flat tire MERCEDES-BENZ C COUPE 2005 CL203 Owner's Guide

339 Practical hints
What to do if …
Where will I find ...?
Unlocking/locking in an emergency
Opening/closing in an emergency
Replacing SmartKey batteries
Replacing bulbs
Replacing wiper blades
Flat tire
Battery
Jump starting
Towing the vehicle
Fuses

376 Practical hintsWhere will I find ...?Storing the spare wheel
If you wish to store the spare wheel after
use, carry out the following steps. Other-
wise the spare wheel will not fit the wheel
well.
Unscrew the valve cap from the valve
of the spare wheel.

Carefully push the tip of the valve cap
into the spare wheel valve and allow
the air to escape.

Screw the valve cap back on the valve.

Place spare wheel1 in wheel well.

Turn retaining screw3 clockwise to
its stop to secure the spare wheel.

Install the trunk floor.Spare wheel bolts
1Wheel bolt for light alloy rims
2Wheel bolt for light alloy spare wheel
rim size 4
1/2B x15 H2For more information on model and spare
wheel rim size, see “Technical data”
section (
page 422).
iIt may take a few minutes for the col-
lapsible tire to deflate completely.
!Wheel bolts2 must be used when
mounting spare wheel rim
size 4
1/2Bx15 H2 (
page 422).
The use of any wheel bolts other than
wheel bolts2 for spare wheel rim
size 4
1/2B x15 H2 can cause physical
damage to the vehicle.
Warning!
G
Make sure to use the original length wheel
bolts when remounting the original wheel af-
ter it has been repaired.

394 Practical hintsFlat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Park the vehicle as far as possible from
moving traffic on a hard surface.

Turn on the hazard warning flashers.

Turn the steering wheel so that the
front wheels are in a straight ahead
position.

Move the gear selector lever toP
(manual transmission to first or reverse
gear).

Turn off the engine (
page 58).

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.

Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Mounting the spare wheel
Preparing the vehicle
Prepare the vehicle as described
(page 394).

Take the wheel wrench and the jack
out of wheel well below the trunk floor
(page 373).

Take the spare wheel out of the trunk
(page 375).
Warning!
G
The dimensions of the spare wheel are dif-
ferent from those of the road wheels. As a
result, the vehicle handling characteristics
change when driving with a spare wheel
mounted. Adapt your driving style accord-
ingly.
The spare wheel is for temporary use only.
When driving with spare wheel mounted, en-
sure proper tire pressure and do not exceed
vehicle speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).
Drive to the nearest Mercedes-Benz Center
as soon as possible to have the spare wheel
replaced with a regular road wheel.
Never operate the vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.

395 Practical hints
Flat tire
Lifting the vehicle
Prevent the vehicle from rolling away
by blocking wheels with wheel chocks
or other sizable objects.
One wheel chock is included with
vehicle tool kit (
page 373).
When changing wheel on a level surface:

Place the wheel chock (located in the
vehicle tool kit) in front of and another
sizable object behind the wheel that is
diagonally opposite to the wheel being
changed.
When changing wheel on a hill:

Place the wheel chock and other size-
able object on the downhill side block-
ing both wheels of the other axle.

Take the two-piece wheel wrench and
the jack out of the vehicle tool kit
(page 373). Assemble wheel wrench.

On wheel to be changed, loosen but do
not yet remove the wheel bolts
(approximately one full turn with
wrench).
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
firmly set parking brake and block wheels
before raising vehicle with jack.
Do not disengage parking brake while the
vehicle is raised. Be certain that the jack is
always vertical (plumb line) when in use, es-
pecially on hills. Always try to use the jack
on level surface. Make sure the jack arm is
fully seated in the jack take-up bracket.
Always lower the vehicle onto sufficient
capacity jackstands before working under
the vehicle.

396 Practical hintsFlat tireThe jack take-up brackets are located
directly behind the front wheel housings
and in front of the rear wheel housings.
1Jack
2Crank
3Take-up bracket
Place jack on firm ground.

Position jack1 under the take-up
bracket3 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 vehi-
cle is raised.Removing the wheel
1Alignment bolt

Unscrew upper-most wheel bolt and
remove.

Replace this wheel bolt with the align-
ment bolt1 supplied in the tool kit.

Remove the remaining bolts.

Remove the wheel.
Warning!
G
The jack is intended only for lifting the
vehicle briefly for wheel changes. It is not
suited for performing maintenance work un-
der 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.

397 Practical hints
Flat tire
Mounting the spare wheel
1Wheel bolt for light alloy rims
2Wheel bolt for light alloy spare wheel
rim size 4
1/2B x15 H2

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.

Inflate the spare tire using the electric
air pump (
page 398).
!Wheel bolts2 must be used when
mounting spare wheel rim
size 4
1/2Bx15 H2 (
page 422).
The use of any wheel bolts other than
wheel bolts2 for spare wheel rim
size 4
1/2B x15 H2 can cause physical
damage to the vehicle.
!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
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 to use the correct mounting
bolts.
Warning!
G
Inflate spare wheel with collapsible tire only
after the wheel is properly mounted.
Inflate the spare wheel tire using the electric
air pump before lowering the vehicle.


398 Practical hintsFlat tire
Unscrew the alignment bolt, install last
wheel bolt and tighten slightly.Inflating the spare tire

Take the electric air pump out of the
trunk.
1Flap
2On/off switch
3Electrical plug
4Air hose with pressure gauge and vent
screw
5Union nut
Warning!
G
Use only genuine equipment
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.
Warning!
G
Inflate spare wheel with collapsible tire only
after the wheel is properly mounted.
Inflate the spare wheel tire using the electric
air pump before lowering the vehicle.Warning!
G
Observe instructions on air pump label.!Do not lower the vehicle before inflat-
ing the collapsible tire. Otherwise the
rim may be damaged.


399 Practical hints
Flat tire

Open flap1 on electric air pump.

Pull out electrical plug3 and air hose
with pressure gauge4.

Remove the valve cap from valve.

Screw air hose4 onto the tire valve.

Insert electrical plug3 into vehicle
cigarette lighter socket.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1.

Press I on electric air pump switch 2.
The electric air pump should now
switch on and inflate the spare tire.

Inflate the spare tire to approximately
36 psi (2.5 bar).
This takes about five minutes for the
spare tire. Air hose4 and union
nut5 can become hot during infla-
tion. Exercise proper caution to avoid
burning yourself when using the equip-
ment.

Press0on electric air pump switch2.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0.

If the tire pressure is above 36 psi
(2.5 bar), release excess tire pressure
using the vent screw.

Detach the electric air pump.

Store the electrical plug and the air
hose behind the flap and place the air
pump back in the trunk.
!Do not operate the electric air pump
longer than six minutes without
interruption. Otherwise it may over-
heat.
You may operate the electric air pump
again after it has cooled off.
Warning!
G
Follow recommended inflation pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated tires
can result in sudden deflation (blowout) be-
cause they are more likely to become punc-
tured or damaged by road debris, potholes,
etc.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated tires
wear unevenly, adversely affect handling
and fuel economy, and are more likely to fail
from being overheated.

400 Practical hintsFlat tireLowering 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
illustrated (1 to 5), until all bolts are
tight. Observe a tightening torque of
80 lb-ft (110 Nm).Before storing the jack, it should be fully
collapsed, with handle folded in (storage
position) (
page 374).

Store the jack, the damaged wheel and
the other vehicle tools in the wheel well
below the trunk floor (
page 375).
Warning!
G
Inflate spare wheel with collapsible tire only
after the wheel is properly mounted.
Inflate the spare wheel tire using the electric
air pump before lowering the vehicle.
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
80 lb-ft (110 Nm).

419 Technical data
Rims and Tires
Rims and Tires
Use only tires and rims which have been
specifically developed for your vehicle and
tested and approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Other tires and rims can have detrimental
effects, such as

poor handling characteristics


increased noise


increased fuel consumption
!Moreover, tires and rims not approved
by Mercedes-Benz may, under load, ex-
hibit dimensional variations and differ-
ent tire deformation characteristics
that could cause them to come into
contact with the vehicle body or axle
parts. This may result in damage to the
tires or the vehicle.
iFurther information on tires and rims is
available at any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. A placard with
the recommended tire inflation
pressures is located on the driver’s
door B-pillar. Some vehicles may have
supplemental tire inflation pressure
information for driving at high speeds
(page 310) or for vehicle loads less
than the maximum loaded vehicle con-
dition. If such information is provided,
it can be found on the placard located
on the inside of the fuel filler flap. The
tire inflation pressure should be
checked regularly and should only be
adjusted on cold tires. Follow tire
manufacturer’s maintenance recom-
mendation included with vehicle.