snow chains MERCEDES-BENZ R500 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

100 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
In this section you will find information on
the following driving safety systems:

ABS (Antilock Brake System)

BAS (Brake Assist System)

ESP® (Electronic Stability Program)

EBP (Electronic Brake Proportioning)

4-ETS (Electronic Traction System)
ABS
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) regulates
the brake pressure so that the wheels do
not lock during braking. This allows you to
maintain the ability to steer your vehicle.
The ABS is functional above a speed of ap-
proximately 5 mph (8 km/h) independent
of road surface conditions.
On slippery road surfaces, the ABS will re-
spond even to light brake pressure.
The -indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster (
page 26) comes on when you
switch on the ignition. It goes out when the
engine is running.
Warning!G
The following factors increase the risk of
accidents:

Excessive speed, especially in turns

Wet and slippery road surfaces

Following another vehicle too closely
The ABS, BAS, ESP
® and 4-ETS cannot re-
duce this risk.
Always adjust your driving style to the pre-
vailing road and weather conditions.
iIn winter operation, the maximum effective-
ness of the ABS, the BAS, the ESP®, the EBP, and
the 4-ETS is only achieved with winter tires
(
page 405) or snow chains as required.
Warning!G
Do not pump the brake pedal. Use firm,
steady brake pedal pressure instead. Pump-
ing the brake pedal defeats the purpose of
the ABS and significantly reduces braking
effectiveness.

104 Safety and Security
Driving safety systems
Switching off the ESP®
To improve the vehicle’s traction, switch
off the ESP® in driving situations where it
would be advantageous to have the drive
wheels spin and thus cut into surfaces for
better grip such as:

when driving with snow chains

in deep snow

in sand or gravelWhen you switch off the ESP
®

the ESP® does not stabilize the vehicle

the engine output is not limited, which
allows the drive wheels to spin and
thus cut into surfaces for better grip

the 4-ETS will still apply the brake to a
spinning wheel

the ESP® continues to operate when
you are braking

you cannot activate the cruise control
or the Distronic* system

the cruise control or the Distronic*
system switch off if currently activatedThe ESP
® switch is located on the upper
part of the center console.
1ESP
® switch
With the engine running, press ESP®
switch1.
The ESP
®warning lampv in the in-
strument cluster comes on.
The ESP
® is deactivated.
Warning!G
The ESP® should not be switched off during
normal driving other than in the circum-
stances described below. Disabling of the
system will reduce vehicle stability in stan-
dard driving maneuvers.
Do not switch off the ESP
® when a spare
wheel is mounted.
!Switch on the ESP® immediately if the
aforementioned circumstances do not apply
anymore.
iWhen the ESP® is switched off and one or
more drive wheels are spinning, the ESP® warn-
ing lamp v in the instrument cluster flashes.
However, the ESP
® will then not stabilize the
vehicle.

354 Operation
Driving instructions
R320 CDI, R350, R500
Your vehicle is factory equipped with
“H”-rated tires, which have a speed rating
of 130 mph (210 km/h).
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed of
130 mph (210 km/h).
R350, R500 (with Sport Package*)
R350, R500 (with AMG rims*)
Your vehicle is factory equipped with
“W”-rated tires, which have a speed rating
of 168 mph (270 km/h)
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed of
130 mph (210 km/h).R63AMG
Your vehicle is factory equipped with
“Y”-rated tires, which have a speed rating
of 186 mph (300 km/h).
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed of
155 mph (250 km/h).
R 63 AMG with increased top speed*
Your vehicle is factory equipped with
“Y”-rated tires, which have a speed rating
of 186 mph (300 km/h).
An electronic speed limiter prevents your
vehicle from exceeding a speed of
171 mph (275 km/h).Winter driving instructions
The most important rule for slippery or icy
roads is to drive sensibly and to avoid
abrupt acceleration, braking and steering
maneuvers. Do not use the cruise control
system under such conditions.
When the vehicle is in danger of skidding,
shift the automatic transmission to
positionN. Try to keep the vehicle under
control by corrective steering action.
iFor information on speed ratings for winter
tires, see “Winter tires” (
page 405).
For additional general information on tire speed
markings on the tire sidewall, see “Tire speed
rating” (
page 403).
iFor information on driving with snow chains,
see “Snow chains” (
page 406).
Warning!G
On slippery road surfaces, never downshift
in order to obtain braking action. This could
result in drive wheel slip and reduced vehi-
cle control. Your vehicle’s ABS will not pre-
vent this type of control loss.

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).

406 Operation
Winter driving
Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h). Remove chains
as soon as possible when driving on roads
without snow.Please observe the following guidelines
when using snow chains:

Use of snow chains is not permissible
with all wheel/tire combinations
(
page 532).

Snow chains should only be used on
the rear wheels. Follow the manufac-
turer’s mounting instructions.

Only use snow chains that are
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck
C e n t e r w i l l b e g l a d t o a d v i s e y o u o n t h i s
subject.

Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.

Do not use snow chains on the spare
wheel (
page 534).
Warning!G
If you use your spare tire when winter tires
are fitted on the other wheels, be aware that
the difference in tire characteristics may
very well impair turning stability and that
overall driving stability may be reduced.
Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Have the spare tire replaced with a winter
tire at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center.!Even on vehicles with all-wheel-drive, use
snow chains on rear wheels only.
Some tire sizes do not leave adequate clearance
for snow chains. To help avoid serious damage to
your vehicle or tires, use of snow chains is not
permissible with the spare wheel.
!Vehicles with Adaptive Damping
System (ADS)*: When driving with snow chains,
do not select SPORT mode (
page 286).
iWhen driving with snow chains, you may
wish to deactivate the ESP® (page 104) be-
fore setting the vehicle in motion. This will im-
prove the vehicle’s traction.

534 Technical data
Rims and tires
Spare wheel (collapsible tire)
R320CDI
R350
R500R63AMG
Rim (steel)6.5 B x 18 H2–
Rim (light alloy)–5.5 B x 19 H2
Wheel offset1.58 in (40 mm)0.51 in (13 mm)
Collapsible tire 1
1Must not be used with snow chains.
195/75-18 106P185/65-19 104P
Recommended tire inflation pressure44 psi (3.0 bar)51 psi (3.5 bar)
!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 yellow label
on the spare wheel rim differs from the values
given in this Operator’s Manual, inflate the
collapsible tire to the recommended tire inflation
pressure given on the yellow label on the spare
wheel rim.iPlease note that the tire inflation pressure of
the collapsible tire differs from the tire inflation
pressure of the road tires.

563 Index
Seats 132
Adjusting 43
Easy entry/exit feature 132
Heating* 142
Memory function* 144
Multicontour seat* 136
Ventilation* 143
Securing cargo 299
Selector lever see Gear selector lever
Self-test
Lamps in the instrument cluster 420
OCS 93
Tele Aid* 331
Service and warranty information 10
Service intervals see Maintenance, Service
indicator 409
Service life
Tires 374
Vehicle battery 506
Service, Parts 524
Service see Maintenance
Service system see FSS PLUS
(Canada vehicles) or
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles)Settings
AIRMATIC* 285
Clock 181
Comfort functions* 189
Control system menus 162, 164
Control system submenus 163, 165,
177
Date 181, 182
Distance warning function* 191
Factory, SmartKey 113
Factory, SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* 119
Individual, Vehicle 176
Instrument cluster 179
Language, multifunction display 180
Lighting 183
Memory function* 144
Resetting all, Control system 176
Selective, SmartKey 114
Selective, SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* 119
Time 181
Vehicle level control* 286
Shift program mode, Automatic
transmission 206Shifting, Automatic transmission 197
Side impact air bags 78
Side marker lamps
Cleaning lenses 413
Messages in the multifunction
display 466
Replacing bulbs 484, 485
Side windows see Power windows
Sidewall 403
SmartKey see Key, SmartKey 112
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* see Key,
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* 116
Snow chains 406
Snow tires see Winter tires
Spare fuses 472
Spare wheel 475, 534
Inflating 501
Mounting 498
Wheel bolts 472, 500
Speed settings
Cruise control 270
Distronic* 277
Speedometer 27
Spinning see Tires, Direction of rotation

566 Index
Tire inflation pressure
Checking 382
Checking manually 383
Checking tire pressure electronically,
Advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (Advanced TPMS)*, (Canada
only) 388
Checking tire pressure electronically,
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS), (USA only) 385
Recommended tire inflation
pressure 380
Tires 373, 532
Advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (Advanced TPMS)*, (Canada
only) 388
Air pressure 401
Care and maintenance 374
Cleaning 375
Collapsible tire, Spare wheel 534
Combination low tire pressure/TPMS
malfunction telltale, USA only 27
Direction of rotation, Spinning 375
Driving instructions 352
Hydroplaning 352
Important guidelines 373Important notes, Tire inflation
pressure 381
Inflation pressure 380, 382
Inspection 374
Load rating 392, 393, 403
Loading terminology 401
Loading the vehicle 376
Low tire pressure telltale 27, 428
Ply composition and material
used 403
Retreads 373
Rims and tires 532
Rotating 404
Run Flat Indicator (Canada only) 383
Service life 374
Sizes 532
Snow chains 406
Spare wheel, Collapsible tire 534
Speed rating 353, 393, 403
Storing 375
Temperature 381, 400
Terminology 401
TIN 396, 403
Tire Identification Number see TIN
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(TPMS)*, (USA only) 385TPMS malfunction telltale (USA
only) 428
Traction 353, 399, 403
Tread depth 375, 405
Treadwear indicators 375
Vehicle maximum load on 403
Wear pattern 404
Winter tires 405
Tongue Weight Rating see TWR
Tools 472
Top tether
Children in the vehicle 84
Towing eye bolts 518
Towing the vehicle 517
Tow-starting 514, 517
TPMS (USA only) 385
Traction 403
4-ETS, Driving safety systems 100,
106
Transmission see Automatic transmission
Traveling abroad 356
Tread 403
Tread depth 375
Treadwear indicators 403
Trip computer 191
Trip odometer 157

568 Index
W
Warning indicators
Parktronic* 293
Warning lamps see Lamps, Indicator and
warning
Warning sounds
Distance warning function* 284
Distronic* 275
Exterior lamps 68
Parking brake 58
Parktronic system* 293
Seat belt telltale 82, 426, 427
Warranty coverage 10, 525
Washer fluid see Windshield washer fluid
Washer reservoir level 372
Washing the vehicle 410
Wear pattern, Tires 404
Weights, Vehicle 537
Wheel
Bolts 500
Change 497
Removing 500
Spare 534
Tightening torque 504Wheels
Sizes 532
Wheels, Tires and 373
Window curtain air bags 78
Windows see Power windows
Windshield
Cleaning 415
Defogging 225, 240
Infrared reflecting* 344
Washer fluid 546
Windshield washer fluid 372
Messages in the multifunction
display 469
Mixing ratio 546
Refilling 372
Reservoir level 372
Windshield washer system 372, 546
Windshield wipers 60
Cleaning wiper blades 415
Fast continuous wiping 61
Fast intermittent wiping 61
Rear window wiper/washer 62
Replacing wiper blades 494
Slow continuous wiping 61
Slow intermittent wiping 61Winter driving
Snow chains 406
Tires 405
Winter driving instructions 354
Winter tires 405
Wiping and washing simultaneously 63
Wood trims, cleaning 418