1996 Mercedes-Benz C280 Service and Repair Manual

This factory service and repair manual for the 1996 Mercedes-Benz C280 is written for the 4-door sedan in Base trim. Its engine, a 2.8L inline-six, carries twin overhead camshafts, relies on natural aspiration and burns gasoline. The manual gives procedures, specifications and wiring diagrams for this sedan.

Engines covered

• 2.8L inline-six — DOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline

Body styles covered

• 4-door sedan

Trims covered

• Base

Known issues on the 1996 C280. NHTSA filed two recalls against wider groupings. One was recorded against the 1996 C-Class line for certain vehicles equipped with 6-cylinder engines, whose drive belt pulley could crack from metal fatigue and break, taking away engine cooling, battery charging or power steering; dealers fitted a new crankshaft damper pulley. The other, for certain 1996 W202-chassis models, involved a hood latch hook that a minor frontal impact could bend, leaving no working secondary catch. Of ten owner complaints for the 1996 C280, seven are electrical and one reported a fire. Five complaints against the 1996 C-Class line center on electrical faults. The manual covers belt drive, cooling, hood latch and wiring procedures.