engine coolant MERCEDES-BENZ E550 4MATIC 2007 W211 User Guide

323 Operation
At the gas station
Low outside temperatures
(diesel engine)
To prevent malfunctions, diesel fuel with
improved cold flow characteristics is of-
fered in the winter months. Check with
your fuel retailer.
Check regularly and before a long trip
1Windshield washer system and head-
lamp cleaning system*
2Brake fluid
3Coolant level
!
Diesel engine:
The engine is more susceptible to wear and
damage if you use


marine diesel fuel


heating oil


additives
The exhaust aftertreatment device will be
seriously damaged if you use


LOW SULFUR DIESEL FUEL
(500 ppm SULFUR MAXIMUM)


any other diesel fuel with a sulfur content of
above 15 ppm
The use of such non-approved fuels and/or
special additives is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.
!
Do not fill the tank with gasoline. Do not
blend diesel fuel with gasoline or kerosine. The
fuel system and engine will otherwise be dam-
aged, which is not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

324 OperationAt the gas stationWindshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*
For information on refilling the reservoir,
see “Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system*”
(page 332).
Brake fluid
For information on brake fluid, see “Fuels,
coolants, lubricants etc.” (
page 491).Coolant
For normal replenishing, use water (pota-
ble water quality). For more information on
coolant, see “Coolant level” (
page 330)
and see “Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.”
(
page 491).
Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil level,
see “Engine oil” (
page 327).Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information on replacing light bulbs, see
“Replacing bulbs” (
page 443).
For more information, see “Exterior lamp
switch” (
page 137).
Tire inflation pressure
For more information, see “Checking tire
inflation pressure” (
page 342).
!
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 383).

325 Operation
Engine compartment
Engine compartment
Hood
OpeningWarning!
G
Do not pull the release lever while the vehi-
cle is in motion. Otherwise the hood could
be forced open by passing air flow.
This could cause the hood to come loose
and injure you and/or others.Warning!
G
If you see flames or smoke coming from the
engine compartment, or if the coolant tem-
perature indicator indicates that the engine
is overheated, do not open the hood. Move
away from vehicle and do not open the hood
until the engine has cooled. If necessary,
call the fire department.
Warning!
G
You could be injured when the hood is open
– even when the engine is turned off.
Parts of the engine can become very hot. To
prevent burns, let the engine cool off com-
pletely before touching any components on
the vehicle. Comply with all relevant safety
precautions.Warning!
G
To help prevent personal injury, stay clear of
moving parts when the hood is open and the
engine is running.
The radiator fan may continue to run for ap-
proximately 30 seconds or may even restart
after the engine has been turned off. Stay
clear of fan blades.
Warning!
G
Vehicles with gasoline engine:
The engine is equipped with a transistorized
ignition system. Because of the high voltage
it is dangerous to touch any components (ig-
nition coils, spark plug sockets, diagnostic
socket) of the ignition system

with the engine running


while starting the engine


if ignition is “on” and the engine is
turned manually

328 OperationEngine compartmentChecking engine oil level
When checking the oil level

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground


with the engine at operating tempera-
ture, the vehicle must have been sta-
tionary for at least 5 minutes with the
engine turned off


with the engine not at operating tem-
perature yet, the vehicle must have
been stationary for at least 5 minutes
with the engine turned off1Oil dipstick
2Upper (max) mark
3Lower (min) mark
To check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:

Open the hood (
page 325).

Pull out oil dipstick1.

Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.

Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the
dipstick guide tube.

Pull out oil dipstick1 again after
approximately 3 seconds to obtain ac-
curate reading.
The oil level is correct when it is be-
tween the lower (min) mark3 and
upper (max) mark2 of oil dipstick1.

If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil, see “Adding engine
oil”.
For more information on engine oil, see
“Fuels, coolants, lubricants etc.”
(
page 491).
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(page 418).
i
All models (except E 63 AMG):
The filling quantity between the upper and lower
marks on the oil dipstick is approximately
2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).
E63AMG:
The filling quantity between the upper and lower
marks on the oil dipstick is approximately
1.6 US qt. (1.5 l).

330 OperationEngine compartmentCoolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze. To check
the coolant level, the vehicle must be
parked on level ground and the engine
must be cool.
The coolant expansion tank is located on
the driver’s side of the engine compart-
ment.
1Marking bar in the expansion tank
2Cap
3Coolant expansion tank

Using a rag, turn cap2 slowly approx-
imately one half turn counterclockwise
to release any excess pressure.

Continue turning the cap2 counter-
clockwise and remove it.
The coolant level is correct if the level:

for cold coolant: reaches marking
bar1 in the expansion tank3


for warm coolant: is approximately
0.6 in (1.5 cm) higher

Add coolant as required.

Replace and tighten cap2.
For more information on coolant, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 498).
Warning!
G
In order to avoid any potentially serious
burns:

Use extreme caution when opening the
hood if there are any signs of steam or
coolant leaking from the cooling system,
or if the coolant temperature gauge indi-
cates that the coolant is overheated.


Do not remove pressure cap on coolant
reservoir if coolant temperature is
above 158°F (70°C). Allow engine to
cool down before removing cap. The
coolant reservoir contains hot fluid and
is under pressure.


Do not spill antifreeze on hot engine
parts. Antifreeze contains ethylene gly-
col which may burn if it comes into con-
tact with hot engine parts.


Using a rag, slowly open the cap approx-
imately
1/2 turn to relieve excess pres-
sure. If opened immediately, scalding
hot fluid and steam will be blown out un-
der pressure.

386 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Problem
Possible cause/consequence
Suggested solution
D
The red coolant temperature
warning lamp comes on when
the engine is running.
There is insufficient coolant in the reservoir.
If this warning lamp comes on frequently,
there is a leak in the cooling system.
If the coolant level is correct, the electric ra-
diator fan may be broken.

Immediately add coolant to prevent
engine from overheating
(page 330).

Have the cooling system checked.

If the coolant temperature is below
248°F (120°C), you can continue
driving to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

Avoid high engine loads (e.g. driving
uphill) and stop-and-go driving.
The red coolant temperature
warning lamp comes on while
driving and you hear a warning
sound.
The coolant temperature has exceeded
248°F (120°C).

Stop as soon as possible in a safe lo-
cation and allow the engine and cool-
ant to cool down.
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 open-
ing the engine hood. Stay away from the en-
gine if you see or hear steam coming from it.
Turn off the engine, get out of the vehicle
and do not stand near the vehicle until the
engine has cooled down.

414 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
ú
(USA only)
±
(Canada only)
Visit workshop
There may be a malfunction in the:

fuel injection system


ignition system


exhaust system


fuel system

Have the measuring system
checked by an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
H
Top up coolant
See Operator’s Manual
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 330).

If you have to add coolant frequent-
ly, have the cooling system checked
by an authorized 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
Limited Warranty.
Do not drive without sufficient amount of coolant
in the cooling system. The engine will overheat
causing major engine damage.

415 Practical hints
What to do if …
During severe operation conditions and
stop-and-go city traffic, the coolant tem-
perature may rise close to 248°F (120°C).
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
•
Coolant
Stop, turn engine off
The coolant is too hot.

Stop the vehicle in a safe location or as
soon as it is safe to do so and immediate-
ly turn off the engine.

Only start the engine again after the
message disappears. You could other-
wise damage the engine.

Apply the parking brake (
page 62).

Observe the coolant temperature indica-
tor in the instrument cluster (
page 27).
If the temperature rises again:

Contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center immediately.
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 damage which is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

416 Practical hintsWhat to do if …Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
•
Coolant
Stop, turn engine off
The poly-V-belt could be broken.

Stop the vehicle in a safe location and im-
mediately 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 wa-
ter pump which may result in damage to the
engine. Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If it is intact:

Do not continue to drive the vehicle with
this message displayed. Doing so could re-
sult in serious engine damage that is not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.

Observe the coolant temperature indicator
in the instrument cluster (
page 27).

Drive immediately to the nearest authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.

417 Practical hints
What to do if …
Display symbol
Display message
Possible cause/consequence
Possible solution
•
The cooling fan for the coolant is malfunc-
tioning.

Observe the coolant temperature indicator
in the instrument cluster (
page 27).
If the coolant temperature is under 248°F
(120°C), you may continue driving to an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center.

Avoid placing heavy loads on the engine
(e.g. by driving uphill) as well as
stop-and-go traffic.

Have the fan replaced as soon as possible.
±
Display malfunction
Visit workshop
Certain electronic systems are unable to
relay information to the control system.
The following systems may have failed:

Coolant temperature display


Tachometer


Cruise control display

Have the electronic systems checked by an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.
Engine
Service
There may be a malfunction in:

the fuel injection system


the ignition system


the exhaust system

Have the engine checked as soon as possi-
ble by an authorized Mercedes-Benz Cen-
ter.