Operating MERCEDES-BENZ C230 KOMPRESSOR 2003 W203 Service Manual

267 Practical hints
What to do if …
During severe operating conditions and
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
Ï
COOLANT
STOP, ENGINE OFF!
The coolant is too hot.

Stop the vehicle and turn off the
engine.

Only start the engine again after the
message disappears. You could other-
wise damage the engine.
Warning!
G
Driving when your engine is badly overheat-
ed can cause some fluids which may have
leaked into the engine compartment to
catch fire. You could be seriously burned.
Steam from an overheated engine can cause
serious burns and can occur just by opening
the engine hood. Stay away from the engine
if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until it
cools down.
!The engine should not be operated with
the coolant temperature above 248°F
(120°C). Doing so may cause serious
engine damage which is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

271 Practical hints
What to do if …
When the
ENGINE OIL LEVEL – CHECK
LEVEL!
message appears while the engine
is running and at operating temperature,
the engine oil level has dropped to approx-
imately the minimum mark on the dipstick.
When this occurs, the warning will first
come on intermittently and then stay on if
the oil level drops further.
If no oil leaks are noted, continue to drive
to the nearest service station where the
engine oil should be topped to the “full”
mark on the dipstick with an approved oil.
:
ENGINE OIL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The engine oil has dropped to a critical
level.

Check the engine oil level
(page 236) and add oil as required.

If you must add engine oil frequently,
have the engine checked for possible
leaks.
There is water in the oil.

Have the oil checked.
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
VISIT WORKSHOP!
The measuring system is malfunctioning.

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Display
Possible cause
Suggested solution
!The engine oil level warnings should
not be ignored. Extended driving with
the symbol displayed could result in
serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

332 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines. Therefore, use
only engine oils recommended by
Mercedes-Benz. Information on
recommended brands is available in the
Factory Approved Service Products pam-
phlet, or at your authorized 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 be harmful to the engine opera-
tion.
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
lubricating oil, otherwise damage to the
system will occur.
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
replaced every two years, preferably in the
spring.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. Your
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
provide you with additional information.

333 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel requirements
Use only premium unleaded meeting
ASTM standard D 439:

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 not to 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
3 000 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
accelerator pedal position if the
vehicle is fully loaded or operating
in mountainous terrain.
iFlexible Fuel Vehicles (MY 2003
Mercedes-Benz C 320 models, except
those equipped with manual transmis-
sion or 4 - MATIC system*) are
designed to operate on premium
unleaded gasoline or Ethanol fuel (E85)
or any mixture of these two.
See notes on Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(page 334).

335 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
When switching fuels, make sure that:

Fuel level is below half full.


Fuel level is above reserve (reserve
warning lamp is not lit).


Amount of added fuel is more than
5 gallons (20 liters).


Ignition is off during refill.


Immediately after refueling engine is
started and operated for at least five
minutes.
These precautions and recommendations
are supposed to 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, adding
more gasoline [at least 3 gallons
(12 liters)] to the fuel may improve the
engine behavior.Cold weather performance
It is possible that starting times will signif-
icantly increase at temperatures
below 32°F (0°C). At low temperatures
the use of a block heater is recommended
(see your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for further information). Rough
idling may also be experienced at such
temperatures before the engine is fully
warmed up.
Hot weather performance
At ambient temperatures above 95°F
(35°C) start times may increase and be
accompanied by a rough idle following the
start.Cruising range
E85 fuel contains less energy per gallon
than gasoline. To ensure that engine per-
formance with Ethanol fuel 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 E85 compared to gas-
oline operation.
Maintenance
Please inform your Mercedes-Benz Center
if you use or have used E85 fuel when your
vehicle is delivered for maintenance or
repairs.
!E85 fuel is unsuitable for use when am-
bient temperatures fall below 14°F
(-10°C).
iUse of E85 may reduce your driving
range.

342 Technical termsCOMAND*
(C
ockpit M
anagement and D
ata
System)
Information and operating center for
vehicle sound and communications
systems, including the radio and navi-
gation system, as well as for other
optional equipment (CD changer,
telephone, etc.).
Control system
The control system is used to call up
vehicle information and to change
component settings. Information and
messages appear in the multifunction
display. The driver uses the buttons on
the multifunction steering wheel to
navigate through the system and to ad-
just settings.
Cruise control
Driving convenience system for auto-
matically maintaining the vehicle speed
set by the driver.Engine number
The number set by the manufacturer
and placed on the cylinder block to
uniquely identify each engine pro-
duced.
Engine oil viscosity
Measurement for the inner friction (vis-
cosity) of the oil at different tempera-
tures. The higher the temperature an
oil can tolerate without becoming thin,
or the lower the temperature it can tol-
erate without becoming viscous, the
better the viscosity.
ESP
(E
lectronic S
tability Pr
ogram)
Improves vehicle handling and direc-
tional stability.
ETD
(E
mergency T
ensioning D
evice)
Device which deploys in certain frontal
and rear collisions exceeding the sys-
tem's threshold to tighten the seat
belts.
->SRSFSS
(F
lexible S
ervice S
ystem)
Service indicator in the multifunction
display that informs the driver when
the next vehicle maintenance service is
due.
Gear range
Number of gears which are available to
the automatic transmission for shifting.
The automatic gear shifting process
can be adapted to specific operating
conditions using the selector lever.
GPS
(G
lobal P
ositioning S
ystem)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special re-
ceivers. Employs CD digital maps for
navigation.
Instrument cluster
The displays and indicator/warning
lamps in the driver’s field of vision, in-
cluding the tachometer, speedometer
and fuel gauge.

348 IndexAir vents, rear passenger compartment
Adjustable 155, 164
Air volume
Adjusting 151, 159
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp 260
Airbags 57
BabySmart
TM deactivation
system 67, 341
Children 58
Front 60
Passenger 61
Safety guidelines 59
Side impact 61
Window curtain 61
Alarm
Audible 72, 80
Canceling 80
Visual 79
Alarm system
Anti-theft 79
Tow-away 80
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 299, 341
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 337
Antiglare
Automatic* 144
Manual 144Antilock brake system (ABS) 341
Anti-theft alarm system
Arming 79
Canceling alarm 80
Disarming 80
Anti-theft systems 79
Anti-theft alarm system 79
Immobilizer 79
Tow-away alarm 80
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning 227
Armrest
Storage compartment in front of 205
Storage spaces 206
Ashtray 207
ATF (automatic transmission fluid) 238
AUDIO menu 116
Selecting radio station 117
Audio system 165
Audio and telephone, operation 165
Button and soft key operation 168
Cassette mode 174
CD mode 178
Operating and display elements 166
Operating safety 165
Operation 168
Radio mode 171Switching off 168
Switching on 168
Telephone operation 182
Automatic antiglare*
for rear view mirror 144
Automatic central locking
Activating/deactivating
(control system) 129
Automatic climate control* 156
Activating 157
Adjusting air distribution 159
Adjusting air volume 159
Air recirculation mode 160
Deactivating 157
Defrosting 160
Rear window defroster 153, 162
Residual heat utilization 163
Residual ventilation 163
Setting the temperature 158
Automatic headlamp mode 102
Automatic lighting control
Activating 105
Deactivating 105
Automatic locking when driving 91

350 IndexButton
Audio system 168
C
CAC (Customer Assistance Center) 341
California
Important notice 11
Calling up
Range (distance to empty) 133
Service indicator 248
CAN system 341
Capacities
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. 329
Cargo area see Trunk 86
Casette mode
Playing cassettes 174
Cassette player
Operating 118
Catalytic converter 231
CD changer* 178
CD mode 178
CD player*
Operating 117
Center console 25
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp 260
Lower part 26
Upper part 25Centigrade
Setting temperature units 123
Central locking
Automatic 91
From inside 92
Switch 92
Switching on/off
(control system) 129
Unlocking from inside 92
Central locking switch 92
Certification label 318
Changing
Batteries (SmartKey) 287
Key setting 129
Changing CDs 178
Charcoal filter 161
Charging
Vehicle battery 304
CHECK ENGINE malfunction
indicator lamp 259
Checking
Brake fluid 234
Coolant level 234, 238
Oil level 234, 236
Tire inflate pressure 234
Vehicle lighting 234Child safety 65
Airbags 58
Infant and child restraint
systems 62, 65
LATCH child seat anchors 69
Child safety switch see Blocking of
rear door window operation 71
Child seat anchors
see LATCH child seat anchors 70
Cigarette lighter 208
Cleaning
Cup holder 252
Gear selector lever 252
Hard plastic trim items 252
Headlamps 146
Headliner 252
Instrument cluster 252
Leather upholstery 253
Light alloy wheels 252
MB Tex upholstery 253
Plastic and rubber parts 252
Seat belts 252
Steering wheel 252
Windows 251
Windshield 49
Wiper blades 251

351 Index
Climate control 148
Adjusting 151
Defogging windshield 151
Defrosting 151
Setting the temperature 150
Clock 23, 122
Closing
Glove box 203
Hood 236
Side windows 187
Sliding/pop-up roof* 190, 289
Sliding/pop-up roof*
with SmartKey 191
Trunk lid 89
Windows 187
Windows with SmartKey 188
Closing sliding/pop-up roof*
In an emergency 289
Cockpit 20, 341
Cockpit management and data system
(COMAND*) 342
COMAND* see separate operating
instructionsCombination switch 104
High beam flasher 47
Turn signals 47
Windshield wipers 48
Consumer information 339
Control and operation of radio
transmitters 230
Control system 111, 342
AUDIO menu 116
Convenience submenu 129
Display digital speedometer 116
Functions 112, 115
Instrument cluster submenu 122
Lighting submenu 125
Malfunction memory menu 118
Menus 114, 115, 343
Multifunction display 111
Multifunction steering wheel 112
NAVI menu* 118
Selecting radio system 117
Settings menu 119
Standard display menu 116
Submenus 113, 115
TEL* menu 134
Trip computer menu 132
Vehicle submenu 128Convenience submenu 129
Activating easy-entry/exit
feature* 129
Setting key dependency 131
Setting parking position* for
exterior rear view mirror 131
Coolant 238, 336
Adding 239
Anticorrosion/antifreeze
quantity 336
Capacities 329
Checking level 238
Messages in display 266, 267
Temperature 232
Temperature display 108
Warning lamp 267
Coolant level
Checking 234, 238
Cruise control 193, 342
Canceling 194
Driving downhill 194
Driving uphill 194
Fine adjustment 195
Saving current speed 194
Setting speeds 195
Cruise control lever 193

356 Index
Halogen-type
Replacing bulbs 292
Refilling washer fluid 241
Switching off 52
Switching on 47
Washer fluid 338
Headliner
Cleaning 252
Heated seats* 97
Height adjustment
Head restraints 33, 35, 37
Seat belts 43
Steering wheel 37
High beam flasher 47, 104
High beam headlamps
Messages in display 274
Replacing bulbs 290, 292
Switching on 104
High beam headlamps xenon type*
Replacing bulbs 293
High mounted brake lamp 291
Hood 235
Closing 236
Message in display 272
Opening 235
Hydroplaning 227I
Identification labels 318
Certification label 318
Vehicle identification
number (VIN) 318
Ignition 31
Switching on 44
Immobilizer 79
Activating 79
Deactivating 79
Indicator lamps
see Lamps, indicator and warning
Infant and child restraint systems 65
Installing 68
LATCH child seat anchors 69
Information
About service and warranty 10
Button for Tele Aid* 214
Inside rear view mirror
Adjusting 39
Antiglare 144
Installing
Infant and child restraint systems 68
Towing eye bolt 311
Wiper blades 296Instrument cluster 22, 107, 342
Cleaning 252
Coolant temperature display 108
Illumination 107
Lamps in 256–259
Multifunction display 111
Outside temperature indicator 110
Selecting language 124
Instrument lighting 107, 108
Instruments and controls see Cockpit 20
Integrated remote control
Canadian programming 219
Erasing memory 220
Hand-held transmitter 218
Operating 220
Rolling code programming 219
Interior lighting 105
Activating automatic control 105
Deactivating automatic control 105
Delayed shut-off 127
Manual operation 105
Interior storage spaces 203
Armrest 206
Cup holder 204, 205
Glove box 203