Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 C230.
The 1997 Mercedes-Benz C230 is a passenger car whose routine service calls for 6.6 quarts of engine oil in 0W-30, 5W-30, or 0W-40 viscosity grades. Within the 1997–2003 C230 complaint history, the 1997 model sits at the bottom of the curve with just 18 owner complaints and zero recalls — the lowest count in that span, against a peak of 100 complaints for the 2002 model. With air bags cited as the top complaint area, that low tally makes the 1997 C230 a useful baseline for researchers tracking how the model aged rather than a year flagged by widespread reliability warnings.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.
From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 49 · 825 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.
| Engine air filter | 6040941304 |
| Fuel filter | 0024772701 |
| Spark plug | 0031596803 |
| Battery | 0009823308 |
| Thermostat | 015997234864 alt 1112000915 |
| Cabin air filter | 2108300818 |
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 177.6 in |
| Overall width | 67.7 in |
| Overall height | 55.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 105.9 in |
| Curb weight | 3153 lb |
| Track (front / rear) | 58.7 / 57.5 in |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 6.6 qt of 0W-30 / 5W-30 / 0W-40 engine oil, 85W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.
| Brake Fluid | DOT 4 |
| Differential Gear Oil | 85W-90 · GL-5 |
| Differential Gear Oil Capacity | 2.5 Pints |
| Engine Coolant | USE ONLY COOLANT MEETING MB SHEET 325.0 |
| Engine Oil | 0W-30 · 5W-30 · 0W-40 · 5W-40 · 5W-50 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 6.6 qt |
| Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts | 221 ft-lbs |
| Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts | 15 ft-lbs |
| Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts | 22 ft-lbs |
| Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug | 18.0 ft-lbs |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-3-4-2 |
| Cylinder Firing Order | 1-3-4-2 |
| Curb Idle Speed (No Load) | 750 rpm |
| Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load) | 100 rpm |
| Spark Plug Gap | 0.031 in |
| Refrigerant | R134a |
| Refrigerant Capacity | 1.80 lbs |
| Oil Group | PAG |
| Oil Type | MB part number 0019890803 or equivalent |
| Oil Capacity | 5.20 oz |
| Standard BCI Group Number | 49 |
| Standard BCI Cranking Performance | 825 cca |
| Pressure Test | 20 psi |
| Thermostat Opening Temperature | 185-192 °F |
| Injector Primary Resistance | 14-17 ohms |
| Engine Compression | Standard: 156-213, Supercharged: 109-152 psi |
| Engine Oil Pressure | 10 psi @ 700 rpm, 43.5 @ 3000 rpm psi |
| Intake Valve Lash | Hydraulic in |
| Exhaust Valve Lash | Hydraulic in |
| Torque to Knuckle | 85 ft-lbs |
| Torque Caliper to Bracket | 38 ft-lbs |
| Minimum Pad Thickness | Front: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in |
| Rotor Runout Limit | 0.005 in / 0.006 in |
| Rotor Nominal Thickness From | 0.984 in / 0.354 in |
| Rotor Nominal Thickness To | 0.984 in / 0.354 in |
| Rotor Minimum Machining | 0.906 in / 0.299 in |
| Rotor Discard at or Under | 0.882 in / 0.287 in |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1997 Mercedes C230 top in one area — the air bags, 3 of 18 reports (17%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 3 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the air bags pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 18 complaints on record, top 8 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.
Showing 5 of 11 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| LI68.05-P-059193 | 2014-06-20 | Equipment | SENTEX gate operator with Clik Card Remote not compatible with Homelink |
| PB-91-60-53A | 2009-02-27 | Electrical System | MERCEDES VEHICLE: THE SRS INDICATOR LAMP IS ILLUMINATED AND CODE B1058 AND B2DBO ARE… |
| PB-82-10-376F | 2009-02-06 | Exterior Lighting | MERCEDES VEHICLES: THE XENON OR BI-XENON HEADLAMP NOT FUNCTIONING. A FUNCTION DESCRIPTION… |
| PB-42-30-103 | 2009-01-13 | Service Brakes, Air | MERCEDES VEHICLE: THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) RETURN FLOW PUMP RUNNING WITHOUT… |
| 462046 | 2008-12-04 | Steering | PLAY IN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM. MODELS 203, 209, 210, 211, 215, 220, 230… |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
6.6 qt of 0W-30, 5W-30, 0W-40, 5W-40 OR 5W-50, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.