MERCEDES-BENZ R500 2006 W251 Owner's Manual

480 Practical hintsFlat tire1Wheel wrench
On wheel to be changed, loosen but do
not yet remove the wheel bolts
(approximately one full turn with wheel
wrench 1).
The jack take-up brackets are located di-
rectly behind the front wheel housings and
in front of the rear wheel housings.2Take-up bracket
3Jack
4Crank

Place jack 3 on firm ground.

Position jack3 under the take-up
bracket2 so that it is always vertical
(plumb-line) as seen from the side,
even if the vehicle is parked on an in-
cline.

Turn crank4 clockwise until jack 3
is fully seated in take-up bracket2
and the jack base evenly meets the
ground.

Continue to turn crank 4 until the
wheel is a maximum of 1.2 in (3 cm)
from the ground.
!Do not position the jack on the body of
the vehicle, as this may cause damage
to the vehicle.

481 Practical hints
Flat tire
Removing the wheel
1Alignment bolt
Unscrew upper-most wheel bolt and
remove.

Replace this wheel bolt with alignment
bolt1 supplied in the vehicle tool kit
(page 454).

Remove the remaining wheel bolts.

Remove the wheel.Mounting the spare wheel
1Wheel bolt for 18" and 19" light alloy
wheels
2Wheel bolt for 17" light alloy wheels or
collapsible tire (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 bolts
and wheel hub threads.
!Wheel bolts2 must be used when
mounting the spare wheel with collaps-
ible tire. The use of any wheel bolts oth-
er than wheel bolts2 for the spare
wheel with collapsible tire will physical-
ly damage the vehicle’s brakes.

482 Practical hintsFlat tire
Clean contact surfaces of wheel and
wheel hub.

Guide spare wheel onto the alignment
bolt and push it on.

Insert wheel bolts and tighten them
slightly.

Unscrew the alignment bolt, install 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
damaged or rusted.
Never apply oil or grease to wheel bolts.
Damaged wheel hub threads should be
repaired immediately. Do not continue to
drive under these circumstances! Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
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 wheel bolts.
Warning!
G
Only use genuine equipment
Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts. Other wheel
bolts may come loose.
Do not tighten the wheel bolts when the
vehicle is raised. Otherwise the vehicle
could fall off the jack.

483 Practical hints
Flat tire
Inflating the collapsible tire
Take the electric air pump out of the
vehicle tool kit storage well
(page 454).1Flap
2On/off switch
3Electrical plug
4Air hose with pressure gauge and vent
screw
5Union nut

Open flap 1 on electric air pump.

Pull out electrical plug 3 and air hose
with pressure gauge 4.

Remove the valve cap from the collaps-
ible tire valve.

Screw union nut 5 onto the collaps-
ible tire valve.

Insert electrical plug 3 into a power
outlet (
page 306).

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position1.
or

Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button once without depressing the
brake pedal.

Press I on electric air pump switch 2.
The electric air pump should now
switch on and inflate the collapsible
tire.
Warning!
G
Inflate collapsible tire only after the wheel is
properly mounted.
Inflate the collapsible tire using the electric
air pump (
page 454) 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.
!The cigarette lighter* (
page 303) is
not designed for use with the electric
air pump. Use a power outlet
(
page 306) for electric air pump
operation.


484 Practical hintsFlat tire
Inflate the spare wheel tire to the rec-
ommended tire inflation pressure given
in the “Technical data” section
(page 514).
This takes about 5 minutes for the col-
lapsible tire.

Press 0 on electric air pump switch 2.

Turn the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position0.
or

Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:
Press the KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button twice without depressing the
brake pedal.

If the tire inflation pressure is above
the recommended tire inflation pres-
sure given in this Operator’s Manual,
release excess tire inflation pressure
using the vent screw.
Warning!
G
Air hose
4
and union nut
5
can become
hot during inflation. Exercise proper caution
to avoid burning yourself when using the
equipment.
!Please compare the recommended tire
inflation pressure for your vehicle with
the tire inflation pressure on the yellow
label located on the spare wheel rim.
If the tire inflation pressure on the yel-
low label on the spare wheel rim differs
from the values given in this Operator’s
Manual, inflate the tire to the recom-
mended tire inflation pressure given on
the yellow label on the spare wheel rim.!Do not operate the electric air pump
longer than 8 minutes without interrup-
tion. Otherwise it may overheat.
You may operate the electric air pump
again after it has cooled off.


485 Practical hints
Flat tire

Detach the electric air pump.

Store the electrical plug and the air
hose behind the flap and place the
electric air pump back in the vehicle
tool kit storage well.Lowering the vehicle

Lower vehicle by turning crank coun-
terclockwise until vehicle is resting ful-
ly on its own weight.

Remove the jack.
1-5Wheel bolts6Wheel wrench

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
110 lb-ft (150 Nm).
Warning!
G
Follow recommend tire inflation pressures.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflating 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.
Warning!
G
Inflate collapsible tire only after the wheel is
properly mounted.
Inflate the collapsible tire using the electric
air pump (
page 483) 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
110 lb-ft (150 Nm).


486 Practical hintsFlat tire
Store jack and all other vehicle tool kit
items back into the storage well.iThe removed road wheel cannot be
stored in the spare wheel well under
the cargo compartment floor, but
should be transported in the cargo
compartment wrapped in a protective
wrap.


487 Practical hints
Battery
Battery
The battery is located under the front
passenger seat.
The battery should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve its rated ser-
vice life.
If you use your vehicle mostly for
short-distance trips, you will need to have
the battery charge checked more
frequently.
When replacing the battery, 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 Light Truck
Center about steps you need to observe.Batteries contain materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly.
Recycling of batteries is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states require
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries
for recycling.
iMercedes-Benz recommends to have
the battery replaced at authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.
G
Observe all safety instructions
and precautions when handling
automotive batteries.
A
Risk of explosion
D
Keep flames or sparks away
from battery. Do not smoke.
B
Battery acid is caustic. Do not
allow it to come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing.
In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with clean
water and seek medical help if
necessary.
E
Wear eye protection.
C
Keep children away.
F
Follow the instructions in this
Operator’s Manual.

488 Practical hintsBattery
!
The battery is a valve-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 battery as otherwise the bat-
tery will be damaged.
Even though VRLA batteries do not
require topping-up of the electrolyte
level and cannot be opened to check
the electrolyte level, the battery condi-
tion must be checked periodically by
performing a battery conductance test.
Refer to Maintenance Booklet for bat-
tery condition testing intervals.
As with any other battery, the battery
may discharge if the vehicle is not
operated for an extended period of
time. You can connect a battery
maintenance charge unit tested and
approved for use on your vehicle model
or disconnected the battery to prevent
battery discharge. Contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center for more information.
!The factory-equipped VRLA battery is
leak-proofed. Only use a battery as re-
placement that has the same security
features and is of identical size,
voltage, and capacity as the
factory-equipped battery.
The battery, the battery ventilation and
the lateral plug must always be
securely installed when the vehicle is in
operation.Warning!
G
Jump starting must only be done using the
jump-start contacts located in the engine
compartment (
page 496).

489 Practical hints
Battery
Disconnecting, removing, reinstalling and reconnecting the battery
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 487).
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 Light
Truck Center.
Contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck 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
Disconnecting, removing, reinstalling and
reconnecting the battery is a complicated
and technically demanding procedure that
also requires safety precautions to avoid the
risk of injury. We strongly recommend that it
be performed by a qualified technician or an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center only. Please read the instructions
fully before beginning operation and only
undertake it if you feel fully capable of per-
forming all of the tasks involved as de-
scribed in these instructions. Observe all
safety instructions and precautions when
handling automotive batteries
(page 487). Performing the tasks involved
incorrectly can cause damage to the vehicle
and impair the operating safety of the
vehicle, and/or cause severe injury to you
or others.