1999 MERCEDES-BENZ C-280 warning

Checking Engine Oil Level
Example



1.
Oil dipstick
2. Oil filler cap

To check the engine oil level, park vehicle on level gro und, with engine at normal operational temperature. Check
engine
oil level approximately 5 minutes after stopping the engine, allowing for the oil to return to the oil pan.


Oil Dipstick:
Wipe oil dipstick clean prior to checking the engine oil level. Fully insert dipstick in tube, and remove after three
seconds to obtain accurate reading.


Oil level must be between the
lower (min) and upper (max)
mark of the dipstick.



Fill quantity between upper and lower dipstick markin
g level is approximately 2.1 US qt (2.0 I).
Do not overfill the engine.

Excessive oil must be drained or siphoned. It could cause damage to engine and catalytic converter not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
For low engine oil level warning lamp, see Index.


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Trunk Lamp
If the trunk is to remain open for a long period of time, the
trunk lamp can be switched off by pulling out the plunger
in the switch (arrow). This prevents t he vehicle battery from being discharged. When the trunk lid is closed, the switch
will reset and turn on the lamp next time the lid is opened.


Stowing Things in the Vehicle

Warning !
To help avoid personal injury during a collision or sudden maneuver, exercise care when stowing things.
Put luggage or cargo in the trunk if possible. Do not pile luggage or cargo higher than the seat backs.
Do not place anything on the shelf below the rear window.


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Vehicle Jack



1. Jack arm
2. Jack base

See illustration for proper storage of jack. Before storing the jack on the felt in the spare wheel well, the jack arm
must be lowered almost to the base of the jack.

Warning !
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking up the vehicle at the jack tubes built into either side 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 under the
lifted vehicle. Always firmly set parking brake and blo ck wheels before raising vehicle with jack. Do not
disengage parking brake while the vehicle is raised. Be certain that the jack is always vertical when in use,
especially on hills. Always try to use the jack on level surface. Be sure that the jack arm is fully inserted in
the jack tube. Always lower the vehicle onto sufficient capacity jackstands before working under the vehicle.


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Wheels
Replace rims or tires with the same designation, manufacturer and type as shown on the original part. See your
authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer for further information. See your authorized Mercedes- Benz dealer for information
on tested and recommended rims and tires for summer and wi nter operation. They can also offer advice concerning
tire service and purchase.


Tire Replacement
Front tires should be replaced in sets. Furthermore - in the event of tire replacement - the spare wheel (except model
C 43 AMG), if possible, should be used on the rear axle. Ri ms and tires must be of the correct size and type. For
dimensions, see "Technical Data". We recommend that y ou break in new tires for approx. 60 miles (100 km) at
moderate speed. It is imperative that the wheel mounting bolts be fastened to a tightening torque of 80 ft.lb. (110 Nm)
whenever wheels are mounted. For rim and tire specifications, refer to "Technical Data".

Warning !
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If the tire tread is badly worn, or if the tires have sustained damage,
replace them. When replacing rims, use only genuine Mercedes-Benz wheel bolts specified for the particular
rim type. Failure to do so can result in the bolts loosening and possibly an accident.


Rotating Wheels
Rotation of wheels with summer tires does not apply to m odel C 43 AMG. The wheels can be rotated according to the
degree of tire wear while retaining the same direction of travel. Rotating, however, should be carried out at the
scheduled service intervals, before the characteristic tire wear pattern (shoulder wear on front wheels and tread
center wear on rear wheels) becomes visible, as otherwise the driving properties

Important !
Unidirectional tires must always be mounted with arrow on tire sidewall pointing in direction of vehicle forward
movement. Notes: Thoroughly clean the inner side of the w heels any time you rotate the wheels or wash the vehicle
underside. The use of retread tires is not recommended. Retread tires may adversely affect the handling
characteristics and safety of the vehicle. Dented or bent rims can cause tire pressure loss and damage to the tire
beads. For this reason, check rims for damage at regular in tervals. The rim flanges must be checked for wear before
a tire is mounted. Remove burrs, if any. Check and correct ti re inflation pressure after rotating the wheels. For Tire
Inflation Pressure refer to Index.


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Spare Wheel for Model C 43 AMG

The spare wheel rim size is 71/2Jx17H2 In the case of a flat tire or break- down, you may temporarily use a 71/2Jx17
H 2 instead of the 81/2J x 17 H 2 wheel rim on the rear axle, when observing the following restrictions:
• Do not exceed vehicle speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).
• Drive to the nearest repair facility to have the fl at tire repaired or replaced as appropriate.
For additional information, refer to "Technical Data".


1. Wheel bolt for model C 43 AMG
2. Wheel bolt for model 230 und C 28


Replace rims or tires with the same designation, manufa cturer and type as shown on the original part. See your
authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer for further information.

Warning !
The jack is designed exclusively for jacking up the vehicle at the jack tubes built into either side 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 under the lifted
vehicle. Always firmly set parking brake and block whee ls before raising vehicle with jack. Do not disengage
parking brake while the vehicle is raised. Be certain that the jack is always vertical when in use, especially on
hills. Always try to use the jack on level surface. Be sure that the jack arm is fully inserted in the jack tube.
Always lower the vehicle onto sufficient capacity jackstands before working under the vehicle.


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Changing Wheels

Move vehicle to a level area which is a safe distance from the road way.
1 . Set parking brake and turn on hazard warning flasher.
2 . Move selector lever to position "P" and turn off engine.
3 . Prevent vehicle from rolling away by blocking wheels with wheel chocks
(not supplied with vehicle) or sizable wood block or stone. When changing a wheel
on a hill, place chocks on the downhill side blocking both wheels of the other axle.
On a level road, place one chock in front of and one behind the wheel that is
diagonally opposite to the wheel being changed.
4 . Using the wrench, loosen but do not yet remove the wheel bolts.




5
. Remove the protective cover from the jack support tube opening by inserting the
screwdriver (supplied in the tool kit) in the opening and prying it out. The tube
openings are located directly behind the front wheel housings and in front of the
rear wheel housings.


6
. Insert jack arm fully into the tube hole up to the stop.
Place jack on firm ground. Position the jack so that it is always vertical (plumb-line)
as seen from the side (see arrow), even if the vehicle is parked on an incline.

7. Jack up the vehicle until the wheel is clear of the ground.
Never start engine while vehicle is raised.

8 . Unscrew upper-most wheel bolt and install alignment bolt (1) supplied in the
tool kit. Remove the remaining bolts. Keep bolt threads protected from dirt and
sand.



9. Remove wheel. Grip wheel from the sides. Keep hands from beneath the wheels.
10. Clean contact surfaces of wheel and wheel hub. Install spare wheel on wheel
hub.
Insert wheel bolts and tighten them slightly. To avoid paint damage, place wheel
flat
against hub and hold it there while installing first wheel bolt.


Unscrew the alignment bolt (1) to install the last wheel bolt.
11. Lower car. Remove jack and insert jack tube cover. Before storing the jack,
the jack arm must be lowered almost to the base of the jack.



Warning !
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.
Incorrect mounting bolts or improperly tightened mounting bolts can cause the
wheel to come off. This could cause an accident. Be sure to use the correct
mounting bolts.


12.
Using the wrench, tighten the five bolts evenly, following the sequence illustrated
above, until all bolts are tight. Obse rve a tightening torque of 80 ft.lb. (110 Nm).
13. Ensure proper tire pressure.


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Tire Inflation Pressure
A table (see fuel filler flap) lists the tire inflation pressures specified for Mercedes-Benz recommended tires as well as
for the varying operating conditions.

Important !
Tire pressure changes by approx. 1.5 psi (0.1 bar) per 18°F (10°C) of air temperature change. Keep this in mind
when checking tire pressure inside a garage - especially in the winter.
Example:
If garage temperature = approx. +68°F (+20°C) and ambient te mperature = approx. +32°F (0°C) then the adjusted air
pressure = specified air pressure +3 psi (+0.2 bar).
Tire pressures listed for light loads are minimum values o ffering high driving comfort. Increased inflation pressures for
heavy loads produce favorable handling characteristics with lighter loads arid are perfectly permissible. The ride of
the vehicle, however, will become somewhat harder.
Tire temperature and pressure increase with the vehicle speed. Tire pressure should therefore only be corrected on
cold tires. Correct tire pressure in warm tires only if pressure has dropped below the pressure listed in the table and
the respective operating conditions are taken into consideration.
An underinflated tire due to a slow leak (e.g. due to a
nail in the tire) may cause damage such as tread separation, bulging etc.. Regular tire pressure checks (including the
spare tire) at intervals of no more than 14 days are therefore essential. If a tire constantly loses air, it should be
inspected for damage.

Warning !
Do not overinflate tires. Overinfiating tires can result in sudden deflation (blowout) because they are more
likely to become punctured or damaged by road debris, potholes etc.. Follow recommended inflation
pressures.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the specified vehicle capacity weight (as indicated by the label on the
driver's door latch post). Overloading the tires can overheat them, possibly causing a blowout.


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Exterior Lamps
Headlamp Adjustment

Correct headlamp adjustment is extremely important. Check and readjust headlamps at regular intervals and
when a bulb has been replaced.






Headlamp Assembly

1. Cover for low beam headlamp bulb, fog lamp, and level for vertical adjustment
2. Latch for cover (1)
3. Cover for high beam headlamp bulb
4. Clamp for cover (3)
5. Headlamp vertical adjustment screw

6. Headlamp horizontal adjustment screw
7. Scale for horizontal adjustment
8. Electrical connector for low beam headlamp bulb Xenon lamp (optional) ignition module for low beam
9. Electrical connector for fog lamp bulb
10. Electrical connector for high beam headlamp bulb


Replacing Bulb:
To prevent a possible electrical short circuit, switch off lamp prior to replacing a bulb. When replacing bulbs,
install only 12 volt bulbs with the specified watt rati ng. When replacing halogen bulbs do not touch glass
portion of bulb with bare hands. Us e plain paper or a clean cloth.

Warning !
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.

Bulb for Low Beam H7 (55 W)
Bulb for Fog Lamp H1 (55 W)

Open hood.
Depress latch (2) and remove cover (1). Pull of electrical connector (8) or (9). Unhook clamping ring and
removes bulb. Insert new bulb (seating properly in cutouts of bulb socket), and mount clamping ring.
Reinstall and push electrical connector on securely. Re install bottom end of cover (1) and push against top
end of cover until properly seated. Check lamp for proper operation.


Xenon (optional)
Bulb for Low Beam

Warning !
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.



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