warning MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS 2005 Owners Manual

391 Practical hints
Replacing bulbs
Notes on bulb replacement


Only use 12 volt bulbs of the same type
and with the specified watt rating.


Switch lights off before changing a bulb
to prevent short circuits.


Always use a clean lint-free cloth when
handling bulbs.


Your hands should be dry and free of oil
and grease.


If the newly installed bulb does not
come on, visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.Have the LEDs and bulbs for the following
lamps replaced by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.


Additional turn signal lamps in the exte-
rior rear view mirrors


Bi-Xenon lamps*


High mounted brake lamp


Brake lamps


Rear side marker lamps


Rear parking lamps
Warning!
G
Keep bulbs out of reach of children.
Bulbs and bulb sockets can be very hot. Al-
low the lamp to cool down before changing
a bulb.
Halogen lamps contain pressurized gas. A
bulb can explode if you:

touch or move it when hot


drop the bulb


scratch the bulb
Wear eye and hand protection.
Because of high voltage in Xenon lamps, it is
dangerous to replace the bulb or repair the
lamp and its components. We recommend
that you have such work done by a qualified
technician.
iHave the headlamp adjustment
checked regularly.

392 Practical hintsReplacing bulbsReplacing bulbs for front lamps
Before you start to replace a bulb for a
front lamp, do the following first:
Turn the exterior lamp switch to M
(page 50).

Open the hood (
page 286) (except
for side marker lamps).
1Headlamp cover for fog lamp
2Headlamp cover for high beam halogen
headlamp bulb, parking and standing
lamp
3Headlamp cover for Bi-Xenon* (low and
high beam) or halogen (low beam)
headlamp bulb4Bulb socket for fog lamp
5Bulb socket for parking and standing
lamp
6Electrical connector for high beam
halogen headlamp bulb
7Electrical connector for low beam
headlamp bulb
8Bulb socket for turn signal lampReplacing low beam bulbs
Bi-Xenon* headlamp
Warning!
G
Do not remove the cover for the Bi-Xenon
headlamp. Because of high voltage in Xenon
lamps, it is dangerous to replace the bulb or
repair the lamp and its components. We rec-
om men d t ha t y ou ha ve s uc h w o rk do n e by a
qualified technician.

396 Practical hintsReplacing wiper bladesWiper blades in vertical position
Removing wiper blades
Turn SmartKey in starter switch
position1.

Turn combination switch to wiper
settingII (
page 52).

With wiper arm in vertical position, turn
SmartKey in starter switch to
position0.

Fold the wiper arm forward until it
snaps into place.

Turn the wiper blade at a right angle to
wiper arm (arrow 1).

Slide the wiper blade sideways out of
the retainer in the direction of
arrow2.
!To avoid damage to the hood, the wiper
arms should only be folded forward
when in the vertical position.
Warning!
G
For safety reasons, switch off wipers and re-
move SmartKey from starter switch (vehi-
cles with KEYLESS-GO*: Make sure the
vehicle's on-board electronics have status
0) before replacing a wiper blade. Other-
wise, the wiper motor could suddenly turn
on and cause injury.

398 Practical hintsFlat tirePreparing 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.

Set the parking brake.

Move the gear selector lever toP.
Vehicles with SmartKey:

Turn off the engine (
page 57).

Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.Vehicles with SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO*:

Turn off the engine by pressing the
KEYLESS-GO* button on the gear se-
lector lever once (
page 57).

Open the driver’s door (this puts the
starter switch in position0, same as
with the SmartKey removed from the
starter switch). The driver’s door then
can be closed again.

Have any passenger exit the vehicle at
a safe distance from the roadway.
Mounting the spare wheel
iOpen the door only when conditions
are safe to do so.
Warning!
G
Never operate the vehicle with more than
one spare wheel mounted.
The spare wheel rim is for temporary use
only. Use for over a total of 12 000 miles
(20 000 km) (aggregate of all uses) may
cause wheel rim failure leading to an acci-
dent and possible injuries.
The spare wheel should only be used tempo-
rarily and replaced with a regular road wheel
as quickly as possible.
S55AMG and Sport Package* only:
The spare wheel is for temporary use only.
When driving with spare wheel mounted, en-
sure proper tire inflation pressure and do
not exceed vehicle speed of 50 mph
(80 km/h).

399 Practical hints
Flat tire
Preparing the vehicle
Take vehicle tool kit tray and vehicle
jack out of trunk.

Take the spare wheel out of wheel well
(page 379).
Lifting the vehicle

Prevent the vehicle from rolling away
by blocking wheels with wheel chocks
(not included) or other sizable objects.
When changing wheel on a level surface:

Place one chock in front of and one be-
hind the wheel that is diagonally oppo-
site to the wheel being changed.
When changing wheel on a hill:

Place chocks behind the downhill sides
of both wheels of the axle not being
worked on.

Take the two-piece wheel wrench out
of the vehicle tool kit tray. Assemble
wheel wrench.

On wheel to be changed, loosen but do
not yet remove the wheel bolts (ap-
proximately one full turn with wrench).
The tube openings are located directly be-
hind the front wheel housings and in front
of the rear wheel housings.
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 mounted spare
wheel. Adapt your driving style accordingly.
Warning!
G
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking
up the vehicle at the jack tubes built 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 un-
der the lifted vehicle. Always firmly set park-
ing 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 inserted in the jack tube. Always lower
the vehicle onto sufficient capacity jack-
stands before working under the vehicle.

400 Practical hintsFlat tire1Jack support tube cover
Move cover1 toward rear by pressing
at point indicated by arrow.

Remove cover1 carefully to avoid
damage to the locking tabs.1Jack support tube hole
2Jack arm
3Crank

Insert jack arm2 fully into tube
hole1 up to the stop.

Keeping jack in this position, turn
crank3 clockwise until the jack base
meets the ground. Make sure the jack
is vertical (plumb line).

Continue to turn the crank until the tire
is a maximum of 1.2 in (3 cm) from the
ground.
Warning!
G
Insert the jack arm fully into the jack sup-
port tube hole up to the stop. Otherwise the
vehicle may fall from the jack and cause per-
sonal injury or damage to the vehicle.
Warning!
G
The jack is intended only for lifting the vehi-
cle 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.

401 Practical hints
Flat tire
Removing the wheel
1Alignment bolt
Unscrew upper-most wheel bolt and re-
move.

Replace this wheel bolt with alignment
bolt1 supplied in the tool kit.

Remove the remaining bolts.

Remove the wheel.Mounting the new wheel

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.

Unscrew the alignment bolt, install last
wheel bolt and tighten slightly.
!Do not place wheel bolts in sand or dirt.
This could result in damage to the bolt
and wheel hub threads.
!To avoid paint damage, place wheel flat
against hub and hold it there while in-
stalling 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 au-
thorized 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 you are using the correct wheel
bolts.
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
tip over.

402 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 illustrat-
ed (1 to 5), until all bolts are tight.
Observe a tightening torque of
110 lb-ft (150 Nm).

Before storing the jack in the trunk, it
should be fully collapsed, with handle
folded in.

Place the wheel bolt wrench, alignment
bolt and jack back in the vehicle tool kit
in the trunk and close the covering lid.Replacing jack support tube cover

Slide tongue of cover under the upper
edge of the tube opening.

Applying even pressure, press cover
until it snaps into place. Be careful not
to damage the locking tabs or clamp
the plastic retaining strap.
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).
!You can also screw the faulty wheel
down into the spare wheel well in the
trunk.
Do not activate the tire inflation pres-
sure monitor* until the depressurized
tire is no longer in the vehicle.

403 Practical hints
Battery
Battery
The battery is located on the right side of
the trunk under the battery cover.
1Battery cover
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
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.
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.!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 Center.
Refer to Maintenance Booklet for main-
tenance intervals or contact an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for further
information.
Warning!
G
With a disconnected battery

you will no longer be able to turn the
SmartKey in the starter switch and
pressing the KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button (
page 35) on the gear selector
lever will have no effect


the gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP

404 Practical hintsBattery
Pull on the outer, right-hand side of
cover1 and remove it in the direction
of the arrow.
2Positive terminal
3Negative terminal
Disconnecting the battery
Turn off all electrical consumers.

Open the trunk lid (
page 103).

Remove the battery cover1.

Use a 10 mm open-end wrench to dis-
connect the battery negative lead3.

Remove cover from the positive
terminal2.

Disconnect the battery positive
lead2.
Removing the battery
Remove the screw securing the bat-
tery.

Remove the battery support and
bracket.

Take out the battery.
Charging and reinstalling the battery
Charge battery in accordance with the
instructions of the battery charger
manufacturer.

Reinstall the charged battery. Follow
the previously described steps in re-
verse order.Warning!
G
Never charge a battery while still installed in
the vehicle. Gases may escape during charg-
ing and cause explosions that may result in
paint damage, corrosion or personal injury.