2007 MERCEDES-BENZ C-CLASS SALOON Owners Manual

Engine compartment
206R
Vegetable oil
R Petrol
R Petroleum
R Kerosene
Do not add such fuels to diesel fuel and do
not use any special additives (exception:
flow improvers – see "Low outside temper-
atures").
Damage caused by the use of unapproved
fuels or additives is not covered by the war-
ranty.
Low outside temperatures The flow properties of diesel may be insuffi-
cient at low ambient temperatures.
To prevent operating problems, diesel fuel
with improved cold flow qualities is available
during the winter months. Your vehicle must
be refuelled with this winter diesel at temper-
atures of -5 °C or below.
You can use this winter diesel at tempera-
tures down to about -20 °C without problems.
If only summer diesel fuel or less cold-resist-
ant winter diesel fuel (e.g. in Mediterranean
regions) is available, you should add an
amount of flow improver to the fuel corre-
sponding to the outside temperature. Mix the additive with the diesel in good time,
before the flow properties of the diesel
become insufficient. Otherwise, malfunctions
can only be rectified by heating the entire fuel
system, e.g. by parking the vehicle in a heated
garage. G
Risk of fire
Do not use petrol to refuel vehicles with a
diesel engine. Never mix diesel with petrol.
This would damage the fuel system and
engine and could result in a vehicle fire.
Flow improver
The effectiveness of a flow improver is not
guaranteed with every fuel. Observe the infor -
mation provided by the manufacturer when
using a flow improver. Only use flow improv-
ers that have been tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Information about flow
improvers that have been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz can be obtained
from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre. Engine compartment
Bonne
t G
Risk of accident
Do not pull the release lever while the vehi-
cle is in motion. The bonnet could other-
wise open.
Opening G
Risk of injury
There is a risk of injury if the bonnet is open,
even if the engine is not running.
Some engine components can become
very hot.
To avoid the risk of burns, only touch thos e
components described in the Owner’s Man-
ual and observe the relevant safety notes. G
Risk of injury
The radiator fan between the radiator and
the engine can start automatically, even if
the key has been removed from the ignition
lock. For this reason you must not reach
into the turning area of the fan. You could
otherwise sustain an injury.
Vehicles with a petrol engine: Operatio
n
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Engine compartment
207The electronic ignition system uses high
voltage. For this reason you must never
touch components of the ignition system
(ignition coil, ignition cable, spark plug con-
nector, test socket) when :
R the engine is running
R the engine is being started
R the ignition is switched on and the engine
is being cranked by hand
Vehicles with a diesel engine :
The electronic injection control uses high
voltage. Therefore, never touch fuel injec -
tion system components when:
R the engine is running
R the engine is being started
R the ignition is switched on
X Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
switched off. G
Risk of injury
The windscreen wipers and wiper rod s
could be set in motion.
When the bonnet is open, you or others
could be injured by the wiper rods. Make sure that the windscreen wipers are
switched off and that the key has bee
n
pulled out of the ignition lock before open-
ing the bonnet.
The bonnet release lever is located in the
driver's footwell above the parking brake. 1
Bonnet release lever
X Pull release lever 1.
The bonnet is released.
! Make sure that the windscreen wipers
are not folded away from the windscreen .
You could otherwise damage the wind-
screen wipers or the bonnet. The handle for opening the bonnet is located
above the radiator grille.
1
Bonnet catch handle
X Reach into the gap, pull bonnet catch han -
dle 1up and lift the bonnet.
Closing G
Risk of injury
Make sure that nobody can become trap -
ped as you close the bonnet.
X Lower the bonnet and let it fall from a
height of approximately 20 cm. The bonnet
engages into place. Operation
204_AKB; 2; 3, en-GB
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Engine compartment
208 Engine oil
Depending on how it is driven, the vehicl e
consumes a maximum of 0.8 l oil per 1,000
km. The oil consumption may be higher than
this when the vehicle is new or if you fre-
quently drive at high engine speeds. You can
only estimate the oil consumption after yo u
have driven a considerable distance.
You will find further information about engine
oil in the "Technical data" section
( Y page 336).
Checking the engine oil level Before checking the engine oil level the fol-
lowing conditions for the vehicle should be
met:
R
It should be parked on level ground
R The engine should be switched off for at
least five minutes if the engine was at nor-
mal operating temperature
R The engine should be switched off for at
least 30 minutes if the engine was not at
operating temperature (i.e. if you only star-
ted the engine briefly) Using the oil dipstick
Illustration: vehicle with a petrol engine
1
Oil dipstick
2 Upper mark
3 Lower mark Example illustration of a vehicle with a diese
l
engine
1 Oil dipstick
2 Upper mark
3 Lower mark
X Pull oil dipstick 1out of the oil dipstick
tube.
X Wide off oil dipstick 1.
X Insert oil dipstick 1into the oil dipstick
tube to the stop, and take it out again.
The oil level is correct if the level is between
lower mark 3and upper mark 2.
X Top up the oil if necessary (Y page 209).
i The difference in quantity between lower
mark 3and upper mark 2is approxi-
mately 2 litres. Operation
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Engine compartment
209
Topping up the engine oil
Illustration: vehicle with a petrol engin
e
1 Cove r Example illustration of a vehicle with a diese
l
engine
1 Cove r X
Unscrew cap 1and remove it.
X Top up by the amount of oil required.
! Do not add too much oil. If too much oil
is added, there is a risk of damage to the
engine or the catalytic converter.
X Screw cap 1onto the filler neck. H
Environmental not
e
When topping up the oil, take care not to
spill any. Oil must not be allowed to escape
into the soil or waterways. You would oth-
erwise be damaging the environment . Coolan
t G
Risk of injury
The cooling system is pressurised. There-
fore, only unscrew the cap once the engine
has cooled down. This means the coolant
temperature gauge must display less than
70 °C. You could otherwise be scalded by
escaping hot coolant.
Coolant consists of water and antifreeze/cor -
rosion inhibitor. Only check the coolant leve l
when the vehicle is on a level surface and th e
engine has cooled down. Checking the coolant level The expansion tank is located in the engin
e
compartment on the right-hand side of the
vehicle . 1
Cove r
2 Expansion tank
3 Marker bar
X Slowly turn cap 1by half a turn anti-clock -
wise to allow excess pressure to escape.
X Turn cap 1further anti-clockwise and
remove it.
There is sufficient coolant in expansion
tank 2if the coolant is level with marker
bar 3in the filler neck when cold or
approximately 1.5 cm higher when hot .
X Top up the coolant if necessary. Operation
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Tyres and wheels
21
0
X
Replace cap 1and tighten all the way to
the stop.
You will find further information about coolan t
in the "Technical data" section
( Y page 368). Windscreen washer system/head-
lamp cleaning system
*
The washer fluid reservoir is located in the
engine compartment on the left-hand side of
the vehicle. The headlamp cleaning system*
is also supplied from the washer fluid reser-
voir. 1
Cove r
X Add windscreen washer concentrate to the
washer fluid all year round. G
Risk of fire
Windscreen washer concentrate is highly
flammable. Fire, naked flames and smoking
are prohibited when windscreen washe r
concentrate is being handled.
Use :
R a windscreen washer fluid additive
such as MB Summerwash to preven t
smearing (for temperatures above freez-
ing).
R a windscreen washer fluid additive wit h
antifreeze properties such as MB Winter-
wash (if there is a risk of frost).
X Mix the windscreen washer fluid in a con-
tainer beforehand. Adapt the mixing ratio
to the outside temperatures.
! Only use windscreen washer fluid which
is suitable for plastic lamp lenses. Unsuit-
able windscreen washer fluid could dam-
age the plastic lamp lenses of the head-
lamps.
X To open: pull cap1upwards by the tab .
X To close: press cap 1onto the filler neck
until it clicks into place. Tyres and wheels
Points to remember
! For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz rec-
ommends that you only use tyres and
wheels which have been approved by
Mercedes-Benz specifically for your vehi-
cle. These tyres have been specially adap-
ted for use with the control systems, such
as ABS or ESP, and are marked as follows:
R MO = Mercedes-Benz Original
R MOE = Mercedes-Benz Original Extended
(with run-flat characteristics)
Mercedes-Benz Original Extended tyres
should only be used on wheels that have
been specifically approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
If you use other tyres and wheels,
Mercedes-Benz cannot accept any respon-
sibility for damage that may result from
this. Further information about tyres,
wheels and approved combinations can be
obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Service
Centre.
If you use tyres other than those tested and
recommended for Mercedes-Benz vehi-
cles, characteristics such as handling, vehi-
cle noise emissions and fuel consumption Operation
* optional
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Tyres and wheels
21
1
may be adversely affected. In addition, the
wheels may come into contact with the
body or the axle components when heavily
loaded or when driving with snow chains.
This could result in damage to the tyres or
the vehicle.
! Retreaded tyres are neither tested nor
recommended by Mercedes-Benz, since
previous damage cannot always be detec-
ted on retreaded tyres. As a result,
Mercedes-Benz cannot guarantee vehicl e
safety if retreaded tyres are fitted. Do not
fit used tyres if you have no information
about their previous usage. G
Risk of accident
If wheels or tyres other than those which
have been tested are fitted:
R the brakes or chassis components could
be damage d
R wheel and tyre clearances can no longer
be guarantee d
This could cause an accident .
Modification work on the brake system and
wheels is not permitted, nor is the use of
spacer plates or brake dust shields. This inva-
lidates the General Operating Permit for the
vehicle. Notes on selecting, fitting and replacing
tyres R
Only fit tyres and wheels of the same type
and make.
R Only fit tyres of the correct size onto the
wheels.
R After fitting new tyres, run them in at mod -
erate speeds for the first 100 km as they
only reach their full performance after this
distance.
R Fit new tyres on the front wheels first if
tyres of the same size are required on the
front and rear wheels.
R Replace the tyres after six years at the lat -
est, regardless of wear. This also applies to
the spare wheel.
R Do not drive with tyres which have too little
tread depth as this significantly reduce s
the traction on wet roads (aquaplaning).
! Store tyres that are not being used in a
cool, dry and preferably dark place. Protect
the tyres against oil, grease, petrol and die-
sel . Notes on regularly inspecting wheels
and tyre
s R
Regularly check the wheels and tyres of
your vehicle for damage (e.g. cuts, punctu-
res, tears, bumps on tyres and deforma-
tion, cracks or severe corrosion on wheels),
at least every 14 days, as well as after off -
road trips or after travelling on rough roads.
Damaged wheels could cause a loss of tyre
pressure.
R Regularly check the tyre tread depth and
the condition of the tread across the whol e
width of the tyre (Y page 212). If neces-
sary, turn the front wheels to full lock in
order to inspect the inner side of the tyre
surface.
R All wheels must have a valve cap to protect
the valve against dirt and moisture.
R Regularly check the pressure of all your
tyres (including the spare tyre*), particu-
larly prior to long trips, and correct th e
pressure as necessary (Y page 213).
Notes on driving R
While driving, pay attention to vibrations,
noises and unusual handling characteris-
tics, e.g. pulling to one side. This may indi- Operation
* optional
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Tyres and wheels
21
2
cate that the wheels or tyres are damaged.
If you suspect that a tyre is defective,
reduce your speed and stop the vehicle as
soon as possible to check the wheels and
tyres for damage. Hidden tyre damag
e
could also be causing the unusual handling
characteristics. If you find no signs of dam-
age, have the wheels and tyres inspected
at a specialist workshop, for example at a
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
R When parking your vehicle, make sure that
the tyres do not get deformed by the kerb
or other obstacles. If it is necessary to drive
over kerbs, speed humps or similar, try to
do so slowly and at an obtuse angle. Oth-
erwise, the tyres, particularly the sidewalls,
could get damaged. Direction of rotation
Direction of rotation Tyres with a specified direction of rotation
have additional benefits, e.g. if there is a risk
of aquaplaning. You will only gain these ben-
efits if the correct direction of rotation is
observed.
An arrow on the sidewall of the tyre indicates
its correct direction of rotation.
i You may fit a spare tyre *against th e
direction of rotation. MOExtended run-flat system
*
The MOExtended run-flat system* allows you
to continue driving the vehicle even when one
or more tyres lose all air pressure.
The MOExtended run-flat system* may only
be used in combination with the tyre pressure
loss warning system and only on wheels spe-
cifically tested and approved by Mercedes-
Benz.
i Vehicles with MOExtended run-flat sys-
tem* are not equipped with the TIREFIT
kit*. 14 It is therefore recommended to additionally
equip your vehicle with the TIREFIT kit*
when fitting tyres that do not feature run-
flat properties, e.g. winter tyres.
i A TIREFIT kit* is available from any quali-
fied specialist workshop, e.g. a Mercedes-
Benz Service Centre.
You will find notes on driving with a flat tyr e
in the "Practical advice" section
( Y page 323). Tyre tread
G
Risk of accident
Bear in mind that:
R tyre grip decreases rapidly on wet roads
when the tread depth is less than 3 mm.
You should thus replace tyres that have
insufficient tread.
R winter tyres should be replaced when th e
tread depth is 4 mm or less because oth -
erwise they no longer provide adequate
grip.
R the tread on a tyre may not wear evenly .
You should thus regularly check the tread
14 Only for certain countries. Operation
* optional
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Tyres and wheels
21
3 depth and the condition of the tread
across the entire width of all tyres. If nec
-
essary, turn the steering wheel so that
you can see the tyre tread more easily.
You could otherwise lose control of the
vehicle and cause an accident due to the
reduced grip of the tyres on the road. Tyre pressures
G
Risk of accident
Tyre pressure that is either too high or too
low has a negative effect on the vehicle’ s
active safety, which could lead you to caus e
an accident. You should therefore regularly
check the pressure of all your tyres (includ -
ing the spare tyre*), particularly prior to
long trips, and correct the pressure as nec -
essary.
To test tyre pressure, use a suitable pressure
gauge. The outer appearance of a tyre does
not permit any reliable conclusion about the
tyre pressure.
If the vehicle is to be heavily laden or driven
at high speeds, the tyre pressure must be
adapted according to the specifications given
in the fuel filler flap (Y page 204). Use the highest specified tyre pressure for
the spare wheel*
. G
Risk of accident
Should the tyre pressure drop repeatedly:
R Check the tyre for foreign bodies.
R Check whether the wheel is losing air or
the valve is leaking .
Tyre pressure that is too low has a negative
effect on the vehicle’s active safety, which
could lead to your causing an accident .
Tyre pressure changes by approximately
0.1 bar for every 10 °C change in ambient
temperature.
If you measure the tyre pressure in enclosed
spaces where the temperature differs from
the outside temperature, you will have to cor-
rect the measured value accordingly.
When the vehicle is driven, the tyre tempera-
ture, and with it the tyre pressure, will
increase depending on the road speed and
the load on the tyres.
Therefore, you should only correct tyre pres-
sures when the tyres are cold.
The pressure of warm tyres should only be
corrected if it is too low for the current oper-
ating conditions. You will find a table of tyre pressures for var-
ious operating conditions on the inside of
your vehicle's fuel filler flap.
Driving with tyre pressure that is too high or
too low can:
R
shorten the service life of the tyres
R cause increased tyre damag e
R have a negative effect on handling charac-
teristics (e.g. by causing aquaplaning)
i The tyre pressure values given for low
loads are minimum values which offer you
good ride comfort characteristics .
You can, however, also use the values given
for higher loads. These are permissible and
will not adversely affect the running of the
vehicle.
Also check the tyre pressure of the spare
wheel* . H
Environmental not
e
Check the tyre pressure regularly, and at
least every 14 days. Operation
* optional
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3