Page 283 of 442

281 Operation
Engine compartment
If you see the message:Observe waiting time
If engine is at operating temperature, 
wait five minutes before repeating 
check procedure.
If engine is not at operating tempera-
ture yet, 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 operating tempera-
ture, wait five minutes before checking 
oil.
If the engine is not at operating temper-
ature yet, you must wait 30 minutes 
before checking oil.If there is excess engine oil with the engine 
at operating temperature, the following 
message will appear:
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level
Have excess oil siphoned or drained 
off. Contact an authorized 
Mercedes-Benz Center.
More information on messages in the 
display concerning engine oil can be found 
in the “Practical hints” section 
(
page 320) and (
page 321).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 and oil 
filters required for vehicles with 
Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) or 
FSS (Canada vehicles). For a listing of 
approved engine oils and oil filters, 
refer to the Factory Approved Service 
Products pamphlet in your vehicle 
literature portfolio, or contact an 
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of 
specification other than those 
expressly required for the Maintenance 
System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada 
vehicles), or changing of oil and oil filter 
at change intervals longer than those 
called for by the Maintenance System 
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada 
Vehicles) will result in engine damage 
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz 
Limited Warranty. 
     
        
        Page 284 of 442

282 OperationEngine compartmentC 230 Kompressor (all models)1Filler cap
Unscrew 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 filler cap1 back on filler neck.
C 240  (all models), C 320 (all models), 
C55AMG1Filler cap
Unscrew 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 filler cap1 back on filler neck.
More information on engine oil can be 
found in the “Technical data” section 
(
page 387) and (
page 390).
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.
!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. 
     
        
        Page 289 of 442

287 Operation
Tires and wheels
Life of tire
The service life of a tire is dependent upon 
varying factors including but not limited to:
Driving style
Tire pressure
Distance driven
Direction of rotation
Unidirectional tires offer added advan-
tages, such as better hydroplaning perfor-
mance. To benefit, however, you must 
make sure the tires rotate in the direction 
specified.
An arrow on the sidewall indicates the 
intended direction of tire rotation.
Checking tire inflation pressure
Correct the tire pressure only when tires 
are cold.
Regularly check your tire pressure at 
intervals of no more than 14 days. 
If the tires are warm you should only 
correct the tire pressure if it is too low for 
current operating conditions.
A table on the fuel filler flap lists the 
specified tire inflation pressures for warm 
and cold tires as well as for various 
operating conditions.
Warning!
G
Tires and spare tire should be replaced after 
six years, regardless of the remaining tread.!Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry 
place with as little exposure to light as 
possible. Protect tires from contact 
with oil, grease and gasoline.
Warning!
G
If the tire pressure drops repeatedly:
Check the tires for punctures from 
foreign objects.
Check to see whether air is leaking from 
the valves or from around the rim. 
     
        
        Page 295 of 442

293 Operation
Maintenance
Clearing the maintenance service indicator
The maintenance service indicator is 
automatically cleared
after ten seconds when you switch on 
the ignition or when reaching the main-
tenance service threshold while driving
after 30 seconds, once the suggested 
maintenance service term has passed
You can also clear it yourself.
1Reset button
Press reset button1 on the 
instrument cluster.
Maintenance service term exceeded
If you have exceeded the suggested 
maintenance service term, you will see the 
following message in the multifunction 
display:Service A exceeded by XX Days
Service A exceeded by XX Miles
(Km)
In addition, a signal sounds when the 
message appears.
Any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will 
reset the maintenance service indicator 
following a completed maintenance 
service.Calling up the maintenance service 
indicator
Switch on ignition (
page 33).
The standard display of the control 
system appears (
page 121).
Press buttonk orj on the 
multifunction steering wheel until the 
maintenance service indicator with the 
service symbol9 or´ and the 
service deadline appears in the 
multifunction display.iIf the battery is disconnected, the days 
of disconnection will not be included in 
the count shown by the maintenance 
service indicator. To arrive at the true 
maintenance service deadline, you will 
need to subtract these days from the 
days shown in the maintenance service 
indicator.
Do not confuse the maintenance 
service indicator with the engine oil 
level indicator:. 
     
        
        Page 297 of 442

295 Operation
Vehicle care
Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
While in operation, even while parked, your 
vehicle is subjected to varying external 
influences which, if gone unchecked, can 
attack the paintwork as well as the under-
body and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by 
extreme and varying climatic conditions, 
but also by:
Air pollution
Road salt
Tar 
Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should 
immediately 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. 
Any damage should be repaired as soon as 
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 
applied 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 
designed for cleaning your vehicle. 
     
        
        Page 302 of 442
300 OperationVehicle careCloth upholstery
Clean with soft bristle brush, or use a 
dry-shampoo cleaner in case of excessive 
dirt.
MB Tex upholstery
Pour Mercedes-Benz approved Interior 
Care onto soft lint-free cloth and apply 
with light pressure.
Plastic and rubber parts
Do not use oil or wax on these parts.
Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use damp 
cloth to clean wood trims in your vehicle. 
Do not use solvents like tar remover or 
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as 
these may be abrasive.  
     
        
        Page 322 of 442
320 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Suggested solution
:
USA only:At next gas station
add 1.0 qt engine oilCanada only:At next gas station
add 1.0 l engine oil
The engine oil level is too low.
Add engine oil (
page 281) and check 
the engine oil level (
page 280).
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 (
page 281) and check 
the engine oil level (
page 280).
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 oil siphoned or drained off. 
Observe all legal requirements with 
respect to its disposal.
Change engine oil
Visit workshop.
It may be that there is water in the engine 
oil.
Have the engine oil checked. 
     
        
        Page 323 of 442

321 Practical hints
What to do if …
When the message 
At next gas station 
add 1.0 qt engine oil
 (Canada: 
1.0 l
) 
appears while the engine is running and at 
operating temperature, the engine oil level 
has dropped to approximately the mini-
mum level.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 
service station where the engine oil should 
be topped to the required level with an 
approved oil specified in the Factory 
Approved Service Products pamphlet.
Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Suggested solution
:
Engine oil level
Visit workshop.
The engine oil has dropped to a critical 
level.
Check the engine oil level 
(page 280) and add oil as required 
(page 281).
If you must add engine oil frequently, 
have the engine checked for possible 
leaks.
Oil sensor malfunction
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.