MERCEDES-BENZ CL500 2007 C216 Owner's Manual

648 Practical hints
Replacing wiper blades
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*
Make sure the vehicle’s on-board elec-
tronics have status 1 (
page 337).
Turn combination switch to wiper
settingu (
page 372).
Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
repeatedly until windshield wipers
start.
Press KEYLESS-GO start/stop button
when the wiper arms are in a vertical
position.
Removing wiper blades
Fold the wiper arm forward until it
snaps into place.
Turn the wiper blade at a right angle to
wiper arm (arrow 1).
Slide the wiper blade sideways out of
the retainer in the direction of
arrow2.
Installing wiper blades
Slide the wiper blade onto wiper arm
until it locks in place.
Rotate the wiper blade into position
parallel to wiper arm.
Fold the wiper arm backward to rest on
the windshield. Make sure you hold
onto the wiper when folding the wiper
arm back.
!Do not pull on the wiper blade inserts. They
could tear.
!Make certain that the wiper blades are prop-
erly installed. Improperly installed wiper blades
may cause windshield damage.

649 Practical hints
Flat tire
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.
Shift the automatic transmission toP
(
page 389).
Turn off the engine (page 387).
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Vehicles with SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*:
Turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* button once
(
page 388).
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.
Mounting the Minispare wheel
iOpen the door only when conditions are safe
to do so.
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 accord-
ingly.
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
® when a Minis-
pare wheel is mounted.

650 Practical hints
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Prepare the vehicle as described
(
page 649).
Take vehicle tool kit and vehicle jack
out of trunk (
page 632).
Take the Minispare wheel and wheel
bolts out of the trunk (
page 634).Lifting the vehicle
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 634).
When changing wheel on a level surface:
Place the wheel chock in front of and
another sizeable suitable object behind
the wheel that is diagonally opposite to
the wheel being changed.
Always try lifting the vehicle using the jack
on a level surface. However, should cir-
cumstances require you to do so on a hill,
place the wheel chock and another size-
able suitable object as follows:
Place the wheel chock and another
sizeable suitable object on the downhill
side blocking both wheels of the axle
not being worked on.
Warning!G
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking
up the vehicle at the jack take-up brackets
built into both sides of 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 supported
by the jack. Keep hands and feet away from
the area under the lifted vehicle. Always en-
gage the electronic parking brake and block
wheels before raising vehicle with jack.
Do not disengage electronic parking brake
while the vehicle is raised. 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. Make sure the jack
arm is fully seated in the jack take-up brack-
et. Always lower the vehicle onto sufficient
capacity jackstands before working under
the vehicle.

651 Practical hints
Flat tire
1Wheel wrench
Take wheel wrench 1 out of the vehi-
cle tool kit tray.
On wheel to be changed, lossen but do
not yet remove the wheel bolts (ap-
proximately one full turn with wheel
wrench1).
The jack take-up brackets are located di-
rectly behind the front wheel housings and
in front of the rear wheel housings.2Jack take-up bracket
3Jack
4CrankPlace jack3 on firm ground.
Position jack3 under take-up
bracket2 so that it is always vertical
(plumb-line) as seen from the side,
even if the vehicle is parked on an
incline.
Jack up the vehicle until the wheel is a
maximum of 1.2 in (3 cm) from the
ground. Never start engine while
vehicle is raised.
Warning!G
Position the jack only on the jack take-up
brackets designed for this purpose.
If the jack is not properly positioned, the ve-
hicle may slip off of the jack.


652 Practical hints
Flat tire
Removing the wheel
1Alignment bolt
Unscrew upper-most wheel bolt and re-
move.
Replace this wheel bolt with alignment
bolt1 supplied in the tool kit.
Remove the remaining bolts.
Remove the wheel.Mounting the Minispare wheel
1Wheel bolt for light alloy rims
2Wheel bolt for Minispare wheel
(located in trunk with spare wheel)
Warning!G
The jack is intended only for lifting the
vehicle briefly for wheel changes. It is not
suited for performing maintenance work
under the vehicle.

Never start the engine when the vehicle
is raised.

Never lie down under the raised vehicle.
!Do not place wheel bolts in sand or dirt. This
could result in damage to the bolt and wheel hub
threads.
!Wheel bolts2 must be used when mount-
ing a Minispare wheel. The use of any wheel
bolts other than wheel bolts2 for a Minispare
wheel will physically damage the vehicle’s
brakes.
Warning!G
Make sure to use the original length wheel
bolts when remounting the original wheel
after it has been repaired.


653 Practical hints
Flat tire
Clean contact surfaces of wheel and
wheel hub.Guide the Minispare wheel onto the
alignment bolt and push it on.
Insert wheel bolts and tighten them
slightly.
Unscrew the alignment bolt, install the
last wheel bolt and tighten slightly.
!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 dam-
aged or rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts.
Damaged wheel hub threads should be re-
paired immediately. Do not continue to drive
under these circumstances! Contact an au-
thorized 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 ve-
hicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle could
fall off the jack.

654 Practical hints
Flat tire
Lowering the vehicle
Lower vehicle by turning crank coun-
terclockwise until vehicle is resting ful-
ly on its own weight.
Remove the jack.
1 - 5 Wheel bolts
Tighten the five wheel bolts evenly,
following the diagonal sequence
illustrated (1 to 5), until all bolts are
tight. Observe a tightening torque of
110 lb-ft (150 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 632).
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
110 lb-ft (150 Nm).
iDo not activate the tire inflation pressure
monitor (
page 531) until a full size wheel/tire
with functioning sensor has been placed back
into service on the vehicle.

655 Practical hints
Batteries
Batteries
Your vehicle is equipped with two batter-
ies:

The starter battery, located in the en-
gine compartment

The battery for electrical consumers
(consumer battery), located in the
trunk
The batteries 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-dis-
tance trips, you will need to have the bat-
tery charge checked more frequently.
When replacing the batteries, 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.

656 Practical hints
Batteries
!The consumer battery located in the trunk is
a v
alve-regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery, also
referred to as “fleece” battery. Such batteries do
not require topping-up of the electrolyte level.
VRLA batteries therefore do not have cell caps
and the battery cover is non-removable. Do not
attempt to open the consumer battery as other-
wise the battery will be damaged.
Even though VRLA batteries do not require top-
ping-up of the electrolyte level and cannot be
opened to check the electrolyte level, the bat-
tery condition must be checked periodically by
performing a battery conductance test. Refer to
Maintenance Booklet for battery condition test-
ing intervals.
As with any other battery, disconnect the con-
sumer battery if you do not intend to operate
your vehicle for an extended period of time to
prevent battery discharge or connect an acces-
sory battery charge unit expressly approved by
Mercedes-Benz for your vehicle model to main-
tain the battery charge. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further information.!The factory-equipped VRLA battery is
leak-proofed. Only use a battery as replacement
that has the same security features and is of
identical size, voltage, and capacity as the facto-
ry-equipped battery.
The battery, the battery ventilation and the later-
al plug must always be securely installed when
the vehicle is in operation.
Warning!G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
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.
Warning!G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof battery only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Take care that you do not become statically
charged, e.g. by wearing synthetic clothing
or rubbing against textiles. For this reason,
you also should not pull or push the battery
over carpets or other synthetic materials.
Never touch the battery first. First touch the
outside body of the vehicle in order to re-
lease any possible electrostatic charges.

657 Practical hints
Batteries
Starter battery (example illustration from
CL 550)
1Negative terminal
2Positive terminal
Disconnecting starter battery
Secure vehicle in place with electronic
parking brake (
page 384).
Shift the automatic transmission toP
(
page 389).
Do not rub the battery with rags or cloths.
The battery could explode if touched due to
electrostatic charge or due to spark forma-
tion.
!Switch off the engine and switch off the ve-
hicle’s internal electrical functions (
page 658)
before you disconnect or remove the battery’s
terminal clamps. You could otherwise destroy
electronic assemblies such as the generator.
Have the battery checked regularly by an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center. Refer to Mainte-
nance Booklet for maintenance intervals or
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for
further information.
!Do not connect any consumers directly to
the starter battery. The starter battery will other-
wise be discharged.
iOnly replace a discharged battery with a bat-
tery recommended by Mercedes-Benz. The con-
sumer battery is installed in the trunk in such a
way that it is safeguarded as much as possible
against mechanical destruction in the event of
an accident.
iRemove SmartKey from starter switch (vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the vehicle’s
on-board electronics have status 0)
(
page 336) when you turn off the engine and
no longer require any electrical consumers. The
vehicle then uses very little power and the con-
sumer battery is spared.
iIf the consumer battery is discharged, you
must use the mechanical key to unlock the vehi-
cle (
page 635). Since the vehicle has a sepa-
rate starter battery, however, you can still start
the vehicle.
!Always disconnect the starter battery in the
order described below. You could otherwise
damage the vehicle’s electronics.
!Switch off the vehicle’s internal electrical
functions before disconnecting the starter bat-
tery. If the vehicle is stationary for more than one
hour with the SmartKey removed, you do not
need to switch off the vehicle’s internal electrical
functions.