2005 MERCEDES-BENZ C320 check engine

316 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
B
Coolant
Check level
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 283).

If you have to add coolant frequently,
have the cooling system checked by
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You can be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant
level warning. Extended driving with
the message and symbol displayed
may cause serious engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Do not drive without sufficient amount
of coolant in the cooling system. The
engine will overheat causing major
engine damage.

318 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause
Possible solution
•
Coolant
Stop, engine off!
The poly-V-belt could be broken.

Stop immediately and check the
poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:

Do not continue to drive. Otherwise the
engine will overheat due to an inoperative
water pump which may result in damage to
the engine. Notify an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is intact:

Do not continue to drive the vehicle with
this message displayed. Doing so could
result in serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

Observe the coolant temperature gauge in
the instrument cluster (
page 24).

Drive immediately to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Coolant
Visit workshop.
The cooling fan for the coolant is
malfunctioning.

Observe the coolant temperature gauge in
the instrument cluster (
page 24).

Have the fan replaced as soon as possible.

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.

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.

360 Practical hintsBatteryThe battery is located in the engine
compartment on the right hand side.
1Clamps
Removing filter box:
Release clamps1.

Remove filter box.
Installing filter box:

Insert filter box properly.

Secure it with clamps1.
Warning!
G
Failure to follow these instructions can
result in severe injury or death.
Observe all safety instructions and
precautions when handling automotive
batteries (
page 284).
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 Maintenance Booklet for
maintenance intervals or contact an
authorized 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.

363 Practical hints
Jump starting
Jump starting
If the battery is discharged, the engine can
be started with jumper cables and the
battery of another vehicle. Observe the
following:

Jump starting should only be performed
when the engine and catalytic con-
verter 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
starting with a more powerful battery
could damage the vehicle’s electrical
system, which will not be covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.


Only use jumper cables with sufficient
cross-section and insulated terminal
clamps.


Always make sure the jumper cables
are not on or near pulleys, fans, or oth-
er 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
attempts.
Do not attempt to start the engine
using a battery quick charge unit.
If engine does not run after several
unsuccessful 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.

364 Practical hintsJump startingThe battery is located in the engine
compartment on the right hand side. The
terminals for jump starting are located in
front of the battery.
Make sure the two vehicles do not
touch.

Turn off all electrical consumers.

Apply parking brake.

Shift gear selector lever to positionP
(manual transmission to Neutral).1Positive terminal of charged battery
2Positive under hood terminal in front of
discharged battery
3Negative under hood terminal in front
of discharged battery
4Negative terminal of charged battery

Connect positive terminal1 of the
charged battery with positive under
hood terminal2 in front of the
discharged battery with the jumper
cables. Clamp cable to charged
battery1 first.

Start engine of the vehicle with the
charged battery and run at idle speed.

Connect negative terminal4 of the
charged battery with negative under
hood terminal3 in front of the
discharged battery with the jumper
cables. Clamp cable to charged
battery4 first.

Start the engine of the disabled
vehicle.
You can now again turn on the electrical
consumers. Do not turn on the lights under
any circumstances.

Remove the jumper cables first from
negative terminals4 and3 and then
from positive terminals1 and2.
You can now turn on the lights.

Have the battery checked at the near-
est authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!
G
Keep flames or sparks away from battery.
Do not smoke.
Observe all safety instructions and precau-
tions when handling automotive batteries
(page 284).
!Vehicles with automatic transmission
and/or 4MATIC:
Do not tow-start the vehicle.

394 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze, which
provides:

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
corrosion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective
to -22°F (-30°C), the boiling point of the
coolant in the pressurized cooling system
is reached at approx. 266°F (130°C).The coolant solution must be used
year-round to provide the necessary corro-
sion protection and increase boil-over
protection. Refer to Maintenance Booklet
for replacement interval.
Coolant system design and coolant used
determine the replacement interval. The
replacement interval published in the
Maintenance 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 renew the coolant
concentration or bring it back up to the
proper level.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45%
anticorrosion/antifreeze [equivalent to
freeze protection to approx. -22°F
(-30°C)]. If you use a solution that is more than 55%
anticorrosion/antifreeze [freeze
protection 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,
consult an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.