Gas MERCEDES-BENZ C230 2006 W203 Owner's Manual

ContentsLoading .............................................. 250
Roof rack* .................................... 250
Ski sack* (Canada only) ............... 250
Split rear bench seat* .................. 253
Loading instructions ..................... 255
Cargo tie-down rings* .................. 256
Useful features .................................. 257
Storage compartments................. 257
Cup holders .................................. 259
Ashtrays ....................................... 261
Cigarette lighter ........................... 262
Power outlet ................................. 263
Telephone*................................... 264
Tele Aid* ...................................... 265
Garage door opener* ................... 273
Operation......................................... 281
The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km)......... 282
Driving instructions............................ 283
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 283
Drinking and driving ..................... 283
Pedals .......................................... 283
Power assistance ......................... 283
Brakes .......................................... 284
Driving off .................................... 285
Parking ......................................... 285
Tires ............................................. 286
Hydroplaning ................................ 287
Tire traction.................................. 287
Tire speed rating .......................... 288
Winter driving instructions ........... 289
Standing water ............................. 290
Passenger compartment .............. 290
Driving abroad.............................. 290
Control and operation of radio
transmitters ................................. 291
Catalytic converter ....................... 291
Emission control .......................... 292
Coolant temperature .................... 293At the gas station .............................. 294
Refueling ...................................... 294
Check regularly and before
a long trip..................................... 295
Engine compartment ......................... 297
Hood ............................................ 297
Engine oil ..................................... 298
Transmission fluid level ................ 300
Coolant level ................................ 301
Battery ......................................... 302
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*......... 303
Tires and wheels................................ 304
Important guidelines .................... 304
Tire care and maintenance........... 305
Direction of rotation..................... 307
Loading the vehicle ...................... 307
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 314
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 316
MOExtended system*
(Canada only) ............................... 320
Tire labeling ................................. 321
Load identification ....................... 325
DOT, Tire Identification Number
(TIN) ............................................. 326

ContentsTechnical data.................................. 425
Parts service ...................................... 426
Warranty coverage ............................. 427
Loss of Service and Warranty
Information Booklet...................... 427
Identification labels............................ 428
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 429
Engine ................................................ 430
Rims and Tires ................................... 432
Same size tires ............................. 434
Mixed size tires ............................ 435
Minispare wheel ........................... 436
Electrical system................................ 437
Main dimensions................................ 438
Weights .............................................. 439Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. ......... 440
Capacities .................................... 440
Engine oils.................................... 442
Engine oil additives ...................... 442
Air conditioning refrigerant .......... 442
Brake fluid .................................... 442
Premium unleaded gasoline ......... 443
Gasoline additives ........................ 443
Fuel requirements ........................ 444
Coolants....................................... 444
Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system* ......................... 448
Technical terms............................... 449Index................................................. 455

13 Introduction
Operator’s Manual
Operating your vehicle outside the USA or Canada
If you plan to operate your vehicle in for-
eign countries, please be aware that

service facilities or replacement parts
may not be readily available,


unleaded gasoline for vehicles with cat-
alytic converters may not be available;
the use of leaded fuels will damage the
catalysts,


gasoline may have a considerably low-
er octane rating, and improper fuel can
cause engine damage.Certain Mercedes-Benz models are avail-
able for delivery in Europe under our
European Delivery Program. For details,
consult an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or write to:
In the USA:
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
European Delivery Department
One Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645-0350
In Canada:
Mercedes-Benz Canada, Inc.
European Delivery Department
98 Vanderhoof Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4C9

48 Getting startedDriving
Starting the engine Manual transmission
Gearshift pattern for manual transmissionFor more information, see “Manual trans-
mission” (
page 160).
Warning!
G
Do not pass belts over sharp edges. They
could tear.
Do not allow the belt to get caught in the
door or in the seat adjustment mechanism.
This could damage the belt.
Never attempt to make modifications to
seat belts. This could impair the effective-
ness of the belts.
Do not bleach or dye seat belts as this may
severely weaken them. In a crash, they may
not be able to provide adequate protection.
Damaged seat belts or belts that were highly
stressed in an accident must be replaced.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!
G
Inhalation of exhaust gas is hazardous to
your health. All exhaust gas contains carbon
monoxide, and inhaling it can cause uncon-
sciousness and possible death.
Do not run the engine in confined areas
(such as garage) which are not properly ven-
tilated. If you think that exhaust gas fumes
are entering the vehicle while driving, have
the cause determined and corrected imme-
diately. If you must drive under these condi-
tions, drive only with at least one window
fully open.

56 Getting startedDrivingProblems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires

An ignition cable may be damaged.


The engine electronics may not be op-
erating properly.


Unburned gasoline may have entered
the catalytic converter and damaged it.

Give very little gas.

Have the problem repaired by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.The coolant temperature is
above 248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.

Stop the vehicle in a safe location as
soon as possible and turn off the en-
gine. Allow engine and coolant to cool.

Check the coolant level and add
coolant if necessary (
page 301).In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:

Do not start the engine under any cir-
cumstances.

Notify local fire and/or police authori-
ties.
If the extent of the damage cannot be de-
termined:

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If no damage can be determined on the


Major assemblies


Fuel system


Engine mount

Start the engine in the usual manner.

168 Controls in detailAutomatic transmission*

Press program mode selector
switch1 repeatedly until the letter of
the desired program mode appears in
the multifunction display.
SelectCfor comfort driving:

The vehicle starts out in second
gear (both forward and reverse) for
gentler starts. This does not apply if
full throttle is applied or gear
range1 is selected.


Traction and driving stability are
improved on icy roads.


Upshifts occur earlier even when
you give more gas. The engine then
operates at lower rpms and the
wheels are less likely to spin.
One-touch gearshifting
Even with an automatic transmission, you
can change the gears manually and limit or
extend the gear range for automatic
shifting with the gear selector lever in
positionD.
!Never change the program mode when
the gear selector lever is out of
positionP. This could result in a
change of driving characteristics for
which you may not be prepared.iThe last selected program
mode (CorS) is switched on when the
engine is restarted.
!Allow engine to warm up under low
load use. Do not place full load on the
engine until the operating temperature
has been reached.
Shift into reverse gearR or parking
positionP only when the vehicle is
stopped.
Avoid spinning of a drive wheel for an
extended period when driving off on
slippery road surfaces. This may cause
serious damage to the drivetrain which
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.

253 Controls in detail
Loading
Removing the ski sack
You can remove the ski sack for cleaning
or drying.
1Button
2Ski sack frame
3Flap
Open trunk lid.

Press button1.
The flap3 opens downward.

Press button1 firmly until ski sack
frame2 is released.

Pull ski sack frame2 with ski sack
out.Installing the ski sack
Install the ski sack in the reverse order.

Push ski sack frame2 with ski sack
inward until the ski sack frame snaps
into place.

Close flap3.

Close trunk lid.
Split rear bench seat*
To expand the cargo area, you can fold
down the left and right rear seat backrests.
The two sections can be folded down
separately.
Warning!
G
Never drive vehicle with trunk open while
the ski sack is removed. Deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) gases may enter vehicle in-
terior, resulting in unconsciousness and
death.iTo prevent unauthorized persons from
accessing the trunk, always close the
flap.
Warning!
G
When expanding the luggage area, always
fold the seat cushions fully forward.
Unless you are transporting cargo, the
backrests must remain properly locked in
the upright position.
In an accident, during hard braking or
sudden maneuvers, loose items will be
thrown around inside the vehicle, and cause
injury to vehicle occupants unless the items
are securely fastened in the vehicle.
Always use the cargo tie down rings*
(page 256).

256 Controls in detailLoadingAlways place items being carried against
front or rear seat backrests, and fasten
them as securely as possible.
The heaviest portion of the cargo should al-
ways be kept as low as possible since it in-
fluences the handling characteristics of
the vehicle.
Cargo tie-down rings*
The four cargo tie-down rings are located
in the trunk.Cargo tie-down rings
Carefully secure cargo by applying
even load on all rings with rope
sufficient strength to hold down the
cargo.
Always follow loading instructions
(page 255).
Warning!
G
Always fasten items being carried as secure-
ly as possible.
In an accident, during hard braking or sud-
den maneuvers, loose items will be thrown
around inside the vehicle and can cause in-
jury to vehicle occupants unless the items
are securely fastened in the vehicle.
To help avoid personal injury during a colli-
sion or sudden maneuver, exercise care
when transporting cargo.
Never drive vehicle with trunk open. Deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) gases may enter ve-
hicle interior resulting in unconsciousness
and death.iThe trunk is the preferred place to carry
objects.
The enlarged cargo area should only be
used for items which do not fit in the
trunk alone.

274 Controls in detailUseful features
Programming or reprogramming the
integrated remote control
Step 1:
Switch on the ignition (
page 33).Step 2:

If you have previously programmed an
signal transmitter button and wish to
retain its programming, proceed to
step 3.
If you are programming the integrated
remote control for the first time, press
and hold the two outer signal transmit-
ter buttons2 and4 and release
them only when the indicator lamp1
begins to flash after approximately
20 seconds (do not hold the button for
longer than 30 seconds). This proce-
dure erases any previous settings for
all three channels and initializes the
memory.
If you later wish to program a second
and/or third hand-held transmitter to
the remaining two signal transmitter
buttons, do not repeat this step and be-
gin directly with step 3.
Warning!
G
Before programming the integrated remote
control to a garage door opener or gate
operator, make sure people and objects are
out of the way of the device to prevent po-
tential harm or damage. When programming
a garage door opener, the door moves up or
down. When programming a gate operator,
the gate opens or closes.
Do not use the integrated remote control
with any garage door opener that lacks
safety stop and reverse features as required
by U.S. federal safety standards (this
includes any garage door opener model
manufactured before April 1, 1982).
A garage door that cannot detect an object
- signaling the door to stop and reverse -
does not meet current U.S. federal safety
standards.
When programming a garage door opener
park the vehicle outside the garage.
Do not run the engine while programming
the integrated remote control. Inhalation of
exhaust gas is hazardous to your health. All
exhaust gas contains carbon monoxide, and
inhaling it can cause unconsciousness and
possible death.

281 Operation
The first 1 000 miles (1 500 km)
Driving instructions
At the gas station
Engine compartment
Tires and wheels
Winter driving
Maintenance
Vehicle care