Hello, I am a new Crossfire owner. 2004 Crossfire Limited in Casper, Wyoming. I have a few problems out of the gate; intermittent check engine light, dome lights inoperable, loose molding in back, inoperable key less entry.

Question
Is there a oil change chain that stocks Mobil 1 0w-40?

 

Welcome, I see you are about to make a huge mistake - let's see if we can avoid that.

1) Check engine light - stop by Autozone or some other parts store and get the codes read, report back here and we can help.
BETTER YET, buy your own code reader and read them yourself - it's not hard.

2) The dome lights in the 04 coupe have a three way switch on the over head console.
Position 1 - Lights are on all the time
Position 2 - Lights come on with opening of door (and I think hatch)
Position 3 - Lights do not come on ever
Check all three positions, if you cant get them to come on, check fuse 9 in the underhood fuse box, driver's side.

3) Loose molding - I will let a coupe owner handle that one, I've never owned a coupe.

4) THe key fob can loose sync with the SKREEM. Follow the programming procedure:
A) Get in car, insert key but do not turn it.
B) Press unlock or lock button on key twice.
C) Turn key to ON but don't start car, within 10 seconds.
D) Yank key out and get outta car, close door, try buttons, they should work.
E) If the above does not work, replace batteries in the key fob, repeat procedure.

Now to your mistake:
If you take the car to any 'oil change' chain, plan on big trouble. (In fact, if you take your Ford pickup to one of them, assume things won't get done right, either).
Oil changes are easy to do on your own, I'd do it at home myself. If you don't want to do that, find some small garage known for Mercedes experience and take it to them. They will know to use a FLeece Filter and will have oils in stock suitable; additionally, you will develop a relationship with people who know German cars, and you will need them someday. Also, they will know about the o-rings that Jiffy Lube will just throw away, instead of changing them.

Walmart sells 0W40 Mobile 1, but I'd not use it south of, about, the Canadian border. The current recommendation is, and has been, for at least five years to use 5W40.
Here is the list of approved oils, 0W40 is still approved but no longer recommended:
https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/229.3_en.html

DO NOT use a paper oil filter, you want a "Fleece" filter, here are two re-boxed Mann Fleece filters you can buy locally:


Here are two filters, the white one is Fleece, brown one is paper. Verify what is in the box before you take it home.
If you tell the guy behind the counter you have a Crossfire, he will sell you a cheap paper filter, cause the computer tells him to.
If you tell him it's a "2003 Mercedes SLK320" he will sell you a fleece filter - yet the engine is the same engine, built by the same factory, in both cars.


LEFT: FLEECE --------------------- RIGHT: PAPER
The box will have several 0-rings for you to replace on the filter carrier, one o-ring we dont use and throw away, the rest we replace at every change.
Jiffy lube just throws the 0-rings away (in my experience, anyway).

 

Pizza Guy gave you good advice. Changing your own oil isn't all that hard. I do it every spring. I purchased a Mityvac MV7201 Fluid Evacuator. You take the oil (hot) out through the dip stick. As for the filter, right on the top of the engine. Fleece Filter only. I got a case of Mann filters (6) on line. As for oil I still use Mobil 1 0W40. Purchased at Wal*Mart when on sale. Also in the spring Mobil has been giving Re-Bates. Good Luck.

 

Good info here as I am also a new member .
Question ; What is the recommended lube for changing in the differential ? I have the manual but seems I saw posted here a much lighter viscosity ?

Thks
Bob

 

Hi Bob, You really need to look at the various categories on the forum. This question should be posted in the TECHNICAL section / Engine, Exhaust, Transmission and Differential. Putting your posts in the correct category on the forum will get you a quicker and likely a more accurate response to your question.

Now . . . Having said that

This is the correct fluid for the rear differential:


It takes 1-1/2 quarts. Also advice is to remove the fill plug on the differential FIRST before removing the drain plug and draining the old fluid (because if for some reason you are unable to remove the fill plug, you'll be "stuck" with an empty differential and no way to fill it with new fluid. It's an easy job if you have a nice set of car ramps. Just back the car onto the ramps. A 30 minute job at the most.

By the way . . . After struggling for years trying to use the common steel ramps like these . . .


I bought a set of these 1300 lb capacity ramps from Harbor Freight. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. They work for cars with low ground clearance, they don't slide around on the garage floor when you try to drive up on them and they are relatively light weight. An easy one person job . . . set the ramps in position and drive up on them. Very Highly recommended.

 

Only YOU would think of that. This is why we need every contributor on here.

In any event, I like Mobile 1 75W90 for the differential.

(And Mobile 1 5W20 for the manual transmission, tho there IS an actual manual transmission fluid out there, John Moorehead and John Tilka used 5W20 so I did too.................)

 

Thanks guys for the replies .
I've been a long time member of "The Ford Barn" & various other vehicle/aircraft related forums & know when it comes to discussing lubricants there can be unending discussions , especially older vehicles w/ no lube specs as today . Some of the members would joke when those subjects would resurface --- "well it's time to pop some popcorn , it's going to be another long one " !

 

Thanks Pizzaguy! Your advice helps!

 

Great advice, new to site with 2005 roadster so I find this forum very very helpful,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

Don't forget to check the bulbs in the dome light first

 

Probably just a molding trim pin either broken or missing. You can get these on eBay for a few bucks. Good to keep some around as these cars are "getting on in years".

 

I would agree with your statement above that Mobil 1 0w40 European Formula is approved for the 229.3 M-B spec which the Crossfire engine belongs under. Not sure I agree with 0w40 Mobil 1 Euro Formula no longer recommended. If one goes by the 229.3 spec, the oil is both approved & recommended. If one goes by the 229.5 spec, which is extended oil change intervals that M-B defines as up to 30,000 km or 18,641 miles (I doubt we'd find a Crossfire Owner going out to 18,000 miles per oil change), Mobil 1 0w40 is on the list but with the condition that a "fleece" filter element is used. The paper filter element is approved for M-B's 229.3 spec in NA engines and the fleece filter element is recommended for the SRT-6 cars. Most of us use the fleece filter element in our cars no matter which engine we have.

 

Congrats on your purchase and welcome to our Forum. Great stuff, as you've probably already figured out. Lots of experience and you nearly always get differing recommendations. It's not that any one of us is incorrect, we just have different experiences with these cars.

Enjoy!!!

 

Hi! Thanks for all the wonderful advice! I stopped by AutoZone to get the codes on the check engine light as recommended. Here they are

P0410 Secondary Air Injection System
P0412 Secondary Air Injection System Valve A Circuit
P0403 Exhaust Gas Recirculation Control Circuit
P0135 O2 Heater Circuit (Bank 1, Sensor 1)
P0135 O2 Heater Circuit (Bank 2, Sensor 1)

Additionally, No Solutions were found in the database

 

Update,

I assume my SKREEM unit is bad. The gas cap locking mechanism, rear hatch locking mechanism has been removed from the car. The key fob doesn't do anything. The lock/unlock button still works when the key is turned on

 

I do not know how you arrived at THAT conclusion. I see nothing in any of your posts that would indicate a SKREEM failure. If the lock/unlock buttons on the fob dont do anything, I'd replace batteries in it and do the re-sync procedure.

If the car starts and runs, the SKREEM is essentially OK. The idea that it would start the car but not respond to the fob lock/unlock signal COULD be a SKREEM issue, most often, it is a loss of sync between the fob and SKREEM that can be programmed by the owner.

 

Yeah, I figured out I didn't have a bad SKREEM unit a few minutes after posting that... Cart before horse...

 

How do you know they have been removed? Just because they do not work does not mean they are not there. Maybe you have a problem with the fob.

 

Well, I can see where they should be (the locking mechanisms)