engine oil MERCEDES-BENZ C240 2005 W203 User Guide

320 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Suggested solution
:
USA only:At next gas station
add 1.0 qt engine oilCanada only:At next gas station
add 1.0 l engine oil
The engine oil level is too low.

Add engine oil (
page 281) and check
the engine oil level (
page 280).
Engine oil level
Stop, engine off!
There is no oil in the engine. There is a
danger of engine damage.

Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt as
soon as possible.

Turn off the engine.

Add engine oil (
page 281) and check
the engine oil level (
page 280).
Engine oil level
Reduce oil level
You have added too much engine oil.
There is a risk of damaging the engine or
the catalytic converter.

Have oil siphoned or drained off.
Observe all legal requirements with
respect to its disposal.
Change engine oil
Visit workshop.
It may be that there is water in the engine
oil.

Have the engine oil checked.

321 Practical hints
What to do if …
When the message
At next gas station
add 1.0 qt engine oil
(Canada:
1.0 l
)
appears while the engine is running and at
operating temperature, the engine oil level
has dropped to approximately the mini-
mum level.When this occurs, the warning will first
come on intermittently and then stay on if
the oil level drops further.
Visually check for oil leaks. If no obvious oil
leaks are noted, drive to the nearest
service station where the engine oil should
be topped to the required level with an
approved oil specified in the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet.
Display symbol
Display messages
Possible cause
Suggested solution
:
Engine oil level
Visit workshop.
The engine oil has dropped to a critical
level.

Check the engine oil level
(page 280) and add oil as required
(page 281).

If you must add engine oil frequently,
have the engine checked for possible
leaks.
Oil sensor malfunction
Visit workshop.
The measuring system is malfunctioning.

Have the measuring system checked
by an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.!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.

387 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Capacities
Vehicle components and their respectivelubricants must match. Therefore only use
brands tested and approved by
Mercedes-Benz. Please refer to the Factory Approved
Service Products pamphlet, or inquire at
your Mercedes-Benz Center.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Engine with oil filter
C 230 Kompressor (all models)
C240
C2404MATIC
C320
C3204MATIC
C320Sport
C55AMG
5.8 US qt (5.5 l)
7.9 US qt (7.5 l)
7.4 US qt (7.0 l)
7.9 US qt (7.5 l)
7.4 US qt (7.0 l)
7.9 US qt (7.5 l)
9.0 US qt (8.5 l)
Approved engine oils
Automatic transmission
C 230 Kompressor (all models)
C240 (all models)
C320 (all models)
C55AMG
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
9.3 US qt (8.7 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Fluid
Manual transmission
1.3 US qt (1.2 l)
MB Manual Transmission Oil
Rear axle
C 230 Kompressor (all models)
C240 (all models)
C320 (all models)
C55AMG
1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
1.5 US qt (1.4 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90

390 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Engine oils
Engine oils are specifically tested for their
suitability in our engines and durability for
our service intervals. Therefore, only use
approved engine oils and oil filters
required for vehicles with Maintenance
System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada
vehicles). For a listing of approved engine
oils and oil filters, refer to the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet, or
contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of
specification other than those expressly
required for the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehicles), or
changing of oil and oil filter at change
intervals longer than those called for by
the Maintenance System (U.S. vehicles) or
FSS (Canada Vehicles) will result in engine
damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Please follow Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehicles)
recommendations for scheduled oil
changes. Failure to do so will 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
conditioning 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
bubbles in the system, thus reducing the
system’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.

391 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel requirements
Only use premium unleaded fuel:

The octane number (posted at the
p um p) m us t be 91 mi n. It i s an a vera ge
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
3 000 rpm if the vehicle is loaded
with a light load such as two
persons 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 (identified by a
label reading Premium gasoline or
E85 only! are designed to operate on
premium unleaded gasoline or Ethanol
fuel (E85) or any mixture of these two.
For more information, see “Flexible
Fuel Vehicles” (
page 392).

394 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze, which
provides:

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
corrosion 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 approx. 266°F (130°C).The coolant solution must be used
year-round to provide the necessary corro-
sion protection and increase boil-over
protection. Refer to Maintenance Booklet
for replacement interval.
Coolant system design and coolant used
determine the replacement interval. The
replacement interval published in the
Maintenance 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 renew 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
solution. 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 instructions.
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,
consult an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.

400 Technical termsCOMAND*
(C
ockpit M
anagement and D
ata
System)
Information and operating center for
vehicle sound and communications
systems, including the radio and the
navigation system, as well as 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
adjust settings.
Cruise control
Driving convenience system that
automatically maintains 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
produced.
Engine oil viscosity
Measurement for the inner friction
(viscosity) of the oil at different temper-
atures. The higher the temperature an
oil can tolerate without becoming thin,
or the lower the temperature it can
tolerate without becoming viscous, the
better the viscosity.
ESP
(E
lectronic S
tability P
rogram)
Improves vehicle handling and
directional stability.
ETD
(E
mergency T
ensioning D
evice)
Device which deploys in certain frontal
and rear collisions exceeding the
system's threshold to tighten the
seat belts.
->SRSFSS (Canada vehicles)
(F
lexible S
ervice S
ystem)
Maintenance service indicator in the
multifunction display that informs the
driver when the next vehicle mainte-
nance service is due. FSS evaluates
engine temperature, oil level, vehicle
speed, engine speed, distance driven
and the time elapsed since your last
maintenance service, and calls for the
next maintenance service accordingly.
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 gear selector
lever.
GPS
(G
lobal P
ositioning S
ystem)
Satellite-based system for relaying
geographic location information to and
from vehicles equipped with special
receivers. Employs CD digital maps for
navigation.

405 Index
A
ABS 77, 399
ABS control 77
Indicator lamp 25
Malfunction indicator lamp 302
Messages in display 310
Accelerator position,
automatic transmission* 163
Accident
In case of 53
Activating
Air conditioning (cooling) 181
Air recirculation mode 179
Anti-theft alarm system* 84
Central locking (control system) 145
Climate control 175
Climate control system 177
Defrosting 178
Easy-entry/exit feature* 146
Electric air pump 358
ESP 81Exterior headlamps 49
Exterior lamps 110
Exterior rear view mirror
parking position* 170
Hazard warning flasher 114
Headlamps 49
High beam headlamps 50
High beams 113
Ignition 33
Immobilizer 56, 83
Low beam headlamps 49
Manual shift program
(C 55 AMG only) 166
Rear window defroster 173
Seat heating* 105
Tow-away alarm* 85
Windshield wipers 51
Adding
Coolant 283
Engine oil 281
Additional turn signals 345
Adjustable air vents,
rear passenger compartment 182Adjusting 35
Air distribution 178
Air volume 178
Backrest contour 104
Backrest side bolsters 104
Backrest tilt, manual seat 36
Backrest tilt, power seat* 38
Exterior rear view mirrors 41
Folding back rear seat
head restraints, electrical 102
Folding back rear seat
head restraints, manual 102
Head restraint height,
manual seat 37
Head restraint height,
power seat* 38
Head restraint height, rear seats 101
Head restraint tilt, manual seat 37
Head restraint tilt, power seat* 39
Head restraint tilt, rear seats 103
Instrument cluster illumination 117
Interior rear view mirror 41
Manual seat 36
Mirrors 41

410 IndexCharging
Vehicle battery 361
Checking
Brake fluid 277
Coolant level 277, 283
Engine oil level 277, 280
Tire inflation pressure 277
Vehicle lighting 277
Washer reservoir level 277
Child safety 67
Air bags 60
Infant and child restraint
systems 64, 67
LATCH-type child seat anchors 73
Child safety switch see
Blocking of rear door window operation
Child seat anchors see
LATCH-type child seat anchors
Cigarette lighter 246
Cleaning
Cloth upholstery 300
Cup holders 299
Gear selector lever 299Hard plastic trim items 299
Headlamps 168
Headliner and shelf below
rear window 299
Instrument cluster 298
Leather upholstery 299
Light alloy wheels 298
MB Tex upholstery 300
Plastic and rubber parts 300
Seat belts 299
Steering wheel 299
Upholstery 299
Windows 298
Windshield 52
Wiper blades 298
Wood trims 300
Climate control 174
Clock 25, 121, 137, 138
Closing
Cup holder, in rear seat armrest 245
Glove box 241
Hood 279Tilt/sliding sunroof* 227
Tilt/sliding sunroof*
in an emergency 341
Tilt/sliding sunroof*
with SmartKey 229
Trunk lid 94
Windows 223, 224
Windows with SmartKey 225
Cloth upholstery
Cleaning 300
Cockpit 22, 399
Cockpit Management and
Data System see COMAND*
Collapsible tire 383
Collapsible tire (C 55 AMG only) 334
Collapsible wheel chock 332
COMAND* 400
COMAND* see separate
operating instructions
Combination switch 113
High beam flasher 50
Turn signals 50
Windshield wipers 51

414 Index
Releasing trunk lid from inside 95
Remote door unlock 255
Unlocking the vehicle 337
Emergency Tensioning Device see ETD
Emission control 273
Emission control information label 376
Ending
A call (telephone*) 152
Engine
Compartment 278
Starting with automatic
transmission* 47
Starting with manual
transmission 46
Starting with the SmartKey,
automatic transmission* 47
Starting with the SmartKey,
manual transmission 46
Technical data 378
Turning off with the SmartKey 56
Engine cleaning 297Engine compartment 278
Fuse box in 370
Hood 278
Engine malfunction
indicator lamp 25, 304
Engine number 376, 400
Engine oil 279
Adding 281
Additives 390
Checking level 277, 280
Consumption 279
Display messages 280, 320–321
Filler neck,
C 230 Kompressor
(all models) 282
Filler neck,
C 240 (all models),
C 320 (all models),
C 55 AMG 282
Messages in display 280, 320–321
Viscosity 400Engine oil level
Checking 277, 280
Engine oils 390
ESP 79, 400
Four wheel electronic traction
system with ESP 82
Messages in display 312–313
Switching off 80
Switching on 81
Warning lamp 25, 306
ETD 67, 400
Safety guidelines 62
Ethanol fuel
At the gas station 275
Requirements 392
Switching fuels 393
Exterior lamp switch 49, 109
Exterior lamps
Delayed shut-off 143
Exterior rear view mirrors
Adjusting 41
Parking position* for 148