Online Owner's Manual [In depth | Operation

Introduction to service products

Risk of injury

Service products are hazardous to health. They contain toxic and caustic substances.

Service products are highly flammable.

For this reason, observe the following instructions to prevent injuries to yourself and others:

Do not inhale the vapours. When indoors, always ensure there is sufficient ventilation to prevent intoxication.
Do not let service products come into contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Should contact occur, however, clean the affected areas of skin with water to prevent caustic burns and other injuries.

In the event of eye contact, wash eyes thoroughly with plenty of clean water.
Fire, naked flames and smoking are forbidden when handling service products due to their high flammability.
Observe the usage and warning notices on the containers.


Special additives (except approved fuel additives) are neither required nor approved for use with approved service products. Additives could cause damage to the assemblies. Therefore, do not mix any additives with service products.

	Environmental note
Dispose of service products in an environmentally-responsible manner.

Service products are:

windscreen washer concentrate
brake fluid
fuels (e.g. diesel)
lubricants (e.g. engine oil, transmission oil, hydraulic fluids, greases)
antifreeze, coolant
AdBlue® (BlueTec® exhaust gas aftertreatment reduction agent)

Approved service products fulfil the highest quality requirements and are documented in the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service Products. For this reason, only use service products that have been approved for your vehicle. This is an important condition of the implied warranty. Information about approved service products is available from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

You can recognise service products approved for Mercedes-Benz by the following inscription marked on the container

MB-Freigabe (e.g. Freigabe 228.5)

or
MB Approval 228.5

Other labels and recommendations relating to the quality or indicating a specification are not necessarily approved by Mercedes-Benz. You can obtain further information from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

The use of fuel additives is the responsibility of the vehicle operator. Mixing additives with service products can limit or invalidate the implied warranty entitlements.


You can obtain information about service products which have been tested by Mercedes-Benz and approved for your vehicle on the Internet at: http://bevo.daimler.com/


The specification and availability of lubricants may vary. Some lubricants are no longer available, especially for older vehicles. Information is available from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

Hydraulic fluids

Hydraulic fluids for the hydraulic clutch mechanism and the transmission shift system are specified on Sheet number 345.0 of the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service Products and no deviation is permitted.

Do not top up with hydraulic fluids of a different quality grade or brake fluid. Doing so could cause damage to the hydraulic clutch mechanism or to the gearshift and limit or invalidate the warranty.

You do not need to renew the hydraulic fluid for the hydraulic clutch mechanism and gearshift.

Engine oils

Vehicles without BlueTec® exhaust gas aftertreatment:

Only use engine oil which complies with the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service Products in accordance with Sheet number 228.1/.3/.31/.5/51 (multi-grade oils) or Sheet number 228.0/.2 (single-grade oils). Engine oils which comply with Sheet number 228.5 are especially recommended.

Vehicles with BlueTec® exhaust gas aftertreatment: Only use engine oil which complies with the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service Products in accordance with Sheet number 228.3/.31/.5/.51 (multi-grade oils) or Sheet number 228.2 (single-grade oils). Engine oils which comply with Sheet number 228.5 are especially recommended.

These engine oils are of a high standard of quality and have a beneficial effect on:

engine wear
fuel consumption
exhaust emissions

Ranges of use

Multi-grade oils which comply with Sheet number 228.1/.3/.31/.5/.51 can be used all year round. Oil change intervals may be shortened, depending on the fuel sulphur content.
Single-grade oils which comply with Sheet no. 228.0/.2 are only designed for one SAE viscosity class for specific temperature ranges. Change the engine oil to a viscosity class suitable for the time of year and the respective outside temperatures.

Set the fuel sulphur content in the on-board computer more.


Using engine oils of another grade quality is not permitted and may lead to a loss of your warranty entitlements.

Operation of the vehicle with FAME fuel (bio-diesel fuel):

Only use engine oils which comply with Sheet number 228.1/.3/.5/.51 of the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service Products. This is also required for a mixture of conventional diesel fuels and FAME fuels.

Engine oils of a different quality grade are not permissible and may invalidate the warranty.

Oil change

Oil change intervals are dependent on the following:

the operating conditions of the vehicle
the grade of the engine oil used
the type of fuel, e. g. FAME fuel

The on-board computer automatically shows the time for an oil change as a display message.

Select the SAE class (viscosity) of engine oil in accordance with outside temperatures.


If you are not using an oil for all-year-round operation in the engine, you must have the oil changed to an approved engine oil of the prescribed SAE class in good time when the cold weather begins.


You can only achieve the maximum oil change intervals by using engine oils of particularly high quality (e.g. in accordance with Sheet number 228.5 of the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service Products).


There is a risk of damage to the catalytic converter or to the engine if too much oil is added. Have excess oil drained off.

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Single-grade engine oils

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Multi-grade engine oils

SAE engine oil classes

Set the following engine oil data in the on-board computer:

sheet number (quality grade)
SAE class (viscosity)

	Environmental note
If the vehicle is operated using FAME fuel (bio-diesel fuel), special precautions must be taken and national specifications complied with when disposing of engine oils. Information is available from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

Filling/topping up engine oil

When topping up, Mercedes-Benz recommends that you only use engine oil of the same grade and SAE class as the oil filled at the last oil change.

Miscibility of engine oils

If, in exceptional circumstances, the type of engine oil currently used in the engine is not available, another mineral or synthetic engine oil approved for Mercedes-Benz may be used.

Engine oils are differentiated according to:

brand of engine oil
quality grade (sheet number)
SAE viscosity class


Mixing oils diminishes the benefits of high-quality engine oils.

Adjusting the oil quality

If you use a lower grade engine oil to top up or for an oil change, you must set the grade of this oil in the on-board computer.

If you top up the engine oil using oil of a higher quality, this quality must not be entered in the on-board computer.

See the on-board computer menu Settings, service products more.


You can find information on the oil grade from the designation on the container (e.g. Sheet no. 228.5) and SAE classification (e.g. viscosity 5W30).

Transmission oils

Depending on the vehicle version, the following assemblies may be filled with a high quality synthetic oil at the factory:

drive axles
transmission
transfer case


If you replace the synthetic oil in these assemblies with a mineral transmission oil, you may damage the assemblies. Before the oil change, check whether the use of a mineral transmission oil is permitted. Information is available from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

Transmission oil quality

The quality grade of the transmission oil used can be checked and changed in the on-board computer more.

Coolant

A coolant is filled at the factory which guarantees antifreeze and anti-corrosion protection.

The coolant is a mixture of water and corrosion inhibitor/antifreeze.

The corrosion inhibitor/antifreeze agent in the cooling system is responsible for:

anti-corrosion protection
antifreeze protection
increasing the boiling point

In order to maintain corrosion protection and to increase the boiling point, the coolant must remain in the cooling system all the year round - even in countries with high outside temperatures.

Check the corrosion inhibitor/antifreeze concentration in the coolant every six months.

Renew the coolant every 3 years.

To prevent damage to the cooling system, only use an approved corrosion inhibitor/antifreeze agent.

If the coolant is renewed, there should be 50% corrosion inhibitor/antifreeze agent by volume. This corresponds to antifreeze protection down to -37 °C.

Do not exceed 55% by volume (antifreeze protection down to approx. -45 °C) as otherwise the heat dissipation properties are impaired.

If there is a loss of coolant, do not top it up using only water, but also add an approved corrosion inhibitor/antifreeze agent.

The water in the coolant must meet certain requirements, which are often fulfilled by drinking water. The water must be treated if its quality does not meet the required standards.

Please refer to the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service Products, Sheet number 310.1.

Further information about operational and road safety can be obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

Coolant additive without antifreeze properties

Environmental note

In exceptional cases, where no antifreeze protection is required (e.g. in countries where outside temperatures are constantly high), it is possible to add a coolant additive complying with Sheet number 312.0 of the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service Products to the water instead of a corrosion inhibitor/antifreeze agent.

Improvers (corrosion-inhibiting oils) are not permitted. Renew the coolant annually.

Further information concerning the requisite water quality and approved coolant additives without antifreeze properties is available from all Mercedes-Benz Service Centres.

Diesel fuels

Risk of explosion

Fuel is highly flammable. Fire, naked flames and smoking, and the operation of auxiliary heaters (ignition sparks) are therefore prohibited when handling fuels.

Switch off the engine and the auxiliary heating before refuelling.

Risk of injury

Avoid any contact with fuels.

You can damage your health if your skin comes into direct contact with fuel or if you inhale fuel vapours.

If you are using drums or canisters to refuel the vehicle, you should filter the fuel before adding it.

This prevents the fuel system from being affected by contaminated fuel.

Only refuel using commercially-available automotive diesel fuel that conforms to the European standard EN 590 (or equivalent national fuel standards). Fuel grades such as marine diesel fuel or heating oils are not permitted.

When necessary, use only approved special fuel additives.

There is otherwise a risk of impaired engine performance or engine and catalytic converter damage. The use of special fuel additives is always the responsibility of the vehicle operator and may result in the restriction or loss of the warranty.

Fuel grade

When the vehicle leaves the factory, the sulphur content of the fuel available in the country of delivery is set in the on-board computer. If you refuel the vehicle in other countries, the appropriate fuel sulphur content for the country concerned must be set in the on-board computer.

Set the sulphur content of the fuel in the on-board computer more.

The following table is an overview of typical sulphur content in % by weight of fuel available in various countries. You may obtain information about current country-specific fuel sulphur contents from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

Fuel sulphur content table (March 2008)

Fuel sulphur content (proportion by weight, in percent)
Continent	Country	On-board computer setting
Europe, CIS	Albania ^1,2, Armenia², Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia^1,2, Greece, United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Croatia^1,2, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Macedonia^1,2, Moldova, Montenegro^1,2, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia^1,2, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia^1,2, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey^1,2, Turkmenistan, Ukraine^1,2, Hungary, Cyprus	0 ... 0.05
	Armenia, Russia¹	0.05 ... 0.1
	Albania, Georgia¹, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Croatia, Macedonia¹, Montenegro, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine¹, Uzbekistan	0.1 ...
Australia, Oceania	Australia, French Polynesia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea	0 ... 0.05
Australia, Oceania	New Caledonia, Samoa, Tonga	0.1 ...
Asia	Afghanistan, Bhutan, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Laos^1,2, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka^1,2, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand	0 ... 0.05
	Brunei, China, Laos¹	0.05 ... 0.1
	Bangladesh, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar (Burma), North Korea, Pakistan, Sri Lanka¹, Vietnam	0.1 ...
Southwest Asia, Middle East	Lebanon^1,2	0 ... 0.05
Southwest Asia, Middle East	Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon¹, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates	0.1 ...
North America	Canada, Mexico, USA	0 ... 0.05
Central America, South America, the Caribbean	Argentina^1,2, Bolivia², Brazil, Chile, Ecuador^1,2	0 ... 0.05
	Guyana²	0.05 ... 0.1
	Argentina¹, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia¹, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador¹, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama (not incl. canal area), Paraguay, Peru, Santa Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela	0.1 ...
Africa	Morocco^1,2, South Africa, Sudan	0 ... 0.05
	Algeria	0.05 ... 0.1
	Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Djibouti, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Kenya, Comoros, Congo, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco¹, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zambia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Chad, Tunisia, Uganda, Zaire, Central African Republic	0.1 ...

¹ Euro diesel only.
² Diesel fuels with a higher sulphur content are offered as well.

Diesel fuels at low temperatures

At low outside temperatures, paraffin separation may cause the flow properties of the diesel fuel to be insufficient.

To prevent operating problems, diesel fuel with improved flow properties is available in the winter months.

Winter diesel fuels are reliable down to outside temperatures of -22 ../../../../global/font_symbols/CorpoSWGL/CorpoSWGL_2020.png in Germany and other Central European countries. You can normally use winter diesel fuel without problems at the outside temperatures expected in the country where it is on sale.

Fuel additives

Flow improver and kerosine are fuel additives used to improve flow characteristics.

Do not add flow improvers to winter diesel fuel guaranteed to operate down to -22 ../../../../global/font_symbols/CorpoSWGL/CorpoSWGL_2020.png . The cold flow properties of the fuel may deteriorate as a consequence of the flow improver.

If summer diesel fuel or winter diesel fuel with less resistance to low temperatures is in use, add a quantity of flow improver or kerosene, depending on the outside temperatures.

Add the fuel additive to the diesel fuel in good time, before paraffin separation causes the diesel fuel's flow properties to be insufficient. Malfunctions caused by paraffin separation can only be rectified by heating the entire fuel system, e.g. by parking the vehicle in a heated indoor area.

The vehicle is equipped with a fuel preheating system. This additionally improves the flow characteristics of the diesel fuel by about 8 ../../../../global/font_symbols/CorpoSWGL/CorpoSWGL_2020.png .

Flow improvers

The effectiveness of flow improvers cannot be guaranteed with all fuels. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Information about approved flow improvers can be obtained from any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

If you add a flow improver to the FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel (bio-diesel fuel), the fuel's resistance to low temperatures does not change.

Kerosene

Risk of fire

The addition of kerosene lowers the flash point of the diesel fuel. This makes the fuel highly flammable.

Only mix kerosene with diesel fuel in the fuel tank.

First add the kerosene and then the diesel fuel.

Observe the relevant safety regulations.

Adding 5% kerosene by volume improves the diesel fuel's resistance to low temperatures by about +8 ../../../../global/font_symbols/CorpoSWGL/CorpoSWGL_2020.png . The proportion of kerosene added must not exceed 50%. Add as little kerosene as possible.

Run the engine for a while to ensure that the additive reaches all parts of the fuel system.

Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) fuel (bio-diesel)

You can operate your vehicle using pure FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel in compliance with DIN EN 14214. You can also operate your vehicle using a mixture of conventional diesel fuel and FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel. This also applies to vehicles with the BlueTec® exhaust gas aftertreatment system.

Running the vehicle on FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel results in:

a slightly higher fuel consumption
a slightly reduced engine power output
more white smoke than usual after a cold start

To avoid damage to the assemblies and components, observe the following points when using FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel:

have the fuel filter and the engine oil filter replaced approximately 1,000 km after switching to FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel.
have the engine oil filter and the fuel filter replaced at every oil change.
FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel shortens the service life of conventional fuel filters. Mercedes-Benz recommends fitting a special fuel prefilter. Information about this is available from any qualified specialist workshop, e.g. any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
if you operate your vehicle using FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel, adjust the fuel grade in the on-board computer. If you operate your vehicle using a mixture of conventional diesel fuel and FAME fatty acid methyl ester, adjust the fuel grade in the on-board computer. Otherwise, there is a danger of engine damage.
the engine oil will have to be changed and the oil filter replaced much more frequently.
only add FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel in compliance with DIN EN 14214. FAME fuels that do not comply with DIN EN 14214 or additives added to the fuel may cause malfunctions or engine damage.
FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel corrodes painted surfaces. Do not allow FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel to come into contact with the paintwork. Rinse off FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel with water immediately.
only use engine oils which comply with sheet no. 228.5 or 228.3 of the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service Products.
if the vehicle is not used for long periods of time, FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel can clog fuel system components. For this reason, use all the FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel before long periods of time when the vehicle is not used. Fill up the fuel tank with conventional diesel fuel. Before parking up the vehicle, allow the engine to idle for at least one hour.
Mercedes-Benz recommends that you do not use FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel in vehicles which are out of use for long periods, e.g. fire engines.
the auxiliary heating may only be operated with conventional diesel fuel. Otherwise, the system may malfunction. Do not add more than 10% FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel to the conventional diesel fuel.

An additional fuel tank is required with pure conventional diesel fuel for the auxiliary heating system, if you operate the vehicle:
- using FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel
- using a mixture of conventional diesel fuel and more than 10% FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel

Set the fuel grade in the on-board computer more.

The Mercedes-Benz implied warranty does not cover damage if:

it is directly or indirectly caused by the use of FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel which does not comply with DIN EN 14214.
you do not observe the specifications in accordance with Sheet no. 135 of the Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Service Products for operation with FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel.
malfunctions or consequential damage, e.g. paintwork damage, are caused by handling FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuels or running the engine on fuels of this type.

Environmental note

If the vehicle runs on FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel, ask your disposal plant whether you have to collect the engine oil separately. Not all manufacturers of refined products (lubricant manufactured from used engine oil) can process engine oil which has been enriched with FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel.

Observe special notes and national regulations when disposing of engine oils. Information is available from any qualified specialist workshop, e.g. any Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.

Low outside temperatures

FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel compliant with DIN EN 14214 can be used reliably at outside temperatures down to -20 ../../../../global/font_symbols/CorpoSWGL/CorpoSWGL_2020.png .

The vehicle is equipped with a fuel preheating system. This improves the flow of the FAME fatty acid methyl ester fuel by an additional 8 ../../../../global/font_symbols/CorpoSWGL/CorpoSWGL_2020.png .

AdBlue®

AdBlue® is a non-flammable, non-toxic, colourless, odourless and water-soluble liquid.

Use only AdBlue® in accordance with DIN 70 070. Do not use any additives.

If AdBlue® comes into contact with painted or aluminium surfaces when filling the tank, rinse the affected area immediately with plenty of water.

High outside temperatures

The chemical composition of AdBlue® can break down if it heats up to 50 ../../../../global/font_symbols/CorpoSWGL/CorpoSWGL_2020.png over a long period (e.g. as a result of direct sunlight on the AdBlue® tank). This creates ammonia vapour.

Risk of injury

Ammonia vapours may escape if the AdBlue® tank cap is opened at high temperatures. Ammonia vapours have a pungent odour and are particularly irritating to the skin, to mucous membranes and to the eyes. You may experience a burning sensation in your eyes, nose and throat, as well as coughing and watering of the eyes.

Do not inhale ammonia vapours.

Low outside temperatures

AdBlue® freezes at a temperature of approximately -11 ../../../../global/font_symbols/CorpoSWGL/CorpoSWGL_2020.png . The vehicle is equipped at the factory with an AdBlue® preheating system. This means that winter operation is also ensured for temperatures below -11 .

At low temperatures, AdBlue® crystals may form on the coiled hose between the engine and the silencer. This crystallisation does not pose a risk to the correct operation of BlueTec® exhaust gas aftertreatment. The AdBlue® crystals can be removed with clean water if necessary.

Additives, tap water

Do not mix additives to AdBlue®. Do not thin AdBlue® with tap water. This could destroy the BlueTec® exhaust gas aftertreatment system.

Any damage caused by the use of such additives or tap water will invalidate the warranty entitlements.

Storage

Only use containers made of the following materials to store AdBlue®:

Cr-Ni steels in accordance with DIN EN 10 088-1/2/3
Mo-Cr-Ni steels in accordance with DIN EN 10 088-1/2/3
Polypropylene
Polyethylene

Containers made of aluminium, copper, copper alloys or unalloyed or galvanised steels are not suitable for storing AdBlue®. If stored in these types of container, the AdBlue® could dissolve the constituents of these metals and damage the BlueTec® exhaust gas aftertreatment system beyond repair.

Any damage caused by such dissolved constituents of containers will invalidate the warranty entitlements.

Disposal

Observe laws and regulations on the disposal of AdBlue® in the country concerned.

	Environmental note
Dispose of AdBlue® in an environmentally responsible manner.

Purity

The purity of AdBlue® is essential to avoid malfunctions in BlueTec® exhaust gas aftertreatment.

If AdBlue® has to be pumped from the AdBlue® tank, e.g. during repairs, do not use this fluid again. The purity of the fluid is no longer guaranteed.


Impurities in AdBlue® (e.g. caused by other service products, cleaning agents, dust, etc.) result in increased emissions, malfunctions, catalytic converter damage or engine damage.