2004 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS COUPE brake fluid

Contents
Opening and closing the roller sun-
blinds for the
panorama sliding/pop-up roof ..... 189
Opening and closing the
panorama sliding/pop-up roof ..... 190
Synchronizing the
panorama sliding / pop-up roof
and the roller sunblinds ............... 193
Driving systems ................................. 194 Cruise control .............................. 194
Loading.............................................. 197 Roof rack*.................................... 197
Luggage cover.............................. 197
Split rear bench seat .................... 197
Loading instructions..................... 199
Useful features .................................. 200 Interior storage spaces ................ 200
Ashtrays ....................................... 203
Cigarette lighter ........................... 204
Telephone* .................................. 205
Tele Aid* ...................................... 206
Garage door opener ..................... 214
Operation ......................................... 221
The first 1000 miles (1500km) .......... 222 Driving instructions ............................ 223
Drive sensibly – save fuel.............. 223
Drinking and driving ...................... 223
Pedals ........................................... 223
Power assistance .......................... 223
Brakes........................................... 224
Driving off ..................................... 225
Parking.......................................... 225
Tires .............................................. 226
Hydroplaning................................. 227
Tire traction .................................. 227
Tire speed rating ........................... 228
Winter driving instructions ............ 228
Standing water.............................. 229
Passenger compartment ............... 230
Driving abroad .............................. 230
Control and operation of
radio transmitter ........................... 230
Catalytic converter........................ 231
Emission control ........................... 231
Coolant temperature..................... 232
At the gas station ............................... 233 Refueling....................................... 233
Check regularly and
before a long trip .......................... 234
Engine compartment .......................... 236 Hood ............................................. 236
Engine oil ...................................... 237
Transmission fluid level ................ 241
Coolant level ................................. 241
Battery .......................................... 242
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system ........... 243
Tires and wheels ................................ 244 Important guidelines ..................... 244
Life of tire ..................................... 245
Direction of rotation ..................... 245
Checking tire inflation pressure .... 245
Rotating wheels ............................ 246
Winter driving ..................................... 247 Winter tires ................................... 247
Block heater (Canada only) ........... 248
Snow chains ................................. 248
Maintenance ...................................... 249 Clearing the service indicator ....... 249
Service term exceeded ................. 249
Calling up the service indicator .... 250
Resetting the service indicator ..... 250
Vehicle care ....................................... 251 Cleaning and care of the vehicle ... 251

ContentsPractical hints.................................. 257
What to do if … .................................. 258 Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 258
Lamp in center console ................ 263
Messages in the display ............... 264
Where will I find ...?............................ 284 First aid kit ................................... 284
Spare wheel ................................. 285
Vehicle tool kit ............................. 285
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 288 Unlocking the vehicle ................... 288
Locking the vehicle ...................... 289
Changing batteries in
the SmartKey ............................... 290
Fuel filler flap ............................... 291
Manually unlocking the
gear selector lever........................ 291
Opening/closing in an emergency ..... 292 Panorama sliding/pop-up roof ..... 292
Replacing bulbs ................................. 293 Bulbs ............................................ 293
Replacing bulbs for front lamps.... 295
Side marker lamp bulb ................. 298
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 298
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 300 Removing ..................................... 300
Installing ...................................... 300
Flat tire .............................................. 301 Preparing the vehicle ................... 301
Mounting the spare wheel ............ 301
Battery ............................................... 307 Disconnecting the battery ............ 308
Removing the batteries ................ 308
Charging and reinstalling
batteries....................................... 308
Reconnecting the batteries .......... 308
Jump starting ..................................... 310
Towing the vehicle ............................. 313 Installing towing eye bolt ............. 316
Fuses ................................................. 317 Fuse box in
passenger compartment .............. 317
Fuse box in engine compartment . 317
Auxiliary fuse box in trunk ............ 318
Technical data ................................. 319
Spare parts service ............................ 320
Warranty coverage............................. 321 Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet ..................... 321 Identification labels ........................... 322
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 323
C 230 Kompressor ....................... 323
C 320 ........................................... 323
Engine ............................................... 324
Rims and Tires ................................... 325 Same size tires............................. 326
Spare wheel ................................. 326
Electrical system ............................... 327
Main Dimensions ............................... 328
Weights ............................................. 329
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. ......... 330 Capacities .................................... 330
Engine oils ................................... 332
Engine oil additives ...................... 332
Air conditioning refrigerant .......... 332
Brake fluid.................................... 332
Premium unleaded gasoline ......... 333
Fuel requirements ........................ 333
Gasoline additives ........................ 334
Flexible Fuel Vehicles................... 334
Coolants ...................................... 336
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system........... 338
Consumer information ....................... 339
Uniform tire quality grading ......... 339

224 OperationDriving instructionsBrakesTo help prevent brake disk corrosion after
driving on wet road surfaces (particularly
salted roads), it is advisable to brake the
vehicle with considerable force prior to
parking. The heat generated serves to dry
the brakes.
If your brake system is normally only sub-
jected to moderate loads, you should occa-
sionally test the effectiveness of the
brakes by applying above-normal braking
pressure at higher speeds. This will also
enhance the grip of the brake pads. If the parking brake is released and the
brake warning lamp in the instrument clus-
ter stays on, the brake fluid level in the res-
ervoir is too low.
Brake pad wear or a leak in the system may
be the reason for low brake fluid in the res-
ervoir.
Have the brake system inspected by quali-
fied technicians immediately. Contact your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
All checks and service work on the brake
system should be carried out by qualified
technicians only. Contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Install only brake pads and brake fluid rec-
ommended by Mercedes-Benz.Warning!
G
After driving in heavy rain for some time
without applying the brakes or through wa-
ter deep enough to wet brake components,
the first braking action may be somewhat
reduced and increased pedal pressure may
be necessary to obtain expected braking ef-
fect. Maintain a safe distance from vehicles
in front.
Resting your foot on the brake pedal will
cause excessive and premature wear of the
brake pads.
It can also result in the brakes overheating,
thereby significantly reducing their effec-
tiveness. It may not be possible to stop the
vehicle in sufficient time to avoid an acci-
dent.
!Be very careful not to endanger other
road users when you apply the brakes.
Refer to the description of the Brake
Assist System (BAS), (
page 74).

225
Operation
Driving instructions
After hard braking, it is advisable to drive
on for some time, rather than immediately
parking, so that the air stream will cool
down the brakes faster.
Driving off
Apply the brakes to test them briefly after
driving off. Perform this procedure only
when the road is clear of other traffic.
Warm up the engine smoothly. Do not
place full load on the engine until the oper-
ating temperature has been reached.
When starting off on a slippery surface, do
not allow a wheel to spin for an extended
period with the ESP switched off. Doing so
may cause serious damage to the drive
train which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Parking
Warning!
G
If other than recommended brake pads are
installed, or other than recommended brake
fluid is used, the braking properties of the
vehicle can be degraded to an extent that
safe braking is substantially impaired. This
could result in an accident.!When driving down long and steep
grades, relieve the load on the brakes
by shifting into a lower gear to use the
engine’s braking power. This helps pre-
vent overheating of the brakes and re-
duces brake pad wear
!Simultaneously depressing the acceler-
ator pedal and applying the brake re-
duces engine performance and causes
premature brake and drivetrain wear.
!Set the parking brake whenever park-
ing or leaving the vehicle. In addition,
move gear selector lever to position
P
(manual transmission: first or reverse
gear).
When parking on hills, always turn front
wheel towards the curb.Warning!
G
Do not park this vehicle in areas where com-
bustible materials such as grass, hay or
leaves can come into contact with the hot
exhaust system, as these materials could be
ignited and cause a vehicle fire.


234 OperationAt the gas station
Check regularly and before a long trip1 Coolant level
For more information, see “Coolant lev-
el” (
page 241).
2 Brake fluid (fuse box cover removed)
Removing fuse box cover, see “Fuses”
(
page 317).
3 Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*
For more information on filling up the
washer reservoir, see “Windshield
washer system and headlamp cleaning
system” (
page 243).
iUse only premium unleaded gasoline
with a minimum Posted Octane Rating
of 91 (average of 96 RON / 86 MON).
Information on gasoline quality can
normally be found on the fuel pump.
More information on gasoline can be
found in the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet.
Flexible Fuel Vehicles are identified by
a label reading Premium gasoline or
E85 only! on the fuel filler flap.
For more information,see “Flexible Fuel
Vehicles” (
page 334).
iLeaving the engine running and the fuel
cap open can cause the ? lamp to
illuminate.
For more information , see“Practical
hints” section (
page 260).


235
Operation
At the gas station
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (
page 237).
Opening hood, see (
page 236).
Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information on
coolant, see “Coolant level” (
page 241) Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For infor-
mation on replacing light bulbs, see “Re-
placing bulbs” (
page 293).
Exterior lamp switch (
page 98).
Tire inflation pressure
For information on tire inflation pressure,
see “Checking tire inflation pressure”
(
page 245).
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks immediately. Noti-
fy an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
immediately. Do not add brake fluid as
this will not solve the problem. For
more information, see “Practical Hints”
(page 259).

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.

259
Practical hints
What to do if …
Problem
Possible cause
Suggested solution
3
(Canada only)
;
(USA only)
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving and
you hear a warning sound.
You are driving with the
parking brake set.

Release the parking brake
(page 46).
The red brake warning lamp
comes on while driving.
There is insufficient brake fluid
in the reservoir.

Risk of accident! Carefully stop the
vehicle and notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. Do not add
brake fluid! This will not solve the
problem.
Warning!
G
Driving with the brake warning lamp illumi-
nated can result in an accident. Have your
brake system checked immediately if the
brake warning lamp stays on. Don’t add
brake fluid before checking the brake
system. Overfilling the brake fluid reservoir
can result in spilling brake fluid on hot
engine parts and the brake fluid catching
fire. You can be seriously burned.
!If you find that the brake fluid in the
brake fluid reservoir has fallen to the
minimum mark or below, have the
brake system checked for brake pad
thickness and leaks.