Page 297 of 491

296 OperationAt the gas stationRefueling
The fuel filler flap is located on the
right-hand side of the vehicle towards the
rear. Locking / unlocking the vehicle with
the remote control automatically
locks / unlocks the fuel filler flap.
Turn the engine off
by turning the SmartKey to
position0.
by pressing the KEYLESS-GO*
start/stop button. Open the driv-
er’s door (with the driver’s door
open, starter switch is now in
position0, same as SmartKey re-
moved from starter switch).
Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
Open the fuel filler flap by pushing at
the point indicated by the arrow.
The fuel filler flap springs open.
Turn the fuel cap to the left and hold on
to it until possible pressure is released.
Take off the cap and set it in the recess
on the fuel filler flap.
To prevent fuel vapors from escaping
into open air, fully insert filler nozzle
unit.
Only fill your tank until the filler nozzle
unit cuts out – do not top up or over-
fill.
Warning!
G
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious
injury. Whenever you are around gasoline,
avoid inhaling fumes and skin contact, extin-
guish all smoking materials. Never allow
sparks, flame or smoking materials near
gasoline!
Warning!
G
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create pres-
sure in the system which could cause a gas
discharge. This could cause the gas to spray
back out when removing the fuel pump noz-
zle, which could cause personal injury.
Page 298 of 491
297 Operation
At the gas station
Replace the fuel cap by turning it to the
right.
You will hear when the fuel cap is tight-
ened.
Close the fuel filler flap.
Check regularly and before a long trip
1Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*
2Brake fluid
3Coolant level
iLeaving the engine running and the fuel
cap open can cause the yellow fuel
tank reserve warning lamp to flash and
the? malfunction indicator lamp
(USA only) or the ± malfunction in-
dicator lamp (Canada only) to illumi-
nate.
For more information, see “Practical
hints” (
page 357).
iOnly use 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.
iOpening the hood, see (
page 299).
Page 299 of 491

298 OperationAt the gas stationWindshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*
For information on refilling the reservoir,
see “Windshield washer system and head-
lamp cleaning system*” (
page 306).
Brake fluid
For information on brake fluid, see “Fuels,
coolants, lubricants, etc.” (page 453).Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information on
coolant, see “Coolant level” (
page 303)
and see “Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.”
(
page 450).
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil level,
see (page 300).Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information on replacing light bulbs, see
“Replacing bulbs” (
page 410).
For more information, see “Exterior lamp
switch” (
page 141).
Tire inflation pressure
For more information on tire inflation pres-
sure, see “Checking tire inflation pressure”
(
page 318).
!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 354).
Page 300 of 491

299 Operation
Engine compartment
Engine compartment
Hood
Opening
1Hood release
Pull lever1 downwards.
The hood is unlocked and handle2
will extend out of the radiator grille.
2Handle for opening the hood
Pull handle2 to its stop out of radia-
tor grille.
Pull up on the hood (do not pull up on
the handle) and then release it.
The hood will be automatically held
open at shoulder height by gas-filled
struts.
Warning!
G
Do not pull the release lever while the vehi-
cle is in motion. Otherwise the hood could
be forced open by passing air flow.
!To avoid damage to the windshield wip-
ers or hood, never open the hood if the
wiper arms are folded forward away
from the windshield.
Warning!
G
To help prevent personal injury, stay clear of
moving parts when the hood is open and the
engine is running. Make sure the hood is
properly closed before driving. When closing
the hood, use extreme caution not to catch
hands or fingers.
The radiator fan may continue to run for ap-
proximately 30 seconds or even restart af-
ter the engine has been turned off. Stay
clear of fan blades.
Page 301 of 491

300 OperationEngine compartment
Closing
Let the hood drop from a height of ap-
proximately 1 ft (30 cm).
The hood will lock audibly.
Check to make sure the hood is fully
closed.
If you can raise the hood at a point
above the headlamps, then it is not
properly closed. Open it again and let it
drop with somewhat greater force.
Engine oil
The amount of oil your engine needs will
depend on a number of factors, including
driving style. Higher oil consumption can
occur when
the vehicle is new
the vehicle is driven frequently at
higher engine speeds
Engine oil consumption checks should only
be made after the vehicle break-in period.
Warning!
G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates that the engine is
overheated, do not open the hood. Move
away from vehicle and do not open the hood
until the engine has cooled. If necessary,
call the fire department.Warning!
G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components (ig-
nition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnostic
socket) of the ignition system
with the engine running
while starting the engine
if ignition is “on” and the engine is
turned manually
Warning!
G
Be careful that you do not close the hood on
anyone.
iDo not use any special lubricant addi-
tives, as these may damage the drive
assemblies. Using special additives not
approved by Mercedes-Benz may
cause damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
More information on this subject is
available at any Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Page 302 of 491

301 Operation
Engine compartment
Checking engine oil level with the
control system
When checking the oil level
the vehicle must be parked on level
ground
with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been sta-
tionary for at least five minutes with the
engine turned off
with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 30 minutes
with the engine turned off
To check the engine oil level via the multi-
function display, do the following:
Switch on the ignition (
page 34).
The standard display (
page 153) should
appear in the multifunction display.
Press button k or j, on the
steering wheel until the following
message is seen in the multifunction
display:
Engine oil level - Measuring now!
Measurement correct only if veh.
levelOne of the following messages will
subsequently appear in the indicator:
Engine oil level ok
Add 1.0 Qt. to reach max. oil
level(Canada:
1.0 Liter
)
Add 1.5 Qts. to reach max. oil
level(Canada:
1.5 Liters
)
Add 2.0 Qts. to reach max. oil
level(Canada:
2.0 Liters
)
If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil, see (
page 302).
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 450) and (
page 453).
Other display messages
If the SmartKey or KEYLESS-GO start/stop
button* is not in position 2, the following
message will appear:
Switch on ignition
to check engine oil level
Switch on the ignition (
page 34).
iIf you want to interrupt the checking
procedure, press thek orj
button on the multifunction steering
wheel.
Page 303 of 491

302 OperationEngine compartmentIf you see the message:Observe waiting period
If engine is at operating temperature,
wait five minutes before repeating
check procedure.
If engine is not at operating tempera-
ture, wait 30 minutes before repeating
check procedure.
If you see the message:
Engine oil level
Not when engine on
Turn off the engine.
If engine is at operating temperature,
wait five minutes before checking oil.
If engine is not at operating tempera-
ture, 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 an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
More information on messages in the
display concerning engine oil can be found
in the “Practical hints” section
(
page 362). 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 PLUS (Canada vehicles). For a
listing of approved engine oils and oil
filters, refer to the Factory Approved
Service Products pamphlet in your ve-
hicle literature portfolio, or contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of spec-
ification other than those expressly
required for the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS PLUS (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 PLUS (Canada
vehicles) will result in engine damage
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Page 304 of 491

303 Operation
Engine compartment
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.
More information on engine oil can be
found in the “Technical data” section
(
page 450) and (
page 453).
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 driver’s side of the engine compart-
ment.
!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.