2003 MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS engine oil

266 OperationEngine compartmentIf there is excessive engine oil with the en-
gine at normal operating temperature, the
following message will appear:ENGINE OIL LEVEL
REDUCE OIL LEVEL!
Have excess oil siphoned.
See “Practical hints” (
page 289) if the
engine oil level indicator lights up in the
display while the engine is running.
More information on engine oil can be
found in “Technical data” (page 357).Checking the engine oil level with the
oil dipstick (except S 430 4MATIC,
S 500 4MATIC, and S 600)
The engine oil level can be checked by ei-
ther oil dipstick1 or via the multifunction
display in the instrument cluster
(
page 265). The amount of engine oil
needed is shown more precisely on the op-
erating system display.
1Oil dipstick

Open the hood (
page 263).

Pull out oil dipstick1 (
page 267).

Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.

Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the dip-
stick guide tube, and remove after ap-
proximately three seconds to obtain
accurate reading.
The oil level is acceptable when it
leaves a line between the upper and
lower marks of oil dipstick 1.
For adding oil see (
page 267).
See “Practical hints” (page 289) if the
engine oil level indicator lights up in the
display while the engine is running.
iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press the
k
or
j
but-
ton on the multifunction steering
wheel.
iThe filling quantity between the upper
and lower marks on the oil dipstick is
approximately 2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).

267 Operation
Engine compartment
Adding engine oilS 430, S 500, S 55 AMG1Oil dipstick
2Filler neck
S 6001Filler cap
Unscrew the cap1 from filler neck.

Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.

Screw the cap back on the filler neck.!Excessive oil must be siphoned or
drained off. It could cause damage to
the engine and catalytic converter not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

281 Operation
Maintenance
Calling up the service indicator
Switch on ignition.
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 135).

Press button
k
or
j
on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel until FSS indi-
cator with the service symbol
9
or
´
and the service deadline 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 on ignition.
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 135).

Press button
k
or
j
on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel until the FSS
indicator with the service symbol
9

or
´
and the service deadline ap-
pears in the multifunction display.

Press the reset button
J
(page 22)
to the right in the instrument cluster for
about two seconds.
This message appears in the multifunc-
tion display:
SERVICE INTERVAL?
RESET WITH 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 ser-
vice interval which will result in engine
damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

308 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
STOP, ENGINE OFF!
There is no oil in the engine. There is a dan-
ger of engine damage.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt
as soon as possible.

Turn off the engine.

Add engine oil.
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
REDUCE OIL LEVEL
You have added too much engine oil. There
is a risk of damaging the engine or the cat-
alytic converter.

Have oil siphoned. Observe all legal
requirements with respect to its dis-
posal.
ENGINE OIL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The engine oil has dropped to a critical lev-
el.

Check the engine oil level
(page 264) and add oil as required.

If you must add engine oil frequently,
have the engine checked for possible
leaks.
There is water in the oil.

Have the oil checked.

309 Practical hints
What to do if …?
When the
ENGINE OIL LEVEL – CHECK LEV-
EL!
message appears while the engine is
running and at operating temperature, the
engine oil level has dropped to approxi-
mately the minimum mark on the dipstick.When this occurs, the warning will first
come on intermittently and then stay on if
the oil level drops further.
If no oil leaks are noted, continue to drive
to the nearest service station where the
engine oil should be topped to the “full”
mark on the dipstick with an approved oil.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The measuring system is malfunctioning.

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK LEVEL!
The engine oil level is too low.

Check the engine oil level
(page 264) and add oil as required.
!The engine oil level warnings should
not be ignored. Extended driving with
the symbol displayed could result in se-
rious engine damage that is not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

371 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
CapacitiesVehicle components and their respective
lubricants must match. Therefore use only
brands tested and recommended by us.Please refer to the Factory Approved Ser-
vice Products pamphlet, or inquire at your
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Engine with oil filter
S 430
S 500
S 55 AMG
S 600
8.5 US qt. (8.0 l)
8.5 US qt. (8.0 l)
7.9 US qt. (7.5 l)
9.5 US qt. (9.0 l)
Recommended engine oils
Automatic transmission
S 600
9.1 US qt. (8.6 l)
8.1 US qt. (7.7 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Oil
1
1MB part no. 001 989 21 03 10Rear axle
1.7 US qt. (1.6 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
Front axle
S 430 4MATIC
S 500 4MATIC
0.63 US qt. (0.6 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
Transfer case
S 430 4MATIC
S 500 4MATIC
0.62 US qt. (0.585 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Oil
1
Hydraulic system for ADS or ABC
4.2 US qt. (4.0 l)
MB Hydraulic Fluids
Power steering
approx. 1.1 US qt. (1.0 l)
MB Power Steering Fluid (Pentosin
CHF 11S)
Front wheel hubs
approx. 2.1 oz. (60 g) each
High-temperature roller bearing
grease

373 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines. Therefore, only
use engine oils recommended by
Mercedes-Benz. Information on recom-
mended brands is available in the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet, or at
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Please follow FSS recommendations for
scheduled oil changes. Failure to do so
could result in engine damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may be harmful to the engine opera-
tion.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from
blending oil additives are not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG
lubricating oil is used in the air condition-
ing system.
Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based lu-
bricating oil, as otherwise damage to the
system will occur.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point
of the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from
the atmosphere. Under extremely strenu-
ous operating conditions, this moisture
content can lead to the formation of bub-
bles in the system, thus reducing the sys-
tem’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be re-
placed every two years, preferably in the
spring.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center will pro-
vide you with additional information.

374 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel requirements
Use only premium unleaded gasoline
meeting ASTM standard D 439:

The octane number (posted at the
pump) must be 91 min (93 for S 600).
It is an average of both the Research
(R) octane number and the Motor (M)
octane number: (R+M) / 2). This is also
known as the ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.
Unleaded gasoline containing oxygenates
such as ethanol, IPA, IBA and TBA can be
used provided the ratio of any one of these
oxygenates to gasoline does not exceed
10%; MTBE must not exceed 15%.
The ratio of methanol to gasoline must not
exceed 3% plus additional co-solvents.
Using mixtures of ethanol and methanol is
not allowed. Gasohol, which contains 10%
ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline, can be
used.
These blends must also meet all other fuel
requirements, such as resistance to spark
knock, boiling range, vapor pressure, etc.
Gasoline additives
A major concern among engine manufac-
turers is carbon build-up caused by gaso-
line. Mercedes-Benz recommends only the
use of quality gasoline containing additives
that prevent the build-up of carbon depos-
its.
After an extended period of using fuels
without such additives, carbon deposits
can build up especially on the intake valves
and in the combustion area, leading to en-
gine performance problems such as:

Warm-up hesitation


Unstable idle


Knocking / pinging


Misfire


Power loss
Do not blend any specific fuel additives
with fuel. This only results in unnecessary
cost and may be harmful to the engine op-
eration.
!To maintain the engine’s durability and
performance, premium unleaded gaso-
line must be used. If premium unleaded
gasoline is not available and low octane
fuel is used, follow these precautions:

Have the fuel tank only partially
filled with unleaded regular and fill
up with premium unleaded as soon
as possible.


Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt
acceleration.


Do not exceed an engine speed of
3000 rpm if the vehicle is loaded
with a light load such as two per-
sons and no luggage.


Do not exceed 2 / 3 of maximum ac-
celerator pedal position if the vehi-
cle is fully loaded or operating in
mountainous terrain.