oil MERCEDES-BENZ S430 2005 W220 User Guide

290 OperationEngine compartmentChecking the engine oil level with the
oil dipstick (S 430, S 500, and
S55AMG only)
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 five minutes with the
engine turned off
To check the engine oil level with the oil
dipstick, do the following:

Open the hood (
page 286).

Pull out oil dipstick1 (
page 291).

Wipe oil dipstick1 clean.

Fully insert oil dipstick1 into the dip-
stick guide tube.

Pull out oil dipstick1 again after ap-
proximately three seconds to obtain
accurate reading.
Oil dipstickThe oil level is correct when it is between
the lower (min) and upper (max) mark of
the oil dipstick.

If necessary, add engine oil.
For adding engine oil, see (
page 291).
For more information on engine, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 429) and
(
page 431).
For more information on messages in the
multifunction display concerning engine
oil, see the “Practical hints” section
(page 362).
iThe engine oil level can be checked by
either the oil dipstick or via the multi-
function display in the instrument clus-
ter (
page 288). The amount of engine
oil needed is shown more precisely in
the multifunction display.
iThe filling quantity between the upper
and lower marks on the oil dipstick is
approximately 2.1 US qt. (2.0 l).

291 Operation
Engine compartment
Adding engine oil
S 430, S 430 4MATIC, S 500, S 500 4MATIC,
and S 55 AMG1Oil dipstick (S 430, S 500, and
S 55 AMG only)
2Filler cap
Unscrew filler cap2 from filler neck.

Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.
Be careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.

Screw filler cap2 back on filler neck.
S 6001Filler cap
Unscrew filler cap1 from filler neck.

Add engine oil as required. Be careful
not to overfill with oil.
!Only use approved engine oils and oil
filters required for vehicles with Main-
tenance System (U.S. vehicles) or FSS
(Canada vehicles). For a listing of ap-
proved engine oils and oil filters, refer
to the Factory Approved Service Prod-
ucts pamphlet in your vehicle literature
portfolio, or contact an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
Using engine oils and oil filters of spec-
ification other than those expressly re-
quired for the Maintenance System
(U.S. vehicles) or FSS (Canada vehi-
cles), 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 Vehi-
cles) will result in engine damage not
covered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained
off. It could cause damage to the en-
gine and catalytic converter not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.


292 OperationEngine compartmentBe careful not to spill any oil when adding.
Avoid environmental damage caused by oil
entering the ground or water.
Screw filler cap1 back on filler neck.
For more information on engine, see the
“Technical data” section (
page 429) and
(
page 431).
Transmission fluid level
The transmission fluid level does not need
to be checked. If you notice transmission
fluid loss or gear shifting malfunctions,
have an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center
check the automatic transmission.Active Body Control* (ABC*) fluid level
Regular fluid level check is not required. If
you notice fluid leaks or malfunction mes-
sages in the multifunction display, have an
authorized Mercedes-Benz Center check
the ABC-system.
Coolant level
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze.
When checking the coolant level,

the vehicle must be parked on level
ground, and


the engine must be cool.
!Excess oil must be siphoned or drained
off. It could cause damage to the en-
gine and catalytic converter not cov-
ered by the Mercedes-Benz Limited
Warranty.


298 OperationTires and wheelsTread depth
Do not allow your tires to wear down too
far. Adhesion properties on wet roads are
sharply reduced at tread depths under 1/8in (3 mm).
Tread wear indicators (TWI) are required by
law. These indicators are located in six
places on the tread circumference and
become visible at a tread depth of approx-
imately
1/16
in (1.6 mm), at which point
the tire is considered worn and should be
replaced.
Recommended minimum tire tread depth:


Summer tires
1/8in (3 mm)


Winter tires
1/6in (4 mm)
1TWI (T
read W
ear I
ndicator)
The tread wear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.Storing tires
Cleaning tires
Warning!
G
Although the applicable federal motor safety
laws consider a tire to be worn when the
tread wear indicators (TWI) become visible
at approximately
1/16in (1.6 mm), we rec-
ommend that you do not allow your tires
to wear down to that level. As tread depth
approaches
1/8in (3 mm), the adhesion
properties on a wet road are sharply re-
duced.
Depending upon the weather and/or road
surface (conditions), the tire traction varies
widely.
!Keep unmounted tires in a cool, dry
place with as little exposure to light as
possible. Protect tires from contact
with oil, grease and gasoline.!Never use a round nozzle to power
wash tires. The intense jet of water can
result in damage to the tire.
Always replace a damaged tire.

322 OperationTires and wheelsTire and loading terminology
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power
seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that
these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether
installed or not).
Air pressure
The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire.
Air pressure is expressed in pounds per
square inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or
bars.
Aspect ratio
Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width
expressed in percentage.Bar
Another metric unit for air pressure. There
are 14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi)
to 1 bar; there are 100 kilopascals (kPa)
to 1 bar.
Bead
The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the
rim.
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle
has been sitting for at least three hours or
driven no more than one mile (1.6 km).
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with stan-
dard equipment including the maximum
capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so
equipped, air conditioning and additional
optional equipment, but without passen-
gers and cargo.DOT (D
epartment o
f T
ransportation)
A tire branding symbol which denotes the
tire meets requirements of the
U.S. Department of Transportation.
GAWR (G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible
axle weight. The gross vehicle weight on
each axle must never exceed the GAWR for
the front and rear axle indicated on the
Certification label located on the driver's
door B-pillar.
GVW (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight)
The GVW comprises the weight of the
vehicle including fuel, tools, spare wheel,
installed accessories, passengers and
cargo and, if applicable, trailer tongue
load. The GWV must never exceed the
GWVR indicated on the Certification label
located on the driver's door B-pillar.

329 Operation
Maintenance
Maintenance service term exceeded
If you have exceeded the suggested main-
tenance service term, you will see the fol-
lowing message in the multifunction
display:'A' SERVICE EXCEEDED
BY XXXX MILES (KM)
'A' SERVICE EXCEEDED BY XXX DAYS
'A' SERVICE EXCEEDED BY X DAYIn addition, a signal sounds when the mes-
sage appears.
Any authorized Mercedes-Benz Center will
reset the maintenance service indicator
following a completed maintenance ser-
vice.
Calling up the maintenance service in-dicator
Switch on ignition.
The standard display of the control sys-
tem appears (
page 148).

Press button k or j on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel until the
maintenance service indicator with the
service symbol 9 or ´ and the
service deadline appears in the multi-
function display.
Resetting the maintenance service indi-
cator
In the event that the maintenance service
on your vehicle is not carried out by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center, you can have the maintenance service indicator re-
set. The automotive maintenance facility
carrying out the maintenance service will
find the information for resetting the main-
tenance service indicator in the mainte-
nance-relevant information for your
vehicle. Such information is available from
either your authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center or directly from Mercedes-Benz
USA, LLC.
iIf the battery is disconnected, the days
of disconnection will not be included in
the count shown by the maintenance
service indicator. To arrive at the true
maintenance service deadline, you will
need to subtract these days from the
days shown in the maintenance service
indicator.
Do not confuse the maintenance ser-
vice indicator with the engine oil level
indicator :.
iIf the maintenance service indicator
was inadvertently reset, have an autho-
rized Mercedes-Benz Center correct it.
Only reset if the proper maintenance
service has been performed. Resetting
the system without performing the
proper service as called for by the
maintenance service indicator will re-
sult in engine damage and/or other ve-
hicle damage not covered by the
Mercedes-Benz Limited Warranty.

330 OperationVehicle careCleaning and care of vehicle
In operation, even while parked, your vehi-
cle is subjected to varying external influ-
ences which, if gone unchecked, can
attack the paintwork as well as the under-
body and cause lasting damage.Such damage is caused not only by ex-
treme and varying climatic conditions, but
also by:


Air pollution


Road salt


Tar


Gravel and stone chipping
To avoid paint damage, you should imme-
diately remove:


Grease and oil


Fuel


Coolant


Brake fluid


Bird droppings


Insects


Tree resins, etc.
Frequent washing reduces and/or elimi-
nates the aggressiveness and potency of
the above adverse influences.More frequent washings are necessary to
deal with unfavorable conditions:


near the ocean


in industrial areas (smoke, exhaust
emissions)


during winter operation
You should check your vehicle from time to
time for stone chipping or other damage.
Any damage should be repaired as soon as
possible to prevent corrosion.
In doing so, do not neglect the underbody
of the vehicle. A prerequisite for a thor-
ough check is a washing of the underbody
followed by a thorough inspection. Dam-
aged areas need to be re-undercoat-
ed.Your vehicle has been treated at the
factory with a wax-base rustproofing in the
body cavities which will last for the lifetime
of the vehicle. Post-production treatment
is neither necessary nor recommended by
Mercedes-Benz because of the possibility
of incompatibility between materials used
in the production process and others ap-
plied later.
Warning!
G
Many cleaning products can be hazardous.
Some are poisonous, others are flammable.
Always follow the instructions on the partic-
ular container. Always open your vehicle’s
doors or windows when cleaning the inside.
Never use fluids or solvents that are not de-
signed for cleaning your vehicle.

336 OperationVehicle careUpholstery
Using aftermarket seat covers or wearing
clothing that have the tendency to give off
coloring (e.g. when wet, etc.) may cause
the upholstery to become permanently dis-
colored. By lining the seats with a proper
intermediate cover, contact-discoloration
will be prevented.
Leather upholstery
Wipe leather upholstery with a damp cloth
and dry thoroughly or clean with
Mercedes-Benz approved Leather Care.
Exercise particular care when cleaning per-
forated leather as its underside should not
become wet.Nubuck leather upholstery (S 55 AMG)
The nubuck leather upholstery is treated
with a protective coating. Wipe nubuck
leather upholstery with damp microfiber
cloth to remove dust and other light stains.
Carefully dab nubuck leather upholstery
with a dry microfiber cloth to remove oil
stains.Plastic and rubber parts
Do not use oil or wax on these parts.
Wood trims
Dampen cloth using water and use damp
cloth to clean wood trims in your vehicle.
Do not use solvents like tar remover or
wheel cleaner nor polishes or waxes as
these may be abrasive.
!Do not use Mercedes-Benz approved
Leather Care or any solvents to clean
nubuck leather upholstery.
Avoid hard scrubbing on nubuck leath-
er upholstery.

349 Practical hints
What to do if …?
Text messagesDisplay
Possible cause
Possible solution
ABC
ACTIVE BODY CONTROL
DRIVE CAREFULLY!
The capability of the ABC system is restrict-
ed. This can impair the handling.

Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz center as
soon as possible.
The vehicle is losing oil.

Stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so.
ACTIVE BODY CONTROL
STOP, CAR TOO LOW
The vehicle is parked on an extremely
uneven surface.

Press the vehicle level control button to se-
lect level 2 (
page 232).
ABC is malfunctioning.

Stop and press the vehicle level control but-
ton to select a higher vehicle level
(page 232).

Do not turn steering wheel too far to avoid
damaging the front fenders.

Listen for scraping noises.

Do not exceed a speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz center as
soon as possible.
DISPLAY DEFECTIVE
VISIT WORKSHOP
The display for ABC or the ABC system itself
is malfunctioning.

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.

362 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
:
USA only:ADD 1.0 QT. ENGINE
OIL
AT FILLING STATIONCanada only:ADD 1.0 LITER ENGINE
OIL
AT FILLING STATION
The engine oil level is too low.

Add engine oil (
page 291) and check
the engine oil level (page 288).
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
STOP, ENGINE OFF!
There is no oil in the engine.
There is a danger of engine damage.
Carefully bring the vehicle to a halt as
soon as possible.

Turn off the engine.

Add engine oil (
page 291) and check
the engine oil level (page 288).
ENGINE OIL LEVEL
REDUCE OIL LEVEL
You have added too much engine oil.
There is a risk of damaging the engine or
the catalytic converter.

Have excess oil siphoned or drained off.
Observe all legal requirements with re-
spect to its disposal.