MERCEDES-BENZ C350 2007 W203 Owner's Manual

410 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
ModelCapacityFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Rear axleC 230 (all models)
C 280 (all models)
C 350
C 350 Sport
C 350 4MATIC1.0 US qt (1.0 l)
1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
1.2 US qt (1.1 l)
1.0 US qt (1.0 l)Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
Front axleC 280 4MATIC
C 350 4MATIC0.5USqt (0.46l)Hypoid gear oil SAE 85 W 90
Transfer caseC 280 4MATIC
C 350 4MATICapprox. 0.62 US qt
(0.59 l)MB Transfer case fluid
Power steeringapprox. 1.1 US qt (1.0 l)MB Power Steering Fluid (Pentosin
CHF 11S)
Front wheel hubsapprox. 2.1oz (60g)
eachHigh temperature roller bearing grease
Brake system0.5 US qt (0.5 l)MB Brake Fluid (DOT 4+)
Cooling systemapprox. 7.8 US qt (7.4 l)MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/antifreeze
agent

411 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
ModelCapacityFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Fuel tank
including
a reserve of16.4 US gal (62.0 l)
2.1 US gal (8.0 l)Premium unleaded gasoline:
Minimum Posted Octane 91
(Avg. of 96 RON/86 MON)
C 230/C 230 Sport:
Flexible Fuel Vehicle (identified by a label
reading Premium gasoline or E85 only!
on fuel filler flap):
Alternative fuel: Ethanol fuel (E85)
Air conditioning systemR-134a refrigerant and special PAG lubri-
cant oil (never R-12)
Windshield washer3.2 US qt (3.0 l)MB Windshield Washer Concentrate1
Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*6.4 US qt (6.0 l)
1Use MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit” and water for temperatures above freezing point or MB Windshield Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit”
and commercially available premixed windshield washer solvent/antifreeze for temperatures below freezing point. Follow suggested mixing ratios (page 418).

412 Technical data
Fuels, 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 Ap-
proved Service Products pamphlet, or con-
tact an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
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 are 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.
Only brake fluid approved by
Mercedes-Benz is recommended. An
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
provide you with additional information.
!Using engine oils and oil filters of specifica-
tion 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 or
emission control system damage not covered by
the Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.Please follow Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehicles) recom-
mendations for scheduled oil changes. Failure to
do so will result in engine or emission control
system damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
Warning!G
Under extremely strenuous operating condi-
tions, this moisture content can lead to the
formation of bubbles in the system, thus re-
ducing the system’s efficiency.
Therefore, the brake fluid must be replaced
regularly. Refer to your vehicle’s Mainte-
nance Booklet for replacement interval.

413 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Premium unleaded gasolineGasoline additives
A major concern among engine
manufacturers is carbon build-up caused
by gasoline. Mercedes-Benz recommends
only the use of quality gasoline containing
additives that prevent the build-up of
carbon deposits.
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
engine performance problems such as:

Warm-up hesitation

Unstable idle

Knocking/pinging

Misfire

Power loss
Warning!G
Gasoline is highly flammable and poisonous.
It burns violently and can cause serious per-
sonal injury.
Never allow sparks, flame or smoking mate-
rials near gasoline!
Turn off the engine before refueling
Whenever you are around gasoline, avoid in-
haling fumes and skin or clothing contact,
extinguish all smoking materials.
Direct skin contact with fuels and the inha-
lation of fuel vapors can be damaging to
your health.
!To maintain the engine’s durability and per-
formance, premium unleaded gasoline must be
used. If premium unleaded is not available and
low octane fuel is used, follow these precau-
tions:

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 acceler-
ation.

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 exceed2/3 of maximum accelerator
pedal position if the vehicle is fully loaded or
operating in mountainous terrain.

414 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
In areas where carbon deposits may be
encountered due to lack of availability of
gasolines which contain these additives,
Mercedes-Benz recommends the use of
additives approved by us for use on
Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Refer to Factory
Approved Service Products pamphlet for a
listing of approved product(s). Follow
directions on product label.
Do not blend other fuel additives with fuel.
This only results in unnecessary cost and
may be harmful to engine operation.
Damage or malfunction resulting from
poor fuel quality or from blending
additional fuel additives other than those
tested and approved by us for use on
Mercedes-Benz vehicles listed in the
Factory Approved Service Products
pamphlet are not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty. Fuel requirements
Only use premium unleaded fuel:

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 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.Flexible Fuel Vehicles
(C 230/C 230 Sport only)
Flexible Fuel Vehicles are identified by a
label reading Premium gasoline or E85
only! on fuel filler flap).
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
gasoline.
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.

415 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
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:

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.
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
gasoline operation.
Maintenance
Please inform your authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center if you use or have
used E85 fuel when your vehicle is deliv-
ered for maintenance or repairs.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 an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center for fur-
ther 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.iUse of E85 may reduce your driving range.
!E85 fuel is unsuitable for use when ambient
temperatures fall below 14°F (-10°C).

416 Technical data
Fuels, 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.
!Add premixed coolant solution only. Adding
water and MB 325.0 Anticorrosion/Antifreeze
separately from each other, could cause engine
damage not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty

417 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Anticorrosion/antifreeze
Your vehicle contains a number of
aluminum parts. The use of aluminum
components in motor vehicle engines
necessitates that anticorrosion/antifreeze
coolant used in such engines be specifi-
cally formulated to protect the aluminum
parts.
Failure to use such anticorrosion/anti-
freeze coolant will result in a significantly
shortened service life.
Therefore, the following product is strongly
recommended for use in your vehicle:
Mercedes-Benz 325.0
Anticorrosion/Antifreeze 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 an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center for service.Anticorrosion/antifreeze quantity
ModelApprox. freeze protection
–35°F
(–37°C)–49°F
(–45°C)
all
models3.8 US qt
(3.6 l)4.1 US qt
(3.9 l)

418 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*
Both the windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system* are supplied from the
windshield washer fluid reservoir.
The washer fluid reservoir has a capacity of
approx.:

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

6.4 US qt (6.0 l) in vehicles with
headlamp cleaning system*
Refill the reservoir with MB Windshield
Washer Concentrate “MB SummerFit”
and water (or concentrate and com-
mercially available premixed wind-
shield washer solvent/antifreeze,
depending on ambient temperatures).Windshield and headlamp washer fluid
mixing ratio
For temperatures above freezing point, use
MB Windshield Washer Concentrate
“MB SummerFit” and water:

1 part “MB SummerFit” to 100 parts
water
(1.34 fl oz [40 ml] “MB SummerFit” to
1 gallon [4.0 l] water)
For temperatures below freezing point, use
MB Windshield Washer Concentrate
“MB SummerFit” and commercially avail-
able premixed windshield washer sol-
vent/antifreeze:

1 part “MB SummerFit” to 100 parts
solvent
(1.34 fl oz [40 ml] “MB SummerFit” to
1 gallon [4.0 l] solvent)
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.

419 Index
A
ABS 25, 82
Malfunction indicator lamp 322, 323
Messages in display 335
Accelerator position,
automatic transmission 155
Accessory weight 304
Accident
In case of 53
Active head restraints
see Head restraints
Additional turn signals 368
Air bags 59
Children 75
Front passenger front air bag off
indicator lamp 27, 68, 331
Front, Driver 63
Front, Passenger 63
Passenger 63
Safety guidelines 62
Side impact (front and rear*) 64
Window curtain 64Air conditioning refrigerant 412
Air conditioning system
Automatic climate control* 174
Climate control 164
Air conditioning, Cooling
Automatic climate control* 184
Climate control 172
Air distribution
Automatic climate control* 178
Climate control 168
Air pressure see Tire inflation pressure
Air recirculation mode
Automatic climate control* 181
Climate control 170
Air vents, Front
Automatic climate control* 175
Climate control 165Air vents, Rear
Automatic climate control* 186
Climate control 173
Air volume
Automatic climate control* 179
Climate control 168
Alignment bolt (vehicle tool kit) 379
Anticorrosion/antifreeze 417
Antiglare, Rear view mirror 160
Anti-theft systems 89
Anti-theft alarm system* 89
Immobilizer 89
Aquaplaning see Hydroplaning
Armrest 238
Ashtrays 241
Aspect ratio 304
ATF (Automatic transmission fluid) 277
AUDIO menu
Search function 142
AUDIO menu (Control system) 127