2003 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 KOMPRESSOR Page 75

239 Operation
Engine compartment
1Coolant expansion tank
Using a rag, turn the cap slowly approx-
imately one half turn to the left to re-
lease any excess pressure.

Continue turning the cap to the left and
remove it.The coolant level is correct if the level


for cold coolant: reaches the black
top part of the reservoir


for warm coolant: is approx. 0.6 in
(1.5 cm) higher

Add coolant as required.

Replace and tighten cap.
More information on coolant can be found
in the “Technical data” section
(
page 336).
Warning!
G
In order to avoid any possibly serious burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.


Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if engine temperature is
above 194°F (90°C). Allow engine to
cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.


Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately
1/2 turn to relieve excess pres-
sure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out un-
der pressure.


Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene gly-
col which may burn if it comes into con-
tact with hot engine parts.

240 OperationEngine compartmentBattery
Your vehicle’s battery is located in the en-
gine compartment (
page 303).
The battery should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve its rated ser-
vice life.
If you use your vehicle mostly for short dis-
tance trips, you will need to have the bat-
tery charge checked more frequently.
When replacing the battery, always use
batteries approved by Mercedes-Benz.
If you do not intend to operate your vehicle
for an extended period of time, consult an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center about
steps you need to observe.Batteries contain materials that can harm
the environment if disposed of improperly.
Recycling of batteries is the preferred
method of disposal. Many states require
sellers of batteries to accept old batteries
for recycling.
G
Observe all safety instructions
and precautions when handling
automotive batteries.
A
Risk of explosion
D
Keep flames or sparks away
from battery. Do not smoke.
B
Battery acid is caustic. Do not
allow it to come into contact
with skin, eyes or clothing.
In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with clear
water and seek medical help if
necessary.
E
Wear eye protection.
C
Keep children away.
F
Follow the instructions in this
Operator's Manual.

241 Operation
Engine compartment
Windshield washer system and headlamp cleaning* system
Fluid for the windshield washer system and
the headlamp cleaning system is supplied
from the windshield washer reservoir. It
has a capacity of

Vehicles without headlamp cleaning
system: approx. 3.2 US qt. (3.0 l).


Vehicles with headlamp cleaning
system*: approx. 6.4 US qt. (6.0 l).
During all seasons, add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “S” to water. Premix
the windshield washer fluid in a suitable
container.

Refill the reservoir with MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate and water (or
commercially available premixed wind-
shield washer solvent / antifreeze, de-
pending on ambient temperatures).Always use washer solvent/antifreeze
where temperatures may fall below
freezing. Failure to do so could result in
damage to the washer system/reser-
voir.
More information can be found in the
“Technical data” section (
page 338).1Washer fluid reservoir
Warning!
G
Washer solvent / antifreeze is highly flam-
mable. Do not spill washer solvent /
antifreeze on hot engine parts, because it
may ignite. You could be seriously burned.
!Only use washer fluid which is suitable
for plastic lenses. Improper washer flu-
id can damage the plastic lenses of the
headlamps.

245 Operation
Winter driving
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter have your vehi-
cle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service in-
cludes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.


Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning system. Add MB Concentrate
“S” to a premixed windshield washer
solvent / antifreeze which is formulated
for below freezing temperatures
(page 338).


Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to ensure
that the engine can be started, even at
low ambient temperatures.


Tire change. We recommend M+S rat-
ed radial-ply tires on all four wheels for
the winter season.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 39°F (4°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Use of winter tires
is the only way to achieve the maximum ef-
fectiveness of ABS, ESP and 4MATIC* in
winter operation.
For safe handling, ensure that all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your ve-
hicle, you must place a notice to this effect
where it will be seen by the driver. Such no-
tices are available from your tire dealer or
from any authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.Warning!
G
Winter tires with a tread depth under 0.16 in
(4 mm) must be replaced. They are no long-
er suitable for winter operation.
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 Center.

246 OperationWinter drivingBlock heater (Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block
heater.
The electrical cable may be installed at
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Snow chains
Snow chains should only be driven on
snow-covered roads at speeds not to ex-
ceed 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.


Chains should only be used on the rear
wheels. Follow the manufacturer's
mounting instructions.


Use only snow chains that are ap-
proved by Mercedes-Benz. Your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center will be
glad to advise you on this subject.
iWhen driving with snow chains, you
may wish to deactivate the ESP
(page 75) before setting the vehicle
in motion. This will improve the vehi-
cle‘s traction.
!Even on vehicles with all-wheel-drive
use snow chains on rear tires only.
Use of snow chains is not permissible
with tire sizes:

225/45 R17 91 H M+S


225/45 R17 91 W


245/40 R17 91 Y


T 125/90 R16 M 98

247 Operation
Maintenance
Maintenance
We strongly recommend that you have
your vehicle serviced by your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, in accordance with
the Service Booklet at the times called for
by the FSS (Flexible Service System).
Failure to have the vehicle maintained in
accordance with the Service Booklet at the
designated times /mileage called for by
the FSS may result in vehicle damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
FSS will notify you when your next service
is due.
Approximately one month before your next
service is due, one of the following mes-
sages will appear in the multifunction dis-
play while you are driving or when you
switch on the ignition (example service A):SERVICE A IN XX DAYS
SERVICE A IN XX MILES (KM)
SERVICE A DUE NOW!
The type of service due is indicated in the
speedometer display field:9
Minor service (A)
½
Major service (B)
Clearing the service indicator
The service indicator is automatically
cleared

after ten seconds when you switch on
the ignition or when reaching the ser-
vice threshold while driving


after 30 seconds, once the suggested
service term has passed
You can also clear it yourself.

Press the reset knob on the instrument
cluster (
page 22).
Service term exceeded
If you have exceeded the suggested ser-
vice term, you will see the following mes-
sage in the multifunction display:SERVICE A EXCEEDED BY XX DAYS
SERVICE A EXCEEDED BY XX MILES (KM)The Mercedes-Benz Center will reset the
service indicator following a completed
service.
iThe interval between services depends
on your driving habits. A gentle driving
style, moderate engine speeds and the
avoidance of short distance trips will
lengthen the interval between services.

248 OperationMaintenanceCalling up the service indicator
Switch ignition on.
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 116).

Press button
k
or
j
on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel until the FSS
indicator appears in the multifunction
display.
Resetting the service indicator
In the event that the service on your vehi-
cle is not carried out by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center, you can reset the
service indicator yourself.
Switch ignition on.
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 116).

Press button
k
or
j
on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel until the FSS
indicator appears in the multifunction
display.

Press the reset knob for about four
seconds.
This message appears in the tachome-
ter:DO YOU WANT TO RESET SERVICE INTER-
VAL? CONFIRM BY PRESSING RESET (R)
BUTTON

To confirm, hold down the reset knob
until you hear a signal.The service indicator now displays the
reset interval.
iIf the battery is disconnected, the days
of disconnection will not be included in
the count shown by the service indica-
tor. To arrive at the true service dead-
line, you will need to subtract these
days from the days shown in the ser-
vice indicator.
Do not confuse the service indicator
with the engine oil level indicator
:
.
iIf the service indicator was inadvertent-
ly reset, have a Mercedes-Benz Center
correct it.
Only reset if the proper service has
been performed. Resetting the system
without performing proper service as
called for by the FSS will cause the FSS
to incorrectly determine the next
service interval which will result in
engine damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

256 Practical hintsWhat to do if …
What to do if …Lamps in instrument clusterGeneral information:
If a bulb in the instrument cluster fails to
light up during the bulb self-check when turning the SmartKey in the starter switch
to position2, have it checked and replaced
if necessary.Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
v
The yellow ESP warning lamp
lights up while driving.
The ESP is deactivated. Risk of accident!
Adapt your speed and driving to the prevail-
ing road conditions.

Turn the ESP back on (
page 75).
If the ESP cannot be turned back on, have
the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possi-
ble.
v
The yellow ESP warning lamp
flashes while driving.
The ESP or traction control has come into
operation because of detected traction loss
in at least one tire.

When driving off apply as little throttle
as possible.

While driving ease up on the accelera-
tor.

Adapt your speed and driving to the
prevailing road and weather condi-
tions.

Do not deactivate the ESP.
Exceptions: (
page 75).
Failure to follow these instructions
increases the risk of accidents.