Headlamp cleaning MERCEDES-BENZ C300 2008 W204 Owner's Manual

Contents
Controls in detail............................... 69
Locking and unlocking ......................... 70
SmartKey ....................................... 70
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
(Canada only) ................................. 73
Checking batteries in the SmartKey
or SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
(Canada only) ................................. 78
Loss of the SmartKey or SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) .. 79
Opening doors from the inside ....... 79
Automatic central locking .............. 80
Locking and unlocking
from the inside ............................... 81
Starter switch positions ....................... 82
SmartKey ....................................... 82
SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO*
(Canada only) ................................. 83
Seats.................................................... 85
Seat adjustment ............................. 85
Lumbar support .............................. 91
Seat heating* ................................. 91Steering wheel ..................................... 93
Steering wheel adjustment,
manual ........................................... 93
Steering wheel adjustment,
electrical* (Canada only)................ 94
Easy-entry/exit feature*
(Canada only) ................................. 95
Mirrors ................................................. 97
Interior rear view mirror ................. 97
Exterior rear view mirrors............... 97
Power folding
exterior rear view mirrors* ............. 98
Interior rear view mirror,
antiglare position ........................... 99
Auto-dimming rear view mirrors* . 100
Activating exterior rear view mirror
parking position* (Canada only)... 101
Memory function* (Canada only) ....... 102
Storing positions into memory* ... 103
Recalling positions from memory* 103
Storing exterior rear
view mirror parking position*....... 104
Fastening the seat belts .................... 105
Proper use of seat belts ............... 106
Seat belt height adjustment ......... 107Lighting ............................................. 108
Exterior lamp switch .................... 108
Switching on high beams ............. 112
Headlamp cleaning system* ........ 112
Corner-illuminating front
fog lamps* (With Bi-Xenon*
headlamps only)........................... 112
Hazard warning flasher ................ 114
Interior lighting ............................ 114
Door entry lamps ......................... 116
Trunk lamp ................................... 116
Windshield wipers ............................. 117
Switching on/off
windshield wipers ........................ 118
Single wipe .................................. 118
Intermittent wiping ...................... 118
Wiping with
windshield washer fluid................ 119
Power windows ................................. 120
Opening and closing
power windows ............................ 120
Summer opening feature ............. 123
Convenience closing feature ........ 124

Contents
At the gas station .............................. 322
Refueling ...................................... 322
Check regularly and
before a long trip.......................... 324
Engine compartment ......................... 325
Hood ............................................ 325
Engine oil ..................................... 327
Transmission fluid level ................ 328
Coolant level ................................ 329
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system* ......... 330
Tires and wheels ................................ 331
Important guidelines .................... 331
Tire care and maintenance........... 332
Direction of rotation ..................... 334
Loading the vehicle ...................... 334
Recommended tire
inflation pressure ......................... 339
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 341
Tire labeling.................................. 348
Load identification ....................... 352
DOT,
Tire Identification Number (TIN) ... 352
Maximum tire load ....................... 353
Maximum tire inflation pressure .. 354Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) .............. 354
Tire ply material ............................ 356
Tire and loading terminology......... 356
Rotating tires ................................ 359
Winter driving ..................................... 360
Winter tires ................................... 360
Snow chains.................................. 361
Maintenance....................................... 362
Maintenance
service indicator message ............ 362
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator display ............... 363
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator ........................... 363
Vehicle care........................................ 364
Cleaning and care of vehicle ......... 364
Practical hints.................................. 373
What to do if …? ................................. 374
Lamps in instrument cluster ......... 374
Air bag off indicator lamp ............. 385
Vehicle status messages in
the multifunction display .............. 387
Where will I find ...? ............................ 420
First aid kit.................................... 420
Vehicle jack, vehicle tool kit,
luggage bowl, Minispare wheel ..... 420
Unlocking/locking in an emergency .. 424
Unlocking the vehicle ................... 424
Locking the vehicle ....................... 425
Fuel filler flap ................................ 426
Manually unlocking the
transmission gear selector lever ... 426
Resetting activated head restraints.... 427
Replacing SmartKey batteries ............ 428
Replacing bulbs .................................. 430
Bulbs............................................. 431
Replacing bulbs for front lamps .... 432
Replacing bulbs for rear lamps ..... 436
Replacing wiper blades ...................... 438
Removing wiper blades ................. 439
Installing wiper blades .................. 439

Contents
Flat tire .............................................. 440
Preparing the vehicle.................... 440
Mounting the Minispare wheel ..... 441
Battery ............................................... 446
Disconnecting the battery ............ 448
Removing the battery ................... 449
Charging and reinstalling
the battery.................................... 449
Reconnecting the battery ............. 450
Jump starting ..................................... 451
Towing the vehicle ............................. 453
Installing towing eye bolt.............. 455
Fuses ................................................. 456
Fuse box
in passenger compartment .......... 457
Fuse box
in engine compartment ................ 457
Fuse box
in the trunk................................... 458
Technical data................................. 459
Parts service ...................................... 460
Warranty coverage............................. 461
Loss of Service and
Warranty Information Booklet ...... 461
Identification labels ........................... 462
Layout of poly-V-belt drive ................. 464
C 300/C 350 ............................... 464
Engine................................................ 465
Rims and tires.................................... 467
Same size tires ............................. 468
Mixed size tires ............................ 469
Minispare wheel ........................... 471
Electrical system ............................... 473
Main dimensions and weights............ 474
Main dimensions .......................... 474
Weights ........................................ 475
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc. ......... 476
Capacities .................................... 476
Engine oils.................................... 480
Engine oil additives ...................... 480
Air conditioning refrigerant .......... 480
Brake fluid .................................... 480
Premium unleaded gasoline ......... 481
Gasoline additives ........................ 481Fuel requirements ........................ 482
Flexible Fuel Vehicles (USA only) . 482
Coolants ...................................... 484
Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system* .. 486
Index................................................. 487

21 At a glance
Exterior view
ItemPage
1Trunk

Unlocking

Opening and closing

Minispare wheel

Vehicle tool kit
269
269
441
420
2Rear lamps431
3Rear window, defrosting265
4Fuel filler flap
Refueling
Gasoline322
322
481
5Doors

Locking and unlocking

Opening and closing

Unlocking/locking in an
emergency
70
70
424
6Exterior rear view mirror

Adjusting97
ItemPage

Auto-dimming rear view
mirrors*

Power folding exterior rear
view mirrors*

Parking position*
(Canada only)
97
100
98
101
7Tires and wheels

Checking tire inflation
pressure

Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS), (USA only)

Run Flat Indicator (Canada
only)

General information

Minispare wheel

Flat tire
331
341
344
342
331
422
440
8Towing the vehicle
Installing towing eye bolt453
455
ItemPage
9Headlamp cleaning system*112
aFront lamps431
bHood, opening
Engine oil
Coolant
Battery325
327
329
446
cWindshield wipers
Wiper blades, replacing
Wiper blades, cleaning117
438
368
dWindshield
Front window, defrosting
Cleaning with wiper fluid
Cleaning
264
119
368
eRoofs

Power tilt/sliding sunroof

Panorama roof with power
tilt/sliding panel*
273
276

112 Controls in detail
Lighting
Switching on high beams
Combination switch
1High beam
2High beam flasher
High beam: Turn the exterior lamp
switch to positionB (
page 108).
Push the combination switch in the di-
rection of arrow1.
The high beam indicatorA in the in-
strument cluster comes on
(
page 26).
High beam flasher: Pull the combina-
tion switch briefly in the direction of
arrow2.
Headlamp cleaning system*
The headlamps are automatically cleaned
with a high-pressure water jet when, at the
same time,

the engine is running

the headlamps are switched on

the windshield wipers have wiped the
windshield with washer fluid for the
first time.
The headlamps are cleaned every tenth
time the windshield is washed with washer
fluid.
When you switch off the headlamps or the
ignition, the automatic function is reset
and will start counting the next time from
the beginning.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 330).Corner-illuminating front fog lamps*
(With Bi-Xenon* headlamps only)
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps
improve illumination of the area in the
direction into which you are turning.
The corner-illuminating front fog lamps will
operate with the engine running and with:

the exterior lamp switch in
positionB or* (
page 108)
or

the daytime running lamp mode acti-
vated (
page 110).
iThe corner-illuminating front fog lamps will
only come on in low ambient lighting conditions.
iIf you are driving faster than 25 mph
(40 km/h) or have the front fog lamps switched
on, the corner-illuminating front fog lamps
function is not available.

119 Controls in detail
Windshield wipers
Turn the combination switch to posi-
tion U or V.
Intermittent wiping starts with selected
wiping interval.
Vehicles with rain sensor*:
After the initial wipe, pauses between
wipes are automatically controlled by
the rain sensor.
Intermittent wiping interval is depen-
dent on wetness of windshield.Wiping with windshield washer fluid
Press the combination switch in the di-
rection of arrow2 (
page 117) past
the resistance point.
The windshield wiper operates with
washer fluid.
For information on filling up the washer
reservoir, see “Windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 330).
iIntermittent wiping is interrupted when the
vehicle is at a standstill and a front door is
opened. This protects persons getting into or out
of the vehicle from being sprayed.
Intermittent wiping will be continued when

all doors are closed
and

the clutch pedal is depressed (vehicles with
manual transmission
or

the gear selector lever is positionD orR (ve-
hicles with automatic transmission*)
or

the wiper setting is changed using the com-
bination switch
iTo prevent smears on the windshield or
noisy/chattering wiper blades, wipe with wind-
shield washer fluid every now and then even
when it is raining.
iVehicles with headlamp cleaning system*:
The headlamp cleaning system* will clean the
headlamps automatically after the first and every
tenth time windshield washer fluid is used while
the engine is running (
page 112).

324 Operation
At the gas station
Check regularly and before a long trip
1Coolant level
2Brake fluid
3Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*Windshield washer system and head-
lamp cleaning system*
For more information on refilling the wash-
er reservoir, see “Windshield washer sys-
tem and headlamp cleaning system*”
(
page 330).
Coolant
For more information on coolant, see
“Coolant level” (
page 329) and see “Fu-
els, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 476).
Brake fluid
For information on brake fluid, see “Brake
fluid” (
page 480).Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (
page 327).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information on replacing light bulbs, see
“Replacing bulbs” (
page 430).
For more information, see “Lighting”
(
page 108).
Tire inflation pressure
For information on tire inflation pressure,
see “Checking tire inflation pressure”
(
page 341).iOpening the hood (page 325).!If you find that the brake fluid in the brake
fluid reservoir has fallen to the minimum mark or
below, have the brake system checked for brake
pad thickness and leaks immediately. Notify an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
Do not add brake fluid as this will not solve the
problem. For more information, see “Practical
hints” (
page 376) and (page 400).

330 Operation
Engine compartment
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*
The washer fluid reservoir is located on the
left-hand side of the engine compartment
when looking in the direction of travel. It
supplies the windshield washer system
and headlamp cleaning system with wash-
er fluid.
1Cap
Fluid for the windshield washer system and
the headlamp cleaning system is supplied
from the windshield washer reservoir. It
has a capacity of approximately 6.34 US qt
(6.0 l).During all seasons, add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit” to
water. Premix the windshield washer fluid
in a suitable container.
To open washer fluid reservoir: Pull
tab of cap1 upward.
Refill the reservoir with MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate and water (or
commercially available premixed wind-
shield washer solvent/antifreeze, de-
pending on ambient temperatures).
To close washer fluid reservoir:
Press cap1 onto filler hole until it en-
gages.
For more information, see “Windshield
washer system and headlamp cleaning
system*” (
page 486).
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.
!Always use washer solvent/antifreeze
where temperatures may fall below freezing
point. Failure to do so could result in damage to
the washer system/reservoir.
!Only use washer fluid which is suitable for
plastic lenses. Improper washer fluid can dam-
age the plastic lenses of the headlamps.

360 Operation
Winter driving
Before the onset of winter, have your
vehicle winterized at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center. This service
includes:

Check of anticorrosion and antifreeze
concentration.

Addition of cleaning concentrate to the
water of the windshield and headlamp
cleaning* system. Add MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB Summerfit”
to a premixed windshield washer sol-
vent/antifreeze which is formulated for
below freezing temperatures
(
page 485).

Battery test. Battery capacity drops
with decreasing ambient temperature.
A well charged battery helps to make
sure the engine can be started, even at
low ambient temperatures.

Tire change.
Winter tires
Always use winter tires at temperatures
below 45°F (7°C) and whenever wintry
road conditions prevail. Not all M+S rated
tires provide special winter performance.
Make sure the tires you use show the
mountain/snowflake.marking on the
tire sidewall. These tires meet specific
snow traction performance requirements
of the Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA) and the Rubber Association of Can-
ada (RAC) and have been designed specif-
ically for use in snow conditions. Use of
winter tires is the only way to achieve the
maximum effectiveness of the ABS, EBP,
ESP
® and 4MATIC in winter operation.
For safe handling, make sure all mounted
winter tires are of the same make and have
the same tread design.Always observe the speed rating of the
winter tires installed on your vehicle. If the
maximum speed for which your tires are
rated is below the speed rating of your
vehicle, you must place a notice to this
effect where it will be seen by the driver.
Such notices are available at your tire
dealer or any authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
Warning!G
Winter tires with a tread depth of less than 1/6in (4 mm) must be replaced. They are no
longer suitable for winter operation.

367 Operation
Vehicle care
Automatic car wash
You can have your car washed in an auto-
matic car wash from the start. Automatic
car washes without brushes are prefera-
ble.
To protect the filter system, switch the
automatic climate control to air recir-
culation mode (
page 265).
If the vehicle is very dirty, prewash it be-
fore running it through the automatic car
wash.Ornamental moldings
For regular cleaning and care of ornamen-
tal moldings, use a damp cloth.Headlamps, tail lamps, side markers,
turn signal lenses
Use a mild car wash detergent, such as
Mercedes-Benz approved Car
Shampoo, with plenty of water.
!Do not clean your vehicle in an automatic
touchless car wash which uses caustic spray.
Otherwise the caustic spray will damage the
paint or ornamental moldings.
!Make sure the windshield wiper switch is
set to0 (
page 117). Otherwise, e.g. the rain
sensor* could activate and cause the wipers to
move unintentionally. This may lead to vehicle
damage.
Due to the width of the vehicle, fold in exterior
rear view mirrors prior to running the vehicle
through an automatic car wash to prevent dam-
age to the mirrors.
iAfter running the vehicle through an auto-
matic car wash, wipe any wax off of the wind-
shield (
page 368). This will prevent smears
and reduce wiping noise which can be caused by
residual wax on the windshield.
When leaving the car wash, make sure the mir-
rors are folded out. Otherwise they may vibrate.
!Do not use chrome cleaner on ornamental
moldings. Although ornamental moldings may
have chrome appearance, they could be made of
anodized aluminum that will be damaged when
cleaned with chrome cleaner. Instead, use a
damp cloth to clean those ornamental moldings.
For very dirty ornamental moldings of which you
are sure are chrome-plated, use a chrome clean-
er. If in doubt whether an ornamental molding is
chrome-plated, contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
!Only use window cleaning solutions that are
suitable for plastic lamp lenses. Window clean-
ing solutions which are not suitable may damage
the plastic lamp lenses of the headlamps. There-
fore, do not use abrasives, solvents or cleaners
that contain solvents.
Never apply strong force and only use a soft,
non-scratching cloth when cleaning the lenses.
Do not attempt to wipe dirty lenses with a dry
cloth or sponge.
Otherwise you may scratch or damage the lens
surface.