MERCEDES-BENZ C240 4MATIC WAGON 2003 S203 Owner's Manual

327 Technical data
Weights
Weights
Roof load max.
220 lb (100 kg)
S203 MY03_A.book Page 327 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

328 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.Capacities
Vehicle components and their respective lubricants must match. Therefore use only
brands tested and recommended by us.
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 240
C 320
C 240 4MATIC
C 320 4MATIC
7.9 US qt (7.5 l)
7.9 US qt (7.5 l)
7.4 US qt (7.0 l)
7.4 US qt (7.0 l)
Recommended engine oils
Automatic transmission
8.5 US qt (8.0 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Oil
1
1MB part no. 001 989 21 03 10Manual transmission
1.3 US qt (1.2 l)
MB Manual Transmission Oil
2
2MB part no. 001 989 26 03 10Rear axle
1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
Front axle
C 240 4MATIC
C 320 4MATIC
0.5 US qt (0.46 l)
Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
Transfer case
C 240 4MATIC
C 320 4MATIC
approx. 0.62 US qt (0.59 l)
MB Automatic Transmission Oil
1
Power steering
approx. 1.1 US qt (1.0 l)
MB Power Steering Fluid (Pentosin CHF 11S)
Front wheel hubs
approx. 2.1 oz (60 g) each
High temperature roller bearing grease
Brake system
0.5 US qt (0.5 l)
MB Brake Fluid (DOT 4+)
Cooling system
approx. 6.8 US qt (6.4 l)
MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze Agent
S203 MY03_A.book Page 328 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

329 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Model
Capacity
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Fuel tank
including a reserve of
16.4 US gal (62.0 l)
2.1 US gal (8.0 l)
Premium unleaded gasoline:
Posted Octane 91 (Avg. of 96 RON / 86 MON)Flexible Fuel Vehicle (MY 2003 Mercedes-Benz C 320
models, except those equipped with manual transmission or
4MATIC*):
Alternative fuel -- ethanol fuel (E85)
Air conditioner system
R-134a refrigerant and special PAG lubricant oil (never R-12)
Windshield washer and
headlamp cleaning
system:
Without headlamp
cleaning system
With headlamp cleaning
system
3.2 US qt (3 l)
6.4 US qt (6 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. Follow suggested mixing ratios (
page 336).
S203 MY03_A.book Page 329 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

330 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 recom-
mended brands is available in the Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet, 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 conditio-
ning system.
Never use R-12 (CFC) or mineral-based lu-
bricating 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 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.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 330 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

331 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 ac-
celerator pedal position if the vehi-
cle is fully loaded or operating in
mountainous terrain.
iMY 2003 Mercedes-Benz C 320 mod-
els, except those equipped with manu-
al transmission or 4MATIC*, are
Flexible Fuel Vehicles.
These vehicles are designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline or Etha-
nol fuel (E85), or on any mixture of
these two.
See notes on Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(page 332).
S203 MY03_A.book Page 331 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

332 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 loss
Do not blend any specific fuel additives
with fuel. This only results in unnecessary
cost and may be harmful to engine opera-
tion.Damage or malfunctions resulting from
poor fuel quality or from blending specific
fuel additives are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Flexible Fuel Vehicles
MY 2003 Mercedes-Benz C 320 models,
except those equipped with manual trans-
mission or 4MATIC*, are Flexible Fuel Ve-
hicles.
These vehicles are designed to operate on
premium unleaded gasoline or Ethanol fuel
(E85), or on any mixture of these two.
Ethanol fuel (E85) is a mixture of approxi-
mately 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded gas-
oline.Switching fuels
For best performance and driveability it is
recommended to use either one or the oth-
er fuel. A refueling pattern that alternates
between the two different fuels should be
avoided if possible.
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).Warning!
G
Ethanol fuel (E85) and its fumes are highly
flammable, poisonous and burn easily. Etha-
nol fuel can cause serious injuries if ignited
or if you come into contact with it or inhale
fumes of it. Avoid inhalation of ethanol
fumes and skin contact with ethanol. Extin-
guish all open flames before fueling. Never
smoke or create sparks close to ethanol.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 332 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

333 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.


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 be-
fore the engine has fully adapted to the dif-
ferent 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 en-
gine 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 (Canada only) is recom-
mended (see your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center for further informa-
tion). Rough idling may also be experi-
enced 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 ac-
companied 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 re-
pairs.
!E85 fuel is unsuitable for use when am-
bient temperatures fall below 14°F
(-10°C).
iUse of E85 may reduce your driving
range.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 333 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

334 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.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 corro-
sion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
-22°F (-30°C), the boiling point of the cool-
ant 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 corro-
sion protection and increase boil-over pro-
tection. You should have it replaced every
15 years or 150 000 miles (250 000 km),
whichever comes first.
Coolant system design and coolant used
stipulate the replacement interval. The
above replacement interval is only applica-
ble if MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze
solution or other Mercedes-Benz approved
products of equal specification (see Facto-
ry Approved Service Products pamphlet)
are used to renew the coolant concentra-
tion or bring it back up to the proper level.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45% anticor-
rosion/antifreeze (equivalent to freeze
protection to approx. - 22°F [-30°C]). If
you use a solution that is more than 55%
anticorrosion/antifreeze (freeze protec-
tion 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 that the mix-
ture 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 your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 334 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM

335 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.
Anticorrosion/antifreeze
Your vehicle contains a number of alumi-
num parts. The use of aluminum compo-
nents in motor vehicle engines
necessitates that anticorrosion/antifreeze
coolant used in such engines be specifical-
ly formulated to protect the aluminum parts. (Failure to use such anticorro-
sion/antifreeze coolant will result in a sig-
nificantly shortened service life.)
Therefore, the following product is strongly
recommended for use in your vehicle:
Mercedes-Benz 325.0 Anticorrosion/Anti-
freeze 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 your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for service.
Anticorrosion/antifreeze quantityModel
Approx. freeze protection– 35°F (– 37°C)
– 49°F (– 45°C)
C 240, C 320
4.8 US qt (4.5 l)
5.3 US qt (5.0 l)
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336 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants etc.Windshield and headlamp washer system
Both the windshield and headlamp washer
systems are supplied from the windshield
washer fluid reservoir.
The washer fluid reservoir has a capacity of
approx.

6.4 US qt (6.0 l) in vehicles with head-
lamp cleaning system*


3.2 US qt (3.0 l) in vehicles without
headlamp cleaning system

Refill the reservoir with MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate and water (or con-
centrate and commercially available
premixed windshield washer sol-
vent/antifreeze, depending on ambient
temperatures).Windshield and headlamp washer fluid
mixing ratio
For temperatures above freezing use
MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “S”
and water:


1 part “S” to 100 parts water
[40 ml “S” to 1 gallon (4 l) water].
For temperatures below freezing 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 l) solvent].
Warning!
G
Washer solvent/antifreeze is highly flamma-
ble. Do not spill washer solvent/antifreeze
on hot engine parts, because it may burn.
You can be seriously burned.
S203 MY03_A.book Page 336 Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:22 PM