coolant level MERCEDES-BENZ S55AMG 2005 W220 Owner's Manual

ContentsOperation......................................... 271
The first 1000 miles (1500 km) ......... 272
Driving instructions ............................ 273
Drive sensibly – save fuel ............. 273
Drinking and driving ..................... 273
Pedals .......................................... 273
Power assistance ......................... 273
Brakes .......................................... 274
Driving off..................................... 275
Parking ......................................... 275
Tires ............................................. 276
Hydroplaning ................................ 277
Tire traction .................................. 277
Tire speed rating .......................... 278
Winter driving instructions ........... 279
Standing water ............................. 280
Passenger compartment .............. 280
Driving abroad .............................. 280
Control and operation of radio
transmitters.................................. 280
Catalytic converter ....................... 281
Emission control........................... 282
Coolant temperature .................... 282At the gas station .............................. 283
Refueling ...................................... 283
Check regularly and before
a long trip ..................................... 284
Engine compartment ......................... 286
Hood ............................................ 286
Engine oil ..................................... 287
Transmission fluid level ................ 292
Active Body Control* (ABC*)
fluid level...................................... 292
Coolant level ................................ 292
Battery ......................................... 294
Windshield washer system and
headlamp cleaning system* ......... 295
Tires and wheels ................................ 296
Important guidelines .................... 296
Tire care and maintenance ........... 297
Direction of rotation ..................... 299
Loading the vehicle ...................... 299
Recommended tire inflation
pressure ....................................... 305
Checking tire inflation pressure ... 307
Tire labeling.................................. 312
Load identification ....................... 316DOT, Tire Identification
Number (TIN) ............................... 317
Maximum tire load ....................... 318
Maximum tire inflation pressure .. 319
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards (U.S. vehicles) ............. 319
Tire ply material ........................... 321
Tire and loading terminology ........ 322
Rotating tires ............................... 325
Winter driving .................................... 326
Winter tires .................................. 326
Block heater (Canada only) .......... 327
Snow chains................................. 327
Maintenance...................................... 328
Clearing the maintenance
service indicator .......................... 328
Maintenance service term
exceeded ..................................... 329
Calling up the maintenance
service indicator .......................... 329
Resetting the maintenance
service indicator .......................... 329
Vehicle care....................................... 330
Cleaning and care of vehicle ........ 330

54 Getting startedDrivingProblems while driving
The engine runs erratically and misfires

An ignition cable may be damaged.


The engine electronics may not be op-
erating properly.


Unburned gasoline may have entered
the catalytic converter and damaged it.

Give very little gas.

Have the problem repaired by an au-
thorized Mercedes-Benz Center as
soon as possible.The coolant temperature is above
248°F (120°C)
The coolant is too hot and is no longer
cooling the engine.

Stop the vehicle as soon as possible
and turn off the engine. Allow engine
and coolant to cool.

Check the coolant level and add cool-
ant if necessary (
page 292).In case of accident
If the vehicle is leaking gasoline:

Do not start the engine under any cir-
cumstances.

Notify local fire and/or police authori-
ties.
If the extent of the damage cannot be de-
termined:

Notify an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center.
If no damage can be determined on the


major assemblies


fuel system


engine mount:

Start the engine in the usual manner.
iExcessive coolant temperatures trigger
a warning message in the multifunction
display (
page 359).

284 OperationAt the gas station
Replace the fuel cap by turning it to the
right.
You will hear when the fuel cap is tight-
ened.

Close the fuel filler flap.
Check regularly and before a long trip
1Windshield washer and headlamp
cleaning system*
2Coolant level
3Brake fluid
Warning!
G
Overfilling of the fuel tank may create pres-
sure in the system which could cause a gas
discharge. This could cause the gas to spray
back out when removing the fuel pump noz-
zle, which could cause personal injury.
iOnly use premium unleaded gasoline
with a minimum Posted Octane Rating
of 91 (average of 96 RON/86 MON).
Information on gasoline quality can
normally be found on the fuel pump.
More information on gasoline can be
found in the Factory Approved Service
Products pamphlet.iLeaving the engine running and the fuel
cap open can cause the yellow engine
malfunction indicator lamp ?
(USA only),
±
(Canada only)
to illuminate.
For more information, see the “Practi-
cal hints” section (
page 341).
iOpening the hood, see (
page 286).


285 Operation
At the gas station
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 295).
Coolant
For more information on coolant, see
“Coolant level” (
page 292) and see “Fu-
els, coolants, lubricants, etc.”
(
page 429).Brake fluid
For information on brake fluid, see “Brake
fluid” (
page 431)Engine oil level
For more information on engine oil, see
“Engine oil” (
page 287).
Vehicle lighting
Check function and cleanliness. For more
information on replacing light bulbs, see
“Replacing bulbs” (
page 389).
For more information, see “Switching on
headlamps” (
page 50).
Tire inflation pressure
For information on tire inflation pressure,
see “Checking tire inflation pressure”
(
page 307).
!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 339).

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.


293 Operation
Engine compartment
The coolant expansion tank is located on
the passenger side of the engine compart-
ment.
1Coolant expansion tank
Using a rag, turn the cap slowly approx-
imately one half turn to the left to re-
lease any excess pressure.

Continue turning the cap to the left and
remove it.The coolant level is correct if the level


for cold coolant: reaches the black top
part of the reservoir


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

Add coolant as required.

Replace and tighten cap.
For more information on coolant, see
“Coolants” (
page 433).
Warning!
G
In order to avoid any possibly 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.


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.


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.
!S 600:
Only open the cap on coolant expan-
sion tank1. Never open the cap be-
tween the charge-air coolers.
Otherwise, the engine could be dam-
aged.

358 Practical hintsWhat to do if …?Display
Possible cause
Possible solution
?
VISIT WORKSHOP
There may be a malfunction in the:

Fuel injection system


Ignition system


Exhaust system


Fuel system

Visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz
Center as soon as possible.
B
COOLANT
CHECK LEVEL!
The coolant level is too low.

Add coolant (
page 292).

If you have to add coolant frequently,
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 can 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 a sufficient
amount of coolant in the cooling sys-
tem. The engine will overheat, causing
major engine damage.

433 Technical data
Fuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.
In areas where carbon deposits may be en-
countered due to lack of availability of gas-
olines 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 di-
rections on product label.
Do not blend any specific fuel additives
with fuel. This only results in unnecessary
cost and may be harmful to the engine op-
eration.
Damage or malfunction resulting from
poor fuel quality or from blending addition-
al fuel additives other than those tested
and approved by us for use on
Mercedes-Benz vehicles listed in the Fac-
tory Approved Service Products Pamphlet
are not covered by the Mercedes-Benz
Limited Warranty.
Coolants
The engine coolant is a mixture of water
and anticorrosion/antifreeze, which pro-
vides:

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 corro-
sion protection.
If the antifreeze mixture is effective to
-22°F (-30°C), the boiling point of the cool-
ant in the pressurized cooling system is
reached at approximately 266°F (130°C).The coolant solution must be used
year-round to provide the necessary corro-
sion protection and increase boil-over pro-
tection. 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 solu-
tion or other Mercedes-Benz approved
products of equal specification (see
Factory Approved Service Products pam-
phlet) are used to renew the coolant con-
centration or bring it back up to the proper
level.
To provide important corrosion protection,
the solution must be at least 45% anticor-
rosion/antifreeze [equivalent to freeze
protection to approximately - 22°F
(-30°C)]. If you use a solution that is more
than 55% anticorrosion/antifreeze [freeze
protection to approximately - 49°F
(-45°C)], the engine temperature will in-
crease due to the lower heat transfer capa-

434 Technical dataFuels, coolants, lubricants, etc.bility 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).
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, con-
sult an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center.Anticorrosion/antifreeze
Your vehicle contains a number of alumi-
num parts. The use of aluminum compo-
nents in motor vehicle engines
necessitates that anticorrosion/antifreeze
coolant used in such engines be specifical-
ly formulated to protect the aluminum
parts. (Failure to use such anticorrosion/
antifreeze coolant will result in a signifi-
cantly 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.

443 Index
A
ABC 231, 437
Messages in display 349, 354
Setting vehicle level 230, 232
ABS 25, 80, 437
Malfunction indicator lamp 338
Messages in display 350
Warning lamp 338
Accelerator position, automatic
transmission 180
Accessory weight 322
Accident
In case of 54
Activating
Air conditioner (cooling) 203
Air conditioning 202
Air recirculation mode 199
Anti-theft alarm system 87
Central locking (control system) 168
Charcoal filter 200
Distance warning function* 226
Distronic* 222
Easy-entry/exit feature 170ESP 84
Exterior lamps 132
Exterior rear view mirror parking
position 187
Front and rear fog lamp 132, 134
Hazard warning flasher 136
Headlamps 50
High beams 135
Ignition 34
Ignition with KEYLESS-GO* start/stop
button 36
Immobilizer 57, 86
Limiting opening height of trunk
lid* 169
Manual shift program S 55 AMG 183
Rear window defroster 201
Residual heat 203
Seat heater 125, 126
Seat ventilation* 127
Tow-away alarm 89
Windshield wipers 52Adaptive Damping System (ADS) 229,
437
Adding
Coolant 293
Engine oil 291
Additional turn signals 390
Adjustable air vents, rear passenger
compartment 204
Adjusting 37
Air distribution 196
Air volume 198
Backrest tilt 38
Drive-dynamic seat* 172
Exterior rear view mirror 41
Head restraint height 39
Head restraint tilt 39
Instrument cluster illumination 140
Interior rear view mirror 41
Lumbar support 122
Mirrors 41
Multicontour backrest* 122
Power seat bench* 117
Seat cushion depth 38, 123