spare tire MERCEDES-BENZ R350 2007 R171 Owner's Manual

Contents
Oxidation catalyst
(diesel engine).............................. 358
Emission control .......................... 358
Coolant temperature .................... 359
At the gas station .............................. 360
Refueling ...................................... 360
Check regularly and before
a long trip..................................... 362
Engine compartment ......................... 364
Hood ............................................ 364
Engine oil ..................................... 366
Transmission fluid level ................ 370
Coolant level ................................ 370
Windshield/rear window
washer system and headlamp
cleaning* system ......................... 372
Tires and wheels ................................ 373
Important guidelines .................... 373
Tire care and maintenance........... 374
Direction of rotation ..................... 375
Loading the vehicle ...................... 376
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 380
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 382
Tire labeling.................................. 391
Load identification ....................... 395DOT, Tire Identification
Number (TIN) ................................ 396
Maximum tire load ........................ 397
Maximum tire inflation pressure ... 398
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) .............. 398
Tire ply material ............................ 400
Tire and loading terminology......... 401
Rotating tires ................................ 404
Winter driving ..................................... 405
Winter tires ................................... 405
Snow chains.................................. 406
Maintenance....................................... 407
Maintenance service indicator
message ....................................... 407
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display ............... 409
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator ........................... 409
Vehicle care........................................ 410
Cleaning and care of the vehicle ... 410
Practical hints.................................. 419
What to do if … ................................... 420
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 420
Lamp in center console ................ 431
Vehicle status messages in the
multifunction display .................... 433
Where will I find ...? ............................ 472
First aid kit.................................... 472
Vehicle tool kit.............................. 472
Spare wheel .................................. 475
Unlocking / locking in an emergency .. 478
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 478
Locking the vehicle ....................... 479
Fuel filler flap ................................ 479
Opening / closing in an emergency..... 481
Power tilt/sliding sunroof* ........... 481
Resetting activated head restraints.... 482
Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 483
Replacing bulbs .................................. 484
Bulbs............................................. 484
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 487
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 491
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 494
Front wiper blades ........................ 494
Rear wiper blade ........................... 495

Contents
Flat tire .............................................. 497
Preparing the vehicle.................... 497
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 498
Bleeding the fuel system
(diesel engine only) ............................ 505
Battery ............................................... 506
Disconnecting, removing,
reinstalling and reconnecting
the battery.................................... 508
Charging the battery .................... 513
Jump starting ..................................... 514
Towing the vehicle ............................. 517
Installing towing eye bolt.............. 518
Stranded vehicle .......................... 519
Fuses ................................................. 520
Fuse box in engine
compartment................................ 521
Fuse box in cargo compartment ... 521
Fuse box in passenger
compartment................................ 522
Emergency engine shut-down ...... 522
Technical data................................. 523
Parts service ...................................... 524
Warranty coverage............................. 525
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet ..................... 525
Identification labels ........................... 526
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 528
R 320 CDI .................................... 528
R 350 ........................................... 528
R 500 ........................................... 528
R 63 AMG..................................... 529
Engine................................................ 530
Rims and tires.................................... 532
Same size tires ............................. 533
Spare wheel (collapsible tire) ....... 534
Electrical system ............................... 535
Main Dimensions ............................... 536
Weights.............................................. 537Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. ......... 538
Capacities .................................... 538
Engine oils ................................... 540
Engine oil additives ...................... 540
Air conditioning refrigerant .......... 540
Brake fluid.................................... 541
Premium unleaded gasoline
(gasoline engine) .......................... 541
Gasoline additives
(gasoline engine) .......................... 542
Fuel requirements ........................ 542
Coolants ...................................... 543
Windshield washer and
headlamp cleaning* system......... 546
Index................................................. 547

23 At a glance
Exterior view
ItemPage
1Tailgate
Opening123
Closing125
Power tailgate*123,
125
Cargo compartment
Vehicle tool kit472
Spare wheel475
2Rear window defroster217
3Rear lamps485
4Fuel filler flap360
Refueling360
Fuel361,
542
5Exterior rear view mirrors
Adjusting49
Auto-dimming rear view
mirrors*213
Power folding*214
ItemPage
6Towing eye bolt
Vehicle tool kit472
Installing517
7Tires and wheels373,
532
Checking tire inflation
pressure382
Run Flat Indicator
(Canada vehicles)383
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (U.S. vehicles)385
Advanced Tire Pressure
Monitoring System*
(Canada vehicles)388
Flat tire497
Spare wheel475
8Hood364
Engine oil366
Coolant370
ItemPage
9Windshield wipers60
Wiper blades, replacing494
Wiper blades, cleaning415
aWindshield
Cleaning with wiper fluid62
Cleaning415
bPower tilt/sliding sunroof*258
Panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel*261
cDoors
Locking and unlocking112
Opening and closing122
Locking/unlocking in an
emergency478
dFront lamps484
eHeadlamp cleaning system*212

298 Controls in detail
Loading
Loading instructions
Load distribution
The gross vehicle weight which is the
weight of the vehicle including fuel, tools,
spare wheel, installed accessories, pas-
sengers, and luggage/cargo must never
exceed the load limit and the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) for your vehicle as
specified on the placard located on the
driver’s door B-pillar (
page 526). In addi-
tion, the load must be distributed in such a
way so that the weight on each axle never
exceeds the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for the front and rear axle. The
GVWR and GAWR for your vehicle are indi-
cated on the certification label which can
be found on the driver’s door B-pillar
(
page 526).
For more information, see “Tire and Load-
ing Information” (
page 377).
The handling characteristics of a fully
loaded vehicle depend greatly on the load
distribution. It is therefore recommended
to load the vehicle according to the illustra-
tions shown, with the heaviest items being
placed towards the front of the vehicle.
Warning!G
Always fasten items being carried as
securely as possible using cargo tie-down
rings and fastening materials appropriate
for the weight and size of the load.
In an accident, during hard braking or
sudden maneuvers, loose items will be
thrown around inside the vehicle, and can
cause injury to vehicle occupants unless the
items are securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a
collision or sudden maneuver, always use
tie-down rings and, if so equipped, always
use the partition net* when transporting
cargo.
Never drive vehicle with the tailgate open.
Deadly carbon monoxide (CO) gases may
enter vehicle interior resulting in uncon-
sciousness and death.

334 Controls in detail
Useful features
The Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance
dispatcher will either dispatch a qualified
Mercedes-Benz technician or arrange to
tow your vehicle to the nearest
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center. For
services such as labor and/or towing,
charges may apply. Refer to the Roadside
Assistance Manual for more information.
The following is only available in the USA:

Sign and Drive services: Services such
as jump start, a few gallons of fuel or
the replacement of a flat tire with the
vehicle spare tire are obtainable.Information button¡
The Information button¡ is located
below the center armrest cover.
1Information button¡
Open the storage tray (page 313).
Press and hold button1 (for longer
than 2 seconds).
A call to the Customer Assistance
Center will be initiated. The button will
flash while the call is in progress. The
message
Connecting call will appear
in the multifunction display.
iThe indicator lamp on the Roadside
Assistance button• remains illuminated in
red for approximately 10 seconds during the
system self-check after switching on the ignition
(together with the SOS button and the
Information button¡).
See system self-check (
page 331) if the indi-
cator lamp does not come on in red or stays on
longer than approximately 10 seconds.
If the indicator lamp on the Roadside Assistance
button• is flashing continuously and there
was no voice connection to the Response Center
established, then the Tele Aid system could not
initiate a Roadside Assistance call (e.g. the rele-
vant cellular phone network was not available).
The message
Call failed appears in the mul-
tifunction display.
Roadside Assistance calls can be terminated
using thet button on the multifunction
steering wheel or the END button on the
COMAND system headunit.

374 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire care and maintenance
Regularly check your tire inflation pressure
at least once a month. For more informa-
tion on checking tire inflation pressure,
see “Recommended tire inflation pres-
sure” (
page 380).Tire inspection
Every time you check your tire inflation
pressure, you should also inspect your
tires for the following:

excessive treadwear (page 375)

cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber

bumps, bulges, cuts, cracks or splits in
the tread or side of the tire
Replace the tire if you find any of the above
conditions.
Make sure you also inspect the spare tire
periodically for condition and inflation.
Spare tires will age and become worn over
time even if never used, and thus should be
inspected and replaced when necessary.Life of tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon
varying factors including but not limited to:

Driving style

Tire inflation pressure

Distance driven
Warning!G
Regularly check the tires for damage.
Damaged tires can cause tire inflation pres-
sure loss. As a result, you could lose control
of your vehicle.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the
tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have
sustained damage, replace them.
Warning!G
Tires and spare tire should be replaced after
6 years, regardless of the remaining tread.

376 Operation
Tires and wheels
Loading the vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry.

The Tire and Loading Information
placard can be found on the driver’s
door B-pillar. This placard tells you im-
portant information about the number
of people that can be in the vehicle and
the total weight that can be carried in
the vehicle. It also contains information
on the proper size and recommended
tire inflation pressures for the original
equipment tires on your vehicle.

The certification label, also found on
the driver’s door B-pillar tells you about
the gross weight capacity of your vehi-
cle, called the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel and cargo. The certification label
also tells you about the front and rear
axle weight capacity, called the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). The GAWR
is the total allowable weight that can be
carried by a single axle (front or rear).
Never exceed the GVWR or GAWR for
either the front axle or rear axle.
1Driver’s door B-pillar
Following is a discussion on how to work
with the information contained on the
placard with regards to loading your
vehicle.iSpare wheels may be mounted against the
direction of rotation (spinning) even with a
unidirectional tire for temporary use only until
the regular drive wheel has been repaired or
replaced. Always observe and follow applicable
temporary use restrictions and speed limitations
indicated on the spare wheel.

383 Operation
Tires and wheels
Checking tire inflation pressure
manually
Follow the steps below to achieve correct
tire inflation pressure:
Remove the cap from the valve on one
tire.
Firmly press a tire gauge onto the
valve.
Read tire inflation pressure on tire
gauge and check against the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure on the
placard on the driver’s door B-pillar
(
page 376) or, if available, the inside
of the fuel filler flap. If necessary, add
air to achieve the recommended tire in-
flation pressure.
Install the valve cap.
Repeat this procedure for each tire.Run Flat Indicator (Canada only)
While the vehicle is being driven, the Run
Flat Indicator monitors the set tire inflation
pressures by evaluating each wheel’s rota-
tional speed. This allows the system to de-
tect a significant loss of pressure in a tire.
If a wheel’s rotational speed changes due
to falling tire inflation pressure, you will
see a corresponding warning message in
the multifunction display.
The Run Flat Indicator may function in a re-
stricted manner or with a delay

if snow chains are mounted to the
vehicle

in presence of ice and snow

if you are driving on a loose surface
(e.g. sand or gravel)

if you are driving in a very sporty
manner (involving rapid acceleration or
high speeds in curves)
iIf you have overfilled the tire, release tire in-
flation pressure by pushing the metal stem of the
valve with e.g. a tip of a pen. Then recheck the
tire inflation pressure with the tire gauge.
Warning!G
When the multifunction display shows the
message
Tire pressure Check tires,
one or more of your tires is significantly un-
derinflated. You should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper tire inflation pressure as indicat-
ed on the vehicle’s tire information placard.
Driving on a significantly underinflated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to
tire failure. Underinflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Each tire, including the spare, should be
checked monthly when cold and set to the
recommended tire inflation pressure as
specified on the Tire And Loading Informa-
tion placard (
page 377) or on the tire in-
flation pressure label (
page 382).

386 Operation
Tires and wheels
Warning!G
Each tire, including the spare (if provided),
should be checked monthly when cold and
inflated to the inflation pressure recom-
mended by the vehicle manufacturer on the
vehicle placard or the tire inflation pressure
label. If your vehicle has tires of a different
size than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or the tire inflation pressure label,
you should determine the proper tire infla-
tion pressure for those tires.
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a tire pressure monitor-
ing system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire
pressure telltale when one or more of your
tires is significantly underinflated. Accord-
ingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illu-
minates, you should stop and check your
tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to
the proper pressure. Driving on a significant-
ly underinflated tire causes the tire to over-
heat and can lead to tire failure.
Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the vehi-
cle’s handling and stopping ability. Please
note that the TPMS is not a substitute for
proper tire maintenance, and it is the driv-
er’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if underinflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is com-
bined with the low tire pressure telltale.
When the system detects a malfunction, the
telltale will flash for approximately 1 minute
and then remain continuously illuminated.
This sequence will continue upon subse-
quent vehicle start-ups as long as the mal-
function exists. When the malfunction
indicator is illuminated, the system may not
be able to detect or signal low tire pressure
as intended.TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of in-
compatible replacement or alternate tires or
wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS
from functioning properly. Always check the
TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing
one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle
to ensure that the replacement or alternate
tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue
to function properly.
iIf a condition causing the TPMS to malfunc-
tion develops, it may take up to 10 minutes
for the system to signal a malfunction using
the TPMS telltale flashing and illumination
sequence.
The telltale extinguishes after a few minutes
driving if the malfunction has been corrected.
iOperating radio transmission equipment
(e.g. wireless headsets, two-way radios) in or
near the vehicle could cause the TPMS to mal-
function.

388 Operation
Tires and wheels
Checking tire pressure electronically
with the Advanced Tire Pressure Moni-
toring System (Advanced TPMS)*,
(Canada only)
The TPMS only functions on wheels that
are equipped with the proper electronic
sensors. It monitors the tire inflation pres-
sure, as selected by the driver, in all four
tires. A warning is issued to alert you to a
decrease in pressure in one or more of the
tires.
Tire pressure inquiries are made using the
multifunction display. The present inflation
pressures are displayed only after a few
minutes’ travel time.Switch on the ignition (page 39).
Press thej or kbutton on the
multifunction steering wheel until the
current inflation pressures for each tire
appear in the multifunction display.
iPossible differences between the readings
of a tire pressure gauge of an air hose, e.g. gas
station equipment, and the vehicle’s control
system can occur. Usually the readings issued by
the control system are more precise.
iWhen the message Tire pressure
displayed after driving for a few
minutes
appears in the multifunction display,
the individual inflation pressure values are
matched with the tires. The individual values are
displayed after a few minutes driving.
Warning!G
It is the driver’s responsibility to calibrate
the TPMS on the recommended cold infla-
tion pressure. Underinflated tires affect the
ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
might lose control over the vehicle.
iWith a spare wheel mounted, the system
may still indicate the tire inflation pressure of the
removed road wheel for some minutes. If this
happens, keep in mind that the indicated value
where the spare wheel is mounted does not re-
flect the actual spare tire inflation pressure.
Warning!G
The TPMS does not indicate a warning for
wrongly selected inflation pressures. Always
adjust tire inflation pressure according to
the placard on the driver’s door B-pillar or, if
available, the supplemental tire pressure in-
formation on the inside of the fuel filler flap.
The TPMS is not able to issue a warning due
to a sudden dramatic loss of pressure (e.g.
tire blowout caused by a foreign object). In
this case bring the vehicle to a halt by care-
fully applying the brakes and avoiding
abrupt steering maneuvers.