Page 249 of 334
Useful information
............................248
Engine compartment ........................248
Vehicle interior ................................. 256
Maintenance ...................................... 256
Battery ............................................... 258
Care .................................................... 265 247Maintenance and care
Page 250 of 334

Useful information
This Operator's Manual describes all models
as well as standard and optional equipment of your vehicle that were available at the time of going to print. Country-specific variations are
possible. Note that your vehicle may not be
equipped with all of the described functions.
This also applies to systems and functions
relevant to safety.
Read the information on qualified specialist
workshops (Y page 25). Engine compartment
Hood
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If the hood is unlatched, it may open up when the vehicle is in motion and block your view.
There is a risk of an accident.
Never unlatch the hood while driving. G
WARNING
Opening the hood when the engine is over-
heated or when there is a fire in the engine
compartment could expose you to hot gases
or other service products. There is a risk of
injury.
Let an overheated engine cool down before
opening the hood. If there is a fire in the
engine compartment, keep the hood closed
and contact the fire department. G
WARNING
The engine compartment contains moving
components. Certain components, such as
the radiator fan, may continue to run or start
again suddenly when the ignition is off. There is a risk of injury. If you need to do any work inside the engine
compartment:
R switch off the ignition
R never reach into the area where there is a
risk of danger from moving components,
such as the fan rotation area
R remove jewelry and watches
R keep items of clothing and hair, for exam-
ple, away from moving parts G
WARNING
The fuel injection system operates with a high voltage. If you touch the live components, you could receive an electric shock. There is a risk
of injury.
Never touch components of the fuel injection
system when the ignition is switched on.
The live components of the fuel injection sys-
tem are, for example, the injectors. G
WARNING
Certain components in the engine compart-
ment, such as the engine, radiator and parts
of the exhaust system, can become very hot.
Working in the engine compartment poses a
risk of injury.
Where possible, let the engine cool down and touch only the components described in the
following.
If you have to carry out work in the engine
compartment, only touch the following com-
ponents:
R Hood
R Oil dipstick
R Engine oil filler neck cap
R Washer fluid reservoir cap
R Coolant expansion tank cap
Opening the hood !
Make sure that the windshield wipers are
not folded away from the windshield. You
could otherwise damage the windshield
wipers or the hood. 248
Engine compartmentMaintenance and care
Page 251 of 334

Hood release lever in the driver's footwell
Observe the safety notes when you open the
hood.
X Stop your vehicle as far away from traffic as
possible on level ground.
X Switch off the engine.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
X Pull release handle 0043on the hood.
The hood is released. X
Reach into the gap and push lever 0044on the
hood catch up. X
Swing the hood upwards until support strut
0087 engages and the hood is supported.
Closing the hood G
WARNING
If the hood is unlatched, it could tip forward
during rapid deceleration of the vehicle and
hit persons or objects within its path. There is
a risk of an accident and injury.
Therefore, always make sure that the hood is closed and locked completely before driving
off.
If the hood is not locked and you are already
driving at walking pace:
R the yellow 003Eindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster goes on for vehicles
without steering-wheel buttons.
R the 003E Hood open
Hood open display appears for
vehicles with steering-wheel buttons.
! When you press the support strut back,
make sure that you do not press it against
the detent position and cause it to bend.
! Do not use your hands to push the hood
down. You could damage it otherwise.
X Lift the hood slightly.
X Press support strut 0087towards the back.
X Lower the hood and allow it to fall with
momentum from a height of approximately
1 ft (30 cm).
The hood locks audibly.
X Check that the hood is correctly locked.
If the hood can be raised slightly, it is not
properly engaged. If the hood is not cor-
rectly engaged, open the hood again. Let
the hood fall with a little more momentum. Engine compartment
249Maintenance and care Z
Page 252 of 334

Overview of the engine compartment
Example: engine
0043
Coolant expansion tank cap
(Ypage 253)
0044 DEF filler neck cap 4
(Y page 148)
0087 Engine oil filler neck cap (Y page 250)
0085 Brake fluid expansion tank cap
(Ypage 254)
0083 Washer fluid reservoir cap (Y page 255)
Regularly check the fluid level and the assem- bly for leaks. If you detect fluid loss, e.g. oil
flecks on the vehicle parking space, consult a qualified specialist workshop immediately. Engine oil
General notes !
Engine oil gets dirty in the course of oper-
ation and its quality and volume are gradu- ally diminished. Regularly check the oil
level, and top up or have it replaced as nee-
ded.
Observe the information on engine oils and oil
consumption in the "Technical data" section
(Y page 322).
You can check the oil level in the engine:
R on the display of the on-board computer
R with the oil dipstick Checking the oil level shown in the dis-
play If at extremely low temperatures no engine oil
level is displayed after 5 minutes, repeat the
engine oil level check after another
5 minutes.
If an oil level reading is still not displayed,
check the engine oil level with the dipstick
(Y page 251). Have the engine oil level
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Only check the oil level when the engine is at
normal operating temperature.
X Park the vehicle on a level surface.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait 5 minutes.
X Turn the key to position 2in the ignition
lock.
The display is activated.
X Vehicles without steering wheel but-
tons: press the 0079menu button on the
instrument cluster (Y page 34) repeatedly
until the display shows the 00AFsymbol.
The --:--
--:-- display message appears in the
display while the engine oil level measure-
ment is running.
X Vehicles with steering wheel buttons:
press the 0098service button on the instru-
ment cluster (Y page 34).
The 00B2 Engine Engine oil
oillevel
level Measuring
Measuring
in progress
in progress display message appears in
the display while the engine oil level meas-
urement is in progress.
Display message for vehicles without
steering-wheel buttons: the display may
show the following messages after the engine oil level measurement. 00AF Action
OK OK X
Do not add oil. 4
For Cargo Van/Passenger Van only 250
Engine compartmentMaintenance and care
Page 253 of 334

– 1.0 qts
– 1.0 qts X
Add the amount of oil
shown (Y page 252).
X Check the engine oil level
again after a few minutes. – 1.5 qts – 1.5 qts
– 2.0 qts
– 2.0 qts
HI
HI The oil level is too high.
X Have excess oil removed. Measurement units in the display:
R qts
qts USA only
R ltr
ltr Canada only
Display message for vehicles with steer-
ing-wheel buttons: the display may show
the following messages after the engine oil
level measurement. 00AF Action
Engine
Engine
oil level oil level
OK OK X
Do not add oil. Engine
Engine
oil Add oil Add
1.0 quart 1.0 quart X
Add the amount of oil
shown (Y page 252).
X Check the engine oil level
again after a few minutes. Engine Engine
oil Add oil Add
1.5 1.5
quarts
quarts Engine
Engine
oil Add oil Add
2.0 2.0
quarts
quarts Engine
Engine
oil level oil level
Reduce Reduce
oil level oil level The oil level is too high.
X Have excess oil removed. Eng. oil
Eng. oil
lev. Turn lev. Turn
ignition ignition
on for on for
level level X
Turn the key to position 2
in the ignition lock. Observe
Observe
wait. wait.
period period X
Repeat the engine oil
measurement after about
5 minutes if the engine is
at normal operating tem-
perature.
X Repeat the engine oil
measurement after about
30 minutes if the engine is
not at normal operating
temperature. Engine Engine
oil level oil level
Not when Not when
eng. run‐ eng. run‐
ning ning X
Switch off the engine
when it is at normal oper-
ating temperature and
wait approximately
5 minutes before measur- ing the engine oil level. Measurement units in the display:
R qts qts USA only
R ltr
ltr Canada only
Checking the oil level using the oil dip-
stick Example: 4-cylinder diesel engine Engine compartment
251Maintenance and care Z
Page 254 of 334

Example: 6-cylinder diesel engine
For vehicles with a red oil dipstick, only checkthe oil level when the engine is at normal
operating temperature:
X Stop your vehicle as far away from traffic as
possible on level ground.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
X Switch off the engine.
X Wait 5 minutes.
For vehicles with a yellow oil dipstick, only
check the oil level when the engine is cold.
X Stop your vehicle as far away from traffic as
possible on level ground.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
X Open the hood (Y page 248).
X Pull out oil dipstick 0043.
X Wipe oil dipstick 0043using a lint-free cloth.
X Insert oil dipstick 0043back into the guide
tube as far as it will go and remove it again.
If the level is between minimum mark 0087
and maximum mark 0044, the oil level is cor-
rect.
X If the oil level has dropped to or below min-
imum mark 0087, open cap 0085and add
engine oil (Y page 252).
The difference in quantity between
marks 0044and 0087is approximately
2 US quarts (2 liters).
X Insert the oil dipstick into the guide tube as
far as it will go.
X Close the hood (Y page 249). OM651 4-cylinder diesel engine:
At outside temperatures between 32 ‡
(–0 †) and 86 ‡ (30 †), the oil level can be
checked when the engine is cold.
Measuring the engine oil when the engine is
cold is less precise than measuring when the
engine is at normal operating temperature.
When the appropriate warning is shown in the
display
X Add engine oil (Y page 252)
or X Have engine oil siphoned off.
Add engine oil G
WARNING
If engine oil comes into contact with hot com- ponents in the engine compartment, it may
ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Make sure that engine oil is not spilled next to
the filler neck. Let the engine cool down and
thoroughly clean the engine oil off the com-
ponents before starting the engine.
! The alternator is located below the engine
oil filler neck. If engine oil spills onto the
alternator, there is a danger of alternator
damage. Be very careful when adding
engine oil. H
Environmental note
When adding oil, take care not to spill any. If
oil enters the soil or waterways, it is harmful to the environment.
! Do not add too much oil. adding too much
engine oil can result in damage to the
engine or to the catalytic converter. Have
excess engine oil siphoned off.
! Do not use any additives in the engine oil.
This could damage the engine.
X Open the hood (Y page 248).
X Unscrew and remove cap 0085.
X Add engine oil. 252
Engine compartmentMaintenance and care
Page 255 of 334

X
Replace cap 0085on the filler neck and
tighten.
When doing so, make sure that the cap
engages correctly.
X Check the oil level with the oil dipstick
(Y page 251) or on the display
(Y page 250).
X Close the hood. Coolant
G
WARNING
The engine cooling system is pressurized, par- ticularly when the engine is warm. When
opening the cap, you could be scalded by hotcoolant spraying out. There is a risk of injury.
Let the engine cool down before opening the
cap. Wear eye and hand protection when
opening the cap. Open the cap slowly half a
turn to allow pressure to escape.
Only check the coolant level and/or fill the
coolant if the vehicle is on a level surface and the engine has cooled down. The coolant tem-
perature must be below 122 ‡ (50 †).
! Check the engine cooling and heating sys-
tem regularly for leaks.
If a large quantity of coolant is lost, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified
specialist workshop. G
WARNING
Coolant contains glycol and is therefore toxic. Do not swallow the coolant. See a doctor
immediately if you swallow coolant.
Make sure that coolant does not come into
contact with skin, eyes or clothing. In case of
contact with eyes, rinse immediately with
plenty of clean water. Clean affected areas of skin and clothing with soap and water imme-
diately. Change any affected clothing imme-
diately. G
WARNING
If antifreeze comes into contact with hot com- ponents in the engine compartment, it may
ignite. There is a risk of fire and injury.
Let the engine cool down before you add anti-
freeze. Make sure that antifreeze is not spilled
next to the filler neck. Thoroughly clean the
antifreeze from components before starting
the engine.
! Take care not to spill any coolant on pain-
ted surfaces. You could otherwise damage
the paintwork. Example: cap and coolant expansion tank
Checking the coolant level
X Stop your vehicle as far away from traffic as
possible on level ground.
X Switch off the engine.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
X Open the hood (Y page 248).
X Slowly turn cap 0043half a turn counter-
clockwise to allow excess pressure to
escape.
X Turn cap 0043further and remove it.
X Check the coolant level.
If the coolant reaches the maximum mark
on coolant expansion tank 0044, there is
enough coolant in coolant expansion
tank 0044. Engine compartment
253Maintenance and care Z
Page 256 of 334

Adding coolant
X If the coolant drops under the minimum
mark on coolant expansion tank 0044, add
coolant to the maximum mark.
Observe the information on coolant mix-
ture ratio and water quality in the "Techni-
cal data" section (Y page 325). To prevent
damage to the engine cooling system, use
only approved corrosion inhibitor/anti-
freeze that comply with the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service Products.
X Replace cap 0043and turn it clockwise to
tighten.
X Start the engine.
X After approximately 5 minutes, switch off
the engine and allow it to cool down.
X Check the coolant level again and add cool-
ant if necessary.
X Close the hood. Brake fluid
G
WARNING
Service products may be poisonous and haz-
ardous to health. There is a risk of injury.
Comply with instructions on the use, storage
and disposal of service products on the labels of the respective original containers. Always
store service products sealed in their original containers. Always keep service products out
of the reach of children.
Brake fluid is hazardous to health. Also
observe the safety notes in the "Service prod-
ucts and capacities" section (Y page 318).G
WARNING
The brake fluid constantly absorbs moisture
from the air. This lowers the boiling point of
the brake fluid. If the boiling point of the brake fluid is too low, vapor pockets may form in the brake system when the brakes are applied
hard. This would impair braking efficiency.
There is a risk of an accident. You should have the brake fluid renewed at
the specified intervals.
! Brake fluid corrodes paint, plastic and
rubber. If paint, plastic or rubber has come into contact with brake fluid, rinse with
water immediately.
Have the brake fluid renewed every 2 years at
a qualified specialist workshop. Observe the
information on brake fluid in the "Technical
data" section (Y page 324). Check the brake fluid level regularly, e.g.
weekly or when refueling.
Checking the brake fluid level
X Stop your vehicle as far away from traffic as
possible on level ground.
X Switch off the engine.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away.
X Open the hood (Y page 248).
X Check the brake fluid level.
The brake fluid level is correct if the level is
between the MIN mark and MAX mark on
brake fluid reservoir 0043.
X Close the hood.
! If the brake fluid level in the brake fluid
reservoir has fallen to the MIN mark or
below, check the brake system immedi-
ately for leaks. Also check the thickness of the brake linings. Visit a qualified specialist
workshop immediately.
Do not add brake fluid. This does not cor-
rect the malfunction. 254
Engine compartmentMaintenance and care