2004 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE check oil

251
Operation
Vehicle care
 Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your
vehicle is subjected to varying external in-
fluences which, if gone unchecked, can at-
tack the paintwork as well as the
underbody and cause lasting damage. Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but
also by:


Air pollution


Road salt


Tar


Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:


Grease and oil


Fuel


Coolant


Brake fluid


Bird droppings


Insects


Tree resins, etc.
Frequent washing reduces and/or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences. More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:


near the ocean


in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)


during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
A n y d a m a g e s h o u l d b e r e p a i r e d a s s o o n a s
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoated.
Your vehicle has been treated at the facto-
ry with a wax-base rustproofing in the body
cavities which will last for the lifetime of
the vehicle. Post-production treatment is
neither necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility
of incompatibility between materials used
in the production process and others ap-
plied later.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.

275
Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
:
USA only:ADD 1.0 Qt. ENGINE OIL
WHEN NEXT REFUELING!Canada only:ADD 1.0 LITER ENG. OIL
WHEN NEXT REFUELING!
The engine oil level is too low.

Add engine oil (
page 239) and check
the engine oil level (
page 238).
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
STOP, ENGINE OFF!
There is no oil in the engine. There is a
danger 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 catalytic converter.

Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Observe all legal requirements
with respect to its disposal.

276 Practical hintsWhat to do if …When the message
ADD 1.0 Qt. ENGINE
OIL WHEN NEXT REFUELING!
(Canada:
1.0
Liter
) appears while the engine is running
and at operating temperature, the engine
oil level has dropped to approximately 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.
Visually check for oil leaks. If no obvious oil
leaks are noted, drive to the nearest ser-
vice station where the engine oil should be
topped to the “full” mark on the dipstick
with an approved oil.
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
:
ENGINE OIL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
It may be that there is water in the engine
oil.

Have the engine oil checked.
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The engine oil has dropped to a critical
level.

Check the engine oil level
(page 238) and add oil as required.

If you must add engine oil frequently,
have the engine checked for possible
leaks.
ENGINE OIL SENSOR
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The measuring system is malfunctioning.

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.!The engine oil level warnings should
not be ignored. Extended driving with
the symbol displayed could result in
serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

282 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
1
RESTRAINT SYSTEM
DRIVE TO WORKSHOP!
The system is malfunctioning.

Drive with added caution to the
nearest authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
_
STEERING WHEEL ADJ.
LOCK!
The steering column is not properly
locked.

Lock steering column (
page 38).
STEERING OIL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The steering gear oil level is too low.
There is a danger of steering gear
damage.

Have the system checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
In the event a malfunction of the SRS is indi-
cated as outlined above, the SRS may not be
operational. For your safety, we strongly
recommend that you visit an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately to have
the system checked; otherwise the SRS may
not be activated when needed in an
accident, which could result in serious or
fatal injury, or it might deploy unexpectedly
and unnecessarily which could also result in
injury.
Warning!
G
If the level of steering gear oil in reservoir is
too low, the steering power assistance could
fail. Much greater effort will then be needed
to turn the steering wheel.
Do not add steering oil without checking the
steering system.
Do not drive the vehicle. Have the system
checked at your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.

332 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines. Therefore, use
only engine oils approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Information on approved
products is available in the Factory Ap-
proved 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 damage the engine.
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. 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.
!Always check the oil filler cap
(page 240) for important informa-
tion pertaining to the engine oil need-
ing to meet a specific Mercedes-Benz
specification (e.g. MB 229.5). If such
information is printed on the oil filler
cap, only use an engine oil from the list
of approved engine oils in the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet
that meets the specification indicated
on the oil filler cap.
!Using engine oils of other specification
may cause the FSS to incorrectly deter-
mine the next service interval and will
result in engine damage not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

336 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze, which pro-
vides:

Corrosion protection


Freeze protection


Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection
to approximately -22°F (-30°C) and corro-
sion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
-22°F (-30°C), the boiling point of the cool-
ant in the pressurized cooling system is
reached at approximately 266°F (130°C). The coolant solution must be used
year-round to provide the necessary corro-
sion protection and increase boil-over pro-
tection. Refer to Service Booklet for
replacement interval.
Coolant system design and coolant used
stipulate the replacement interval. The
replacement interval published in the Ser-
vice Booklet is only applicable if MB 325.0
anticorrosion/antifreeze solution or other
Mercedes-Benz approved products of
equal specification (see Factory Approved
Service Products pamphlet) are used to re-
new the coolant concentration or bring it
back up to the proper level.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45% anticor-
rosion/antifreeze (equivalent to freeze
protection to approx. - 22°F [-30°C]).If you use a solution that is more than 55%
anticorrosion/antifreeze (freeze protec-
tion to approx. - 49°F [-45°C]), the engine
temperature will increase due to the lower
heat transfer capability of the solution.
Therefore, do not use more than this
amount of anticorrosion/antifreeze.
If the coolant level is low, water and
MB 325.0 anticorrosion/antifreeze should
be used to bring it up to the proper level
(have cooling system checked for signs of
leakage). Please make sure the mixture is
in accordance with label instructions.
The water in the cooling system must meet
minimum requirements, which are usually
satisfied by normal drinking water. If you
are not sure about the water quality, con-
sult your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

351
Index
Checking
Coolant level 235, 241
Oil level 235, 237
Tire inflate pressure 235
Vehicle lighting 235
Child safety 65 Airbags 58
Infant and child restraint systems 62, 65
LATCH child seat mounts 70
Child seat mounts see LATCH child seat mounts 70
Cigarette lighter 204
Cleaning Cup holder 255
Gear selector lever 255
Hard plastic trim items 255
Headlamps 148
Headliner and shelf below rear window 255
Instrument cluster 255
Leather upholstery 256
Light alloy wheels 254 MB Tex upholstery 256
Plastic and rubber parts 256
Seat belts 255
Steering wheel 255
Upholstery 256
Windows 254
Windshield 50
Wiper blades 254
Wood trims 256
Climate control 150 Adjusting 153
Defogging windshield 153
Defrosting 154
Rear window defroster 149
Setting the temperature 153
Clock 23, 122
Closing Glove box 200
Hood 237
power window with SmartKey 188 Roller sunblind for the
sliding/pop-up roof 189
Side windows 187
Sliding/pop-up roof 190, 292
Trunk lid 86
Windows 186
Windows with SmartKey 188
Closing sliding/pop-up roof In an emergency 292
Cockpit 20, 341
Cockpit management and data system (COMAND*) 342
Collapsible tire 342
COMAND* 342
COMAND* see separate operating instruc- tions
Combination switch 102 High beam flasher 102
Turn signals 48
Windshield wipers 49
Consumer information 339
Control and operation of radio transmitters 230
Control system 109, 342

354 Index
Safety systems 73
Through standing water 229
Driving abroad 230
Driving instructions 223
Driving off 225
Driving safety systems ABS 73
BAS 74
ESP 75
Driving systems 194 Cruise control 194
Driving safety systems 73
E
Easy-entry/exit feature 89 Activating 130
Interrupting movement 89, 130
Electrical fuses 317
Electrical system Technical data 327
Electronic Stability Program see ESP 23, 75, 342 Emergency call system* 206
Emergency calls
Initiating an emergency call 209
Telephone* 184
With Tele Aid* 208
Emergency operation (Limp Home Mode) 145
Emergency operations Closing sliding/pop-up roof 292
Locking the vehicle 289
Opening sliding/pop-up roof 292
Remote door unlock 213
Unlocking the vehicle 288
Emergency release Trunk lid 86
Emergency tensioning device see ETD 64, 342
Emission control 231
Emission control label 322
Ending A call (telephone) 135 Engine
Compartment 236
Message in display 260
Starting with automatic transmission 45
Starting with manual transmission 44
Starting with the key 45
Technical data 324
Turning off with the key 53
Engine cleaning 253
Engine compartment 236 Fuse box in 317
Hood 236
Engine malfunction indicator lamp 23, 260
Engine number 342
Engine oil 237, 332 Adding 239
Additives 332
Checking level 237
Consumption 237
Display messages 275
Filler neck 240