MERCEDES-BENZ C300 4MATIC 2008 W204 Owner's Manual

400 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
;Check
Brake Fluid LevelThere is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir.Risk of accident!
Carefully stop the vehicle in a safe location or
as soon as it is safe to do so.
Depress the parking brake (page 134).
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.
Do not add brake fluid! This will not solve the
problem.
(USA only)
3
(Canada only)
Warning!G
Driving with the message Check Brake
Fluid Level
displayed can result in an ac-
cident. Have your brake system checked im-
mediately. Do not add brake fluid before
checking the brake system. Overfilling the
brake fluid reservoir can result in spilling
brake fluid on hot engine parts and the
brake fluid catching fire. You can be serious-
ly burned.
!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.

401 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
;ReleaseYou are driving with the parking brake set.Release the parking brake (page 130).
(USA only)Parking Brake
!
(Canada only)
;
(USA only)
3
EBR, ABS, and ESP
Inoperative
See Operator’s Manu-
alEBP, ABS and ESP® are switched off due to
a malfunction. BAS and the hill start assist
are also switched off.
The brake system still functions normally
but without the ABS and ESP
® available.
Continue driving with added caution.
Wheels may lock during hard braking, re-
ducing steering capability.
Have the system checked at an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
Failure to follow these instructions increases
the risk of an accident.
(Canada only)

402 Practical hints
What to do if …?
During severe operating conditions,
e.g. stop-and-go traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
•Coolant Low
Stop Vehicle!
Turn Engine OffThe coolant is too hot. Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
as it is safe to do so and immediately turn off
the engine.
Only start the engine again after the message
disappears. You could otherwise damage the
engine.
Observe the coolant temperature gauge in
the instrument cluster (
page 26).
Warning!G

Driving when your engine is overheated
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 which can occur
just by opening the engine hood. Stay
away from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it.
Stop the vehicle in a safe location away from
other traffic. Turn off the engine, get out of
the vehicle and do not stand near the vehicle
until the engine has cooled down.!The engine should not be operated with the
coolant temperature above 248°F (120°C). Do-
ing so may cause serious engine damage which
is not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

403 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
•Coolant Low
Stop Vehicle!
Turn Engine OffThe poly-V-belt could be broken.Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
a s it is sa fe t o do so and im media tely turn off
the engine.
Check the poly-V-belt.
If it is broken:
Do not continue to drive. Otherwise the en-
gine will overheat due to an inoperative water
pump which may result in damage to the en-
gine.
Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If it is intact:
Do not continue to drive the vehicle with this
message displayed. Doing so could result in
serious engine damage that is not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Observe the coolant temperature gauge in
the instrument cluster (
page 26).
(Continued on next page)

404 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
•Coolant Low
Stop Vehicle!
Turn Engine OffRestart the engine.
If this message disappears from the multi-
function display:
Drive immediately to the nearest autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
If this message does not disappear from the
multifunction display:
Call Roadside Assistance.
•The cooling fan for the coolant is malfunc-
tioning.Observe the coolant temperature gauge in
the instrument cluster (
page 26).
Have the fan replaced as soon as possible.

405 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
BCheck
Coolant Level
See Operator’s Manu-
alThe coolant level is too low.Add coolant (page 329).
If you have to add coolant frequently, have
the cooling system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Warning!G
Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine parts.
Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which
may burn if it comes into contact with hot
engine parts. You could be seriously burned.
!Do not ignore the low engine coolant level
warning. Extended driving with the message and
symbol displayed may cause serious engine
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz Lim-
ited Warranty.
Do not drive without a sufficient amount of cool-
ant in the cooling system. The engine will over-
heat, causing major engine damage.

406 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
$You are driving with one or more doors
open.
The display symbol shows you which doors
are open.Close the doors.
4Gas Cap LooseA loss of pressure has been detected in the
fuel system. The fuel cap may not be closed
properly or the fuel system may be leaky.Check the fuel cap (page 322).
If it is not closed properly:
Close the fuel cap.
If it is closed properly:
Have the fuel system checked at an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Reserve Fuel
LevelThe fuel level has gone below the reserve
mark.Refuel at the next gas station (page 322).
YYou are driving with the hood open.Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so.
Close the hood (page 326).
There is otherwise danger of an accident.

407 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
IKey Not
DetectedThe SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada
only) is not recognized while the engine is
running because the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) is not in the
vehicle.Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
as it is safe to do.
Search for the SmartKey.
Otherwise the vehicle cannot be centrally
locked nor can the engine be started again
after the engine is stopped.
The SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada
only) is not recognized while the engine is
running because there is strong radio-fre-
quency interference.Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as soon
as it is safe to do.
Remove KEYLESS-GO* button (Canada only)
from the starter switch (
page 83).
Operate the vehicle with the SmartKey in the
starter switch.
IKey
Not DetectedThe SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada
only) is momentarily not recognized.Change the position of the SmartKey in the
vehicle.
If necessary, operate vehicle using SmartKey
with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) in starter
switch under KEYLESS-GO* button (Canada
only) (
page 83).

408 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution
IReplace
Key BatteryThe batteries in the SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* are discharged.Replace the batteries (page 428).
Key Detected
In VehicleA SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada
only) left in the vehicle was recognized
while locking the vehicle from the outside.Take the SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* out of
the vehicle.
Obtain
A New KeyThe SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* (Canada
only) must be replaced.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
Remove "Start"
Button
And Insert KeyThe KEYLESS-GO* system (Canada only) is
malfunctioning.Remove KEYLESS-GO* button (Canada only)
from the starter switch (
page 83).
Operate the vehicle with the SmartKey in the
starter switch.
IClose Doors
To Lock VehicleYou wanted to lock the vehicle but not all
doors were closed.Close doors and lock vehicle again.
Key Does Not
Belong to VehicleYou have insert an incorrect key in the start-
er switch.Remove key and insert the correct key.
Don’t Forget
Your KeyThis display appears (for a maximum of
60 seconds) if the driver’s door is opened
with the engine turned off and no SmartKey
in the starter switch.
This message is only a reminder.Take the SmartKey or SmartKey with
KEYLESS-GO* (Canada only) with you when
leaving the vehicle.

409 Practical hints
What to do if …?
ITake Your Key
From IgnitionYou have forgotten to remove the
SmartKey.Remove the SmartKey from the starter
switch.
.AUTO Lamp Function
InoperativeThe light sensor is malfunctioning. Daytime
driving lamps are switched on.In the instrument cluster control system, set
lamp operation to manual mode.
Switch on headlamps using the exterior lamp
switch.
Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
Check
Center Brake LampThe high mounted brake lamp is malfunc-
tioning. This message will only appear if all
light emitting diodes have stopped working.Contact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter as soon as possible.
Check
Left Brake LampThe left brake lamp is malfunctioning.Replace the bulb as soon as possible
(
page 436).
Check
Right Brake LampThe right brake lamp is malfunctioning.Replace the bulb as soon as possible
(
page 436).
Display Possible cause/consequencePossible solution