2004 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 KOMPRESSOR COUPE engine

239 Operation
Engine compartment
If you see the message:OBSERVE WAITING PERIOD
If engine is at normal operating
temperature, wait five minutes before
repeating check procedure.

If engine is not yet at normal operating
temperature, wait 30 minutes before
repeating check procedure.
If you see the message:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
NOT WHEN ENGINE ON!
Turn off the engine.

If the engine is at normal operating
temperature, wait five minutes before
checking oil.

If the engine is not yet at normal
operating temperature, you must wait
30 minutes before checking oil.If there is excess engine oil with the engine
at normal operating temperature, the
following message will appear:
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
REDUCE OIL LEVEL
Have excess oil siphoned or drained
off. Contact your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
For more information on messages in the
display concerning engine oil, see “Practi-
cal hints” (
page 275).Adding engine oil
!Excess 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.
!Only use approved engine oils. For a
listing of approved engine oils, refer to
the Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet in your vehicle literature port-
folio.
In addition, check the oil filler cap for
important information pertaining to the
engine oil needing 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 Prod-
ucts pamphlet that meets the specifi-
cation 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
r e s u l t i n e n g i n e d a m a g e n o t c o v e r e d b y
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

240 OperationEngine compartmentC 230 Kompressor1Oil filler cap
Unscrew oil filler 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 oil filler cap1 back on filler
neck.
C 3201Oil filler cap
Unscrew oil filler 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 oil filler cap1 back on filler
neck.
For more information on engine oil, see
“Technical data” section (
page 330).
!Excess 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.
!Excess 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.

241 Operation
Engine compartment
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
check the transmission.Coolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze. To check
the coolant level, the vehicle must be
parked on level ground and the engine
must be cool.
The coolant expansion tank is located on
the passenger side of the engine compart-
ment.
For more information on coolant, see
“Coolants” (
page 336).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.
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 display in-
dicates 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 ½ 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 ignite and burn if it comes
into contact with hot engine parts.

242 OperationEngine compartmentBattery
Your vehicle’s battery is located in the en-
gine compartment on the right hand side.
The battery should always be sufficiently
charged in order to achieve its rated ser-
vice life. Refer to Service Booklet for bat-
tery maintenance intervals.
If you use your vehicle mostly for
short-distance trips, you will need to have
the battery charge checked more frequent-
ly.
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.

243 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 l).


Vehicles with headlamp cleaning sys-
tem: approx. 6.4 US qt. (6 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
f r e e z i n g p o i n t . F a i l u r e t o d o s o c o u l d r e -
sult in damage to the washer sys-
tem/reservoir.
For more information see “Windshield
washer system and headlamp cleaning
system” (
page 338).1Washer fluid reservoir
Warning!
G
Washer solvent / antifreeze is highly flam-
mable. Do not spill washer
solvent / antifreeze on hot engine parts, be-
cause it may ignite and burn. 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.

247 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 temperatures below freezing point
(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. Mercedes-Benz recom-
mends M+S rated radial-ply tires with a
minimum tread depth of approximately 1/6 in (4 mm) on all four wheels for the
winter season.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Use of winter tires
is the only way to achieve the maximum ef-
fectiveness of the ABS and ESP 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 at your tire dealer or any
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Winter tires with a tread depth under
1/6 in
(4 mm) must be replaced. They are no long-
er suitable for winter operation.

248 OperationWinter drivingBlock heater (Canada only)
The engine is equipped with a block heat-
er.
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.


Snow chains should only be used on
the rear wheels. Follow the manufac-
turer's mounting instructions.


Only use snow chains that are
approved by Mercedes-Benz. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
be glad to advise you on this subject.


Use of snow chains may be prohibited
depending on location. Always check
local and state laws before installing
snow chains.
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.
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.
!Use of snow chains is not permissible
with tire sizes:

225/45 R17

249 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 (F
lexible S
ervice S
ystem).
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
multifunction display field:
9Minor service (A)
´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
service threshold while driving.


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

Press the reset button on the instru-
ment cluster (
page 22).
Service term exceeded
If you have exceeded the suggested
service term, you will see the following
message in the multifunction display:SERVICE A EXCEEDED BY XX DAYS
SERVICE A EXCEEDED BY XX MI (KM)An acoustic signal will also sound.
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.