2007 MERCEDES-BENZ C280 coolant

273 Operation
At the gas station
Check regularly and before a long trip
1Coolant
2Brake fluid (fuse box cover removed)
3Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information,
see “Coolant level” (
page 278) and see
“Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 409).
Brake fluid
Removing fuse box cover (
page 392).Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*
For more information on filling up the
washer reservoir, see “Windshield washer
system and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 280).
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil level,
see “Engine oil” (
page 276).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information on replacing light bulbs, see
“Replacing bulbs” (
page 367).
Exterior lamp switch (
page 109).
Tire inflation pressure
More information on tire inflation pressure
(
page 290).
iOpening the hood, see (page 274).
!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. Notify 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 324).

274 Operation
Engine compartment
Hood
Opening
Warning!G
Do not pull the release lever while the
vehicle is in motion. Otherwise the hood
could be forced open by passing air flow.
This could cause the hood to come loose
and injure you and/or others.
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
You could be injured when the hood is open
- even when the engine is turned off.
Parts of the engine can become very hot. To
prevent burns, only touch owner serviceable
components described in the Operator’s
Manual and comply with all relevant safety
precautions.
Warning!G
To help prevent personal injury, stay clear of
moving parts when the hood is open and the
engine is running.
The radiator fan may continue to run for
approximately 30 seconds or even restart
after the engine has been turned off. Stay
clear of fan blades.
Warning!G
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components
(ignition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnos-
tic socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running

while starting the engine

if ignition is “on” and the engine is
turned manually

276 Operation
Engine compartment
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.
Checking engine oil level
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 5 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
1Oil dipstick
2Upper (max) mark
3Lower (min) mark
To check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:
Open the hood (page 274).
Pull out oil dipstick1.
Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.
Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the
dipstick guide tube.
Pull out oil dipstick1 again after
approximately 3 seconds to obtain ac-
curate reading.
The oil level is correct when it is be-
tween the lower (min) mark3 and
upper (max) mark2 of oil dipstick1.
If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil, see “Adding en-
gine oil” (
page 277).
For more information on engine oil, see
“Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 409).
iDo not use any special lubricant additives,
as these may damage the drive assemblies. Us-
ing 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.iThe filling quantity between the upper and
lower marks on the oil dipstick is approximately
2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).

278 Operation
Engine compartment
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 passenger side of the engine compart-
ment.
1Coolant expansion tank
2CapUsing a rag, turn cap2 slowly approx-
imately one half turn counterclockwise
to release any excess pressure.
Continue turning the cap counterclock-
wise and remove it.
The coolant level is correct if the level

for cold coolant: reaches the black
top part of the reservoir

for warm coolant: is approx. 0.6 in
(1.5 cm) higher
Add coolant as required.
Replace and tighten cap.
For more information on coolant, see
“Coolants” (
page 416).
Warning!G
In order to avoid any potentially serious
burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.

Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°C). Allow engine to
cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.

Using a rag, slowly open the cap
approximately1/2 turn to relieve excess
pressure. If opened immediately, scald-
ing hot fluid and steam will be blown out
under pressure.

Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene
glycol which may burn if it comes into
contact with hot engine parts.

304 Operation
Tires and wheels
Tire ply material
1Plies in sidewall
2Plies under tread
This marking tells you about the type of
cord and number of plies in the sidewall
and under the tread.Tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power
seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether
installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or
bars.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width
expressed in percentage.Bar
Another metric unit for air pressure. There
are 14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi)
to 1 bar; there are 100 kilopascals (kPa)
to 1 bar.
Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the
rim.
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle
has been sitting for at least three hours or
driven no more than one mile (1.6 km).
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with stan-
dard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so
equipped, air conditioning and additional
optional equipment, but without passen-
gers and cargo.
iFor illustration purposes only. Actual data
on tires is specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in above illustration.

313 Operation
Vehicle care
Vehicle care
Cleaning and care of the vehicle
Regular and proper care will help to
maintain the value of your vehicle. The
best way to protect your vehicle from
harmful environmental influences is to
wash it and use protective treatments reg-
ularly.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 vehicle
underbody 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
eliminates 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
thorough check is a washing of the
underbody followed by a thorough
inspection. Damaged areas need to be
re-undercoated.Warning!G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the
particular 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.
Always lock away cleaning products and
keep them out of reach of children.

345 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbolDisplay messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
BTop up
coolant
See
Operator’s
ManualThe coolant level is too low.Add coolant (page 278).
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 could 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 Lim-
ited Warranty.
Do not drive without sufficient amount of coolant
in the cooling system. The engine will overheat
causing major engine damage.

346 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbolDisplay messagePossible cause/consequencePossible solution
•Coolant
Stop, turn
engine offThe coolant is too hot.
Among other possible causes, the
poly-V-belt could be broken.Stop the vehicle in a safe location or
as soon as it is safe to do so.
Apply the parking brake (page 54).
Turn off the engine.
Check the poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:
Do not continue to drive. Otherwise
the engine will overheat due to an in-
operative water pump which may re-
sult in damage to the engine. Contact
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is intact:
Wait for the message to disappear be-
fore restarting the engine.
Doing otherwise could result in seri-
ous engine damage that is not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited War-
ranty.
(Continued on next page)