2004 MERCEDES-BENZ C320S warning

330 Practical hintsTowing the vehicleWarning!
G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.
!When towing the vehicle with all wheels
on the ground, please note the
following:
With the automatic central locking
activated and the SmartKey in starter
switch position2, the vehicle doors
lock if the left front wheel as well as the
right rear wheel are turning at vehicle
speeds of approx. 9 mph (15 km/h) or
more.
Switch off the tow-away alarm
(page 79).
To prevent the vehicle doors from
locking, deactivate the automatic
central locking (
page 133).
Towing of the vehicle should only be
done using the properly installed
towing eye bolt. Never attach tow
cable, tow rope or tow rod to vehicle
chassis, frame or suspension parts.
iIf the battery is disconnected or
discharged

the SmartKey will not turn in the
starter switch. See notes on the
battery (
page 323) or on jump
starting (page 326).


the gear selector lever will remain
locked in positionP. See notes on
manually unlocking transmission
gear selector lever (
page 308).

354 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Gasoline additives
A major concern among engine
manufacturers is carbon build-up caused
by gasoline. Mercedes-Benz recommends
only the use of quality gasoline containing
additives that prevent the build up of
carbon deposits.
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
engine 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 engine
operation.Damage or malfunctions resulting from
poor fuel quality or from blending specific
fuel additives are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Flexible Fuel Vehicles
Flexible Fuel Vehicles are identified by a
label reading Premium gasoline or E85
only! on fuel filler flap.
These vehicles are designed to operate on
premium unleaded gasoline or Ethanol
fuel (E85), or on any mixture of these two.
Ethanol fuel (E85) is a mixture of
approximately 85% Ethanol and 15%
unleaded gasoline.Switching fuels
For best performance and driveability it is
recommended to use either one or the
other fuel. A refueling pattern that
alternates between the two different fuels
should be avoided if possible.
Warning!
G
Ethanol fuel (E85) and its fumes are highly
flammable, poisonous and burn easily. Etha-
nol fuel can cause serious injuries if ignited
or if you come into contact with it or inhale
fumes of it. Avoid inhalation of Ethanol
fumes and skin contact with Ethanol. Extin-
guish all open flames before fueling. Never
smoke or create sparks close to Ethanol.

355 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
When switching fuels, make sure:

Fuel level is below half full.


Fuel level is above reserve (fuel reserve
warning lamp is not lit).


Amount of added fuel is more than
5 gallons (20 liters).


Ignition is off during refill.


Immediately after refueling engine is
started and operated for at least five
minutes.
These precautions and recommendations
are supposed to prevent any difficulties
when starting and operating the engine
which otherwise may be experienced
before the engine has fully adapted to the
different fuel.
If in spite of these recommendations the
engine does not perform properly, adding
more gasoline [at least 3 gallons
(12 liters)] to the fuel may improve the
engine behavior.Cold weather performance
It is possible that starting times will signif-
icantly increase at temperatures
below 32°F (0°C). At low temperatures
the use of a block heater (Canada only) is
recommended (see your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further
information). Rough idling may also be
experienced at such temperatures before
the engine is fully warmed up.
Hot weather performance
At ambient temperatures above 95°F
(35°C) start times may increase and be
accompanied by a rough idle following the
start.Cruising range
E85 fuel contains less energy per gallon
than gasoline. To ensure that engine per-
formance with Ethanol fuel is similar to
that when using gasoline, the engine must
burn more Ethanol fuel. As a result, it is to
be expected that the fuel consumption will
increase when using E85 compared to
gasoline operation.
Maintenance
Please inform your Mercedes-Benz Center
if you use or have used E85 fuel when your
vehicle is delivered for maintenance or
repairs.
!E85 fuel is unsuitable for use when
ambient temperatures fall below 14°F
(-10°C).
iUse of E85 may reduce your driving
range.

358 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Windshield washer and headlamp cleaning* system
Both the windshield and headlamp washer
systems are supplied from the windshield
washer fluid reservoir.
The washer fluid reservoir has a capacity of
approx.:

3.2 US qt (3.0 l) in vehicles without
headlamp cleaning system*


6.4 US qt (6.0 l) in vehicles with
headlamp cleaning system*

Refill the reservoir with MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “S” and water
(or concentrate and commercially
available premixed windshield washer
solvent/antifreeze, depending on
ambient temperatures).Windshield and headlamp washer fluid
mixing ratio
For temperatures above freezing, use
MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S”
and water:


1 part “S” to 100 parts water
[40 ml “S” to 1 gallon (4.0 liters) water]
For temperatures below freezing, use
MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S”
and commercially available premixed
windshield washer solvent/antifreeze:


1 part “S” to 100 parts solvent
[40 ml “S” to 1 gallon (4.0 liters) solvent]
Warning!
G
Washer solvent/antifreeze is highly flamma-
ble. Do not spill washer solvent/antifreeze
on hot engine parts, because it may ignite
and burn. You could be seriously burned.

359 Technical data
Consumer information
Consumer information
The following text is published as required
of all manufacturers of passenger cars
under Title 49, Code of U.S. Federal
Regulations, Part 575 pursuant to the
“National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety
Act of 1966”.Uniform tire quality grading
Quality grades can be found, where
applicable, on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.Tread Wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and one-half (1
1/2) times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to varia-
tions in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and
climate.Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades
represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Tread wear
Traction
Temperature
200
AA
A
Warning!
G
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.

360 Technical dataConsumer informationTemperature
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the tire’s
resistance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the material of the
tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. Grade C corresponds to a level
of performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Warning!
G
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause
excessive heat build-up and possible tire
failure.

361 Technical terms
ABS
(A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)
Prevents the wheels from locking up
during braking so that the vehicle can
continue to be steered.
Alignment bolt
Metal pin with thread. The centering
pin is an aid used when changing a tire
to align the wheel with the wheel hub.
BabySmart
TM1
airbag deactivation
system
This system detects if a special system
compatible child restraint seat is
installed on the front passenger seat.
The system will automatically deacti-
vate the passenger front airbag when
such a seat is properly installed
(PASS. AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp
located in the center console comes
on). See your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for availability. BabySmart
TM compatible child seats
Special restraint system for children.
The sensor system for the passenger
seat prevents deployment of the
passenger front airbag if a
BabySmartTM compatible child seat is
installed.
BAS
(B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)
System for potentially reducing braking
distances in emergency braking
situations. The system is activated
when it senses an emergency based on
how fast the brake is applied.
Bi-Xenon headlamps*
Headlamps which use an electric arc as
the light source and produce a more
intense light than filament headlamps.
Bi-Xenon headlamps produce low
beam and high beam.CAC
(C
ustomer A
ssistance C
enter)
Mercedes-Benz customer service
center, which can help you with any
questions about your vehicle and
provide assistance in the event of a
breakdown.
CAN system
(C
ontroller A
rea N
etwork)
Data bus network serving to control
vehicle functions such as door locking
or windshield wiping depending on
vehicle settings and/or ambient
conditions.
Cockpit
All instruments, switches, buttons and
indicator/warning lamps in the
passenger compartment needed for
vehicle operation and monitoring.
1BabySmart
TM is a trademark of Siemens
Automotive Corp.

363 Technical terms
Instrument cluster
The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision,
including the tachometer, speedo-
meter, engine temperature display and
fuel gauge.
Kickdown
Depressing the accelerator past the
point of resistance shifts the transmis-
sion down to the lowest possible gear.
This very quickly accelerates the
vehicle and should not be used for
normal acceleration needs.
Lock button
Button on the door which indicates
whether the door is locked or
unlocked. Pushing the lock button
down on an individual door from inside
will lock that door.
Memory function*
Used to store three individual seat,
steering wheel and mirror positions for
each SmartKey.Menu
The control system displays are
arranged in menus. Each menu
contains a number of commands for
particular systems. In the Audio menu,
for example, you will find the
commands
SELECT RADIO STATION
or

OPERATE CD PLAYER
. Using commands,
you can directly change the settings for
your vehicle.
MON
(M
otor O
ctane N
umber)
The Motor Octane Number for gasoline
as determined by a standardized
method. It is an indication of a
gasoline's ability to resist undesired
detonation (knocking). The average of
both the MON (Motor Octane Number)
and ->RON (Research Octane Number)
is posted at the pump, also known as
ANTI-KNOCK INDEX.Multifunction display
Display field in the instrument cluster
used to present information provided
by the control system.
Multifunction steering wheel
Steering wheel with buttons for
operating the control system.
Overspeed range
Engine speeds within the red marking
of the tachometer dial. Avoid this
engine speed range, as it may result in
serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Poly-V-belt drive
Drives engine-components (alternator,
AC compressor, etc.) from the engine.