Exterior care

Automatic car wash

WARNING
Braking efficiency is reduced after washing the vehicle. This could cause an accident. For this reason, you must drive particularly carefully after washing the vehicle until the brakes have dried.

Never clean your vehicle in a Touchless Automatic Car Wash as these use special cleaning agents. These cleaning agents can damage the paintwork or plastic parts.

Make sure that the automatic car wash is suitable for the size of the vehicle. Fold in the exterior mirrors before the vehicle is washed. The exterior mirrors could otherwise be damaged.

Make sure that the automatic transmission is in position N when washing your vehicle in a tow-through car wash. The vehicle could be damaged if the transmission is in another position.

Make sure that:
• the side windows and sliding sunroof are closed completely.

• the blower for the ventilation/heating is switched off (airflow control is turned to position 0/the and
buttons
are switched off).

• the windshield wiper switch is at position 0.

The vehicle could otherwise be damaged.

You can wash the vehicle in an automatic car wash from the very start.

If the vehicle is very dirty, pre-wash it before cleaning it in an automatic car wash.

After using an automatic car wash, wipe off wax from the windshield and the wiper blades. This will prevent smears and reduce wiping noises caused by residue on the windshield.

Washing by hand

allowed at specially equipped washing bays.

Observe the legal requirements in all countries concerned.

When using the vehicle in winter, remove all traces of road salt deposits carefully and as soon as possible.

When washing the vehicle underbody, also clean the inside of the wheels.

► Do not use hot water and do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight.

► Use a soft sponge to clean.

► Use a mild cleaning agent, such as a car shampoo approved by Mercedes-Benz.

► Thoroughly hose down the vehicle with a gentle jet of water.

► Do not point the water jet directly towards the air inlets.

► Use plenty of water and rinse out the sponge frequently.

► Rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry thoroughly with a chamois.

► Do not let the cleaning agent dry on the paintwork.

Power washers

WARNING
Do not use power washers with circular jet nozzles (concentrated-power jets) to clean your vehicle, especially for cleaning tires. You could otherwise damage the tires and cause an accident.

Always maintain a distance of at least 11.8 in (30 cm) between the vehicle and the power washer nozzle. Information about the correct distance is available from the equipment manufacturer.

Move the power washer nozzle around when cleaning your vehicle.

Do not aim directly at any of the following: • tires • door gaps, roof gaps, joints, etc.

• electrical components • battery • connectors • lights • seals • trim • ventilation slots

Damaged seals or electrical components can lead to leaks or failures.

Cleaning the wheels

Do not use acidic wheel cleaning products to remove brake dust. This could damage wheel bolts and brake components.

Do not park the vehicle for an extended period straight after cleaning it, particularly after having cleaned the wheels with wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners could cause increased corrosion of the brake discs and brake pads/linings. For this reason, you should drive for a few minutes after cleaning. Braking heats the brake discs and the brake pads/linings, thus drying them.

The vehicle can then be parked.

Cleaning the paintwork

Do not affix:
• stickers • films • magnetic plates or similar items to painted surfaces. You could otherwise damage the paintwork.

Scratches, corrosive deposits, areas affected by corrosion and damage caused by inadequate care cannot always be completely repaired. In such cases, visit a qualified specialist workshop.

► Remove dirt immediately, where possible, while avoiding rubbing too hard.

► Soak insect remains with insect remover and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.

► Soak bird droppings with water and rinse off the treated areas afterwards.

► Remove coolant, brake fluid, tree resin, oils, fuels and greases by rubbing gently with a cloth soaked in petroleum ether or lighter fluid.

► Use tar remover to remove tar stains.

► Use silicone remover to remove wax.

If water no longer forms "beads" on the paint surface, use the paint care products recommended and approved by Mercedes- Benz. This is the case approximately every three to five months, depending on the climate conditions and the care product used.

If dirt has penetrated the paint surface or if the paint has become dull, the paint cleaner recommended and approved by Mercedes- Benz should be used.

Do not use these care products in the sun or on the hood while the hood is hot.

► Use a suitable touch-up stick, e.g. MB Touch-Up Stick, to correct smaller areas of paint damage quickly and provisionally.

Matte finish care

Never polish the vehicle or the light alloy wheels. Polishing causes the finish to shine.

Never use paint cleaner, buffing or polishing products, or gloss preserver, e.g.

wax. These products are only suitable for high-gloss surfaces. Their use on vehicles with matte finish leads to considerable surface damage (shiny, spotted areas).

Always have paintwork repairs carried out at a qualified specialist workshop.

Do not use wash programs with a hot wax treatment under any circumstances.

If your vehicle has a clear matte finish, observe the following instructions in order to avoid damage to the paintwork due to incorrect care.

These notes also apply to light alloy wheels with a clear matte finish.

The vehicle should preferably be washed by hand using a soft sponge, car shampoo and plenty of water.

Use only insect remover and car shampoo from the range of recommended and approved Mercedes-Benz care products.

Cleaning the windows

WARNING
Switch off the windshield wipers and remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock before cleaning the windshield or the wiper blades.

The windshield wipers could otherwise move and injure you.

Do not use dry cloths, abrasive products, solvents or cleaning agents containing solvents to clean the inside of the windows.

Do not touch the insides of the windows with hard objects, e.g. an ice scraper or ring. There is otherwise a risk of damaging the windows.

Clean the water drainage channels of the windshield and the rear window at regular intervals. Deposits such as leaves, petals and pollen may under certain circumstances prevent water from draining away. This can lead to corrosion damage and damage to electronic components.

► Clean the inside and outside of the windows with a damp cloth and a cleaning agent that is recommended and approved by Mercedes-Benz.

Cleaning the wiper blades

WARNING
Switch off the windshield wipers and remove the SmartKey from the ignition lock before cleaning the windshield or the wiper blades.

The windshield wipers could otherwise move and injure you.

Do not pull the wiper blade. Otherwise, the wiper blade could be damaged.

 Do not clean wiper blades too often and do not rub them too hard. Otherwise, the graphite coating could be damaged. This could cause wiper noise.

Hold the wiper arm securely when folding back. The windshield could be damaged if the wiper arm smacks against it suddenly.

► Fold the windshield wiper arms away from the windshield.

► Carefully clean the wiper blades with a damp cloth.

► Fold the windshield wiper arms back again before switching on the ignition.

Cleaning the headlamps

Only use cleaning agents or cleaning cloths which are suitable for plastic headlamp lenses. Unsuitable cleaning agents or cleaning cloths could scratch or damage the plastic headlamp lenses.

► Clean the headlamp lenses with a damp sponge and a mild cleaning agent, e.g.

Mercedes-Benz car shampoo or cleaning cloths.

Cleaning the sensors

If you clean the sensors with a power washer, make sure that you keep a distance of at least 11.8 in (30 cm) between the vehicle and the power washer nozzle.

Information about the correct distance is available from the equipment manufacturer.

► Clean sensors 1 of the driving systems with water, car shampoo and a soft cloth.

Cleaning the rear view camera

Do not clean the camera lens and the area around the rear view camera with a power washer.

► Use clear water and a soft cloth to clean camera lens 1.

Cleaning chrome parts

Do not clean the exhaust pipe with acidbased cleaning agents such as sanitary cleansers or wheel cleaners.

Impurities combined with the effects of road grit and corrosive environmental factors may cause flash rust to form on the surface. You can restore the original shine of the chrome parts by cleaning them regularly, especially in winter and after washing.

► Clean the chrome parts with a chrome care product tested and approved by Mercedes- Benz.