-
ing and cause explosions that may result in
paint damage, corrosion or personal injury.
An accessory battery charge unit specially
adapted for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz is
available, permitting the charging of the bat-
tery in its installed position. Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
information and availability. Charge battery
in accordance with the separate instruc-
tions for the accessory battery charger.
!Only use charging devices with a maximum
charging voltage of 14.8 V.
!The battery, its filler caps and the ventilation
hose
4 must always be securely installed when
the vehicle is in operation.