2004 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE check engine

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.

279
Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
.
LIGHTS
TURN OFF LIGHTS!
This display appears if the driver’s door is
opened with the engine shut off and no
SmartKey in the starter switch.

Insert SmartKey in the starter switch.

Switch off the headlights.
LOW BEAM, L
CHECK LIGHT!
The left low beam lamp is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
LOW BEAM, R
CHECK LIGHT!
The right low beam lamp is
malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
REVERSE LIGHT, L
CHECK LIGHT!
The left backup lamp is malfunctioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
REVERSE LIGHT, R
CHECK LIGHT!
The right backup lamp is malfunctioning.

Replace the bulb as soon as possible.
MARKER LIGHT, FL
CHECK LIGHTS!
BACK-UP LIGHT ON!
The left side marker/parking lamps are
malfunctioning. A backup bulb is being
used.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
MARKER LIGHT, FR
CHECK LIGHTS!
BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The right side marker/parking lamps are
malfunctioning. A backup bulb is being
used.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
TAIL LIGHT, L
CHECK LIGHTS!

BACK-UP LIGHT ON!

The left tail lamp is malfunctioning.
A backup bulb is being used.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.

307
Practical hints
Battery
 Battery
The battery is located in the engine com-
partment on the right hand side.
Removal of filter box:
Release the three clamps 1.

Remove filter box.
Installation of filter box:

Insert filter box properly.

Secure it with the three clamps 1.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these instructions can re-
sult in severe injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting,
you might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking, etc.
!Never loosen or detach battery termi-
nal clamps while the engine is running
or the SmartKey is in the starter switch.
Otherwise the alternator and other
electronic components could be se-
verely damaged.
Have the battery checked regularly by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Refer to Service Booklet for mainte-
nance intervals or contact your autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for further
information.Warning!
G
Do not place metal objects on the battery as
this could result in a short circuit.
Use leak-proof battery only to avoid the risk
of acid burns in the event of an accident.

310 Practical hintsJump starting
Jump starting
If the battery is discharged, the engine can
be started with jumper cables and the bat-
tery of another vehicle. Observe the follow-
ing:

Jump starting should only be performed
when the engine and catalytic convert-
er are cold.


Do not start the engine if the battery is
frozen. Let the battery thaw out first.


Only jump start from batteries with the
same voltage rating (12 V). Jump start-
ing with a more powerful battery could
damage the vehicle’s electrical system,
which will not be covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.


Use only jumper cables with sufficient
cross-section and insulated terminal
clamps.


Always make sure the jumper cabels
are not on or near pulleys, fans or other
parts that move when an engine is
started or running.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these directions will cause
damage to the electronic components, and
can lead to a battery explosion and severe
injury or death.
Never lean over batteries while connecting
or jump starting, you might get injured.
Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not
allow this fluid to come in contact with eyes,
skin or clothing. In case it does, immediately
flush affected area with water, and seek
medical help if necessary.
A battery will also produce hydrogen gas,
which is flammable and very explosive. Keep
flames or sparks away from battery, avoid
improper connection of jumper cables,
smoking, etc.
Attempting to jump start a frozen battery
can result in it exploding, causing personal
injury.
Read all instructions before proceeding.
!Jump starting may only be performed
on the battery installed in the engine
compartment.
Avoid repeated and lengthy starting at-
tempts.
Do not attempt to start the engine us-
ing a battery quick charge unit.
If engine does not run after several un-
successful starting attempts, have it
checked at the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Excessive unburned fuel generated by
repeated failed starting attempts may
damage the catalytic converter and
may present a fire risk.
Make sure the jumper cables do not
have loose or missing insulation.
Make sure the cable clamps do not
touch any other metal part while the
other end is still attached to a battery.

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.

337
Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Anticorrosion/antifreeze
Your vehicle contains a number of alumi-
num parts. The use of aluminum compo-
nents in motor vehicle engines
necessitates that anticorrosion/antifreeze
coolant used in such engines be specifical-
ly formulated to protect the aluminum
parts. (Failure to use such anticorro-
sion/antifreeze coolant will result in a sig-
nificantly shortened service life.)
Therefore, the following product is strongly
recommended for use in your vehicle:
Mercedes-Benz 325.0 Anticorrosion/Anti-
freeze agent. Before the start of the winter season (or
once a year in hot southern regions), you
should have the anticorrosion/antifreeze
concentration checked. The coolant is also
regularly checked each time you bring your
vehicle to your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for service.
Anticorrosion/antifreeze quantityModel
Approx. freeze protection–35°F (–37°C)
–49°F (–45°C)
C230Kompressor
3.0 US qt (2.8 l)
3.3 US qt (3.1 l)
C320
3.4 US qt (3.2 l)
3.8 US qt (3.6 l)