MERCEDES-BENZ R500 2006 W251 Owner's Manual

500 Practical hintsTowing the vehicle
!
To be certain to avoid additional dam-
age to the vehicle powertrain, however
you should observe the following:

With damage to the front axle

raise front axle


remove flexible drive shaft be-
tween rear axle and transfer
case


With damage to the rear axle

raise rear axle


tow vehicle with wheel lift or
dolly placed under front wheels


With damage to the transfer case

remove flexible drive shaft to
the drive axles
Always install new self-locking nuts
when reinstalling flexible drive shaft.
Warning!
G
If circumstances require towing the vehicle
with all wheels on the ground, always tow
with a tow bar if:

the engine will not run


there is a malfunction in the power
supply or in the vehicle’s electrical sys-
tem
Prior to towing the vehicle with all wheels on
the ground, make sure the SmartKey is in
starter switch position2.
If the SmartKey is left in starter switch
position0 for an extended period of time, it
can no longer be turned in the switch. In this
case, the steering is locked. To unlock,
remove SmartKey from starter switch and
reinsert.
Warning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the
vehicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.iTo signal turns while being towed with
hazard warning flasher in use, turn the
SmartKey in starter switch to
position2 and activate combination
switch for left or right turn signal in
usual manner – only the selected turn
signal will operate.
Upon canceling the turn signal, the
hazard warning flasher will operate
again.

501 Practical hints
Towing the vehicle
Installing towing eye bolts
The front towing eye is located behind a
cover on the passenger side below the
front bumper.
1Towing eye cover
iThe vehicle cannot be started via
tow-start.iIf the battery is disconnected or dis-
charged, the automatic transmission
will remain locked in positionP and the
SmartKey will not turn in the starter
switch. For more information, see “Bat-
tery” (
page 487) and “Jump starting”
(
page 496).
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, note the following:
With the automatic central locking
activated and the ignition in position2
(page 38), the vehicle doors lock if
the left front wheel is turning at a speed
of approx. 9 mph (15 km / h) or above.
To prevent the vehicle doors from
locking, deactivate the automatic
central locking (
page 130).
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(
page 107).
Towing of the vehicle should only be
done using the towing eye. Never
attach tow cable, tow rope or tow rod
to vehicle chassis, frame or suspension
parts.

502 Practical hintsTowing the vehicleThe rear towing eye is located behind the
right side cover in the rear bumper panel.
1Towing eye cover

Press mark on cover1 as indicated by
the arrow.

Lift off cover1 to reveal the threaded
hole for towing eye bolt.

Take the towing eye bolt and wheel
wrench from the vehicle toolkit
(page 455).

Screw towing eye bolt in to its stop and
tighten with wheel wrench.

After use, unscrew towing eye bolt.

Store the towing eye bolt and wheel
wrench back into the vehicle toolkit
(page 455).

Engage cover1 at top and press at
bottom.
Stranded vehicle
Freeing a stranded vehicle, on which the
wheels are dug into sand or mud, should
be done with the greatest of care, especial-
ly if the vehicle is heavily loaded.
Avoid pulling the vehicle abruptly or diago-
nally, since it could result in damage to the
chassis alignment.
Never try to free a vehicle that is still cou-
pled to a trailer.
If possible, a vehicle equipped with trailer
hitch receiver should be pulled backward
in its own previously made tracks.
Warning!
G
In order to avoid possible serious burns or
injury, use extreme caution when removing
the cover, because the rear exhaust pipe is
extremely hot.

503 Practical hintsFuses
Fuses
The electrical fuses in your vehicle serve to
stop the supply of electricity to a device
that is malfunctioning. This helps to
prevent damage to the other vehicle
electronics. If a fuse is blown, the compo-
nents and systems secured by that fuse
will stop operating.
The following aids are available to help you
change fuses. They are included with the
vehicle tool kit (
page 455):


Fuse chart
The fuse chart explains the fuse alloca-
tion and fuse amperages.


Spare fuses


Fuse extractor
Warning!
G
Only use fuses approved for Mercedes-Benz
with the specified amperage for the system
in question. Otherwise, a short circuit could
result and cause a fire.
!Only install fuses that have been tested
and approved by Mercedes-Benz and
that have the specified amperage
rating. Otherwise, electrical parts or
systems could be damaged.
Never attempt to repair or bridge a
blown fuse. Have the cause determined
and remedied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.

504 Practical hintsFusesMain fuse box
The main fuse box is located on the pas-
senger side of the engine compartment.
Open the hood (
page 345).
1Clamp
2Main fuse box cover

Switch off the ignition (
page 38) and
remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*:

Switch off the ignition (
page 39).

Open the driver’s door (this puts the
starter switch in position 0, same as
with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch). The driver’s door then
can be closed again.

Release clamp1.

Lift fuse box cover2 up.

Install main fuse box cover in reverse
order.
Fuse box in cargo compartment
The fuse box is located behind under the
cargo compartment cover on the
right-hand side of the spare wheel well.
Open the tailgate (
page 122).

Lift the cargo compartment cover
(page 454).

Secure cargo compartment cover with
strap (
page 455).
1Cover
2Handle

Lift cover1 at handle 2.
!The fuse box cover must be installed
properly to prevent moisture and/or
dirt from entering the fuse box and pos-
sibly impairing fuse operation.

505 Practical hintsFuses
Fuse box in passenger compartment
The fuse box is located behind a cover in
the dashboard on the passenger side.
Open the front passenger door.
1CoverOpening:

Pull cover1 in direction of arrow.
Closing:

Clip upper end of cover2 into open-
ing.

Push on lower end of cover2 until it
engages.
!Do not use sharp objects such as a
screwdriver to open fuse box cover 1,
as this could damage it.

506

507 Technical data
Parts service
Warranty coverage
Identification labels
Layout of poly-V-belt drive
Engine
Rims and tires
Electrical system
Main Dimensions
Weights
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.

508 Technical dataThe “Technical data” section provides the
necessary technical data for your vehicle.Parts service
All authorized Mercedes-Benz Centers
maintain a stock of Genuine
Mercedes-Benz Parts required for mainte-
nance and repair work. In addition, strate-
gically located parts distribution centers
provide quick and reliable parts service.
More than 300 000 different parts for
Mercedes-Benz models are available.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz Parts are subject-
ed to stringent quality inspections. Each
part has been specifically developed, man-
ufactured or selected for and adapted to
Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Therefore, Genuine Mercedes-Benz Parts
should be installed.
!The use of non-genuine Mercedes-Benz
parts and accessories not authorized
by Mercedes-Benz could damage the
vehicle, which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty, or
could compromise the vehicle’s
durability or safety.

509 Technical data
Warranty coverage
Warranty coverage
Your vehicle is covered under the terms of
the warranties printed in the Service and
Warranty Information booklet. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
Center will exchange or repair any defec-
tive parts originally installed on the vehicle
in accordance with the terms of the follow-
ing warranties:

New Vehicle Limited Warranty


Emission System Warranty


Emission Performance Warranty


California, Maine, Massachusetts, and
Vermont Emission Control Systems
WarrantyReplacement parts and accessories are
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Parts and
Accessories warranties, copies of which
are available at any Mercedes-Benz Light
Truck Center.Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet
Should you lose your Service and Warranty
Information booklet, have an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center arrange
for a replacement. It will be mailed to you.