MERCEDES-BENZ E WAGON 2005 S211 Owner's Manual
Page 421 of 491
420 Practical hintsFlat tireThe jack take-up brackets are located di-
rectly behind the front wheel housing and 
in front of the rear wheel housing. 
1Jack take-up bracket
2Jack
3Crank
Position jack2 on firm ground under 
the respective jack take-up bracket1.Make sure the foot of the jack is directly 
under the take-up bracket so that it is al-
ways vertical (plumb-line) as seen from the 
side, even if the vehicle is parked on an in-
cline.
Turn crank3 until the tire is a maxi-
mum of 1.2 in (3 cm) off 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.Warning!
G
The jack is intended only for lifting the vehi-
cle briefly for wheel changes. It is not suited 
for performing maintenance work under the 
vehicle. Never lie down under the raised ve-
hicle. Do not start the engine when the vehi-
cle is raised. 
Page 422 of 491
421 Practical hints
Flat tire
Removing the wheel
1Alignment bolt
Unscrew the upper-most wheel bolt 
and remove.
Replace this wheel bolt with alignment 
bolt1 supplied in the tool kit.
Remove the remaining bolts.
Remove the wheel.Mounting the Minispare wheel
Clean contact surfaces of wheel and 
wheel hub.
Guide the spare wheel onto the align-
ment bolt and push it on.
Insert wheel bolts and tighten them 
slightly.
!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 in-
stalling 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. Be 
sure to use the correct wheel bolts. 
Page 423 of 491
422 Practical hintsFlat tire
Unscrew the alignment bolt, install last 
wheel bolt and tighten slightly.In the case of a flat tire, you may tempo-
rarily use the Minispare wheel when ob-
serving the following restrictions:
Do not exceed a vehicle speed of 
50 mph (80 km / h).
Drive to the nearest tire repair facility 
to have the flat tire repaired or re-
placed as appropriate.
Do not operate vehicle with more than 
one spare wheel mounted.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, fol-
lowing the diagonal sequence illustrat-
ed (1 to 5), until all bolts are tight. 
Observe a tightening torque of 96 lb-ft 
(130 Nm).
Warning!
G
Use only genuine equipment 
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts. They are identi-
fied by the Mercedes star. Other wheel bolts 
may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the ve-
hicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle could 
tip over.
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.
The spare wheel should only be used tempo-
rarily, and replaced with a regular road 
wheel as quickly as possible. 
Page 424 of 491
423 Practical hints
Flat tire
Before storing the jack in the cargo 
compartment, it should be fully col-
lapsed.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).iWrap the damaged wheel in the protec-
tive film that comes with the spare 
wheel and put the wheel in the cargo 
compartment.
Do not activate the tire inflation pres-
sure monitor until the depressurized 
tire is no longer in the vehicle. 
Page 425 of 491
424 Practical hintsBatteriesYour vehicle is equipped with two batter-
ies:
Main battery (battery for starter and 
electrical consumers; located in the 
cargo compartment).
Auxiliary battery (back-up battery; sta-
bilizes the electrical system if the main 
battery is discharged; located in the en-
gine compartment).
Pull cover up and detach it.1Negative terminal
2Positive terminaliThe battery is located on the right-hand 
side under a cover.
Warning!
G
Jump starting must only be done using the 
designated terminal connections in the en-
gine compartment (
page 429). 
Page 426 of 491
425 Practical hints
Batteries
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries 
(page 305).
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 termi-
nal clamps while the engine is running 
or the SmartKey is in the starter switch. 
Otherwise the alternator and other 
electronic components could be se-
verely damaged.
Have the battery checked regularly by 
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Refer to Maintenance Booklet for main-
tenance intervals or contact an autho-
rized 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 battery only to avoid the risk 
of acid burns in the event of an accident.
Warning!
G
The SBC brake system requires electrical 
power to operate.
A malfunction in the vehicle’s power supply 
or electrical system may impair brake sys-
tem operation and switch it into its emer-
gency operation mode. The same applies if 
battery is disconnected. To brake, the driver 
must then apply significantly greater brake 
pedal pressure and depress the pedal much 
further to obtain the expected braking ef-
fect. If necessary, apply full pressure to the 
brake pedal. Brakes may only be applied to 
the front wheels. Stopping distance is in-
creased! Adjust your driving style according-
ly. For more information, refer to “SBC brake 
system” (
page 92). 
Page 427 of 491
426 Practical hintsBatteriesDisconnecting the battery
Depress parking brake firmly or move 
gear selector lever to positionP.
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Remove SmartKey from starter switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press the start / stop button until 
the engine shuts off.
Open the driver’s door.
Open the tailgate.
Read and observe safety instructions 
and precautions (
page 425).
Access the cargo compartment under-
neath the third row seat cushions and 
footwell (
page 401).
Remove cover to access battery 
(page 424).
Disconnect battery negative lead1.
Remove cover2 from the positive ter-
minal.
Disconnect the battery positive lead.
Removing the battery
Remove the screw-nuts securing the 
battery.
Remove the battery bracket. 
Take out the battery.
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 on the gear selector lever will 
have no effect
the gear selector lever will remain 
locked in positionP 
Page 428 of 491
427 Practical hints
Batteries
Charging and reinstalling the battery
Charge battery in accordance with the 
instructions of the battery charger 
manufacturer.
Reinstall the charged battery. Follow 
the previously described steps in re-
verse order.
Reconnecting the battery
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Connect the positive lead and fasten its 
cover.
Connect the negative lead.
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.
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 instructions for the 
accessory battery charger*.
!Never invert the terminal connections!!The battery, its filler caps and the vent 
tube must always be securely installed 
when the vehicle is in operation.
iThe following procedures must be car-
ried out following any interruption of 
battery power (e.g. due to reconnec-
tion):
Set the clock (
page 167) 
(see COMAND operator’s manual).
Resynchronize the ESP 
(page 367).
Resynchronize the side windows 
(page 223).
Resynchronize the tilt / sliding sun-
roof* (
page 227). 
Page 429 of 491
428 Practical hintsJump starting
If the battery is discharged, the engine can 
be started with jumper cables and the bat-
tery of another vehicle. Observe the follow-
ing:
Jump starting should only be performed 
when the engine and catalytic convert-
er are cold.
Do not start the engine if the battery is 
frozen. Let the battery thaw out first.
Only jump start from batteries with the 
same voltage rating (12 V). Jump start-
ing with a more powerful battery could 
damage the vehicle’s electrical system, 
which will not be covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Use only jumper cables with sufficient 
cross-section and insulated terminal 
clamps.
Always make sure the jumper cables 
are not on or near pulleys, fans or other 
parts that move when the engine is 
started or running.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these directions will cause 
damage to the electronic components, and 
can lead to a battery explosion and severe 
injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting 
or jump starting, 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 very explosive. Keep 
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid 
improper connection of jumper cables, 
smoking, etc.
Attempting to jump start a frozen battery 
can result in it exploding, causing personal 
injury.
Read all instructions before proceeding.
!Jump starting of the main battery must 
only be done using the designated 
jump start terminals located in the 
engine compartment (
page 429).
Avoid repeated and lengthy starting at-
tempts.
Do not attempt to start the engine us-
ing a battery quick charge unit.
If the engine does not run after several 
unsuccessful starting attempts, have it 
checked at the nearest authorized 
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Excessive unburned fuel generated by 
repeated failed starting attempts may 
damage the catalytic converter.
Make sure the jumper cables do not 
have loose or missing insulation.
Make sure the cable clamps do not 
touch any other metal part while the 
other end is still attached to a battery. 
Page 430 of 491
429 Practical hints
Jump starting
The jump-start contacts are located in the 
engine compartment.
Make sure the two vehicles do not 
touch.
Turn off all electrical consumers.
Apply parking brake.
Shift gear selector lever to positionP.1Negative (-) terminal
2Cover of Positive (+) terminal 
Open cover 2 of the positive terminal 
of both vehicles.
Connect positive terminal 2 and the 
positive terminal of the charged battery 
with the jumper cable. Clamp cable to 
charged battery first. 
Start engine of the vehicle with the 
charged battery and run at idle speed.
Connect negative terminal1 and the 
negative terminal of the charged 
battery with the jumper cable. Clamp 
cable to charged battery first.
Start the engine of the disabled 
vehicle.
Now you can again turn on the electrical 
consumers. Do not turn on the lights under 
any circumstances.
Remove the jumper cables first from 
negative terminals1 and then from 
the positive terminals2.
Now you can turn on the lights.
Have the battery checked at the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Keep flames or sparks away from battery. 
Do not smoke. 
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries 
(page 305).!Never invert the terminal connections!
iThe message 
Malfunction - electric 
consumers switched off
 may appear 
in the instrument cluster. It will disap-
pear as soon as the battery is suffi-
ciently charged. 
!Do not tow-start the vehicle.