Engine MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class 2011 W204 Owner's Manual
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XPress the mark on cover : inwards, in the
direction of the arrow.
XTake cover : off the opening.XScrew in and tighten the towing eye
clockwise to the stop.
Removing the towing eye
XUnscrew and remove the towing eye.XAttach cover : to the bumper and press
until it engages.
XPlace the towing eye in the vehicle tool kit.
Towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised
Only possible for vehicles without
4MATIC.
When having your vehicle towed with the rear
axle raised, observe the important safety
notes (Y page 264).
! The ignition must be switched off if you
are towing the vehicle with the rear axle
raised. Intervention by ESP® could
otherwise damage the brake system.
XSwitch on the hazard warning flashers
(Y page 109).
XTurn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove the SmartKey.
XWhen leaving the vehicle, take the
SmartKey or the KEYLESS-GO key with you.
Towing vehicles with both axles on
the ground
When having your vehicle towed, observe the
important safety notes (Y page 264).
GWarning
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
vehicle. Adapt your driving accordingly.
XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.
XWhen the vehicle is stationary, depress the
brake pedal and hold it down.
XVehicles with manual transmission:
depress the clutch pedal.
XShift to neutral.
or
XVehicles with automatic transmission:
shift the automatic transmission to
position N.
XRelease the brake pedal.XRelease the parking brake.XSwitch on the hazard warning flashers
(Y page 109).
iWhen towing with the hazard warning
flashers switched on, use the combination
switch as usual to signal in which direction
you are changing. In this case, only the
indicator lamps for the direction of travel
flash. When you reset the combination
switch, the hazard warning flashers start
flashing again.
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Transporting the vehicle
The towing eye can be used to pull the vehicle
onto a trailer or transporter for transporting
purposes.XVehicles with manual transmission:
shift to neutral.XVehicles with automatic transmission:
turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.XShift the selector lever to N.
As soon as the vehicle has been loaded:
XPrevent the vehicle from rolling away by
applying the parking brake.XVehicles with manual transmission:
shift to first gear or reverse gear.XVehicles with automatic transmission:
move the selector lever to P.XTurn the SmartKey to position 0 in the
ignition lock and remove the SmartKey.XSecure the vehicle.
! Only lash the vehicle down by the wheels
or wheel rims, not by parts of the vehicle
such as axle or steering components.
Otherwise, the vehicle could be damaged.
Tow-starting (emergency engine
starting)
When tow-starting, observe the important
safety notes ( Y page 264).
! Vehicles with an automatic transmission
must not be tow-started. You could
otherwise damage the automatic
transmission.
Before tow-starting:
R the battery must be connected
R the engine must be cold
R the catalytic converter must be cold
XSwitch on the hazard warning
lamps( Y page 109).XInstall the towing eye ( Y page 264).XDepress and hold the brake pedal.XTurn the SmartKey to position 2 in the
ignition lock.XDepress and hold the clutch pedal.XShift to neutral.XRelease the brake pedal.XShift to second gear.XTow-start the vehicle.XRelease the clutch pedal slowly and do not
depress the accelerator pedal when doing
so.
The engine is started.XDepress the clutch pedal and shift to
neutral.XEngage the parking brake.XStop the vehicle in a suitable location to
remove the tow bar or the tow rope.XRemove the towing eye ( Y page 265).XSwitch off the hazard warning lamps.
Fuses
Important safety notes
The fuses in your vehicle serve to close down
faulty circuits. If a fuse blows, all the
components on the circuit and their functions
will fail.
GWarning
Only use fuses approved by Mercedes-Benz
with the specified amperage for the system in
question and do not attempt to repair or
bridge a blown fuse. Using other than
approved fuses or using repaired or bridged
fuses may cause an overload leading to a fire,
and/or cause damage to electrical
components and/or systems. Have the cause
determined and remedied by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Blown fuses must be replaced with fuses of
the same rating, which you can recognize by
the color and value. The fuse ratings are listed
in the fuse allocation chart. An authorized
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Mercedes-Benz Center will be happy to
advise you.
iIf a fuse has blown, visit a breakdown
service or an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If the newly inserted fuse also blows, have the
cause traced and rectified at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
! Only use fuses that have been approved
for Mercedes-Benz vehicles and which
have the correct fuse rating for the system
concerned. Otherwise, components or
systems could be damaged.
Before changing a fuse
XPark the vehicle and apply the parking
brake.
XSwitch off all electrical consumers.XRemove the key from the ignition lock.
The fuses are located in various fuse boxes:
Rfuse box on the driver's side of the
dashboard
Rfuse box in the engine compartment on the
left-hand side of the vehicle, when viewed
in the direction of travel
Rfuse box in the trunk on the right when
viewed in the direction of travel
The fuse allocation chart is located in the
vehicle tool kit (Y page 253) in the stowage
compartment under the trunk floor.
Fuse box in the dashboard
! Do not use a pointed object such as a
screwdriver to open the cover in the
dashboard. You could damage the
dashboard or the cover.
XTo open: pull out cover : slightly at the
bottom in the direction of arrow =.
XPull cover : outwards in the direction of
arrow ; and remove it.
XTo close: clip in cover : on the front of
the dashboard.
XFold cover : inwards until it engages.
Fuse box in the engine compartment
XMake sure that the windshield wipers are
turned off.
GRisk of injury
Make sure that the windshield wipers are
turned off and the key is pulled out of the
ignition lock before you open the cover of the
fuse box. Otherwise, the windshield wipers
and the wiper rods above the cover could be
set in motion. This could lead to you or others
being injured by the wiper rods.
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Vehicle equipment
i This manual describes all the standard
and optional equipment of your vehicle
which was available at the time of
purchase. Country-specific differences are
possible. Bear in mind that your vehicle
may not feature all functions described
here. This also refers to safety-related
systems and functions.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts
All Mercedes-Benz Centers maintain a supply
of genuine Mercedes-Benz parts for
necessary service and repair work. In
addition, strategically located parts delivery
centers provide for quick and reliable parts
service.
More than 300,000 different genuine
Mercedes-Benz parts are available for
Mercedes-Benz models.
Genuine Mercedes-Benz parts are subjected
to stringent quality inspections. Every part
has been specifically developed,
manufactured or selected for and adapted to
Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Only genuine Mercedes-Benz parts should
therefore be used.
! The use of non-approved parts could
impair the vehicle's safety. For this reason,
Mercedes-Benz recommends genuine
Mercedes-Benz parts and approved
conversion parts and accessories for your
vehicle model.
HEnvironmental note
Daimler AG also supplies reconditioned major
assemblies and parts which are of the same
quality as new parts. They are covered by the
same Limited Warranty entitlements as new
parts.
Always specify the vehicle identification
number and engine number when ordering
genuine Mercedes-Benz parts. You will find
these numbers on your vehicle's
identification plates, for example
( Y page 303).
Warranty
Your vehicle is covered under the terms of the
warranties printed in the Service and
Warranty Information booklet.
Your authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
exchange or repair any defective parts
originally installed in the vehicle in
accordance with the terms of the following
warranties:
R New Vehicle Limited Warranty
R Emission System Warranty
R Emission Performance Warranty
R California, Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island and Vermont Emission
Control Systems Warranty
R State Warranty Enforcement Laws (Lemon
Laws)
Replacement parts and accessories are
subject to the Mercedes-Benz Replacement
Part and Accessory Warranties. You can
obtain these at any Mercedes-Benz Center.
i Should you lose your Service and
Warranty Information booklet, have an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center arrange
for a replacement. It will be mailed to you.
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Engine number:Emissions control information label,
including the certification of both federal
and Californian emissions reference
values;Engine number (stamped into the
crankcase)=VIN (on the lower edge of the windshield)
Service products and capacities
Important safety notes
Service products include the following:
R fuels (e.g. gasoline, diesel)
R lubricants (e.g. engine oil, transmission oil)
R coolant
R brake fluid
R windshield washer fluid
Vehicle components and their respective
lubricants must match. You should therefore
only use products that have been tested and
approved by Mercedes-Benz.
Information on tested and approved products
can be obtained at an authorized Mercedes-
Benz Center or on the Internet at http://
www.mbusa.com (USA only).
GWarning
Comply with all valid regulations with respect
to handling, storing and disposing of service
fluids. Otherwise, you could endanger
persons or the environment.
Keep service fluids out of the reach of
children.
For health reasons, you should prevent
service fluids from coming into direct contact
with your skin or clothing.
If a service fluid is swallowed, contact a
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CapacitiesVehicle modelCapacityFuel, coolant,
lubricants etc.Engine oil and
filterC 250 45
C 300
C 3508.5 US qt (8.0 l)Approved engine
oilsC 250 4MATIC 45
C 300 4MATIC
C 350 4MATIC 457.4 US qt (7.0 l)C 63 AMG469.0 US qt (8.5 l)Power steeringAll modelsApproximately 0.9 US qt
(0.8 l)MB power steering
fluid or approved
Dexron III ATFCooling systemAll models except
AMG vehiclesApproximately 8.9 US qt
(8.4 l)MB 325.0 corrosion
inhibitor/antifreeze
agentC 63 AMGApproximately 12.4 US qt
(11.7 l)Tank capacityAll models17.4 US gal. (66.0 l)Premium-grade
unleaded gasoline
(at least 91 octane,
average value
between 96 RON/
86 MON)ReserveAll models except
AMG vehiclesApproximately 2.1 US gal.
(8.0 l)C 63 AMGApproximately 3.7 US gal.
(14.0 l)Air-
conditioning
systemAll models—Refrigerant R134a
and special PAG
lubricant (never
R 12)45 Canada only.
46 Including external oil cooler.Service products and capacities305Technical dataBA 204 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 5, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-20T09:17:30+02:00 - Seite 305Z
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Vehicle modelCapacityFuel, coolant,
lubricants etc.Windshield/
headlamp
cleaning
systemC 250 45
C 250 4MATIC 45
C 300 4MATIC
C 350 4MATIC 45
C 63 AMG6.3 US qt (6.0 l)MB windshield
washer
concentrate 47
( Y page 310)
Mixing ratio for
washer fluid
( Y page 310)C 300
C 3503.7 US qt (3.5 l)Fuel
Important safety notesGWarning
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious
personal injury.
Never allow sparks, flames or smoking
materials near gasoline.
Turn off the engine before refueling.
Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid
inhaling fumes and any skin or clothing
contact.
Direct skin contact with fuels and the
inhalation of fuel vapors are damaging to your
health.
Premium-grade unleaded gasoline
! To ensure the longevity and full
performance of the engine, only premium-
grade unleaded gasoline must be used.
If premium-grade unleaded gasoline is
unavailable and regular gasoline is used,
observe the following precautions:
R only fill the fuel tank to half full with
regular unleaded gasoline and add the
rest as soon as possible with premium-
grade unleaded gasoline.
R do not drive at the maximum speed.
Ravoid sudden acceleration.
R when the vehicle is carrying a light cargo,
e.g. two passengers without luggage, do
not allow the engine to rev above
3000 rpm.
R when the vehicle is fully loaded or being
operated in mountainous terrain, do not
depress the accelerator pedal further
than 2
/ 3 of the pedal travel.
Flexible fuel vehicles
Important safety notes
All C 300 models with automatic
transmission are flexible fuel vehicles.
Flexible fuel vehicles are identified by a label
reading Premium gasoline or E85 only on
the inside of the fuel filler flap.
Flexible fuel vehicles are designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline and ethanol
fuel (E85) or a mixture of these two. Ethanol
fuel (E85) is a mixture of approximately 85%
ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline.
GWarning
Ethanol fuel (E85) and its vapors are highly
flammable, poisonous and highly
combustible. Ethanol fuel causes serious
injury if it ignites, if it comes into contact with
your skin or if you inhale the vapors. Avoid
inhaling ethanol vapors and ethanol coming
45 Canada only.
47 Mixed with water or premixed washer fluid with antifreeze protection.306Service products and capacitiesTechnical data
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into contact with your skin. Before refueling,
extinguish all naked flames. Never allow
sparks or smoking materials near ethanol.
Changing the fuel type
For best performance and driveability, it is
recommended that you use either one or the
other fuel. Avoid alternating regularly
between the two different types of fuel.
When changing the fuel type, make sure:
R the fuel level is below half full.
R the fuel level is above the reserve level. This
is identifiable by the fuel tank reserve
warning lamp not being lit.
R you add more than 5 gallons (20 liters) of
fuel.
R before refueling, you switch off the engine.
R the engine is started and operated for at
least five minutes immediately after
refueling.
These precautions and recommendations
should prevent any difficulties when starting
and operating the engine which otherwise
may be experienced before the engine has
fully adapted to the different fuel.
If, in spite of these recommendations, the
engine does not perform properly, add at
least 3 gallons (12 liters) of gasoline. This may
improve the running of the engine.
Fuel consumption
Ethanol fuel (E85) contains less energy per
gallon than gasoline. To ensure that the
engine performance with ethanol fuel (E85) is
similar to that when using gasoline, the
engine must burn more ethanol fuel. As a
result, it is to be expected that the fuel
consumption will increase when using
ethanol fuel (E85), compared to gasoline.
Maintenance
When you bring your vehicle for maintenance
or repairs, please inform your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center if you use or have
used ethanol fuel (E85).Low outside temperatures
It is possible that the time required for the
starting procedure will significantly increase
at outside temperatures below 32 ‡ (0 †).
At low outside temperatures, Mercedes-Benz
recommends the use of an auxiliary heater.
For further information, contact an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Rough idling may also be experienced at low
outside temperatures until the engine is fully
warmed up.
Ethanol fuel (E85) is unsuitable for use when
outside temperatures fall below 14 ‡
(-10 †).
High outside temperatures
At outside temperatures above 95 ‡ (35 †),
the time required for the starting procedure
may increase and be accompanied by rough
idling following the start.
Fuel requirements
Use only premium-grade unleaded gasoline.
The octane number should be at least 91.
Details can be found on the gas pump. The
octane number is the average value of the
Research Octane Number (RON) and Motor
Octane Number (MON): (RON + MON) / 2,
also known as knock resistance.
Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) and/or
unleaded gasoline with additives can be used
if the concentration of the additives in the fuel
does not exceed 10%, e.g.:
R Ethanol
R TAME
R ETBE
R IPA
R TBA
For MTBE, the concentration should not
exceed 15%.
The concentration of methanol in gasoline
including other additives must not exceed 3%.
Using mixtures of methanol and ethanol is not
permitted. Gasohol, a mixture of 10% ethanol
and 90% unleaded gasoline can be used.
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All of these mix fuels must fulfill the fuel
requirements, e.g.:
R knock resistance
R boiling point
R vapor pressure
Additives in gasoline
One of the major problems in engine design
is the creation of carbon deposits during the
process of burning fuel. Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you use fuel brands that
have the additives which prevent the build up
of carbon deposits.
If you use fuels without these additives for a
longer period of time, there may be a build up
of carbon deposits, especially on the inlet
valves and in the combustion chamber.
This could lead to engine running problems,
e.g.:
R warm-up hesitation
R unstable idle
R knocking/pinging
R misfire
R power loss
In areas where carbon deposits may be
encountered due to lack of availability of
gasoline which contains these additives,
Mercedes-Benz recommends the use of
additives approved for use in Mercedes-Benz
vehicles.
Consult an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or visit http://www.mbusa.com (USA only)
to view a list of approved products. Observe
the instructions for use on the product label.
Do not mix other fuel additives with fuel. This
causes unnecessary costs and could damage
the engine.
! Do not refuel with low-grade fuel and do
not use fuel additives that are not tested
and approved for Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Damage or malfunctions can result that are
not covered:
R by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty
R by an existing Limited Warranty
R by an extended Limited Warranty
Engine oil
Points to remember
The engine oils are matched to the
performance of Mercedes-Benz engines and
service intervals. For this reason, only use
engine oils and oil filters that are approved for
vehicles with a service system.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
or visit http://www.mbusa.com (USA only)
for a list of approved engine oils and oil filters.
! Never use engine oil or an oil filter of a
specification other than is necessary to
fulfill the prescribed service intervals. Do
not change the engine oil or oil filter in
order to achieve longer replacement
intervals than those prescribed. Otherwise,
you may cause damage to the engine or
exhaust gas aftertreatment; this is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Follow the instructions in the service
interval display regarding the oil change.
Otherwise, you may damage the engine and
the exhaust gas aftertreatment.
Mercedes-Benz recommends MOBIL OIL.
The table shows which engines oil have been
approved for your vehicle.
ModelEngine
modelMB
ApprovalC 250 48272229.5C 250 4MATIC 48272229.5C 300272229.5C 300 4MATIC272229.548
Canada only.308Service products and capacitiesTechnical data
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ModelEngine
modelMB
ApprovalC 350272229.5C 350 4MATIC 48272229.5C 63 AMG156229.549
i
MB Approval is stated on the containers.
Lubricant additives
! Do not mix any lubricant additives with
the engine oil. This could damage the
engine. Damage resulting from the use of
such lubricant additives in the engine oil is
not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
Engine oil viscosity
Viscosity describes the flow characteristics
of a fluid. If an engine oil has a high viscosity,
this means that it is thick; a low viscosity
means that it is thin.
Using the table below, make sure that the SAE
classification (viscosity) is sufficient for the
temperatures at which the vehicle is
operated. The low temperature
characteristics of engine oils can deteriorate
significantly, e.g. by aging, soot and fuel
deposits. It is therefore recommended that
you carry out oil changes regularly using an
approved engine oil with the appropriate SAE
classification.
Refrigerant of the air-conditioning
system
The air-conditioning system is filled with
R134a refrigerant and a special PAG
lubricant.
! Never use refrigerant R 12 (CFC) or
mineral lubricants. Otherwise, you could
damage the air-conditioning system.
Brake fluid
GWarning!
The brake fluid constantly absorbs moisture
from the air; this lowers its boiling point.
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 (e.g. when
driving downhill). This would impair braking
efficiency.
You should have the brake fluid renewed at
regular intervals. The brake fluid change
intervals can be found in the Service Booklet.
Only use brake fluid approved by Mercedes-
Benz. Information about approved brake
fluids can be obtained from any authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
48 Canada only.
49 Restriction: only SAE 0W-40 or SAE 5W-40 engine oils may be used.Service products and capacities309Technical dataBA 204 USA, CA Edition A 2011; 1; 5, en-UShereepeVersion: 3.0.3.62010-05-20T09:17:30+02:00 - Seite 309Z