Page 356 of 569

355 Operation
At the gas station
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see 
“Engine oil” (
page 358).
Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information, 
see “Coolant level” (
page 360) and 
“Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.” 
(
page 536).
Brake fluidWindshield/rear window washer 
system and headlamp cleaning 
system*
For more information on refilling the wash-
er reservoir, see “Windshield/rear window 
washer system and headlamp cleaning 
system*” (
page 362).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For infor-
mation on replacing light bulbs, see “Re-
placing bulbs” (
page 480).
For more information, see “Exterior lamp 
switch” (
page 143).
Tire inflation pressure
For more information, see “Checking tire 
inflation pressure” (
page 373).
!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. Contact an 
authorized Mercedes-Benz Light Truck Center 
immediately. Do not add brake fluid as this will 
not solve the problem. For more information, see 
“Brake fluid” (
page 539). 
     
        
        Page 361 of 569

360 Operation
Engine compartment
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 
“Technical data” section (
page 536) and 
(
page 538).
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 Light 
Truck Center check the automatic trans-
mission.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.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained off. 
It could cause damage to the engine or 
emission control system not covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
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 display 
indicates 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 approx-
imately 1/2turn to relieve excess pres-
sure. If opened immediately, scalding
 
     
        
        Page 541 of 569

540 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Fuel requirements
Gasoline engine
Only use premium unleaded fuel.
The octane number (posted at the 
pump) must be 91 min. It is an 
average of both the Research Octane 
Number (RON) and the Motor Octane 
Number (MON): (RON+MON) /2. 
This is also known as the ANTI-KNOCK 
INDEX.
Unleaded gasoline containing oxygenates 
such as ethanol, IPA, IBA and TBA can be 
used provided the ratio of any one of these 
oxygenates to gasoline does not 
exceed 10%; MTBE must not exceed 15%.
The ratio of methanol to gasoline must not 
exceed 3% plus additional cosolvents.
Using mixtures of ethanol and methanol is 
not allowed. Gasohol, which contains 
10% ethanol and 90% unleaded gasoline, 
can be used.These blends must also meet all other fuel 
requirements, such as resistance to spark 
knock, boiling range, vapor pressure, etc.
Diesel engine
Only use commercially available vehicular 
ULTRA-LOW SULFUR HIGHWAY DIESEL 
FUEL (15 ppm SULFUR MAXIMUM).
To prevent malfunctions, diesel fuel with 
improved cold flow characteristics is 
offered in the winter months. Check with 
your fuel retailer.
Gasoline additives (gasoline engine)
A major concern among engine 
manufacturers is carbon build-up caused 
by gasoline. Mercedes-Benz recommends 
only the use of quality gasoline containing 
additives that prevent the build-up of 
carbon deposits.
After an extended period of using fuels 
without such additives carbon deposits 
can build up, especially on the intake 
valves and in the combustion area, leading 
to engine performance problems such as:
Warm-up hesitation
Unstable idle
Knocking/pinging
Misfire
Power loss
!Do not fill the tank with gasoline. Do not 
blend diesel fuel with gasoline or kerosine. 
The fuel system and engine will otherwise be 
damaged, which is not covered by the 
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.