MERCEDES-BENZ R500 2006 W251 Owner's Manual

340 OperationDriving instructionsCatalytic converter
Your Mercedes-Benz is equipped with
monolithic-type catalytic converters, an
important element in conjunction with the
oxygen sensors to achieve substantial con-
trol of the pollutants in the exhaust emis-
sions. Keep your vehicle in proper
operating condition by following our rec-
ommended maintenance instructions as
outlined in your Maintenance Booklet.
Emission control
Certain engine systems serve to keep the
toxic components of the exhaust gases
within permissible legal limits.
These systems, of course, will function
properly only when maintained strictly ac-
cording to factory specifications. Any ad-
justments on the engine should, therefore,
be carried out only by qualified
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center autho-
rized technicians.Engine adjustments should not be altered
in any way. Moreover, the specified service
jobs must be carried out regularly accord-
ing to Mercedes-Benz servicing require-
ments. For details refer to the
Maintenance Booklet.
!To prevent damage to the catalytic con-
verters, use only premium unleaded
gasoline in this vehicle.
Any noticeable irregularities in engine
operation should be repaired promptly.
Otherwise, excessive unburned fuel
may reach the catalytic converter,
causing it to overheat and potentially
start a fire.
Warning!
G
As with any vehicle, do not idle, park or op-
erate this vehicle in areas where combusti-
ble materials such as grass, hay or leaves
can come into contact with the hot exhaust
system, as these materials could be ignited
and cause a vehicle fire.
Warning!
G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide, and inhaling it can cause uncon-
sciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while driving,
have the cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one win-
dow fully open at all times.

341 Operation
Driving instructions
Coolant temperature
During severe operating conditions and
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise to approx. 248°F
(120°C).
The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature in the red zone.
Doing so may cause serious engine dam-
age which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!
G


Driving when your engine is badly over-
heated can cause some fluids which
may have leaked into the engine com-
partment to catch fire. You could be se-
riously burned.


Steam from an overheated engine can
cause serious burns and can occur just
by opening the engine hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.

342 OperationAt the gas stationRefueling
The fuel filler flap is located on the
right-hand side of the vehicle towards the
rear. Locking/unlocking the vehicle with
the remote control automatically
locks/unlocks the fuel filler flap.

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.

Push on fuel filler flap at the position in-
dicated the arrow and open fuel filler
flap.

Turn the fuel cap to the left and hold on
to it until possible pressure is released.

Take off the fuel cap.

Only fill your tank until the filler nozzle
unit cuts out – do not top up or overfill.
Warning!
G
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious inju-
ry. Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid
inhaling fumes and skin contact, extinguish
all smoking materials. Never allow sparks,
flame or smoking materials near gasoline!
!The fuel filler cap is tethered to the fuel
filler neck. Do not drop the cap. It could
damage the vehicle paint finish.!To prevent damaging the lens of the
plastic tail lamp, make certain that no
gasoline comes into contact with it.Warning!
G
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create pres-
sure in the system which could cause a gas
discharge. This could cause the gas to spray
back out when removing the fuel pump noz-
zle, which could cause personal injury.

343 Operation
At the gas station

Replace the fuel cap by turning it clock-
wise until it audibly engages.

Close the fuel filler flap.
Check regularly and before a long trip
Open the hood (
page 345).
1Coolant level
2Brake fluid
3Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (
page 346).
iOnly use premium unleaded gasoline
with a minimum Posted Octane Rating
of 91 (average of 96 RON / 86 MON).
Information on gasoline quality can
normally be found on the fuel pump.
For more information on gasoline, see
the Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet.
iLeaving the engine running and the fuel
cap open can cause the yellow fuel
tank reserve warning lamp to flash and
the? malfunction indicator lamp
(USA only) or the± malfunction in-
dicator lamp (Canada only) comes on.
For more information, see “Practical
hints” (
page 408).

344 OperationAt the gas stationCoolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information,
see “Coolant level” (
page 351) and
“Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 521).
Brake fluidWindshield / rear window washer
system and headlamp cleaning
system*
For more information on refilling the reser-
voir, see “Windshield / rear window washer
system and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 352).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For infor-
mation on replacing light bulbs, see “Re-
placing bulbs” (
page 465).
For more information, see “Exterior lamp
switch” (
page 147).
Tire inflation pressure
For more information, see “Checking tire
inflation pressure” (
page 365).
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks immediately. Noti-
fy an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center immediately. Do not add
brake fluid as this will not solve the
problem. For more information, see
“Brake fluid” (
page 523).

345 Operation
Engine compartment
Engine compartment
Hood
Opening
1Hood lock release lever

Pull release lever1 downwards.
The hood is unlocked. Handle2 pro-
trudes slightly from the radiator grille.
If not, lift the hood slightly.
2Handle for opening the hood

Press and hold handle2 in direction
of arrow.
The hood is unlocked.

Pull up on the hood and then release it.
The hood will be automatically held
open at shoulder height by gas-filled
struts.
Warning!
G
Do not pull the release lever while the vehi-
cle is in motion. Otherwise the hood could
be forced open by passing air flow.
!To avoid damage to the windshield wip-
ers or hood, never open the hood if the
wiper arms are folded forward away
from the windshield.
Warning!
G
To help prevent personal injury, stay clear of
moving parts when the hood is open and the
engine is running. Make sure the hood is
properly closed before driving. When closing
the hood, use extreme caution not to catch
hands or fingers.
The radiator fan may continue to run for ap-
proximately 30 seconds or even restart af-
ter the engine has been turned off. Stay
clear of fan blades.


346 OperationEngine compartment
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of
approximately 1 ft (30 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.

Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Increased oil consumption
can occur when

the vehicle is new


the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.
Warning!
G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates that the engine is
overheated, do not open the hood. Move
away from vehicle and do not open the hood
until the engine has cooled. If necessary,
call the fire department.Warning!
G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components (ig-
nition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnostic
socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running


while starting the engine


if ignition is “on” and the engine is
turned manually
Warning!
G
Be careful that you do not close the hood on
anyone.!Do not push the hood closed manually,
as this could damage it.
iDo not use any special lubricant addi-
tives, as these may damage the drive
assemblies. Using special additives not
approved by Mercedes-Benz may
cause damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
More information on this subject is
available at any Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.


347 Operation
Engine compartment
Checking engine oil level with the
control system (R 500 only)
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground


with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least 5 minutes with
the engine turned off


with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 30 minutes
with the engine turned off
To check the engine oil level via the
multifunction display, do the following:

Switch on the ignition (
page 38).
The standard display (
page 168) should
appear in the multifunction display.

Press buttonk orj on the
steering wheel until the following
message appears in the multifunction
display:
One of the following messages will
subsequently appear in the indicator:

Engine oil level ok


Add 1.0 qt. to reach max. oil
level(Canada:
1.0 liter
)


Add 1.5 qts. to reach max. oil
level(Canada:
1.5 liters
)


Add 2.0 qts. to reach max. oil
level(Canada:
2.0 liters
)

If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil, see (
page 523).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 521) and
(
page 523).
Other display messages
If the SmartKey is not turned to position2
in the starter switch, the following
message will appear:
Switch ignition on
to check engine oil level
Switch on the ignition (
page 38).
iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press thek orj
button on the multifunction steering
wheel.

348 OperationEngine compartmentIf you see the message:Observe waiting period
If engine is at operating temperature,
wait 5 minutes before repeating check
procedure.

If engine is not at operating tempera-
ture, wait 30 minutes before repeating
check procedure.
If you see the message:
Engine oil level
Not when engine on
Turn off the engine.

If the engine is at operating tempera-
ture, wait 5 minutes before checking
oil.

If the engine is not at operating temper-
ature yet, you must wait 30 minutes
before checking oil.If there is excess engine oil with the engine
at operating temperature, the following
message will appear:
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level
Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
For more information on messages in the
display concerning engine oil, see the
“Practical hints” section (
page 437).Checking engine oil level with the oil
dipstick (R 350 only)
When checking the oil level


the vehicle must be parked on level
ground


with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been
stationary for at least 5 minutes with
the engine turned off


with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle also must
have been stationary for at least
5 minutes with the engine turned off
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained
off. It could cause damage to the
engine and catalytic converter not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

349 Operation
Engine compartment
To check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:
Open the hood (
page 345).
1Oil dipstick
2Upper mark
3Lower mark

Pull out oil dipstick1.

Wipe oil dipstick 1 clean.

Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the
dipstick guide tube.

Pull out oil dipstick1 again after
approximately 3 seconds to obtain
accurate reading.The oil level is correct when it is between
lower mark 3 (min.) and upper mark 2
(max.) mark of the oil dipstick.

If necessary, add engine oil.
For more information on engine oil, see
“Technical data” section (
page 521) and
(
page 523).
See the “Practical hints” section
(page 437) if the low engine oil level
warning lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes.Adding engine oiliThe filling quantity between the upper
and lower marks on the oil dipstick is
approximately 2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).
!Only use approved engine oils and oil
filters required for vehicles with Main-
tenance System (U.S. vehicles) or
FSS PLUS (Canada vehicles). For a list-
ing of approved engine oils and oil fil-
ters, refer to the Factory Approved
Service Products pamphlet in your ve-
hicle literature portfolio, or contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of spec-
ification other than those expressly re-
quired for the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada
vehicles), or changing of oil and oil filter
at change intervals longer than those
called for by the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (Canada
vehicles) will result in engine damage
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.