hey guys. so i've had the check coolant level come on and off for about 2 weeks now. i am going to add some coolant in my car tomorrow and i was wondering if it matters what brand of coolant i use?
could someone give me info whether or not brand matters. thanks

 

I just use the dealer brand, works fine for me, it's not even that expensive.

 

I highly recommend taking it in to the dealership and letting them deal with it. Your car should still be under warranty and it's unusual for your car to need collant so early.

 

mine came up for a little while yesterday as well.. will take it to the dealer if it comes out again.

 

alright thanks. i'll take it to the dealer as well and see what the problem is.

 

Use only genuine Benz coolant concentrate diluted 50/50% with distilled or deionised water.

 

As previous threads have mentioned just add some distilled water. I don't think I even added a cup to top off the reservoir and have the "message" go away. Such a small amount of straight distilled water is not going to dilute the mixture enough to worry about.

If over the course of several years I need to keep adding fluid then next time I will go with the coolant mixture.

 

I took my car to the dealership today and they added some coolant for me saying that it was a little low. Must be the 30 degree weather.

 

You can also use Zerex G05 Antifreeze / Coolant , which is available in parts stores, and approved by Mercedes ( spec 325.0 )

MB Approved Coolants

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HOAT GO5 coolants were a relaxation of Benz requirements in the Daimler Chrysler days.

The W204 has a chemical top-up sachet in the radiator tank & if you wish to run the 10 year coolant drain interval recommended you need to use coolants meeting 325.3 & not 325.0 - Please note! Zerex has no such approval.

 

The owners manual that came with the car specifies MB 325.0 coolant be used in 2008 (G05-HOAT), except for the AMG. OP has a 2008 in the US. It's most likely that the original fill for non-AMG W204's in the US is 325.0 (G05), and not the 325.3 (G30-OAT) coolant you implied.

Please note: If my owners manual is correct, Zerex G05 is likely the same Coolant op and I would buy from our MB dealer for non-AMG W04's.

Assuming the owners manual is correct, W04 0wners should check it to find their coolant spec. Upgrading to 325.3 would require a complete coolant flush.

G05 HOAT coolant has an excellent historic reputation, and I'd rather do a quick change in 5 years than hastle with a change to a dexcool type 10 year product. G30's have no silicates and are more likely to develop capillary leakage, in my experience.

 

Your 204 cars built in South Africa for the US market are initial filled with 325.3. I would expect German cars to be similar. It's more than possible that a lot of owner's manuals hang back to the DC days. All late production 272 powered 203's from Germany to the US market were filled with 325.3 with chemical sachet. Your coolant service interval is 10 or 15 years in all newer owner's manuals - even later 203 manuals. For this you require 325.3

HOAT GO5 coolants can't hold a candle to products like Texaco/Arteco Havoline Extended Life Coolant - carboxylate technology. It is a nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, silicate, borate and amine-free formulation & patented. The technology is made available to other vendors at a price including BASF. The Texaco technology came 14 years before the DEX COOL spec. Yes it was the first to achieve the DEX COOL approval. The Texaco product was one of very few to make it through 325.2. approval

Benz do not move backwards in their higher levels of approval. 325.3 products are clearly superior to 325.0. This is especially true in areas such a aluminium core & solder compatibility & cooling system adhesives. 325.3 coolants give improved component durability in all areas of the cooling system with sustained heat transfer capability.

I'm sure you don't use oil meeting 229.3 in your engine.

All three Benz coolant quality levels are miscible.

Benz NA Dealers have the newer coolant available. Yes - the 325.0 product will be cheaper.

You may run your car on whatever you like. In the US using 325.0 won't invalidate your warranty as it will in other countries.

All I am recommending to people is to use the latest - It's best & there are demonstrable benefits to be had.

 

Do you know the color of 325.0, and 325.3 ? That may clearly ID the initial fill.

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I just called the local, long established dealer, and the part's dept lists 325.0 as the coolant for our C300. He did not even stock another coolant type. The 325.0 is what they always have used. They did say AMG's use a different coolant, as my manual states.

Unless we get contrary input from other US owner's and their dealers, your initial general advice would have owners paying $16/gal for the dealer's 325.0, vs $8 for Zerex.

 

Just for confusion it is blue or orange dependent on where it is manufactured. (Genuine 325.3) A fatal Flaw IMHO

 

No - I would recommend paying the extra money for the genuine 325.3 product - If you can't find a source of supply from a dealer then I would consult the long list of 325.3 products listed in the link you kindly supplied above and buy one of them. In my case I would buy either the Texaco or Chevron products of course as I know their entire pedigree - if I was still based in the US. Here at home I use the Caltex XLC which is identical to both the Texaco & Chevron products & many of the products on the 325.3 approvals list sold by those that we supply.

 

Our C300 is german made, and the coolant is greenish-blue. Does that suggest 325.3 initial fill?

MB could be a little more clear about coolant. For our 2008:

- Owners manual lists 325.0 in Tech Data section.

- Service Products lists MB #BQ 1 03 0002, ref 325.0 spec

- expansion tank label lists A000 584 0807

- Link Above for 325.0 Includes 2 MB products:
MB 325.0, A 000 989 08 25 Daimler AG, Stuttgart/Deutschland
MB 325.0, A 000 989 21 25 Daimler AG, Stuttgart/Deutschland

- Maintenance Book says replace coolant every 143,000 miles or every 15 years.

 

Yes. you have 325.3 initial fill - thats what SA uses as well - blue. 325.2 was supposed to be green, 325.0 is supposed to be "clear" - again not a good description of colour. If you are on a 10 or 15 year replacement cycle you have 325.3 PLUS chemical top-up sachet. It seems some 10 year cycle cars did not have the chemical sachet although I've never seen one.

Out of interest many 272 powered 203's to the US like Johnand's car were already on the 15 year cycle with sachet.

What makes me mad is that it's almost as though Benz use up old owner's manuals & stickers before moving to the latest. I have always tried to stick to the stamped maintenance book schedule but even that gets fouled up. At my last service at 45,000 Kms they did a few minor things that were not in the maintenance book. We are under service plan so it did not cost me anything but I queried it. I was told the Maintenance book was obsolete & that they put my VIN into the computer & do what Benz tells them to against that VIN for the mileage. I decided that they were doing more than listed so I would not loose sleep over it.

BTW - where are you? - I note you drive a "Classic"

 

Does 325.3 use 2EH like Dexcool ? I read Ford went HOAT vs OAT since 2EH attacked some plastics.

 

Does this top-up go in the expansion tank?

I updated my info ... thanks for picking that up

 

What happens after 15 years ?. Do we replace the sachet ? Where is it located? Does it need checking for viable contents in the meantime? . Of what chemical does it consist?

This thread is creating more questions than answers !

Regards,

John C.

 

This may be the wrong forum for this but as long as it's been brought up I might as well throw it out there:

The 15 year cycle with the "sachet" was started on most if not all W203s in 2005. My M112 powered 203 has it. There is an old document floating around on the W203 forum that goes into great detail about this.

 

Thanks acr - I'm careful about commenting on US cars unless I know a definite case like John's car because the US does things differently to ROW as is the case with this thread. Cars initial filled with 325.3 & then US dealers using 325.0. We have the mileage thing - Much of ROW considered torrid zones with 15,000 Km engine oil drains & the US at 20,000Km - both with fleece. The USA has areas that have a more harsh climate than South Africa as you well know. They also have as much dust blowing around in certain states - Arizona - Texas etc. The MBUSA Auto tranny filled for life issue that they have had to retract.

 

No Sodium 2EH in 325.3 - Sodium 2EH leaches plasticisers & softens certain plastics.

Not all DEX COOL approved products contain 2EH - I know Prestone's does.

There is a limit to how far I'm prepared to go regarding the technology in 325.3 products because it was the subject of a patent violation by BASF & is now settled.

However - the Audi coolant is a BASF (supplied) product that contains no 2EH as an example

 

John - The sachet (plastic mesh bag) is in the coolant reservoir (in some diesel engines in commercial service in the radiator tank). It requires no checking for 15 years. The chemical has, to date, been simple Silica Gel which releases silicates. Benz have tried to make the entire coolant system suitable for both petrol engines & diesel engines with cast iron sleeves.

After 15 years, if the system has not been drained for another reason in the interim such as a pump failure, You simply drain & flush. Replenish the coolant in a 50/50 concentration with deionised or distilled water. Pop a new sachet in the reservoir and you are good to go for another 15 years. If you have to drain the system prematurely you obviously do the same.

I can post the article that arc2001 mentions but it was written in 2004 before 325.2 & 325.3 coolants were the norm and is thus a little misleading in the present context. It only discusses the US 325.0 product which is an orange/straw colour (supposed to be clear - which I guess it is) and presupposes that this would be the Benz 15 year fix.

Well history now tells us that this was not so and things have moved on and products have improved. Benz decided that 325.0 coolants were not any longer the best for 15 years.

The last time I spoke to MB engineers before taking early retirement (now consulting back to the old firm as you know) they were trying to move away from the sachet. I don't know their progress in this regard. I will ask the question.

The only checking you require to do is concentration now and again with a refractometer. If your system has not sprung a leak then you can usually top up with a little deionised water or 50/50 premix. In service it tends to be the water phase of the coolant that evapourates. Nothing beats a refractometer though.

Don't worry - your car will last as long as your Peugeot

 

Thank you for taking the time Glyn. All good info to file away.( Literally!)