2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 4MATIC maintenance

165 Controls in detail
Control system
Press ( or & to select the
Service menu.
If conditions have occurred causing status
messages to be recorded, the number of
messages appears in the multifunction
display:
1Number of messages
Press % or $ to select the mes-
sage.
Press # to confirm.
The stored messages will now be
displayed in the order in which they
have occurred.
Use % or $ to scroll through the
messages.Checking tire inflation pressure
For information about checking tire infla-
tion pressure (
page 339).
Activating Run Flat Indicator
(Canada only)
For information about activating Run Flat
Indicator (
page 342).
Calling up the maintenance service
indicator display
For information about calling up the main-
tenance service indicator display
(
page 362).
Settings menu
In the
Settings menu there are two
functions:

The function Reset to factory
settings
, with which you can reset all
the settings to the original factory
settings.

A collection of submenus with which
you can make individual settings for
your vehicle.
iSee the “Practical hints” section for mal-
function and warning messages (
page 387).
iIf you turn the SmartKey in the starter
switch to position0 and then back to position2,
all messages will be deleted from the message
memory.

209 Controls in detail
Audio system
Safety precautions General notes
Warning!G
The single CD player and the CD changer*
are classified as a Class 1 laser product. You
must not open the casing. There is a risk of
exposure to invisible laser radiation if you
open the casing, or if the casing is faulty or
damaged.
The single CD player and the CD changer*
do not contain any parts that you are able to
maintain yourself. For safety reasons, all
maintenance work must be carried out by
qualified technicians.
Warning!G
Only carry out the following when the vehi-
cle is stationary:

Inserting a disc

Ejecting a disc
There is a risk of accident by being distract-
ed from road and traffic conditions if you
load a CD while the vehicle is in motion.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.
iAudio CDs with copy protection are not
compatible with the CD audio standard and
therefore may not be able to be played by the
single CD player and/or the CD changer*.
There may be playback problems when playing
copied discs.
There is a large variety of discs, disc-writing soft-
ware and writers available. This variety means
that there is no guarantee that the system will be
able to play discs that you have written/copied
yourself.
There may be playback problems if you use CD-R
or CD-RW type discs you have copied yourself
with a storage capacity of more than 700 MB.
These CDs are not compatible with currently ap-
plicable standards.
!If you affix stickers to the CDs, they can be-
come warped due to the heat that develops in
the CD drive or CD changer*.
In certain situations, the CDs can no longer be
ejected and can cause damage to the drive. Such
damage is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

302 Controls in detail
Useful features
Remote door lock
If you have forgotten to lock your vehicle
and are no longer near it, you can have it
locked remotely through the Response
Center.
The vehicle can be remotely locked within
4 days after the ignition has been switched
off.
Contact the Mercedes-Benz Response
Center at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA)
or 1-888-923-8367 (in Canada).
You will be asked to provide your pass-
word which you provided when you
completed the subscriber agreement.When you are inside your vehicle the next
time and switch on the ignition, the mes-
sage
Tele Aid Doors locked by remote
control
will appear on the multifunction
display.
Automatic Maintenance Call
The C-Class is equipped with a feature that
considerably enhances vehicle care. Just
prior to reaching a vehicle maintenance
milestone, Tele Aid transmits important ve-
hicle maintenance information that alerts
your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center of
required service. This is automatic and
does not require driver intervention. This
feature allows your preferred
Mercedes-Benz Center to significantly im-
prove the process of arranging your ser-
vice appointment and ensures that your
vehicle receives the best possible care.Stolen Vehicle Recovery services
In the event your vehicle was stolen:
Report the incident to the police.
The police will issue a numbered
incident report.
Pass this number on to the
Mercedes-Benz Response Center along
with your password issued to you when
you subscribed to the service.
The Response Center will then attempt
to covertly contact the vehicle’s
Tele Aid system. Once the vehicle is
located, the Response Center will
contact the local law enforcement and
you. The vehicle’s location will only be
provided to law enforcement.
Once the vehicle is unlocked, a Response Center
specialist might attempt to establish voice con-
tact with the vehicle occupants.
If the trunk lid handle was pulled for more than
20 seconds before door unlock authorization
was received by the Response Center, you must
wait 15 minutes before pulling the trunk lid han-
dle again.
iThe remote door lock feature is available if
the relevant telephone network is available and
data connection is possible.
iThe Automatic Maintenance Call feature is
available if the relevant telephone network is
available and data connection is possible.
iWhen the anti-theft alarm or the tow-away
alarm stays on for more than 30 seconds, a call
is initiated automatically to the Response Cen-
ter, see “Anti-theft alarm system” (
page 66).


309 Operation
The first 1000 miles (1500 km)
Driving instructions
At the gas station
Engine compartment
Tires and wheels
Winter driving
Maintenance
Vehicle care

311 Operation
Driving instructions
Driving instructions
Drive sensibly – save fuel
Fuel consumption, to a great extent,
depends on driving habits and operating
conditions.
To save fuel you should:

Keep tires at the recommended tire
inflation pressures.

Remove unnecessary loads.

Remove roof rack when not in use.

Allow engine to warm up under low
load use.

Avoid frequent acceleration and decel-
eration.

Have all maintenance work performed
at the intervals specified in the Mainte-
nance Booklet and as required by the
Maintenance System. Contact an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Fuel consumption is also increased by driv-
ing in cold weather, in stop-and-go traffic,
on short trips, and in hilly area.
Drinking and drivingPedals
Power assistance
Warning!G
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs
and driving are very dangerous combina-
tions. Even a small amount of alcohol or
drugs can affect your reflexes, perceptions
and judgment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal ac-
cident are greatly increased when you drink
or take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or
taking drugs.
Warning!G
Make sure absolutely no objects are ob-
structing the pedals’ range of movement.
Keep the driver’s footwell clear of all obsta-
cles. If there are any floormats or carpets in
the footwell, make sure the pedals still have
sufficient clearance. Otherwise this could
lead to accidents or injury.
Warning!G
With the engine not running, there is no
power assistance for the brake and steering
systems. In this case, it is important to keep
in mind that a considerably higher degree of
effort is necessary to brake and steer the ve-
hicle.

319 Operation
Driving instructions
Control and operation of radio
transmitters
COMAND*, radio, and telephone*Telephones and two-way radios
Radio transmitters, such as a portable tele-
phone or a citizens band unit should only
be used inside the vehicle if they are con-
nected to an antenna that is installed on
the outside of the vehicle.
Refer to the radio transmitter operation in-
structions regarding use of an external an-
tenna.
Catalytic converter
Your Mercedes-Benz is equipped with
monolithic-type catalytic converters, an
important element in conjunction with the
oxygen sensors to achieve substantial con-
trol of the pollutants in the exhaust emis-
sions. Keep your vehicle in proper
operating condition by following our rec-
ommended maintenance instructions as
outlined in your Maintenance Booklet.
Warning!G
Please do not forget that your primary re-
sponsibility is to drive the vehicle safely.
Only operate the COMAND (Cockpit Man-
agement and Data System), radio, or tele-
phone
1 if road, weather and traffic
conditions permit. Otherwise, you may not
be able to observe traffic conditions and
could endanger yourself and others.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle is
covering a distance of 44 feet (approximate-
ly 14 m) every second.
1Observe all legal requirements.
Warning!G
Never operate radio transmitters equipped
with a built-in or attached antenna (i.e. with-
out being connected to an external antenna)
from inside the vehicle while the engine is
running. Doing so could lead to a malfunc-
tion of the vehicle’s electronic system, pos-
sibly resulting in an accident and/or
personal injury.
!To prevent damage to the catalytic convert-
ers, only use premium unleaded gasoline in this
vehicle.
Any noticeable irregularities in engine operation
should be repaired promptly. Otherwise, exces-
sive unburned fuel may reach the catalytic con-
verter, causing it to overheat and potentially
start a fire.

320 Operation
Driving instructions
Emission control
Certain systems of the engine and the
emission control system serve to keep the
toxic components of the exhaust gases
within permissible limits required by law.
These systems will function properly only
when maintained strictly according to fac-
tory specifications. Any adjustments on
the engine should, therefore, be carried
out only by qualified Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter authorized technicians.
Engine adjustments should not be altered
in any way. The specified service proce-
dures must be carried out regularly accord-
ing to Mercedes-Benz servicing
requirements. For details please refer to
the Maintenance Booklet.
Warning!G
As with any vehicle, do not idle, park or op-
erate this vehicle in areas where combusti-
ble materials such as grass, hay or leaves
can come into contact with the hot exhaust
system, as these materials could be ignited
and cause a vehicle fire.
Warning!G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide (CO), and inhaling it can cause un-
consciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as a garage) which are not properly
ventilated. If you think that exhaust gas
fumes are entering the vehicle while driving,
have the cause determined and corrected
immediately. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with at least one win-
dow fully open at all times.

328 Operation
Engine compartment
Pull out oil dipstick1 again after ap-
proximately 5 seconds to obtain accu-
rate reading.
The oil level is correct when it is between
lower mark3 (min.) and upper mark2
(max.) of the oil dipstick.
If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil (
page 328).
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 476) and
(
page 480).
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(
page 387).Adding engine oil
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.
For more information on engine oil, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 476) and
(
page 480).
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.
iThe filling quantity between the upper and
lower marks on the oil dipstick is approximately
2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).
!Only use approved engine oils and oil filters
required for vehicles with Maintenance System.
For a listing of approved engine oils and oil fil-
ters, refer to the Factory Approved Service Prod-
ucts pamphlet (USA only) 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 Main-
tenance System, or changing of oil and oil filter
at change intervals longer than those called for
by the Maintenance System will result in engine
or emission control system damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off.
It will cause damage to the engine and emission
control system not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.