technical data MERCEDES-BENZ CL500 2004 C215 Owner's Guide
Page 374 of 418
373 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Low temperature cooling system
CL 600
2.3 US qt (2.2 l)
MB 325.0 Anticorrosion / Antifreeze
Fuel tank
including a reserve of
CL 500
CL 55 AMG
CL 600
23.2 US gal (88.0 l)
2.9 US gal (11.0 l)
Premium unleaded gasoline:
Minimum Posted Octane 91
(Avg.of96RON/86MON)
Air conditioning system
R-134a refrigerant and special PAG
lubricant oil (never R-12)
Windshield washer and
headlamp cleaning system:
7.1 US qt (6.7 l)
MB Windshield Washer Concentrate
1
1Use MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S” and water for temperatures above freezing or MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S” and commercially available pre-
mixed windshield washer solvent / antifreeze for temperatures below freezing point. Follow suggested mixing ratios (page 379).
Page 375 of 418
374 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines. Therefore, use
only engine oils approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Information on approved
brands is available in the Factory Approved
Service Products pamphlet, or at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Please follow FSS recommendations for
scheduled oil changes. Failure to do so
could result in engine damage not covered
by the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Engine oil additives
Do not blend oil additives with engine oil.
They may damage the engine.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from
blending oil additives are not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Air conditioning refrigerant
R-134a (HFC) refrigerant and special PAG
lubricating oil is used in the air condition-
ing system.
Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based lu-
bricating oil. Otherwise damage to the
system will occur.
!Always check the oil filler cap
(page 265) for important information
pertaining to the engine oil needing to
meet a specific Mercedes-Benz specifi-
cation (e.g. MB 229.5). If such informa-
tion is printed on the oil filler cap, only
use an engine oil from the list of ap-
proved engine oils in the Factory Ap-
proved Service Products pamphlet that
meets the specification indicated on
the oil filler cap.
Using engine oils of other specification
may cause the FSS to incorrectly deter-
mine the next service interval and will
result in engine damage not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Page 376 of 418
375 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Brake fluid
During vehicle operation, the boiling point
of the brake fluid is continuously reduced
through the absorption of moisture from
the atmosphere. Under extremely strenu-
ous operating conditions, this moisture
content can lead to the formation of bub-
bles in the system, thus reducing the sys-
tem’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be re-
placed every two years, preferably in the
spring.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center will pro-
vide you with additional information.
Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel requirements
Use only premium unleaded fuel:
The octane number (posted at the
pump) must be 91 min. It is an average
of both the Research (R) octane num-
ber and the Motor (M) octane number:
(R+M) / 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.
!To maintain the engine’s durability and
performance, premium unleaded gaso-
line must be used. If premium unleaded
is not available and low octane fuel is
used, follow these precautions:
Have the fuel tank only partially
filled with unleaded regular and fill
up with premium unleaded as soon
as possible.
Avoid full throttle driving and abrupt
acceleration.
Do not exceed an engine speed of
3000 rpm if the vehicle is loaded
with a light load such as two per-
sons and no luggage.
Do not exceed 2 / 3 of maximum ac-
celerator pedal position if the vehi-
cle is fully loaded or operating in
mountainous terrain.
Page 377 of 418
376 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Gasoline additives
A major concern among engine manufac-
turers is carbon build-up caused by gaso-
line. Mercedes-Benz recommends only the
use of quality gasoline containing additives
that prevent the build-up of carbon depos-
its.
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 en-
gine performance problems such as:
Warm-up hesitation
Unstable idle
Knocking / pinging
Misfire
Power lossDo not blend any specific fuel additives
with fuel. This only results in unnecessary
costs and may be harmful to the engine op-
eration.
Damage or malfunctions resulting from
poor fuel quality or from blending specific
fuel additives are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion / antifreeze, which pro-
vides:
Corrosion protection
Freeze protection
Boiling protection (by increasing the
boiling point)
The cooling system was filled at the factory
with a coolant providing freeze protection
to approximately –22°F (–30°C) and cor-
rosion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
–22°F (–30°C), the boiling point of the
coolant in the pressurized cooling system
is reached at approximately 266°F
(130°C).
The coolant solution must be used year
round to provide the necessary corrosion
protection and increase in the boil-over
protection. Refer to Service Booklet for re-
placement interval.
Page 378 of 418
377 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Coolant system design and coolant used
stipulate the replacement interval. The re-
placement interval published in the Ser-
vice Booklet is only applicable if MB 325.0
anticorrosion / antifreeze solution or other
Mercedes-Benz approved products of
equal specification (see Factory Approved
Service Products pamphlet) are used to re-
new the coolant concentration or bring it
back up to the proper level.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45%
anticorrosion / antifreeze [equivalent to
freeze protection to approx. –22°F
(–30°C)]. If you use a solution that is more
than 55% anticorrosion / antifreeze [freeze
protection to approx. –49°F (–45°C)], the
engine temperature will increase due to
the lower heat transfer capability of the so-
lution. Therefore, do not use more than
this amount of anticorrosion / antifreeze.If the coolant level is low, water and
MB 325.0 anticorrosion / antifreeze
should be used to bring it up to the proper
level (have cooling system checked for
signs of leakage). Please make sure the
mixture is in accordance with label instruc-
tions.
The water in the cooling system must meet
minimum requirements, which are usually
satisfied by normal drinking water. If you
are not sure about the water quality, con-
sult an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Anticorrosion / antifreeze
Your vehicle contains a number of alumi-
num parts. The use of aluminum compo-
nents in motor vehicle engines
necessitates that anticorrosion / anti-
freeze coolant used in such engines be
specifically formulated to protect the alu-
minum
parts. (Failure to use such anticorrosion /
antifreeze coolant will result in a signifi-
cantly shortened service life.)
Therefore, the following product is strongly
recommended for use in your vehicle:
Mercedes-Benz 325.0 Anticorrosion / An-
tifreeze Agent.
Before the start of the winter season (or
once a year in hot southern regions), you
should have the anticorrosion / antifreeze
concentration checked. The coolant is also
regularly checked each time you bring your
vehicle to an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for service.
Page 379 of 418
378 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Anticorrosion / antifreeze quantityModel
Approx. freeze protection
– 35°F (– 37°C)
– 49°F (– 45°C)
CL 500
6.1 US qt. (5.75 l)
6.7 US qt. (6.3 l)
CL 600 (main cooling system)
7.9 US qt. (7.5 l)
8.7 US qt. (8.25 l)
CL 600 (low temperature cooling system)
1.2 US qt. (1.1 l)
1.3 US qt. (1.2 l)
CL 55 AMG
7.7 US qt. (7.25 l)
8.5 US qt. (8.0 l)
Page 380 of 418
379 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Windshield and headlamp washer system
Both the windshield and headlamp washer
systems are supplied from the windshield
washer fluid reservoir.
The windshield and headlamp washer fluid
reservoir has a capacity of approx.
7.1 US qt. (6.7 l).
Refill the reservoir with MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate and water (or con-
centrate and commercially available
premixed windshield washer solvent /
antifreeze, depending on ambient tem-
peratures).Windshield and headlamp washer fluid
mixing ratio
For temperatures above freezing point, use
MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S”
and water:
1 part “S” to 100 parts water
[40 ml “S” to 1 gallon (4 liters) water].
For temperatures below freezing point, use
MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S”
and commercially available premixed
windshield washer solvent / antifreeze:
1 part “S” to 100 parts solvent
[40 ml “S” to 1 gallon (4 liters) solvent].
Warning
G
Washer solvent /antifreeze is highly flamma-
ble. Do not spill washer solvent /antifreeze
on hot engine parts, because it may ignite
and burn. You could be seriously burned.
Page 381 of 418
380 Technical dataConsumer information
Consumer informationThe following text is published as required
of all manufacturers of passenger cars un-
der Title 49, Code of U.S. Federal Regula-
tions, Part 575 pursuant to the “National
Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of
1966.”Uniform tire quality grading
Quality grades can be found, where appli-
cable, on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
All passenger car tires must conform to
federal safety requirements in addition to
these grades.Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a comparative rat-
ing based on the wear rate of the tire when
tested under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1½) times as well on the gov-
ernment course as a tire graded 100. The
relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly
from the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.Traction
The traction grades, from highest to lowest
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades repre-
sent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pave-
ment as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction perfor-
mance.Tread wear
Traction
Temperature
200
AA
A
Warning
G
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straightedge braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
Page 382 of 418
381 Technical data
Consumer information
Temperature
The temperature grades are A (the high-
est), B, and C, representing the tire’s resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high tem-
perature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and ex-
cessive temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. Grade C corresponds to a level
of performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of perfor-
mance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.
Warning
G
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, underin-
flation, or excessive loading, either sepa-
rately or in combination, can cause
excessive heat build-up and possible tire
failure.
Page 384 of 418
383 Technical terms
ABC
(A
ctive B
ody C
ontrol)
Active, computer-controlled system
that hydraulically adjusts the suspen-
sion at all four wheels in response to
various driving situations.
ABS
(A
ntilock B
rake S
ystem)
Prevents the wheels from locking up
during braking so that the vehicle can
continue to be steered.
Alignment bolt
Metal pin with thread. The centering
pin is an aid used when changing a tire
to align the wheel with the wheel hub.BabySmart
TM airbag deactivation
system
This system detects if a special system
compatible child restraint seat is in-
stalled on the front passenger seat. The
system will automatically deactivate
the passenger front airbag when such a
seat is properly installed (PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp in the cen-
ter console comes on). See an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center for
availability.
BabySmartTM compatible child seats
Special restraint system for children.
The sensor system for the passenger
seat prevents deployment of the pas-
senger front airbag if a BabySmart
TM
compatible child seat is installed.
BAS
(B
rake A
ssist S
ystem)
System for potentially reducing braking
distances in emergency braking situa-
tions. The system is activated when it
senses an emergency based on how
fast the brake is applied.Bi-Xenon headlamps
Headlamps which use an electric arc as
the light source and produce a more in-
tense light than filament headlamps.
Bi-Xenon headlamps produce low
beam and high beam.
CAC
(C
ustomer A
ssistance C
enter)
Mercedes-Benz customer service cen-
ter, which can help you with any ques-
tions about your vehicle and provide
assistance in the event of a break-
down.
CAN system
(C
ontroller A
rea N
etwork)
Data bus network serving to control ve-
hicle functions such as door locking or
windshield wiping.
Cockpit
All instruments, switches, buttons and
indicator/warning lamps in the passen-
ger compartment needed for vehicle
operation and monitoring.